"I love it when a plan comes together!"

[infinite1up]

Who: Members of the City Guard, Sato, and a few others
What: Catchall for everything associated with Assault on Guard HQ
Where: City Guard HQ
When: From after Sato's network post through the next morning.
Warnings: Many violences, much death (likely mostly Sato's), wow.

Comments

[OOC plotting thread to sort out stuff]

[infinite1up]

TAKEDOWN CENTRAL; how to actually get the job done?

[infinite1up]

Problems to overcome:
He's a good fighter but hey, so if just about everyone else, so that's fine. The problems are more like:

* Sato doesn't stay dead; he pops back up in ~5 seconds give or take.
* If he gets hurt he'll tactical suicide to heal himself (since he revives in perfect condition)
* He has a (mostly) invisible monster he can summon that can wreak havoc -- it's strong, it has claws and teeth, and can leap and run like crazy, and regenerates constantly (until it runs out of juice in 5-10 minutes). I belive Rey has this one covered, but it could be a problem until she gets on it? Anyone else want to mess around with the thing?

So basically they need to figure out a good way to incapacitate him (knock out, freeze, whatever) and NOT kill him. I leave this in your capable and creative hands, Guard members.

Oh yeah, and the last thing being... he's asked a 'friend' to shoot him if he's knocked out or similar (In grand canon tradition). So there should be a thing to work around (sniping angles from rooftops? Sending someone after "the sniper"?

[hotspurred]

Since Nick's going to deal with Firo, while Sato's down and they've realised he's got someone trying to reset him, Henry can quite literally block the bullets (he has an OP shield ability) to keep Sato down?

I can offer plain old traditional KO unless another Guard member wants to get involved. We want everyone involved, so!

[glacius]

Hey! So I've been incredibly out of loop since personal stuff has kept me pretty much away from RP at around the time all of this is going down. I'm working on reintegrating myself now, but it looks like most stuff has already been plotted so... I won't try to worm my way in and over complicate things, haha. Just know that if you need further help removing Sato from the picture or safeguarding the HQ, Glacius can either freeze him (literally), construct defensive barriers, or any other host of things. If you need anything else feel free to hit me up, otherwise I'll just stay out of the way of everything and assume he was off dealing with some of the rabble-rousing or what have you. :]b

rey's contribution

[circumitus]

THINGS TO NOTE:

* Rey has submitted a report on Sato to the Guard, dated a few weeks back. (Rather, she submitted a "report" and Nick corrected it so that it's actually a more helpful, informative report.)

* Sato does not know of Rey's role with the Guard and she intends to keep it that way. In general she has been on the down-low with her position for this reason.

* She's enough aware of Sato's IBM to know that it's going to be nearby. She doesn't know what it is exactly or what it looks like, but she has seen it tear up a bunch of Working Joes in the tunnels.

* Since she is going to try handling the IBM via heat manipulation, unless anyone wants to become a crispy critter, she is going to try and keep its focus on her. She intends to go in coated in samandrine (a toxic, oily substance that secretes from her skin when her body reaches a high temperature), which will pretty much obscure her, but she'd be giving the Guard a heads up so they don't attack that other weird black thing.

the "friend"

[foundafamily]

Aforementioned sniper friend here! As it says above, Firo'll be focusing on resetting Sato when it's needed. Other than that he'll mostly be hanging back to let him do his thing, though he'll fight back if someone comes after him. Let me know if anyone wants to work stuff out for that!

Side note: he's immortal too, though in a way that's a little different from Sato. Similarly, he can still be incapacitated.

[synthedick]

Nick is proooobably not going to be down near the Guard HQ, since Rey is going to try her hand at convincing him not to go, so if no one else takes you up on the catching-the-sniper duty, Nick could maybe spot him from afar and go to is position for a friendly* chat.

*"I am disappoint"

Bianca's contribution

[wormintheglass]

Bianca is involving herself for two reasons: one, no one threatens her girlfriend and two, she's an adrenaline junkie with some heightened rage issues to work off.

she has two things that might help: one is a staser pistol with a stun setting and the other is mind control, but she has to be in touching distance for that.

basically she'll do whatever Rey suggests, unless someone tries to deescalate conflict in which case she may berserk a bit.

Bianca's contribution

[infinite1up]

For the record, Sato will be actually wary if he can tell/figures out that pistol has a stun setting -- he's not stupid, tranq/stun guns are an actual problem. He doesn't have a clue about psychic abilities and no defences at all on that front.

