1. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    2063: Icarus

    Discussion in 'Role Play' started by halisme, Nov 9, 2016.

    “To stop global warming, we went green. When that didn’t work, we built the spires. Of course, the nukes probably had something to do with it, but that’s not good for marketing.”

    The year is 2063. Ecological, biological, and nuclear disasters have damaged significant portions of the earth, limiting access to resources and causing most world governments to dissolve in the progress. Corporations and conglomerates moved in to take their place, being one of the few groups with enough organisation and resources to maintain order.

    That did not mean they wanted to work together. The lack of resources meant competition between corporations to ensure their own survival. Life was now dictated by efficiency, and for that purpose, The Spires were built. A city contained in a single skyscraper, each obelisk and its surrounding lands provide exactly everything its residents need. Exactly the right amount of food, water and entertainment to keep the people healthy and complacent. Those that work anyway.

    The lack of resources also altered the way the companies fought. War was no longer dictated by who had the most resources, but by who used them the most efficiently. Information and small squads of specialised operatives became the preferred tools of conflict. Not to mention the radioactive wastelands make moving large amounts of troops near impossible.

    You are one of these operatives, working for Icarus, a corporation who owns three Spires clustered around the Mediterranean, specifically Gibraltar, New Athens and Tunis, and you will be based in the first. Your job is to do what the corporation asks, when it asks. To ensure your success, they have provided you with a range of technology that will serve you well.
    Over fifty years ago, many predicted that great leaps would happen in the field of artificial intelligence, and they did. However, upon reaching the point of being able to improve itself, they no longer saw humans as useful. Fortunately, these all happened in controlled laboratory situations, preventing them from doing any harm.

    Yet there was still a demand for more intelligent machines, as such Paired AI was developed. Instead of using one advanced AI, two simpler AIs are attached to one another. The majority of the time, their duties are shared between them, however, when needed, they can collaborate on a single task. This keeps them incapable of self-upgrade, but, by adding enough AIs, any task is considered possible.

    These AIs are used for a range of purposes, be it controlling maintenance robots, atmospheric control, or even combat. In the latter case, they can serve as pilots, targeting systems, or even operatives if provided with the proper body.
    Originally used as prosthetics for those either born with disabilities or wounded, military grade cybernetics were quickly developed to take advantage of the new technology. While the first thought of many was simply that they could produce limbs that were stronger and more resilient than flesh, other ideas quickly became apparent.

    These concealed weapons and other tools, sensory enhancements as well as mobile neural interfaces which allow simple commands to be given to machines with a mere thought so long as they are on the same network.
    The majority of tools an operative might use are subtle. A false limb can be hidden under clothing, an AI might reside in a drone to scout an area, and G-Mods are undetectable unless proper testing is done. Exoskeletons are none of these things.

    While a limb might be able to increase a humans strength to one and a half times the original, an exoskeleton can double, or even triple it. This enables the wearer to carry heavy weapons that would normally be attached to vehicles, punch through concrete, and attach other types of technology that require more energy to power, or strength to wield.

    Due to their modular design, each skeleton’s loadout can be tailored to the specific mission, making them one of the most flexible, however, some more specialised variants are fixed. An example of this is the Vespid Mk1, which replaces all weaponry for a mobile neural interface, a mobile network, and a dozen AI piloted drones with the wearer serving as the commander.
    The Experimental tech area is much harder to define than the others. This is due to the fact it is used to define anything that is not placed within the other areas. This includes Arc Weaponry, which fires an electric current, instead of the standard solid round. Stealth suits, which, while not providing complete invisibility, serves to obscure the wearer from all but the most dedicated watch. Top of the line hacking tools, such as gloves that let the operative access any machine they touch. While this list is not extensive, to cover the wide range available would take longer than most would care to read.
    G-Mods, or Genetic Modifications, are now standard for any all operatives. While stories of the past promised the ability to regrow limbs and make humans smarter, the truth is much tamer. The vast majority of developed mods are focused on maintaining the vital systems of the body, such as making blood clot faster, enabling toxins to break down faster. While more radical mods do exist, such as increased strength, agility, and reflexes, they have all proven inferior to cybernetics. However, some have called them more reliable, as they are not vulnerable to EMPs, or being hacked.
    Sometimes, the flashy equipment isn't to your taste. A single shot has often changed history, and likely will do again. For this reason, Icarus keeps a wide range of standard guns, ballistic vests as well as combat and recon drones.
    A new squad is forming, have you been selected?
    Character sheet
    Name:
    (Rough) Age:
    Skills:
    Equipment/G-Mods:
    Background:

    Everyone gets a wrist mounted computer, pistol, and ballistic vest as standard.
    Send your character sheet to me for approval. When it is it can be posted in the discussion thread.

    Episode 1: Gibraltar - Training

    Episode 2: Rio - Corpse Collection

    Episode 3: Anchorage - Geppetto

    Episode 4: Alexandria - Tower of Babylon

    Episode 5: Rome - Et Tu, Brute?
     
  2. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    Episode 1: Gibraltar - Training

    The area outside the training room was large. A great room with enough space to sit thirty people in the long metal benches that ran almost wall to wall. Other areas of the spire were much more decorated, faux brick and wood for the truly rich, paint for everyone else. These were dull steel plates, rivets and welding clear for all to see. The floor was the same, not an inch dusty or dirty as a small silver disc roughly an inch high ran across the floor, removing any dirt in a futile attempt to keep the environment sterile enough for the occupants to not fall ill, but too much so as to weaken the immune system.

