[Date: September 14, 2020] [Time: 1030 GMT] [The crew has been quickly summoned and given briefings, in some cases cars were sent or helicopters if strictly necessary. They were gathered onto at a British naval port and boarded onto a submarine.] [They've been seeing on the news, if they watch the news, what they read in the briefing, with less detail and some wrong information.] [In addition to the standard complement of officers, there's several commandos standing around a woman in her early forties by all appearances. Her muscles look slightly atrophied and she's wearing light cotton clothing. Notably she's also wearing a choker made of an opaque forcefield....] [She also has two similar bands on her chest.] [Dame Eckerd is currently standing a small distance away from her, holding a few devices.] [The commandos all have prods, look pretty nasty.] [Start] * Ben is leaning against one wall. He's dressed in a grey suit and tie, as per usual. * Ben is not smoking, because one isn't allowed on a submarine. * Kurt looks positively frantic, as if he wasn't paying all that much attention during the briefing. He was too busy looking around the sub, almost as if he were afraid it would spring a leak. * Ben eyes Kurt warily. * Eckerd nods to an officer who starts watching the woman, she then walks over to Ben. "Could you come with me a moment." She indicates an open door. * Yvonne leaning against another wall, trying to look cool, but she winds up fixing her hair. She's wearing clothes in the same style she usually wears; not much else needs to be said. 'You sign the cheques,' Ben says and heads for that door. [Killswitch log starts here] * Kahlya leans against a wall too, possibly one opposite to Ben. She's got her usual long bundle leaning against the wall next to her and looks around casually. She gazes over the rest of the gathered group, then over at Eckerd and Ben curiously. * Preston comes out from another part of the sub. "Any questions while we move into position?" How long until we're there? * Miles is looking at the cool stuff in the sub. Cool stuff. *_* Anno... What're we doing here again? We're here to save people? (Don't let Miles touch anything!) * Yvonne giggles. "I think so!" * Kahlya keeps watching where Ben went and sets her chin into her fist, thoughtfully. "Say...what's so special about that guy over there? The one the boss called off?" He's old. * Preston nods and hands Miles a pad with a copy of the briefing. * PReston looks to Kahlya. "He'll be looking after Ms. Yates." He doesn't say her name in a matter to indicate any admiration. * Miles takes it and starts reading it slowly. 'Looking after', huh? He'll what? Hmmm...I don't remember being asked... * Kahlya smiles slightly and a bit ironically. "Though I suppose she wouldn't feel so threatened by little old me, huh?" Huh? We're threatening her? That's not good! Well, from what I was told, she's not exactly a 'friend' huh? Yeah, yeah. Whatever. She's just a tool. * Kahlya looks curiously at Preston with a steady gaze, lifting up her bundle over her shoulders. * Kurt keeps an eye on all the places this hellhole could spring leaks. * Yates smiles slightly next to the commandos. She says in a even but not cold tone. "Pleasure to meet you all as well." * Kahlya waves at Yates and grins. "Oh the pleasure's all mine! Not often I get to meet kinetics up close and personal! Although.." She puts her finger up to her lips and looks upward thoughtfully. "Not TOO close I hear?" * Miles blinks and smiles at Ms. Yates. "... Anno, so, when do we start?" * Ben returns from the next room. How long? * Yvonne moves over to Kahlya, and pokes her. "But I like pleasure too..." * Kahlya tilts her head at Kurt and smiles ruefully. "Impatient, Mister Petros?" * Through the intercom, a water-distorted 'voice' is heard. "Entry site has been scouted, no enemies in sight." * Kahlya gets poked and oofs, rubbing whatever she poked and pouting at Yvonne. "Heyyy..what was that for?" * Eckerd returns a bit before Ben. "That's our sign." What? * Yvonne pokes Kahlya again. "This?" Finally! 'Yvonne's probably trying to seduce you,' Ben absently says to Kahlya. 