Chapter 186 – Bullying
It was time to make our move. I’d already activated the four powers I’d prepared for this attack, and regenerated the END cost. Web Mistress sat back inside her digital dimension to recover from the little bit of stun damage my Frost Aura did before I’d recovered the END used. In truth, her digital form was moving at the speed of thought, so despite her REC characteristic being much lower than mine, she was recovering the STUN damage that slipped through her defenses with Penetrating far faster than my aura pumped it out.
“Ready, Master?”
I nodded once. That was all the reply that was needed. We’d already gone over the plan. She would drop me in the largest concentration of active devices connected to external networks that she could find. That meant I would be dropping into the middle of people, most likely. Straight into a fight.
“All right, then,” she said. “Transfer in three, two, one…”
The sound of dial-up internet chorused in my ears, as the scene shifted from the digital world to the physical one. Looked like I was in a break room. Two sofas in one corner, a table with some chairs nearby, bar with a minifridge in another corner, and a dart board set up in the fourth corner. None of it special. None of it really out of the ordinary. Just the kind of thing you’d expect in a normal job site.
What was not ordinary were the six men in the room I now found himself in the middle of. Well, the men were ordinary enough, but most places under construction did not come equipped with SDI troopers in armor. Even if they were currently relaxing, this meant that I was obviously in the right place. Unfortunately, ‘screaming dial-up internet’ is not the same as ‘stealth insertion’, which meant I had a fight on my hands.
Turn Order
Segment
Turns
1
2
Iceblade
3
Troopers
4
Iceblade
5
6
Iceblade, Troopers
7
8
Iceblade
9
Troopers
10
Iceblade
11
12
Iceblade, Troopers
Segment 2:
Hypothermic Aura: -7 OCV to all individuals
Frost Aura: 4d6 Energy Blast to all individuals
4d6 = 15 STUN, 5 Regular BODY (5 Penetrating STUN damage)
All Troopers: 40/45 STUN
Brittle Aura: Drain 2d6+1 Armor
2d6+1 = 11 (11 Active Points drained from Armor)
All Troopers: Armor reduced to 16 PD/16 ED (11 rPD/11 rED)
Iceblade puts 2 CSLs to OCV for HTH and Ranged combat (OCV 12)
Iceblade uses Martial Strike (+2 DCV, +2 DC strike) (DCV 12)
Iceblade’s attack roll (Trooper 5), OCV 12: 3d6 = 11 (Hits DCV 12) (Hit)
Winter’s Bite: 5d6+1 = 28 BODY (5 rPD after AP)
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 3 (56 STUN) (5 rPD after AP)
Trooper 5: -3/20 BODY (Dying)
Trooper 5: -11/45 STUN (Unconscious)
Iceblade: 46/50 END
Of course, just because they knew I was here did not mean that the SDI goons were as quick as I was. I was still far faster in a fight, and that counted for a lot. Also, the mix of armor draining and armor piercing attacks was brutal. A quick slash of my blade, and the closest trooper fell to the floor. He wouldn’t be getting back up, unless someone managed to get him some medical attention.
Segment 3:
Trooper 1’s Attack Roll (Iceblade), OCV 0: 3d6 = 6 (Hits DCV 5) (Miss)
Trooper 1: 48/50 END
Trooper 2’s Attack Roll (Iceblade), OCV 0: 3d6 = 9 (Hits DCV 2) (Miss)
Trooper 2: 48/50 END
Trooper 3’s Attack Roll (Iceblade), OCV 0: 3d6 = 11 (Hits DCV 0) (Miss)
Trooper 3: 48/50 END
Trooper 4’s Attack Roll (Iceblade), OCV 0: 3d6 = 7 (Hits DCV 4) (Miss)
Trooper 4: 48/50 END
Trooper 6’s Attack Roll (Iceblade), OCV 0: 3d6 = 11 (Hits DCV 0) (Miss)
Trooper 6: 48/50 END
All Troopers: 40/45 STUN
All Troopers: 16 PD/16 ED (11 rPD/11 rED) Armor
“OH, MY GOD! HE KILLED KENNY!”
“THAT BASTARD! KILL HIM!”