    This was but one delicate balance maintained within the tower. If one was to remove one of the steel coverings, they would see the plastic covered wires and pipes that formed the veins of its place. The metaphor of the body would seem apt, if not for the fact that the hive of AI's that maintained the balance, lay within the building's heart.

    At the front of the room was a great screen, a series of thirty orbs arranged into rows of ten, with a single orb beneath them. A thin line appeared from the lowest orb, as Daedalus, the AI that served as the user interface paired itself with AI that maintained and designed new training scenarios. After a brief moment, the speakers blared to life. "Welcome Operatives, both old and new." Came a synthesised voice. "Due to either new recruits, other operatives taking hiatuses, death, or interpersonal conflict, you have been assigned to a new squad, designated Gamma. In an attempt to allow you to learn more of your comrades, you have been assigned three exercises. These will be explained when you enter the simulation.

    Please note that death will not cause ejection from the simulation, instead, you will be restored at the beginning of the next task. By company contract, you must be informed that side effects of the simulation include: homicidal urges, existential crises, and nausea. Any attempt to hack the simulation will be treated as an attempt to breach the company's intellectual property, and will result in termination of your contract and yourself, however, the simulation will accommodate for said talent via other means.

    Please, proceed to the next room."

    There was a screech as steel dragged against steel, and a set of double doors beneath the screen unlocked, allowing the group through.
     
  3. obi-sem kenobi

    obi-sem kenobi Senior Member

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    “MAIA?”
    “Yes Master?”
    “Play music. Beethoven’s Piano Sonata number fourteen, Moonlight. Then pull up Shakespeare’s Henry V and read it out loud. Skip the Dramatis Personae.”
    “Yes Master. O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention!

    Alexander White looked out of the window of his apartment. He had over a dozen ideas for new projects to start on, but for now he needed to purge them out of his mind. Keep his head clear. There was really only one task that could keep him busy enough for such a diversion. As the A.I. flowed through the words of the Bard, it’s voice seemed to change ever so slightly after every few words.

    He had taken the original samples from one of the other researchers on the conscious A.I. project that he had a crush on at the time. She was rather experienced in the art of small talk, so he had no lack of material to work with. However, as he grew older he started getting annoyed that the interface to all of his creations spoke like a girl barely out of her teens, so he started making small modifications over the years, causing the voice of his A.I. to age along with him. The process was… soothing.

    About halfway through the Third Act he was satisfied with his work and went to bed. A Muse of fire indeed.

    The next morning he awoke early, making sure everything was ready. He checked all of his equipment, cleaned all of his ports and made some minor improvements to his own personal firewalls, then he got into the elevator to get to the meeting.

    The door slid open and he stepped into the steel contraption that was supposed to be a meeting room. “Could use a bit of colour.” He murmured under his breath. Still, the simplicity of the raw construction materials had its own charm. Pure efficiency, no dead weight. He liked that. He just hoped the room was an accurate reflection of the team, or this could be a very dreary assignment.

    “MAIA?”
    “Yes Master?”
    “How are the firewalls of this room holding up?”
    “They are about as good as you can get from a pre-made, Master. Enough to keep out 95.7% of all known hackers and an estimated 65% of the anonymous.”
    “Very well, start analysing the weaknesses and create ICE-breaker programs that’ll be able to pass through undetected, then reinforce the firewall with ICE of our own. Make sure to add a few attack-barriers that plant tracers on the intruders.”
    “Yes Master.”

    He was the first to arrive, so he took a seat within good view of the screen, but in a darker corner of the room so he could still keep his activities hidden if he ever felt the need. When the other members of the team started pouring in, Alexander made a mental and a digital note of their appearances and behaviours so he could hack into their files later. It’s always good to know what breed of people you’ll be working with. So far it looked like a mixed bag.

    “Any attempt to hack the simulation will be treated as an attempt to breach the company's intellectual property, and will result in termination of your contract and yourself.”

    “MAIA, leave the ICE-breakers for now and just focus on reinforcing the firewalls. We don’t want to overstay our welcome just yet.”
    “Understood Master.”

    He’d tried a few runs on the Icarus mainframe in the past, but because secrecy had always been more important than success, and he’d designed some of the ICE they used personally, he hadn’t been able to puncture through the important parts yet. The juicy data. But Alexander was a patient man, no need to rush into things and get caught over nothing.

    When the doors slid open he quietly got up and followed the rest of the group. It had been a while since he’d last seen some actual combat and he rather missed the thrill. Let’s hope they make it interesting.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2016
  4. gibble410

    gibble410 Contributor Contributor

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    "That's right bitch! You better BACK. IT. UP!" The loud voice of Cortana screeched through Emma's ear as she fired another bullet into the armoured training dummy.
    "What's that? You want me to call you the Insufferable-Know-It-All? OK!" Siri responded in turn.

    "I said nothing of the sort, Siri the dreary!" Cortana shot back. Emma heard enough, all these to did was bicker. "Deactivate." She whispered before flipping into the air to dodge the dummy.

    She was in a steel training room, with a training dummy, dressed in armour from one of the spires she didn't recognize. She was having an easy time dodging and all, but the constant voices of Siri and Cortana had put her a little off.

    Sending a spray of bullets at the green dressed dummy, she unclipped two of her knives, and while sliding on the polished lfloor went beneath the dummy, and upon going behind it, threw herself to her feet and sank the knives in.

    There was only a small whir as the green clad robot slid to the ground, and then the simulated room faded around her. She was back in her room, standing on the circular treadmill she used for everyday purposes. Yawning, she said "Cortana, time."

