OTO's Last Stand

[maskormods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Jeopardy & two secret OTO bases
WHEN: November 12th
WHAT: It's time to take down the last of OTO
WARNINGS: Violence, spiders

Jeopardy does not seem that different than normal today- besides the sudden influx of imPorts heading to specific locations with determined looks and the small gatherings of natives curiously following along behind them to see just how the latest catastrophe will shake out. You’d think the OTO would be swarming the scene, with the ritual date at hand and all. But everything is more or less calm.

Too calm.



Thus it may actually come as something of a relief when the terrible peace is shattered. From off building roofs, the cathedral bell house, from under rocks and inside attics, from seemingly everywhere they come pouring out. Ranging in size from a house cat to a motorcycle, mechanical with six gleaming red electric eyes, the robotic spiders come. While not biologically correct- tarantulas can’t usually fly, for example, nor do they have laser guns on their backs- the OTO certainly seems to have gone with a theme for this attack. To appease a certain spinner goddess with their sacrifices of fresh imPort flesh, perhaps? Or a scientist has just spent far too long listening to the good news of the Spider Church? It’s hard to say. Whatever the cause, the robotic spiders are here in force, and they are after you.

They’re not afraid of causing collateral damage either. Those small groups of natives that had come to sight see? Yeah, you bet they’re regretting that choice (even as some continue to try to take selfies as robotic spiders turn on their flame throwers in the background). The natives in the city itself aren’t too excited at discovering their city has been secretly housing a robot army, either. As spiders try to make their way to the imPorts to disrupt the ritual, they are taking the most direct path, even if it means ripping through houses and cars with their powerful legs.

The ritual must take place, but these interlopers must be dealt with as well, before there’s no one left in Jeopardy to try to save.

[OOC – the spiders are a choose your own adventure. Feel free to give them as many or as few sci-fi/robot wars style weapons you can think of. We expect about 20-100 civilian casualties depending on level of imPort engagement, so feel free to include a few of those in your tags without mod approval!]


As the robots are fought to a stand-still, THE RITUAL FINALLY TAKES PLACE.

However, even as half the city is covered in a dust cloud and many imPorts leave the battle to face the final outcome of that ritual, the OTO refuses to simply wave the white flag. Any robots left will simply begin self-destructing, trying to take out as many imPorts and natives with it as possible. They need to be thrown into space, turned off, or otherwise taken care of before they take the city down in a blaze of spider glory.

Once the blowing up ends, imPorts have a choice. They can go join in the ritual aftermath or, through means mechanical or magical, trace the signals that were sent to the spider-bots to the last couple of OTO base strongholds. This will be the end of the OTO as we know it, take a moment to bask in the moment. Then head out to take them down.

The two last bases are located in rural areas of incorporated territory in Montana and Kentucky. To allow for player creativity, we will be giving a general outline rather than a strict description of these two bases, please feel free to play around with dramatic explosions, stand-offs, stealth craws through air vents/elevator shafts, and heroic slow-mo runs into danger.

The bases are primarily underground affairs, with only one or two stories on the surface serving mostly to gather solar/wind energy to power their experiments (just because you’re evil doesn’t mean you’re no eco-friendly). Each base is very much down to its most die-hard members, with only a couple dozen scientists and a handful of grunts left. The defenses are primarily composed of more robots and other forms of drones, armed to the metaphorical teeth and ready to try and defend their creators to the last.

Happy hunting, heroes.

OTO members will attempt suicide before being willing to be taken alive - however imPorts with healing or other means or stopping poison and/or explosions will be able to save a few if they chose to. If you chose to save a member, please comment on the OOC post. The individual will remain unconscious in a coma until a future (less plot heavy) time, but can be interacted with later!

Comments

Nathan Summers/Cable | OTA

[timetravelandguns]

Spiders

Cable is frankly just fed up with this nonsense. But even as the ritual starts and the OTO sends its goons in, he is laughing.

Spider robot monsters? really? He is laughing as he fires on them, using his weapons with destructive efficiency. He is a warrior, plucked from war to save his people in the past, and now he is on another world in the midst of another war. Nathan just shakes his head as he stalks onward.

By the time the monsters blow up and are defeated, his clothing is ripped, his hair is blowing everywhere, and he looks tired. But he is helping a young girl reunite with her parents, and that makes a part of him smile.