And I was suddenly VERY thankful for the foresight to give myself the Hypothermic Aura power for this jaunt. The SDI troopers weren’t terrible shots. In fact, as far as the System was concerned, they were Competent Normals. Which meant that they were not random idiots off the street. They weren’t to the level of trained soldiers, and certainly weren’t superhuman fighters, but they didn’t freeze when the party started, which was more than I could say for most civilians. Five blasters were raised and fired mere seconds after I arrived, but the aura kept them from aiming, and using flamethrowers indoors was probably a bad idea, in general. Either way, they missed me, completely.
Segment 4:
Hypothermic Aura: -7 OCV to all individuals
Frost Aura: 4d6 Energy Blast to all individuals
4d6 = 16 STUN, 5 Regular BODY (5 Penetrating STUN damage)
All Troopers: 35/45 STUN
Brittle Aura: Drain 2d6+1 Armor
2d6+1 = 12 (12 Active Points drained from Armor)
All Troopers: Armor reduced to 12 PD/12 ED (7 rPD/7 rED)
Iceblade puts 2 CSLs to OCV for HTH and Ranged combat (OCV 12)
Iceblade uses Martial Strike (+2 DCV, +2 DC strike) (DCV 12)
Iceblade’s attack roll (Trooper 4), OCV 12: 3d6 = 6 (Hits DCV 17) (Hit)
Winter’s Bite: 5d6+1 = 28 BODY (3 rPD after AP)
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 3 (56 STUN) (3 rPD after AP)
Trooper 4: -5/20 BODY (Dying)
Trooper 4: -18/45 STUN (Unconscious)
Iceblade: 42/50 END
I stepped closer, cutting down the next closest member of the goon squad. Better yet, this put me closer to the door, which meant that the troopers would need to get past me if they wanted to escape. And I was not feeling particularly merciful, at the moment. Two troopers down, four more to go.
Segment 6:
Hypothermic Aura: -7 OCV to all individuals
Frost Aura: 4d6 Energy Blast to all individuals
4d6 = 17 STUN, 4 Regular BODY (5 STUN damage)
All Troopers: 30/45 STUN
Brittle Aura: Drain 2d6+1 Armor
2d6+1 = 10 (10 Active Points drained from Armor)
All Troopers: Armor reduced to 5 PD/5 ED (0 rPD/0 rED)
Iceblade puts 2 CSLs to OCV for HTH and Ranged combat (OCV 12)
Iceblade uses Martial Strike (+2 DCV, +2 DC strike) (DCV 12)
Iceblade’s attack roll (Trooper 3), OCV 12: 3d6 = 10 (Hits DCV 13) (Hit)
Winter’s Bite: 5d6+1 = 21 BODY (0 rPD)
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 1 (21 STUN) (0 rPD)
Trooper 3: -1/20 BODY (Dying)
Trooper 3: 10/45 STUN (Stunned)
Iceblade: 38/50 END
Trooper 1’s Attack Roll (Area), OCV 0: 3d6 = 17 (Hits DCV -6) (Miss)
Random Target Area: 1d6 = 4
Flamethrower: 2d6-1 = 8 BODY
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 2 (16 STUN)
Trooper 3: -9 BODY (Dying)
Trooper 3: -6 STUN (Unconscious)
Trooper 3: Armor returns to normal
Trooper 1: 43/50 END
Trooper 2’s Attack Roll (Area), OCV 0: 3d6 = 15 (Hits DCV -4) (Miss)
Random Target Area: 1d6 = 5
Flamethrower: 2d6-1 = 9 BODY
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 2 (18 STUN)
Trooper 6: 11/20 BODY
Trooper 6: 12/45 STUN
Trooper 6: Armor returns to normal
Trooper 2: 43/50 END
Trooper 6’s Attack Roll (Area), OCV 0: 3d6 = 10 (Hits DCV 1) (Miss)
Random Target Area: 1d6 = 4
Flamethrower: 2d6-1 = 7 BODY
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 2 (14 STUN)
Trooper 2: 13/20 BODY
Trooper 2: 16/45 STUN
Trooper 2: Armor returns to normal
Trooper 6: 43/50 END
I took another step forward, and my blade caught the next trooper. The blade bit deep, and clearly rocked the trooper back, but he didn’t fall. The attack wasn’t enough to put him down for the count, but he’d need to stop for a moment so the room could quit spinning. Not an immediate threat.
