View source for 5271/Grid-Lock

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/05/23
|Location=The System <TS>
|Synopsis=A group of viruses make a daring raid on a laboratory in Locus.

A band of Elites come to assist the local Goddess in uprooting them.

Things don't go exactly according to plan.
|Cast of Characters=1103, 562, 1115, 1119, 1102
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The call's gone out, and those who arrive in the System via the Cablerail would be directed to a rainbow-rimmed bus terminal a bit further along the central 'Hub' of The System. The ride is very quick, and the bus emerges from the dark tunnel into a world of magic, wonder... and chaos. Smoke rises from a floating island in the distance from the bus terminal, and a crystal powered airship sits near a cable car terminal to the large central city itself and the Spire of the Cathoderal. A human-like woman shouts from the cockpit. "You here to help? The Oracle sent me to pick up the responders and get them to the flash point, hop on!" she beckons, a ramp extending to land on the side of the island so people can board.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, a multi-coloured light flashes within the smoke, showing where the DCC is currently.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I am, yes. Eryl Fairfax, Grandmaster of the Paladins, at your service," Eryl says in response to the woman as he strides up the ramp. All neat clothing under a cape held together by a medal over his chest. Clutched in his hand is one of those confectionary boxes that offer a mix of flavours, brought locally before he got on the train.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Is there anything to know about these six viruses that you did not elaborate on over the radio? How about the device? The location?" he asks as he takes a seat on the airship, close to the cockpit so he doesn't have to yell too loud to be heard.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1115|Reaper (1115)}} has posed:'''<br>Rainbow lights and public terminals; It wasn't Reaper's usual go-to method of travel. He usually prefered tight, hard drops with an exfil ready to roll somewhere else. Still, a member of the Concord was requested for unknown purposes - and Talon has a duty to respond, for better or worse. So they picked -worse-. An unclaimed sytem, and they want to put their best foot forward? No idea why they sent Reaper. But they did. Black smoke drifting from the man's shoulders as he steps from a RAINBOW bus, as if it reacted to the simple, clean majesty of the System by trying to be even grimlord. The metal of his gauntlets creaking as he moves towards the cable car like someone on the edge of their patience, boots marking a quick, hard staccato on the ground.<br><br>"Yesss..." He practically growls, his raspy voice sounding on the edge of a scream. "Death has arrived." The sterile bone-white mask turned towards Eryl, but he refuses to sit down. Sitting's for losers! No, feet will spread and a hand braced.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>It's too bad Josuke doesn't have more time to look at things. Because his eyes are about the size of dinner plates by the time the Cablerail gets him where they're all supposed to be. He doesn't miss the smoke, though. Even if he hasn't ever been here before, he knows how to spot something out of place. And he stops his amazed staring to focus on the place the smoke is coming out of, his eyes narrowing.<br><br>Josuke's in that blinged-out school uniform, mainly because he didn't have time to change out of it before leaving! Didn't even have time to do his homework before the call for help went out. Which his mother is probably going to murder him over, since he snuck out his window, but... hey! Somebody needed help!<br><br>He looks to the woman calling out, and nods. "That's right," he confirms. "My name's Josuke." No time for long introductions! And he boards the airship via the ramp. "Thank you," he offers, and boards with the rest. He's definitely going to sit down, yes, loser or no. Because he doesn't want to fall out or fall over. He's never been in an airship before!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1102|Kotone Shiomi (1102)}} has posed:'''<br>Soon after Eryl comes Kotone Shiomi. She hasn't had time to change out of her school uniform, so that's what she's wearing today. She's got a naginata on her back and what appears to be a gun in her holster. She's quiet, so far.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The airship pilot says as the last responder gets in place on the airship. The craft eases up from its idling, the crystal glowing brighter as it lifts up and starts moving. "We didn't get a good look except for the big robot-type that smashed in the wall of the laboratory. There was some old riding another robot, a little girl with a giant hair bow and some kind of rat thing I've never seen before." she says. "We've never seen their type before, but doesn't meant the other Drives haven't seem them before." she adds, turning back to piloting.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The ride is mercifully short and also very smooth, it's more like a car ride than an air journey.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the airship approaches, the smell of ozone and the distinct tang of high powered magic comes into sense. Those who are aware of them may liken the scent to a high powered laser-type blast. The flashes of light show up more readily as the Locus Defense Forces are arrayed around what looks to be some old ruins, surrounded by giant blue hexagons that look about two feet thick of pure Resource energy. Constructs heave explosive barrels against it, and regular troopers fire bursts of energy lances, to absolutely no effect. The barrier is too strong to break through.