Hidden Lair of OTO-Death

This place is just plain crazy, he thinks, as he blows open a makeshift door in the side of the building the enemy is in. He's here to end this, and he has his guns reloaded, and is quite ready to end any enemy that comes in his path.

He glances at the person next to him. "Ready to go?"

He fires into the building, then starts in, spotting new robots heading their way.

(ooc: Catch him anywhere in the two battles, or in the aftermath of them.)

David Alleyne | OTA

[helpdesk_hero]

Doctor On The Scene

David hadn't meant to get tied up into all of this. At all. He'd known his friends would get involved. Had known his allies would be here. Had known he didn't belong here. And yet, a single word from the right person, and David had been here. Had come against all reason, a 'borrowed' medical kit over his shoulder. Sure, he arrived a little bit late for the initial conflict, but he'd not been able to stand by and not act with everything going on. So he moves through the groups of natives and imPorts, ready to offer what aid he could.

"Doctor here. Anyone need medical assistance?"


OTO - Kentucky

Fun. How had he gotten talked into this again? How in the world had he let himself get talked into joining a group making a run on one of these damn OTO bases? That being said, David's good at this, isn't he? Maybe not the steal infiltration, but definitely the working with a team to get to the core of things. Like right now, down a level into the building, he crouches by a door, fingers at the arm of his glasses, his eyes flashing quickly over displays on he can see. And trying to not flinch at the sound of gunfire.

"Dammit can somebody just shut them up so I can get this door open?"

On the other side, a control junction for one of the more dangerous forms of robots striking out against them. The ones with chain saw blades as hands. Definitely an important one to shut down. Laser fire on a cursory shot is something he can help patch up. Bullets can be removed. But the way a chainsaw mauls is definitely not something so easily returned from.

Kentucky

[hailgiovanni]

Archer kept his body behind at least half-cover at all times, though he was keeping his eyes out for his dogs - he had no way to heal them, after all, and if they were not careful he would have to attempt to train a local dog to pick up the slack, a completely unacceptable prospect.

"Focus on the gunners!" He shouted to the fire-breathing Houndoom and Houndour before looking back at David. "While I would certainly not suggest it, if you require earplugs I tend to have a pair on my person at all times." Public transport was a nightmare otherwise.

In the background there was a large clattering as the dogs melted a robot's legs beneath it.

Doctor

[iminthebook]

Harry was there, working, his hands glowing, and sweat standing out on his brow as he looked up. "Here! There's too many. I can't... I can't heal them all. Anything you can do to stabilize people, or help them, at least until they can be lifted out to help, would be good."

So many people had been injured, and a few were fading, and Harry was beginning to worry about this, a lot.

His current patient stirred, and he checked them again, then smiled and moved to the next.

Archer | Pokemon | OTA

[hailgiovanni]

Jeopardy

[ Archer does not usually offer his aid. He prefers to get by pretending to be mild-mannered, unsuited for the battles that this world puts before them all. Or, at least to be more suited to other things. This time was an exception.

He had intended to observe the situation from a cafe on the outskirts of the city - a plan he would regret not due to the sudden influx of spiders, but due to the fact that the food was terrible and they couldn't even get hot water right to allow him to use his own teabags. The spiders were however still concerning, and since he was faced with something in public it was best to put on a good show.

That was how 'Apollo Akagawa' got into the business of fighting mechanical spiders. Between his houndour and his houndoom he was melting the metal limbs of the ghastly things, the fire of both dogs being hot enough to damage living creatures made of steel back in their own world.

Occasionally a spider would get past the dogs, or come at him from an angle he didn't have protection from, and in those times he would swing his briefcase as though it were some weapon. For what it was worth, not only did it work in creating a distance, but he managed to look smashing while doing so. It probably helped that he always looked calm, composed, and in control no matter what was sent his way. That said, it was starting to look like he could use some help. ]


OTO - Kentucky

[ Were it not the fate of the multiverse, his own timeline included in that, then he would probably have left this all up to the few imPorts who weren't presumably within the dust cloud - assuming they weren't dead. With their numbers so small, and the people around him making it clear that every competent person was required, he found himself joining one of the missions.

It would look good on his public 'resume' at least.

