4911/League Requisition: Shinki CMS

League Requisition: Shinki CMS
Date of Scene:	20 December 2016
Location:	The Layered Deeps
Synopsis:	The League pulls off a heist of shinki CMS slated to be wiped clean.
Cast of Characters:	276, 573, 399, 968, Alexis

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Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    The loading dock looks non-descript, as does the building it's attached to. The evening has settled in hard, with fog seeping through the air and illuminated with hazy sodium orange streetlights. There's a chilly bite to the air as well. The small cargo truck trundles through the evening towards the loading dock, carrying spare parts and deactivated shinki. It's a grim part of the business, but masterless shinki must be retrieved and factory-reset. Usually unwillingly, both on the part of the shinki and their manufacturer.
    So Kari's master has identified one of the shipments of deactivated shinki that is scheduled for what she calls 'mindwipes' for the League to steal. If nothing else, the abandoned or masterless shinki will be granted a new life as one of the prototype augmented shinki. Kari and her sister Harriet are peering over the edge of the roof, waiting for the sounds of the truck pulling into the dock.
    "They really wipe masterless and abandoned shinki clean?" Harriet asks her sister.
    "Yeah, and it sounds awful. I guess Master wants to give them a new lease on life." Harriet nods solemnly at her sister. There is a plan, of course. There's a big person with a particular set of skills that's going to come in really handy...

Mihk Lihzeh (573) has posed:
    As the Van passes the outer checkpoint, the night takes a turn. A sickly looking cloud descends upon the loading dock, choking Miasma seeping from cracks in the ground and seeming to manifest from the air itself. A distinct magical glow can be seen through the thick smog and smoke, the Arcanist channeling her Aetheric power into the Geometry that is the source of this 'cover'. "Stage one is go. Miss Wolf, I believe the term is 'showtime'."

Taro (399) has posed:
    Behind the pair of shinki is a larger but just as concerned machine-person, his expression a touch more dour than usual. Though he doesn't add anything to this specific conversation, Taro shares Zarenna and company's revulsion at AIs being wiped simply because they no longerer have a master to serve...and after this past week, this strikes painfully close to home.
    He crouches behind Harriet and Kari, wings folded behind him to further lower his profile. While they're watching and listening for the truck, he's keeping an eye and an ear out for any unexpected security guards or an uptick in the local police bands.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Somewhere on said roof, Nicky sits with the back against an airvent, a headset on her ears and listening to a faint music, calming her nerves as she once again goes through her equipment: climing harness, rope, throwing anchor, lockpicks, crowbar, blowtorch, magnesium torch and a small metal box of 2 by 2 by 2 inches. To her it was just a job: Well payed money for just a bit of thievery.

On the go, she tucks away the rope she had just checked and moves in a crouch towards the same roof edge Kari was peering over, stopping right next to Taro and ducking into the shadow next to him. The telltale click of a hook snapping in informed of her hooking into the rapelling line that would lead down from the roof with a throw, then she whispered. "Got got the standby, waiting for the go."

Alexis has posed:
The recent turmoil of the Multiverse hasn't just affected people harshly, countless creatures have found themselves lost and confused by the shifting worlds, many seeking shelter wherever they could. Pokemon are no different, and arguably even moreso of a problem due to most having above animal intelligence.

In as such, luck would have it that not far down the street from the facility a manhole cover wedges loose from its nitch in the street, and a Quilladin climbs out. He turns and reachs back into the manhole, pulling up to help Alexis climb out, while she has a Meowstic sitting on her shoulders. "Ya still got our little friend there, Catalyst?"

"Meowstic < But of course. >" replies the psychic feline, popping the telekinetic bubble floating near her to drop the Lure Ball into Alexis' hands. " < And to think, all those people saying alligators in the sewers is an urban myth. > "

"Technically it's a Croconaw, but yes. Good thing the city called about the weird sounds they were hearing." Alexis replied as she reached back to stuff the ball in a bag pocket. If nothing else, her aunt can take it for her breeding farm, starter eggs can fetch high demand.

"Quill din. <I dare say, that may not beith the only strangeness afoot.> " The knightly hedgehog gives Alexis' shorts a tug, then points in the direction of strange slightly glowing mist down the street. " <Unless that is normal for fog in these here parts.> "
" Meow < The pointy rat is right, there's something weird about that fog. > "
" <How many times must I tell thee, I am not a rat!> "

"Stow it, both of you." Alexis has already started walking in the direction of the weird glowing mist. "Let's just go take a look..."

