Aberrant: Trans-Dimensional Explorations - Trans-D: The Training Thread

[BlueNinja]

Fri 7 Nov 2020

Field behind the SGE

Approx 0900

For those people already back in Selma the Friday before the next mission, Athena lets everyone know that morning that Kevin and Claire have arranged a training area for the group, as per Esteban's request. Behind the gym, past the tree 'fence' is one of the fallow fields - turned into a somewhat urban landscape. Cheap cement buildings of a story or two fill an area of an acre or so, and the rusted hulks of cars line a 'street' in front of them. Kevin is chatting with a small crowd of novas, most of them with obvious low levels of QBS - colored skin, auras, and one guy with the largest black bird wings you've probably ever seen.

"Well, folks, howdy. Guys, this is Michal's secret group - I can't tell you what it is they do, because it's top secret. But they want to have some practice working as a group against hostiles, nova and baseline I'm guessing. Esteban and folks, these are some of my buddies, most of them have done a couple of rounds with the XWF." Kevin tips back the cowboy hat he's wearing and gestures out at the cheap city. "Claire and I whipped this up yesterday, figured it'll give us a good arena where you can throw powers around without a big risk of hitting the innocents. Most of this is supposed to be residential area, so there's like a shopping area off on one side."

Claire walks out of one of the buildings, holstering a very large pistol. "I've got a couple of ideas for different squad tactics that they teach cops. Rieller will be flying around overhead to keep a watch on things, just in case we need to medivac someone in a hurry. Try to keep your attacks to the non-killing ones." She looks over at the PCs. "So? Any idea what you guys want to do first?"

[Centimane]

For those people already back in Selma the Friday before the next mission, Athena lets everyone know that morning that Kevin and Claire have arranged a training area for the group, as per Esteban's request. Behind the gym, past the tree 'fence' is one of the fallow fields - turned into a somewhat urban landscape. Cheap cement buildings of a story or two fill an area of an acre or so, and the rusted hulks of cars line a 'street' in front of them. Kevin is chatting with a small crowd of novas, most of them with obvious low levels of QBS - colored skin, auras, and one guy with the largest black bird wings you've probably ever seen.

Zhenglai, upon hearing from Athena that there would be a training session, hobbled out to the field with his sword strapped across his back. As he limped towards the group of gathered novas he noticed the curious looks he was getting and smiled a small, private smile. Zhenglai had long since grown used to people giving him curious looks, the sort that said "how are you still alive old man, and what do you think you're doing here?" It no longer concerned him, and it was often an aid since many would let their guards down around such a harmless looking old coot like himself.

"Well, folks, howdy. Guys, this is Michal's secret group - I can't tell you what it is they do, because it's top secret. But they want to have some practice working as a group against hostiles, nova and baseline I'm guessing. Esteban and folks, these are some of my buddies, most of them have done a couple of rounds with the XWF."

Zhenglai stepped forward and, with his hands clasped before him in the traditional manner, bowed once and then twice in greeting before saying, "I am honored to meet all of you. I am Guo Zhenglai", he said once again forgetting the Western habit of saying names backwards, "and I look forward to learning all that you can teach us."

Claire walks out of one of the buildings, holstering a very large pistol. "I've got a couple of ideas for different squad tactics that they teach cops. Rieller will be flying around overhead to keep a watch on things, just in case we need to medivac someone in a hurry. Try to keep your attacks to the non-killing ones." She looks over at the PCs. "So? Any idea what you guys want to do first?"

Zhenglai says simply, "yes, I would like to here of these 'squad tactics' you wish to teach us".

[Bahamut810]

Ash walks out with the group and grins as Kevin makes the intro's and such.

"Alright...who can't handle a few bullets? I want to know before I try. I would hate to put someones eye out or somethin'." he says looking at the moving targets.

"So? Any idea what you guys want to do first?"

"Well...I would suggest leap frogging, but not enough of us need that sort of thing. How about securing and searching a building?After that we can go to large scale nova combat." he says and gives a wink to her.

[Expendable]

"I can't handle being hit by bullets," Theo interrupted. She scowled as she looked at the set up in front of her. It was all very casual. Couldn't they have talked them through this first before bringing them out here like this?

