Log:The Last of His Name
The Last of His Name
OOC Date: July 2, 2019
Location: Novania, Arkanis
Participants: Sajin, Nova Korell, Merek, Jax Greystorm, Rhysio Ando, Dyannah Nerus, Aryn Cole
Novania, Arkanis
A nightscape city with cold air backdrops the academy view from atop a solitary mountain. Novania Academy was a school that has stood for countless generations where marvels of modern science have been shared and lives changed. Tonight, however, lives were in jeopardy. Speeders marked as Arkanian law enforcement are parked all over. They've blocked entry in and out, allowing only the shuttles for the team being brought in to deal with the situation.
Everyone has arrived. Law enforcement provided a concise brief of the situation. Currently, the team stands outside the main auditorium building at the Novania Academy. It's a tall structure, at least four stories in height, and nearly 3/10 of a kilometer in length. Inside, a seminar had taken place but ended abruptly. The keynote speaker, the famous Dr. Solem, a genius in the field of genome therapy, was shot mid-way through his presentation.
The assassin responsible was subdued by students, but other assassins tried to break in and finish the job. Fearing for their own safety, the students barricaded all the entrances and have held off all subsequent attacks, but Dr. Solem's health is failing and without a means of medical attention, he /will/ die.
Breaching explosives have been placed on the front doors to the building, their payload executed in a brief, violent flash of controlled detonation. In the wake of the doors, smoke trails up and reveals a long hallway and foyer. Where do our heroes go from here?
It really does sound like a straightforward mission: Knock down the door, go in, kick some assassin butt, and save the injured professor. Nova Korell could get behind that. The way in even looks straight and narrow, easy to navigate.
That's also known as a choke point, or a perfect ambush site. And there's no time to be careful, not with the professor's life on the line. The assassins have been on-site for several hours; who knows what they've done to the place?
Nova takes a deep breath and leaves her stacked-up position by the door at a lope, eyes up and alert as she moves inside. She heads steadily for the foyer. "This seems almost too easy..."
The advantage and the disadvantage of an empathy user is that secrets are hard to keep. It makes for an interesting life if one wants to skirt the law or work undercover. It also makes reading intentions easier as well as recognizing others that can influence a person's mental state. None of these facts are foremost in the zeltron's mind. But she 'looks' at those around her and recognizes twice over that there is double or more the advantage on their team.
To say that she relaxes at that knowledge would be an exaggeration, to say that she is going into the building with a bit more assurance wouldn't be. Her shoulders relax subtly under the black nerf jacket she prefers over her custom black swoop suit. Noiseless in her lace up steel boots, she takes a few steps forward and crouches behind the woman named Nova. After a quick check on her gun, she extends the net of her senses.
Merek looks towards the door while he makes his way with some of the others, then he takes a moment to check his rifle while he nods then to the others also. He points to the front, "There's a laser grid when you enter it," he says, then he nods while he is approaching also.
A lot is going through the mind of the man who introduced himself to those gathered as Agent Axon. What exactly is he an agent of? He didn't say. He showed up already wearing the face covering that is secured tightly beneath the helmet of his swoopsuit.
He nods through the briefings and then stacks up on the door, the EL-718 in his hands and pointing downwards as he awaits for his turn to enter the corridor leading deeper into the lecture hall.
At the mention of a trap, he looks up towards Merek and then calls out quietly, "Anyone able to disable a laser grid?"
Among the team assembled was a man dressed in green S2 battle armor that completely hide his face. He'd introduced himself as 'Corsair.' He stood quietly watching the prep of the explosives being set up. His breathing slow and deep as if he's lost in his own thoughts. Then there's an exhale from the man the armor not producing a sound. He reaches for the blaster on his hip drawing it and poiting it down at the ground preparing for a breach.
Jax chuckles humorlessly at Nova's comment, "If it was easy they'd sent someone." He takes up a defensive position as they breach, "Five targets nearby, they're hidden. They aren't moving waiting for something."