'Also, she's naturally exuberant.' He does not say this in a positive manner. * Kurt would pace back and forth, if there was room. * Miles jumps over to Kurt. "Water doesn't like you, does it?" "Any final questions?" No, no it doesn't. Nope. No questions. Hey! I am not... whatever that is. 'Happy,' Ben tells Yvonne. Oh. * "Awaiting command." * Preston over intercom. "We'll be guiding the crew down in a mini sub, keep an eye out down there." Yes, that. * Kahlya looks oddly at Ben and then grins fangedly at him. "Oh, I don't mind if she is. It's up to her if she wants to attract jailbait." She grins at Yvonne too. Wait, wait. You mean we've gotta get into something even SMALLER than this thing? [You're all lead to a minisub in the back. Seems one made for inserting marines or special ops types.] Yay! ...oh no. [Yates comes along, accompanied by the commandos until you get there. The officer who had also been watching her nods to Ben.] You have GOT to be kidding me. * Kahlya follows, looking around at all the interesting sights and sounds. Com'on Kurt! It'll be fun! * Ben smiles at Yates. 'Hi. Get out of line and I'll kill you.' If it'd help, close your eyes Mr. Petros, this won't last long. * Yates smiles back. "I assumed she'd send someone capable of the task." * Miles drags Kurt to the minisub. No way. It'll spring a leak and kill us all. And as I've already said, get out of range of Mr. Carmichael and you're dead Ms. Yates. You suuuuuure? * "Cut the inane blathering and get on the damn vehicle." * Yates smiles slightly. "We've known each other some time Dame Sarah, you can call me Emma." She then gets in. I could kill her, but I don't wanna. * Eckerd doesn't give her the satisfaction of a response. * Yvonne gets in! 'That's right. So be a good girl and stay alive. And if you've come up with any clever escape plans, just forget about them,' Ben adds. * Kahlya shrugs. "If it springs a leak, I'll just seal it. I mean, water's just liquid ice right?" * Kahlya goes in as well. You people are all insane. I think so... But wouldn't it be cool if it was cheese? * Miles pushes Kurt in. "Com'on, com'on. I don't want to bring a bear down to move you. They get upset after that." And you're not? GAH! Lemme OUT! * Commandos close the door on Kurt. SHIT! * Kurt pounds on the doors. [Minisub goes down to the Channel bottom, you can see Arktos on a projection screen inside. There is a pilot but he's not important.] * Yates blinks and looks slightly purturbed at Kurt. * Arktos appears to be nothing more than a piece of sculpture with a sword and a wetsuit. Did anyone see that movie about that submarine that sprung all these leaks and was stuck under water for like a week and almost everyone died? * Miles puts his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "It's okay. We'll be fine." ^_^ * Kurt 's eyes bug out. We're all gonna die. * Kurt curls up in a little ball. Alright, I'll make us a cavern. ::looks to Ben:: With your permission. 'Granted.' * Kahlya looks over at Yvonne and comments dryly. "Aren't we the cheery one?" She sighs and leans back for the trip, then looks at Kurt, arms folded behind her head. "Calm down, Mister Petros. This isn't a good way to start a mission." * Ben looks coldly down at Kurt. [Yates touches the floor and the sub, which is incontact with the channel bottom, lowers suddenly a several meters.] [It quickly recovers itself at the top, but leaves a rough ramp for Arktos to walk down. Already the water starts pouring out of the cavern.] YOu don't understand. It's out to get me. It hates me. Then why'd you sign up for a job in an underwater tunnel in the first place? * Arktos walks down the ramp, sword in hand and flaming in a physics-defying spectacle. * Yates looks at Kurt in genuine confusion. "You're bothered by things out to kill you? I think you've chosen the wrong line of work." It's not underwater. It's underground. Water doesn't come into it. Com'on Kurt! It'll be fun! ^_^ 'Kahlya, you haven't been with the SAB long, so I'll explain something to you.' [The cavern is drained of water and is completely sealed. The doors open in the back. 