Testing Run Part 2

The flimsy shield had fallen easily before the shock wave but it held enough to do it's job and a small determined smile appeared on Astraea's face. Her plans had worked, her tools had done their job. The fight wasn't over yet but she had managed to swing it firmly in her direction. She stood up shakily in the grass and dropped one hand to her keypad, her fingers tapping out the command to drop her machines beside the the tank. 

"Error: Insufficient material for materialization. Please wait for-" The feminine computerized voice was cut off with a frustrated jam at the keyboard, Astraea's smile gone and replaced by a gritting of her teeth. Right, she had forgotten that it took a while for her workshop to fabricate the replacements. Perhaps she had gotten a little too explosion happy.

"D'ya want chips?" Alex piped up after reading the text version of the full warning the voice had attempted to delivered. He watched as  Astraea's eyes narrowed as she thought about it, then shook her head.

Her calculations were interrupted by the familiar BEEP BEEP of said turret as it fired its bullets at the the smaller foe.  She tilted her head, considering what she had just seen then pulled her ray gun from its holster. She depressed the trigger half way and held it. She re-positioned herself, striding quickly away from her previous location to both get a better view and hopefully take her out of the tank's immediate target zone.

She pressed the trigger and the blue laser lanced across the intervening space to strike at the Metool.

Action Summary
Astraea Passives:
-Passive: Self-Destruct: When reduced to 0 HP, your summoned Objects explode in a Nova 2 radius for (max HP)/2 damage. The summoner can disable or re-enable this per object as a free action, using direct contact. Objects consumed by triggering their Damage Method do not activate this ability.

-Masterwork: Add 20+(Lvl) Hp to Object as free action once per object/turn.
-------------
*CTA: 5x2 Fire Shot, Acc A @ Metool C
Action 1) Buster Charge
Action 2)  Feint away from original position to put Metool in better firing line
Action 3) 1/2 Buster Charge Shot - 30 Null @ Metool C
------
Objects
CTA: 30/30 hp *5x2 Fire Shot
------
Cooldowns
Terraformer: 2/2 (Ready next turn!)
Cinder Turret: 2/2 (Ready next turn!)
Abductor Unit: 1/2

Cautious optimism seemed to be the flavour of the moment, with Astraea confident enough to stick to her testing without end for further battle chips. Of course, others might simply understand the truth of the universe; the creator didn't need things like chips when she had the loyalty and protection of her staunchest ally, and all around best creation. Their foes were arrayed before them, cowering and helpless and it was a and honour and a privilege, as much as a duty, to purge them with fire in the creator's name. CTA peppered the upended metool some more. It squealed and rocked in its helmet, trying to right itself, and eventually got its feet again, though looking increasingly worse for wear now.

The tank eventually retracted its giant-sized helmet and looked out again, before the pilot attempted to lob another static bomb in the direction of Astraea and her remaining turret. Its accuracy with that particular shell was not demonstrating a particularly good track record, however, as it scattered away behind the alien mechanist, out of range to harm her. With her blaster charged up, she was able to quickly dispatch the little critter as it tried to flee towards the cave entrance; true to her aim, the little metool didn't make it.

Jsut as she took the shot, the one in the tank gave a short, angry 'meep!' and pressed another level. Once again, the engines on the tank revved up and the back wheels began to spin, before the helmet expanded into a dome again and the whole massive bulwark shot forward, plunging directly towards Astraea and her turret with alarming speed. Astraea was able to duck out of the way, just, but her construct was not as agile and got knocked sky high by the rushing assault. Looked like it was down for the count, for now. The dome over the tank retracted again as it came to a halt, with the pilot popping up to see where it had ended up, and to check if it had hit anything.

-=Viruses=-
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. A: DELETED
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. B: DELETED
MinerMiner (Miner)

Area: SciLab, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 50 Null + Ground (Trap)
Attack Accuracy: -- (See Description)
Attack Description: The virus dispenses a stack of mines, sinks into the ground, and randomly places them within various panels all across the field. Every time a stack of mines is placed, it covers 5% of the field. When stepped upon, they explode, and 5% of the field is freed up again.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mine1, Zenny
Special: Immobile
- This virus may dodge by ducking an attack while placing a mine.
- Trap [Movement Triggered]: Whenever a Player Navi or allied character Dodges or Moves, there is a chance they will trigger the mines. Mods will roll 1d20 for every move action made by allied characters. A roll of 1 is always a hit, with the threat range increased by 1 for every 5% of the field covered in mines. The max coverage of the field is 90%. Characters with Omnishoes who are flying at High Altitude can ignore this effect entirely.
- Panel Breaking can destroy mines. A: DELETED
MetoolMetool (Metool)