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theurgus herself in her HDD form is flitting back and forth, her robe flowing in the wind, while she adds her own magic to the assault, making small cracks appear in a hexagon, which rapidly seals moments later. "Curse The Organization! I knew they'd move against me sooner or later, but I never expected something so overt!" she growls to herself, coming down to ground level, but hovering a couple of inches off the ground, as she bring a hand up in the universal gesture to stop. The guns come to a gradual silence, leaving the area eerily quiet as the airship comes in to land.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1115|Reaper (1115)}} has posed:'''<br>The Reaper says nothing as the car picks up speed, naturally leaning forward into the acceleration. Gauntlets creaking again as they grip the sides of the car, his mask unmoved by the breeze that rustles his black clothing. His head turns once to look back at the others - assuming that's what he looks at. It's a mask, after all, and one that appears to be screwed into place just above the eyebrows. Nothing shows. Although at the distant thunder of - well, something like artillery - his attention is yanked back forward. Waiting for the car to come to a stop before he dissolves.<br><br>Yes. Dissolves. Like a salt figurine dipped head first in water, his becomes particulate, swirling around the feet of LDF. Whispering against the hexagonal plates, before whispering aside, quick as a black cloud can move. A few moments later it comes back, swirling and reforming into that white masked figure once more near Theurgus, his head bowed and arms crossed. Both finally dropping as he looks up at the floating witch, his raspy voice growling out.<br><br>".. The Concord .. has responded to your need." A pause, before he snarls softly. Can he do anything that doesn't sound pissed off? Maybe it's something to do with his vocal cords. ".. What is it?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Robots? Josuke blinks. He hasn't quite gotten used to the weirdness that the Multiverse can throw at one, so he's still in the 'whoaaaa' phase of adjustment, where everything is new and incredible. Including the other passengers on this ride! Most of which have gotten a few moments of a confused or incredulous stare. It's nothing personal, he just hasn't seen anything like most of you guys! Kotone, though, gets a wave and a friendly smile, since he remembers her.<br><br>Though his attention's quickly brought to the source of the problem once the airship nears it. He's not aware of magic on any level past what he can see happening -- Stands aren't magical powers, after all -- but he can sure smell that ozone smell. He looks at the hexagons, watching carefully at the effect that the assault has on them. And even before the airship lands, he's already thinking about how those barriers could be broken.<br><br>Which is good, because when Reaper does his disappearing act it completely breaks his concentration. Well, he got a little bit of thinking in before something made him go 'what the heck?' again! Once he's off the ship too, he heads to Theurgus as well, since she seems to be the one to gather around. "What's going on?" he asks Theurgus. "I heard a little on the radio, but I'd like to hear it from the source now that we're all here." More details might be added in a second telling. And more detail is good for Josuke, since this is kind of his first time here.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl thanks the pilot for her input and sits quietly on the short trip. He assess those riding with him quietly. Shiomi, as a fellow Paladin, is someone he can trust. But the other two look like definite problem children, one of them more literal than the other. Hopefully he can handle this before any... eccentricities flare.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When they arrive, he blinks and stares at Reaper dissolves into apparent smoke. Interesting... and good to know. He too, meanders over to Theurgus, producing a chilled bottle of carbonated orange, mango, and apple juice from a jacket pocket and offering it to the local goddess. "Eryl Fairfax, Grandmaster of the Paladins. A pleasure to make your acquaintance," he says with a smile.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He considers the ruins behind the barrier. "Is this place of any significance? I would rather not destroy it, but do you consider that acceptable? How about the loss of the shield generator? Is there anything we should be aware of concerning its capabilities, or those of the viruses?" He's just digging for as much info as he can get right now. Looking before he leaps.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, he addresses those he arrived here with. "Officially, I only have authority over one of you," he says, glancing at Shiomi as he says this. "So I would not dream of telling you what to do. However, our best chance of dealing with this cleanly will be born of cooperation and communication. I look forward to working with you, as long as you're willing to work with everyone else." He bows his head towards the end there. Trying to play to reason to promote teamwork on this one!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1102|Kotone Shiomi (1102)}} has posed:'''<br>Kotone gets a bit on her edge at the ozone smell, not realizing there's magic in it. She keeps her eyes open, and smiles in return to Josuke's wave. "Hi." She greets, before looking away, still embarrased over the events of the last time they met. She nods to Eryl when he points out that he's got authority over her, and giving Reaper a wary glance while her hand moves worriedly towards the gun-like object on her hip.