    "Its 1:13 Emma. And notice how she asked ME, Siri?"
    "Deactivate." She whispered as she sat on her bed to prepare to sleep. She had a big day ahead. She looked around her simple room, all she had was a dresser, closet, treadmill, bed and a door. Nothing much. After quickly combing her hair, a small needle fell into her lap.

    Upon injecting the chlorophyll, everything went black. Well until Siri woke her up to Rocky's theme song. Waves of black and orange rolled across her cape, meaning she was annoyed.

    After forcing it to a calm blue, she headed to the training room just in time to see the doors open. Quickly hurrying, she was the first one across the threshold into the next room
     
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  5. I.A. By the Barn

    I.A. By the Barn A very lost time traveller Contributor

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    Poking the drooping plant, Silas sighed. Hopefully the rest of his research group will be able to sort this but chances were that it would whither and die as they go back to the 'highly accurate' simulations. Silas jolted, he'd got to be in one himself in, in... he leant back to look his computer, in ten minutes it looked like.
    "I'll see you when I see you, Iro," he mouthed to a girl with headphones in, taking grafts from an apple tree. She smiled slightly and nodded. That was goodbye then.

    Silas decided these benches were obviously made for people with no feeling in their arse or robots. He tilted his head to listen to the bodiless voice and his eyes drifted, looking at each person one by one, a few looked like they had done this before, but others looked his age, a welcoming sight.
    The voice stopped and there was now a gap that they ‘Gamma’ were meant to pass through. Silas rose from the bench and stepped towards the opening when a woman ran into the unknown with her cape flapping behind her. He walked in.
     
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  6. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    “Does it always take this long?” Kami said, impatiently tapping her foot while a young man in a white lab coat clacked away at a computer keyboard.

    They were in a tiny cubicle, somewhere deep in an unused office of Icarus’s graphics design department. Rows of servers and graphics processors lined the walls. Whirring electric fans kept them cool, but the room was still obnoxiously hot.

    As if the space wasn’t cramped enough, Kami’s enormous rifle was strapped to a sturdy steel workbench between them, like a literal elephant in the room. Laser beams scanned its image and uploaded it into the graphics processors, along with data from the gun’s onboard computer.

    “There’s gotta be some way to speed this up,” Kami said, idly spinning in her swivel chair and nearly knocking over a computer monitor. “There’s always a way to speed things up.”

    “No, there isn’t. This is the best these old graphics cards can do, unless you want to burn the building down,” the young man said with annoyance.

    She stopped spinning and turned to him with a mischievous smile. “That could be fun.”

    “You should’ve brought this to me days ago, not hours before your VR session. I specifically told you that if there was anything you wanted to take into the simulation, you have to bring it to me in advance, so I can encode it.”

    Kami opened her mouth to speak, but he immediately cut her off.

    “Knocking on my door at 2AM with a six pack of energy drinks is not ‘in advance,’” he snapped. “We could’ve set an appointment and reserved time in the graphics lab. Those computers could render all this data in… oh, two hours or so. Instead, we’re in the damn basement, trying to do this on ten-year old hardware.”

    “And you’re doing a great job, Walter,” she said and gave him an encouraging pat on the back. “Keep up the good work, buddy.”

    “It’s Wesley. My name is Wesley! You can’t even remember that?” He threw up his hands in frustration. “You’re unbelievable. You’ve been nothing but trouble ever since the day I found you passed out on my doorstep.”

    “Hey, don’t go there. You know I have a complex relationship with tequila,” Kami said.

    “You vomited on my couch!”

    “I brought you a new one.”

    “You found that one in a dumpster!”

    “’New’ is a relative term.”

    “Trouble,” Wesley said with finality. “Nothing but trouble.”

    “You gotta get out more. I’m not trouble. I’m fun.”

    “The fact that you don’t know the difference speaks volumes,” he muttered. “I still can’t believe someone like you is a field operative. Can you even use that thing?” he said, gesturing wildly at her rifle on the scanning bench. “It’s ridiculously impractical. That gun’s bigger than you.”

    “I’m a ninety pound Japanese girl. There are cockroaches bigger than me, but I’m twice as hard to kill. That’s how someone like me got to be a field operative.” Kami sat back with a smug grin and put her feet up on the desktop. “I don’t expect you to understand. You’re so normal, so boring. Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I shot down a supersonic spy plane over Shanghai with a blindfold on and both hands tied behind my-”

    “Oh, shut up already. Aren’t you late for something?” Wesley said dryly.

    “Huh?” She grabbed his wrist and checked his watch. “Shit, why didn’t you say something!?” Kami said as she sprang up and grabbed her jacket.

    “You have your own watch, stupid. I shouldn’t have to.”

    “Yours is nicer! And don’t call me stupid, nerd!”

    “Hurry and you might still make it in time. I’ll upload everything I’ve got to the server. Your gun should be there when you enter the simulation,” Wesley said as she darted out of the door without a ‘thanks’ or ‘goodbye.’ “Most of it, anyway,” he added after she was gone. “Maybe.”

    * * * *​

    Ten minutes later, Kami came speeding into the lobby of the training room. The electric motors on her rollerblades whined like miniature turbines and the bearings were glowing red hot as she screeched to a halt just beyond the entryway.

    Most of the others were already walking toward a set of open double doors beneath a massive viewing screen. Good, she wasn’t late. Actually, she was just in time. Perfect. If anyone asked, she’d say it was intentional.

    The wheels on her boots retracted and Kami popped her collar and casually strolled toward the door, with a bounce in her step and without a care in the world. She was second-to last and turned to the guy behind her as they walked. He was an older fellow, with goofy-looking armor and a cybernetic arm.