Sajin is here. Those that know the Hapan would have recognized him behind the helm of his formfitter armor. The tell tale ryyk blade on the large mans back and the bowcaster to go with it. "Theres some ah... well I think i saw some lazer beams or a control panel parrellel to the entrance." The hairless wookie and King keeps his weapon lowered but ready bringing up the rear.
"If there's lasers.. everyone stop for a minute." The young doctor appears in the doorway next, toggling the blaster in her hand to a smoke feature. She aims it above, then outward. Each squeeze of the trigger sends out a healthy wave of white, transluscent smoke. With the power out in the hallway, and everything moderately dark, save for the ambient light, the smoke begins to reveal crisscrossed contrails of laser light ahead of the group. It's spaced far enough apart to be detrimental to their entry to the foyer.
Additionally, along the hallway, on the LEFT WALL leading up toward the door to the foyer, are windows that provide a view into the larger foyer area. They're made of traditional glass, and are spaced similarly with the lasers crisscrossing. There are FIVE windows in total.
Aryn stays at the rear of the group since she's the least combat capable.
Nova halts at the first mention of the laser grid. Sure enough, the windows in the hallway bear proximity mines with laser emitters. She adjusts the vision system in her helmet to make the beams stand out more clearly…
She gestures to take cover, the only sign she knows that's even close to this situation. "The beams don't move, and they all cross at the same height. Stay in the center and get low. We can just slip under them." She proceeds to follow her own advice, dropping to a crouch and moving forward.
The laser beams look sharp as razors though Dyannah knows better: the affects will be sharp if they cross them though. The windows attract her attention, first storey makes them accessible to someone able to break them behind the laser beams and to trigger the charges that are under them. Proximity charges. Extreme protection for the building in her mind but not insurmountable. She edges back from the group looking for something to throw at the two windows furthest from the crisscrossing lasers then watches Nova begin to shimmy under them. Nothing like simplicity. Dyannah lays down and begins the shimmy as well.
Merek nods a bit while he takes a moment to position his rifle up. He then moves to stand with Nova and nods to her, following her lead upon this as he checkes the weapon also. He is wearing his black armor which is adjusted about him, a helmet that is black with a nice orange HUD as he takes his position as well.
Axon looks towards Nova as she lays out the game plan. He tilts his head to look in towards the smokey lasers. He narrows his eyes but then simply nods his head, "That can work. We'll bypass and disarm them later. Since this is a thing, we'll need to make sure none of the students make a break for it or clear and alternate exit."
The fact that he wears a near skintight swoop suit seems to be working in the Agent's favor as he falls into position and hits the floor. His pistol is switched to safe, only a thumb's throw away from being ready to fire.
Jax sheaths the pistol and then reaching over his shoulder he takes the crystal blade and his scabbard off his back. "Lets hope my mother sweet sweet home cooking hasn't added too many centimeters to my behind." Then taking a deep breath he starts to work his way under the laster grid with sword in hand almost making this look too easy.
All at once, the sound of glass breaking occurs. Three windows shatter all at once, and the shadows of people appear within them. The people crouched and moving beneath the lasers are in clear sight of the THREE assassins that have appeared in the windows, readying their weapons to ambush!
Everyone has made it past the first window, and Aryn, who is at the end, is at the second window leaving Nova at the fourth. There is one more window to pass before she reaches the doorway to the main atrium and foyer of this auditorium!
"I don't get it," Nova murmurs, as she crawls beneath the lasers. "Why mine /windows/? What are they protecting?"
She pictures the corridor in her mind again. No doors on the sides, only windows, and the foyer is at the end, with its double doors. The windows don't seem to lead anyplace. So why..? The answer hits her like a bucket of ice water in the face. "The windows... MOVE! NOW!" she shouts, just as the sound of breaking glass echoes through the corridor. Too late!
