Hawaii:Sessions:19910216:A Long Day in City
A LONG DAY IN CITY
It was now about 10:30 am. They put Jake's Black Hole up behind the exit door. Then just inside and to the left they put up the generic Black Hole. Cartwright was put in the infirmary autodoc, and Kathy was put in the autodoc in the guest room. Thomas went to rest in the guest room. Jessica was popped away. Jake, followed by Jason, then went outside to scope out the terrain. The ridge they were on went up, and the city wall and a gate were only about a city block away. Jake took up a watch position. Rathbone went back and got his sniper rifle and his own M-16. Whitetop went back down the tunnel and set up two tear gas traps near the corridor's entrance. Then he set up watch about 250 feet farther down. This remained the status quo for thirty minutes or so, when Jason decided to take Trey and try to get back into the city via the gate. He restored his M-16 and he and Trey headed out. They circled around and played the part of weary travelers. Cautiously they asked the guards for entrance, but it was denied. They asked why, and were told it was because a higher-up had been killed. Rathbone was considering trying to bribe his way in, but the ogre guard seemed single-minded so he decided not to try it. The human guard told him that the gate could be closed from two hours to two days. With the comment that they would check back in two hours, they went back to the beach.
While they were gone, Cartwright was released from the autodoc. He wandered down to Whitetop and took up watch with him. When Trey and Rathbone arrived back at the beach, they walked back up the beach to see if they could move without being seen from the walls. It was not possible. Therefore they headed back and stayed on the beach. Over the net there arose a great discussion about what to do next. There was talk of an attack, going back up through the temple, or going around to low town. Black got fed up with this discussion so he cast a spell. It worked, and a wizard eye formed above him. He quickly moved it into the city.
He was deeply surprised to see four ogres hiding right inside the gate, and dozens more between the temple and the gate. Two humans stood on the temple steps, but no other human was to be seen on the streets. The market was closed. Black sent the eye into the temple and found it empty and heavily damaged. He then cut the spell and collapsed in exhaustion. Once he came to, he told everyone what he had seen. Rathbone was puzzled. This new information led to a new round of discussions. During one of the lulls, Rathbone brought Jake a sandwich and refilled his flask for him.
Finally at about 12:45 p.m. the gate opened, and Trey and Rathbone prepared to go in. However, before they left, Thomas insisted that everyone gather around him inside the tunnel mouth so he could cast a protection spell. Jake declined, just in case his earlier wish to not be affected by magic came true. Kathy was still in the autodoc. Thomas did an elaborate ritual and then collapsed. A white bubble issued from his mouth and oozed at ground level. He also bled from nose and mouth. They pulled him away and popped him into an autodoc.
Trey and Rathbone then walked into the city with no trouble. They had to pay a copper each to get in. They questioned some in the reforming market, but did not push the point. Instead, they decided to try the Dew Drop Inn. Upon entering, they saw that it was just a couple of steps above the bar of the night before. On their way to the bar they picked up some interesting tidbits of information. The most interesting was that the town guard was searching for a green-haired woman and another human. While Trey ordered, Rathbone stepped out to the restroom and passed this information on to Jake so he could warn Kathy when she woke up. When Rathbone came back out, Trey was pumping the barkeep softly. Jason ordered and quietly joined her questioning. They confirmed that Sasha (the priest) was dead. They then began to ask about the ships. The barkeep revealed that the captains were in town but that it would be unwise for anyone to disturb them at home. They then asked where they could find the quartermaster of one of the ships, since they had a business deal lined up. They were told that they usually were at the Screeching Phantom Tavern. Giving him their thanks and an extra gold piece they left, heading for the Screeching Phantom.
This inn was definitely of a higher class. As they approached this barkeep, Rathbone noticed that he had knives in arm sheaths. This time Rathbone paid for the ale. Soft questioning revealed that no ships' quartermaster was there, but that the head pirate "Bee" was there and in an ugly mood. The barkeep even implied that she had magic. He also revealed that she was in a bad mood because of Sasha's death. This was not because she cared for him. Rather, it was because he was the only one who had contact with the dragon who had been helping her ships take booty. Trey implied that they had a business proposition for her. They bought an ale for her which the bartender himself delivered. She accepted the ale, but barely; she just glared at them. Rathbone turned on the charm but was careful not to provoke her. The barkeep said that she said she'd speak to them later. Rathbone then asked him where a good place to stay was. When he recommended an inn, Rathbone said they would take a room there. They left their names and asked him to inform Bee. They then walked across the market area and rented a large room on the inn's second floor for two nights at one gold per night. The room overlooked the market.