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theurgus looks across as the Elites turn up, and doffs her head processor in a flourish at them all, though her expression remains grim. mismatched eyes, one red, the other blue(That switch sides occasionally between blinks) watch Reaper reassemble himself, then pan across the others. "I am glad you have come." she accepts the can from Eryl, looks at it, then disappears it into her Inventory for later. "In the interests of transparancy, the device that was stolen is a new, experimental shield generation unit that was being designed to give LDF cells a fallback position should they come under attack by a force too strong for them to handle. It would work from any System Resource source, and use it directly to generate an impenetrable bubble around the generator for as long as it is receiving more Resource... it appears to work, however they are not LDF members inside the bubble."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Suddenly, one of the hexagons vanishes, and a big, BOMMING voice bellows out. "HEY FRIENDS! I HAVE A PRESENT FOR YOU!" the sillhouetted shape of some gargantuan robot can be seen hauling one arm back... and then, out of the barrier, comes a giant blue-white crystal. "ICE SHARD! SCATTER!" cries one of the militiamen as he spots it coming for his group. They evade, but the Construct they were huddled behind isn't fast enough, and gets turned into an instant ice scuplture, which crumbles under its own weight.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The hexagon reappears as fast as it vanished, leaving no room for a counter attack.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We have a failsafe for this, but haven't be able to make it work. Cutting a Resource Line is like ripping out a live electrical wire, it's dangerous, and the release of energy could kill whoever does it... we could also shunt power away, but then would have to wait for the capacitor to run down, which would take several days... and we don't have enough Constructs to keep taking the brunt of their return fire for that long." continues Theurgus as she levels her glare on the bubble. "As for the ruins, it is old code, the remnants of some failed project my predacessor was running which never came to fruition, do as you please with them."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So, they've hunkered down with a device that can keep going for months, even if they cut the power source, which is a highly dangerous prospect. "Very well. In scenarios like this, convincing them to give themselves up may be the best bet. Negotiation and diplomacy are my specialties, so I'll take point on that approach."<br><br>He turns and smiles at everyone else. "Of course, this does mean that all their eyes will e on me. That will hopefully give you all openings to try your own approach, whatever those may be. My radio is built into my brain, so do not be afraid to get in touch. I can respond to them and all of you at the same time."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And with that, he strides right up to the barrier before the entrance to the ruins. Slowly and methodically, he takes of his cape, folds it to serve as a cushion to sit upon on the ground, and places that box of confectionaries on the ground before him. "Hello in there? I've come to talk!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1115|Reaper (1115)}} has posed:'''<br>"You're right... you don't have the authority. "<br><br> Replies the masked man, his owl skull thing turning towards Eryl. Blank, black sockets staring for a moment before he amends, "Just focus on the mission... and leave pretty words to the politicians." He pauses to give Jo and Kotone a long look, before returning his attention to Theurgus. Crossing his arms as he listens, with the occasional creak of his gauntlets, before adding. "It did its job well... not a single space I could pass through. So... tactically speaking, you have three options. One... send someone unimportant to cut the line. I am already dead, and the grave will not hold me... but it is a waste. Second, give them what they want... and then seized your chance by metaphorically poisoning the concession. Third.. predict when that window opens. Fourth.. find out will is in there.. and who is important to then out here..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Eryl's talking, and Josuke listens. He nods. "Makes sense," he agrees. A look at the trouble. "This looks like it's going to take a serious coordinated effort to fix, yeah," he comments, looking back to Eryl. If it helps any, Josuke doesn't seem upset at Kotone. He wouldn't have known WHY she made the choice she did then, but he doesn't seem upset that she DID make that choice. He just seems like he's glad to see her again.<br><br>Seeing something disappear gets a blink, but he at least listens to what Theurgus is saying. He assumes 'LDF' is the defense force around here, so he doesn't ask about that yet. There will be time to ask those questions later. "What about these barriers here? What are they made of?" he asks. This is important!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though before he can get the answer, there's an ice crystal. And yes, he's getting out of the way of it! And pulling others out of the way if need be! He sees the Construct fall. "...Dammit." At least the barrier's back, though, and it seems to be blocking stuff both ways, so they're safe for the time being. Josuke runs over to the fallen, frozen Construct. "Mmf. I dunno if this is gonna work, but let's give it a shot..." A purple aura springs to life around Josuke. "&lt;CRAZY DIAMOND&gt;!"<br><br>At his call, a figure appears, seeming to rise up from his own body. It's a wiry figure, armored in crystal blue and bubblegum pink. Its helmet seems shaped like a heart at the top, and there are a few more hearts on its armor. Definitely got a heart motif going. The figure slams a fist down in the middle of the pile of fragments, with a loud, "DOURRRA!" If this works, the pile of fragments should fly up, but then be caught by an orange-gold aura, and then hopefully begin knitting themselves together...<br><br>He's not unaware of what Eryl's doing, but he needs to concentrate on trying to fix the Construct. If he gets too distracted, he could screw this up...