The long-time groundpounder rolls onto her side, bringing her weapon up and peppering the wall with stun blasts. Only the second hits, the first and third wasted on the wall. The stun-blasted assassin freezes in place, quivering just a bit and badly shaken, but far from dead. Nova looks ahead at the laser trips crossing her path. "I /hate/ civilization..."
Something that is seldom heard are zeltron curses, something rarer are a string of them. Dyannah, quite out of character blisters the air with them as she barely manages to flip herself over and fire at the assassin that has appeared in the window nearest her. Bracing her arm at an awkward angle she hits one who actually smiles at her; what she hears when she 'listens' to him mentally makes her miss her next shot. She shimmies forward on her back now as fast as she can on her elbows.
Merek moves when it looks like Nova is speaking to them, "What!?" he asks, while he shifts a bit upon his hip. He then lifts up his rifle while he takes a clean shot that takes one to the floor. He then nods a bit to the others also, "Well, let's get to it!" he exclaims.
The hair on the back of Jax neck is up as the crawl under the windows. The mans learned to trust his instincts and is up and running moments just before Nova gives the order. "Danger!" WIth lighting speed, Jax goes for the holster blaster and draws it as he moves. His sheathed sword now in his left hand. He takes aim at one of the assasins and opens fire and finishing him off. He starts to sweep the hall, "There's two more."
Agent Axon low-crawls 'neath the lasers and the dangers, taking care not to shift accidentally into the lasers that will surely trip the mines and bring this rescue mission to an explosive end, "They've mined this place to kill anyone who tries to mount a rescue. They're not friend--" He is cut off by the yelling, and he turns his head to note the window.
Like he saw once on the holo, he turns over into his side and brings his blaster pistol up to eye-level with a one-handed grip, flipping the safety off with his thumb. He puts a round into the assassin Dyannah had shot, causing their would-be killer to fall lifeless to the ground. He then shifts his aimpoint slightly, the eyes hidden behind the mask narrowing as he fires off two additional quick shots, slamming accurately into the next one he spots in the window. He then flips over on to his stomach, scrambling once again forward while doing his best not to trip the mine.
Thankfully, everyone made it through the hallway of death and mines without setting the mines off, but now they find themselves in a HUGE open atrium. Sounds here echoe, and ambient light from outside shines in from the ceiling. This place is massive, and square shaped, with an exit door way behind them, and huge, large doors to their 12 o'clock. According to the schematics, those large doors lead to the auditorium where the students and Dr. Solem are. However, there's 200m from that door and where they are.
There are a ton of planters here, roughly 3ft high, and thick marble pillars that decoratively run parallel the entire length of this room (think the matrix scene when Neo and Trinity head for the elevator. Similar setup, but larger here).
Everyone feels like they're being watched, but it's confirmed when the sound of beating feet move along the outer perimeter of the room. It seems like the assassins intend to surround our heroes. As the first of the assassins appears as a dark shape, intending to fire, it comes down to last minute tactics. What do we do?!
Thankfully, everyone made it through the hallway of death and mines without setting the mines off, but now they find themselves in a HUGE open atrium. Sounds here echoe, and ambient light from outside shines in from the ceiling. This place is massive, and square shaped, with an exit door way behind them, and huge, large doors to their 12 o'clock. According to the schematics, those large doors lead to the auditorium where the students and Dr. Solem are. However, there's 200m from that door and where they are.
There are a ton of planters here, roughly 3ft high, and thick marble pillars that decoratively run parallel the entire length of this room (think the matrix scene when Neo and Trinity head for the elevator. Similar setup, but larger here).
Everyone feels like they're being watched, but it's confirmed when the sound of beating feet move along the outer perimeter of the room. It seems like the assassins intend to surround our heroes. As the first of the assassins appears as a dark shape, intending to fire, it comes down to last minute tactics. What do we do?!
