Stay Frosty: Memories of the Sun

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To Jayesh: "Well, you look like you know how to use that, so keep it ready."

To all: "Let's move on through the Commercial section. Be ready to kill anything that isn't human. And I'm not even too sure if we find any survivors thay we shouldn't waste them, too, in case there's anything infectious."

To the civilians with a wink: "Be glad I'm giving you guys the benefit of the doubt."

To all again: "Let's all keep our eyes peeled, call out a direction if you see anything, and most important keep out of each other's line of fire. ¡Vamonos!"

I'm keeping my flamethrower unlimbered and ready for a wide arc in case I see anything.

[Let's move on through Commercial and then Residential as planned, unless Potter objects. ]
 
I folow Raul's lead. Keeping an eye on Jayesh.
 
Walking along the train line the group reach the Commercial Hub platform quickly enough. There is very little to the platform, some soft drink machines and a kiosk for buying data chits with the latest chart toppers, from the looks of it mostly local station groups.

Almost immediately the platform gives way to four streets. The entries to each are adorned with a neon sign of a Crow with their names beneath. The English names seem like awkward renderings of Chinese ones:
Beneficial Street
Ever Prosperous Street
People of the Station Road
Sun Wind Boulevard

All are lit from above by a harsh white filament and are very narrow and quite short, 60 yards or so.

Beneficial Street seems to have a few computer and clothes stores along it. A group of robots stand talking to each other outside a shoe shop.
Ever Prosperous Street has a repair shop and a small bar, then several shuttered shops. A robot sits working in the repair shop.
People of the Station Road seems to be a collection of service offices, e.g. doctors, dentist, lawyers. All have their windows smashed, the odd few have bodies tossed into the streets outside with their skulls cut open.
Sun Wind Boulevard has a large travel store for those leaving the station as well as some cafés and an ice cream store. A high pitched sound comes from the travel store. A few of the spider creatures seen on the camera recordings seem to be lying motionless outside the ice cream place.

All four streets can be seen to lead to a plaza containing a large shopping mall.

7661
 
I torch the spidery creatures outside the ice cream shop. I'll also torch any dead bodies just to be on the safe side. "For all we know, these things might be parasitic and live inside," I note."Any chance you guys know enough about robotics that we could put those 'bots to use?"
 
I shoot the spider creatures to make sure they’re dead. If it seems safe after I approach the repair shop robot and ask him what happened here.
 
I torch the spidery creatures outside the ice cream shop. I'll also torch any dead bodies just to be on the safe side. "For all we know, these things might be parasitic and live inside," I note."Any chance you guys know enough about robotics that we could put those 'bots to use?"
I shoot the spider creatures to make sure they’re dead. If it seems safe after I approach the repair shop robot and ask him what happened here.
The spiders barely react on Raúl's approach, only rousing after the flames start consuming them. Even then their sluggish motions lead the rare few that escape the inferno to be quickly gunned down by Potter. Raúl's flames melt some of the nearby ice cream kept cool in the display cabinets, leading to a delicious smell filling the air.

As Raúl torches the corpses, his guess proves correct. Spiders escape from the skulls of a few carrying blue tinted brains. Once more Potter quickly disposes of them.

Chen answers Raúl's question with verve.

"What use were you thinking. Fighting? They're service bots, but if we removed the protocols limiting their strength for human safety, oh boy..." his eyes glaze over imagining it "...we could do some real damage. Assuming we stay clear of course"

The repair shop robot turns on Potter's approach.

"Hello there Marine. Here to deal with all this? A horrible sequence of events, my owners and most of those nearby were lobotomised in a gruesome manner. I would be happy to assist in your efforts in fixing all this as best I can"

[The Robots are non-sentient, you'd know if pushed too far outside their daily job/routine they'll give nonsense responses]
 
As Raúl torches the corpses, his guess proves correct. Spiders escape from the skulls of a few carrying blue tinted brains. Once more Potter quickly disposes of them.
"I had a feeling there'd be something inside those bodies. Good work, Potter. Do you think it's worth risking trying to reprogram some 'bots?"

I keep my flamethrower handy, ready to torch anything that doesn't look, act, sound, smell, or feel right. That includes the civilians.
 
"If you've got the know how we could use the extra bodies," I say. Turning to the robot. "What direction did they come from? Did you see any other kind besides the spiderbots?"
 
"If you've got the know how we could use the extra bodies," I say. Turning to the robot. "What direction did they come from? Did you see any other kind besides the spiderbots?"
"Oh yes, quite a few. Tall ones, blue with workman's hands as fine as mine..." he shows Potter his twenty fingers flexing them "...and the annoying bouncing green ones. There's also the large one living in the mall itself up the street. A nasty one him, pity security never made it here to take him out"
 
To the robot: "Specify up what street, please." If it's mobile, I'll order it to lead us to the "large one living in the mall."
 
To the robot: "Specify up what street, please." If it's mobile, I'll order it to lead us to the "large one living in the mall."
The robot shimmies a bit as it detaches itself from its work station. It then walks over Raúl.