While he was still personally coming to learn the specifics of this world's technology - oh how he loved the surveillance tools - and was thus unable to help much there, he was a second pair of eyes. Add to that the fact that his houndoom and houndour were fire types who could disable many weapons with their flames. He would be a decent team member to have. ]

jeopardy

[h2no]

[not like the briefcase can do much damage to the spiderbots, even if archer looked damn good fighting them off. style isn't quantifiable or weaponizable, alas. while his pokémon deal with one in front and archer deals with one behind, there's a sudden bright flash of light and a bubbling cry.

let it be known that releasing muk on top of things is a viable strategy. the gunk that composes the pokémon's body corrodes the metal the moment it touches it.

muk looks very pleased with himself.]

Anders | OTA

[rebelhealer]

Spiders
Anders has fought giant spiders before, but they weren't made out of metal back in Thedas.

A small swarm of spiders the size of dinner plates come at him, and he climbs on top of a car to get away from them. That does very little to stop them, because they start climbing up the tires and onto the car. He leaps off, drawing his staff from behind his back and using Cone of Cold, freezing most of them.

"You've messed with the wrong mage!"

OTO - Kentucky
Anders crouches behind a tree outside the base, wondering how he should proceed from here. He's thinking aloud to himself, or possibly that little voice in the back of his head.

"Maybe I can knock out a guard and steal his uniform, then sneak inside." He read about it in a book once, and it's worth trying.

"Or find a back door inside."

[mildmanneredwriter]

They've fought together before, briefly and discreetly—as far as could be managed under the the circumstance—but never with Clark going all out. Never in a situation so dire.

Never with Clark wearing a bright red and blue costume.

"Watch out!" Another group of bots is coming up behind Anders, but the warning is kind of unnecessary—Clark sweeps in, melting their legs (or whatever) with his heat vision. They kind of ooze/think to the ground.

Finn Onaru | OTA

[fireandhoney]

Spiders
Finn's not afraid of spiders. That doesn't mean he'll hesitate to fight back when these mechanical beasts go after him.

A large spider, similar in size to a frostbite spider, comes at Finn, and he Shouts at it, "Iiz slen nus!". The Shout freezes the spider, encasing it in ice. That won't hold it forever, so Finn dashes for it.

Only he's cut off by another spider. His hands crackle with electricity, prepared to fight.

OTO - Kentucky
It's easy enough for Finn to get inside. He's a Dark Brother, master of stealth, and he has magic to aid him in being sneaky. He waits, watching the guard shifts, crouching behind a large crate outside the facility. Once it's clear, he casts a Muffle spell on himself to silence his feet, because sneakers have a very misleading name.

Staying within the shadows, Finn hides behind a dumpster by the door, and waits. The door soon opens as an employee comes out for a smoke break, and Finn dashes within the facility, right as the spell wears off.

Now that he's inside, it's just a matter of picking a direction and going from there.

ota

[fauxmarth]

HAAAAAAA-!!

[metal legs go flying, sliced cleanly from their bases. Lucina cuts a pathway through the infestation of mechanical beasts, clad in gleaming plate, cape flowing -- a valiant streak of blue within the fray. Falchion gleams, catching light and carving through metal joints, Lucina's strength enough to keep it from hitching or losing momentum.

she's made a vow to protect the summoners, and she means to make good on it with all her strength! this is her part to do, and she'll see it done properly.

there is many an opportunity to join her; these things flank easily and she won't refuse aid! especially when she sees civilians in her pathway.

let's do a combat montage!!!]

[swordsense]

[Spiderbots. Spiderbots are the freaking worst. She-Ra bursts into the room from a side passage, drawn to the sounds of combat like a moth to a flame. Huge, strong, swinging her sword in wild chops like it was an axe...and indeed it is for the moment, shimmering into something different.]

I. [Chop] Hate. [Chop] Spider. [Chop] Bots. [Chop]

They're the worst!

[Heading to Lucina's side, axe gripped tightly, she looks down at her friend.]

You're not hurt, right?

[h2no]

[archie doesn't have the capability to take on the spiderbots himself; that's something his pokémon are dealing with. crobat, mightyena and muk are more than enough combined to completely wreck any that get too close-- archie himself is busy leading some civilians away from the danger zone. he has someone unconscious over his shoulder and two others following.

muk roars and fires off a violent sludge bomb at a spiderbot that was trying to get lucina from behind; the sludge sinks into it and corrodes the metal in seconds.]