Rathbone and Trey immediately decided to take Bee captive if possible. It was now 3:00 pm. They decided to give her an hour or so to get more drunk, and then to go in and stun her (Rathbone had one) and carry her out as if she had passed out from too much ale. Trey revealed her secret to him, so they decided she should be the one to try. Rathbone then set up his Black Hole. Then he introduced Trey to his simulator and left her to practice with the stunner for the remainder of the hour. He then went back out to the room and re-established contact with the rest of the team.
Jake told him that they hadn't moved and that both mages were still out. Rathbone revealed his plan. Two-Leaf volunteered to make the shot. Whitetop and Cartwright confirmed that she was a crack shot with a stunner. After some discussion it was decided that Cartwright and she would come into the city with her disguised as his pet. Cartwright would then go into the Screeching Phantom as a traveling poet. Rathbone talked this modification over with Trey, and it was decided that Trey would take the first shot, and Two-Leaf would be backup in case Trey's inexperience with the stunner caused her to miss. She continued to practice.
When Rathbone came out of the Black Hole, Cartwright and Two-Leaf had already arrived. They discussed the plan in detail and set up the trigger signal. Cartwright and Two-Leaf then left to set themselves in position. Rathbone then re-established contact with Jake to let him know how it went. While they were talking, Kathy came up behind Jake. She was told about the hunt for a green-haired woman, so she changed her hair color. Whitetop then withdrew from the tunnel, put up a lot of his hardware, and prepared to escort Kathy into the city to go to the inn. She changed Whitetop's hair to black, and they headed into the city. They were stopped at the gate when a man standing with the guard identified her as a mage. When they saw that she didn't match the description, they were waved through. Just after they reached the room it became 4:00 pm, so Rathbone got Trey and they headed out for the tavern.
When they entered the tavern, Cartwright was deep into his recitation of Shakespeare. A quick scan of the tavern revealed that their quarry had left. Trey and Rathbone headed over to the bar to talk to the barkeep. He revealed that Bee had left over thirty minutes before with the orc leader. When asked, he also said that no member of the pirate crews were in the tavern. He also said they might find some at the Dew Drop Inn. Rathbone stopped by Cartwright, complimented his poetry, and told him what happened. Then he and Trey headed out.
While all this had been going on, Thomas woke up and went up to talk to Jake. When told where the others were, Black decided that he felt up to it. He took the generic Black Hole and headed into the city. Since he was a mage he was stopped, but he came on in when they decided he didn't match the description. He entered the city just as Trey and Rathbone left the Screeching Phantom. They discussed things over the net for a few minutes. It was decided that they would catch a pirate for questioning. Meanwhile, Cartwright had left the Phantom after giving the bartender his commission. They were all just outside the Dew Drop Inn when Jake made his robed/hooded entry into the city. Since they were looking for an ugly mage they did not even stop him. Black, who had been waiting, fell in step beside him.
The plan to take someone was modified. Jason would get into a card game, cause a pirate to win, then they'd stun him and hustle him out. Rathbone balked at losing until they pointed out he'd get his money back from the guy.
All of a sudden Black was walking by himself, after Jake broke quietly away from him. Jake headed toward the temple. Upon getting close to it he saw that it was now boarded up. An ogre guard confronted him, and when it would not be reasonable Jake put a throwing knife into it. It barely slowed as it came at him. Jake dodged, then put three slugs into it. It fell dead. Jake then beat a hasty retreat. Rathbone heard the shots just before they stepped into the Dew Drop. He stopped and asked Jake if he was all right. When he was assured that Jake was in no danger, Rathbone continued with the plan. Black went into the Hole to prepare some tea. (Whitetop had put up the generic Hole; Trey had returned Rathbone's to him.) Cartwright, Two-Leaf, Trey, and Kathy went in with Rathbone and sat down near the card game in the corner. Several humans and a goblin were playing a card game unfamiliar to Jason, but he asked and was allowed to join it. It was now about 5:00 p.m.
The card game continued for several hours, and as Jason got familiar with the game, he was able to cause a man he thought to be a pirate to win. At about 7:00 pm, Rathbone checked with Whitetop, who had remained outside as guard, to see if Jake had gotten back. When he was told that he had not, and Jake did not respond to Whitetop's call, Jason asked him to see if he could find Jake. Whitetop began a search.