'The mission planning makes no sense.' * Yvonne chuckles. "I think it's fun." [Time: 1040] Whenever you're ready, I'll open the tunnel down. 'Do it.' Okay! * Yates steps out of the sub and creates a tunnel moving at a forty five degree angle down. "Where do you want it to come out?" * Kahlya shrugs at Ben. "Whatever. So long as it's accomplished in the end, right?" Wheee! My first mission. So you're... * Yvonne puts a hand around Miles' and Kahlya's shoulders. "Let's all do a good job, now!" 'Ben Carmichael. Pleased to meet you.' Ben sticks out a hand. She's Yvonne. And he's Ben! * Miles points at Yvonne and Ben. "And I'm Miles, but you already knew that." He smiles up at Yvonne, then vanishes and appears on the other side of Kurt. * Yvonne waves the hand on Miles' shoulder. "Hi!" * Arktos lifts off the 'ground', and keeps pace with the sub. * Kahlya looks over at Yvonne and smiles. "Well at least she's friendly enough." * Ben smiles slightly. 'Yvonne is very friendly.' * Yvonne grins. * Yates coughs. "Would you prefer if I choose the insertion point?" 'I'm not on point, so I'll let my fellow agents decide where they want to come in.' * Yvonne taps her chin with a finger. "Hmmmm...." (Yvonne is an expert on insertion points.) [Any you've got the map IC. So you can specify a grid position. Or just say some landmark.] I dunno, where's good? ^^; * Kahlya looks at the map she got curiously and hmms as she inspects it. "So what's in each train anyhow? Do we know?" 'And do we know what approach the EU tried?' Bad people and good people! * Preston over mini sub intercom. "The trains are double deckers. Most have vehicles and on the second floor either coaches or more vehicles. The anti- terrorism force came in via the tunnels all six. Some were blocked by ice walls." 'Preston, what was the nature of the mystical opposition they faced? It was, shock of shocks, a little vague in the briefing.' * Kahlya pokes the map. Most specifically in the center. "If we go in the service tunnels then we'd be in the best position to scout out both trains at once if need be. What do you think?" The survivors didn't directly encounter that group. * Arktos is suddenly floating next to Yates, statue-like. * Yvonne points to a random spot. "Oooh! There's a parking space!" What details we know were in the reports. * Yates glances over at Arktos. "Yes?" I am waiting for the peanut gallery to make up their minds. Then we are in a similar state. * Kahlya tsshes and looks up at Arktos irritatedly. "I don't see you contributing any ideas." Somehow, I think my tactical expertise is a bit outmoded. 'The service tunnel sounds good. How about here?' Ben points to a spot a bit above the cross passage tunnel (E-22). * Miles nods. "The middle is a good idea, I think." ^^ You mean "Go in there and burn everything with your lightsaber" doesn't work anymore? * Kahlya looks back at the spot and nods. "That sounds good. I'll see what I can hear from there." I think I have some tactics in my pocket. * Yates nods. "So, is it settled?" * Arktos doesn't seem to have a reaction of any variety. * Yvonne pulls out a Tic-tac container, orange flavor. "Here we are." [Oh, fun note. The tunnel that Yates has started gets dark fast. The cavern is lit by the mini-subs lights.] * Ben keeps his attention on Yates. * Kahlya looks around and wishes she had glow-in-the-dark eyes about now. But she keeps a steady eye on Yates as well. * Ben's gaze doesn't waver in the dimming light. 'They'll probably have guards all over the place out there. What's the team's combat capabilities?' * Yates looks over to Kahlya and smiles slightly. * Kahlya hmmms and puts her finger up to her cheek. "I think I can handle myself. Kurt might do okay too..." * Kahlya smiles back at Yates. Are we out of the water yet? * Kurt doesn't dare look around to see. You know the tunnel is underwater? * Ben's eyes narrow slightly and he darts a glance at Kahlya. The tunel is underground. Definitely underground. No it's not! SEventy five meters of solid rock, that's what they said. * Kahlya glances at Ben. "Yeah?" She smiles at him too. * Miles vanishes and stays close to Kurt's side. "It's undeground AND underwater. Isn't that cool?" ^^ Then how come we gotta worry about them flooding the tunnel? (Not quite seventy five, more like 45, if I said otherwise I was wrong.) * Kurt plugs his ears. * Ben looks longsuffering. * Yates sighs. "They're worried in case they've got someone with the ability to open up a channel. That's why I'm here. And I assure you sir, I am a great deal more powerful than whatever elemental antipathy you suffer from." [Time: 1045.] And she's on our side, so as long as you don't piss her off, you've got no reason to worry, Mister Petros. * Kahlya smiles at Kurt too. We're out of the water, then? 