Lu! [he calls out, looking back to make sure there's no others attempting to flank.] Give me a hand with this lot, will ya?

[sonofgold]

[Al has fashioned some crude armor to protect himself from the remains of several of the smaller spider bots, and he's double-wielding spears also crafted from the wreckage.]

Hup!

[And the closest one to Lucina gets finished off via a spear made from its own fellows puncturing its head.]

Anton Roudin | OTA - Spiders

[devilishly_handsome]

[One of the smaller flying spiders buzzes up to Anton, firing a little jolt of electricity at him. The spark might have hurt more if he was human, but his fiendish resistance gives him what he needs to ignore the attack and swing his glaive, smashing it into the spider. It goes down, twitching and jerking.]

That really wasn't the best attack to use against me.

[Of course, what he doesn't realize is that the tiny machine has activate it's self destruct. At least, he doesn't realize that until the thing starts sparking, and he scrambles back just in time to avoid the shrapnel. He feels some of the heat off of the machine, but it's not enough to damage his tough tiefling hide.]

Well, that was easy enough.

[Then he sees two more spiders approaching, and these ones are much bigger, closer to the size of a motorcycle.]

But those might not be.

[He readies himself to attack.]

[sonofgold]

[Al sees the small explosion and runs to check it out.]

Are you hurt, or are those two nasties the more immediate concern?

magnus burnsides | ota

[burlyboy]

robot spiders

[ This is where Magnus will truly shine. He's equipped with plenty of weaponry, in full medieval armour (or at least some greaves and chestplate he got from home), cheerfully plowing his way through the spiderbots and ignoring what wounds he may accrue on the way.

At a certain point, you may see him standing atop a bot, robot limbs held aloft, one in each hand. ]

Holy shit, I'm gonna get so many robot arms!

[ Everything else about this sucks. The whole robot arm deal? Incredible. ]

the base

[ Meanwhile, Magnus can be found in the base, a decidedly more sombre look on his face as he works his way through it. He can be found in any manner of situations - a fight's a fight, after all - but perhaps the most notable is when he's pinned an OTO member against the wall before they could swallow their pill, hand wrapped firmly around his neck.

He looks behind him. ]

Do we need these guys for information? Or... you know. Ckkkkt. [ That is, of course, the onomatopoeia for neck snapping. He may consider himself a good man, but not one particularly inclined to hold back on lethal force if it seems deserved. ]

Re: magnus burnsides | ota

[monster_san]

[A look of horror crosses Fuu's face. She's glad for Magnus' quick action; that OTO man had dove into his pocket like lightning for the pill, and Fuu hadn't been quick enough on the uptake to prevent it.

So the direct action is a good thing.

And she knows that Magnus has experienced warfare and lethal combat in his past. But to stand near him as he casually suggests a neck snap--that's rather a shock to someone like her]

Yes, we need them. [...] We have to know what's more important to them than their own lives.

robot spides

[h2no]

Give me a hand, motherfucker!

[these spiders aren't too hard for his team to cut through, but archie? archie is still just a regular lame human. he's nowhere near as strong as magnus-- his speciality has always been stamina more than anything else. which... you know, he was using to run his ass away from spiders that were trying to rip his face off.

riiight up until he tripped, like some kind of idiot. tripped over a broken spiderbot and landed flat on his face. it's a good thing magnus shouted, or archie might not have even realised he was nearby! that spiderbot sure is approaching him with murder in its dead little robot eyes.]

Darin Altway | OTA

[forgeabettertomorrow]

PRE-MISSION BRIEFING

[This was it. Today was the day. Everyone knew their roles and everyone knew the plans, but he wouldn't be Co-Commander of Aegis Force if he didn't offer one last speech. Helix is open to everyone today, and Darin might be turning a few heads when he makes his entrance. In stark contrast to his almost aloof appearance, Darin strides in donned in full armor of Altean design, crafted special for him by Allura, who has given him the title of her Champion. He wears it well, and with visible pride. But he's all business right now.]

Alright everyone. It's time we go over the plan one last time. If anyone has any questions, comments, concerns, or has suddenly gotten cold feet, now's the time to speak up. No one will judge you.

