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zachol
Feb 13, 2009

Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 WATER monster you control (except this card) to Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your hand. The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed if "Raging Eria" is removed from your side of the field.
Dr. Laboe

Well great. It's already starting. Jenny leans forward, tapping her mic, transmitting to everyone except Franklin.
"It's an effect of the angel. Tying up each other as the effect spreads will be wasteful. Try to disengage and get close to it, see if you can divert his attention to the angel. This will only get worse, you need to keep pressuring it or the entire team will disintegrate."

Rapport 5, aspect Keep Pressuring It.

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Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah

Picking up the rifle, there's a moment as Unit-02 checks the chamber, and then shoulders it. Dropping to one knee, it braces against a docking crane, adjusting.

"Pax, something's happening with Unit 01..."

She squints, trying to sight in as the interface shifts, zooming in on the sight. Biting her tongue, she works at controlling her breath, focusing on the beat on her head.

"... it's attacking Unit 04. No, seriously, shouldn't we be doing something?"

One control runs the Y-axis, the other the X-axis, target in the center, pull the switch...

"Pax, are you listening? We just got orders-"

"Oh my god, Noah, if you ruin this for me!...", Pax near-yells, before Noah clams up with a massively irritated look on this face, as she sings at a whispered tone. "♪ If I told you once, I told you twice | ♪ You can beg, you can kneel, you can pray | ♪ You'll be sacrificed!"

BLAM.

Rolling Combat for a 6 and tagging Got That Rhythm for a total of 8 to strike at the angel with weapon: 4... at a cost.

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!

Dylan James

"MotherFUCKER!" Son of a bitch, this guy's messing with Dylan's friends. It's time for Dylan to do the thing he knows best: talk big. Maybe if he can get the Angel's attention off Franklin, the attack will stop.

"Hey, you non-Euclidean piece of poo poo! Why don'tcha fight us like a man......alien....tower.....whateva the gently caress you are?!"

Provoking to create an advantage!
2
poo poo

The Deleter
May 22, 2010
Franklin Wilson
FP 4/5 Physical 0000 Mental X00
Consequences: They're Holding Me Back (+2)

Physique Defend: 4dF+4 2
Franklin's a Defender of Earth, so he knows how to get out of a pin! I'll spend a Fate Point to boost it to a 4.

EVA-01 makes a sound like a snarl and pushes EVA-04 off of itself, sending the other titan sprawling back. The mecha stands and grabs up its shield, looking to fight.

In the entry plug, Wilson is screaming. The compulsion is overwhelming. Grab her, crack her skull open, crush her in your hands! Make her suffer! With a shuddering gasp, he tries to pull himself together...

Will Overcome to remove the compulsion: 4dF+4 3
Frankin's an Arrogant Celebrity Pilot, so he's more wilful than most! Fate point to boost this to 5.

FP left: 2/5

The Deleter fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Jul 1, 2015

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Franklin shrugs off the mental effect of the Angel... for now. Dun dun dunnnnnn.

Hannah's up.

bahamut
Jan 5, 2004

Curses from all directions!
Hannah Asagiri
FP: 5/5 Physical: OOO Mental: OOOO

Things were unfurling, and the lack of direction from Command suggested that HQ might be in even more disarray than it had suddenly become out here. It had not helped that her teammates had escalated things, and she could no longer afford to wait for orders with the Angel now engaging her teammates directly. It was almost a relief when Dr.Laboe appeared over the comm, dispensing her advice. Not only did she sound perfectly reasonable to Hannah, but the doctor's words would also serve as sufficient authority upon which to act.

Silent save for the thunderous sound of her footfalls, Unit-06 sprang into action, rushing past the entangled Rabah & Franklin to engage the pillar-like being directly. In the span of one final fluid leap, Hannah drew out her progressive knife mid-air and reversed her grip on it just in time for her dark-colored titan to slam into the Angel! If she could manage to tear through it's AT field with her knife, there was a chance she could at least temporarily immobilize it! One thing at a time, though, she told herself.

Sorry about the wait! Attacking the Angel with Combat, and what the hell, I'll freely invoke Little Miss Perfect to help things along. 4dF+4+2=7!

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Angel Attack
Taggable: Keep Pressuring It, Frail Joints

With Rabbah and Franklin occupied, it falls to the rest of the team to try and make a dent in the Angel. Pax makes a game attempt of it - the thunderclap of the Eva's rifle can be heard Rhode Island. The heavy round glances off the beast's AT field, but it still staggers with the impact. More unsettling, it turns to "face" EVA-02, dripping more of the light-motes.

Which gives Hannah ample time to sneak up behind the ordinarily featureless monster and stick a knife in it. The Angel squeals as EVA-06's prog knife twists through its field, then lacerates the base of its stalk. The otherworldly monster spins, quite literally - it rotates around its axis in midair, whipping out with its legs and driving Hannah back out of its blind spot. The spindly legs hit harder than one might expect!