    “Hey, I should warn you, I’m really good at video games. Like, really, really good,” Kami said with a devious smirk. “No shame in losing, old man."
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2016
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  7. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    In the next chamber were a series of cold, steel chairs. Each had a complex series of wires jutting out the back before they disappeared into plastic tubing that itself disappeared into the cold, reflective steel of the floor. In one corner was a skeleton of a robot. A simple metal frame with exposed servos and completely lacking a head. A small screen on its chest lit up for a moment, before turning black with a single red orb in the centre. The husk began moving, gesturing to the chairs as the speakers started to speak again. "Please take a seat in any chair, and the simulation will begin. Mr Waggon, please take the seat at the end. We have accounted for your equipment."

    It was at that moment they began preloading the first area of the simulation so that the second they lay with their heads against the head rest, they would enter it. A simple combat encounter set within a slum area of the spire. The team were placed in a small room with only one way out, that led into a courtyard overseen by two floors of balconies. The floor of the space was divided by impromptu barricades and piles of scrap, and the overall feel of the place was one of messy poverty. Areas like this were a rare occurrence in Spires, but in structures so large, a certain unwieldiness in control was inevitable, and lack of company control led to others asserting their own for whatever time they could manage. Normally a few weeks.

    "Operatives, you have infiltrated into another companies spire, and are to kill or extract four people. The first three are the Valkimi family." For a brief moment, the walls went transparent, and a set of three glowing red humans could be seen in one of the rooms on the upper balcony. Two of them were adults, though the third was clearly a child. "The fourth is the chief of securities wife, Linda Grey." The family returned to their normal colour, and instead a corridor that led off the courtyard was highlighted. "Unlike the family, we are unaware of her exact location. Though she is present in somewhere in Block G-14. All the doors are under lockdown. Any attempt to force open the door will trigger local security forces. This area serves as your extraction point. You have six minutes before tower security is alerted to your presence."

    With that, a clock appeared in the top right corner of each of their visions, showing the time left.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2016
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  8. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    Lizzie removed the electrodws from her head. It was official, Final Fantasy LXII was just about the crappiest game manufactured. Ever. She left and went to settle back on her couch, working on her latest project, a teleportation belt. She just had to work out a few kinks, and reduce the mortality rate by about ninety percent, and it would be perpect. Then her personal computer decided to interrupt.
    You need to go to the simulation room, he said.
    "Really?" she sighed. "But the belt... You always come at the wrong times."
    I didn't set the reminder, you know.
    "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
    Damn. She had to finish this project as soon as possible. Teleportation technology was the new thing, and if somebody was to create a practical field version of this technology it had to be her. Seriously, this was movie stuff, and she knew of about thirty different researchers working on that project as well.
    She sighed. This was typical of Icarus. Draft her off at the worst possible moment. So what if she burnt the lab and nearly got ten people killed. Somebody had to test all the unused potential of nitroglycerin.
    It took her about fifteen minutes to get ready. She would have done it in less, but she was not going to be rushed for some stupid simulation. It's not as if they ever change, anyway. She looked at herself in the mirror. God, she was gorgeous. Shoulder length auborn her, check. Chrystal blue eyes, check. Sexy exoskeleton and leather jacket, check. High heeled running boots, check. And, of course, Ben the Toolbox. She wouldn't go anywhere without her one true love.

    The room outside the simulation room was empty. She was probably late, she realised. She took a cigarrete out of a secret compartment in her cybernetic hand, and lit the lighter on her middle finger. Then, taking in a deep breath of sweet Icarus tobbaco, she entered the simulation room. You could say alot of things about her, but Lizzie Q knew how to make an entrance.
     
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  9. gibble410

    gibble410 Contributor Contributor

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    Emma was a little surprised by the simulation, she was expecting more of like......a bomb threat? She didn't know where to start, but she knew she would rather kill the hostages then keep em. More trouble than they were worth. But as how to get in, she didn't really know. She could bust down a window, but that would probably alert guards.

    Emma suddenly had an idea. Pushing a lot of cement and brown looking colors through her cape, she flew at one of the barricades and launed herself into the nearest balcony. Sadly, it was occupied by a sleeping security person, with a cybernetic arm. Without a second thought she put a bullet through his skull and whispered "hide me" to her cloak.

    Invisible from the back, she continued on her way quietly.
     
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  10. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    Well, here we go, Kami thought as she took a seat in one of the uncomfortable-looking steel chairs, overseen by the skeleton-bot. That thing better not grope me while I’m out.

    A moment later, she was in the simulation and found herself standing in a small room. Kami looked exactly as she had in the real world, with one exception: on her back was a steel case, about the size of a small coffin. She quickly slung it from her shoulders, and began unfolding its intricately-packaged components, while a disembodied voice explained the mission to everyone.

    Within seconds, Kami transformed the unassuming metal backpack into a deadly railgun, nearly six feet of earth-shaking, armor-piercing, no-shit-taking firepower. Its barrel was dark black, leading into a boxy, gray receiver riddled with wires and capacitors and vents. It might look high tech and refined, if she hadn’t covered nearly every inch of it in vulgar graffiti, like the walls of a dive bar restroom. Some of it was written in markers or paint, but most was just angrily scratched into the metal with a knife.

    Kami hefted her toy and began loading it as one member of the team vanished. At first, Kami thought the simulation had glitched and the girl got booted out, or something, but she quickly realized the girl was using some sort of color-changing cloak to conceal herself and had sneaked off to… umm… do stuff… or something.

    Maybe she’ll come back, Kami thought. She’s probably just scouting ahead, right?