"Clearing and securing a building, yeah, let's try that," Theo replied. "Someone going to tell us how to do that or do we have to blunder around a bit first?"

[Alex Green]

Paul comments,

"The first thing we have to decide is whether or not this is powered, or what we're going to allow."

*If it is powered then I'll hang back and concentrate on rotating the link. In a combat situation I can't rotate it and do other things.*

[SkyLion]

Paul comments,

"The first thing we have to decide is whether or not this is powered, or what we're going to allow."

*If it is powered then I'll hang back and concentrate on rotating the link. In a combat situation I can't rotate it and do other things.*

,,

The glowing form of Reiller appears and levitates down from the roof of the shopping area. Upon reaching the group, his ever-floating feet hit Terra Firma, the glowing subsides and a mere moment later the spaniard has is present, the large mock-firearm having returned to the Eufiber it sprang from.

,,

"Most definitely powered." he replies. "We want this to be as close to real-life deadliness as we can. In a real situation, we won't have the luxury of holding back and it's important to know how we function as a team. That doesn't mean that we all need to be front line, just that we all need to play to our collective and not just individual strengths. As you can see from my short demonstration, misdirection can be a powerful tool. For example...if I really wanted to be deadly, I would fight invisibly. However, in certain situations it may be advantageous for me to adopt a large, highly visible and threatening shape. Being able to handle a few direct hits, I can draw enemy fire while the rest of you act to neutralize the enemy..."

[Alex Green]

Paul says,

"Powered it is then."

And he turns invisible.

[AnonCastillo]

Jonathan shows up in simple, loose fitting pants and shirt that vaguely resemble a martial arts uniform.

"I can't take bullets, so let's not make the first few scenarios anything too high risk. I don't want any of us getting hurt or killed over a training exercise."

[Shade Sentinel]

The Mask stands as usual with his arms crossed before his chest as he watches the groups prepare for their training.

"It may serve you well to let the me know if you have any weapon or equipment choices for combat...I can be of some assistance in that feld."

[Centimane]

Zhenglai listens to the conversation with interest and watches, much impressed at the display of power from both Esteban and Paul before finally saying, "I am still interested in hearing of the tactics that Claire wishes to teach us, but I would also suggest that we work out some tactics and methods of teamwork amongst ourselves. For instance: I am obviously not "front line" as Esteban called it, but I can, and have been, of use in the field of combat. I can, from a distance of precisely 120 meters, alter an individual's emotional state of being. This is not a lethal attack, of course, but it throws a man off his center and distracts him. And if another of us - say Brandt or Esteban - were to flank this individual while he was overwhelmed with some distracting emotion such as blind terror they could easily dispatch of him. Also, from the much shorter distance of 50 meters, I can override a man's freedom of will. It is not foolproof, but it works well enough that I will often be able to turn one of our enemies against his own or simply stop him from fighting. This also would have many uses, especially in distracting our foes while the more powerful members of our party move behind or to the flank of our enemies and dispatch them. Another benefit of this ability that I have found is that it is not dependant on how weak an individual's physical defenses are, but rather how weak his mental defenses are. So it works equally well against armored and invulnerable foes, and sometimes even better, than it does against the weaker foes. Others here will undoubtedly have other powers or skills that could be used in like manner, to distract or disable, while others move in to attack or make a way of escape. I'm sure there are many other possibilities as well. We should discuss this"

[BlueNinja]

"I can't handle being hit by bullets," Theo interrupted. She scowled as she looked at the set up in front of her. It was all very casual. Couldn't they have talked them through this first before bringing them out here like this?

"Clearing and securing a building, yeah, let's try that," Theo replied. "Someone going to tell us how to do that or do we have to blunder around a bit first?"

Kevin snaps his fingers, and hunts around in a pocket of his overly-large trenchcoat, tossing Theo and Jonathan the forcefield bracelets they had borrowed for a previous mission. "Almost forgot about these. Um, Claire, you think you can run inside and get another one for Zhenglai?" She nods, and sprints back towards the main building. "Personally, I think you should blunder your way through one, then we'll give you pointers. Rorin, Lucy, why don't you two head into, say, that building," and he points at one of the concrete 'houses' about fifty feet away, "and get ready. You guys go ahead and plan among yourselves how you want to do it."

