Sub Of Doom

Cigar smoke. It lingers around Johan like a pall as he sits in the back of Stinky Pinky's Gulp and Guzzel Snooze and Stop, a truck stop out on I-25 in the Sioux Sector near the Sioux National Border. It's as low-brow as they come, with peeling paint, crappy coffee that serves as motor oil and truck stop hookers the likes of which have not been seen outside a 1970's feel-good trucker movie.

Johan placed a few calls, contacting Fixers all across the city looking for specific criteria: Demolitions, Rigging, Magical Punch and Defense, Close-Quarters Combat. He's at the back booth (They are always in the back booth) with Kassandra, a cigar clenched in his teeth as he goes over the mission in front of him.

Kassandra fans the air, clearing cigar smoke from her immediate surroundings as she goes over the mission details as well, a cup of coffee eating its way through her cup, the smell of greasy food permeating the air. The woman waits for the runners to arrive, eyes occasionally taking in those few patrons that choose to come here voluntarily. A thick data cable is connected to a spot behind her right ear, beneath the mass of hair.

Adam arrives on the scene with two others. When he enters— he is being accosted by one of those truck stop hookers. He literally has to push her off and tell her to slot off before he can make it to the booth. "Note to self: find some hand sanitizer after that…" The white-haired man makes his way towards the booth and the higher end clientèle.

The crunch of gravel rolls out from under the tires of a fairly nice looking Range Rover, the windows heavily tinted as it pulls up next to the Truck Stop and parks. The engine dies off smoothly and the vehicle sits in silence for a moment before Tanasen steps out of the drivers door, stretching as he locks up the vehicle and heads towards the doors and into the diner, avoiding the worst of the hawkers as he makes his way into the back of the Diner.

Selene arrives with Tanasen. She looks the same as ever, dark cloak, black clothes, big makeup. She walks straight to the back of the diner behind him.

Johan passes Kassandra the datapad with the Riggers 'resume' on it while he focuses on the Shaman's profile. He raises an eyebrow, blowing smoke from between his lips. He glances up when Adam, Selene and Tanasen arrive all but together. He nudges Kassandra.

Jeans, tight white shirt, black buckled belt. The big black ork walks his way over to the booth, duffel bag on his back, "'lo chaps, friends. Not a bad place, right right?" The black ork scratches his chin, looking at the others a the booth. Eying both Selene and Kassandra in a dirty cheap lustful way.

Kassandra looks over the datapad, matching faces to the dossiers she has before her. The woman starts to reach for her coffee but abruptly thinks better of it, instead picking up one of the pieces of electronic paper. She nods soberly to the runners as they arrive, motioning towards a seat. Her lips twitch into a smile as she is leered at, apparently used to that sort of thing.

Tanasen smiles and allows Selene to sit first as they reach the booth, then settles in and gives a nod to everyone seated he doesn't know.

Johan uses his tongue, flicking the cigar to the other side of his mouth. "Howdy folks." His accent is pure Texan, probably southern Texas if you had the ability to place it. "Pull up'a chair. Order some SoyKaf, then settle in. I ain';t got long, so I don't wanna waste it on pud pulling or ego stroking, ya scan me?"

Selene slides into a chair, carefully arranging the cloak so that the chair legs don't get caught in the excess fabric. She folds her hands neatly on the table, assuming a posture of businesslike attention to the man and woman already seated.

Adam takes up a seat next to Selene after she sits down. "I scan," the man says simply— sinking into it and resting his metallic hand on the counter.

Selene has no pud to pull, and strokes only one man's ego.

"What what now? No oh brother, oh brother I would right rather stand here, right I would." Snake says, grinning around his rather large tusks, "Let someone else have the seats I will.". His duffel bag does take a rest between his legs as he stuffs his hands into his pockets.

Johan deduces that Snake is Ophi, and raises an eyebrow. "Please." HE says, over the cigar clenched between his teeth. "You standing like that just draws attention I don't want. So sitcher ass down, son."

The black skinned ork grins ear to ear and slowly sits down in the booth, keeping both eyes locked on Johan. His hand idly rests on the silverware wrapped in cloth. "I think I will, feeling quite tired I am. Sit I will."

Kassandra seems willing to let Johan do the talking, at least for the moment; instead, she flips through some of the files on the datapad, glancing up at 'Snake' before flipping onwards to other information. Somewhere behind the counter, a plate is broken and cursing is heard, the mishmash of English, Spanish, and other language-fragments that make up Cityspeak.

The diner isn't very busy; A few isolated tables, mostly solo eaters, and a few people at the series of stools that passes for a 'bar' — short order, cooked right in front of you. Adjacent to the eatery is a convenience store, with everything from 'tire checkers' (small dense clubs), spare spark plugs and oil filters, to things like fishing bait. And ammo.

Tanasen gives a slight nod. "Time is money, and money is life to many. I scan well." He says as he crosses his arms on the table and leans lightly on it.

Johan grunts approvingly as people come to attention, such as it may be. He leans forward, cracking his neck, a staccato burst of sound not unlike a machine gun. "OKay. So. LEts get shit out of the way first that needs said. THis job ain't local. Transport is provided. Logistical support is provided. This job is in a foreign environment. Equipment and basic training is provided. Security for the job is provided, in that we don't expect to be assaulting a facility or be assaulted while we perform this action. This ain't a job against a specific corp or group but a salvage and recovery expedition. Pay is 30,000 in unregistered, certified credsticks, take it or leave it." SAys he.

Selene glances to Tanasen, then Mafen and back to Johan before asking, "This isn't 20,000 leagues under the sea, is it?"

Selene says "or Antarctica?"

Adam thinks about the offer for a couple seconds before he says, "Drek, I hope it is. I'm in."

Tanasen rubs his face at the mention of forien enviroment. "Please don't tell me this is in the arctic or antarctic. I really don't want to freeze my ass off again." He mumbles slightly. He eyes Selene and grins as she reads his mind.

"Fourty feet, actually." He says to Selene, then he turns to Tanasen. "Location is Need to know, but you ain' gonna be too cold, naw. It's down right warm." Johan blows out a thick stream of smoke. "Thats the offer. Take it, leave it, but don't waste my slotten time."

Kassandra watches the runners at the table, eyes flicking between them as well as to information passing across her field of vision through the datacable. The woman twists a page of electronic paper in Johan's direction, perhaps letting him in on other mission parameters.

Selene nods, "Well, without knowing more, I can't be certain that the price is fair. But as you've assured me that I will not be in a deep sea environment, nor a deep cold environment. I don't have to add the usual surcharge for that type of work. There is no, as they say, wetwork involved?"

Tanasen kneads at the back of his neck as he thinks it over. "Gear for extraction underwater to be provided, right? I certainly don't carry that kind of stuff way out here in the middle of the continent. If so, I'll be in as well. Everyone has bills to pay."

"I'm in," the black ork Snake says, pulling up his pants. "When and where?"

Adam leans back in his chair with a grunt. "I dont know whats so wrong with the arctic— or under the water." Of course this coming from a Water Elementalist who spent a good five years near Anchorage— you could come to expect that.

Johan reaches over, tapping a datapad. He eyes it for a moment, then taps it back off. He looks to Selene. "Not deepsea, but underwater. And yes, it will be wet. Will it involve assassination? I do not believe so. My principle, thats the guy I work for, he has assets on hand to handle the logistics, like I said. Now. thats about'll I can give ya, before I got yer johnny hancock." He nods to Ophi. "Glad ta have ya aboard, son." He looks to Adam, Selene and Tanasen.

Selene glances to Tanasen and Adam then smiles, "I suppose the aye's have it. I guess I'm in. Where are we going?" Out of town, somewhere new. Her eyes almost glitter with enthusiasm.

Tanasen gives a nod. "Ok, then I'm fully in. Be nice to be somewhere warm for a bit, and out of this damned frozen wasteland of a city."

Johan stands up from the table, picking up his datapad. "Follow me on outside, to where a nice bus is waiting to take us to the Air Port." He gestures to Kassandra.. "Let em know we're comen. I'll get the more detailed brief ready on the ride."

Adam pushes his chair out and stands up. "Looks like it. Here's hoping its not a public airfield we are going to," he tells her as he goes to follow as per instructed.

Kassandra nods to Johan, rising. Her lips move for a moment, her eyes vague. The woman's hands move to collect the data and sheets she has arrayed on the table before following the team out the door to the bus.

Selene inhales deeply, and exhales slowly as she slides back out of the booth, once more carefully pulling the warm cloak around her body. She waits quietly while Adam and Tanasen get up.

Tanasen pushes his chair back and stands, offering his hand to Selene to assist her up as well. "Well, looks like we're changing rides. Hope the new ride has room for a drone." He says with a chuckle. "Never leave home without it."

Johan glances at Tanasen. "They charge 15 nuyen fer checked bags, partner." he says, not really commenting further. Outside, a bus-coach with dark tinted windows is waiting. The sort of thing companies hire to shuttle their employees about. Not a full size city buss, but like, a shortbus. Johan raps on the door with his knuckles and the doors swing open. "A woodchuck could chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood."

With that, he steps aboard.

Tanasen blinks at the actual bus. "I thought he was kidding! He expects us to ride that for how long? I'd rather drive it!" He says, looking rather dour at the prospect of being shoveled into a bus.

Adam walks outside. He looks over the transportation and says over to Selene and Tanasen, "Alright— who's going to say the short bus joke?" He laughs and boards regardlessly.

Selene shrugs and climbs up into the bus, laughing at Tanasen, "Maybe you'll get a speed boat, later? who knows. C'mon. It's an adventure." Man, it's been way too long since this chick got out.

"No, have it ready for us when we arrive on site. No, I need that on the plane. You've got precious little time, sunshine, so get busy." Kassandra follows the team onto the bus, using at least two cellphones as well as whatever her dataline is connected to. The elf mutters a curse as she picks out a seat, speaking softly into her right hand phone now.

Tanasen sighs. He hates hates hates it when he has to travel in conveyances other than his own. But regretfully he steps onto the bus after going to his truck to pick up a small bag of gear, settling in next to Selene before calling out. "Anyone with White phospherous grenades, don't even think of using them once we get under water!"

The bus is either automated or remotely controlled, the bus driver seat and section conspiciously absent. There's a datajack port, but there's a stub in it and a little hanging 'NO' sign on it. As everyone files aboard, and as soon as Johan gives the 'go' order. It's a smooth ride, though all the windows are frustratingly blanked out. This doesn't restrict your average orientation system user, but it's still annoying, adding an aspect to travel when you don't know when you are going to turn.

The absence of those subtle queues that normally make you compensate means you all bounce around a little if you happen to be moving when it does. The professionals are just strapped in though. Generally sleeping. Always sleep on safe transit.

Tanasen pulls a plug out of his back and sticks it into his datajack, leaning back and closing his eyes as he calls on his puppy and keep it close at hand. No way he's leaving it behind with the truck.

It's a few hours ride from there to a small airstrip in SE Colorado: Seeming abandoned, a military T-bird picks up the crew and carts them off under the radar to the CFS at high speed. Landing in the CFS in a gorge with water access. An Osprey transit is ready for them, rising off in VTOL and keeping low across the pacific — fairly low signature, with four big fuel pods attached to it for the long haul. The osprey has 8 seights, all facing towards each other.

Adam spends the bus ride quietly reviewing some hermetic information before checking in with Selene and Tan. When they go into the VTOL the situation is more on the 'stay quiet and just ride'.

Selene makes the transition between vehicles, climbing up into the aircraft, and picking out a spot near the back, facing forwards.

Kassandra spends most of her time either making preparations, checking preparations, arguing with someone about said preparations, or otherwise keeping things flowing.

Tanasen takes the neccessary few moments between transitions to make sure his one real piece of luggage is packed with them. Thankfully it isn't large or heavyish. "Man, it's been a long time. Forgot how boring it is to just sit and let someone else fly these things." He says to Selene as their trip progresses.