'And into the fire,' Ben assures him. * Kurt relaxes a little. Fire is good. People are like 80% water, you know. SHUT UP! * Miles makes a few flames dance around. "Fire, fire fire... Oh, not in the sub. Right." ^^; He puts the mout. * Kahlya eyes Miles a little and smiles. "I know you mean best, hun, but let's try and concentrate?" Yes. Concentrate. Concentrate on not being underwater, because we're not. Right...so...where you pointed, ummm, Ben was it? * Yates nods. "As I understood it, there was some urgency." We're going to kill some people. 'Yeah. Ben Carmichael.' You're MADE of water! We are in nigh-constant proximity to large quantities of water, in addition to being at a respectable depth underground, for the rest of this mission. Then let's get going, Mister Carmichael. This is a fact, you will accept it or you will probably die. 'Yvonne, how about instead of telling Kurt about water, you tell him about your sex life, okay?' * Miles speaks from wherever he is. "Can you feel the pressure?" NOT UNDERWATER. We are NOT underwater. I can't collapse the tunnel because it will kill innocent people. That's all. ALL. 'Oh for f***'s sake! Everyone stop telling the hydrophobe he's under water!' * Yates looks to Ben. "May I sit down? This is taking a while and I'm afraid my muscles aren't what they used to be." 'Yes. Sit.' Ok, fine. We're in between water. [Time: 1050. About 10 minutes] 'Yvonne? What did I tell you?' * Yates moves to sits while generating herself a small roughly hewned cube to sit on. To stop telling Kurt we're underwater, which we are. * Kahlya sighs, and looks over at Ben, then to Yvonne and smiles. "Hey, Yvonne? Why don't you talk to me instead? I'd like to get to know you before we go on this mission." But I didn't tell him that, even though we are. I told him we're between water, which is kinda true, which... Huh? Ok! * Yates looks at Kahlya with a hint of surprise. 'Just don't get too far from me,' Ben reminds Yates. 'Or it's your funeral. Literally.' * Kahlya smiles slightly at Ben as she makes a spot for her to sit down. * Ben smiles back at Kahlya in relief. * Kurt stops just short of deciding to kill Yvonne messily in such a way as to doom them all. (Kurt's a ninja. Can't he do it quietly and without fuss?) ( Yes, but that won't do for Yvonne. ) So, whatcha wanna know? I don't know...hmmm, how'd you come across SAB for starters..? * Arktos sheathes his sword and looks at Kurt. "Calm is the first gift a warrior must accept." 'So, Kurt,' Ben says to the bawling wreck of a man moaning in front of him. 'How're things?' Well, they asked me to join, so I did. Leeet's goooooo. Are we in yet? That's all? How'd you come across it? There must have been something you did to catch there attention.. * Miles appears. He's been playing with his tails the whole time. "Are we there yet?" * Kahlya waves her hand idly. So you've decided on the insertion point? (She points to E-22. Near the cross passage) Yes. Right there. Perfect. How soon can you have us there? * Yvonne points at her fangs. "Eff prbrly dese." * Yates closes her eyes. "The tunnel will go all the way once you're down near the entrance. To preserve stealth. If you like, I can give you a bit of a moving walkway on the way down." * Kahlya blinks, and then smiles, tilting her head to the side and watching Yvonne with the utmost interest, knuckles on her cheek. "Reaaally now...not everyone has those. So you're not human?" * Yvonne grins. "Sure I am! Maybe." * Yates waits on Kurt for any response. That's not necessary. we can walk. Or run. No she isn't! As long