At 8:00 pm Jason decided it was time to make their move, and he gave Trey the signal. Looking at Cartwright, with her back to the target, she took her shots. Unfortunately, her grip shifted just a little and she stunned herself. Two-Leaf immediately took her shots and put the guy out. Rathbone made a big deal about getting him up and taking him out. He got some good-natured ribbing, but no one challenged his right to help the guy. Cartwright took Trey, and Black helped Jason once he got out of the tavern.
They got the pair back to the inn without any incident. Rathbone programmed his simulator as a high-tech operating room, and strapped the guy to the table. Once all this was done, Jason used one of his medical kit poppers to wake up the guy. The guy was so stone drunk that he lost his lunch, causing Rathbone, Cartwright, and Black to lose it also. Questioning revealed that this guy knew next to nothing (after Jason put Purge into him to sober him up). Black failed in two mind read spell attempts. Finally, after a round of good guy/bad guy, Jason was convinced that the guy didn't know anything of value. Rathbone then stunned him. Rathbone wanted to keep him prisoner, but both Cartwright and Kathy thought it would be safe to let him go. Rathbone agreed. He and Cartwright carried him out, dangled him out the hall window, and dropped him into the alley.
They still had no contact with Jake. They asked Black if he could find Jake, and he said no. Whitetop had put on his wetsuit, sealed his weapons, and crossed the river and continued his search for Jake. Rathbone stood in the inn room and worried.
Jake had shaken the pursuit and crossed over the river into the leaders' quarters. While walking the street he was made and another chase started. He rounded a corner, and someone seeming to want to help opened a door and beckoned him in. Before he could turn, he was knocked out. He awoke naked, tied to an altar, hearing someone talking about feeding him to something. Somehow Jake managed to get free and get ahold of a sword. Somehow he got hold of one of his knives, and ended up in the bay when he jumped out a back window. He climbed back up a pier into low town. The old lady hugged him and died. Jake ambushed another person and obtained some clothes. He was now outside the main city walls, armed only with a knife.
As they stood in the room, Black began to perform a magic ritual. He completed it in a couple of seconds, and told the team that Jake was 400 feet north of them. They began to talk to Black about this after Whitetop changed his course to go to Jake. Kathy got onto him for not doing that earlier. Black said he had been unable to do it earlier because he had been too tired. Kathy informed him that she could have lent him the necessary strength. Black then did a minute-long ritual to put a continuous trace on Jake. While he was about halfway through, Jessica came over the net saying that she now was with Jake and that he was okay. Whitetop reached them a couple of minutes later. Whitetop put up his Black Hole and proceeded to re-arm Jake. Jake passed on to Jessica and Whitetop the information which he had gathered. Once that had all finished (about ten minutes), they stepped out, Whitetop removed his Hole, and Jake came back over the net. He asked if Rathbone wanted the dragon or the other leaders. Jason said his group would take the leaders. Kathy asked if Jake and them needed her, but Jake assured her that they did not. Jake's sub-team began heading over to the place where Jake had been held captive.
Jason's team decided to send out a two-person scouting party to find the leaders' abode before the rest crossed over the river. Kathy and Trey became the advance party. Kathy turned them both invisible, and they crossed the bridge with no trouble. They investigated the area for about an hour before they ran into an interesting, guarded place. They sneaked past the guards and then climbed to the roof of the building. Trey was almost spotted, but freezing in place proved very successful. Trey then headed to the stairway and went down a flight of stairs. At the floor below was a sleeping chamber with four ogres asleep in it. Trey sneaked by to the door on the far side and quietly opened the door... and stepped face-to-face with an ogre. Rathbone chose, by accident, that moment to call for a radio check. He had gotten impatient. Everyone left in the inn had been fed from the auto-chef. Jake answered that they were ready to go in. Trey, who had just dodged and run past the guard, indicated trouble and location. Rathbone and the others left the inn at a run. (He had already removed his Black Hole.)
Trey and the guard had faced off for about a second before it asked what she was doing there. When she didn't reply, he yelled to wake the others and grabbed for her. Since there were four now-awakening ogres behind her, Trey dodged the grab and darted around the guard and headed at speed down the hall. It was during this that she replied to Rathbone. She was twelve yards down the hall when two ogres came out of doorways on opposite sides of the hall. Trey drew both her weapons and threw shots at those in front, forcing one to duck back in as she stopped. She turned so that she was facing the wall to her left. She saw Kathy standing in the doorway facing down the four formerly-asleep guards, with the one Trey had dodged turning back to get Kathy from behind. Trey fired in both directions, killing the guard approaching Kathy and wounding the one approaching her in the leg and arm. As Trey turned to run back to Kathy, she fired another slug into the ogre. Kathy then put three shots into her opponents. Trey, when no one followed her, stopped and went back down the corridor to get a good angle on the ogre standing in a doorway on the left side of the corridor. As soon as she got him in sight he threw a knife, hitting her in the leg. Kathy continued to fire.
