Track Six: Up, Up and Away

[Mr. Handy]

"Brilliant idea!" says Liz, examining the controls. "We must lift off post haste. We won't get far on foot."

[SunlessNick]

Realising what the others are doing, Zara changes direction and runs for the Minnow Two.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"This ship must not fly!" cries one of the masked men. Although his voice is muffled by the ski mask, it is powerful enough to ring throughout the room. He and the four other intruders position themselves in a variety of poses that those familiar with martial arts will recognize as preparation for combat at close quarters. The one who spoke shouts "Yah!" and launches himself at the Professor, striking out with his foot.

Spoiler:

dex = 16[dice]0[/dice]

The lightning-fast kick is deadly accurate, striking the Professor in the chest and knocking him down.

Spoiler:

damage[dice]1[/dice]

The Professor moans with pain, and speaks in a weak voice.

"I believe I have suffered a fracture of several of my costae verae."

"Let that be a warning to you," the intruder says. "Back away from the ship."

[jp1885]

OOC:   Does the guy have a Russian accent?

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

OOC:   Does the guy have a Russian accent?

Spoiler:

Not Russian; He speaks English quite formally and correctly Let's try an INT check to see if you detect something else. int = 7[dice]233879:0[/dice]

Tony -- and everyone else -- notices that the newcomer does not speak in the same manner as the Russian agents. His English is quite perfect. Other than that, he can't tell anything about the fellow's origins.

[Mr. Handy]

Liz rushes to help the professor and, if he is willing, to move him away from the ship.

[jp1885]

"I say old chap, steady on!"

Tony remains between the attackers and Zara and Lew, whilst also attempting to cover Liz and the Professor, but makes no hostile move.

"Don't I know you? MI6 perhaps? How is old Dickie? Or maybe British Rocket Group? If that's the case, tell Sir Bernard he still owes me a lunch."

He grins, having shamelessly namedropped enough.

"Now, shall we discuss this amicably before the robotic goons arrive?"

[Starspawn338]

Lew will also go over to help the Professor away from the ship.

"You're quite right, this ship should not sail." Lew says as he ushers everyone away from the ship. "However, the heavy handed approach everyone seems to take these days is quite unnecessary."

[SunlessNick]

Zara tries to scan the visible parts of the attackers' faces, wondering if this newfound recall of hers will let her recognise any of Natasha's goons.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Liz rushes to help the professor and, if he is willing, to move him away from the ship.

The initial shock of injury having progressed to a more painful condition, he makes no objection.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I say old chap, steady on!"

Tony remains between the attackers and Zara and Lew, whilst also attempting to cover Liz and the Professor, but makes no hostile move.

"Don't I know you? MI6 perhaps? How is old Dickie? Or maybe British Rocket Group? If that's the case, tell Sir Bernard he still owes me a lunch."

He grins, having shamelessly namedropped enough.

"Now, shall we discuss this amicably before the robotic goons arrive?"

This draws a few chuckles from the leader of the masked men.

"Typical British imperialist! Think yourself so important! Stand aside, while we disable this capitalist toy."

He gestures for the other men to approach the vehicle.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lew will also go over to help the Professor away from the ship.

"You're quite right, this ship should not sail." Lew says as he ushers everyone away from the ship. "However, the heavy handed approach everyone seems to take these days is quite unnecessary."

The invaders seem to take no interest in those who move away from the vehicle.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Zara tries to scan the visible parts of the attackers' faces, wondering if this newfound recall of hers will let her recognise any of Natasha's goons.

Rather than remembering any Russians, Zara's perfect recall brings to mind a documentary she caught a few seconds of on the local PBS station, about the Chinese martial arts sporting event known as Wushu. The leader of these men resembles a master of the discipline she saw for a fraction of a second, demonstrating his skills.

[jp1885]

Whilst Tony cannot identity the men, they are clearly not freedom-loving westerners. At least, he muses, they wish to destroy the vehicle rather than steal it to unleash upon the world.

Still, he reasons, better safe than sorry...

Without warning the playboy detective leaps into the vehicle (I assume he is nearer the machine than these fellows) and begins jabbing buttons.

OOC:   Rash and foolish yes, but where’s the fun in letting the bad guys have their own way?

[Mr. Handy]

Liz administers first aid to treat the professor's injury, content to let the intruders wreck the vessel. It saves them the trouble of sabotaging it themselves.

OOC,Dexterity roll (12 + 1[Scientific Knowledge] = 13) administering first aid: [dice]0[/dice]

[SunlessNick]

"You're Chinese?" Zara says to the leader, partly in surprise at another faction showing up, partly to distract him from Tony.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"You're Chinese?" Zara says to the leader, partly in surprise at another faction showing up, partly to distract him from Tony.

Taken aback by this inquiry, since his English is perfect, without a trace of accent, the leader stops for a moment to study the young woman addressing him.

"Why do you ask that? How much do you know about us?"

He gestures to the others to join him, as he readies himself, standing in a position indicating preparation for combat.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Liz administers first aid to treat the professor's injury, content to let the intruders wreck the vessel. It saves them the trouble of sabotaging it themselves.

OOC,Dexterity roll (12 + 1[Scientific Knowledge] = 13) administering first aid: [dice]234110:0[/dice]

The Professor regains sufficient strength to stand on his own, although he is obviously in some pain. Seeing what's going on, he staggers weakly in the direction of the vehicle.

"My old nemesis, the ancient Doctor, must have sent them," he murmurs, mostly to himself. "Must not let him stop me again."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Whilst Tony cannot identity the men, they are clearly not freedom-loving westerners. At least, he muses, they wish to destroy the vehicle rather than steal it to unleash upon the world.

Still, he reasons, better safe than sorry...

Without warning the playboy detective leaps into the vehicle (I assume he is nearer the machine than these fellows) and begins jabbing buttons.

Spoiler:

INT = 7 minus 3 for No Head for Engineering, so unless you're very lucky . . .[dice]0[/dice]

random effects: 1 = summon robots, 2 = vehicle moves horizontally at random, 3 = laser activated, 4 = vehicle descends, 5 = vehicle ascends, 6 = activate self-destruct mechanism[dice]1[/dice]

Having no way to tell what any of the controls might do, Tony's desperate attempt to foil the attack of the masked invaders results in the Minnow Two rising several meters, due to the effect of its antigraviton generators. The vehicle wobbles and whines, like an automobile with an engine pushed into the red zone with excessive RPM's. It's apparent that it can't maintain the strain very long.

[SunlessNick]

"Why do you ask that? How much do you know about us?"

He gestures to the others to join him, as he readies himself, standing in a position indicating preparation for combat.

"I saw you on TV, doing that martial arts stuff," Zara says, hoping he can tell she's being truthful.