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    The drivers in the truck radio the weird fog in, choking on the miasma as it leaks into the cab. There's a hideous screech as the cargo truck attempts to stop blindly. The wheels hit the curb, unbalancing the top-heavy vehicle and sending it skidding along its side through the wooden fence along the alley in the back of the building. The ordinary people who're caught in it- the drivers, the security guard on duty; they're handily taken down by the magical effect. Which only leaves the extraordinary to deal with the problem. Fortunately for the League members and their ally, Mihk's spell doesn't affect friendlies.
    The plan hasn't changed. Nicky and the shinki are to get access to the truck, using the miasma and the fog to cover them while the others deal with any serious interlopers. Kari watches the truck go down through her IR visor, and signals over the short range radio bands that it's time to go. Both shinki hop down, with Harriet carrying the tiny specially made cargo container under her arm due to her much larger size over Kari.

Taro (399) has posed:
     Taro winces ever so slightly at the sounds of the truck coming to a stop in ways generally not intended. "At least the cores are fairly sturdy," he murmurs to himself. As Nicky and the shinki make their way down to street level, he stands up and takes the couple of steps needed to reach the edge of the rooftop. The miasma seems to have worked just as intended, but still he keeps watch from his perch for anyone else who might stumble into the area. Nothing like an unexpected variable to unravel a plan.
    < No police calls yet, > he reports to the others. His gaze shifts as he spots the edge of the magical fog roiling in a different direction - is that a cross-current or something else? His eyes narrow. < Just how long will this spell last, Mihk? >

Mihk Lihzeh (573) has posed:
    <As long as I channel Aether into the geometry... if I am interrupted it will last for about ten minutes if the wind doesn't pick up before it dissipates.> replies the Miqo'te, as she continues to channel her magic, energy gathering from the local area into her open tome, replenishing the Geometry hovering above the pages.

    At her feet is a small teal 'fox' that sits patiently, little beady eyes darting around in search of danger to its master. Emerald Carbuncle is on guard.

Alexis has posed:
... And true to Trainer Luck no sooner than Alexis says 'Take a look' does the truck go skidding through the fence into the alleyway. Good thing they weren't that close yet!

"Yeah, that's definately trouble." But what about that mist? Best to not take chances considering it looks like it just put a truck out of commission. So she flicks another pokeball and a small bipedal yellow fox appears in front of her. "Majorette, give us a Safeguard." The Braixen yips in confirmation as she pulls the stick out of her tail and twirls it a few times. Little motes sparkle off the tips, shrouding Trainer and pokemon in protective mystical energy. That will take care of any nasty Status Effects that mist may have.

"Checkpoint, go check the drivers." Alexis instructs, and with a salute the Quilladin scampers off towards the cab of the crashed vehicle. Best send the strong one in case he has to break a door to get people out. Then Alexis pulls her hockey stick out of her bag, gripping it in both hands as she starts trudging through the miasma towards the back end of the vehicle. "And you two stay close."

Catalyst actually pouts a bit as she follows. "Meowstic. < But I wanted to see if the bodies were mangled or broken or had shards of metal now stuck in the--> "
"And that is why I didn't send you," Alexis retorts to cut her off.

Yeah, stealth isn't exactly a strong suit for this group.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    The drivers are out cold, looking quite unhealthy thanks to the poison fog. They were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags deployed, keeping them alive but bruised. The cargo area of the truck has been ripped open by the collision, a trail of sheet metal and packages trailing behind. The Quilladin has no trouble ripping the door off the sideways cargo truck, giving him access to free the unconscious drivers. The container that the League members have come for is sticking partially out of the ruined truck cargo doors. It's the one that looks the most secure out of the lot, though nothing some laser cutters or an airlift wouldn't solve.
    The shinki run through the fog, since hopping would make more noise. The pattering of their ceramic-shod feet is kind of muffled by the fog, so it is possible that they may get ignored entirely due to their size and relative quietness. Kari's leading the way to the truck, since her sensors can cut through the fog a lot better than Harriet's.
    Kari whispers into the tactical radio band. "There's some... monstery things coming towards the truck. There's a big one already here." Kari has seen pokemon before of course, but not these particular species.