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1102|Kotone Shiomi (1102)}} has posed:'''<br>And things are getting out of control, like Josuke, Kotone's responds is immediate, she pulls out the gun-like object and points at her temple. A quick breath sucked inwards, and she pulls the trigger. Energy streams through her head as she calls out, "Persona!" And almost immediately, the energy coalesces into a figure. Almost more like a large doll than a human, Orpheus is metal with ball joints and long red hair. In its hand, Orpheus holds a large, heart-shaped harp.<br><br>By the time the summoning completes, unfortunately it seems the opportunity to return fire is gone. Kotone breaths in deeply, and for the time being, her Persona lingers. "We can't let them keep doing this."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Josuke's intervention with the Construct sees the damage reversed, and the machine looking back and forth as if confused for a moment. It then returns to its idle waiting position, ready to begin fighting again. The Militia members look at Josuke in some measure of awe. Not even their DCC can do something like that!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl's approach to the Barrier is met by one the the segments clearing slightly, and an older, seemingly human-looking man with eye-masking glasses that always seem to have that glare effect coming from them 'meets' him at the barrier. "Ah, hello. Finally someone whose first response isn't to come charging in and smashing their face into the problem. I take it you are here to ask for our surrender, yes?" he says, smirking a little bit. He looks like a middle-aged businessman of some kind, should give some insight on what kind of program he is... or maybe used to be.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The others now have their choice to make. Cut the power, or find some other way to disable the shield.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Surrender? Well, that would be nice, but I'm not that optimistic," Eryl says with a wry smile. He pushes that box of confections forward and swivels around on his spot, showing the gentlemanly Virus his back. Essentially, giving him a chance to lower the barrier and take the goods without Eryl seeing and thus, proving it's not a trap. "Don't worry about poison," he says over his shoulder. "Not much good in poisoning you since we can't disable the shield."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He eventually turns back around whether or not the gift is accepted. "Now, the way I see it, there are two reasons why you've chosen to hole up here. One is that you think that you're in a prime position to make some demands in exchange for freedom and that generator back. Maybe it wasn't your original goal, maybe you felt like you could get more..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He waits for a moment, staring intently at the middle-aged Virus' face to see if he hit the mark. "Or the other reason is that your heist did not go as planned. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be discovered, maybe you were hoping the authorities couldn't catch up. Either way, you had to hunker down. In this scenario, you're stuck here, and are just hoping for the best possible deal in exchange for coming quietly."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He leans back, putting his hands against the ground for support and smiles. "So, am I in the ballpark?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Josuke breathes a sigh of relief when the Construct gets back up. The armored figure seems absorbed back into his own body somehow, and fades away. "Good. I wasn't sure that was gonna work," he admits. That whole business about not being able to bring the dead back to life... but it seems like the Construct is close enough to being a machine for Crazy Diamond's ability to work on it. He looks a bit sheepish, though, when the Militia look at him with those expressions. There isn't really time. "I can explain later," he offers, with a smile.<br><br>Now... Josuke is actually formulating a plan regarding those shields. But it would require a lot of loud punching, and even if Eryl's just distracting them while the rest of the group finds another way to get past the shield, hitting the shields is likely to get the wrong kind of attention. He doesn't want to jeopardize Eryl's peace talk, whether it's a distraction or not.<br><br>He looks at Kotone. "Ideas?" he asks. "I'm not keen on having &lt;Crazy Diamond&gt; start hitting the shields while he's over there trying to talk to them." He tilts his head to indicate Eryl.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The businessman-like virus remains exactly where he is, the shield remains in place. "Poisoned or not, I can still see the local military sitting just past you, so making any move to retrieve the offering would result in me and my companions being exposed to their line of fire. The exchange is entirely not worth it." he says, remaining right there. "You are partly correct. I am not at liberty to divulge our plan, but you have hit both sides in a nearly equal measure."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A smart fellow here. Clever enough to remember the threats other than the one before him. After a few words on the radio, he's able to get those stations near him to pull away. Once again, he turns his back to permit the virus to claim the treats. "I hope this is more suitable."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once the confections are taken or refused again, he turns back around. "Not at liberty? That implies you are not the one in charge, which I find hard to believe. The alternative is that someone has hired you for this, which I am more willing to believe." He offers a benign smile. "We in the Paladins always prefer to pull out the root instead of trimming at the branches. If you would be willing to give them up, we can promise protection and try to get you all a light sentence."