as we're out of the water, it doesn't matter. * Yates nods. "Then proceed down the tunnel. She gestures to the start that she's openned. "I'll open the other end in 30 seconds." Maybe? You're not sure? Let's MOVE, people. I could be but I don't wanna. * Kurt walks quite swiftly down the tunnel. This species debate will wait until another time. * Kahlya gets up. "Maybe we'll talk about it later. After the mission?" She dusts herself off. * Ben stays with Yates, as he is supposed to. * Yates looks to Ben. "We may wish to wait part of the way down the tunnel. To have a better feel for what's taking place." * Arktos follows Kurt. Umm.... Ok * Kahlya picks up her long bundle and sits on it in the air. She starts following through the air after the rest of them. [You go down quickly enough, and if memory serves, everyone is covered for darkvision, right?] ( Pretty much. ) [At the bottom the exit is closed, and will be for another ten seconds or so.] (Arktos sees without eyes, so.. up to you.] (What's the basis of his sight?) (If not, he has goggles.) (Magic.) (Right, use goggles.) * Kurt stretches a bit and then vanishes into the darkness. * Arktos slips on a pair of goggles and waits. * Yvonne folds her arms behind her back and walks off into the tunnel. [And the portal opens. You see a tunnel with two sets of tracks. No terrorists in immediate view.] * Kurt steps out into the service tunnel and heads for the cross passage, practically invisible the entire way. * Miles steps out as well, literally invisible. He sniffs the air... [Kurt notices a proximity mine in the cross tunnel. He's still out of it's range when he does so.] * Kurt whispers back to everybody else, "Prox mine, stay back while I take care of it." * Kurt literally disappears this time, and walks calmly forward to the mine. [Kurt gets to the cross tunnel, he can see down the tunnel to the two trains, still no terrorists in sight yet.] What's a prox mine? I have no idea. It's bad 'cuz it blows up when you get close to it in these games. Oh. Interesting. * Kahlya isn't invisible, unfortunately. But there. She stays back and frowns a little. She whispers. "That doesn't sound good. They did expect someone through here apparently then, but not enough to actually guard it..curious." Maybe they don't have that many guards. [Kurt fiddles with the mine, it turns itself off, but still seems to be in good order to be turned on again.] * Kurt sighs in relief as the mine clicks off and he pops back into visibility. Well, partial visibility, anyway, since he's damnably hard to see. Come ahead. * Kurt wipes the sweat from his forehead and wipes it on his shorts. * Arktos floats forward, sword drawn. * Miles teleports forward a few jumps until he's near Kurt. * Kurt continues forward through the darkness, keeping an eye and an ear out for terrorists. They haven't won yet! * Kahlya walks forward and looks around. "I can try to obscure everyone else if need be. They'd get suspicious perhaps but in the darkness it might help..." [Everyone gets to the cross tunnel, you make some noise, particularly Arktos, but nobody seems to react.] [And Kurt, which way you head specifically; you're in the cross tunnel now.] * Kurt heads in the 'A' direction. Should we split up? * Kurt frowns. * Kahlya whispers. "Not until we know the situation for sure." * Miles continues to advance behind Kurt. He still manages to make minimal noise due to his over-abuse of the teleportation attribute. * Yvonne tilts her head. "I thought it was terriorsts took over the tunnel and have hostages. Session Time: Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 2004 Well, what now? * Kahlya holds up her hand. "Do you hear that?" * Kurt stops dead in his tracks and just listens. * Miles stops moving. * Kahlya points over towards the A tunnel. * Arktos stops as well, looking over to the tunnel. * Kurt motions for absolute silence and then slowly advances towards the A train. * Kahlya frowns and grips her scythe, unravelling the cloth from it and pulling it out. * Yvonne looks up at the top of the car. [So you guys are actually get out in the tunnel now right?] ( Yessah. ) * Kurt keeps advancing