The sudden twist also flings out more of the angel dust. At literal knife-fighting range, Hannah is spattered with the majority of it. She suddenly realizes that Pax and Noah are a threat to the continued security of this operation. She must take whatever measures are necessary to terminate them...

Angel defends vs. P/N, + + _ _ (+4), takes 2 stress.
Again, Franklin shakes it off.
Angel defends vs. Hannah, - - + _ (+4), takes 4 stress.
---- Hannah may tag Knife Wounds

Angel physically attacks Hannah. _ + _ + (+3), Hannah takes a +5 hit with weapon: 2 attached.
Angel mentally attacks Hannah. + _ - + (+5), Hannah takes a +6 hit.
Hannah is compelled to attack Unit-02. She can spend a FP to ignore the compulsion

Fifth Angel -
Aspects: Ponderous, ???
Skills: Angelic Mental Attack +5, Physical Defense +4, Combat +3
Stunts: Inflict Rage, Inflict Fratricide, Leg Whip (Weapon: 2)
Stress: [ ][x][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Consequences: -2 -4 -6

bahamut
Jan 5, 2004

Curses from all directions!
Hannah Asagiri
FP: 2/5 Physical: OOO Mental: OOOO

For the briefest of moments, through narrowed hostile eyes she looks back towards EVA-02. But these feelings made no sense! There was a more pressing matter at hand, wasn't there? The Angel. Yes, the Angel was the priority here! This was a deception, and one she would not fall prey to!

Hannah hauled herself up off the ground, she had to act quickly! She could still feel the aftereffects of it's presence, and unless this was ended quickly there was no telling what she might do! In a smooth and markedly inhuman motion, Unit-06 got back to her feet, leaning forward as she charged the Angel in a renewed and shockingly ferocious assault! In the aftermath of her initial contact she had discarded her Prog Knife, but as she bowled into the gargantuan creature in an effort to continue serving as its newfound focus, the EVA's armored hands proved no less capable for the task at hand!

Though Hannah herself communicates nothing, the jaw of her giant cyborg unhinges in what almost appears to be a silent roar as she savagely pounds against the wounds she's already caused! Fists pound down! Fingers grasp and pry! Humanity's very existence was at stake! She couldn't stop now!

Spending a FP to ignore the compulsion!
Hannah defends against the physical attack using Combat with a 4dF+4=5!
Hannah defends against the mental attack using Will with a 4dF+5=8!
Hannah attacks the Angel using Combat, tagging Knife Wounds and Keep Pressuring It both! 4dF+4+2+2=8!
(Hopefully I got all this right. If I screwed up somewhere, I'll fix it as soon as I can.)

K Prime
Nov 4, 2009

Rabah Iowa

Rabah scrambles back to her feet as Franklin (apparently) gets a hold of himself. Hannah's got it tied up- good. Probably best not to approach and create more opportunities for it to... use them against each other... Rabah thinks.

Command appears to be... a little behind on reacting to these circumstances. Someone has to start giving orders.

Rabah gets on comms.

"We have to split up. Move away from each other and support Asagiri with cover fire! If we're not in each other's sightlines we'll have more time to resist if it tries to force us! So... let's move out!"

Her voice is honest and straightforward. It's not a command, per se. Just advice. But it's the sort of advice you feel like taking. Heartening advice from someone who just wants to help.

Innocence Shields: 4dF+3 2

zachol
Feb 13, 2009

Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 WATER monster you control (except this card) to Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your hand. The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed if "Raging Eria" is removed from your side of the field.
Dr. Laboe

Jenny's eyebrows climb as Hannah's readings spike, go wild, and then amazingly go normal again.
"Iowa has the right of it. Asagiri, excellent job. Remember, constant pressure."

She glances over at Jagr, raising an eyebrow, then lowers and shields her mic.
"Where is Adams? Also, do we have lookouts keeping watch? Early warning... a second angel coming in right now would be disastrous."

If gnoll allows it, I'm going to pre-emptively offer up a FP to whoever next wants one to resist. I'll add in the reassuring words then, but if anyone wants to take up the offer just say so.

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah

"Aw, thought I could catch it napping.", Pax says as a tremendous shell casing crashes down into the water. Noah looks up, and then says, "Of course it's got an AT Field, but the way it's deflecting..." He folds his hands, resting his chin on them, and the calls up a comm link. "Hey, command, any way you could give us an angle correction on that last shot? Hang in there, Asagiri, we've got your back." Taking the comlink off, he adds, "Hurry up, Pax, she's in real trouble."