Assault

[As opposed to staying in one massive force, the combined imPort forces have broken off into small, much more mobile teams. Darin has taken point for those that have decided to stay with him, calling out targets and keeping a solid perimeter. But if you think all he's doing is spotting and calling out orders, you'd be surprised to see that he's an absolute monster on the battlefield. He's been honing his transmutation magic for months and as he darts around, he's taking down mechanical spiders without even touching them. A magically charged stomp sends the ground erupting into massive spikes, spearing and splitting spiders as they scuttle and scurry about. Freely transforming his dao to fit whatever the situation calls for, he'll change it from dao, to shield, to spear, to razor whip in flashes and flourishes. Giving him a wide berth is a good idea, but he even keeps his attention on his friends and teammates. If a spider approaches your blind spot, you might suddenly find a rock wall behind you temporarily; blocking a laser strike or a razor edged appendage or pedipalp.]

Don't worry! I've got your back! Keep moving! Don't let them swarm!

Self-destructive Tendencies

[The battle has been going on for hours, but at last, it appears things are on the wane. That is, until, the spiders decide to start their deadly suicide attacks. As soon as they start exploding, Darin immediately realizes what's happening. And as he does, a small swarm rushes down the street towards a mall being used as a sanctuary and bunker for civilians.]

NO!!!

[Darin, already tired, rushes the swarm and throws himself in their path. Several immediately leap and clamp down on him with their legs, effectively binding him. He's brought to his knees and he sends a magical pulse into the ground. The earth and concrete surrounding him and the swarm heaves and rises, enclosing Darin and the swarm in a massive dome of steel and concrete.]

[And no sooner does the dome close up do the explosions start, rocking the street.]

ASSault

[golisolation]

[As Darin shows off (because that's exactly what that is, Guzma will accept nothing else) by blocking a laser strike with that wall of rock, he shoots him an unamused stare. Honestly, he's a little grateful, if only because he's not sure if his carapace can stand up to lasers, and he really didn't want to find out the hard way.]

Ain't needin' your help.

[As Guzma retorts, Golisopod likewise pummels an oncoming enemy that had its sights on Darin. That signature blade of water of Golisopod's, formerly known as Razor Shell, looks far more powerful than it previously had. The form far more solid looking, and how easily it rips through that mechanized spider does well to display Golisopod's newly acquired power.]

Tch, maybe ya oughta look out for your own back, huh!

assault

[slapfight]

[It's hilarious that his weapons are all the weapons of the other Crystal Gems. Peridot isn't running alongside him on the battlefield- she's using a trash can lid to maneuver, hopping off on occasion so she can switch up her metal powers to hurl spiders either into Darin's spikes or into walls where they smash into pieces.

After one such display of her power, she jumps back up on her trash can lid and zips alongside Darin so she can speak to him.]

Can you do gauntlets next?

Self destructive

[spaceforged]

[Everything happens so fast all Shiro can do is react. He sends Black ahead of Darin’s enclosed dome that he absolutely won’t think of as a tomb. The Lion’s roar rolls through the air like thunder as it blasts past them.

He closes the distance between Darin and the rest of the Spiders. Shiro spins to face them, calling his Bayard to his hand as it reshapes into a blades weapon that feels heavy in his hand.]

Darin! Let me know if you’re alive! [He balances the weapon in his hand and hurls it at them, activating his right arm as the Bayard weapon spins through the air. The weapon is a vicious thing, carving through metal as if it were paper.] Darin!

Knock Out | OTA

[redcosmedic]

Spiderbots - Jeopardy

Knock Out has lived in Jeopardy for almost a year now, since his arrival as an imPort to this world. He's spent countless hours scanning and re-scanning in hopes of deciphering the strange figment ghosts. A side effect of these pervasive scans means that he has a unique topographic image of the city, and he uses that to his advantage now, alternately engaging the spiderbots and shooing terrified citizens to safer structures. He has both buzzsaws out, slicing through them with alacrity, but there always seem to be more coming.

There are scorches on his paint and streaks of flat grey where the spiderbots' attacks have landed lucky shots; he hadn't expected them to fly. A few of the deeper gashes show glimmers of blue energon puckering at their edges, but he doesn't seem to be seriously injured. His fighting style is surprisingly quick for someone as large as he is, all refined movements and precision strikes, as if this were just as much surgery as in any medbay.

