IC- 22 - Reunion - Everyone

[Starspawn338]

"I wonder if that's who Kiara communicated with." Jojo says.
"Doesn't sound like the locals. Did you have any more success than me?" He says to Sam.

[Mr. Handy]

"Almost got it..." says Sam, fiddling with the datapad.

Computer Use roll (55% / 2 = 27.5% skill) trying to access the shuttle via the datapad:
d%
I'd like to spend 4 Luck to make that a hard success.

FIrearms(Rifle) roll (35% skill) about the noise:
d%

[Mephistophilis]

Trying to ignore the greetings of CENTRAL, Sam accesses the network directly and quickly finds an unidentified node that seems like it could be the shuttle. More familiar with the way colony interface controllers are configured, she's able to spoof her way into the shuttle systems. It's idling in low power mode.

She can see that it was refuelled several hours ago, seems like someone manually overrode a service drone attached to the fuel pump on the runway and then used it to fill up the shuttle themselves. That's not an easy thing to do. It also seems like the shuttle transponder has been deactivated and someone has prepped it to broadcast a new transponder code, but they haven't yet supplied the final digits needed to complete the process.

Most of the procedures needed to initialise the shuttle for take-off have already been completed. It's difficult to tell remotely but it might only take half and hour if everything is done right.

-----

Isabella gets down on one knee and raises her shotgun to her shoulder. 'We need a plan, something is going on down here.' There's another loud explosion followed by a burst of rattling. It's getting nearer.

[Mr. Handy]

"Let's fall back to the shuttle," says Sam. "Now that I've gotten access, we can go aboard. I'd like to see what's there, and just how long the shuttle needs to be ready for takeoff."

[aine]

“That’s military grade gunfire! There must be people down there! Kiara maybe. We ought to help them.” Nicole tries to determine how many guns are firing.

Listen 45 roll: 50

[Mr. Handy]

"Is there anything we can even do?" asks Sam. "If they've got military hardware, they're better equipped than we are. Plus, they may not be so happy to see us and could shoot us on sight. They're probably the people from the shuttle. Although if Kiara is in danger, we really do need to help her. We'll just have to approach with stealth."

[Mephistophilis]

Anyone who wants to approach silently roll Stealth. Have a bonus die since it is pretty noisy and they're likely to be distracted

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm not all that quiet," says Sam, "so maybe you should go first, and I'll follow behind you and keep you in sight."

[aine]

“Ok, stay back and be ready to run to the shuttle. I’ll creep down and see if it is Kiara. I’ll try to signal if she’s there.”
Nicole looks around their motley weapons and shrugs. She gets her stun gun ready and creeps closer to the gunfire.

Stealth 40 roll:28

[Starspawn338]

"I'm a doctor, not a fighter. I'm not going to sneak around an active battle." Jojo says to Nicole. "Let me know if anyone needs any medical care."

[Mephistophilis]

Turning off her suit lights and utilising the extensive shadows and the cover of gunfire, Nicole creeps down the tunnel. Her way illuminated by the strips of low power lighting running down from the surface. Sam follows some distance behind.

Isabella remains behind with Jojo, shotgun raised and looking nervous, turning back and forth to look up and down the dark tunnel. Occasionally pointing her weapon back up at the hole in the structure above them.

After a few minutes of walking further downwards, deeper into the structure, the corridor opens up to reveal a larger chamber. The low level string lighting is supplemented by a number of site lamps illuminating the open space. There are six odd curved structures arising from the glassy surface of the floor, their purpose is impossible to determine but each one has a kind of semicircular recess.

Crouched behind one of these structures is someone in a pressure suit, facing away from her. Not the familiar bulky orange shape of a Titan surface suit but the clean olive green lines of something military issue. The sort of thing the Colonial Marines would wear but there are no markings. The figure is firing an automatic rifle into the distance at someone or something Nicole can't see. The rattling crack, crack, crack of automatic gunfire, and the corresponding orange-white strobe of muzzle-flash suddenly stops. The figure looks at the weapon and gives it a whack with their hand. Then they spin around to look back up the corridor, towards Nicole, suit lights sweeping across the black tunnel. Racking what looks like an underslung shotgun or grenade launcher.



Whoever they are they don't seem to have seen Nicole, yet.

Sam keeps her distance, just about keeping Nicole in her sight but dimming her suit lights to avoid giving her position away. Nicole turns a corner and Sam gently runs to catch up. The rattling crack, crack, crack of automatic gunfire and the corresponding orange-white strobe of muzzle-flash is suddenly immediately in front of her. She can't make out any details at this distance but the corridor has opened up to form a larger chamber. The low level string lighting is supplemented by a number of site lamps illuminating the open space. Then the gunfire stops.

Nicole and Sam disappear down the tunnel into the dimly lit darkness. The rattling crack, crack, crack of automatic gunfire continues to come in bursts. Then it stops.

[aine]

can I contact the figure via open radio- or something?

Nicole watches the figure, wondering how to contact them without being shot accidentally. She risks a quick look further down the tunnel to see what they were shooting at.

Spot hidden 60 roll:79

[Mephistophilis]

Beyond the harsh lighting in the centre of the chamber it is just shadows and gloom. Nicole can't make anything out.

She does think she could probably cycle through a few open frequencies on her suit, see if she can raise the figure.

OOC:   I'd say that's a Luck roll to hit on the right frequency

[Mr. Handy]

Sam flattens herself against the wall next to the corner without rounding it, having her flamethrower ready, listening carefully.

Listen roll (20% base skill) in the corridor:
d%

[aine]

Nicole cycles through a few frequencies,
“Come in, over?” But gets no response. With a last glance into the gloom she turns back and follows the figure quietly.

Luck: 40 roll: 69 stealth: 40 roll: 16

[Mephistophilis]

Sam flattens herself against the wall and listens. There's no sound now - all the gunfire has silenced - it is disconcertingly quiet. Then she hears the sound of footsteps. Rapid and purposeful. Heavier than the sound Nicole makes. It's getting nearer. And then there's a mechanical noise, like someone cocking a rifle or racking a shotgun. For a second there's a crackle over the radio, Nicole's voice, it sounds like she's trying to raise someone, then it's gone.

Despite cycling through all the usual channels, Nicole is unable to raise the figure in the suit. She retreats back into the shadows as they stride past her, automatic rifle held up high, braced into the shoulder, sweeping ahead for targets.

There's no sound now - all the gunfire has silenced - it is disconcertingly quiet. For a second there's a crackle over the radio, Nicole's voice, it sounds like she's trying to raise someone, then it's gone. Isabella signals to Jojo, a hand gesture, she seems to be asking if she should go down the corridor to see what's happened to the others.

[Mr. Handy]

"Get back around the corner, fast!" Sam calls into the communicator to Nicole, though also loud enough for her to hear in case it's not working. "Someone armed for bear is coming quick!"

[Mephistophilis]

Nicole hears Sam's warning, and from the way they freeze, so does the figure in the combat suit. Immediately switching off their suit lights, shrouding the tunnel in more darkness, the figure crouchs down and raises their weapon to swing the barrel back and forth, up and down the tunnel, evidently looking for the source of the noise.

[Starspawn338]

Jojo signals back to Isabella, shaking his head while flicking his hand in a "no" gesture in front of his throat.

[aine]

Nicole thinks the figure is acting human enough to be one. She stays crouched and hidden but calls out.
“I don’t want to hurt you. I’m human and in no way contaminated by the aliens. Please don’t shoot me.”
She grits her teeth. At least this might give the others the chance to escape if it suddenly goes tits up.