Dark Mind, thankfully out of her Team Tomorrow uniform, follows her teammates' orders as she tries to clear her mind and focus on the task at hand. It's not easy - her heart is racing and her hands shake with anticipation and fear. She wants to help, but she's afraid she'll mess it up or fail someone.

"I'm going to find the civilians," she says over the team's channel, "and when I do, I'm going to let you guys know where they are via telepathy. So don't flip out if I touch your minds, 'k?" As she tells them this, her mind stretches out, the tendrils of her telepathy seeking the trapped souls in the building.

Once Jameson and Xavier are 'in hand,' Siggismund takes off, getting some air and then swooping towards the electrical substation.

Once he sees it, he swoops in low, near street-level, so that his passengers are dangling only a meter above the rooftops of cars. His enormous wings of energy can be seen passing into and out of telephone poles and roadsigns harmlessly as they sweep back and forth, making for unhindered flight, even in this crowded area.

The grip of his talons, on the other hand, is like iron, and he shows no difficulty carrying his teammates through the smoky streets towards the sub-station, slowing only when the objective comes into view and veering towards any of the aforementioned terrorist vans for the team's deployment and initial strike.

Richter dangles from Sigs grip with his off hand, his right holds the edge of the sewer cap in a ready position. As they near the power substaion Richter begins looking for any emplacements where the terrorists have bunkered down or even set up a heavy weapon.

Android looks around a little sheepishly. Most people had a tendency to ignore the verbal deluge that accompanied a bad case of nerves but here he actually seemed to be on target. Unfortunately he was monolingual, leaving him somewhat bewildered...

"So anyone speak spanish?"

Toward the power station, the sound is not much clearer, the sound of super heated metal twisting as the fire rages though more industrial buildings. The smoke here is denser and filled with chemicals, making it both blackish purple and choking to those who have to breathe.

Firedrake, keeping low and out of the choke zone, wings a building to a nasty surprise of automatic gunfire coming from a few blocks away down a major road. Below, civilians are still seen cowering in or behind cars but the onslaught of heavy machine gun fire that cuts into the air a moment after your appearance tells you that they were well prepared for heavy resistance.

(Could you all post your soak and its sources, initiative and/or other combat factors in a single like blurb? Like
* Soak 10B/7L/3Ag (force field, stamina), Init 8, Cant be hurt by metal, 12 Health Levels, No Wound Penalties *

So I will have an insta-need to know band if I need to know it?)

As Firedrake rounds the corner Richter spots the entrenched terrorists and civilians still in harms way. A growing sound of rocks being ground and chrushed together escapes his mouth and he slings the swercap toward the entrenched terrorists with all his might.

"Siggy can you swoop in low and drop me down there? Time to bust some heads I think!"

****
Soak 13/10/0 (b/l/a) - Initiative 6 - Standard 7 health levels - This is without growth active
****

Siggy turns on a wing and deposits Jameson at the point where his impromptu missle has struck.


********

Firedrake (with aura active) - +1 Difficulty to attackers attempting to strike him (from aura), Soak (Bashing 12, Lethal 9, Aggravated 0, Armor 2 from aura, and Sta 5 + M-Sta 1), Initiative 6, 7 Health levels, Ignores 1 die of penalties from damage

Siggy - Soak (Bashing 5, Lethal 3, Aggravated 0, Stamina 4 + M-Stamina 1), Initiative 6, 7 Health levels, Ignores 1 die of penalties from damage

********

Multigate considers his options and then visibly concentrates.

Six more of him appear, two of whom hop onto Firedrake’s platform.

One of these remarks to the other, apparently seriously,
“We’re the lucky ones, even if we aren’t supposed to spend juice we get to join the front line.”

The other nods and replies,
“Team cannon fodder once again.”

He turns to the others and says,
“Like the man says, we’re basically here for the ride. We speak Spanish and will help where we can, but don’t protect us and don’t expect power use unless it gets really bad.”

Two more Jacks shift their Eufiber to grow a fire-fighter helmet. These will go with the anti-fire team.

The other four (including the original although that’s just a guess for the PCs) intend to do evac duties on the civilians.

*****************
Currently Soak 11B / 8L / 0A (Stamina + Eufiber), Init 9, no mental defenses, standard 7 health levels (for everyone).

Android

****7B/5L/0A Sta3/M-Sta1 Eufiber 3(1+2 merit)****

With heavy machine gunfire raining down in area and the fire spreading Kyle puts himself to trying to gather information on the locations of civilians.