Metools not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 40
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Whacks ground with pickaxe, sending forth a shockwave.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Throws a mattock at an enemy.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Guard1, ShockWave, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage. C: DELETED
Rusty Mettank V1Mettank V1 (Mettank)

A Mettank is a combination of the Metool, Catack, and Armadillo viruses. It looks a lot like a regular Catack, with several notable differences. The main body of the tank is slightly smaller, and the tank's driver is very clearly an actual Metool, though it doesn't bear its signature weapon. The vehicle itself is colored to match the Metool-driver's Helmet; thus the most basic version is gold with green trim, while more powerful versions will be colored differently to follow suit. The tank itself retains the same basic design as a Catack, except that its triangular treads have been replaced with four almost comically over-sized monster-truck style armored wheels, and its main gun now sports two long, narrow tines jutting out vertically up and down from a point close to the muzzle. These make it look rather like a giant version of a Metool's pickaxe, and the cannon is also now housed in a vertical pivot that allows it to adjust up and down, or even swing with enough force to strike the lower tine to the ground.

Most of the time, the Mettank moves very slowly, and it has been seen to activate a defensive mode wherein the Metool-driver's helmet expands to a jumbo size large enough to cover the entire tank in its protective dome. This does, of course, render the virus utterly blind, and when specifically guarding like this it can no longer attack or move.

It has also been seen, occasionally, to display sudden feats of unexpected speed, where it will rev up, then suddenly ram a target. At these times, its helmet defense covers the tank, though it recedes again as soon as the attack run loses momentum.

Area: All

HP: 260
Element: Null

Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Stun 1 + Blast 2
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: The Mettank blasts a target with an explosive shell from its main gun, which stuns targets.

Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Wide Attack
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Slams the pick-tine of its main gun to the ground, causing a large shockwave.

Tertiary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Group Attack + Breaking + Impact + Movement
Tertiary Attack Accuracy: B
Tertiary Attack Description: The Mettank revs up and rushes one target with sudden speed. It activates its MetGuard when it begins to rush, and deactivates it again as soon as the attack run ends. The Mettank does not return to its original position at the end of the attack run, but remains where it stopped.

Special: MetGuard: The Metool's Helmet expands rapidly to cover the entire tank in a protective dome. Assumes MetalBody and can hold this guard for any number of actions. Activating the guard takes an action, but deactivating it to attack does not. Mettank cannot move or attack while MetGuard is active, however its tertiary attack ignores this. Attacks from below bypass MetGuard for normal damage.
Special: Slow to move, but can move and dodge while attacking.
Note: MetalBody is identical to IronBody, but does not hamper movement. Non-Break attacks deal 0 damage, and Break attacks deal double.

Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TankCannon1, Guard1, ShockWave, IronShell1, LilBomb, WhiteCapsule: 240Hp [Grass][Directly next to Astraea]

-=Navis=-
Astraea.EXE: 115Hp [Grass]

-=Terrain=-
20% Normal

• No effects.

[Side areas]
25% Sand

• -20% Evasion and reduced movement speed to all.
• Can Burrow as standard action, incurable Blind1 until turn after exiting Burrow.
• Wind attacks: +100% Source Damage + Blind1, change terrain hit to Normal, trigger Sandstorm for 3 turns: Lose 5 HP/action, Blind1, Fire attacks gain Slashing.
• Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Glass.
• Terrain changes between Sand and QuickSand do not inflict damage upon burrowed entities, nor do they eject burrowed entities to the surface.
• PanelShot: Blind1.

[Area around the cave entrance]
40% Grass

• Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

[Majority]
10% Soil

• Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
• Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

[Burned patch]
5% Glass

• Slip Effect: -10% Accuracy, -10% Evasion to all.
• Non-Ice Aqua attacks causes it to be Wet, doubles slip effect for Non-Aqua Elementals for 1 turn. Wet can expire early with Fire attacks. Can cause slippage for poor RP or heavy impacts on Non-Aqua Elementals, 1-2 actions to recover.
• 200 Damage attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken. Damage threshold cut in half for Ground, Break, and Impact, to a minimum threshold of 25 when all 3 are present. Null 25 + Slashing + Nova 2 per panel broken, up to 200 (8 panels).
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, 50 Null + Slashing to burrower, Null 25 + Slashing + Nova2 to surroundings.
• PanelShot: Spread1.