slowly towards the train. [As Kurt steps into the tunnel, there's a beep and then the proximity mine on the inside of tunnel A, a bit to the left of the hallway, placed flat against the wall, goes off.] [Ranged defense roll everyone. This is area attack, so unless you're teleporting you're rolling to get in a lesser damage category.] [The explosives take out a chunk of the corner of the wall and take out the outer wall of the train in C 24 trashing a few of the vehicles on the inside.] * Kahlya winces and holds her shoulder with one hand, her scythe with the other. "I think they heard that..." Owie... * Miles frowns, as he's still unseen. "Are you okay?" No. * Yvonne rubs a bruise on her arm. Ungh. 'm fine. * Kahlya smiles at Miles. "I'll be fine." She flashes a cold gaze at the train as she regrips her scythe. "They won't be though." * Miles nods. "I'm right behind you guys..." * Arktos taps a dent on the side of his head and sighs. [Yvonne then Arktos. No signs of enemies yet] * Yvonne peeks out of the hallway and looks for an enemy. [Yvonne, Arktos, Kurt, Miles, Kahyla] (Enemies not yet included) [Yvonne can see one assumed terrorist who is prone against the roof of the train, he's been edging up out of the range of the blast radius and is now prepping to shoot.] [Still Yvonne] * Yvonne flies out of the tunnel (literally), skimming along the ground, incredibly fast. When she gets close to the car she jumps, attempting to reach the man. [Yvonne's skimming helps her get up, but considering how close the main is to the ceiling of the tunnel, she doesn't quite manage to get high enough because of her desire to not slam into said ceiling.] [Arktos] * Arktos likewise flies out of the tunnel, rocketing for the terrorist. [Arktos runs his sword midway between the ceiling and the roof of the train car. The person is now in two chunks. Presumably dead.] [Kurt] * Kurt jumps straight up and promptly disappears. [Miles] [Kahlya] * As Kahlya is doing whatever she's going to do, there's a sudden blue ray from the train at C-26 or so and suddenly the hallway is half blocked off by ice. All of you easily avoid it though. * Kahlya looks at that and frowns, rushing out of the hall. A black mist starts filtering in from nowhere and surrounding her body as she carries the scythe behind her, trying to hop onto the train, scythe at the ready. [Kahlya fails to get onboard.] [Right after Kahlya makes her jump there's a sudden movement on the roof as a crimson boulder apparently disconnects itself on top of Arktos and comes down at him swing. The thing is vaguely humanoid and takes up most of the tunnel, looks to be about 3 meters tall and made entirely of living crimson rock. Part of it's body sticks into the tunnel wall on your side so it has enough room to maneuver.] [Arktos peals out of the way of the stone giant in time but still catches a fist from the beast, a nasty hit, one that actually dents his armour from it's sheer weight and power. [Yvonne!] [The rockman is currently halfway into the floor, seems comfortable enough there.] * Yvonne darts for the rockman... and past him, looking for terrorists instead. [Yvonne doesn't find any yet.] [Arktos] [Kahlya while Arktos describes.] * Arktos leaps off the train, swinging the flaming blade as he falls. * Stone guy pulls back partially into the wall, and the sword cuts a gash into the floor of the cavern. [Kurt on deck] * Kahlya frowns at the top of the train at her missed jump and rushes alongside the train, hovering to the side of it. She's going towards where the ray shot out and there's a crackle as mist forms at the tip of her scythe which streams behind her. [Kurt, Miles on deck] * Kurt reaches down from the ceiling as a terrorist runs past, grabs him by the head, and twists viciously once, then once more, making sure the fucker's somewhere WELL beyond dead. [Either this terrorist is like that kid from the exorcist, or quite dead.] [For the record, he was packing an assault rifle.] [Meanwhile there's a sudden fireball within the train itself, about at the point of origin of the blue ray. Miles sees the man in question reel slightly at the unexpected hit.] [Pause]