Henry's contribution

[hotspurred]

Guard strategising notes:

- The Guard have two healing trinkets of their own, given by Kate to Henry for their use.
- Being a talented and experienced medieval knight, Henry can give a detailed rundown (and demonstration) of the use and weaknesses of all the medieval weapons in Sato's displayed stockpile for anyone who isn't as familiar with them.
- On the other hand, Henry is afflicted with a hatred of deescalation tactics which is probably best discovered in planning before the actual battle... s-sorry...

Combat-wise, Henry is essentially a damage mitigation/reflect tank. He's only human, but he's a top calibre knight in heavy armour with a powerful shield ability: while it's sustained he blocks all damage (physical and magical), reflects the brunt of the damage that would have been dealt back onto the attacker and momentarily stuns them.
While Maketh has been teaching him, he's still fairly unfamiliar with firearms and explosives.

I'm not sure how many people will be involved (Is it just Sato? Are there more people to subdue?) but he'll stick to close-quarters fighting on the frontline. So let's plot :)

[infinite1up]

I know Richie's player was interested in getting him involved, but I think they've been busy this weekend and I don't know how firm that was. Otherwise I think most people are too smart to get involved with this. XD But someone (anyone!) should correct me if this is wrong!

Maketh's Contribution

[mismanagement]

Despite not being a combat specialist, Maketh has managed to acquire some decent weapons and armor since arriving in Hadriel. She's toting Lilith's sniper rifle, a suit of Mandalorian body-armor (like this), so she can take and dish out some punishment. AND, despite some truly ineffective storm troopers, has a few tricks for dealing with people who have powers.

She's going to suggest rigging the ground near the guardpost with shock traps that, while painful, don't usually kill anyone straight out, as well as making life miserable for anyone who tries to get in close. Just about every bobby-trap she knows is going to make an appearance.

Have fun. She's going to play mean.

Re: Maketh's Contribution

[infinite1up]

Are the shock traps actually enough to make someone pass out, or just unpleasant?

I am so stoked about these booby traps, you don't even know. Do you wanna tag in on the approach to the building then, since that's what he'll presumably run into first?

[Actual fight details]

[infinite1up]

In the interests of time and sorting details out, a rough overview of the fight based on what we've got so far:
* Sato and his "ghost" set off a bunch of traps outside
* Sato intends a pincer attack with his blowing off the back of the guard house and his ghost coming in through the front, but Rey distracts the ghost and keeps it busy until it dissolves.
* Insert shootbangs with Henry and Maketh here? Stuns/incapacitating won't work at first since he has help from Firo, but combination of Henry's shield + Nick dealing with Firo takes that out of the picture.
* Peacefully unconscious psycho on the Guard's hands.

What other details do we wanna get in there?

[Pre-assault planning]

[infinite1up]

Redirection [first spiral, 1401; closed to Rey]

[synthedick]

Though he's not keen on this riot business at all, Nick isn't about to let it go without making an appearance, not when some maniac is trying to start trouble with the Guard. There's pride involved: not just in his position with the group, but also in the people he works with, Maketh and Henry and all they've built. They've made sacrifices, put their health on the line for people, gone above and beyond when it comes to clearing the streets and keeping those who can't fight safe. Some folks might be reluctant to believe they do any good, but the Guard serves a purpose, has a function within the city. Nick has seen it time and time again.

Unfortunately, as he told Bianca so long ago, letting people walk around doing whatever they want defeats that purpose, especially if it comes at the cost of someone else. They might have no real authority other than what they're given by the denizens of Hadriel, but if what little respect some people have for them helps them keep the peace when things run amok, then that's better than nothing. Like everything, it's a work in progress.

And with this riot and whatever the hell the gods are up to this time, that progress might be set back. While Nick is a fair shot, he's no fighter like Henry, no soldier like Maketh. What he tends to bring is a level head and the hope that things can be settled without too much bloodshed.

So the morning of the supposed assault, he's up early, well before his first patrol. The fish (now in his room, thanks to visitors looking to murder the little guy just for being an animal) has been fed, his outfit has been donned. With his cane in hand, he rounds the corner into the den to head for the front door—

And he stops, spotting his roommate already up. Correction: she's been up for well over a day now, seemingly refusing to sleep. While he suspects that that, too, might have something to do with the gods, he hasn't asked her about it yet. The other possibility is that the thought of IV being in the city is still keeping her awake at night. He wouldn't doubt that.