[Where the metool got hit by fire on sand]

10% Mines!

-=Mechanical Aides=-
CTA: BROKEN
Terraformer: SELF-DESTRUCT
Abductor: SELF-DESTRUCT

"One to go! Punch it in the face!" Astraea turned her head to Give her operator a deadpan stare. "okay, okay, it's pretty tough so maybe don't punch it directly. you should definitely blow it up though!"

"Mmm." The alien's noncommittal noise of agreement was all the response Alex got as Astraea thought things over. She would be willing to blow it up the way she had the other viruses but she a little short on summoned machine power right now.

Chip to buy time, and maybe a little of that inner strength she had discovered.

Her breathing slipped into steady, deep breaths as she calmly considered her options. She certainly had enough firepower for the job if one considered pure numbers. What else was there for her to consider?

"Mark Cannon, Operator." She said. Her form was lined with silver light. It had no other obvious effect, but she felt herself buoyed by the inner strength she had tapped.

"Here! Blast it to pieces!" Blue light began to envelope her blaster. The silver glow slid down her arm and swirled through the blue to condense at the tip of her gun. She lifted it with both hands, her left supporting the right. One foot slid back milimeters to stabilize as she sighted her target: the center of the tank.

FWEEEEEEWH

Blue and silver light streaked from the ray gun. Astraea dropped her left hand, turned to the left, and rushed to the tank's side in an attempt to get under it's firing arc.

Surely it wouldn't blow itself up, right?

----------------
Action 1) Starmight: Strengthen 20
Action 2) MarkCannon1 70 + Lock on + Seeking Acc A + 20 Strengthen @Mettank v1
Action 3) Dodge by getting close to the tank

Cooldowns:
Abductor Unit: 2/2

No more mechanical assistance for the time being, but Astraea was not dissuaded yet. As she focused herself, the tank backed up slightly, rumbling over the sounds of small 'meep's from the pilot seat. Its main gun cracked with another explosive, but it wasn't quite able to catch the little alien in the edge of the bast, after throwing it far enough away not to hit itself. The tiny metool driving the rusted contraption made small irritated sounds and pressed more buttons.

These sounds became shock as Astraea answered its attack with a ray gun blast that ripped into the body of the tank and blasted clean through, sending a spray of rust and mangled metal parts with it. smoke poured out of the hole she'd left, though the tank itself still seemed functional. It twisted in place, lining up with her again, and with a cranking sound raised the main barrel to slam the metal tine int the ground again. the shock-wave would have thundered out to meet Astarea, if the engineer hadn't just darted inwards under its scope and into a fairly solid blind spot beneath it and to one side. The wave rumbled out and away, hitting nothing. Above her, Astraea could hear the sounds of the metool pilot looking around for her in sudden confusion.

-=Viruses=-
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. A: DELETED
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. B: DELETED
MinerMiner (Miner)

Area: SciLab, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 50 Null + Ground (Trap)
Attack Accuracy: -- (See Description)
Attack Description: The virus dispenses a stack of mines, sinks into the ground, and randomly places them within various panels all across the field. Every time a stack of mines is placed, it covers 5% of the field. When stepped upon, they explode, and 5% of the field is freed up again.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mine1, Zenny
Special: Immobile
- This virus may dodge by ducking an attack while placing a mine.
- Trap [Movement Triggered]: Whenever a Player Navi or allied character Dodges or Moves, there is a chance they will trigger the mines. Mods will roll 1d20 for every move action made by allied characters. A roll of 1 is always a hit, with the threat range increased by 1 for every 5% of the field covered in mines. The max coverage of the field is 90%. Characters with Omnishoes who are flying at High Altitude can ignore this effect entirely.
- Panel Breaking can destroy mines. A: DELETED
MetoolMetool (Metool)

Metools not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 40
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Whacks ground with pickaxe, sending forth a shockwave.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Throws a mattock at an enemy.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Guard1, ShockWave, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage. C: DELETED
Rusty Mettank V1Mettank V1 (Mettank)