"Alright, hopefully these buildings are all in the same network, if they're not this is going to take a little longer than I would like, I'll be here physically but *in* the Net trying to use local security cameras to find civilians or Red Forces. I'll be occupied for 20 seconds to a minute." (3 to 10 rounds)

[Spends a Willpower to initiate Cyberkinesis and effect either "same network(+1 diff)" or "same city(+2 diff)" systems, 8d10+1Mega to use security systems to locate first civilians then foes]

Unfortunately, the power is off in the buildings... they blew the power station.

Also, Richter, your sewer cap wings toward one trying to use a car for cover... it hit the car head on and went through, possibly through him too, though you cant tell. He stopped firing though... You cant get a full on wind up with that many people hanging from Firedrake also, or else it would surely have hit its mark cleanly... that only makes two others, one with a light machine gun, the other using a chain gun on a tri-pod. You all determine, quickly, that the chain gun has the potential to actually hurt any of you.

Also, only post your current status for easy reference.

So clinging to Firedrake are two Jacks, X and Richter, yes?

"Drop me off next to Richter, I need to get in close to take them out" X yells out.

"I'll take out the guy w/ the light machine gun, and if one of you Jack's and Siggy could be so kind as to take out the chain gun that would be great" X quickly spits out.

Stats: Soak 9/4 normal [(ff2+Stamina5+2Mega)+Q3] for a possible max of 30/25) Init (7) 8 health lvls(+1 bruised) claw attack to hit STR 5 + 2 Brawl Dam STR 5 +2 + 2 claws(lethal when in use) 2 actions a round for Quickness

Richter has already disembarked, as requested, and Siggy takes this opportunity to divest himself of the others, dropping softly on the ground about 5 meters in front of the tripod-mounted chain-gun (and having deposited the Jacks a few meters behind where he settles, so as to make them less immediate targets of opportunity, while X is released within rapid striking range of the other weapon-wielding terrorist), and belching forth a sulphurous gout of flame (4 dice to hit, 4 dice + [4 autosux] damage) at the device, hoping to cook off the ammunition.

Richter lands as heavily as possible, dropping to one knee and slamming his fists into the concrete. He grips one of the larger shattered segments and rises spinning once before letting the huge chunck of rubble fly directly toward the mini-gun emplacement. That acconmplished he spends a moment to flood his body with Quantum energy and, drawing additional concrete, soil, and rock from the earth, grows quickly to his maximum size, an impressive 12'+ tall and well over 2 tons of rock and debris.

***OOC***
Soak 15/10/0 B/L/A - 9 Health Levels - MegaStrength 5 - Mega Stamina 2 - Dice pool penalties reduced by 2 - 12' tall 2400 lbs.

The two Jacks watch all of this, and look for any survivors from these fellows previous encounters.

At first Android was disappointed that it seemed he couldn't do anything to help. Then it dawned on Kyle, he was more than the sum of his powers, he was a man once and he could still do what men did to help each other.

Waiting for Dark Mind to finish locating hostages he tried to guage his distance from the 105mm gun emplacement.

"There!" Dark Mind shouts, pointing a finger toward a low window. "That room has someone in it. And... around the corner, on the third floor." Her mind reaches out to her teammates and shows them where. *I'll keep looking, guys, but there are two to start on.*

****OOC****

2 success on Telepathy; 20 km range
Init +9
Soak is 2/1 w/out FF (I'll let you know what her new soak is when she activates it)
normal health levels

As the others are let lose from Firedrake Halo stays airborne while moving in seemingly random patterns to avoid being hit.

"Heads up, people", Halo shouts as he extends an arm towards the tripod and begins to emit burst of brilliant white light.

*** Soak 6/4 w/ Eufiber. Initiative 10, 8 health levels, Quantum Bolt Dice Pool = 8 / Inflicts = 14 Bashing ***

X quickly makes his way to the thug holding the light machine gun activating his FF along the way and prepared to dodge any bullets that come his way.

Hoping to put some fear into him by flashing his bulging arm muscles X steadily approaches the terrorist as he angrily says "Give it up chump, this is one fight you ain't getting away from."


Once he's close enough X will attempt to KO the terrorist, with a couple of punches (Rocky Balboa style).