    Either way, the clock was ticking.

    “Six minutes,” Kami said to anyone still present. “If anybody else wants to go solo, at least take one of these.” She reached into her jacket pocket and tossed out a bunch of small silver disks, each about the size of a coin. “Targeting beacons,” Kami explained. “If you need fire support, just press it and stick it to anyone or anything you want dead. I’ll see it, even through walls, floors, or whatever, and I won’t miss.”
     
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  11. Fan7asticMrFox

    Fan7asticMrFox Contributor Contributor

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    The glass elevator climbed up the inside wall giving Aaron a spectacular view of the Gibraltar Spire, the blend of elegant white office blocks and vibrant green fauna so rich and easy to drink in. The Icarus corporation sure knew how to spoil their favourite workers - the ones striving to keep the lower levels quiet and in line. Colourful banners and flags fluttered about in the artificial wind, holographic birds skipped from tree to tree chirping away and A.I units clambered to civilians to wait on them hand and foot. Aaron grimaced, rubbed his stubble and drew a swig from his hip flask.

    Maybe he was bitter. In some ways Aaron had helped create this "utopia" with his messaging and on brand media plugs, twisting reality to fit the corporate needs. With some hesitation he scanned over the public for a moment. On second thought, no he wasn't bitter, these morons just loved to lap up the sham.

    And it was at this point he got a glimpse through one of the rare long windows that peered into the outside world, the barren wasteland where Spain had once stood. The terrain had been bitten by anger, the cracked and dusty landscape glowing a violent red in the sunlight. How long until these Spires were in the same condition?

    The elevator slowed and the doors opened behind him revealing a vibrant holo banner with images of armed security detail caring for and playing with children, along with the tagline, "ISEC. Your Community. Your Family." Ugh, there was never any escaping it.

    Aaron stepped out of the elevator staring daggers, into the corridor leading right. Down this long stretch of hallway was his death, he knew all too well. Combat, bullets, explosions and warzones. He had done all he could to avoid this kind of life; memories of the media control room coming back to him and the comfort of that dark room with its steely blue hue from the screens. Now, looking back at the elevator seeing the doors not yet closed he began to breath fast and shift his eyes between the end of the corridor and the glass box.

    There was a jolt through Aaron's spine causing him to arch and spasm awkwardly, the pain brief but sharp. He managed to hold himself better than previous shocks only falling to one knee. At least he didn't piss himself this time. Damn it, they were always watching, but then again with his experience what did he expect. Clenching his knuckles hard Aaron gingerly stood back to his full height and shakely whispered to himself, "Come on man, this one... it's just a simulation."

    And eventually into the simulation he went, the initial shock of the preload into this virtual hell quickly subsiding, yet his eyes took time to adjust in these dark and dingy slums. This must be what the lower levels of the Spires look like, not that he'd ever seen them. The narrow corridor led out into a rust colour courtyard, caged artificial lighting bordering on the floor and the upper levels, giving an ominous yellow glow. Slightly late and standing behind the rest of the group, Aaron could only watch the situation unfold with apprehension, the silenced pistol clutched tightly in his right hand.

    Bang! One operative released a bullet from her weapon causing Aaron to choke on his own gasping breath. He spluttered for a moment, bent double whilst holding his hands up. "I'm fine." He wasn't.

    Eventually he came up for air. "Could I suggest something?" Aaron said. "I mean, couldn't we try and deceive the family into thinking we are security here to protect or evacuate them? Why try and force our way in if we can get them to invite us in for dinner?"
     
  12. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    "Could I suggest something? I mean, couldn't we try and deceive the family into thinking we are security here to protect or evacuate them? Why try and force our way in if we can get them to invite us in for dinner?"

    "Yeah, that would've been a great idea if little miss security blanket hadn't just gone and blown our cover," Kami retorted. She shouldered her rifle and started pacing angrily. "Now the shit's gonna hit the fan and I'm gonna have to murder all these mother fuc-"

    Wait... wait, she felt an idea coming. A big one. Big and stupid. The best kind of idea.

    Kami snapped her fingers. "I think I get what you're saying! Let's split up. Half the team raises hell, the other half goes to 'rescue' the targets from... well, from us. We play both sides." She looked around at everyone there. "Sound like a plan?"
     
  13. obi-sem kenobi

    obi-sem kenobi Senior Member

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    “I never lose little girl.”

    He said as he brushed past her and lay down in one of the chairs. Before putting his head on the interface he added:

    “I cheat.”

    Then, just as he was about to enter the simulation, he noticed a certain smell filling the room. Icarus Tobacco. His smug grin changed into an expression of pure dread as his gaze shot towards the entrance of the room.

    “What the hell is that woman… doing here.”

    Halfway through his sentence he interfaced with the simulation, making him appear in the small dirty room with half a sentence still on his lips. The moment he appeared, the mission briefing kicked off, so he decided to forget about Elizabeth and start focussing on the task at hand.

    “You have six minutes before tower security is alerted to your presence.”

    “Six minutes huh? Come on, we’re better than that! MAIA?”
    “Yes Master?”
    “Sticking to the rules of the simulation, unleash some viruses on tower control. Cause some technical difficulties and all that. Maybe set off some alarms on the other side of the building. Delay their response time as much as possible. Then, when you’ve caused enough havoc for this Spire’s IT department, find me the location of Mrs. Grey.”
    “Understood Master, unleashing Junebug virus programs. The simulation accounted for Corporate level ICE, so finding Ms. White’s location will take a little time. I will report any progress straight away.”
    “Very well, get on it.”