Johan seems like an old hand at riding in an aero-transport. Something in his stance and the bend to his knees suggests 'airborne', past or present. He moves to the front of the plane. "Okay numbnuts! Now that we're beyond the Event Horizon, I'ma' gonna brief ya on the sit'ation, so gimmie yer ears and don't no one sass! I ain't in the mood for it, ya scan?" He says, reaching for a cigar. He starts to light it when the 'NO SMOKING' sign flashes on. "frack." He mutters, tossing it to the side.

"Okay. So, we're headed to Fatu Huku Island, located around -9.43,-138.93 for those of you with GPS ability. 3 weeks ago, the Nuclear Submarine Raskolnikov, a former boomer turned research lab, went dark in the water. Last transmissions indicate some sort of undersea attack by a leviathan. We assumed she was lost with all hands. 20 hours ago, a sizmic sensor on Fatu Huku pinged hard, cause the fucken sub ran right in to the goddamn island's cliff wall. She's about 40 meters down, but has full power and environment. She just ain't talken to no one. We're gonna go in and assess her -disposition-."
"I will take your fraggen questions now!"

Selene almost groans, another damn submersible. At least this one isn't that far underwater. She asks, "What was it researching?" That being the obvious question, and the one where the answer is nearly always false.

Tanasen eyes Selene. "It damn well better not be another fraking bio experiment gone bad. That last underwater base nearly got us all when it colapsed when it died."

Selene nods to Tanasen, "I know. I remember."

"It was a mobile listening platform for cataloging whale and dolphin sonography."

Kassandra pays half a mind to what Johan says. No need for her to ask questions, she has the files she needs already, and besides, she is making sure that they have plenty of gear once they arrive at the situation, as well as a fresh supply of Cubans.

Tanasen snorts a bit. "And I have beach front properly in LA to sell ya. Ok, So why the need for all of us if it just went aground? Why not the usual salvage teams?"

"Cause it's in Azzie territory, numbnuts!"

Johan seems to let that statement, speak for itself as it places -everything else- in context for the wise runner.

Johan did say it would be warm.

Adam motions a hand, "Are you planning on acting like a dick for the entire time— or is there a time you plan on giving it a rest?"

Johan shakes his head. "Pretty much the entire trip, son. That gonna be a problem fer yer ego?"

Selene chuckles at Tanasen's comment, and murmers, "yes. sargeant, sir." under her breath. "Alright then. Just dolphin research. In Azzie turf. Lovely. Blood spirits weren't by chance possessing those dolpins?" she asks a little more loudly. It is, almost a serious question, given the location.

Kassandra coughs, turning away to hide her smirk at Adam's comment.

Adam shrugs his shoulders, "Hey— you're the one taking questions. Im just asking them." He smirks.

Johan chuckles, deciding he likes Adam. He gives the man an approving nod as he looks back to Selene. "Honestly, honey, I don't fraggen know. Thats why we're taken us a swim and a look-see and getten paid more than most families make in a year ta do it. Didja bring a bikini?"

The vehicle pans to the left slightly, the reverberations changing a little with an increase in power and slight adjustment to course.

Selene laughs, "of course. Italian designer label too, quite chic." She turns back to the question, "Alright then, on a more practical level. I understand that you have a line on the equipment we will need. Submersible vehicle? Dive suits? 40 meters is fairly deep, though though I've been deeper."

Tanasen nods a bit. "I'm not really up on my diving. We got suits, or a submersible to get to the sub with? Can't imagine
opening a hatch without flooding the sub if we go in with just diving gear."

Adam stands over by the port side of the boat they are on. He looks over to the water and takes a long breath, "Ah— warmer than I'd like, but I can't fault the scenery." He looks back to Selene, "You going into mojo space with me or am I flying solo this time around?"

You paged Johan with 'Oh, it was recommended that nobody go astral within the sub either.'.

Adam shortens it to just: He looks back to Selene, "You going into mojo space with me or am I flying solo this time around?"

The Osprey VTOL is probably skimming just over the crests of some waves. The way the old fist gen ospreys use to crash themselves all the freakin time.

Selene looks to Adam, "I could. But I had planned on being present physically. When we get a look at the situation, that might change."

Kassandra answers between calls, "We will have the appropriate gear for the mission, folks, as well as a variety of swim wear for those inclined." The elf dials another number, mentioning, "If there is something you just HAVE to have before we get there, now is the time to mention it." She gives Johan a warning look, perhaps trying to dissuade him from one of his usual comments.

Johan holds it in, but its hard. Clearly, theres something behind his lips he -wants- to say, but he holds it back.

Selene adds, to Adam, "I could leave Gloria at your disposal, but that's always chancey at best."

Adam motions over to his current gear, "Thats fine with me. It would make it easier to communicate with the physical team if you were in the meat. Besides— I doubt any of the guys would mind seeing the bathing suit." He motions over to Kassandra, "Or hers."

Johan kind of holds up a finger to Selene, gesturing her forward a bit to him.

Adam adds in, "I can handle it Sel. Don't risk that. Just getting a feel for our positions."

Selene leans forward towards Johan, "yes?"

Johan murmurs something to Selene.

«OOC» Mafen says, "Just one complimentary pose of how you are spending your time on the transit would be good."

Selene whispers quietly with Johan for a moment.

Johan glances at Adam, then back to Selene. HE murmurs back to her.

A robotic voice sounds over the intercom. "Crossing Euro border. 2 hours from border to Matu Fatu in old French Polynesian territory, currently claimed by Aztlan."

Tanasen leans back and simply waits for the trip to finish at this point. There's little that can be done or planed for with the info they got, other than to go down and physicaly get into the sub.

Snake's got it good. He's pulled out a small LCD screen with a few movies loaded on it. The music is cheap and pretty bad, the noises coming from it are pretty strange and he keeps fishing in his pocket for something.

Adam runs his flesh hand over his metal one— looking over Johan and Selene while they talk before he looks to Tanasen. He heads over and asks, "How you handling sitting shotgun?"

Selene unbuckles her seatbelt and walks over to Adam, speaking with im quietly.

Adam raises an eyebrow that and whispers back.

Whispers abound through the helicopter…

Selene shrugs to Adam.

Tanasen shrugs a bit. "Just like being a passenger. Boring as hell. How do you guys do this all the time without going crazy?"

Its a Heli-plane. Part plane, part helicopter, All Marine-Killer.

Kassandra passes Tanasen, mailing a file through her secretary. The elf comments, "Who says they aren't?"

Selene chuckles at Tanasen, "me? I just go along for the ride and pray the guy at the controls knows what he's doing. If not, I'll turn into a bat and fly away.. quick enough. I hope."

Tanasen chuckles. "Great, now we'll get 'bats in our belfries' jokes to add to all this." He says, winking at Selene.

God, mages are weird… thinks the autonav pilot.

Selene returns to her seat, and buckles back in.

Selene grins at her friend, "shh… don't tell any one I have bats in the belfry, they'll think I'm nuts."

Johan smirks, cracking his neck. "I survive these trips with lots and lots of porn, dwarf on trog, right here in my head. I love modern technology. I can get a chub anywhere."

Tanasen shakes his head. "Naw, you'd never be like Monty. Just a bit loony is all you'd be."

Selene chuckles.

Adam leans back in his seat and shakes his head. This is going to be an even longer ride, "In-deed."

After what seems like quite a long flight (7-8 hours.), the plane does the lurching, momentarily terrifying switch into vertical mode, twin turbofan jets switching back into 'hover' configuration. It feels like stalling and tilting backwards momentarily, but the pilot performs the maneuver expertly and the descent is evident, going in long circles toward the landing pad on the island.

Selene smirks back at Johan, "Really, I think Elf on Minotaur porn is better. With extra leather and chains."

Selene lurches with the sudden change in movement from the aircraft, and swallows hard, trying to not be motion sick.

Johan stood up a moment before, taking the strap back in hand. He reaches in to an overhead bin and pulls out a black duffel bag. "So. Close Quarters. You'll be issued spawling rounds for any firearms. These are rounds that are going to flatten on impact, and not GO THROUGH Bulkheads or the hull. This, you might imagine, is somewhat important."

Kassandra mutters into her cell before clicking the device closed, "They say they are all ready for us. No changes in the situation." The woman pulls off the jacket she has worn throughout the trip, heading for the exit, pausing only to retrieve a small carry on on her way out. The bulk of the gear she'll need is likely already here.

Johan nods to Kassandra as he heads for the exit. "The most important thing here, is to figure out what made 75 crew members stop talking to the outside world then run their submarine in to an island, folks."

Tanasen straightens up and shuffles his bag onto his lap, opening it once more to check on the contents before sealing it up. "Yah, we get it. Find crew, kill evil monster, save the cheerleader, save the world."

Adam stretches his hands upwards. He unbuckles and gets prepared to head out, "Hah— ain't that the truth," he says to Tanasen.

Selene unbuckels the seatbelt, gathers up her bag and heads for the exit behind the other two. Some of that enthusiasm is
rapidly being replaced by apprehension about just what she's agreed to do for cheap.

The osprey finally touches down on site. Finally here. The rear hatch opens and reveals the basecamp already set up on site. Two people in lab coats and shorts wave through the rear ramp exit, the female of the two bearing a clipboard. Probably ready for the team already. Been days!

Johan steps out in to the BRIGHT BRIGHT south seas sun! Whats the first thing he does, in this brilliant, unpolluted environment?

Why, light up a cigar, of course. Oh, sweet, sweet tobacco. Mumumumumumum, mouth cancer, please, thank you.

Kassandra pulls on a pair of Zoe shades, regarding the two individuals in lab coats. The woman moves towards ClipBoard Girl, asking, "Everything is ready for us?"

Selene steps out into the bright, bright south seas sun, and what's the first thing she does? Get out a big floppy black hat, and a veil and go for some serious sun screen.

Adam's first steps are met with a breath of fresh air. "Ahhh— the smell of the sea. Good times. If I wasn't the equivalent of rice paper going into some obscure sub in the meat, I'd be downright excited." He looks to Selene, "Oh yeah— nocturnal tendencies."

The woman eyes over at four crates on hand trucks, and a requisition form, marking the goods brought out of storage. The submersible, small, sits in the roller configuration (Yes. It's an amphibious vehicle!) by the site. Their are four tents set up, and none are marked.

«Plot» Mafen says, "Perception check plz."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Adam (#1093) rolls Intelligence for "No Mods":
1 2 2 4 5 5

Tanasen squints as he steps into the light, feeling the humid heat wash over him and the sweat already starting. Hey, he's used to winter right now! "Phew…This is going to be an interesting time."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Intelligence for "I got warez":
2 3 3 4 5 5 11 11

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Intelligence:
2 4 4 4 4 5

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Tanasen (#2486) rolls Intelligence for "I got all sorts of warz":
2 4 4 5 5 9

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Intelligence for "Perception":
2 2 3 3 4 5 7 10

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Ophiophagus (#9922) rolls Intelligence for "Low-light":
1 2 2 2 5 5 5

Tanasen takes in the surroundings as he aclimatizes to the bright non-city filtered light, eyes taking in surroundings and the odd lack of things that should be present…if this really was a legal operation to reclaim property.

Selene pulls the brim of her oversize hat down low, "Yeah. Underwater sounds better and better. I hear the nights are long in the tropics… "

Johan cracks his neck and stretches, puffing on his cigar while Kassandra interfaces with the on-site team. He moves over to the side of the boat, looking over the side, in to the water. "I hate swimming."

Kassandra checks in with the staff before heading off to change into something more appropriate. The elf leaves the runners to Johan's tender graces while she is gone, checking in with whomever she has been reaming for the length of the trip.

The cliffs are a stark, rocky outcropping going straight up into the plateau. Local tribal legends say that that the island dwellers here angered a demigod Tana-Oa, who upturned the island, explaining its odd configuration. On the top of the plateau, several platforms were used in sacrificial ceremonies. The water is blue and clear, and the vague outline of the sub is just visible gazing down the side of the railing — a dark, black shadow in the deep sea.