Taro (399) has posed:
    The unexpected variables have arrived. (An interesting question - if having random persons stumbling upon their operation was anticipated, does that make them expected variables? Or do they remain unexpected variables because just who the random persons are could not be known? Perhaps something to be considered later.)
     Taro's expression changes little as he unfurls his armor's wings and steps off the edge of the rooftop, falling in a controlled glide toward the woman with the hockey stick and the pokemon still at her side. Placing himself between them and Mihk, in hopes that she can continue her spell without interruption. He's not being particularly stealthy either - though the mist may obscure him, the clank of armored boots on pavement will give him away. As will his voice. "This is none of your concern." Spoken plainly, not quite threatening, but brooking no argument either. "The injured will be seen to." He's not brandishing any weapons, but then someone obviously dressed for trouble both in the middle of the night and in the middle of unnatural fog probably isn't exacly unarmed, either...

Alexis has posed:
It's also harder to hear tiny footsteps over the THUMP THUMP THUMP of Checkpoint punching the door a few times to break it the rest of the way off. " <Got two in here! Unconcious and sick looking. Thank Xerneas wearing their seat belts!> " At least it's easy to get the airbags out of the way by pricking them with his spines to deflate them. Still going to take him a few minutes to get the belts off the drivers and pull them out of the truck.

"Just get 'em out of this weird fog," Alexis replies, then turns back to investigating the van. Only to kippup back a step on reflex when something clunks in front of them, though it takes a moment to actually make out the shape emerging in the fog. "Uh huh. Noxious fog, truck crashing randomly in the middle of the night. Totally nothing to see here." Yeah, that's said with as much sarcasm as you would expect from a pink haired tomboy holding a hockey stick like it was a battleaxe.

Not to mention the Braixen stepping to the front, holding her stick towards Taro as if it was a wizard's wand... Which might not be far off. Or at least the spark of flames igniting at the end give the impression of such.

"If I was you I'd back off so we can see for ourselves."

While that argument is going on Catalyst turns her head, eyes squinting a little up at the rooftop. Someone is still up there. " < They aren't the only one here. >" A ball of blackness forms between the psy-cat's paws, and then she tosses the Shadow Ball towards the roof somewhere possibly near Mihk.

Mihk Lihzeh (573) has posed:
    Carbuncle's Spidey Sense triggers, and it chirps a warning as the Shadow Orb comes approaching. The Miqo'te looks, then snaps her Tome closed, cutting off the support of the Miasma, leaving it to only the Aether that was still in the spell matrix.

    Mihk leaps off the roof, clicking her tongue for the Carbuncle to follow before the orb hits and explodes, clearing the blast zone... but the cover is going to begin dispersing now it's not being maintained. <I've been interrupted. Make haste.>

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    <Okay!> Kari chirps through the radio. She and Harriet make their way to the container, running along the cracked asphalt in the fog. Her larger sister's laser machine gun jerks about, tracking potential targets for Harriet to lock onto. Kari helps out the team by shooting those tiny smoke grenades around randomly to add to the obscuring mist and fog. They can be heard as dull pops when they strike the ground. As the pair approach the container, they swerve to avoid Checkpoint's large (and stompy) feet and being trampled by them, skirting along the underbelly (now the side?) of the truck. Almost there. Almost there. Just a few more feet.

Taro (399) has posed:
    "Pardon my saying so, but none of you appear to be paramedics." Deadpan or seriously spoken, Taro's faintly dour mask offers no hint as to which. He might have tried to stall Alexis and her allies with more words, but then one of them hurls an energy(?) orb at the rooftop where Mihk had been. that tactic is then deemed of no further use.
    The android reaches for the beam sabre clipped to his belt with practiced swiftness, the translucent wedge of an energy blade activating with a crackle as he brings it up in front of him in a guarding posture. "I'm afraid I cannot allow that."
    There's the sounds of popping and hissing behind him, but he doesn't spare a glance. < Don't worry about attacking, > he mildly chides Harriet and Kari. < The rescue is more important. >
    His own job is to distract and harry, and so he takes a step forward to slash his blade toward the Braixen. He's not interested in actually cutting either of them down - the motion is meant to intimidate and to drive back.

Alexis has posed:
He's not so much big as he is rotund and has stout legs, but considering he's still rather large in comparison to the shinki not getting accidentally stepped on is a valiant concerned. Thankfully due to his valiant nature Checkpoint is paying more attention to getting the two men out of the truck. It's a little awkward, considering his almost spherical form doesn't really have seperate shoulders to rest them on, but he's got a few extra vines to hold on with instead.