    Looking back at the group he realised one of the girls had already gone and fired a gunshot. She had an interesting cloaking device though, he’d have to look into that sometime. Now that he had a good look at them, all these people seemed to have some pretty interesting gear. Even the brat packed what looked like a very interesting modification of a transport railgun. Her ideas weren’t half bad either.

    “I think you’re forgetting something gamer girl, alerting tower security is the game over scenario. We can’t go around pretending to be security if the real guards come in and lock us down. Even if we made it out in time for the Valkimi family, there’s still Mrs. White to worry about. That said, I might be able to get the alarm systems in a confined area to run a security drill without feeding the data to the main servers. Miss itchy-trigger finger and I can cloak and scout ahead so we can move into the room from the other side and be the ‘bad cops’ you were talking about. Just make sure you don’t actually shoot us with that thing trying to ‘rescue’ our assets.”
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2016
  14. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    Inside the simulation, Lizzie already saw three people connected to the simulation room. The other was about to connect. Lizzie sighed to herself. There would be no small talk then, she guessed. She put out the ciggarette and back in the compartment in her arm.

    “What the hell is that woman…"

    I heard that, she thought annoyed. Great, so Alexander White was here as well. This would surely put a damper on the mission.

    She sat down and logged on to the interface. Suddenly she found herself in a closed room, which opened to a large courtyard. Three of the four people sitting in the simulation room were there. Alexander White was there, in the middle of a lecture, with his usual exoskeleton and silly helmet. How typical. Another guy was there, and it took Lizzie some time to recognize that face. The propaganda guy, whats-his-name, in all those Icarus commercials. What was he doing here? The third person in the room was a cute asian girl, who carried a, wait, that couldn't be right. A JVX-55?! As a main weapon. Lizzie was going to like this girl.

    "...Miss itchy-trigger finger and I can cloak and scout ahead so we can move into the room from the other side and be the ‘bad cops’ you were talking about. Just make sure you don’t actually shoot us with that thing trying to ‘rescue’ our assets.”

    "Sounds like a plan," Lizzie said, stepping forward. Her voice had a shadow of the London accent she grew up with. "Of course, it would be if I knew the mission. Someone care to fill me in?" She gave a sideway glance at Alexander, and smiled radiantly. "We could do some catching up later, can't we, Cheshire?" Before anyone could answer she took out a ciggarette and lit it. "By the way, wasn't there another person here?"
     
  15. I.A. By the Barn

    I.A. By the Barn A very lost time traveller Contributor

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    Silas blinked, they had to kill a child? Why? He rubbed his tongue against his teeth, soothing himself, and muttered that it was only a simulation. Perhaps it was even part of the test?
    "Yes, if you are referring to me." Silas stepped next to Lizzie, running his hand through his hair. "I'll deal with the child but we have four targets, the Valkimis and a Linda Grey."
     
  16. Fan7asticMrFox

    Fan7asticMrFox Contributor Contributor

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    "Someone care to fill me in?"

    "Here's the sitch..." Aaron started, turning towards what could only be described as a robotic supermodel, a vision of perfection with a cute button nose, full plump lips and revealing neckline. Perfection. He took an instant disliking to her. "Hmph... look, we are Live folks, five minutes and counting. You," he pointed to Alex, "go meet up with the other one and start causing a bit of mayhem. And take the girl with you, that giant gun will put the fear into any civilian - and we don't want that on our side."

    "The rest of us need to at least try and act professional. I suggest we search the body of the security guard and see if he has anything that will aid our deception." He took a deep breath and scanned the remaining members of the group, his face deadpan as his heart tried to burst from his chest, "Remember, we are ISEC dispatch detail, here to protect and evacuate. And if you don't got half a brain, leave the talking to me. Let's go."

    Aaron skirted out of the narrow room along the darkened corridor, edging his way into the rust coloured courtyard of the slums. The jarring yellow lights left Aaron feeling tense and made it difficult to see around the area. Graffiti covered the majority of the walls, with a number of hashed together barricades in the foyer and on the stairs. Breathing shaky, he raised his pistol ready and ascended the stairs, watching in the darkness for any sudden movements. Shifting slow around the barricade Aaron continued upwards until he found himself in front of the steel reinforced Valkimi Family door.

    Deep breath. Here we go.

    He knocked.
     
  17. gibble410

    gibble410 Contributor Contributor

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    Running down the hallway, Emma rounded another corner and ran into a gaurd. Wrapping her legs around his throat and head, she twisted thought the air and snapped his neck.

    After dusting herself off, she jogged down the hallway, her gun at the ready. She soon came within sight of the door, but someone else was already their. Leveling her gun with his face, she called out while approaching,
    "Who the hell are you?"
     
  18. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    "Yes, if you are referring to me."
    "Nah," she said. "I didn't even notice you. My bad."
    The other guy, not Alex, the commercial guy, said something in commercialism. She was beggining to be lost. Then the guy just went away. What the fuck was going on?!

    Sighing, she turned to Alexander. The guy was an asshole, but an asshole she knew and worked with. And almost killed. He probably forgot.
    "Alright, I understood nothing here. Listen, I'm going to be on lookout here. Can you connect all our computers for communication?" Retorical question, obviously. Of course he could. She'd make ear-pieces for the next assignment. "Oh, and Chesire? Try to probe too deep and I'll put a bullet in your head." She took out her 007, just in case.

    Lizzie then switched on her heat-detective vision, and zoomed forward, scanning the tower for guards. She followed Aaron with her sight, and saw another figure, edging towards him.
    "Propaganda," she whispered, directing her thoughts to M. She hoped Alexander connected their computers. "One man, at your six o'clock." She was probably too late though.
     