A Mettank is a combination of the Metool, Catack, and Armadillo viruses. It looks a lot like a regular Catack, with several notable differences. The main body of the tank is slightly smaller, and the tank's driver is very clearly an actual Metool, though it doesn't bear its signature weapon. The vehicle itself is colored to match the Metool-driver's Helmet; thus the most basic version is gold with green trim, while more powerful versions will be colored differently to follow suit. The tank itself retains the same basic design as a Catack, except that its triangular treads have been replaced with four almost comically over-sized monster-truck style armored wheels, and its main gun now sports two long, narrow tines jutting out vertically up and down from a point close to the muzzle. These make it look rather like a giant version of a Metool's pickaxe, and the cannon is also now housed in a vertical pivot that allows it to adjust up and down, or even swing with enough force to strike the lower tine to the ground.

Most of the time, the Mettank moves very slowly, and it has been seen to activate a defensive mode wherein the Metool-driver's helmet expands to a jumbo size large enough to cover the entire tank in its protective dome. This does, of course, render the virus utterly blind, and when specifically guarding like this it can no longer attack or move.

It has also been seen, occasionally, to display sudden feats of unexpected speed, where it will rev up, then suddenly ram a target. At these times, its helmet defense covers the tank, though it recedes again as soon as the attack run loses momentum.

Area: All

HP: 260
Element: Null

Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Stun 1 + Blast 2
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: The Mettank blasts a target with an explosive shell from its main gun, which stuns targets.

Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Wide Attack
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Slams the pick-tine of its main gun to the ground, causing a large shockwave.

Tertiary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Group Attack + Breaking + Impact + Movement
Tertiary Attack Accuracy: B
Tertiary Attack Description: The Mettank revs up and rushes one target with sudden speed. It activates its MetGuard when it begins to rush, and deactivates it again as soon as the attack run ends. The Mettank does not return to its original position at the end of the attack run, but remains where it stopped.

Special: MetGuard: The Metool's Helmet expands rapidly to cover the entire tank in a protective dome. Assumes MetalBody and can hold this guard for any number of actions. Activating the guard takes an action, but deactivating it to attack does not. Mettank cannot move or attack while MetGuard is active, however its tertiary attack ignores this. Attacks from below bypass MetGuard for normal damage.
Special: Slow to move, but can move and dodge while attacking.
Note: MetalBody is identical to IronBody, but does not hamper movement. Non-Break attacks deal 0 damage, and Break attacks deal double.

Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TankCannon1, Guard1, ShockWave, IronShell1, LilBomb, WhiteCapsule: 150Hp [Grass][Directly next to Astraea]

-=Navis=-
Astraea.EXE: 115Hp [Grass]

-=Terrain=-
20% Normal

• No effects.

[Side areas]
25% Sand

• -20% Evasion and reduced movement speed to all.
• Can Burrow as standard action, incurable Blind1 until turn after exiting Burrow.
• Wind attacks: +100% Source Damage + Blind1, change terrain hit to Normal, trigger Sandstorm for 3 turns: Lose 5 HP/action, Blind1, Fire attacks gain Slashing.
• Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Glass.
• Terrain changes between Sand and QuickSand do not inflict damage upon burrowed entities, nor do they eject burrowed entities to the surface.
• PanelShot: Blind1.

[Area around the cave entrance]
40% Grass

• Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

[Majority]
10% Soil

• Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
• Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

[Burned patch]
5% Glass

• Slip Effect: -10% Accuracy, -10% Evasion to all.
• Non-Ice Aqua attacks causes it to be Wet, doubles slip effect for Non-Aqua Elementals for 1 turn. Wet can expire early with Fire attacks. Can cause slippage for poor RP or heavy impacts on Non-Aqua Elementals, 1-2 actions to recover.
• 200 Damage attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken. Damage threshold cut in half for Ground, Break, and Impact, to a minimum threshold of 25 when all 3 are present. Null 25 + Slashing + Nova 2 per panel broken, up to 200 (8 panels).
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, 50 Null + Slashing to burrower, Null 25 + Slashing + Nova2 to surroundings.
• PanelShot: Spread1.

[Where the metool got hit by fire on sand]

10% Mines!

-=Mechanical Aides=-
CTA: BROKEN
Terraformer: SELF-DESTRUCT
Abductor: SELF-DESTRUCT

"Since you're already up close and personal lets use this! Sword, slot-in!"