"They swarm like scraplets," he complains crabbily, knocking another one out of the air and then smashing it to bits beneath his pede. His saws whine and slice the air to cut a second winged one in twain, and the sparking halves go bouncing across the pavement.

OTO Bases

With the spiderbots examined and their telemetry analyzed -- so primitive, he felt positively regressed having connected into their data cores -- two additional locations had been ascertained. They're different than the OTO base raided back in August, far less staffed, but no less well defended for it. Knock Out sweeps two drones away with the blunt end of his energon prod, spins the weapon around and jabs the lightning-tipped end deep into its frame until it overloads and explodes.

Those aren't the only explosions to be had, as the OTO staff detonate equipment and vehicles in an attempt to slow the imPorts down. His sensors ping one such ignition just before it goes off and Knock Out snatches up the nearest imPort from the ground, jamming them against his chassis and whirling to let his thicker rearward armor plating absorb the concussive blast with a grimace.

"Ow. That was a close one."

OTO Captured

A shock from Knock Out's energon prod renders the would-be self destructing scientist unconscious, and the explosive device is swatted away so that it explodes against the far wall, concaving the concrete around it and making support beams groan. He pays it little attention; the end goal here will be to utterly destroy the base anyway.

Unfortunately, being electrocuted also means the human is unable to answer the mech's demanding questions, and Knock Out's quite irate about that. Clawed hand wrapped around their middle, he's giving the poor scientist's insensate form a few perhaps too vigorous shakes as if he can shake consciousness back into them. Someone might want to stop him from accidentally-on-purpose snapping his new prisoner in half.

[mildmanneredwriter]

Another group of bots gathers up behind Knock Out, maybe not enough to hurt him but enough to continue to be annoying—until a streak of red and blue streaks through the air and then through them, leaving them a mangled pile.

"No kidding." Clark brushes remaining bits of scrap out of his hair. "Be nice if we could take them all out, but if there's a central command, I can't detect it yet."

Jonathan Walsh | OTA

[drivesadesk]

Spiders

Now this was easy enough for Jonathan. He'd shown up in a brand new outfit made of far thicker, sturdier materials than his usual fare, though he'd still gone for something black, sleek, and mostly fitted. It makes it a bit less uncomfortable when he doesn't manage to avoid enemy blows. He came armed with a crow bar, which he's using to smash the robotic spiders to bits with the help of his enhanced strength.

Of course, this is when a larger spider approaches him, tossing a blast of electricity his way. Jonathan manages to dodge mostly out of the way, but a small jolt still manages to hit him. He yelps, but he's able to maintain his composure as he turns, charging toward the robot, swinging. His crow bar makes contact and a chunk of the spider robot goes flying, but it's still standing.

OTO - Kentucky

Of course, something like this was going to take a bit more finesse. Planning, stealth and all that. Which Jonathan was good at, but he's beginning to think he should have brought his skin suit to blend in better. Well, he'll have to make do with what they've got.

"So," he says, turning to the most apparently competent person he can spot, "What's the plan?"

Alphonse Elric | OTA

[sonofgold]

Al was regretting not taking the spider cult seriously right about now. Of course, who could have predicted they were anything more than a bunch of silly people worshipping a strange god they'd made up?

When the robotic spiders come calling, Al knows what his job is- and that's keeping them the hell away from the summoners by any means possible. Some of them end up as piles of junk, blown apart by alchemy; Al has long since fashioned himself a crude chest plate and helmet from the wreckage, along with spears.

His alchemic skill is on full display, crafting weapons, throwing projectiles into the creatures' mechanical brains in an attempt to short them out, stopping them by any means necessary.

He is also available to heal if need be, but if it's anything worse than a broken bone, all he can do is help stop bleeding until more skilled help comes along.

[topmeup]

Stopping the spiders from getting to the people doing the summoning is definitely one of the more important jobs. Max can't do much about summoning all-powerful god-like beings, but he can at least protect those that do. So he's been using energy barriers, tall and wide to block certain areas the spiders are coming at them from, making it easier to funnel them into areas where they can be rip apart.

When he starts to run out of energy, he'll stop for a minute, take a breath. There's so damn many of them...

"Hey, Al," Max calls out. "I need a bit of a charge. You think you could help me take that one's legs out? Core intact."