"Yessir, Commander Noah.", Pax says as she focuses once again. "Just don't pressure me, commander!" Noah takes in a breath sharply. "That's not funny."

A measly 1 to try and create the aspect A Solution to the Sniping Equation with Contacts.

The Deleter
May 22, 2010
Franklin Wilson
FP 2/5 | Physical 0000 | Mental X00
Consequences: They're Holding Me Back (+2)

Ugh. Franklin pauses, gasping for breath. The urge to just, just hurt people, it had been so strong... He'd never felt that angry before. The angel had done something, it was the dust or something, he was sure of it...

Contanst pressure! he could do that.

"Hannah! I got your back!" Franklin turns and sends his EVA into a sprin,t shield raised and looking to just ram the thing over.

Attack the Angel!: 4dF+3 4
Spending an FP, tagging Frail Joints, to boost to 6. FP left - 1!

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!

Dylan James

"Pressure's what I'm best at!"

EVA-03 runs to the side of the Angel while the others attack it, finding any suitable cover, pulling out its gun, and laying down a few quick bursts of suppressing fire. "Look over here, rear end in a top hat!"

Provoking to create advantage Covering Fire
8!

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Angel Attack
Taggable: Innocence Shields, Covering Fire

Hannah manages to shake off the urge to stab EVA-02 in the neck, which is generally a good policy towards teammates. The bestial rage that the Angel creates is instead turned back on its source, and Unit 06 starts ripping chunks of the thing out and flinging them around the bay. It squeals, a sound you hear in your teeth, and staggers away. Could it be afraid of Hannah?

Under Rabah's direction, the rest of the squad spreads out. Dylan even does what he's told! How often does that happen?

Of course, Franklin doesn't. The celebrity pilot squares his Eva up in a dramatic pose and rushes the giant monster, bearing down on it like an angry avalache... only to bounce off its AT field, which is so energized it's visible to the naked eye. EVA-01 is subject to the less popular thought experiment where an immovable object is acted on by an almost-irresistable force, and the backlash of something like an Evangelion unit getting no-sold involves literally titanic forces. That hurts almost as much as the compliance device!

The Angel's AT field sparks and flashes like crazy, emitting all kinds of radiation in Hannah's direction. Come to think of it, there's something in those patterns, something just on the edge of perception. It's tantalizing, and so terribly important. If only the clone pilot had time to study it more...

As it throws up an AT ink spray, the Angel scuttles backwards, drawing itself around Franklin, and perhaps most importantly, Franklin's shield. Dylan has to cut off his fire for a few tense seconds as the monster ducks behind concealment, and it takes this time to lash out at poor Unit-01.

HQ

Jenny can see one of the pilot comms lights blinking like crazy over at Resources, but nobody seems to be picking it up. Looks like that staff member's part of the hunt for Commander Adams.

Dr. Laboe manages to catch Colonel Jagr between bellowed commands at the command center staff and fits of cursing. In response to her question, Marcus gives her a high-bandwith look. The expression the colonel chose is very specific - the last time you saw it cross his face, he was on the phone with the police, discussing the remains of his stolen car and personal electronics, which his roommate and your mutual college "friend" had stolen and attempted to fence for a surprisingly paltry amount of methamphetamine. You recall it wasn't the car that upset him, so much as the large portion of his doctoral thesis that got trashed in the process.

I'll say Jenny can spend a FP in someone's stead, should the need arise.

Angel defends vs. Hannah, - - - + (+4), total +2, Angel takes six stress and fills consequence slot 6.
Angel defends vs. Franklin, _ + + + (+4), total +7, Angel succeeds with style
P/N fail to create advantage.

Angel uses its boost from success with style, mentally attacks Hannah for straight-up mental damage. _ + _ _ (+5), plus boost, total +8.
Angel physically attacks Franklin, - _ _ + (+3), total +3, weapon 2.

Fifth Angel -
Aspects: Ponderous, ???
Skills: Angelic Mental Attack +5, Physical Defense +4, Combat +3
Stunts: Inflict Rage, Inflict Fratricide, Leg Whip (Weapon: 2)
Stress: [ ][x][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Consequences: -2 -4 -6[

bahamut
Jan 5, 2004

Curses from all directions!
Hannah Asagiri
FP: 1/5 Physical: OOO Mental: OOOO

Hannah loved examining things, it was something she spent most of her free time doing. It was the simplest pleasure she could engage in with the least amount of effort or oversight, and one of the few things she found joy in. But this was not the time. This was a battlefield, and it was for this exact situation she'd even been granted life in the first place.

The Angel tries to flee, but the pilot of 06 does her best to prevent the otherworldly creature from widening the gap! She pursues! The Angel's flight makes it difficult to press her attack, saving it from the full fury of the pilot's assault, but that doesn't discourage her from making the effort!

