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Breakout and Beyond: September Plot Log

Who: Everyone
When: September 9th-23rd
Where: Kauto
What: Escape from Dino Jail and taking the fight to the Savrii
Warnings: Probable violence and mental manipulation. Label your content.

the escape

Over the last few days—or weeks, for many—a number of preparations have been made. Some gathered resources. Others fashioned weapons or small bombs. A few pored over the schematics Mother provided, looking for a weakness in the field generator, while others took her offer of assistance more directly. Whether with information or training, tools or trades or promises, everyone has had a part to play. And on September 9, all of that comes to fruition.

It starts at the gate. Through careful observation of the supply groups, one team of insurgents has correctly identified when the gate will open: and prepared their very own dinosaur-mounted EMP. With the controls damaged and the gate locked open, the Savrii guards are met with a host of individuals armed with shock-sticks, home-made bombs, and one improvised laser—many of whom appear oddly immune to the pacifying effect of the intermediary present.

As terrifying as this proves to their morale, it seems possible the Savrii could turn the battle their way. They have superior weaponry. They have a single chokepoint to defend. They can and will call for backup as soon as the danger becomes clear. Still, there's one factor they couldn't have anticipated. One vulnerability of the dome field, pulled from the schematics by the more technically minded captives who spent time on the endeavor. This place wasn't a punishment, after all. The Savrii didn't want to inflict harm. Merely contain these dangerous people, for their own good. And so, the force field has a safety feature built in.

It decreases power, just slightly, in proportion with the biomass that comes in contact.

While the guards at the gate are busy with their fight, a brilliantly colored array of hazards break free from the forest grounds. Perhaps you're riding one of your new friends. Perhaps you're dangling dino-catnip just in front. It's possible, of course, that your dinosaur is motivated without help—possibly by the array of prey animals running in front of it. Regardless of the motives and the methods, when several hundred tons of dinosaur make contact with that wall?

The force field shatters.

Charge.

A World of Peace

The fact (and methods) of the "newcomers'" escape puts an end to any pleas for peaceful resolution. Within the hour, Thisavrou is placed under a state of emergency: transport locked down, all responders called in, and every combat force their peaceful worlds can gather called to defend against this menace. The Ingress Complex itself is sealed off entirely: a full-strength Artifixx force field raised to deflect (or destroy) incoming ships. Not that the storms outside the Ingress—or the cracks they've begun carving in the sky—look easy to navigate for even the best trained of pilots.

While those looking to fulfill their promise to Mother will need to find a way offworld eventually, events on Kauto are likely to keep Thisavrou’s Most Wanted busy for some time. The Savrii are in self-defense mode, ready to protect their world against those who refuse their gift of peace. Whether looking for a fight or trying to find shelter, travelers are most likely to encounter these groups as their hunters:

Security. These Savrii have been taken from their usual work in Ingress Security or similar professions. More like police than soldiers, they are still armed and formidable. Each small squad will almost always be accompanied by a single intermediary, capable of both detecting nearby targets and enforcing the non-violence field on those who did not accept Mother's link. These groups may try to talk characters into surrender and prefer non-lethal force at first. But as the days go by, they are likely to recognize this is futile and be willing to take ruthless measures.
Off-World Kill Teams. Those who traversed the wreckage of the true Midway hub, or participated in the extinction of Thiri have met these Savrii before. The ones who take dangerous away missions and purge worlds that have misused Ingress technology, these groups are versatile and ruthless. While less likely to be accompanied by an intermediary, they are more likely to have powers and advanced weaponry of their own. Regardless, they are specialists in their fields and fully willing to kill innocents for the greater good. Their skillsets range from fighters to hackers to assassins and more.
Civilians. The majority of civilian Savrii are more likely to hide than to fight, but among their number are non-professional fighters who are more than willing to form amateur groups or go out alone to take down the dangerous invaders. Their mindset may center on protecting their homes or taking revenge for past encounters such as the Shadows. While the weakest of the groups, they're still capable of doing damage. However, not all civilians are hostile or afraid; those who had good relationships with their newer neighbors or who were personally aided may show sympathy. This could come in the form of food, supplies, or temporary shelter, though they won't stand directly against the authorities of Thisavrou.

Regardless of whether fugitives are are caught unaware or go out looking for trouble, one thing is certain: they are likely to do better if they work together. While Mother's link isn't the only method with which to fight the intermediaries, groups without at least one immune person may find themselves put down with ease. At the same time, even those who can resist intermediary manipulation may be overwhelmed by force.

Still, death is rarely the end on Thisavrou, and even now, the technology that allows for resurgence remains in your hosts' possession. Those killed fighting the Savrii may be seen again, and there is always the chance to rescue those who are captured. But would the reunions be happy ones?