Paul comments,

"The first thing we have to decide is whether or not this is powered, or what we're going to allow."

Kevin nods along with Esteban's opinion. "Use your powers, because I'm guessing you guys can use them on whatever super-hush-hush stuff Michal has you doing."

Jonathan shows up in simple, loose fitting pants and shirt that vaguely resemble a martial arts uniform.

"I can't take bullets, so let's not make the first few scenarios anything too high risk. I don't want any of us getting hurt or killed over a training exercise."

One of the guys, an almost albino looking man in a business suit, raises a hand. "Don't worry, I'm a doctor. Plus I understand that one of your own is a nova healer, as well as medical facilities inside. We don't want anyone to die either, but if this is to be a realistic training exercise, there will be a risk of injury. All of us have promised to hold back from lethal attacks."

Zhenglai listens to the conversation with interest and watches, much impressed at the display of power from both Esteban and Paul before finally saying, "I can, from a distance of precisely 120 meters, alter an individual's emotional state of being. <snip> Also, from the much shorter distance of 50 meters, I can override a man's freedom of will. "

Rorin, the guy with the giant black wings, looks down at the smaller woman. "A Benny says the old guy can take you." She snorts, they both pull out their respective wallets and hand hundred dollar bills over to the doctor in the business suit, then amble off towards the concrete house Kevin pointed them to.

[Bahamut810]

Ash looks from team member to team member, "So you want me to tell you how to do it or do you want to guess?" says the seasoned policeman.

[Centimane]

Ash looks from team member to team member, "So you want me to tell you how to do it or do you want to guess?" says the seasoned policeman.

Zhenglai looked amused at this, but said only, "Explain away son."

[archer]

Brandt, having kept quiet so far, has been studying the building they'll be trying to take over. Listening with half an ear, he rolls his eyes at Ash's comment about how to do it, and chuckles to himself when Zhenglai responds.

Without a word, the speedster zips off and around the 'house' they'll be attacking, checking all possible entrances and exits on the exterior, before coming back in a blur to hear Ash's explanation.

[Centimane]

Zhenglai kept an ear to Ash's explanation while simultaneously surveying the lot and its quickly constructed buildings. As his old eyes took in the surroundings, he mentally took note of the exact distances between himself and all of the buildings, as well as their distance between eachother. With his Lung Zhu ((Node)) he stretched out his mind in order to keep tabs on the other novas they are to be fighting. As he did so he noticed Brandt race off around the building Kevin indicated they are to clear before returning almost as soon as he left. Having gauged Brandt's precise speed, Zhenglai was very impressed and limped over to him as he returned. Speaking quietly so as not to interrupt Ash or anyone else Zhenglai said, with quiet amusement, "You know, I was going to suggest that Mr. Mask or myself open a doorway to the backside of that building so that we could attack simultaneously on both sides, but with you around that hardly seems necassary."

((OOC: Zhenglai's using his holographic awareness to gauge precise distances, as well as to gauge Brandt's precise speed. BN: I'm not actually expecting you to come up with super-precise measurements for everything, I'm just making sure that Zhenglai will know the exact distance to things, and the exact instant that anyone steps into or out of the range of his powers.))

[Bahamut810]

Ash points a thumb at Brandt when he arrives quickly back.

"Brandt payed attention at roach-world and already did an external recon for us. Now we need internal recon. Estiban? If you would be so kind as to look through the walls and all that to see all the targets are. Paul, find a good defendable place to hunker down at...Theo, you go with him to back him up if he needs it. That will be HQ."

[SkyLion]

Esteban replies,

"So long as I am using juice to shift my perceptions, would you like me to become something big and scary to keep their attention or should I work as an assasin for this exercise?"

,,

((SS roll please!))

[Bahamut810]

"Stay small for now. If we want to flush them out you can turn big and ugly."