Hannah defends against the mental attack using Will, invoking This is What I Was Born To Do in the process! 4dF+5+2=8!!
Hannah straight-up attacks the Angel using Combat! 4dF+4=3!

bahamut fucked around with this message at 06:18 on Jul 14, 2015

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah

Pax repeatedly pulls the trigger, the crane creaking loudly with the recoil, bending unsafely with each shot. Without the figures, she's just taking shots to try and keep up the pressure, as each shell crashing down on the docks and leaving a dramatic impact.

"I'm not getting anything from HQ.", Noah says, opening a channel again. "HQ, are you there?", he asks more bluntly. "We're going to need to stop playing with your toy soon, Pax." Squinting, she frowns, "I'm just letting them have their turn, I could make the shot!"

Trying to Create an Advantage with Combat for a total of 6, and add a Covering Fire aspect for others to tag.

The Deleter
May 22, 2010
Franklin Wilson
FP 1/5 | Physical 0000 | Mental X00
Consequences: They're Holding Me Back (+2)

"gently caress!"

Defend with Combat: 4dF+3 7
Success with Style! Franklin gets the Boost "Superlative Defence."

The Angel's limbs strikes out over and over, but Franklin keeps managing to turn EVA 01 and the blast shield to catch every blow. The resounding booms shake the city and rattle glass, and the shield begins to dent and buckle, but Franklin is not taken at all unawares. This, he thinks dumbly as he forces the EVa to block another hammerblow, is going in the cartoon for sure.

"Aw, come on! Is that all you got? Bit of fairy dust and some love taps? I've eaten tougher burgers! Come on, you outer-space shithead!"

Franklin hopes the Angel can still understand him, because these taunts need to be understood to work. He makes EVA 01 flip the bird, just in case it doesn't come through.

Provoke Attack the Angel: 4dF+5 7
I don't think I need to do anything here - however, the first person to attack the Angel may use the free invocation of "Superlative Defence" if they want.

K Prime
Nov 4, 2009

Rabah Iowa
4/5

Well, some people couldn't follow lawful orders from above anyway, so no point in getting mad at them not following unofficial orders from a peer. Rabah takes a deep breath (not angry. Not angry.) and returns to the job at hand. No point in approaching- several of the others are handling the pile-on just fine. Keep distance, keep safe. So best solution... In the absence of command, time for communications and intelligence support.

If only these drat things had any way to help with that!

She pokes around in the HUD. There's got to be something!

War Technology: 4dF+2 0
Tagging Weakness is Verboten to bring that up to 2

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!

Dylan James

"Dammit, it got away from me!" Dylan rushes around the perimeter of the battlefield, finding a more advantageous position flanking the Angel and using Franklin's distraction to get a few shots off. "Gotcha, bitch!"

Attacking with Combat: 6 and using Superlative Defense to bring it to an 8.

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Angel Attack
Covering Fire

If it has emotions as we understand them, the Angel is probably perplexed. The thing of meat and metal before it not only fended of a fearsome psychic attack like it was a gentle breeze, but the thing is still attacking. This is not a situation within the behavioral context the Angel can comprehend.

Unit-02 is creating some serious OSHA hazards with all those car-sized shell casings it's scattering around. While its physical form is intent on ruining Hannah's day, at the very least, the twins can keep its AT field in the business of providing protection, instead of dismembering Evangelion units. Noah's not having any luck getting a response from Headquaters, though. That's worrying, to say the least.

Franklin, meanwhile, is just standing there and taking it, screaming defiant profanity the whole while. The giant shield he carries keeps EVA-01 from harm, and that can-do-gently caress-you attitude is probably giving him a ratings boost in the local markets.

Rabah digs around in the guts of EVA-04's computing power. To her dismay, there's nothing built into the Evangelion's control systems for inter-squad networking beyond the comms link. You could talk to someone, maybe threaten them a little... The hardware's not useful either. It's either all part of one big integrated unit stuffed into the back of the control sled or crammed into the walls of the entry plug and welded sh- say, was the black box on this thing always that big? You don't recall the FDR taking up that much space at the bottom of the sled before.

In a lot of screen productions, the star sits in front of the camera and makes a lot of noise, while the rest of the cast and crew make the magic happen. So too for giant robot fights, it seems. While Franklin, child of affluence and stardom, flips the bird to a murderous space alien, Dylan takes advantage of the distraction and plasters the thing with VW-sized rifle rounds. This has the not-so-surprising effect of putting the hurt on the Angel, tearing chunks out of the monstrosity.

It keens, a noise you all feel in your teeth, even through the Evas. The Angel decides it's had enough of this surprisingly resistant target and goes to make Dylan's day a little worse. The sound intensifies in Dylan's cockpit, and it rushes Unit-03, hoping to get in a beating while the pilot reels from its mental assault.