Better do it now, just in case he doesn't get the chance later. "Up all night again?"

[circumitus]

While IV remains a concern not yet banished from Rey's thoughts, that isn't the reason she is up now. Though the bubbling ire has been an ever-present peeve on her mind, she pushes that from the forefront in favor of more pressing priorities.

That is, until she hears Nick's voice call from across the room just as she reaches for the front doorknob.

For someone who's about to walk straight into an unknown combat zone, Rey appears under-prepared. She isn't sporting any of her guns, no protective wears. Only a sixteen-inch kukri, which hangs at her hip, attached to her belt. It's always good to have some backup -- just not the kind that can get killed.

"Busy. Heading out," she says. Short and straight to the point, since she doubts that she needs to explain to Nick what needs to be taken care of.

Or, rather, who.

[Morning: Initial assault]

[infinite1up]

[infinite1up]

By Sato's own standards, he's grossly underequipped. But it's hard to find an assault rifle around here, or even a shotgun. It just means he might have to use his ghost sooner rather than later.

But to be honest, Sato doesn't think very much of what he's seen so far of the guard. The only thing that makes everything more promising is the possibility that, given the people and creatures he's run into in this city, there might be a few surprises in store. Or at least, he certainly hopes so. The thrill of fighting a thinking, planning opponent was what was missing from the his monster hunting excursions, and Sato was looking forward to something more challenging, while still within his level of difficulty.

Eagerly anticipating the confrontation, he doesn't catch more than a brief nap before morning. With the carryings-on outside, it's not like he'd be likely to get a good night's sleep anyway, and he's never slept that much to begin with.

As light begins to fill the city from whatever unknown source it springs from, he loads himself up and heads out from the abandoned building he'd made into a temporary hideout. In a stroke of good luck, he'd found a tactical vest some time ago, pockets now loading with a couple magazines of pistol ammunition that he'd bothered to put in the work for. Geared with his standard machete, semi-automatic pistol, a few knives just in case, and a satchel with his small supply of C4 hanging over one shoulder, he also carries over a large duffel bag with a selection of other weaponry.

He makes his way up the side streets towards the guard headquarters. He's not sure anyone else is going to show up, but that's fine, too. He drops off the duffel bag of extras a couple blocks away and, with his back to the wall of the nearest building, peeks around the corner and down the street. It's too quiet for a frontal assault. Guerilla tactics then, he grins to himself. All the more for himself. He darts out across the street and back into cover of the empty building across the way and starts to close the last couple blocks, heading in a zig-zagging path for the back wall of the Guard HQ.

Approach to Guardpost

[mismanagement]

[Maketh, to say the least, has no intention of taking this lying down. And oh, she's bene good and polite, kept her distance from politics as much as one can in Hadriel, and largely let people do as they pleased. The Empire would have flattened this place in a week and had no strength left to contend with the gods. It's better, she thinks, to collaborate. To work together and not seek total control.

But she hasn't been idle. Oh, no. A good officer plans contingencies. And really, it was only a matter of time before someone else turned against them.

So she's had time to prepare, hidden things away, traps and tricks a touch too cruel to reveal to anyone else. She doubts simply shooting Sato would work. He's too confident for one man, likely has some kind of power along with all the guns.

Fine. She's been planning for that as well.

The first thing she does is reinforce the building itself. Set up sniper posts and barricades, keep the explosive weapons out of the line of fire. Then she goes to work on the approach.

Shock plates first. They're not as strong as the ones the Empire makes, but they'll do. They work much like mines, except that instead of an explosion, they produce a powerful electric shock. It probably won't kill anyone outright, though there were some incidents that Maketh had to cover up on Lothal where people's hearts just...stopped, but it ought to incapacitate someone with power. It's rare for anyone to be able to fight when they're unconscious, after all.

In between those she puts nail bombs and a few improvised flash-bangs. Small, nasty little tricks she's been hiding away just in case. If Sato wants to attack the guardpost head on, then she'll make him pay for every damn inch.]

Sniper (for Nick and maybe Rey)

[foundafamily]

Firo sets up shop with the rifle where he has a clear view of Sato’s battleground. Stealth isn’t really his MO, so though he crouches in one of the abandoned buildings with the gun, he hasn’t otherwise made an attempt to hide himself.