Jax makes his way into the room and moves at a dead sprint to the one of the large planters. He's firing on the way as he shoots a pair of shots striking the assassin showing himself twice. The third shot a scorch on the wall. He slides into a defensive position. "The sensors in my armor is showing five contacts. Four after the one I removed." Does he have some aftermarket upgrades to his S2 armor? He seems to know how many contacts there are.
"More trouble!" Nova shouts, as if Jax running ahead that way isn't enough of a clue. She dashes for the pillar closest to the entranceway, flattening herself against it. It's a good spot: She can see three assassins from there. She triggers two shots and sees one target go down, then aims at another and squeezes off a third shot. That one's not so effective, but the killers' numbers are dwindling.
Dyannah feels them before she can see them. Her eyes shut tight for just a moment at the utter intent to kill that comes through the connection. She fills her lungs, exhales and pushes hard at the assassin: confusion and a sudden desire to examine his gun is strongly suggested. The assassin looks down at his gun, puzzled. Firing as she runs to the pillar nearest she misses once which takes the man out of his reverie but fires a second time making him spin back under the impact of the shot in his shoulder. "Hah," she breathes.
Merek takes up his position when he comes to that room with all the others. He doesn't move to cover, instead he shifts to aim that rifle as he takes a clean shot which then takes another assassin to the floor also. He keeps his position as he looks to the others as well.
Agent Axon finishes crawling under the lasers and stacks up on the door leading into the atrium. As the team enters, the agent takes a long look around, inhaling air into his lungs at the size of the room, "It looked smaller during the briefing..." Things very suddenly go to drek, with assassins appearing at several different angles. For his part, Axon leaps forward, reaching out with his left arm, dragging his gloved hand along the ground to cause some friction which pulls him into a roll down his left arm.
He settles in behind a planter, his blaster seeking a target. Upon finding one, two trigger pulls send blaster bolts into the center pass of one of the figures, dropping him like a Hutt dropping yet another similarly slimy thing. With a twitch, his aimpoint shifts and he's able to fire yet another round, wounding another of the assassins.
Sajin has been quietly following along up to this point, happy to have the more natural leaders take charge and storm ahead. Helmeted head turns to regard Nova as she warns on danger before instantly moving and a run, sliding to his padded and armored knees and smacking up against one of the pylons. He uses his thermal vision to scan for a target as blaster fire erupts, raising his wookie made weapon and sending two consecutive bolts in the direction of one of their assailants. They zip by, close, but no death stick. The bolts, slamming into the durocrete behind, leading a smoking smoldering hole and chunks of wall all over the place.
Utter chaos is what explained the scene that unfolded. For the most part, our heroes jumped right into action. People ran into cover, took up defensive positions, or wiped out like our Doctor Cole did. Blaster fire was heavily one sided here, our heroes dominating the fight almost the exact moment it was upon them. One bolt reciprocates though, and it sparks off the marble floor near Doctor Cole, where she's scrambling to get back up.
With ONE (1) Assassin left, he begins to fall back to the shadows of the RIGHT side of the room. Was the fight lost for him? A loud beep is heard, and suddenly the hallway entrance with the laser mines goes up in smoke and flames. The explosion is so deafening and sudden, that anyone not braced by cover is taken from their feet by the concussive blast. Thankfully, and miraculously, no one is injured in this, but they hear the structural integrity of the building all around them begin to creak and crack.
The remaining assassin is no where to be found, but the AUDITORIUM DOORS OPEN, and someone yells. "WHO IS OUT THERE? STILL THOSE HUTTSUCKERS TRYING TO KILL DR. SOLEM?!"
The blaster fire has barely ceased, and Nova's just starting to look around for more trouble, when that explosion shakes the building! She feels herself slammed back against the pillar she's been using for cover, and just plants her feet and waits for the momentary shaking to stop. Good thing her helmet has hearing filters. She looks out again, just in time to see the auditorium doors open, and hear someone yelling. "WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU! WE HAVE A DOCTOR WITH US!" she shouts back, her head a little too blast-rattled to recall just who sent them in here. "THE ASSASSINS ARE GONE! LET US IN!"