"Helping people shouldn't require a specific job," Alexis snaps back as the weapon is drawn.

And cut it does all the same! ... Except when 'cut' the Braixen just poofs out of existance because it was only a false image left when Majorette used Double Team to sidestep the attack. Leaving striking back to Alexis for the moment, who drops down to throw her shoulder at Taro's midsection and check him into the side of the truck. Or is that the top of the truck, if it's on it's side. Thematics aren't really important.

" < They're moving. > " Catalyst is trying to track Mihk with her psychic powers, but the remaining mist, or more so the aetheric energy in it, is almost as effective against psionics as the mist itself is at vision. " < watch out for ambushers. >" Her eyes glow a bit, but she doesn't appear to be attacking. Not yet at least.

Mihk Lihzeh (573) has posed:
     Like a prickle along the back of her neck, Mihk can feel, if not outright sense those psionic 'eyes' trying to watch her. She comes to a stop, and with a sudden, rapid spike in the Aetheric field around the Miqo'te, she launches an attack at the Meowstic directly. A bolt of non-elemental, raw power flies out to try and strike the Psychic Pokemon, a pure 'force bolt'. She then clicks her tongue, and gives a simple command to her Carbuncle. "Guard". The blue creature looks concerned for a moment, before it scampers off to find Kari and Harriet. It's task? Protect them and get them clear with the hostages.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    Kari and Harriet finally reach the container. It's not actually that big. One cubic foot in sizes, but it's shielded against all manner of EM frequencies as well as heat and cold. The number gives it away though.
    Kari points at the thing. "There they are. Let's get them out of here before the cops show up. Don't want them to get brainwiped!" The shinki scurry over to it. There's a moment when Harriet quickly turns, the shoulder gun snapping around to point at the Carbuncle before the shinki recognizes it as a friendly. Harriet pops open the little container she was carrying, pulling out what looks like a net of wires with weird nodes between them. One end is handed to Kari and it appears the girls are trying to spread the weird net over the container.

Taro (399) has posed:
    Alexis will find that Taro is a bit more solid than his wiry frame suggests as she body checks him, but she sends him staggering back all the same.
    He has her attention, likely the Braixen's as well. Excellent. Let's keep it that way, shall we?
    He pushes himself off the side of the truck with a somewhat exaggerated grunt and thump of effort (to help cover whatever noise Harriet and Kari are making inside) to face the Pokemon Trainer and her foxlike companion. "At the very least one should learn first aid." He makes another quick slash, this time at Alexis first before following up with a second aimed at Majorette. Again, his aim is to prevent them from approaching the truck rather than outright trying to hurt them, and thus that aim is just slightly off.

Alexis has posed:
There. Though the Meowstic barely sees it coming in time to put up a Light Screen to partially protect herself. But not stop it entirely, and the spell still stings enough to make the cat-like pokemon skid backwards. Though even then, she smiles rather creepily. " <Got'cha.> " Because that's when the attack she previously charged goes off. Somewhat ironically the discharge of energy that seems to come at Mihk out of nowhere is also non-elemental due to the nature of Future Sight.

Alexis huffs softly as she steps back, rolling her shoulder. "I gotta stop doing that to robots." She can't block a beam saber with her makeshift weapon, so instead she steps in and goes lower, leaning out of the way of the blade and aiming to hook the angled head of her hockey stick against the arm swinging it instead. "Now Majorette!"

As she hops to the side of the swings the Braixen waves her stick a few times for effect, then points it at Taro as a burst of flames flies off the end at the robot.

And Checkpoint is carrying the two men out of the now fading poisonous mist.

They're pretty accurately distracted or otherwise busy, yes.

Mihk Lihzeh (573) has posed:
    Mihk's eyes go wide as she feels the rush of return energy coming back at her. She cries out in a mix of human scream and cat-like mrowl, send sprawling from the impact of the non-elemental assault. The Miqo'te isn't a frontline fighter, and her 'armour' for what it's worth isn't built to defend her, insomuch as it's meant to help amplify her connection to the Aether.

    She staggers back to her feet, a large patch of her robe torn open, and the undergarments bloodied from a deep cut in her ebony skin. <I'm wounded... Please make haste, I will not be able to stay in combat for long if this continues.> she transmits, then changes tactic.