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He interlaces his fingers and leans forward. "And please, let's not play coy. In this scenario, you did not have to answer my calls. You want some kind of deal, so let's hear it."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Josuke really wants this to go peacefully, but from the looks of it the Virus is being really evasive. And Eryl can't pin down something he wants, to break this stalemate, if the Virus won't give anything up. Might as well try the direct approach, then.<br><br>He'd seen how strong this barrier was. He knows that Crazy Diamond alone may not be able to damage it alone. So instead, he looks to the Militia. "You guys broke this before, right? Even for just a second?" he asks. "Can you do it again? I might be able to get one or two of these barriers down a little." Enough to give them some breathing room, anyway. So he waits, until the Militia start to fire on their chosen hexagon. When he sees a crack, he yells, "STOP!" And then, "&lt;Crazy Diamond!&gt;"<br><br>That strange pressure sound heralds the blue and bubblegum-pink figure; the Stand sets upon the (hopefully still) cracked hexagon immediately with a rain of rapidfire punches, its "DORARARARARA!" echoing loudly.<br><br>He's not just trying to BREAK it, no. That would be useless; it repairs itself nearly instantly. So... how does one break something that keeps repairing itself near-instantly? Fix it before it can repair itself, hopefully. Except this time, Josuke doesn't... really so much concentrate on the repair job. Purposely so. He's hoping to be able to warp the shield sufficiently, while still having it register itself as 'not broken', so it won't be able to fix itself.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This time, the virus opens the lower segment, and sends out a small, black rat-like creature who complains about always being the one on the bottom of the ladder. The businessman just chuckles. "Come on Pi-rat, I was going to let you have those, but if you don't want them, they can go to my daughters." The shield closes quickly enough, and the squeaking from the rat-thing can barely be heard, but some thing like. "That's mouscrimination!" can be heard.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The man then turns back to Eryl with that same smirk. "Ah, a promise of imprisonment in return for cooperation, exactly like an Anti-virus program. No deal." The shield turns opaque again, and the figure moves away... looks like negotiations are over.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theugus herself listens to Josuke, and nods to the squad nearby. "Focus fire on this point." she says, pointing her staff towards the barrier, and intoning. "Blaze Fulcrum." A ball of flame erupts from the non-Euclidian head of the staff. Before the ball strikes, the squad open up to land hits as soon as the flame spell impacts.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The hexagonal panel cracks, begins to crack more... and then Josuke's there trying to 'fix' it... unfortunately the energy is far too quick and the attempt ends in failure... but Josuke would likely have gotten a good feel for how the energy itself functions to do something with that.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl lets out a soft sigh. "You're jumping to conclusions. I'm sure community service could be arr-" Oh, he's already leaving. Darn. The cyborg stands, stretches, and picks up his cape once more. "Return your units to their positions. Negotiations broke down," he says over the radio.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With little other recourse, he wanders back around to where Josuke is hammering on the barrier. "Any luck?" he asks.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Well, Josuke might have gotten a good sense of how the energy functions to repair the shield... if he actually had any ability to sense energy. Sadly, he doesn't. Stands tend to have a very narrow focus; unfortunately, sensing energy is not Crazy Diamond's focus. Only on punching and restoring. About all Josuke's learned is it's too fast for Crazy Diamond's power to act on.<br><br>"Crap," he huffs, scowling. Then looking at Theurgus sheepishly. Eryl returns then, and asks about the progress. Josuke shakes his head. "Nope. It's too fast. We'll just have to find where the power source is at and disconnect it." He turns fully to face her then. "Where did you say it was?" Best to make sure he's sure of the directions before he goes running off into the bowels of a place he doesn't know his way around in.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl gives a nod to Josuke. "It will be dangerous. We'll need to take every precaution, and ensure that repairs can begin immediately. I suspect that once we get a single person inside, we'll have the advantage. They're content to take pot-shots, but if they were more combat capable, they would have taken the chance to fight their way out instead of bunkering down."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theurgus moves her units back to surround the bubble, and nods to Eryl as she floats over towards the pair. "We may have a chance if we disconnect the Resource line they are siphoning from... the shield will take several days to wear out, if we sustained a barrage on all sides, however we could force the shiled to weaken by focussing fire on one side, then hitting the opposite side with a high impact strike while power is being redirected." she suggests.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Josuke returns with a grunt of agreement. "They can't NOT know that's the only plan we have left," he points out. "They might not be super combat capable, like those guys--" He tilts his head at the Militia, "--But if they know their way around in there, they can set up an ambush for us on the way to where we're going."