Angel defends vs. Hannah: -, -, +, , +4 = +3, ties
PnN create Covering Fire
Franklin creates boost Superlative Defense
Rabah notices something
Angel defends vs. Dylan, , , -, +, +4 = +4 defense. Angel eats four stress.

Angel makes a mental attack on Dylan: , , +, -, +5, total +5.
Angel makes a physical attack on Dylan: , +, -, +, +3, total + 4, Weapon:2

Fifth Angel -
Aspects: Ponderous, ???
Skills: Angelic Mental Attack +5, Physical Defense +4, Combat +3
Stunts: Inflict Rage, Inflict Fratricide, Leg Whip (Weapon: 2)
Stress: [ ][x][ ][x][ ]
Consequences: -2 -4 -6

bahamut
Jan 5, 2004

Curses from all directions!
Hannah Asagiri
FP: 1/5 Physical: OOO Mental: OOOO

"You're not getting away," Hannah fiercely declares, emotion creeping into her voice! Unit-06 tries to grapple with the monolithic creature, attempting to tie up its long spindly legs and hinder its movement! She isn't quick enough to stop it from directing it's assault on Dylan, however. She would have to be faster in the future, more attentive, anticipate this course of action.

I realized too late that it had already attacked Dylan. Ah well. I'm not optimistic I would have succeeded anyhow!
Hannah uses Physique to try and stop the Angel from moving further! 4dF+3=2!

zachol
Feb 13, 2009

Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 WATER monster you control (except this card) to Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your hand. The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed if "Raging Eria" is removed from your side of the field.
Dr. Laboe

Jenny shrugs back at Jagr, sliding in to fill the empty Resources station, splicing it into her headset and tapping the comms light.
"Pax? Right, let me see if I can't adjust this..."

Math wasn't ever really Jenny's strongest suit, but that's all pretty relative, and she's been studying everything she can about the angels and all this "AT Field" nonsense that she can since it came to her attention. Hopefully it'll be enough, though she can't do much in the few seconds she has...

Science 1 to create advantage.

...and then a horrendous bit of feedback cascades over the comms, breaking what little concentration she had.

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!

Dylan James
P: OOOX
M: XXX

Phys def with athletics:3. 1 stress.
Mental def with will: 2. That's 3. Darn.


Dylan jumps out of the way, the attack just grazing him, but he's not so lucky to avoid the mental attack. His synch fluctuates wildly as he freezes in place.

"AAAAAH! gently caress, WHAT'S HAPPENING?! IT'S IN MY HEAD!"

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah

Pax says, "One shot self.", as she chambers it. Noah looks over his shoulder. "You're not punching through the AT field... unless..." She blinks. "Oh, no, you're not going to play the hero, not after we went through-" She sighs and bows her head, realizing she's not getting through Noah's gaze. He turns around with a determined expression. "Just get ready to take the shot, Pax."

Then, Unit-02 starts forward, charging. "Noahhh, we don't even know if that thing's the core!", Pax calls back. He squints, shoving the controls forward as its footfalls shatter the dock. "If it isn't, then it'll at least be better off without that ugly thing!", he shouts, and then as Unit-02 gets close, they skid to a halt before bringing the weapon forward like a lance, trying to slam into the AT field with the end of the barrel. As they do so, Pax pulls the trigger, firing point blank at the stalk atop the Fifth Angel!

Got a Combat roll of 5, and invoking Production-Model Dual-Type Evangelion for free and spending 1 fate point to invoke Unstable Synchronization for a total of 9.

K Prime
Nov 4, 2009

Rabah
4/5

Great. They've changed her gear again without telling her! Father had warned her that was the fate of a soldier, but this is a serious combat situation- what if it had been a change to the mass-drive ratio or reduced her ammo count? UGH!

Rabah of course checks the course of the battle before prodding it. Dylan's freaking out, but what else is new. Everyone else seems to be working fine. And command's out anyway.

"Iowa here, moving up to engage."

Rabah approaches to cover Dylan's spot, but her eyes are on her system diagnostics. What the hell have they saddled her with?

Notice: 4dF+4 5 To further analyze whatever this is.

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Angel Attack
Covering Fire

As Dylan reels under the skull-cracking mental barrage, Hannah jumps to his defense. EVA-06 charges the alien menace and latches on, pinning most of its slender limbs to its stalk. It's undignified, but effective. The Angel can't move, and it can't lash out at anyone not in its immediate proximity.

Like, all of a sudden, Unit-02. Pax and Noah charge in themselves and jam a sniper rifle up to the Angel's body. The gigantic rifle cracks again and again - the first of the colossal shells skips off the thing's AT Field, but the subsequent shots penetrate, spattering Unit-06 with alien gore. Perhaps on the balance it's a good thing Commander Adams isn't on the comms right now - she'd be shouting at you for gross misuse of doctrine and equipment.