(Lets see...After the info is gathered...Turn on Anti-luck, Luck, Analyse Weakness, Synergy for any team efforts...of course Ash knows when he is being washed...With all that on he will devise some tactics best utilising our team dynamics. Ill drop a WP for a few rolls too, like Tactics and such)

[Shade Sentinel]

The Obsidian Mask stands, his arms casually folded across his chest listening to Ash go over strategy adding assistance if needed or able (( Tactics Roll to assist ))

"What would you have the Mask do?"

[BlueNinja]

((SS roll please!))

((Gah ... 13 successes, ten from megas alone! So 12 to assign.))

Without a word, the speedster zips off and around the 'house' they'll be attacking, checking all possible entrances and exits on the exterior, before coming back in a blur to hear Ash's explanation.

There's three 'doors' and at least five 'windows' large enough for any of you to climb in.

(Lets see...After the info is gathered...Turn on Anti-luck, Luck, Analyse Weakness, Synergy for any team efforts...of course Ash knows when he is being washed...With all that on he will devise some tactics best utilising our team dynamics. Ill drop a WP for a few rolls too, like Tactics and such)

((Ash officially gets one OMFG XP (given out with Ep 6) for triple botching his Luck roll! Let's all give Ash a big round of applause. Otherwise ... Analyze Weakness tells you the best way to get in to one of these fake houses is probably either the roof or a wall. Since concrete is tougher than normal building materials, the two elites out there probably won't be expecting it. Tactics tells you that against two novas, Esteban should go in first, with you and Brandt as backup, with Paul watching to pull you out, and Jonathan and Theo should stay the hell away; you don't know enough about Mask and Zhenglai to tell. Synergy gives you three dice to distribute for a Tactics roll for someone else to one-up your plan.))

[Expendable]

Theo snaps on the forcefield bracelet and frowns as she turns it on.

"Why haven't we seen this before?" she grumbled, listening to Ash.

As Brandt comes running back around the corner, she fights the sudden urge to jump out in front of him to see what would happen - but he'd already come to a stop.

A cold chill ran through her and she turned the forcefield bracelet off.

"I am the mouse," she muttered to herself. "Small and insigificant, unnoticable." Her eufiber shifts into a fuzzy urban camo outfit. Raising the bracelet, she turned it on again.

The bracelet wasn't anything to rely on. Forcefields didn't protect you from anything, especially self-destructive egos. Being scared, feeling that pump of adrenaline, listening, watching, that was important. Use the fear. Use the fear to stay focused. Forget the forcefield, who knew if it worked or not?

"What should I do?" Theo asked, swallowing.

[Alex Green]

Ash points a thumb at Brandt when he arrives quickly back.

"Brandt payed attention at roach-world and already did an external recon for us. Now we need internal recon. Estiban? If you would be so kind as to look through the walls and all that to see all the targets are. Paul, find a good defendable place to hunker down at...Theo, you go with him to back him up if he needs it. That will be HQ."

Paul floats around, surveying the land and looking for things to hide behind.

(To Zhenglai) *Zhenglai, you can sense minds can you with your emotion sense? Can you feel where they are and how many there are?*

[Bahamut810]

Ash quickly divvies out what needs to be done.

"Alright Paul and Theo will hang back. Paul is our Comm-man and Theo will be his backup. Theo...you might want to just stay invisable and keep a sharp eye out. Johnathan...you stick with them, and give us some weather cover if its possible.

Brandt...you should keep a perimeter around the building. It will be your job to make sure that no one leaves. If they do, get word to the rest of us then kick their asses. Zhengali, your with Brandt. Get to some cover and do what you do.

Estiban, go ahead and become something that can bust through a wall. I'll back you up with some good ol' fashioned firepower. Mask, your with me. We will work some impromptu tactics out while we are training.

Everyone ready for some fun?" he says then takes his pistols out, then switching the ammo out.

"I gots me some paint-bullets. And I am ready to go."

[Centimane]

Paul floats around, surveying the land and looking for things to hide behind.

(To Zhenglai) *Zhenglai, you can sense minds can you with your emotion sense? Can you feel where they are and how many there are?*

Zhenglai looked over at Paul with a curious look in his eyes and sent over the link, *Well...there are two: a woman named Lucy, and a man with wings named Rorin. They only left a few moments ago, you didn't see them leave?* This last part was sent with a sense of mild concern, as though Zhenglai was genuinely worried about Paul.

