Brotherhood of the Machine (IC Thread) [PG/14] {02}

[Ryudo Lee]

The tech looked over the 'scope and pointed to a small rubber covering. 
"Looks like it's got an access port on it." He said.
He flipped up the cover.  He smirked and produced a cable and connected the scope to his laptop.  After a few moments of furious typing, he had come up with an interface.
"Okay, we can record waveform directly to file." He said.  "Ready whenever you are."

Edit:
Original thread is here...
  -- llearch

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan hit 'Record' on the 'scope again, and they dumped Morgan's waveform into it.  Not long afterwards they had both traces up, a side-by-side comparison on the display.

"Well," the doberman said, "that looks like a match to me.  I'd say that pretty much confirms it - this tunnel is carrying the chip signal.  Where it comes from and where it goes, we don't know.  Morgan, you're outside... can you or someone else relay that info back to base camp, please?  Also check if there are any updates from the lab regarding the chip and its, uh... 'withdrawal symptoms' while you've got a link."

He paused and turned to face the others in the tunnel.  "Well, gentlemen, I guess we'd better find out what's down the tunnel.  We'll need to think of a strategy for those turrets, but please..." he said, looking at Jexx, "try not to damage the cabling."

[techmaster-glitch]

   "Huzzawhubawa?" Jexx said, getting up. "Well," He looked to Dorcan, "I've got pretty good aim, but misfires are impossible to not do. I doubt I'd actually damage anything important, though, cuz it usually takes a few hits to punch through anything. Anyways..."
   Jexx looked down the tunnel. He could just barely make out lumps in the ceiling and walls far down, which were the turrets. Jexx looked back to the group. "Those turret suckers pack a whallop and are tough, but are a little on the slow side. We have to be fast and deadly." Jexx held up both handcannons, powered them up with glowing red light and a high-pitched whine, and smiled. "Anyone in this hole good at run'n'gun besides me?"

[lucas marcone]

"Eraser was it? I don't know you, and I'm not totally sold on your story. But, considering the moment I'm inclined to belive you. One thing is damn sure though. Turn on us and I'll make sure you're chokeing on your own excrement before the day is done."

[Azlan]

Morgan pulled back from the edge, swung his weapon around and thanks to the comm signal, drew a target on this new intruder.  The fox talked in such a manner, based on voice tone and tension, that indicated that he spoke truthfully and with conviction, but cleverer spies have existed. 

He ignored the amateur remark from this mere sharpshooter and concentrated on sending a tight, secure beam transmission back to Exo and hopefully the rebellion leader, Morgan made a quick demand, You have 30 seconds to validate Ram's identity before I am forced to terminate his life functions.

He heard Dorcan's request and responded on the public channel, "I am too busy to comply, please carefully move to an opening and use your own transmitter."

[Rammenstein]

The fox chuckled at both the threat he recieved and Morgan's sudden action, which he was able to catch sight of. "Wow, so hostile. Believe me, if I was truely here to take you out you'd be dead already, given the fact that I was able to take an overlooking position undetected. Like I said, I am here to help. Now, if you would kindly stop aiming that at me and go back to covering the others, I, and probably those you should be looking out for, would much appreciate it."

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan was stumped for a polite reply.  Okay, I really meant "when the current situation is dealt with", but still... Get up on the roof?  While there's a potential hostile up there?

He glanced at Jexx and an evil grin crossed his face for a moment.  But the time for that was not yet.  Give them a chance to sort out the sniper first.

[Arcalane]

The warbot had, the entire time, been watching (or, well, listening) from the van, browsing a map of the city on the display. Those with a holographic HUD would see a small mugshot of the 'bot as it talked.

"One moment, accessing the ID network."

Exo paused as the system searched.

"Hold on... records accessed. Ram 'Eraser' Ei'Sona, Rebellion Sniper. Classification; Mercenary/Freelancer..." it cut the comm for a moment and muttered something "...records say you should be on assignment in the South. Has Jackson been meddling, or are you A.W.O.L again?"

[Rammenstein]

Ram winced slightly at the robot's question. He hadn't thought about that. then again, considering his unfortunate tendancy to go A.W.O.L. while on assignment, he really had only himself to blame. "Umm, yeah. Jakcson's gonna give me the chewing out of a lifetime when he hears about this. Well, the story is, I was supposed to be down South. But, I got a lead on...well, let's just say it turned out to be a dead end. I stopped in this quaint little town to plan my next move. I heard about the hospital, one thing led to another and here I am."

There was a moment of silence from Ram's end, before he spoke up again. "I...apologize for any confusion I caused. I didn't really introduce myself all to well..."

[lucas marcone]

"More like not at all." Josh said sarcasticly.