<br><br>Theurgus's words get a nod. "that makes sense," he agrees. "It's not replenishing its power if the line's cut, but it'll still be using it. Once the line's cut, your guys could start bombarding it from one side, and then the three of us might be able to pool our resources and make that high impact strike."<br><br>To Eryl, "Sound like a plan?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl nods to Theurgus and Josuke. "Sounds acceptable to me. Let us cut the supply then. I will begin charging my weapon systems. Miss Theurgus, please point out the Resource line."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theurgus nods "I've contacted my assistant to send a Line Breaker." There's a large THUMP and rumble as something hits the floating island... and then, the large shifting-hued 'line' running across the middle of the island goes dark. "Ah, prompt as always. This seems to be our chance." She lifts her free hand to the LDF unit. "OPEN FIRE!" And simultaneously tells the others to hold fire.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Let's move, this may take some time, but hopefully we'll be able to break through before too long." she says, floating away and around to the far side of the bubble, as the militia open fire with their magic lasers, and the constructs hurl explosives at the barrier, making the entire bubble ripple like it didn't before.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Josuke nods as Theurgus starts to head in that direction, and follows her as best he can. He can't fly or float, but he can use his Stand to jump. Crazy Diamond can take a forklift to the face and not transfer much more than the sensation of a very solid punch to Josuke, after all. It's probably strong and fast enough to jump across or over any chasms they find. Or, if worst comes to worst, THROW Josuke over!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Right." Eryl moves low, to avoid any splash damage while navigating to the other side of the ruins. He marvels at the way the shield ripples while taking all that damage... maybe when this is over, he should take a look at throwing some Paladin funding at this endeavour once they've secured the generator.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once they arrive, it takes him a moment to decide how he's going to go about this A projectile might ricochet and damage them... so outcomes one of his Ungraspables, the arm blade extending from under the sleeve of his suit. He raises it into the air and begins to pump the HF-vibration system with excess power.<br><br><span style="color:xterm10">100%</span> ... <span style="color:xterm41">150%</span> ... <span style="color:xterm90">200%</span> ... <span style="color:xterm160">250%</span> ... <span style="color:xterm9">300%</span><br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The blade shifts from dull gray to cherry red as the friction with the air superheats it. Finally, he plunges it into the barrier, attempting to pierce it!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Josuke pauses, to watch Eryl's arm extend a blade. His eyes go wide in surprise. "...Wow!" See, aside from Stands -- and every once in a while the odd alien or 200 year old vampire that wants to be a god -- Josuke's world is pretty close to baseline bog-standard. Even the Stand users are mostly just normal humans with weird psychic abilities. Stuff like what Eryl's doing, his arm basically giving birth to a sword and that sword turning into a red-hot knife, is still pretty incredible by Josuke's standards.<br><br>It does give him a hesitation, too. But his contribution to the attempted breaking of the bubble will come in the form of the summoning of Crazy Diamond again, as well as a flurry of punches. But this time he's not trying to break the bubble. The Stand's fists have an orange aura around them. Why? Josuke is trying to use the Stand to revert the bubble into its component elements. Hopefully that means formless energy. And with the Line interrupted, with any luck that will mean the barrier won't be able to replace the energy!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theurgus watches the other two's efforts for a moment, then twirls her staff above her head. "Allow me to demonstrate the culmination of my scientific theory." she says to noone, before launching a tiny point of un-light at the barrier... the hexagons are much less opaque on this side, and the Ungraspable punches through one, and it begins to crack like glass around the high frequency blade. The un-light strikes another area, then makes that section implode, yanking even more energy out of the bubble, making it shake violently... which gives Josuke an opening.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The barrier distorts, and then a large gap just shatters into discorporeated motes of rainbow light, leaving a gaping opening and a view of the ruins... and oh boy that's a bit, angry looking robot on tank tracks. "HELLO FRIENDS. I SEE YOU HAVE COME TO JOIN US FOR TEA AND BISCUITS! UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE OUT OF TEA AND BISCUITS." comes the booming voice, as he charges in and starts laying into Crazy Diamond with his own flurry of hammerblow punches... at least one of them is pretty combat capable.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The others shrink back, hiding behind another large robot, being controlled by the businessman via a control panel atop its head. This thing looks like a japanese anime Super Robot. There's another, tall and slender robotic creature with large detatched 'wings'. "Oh my, darlings, it looks like the jig is up. Oh dear, my pure maiden's heart will simply not survive prison."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl's whole form judders as he plunges the blade into the barrier. The problem with generating vibrations of this magnitude is that they reverb into his soft tissues. He's going to be a mess of bruises under his suit in a moment, but he doesn't let the pain show on his face. He strides through the gap unflinching, and regards the opposition.