Merek nods a bit to Nova, while he takes up his position next to the woman so he can cover her while they are en route to the location of the person they came for. He looks to the demolitions as they happen and lifts up a hand to cover, then he makes a sound while he shifts, <<They might come back, people should set up positions to protect the VIP.>>
As the massive explosions go off, Agent Axon is knocked off his feet due to the unexpectedness of it. As the dust settles, he only then begins to get up. As he does, he looks towards Merek, his eyes narrowing, "WHAAAT?"
He then pauses, then shakes his head as he points to his ears, "Just kidding. I have protection." Without further word, he peels away and starts crossing the distance to the barricaded door. He turns, looking back towards the way they came as he speaks, "We might have to find another way out."
Jax moves up to provide cover. Not everyone has to identify the team. So he keeps quiet on that front. His eyes scanning for danger either from the assassin that got away or for the structure. So he finally speaks up, "I don't like the sound of the building after that last explosion. If we can move the injured to treat them. I highly suggest we do it."
The explosion rocks the Hapan in the group, making him loose balance and brace himself against the pylon. He hunches over and covers, waiting for the shaking to stop... but it doesn't. The whole stability of the building seems to be compromised at the moment. " Yes, we best be getting them out of here if possible..." Says Sajin in a calm voice, looking around to make sure there isn't about to be any surprises. "I've got overwatch." He says, taking up a position so others can help the students and the Doctor.
Aryn's ears are left ringing as her senses slowly come back to her. She's hit her head on a nearby pillar, after being blown off her feet from the concussive force of the blast. Now, she's rising up, coughing dust and crawling out into the open. When she gets to her feet, it's to the sound of someone saying there was a Doctor. That's great! Aryn needed one-- Wait. They meant her, right?
"A DOCTOR?! Open the doors.. move that drek and open the doors!"
The doors open completely and light pours into the large room our heroes were in. They can see now that the assassins were dressed in shadowplated armor, and most of them had their faces covered, with snooper goggles and a nice breathing mask. The one that was knocked out starts coughing and slowly rolls over.
"We need to find.. another way out. Someone.. see where that other guy went.."Aryn says, stumbling a bit and pointing. Her gestures go to the students next. "Take me to Dr. Solem.. and put this on him." It's a MCA P-1 Deflector shield. Aryn intended to use it to keep the doctor shielded until they could get him to safety. "Let's go.. find a way out, and start getting people moving. Give me some strong people to lift the Doc." Several of the student follow the small blonde into the auditorium.
Meanwhile, the building is beginning to crack more.
"Somebody get that guy!" Nova says, indicating the recovering assassin. "Or we'll be doing this again at whatever hospital the doctor's taken to!" She can't; she's too busy finding an evacuation route.
And it looks like there is one, too! The blonde soldier pauses for a better look at a spot on the floor, which has apparently buckled from the building's sudden shifts. There's a large chunk of debris on top of what looks to be a hidden trapdoor, but it's large enough that a man on a stretcher could be carried through it. "Over here! We've got to get this open!" she calls, slinging her rifle and preparing to help clear the entrance.
Merek lifts up his rifle, though he doesn't take shots with the weapon. He nods a bit to Nova, while he stands before the students as well as the doctor, shifting to position so he can be in between any shots, <<I'll take position as guard, you guys find a way to shoot him without hitting the students.>> he says.
As the building begins to fall around them, Axon takes a look around as he holsters his EL-718. He looks towards Nova and crosses the distance at a sprint. He stops near her, looking down towards the debris on top of the trapdoor and then asks, "Are you ready?"
He squats down, getting gloved hands on either side of the large chunk of debris. He then looks up towards Nova, his eyes narrowed.