[Tapewolf]

"What's that?" said Dorcan, only able to hear part of the conversation, but deducing they had a confirmation of the newcomers ID from the change in attitude.
"Have you people got a line to Exo?  If so, can someone update him on the tunnel?  Otherwise I'll just send Jexx up there to do it."  And you know he's about as stealthy as a fire appliance, he added mentally.

[Azlan]

Morgan received the message from Exo over the comm.  He sent it to his CTC for analysis.  Morgan's CTC analyzed header information, sender's encryption key, digital signature and message payload.  Encryption keys and signatures matched, headers were normal and the payload was unmodified.  He carefully studied the message contents and found no hidden text.  Concealed meanings and coded communications seemed unlikely, as none of the "tells" seemed to have been given.

The information was legitimate, he immediately updated his IFF systems and validated Ram for the basic communication's network.  Morgan, however, reduced secure channel access to basic and removed him completely from the encrypted, private team chat and the secure command channel.

With a neutral expression, Morgan brought his AMR to rest as he flatly stated, "Standing down."

Morgan resumed his vigil on the approach to the shack.  When he heard Ram's apology he paused only briefly, "I too must apologize.  I evaluated you as a soldier and a professional, my actions would have been less pointed and harsh if I had known of your inexperience and your status as a novice.  I should not have expected proper protocol and communications.  I must also apologize to my team on my failure, as grim as it may seem, we should be cleaning up a body and not welcoming an unwelcome freelancer, if I had been on my game.  Having scaled, blatantly to the most prominent coverage location undetected by myself is a massive failure.  One I allowed a potential aggressor to gain an advantageous position over us and two I failed to select the best coverage location myself... I completely missed it, almost as if the position did not exist until a few moments ago."

Hearing Dorcan's request, Morgan sighed, "Information transmitted Dorcan."

 

[Tapewolf]

"Thanks," Dorcan replied.  "And now," he continued, mostly for the benefit of those in the tunnel with him, "if the present situation is dealt with, we'd better turn our attention back to the turrets.

"Jexx, I'm not quite sure I understood your suggestion, although it seemed to involve moving into the line of fire.  Would it not be a better idea to use some kind of high-accuracy, AP rounds to neutralise their sensors or control logic from afar?"

He considered, and the inspiration came to him in a flash.

"In fact, if we do something like that we'll want someone with more expertise in long-range weapons," he concluded.  "Mr. Eraser, wasn't it?  Would you mind coming down here?  I believe this may be your area of expertise."  And it will also give Morgan the time to cool off, he thought.

[Ryudo Lee]

The other soliders were mumbling amongst themselves, and then one approached Dorcan.
"How long should we wait for him?  I mean, even though our shots aren't that accurate, we could probably hit those turrets from a distance without them seeing us." One of the soldiers asked. "In fact, it looks like Jexx has the most powerful weapons of all of us."

[Tapewolf]

"True, but they may not be as accurate," Dorcan pointed out.  "Until we have some idea of what knocking out the cables is likely to do, I'd rather not risk it."

"Come in Eraser... Eraser, do you copy?" he said over the comms.

"Jexx," he added, "if Eraser is not forthcoming, what's the power source for your weapons?  I mean, if an assault on the turrets is going to drain you, we should hold you in reserve, since we may have to fight our way out."

[lucas marcone]

"If Eraser goes down would you like me to scale that building and take his position? I brought a plasma rifle along. I might not be as accurate, but it would still put less strain on Mor to keep the area covered." Josh didn't want to be pined in if things got out of hand, he was still a novice afterall.

[Tapewolf]

"You were happy enough before he arrived," Dorcan pointed out.  "Bringing him down here would just return you to the status quo.  Of course, if you really need him up there, I'm sure we can improvise."

[lucas marcone]

"What are you hinting at?" Josh sounded a might it worried.

[Tapewolf]

"Well truth be told," Dorcan said, sounding slightly perplexed, "I thought it would be a good idea to get him out of Morgan's hair until things are a bit less tense."

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx bubbled with childish pride inside when one of the soldiers commented that he seemed to have the most powerful weapons of their little group. Damn straight! He thought to himself, smiling a little. When Dorcan said that his handcannons might not be accurate, Jexx's constantly-changing mood dipped a little, and when Dorcan asked him what powers his handcannons, Jexx shifted uncomfortably. But before Jexx had a chance to answer, Dorcan briefly conversed with Josh, giving Jexx a little time to think.
   The Jexx finally spoke up. "My handcannons are accurate enough. Granted, my strategy is usually to simply bathe my targets, surrounding areas included, with burning plasma, but I can sharpshoot if I need to." Jexx's memory briefly flashed back to when he shot off an Enforcer's arms, just before he was brought to the Rebellion warehouse to join up. "And my handcannons won't drain me. Trust me on this one. I can shoot all night and shoot all day, it's no problem." I just hope he doesn't press the issue of actual power, Jexx added to himself as an afterthought. I really don't want to have to admit that I have no idea what powers these things.