  19. obi-sem kenobi

    obi-sem kenobi Senior Member

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    “Or… we could just ignore everything I say and rush into battle without a clear plan. Fuck, I’m really gonna have to treat you people like idiots, don’t I?

    "Alright, I understood nothing here. Listen, I'm going to be on lookout here. Can you connect all our computers for communication?"

    “Why am I not surprised. MAIA, would you be so kind?”
    “Done, master.”

    "Oh, and Chesire? Try to probe too deep and I'll put a bullet in your head."

    “Yeah, because that worked out great last time…” He muttered under his breath, instinctively rubbing the scar on his chest.

    “Well then, it looks like you can do what you do best, stand there and look pretty, while Gamer Girl and I are going to wreak some havoc. Try not to blow the place up before we get back.”

    Alexander was really starting to lose his confidence in this team. Not that it was very high to begin with. Still, half the team were kids, and the other half were washouts. He thought he saw someone that at least looked like an experienced soldier at the meeting, but he hadn’t seen him since.
     
  20. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    Kami burst out laughing. “Wow, you two need to get a room,” she said, stifling a giggle as she looked between ‘Cheshire’ and that woman. “Leave it to me, pussycat. You and the Red Queen can keep making eyes at each other while I finish the mission. I think she wants your head.... not the one on your shoulders.”

    She tapped a few keys on her wrist computer until she had a map of the spire; just a basic GPS-style map, the same thing any resident of this spire would have access to. You don’t need to be a super hacker. Sometimes, you don’t need to hack at all.

    “You had me at ‘mayhem’ and ‘havoc.’ I’m going after Linda Grey. We’ve got enough people chasing the Val Kilmers and time’s running out,” Kami said as she walked away. She glanced over her shoulder and winked at them as she added: “Oh, and I’d stay away from G-Block for the next few minutes, if I were you. It’s gonna get loud.”

    The wheels extended from her boots and she began to accelerate forward, picking up speed. But, rather than head down the corridor to G-14, she veered down another path, this one lined with windows, showing the vast wasteland beyond the spire. Without slowing, Kami pulled out her sidearm, shot out a window, and leapt through the narrow space.

    She was falling, twirling through the air. Kami swung one leg over her rifle, straddling it like a witch on a broomstick, and held on using the bipod under its barrel as a grip. She twisted the throttle and thrusters embedded in the gun’s stock ignited, punching her forward at incredible speed. Riding it was a bit like riding a missile, only not as fun. She imagined riding somehting with a live warhead would give more of a rush. This was dull, by comparison.

    Kami banked sharply upward, coming back around toward the Spire. She was nearly level with its top, high into the clouds. Now, where’s G-14? She thought, trying to read the map while executing another tight turn. A heads-up-display appeared before her eyes, allowing her to see a digital representation of the Spire, despite the cloud cover. G-Block appeared and she zeroed in on it.

    There it is. Kami cut the thrusters and swung herself under her rifle, dangling by one arm, as she plummeted downward. She took hold of the handle and aimed, while in freefall. Its barrel opened like a three-pronged tuning fork, with lightning arcing down its length. The magnetic interference made lines of static dance along her cybernetically-enhanced vision.

    When she squeezed the trigger, the sound was like a thunderclap. The force of it decelerated her fall and punched a hole in the side of the Spire large enough to drive a small car through. They don’t make ‘em like they used to, she thought as she popped open the receiver, loaded another shell, and fired. She fired a third and was nearly out of time.

    Kami flipped her rifle backwards and ignited the thrusters one last time, slowing herself just enough to not be killed when she tumbled through one of the three holes she’d made. She somersaulted forward, hit the ground running, and promptly tossed a smoke grenade, filling the room where she’d landed with smoke.

    Alright, Linda, where are you? Kami thought as she slung the Javelin over her shoulder and unholstered her sidearm. Hope I didn't kill you already. That would be boring.
     
  21. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    Without a second thought she put a bullet in his skull. When she pulled the trigger, the countdown timer in the top corner dropped down by two minutes, however, Alexander's hacking managed to add a minute back onto it. Unfortunately, that didn't stop a series of harsh red lights appearing from the ceiling and sirens to begin blaring. If those weren't currently dominating the area in terms of sound, they might be able to hear a high pitched ring coming from the now dead guard, his lack of neural activity and failing heart rate served to alert the tower what was going on. "Security forces deploying to all areas within the spire. Please stay in your homes and secure your doors." A voice roared above the sirens, as a series of metallic shutters descended over the balconies. Climbing or firing into them was now impossible, meaning that stairs would have to be used.

    Kami thought as she slung the Javelin over her shoulder and unholstered her sidearm. G block appeared significantly better maintained than the area they'd come in, though similar in structure. That was not to say that the area was some model by which all areas were to be measured. Instead, the area was better at hiding the dirt. Instead of a clinical, industrial steel, the walls were beige with khaki swirls in a way that might have stung the eyes if it were a shade more vibrant. The floors were in a similar state, though with much darker colours, painted like the pattern of a chair on an old bus. There was a green space in the centre of the courtyard, with a single tree. While the grass was real, there was a synthetic quality to the silver birch that was in the centre. If one looked at the leaves long enough, they would see a series of sensors hidden amongst the plastic leaves. Once again, the area was three floors high, shutters down, red lights, sirens blaring. And not a single hint as where Mrs Grey was. And the thin layer of smoke coming from Kami's grenade would not help.