/Now/ Adam stands on the port bow and looks out at the water. His story is quite different, "Ah— this would be a nice place to vacation for a day or do on day. Swimming was one of the few activities I do like."

Clipboard-utilizing, glasses-wearing researcher who shall not be named, follows along with Kass, going over the details and the provisions, showing her the new P4MO suits and the like she requisitioned, the diving suits, etc.

Selene stares down into the water, and up at the former scarificial 'plateaus'. She shifts her sight a little, squinting. Wondering just how long ago, and how terrible those sacrifices were.

Tanasen moves over to Selene and nudges her lightly. "Notice not a single thing here is marked? No badges, no id, nothing?"

Johan moves now with the others, gesturing for them to follow him down to where the diving suits are located. "Come on, lets get this show on the fucken road." And then Ophipagius falls overboard, is eaten by a meglodon.

Selene nods absently to Tanasen, even as she looks about at the scenery. She hadn't noticed, really..until he pointed it out.

Kassandra strips down into a bathing suit, talking to Chipboard Girl on the way and through the opening of whatever tent she is changing in. The elf asks questions and gets answers, pulling on a diving suit over top of her swimsuit. The fixer interrupts Clipboard Girl, instructing her to go back and make sure Johan double checks ammo load outs.

«Plot» Selene tries for an astral perception check??

«Plot» Mafen says, "Sure, Selene. No test needed. There are glowing, black tendrils flowing out of the submarine."
«Plot» Mafen says, "The submarine itself is completely black."
«Plot» Mafen says, "Whispers push at the edge of your consciousness; nothing tangible, like the words of thought for madness."

«Plot» Johan says, " I request Tommy Redshirt Demo-expert replace Ophi in the boarding party"
«Plot» Kassandra says, "Or a demo chip"
«Plot» Mafen says, "I'll go with the chip, for Kass. : )"

She's seen it just as bad before, but looking into that kind of polution never gets any better. Add in the motion of the boat and the pale elf with extra sun-protection goes positively green. "Ugh." she sways, "horrible…. something very wrong happened down there." Selene comments.

Adam doesn't need to take a whole lot off to get into the diving suit. He had no armor on. He went and gets into the suit and stretches. Looking down he then looks over towards Selene, "Yeah, no drek."

Johan glances at Selene. "Welcome to the Job, Selene. I said, something put 75 men out and made them run a perfectly good nuclear submarine in to an island, which is a spectacular feat of navigation, when you consider currents, the size of the pacific, the airspeed of a swallow."

Kassandra checks out the Demolitions Chip through one of the computers at the base camp, verifying that it is A-OK and ready to go. The elf shakes her head, "No, give me maybe five at most, there is no reason to take any more than that down there." The woman busies herself with administrative duties while the others get ready."

Selene smirks at Johan, "hey.. I didn't expect it to be good. Maybe it will be space aliens this time? Or.. how about growing magical flesh in a vat? Turning sharks into cyborgs and holding them together with dark magic? Blood spirits. I like blood spirits especially."

Adam shakes his head, "Wasn't there a comment earlier to the effect of /not/ wanting to be seen as bat-shit crazy?"

Tanasen eyes Selene and oys. "You just had to bring that up, didn't you? Here I was privately hoping they'd just run out of air and it crashed on its own."

Selene looks through the dive suits until she finds one likely to fit. Without taking off the hat! She shucks out of her outer layer of clothing, and the next layer and the next until she is down to the under things. Then she gets the dive suit on. Tucking her communit, pistol, ammunition and other odds nad ends into waterproof pouches attached to the suit.

Johan shakes his head. "No, that ship can run underwater, without surfacing, as long as its food supplies hold out. It draws oxy from the water it cools its plant with. PLenty of Oxy, Electricity and food aboard that ship the last time she ported. And based on the astral, I don't think its anything fun like 'they are to busy having a gang bang to pick up the phone'."

Tanasen follows over to the gear, looking it over and looking in general lost. "Uh, I got no idea how this stuff goes. I don't usually go diving." He says as he holds up what he thinks is part of the entire costume.

Skyler arrives here, brought into replace Ophi, who freaked out and got bored and left.

The marines and other assorted crew set up on the boat-platform don't seem to be visiting with the group. The other researcher heads up to the console to turn the sub on, pressing a button to lower the ramp that it will roll down and into the water. He goes through the startup sequence to get the thing ready for transit.

Kassandra pads around barefoot, helping those that need it with their diving gear along with other members of the base camp team. She will once again caution everyone to NOT carry live ammo onto the sub, just in case things go wrong.

For her part, the elf has a combat knife strapped to one calf and a pistol at the small of her back, as well as a few other small pieces of gear. She binds her hair up into two quick braids while the others prepare.

Skyler has been quietly meditating the entire time, not really speaking to anyone, and following Kassandra's lead. He's an ugly dwarf, carrying a big bow. He looks remarkably serene.

«Plot» Mafen says, "Though the hull of this sub is thought to be pretty thick. Whatever it is made of, it's thick enough to not deflate the whole sub when it impacted into the cliff face. So it can probably take a few bullets in a pinch."

Johan carries some Live-Ammo, as seen by the two clips he straps to his side. The clips come from a lockbox and are marked with Gold tape around the side. He puts a pistol in to his holster then. He then starts strap himself in to his dive suit, seeming to know what he's doing. "Lets go do some really -stupid- shit."

«Plot» Selene says, "would like to a) say she left for form fitting body armor on. b) turn on the armor spell (sustaining focus), c) Call a water spirit. — what's the bg count up here?"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Mafen (#6763) rolls 1 for "Fate die.":
21

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Sorcery + Sorcery Pool: 4 + 2 (totem bonus) - 2 (direct sun) vs TN 6:
1 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 7 8 = 2 Successes
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Willpower + Sorcery Pool: 3 + 1 (power focus) vs TN 4 for "M Drain":
1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 = 2 Successes

Tanasen struggles with the suit, but eventualy gets it on with some help. "Gah…remind me not to take these damn underwater missions next time, Selene. These are getting to be a habit I don't enjoy." Taking a few moments to make sure his gear is secreted away into the proper places and his one carry bag is sealed into something waterproof.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Willpower + Sorcery Pool: 3 + 1 (power focus) vs TN 4 for "M Drain kp 1/18":
1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 9 = 5 Successes

You paged Selene with 'Mind if I have something go horrible wrong with the summoning?'.

«OOC» Mafen nods, BG count 3 : )

«OOC» Mafen says, "And +1 to the drain."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Sorcery + Sorcery Pool: 4 + 2 (totem bonus) - 2 (direct sun) vs TN 9 for "kp
2/18":
1 2 2 2 3 3 5 5 5 7 16 = 1 Success

Johan takes a moment as a chip is brought to him. He lifts up a flap of hair and slots the little sim-style chip in under his scalp. The technical specifications and floor plan slide across his visual field. Ahhhh.. Data-chips. They make life easier.

From afar, Selene would be slightly irritated if she succeeded and something terrible happened w/ the summoning, but you can have a GM fiat if you'd think it'd be fun.

You paged Selene with 'I was going to have it be a toxic spirit.'.
You paged Selene with 'Still under your control.'.
You paged Selene with 'But just because of the nature of the area.'.
You paged Selene with 'And unfriendly to the other people, until you tell it to stop. : )'.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Conjuring + 4 (aid power) vs TN 8 for "F5 Water Spirit":
1 1 2 2 2 2 4 4 5 5 16 = 1 Success

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Charisma vs TN 7 for "M Drain on that conjuring":
1 3 3 5 5 5 9 11 = 2 Successes
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Charisma - 2 vs TN 7 for "M Drain on that conjuring kp 3/18":
1 1 3 5 5 5 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Charisma - 2 vs TN 7 for "M Drain on that conjuring kp 5/18":
1 2 4 4 5 10 = 1 Success

You paged Selene with 'It'll be fun, trust me. That was the fate die, since this is an astrally contaminated area : )'.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Charisma - 3 vs TN 7 for "M Drain on that conjuring kp 7/18":
1 3 4 5 5 = 0 Successes

Skyler looks up as Selene is doing her thing and starts staring out the nearest porthole. "This whole thing out here is groovy. I've never been underwater before. It's really serene and quiet down here."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Body vs TN 4:
3 4 4 4 = 3 Successes

As the conjuring goes forward, the mental image of the silver link casts out into the astral planes, finding just the right spirit, in theory, and dragging it into the real world. Normally this process goes very smoothly, but their is an aspect of chance associated with it. As the spell completes, something feels… wrong, horribly wrong.

The spirit instantly materializes, unusual first off for they generally stay astral until needed. And then its appearance becomes evident. It's like green glowing sludge, instead of pure, clean water. The polluted mire drips off of it, ugly, foul-smelling, and it screams, reverberating the boat slightly with its force. It tilts its 'head' left and right, as if, well, as if sizing up the group around it. It's obviously still a water spirit, but… no, not a healthy one of any sort. It drips on the deck, leaving little fizzling holes as if it was made out of acid.

«OOC» Selene says, "one service from spirit. Oh, and bring Gloria to the local astral."

Johan steps up next to Skylar, his dive suit on save for the helmet. "Down there, Skylar… its not so happy. Dunno if you can see it, but the mages all tell me… what the FUCK!!!!" Johan spins suddenly, reaching for his pistol

«OOC» Johan will use this opportunity to point out the gold taped clips? Spirit busters.

Kassandra nods to Skyler, checking her braids, "It is pretty nice down here." The elf looks over as Joahn calls out, hands blurring towards her own weapons.

Skyler also rapidly stands up and whips out his bow in a blur of motion that's some sort of wonderful, saying, "BAD MOJO, man, that shit's TOXIC!"

Selene makes a face at the spirit, "eewwww." she comments, and then says, "Stop dripping on the deck. Wait until I have a task for you." (hopefully, that wasn't her one damn service.)

Tanasen is just taking cover. Wrong environment for him, and plenty of other people here more than happy to shoot shit. "Crap! This was a bad idea! Really bad idea!"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Initiative with a result of 23.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Initiative with a result of 13.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Initiative with a result of 14.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Adam (#1093) rolls Initiative with a result of 7.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Initiative with a result of 6.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Mafen (#6763) rolls 3 for "Winging it. +10, +5 rating, +5 toxic potency.":
2 5 5

«Plot» Mafen says, "22, Johan goes first."

«OOC» Mafen says, "Base TN 4 for your distance, no other modifiers."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Reaction vs TN 4 for "Quickdraw":
1 1 1 2 2 3 4 10 10 11 = 4 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Pistols (Colt Manhunter) + Combat Pool: 5 vs TN 2 for "Smartlink II, Spirit Busters Ammo. Lets bust a spirit":
1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 9 = 9 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Pistols (Colt Manhunter) + Combat Pool: 5 vs TN 2 for "Smartlink II, Spirit Busters Ammo. Lets bust a spirit, Second shot":
1 1 1 1 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 8 17 = 9 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Mafen (#6763) rolls 5 (body) + 5 (toxic potency) vs TN 9:
1 2 3 3 3 4 5 8 9 11 = 2 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Mafen (#6763) rolls 5 (body) + 5 (toxic potency) vs TN 9:
1 1 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 9 = 1 Success

«Plot» Mafen says, "Dead."

Johan's surprise is only a fleeting thing as he slides in to a combat stance. Training takes over, muscle memory rushing to the fore when mentally, he's just not sure what's going on. But when in doubt, shoot the fucking thing. Thats the first rule the taught down at Biloxi. When in doubt, -shoot- the goddamn thing, be it Azlanner, Yankee, spirit or even a prostitute in town.

Biloxi had a lot of dead prostitutes. Johan's gun barks twice in the space of a half second, two well placed foci-laden bullets slamming in to the toxic spirit within a micrometer of each other in the spirits toxic form.

The spirit instantly disincorporates, toxic fluid splashing onto the ground chemically reacting with the hull of the ship, melting on rail and dripping off the side to form a growing pool of green sludge. Great. Now greenpeace is gonna picket you guys.