    Another spike of Aether, this time drawing on both Earth and Water, much like the Miasma Cloud itself, only much more condensed. She hurls another 'bolt' invisible and much faster, to try and infest the Meowstic with Poison!

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    Kari and Harriet hurry, bickering with each other only as siblings can as they fuss with the weird wire net, trying to get it fixed around the container.
    FINALLY they get it just so. Then Kari hooks a plug on a lead from the net into a panel on her chestplate, while Harriet does the same with a port in her backpack.
    <Gonna need somebody to pick us up after this!> Kari radioes.
    "One! Two! Three!" And on three, their batteries are discharged into the net, which glows and ripples with light much like when a shinki puts or takes things from the slipway. The power drain of dematerializing an object that large takes its toll on the two shinki, even the larger Harriet (who has a higher capacity battery than Kari). The net and container disappear as the robots fall to the ground like marionettes with their strings cut. That's probably the reason they need to be evacuated...

Taro (399) has posed:
    The android is forced to take a step back and dip the tip of his blade to avoid the hockey stick. Such a maneuver might save him from being caught, but it's considerably less effective against a conjured burst of flames.
    This is Taro. He is currently on fire.
    With grunt that's more irritation than pain, he lashes out at Alexis to backhand her with his empty right hand. Then, his feathery artificial hair begins to smoulder, and he's forced to retreat back and to the side a few steps so he can beat the flames back before it completely catches fire.
     < Understood. If you can collect them, Mihk, then I will cover our retreat. >

Alexis has posed:
Haha, jokes on you, Poison is blocked by... wait, it's been long enough for Safeguard to wear off hasn't it. Doh! So instead of mocking like intended we end up with a poisoned Meowstic. To the point of turning a slightly more purplish shade from it. Don't ask me why Poison is purple when it comes to Pokemon, I didn't assign colors to the elements. " <Urk! That didn't go so well in the end> "

"Catalyst?!" And Alexis looks away from her opponent out of concern at just to right time to catch the backhand across the face, sending her staggering as well. "HFF!"

" <Now that's just rude!> " Majorette raises her stick and the other paw, going from band major to conductor with the way she waves them around. Fortunately there's not more fire being flung at Taro as he tries to back off and extinguish his burning hair. Unfortunately, that's because instead she's using her off-type psychic powers to life up several pieces of the broken fence and hurtle them after Taro with Psyshock.

Mihk Lihzeh (573) has posed:
    Mihk has some breathing room. She clicks her tongue and sends her command to Carbuncle via a very personal version of morse code. <<Fetch. Both.>> simple, to the point. The Summon understance instantly, and with a delicate nip of is fangs, hoists first Kari up, and gently tosses the Howling over its back, then does the same with the larger Mach hare. Once they're aboard, it scampers away heading towards the rendezvous point that was agreed on before this endeavour started. <Tech Priest, the package is secure. I suggest you disengage and let them pick over the remains.> she transmits to Taro, before backing off, sealing her Aether connection... hopefully she vanishes from Psionic Sight long enough to get away.

Taro (399) has posed:
    This was not quite the fencing maneuver that Taro would have expected. The android continues to backpedal, furiously beating down flames with one hand while slashing at the splintered slats with his blade in the other.
    As a distraction, this has gone quite well. As a skirmish, this has been rather embarrassing. No matter, the objective is achieved, lives saved, and all accounted for.
    He snarls a bit after one of the wooden chunks Marjorette's hurled smacks him upside the head. "As you will then." Another crackle of energy as he extinguishes his sabre, followed by a larger, more purple-hued flash of energy as he intiates a teleport.
    Said teleport will drop him in an alley a block or so south, but hopefully there is confusion enough that he will not be followed.

Alexis has posed:
Majorette has a little hissy fit as Taro teleports away, complete with cute paw stomping and irritated fox-ear splaying. " <The nerve of people! Running off before I can finish frying him. Worse than the dang Abras! >"

"At least they left." Alexis glances over her shoulder a moment, making sure Checkpoint got the men out of the way. Then pulls out an Antidote and flicks it to the witch-fox. "Go give that to Catalyst. I'll call the authorities to come clean up this mess."

No one is going to notice anything is missing until the company actually gets to going through the truck's contents, but that's not much of Alexis' concern over getting the would-be thugs out of here.