"I'll show you right away Sir"

He leads Raúl with the civilians up the street and out into a hemispherical chamber containing the Mall. The ceilings simulate a clear sky on a sunny day and some trees are planted outside the entrance. The Mall itself looks to be three stories tall.

"It's on the second floor. Food hall. They let me come and go when I need to get parts"

It heads into the Mall gesturing for Raúl and civilians to follow.
 
The robot shimmies a bit as it detaches itself from its work station. It then walks over Raúl.

"I'll show you right away Sir"

He leads Raúl with the civilians up the street and out into a hemispherical chamber containing the Mall. The ceilings simulate a clear sky on a sunny day and some trees are planted outside the entrance. The Mall itself looks to be three stories tall.

"It's on the second floor. Food hall. They let me come and go when I need to get parts"

It heads into the Mall gesturing for Raúl and civilians to follow.
I speak softly to Potter: "They let it come and go, eh? I smell a rat. I think this is a set-up, a Judas goat leading the herd to slaughter."
 
"I don't know what's going on, it could just be clueless but obviously we're not walking into some death trap. Maybe we should just torch or blow the whole building rather than directly confronting this Motherthing."

I turn to Jayesh.

"What is this thing the bot is jabbing about?"
 
I turn to Jayesh.

"What is this thing the bot is jabbing about?"
"I don't know, we've had no contact with this part of the station visual or audio, I assure you..."

He glances at Chen momentarily.

"...the only thing we've seen is power readings. They've dropped. No doubt due to nobody using the Mall. Those things would hardly be running the fast food joints" he laughs.
 
"I don't know what's going on, it could just be clueless but obviously we're not walking into some death trap. Maybe we should just torch or blow the whole building rather than directly confronting this Motherthing."
"I'm with you. Let's find something highly inflammable, set those satchel charges, and blow the thing to hell."

To the civilians: "Where can we find propane, fuel, fertilizer, or anything else that we can blow up?"
 
"I'm with you. Let's find something highly inflammable, set those satchel charges, and blow the thing to hell."

To the civilians: "Where can we find propane, fuel, fertilizer, or anything else that we can blow up?"
"Stoves and other cooking machines in the restaurants here run off of propane. We could pick up a few tanks by searching them" Jayesh responds.

"Or for a really big blast you'd have the fuel cells that power the district, the access point is over there" Chen says pointing to a manhole type covering just outside the Mall entrance.
 
"What do you think, Potter? Blow the fuel cells and beat it?"
 
‘Let’s do it, although there are likely to be a lot of critters down there.’
 
‘Let’s do it, although there are likely to be a lot of critters down there.’
I pat my trusty flamethrower and nod. Smiling wickedly, I respond, "But that's why I have Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe here."
 
Chen heads over to the manhole and takes out a small device.

After working for a little bit a green light appears on the manhole's center and Chen pulls the cover back.

A ladder descends downward into a well lit tunnel with blue walls.

"Power cells should be down there..." he says "...just follow the tunnel to the end, they're mounted into the Fusion unit for this hub"
 
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I approach Raul and whisper in his ear ‘Do we trust them up here without us? But they may just get in the way down there.’
 
I approach Raul and whisper in his ear ‘Do we trust them up here without us? But they may just get in the way down there.’
"I don't trust them except when they're unconscious, and even then I'd kick them with boot to make sure they aren't faking it. I say we make them come under the pretense that we have to make sure they're safe and can't leave them alone up here. Or we can just shoot them now." (That last bit I'm obviously being sarcastic.)
 
Raúl and Potter suddenly hear a low pitched but loud groan reverberate through the stations superstructure. They tighten the grip on their weapons, trained responses coming to the fore.

[Mechanically Tension has increased. +1 to damage and you get to reroll saves. Impression of sound:]
 
“Whaddaya say, Potter? This mission is FUBAR. Improvise, adapt, and overcome...or time to bug out of here and save who we can?"
 
‘Let blow this thing to Kingdom Come,’ I say. ‘Hey you lot, come with us for your own safety!’
 
Raúl, Potter and the civilians descend into the tunnel beneath the manhole.

As promised the tunnel itself is very brief and leads in short order to a hemispherical steel-walled chamber. On the far wall lie the two power cells. Cylindrical in shape and containing a glowing purple fluid. At their top they connect into a larger cylinder which itself splits into six power conduits that continue into the roof.

However suspended over the chamber with a leg hooked into each conduit is a massive version of one of the spider creatures. The skin on its back rippling slightly as it lets out a cooing sound.

Potter and Raúl [Both rolls here. Two for both of you due to advantage on saves] manage to spot further up on the roof a series of four recesses each with one of the red creatures they disposed of back in the Science Hub. Raúl is quick enough to stop Chen from shouting in shock, quickly grabbing him from behind with a hand over his mouth.

None of the creatures has noticed the group yet.
 
[Is there anything that would blow up if I torch them? If not, I do that; otherwise I suggest we set those charges with a timer and get out of here fast.]
 
Raúl torches the entire chamber in a stream of napalm. As flames fill the chamber, Potter spots the red skinned beasts scuttling up the recesses and further into the roof, blackened hides sloughing off as they go. Then with a loud thud the spider beast drops to the ground. Consumed by flame it struggles to its feet, the back of its carapace slowly ripping open as it lets out an incredibly high pitched screech.