Johan snaps his gun in to a 'ready' position, barrel in the air. "CLEAR!" he calls out, moving side to side and scanning the deck for other hostile's'.

Kassandra drops into a crouch, her augmented reflexes not as quick as Johan's. She keeps her weapons sheathed and holstered, eyes scanning the area for more weird shit.

Selene frowns, "Well.. not getting another one now. Too bad, had one service from that thing."

Adam pops his hand blade back into his cybernetic hand. "Well that covered my question— that wasn't intentional, was it Sel?"

Skyler looks at Selene and says, "You're a TOXIC shaman?"

Johan's gun levels right on Selene at that point…

Selene shakes her head, "That it was polluted? No. But the environment makes things … erratic. It is what it is, due to what's goign on around it…. well, it isn't at all anymore."

Kassandra waits, eyes flicking between the shaman and Johan. The woman considers, mentioning in a quiet voice, "That seems logical. There are few records that indicate she might be toxic, so the environmental part may explain things…"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Magical Threats + Task Pool: 1:
3 4 8

Adam looks at Selene and nods his head, "Steinbach Theory," he agrees. He looks at the gun leveled on Johan and says, "I've already assensed her. She isn't toxic. Bat is nocturnal— a little dark, but not Toxic." He then looks over towards the water again.

Selene laughs at Kassandra, "Your records are incorrect. But if he wants to shoot me, there's jack all I can do about it."

Skyler eases up and sits down, putting his bow away. "Wow I hate toxins." He folds his legs underneath him and closes his eyes, starting to murmur mantras.

Kassandra suggests as an aside, "Let's all chill." The woman rises, shaking her head, "As for the rest, let's refrain from summoning anything else unless and until we know what is going on."

Johan holsters the gun, rotating it forward on his finger once. "Good enough for me." He glances at Selene, then Kassandra, and seems genuinely perturbed. "Charge her for the rounds." he mutters under his breath. He just spent 2,000 in bullets.

The pollution stained deck continues to fizzle and steam, but is slowly calming down.

Selene gives Johan a very, very, dirty look, "You dock that money and you will find out just how much it hurts to do no harm."

Skyler murmurs "Om mani padme hum" over and over again, finding his center.

Kassandra frowns, eyes narrowing. The elf steps forward, attempting to put herself between Selene and Johan. "Belay that shit, both of you. Focus." The woman motions to whatever NPCs are running this garbage scow, "We need a hazmat clean-up, stat!"

Johan cracks his neck again, reaching for his dive helmet. "Lets get this show on the road. Daylights burning."

Some marines come out of tents and spray down the area with chemical extinguishers, foam filling in the toxic area. "Everything is prepped and ready for the dive.", clipboard-woman says to Kassandra.

Kassandra nods to Clipboard Woman, motioning to the others, "Alright, let's get this circus on the road." The elf sighs, following the others onto the ship and securing her helmet.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Mafen (#6763) rolls 1 for "Fate die — Sub launch.":
8

Johan starts to board the submarine, humming the tune to Concrete Dreams's 2055 remake of 'yellow Submarine'."Show. Road. Good Deal," Adam says as he boards up— straightfoward enough.

Tanasen gathers his meager gear and starts to follow. "Wonderful start to the day. Wonderful. What next, chtulu coming out and saying hello?"

At least she's out of the sun. Thank goodness for small miracles. Selene gets up, double checks her pockets, makes sure the suit is on correctly and boards up with the rest of them.

"Thats what we get the big-bucks, Mr. Tanasen… to go up and knock at the gates of the sleeping city of R'lyeh."Says Johan

Adam notes to Tanasen, "From what I saw in Astral— its a possibilty. But cheer up, you're in good company. Toxic spirits, a gunhappy leader, a shaman in a black hat, a businesswoman and— well I'm not sure what he does yet."

Or does he? Could it just be whispers in the wind?
No. It was Johan.

Skyler unfolds, calmly. He stands up and follows Selene aboard the submarine, making sure to stay behind her in case she like, starts shooting toxic bolts at him or something.

Kassandra finds a place to sit and does so, strapping herself in. The woman closes her eyes, concentrating on her breathing for the time being. She listens to the others, making sure to keep an ear on them in case they begin squabbling again.

Johan steps down in to the sub, looking over at Adam. "Gun happy hell, son. Maybe you got different priorities, but I ain't never met a toxic spirit that just wanted to have a little chat, exchange gossip then like, toddle off. So when one just appears on mah ship, over a submarine that ain't got no life signs but has its own nuclear reactors, I get a might -edgy-."

Adam is just hanging out— travel pose #20— being more at ease in this water environment.

Selene gets on the sub, I think.

The sub is a research kind of vessel, with a big old window on the front and portholes on the sides, two big robotic arms with a variety of functions, and big spotlights surrounding it, giving perfect little circles of light beaming through the water. It's ready for the launch as soon as everyone is onboard. A dolphin can be seen frolicking merrily just a few meters away from the bow — it must not be disturbed by the astral signature here. I guess it's just a mundane dolphin.

Johan is aboard. "I ain't gun crazy." He mutters.

Johan really, really is though.

Kassandra peeks out of one eye as the others get strapped in, watching them for signs of crazy behavior, toxic behavior, or just to pass the time. The woman checks and doublechecks her straps.

Skyler smiles broadly when he sees the dolphin. "You know they're like a million times smarter than us, right?" he says to no one in particular.

Tanasen watches quietly. Already knew shit wasn't right, and it just gets worse with each passing moment. "That is not the sub they sent us to find."

Adam watches the dolphin just in case it decides to metamorphasize into a cthulu monster and try to devour Tanasen.

Johan closes his eyes, setting up information management for the next portion of the mission. A superimposed map of the submarine marking the locations of each team member, a text feed at the bottom of his visual range that constantly replays: YOU ARE ON A NUCLEAR SUBMARINE WITH A FULL NUCLEAR PAYLOAD AND ARSENAL ABOARD. NO MATTER HOW RATIONAL IT SEEMS, DO NOT LAUNCH THE MISSILES.

You know. Just covering the bases.

Selene gives Skyler a little smile, "You wanna go out there and be a dolphin? I can arrange that, for a bit."

Johan quirks a brow. "Eh?" He asks, opening his eyes.

Johan is direcing that to Tanasen.

Skyler looks to Selene and says, "Well, yeah, but if you're going to do that and you're not a toxic shaman, then mebbe we should do that somewhere where there isn't so much nasty. I don't want to be a toxic dolphin."

Tanasen looks to Johan as he hooks up to the minisub. "That sub down there does not match the profile you gave us. It's much larger." He says matter of factly.

Johan raises an eyebrow. "I didn't give you a profile other than it was a former boomer."

Tanasen hooks up to the pilot port on the sub, rapidly syncing his consciousness with that of the sumersible, his senses expanding to encompass every sense the vehicle… also… has… and anyway, the launch process begins. The hatch is closed, and the ship trawls off into the water,magnetohydrodynamic drives bubbling online and flushing to begin the cycle, ballast taking up weight to reduce buoyancy, and the ship begins to sink.

Johan says "You didn't ask beyond that.""

Kassandra closes her eyes, resting while she can.

Johan then fills in the blanks. "It's a Russian made Akalu class Nuclear Deterrent. Hull number K-3842. It's length is 135 meters, displacement is at or about 11,500 tons submerged, powered by two 250 megawatt OK-1300B pressurized water-cooled nuclear reactors that feed 4 turbogenerators that generat drive force, which is used in a magnetohydrodynamic drive.. She was top of the line, 20 years ago."

As the ship sinks, the 'nuclear armament' becomes more and more apparent. 35 launch tubes, in rows of 5, adorn the top of the ship, light grey circles against the top. The ship also has a bit of a rough texture to it: Probably zebra mussels, barnacles, and other accoutrement of long-term deep sea travel.

Adam just looks around and attempts to keep aware on the whole astral thing. No one knows when something is going to leap out and eat you— or Tanasen.

Johan looks then to the plexiglass bubble that is the front of the sub, to the metal and barnacle encrusted vessel out there. "Bring us in aft of the conning tower… the rear hatch. We can latch there, and try and go aboard dry that way…"

Selene makes herself as comfortable as possible and keeps an eye out the window.

It's really beautiful out there. At this depth there is still a lot of light, and there is a good amount of sea life, even around the cursed sub.

Kassandra listens to the others, just letting her eyes rest, I promise. The woman just relaxes for the first time in days before the inevitable running and screaming begins.

Skyler watches the water and the dolphin and meditates further.

The sub is guided as directed, swinging slowly around the length of the larger sub to align on the hatch, inching closer until the soft tap of the module presses against the target hatch.

There's a flush of water and a hissing sound as the gap is pressurized.

Tanasen stays connected but brings himself out of the trance of guiding the sub, turning to his bag and opening it. "I can scout out the first room fairly safely." He says as he tips the bag on it's side…and a small cat walks out, stretching as it clears the bag and gives a chirping Mew.

Adam is mesmerized by the water— watching it until the subs start on the docking procedures.

The sub is at about a 12 degree tilt: Just enough to be god-awful annoyingly disorienting for movement. The sub you're on orients itself to match the hatch as the procedure finishes. The rear of the sub then blinks green, signifying the pressure is equalized and the hatch can be opened, opening a small compartment to open the rear hatch of the Akula, huge, silent sub.

Skyler gets up, takes his bow out, and stands ready for action!

Johan blinks at the cat, then looks to Tanasen. "You're the rigger. IT hink once aboard, you should be able to do a system check… damn things completely rigger adapted…"

Skyler says "Did anybody think to take along, like, a Geiger counter?"

Kassandra waits for all the docking and moving to finish, not unstrapping just yet. Things happen when you unstrap to soon, or so she's seen. The woman waits, noting the dwarf rising for duty, a move only outdone by the cybernetic cat.

Selene nods, "but, we don't know what's in that sub, do we? And I do'nt want to be the first one to walk my flesh and blood body out there."

Adam looks at the cat a moment as well. He raises an eyebrow before shrugging and making sure he isnt the first one to be in this beast. Rice Paper, remember?

Tanasen shrugs as the cat walks towards the rear of the sub, making sure to rub up against Selene's ankles as it wends its catlike way to the hatch. "Yeah, but if something gruesome waits for us on the other side of the hatch, wouldn't you like some warning?"

Kassandra mentions to Skyler, "There are badges in your kit on your belt, you can put them on. It will let you know when you've had too many rads."

Skyler nods to Kassandra and does so.

At Tanasen's prodding, the rear hatch of the sub clicks open, internal lock sectioning out of the way and two halves of the door sliding into the submarine body. There's a tiny puddle of water left in the 'causway', about half a meter of space before the larger hatch for the Akula. No panels or controls are visible on the rear hatch, and no handles — just a seam. How do we get it open?

Kassandra rises once the minisub hatch has opened, heading towards it, still keeping an eye on the cat. The elf mutters something that doesn't make it out of her helmet before mentioning, "Let's see what we can do with this thing."

Skyler gets in the airlock thingie behind Kassandra, preparing to cover her should it be necessary. If she has to blow it, he steps back.

The feline walks around the smooth surface of the nuke-subs hatch, scanning it with it's built in sensors.

Kassandra carries on a running dialogue with herself, sparing a look at the cat every so often. The elf shakes her head, rapping with her knuckles on the area before issuing a command, "Crowbar, if you please?"

Kassandra takes the prybar from whatever lazy SOB brings it to her, working to get the tile off and expose the controls.

Johan brings her a prybar, damnit.

The feline backs away from the prybar weilding elf, and sits at the edge of the entryway, waiting for someone to get it open.
"Mew!"

Kassandra removes the tile after some effort, setting both prybar and tile aside. The elf glances at the cat as it makes noise, shaking her head and going back to looking over the controls.

Skyler says "You want me to open it? I'm pretty strong."

The controls are a little complicated. A manual 'crank' style bolt is visible for manually disengaging and moving the door out of the way. Power is obviously still going to the door lock. There's three lights, all not labeled. One shows orange, one shows blue, and one appears to not be on.