Meanwhile, Rabah engages in some inner reflection. A normal flight data recorder is not actually black - it's high-viz orange, so you can find the drat thing. Whatever it is they've bolted onto your cockpit is literally a black box. A big drat black box, almost coffin-sized. The only reason you didn't immediately notice it is that the entry plug's hardware seems built over the thing. And it might well be a black box, in the philosophical sense. You can't tell that it's actually doing anything. There are two sets of cabling going into it. One part's drawing power and data from your flight controls, although it doesn't seem like it's hindering your ability to pilot in any way. The other side sprouts a nest of fine lines, plugged into your control sled seemingly at random. You're practically out of your seat and flipping around the cockpit just to get a look at this thing, it's so deep in the machine's guts.

A question bubbles to young Miss Iowa's thoughts. Is she the only one with this thing in her system?

That train of thought is disrupted by a sudden digital howl from the comms system. It's enough to drive the pilots to distraction.

HQ

Jagr takes a second out of his busy schedule of shouting at people to throw a pained look at Dr. Laboe. It seems the colonel did not appreciate your attempts to branch out into new fields of expertise.

Angel Overcomes vs. Hannah, 1, Angel is immobilized. It can only physically attack Hannah, and also Dylan if he doesn't retreat.
:siren: Dylan is not taken out! He can take that stress as a consequence or he can mark it off in the appropriate box. Remember, your third stress box is worth soaking three shift all by itself!
Angel defends vs. P/N: 3, Angel eats 6 stress. It's on its last spindly legs.

Frankie's up.

Fifth Angel -
Aspects: Ponderous, ???
Skills: Angelic Mental Attack +5, Physical Defense +4, Combat +3
Stunts: Inflict Rage, Inflict Fratricide, Leg Whip (Weapon: 2)
Stress: [x][x][ ][x][x]
Consequences: -2 -x -x

The Deleter
May 22, 2010
Franklin Wilson
FP 1/5 | Physical 0000 | Mental X00
Consequences: They're Holding Me Back (+2)

Well, this is taking way, way too long. Franklin approaches the melee, scanning the battlefield.

"This poo poo needs to end. Can anybody see something that looks like a core?" He watches the angel intently - surely it'll expose something eventually...

Find the Core by Creating an Advantage with Notice: 4dF+2 3
poo poo.

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah
Fate Points: 4

Looking to Dylan's predicament, Noah calls out, "Pax!", without further explanation, before she just replies with, "Got it!" Tossing the rifle aside carelessly, they leap up, and Eva-02 kicks out into Eva-03 in a flying kick, but their other foot kicks out at the angel, doing a midair split as they try and force Eva-03 away from the Angel! As they land, they try and shove Eva-03 further with their shoulder and a good dramatic shout, before turning to try and face the Angel in time...

Trying to make an advantage for Dylan with Athletics, using Per Ardua Ad Astra and a fate point to boost Athletics to 6, then rolling a total of 7. If successful, the aspect will be A Shove In The Right Direction.

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Angel Attack
Covering Fire, There's the Core!
Franklin peeks out from behind his giant shield to eyeball the Angel. It's surprisingly difficult to spot the big red weak spot, since the thing is busy trying to wreck Dylan, but in between some splashing and the cluster of appendages - there it is! Tucked into the base of the Angel, pointing down at the bottom of the bay.

Again and again, the Angel whips out at Dylan, apparently trying to flay his Eva down to the core. It gets in a savage thrashing before Pax and Noah glide in from off screen to kick EVA-03 in the face.

While the siblings' plan does push Dylan out of the reach of the scuttling legs of the invader, his weakened mental state and the Angel's renewed onslaught are enough to push him to the brink. How dare they! They're literally kicking him while he's down! If Unit-03 can just get its hands around their throat, crack the chest armor, get to the plug, yessss

Franklin succeeds in creating an Advantage. The good news is that when you create an unopposed advantage, you only need to get a two or greater. Buffs are really important in FATE games.

Angel physically attacks Dylan. + + _ _, +3, total of 5 plus Weapon:2.
Angel mentally attacks Dylan. - + _ -, +5, total +4. Angel uses Inflict Fratricide. Dylan must overcome +4 or attack P/N.

P/N creates Dylan-only advantage Shove in the Right Direction. Dylan is not longer adjacent to the Angel.

Everyone else is up.

Fifth Angel -
Aspects: Ponderous, ???
Skills: Angelic Mental Attack +5, Physical Defense +4, Combat +3
Stunts: Inflict Rage, Inflict Fratricide, Leg Whip (Weapon: 2)
Stress: [x][x][ ][x][x]
Consequences: -2 -4 -6

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!