[techmaster-glitch]

   "Yeah, I copy." Eraser said in responce to Dorcan. "I think I would be of better use to you up here where I can take full advantage of my...rather unique abilities." Eraser paused for a moment, then spoke up again; "And, uh, guy guarding the shed," Eraser said, refering to Josh, "There's a bee next to your leg. Just thought you should know."

[lucas marcone]

"Careful sniper guy," refering to eraser "Your bravado is showing."

[Tapewolf]

"Fine," said Dorcan, turning to Jexx and the Rebellion troops and quietly hoping that Morgan and Eraser wouldn't kill each other.
"Okay guys, see what you can do.  But remember, until we know what cutting the cable is likely to do, we do not damage it."

[Ryudo Lee]

The soldiers mumbled amongst themselves and after a few moments they came to a consensus: let Jexx go first.

[techmaster-glitch]

   "Alrighty," Jexx said as everyone else came to agreement with each other. Jexx going first is exactly what he wanted. "These turrents are placed a nice distance apart, 'bout ten feet. I can mow them down as I go." Jexx , looked behind him, his smile getting wider and wider at the prospect of freaking finally getting some action. "Try to keep up..." Jexx said.
   He turned back down to face the tunnel. The turrets in the distance whirred back and forth, still searching for the intruders. Jexx began focusing as much as he can, holding up his charged handcannons, and unknowingly tapping his metal foot at a rapid pace. He began muttering under his breath incessantly, and his foot tapped faster. If it could be seen through the glow of his handcannons, it might become apparent to everyone behind Jexx that his markings were also starting to glow...but Jexx didn't notice.
   His muttering got louder, the tapping got faster, until finally, WHOOM! He took of like a cannon almost literally, howling like a demon. He came up on the first turret almost instantly, which picked him up just as fast and turned to fire at him. But by the time it could take aim, it was already being pummeled by a barrage of red plasma balls.The turret smoked, sparked, and finally exploded under the assault. Jexx quickly stopped shooting and kept on running, not having lost any momentum at all. Jexx came up on the second turret, only ten feet away, almost a second later, and blasted this one the same way he did the first. The third one actually managed to pick him up soon enough to get off a few shots, but Jexx had moved a little to the side, and obliterated this one to. One of the bullets did graze his left side, crating a moderatly-sized gash, but he paid it absolutely no heed. Then, he came up on an intersection...

[Tapewolf]

The fool, thought Dorcan in a moment of despair.  Well, at least the rest of us will know if there's anything nasty because he'll run smack into it.

The tunnel seemed to be curving off and it looked like they were going to lose sight of Jexx any second. "Stop!" yelled the Doberman into the comms.  "You're going out of view.  Wait for us to catch up."

Before they did, he took a brief measurement from the junction box before replacing the cover, just to satisfy himself that the cables were intact.

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx had just gotten to the intersection when Dorcan's voice sounded in his ear. It barely registered as Jexx was barely even thinking, he didn't even immediately recognize it. But in the back of his mind, something told him to trust that voice; it was familiar. Jexx slowed down to a walk, and actually began processing what was said to him. At the same time, the markings on his body dimmed and died. He finally stopped entirely when he registered the meaning of what was said to him. He turned and looked back down the tunnel where he could just barely see the others. "Well, hurry up then, slowpoke!" Jexx said as if nothing had happened except (in his current mind) Jexx casually stolling along and blasting some turrets.
   He then felt a sharp pain in his left side. He looked down and saw the gash that one of the turret bullets made in him earlier. "Ah crap!" Jexx said as he clutched his side with his metal hands.

[Tapewolf]

"What happened to your mark-" Dorcan began but cut off as he saw the injury.
"You need help with that?" he asked quickly, glancing at the others.

I should have brought a first-aid kit myself, he added mentally.  I'll stand out without one...

[Ryudo Lee]

One of the soldiers produced a small first-aid kit.
"Here, let's get you patched up... maybe we should abort for now and go back to base and then come back later with a medic." He suggested.

[Tapewolf]

"You mean we didn't bring one?" said Dorcan, incredulously.  The only consolation he had was that Morgan hadn't spotted this either.

"No," he said, considering the situation.   "We're in a prime position and when the Brotherhood figure out what we're doing they'll close the tunnel quick as lightning.  We won't get a second shot at this.

"In any case, Jexx' injury doesn't look too severe, and my... augmentations should allow me to recover fairly rapidly from anything nonfatal.  For now, I think we can continue with what we have, but someone needs to radio base to request two medics ASAP.  And we should take things more carefully from now on," he added, looking at Jexx.