(For clarification, those who did not travel with Firedrake are at the burning apartment building complex... the tripod with the the machine gun nest is at the center of the city near the Power Station... right now two groups, those who went, those who stayed)

The street leading to the power station, sandwiched between two industrial buildings, is littered with cars and debris, the most notable among which is a steel girder that is piercing a chemical truck now leaking some kind of lightly burning gas. The street seemed to be be a major byway between parts of the city, and a semblance life still crawls through its hazy and mangled pieces as people trapped in cars or hiding in stores notice the green dragon swoop down, dropping off two Jacks. As the dragon swoops onward, a burst from a chaingun, planted on the outer edge of the half ruined industrial power plants fence, sails through the insubstantial wings as a third passenger, X, leaps down among the cars. He lands heavily on uneven pavement, regaining his balance and activating his forcefield just as a spray of uzi bullets ripple across his frame. They do not pierce, instead stopping in place and scattering around him, richocheting around crazily. Fortunately, nobody still alive is in the immediate area. X, his force field unfazed by the light assault weapon, charges the terrorist who, as it turns out, is actually 2. One begins unloading a full clip at him, eyes widening at the futility, while the other seems to be pulling out some kind of explosive. They are both dressed para-military style, black combat fatigues and gas masks.

As Richter lands, the chain gun trains on him, spraying him and his lift with a brilliantly painful burst. Even the hardened field of Firedrake cannot stop the full force of a chain gun. Firedrake is hit in the upper leg, the bullets piercing his outer layer and digging painfully into his flesh, though not to the bone, spinning him slightly mid flight. (1 health level) Richter is somewhat luckier, being awarded with only a severly sharp sting as the 30mm cannon rakes across his chest and brushing his cheek bone, making his head jerk back, but no real damage done. (soaked)

Back at the burning apartment, a collection of local police and firefighters are gathering on the other side of a concrete drainage trench, bulwarked against the 4 terrorists between them and the fire. The police, armed with only light weapons, have managed to herd the rescuers, 10 fire fighters and 6 paramedics, to some semblance of safety but are being pinned down by the gunfire. A flatbed with a portable generator, for emergency restoration, sits a street and a half away with the remains of the poor driver shattered by a hail of gunfire. The generator sits painfully close to the major power outlet route, already opened and prepared by the now dead or scattered emergency workers. Halo, Dark Mind, Glowbe and Android are on the street adjacent to the firefight, looking at the whole scene panoramically about 50 feet away. Only the rescue workers have noticed the arrival of the novas, the gunmen not being in light of sight quite yet, and are already looking at Halo with questioning desperation.
(At this point, only about 2 mins have passed since arrival)

Maintaining the Force Field, X attacks the terrorist with the explosive device hoping to knock it out of his hands before he gets a chance to set if off. "Drop it!" X yells at the terrorist as he begins his attack.

Using his quickness enhancement and claw attack. If his first attack is successful at disarming the terrorist with his first action, X will then attack the second one with his other action left, if not then he will contiune to try and disarm the terrorist with the explosive device.

Not realizing just how close he'd come to stumbling out into the line of fire Android pauses. Doing his best to spot a terrorist he prepares to begin his Theta Wave Induced Virtual World (Mirage) technique, which he will commonly refer to as "the World".

[the World 6d+1Mega- Give one of the Armed Terrorists nearest Android a vision of a rescue worker advancing/bum-rushing from the opposite side (GM discretion to determine how serious an environmental change this would be considering the number of rescue workers now in area). Optimal final result: Have the terrorist send a hail of bullets across his companions as he wastes ammo on phantoms]

X rushes the man with the explosive, operating with quickened wits, just as the man attempts to hurl it. The bomb is an impact grenade and just as the man winds up to throw it, X, sprinting full force, bats it out of the air like a volleyball spike causing it to explode about 20 feet behind the terrorists, spraying all three with shrapnel from car parts. Both lurch forward, the one with the uzi firing wildly in all directions before loosing his gun. The bullets, even close up, arent enough to penetrate the thick force field. But the blast takes X off balance but not as much as the gunman allowing X to swipe the gun (and a few fingers) out of his hand with his force claws. The original thrower finds his torso impaled on a broken twisted fence post, and struggles for only a moment before going limp.

Using the momentum of both the fortification of his growth and the painful force of the bullets, Richter spins like a discus thrower and releases his payload toward the gunner, parked behind the car. The Chaingunners last vision is a 110 pound chunk of street... very close up. The gun is shattered in the process, along with the majority of his bones.