((Zhenglai will make a Node roll to determine the location of each of the two novas (and any others that may have snuck in), as per Paul's requests. He'll also back up his Node roll with a mind scan using his Telepathy, but he'll only target Lucy with this (since Telepathy only targets one person at a time and all). If anyone wants him to attempt to read their thoughts to see what they're planning, he'll do that. He can also open a Warp gate directly inside the building, though that may or may not be a good idea. Lastly, he can attempt to "pacify" one or the other of the elites using Empathic Manipulation. He'll have to be in speaking range of either of them to be able to Dominate them though. BN said the building we're supposed to clear is only 50 feet away so it's within range of all of his powers except Soothe (and Dominate until the elites are in hearing range...unless they could hear him shouting?).))

[archer]

Strangely enough, Brandt doesn't argue at all with Ash this time. He instead simply darts off to maintain a constant perimeter around the building, maintaining roughly a 30 foot gap between himself and the walls.

((Hypermove on, no need for Enh. Move yet.))

[BlueNinja]

((Hypermove on, no need for Enh. Move yet.))

(Are you keeping sub-sonic, or are you testing the durability of the buildings? ::devil )

[Alex Green]

Zhenglai looked over at Paul with a curious look in his eyes and sent over the link, *Well...there are two: a woman named Lucy, and a man with wings named Rorin. They only left a few moments ago, you didn't see them leave?* This last part was sent with a sense of mild concern, as though Zhenglai was genuinely worried about Paul.

Paul sends back (with amusement) *I saw them. I didn't see them sneak back behind us, and I also didn't see them sneak in another nova or two, but that doesn't mean they aren't there... and if I had seen them then we wouldn't need to check. More seriously, if we were in the field for real, we wouldn't know how many they are, so that's a really good thing to check.*

[Centimane]

After completing his scans of the building, Zhenglai sent over the link to Paul, *I can't seem to sense either of their quantum signatures, but I can sense that there are only two minds in that building right now. So there are only two as we suspected, but unfortunately I can't tell you precisely where right now.*

After he finished speaking Zhenglai took up a position in the doorway of the building directly across the street from the targeted building. As he came to a stop he sent over the link, *You know, I could just walk in there while laying down a blanket of pacifying emotional energy and ask them very nicely to just come on out....*

Immediately after he completed sending this he attempted to peirce the veil and see events as they would unfold.

((I'm assuming that there *is* a building across the 'street' from the building that Rorin and Lucy went into, if there isn't then Zhenglai will pick a position out of any direct line of fire but not too far away from the edge of Brandt's perimeter. Also BN: Pretercognition roll please!))

[Alex Green]

After he finished speaking Zhenglai took up a position in the doorway of the building directly across the street from the targeted building. As he came to a stop he sent over the link, *You know, I could just walk in there while laying down a blanket of pacifying emotional energy and ask them very nicely to just come on out....*

Paul sends back,

*And if it doesn't work they shoot/kill you? If you can do it without exposing yourself, that's a good idea. That includes warping to the other side of the building where they can't cover you.*

(Paul shifts the other part of the link so Ash hears this... then he rotates it so everyone does).

(To everyone) *If we really want cover I could whip up some fog. A diversion might come in handy as well... I'm going to summon some birds to be on hand if we need them.*

Paul reaches out with his mind and sees if there are some small active birds within range, if so he asks them to come and land in nearby trees.

[Shade Sentinel]

The Obsidian Mask turns to Ash. "Perhaps having the visual upper hand would prove beneficial as well. If anyone is capable of various perception, we could have the speedster quickly throw the buildings fuses making visibillity low inside, while we enter with an advantage. That or perhaps I could whip up some smoke grenades and or tear gas. Smoke them out..."

[SkyLion]

"Stay small for now. If we want to flush them out you can turn big and ugly."

Esteban nods and turns invisible.

((13 successes so 12 to apply: 1 EM Scan, 1 Ultraperipheral, 1 Flight, 3 Armor, 3 DI, 1 Bodymod: Tendril (lethal), 1 Accuracy, 1 Invisibility.))