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"This is your final warning. Stand down at once, or we will use force." Unfortunately, this warning is immediately ignored as Josuke is laid into with a flurry. Though he is not a Paladin, this is an aggressive response, and must be met in kind.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He stares up at the businessman atop the robot and points his finger at him. And from that finger erupts a slug, travelling at high speeds, aimed at his sternum. It's not enough to pierce through, but the impact should travel throughout the chest, causing immobilizing damage.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Josuke is unfortunately, not quite prepared for a giant robot. Much less THREE giant robots. Fortunately Crazy Diamond was up front. Josuke will count his blessings for that later. For now, though? Crazy Diamond takes the barrage of hammer-blows in Josuke's place, and the Stand reacts to being struck just like a person would react to being struck in similar ways. However, just as Crazy Diamond reacts to being hit, so too does Josuke -- the same way, at the same time. And thus, as Crazy Diamond is flung back by the barrage of blows... so too is Josuke. When he finally hits the ground again, the Stand disappears.<br><br>He isn't quite down for the count yet, though. He pulls himself to his feet, though slowly. There's blood trailing from the corner of his mouth, and he's doubled over slightly. And that is most definitely a gritted-teeth look of pain. "Ow... definitely gonna feel that for a while," he mutters.<br><br>Fortunately though, the initial surprise used to catch him off guard has been sprung (or so he hopes). So at least he can match the big robot for speed and strength now that he knows to watch out for it. And so as Eryl fires, Josuke sends Crazy Diamond after the shot, aiming another flurry of punches at the arms of the robot that attacked him.<br><br>Despite the viciousness of the attack, he's actually looking to disable the robot, not to harm its pilot. At least, he assumes there's a pilot inside. Either way, he's only looking to disable it.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The two cowering immediately begin to shout surrenders... however, the businessman's robot mount reacts quickly, lifting an arm to block the slug with a resounding CLANG. "It certainly looks bad. Pi-Rat, take Senba and head for the Back Door. My-Stary, CTRL-C and I will hold them off. Tell Magi-Con the mission is a bust, we'll be along shortly." The businessman says, looking at the willowy robot beside him, as the larger, bulkier one cackles in youthful glee. "AH! FINALLY! A CHALLENGE WORTHY OF MY POWER! COME NEW FRIEND, LET US DANCE THE JOYOUS TANGO OF FISTICUFFS!" he bellows... seems this one has one volume: Loud. The blows from Crazy Diamond are met, parried, taken bodily, all while the robot compliments them. "AH, GOOD HIT! I FELT SOMETHING COME LOOSE THERE!" and the like.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm not much of a fighter, Dabby darling, but I will give it what I can of course. Excuse me, Mister cyborg, might I ask what that shot was? I find the world outside The System absolutely FACINATING. Though it is a pity we're on opposite si---" the willowy, flamboyant robot... power suit wearer? Hard to tell... is cut off by a sudden blast of wind magic which displaces a few of the detached 'wing' segments, sending one stabbing into the generator, which makes it EXPLODE, and the field to collapse like a soap bubble. "No time, CTRL darling, stop playing with that boy and come along. Despite his impecable style and hair choice he's trying to stop your fun~."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the man atop the robot starts issuing orders, Eryl's implants are already assigning names to faces. CTRL-C is likely the robot attacking Josuke. My-stary could be the woman robot... or the woman in an exosuit? Hard to tell. The businessman is 'Debby,' possibly a pet name. The two that tried to surrender are Pi-Rat and Senba. And the one behind the heist is 'Magi-Con.'<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then they destroy the generator.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eryl's mind races. If that was their prize, why destroy it? Unless... they didn't want the device itself. They just needed time to analyze it, gets it schematics... and relay those to the employer.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Outwardly, he smiles at My-stary. "Machine limbs with built-in electromagnetic firearms. Here is a demonstration." He aims... not at any of those who are standing their ground. No, he aims for sections of the ruins and fires, multiple times. The shots go wide, they bounce, ricochet... and converge on Pi-Rat and Senba. If they are the ones who must escape, if they are so ready to surrender... they are the priority arrest targets.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>"Heh... you're pretty good yourself," Josuke admits. "Didn't expect somebody who WANTED a fight to be hiding back here." He pauses as Theurgus's wind magic sends that other robot's wing into the generator and it explodes... and the barrier-bubble goes down completely.<br><br>He also realizes that means there's a 360 degree angle of escape for these guys. There's only three of them and five of the opponents.<br><br>Looking to Theurgus, he asks, "Think we could funnel these guys back towards your guys?" It'd be a pincer attack in that case. Or perhaps Theurgus could call the Militia this way, it'd have the same effect. And hopefully cut off escape routes.<br><br>Eryl's shooting then, but not at any of the opponents. For a moment, Josuke's confused, and then he sees it. He looks in Eryl's direction with a nod and an almost mischievous smirk. "Good thinking!" he says.