Raúl's vision blurs as the noise seems to crawl up into his brain, but holding the flamethrower trigger down is all the focus he needs to power on through. Potter grits his teeth as the noise and the smell of burnt bugs gets his adrenaline pumping [Potter tension up to Frosty, Advantage on Initiative]. However Chen and Jayesh scream in pain as the sound drills into their skulls and pass out. Janette screams in terror and begins to run back toward the tunnel.

[Rolls here, You guys are the first four, Civilians the next three]
 
I open fire on the spidercreature with a primal yell. If it seems dead I spray in the direction of the red beasts.
 
"Go back to hell where you belong!" I bellow as I burn the creature. "Here's some hellfire to make you feel at home! Yeehaw!"
 
Potter's rifle unloads into the creature, but the bullets simply ricochet off its dense exoskeleton. The back of its carapace then releases a spray of clear fluid into the air. Potter and Raúl, senses primed, roll out of the way. As the creature turns to face Potter, Raúl rushes forward and shoves the flame thrower into the beast's mouth. Multiple crystalline eyes lock with Raúl's for a moment before a stream of napalm erupts and bursts out the back of the monster's skull.

It's colossal frame collapses to the ground. They both do a quick check of their weapons, no significant drain.

Just then they see the red creatures return from the recesses with back up, before there were four. Now they each return with two more, for a total of twelve. They use their scythe like claws to climb down from the roof. Should be seconds before they're down on ground level.

As this happens Potter and Raúl hear Janette scream from the tunnel through which they entered.

[Raúl got a Critical and then Maximum Damage]
 
UW3gIVS.gif
I aim the flamethrower up at the incoming red bastards, pivoting to make a wide arc they can't evade. "Cover the way we came in, Potter! Don't spare the ammo!"
 
I turn towards Janette, take stock and open fire on any enemys. ‘Fire!!’ I say to the other civilians.
 
Chen and Jayesh struggle to their feet firing their pistols wildly and missing completely as Raúl's arc of flame passes over their head. The beasts carefully dodge the initial arc but Raúl turns toward a group of six as they converge on the ground. He focuses the arc on the front two, who explode from the heat, their flesh dousing the other four who burst into flame and collapse into melted sludge as they run toward him [Flame Thrower's blast damage did well]. The remaining six rush Jayesh and Chen who are closer to them than Raúl, they'll be on them in a second...

As Potter turns he sees Janette's head flung down the tunnel toward his feet and a much larger version of the red skinned enemies lands at the base of the ladder. It stands at least twelve foot tall with four scythed hands, screaming as it adopts a bipedal posture and rushes toward Potter. The marine lets rip, absolutely pelting it with bullets. Potter fires so fast that the gun overheats momentarily, but he replaces the offending part without a delay [Fumble that was recovered from well] and follows up with a stream of bullets to the face that halt the monster's advance momentarily [Crit]...

[Your turn to act]
 
I'll turn my flamethrower on the six coming for Jayesh and Chen unless they're in my arc of fire, in which case I'll hold off until they're either (1) out of my way or (2) dead or mangled by the sextet of creatures. If there's any way to avoid torching the civilians without endagering myself, I'll do it; but if not, so sorry, I'm not going down with them. :devil:

If/when those six are dead, unless there are more within range, I'll turn to torch the 12-footer.
 
I fire at the monster's legs trying to cripple it and backup to stay out of the range of its attack. I'll spray the other six coming after the civs after that if I'm successful.
 
Potter fires at the 12 foot monster before it regains its composure. Though this snaps it out of its stupor the precisely aimed stream of bullets severs one of its legs at the knee. It pirouettes briefly before crashing down and then slides along the ground stopping just short of Potter's boot. Potter presses his rifle to its skull and blows the contents of same all over the ground. [Stun and your high initiative from tension, combined with good shots]

Raúl, having learned a bit about how these red guys move fires between Jayesh and Chen in a concentrated burst, hitting two of enemy and once more taking the entire group of six as these central two explode [Additional hit of four enemies again!]

The power chamber fills with a slightly sweet smell as the bodies of the giant spider and horde of red beasts gently smoulder. The large red killer's corpse spasms next to Potter for a while before going inert.

"FUCK!...." Chen shouts "...that was something else"

Jayesh walks over to Potter noticing Janette's head nearby and simply sighs.
 
I walk up to Jayesh and punch him on the shoulder. 'Way to go solider!' I say. 'You still got some ammo in that thing?' I gesture to his gun.
 
I walk up to Jayesh and punch him on the shoulder. 'Way to go solider!' I say. 'You still got some ammo in that thing?' I gesture to his gun.
He smiles lightly.

"Thanks man, but you guys did the real work...I think I have a few rounds left" he says smiling as he replaces a few bullets with some from a small satchel strapped to his waist.

Potter notices three vials and a small data chip inside the satchel.
 
'What kind of mods did you make to that little baby,' I say. 'Can I take a look?'
 
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