    Lizzie then switched on her heat-detective vision, and zoomed forward, scanning the tower for guards. It quickly became apparent that the simulation only rendered what it defined as necessary, and seeing any details beyond the rooms that were linked to this hab-block, G-14, and another that lay between them was impossible. It became apparent there were little to no guards around, though the timer served as a reminder that they were moving in.

    4 minuets 30 seconds remaining.
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2016
  22. Fan7asticMrFox

    Fan7asticMrFox Contributor Contributor

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    "Who the hell are you?"

    You gotta be kidding me.


    With the sirens blaring and the tense yellow lights turning to an angry red Aaron slowly turned himself to face his supposed teammate, his hands up in the hope she didn't actually shoot him. Okay Aaron, things have definitely taken a turn. There was shuffled movement on the other side of the Valkimi door and Aaron knew he had to pick his words carefully here. The armed woman kept her weapon trained directly on his head and he could feel the single bead of cold sweat roll down his temple.

    First he tried to signal her, nudging his head towards the room they started in, which was now blocked from view by the balcony shutters. A constant five head nods garnered no reaction and she just stared blankly at him, hand squeezing tighter around the weapon grip. Under the mix of darkness and red flashing lights Aaron rolled his eyes, breathing heavy and trying to think of another way to signal her not to fucking shoot him.

    He considered pointing, but moving his hands at this point seemed a really stupid move. Come on, come on, there must be something. But really, there was only thing left to do. Aaron had to commit to the bit - he had to try and deceive the Valkimis.

    With a slow final breath, he bellowed his voice loud over the sirens, "This is the ISEC Bomb Squad here to evacuate. Cease and desist!" Aaron winced but kept one eye open. Please, please, please don't fucking shoot me.
     
  23. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    “Well then, it looks like you can do what you do best, stand there and look pretty, while Gamer Girl and I are going to wreak some havoc. Try not to blow the place up before we get back.”
    "Such a charmer," said Lizzie, rolling her eyes, but still smiling sweetly. In Alex-talk, that was how he showed affection. At least she thought. She was never a very good judge of character.
    “Wow, you two need to get a room,” she said, stifling a giggle as she looked between ‘Cheshire’ and that woman. “Leave it to me, pussycat. You and the Red Queen can keep making eyes at each other while I finish the mission. I think she wants your head.... not the one on your shoulders.”
    Lizzie smiled at the crazy asian girl.
    "Nah, girl," she said. "Me and Pussycat over here had enough rooms, back in the day. I'll be looking for new roomates this mission." She winked at the girl. Okay okay, enough chit-chat. She had a job to do. She continued to scan the area, while, at the same time.

    "Security forces deploying to all areas within the spire. Please stay in your homes and secure your doors."

    The call was like an answer to her thoughts. Quickly she continued scanning the area, moving her gaze from where commercial guy was being cornered by someone else, Lizzie assumed at a gunpoint, to where Crazy Asia was letting off a huge resunance of heat. That was one hell of a gun in one little girl. Lizzie approved.
    There were no guards around. The simulation, she should have expected showed no more that the nessecary rooms. She saw the targets, and that was it.

    "Alright ladies," she called. "There are four people in the room near propaganda, as well as one pointing a weapon at him. Don't know if it's hostile or not. Except for that, there is hell coming near Crazy Asia, can't see through it." God, she needed to fix that X-ray vision. And quickly.

    As she spoke, she took out Ben the Toolbox. Comnecting to M, she made a mental picture of the earpieces she wanted to make. Eight of them. She thought of every detail, from the smallest wires, to the cool pattern on the plastic.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2016
  24. gibble410

    gibble410 Contributor Contributor

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    Was this guy a mentally ill kind of person? He was doing some sort of weird chicken dance, and Emma noticed how he was keeping a bit quiet. It took all her might not to laugh.

    She didn't know whether this guy was on her side, but he seemed like he was. Only problem, he looked like he wanted to rescue the stupid family. Unclasping two knives, she held them behind her back and smiled at him. With a slight smile, she prayed the doors would open. Then she could kill the family and if this guy tried to stop her she'd just shoot his foot.
     
  25. obi-sem kenobi

    obi-sem kenobi Senior Member

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    As much as Alexander wanted to contest that claim, he couldn’t stay here and bicker with that woman for ever. With a “Fine, I’ll do it myself” under his breath he disappeared from view and continued almost invisibly through the chaos in the corridor’s. He saw the dead guard lying on the ground and thought he might as well take the man’s weapon while he was at it. When he picked it up it seemed to float up into the air for a moment before the cloak extended and enveloped it.

    Planning to circle around the Valkimi’s apartment to break in from the other side, he saw Propaganda and Trigger Happy in front of the door. We really should have done an introduction round first. He decloaked for a moment, but spoke through the commlink so other people wouldn’t hear.

    “Put those knives away girl, before you hurt someone.”

    Without waiting for a reply he cloaked again and moved his way around the apartment. From this side two guards were already heading up to the door and about to check up on the family. That was not going to happen. Moving slowly so he wouldn’t disturb the cloak too much he came up from behind the two men. Holding the gun in his left hand he pointed it almost point blank at the back of one man’s head and as he pulled the trigger he used his cybernetic right arm to grab the neck of the other.

    After firing a second shot into the lock he used the guards head to break the door open, breaking his neck in the process. Standing now in the same room as the Valkimi’s he tossed the guards body to the side and zapped it with the Arc weapon in his arm. He thought back to the moment the government destroyed his lives’ work to make his look as menacing as he could when he glanced over at his supposed victims. If they weren’t going to believe Propaganda’s little scam now, they never would.

    “Well then, it would seem it is time for you to die.”
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2016

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