Points of Interest

Where to go? What to do? Even without leaving Kauto, there's a literal world of possibilities. Still, the conflict at hand won't go away, and some of your peers have been preparing for it for some time. Between Mother's request, your own needs, and data gleaned from a Trojan implanted in the Savrii's systems, a few objectives might present themselves. And whether you're hunting, hiding, or helping, there are a few places you might want to keep in mind.

Home
As soon as characters were unknowingly brought into the Midway Hub simulation, Savrii agents were dispatched to enter homes and search them for any items of potential danger. Mundane possessions will still be there, including pac-discs for those who had them. Settling down for a night at home is likely to get people caught, but now is a great time to pack anything travelers want to keep. However, to find weapons and items taken during the simulation...
Reclamation Depot
Established just one month ago, this unremarkable complex is buried in the maze-like streets of Region Five. Rumors describe it as a research site: somewhere to examine hazardous materials and see how they could be turned to the societal good. You might better know it as an impound center. Specifically, where they put your weapons after throwing you into "detainment".

Fortunately, research efforts haven't gotten far. Less fortunately? This is the first place all those reinforcements go. The facility contains a set of laboratories aboveground and a storage complex underneath, as well as an adjoining kennel for containing pets. Your companions won't have been harmed, but you can bet the Savrii will harm you trying to get to them.
Network Hub
The data recovered from the Trojan indicates one very important fact: that all of your data has been monitored from day one. Those interested in safeguarding their communications (or disrupting the Savrii's) may wish to make a certain site in Region One a priority visit. A towering skyscraper over a hundred stories in height, the communications tower that controls the TAB network is a masterpiece of engineering. It's also, predictably, guarded. Still, the amount of reinforcements on this site will vary strongly depending on how openly—or how literally—you broadcast an attack.
Mediation Centers
Simple buildings designed for a sense of comfort and peace, these structures can be found in all residential centers of Thisavrou. They serve as the workplaces of the intermediaries, the so-called glue that binds Thisavrou together—or, the mind-controlling oligarchs, if your new acquaintance is to be believed.

Under the current crisis? They're a little understaffed. Still, if you're looking for the intermediaries, this is a better place than most to check. Just don't walk inside alone, or your friends might end up looking for you.
Sewers
With so many forces acting against them, where can travelers find shelter where they can rest, regroup and plan? A base of sorts may be found in the sewers where a team once sought the contaminant. With access to much of urban Kauto, enough distance from the surface to go undetected by intermediaries, and a few larger spaces to provide some breathing room, the sewers may not be a pleasant sanctuary, but they may be the place most able to give characters more than a moment's rest.

A Dinoriffic Note: While characters may keep their dinosaurs with them after the breakout, now that their prehistoric pals have reached adulthood at an artificially fast rate, they will find that dinosaurs are also designed to wean off dependence on their handler, and over these weeks, character-dinosaur pairings will grow farther apart. Although the dinosaurs will always have a softer spot for those who were around during their adolescent days, alas, these partnerships are not destined to be permanent.

[OOC: Please check out this OOC post for more information on character options and objectives! Additionally, this is the last chance for free exploration of the current setting, as events will push toward the arc climax after this log. If there is anything you OOCly want your character to have or do, please take advantage!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Shh, shh,shhshhshh-

[Cayde pats at the air in Darin's direction, in that placating sort of gesture as he watches his dinobird clamber into the open duct and scrabbling deeper within. He then peers back around the corner before gathering up the remaining two in his arms.]

Here, mind if you-

[He pauses as he notes the tense stances the sinornithosaurs take, then sets them on the ground.]

Never mind.

[Then he looks at Darin, looking him up and down before nodding.]

If you're planning on tagging along, get ready. Also, I have no idea how many more are around that other corner but I guess we'll be finding out pretty shortly.

[That's...reassuring.

The Exo starts to look around their cover again, slipping out the makeshift knife that currently occupies the sheathe his usual Hunter's knife would be. It's a crude bit of metal, the bottom half wrapped in cloth. Not that he figures it's much against what the Savrii are equipped with, but it's something, and he feels better having something rather than nothing. ]

[Darin presses himself against the wall next to his newfound companion. He spies the knife and quickly reaches out to hold back the other's arm.]

What are you doing...? [He hisses in a low whisper.]

You're not gonna kill them, are you..?

[Cayde looks back at the young man then, glowing optics squinting at him.]

Not if I can help it. But in case you didn't notice, they don't look like they'd mind doing us the favor instead.

Now, if you're going to have second thoughts, you can sit this one out. Me, I'd be fine if we could just walk up to them and ask if we could kindly have our things back, but somehow I doubt that's gonna fly.

[Darin blinks once...twice...]

[And then lets the cocky grin crease his face.]