Other than that, three also unlabeled buttons.

Kassandra frowns, holding up a single forefinger to the dwarf. "A moment." The elf closes her eyes, mentally triggering a command that floods her sense with artificial ones, skills and knowledge at her fingertips. The woman eyes the controls with fresh perspective, lips a thin line.

Kassandra murmurs, "I think we won't need your prodigious strength just yet, my friend." The elf calls over her shoulder, "Alright, here we go." She taps the first button, and then the second, disengaging the lock and opening the hatch. A quiet comment may be overheard as she does that, "Please kill the fucking cat first."

Skyler is keen enough to realize that Kass is joking. :)

Selene leans forward, slightly rising from where she was sitting, to get a glimpse of teh doorway.

"MEW!" The cat yowls out as the hatch is slowly opened, sliding up between Kass's legs with tail riding high as he moves to get into the opening.

Yes. Joking. She must have been, everyone loves kitties. The elf steps to the side, giving the gun-crazed leader and the toxic mage and the others a clear line of fire.

The door clicks loudly, whirs, and cranks loudly as if it is broken. The crank continues few moments before — skiff, clank — the mechanism catches in gear and the doorway seam begins to press forward. As it does, water starts to flood along the edge of the hatch, soon streaming in rivulets into the causeway, rapidly pooling over the lip of the minisub and gaining as the hatch is opened. It doesn't seem like a lot of water though, just enough to fill the airlock chamber — but it's stale, stagnant seawater.

Johan moves forward as well, watching the hatch. In these close quarters, his pistols would be more dangerous for everyone else than for anything he was shooting at, so they remain in the holster. "Okay, Kitty, go get eaten by the evil submarine! Go ahead, its okay, there's FISH in there…"

Adam will one day be worthy of a fun title— for now he picks up rank in the middle— likely near Selene and other squishies depending on how much space they have to move around in. Fear!

Skyler guards Kassandra as best he can, exhaling. He seems remarkably calm; centered; though the ki flowing through him is burning with desire for action.

The interior comes into view — lit dimly, but still very much lit. It's a watery airlock, with a closed interior door, having cycled in the opening process. Ugh, so much water. The minisub is now partially flooded. The interior awaits, and a faint creaking, dripping sound can be heard. Once the cat travels across the threshold, nothing horrible seems to happen to it. No bodies are visible yet in the airlock.

Johan switches to internal air, sealing his suit. He peers in to the hatch, switching rapidly between visual modes.

Kassandra eyes the water with a faint frown, commenting, "They need to label these systems better. Water in the airlock doesn't quite cover this." The woman shakes her head, waiting for a robotic deathscream or other sign that they are in the right area, letting the others move into position. She seals up her suit as well, breathing clean air.

Like any feline, the cat does it's best to avoid water, clinging to raised lips as it pokes it's nose into the airlock. "Mew!" it calls out into the partialy flooded chamber.

Nothing responds. Not even dark voices of the Old Ones.

Selene repeats the same suit sealing motions, and finally moves forward, taking up a place behind the 'heavy hitters', and trying to get a view of the great indoors. Failing of course.

Tanasen calls out. "Looks clear for the moment. Can't sense anything in the water. Seems like they had someone leave, but never come back."

Adam gets his feet wet— but with the diving suits that doesnt matter too much. The white haired man kneels down to run his hands through the water— and sense it out before standing back up and moving on.

The water doesn't quite feel right. No, not quite right at all. As if perhaps it was corrupted by an evil force. Or maybe it's just the organic waste brewing in it for however long the stagnant water was sitting here. That could be it too.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Okay. I'm moving in to the first room. If I go crazy and try to kill you, try not to kill me back."

The Feline doesn't go into the water, staying at the edge of the hatch as Tana disconnects from the sub and leaves it on autopilot. "How big is it? Enough for all of us, or only a few at a time?"

Johan moves to the hatch, flicking on his eye lights to provide light inside the submarine.

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "will do."

Kassandra flicks on her flashlight, swinging the beam around the area as Johan moves in. The elf waits on the others, not filling her hands with weapons or anything rash like that.

Skyler follows the group in, staying near Kassandra.

Selene brings up the rear.. or second to the rear, following the rest of them into the airlock.

The eyelights light up the airlock area fine — it's not that dark, as there is still power. The door on the other side reveals red lights within the sub, so lights are still operational, though perhaps in a 'silent running' mode or something. No sounds are audible. The airlock controls are waiting for someone to close the exterior door before it will open the interior door, a flashing red light on the internal panel that matches the external one.

Johan now brings his pistol out. Spiritual activity is the most likely cause of the 'Fucking Crazy' that is this nuclear wessel. 'Fucking Crazy' is an official term used by specialists in times like this. He moves in to the airlock room, eying the mechanisms.

«Plot» Kassandra says, "Marching Order: Johan, Skyler, Kassandra, Adam, Selene, Tanasen"

Kassandra taps the 'close' button

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Willpower vs TN 10 (to Mafen):
1 2 2 4 4 23 = 1 Success

Tanasen makes sure to pick up his cat on the way into the airlock, letting it ride on his shoulders and out of the water.

The exterior door closes, and with a beeping sound, the chamber opens the inner door, click, hiss. Warmth can be felt from within the sub: Must be at least 100 degrees in there. Everyone is on internal air, so there is no smell, but there is a view of a cramped hallway. A dessicated, decayed body sits next to the airlock control skeleton — hard to determine gender or nationality, so decayed, but it's wearing a Russian uniform.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Willpower vs TN 10 (to Mafen) for "Oh damn.":
1 2 2 3 = 0 Successes

The feline jumps from Tana's shoulder once the inner hatch is opened, going for the clear floor beyond. It stops a moment to sniff at the remains before wandering a short distance into the area outside of the airlock.

Selene calls up to Johan, "how long did you say this thing has been stuck down here? That one's been dead for a while."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Tanasen (#2486) rolls Willpower (to Mafen):
1 2 4 4

Adam marches in his order near the back. He doesn't notice anything enthralling and keeps an eye out in case something does.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Adam (#1093) rolls Willpower (to Mafen):
2 3 4 5 5 5

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Willpower (to Mafen):
1 3 3 4 4 4 9

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Meditation (to Mafen):
2 3 4 4 5 9

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Willpower (to Mafen):
1 1 2 3 5 9 11

Johan watches as the airlock cycles open… and then the body of the soldier. He moves past it, not quite kicking it to the side, but also not exactly stopping to bury the corpse. "Last reported in to dock 15 years ago, but the Russian navy aint what it used to be. this thing could have been lost last week for all I know. What I do know is it slammed itself in to an island and throws off the bad Mojo, so I got called in. And I called yall in."

Kassandra shines the flashlight on the corpse before moving forward, thankful for contained air. She keeps an eye on the temperature, feeding the data onto her HUD.

You paged Kassandra with 'As you shine the light in its face, the lights gleam momentarily like an animal's eyes. Looking again, the gleam is gone.'.

Kassandra looks back over her shoulder at the corpse a moment, the light lingering on the dead person. She shakes her head and moves on.

The hallway stretches to the left and the right: Both ways head to hatches heading down into the superstructure of the sub. A sign on the right says 'Airlock Equipment & Maintenance' and on the left 'To: Crew Quarters, Bridge, Cafeteria'. The signs are in Russian, which Johan can read.

Selene follows the group out, giving the body an extra glance or two as she walks by. Including a very brief peek at the dead guy through the astral. Cause… she's dumb like that.

«Plot» Mafen says, "Not alive, but the whole area is swarthing with black astral forces. No corpselight : )"

Selene shudders and goes back to very, blissfully, mundane sight.

The feline runs off to the left, trotting towards the stairs as some sort of early warning system, silently padding as it pauses at the hatch to the stairs.

Moving at the front of the group, Johan has his pistol drawn and moves with precision and speed, seeming to already know the boats layout. "Lets get to the comm center, and see if we can pull up logs from this boat. Judging by its hull and the state of the bodies, she's been traveling on her own under the water at least 2 years."

Johan looks back at Kassandra, gleam in his eye. "You know what we could do with this sub. We could launch missiles right into the heart of Aztlan territory."

Skyler says "Dude, nukes are BAD. BAD mojo, man!"

Skyler starts idly firing arrows into corpses, because you never know. He has great aim, too.

Kassandra follows along, the light playing across the various surfaces of the ship. The elf raises an eyebrow, asking only, "Why?"

Only one corpse so far, and you dice it up with arrows a plenty.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "We've a clear shot to the Comms here. Even with the slight list, we should only have two decks
to go until we find comms and fire-control."

Tanasen pauses at the corpse, taking a quick moment to look it over. A full autopsy would be needed to find out what really killed him, but the most common ailments are easily checked for. Hey, he's a doctor too, you know!

The patient appears to be suffering from an acute allergy to a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

Kassandra follows Nacht, clicking her comm to acknowledge she heard him. The woman sweats beneath the diving suit, beads of perspiration forming on her forehead.

You paged Tanasen with 'In a sudden show of strength, the corpse suddenly grabs your arm, just as soon as the last person turned away from it.'.
You paged Tanasen with 'Yep! You feel its fingers dig into your arm, though the rest of it isn't moving.'.

Skyler doesn't have a diving suit on. Things smell bad. He continues onwards. Onwards onwards onwards. Songs occur to him. He starts humming the Girl from Ipanema.

Tanasen says "HOLYSHITSHITSHIT!" yells out as everyone but him starts heading towards the stairs, and anyone turning to look will see him suddenly wrestling with what looks like the corpse that was on the floor. "I hate fucking magic!"

Johan continues to move along the vessel's corridors now… COMM: "Looks like all 34 of the ICBM's are still here in sealed launch tubes. One command and this vessel could destroy every major city in North America." He glances back when Tanasen starts freaking out. "Is… he… uh… -dude-."

You paged (Adam, Johan, Selene, Skyler, Kassandra) with 'Anyone looking back just sees him freaking out. The body is totally stationary.'.

Selene whips around, at the noise.

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra snaps a look back at Tanasen, flattening against a wall. "Nacht, I think we are having problems." The woman slides her left hand towards her pistol, mentally engaging her skillsoft hardware.

Selene plays mum, and goes back for Tanasen, trying to grab an arm, or both arms and shake him back to his senses. "It's not. YOu're fine. It's not moving."

Skyler watches him do his thing and says, "Hey, dude!" He rapidly puts his bow away, and reaches into his pocket, pulling two things out with super quick-draw speeds. He's FAST! He's the man on the spot! The lighter and bowl come up to Tanasen's mouth as he's wrestling with the corpse and says, "SMOKE THIS! NOW!"

Tanasen doesn't know about hte rest of the corpse, but there is definatly the corpses arm firmly attached by the hand to Tana's bicep.

You paged (Adam, Johan, Selene, Skyler, Kassandra) with 'It totally isn't.'.

The corpse suddenly opens its eyes and screams at Tanasen!

You paged (Adam, Johan, Selene, Skyler, Kassandra) with 'It doesn't. He's imagining it.'.

Selene lets go of Tanasen, and steps back… "Damnit Tan. Snap out of it, or I will drop you on your head, and snap you out of it."

You paged Tanasen with 'You don't know why, but it's like she can't see or hear it!'.
You paged Tanasen with 'On the bright side, it doesn't seem to be hurting you.'.

The sweet scent of prime home-grown ganja starts wafting towards Tanasen's nostrils as the lighter crackles over the bowl. "Seriously, dude! YOU MUST CHILL! YOU MUST CHILL!" says Skyler as he places the bowl against his lips.

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra calmly suggests, "Defensive positions, people, look sharp. A little mojo assistance might be advisable, he is either under the influence or controlled."

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Huh. Its possible the ship is affecting those persons on board… Okay. Skylar, Selene, move him to the minisub. Silk, set charges. I need to get tot he comms and download the logs. Adam, with me."