This shouldn’t be too hard, he thinks. Relatively speaking. It almost reminds Firo of his old job catching cheaters in the casino. His eyes have stayed sharp over the years, so seeing when he should fire and where isn’t too much of a problem. He can thank his job too in helping him neatly dismiss any of the moral difficulties he might feel doing this. It’s easy to set stuff like that aside.

He lets Szilard’s muscle memory take over when it comes to aiming and firing the gun. The Martillos trained him on some firearms, but they’ve always been fonder of the knife by far. Szilard, on the other hand, used his centuries of life to learn whatever he could—especially when it came to things that could give him an advantage in destroying others’ lives. And he always wanted to do it right, so of course he honed his aim just like everything else.

He settles down to watch the action, firing whenever it looks like Sato’s in too much of a bind and needs to “reset,” as he calls it. Though he’s focused on his task, he’s aware enough of what’s going on around him to be alert to someone who might be trying to sneak up on him. If he hears someone get close, he’ll keep his hands on the weapon pointed towards headquarters while he looks over his shoulder at the newcomer.

Salamander vs. IBroM

[circumitus]

Despite the occasional threats of stray bullets, Rey isn't too concerned. By now she knows that it's Firo up there, and that he isn't stupid enough to try and put a hole in her head. Especially when his primary goal seems to be taking Sato out whenever things get a little hairy on his end.

Eventually there comes a time when the firing just stops. It's been a few minutes since she's heard the sounds of gunshots. Whether that means that something has happened to Firo or if he's decided to have a change of heart, there isn't much room left to question it. During times like these, Rey knows better than most that the only answer is to move forward. Work with what you've been given.

So, for now, she makes her way towards the Guard HQ, leaving her kukri behind in one of the run-down buildings. At first, she seems to come unarmed. Unprepared. Not that anyone will get the chance to see that.

What they'll see is something that appears human only in shape alone. Everything else indicates that she is anything but. From the thick blackness of her skin, to the blades of her nails... even her eyes are empty. White. Her colorless third lids shielding her vision from the scorching heat emanating from her flesh.

Samandrine can be a tricky substance. Unknown to most even in her world, and still but a mystery to herself, but time and memory has given her the chance to utilize it in other ways. Find that it isn't just a toxic heat regulator that communicates with her vessel and its capabilities.

Turns out, this shit has its multifarious purposes.

Right now it is both an armor and a guise, hiding the figure underneath the now-dried up and oily substance. But the form of the black creature itself is very much visible as it begins encroaching upon the scene at the headquarters.

[infinite1up]

It's hard to see from a distance, but as Rey gets closer, it's clear that Maketh's traps have already helped with Sato's invisible friend. There are several handfuls of nails, seemingly floating less than a meter from the now broken-down front door of the Guard headquarters. As though whatever they made contact with was much harder than a human body, the metal is squished and twisted.

The invisible black matter doesn't have eyes, but that doesn't seem to prevent it from noticing Rey on the approach, turning in the doorway -- the nails rotate midair.

Although a long way from having complex thoughts, the IBM doesn't need to think in this situation. It rushes the mysterious figure, claws slicing through the air in a long upswing aimed to puts its hand straight through Rey.

aftermath - closed to Sato and Maketh

[mismanagement]

[So now it's done. Maketh folds her arms over her chest, scowling down at Sato. He's sitting. A chair was provided, along with cuffs and a few more insidious additions just in case. He's lucky he's still in one piece. That was discussed for a while. But the guardsmen do not torture. They protect the civilians. But they don't step beyond that.

They could. Maketh knows how.

She thins her mouth. This contraption was her idea. A small explosive device rigged two a mousetrap under the chair. If Sato moves too much, he'll trigger the device. Probably lose a pound of flesh or two.

It won't stop him, but it would give him something to think about. Maketh added some nails to the bomb when Nick wasn't looking.

Just in case.]

This was not my idea.

[She says this flatly, eyes hard.]

I would have dealt with you far more harshly. I was outvoted. But we're going to have a conversation, you and I.

[infinite1up]

[Waking up like this wasn't really part of the plan. In fact, he's mildly put out that he didn't manage to actually kill anyone. Henry's protection was pretty good.

But since he's here anyway... Sato doesn't look particularly upset when he responds, but not quite the smiling face he had the last time he talked to Maketh either. He could bring out his black ghost. But without understanding just what has been set up first, that might be a little too hasty, considering they captured him at all in the first place.]

Really? What were you hoping to talk about?