<br><br>For himself, he's going to try to keep the loud one busy. How? How else -- with more of those rapidfire punches! Crazy Diamond is pretty loud too, so it's likely to draw the big robot's attention. He's trying to make sure that the big robot can't go to his buddies' aid.<br><br>Also Josuke might be trying the trick with the purposely botched repair job, but this time on the robot -- it did say it felt something slip loose, right?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;My-Stary shifts, "Oh dear, that just won't do, you broke my wings DCC, I'd /just/ got them profiled too~." he pouts mightily at the transformed Goddess. "And you made us break the generator! That's just adding insult to injury." And then Eryl's firing to redirect at the two runners. "Senba darling!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The warning makes the seemingly small girl, she looks about ten at most, wearing a big, frilly pink dress, drop to the ground, avoiding the incoming shots... though the black mouse-rat thing from before isn't so lucky. A slug slams into his side, making him deform comically like some kind of cartoon character... but he does seem down for the count.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CTRL-C just keeps cackling and punching, even as the damage inside is distorted and twisted, making his motions more sluggish as servoes are rended out of position, and part of his outer armour shell is buckled into a pretty rose-like flower pattern.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'Dabby' radios out, now the bubble is down, and the Milita, uncalled but acting proactively, start to charge in from the other direction. "Magi-Con, we're in a bit of a bind here. Little help would be appreciated!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then there's a large purple energy bolt that slams into the ruins, blocking the path of the LDF force, sending some of them sprawling from the impact.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"That... felt like a DCC's attack!" comments Theurgus. Smoke wafts through the area, obscuring vision and choking those that need to breathe, accompanied by a melodramatic villain laugh. "Ouhohohohoho! You puny creeps would be nothing withing me. Come along then, lets get out of here since you obviously failed your mission miserably." In the confusion, the six Viruses vanish.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:562|Eryl Fairfax (562)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Got one. Really, one is all they need. Especially if they're the type to flee. That means they're likely to talk and spill beans on the others. Eryl is feeling pretty confident about this!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Until that purple blast impacts the ruins.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The blast has his ears ringing, but he manages to hear what Theurgus is saying. This has immediately escalated from a heist to what amounts to an international incident. Oh dear. "Let us tend to the wounded!" he shouts, rushing to the crumbling edge to start saving the militia members. Not much can be done as of right now other than that.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hey, look! The big robot has a pretty flower for part of a chassis now! Isn't so beautiful? Well, hey, Josuke had to be thinking about SOMETHING else so he'd purposely botch the fix-job! And who doesn't like flowers, right? Still, he can see the robot slowing down as the parts warp around themselves and twist in knots. It shouldn't take much more before...<br><br>Suddenly that dark lightning bolt lances down. "What the--?!" Josuke is startled by it, enough that one of the final punches thrown by CTRL-C hits Crazy Diamond square in its stomach. Josuke goes down again, falling to one knee with a choked grunt, and Crazy Diamond disappears again. "A... what?" he manages to ask Theurgus.<br><br>Right before that smoke goes through the area. Unfortunately, Josuke never did figure out how to get past the need to breathe. He starts to cough, and pulls his shirt up to cover his face so he can filter a little of it out. His eyes water, and he coughs. Eryl's words get his attention though, and he nods. Again summoning Crazy Diamond, he directs the Stand to windmill its arms as fast as it can, trying to get some of the smoke out. Humorously, it even uses the "DORARARARA!" when doing this.<br><br>As he retreats back towards the injured Militia, Crazy Diamond walks back with him, hopefully bringing a breath of fresh air with them both!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1103|Theurgus (1103)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Theurgus grits her teeth, looking up at a point in the sky. The pinprick of someone floating up there is impossible to see with the naked eye, but it's there, until te smoke obscures everything. "Team leaders report status." she says into the local radio, receiving status reports. "Relief teams to Gamma Squad and Epsilon squad." she then commands, charging her magic to blow the smoke away with gusts of wind, sweeping small swaths away, and thinning it out.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It looks like we won't be getting any answers for now... but thank you Grandmaster Fairfax, and Ser Higashikata for your assistance."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1119|Josuke Higashikata (1119)}} has posed:'''<br>Once Theurgus takes care of the smoke, Josuke dismisses Crazy Diamond again, the Stand seeing to be absorbed into his body again. Josuke nods to her thanks. "Sorry we couldn't catch them," he offers. His voice is ever so slightly taut and strained; he's still hurting.<br><br>Notably the teen hasn't repaired any of his injuries. He will however, stay to repair others' injuries. Thankfully without his Stand actually punching anything.<br> <br>
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