While this was going on, a running Rathbone told Jake what was going on. Two-Leaf passed Jason, with Cartwright and Black bringing up the rear. When Rathbone was about forty feet from the bridge, he fired a full burst from his M-16 which took down three of the four bridge guards. Cartwright from behind had stopped and now put down the last guard at that bridge. Two-Leaf did not even break stride as she crossed the bridge; neither did Rathbone. Black, as he crossed the end of the bridge, saw two guards approach from the bridge, which was off to the right. He stopped to cast a spell at them, but they both threw spears which hit Black in an arm and a leg. Black screamed and lost consciousness. Cartwright, who had started aiming at the advancing guards, picked both of them off, then ran on down across the bridge and passed Two-Leaf, who had turned to come back to help Black. As she started first aid on Black, Rathbone and Cartwright continued their run to get to Trey's and Kathy's side.
Meanwhile, Trey popped off several more shots and started back down the corridor. Kathy finished off her opponents and came through the door just in time to plug a kobold which had come out of a door behind Trey. Trey made it to the corner near the door and stopped just around it. Kathy moved to her left which put her around the same corner, but she was able to cover a little bit of the corridor. While those down the corridor tried to figure out what had happened to the three or four dead, Kathy moved up to Trey and asked for and got permission to heal her, which she did with great efficiency. Then, in an effort to stop the attack, Kathy then cast the spell 'stench' down the corridor. The spell worked beyond her wildest dreams. Seconds later Rathbone reached the first-level door. It was locked. Rathbone fired three blaster bolts into the door and kicked it open just as Cartwright arrived. Kathy warned them about the stench. The two new arrivals then began looking for the upward stairs. They then also searched each room but found no one on the first floor. They found the stairs and got to the second floor. The first room they found was very fancy. Upon opening the door to the corridor, an awful smell almost made Rathbone lose it before Cartwright could pull him back and shut the door. After getting his wind back, Rathbone held his breath and took a longer look... and saw just corridor. Before he looked again, he asked Trey to look down the corridor to see if she could see Cartwright and him. She did. They were at the far end of the corridor. Kathy dismissed the stench, and they then conducted a room-by-room search. They found no one alive. They had just finished when they heard Two-Leaf scream over the net. An about-face and run back to her last known position was done.
As Jason's team began the run to assist Trey and Kathy, Jake's team had worked its way to the building Jake had been held in the goblin quarter. This building was right on the bay.
Before entering, each one equipped themselves with a gas mask and a couple of tear gas grenades. Jessica was to come in the broken back window by the bay (Jake had exited from this corridor). Whitetop was to deal with the rooms on the left side of the building and to provide a distraction for Jake, who was to go into the main room on the right side of the building. Jessica went in as planned and found absolutely no resistance. She moved slowly forward. Jake put on his mask, primed two tear gas grenades, and jumped into the building through the window. He threw the grenades just before he discovered that he had the room all to himself. Whitetop smashed open the window in front of him and let loose an M-16 burst and vacated that window. That turned out to be a good move when a fireball came flying out that window. Whitetop reported this, and Jake immediately began pouring M-16 fire into the wall in an attempt to cover Whitetop. He emptied his gun into the wall, making many hits. Whitetop came close to the window and chunked in a frag grenade. Jake's last shots must have hit something creating a fireball big-time because a big fire explosion occurred. This explosion blew out the interior wall just in front of Jake but caused him no damage. Whitetop entered the next room back, which appeared to be a kitchen with several people cowering in it. Whitetop bade them leave. Jessica was in the altar room, and Jake had moved into a large closet/storeroom where he found his stuff. He threw up his Black Hole (which was in his boot) and quickly threw his stuff and some other stuff into the Black Hole. Just as he started this, Whitetop's earlier grenade went off. Jake finished his task, took down his Hole, and moved out of the storage area. Something hit him on the head, forcing him back into the storage area. Jake drew his 9mm and pumped three slugs into what appeared to be a goblin, to no apparent effect. It then swung at Jake again, but it missed as he retreated and dodged. Three more shots from Jake missed. As he dodged its next attack, Jake drew his knife and stabbed it to no effect. Before it could respond, Whitetop came up behind it out of direct line to Jake and fired a full one-second burst at it. None seemed to do any damage to it, but it did distract it. It made some smart crack at Whitetop. Whitetop ignored it. He ran full-tilt into the being and did succeed in knocking it back a yard, which allowed Jake to slip past. As soon as he hit the being, Whitetop began retreating. Jessica had come up behind this fracas. Once Jake had gotten past the 'goblin', it stopped its attack. However, it did promise to eat each one of them, starting with Whitetop. It wanted revenge for what they had done to its home and people. Upon finishing its threats, it vanished. The trio wasted no time in doing a bugout of their own. They only went far enough to find a dark alley in which they could put up the Black Hole. They put up Jake's and put Whitetop's up inside it. With Whitetop's help Jake then rigged an outside antenna so they could communicate with the others. He then gave a call for Rathbone. Rathbone told him they had killed the half-orc and were now going after Two-Leaf, who had screamed.