Dylan James
P: OXXX
M: OOO
FP: 4/5
Consequence: Pounding Headache

Taking a consequence.
Defending with Physique: 1. Spending a Fate Point to bump it up to 3

ATTACKING P/N WITH COMBAT :getin: http://orokos.com/roll/312196 :shobon:


What's going on.....Pax....Noah....enemy!

Grabbing his head in pain, Dylan holds up his gun and starts shooting wildly in Pax and Noah's direction. "AAAAAH!!!"

bahamut
Jan 5, 2004

Curses from all directions!
Hannah Asagiri
FP: 1/5 Physical: OOO Mental: OOOO

Dylan's scream over the comms only served to illustrate their need to end things as quickly as possible, but Hannah's position was far from an advantageous one. She resumed her furious raining of blows down on the creature, but dealing with it's tangle of limbs was making things difficult. That didn't stop her from trying, though!

Hannah uses Combat to attack the Angel! 4dF+4=3! Not blowin' a fate point to bump that up! Hopefully someone else can manage a little better!

K Prime
Nov 4, 2009

Rabah Iowa
3/5

Rabah spots Dylan moving to fire at the twins before he pulls the trigger. In that moment, she abandons her attempt at analyzing her equipment, and interposes herself almost before she knows what she's doing, arms up over her face.

The shots thankfully ping harmlessly off her AT field, and she stands firmly in place. "Finish it off! I'll keep whoever is having trouble off you!"

Meanwhile, in the entry plug, Rabah prods the HUD some more. There's gotta be something here explaining this hunk of junk.

Rabah uses Raised to Die to eat Dylan's attack. Pointless, but thematic!
Defend (Combat): 4dF+5 5
War Tech: 4dF+2 2

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Angel Attack
Covering Fire, There's the Core!

Rabah straight up superheroes Dylan's mind-controlled aggression. Franklin better watch out - they're gonna put her on the show if this keeps up. It's even more impressive that she can pull off that kind of stunt while paging through a readme. Nothing in here on the big black box, though. Suspiciously nothing, even. Is it possible the NERV staff aren't aware of whatever's riding in your Eva?

Unfortunately for you all, it seems like the Angel is feeling equally durable. It strikes out at Hannah's Eva, slapping away the titantic machine's blows like something out of a kung-fu movie. Presumably the alien monster has not actually been taking in Bruce Lee flicks.

The comms flick on in your cockpits, voice only. "Pilots, excellent work. You should nearly be done, I believe."

HQ

Jagr's shouting is audible over the noise of the command center, even without the comms.

"Where the hell have you been?"

Everyone turns to look, the spectacle of giant machines fighting off a building-sized creature from beyond the stars apparently less interesting.

Commander Adams is walking up to Jagr, flanked by two soldiers. Gas masks obscure their faces, and Jenny's never seen that unit patch before. It looks sort of like a checkerboard, if you had to put a name to it.

Jagr is apoplectic. A torrent of profanity and threats on Adams' career, honor and even continued physical integrity rushes out of the colonel. She doesn't seem to mind much, as she fishes a sleek smartphone out of her pocket. Amid the screaming, she smoothly turns the little device on and hands it to Jagr. It stops him screaming.

Jagr keeps staring at the phone. Adams holds out a hand, and one of the masked soldiers produces an earpiece for her. Her voice comes through on the command channel, clear and level.

"Return to your stations. Combat operations are ongoing." Then to the pilots' channel. "Pilots, excellent work. You should nearly be done, I believe."

Angel defends vs. Hannah: _ + _ - +4, total +4, Angel shrugs it off.
Rabah toughs out Dylan's attack in P/N's place. No damage.

Fifth Angel -
Aspects: Ponderous, ???
Skills: Angelic Mental Attack +5, Physical Defense +4, Combat +3
Stunts: Inflict Rage, Inflict Fratricide, Leg Whip (Weapon: 2)
Stress: [x][x][ ][x][x]
Consequences: -2 -x -x

:siren: There is a post in the recruit thread that requires everyone's attention.

grassy gnoll fucked around with this message at 18:45 on Jul 31, 2015

zachol
Feb 13, 2009

Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 WATER monster you control (except this card) to Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your hand. The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed if "Raging Eria" is removed from your side of the field.
Dr. Laboe

Jenny's eyebrows climb, and she darts over, staying clear of Adams and trying to catch what's on the phone, and whispers a little more furtively than she probably should.
"Marcus? What's this about?"

Alarm bells are definitely going off in her head. Where has Adams been? And what the hell is the deal with these gasmask dudes? Adams is seeming way more confident than she should be.

Notice 5.

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Still waiting on Franklin and Pax and Noah.