“Blasters aren’t working! Switch to flamers!”
“WAIT! NOT AT ME! AAAAGGH!”
That was the only warning I had before three jets of flame sprayed across the room. And this was the moment when I became VERY glad that I’d done the Hypothermia Aura. The troopers were making stormtroopers look like marksmen, as my wounded trooper was put all the way down, and two more got washed with flames. The fire did reverse the draining effect on their armor, but only after it scorched the wearers. That was fine, though.
Segment 8:
Hypothermic Aura: -7 OCV to all individuals
Frost Aura: 4d6 Energy Blast to all individuals
4d6 = 20 STUN, 6 Regular BODY (6 Penetrating STUN damage)
Trooper 1: 15/45 STUN
Trooper 2: 10/45 STUN
Trooper 6: 6/45 STUN
Brittle Aura: Drain 2d6+1 Armor
2d6+1 = 9 (9 Active Points drained from Armor)
Trooper 1: Armor reduced to 5 PD/5 ED (0 rPD/0 rED)
Troopers 2&6: Armor reduced to 17 PD/17 ED (12rPD/12 rED)
Iceblade puts 2 CSLs to OCV for HTH and Ranged combat (OCV 12)
Iceblade uses Martial Strike (+2 DCV, +2 DC strike) (DCV 12)
Iceblade’s attack roll (Area), OCV 12: 3d6 = 10 (Hits DCV 13) (Hit)
Winter’s Gale: 12d6 = 45 STUN, 12 Regular BODY
Trooper 1: 0 ED Armor
Trooper 2: 17 ED Armor
Trooper 1: 8/20 BODY
Trooper 1: -30/45 STUN (Unconscious)
Trooper 2: -35/45 STUN (Unconscious)
Iceblade: 28/50 END
Despite the fact that they had yet to hit me, the way the room was currently on fire meant that it would probably be a bad idea to stick around for too much longer. Better to stop this quickly. And I had just the tool for the job.
“Fuyu no Kyofu.”
The incantation for Winter’s Gale passed my lips, and Kotta Kaze glowed with icy energy. When I slashed it through the air, a cone of frosty power erupted forth, catching two of the remaining troopers in its path. Both troopers had enough time to curse before they were cast down to the floor. Not dead, but no longer a problem, which was about the same thing. Only one remained.
Segment 9:
Trooper 6’s Attack Roll (Area), OCV 0: 3d6 = 13 (Hits DCV -2) (Miss)
Random Target Area: 1d6 = 2
Frag Grenade: 2d6-1 = 8 BODY
Stun Multiplier: 1d6-1 = 2 (16 STUN)
Trooper 6: 2/45 STUN
Segment 10:
Hypothermic Aura: -7 OCV to all individuals
Frost Aura: 4d6 Energy Blast to all individuals
4d6 = 16 STUN, 4 Regular BODY (4 Penetrating STUN damage)
Trooper 6: -2/45 STUN (Unconscious)
“Damn you, freak! If I’m going, I’m taking you with me!”
That was the utterly cliché line that the last remaining trooper spouted, as they pulled a grenade from their belt. The ‘wisdom’ of using grenades inside small rooms aside, the Hypothermic Aura was still in effect, and half-frozen fingers were bad for properly throwing grenades. He fumbled the grenade, and it bounced once, badly, rolling between his feet before it went off. His mostly-restored armor saved him from being taken out by his own weapon, but my Frost Aura put him down immediately after.
As for me? That grenade wouldn’t have pierced my regular armor, much less the Frost Armor added on top of it. I’d learned my lesson about explosions, after all.
“Good work, Master. But one of them did send out an alert. The rest of the guards will be ready for you.”
I rolled my shoulders, and smiled as I went about stabbing the troopers, just to ensure that none of them would have a chance of getting up anytime soon. Unconscious foes were easer to get back into the fight than dying ones, after all, and I had to assume that there was at least one medic in this place, especially if it was an SDI base.
“Bring them on. I know I’m not one for fair fights, but this feels like bullying. Do you have a location for someplace I can hook you into the internal network?”
“I think there’s a control room a couple doors down from you. At least, the public plans say it is where the main electrical is, so that’s probably a good place to start looking.”