As Two-Leaf reached Black he was still making noise, since he was in a lot of pain. So that she could easily work on him, she stunned him. Once he went out, she removed the spears and began to treat his wounds. After about fifteen minutes she looked up to see about two dozen orcs coming her way. Being unable to move Black, she pulled her stunner and fired it to no apparent effect. One of them made a lucky hit on her stunner, knocking it away from her. She scrambled after it as they overran her position. They knocked her out and scooped both her and Black up and carried them off.
Rathbone, Cartwright, Trey, and Kathy reached the area of Two-Leaf and Black's location twelve seconds after Two-Leaf's scream. She and her attackers were nowhere in sight. Kathy went to join Jake's group in case the goblin followed them. Knowing that they couldn't have gotten far, Rathbone looked for places they could have gotten. They were the boarded-up temple, the alley, and a stone building. They bypassed the temple because it was still boarded up. Rathbone unnecessarily used three blaster bolts to blow off the lock on the stone building's front door. The front room was empty, as was the office opening off the room. The room's other door was a hallway. Since they got a garbled message from Two-Leaf saying "stairs ... kitchen ... hurt", they were looking for stairways. They carefully searched each room until they came to the kitchen (on the left side of the hall). Since it didn't go down, Rathbone told the four cooks just to be quiet. The room at the end of the hall was obviously a barracks. Cartwright peeked in and determined that it had no other doors. They then exited the building and moved down past the temple. There they saw another stone building. This building was just one large barracks room filled with sleeping orcs. It then dawned on all three of them that Two-Leaf was probably in the kitchen they had skipped over, so they rushed back to the first stone building which they had entered. This time they approached very quietly. They found at least eight orcs waiting in the front room. Therefore, they circled the building looking for secondary ways in. Trey, upon sneaking a peek (via finger-eye) into the open kitchen window, found Two-Leaf hanging upside-down from her feet on the hall wall side of the kitchen. She informed the other two, who came to the window.
Rathbone asked Trey how many were in there and where they were. One was working over the sink and three were by the cooking hearth. Rathbone then stood up in front of the window and began using his stunner. He got the one at the sink and two of the three others before they could make a sound. Unfortunately, the last one managed to get out a small scream before he stunner her. Cartwright then boosted Trey into the kitchen. Rathbone followed. He covered the kitchen door while Trey cut Two-Leaf down and carried her out. When Rathbone followed they departed hurriedly before the orcs in the front room arrived. At the point Rathbone saw Trey pop out. Rathbone then found a dark alley and put up his black hole. Before they went in Jake re-established contact with them. He told Rathbone what he had set up as an outside antenna, and after Rathbone put Two-Leaf in the autodoc he did the same. It was now about 4:00 am. Talking it out, the group now knew that only Black was missing. Rathbone told them about Trey's Enigma departure. Jessica wanted to go search for Black, but Jake and Jason thought it was not wise. They figured he was either okay or it was too late, and he might even have popped out. Jessica finally agreed. Jason and Whitetop agreed to wake and do radio checks every two hours. So each Black Hole had its security systems set. Whitetop went on to sleep at 4:00 am. Jason waited until Two-Leaf awoke and was released from the autodoc at 4:30 am. He filled her in on what was going on. He reassured her that they would go back for her equipment. She then curled up by the autodoc and went to sleep. So did Jason.