Tanasen says "Get it the fuck off me!" He says, thrashing around while trying to pull his gun, the one he didn't bother to load with the special bullets because he didn't think he'd be the one doing the shooting. "Die mother fucker! Die again!"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Initiative with a result of 12.

Suddenly, Tanasen snaps out of it. The body is back to sitting where it was, with a couple extra rounds in it, stuck into the hull behind it.

«OOC» Mafen says, "It's stationary again, though you can't quite figure out when it stopped moving and laid back down."

«OOC» Mafen says, "Perception 6!"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Intelligence vs TN 6:
1 3 4 8 8 9 = 3 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Intelligence vs TN 6:
2 2 2 7 9 = 2 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Tanasen (#2486) rolls Intelligence vs TN 6:
1 3 4 4 4 11 = 1 Success

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Intelligence vs TN 6 for "Perception":
1 1 1 2 4 5 8 9 = 2 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Intelligence vs TN 6:
1 1 3 3 4 4 4 5 = 0 Successes

Kassandra very carefully doesn't shoot Tanasen as he snaps out of it. The woman considers the gun in her hand, the targetting display painted over the man's left eyeball. She says, over her comms, "Could someone please take the fucking gun away from Captain Crazy?"

You paged (Adam, Skyler, Tanasen, Kassandra) with 'As Johan heads down the way toward the comm center, you notice he's dripping blood from some kind of wound in his shoulder.'.

Selene takes the gun away from Captain Crazy, but comms back to Johan

Tanasen is still breathing hard as he looks at the now still corpse, looking to his arm where it had clamped onto him. "What the hell was that…Oh shit, did a Richochet hit someone?" He says as he turns to look at the rest of the group, and sees blood coming out of Johan.

Skyler hands the pipe to Tanasen and says, "Smoke this." He looks over at Johan and says, "Dude, I may totally be hallucinating here, but I'm used to it…anyway, you're bleeding from your shoulder."

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra says, "Nacht, sound off. You hit?""

You paged Johan with 'You certainly don't feel injured.'.

Commlink-Adam> Adam says, "Yeah— I see it too."

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "All my blood is inside my body, with no structural issues,."

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "he looks fine to me…."

Johan glances to his shoulder, raising an eyebrow.

There's a visible blood trail on the ground going after him, as he disappears heading for down the way. It looks pretty heavy. Maybe he's lying to keep his tough guy reputation?

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "but there is definitely something going on here, I don't think any of us can rightly trust our senses."

"Mew?" Goes the cat, still walking ahead of Johan.

Skyler holds up his hands and says, "Dudes, check with each other, when you see shit. I've done this before though not as spooky, it's like a bad trip, you gotta have a ground to tell the difference between a normal wall and one with a thousand tentacle cocks and purple jizz spilling all over the place, you got me?"

Kassandra mutters a string of profanity in several languages, eyes sweeping around looking for that creepy cat. The woman gives the blood trail a look, closing her eyes a moment. "Not this again," she remarks, apparently having had her allotment of mind-altering buildings.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Pharmaceutical Compounds (Magical Compounds) (to Mafen):
2 3 5 5 9 9 11

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Confirmed. I'm within normal operating permitters, folks. Yeah, We have some serious mojo happening here. Don't trust anything you see that is not confirmed by at least one other."

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "maybe you shouldn't get that far ahead alone, Johan."

If Johan makes it to the comm center before anyone tackles and forcibly first-aids him, he'll find the door to the comm center is locked. Fingernail scratches abound on the door until the metal has been worn away and covered in dried, black blood. There's a trail of blood, too: Going down the hallway to the right of the comm center, toward the crew quarters. No bodies visible. A red maglock light gleams on the door.

Commlink-%ch%cA%cbquis%cn> Adam says, "Likewise— and your aura shows the wound as well. Sel, can you check mojoland?"

Charges. Set charges. Silk pushes off the wall, forgetting about shooting Tanasen for the time being. The woman holsters the weapon and heads to whereever it was Johan wanted her to blow up.

Johan stops, not really able to argue with the logic. "Then someone catch up. I don't want to be on this ship any longer than we have to be. Logs, charges, set the vessel for crush depth, quench the fuel core."

Selene grumbles and heads off after Johan, really, really hating letting anyone get out of sight.

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "will do."

Tanasen slowly follows the rest. He's having more and more misgivings about this thing by the moment. Some simple fucking retrieval.

Selene catches up to the big guy with the drill sergeant attitude, and takes a look at him.

"MEW!" the cat yowls as it tracks the dried blood, following it away.

You paged Selene with 'Will 10 again, though.'.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Willpower vs TN 10 (to Mafen):
1 1 2 3 5 9 29 = 1 Success

Johan looks Selene over, an eyebrow raising. "See? Just fine. Come on, the Comm's isn't far now."

Skyler gets his pipe back from Tanasen, who's ignoring his helpful first aid, and just starts smoking it himself. "Suit yourself, man." He keeps the pipe in his lips, removes his bow from its stowage, and heads onwards towards the rest of the group. He also closes his eyes as he does so, relying solely on a sense of touch and hearing to navigate. He's moving slowly, but he's moving.

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "he's fine. I dont' see anything wrong with im, not astral, not physical."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Willpower vs TN 10 (to Mafen):
1 2 2 3 3 4 4 = 0 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Willpower vs TN 12 (to Mafen):
1 2 2 4 5 7 13 = 1 Success

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Willpower vs TN 12 for "I hate magic.":
1 1 4 5 = 0 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Meditation vs TN 12 (to Mafen):
1 1 2 3 5 8 = 0 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Tanasen (#2486) rolls Willpower vs TN 12 (to Mafen):
1 2 2 5 = 0 Successes

Adam stays with Skyler and Tanasen when Sel goes off— need to keep the mojo people in equal distribution.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Adam (#1093) rolls Willpower vs TN 12 (to Mafen) for "Again":
1 2 2 3 5 5 = 0 Successes

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Alright. Just keep an eye either way— better to err on the side of caution."

You paged Tanasen with 'The cat finds a body down the ways, slumped against one of the crew quarter doors, his arm jammed in the door and the door mechanically shut to trap him there.'.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Willpower vs TN 10 (to Mafen):
1 2 3 3 7 16 = 1 Success

Skyler says "Listen, guys. You're gonna see shit you don't understand, so just pay attention and check with each other. Don't shoot at anything unless *everyone* thinks it's a target, cuz you never know what shit you might see. This is cool, you can do it." He comments, "By the way, trigger-happy there ain't injured. I closed my eyes and I can't smell blood. It's a sham."

Selene stands with Johan trying to get a look at those logs he's downloading. Probably futile, but this now has her curiosity way up. Saying to him quietly, "C'mon, what's this mess really about. There's no dophin research here."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Intelligence:
1 1 2 3 15

«OOC» Mafen says, "K, roll, TN 4 to open the lock. Just an administrative lock to keep crewmembers where they ought not be."

Johan has had a lot of practice in trying to parse what is real from what is not. It's almost pathological for a man who has eyes that are electronic, skin that is armored, ears that are computers… What is real and what is false is… more tangible to him than others. He's just a bit more hardened to it. "Stay close, Selene.." HE murmurs, turning to the door. "And I don't know. Theres no dolphin research, no, but what causes a fully armed nuclear warship to go offline, then be forgotten by its own navy is concerning, don't you think? Find it, secure it, sink it before Aztlan does. And I wans't willing to say what was going on where there was a chance of someone over hearing."

Skyler hears the stuff about blowing things up and says, "WAIT on the demolitions, dudes. Explosive overpressure, different burn rates, chemical reactions in underwater locations, not a whole shitload of air down here."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Electronics B/R + Task Pool: 3 vs TN 4:
1 1 2 2 2 3 8 8 10 = 3 Successes

As the door opens, an enormous amount of water comes slamming in through the door, instantly filling the room with bitter cold water. It rises, feet per second, as if it was a direct conduit to the high pressure ocean outside.

«OOC» Mafen says, "Roll body vs 6"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Body vs TN 6:
1 1 4 8 = 1 Success

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Body vs TN 6:
1 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 9 10 11 = 3 Successes

«OOC» Mafen says, "It's just versus the sudden chill."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Body vs TN 6:
2 3 3 4 5 5 8 = 1 Success

Tanasen works forward with the second group that's formed around him, working towards the stairwell leading down. AT the gushing sound of water he emits a "Awwww shit." he mutters, giving an instant command to his feline to seek high ground.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Body vs TN 6 for "Oh good. Water.":
4 5 8 10 = 2 Successes

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Fuck."

Selene shivers and trembles in the sudden chill, "God fragging damn… shit!" she swears like a good eye-talian mafia girlfriend, "Guess we shoulda checked for leaks, huh?"

You paged (Johan, Kassandra) with 'Hrm. Kass, you're under the effects of the illusions pretty bad. So to represent that, how do you want to roll? Just keep getting lost? Keep coming back to the same place? Messing up arm codes?'.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 1:
4

You paged (Johan, Kassandra) with 'Accidentally detonating an explosive instead of arming it or something? Not sure what is fair, but need to decide like this because I can't run two scenes this late. : )'.

From afar, to (Mafen, Johan): Kassandra will mess up where she puts the charges

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "least we got dive suits, right? Lets get whatever you're after and get out."

You paged Kassandra with 'You hear the water from a distance, too, as you're setting charges : )'.

Skyler says, "Let's get out of here. This sub can sink to crush depth and nobody's gonna care and nobody'll get the nukes at that depth."

Kassandra is currently putting a charge together in the mess hall, attaching the charge to the wall. She grits her teeth, muttering something about hating cats, magic, and magical cats. The woman attaches the detonator, checking her work before splishsplashing her way to the next target.

The water rises up, up, up, finally covering head depth. Skyler mentioned he wasn't wearing a dive suit, and is freezing cold — and asphyxiating, unless he switches to some water.

Commlink-Raven> Selene asks the technical and water oriented among them, "Provided this is not another illusion. How long will it take this thing to sink, if we keep going for the data?"

Tanasen 's cat comes bounding up the stairs in a hurry, half soaked and lands in Tana's arms. "That can't be good." He says to those with him still.

Skyler says "FUCK the data. Let's get OUT of here."

Adam is a freakin' Illusioninst. He'll have to explain this to himself that this place is having this effect on him, "Can't trust that either, everything is pontially an illusion. The best thing you can do is be calm."

Commlink-Tanasen> Tanasen says, "At the rate of flooding I'm seeing. Not long."

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "30 seconds? 3 minutes?"

You paged (Adam, Tanasen, Kassandra) with 'At the rate of oxygen consumption, you have about 5 minutes left according to the
dials.'.

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra says, "Get back to the boat. We have less than five minutes."

You paged Johan with 'That doesn't mesh up with your suit. You have over 4 hours of air left.'.

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Copy that."

You paged Selene with 'That doesn't mesh up with your suit. You have over 4 hours of air left.'.

Tanasen says "We gotta bag that body. Be the only evidence they'll have to inspect if this boat goes down. Should at least give them something to look over to find their 'reasons'.""

You paged Johan with 'Ah, Kassandra's suit dials are reporting 5 minutes of oxygen, sorry.'.

Up front with Johan, Selene is reluctant to leave, she asks Johan, "We have plenty of air. How long will it take this thing to sink to crush depth? -If- it's no illusion?"

Kassandra is currently attempting to set a charge in one of the sleeping quarters.

Suddenly, the water is gone.

Where you were wading and paddling before, is just air again.

The command chamber is visible ahead: The bridge is FULL of bodies.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "At current rate of flooding, 3 minutes. I can close the door once inside. We have to find out what caused this, Skyler. If theres a 'place' in world this ship just happened to DRIVE through, it has to be known. Evacuate the vessel. I'm going to attempt to make it to the…"

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "… I hate magic."

Skyler sits down for a moment, removes his dive mask, and finishes smoking his bowl of weed.

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "I hate this sort of magic."

«OOC» Johan says, "Check biomonitor and external datastreams including pressure."