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah
Fate Points: 4

Diving, Unit-03 splash into the water beneath the Angel, crashing to the ground as it spins over, reaching into its back pillar and drawing the knife in one smooth motion. With Pax making an overhand stab at the core from below, Noah brings its leg up as the knife catches, and then kicks the knife up with the Eva's heel. With an acrobatic push, it almost moves to a handstand position as they try and couple their own force with gravity in a dramatic impact!

Only got a 4 on the Combat roll with Weapon: 2, but let's tag There's the Core!, and spend 2 FP to also tag Experimental Parallel Pilots and 2 > 1, for a total of 10.

The Deleter
May 22, 2010
Franklin Wilson
FP 1/5 | Physical 0000 | Mental X00
Consequences: They're Holding Me Back (+2)

Well, no time like the present! As Pax and Noah dive for the core, Franklin pushes his EVA into a mighty leap, hoping to bring the machine feet-first down on the angel and drive it down onto the Wonder Twins' blade. It'll look really loving cool on the news.

Attack!: 4dF+3 6
Kaboom.

grassy gnoll
Aug 27, 2006

The pawsting business is tough work.
Yep, that's a dead Angel.

Angel Attack

The Angel shudders under the onslaught of the first two Evangelions, then grows still. It shudders, just once, then explodes in a cloud of red-brown goop, thoroughly covering all the Evas and leaving a rather grotesque slick along the surface of the harbor. All that's left is the mopping up, which is unfortunately literal in this case. The recovery teams are already on their way as you begin trudging back to your recall points. Comms traffic is pretty light for the end of a mission - you pick up the all-clear, but usually someone in HQ is blabbing at you by now.

HQ

One of the soldiers moves into your path before you can even reach Jagr. Technically he (?) has his hands on his weapon, but they marched into the place with their rifles at rest, and apart from changing his spot on the floor, he hasn't moved.

Which is even weirder. Your job literally requires you to be good at reading body language, and you can't get anything off these guys. No cockiness, no anger, not even that coiling people do before they get ready to move. And that makes these people dangerous. Nobody's ever that in control of how they comport themselves without a hell of a lot of training, the real spooky, secret squirrel kind of training.

Jagr's gone from flushed red to pale. "It's alright, Johanna." He hands the phone back to Adams before you can get a good look at it - at this distance all you can make out is a bunch of white-on-black text and a tiny picture, mostly orange.

In spite of all of this, the thing that worries you the most is that Adams is almost totally normal. Almost. You notice the little tremble in her fingers when she accepts the phone, the tiny drops of sweat at her temples.

Debriefing

All the pilots are assembled down by the Eva docks. The recovery crews are heading out, while the maintenence folks are heading in for another long night. There's also a couple uniforms you haven't seen before, black combat gear and some kind of weird patch on their arms. They've got guns, like the security teams, and they don't seem to pay much attention to the pilots.

Jagr and Dr. Laboe are there to greet you. The Colonel looks really, really tired. "Pilots," he says. "Excellent work. You all succeeded in repelling an unorthodox enemy with minimal assistance from Command. I hope you'll never have to do it again. You're dismissed. Take a break, you've earned it."

What do you do now?

zachol
Feb 13, 2009

Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 WATER monster you control (except this card) to Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your hand. The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed if "Raging Eria" is removed from your side of the field.
Dr. Laboe

Jenny's mind has been working overtime, though it all runs back down to the same problem. Adams isn't happy with this. Jagr isn't either. They're both resigned. They're both very much not explaining what's going on, and Jenny isn't stupid enough to press the issue when they're clearly not happy about it either. There's a good reason for what's going on, or at least a reason, and the important thing right now is the kids.
Well, that and saving the world, but as far as she's been able to tell, those are the same thing.

Which is why, when Jagr gives his slightly weird statement, Jenny just smiles and nods, pays no attention to the guys with guns, gives a small thumbs up, and says,
"Good job. Really."

Deceive, 'everything's fine,' 4dF+3=0.

It's not enough to cover the small, nervous glance towards Jagr, or the sense that she's ignoring the soldier guys a little too well.

zachol fucked around with this message at 06:26 on Aug 5, 2015

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Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Pax and Noah
Fate Points: 2

"What the hell was that?", comes Pax's shout as she comes out of the insertion plug, looking over to Rabah. Noah comes after, catching Pax's shoulder only to be shrugged off. "I don't need anybody trying to take a bullet for me! We were fine!", she shouts at her twin, and then slugs him in the shoulder genuinely hard before going on. "I didn't ask to play hero!" He winces, quiet as she storms off.

Noah rubs his shoulder, walking up to Jenny as he lowers his voice. "What was that? We were completely in the dark out there!", he says softly, shooting a glance to the other command staff for a moment.

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