You never know. Lemme try~

[Before Cayde can stop him, Darin steps out of cover, arms raised above his head in a gesture of surrender. Naturally, the savrii are none too pleased to see him and immediately raise their weapons and begin barking orders.]

Hey hey hey now! Relax! Look! I'm unarmed! Listen, you guys nabbed a bunch of things that belong to myself and my compatriots. I was just wondering if maybe you'd be willing to part with--

[One of the more triggerhappy savrii fire a shot that singes Darin's right bang. Quickly, he drops to the floor and drives his fists into ground. With a mighty heave, he tears up a massive chunk of the floor and bends it to create a blockade. He shoots a glance over at Cayde, nodding towards the now very clearly distracted patrol and grins again.]

You can't say I didn't try, right?!

Wait, what? Hey, what're you-

[Okay, so he wasn't joking after all. Cayde blinks, smothering his sputtering at the ensuing. Even his dinobirds look agitated, but before either can do anything more, a shot is fired, and then suddenly there's a part of the floor missing.

Cocky.]

Yeah, well neither can they. All right, so um. You know we were trying to go that way, right?

Oh, this way?

We can still do that.

[Okay, so maybe Darin is showing off a bit. But you know what? If they're going to imprison him and take away his powers, then he's going to show them why maybe talking with him first would have been a more favorable idea.]

[He braces his shoulder to the uprooted floor and starts to shove. It creaks and groans in protest at first, but then starts to tear up and move as Darin puts one foot in front of the other.]

You coming? Or do you want me to grab your stuff too?

[The savrii start to back up as the floor is literally rising to meet them. Soon, they're backing into the large doorway, firing at the uprooted floor in hopes of slowing Darin down. Sadly, for them, it isn't.]

[Cayde watches, brow plates lifting as he begins to slowly nod.]

Well that works.

[He seems to smirk as he moves after Darin and his giant, moving barricade, clucking at the two feathered raptors who then leap after him with flapping wings, claws clutching at the Hunter's trailing cloak. Cupping a hand near his mouth, he calls out around the mass of moving floor.]

-he did ask nicely!

[Darin grunts as the gap between the floor and the doorway starts to shrink. He halts his advance and shouts over the mass in front of him.]

Which, I might add, is more than you guys did when you messed with our heads and dumped us in dino land! So, you know what? I'm calling us even!

[Satisfied, he claps his hands and plants them on his hips as he looks around. The savrii weren't getting out this way, but that didn't mean this was the only way in or out. He cranes his neck to look for windows or anything they could use to sneak in with.]

Well, that should stall them for a bit...you got a map or anything of this place? I've kinda been improvising as I go, but I wouldn't say 'no' to a plan.

[Absently twirling his knife in hand, Cayde glances at Darin after regarding his handiwork.]

Erm. No on the map. Actually my plan was to knock these guys out and go in through here, but um.

[He stares at the floor-turned blockade.]

Yeah. Guess that's not happening. At least they can't get more reinforcements in this way either. Of course, we still have just as many to possibly deal with inside.

[Cayde taps a finger against his chin as he looks around and then upwards.]

How're you at climbing? What say we check up topside and make us a new entrance? Maybe they got a nice skylight or something.

[After taking a moment to eyeball the covered entrance, Cayde takes a few steps back to leap up, using the uneven, slightly curved surface as further leverage as he makes another couple of huge jumps up to the roof. The sinorthisaurs release his cloak to glide down from the apex of his final jump before landing upon the Exo once again, all three looking back down where Darin is.]

[Darin whistles in appreciation. Looks like his robo buddy has some moves. Not one to be outdone, Darin steps back a few feet. He gauges the distances between buildings, ledges, and rooftops and, when he's satisfied he has his route picked out for him, he moves.]

[Hes not as agile as Cayde, but what he lacks in ability, he makes up for in power and determination. He bounds from one wall to the next, gripping ledges and hauling himself ever higher. Finally, he climbs to the rooftop adjacent to the depot, steps back, then makes a running leap for the roof that Cayde is on...]

[Only to come up a few feet short. He's just about to let out a swear when he crashes through the wall just below the ledge. Good news? He made a new doorway into the depot.]

[...apparently Cayde got his hopes up too much. Darin's method, at least by way of intention, is quickly realized, but once he's left the opposite roof, the Exo can already see that he's not going to make it. He dashes over towards the edge, realizing as he moves that there's no way he'll be able to grab a hold of the guy.

Darin's impact has him reeling back. Ooh, that's....ow. That can't have been pleasant. But busting through a wall like that? Impressive, Cayde would have to admit. If the guy can do that much, then maybe he's still alive.

His head appears upside-down through the gaping hole as the Exo peers over the ledge and within their new entry-point. In short order he pulls himself back up and then hops over the ledge, catching hold to swing himself inside. And if Darin's on the ground, Cayde's two dinobirds will be settling on him like a fresh carrion.]