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "This is some bullshit."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Intelligence:
1 1 2 4 4 4 4 4

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Let me center."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Intelligence for "KArma":
1 1 1 1 1 2 3 5
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Intelligence for "KArma 2":
1 1 2 4 5 7 11 14

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra says, "You should be running."

You paged Johan with 'Pressure is 14 psi — 1 atmo.'.
You paged Johan with 'You are much colder than usual.'.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "The order stands. Evacuate the boat. Selene, move to the minisub. Tanasen, prepare to disengage. The vessel is filling with water still."

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "Johan, I am not leaving anyone here behind. Including your arrogant military schmuck ass."

Adam is already on his way out— his usefulness in this situation, despite topical expertise, is limited.

There is no water visible. Johan's clearly gone as nutso as Tanasen. Has he?

Johan moves in to the command section, and starts to shut the door behind himself. The door can be closed from this side. The minisub will take too long to disengage before the ship starts to sink lower. At current rate of flow, it will exceed the minisubs crushdepth before they can disengage. "That wasn't a suggestion, Selene. I'll make my way out the forward hatch. I'm buying you time. Use it."

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra remarks, "Welp, I am setting bombs. I suggest that anyone who likes to breath air and wants to get paid get off the boat." The woman arms the bomb in Sleeping Quarters X before moving to her next mission, the showers.

Selene doesn't know, doesn't care, wants that data. Damn Bat, Damn the *need to know*, Damn the whole thing. But she seems pretty sure she can get out alive.

Skyler murmurs, "True shooting, certain hitting. Shin-zen-bi. No thoughts, no illusions, munen muso."

Skyler finally stands up, after centering himself.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Meditation (to Mafen):
3 4 4 5 5 5

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Willpower (to Mafen):
4 4 5 9 11 11 13

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "I am inside the vessel. I am force-closing the main door here to get you extra time before this vessel sinks. It will buy you a few minutes, but the water flow is enough to disengage the nose from the rock face. The vessel will start to sink by the nose inside 10 minutes. Get to the sub, get to the surface. Wait at least 20 minutes before passing out my shit."

Johan with that, starts to manually close the door from the other side. Selene can be on either side she choses.

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says in an extremely calm voice, "There is no water. There is no change in attitude or pitch. JohanNachtwhat you are sensing is illusion."

Selene follows Johan and ends up on *his* side of the door.

Skyler approaches the hatchway calmly, rationally, and rapidly. He continues.

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "If there WERE water gushing out of that room, you would have been blown back by the pressure differential."

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "I agree with you. I do not see water. My sensors however, register extreme cold but only one atmosphere pressure. I am not taking a chance however, and I am sealing the door."

Commlink-Tanasen> Tanasen says, "Screw this shit. I'm going back to the minisub. I've had enough of this crap. I'll wait for you guys there."

The door is slipping shut, inch by inch, as Johan cranks the handle.

Kassandra starts setting the demo charge in the head, attaching the bomb to the inside of whatever passes for a shower stall.

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Thank you, Jesus, Moses, Cthulu— whatever. Illusions by nature are going to screw with all your senses. Let me in to take a look— if its not residual, like going through a contaminated area, it would be centered somewhere on the ship. Judging from what I saw on astral— I believe it is focal, not residual. So its probably in or near that Comm room, leader-man."

Skyler enters the hatchway and says something into the comm.

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Johan, the ship is not sinking, listing, or moving. It will not sink."

Adam sticks with Skyler at this point— he will just have to trust the combined senses they have.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Willpower vs TN 10:
1 2 2 3 3 5 = 0 Successes

Johan exhales, but pauses closing the door. He eyes Selene, then the door… "There are… a -lot- of bodies… It's not for the weak of heart."

Selene sticks right with Johan. Not getting in his way, but simply refusing to leave.

Commlink-Aquis> Test

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Kassandra, like, where are you at and what're you doing?"

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Skyler, if Johan starts acting erratically, just take him out. We can't risk this."

Commlink-Raven> Selene says, "she's blowing the boat up."

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra says, "Silk. And I am currently setting a charge."

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Please don't 'splody the ship, Silk; we're fine in here. Seriously."

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "So far, I am the one acting the least irrational. If you ask a member of my team to take me out again, Aquis, I will return the favor. I do not take kindly to such things."

Johan sets the aside for the moment, moving to the main computer bank. He lifts and moves the body of a Russian Kommander away from where he wants to be.

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Well at least the Illusion has good taste— it is mimicing me. Though I kind of agree with it, Nacht. You are kind of a dick."

Selene tries to explain, "It's not flooding. You have time. We just have to get out before she finishes setting charges. Lets get to the logs."

The comm room is like a dessicated shrine: A good 30-40 of the crewmen are bunched here, many crowded in the corners if for warmth or something else. Every chair is occupied, and the bodies seem to be contorted in odd ways, or injured, or suicides. Three bodies with the most decoration are hunched over something on a central table, where plans would be laid out.

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Johan, um, Aquis didn't ask anything about taking you out."

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Illusionary radio chatter is a new one."

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Understood. My appologies."

Selene makes her way to those 3 bodies, and tries to push one of them off the table.

«OOC» Mafen says, "It wasn't actual radio chatter. It just sounded like it. : )"

«OOC» Mafen says, "Will vs 16 Selene."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Willpower vs TN 16:
1 2 2 3 3 4 11 = 0 Successes

Commlink-Silk> Kassandra remarks, "Mission parameter exe dot nine dot four clearly states what we are to be doing at this point, and that includes the charges being set." The woman clicks the charge on, moving towards the next objective on her list with an almost frighteningly singular train of thought.

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "No problem. I'm just glad we have non-lethal rounds in case one of us accidentally shoots another
one."

Johan attaches a datacable to the main computer, feeding in to a note-puter, then starts to take detailed pictures of the room… theres only so much time to gather evidence. The three men huddled get his attention first.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Willpower vs TN 16 for "kp 7/18":
1 2 2 3 5 5 5 = 0 Successes

Adam approaches the comm room with Skyler— well it looks like the weird is getting weirder.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Private channel to Adam, Skylar: Please check in with Silk. She's operating alone."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Intelligence vs TN 16 (to Mafen):
1 1 4 4 11 = 0 Successes

Selene enlists help, if she can get the b*tch to actually manifest here, "Gloria. Here. Now. Physical presense."

Skyler looks around the Russian comm centre futilely. He backs out of the room on Johan's comment and begins seeking out Silk.

You paged Selene with 'As soon as you pull the body off the table, you see a book, with black, engraved coverings of something… awful. It's old, intangibly evil, and it makes you go totally crazy, if briefly. Just looking at it.'.

Commlink-Aquis> Adam privates to Johan/Skyler: Sky is your best bet. This Illusion is getting me too. I'd get in his way.

Johan glances over at Selene. "Gloria?" He asks curiously. "Tell me you're not trying to summon a spirit…

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Private channel: Buddy System. Don't leave SKylar alone. Two or more in any group."

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "You got it, Johan. By the way, you might wanna see if you can find the scuttling charge controls. I don't know how to read Cyrillic, but it might help out Silk's job."

Adam takes a good long look around the Comm Room one more time before nodding about that order. He'll do what he can.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Thanks Skylar. And you've a good idea. I don't know if this vessel was equipped with them…"

You paged Skyler with 'She's wandered way off course for where she should be. She's planting charges on the other side of the boat.'.

You paged Adam with 'The three bodies of what looks like ranking officers are bunched around something on the table: Selene is just pulling a body off when she FREAKS OUT.'.

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Silk, this is Skyler. Where do you think you are at this moment?"

Selene's eyes widen at the book she finds on the table. There is somethign so wrong, so twisted in it that she just starts screaming her head off. AND speaking in tongues. Sounds like Cthulu tongues. "ahhhh sulumalacomthatoogugla Mathalamatheeleegratu.hooohaaplathicratu" This goes on for a long time. Loudly. Shrieking.

Selene dances too. St. Vitus Dance.

«OOC» Johan is drawing his second pistol. The one wiht gell rounds.

Kassandra is currently setting a charge in the main hall, along one of the electrical trunks. The elf is muttering to herself in a language that is not English. She responds, "I am in the cafeteria, towards the back." (Arabic)

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "Repeat, please. I don't speak Arabic."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Quickness vs TN 4:
1 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 8 9 = 8 Successes

Kassandra says into her comm, "I am not speaking Arabic, you sone of a dog!" The elf shakes her head, priming the charge. Her movements are clean, crisp, concise. (Arabic)

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Pistols (Colt Manhunter) + Combat Pool: 5 vs TN 4 for "Headshot, between the eyes. Go to sleep.":
1 1 1 2 3 3 3 5 5 5 5 10 11 = 6 Successes

You paged Skyler with 'Well, she's not where she says she is! You wander around looking for her, finding her modifying a torpedo out of its tube in the front torpedo launchers.'.

You paged Skyler with 'It takes you about a minute, because you hear the sounds.'.

«OOC» Johan says, "7D+2. forehead"
«OOC» Selene says, "Ok, so I have what? ballistic 4 with the form fitting body armor, and I'm sustaining an F4 armor spell."

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "(private, to Johan): Nacht, Silk's not where she's supposed to be and is babbling in Arabic. I'm going to track her down. Permission to disable hallucinating team member with nonlethal means?"

«OOC» Mafen says, "So TN is 2 for you to soak."
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Willpower vs TN 14 (to Mafen) for "Magic magic magic":
2 2 3 5 = 0 Successes

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "(amend): She's in the torpedo room, modifying a torpedo in the front launchers."

You paged Kassandra with 'K. You are now arming a torpedo in the foward torpedo bays, though you still think you are putting your charges together.'.

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Thats bad, Skyler. Try and stop her. The tubes are destrroyed by the impact and theres only rock."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Intelligence vs TN 6 (to Mafen):
1 1 2 2 4 5 5 5 = 0 Successes

Skyler pages: I'ma shoot Kassandra with Hammerhead arrows.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Quickness vs TN 4:
1 1 2 4 5 13 = 3 Successes

Kassandra pages: Quickdrawing pistol

«OOC» Mafen says, "Skyler, pose approaching Kassandra and getting ready for the shot."

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Body + Combat Pool: 9 vs TN 2:
1 2 2 2 3 5 5 7 7 8 9 10 14 = 12 Successes

Skyler comes around the corner of the torpedo room entrance bay with his bow ready. He is startled by what Kassandra's doing and pauses to ask a question over the comm, then nods at what he hears. Perhaps she's distracted.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Johan (#799) rolls Pistols (Colt Manhunter) + Combat Pool: 7 vs TN 4 for "Headshot, between the eyes. Go to sleep. Please?":
1 1 1 2 2 2 4 4 4 5 5 7 9 10 10 = 9 Successes

«Plot» Mafen says, "D+3, 14 succs total, need 6 succs to stay awake."

Selene dives on the table, grabbing the book and covering it w/ her body. Holding it with a death grip, and keeps on keepin on with the chanting.

«OOC» Johan says, "7S+4 stages, D+3"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Body + Karma Pool: 2 vs TN 2:
1 1 1 2 4 4 = 3 Successes

Kassandra putters with the torpedo, blissfully in her own little word. The woman chatters to the torpedo in whatever foreign lingo she was talking over the comms in. She turns her head, spotting something moving. Her left hand moves in a blur that would make Johan proud, retrieving her Ares Predator III from its back holster. "I hate drones!" The woman frowns beneath her helment, apparently preparing to shoot Skyler! (Arabic)

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Selene (#609) rolls Body + Karma Pool: 2 - 3 vs TN 2 for "kp 10/18":
2 3 4 = 3 Successes

«Plot» Mafen says, "S stun"
«Plot» Mafen says, "Selene is still awake."
«OOC» Johan says, "D."

You paged Selene with 'Your insanity is granting you 4 levels of pain resistance ; P'.