The call came to her doubled, the stress in her voice and mind was like an electric shock to the zeltron. She joins Axon in his sprint towards Nova nearly taking a spill on a piece of debris that falls directly in front of her. Joining her hands to Axon's she nods and mutters, "Ready?"
"If you found a way out, make it work! The support column is about to crack any moment. It's alrealdy halfway through. The floors also going. We need out of here now." He then moves as quickly and softly as possible to Merek's side. "What are you talking about? Who do we need to stop?" His blaster not pointed at anyone but ready to act if needed.
Sajin glances back around just in time to catch the shadowy figure creeping into the room where Aryn is moving. He hears Merek over the coms. He drops his bowcaster, letting it hang from the single point sling he's attached to it and his armor. His hands ball into fists as he walks with purpose towards the group of students, purple and blue electrical energy cackling to live evily as his gauntlets are revealed to be shock gloves... "I'd think twice about what you're trying to do." He says, attempting to be somewhat intimidating in that armor of his. Those that knew Sajin understood that he wasn't known for his skills with the blaster or any ranged weapon. While he was still excellent his real strength lied in that of melee weapons and unarmed combat having trained for years in Hapan Martial Arts.
Found out almost immediately, the assassin that was tailing Dr. Cole was stopped. Merek had spotted him and put himself between the danger, Jax came to Merek's side, and Sajin stopped the assassin outright. Intimidated by not one but three of them, the assassin drops his poisoned knife to the ground, an emblem emblazoned on its blade. "I yield, " The man says, raising his hands in surrender.
The MCA-P1 was placed on Dr. Solem and he was immediately encased in a blue protective field. Students hoisted him up, and Aryn led them outside where our heroes had been working on a new exit. The building around them is starting to shake, but with some group effort, the passage is revealed. Dr. Solem is carried down first, followed by the students.
A few of the students helped cuff the other assassin that was waking up, while the one in the auditorium was left to the trio that had sniffed him out. The students seemed to know this undercroft path. They moved quickly and with a purpose. Before long it was just the heroes inside, and the building was beginning to crumble. Time to go!
Nova nods to Axon and Dyannah as they join her. The team effort gets the passageway open within moments. Nova heaves the trapdoor open and gestures to it. "Go! I'll take the rear guard, to make sure everyone gets out."
And so she does, letting students, rescuers, and their two prisoners pass through the trap before she herself exits.
Second to last then, the bravery of the woman taking last position is not lost on Dyannah. She waits until the trap door closes behind her and they make their way down the passage with the doctor in good hands.
Merek makes his way to the assassin, then he nods while he keeps the weapon pointed to him. He then takes a pair of restraints which he uses to put upon the man as well. He then nods a bit while he moves the man with him to follow Nova. He does his best to keep the guy safe while they make their way, speaking upon comlink, <<We have one of the assassins captive.>> He then offers a nod of thanks to Sajin also.
Agent Axon nods quickly to Nova and then says, "I'll do some pathfinding." With a look down the trapdoor, he disappears into the depths, drawing his pistol as he hits the bottom. He squints, and then takes a few steps foward, waiting for others to start following.
As almost an afterthought, he reaches down, keying up his comlink, "We're coming out via the underground system under the atrium. We have hostiles, the students, and the victims." He returns the comlink back to his belt, taking a few more steps forward then.
Jax seems to fall back himself with Nova and Dyannah not enough to disrespect the Sargent's wishes. Just enough that if something goes pear shape, what's the Star Wars version of a pear? Whatever ever it is if things go shapped like that. Jax can act to help make sure they don't have to dig out two of the Resistances best and brightest.
Sajin simply nods to Merek, disengaging those shock gloves before picking his bowcaster back up and making his way out with the others. He'll have to take a look into the symbol on the knife at another time.
The path leads to a nearby adjacent building. They surface and come out the doors to be met by authorities, news teams, and medics. It seemed the day was saved, for now.