Meanwhile, Android narrows his eyes, peering from the doorway of an unoccupied convenience store and concentrates and, out of seeminly no-where, a terrorist turns and sprays a burst of bullets in a wide arc before diving off to the side in an impressive maneuver to dodge some invisible threat. His bullets sweep the knees of two other terrorists, both caught completely by surprise and falling immediately. Neither return fire, confused. The rescuse workers have no idea what actually happened but, judging from the looks over at Android and the sounds made by the falling men, they seem to put two and two together and let out a small cheer of relief. The remaining terrorists fire wildly in random directions for a moment, assuming an invisible threat.

"Team Tomorrow at work..." says Android, smiling.

Altering the vision slightly Android places one of the phantom rescue team over the fallen terrorists and amid the others while having at least one of his 'fakes' die in the line of fire.

"Time to finish this" X says to himself. Using a page out of the street fighter2 game of old, X deliver's a "X-cut" to remaining gunman in front of him.

Once that is done X activates his comm device, "Hey guys two terrorist down here, Richter I'm gonna need your help getting this fire contained before any more civilians get hurt."

Richter looks over at X, "Be right there." Stooping down he tears another large chunk of concrete out of teh ground and carries it over to X intending to use the chunk to smother any flames.

Dark Minds concsciousness reaches out and comes back with 7 points of light in the building. Her mind picks up 3 trapped adults and 1 infant close together and scared on the roof, 2 unconscious and fading children in the basement, 1 wounded rescue worker, and 1 unconscious elderly man on an upper floor.

Over the radio you all hear "There is renewed activity at the electrical plant... (static) are trying to drive a truck into it... wait, they are unloading more (static) explosives into (static)'s like heavy duty stuff onto the backup generator... This explosion will make the first one look like (static)"

Noting that Richter's flung manhole cover seems to have dealt with the chaingun problem, Siggy chokes back on the torrent of fire he was sending it's way, and after hearing the radio dispatch, leaps back into the air and looks for the aforementioned truck / explosives.

Until he gets a clearer image of the scene, he isn't sure whether to 'go in blasting' or strike more surgically by snatching away the explosives (or the entire truck...).

(Is everyone still alive?)

I was wondering that myself as well.

OOC: still waiting on the resolution of my following action

Several of the Jacks take out their digital map and start locating exactly where that is.

Another calls out,

"Sounds like a problem. Who do we sent?"

Richter drops a slab of concrete on the last bits of fire in the area and listens to the chatter comnig in over the radio.

"I'm headed over to the power plant. Siggy let me know what you see and I'll take otu the hard targets on my way in."

As Siggismund flies towards the plant with Richter trailing behind, another broadcast comes over the radio...

"Holy Shi<static> they are loading what looks like cases of uranium into <static> driving up between the broken with what looks like a satellite shielded... <static> gotta stop that van, ASAP! Richter and X, you are too far... head toward the plant and see if you can get those men away from those crates... DO NOT LET THEM GET DAMAGED OR BROKEN! <static> Jacks, start getting people out of that area <static> going to be some radioactive <static> soon! Firedrake, disable that van... its west of your location, only a street or two away from the unloading truck. Its having difficulty moving through the debris but there seems to be a clear <static> around it."

On the other side of town, just past a burning apartment building churning choking smoke, two terrorists have been slaughtered by one of their own before the fourth turned his gun on the original attacker. This leaves one left, looking unsure but yelling frantically into a radio before diving for cover from unseen threats. The rescue workers are just starting to realize they may not be pinned down anymore. Darkminds probe detects there are still 7 people alive in the building.

"Halo, Chrono, Darkmind and Glowbe, priority is to rout the remaining terrorists enabling you to get the remaining citizens out of the <static>... there seem to be 5 or 6 still in your area <static> and second is to get that backup generator working! Once it is in effect, the local authorities will have access to mass communication again. <static> blocking the radio signals too... three blocks from you is a radio station that seems to be subverting the radio waves... that needs to be cleaned out too or else... <long static>"

At that point, all you get is buzz and garbled words. Your communication to your other team-mates is now limited to verbal and your opnet maps on your pdas are equally garbled. You can still save the last few images, though, and have a static map of the city but not one with updates. The rescue workers and policemen all look at their radios at the same time as well.

"Shit we've lost radio communications" X says in disgust. Following Richter towards the plant, X spells out a plan for dealing with the terrorists. "When we get close enough I want you to throw me at the terrorist if it's feasible upon our arrival" X goes out loud. "Hopefully that will surprise them enough for us to stop them from loading up that uranium."

oops