Great job, Wrecking Ball. Don't think they heard you across town. Now if you're alive, we should probably move before this place is swarming with more guards. -hey, hey you two- no chewing on the live ones.

[Darin groans and rubs his head. He really thought he had that jump in the bag.]

Alright alright...geez. I'm up...

[He scowls at Cayde's little scavenger friends as he wearily pushes himself to his feet.]

Any idea where their store room is gonna be in this complex? If they took everyone's stuff, there's got to be tons of gear here.

Think there's a catalog or something?

[Cayde waves the two scavengers back before offering Darin a hand up if he wants it.]

Deeper in, that's my best guess. Oooor wherever the bulk of the security forces are.

Pretty sure they should have some kind of listing, anyway. Hopefully all they've done is kept inventory. I don't like the idea of 'em poking around my stuff.

[His optics narrow as he looks towards the hall beyond where it branches in two more directions.]

In any case, we better hurry, 'cuz I think that's more people on the way, and I don't know if the floor here will hold up for that trick of yours earlier.

[Darin gladly takes the hand and pulls himself to his feet.]

Tell me about it. About half of the projects they probably confiscated are experimental. Most haven't been successfully tested yet and the rest have been tested but also tend to explode.

[Darin eyes the bisecting hallway.]

Left or right?

What I wouldn't give for something that explodes right about now.

[Cayde mutters, although the reminder does have him pull out a bottle, slightly drained of its liquor but still with good enough an amount for fuel. There's a strip of cloth shoved down the neck as a makeshift fuse.]

Heh. Almost forgot about this.

[With twin chirp-screeches, the sinornithosaurs hop back up onto his shoulder and hang off the length of his tattered cloak as he starts to move.]

Mmm.....left. No, right.

[The sounds of security are drawing closer, so Darin is getting a little antsy.]

Okay so let's just go with gut feelings, alright? Do robots have those? Because my gut is saying right.

I know what gut feelings are! I may not technically have the same guts as humans anymore, but I kn- okay, yeah, right. Let's go right.

[Because them footsteps are indeed closing in, so the Exo's all but ushering Darin down the hall.]

"Anymore?" You had them before??

[Darin starts running at a somewhat hurried pace, hanging another right at the end of the hall.]

Eh, some several centuries or so ago, give or take. -no wait, longer than that.

[The Exo blathers as they start to run. He may or may not be letting Darin take the lead because he's seen how durable the guy's proven to be. Maybe with luck they'll surprise any guards by bulldozing them.]

-anyway, it was a really long time ago but I figure if anything aside from my winning personality's transferred over, it's instinct.

Centuries?! What the hell are you, man?!

This hallway is rather long and ends with a door leading to a stairwell. They're several floors up and it looks like the stairwell extends several floors into a basement level. Darin leans over the railing and considers his options.]

What do you think the odds are that they stored our stuff in the basement?

Oh come on, that can't be that weird around here, can it?? I'm a Guardian! If you see a big blue guy with armor then he's at the very least just as old!

[Actually he hasn't seen Zavala since he'd spoken to him over the TAB. Well, Cayde's not too worried about him. The guy can take care of himself, if he's still around. Frankly, Cayde wouldn't be surprised if the Titan managed to somehow coerce the Savrii into sending him back home early somehow so he wouldn't miss out on his duties.]

Hmm.

[He comes alongside Darin to look down as well.]

Fairly good, I think. Can't get more fortified than underground.

A Guardian? A Guardian of what?

[He considers his options when the sound of security rounding the corner behind them jars him from his thoughts.]

Bottom floor it is then...!

[He wheels around and slams the door behind them, when a thought occurs to him. He closes his eyes and focuses on the door, the wall, and the seam separating the two. He places one hand on the door, then one on the wall, and after a spark of blue energy, the door melds completely with the wall, the seam disappearing, sealing them into the stairwell.]

[He exhales slowly, wiping a tremendous amount of sweat from his brow.]

That should buy us some time. I can try and seal the rest of the doors on the way down but...

It's tiring.

Edited 2017-09-27 06:03 (UTC)

Uhh. Earth, I guess? Humanity? That question always gets really complicated out of context.

[Cayde spins around as he hears their pursuers closing in. His dino-buddies screech and flutter, leaping from the Exo to glide on down the stairwell. Looking down at them for a moment, Cayde sighs and shrugs before looking back at the door that Darin manages to seal.]

-nice trick.

Okay, how about we just try to get ahead of as many of 'em as we can, and seal the one just above the bottom level? I'm sure they've gotta have other ways to get around so we can't spare too much time anyway.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Breakout and Beyond: September Plot Log

the escape

A World of Peace

Points of Interest

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