«Plot» Mafen says, "She doesn't appear to fall down yet"

When the woman starts talking about Gloria, and appearing, and -now-, Johan's spider sense tingles. In that bad, uncle johny wants to play the touching game tonight way. He glances over at her as he starts the download and when she starts to chant, to dance, to do all those things that scream OH SHIT to him on so many levels, he snaps the colt manhunter with the gell rounds out. The targeting reticule settles over her features. He barks off two quick shots. "No summoning." he murmurs as the first one glances off, but the second one strikes true. "Summoning's bad, no matter how rational and sane it seems."

Selene stumbles backwards, book clutched in her hand, still muttering to gods even older and more wicked than the Celtic gods or animal totems she knows best. "hoahmuthamalputavzarka plaghueathmorte quiathomanaltome… etc" She is swaying badly, as though the lightest feather could push her over. Amazingly, still standing.

Skyler puts his bow away with a quick move action, saying to Kassandra, "Please don't shoot me; I don't speak Arabic." He flips over and does a handstand, looks at her from upside down, shakes his head, and then points with one hand over to the left, saying, "Look! A MIME!"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Athletics vs TN 4:
4 4 4 10 10 11 = 6 Successes

She doesn't appear to be doing anything aggressive. Yet.

«Plot» Mafen says, "Will vs TN 11 Kass"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Willpower vs TN 11 for "Magic. why did it have to be magic":
3 3 4 5 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Willpower vs TN 11 for "Magic. why did it have to be magic, karma":
3 5 5 5 = 0 Successes

Johan eyes Adam for a long moment… He then puts the gun back in its holster. "Take that book away from her. Keep her from doing anything that could vaguely be interpreted as summoning something."

The targeting computer refuses the order to fire. Kassandra looks perplexedly at her pistol and then back to the drone .. dwarf doing a handstand? … no, a drone again. The elf shakes her head, doing things the old fashioned way, she pulls the trigger.

The room seems even more cold now that the book has been picked up. It's still… hissing on contact with her suit, almost like it was burning, or freezing, one.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls Pistols + Combat Pool: 2 vs TN 4 for "Targetting computer will not engage despite illusion, no bonus.":
1 2 2 5 10 = 2 Successes

"Well," Adam says as he reaches forward to get the book from her, "she can keep attempting to summoning spirits until she learns to relax. Which, given the circumstances, is understandable that she isnt."

«Plot» Mafen says, "Will vs 6 Adam. Your expertise in illusion allows you to recognize the book — but in doing so, you subject yourself to its insanity. This is the definitive roll, here. : )"

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls 6 vs TN 4:
1 2 2 3 3 4 = 1 Success
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls 6 - 1 vs TN 4 for "kp1/2":
2 4 5 5 7 = 4 Successes

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Adam (#1093) rolls Willpower vs TN 6 for "Countdown to Insanity":
1 2 2 5 5 8 = 1 Success

Skyler dodges the bullet from Kassandra, then comes flipping out of his athletic handstand bringing his bow up with a quick drawn amazing speed reaction and fires an arrow at her.

Kassandra blinks, snapping the gun away from Skyler and towards the ceiling. She says, in clear English, "What the fuck?" The elf looks around, clearly not sure how she got here or why the dwarf is doing flips.

Johan's walltap compdatasource thingie beeps as it starts the data download.

Adam rips the book from Selene's hands and screams out, "Jesus fucking christ-moses-cthulu— no wonder this place has gone to hell." He looks around and grunts, "Its the Book of Obama. This is some powerful drek." He doesnt find anything immediately to neutralize it.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Projectile Weapons (Bows) + 3 vs TN 8:
1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 11 14 = 2 Successes

A gunshot is heard somewhere down the ship.

«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Projectile Weapons (Bows) + 3 vs TN 8 for "kp2/2":
1 1 1 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 8 10 = 2 Successes
«Auto-Judge[0wn4ge;]» Skyler (#10309) rolls Projectile Weapons (Bows) + 3 - 2 vs TN 8 for "kp2/2":
1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 10 10 11 23 = 4 Successes

Johan turns back to the computer system, making sure the download is proceeding. "2 minutes, the download will be complete. SKylar, recover Silk and move for the extraction vehicle. Adam and myself, will carry Selene out. I had to shoot her. I used Gell. She'll be fine." A pause… "I hear gunshots I did not initiate. I do not like that."

Skyler murmurs, "Perfect shooting is perfect hitting" as he releases the bow string with an exhalation. The arrow sails straight and true, passing through the quarter-inch hole in the trigger guard between the trigger and Kassandra's finger, the arrow leaving a cut on Kassandra's fingers as it pulls the gun from her grip and impacts into the steel hull, the gun hanging from the arrow's shaft in the wall and swinging back and forth slowly. "I think you should drop the detonater, Silk."

Snatching the book away throws off Selene's remaining balance, and she crashes to her knees with a grunt and a whimper, "what the fuck?" she says. "Damn..t hat fucking hurts." Grabbing almost blindly to get back up, she pulls down another body from the table, before she can finally get hold of it's edge and pull herself, still swaying, to her feet.

Adam begins to head out with the book as quickly as possible. While passing through the subway's corridors he finds a bit of rust. "Alright," he says— grabbing some with his hand and grinding it over the book. It just gives it a rustic, southern look. "This should help with the illusions— and it explains the sub. Evac!"

Adam covers it up in cloth after the rustic addition.

"Ow!" The elf stares at the arrow a moment, eyes travelling back to the dwarf. She looks at the cut on her finger a long moment, the blood welling out from beneath the wetsuit. She frowns, biting back a curse before remarking, "Can't drop it, it is sort of connected."

Johan moves then, over to Selene, he looks her over, criticically, before he puts an arm out to steady her. "Everyone back to the fucking sub. I'll be done here in the comms in 45 more seconds. I have selene with me.

There's a flash: Water filling the ship, the ship listing and tilting. Then it's gone as fast as it appeared. Everyone sees it.

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Alright. Source neutralized. Lets Evac."

As it pops back, you feel short of breath.

So, the illusions aren't totally gone. But the book is at least contained in something…

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "I think Silk's fine, dude. She shot at me but I like, totally dodged it. She's cool, we're gonna take the yellow submarine out of here."

Johan reaches for the table as the ship twists under his feet, but blinks as it rights itself again.

Selene still looks confused. Off Adam goes, but there's Johan still downloading data. She can't seem to decide whether to run or …. wait.

Skyler says "Connected? Well, um, I dunno how that works, but like, turn it off and let's get out of here."

Johan murmurs something quietly to Selene.

Adam hauls his white-haired ass back to the submarine as fast as his frail little body lets him.

Commlink-Skyler> Skyler says, "By the by, you scuttling this damned thing I hope?"

Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "You heard the man. You can't make the terminal download faster anyway. Move it sistah."

Commlink-Nacht> Johan says, "Its on the agenda."

Kassandra mutters to herself, motioning to the arrow. "You want that, because I want my gun and don't want to wreck the arrow."

Skyler says, "Sure," and gets the arrow out of the wall, handing Kassandra her gun back.

Selene starts stumbling back towards the sub, "Dude… you gotta come. Not leavin' you."

Kassandra points at something on Skyler, "SNAKE!"

Skyler looks at his shoulder and says, "Badger, badger, badger, badger, mushroom, mushroom too…you're hallucinating. Relax. Smoke this," and with that he takes out Pipe #2. You can never be too prepared. "Let's get out of here."

Kassandra is wearing a full scuba helmet and so declines the offer. The woman holsters her weapon and passes a look at the torpedo, perhaps considering arming that too. She mentally ejects the demo chip before things get out of hand, heading to leave this hellhole.

Skyler evacs with Kassandra, gets her high at the earliest opportunity if she'll do it, and if not, just gets high by himself, and waits for everyone else, then goes home.

Johan eyes the pocsec, sighing quietly. "Lets go then." He says, unhooking his secretary mid download. Hopefully they got the important bits. "Come on, I'll help you." He says, moving past the woman to toss an arm around her and lift.

Selene hangs on to Johan and goes quickly as she can back to the mini-sub.

Kassandra does not get high with Skyler. Rather, she will strap into the minisub with a glare at the mechanical cat.Johan must leave his SUBMARINE BEHIND! Just one of those precious nukes could have funded an entire war. The Islamic Jihad would pay well for a functional nuke.

Johan moves in to the minisub, helping Selene in to a seat. He reaches up, picking a bit of gell-cap out of her hair. "I'll take that back now." HE says, wiping the goop on his suit. A glance is given to the man with the book.

Assuming she makes it back to the mini-sub with Johan, she straps in and gets ready for the ride back to the surface. And just before she goes out cold, she tells Adam, "I want to see that, when I wake up." And out-cold she goes.

The crew assembles in the minisub, and the latches are sealed and everything closed. Tanasen is ready to depart and the charges set. But what to do with the book? It's calm at the moment, but it's going to keep finding more and more subtle ways of making you crazy, mining your own mind for the easiest way to trick you.

Adam keeps his eyes closed and the book obscured. "Of course you fraggin' do. Its a cursed Artifact from the 4th world and every person we put in contact with it is giving it a nuclear holocaust's worth of power. Look we need to jettison it to the surface and one-man pick it up. This is something that requires years of research to disarm and twice as many to unlock the secrets…"

Kassandra mentions, from where she spraying down the wound on her finger, "Or we could just set it afire."

Johan eyes Adam for a moment. "We burn it when we hit the surface."

Selene is, fortunately for Adam, already out, and can't hear the explaination.

Selene is, even more fortunately for Johan and Kass… already out too.

*tssssk*, Tanasen isn't waiting for discussion. He disengages the sub just as a crack starts to appear on the cockpit window. It spiders out, and there's creaking noises. But — no good reason for the sub to be breaking, right now… At least as far as you know… How zen are you? The sub starts to rise, cracking seeming to get worse as the pressure is let up.

Johan pages: Drone fly it to a DF holding facility
Johan pages: Simple enough
You paged Johan with 'That would work. But it needs minimal contact with people.'.

Adam opens his eyes— one twitches, "We wont make it to the surface if we don't get rid of it. Look, I'm no fan of having my soul devoured any second now, so can we keep in mind it has information that possibly on dragons are aware of— and not willing to share. Want to burn it after? Fine, we can talk about that then. For now, it has to go."

SPLOOSH. The window cracks and the chamber fills with high pressure water, the controls spiralling out, Tanasen washed out into… oh, yeah. Just another illusion. You're back to try sitting in the room, no cracks in the window.

Kassandra closes her eyes and tries to block it all out, using what little she remembers from when Aladriel spoke about magic.

Johan nods to Adam. "Give it here." He says, reaching for a flotation device. He winces as the water comes in… then is not. "I'll put it out the airlock. We'll have a drone pick it up and deliver to a secure facility."

Adam notably has his cybernetic hand on the book as he holds it over, "Whatever you do, do not look at it." He hands it over.

Johan eyes the Cyberhand.. then shifts which hand he uses to take the book.

«OOC» Mafen says, "Grats on defeating your first magical threat!"
*-OOC-* Adam laughs. What is that, a Deed?
«OOC» Selene says, "now you have a Deed for real!"

«Plot» Johan says, " I will put the book out the airlock in a spare suit. It will be picked up by a drone, delivered to a facility for further holding and warding."
«Plot» Johan says, " I also send Selene a 'I'm sorry I shot you in the head' card."

The book, somehow sensing it's about to be cast down, projects dark images and thoughts into your head and tries to mislead you. Everyone has to resist the tumult of images, but they come so fast it's hard to imagine they are real or that you should act on them. Somehow, through the miserable illusions, through horrors you hadn't really imagined, the book gets put into the airlock, and the airlock cycled. As its buoyancy puts it down a good 20 meters, you rise away from it quickly, and the illusions get less and less severe.

Kassandra will have strong words for the site director when she resurfaces, something regarding the chip they gave her.

The sub surfaces, and Tanasen crawls it back into the dock. The hatch opens and debriefing… begins.

Particularly Johan's briefs. He tosses them, and jumps into the water, swimming for the sunset.
ooc Yeah, definitely.

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