*If* anyone is capable of seeing Esteban's *very* invisible, hovering form (add in a weave roll to the invisibility please), they *would* see that he now appears to be a cloaked, man-sized (8 feet tall) version of Eli's Beowulf Robot Armor, complete with an energy tendril.

Scanning in 360 degrees around the party, Esteban looks through the walls and relays Ash's requested intel on the location of any and all hostiles through Paul's link...

Hovering into position above the building where he can crash through the roof on top of their quarry, Esteban adds,

*Just be careful. I may not be the only one who can see through walls or read quantum signatures...*

((Of course much of this relies on what he finds with the EM Scan....Quantum Attunement also (which will also be in 360 now) to determine the Q-sigs of any hostiles...

Esteban will keep track of his quarry and attempt a medicine roll to guess at the hostiles powers and whether or not they are using enhanced senses to track him or pierce his cloak as he moves into postition.))

--Edited for clarity and organization--

[BlueNinja]

Zhenglai attempts to get a vision of the future, but all he sees is him talking with Kevin in the gym building. He can, however, easily open a Warp to any of the buildings around the one Rorin and Lucy are hiding in.

Paul can easily pull in two dozen crows, sparrows, and even a pair of robins, along with a half dozen hawks and three owls. The owls might not be much use during the day though. How many did you want?

Esteban can easily see both Rorin and Lucy in the building, taking up positions in different rooms of the building, one of them watching the 'street' and the other watching the 'back yard' that is sort of shared between the houses. Lucy can barely be seen through all of the concrete, but Rorin definately has enhanced speed, perhaps on a par with Brandt.

[Bahamut810]

"Alright...here is the plan. Estiban tell Mask exactly where Rorin is. I am going to have Paul send his birds though the windows and to start attacking the poor guy. When they start doing that, Mask, you open a Warp horizonatally above him. Estiban, you hop through first and sit on him. I'll take a few paint shots to blind him and that should take him out. We will go from there for the other one."

He also relays that to Paul via link.

[SkyLion]

Esteban replies to Ash via the link,

*Be careful, the feathered one has speed and reflexes on par with Brandt...the birds are a start but flash-bangs would be better... Id suggest having Jonathan hold him in place with telekinesis but it probably won't help much with his flight. Unfortunately, I can't get much of a reading on the girl. Also, to clarify...you want me to warp through the roof, rather than crash through it yes?*

[Bahamut810]

Ash sends back *Yes, less noise. And I dont have any flash-bangs normally. I want to use stuff that we would normally take with us on a mission.*

[Alex Green]

Paul can easily pull in two dozen crows, sparrows, and even a pair of robins, along with a half dozen hawks and three owls. The owls might not be much use during the day though. How many did you want?

Paul reviews his bird "resources" and decides to summon all but the owls and the hawks. The owls he leaves because they won't be much use, the hawks he leaves because it's obviously a nesting pair of adults with their family... and hawks are much rarer.

[Centimane]

Ash sends back *Yes, less noise. And I dont have any flash-bangs normally. I want to use stuff that we would normally take with us on a mission.*

Sounding somewhat confused, Zhenglai sent over the link, *wouldn't our friend, The Obsidian Mask, be able to conjure up such things? If so, why would you need to take them with you?*

[Bahamut810]

Ash shrugs. *Didn't think of that...* he transmist then looks at Mask, "So...can you make flash-bangs?"

[Expendable]

Paul reviews his bird "resources" and decides to summon all but the owls and the hawks. The owls he leaves because they won't be much use, the hawks he leaves because it's obviously a nesting pair of adults with their family... and hawks are much rarer.

Theo hovered invisibly between Paul and the building, using the forcefield bracelet on her arm as a shield as she eyed each window suspiciously.

[archer]

((Giving this one a kick in the pants...it's good idea I'd like to keep going with.))

Irritable and impatient with this whole mess, Brandt decides to take matters into his own hands. "Screw it.", he mutters, before altering course to aim directly at one of the exterior walls! Staying just below the speed of sound, he grits his teeth at the expected impact and tries to plow through the wall before pushing himself hypersonic to create a massive echoing boom inside the building.