After a moment of blinking uselessly in surprise Astraea gave a quick nod and drew her wrench, the tool shifting and changing in her grip. Almost the moment she had it facing away from her face a brilliant light blue beam of light extended from between the prongs. Astraea stared at it for a moment. Did this chip always manifest like this or was it being specific to her? Whatever, she could ponder that later.

"This is a tactically disasterous location for you." She told the tank, her voice flat and even as she swiped the laserblade along its side then reversed her grip and pulled it the other direction. She adjusted her grip again and attempted to stab deep into the rusted tank's internals in an attempt to stop its gears for good.

----------------
Battle Log
Action 1) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D @ Rusty Mettankv1
Action 2) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D @ Rusty Mettankv1
Action 3) SwordDamage: 80 + Slashing
Accuracy: B
Description: Creates a sword made of solidified energy, with a very short blade. Hits one target per slash
Duration: Until Overridden/Broken. Breaks automatically after 6 swings.
Element: Null
Trader Rank: D @ Rusty Mettankv1

Cooldowns
Starmight: 1/1

From her position near the treads of the rusted up machine, Astraea barely had to line up at all to drag her first slicing struck through the lower workings of the tank. It was helped further as the unfortunate pilot attempted to pivot the machine to find her, only lengthening the grievous gash she tore. It squeaked in shock and dismay as the rend in the mechanisms causes a small internal explosion, and another plume of black smoke to sputter upwards; its new toy was looking very damaged now and the metool in the pilot seat seemed to panic briefly. It squeezed its eyes shuts and hunkered down, causing the same odd helmet expansion to slam down over the tank in its entirety and push the small alien navi back to the edge of the dome.

Her second sword strike scraped and sparked along the giant hard hat defence, but couldn't pierce it. It did, however, bring about a muffled sound from within. It was hard to make out, but the little guy sounded vaguely exultant. The dome spun in place to face the point where she had struck it, then receded suddenly, to reveal the business end of the tank's main turret pointed directly towards her. Unfortunately for the virus, the time it took to raise the pick-tine of its cannon and slam it back down was more than long enough for Astraea herself to stab forward with her blade, driving it into the mid-section of the contraption and hitting something rather important.

The turret locked up and the tank shuddered. The small metool began looked at the rising smoke ina fresh panic, jamming buttons and pulling levers. The tank shuddered again, and Astraea's own knowledge of machinery in general might warn her that now was a good time to back off. The tank sparked, once, twice; mechanical cracks filled the air and an almost white glow of mis-directed energy began to escape from different tears in the metal, and suffuse the outer shell. Just as it became too bright to look at, a rumbled gave way to sudden explosive burst that sent chunks of tank debris in every direction. Astraea herself was momentarily deafened from the sound, though the blast-wave itself seemed mercifully contained and compact.

By the time the light faded and the sound faded away, little was left besides scattered parts. The pilot was no-where to be seen, and the wreckage provided no real clues to his ultimate fate. Oh well. One thing that did remain amidst the wreckage, however, as a small glowing bead of white energy that pulsed gentle with a slow rhythm. It seemed to be a self-contained capsule of some sort; maybe it had been an energy source? Or perhaps something else. It was hard to tell.

-=Viruses=-
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. A: DELETED
Swordy-NSwordy-N (Swordy-N)

Area: ACDC, Kotobuki Town, Netopia

HP: 60
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Long Range Attack + Slashing
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: When this virus is 2 panels away from the target, or its enemies are 2-deep, it will attack with Long Sword.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Null + Wide Range Attack + Slashing
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: When this virus is standing directly adjacent to its target, or diagonally from it, it will attack with Wide Sword.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Sword, Zenny
Special: Sword-N's are immune to Sleep Status.
Special: Uses Area Grab to get into attack range. B: DELETED
MinerMiner (Miner)

Area: SciLab, Hades Isle

HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 50 Null + Ground (Trap)
Attack Accuracy: -- (See Description)
Attack Description: The virus dispenses a stack of mines, sinks into the ground, and randomly places them within various panels all across the field. Every time a stack of mines is placed, it covers 5% of the field. When stepped upon, they explode, and 5% of the field is freed up again.
Element: None
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Mine1, Zenny
Special: Immobile
- This virus may dodge by ducking an attack while placing a mine.
- Trap [Movement Triggered]: Whenever a Player Navi or allied character Dodges or Moves, there is a chance they will trigger the mines. Mods will roll 1d20 for every move action made by allied characters. A roll of 1 is always a hit, with the threat range increased by 1 for every 5% of the field covered in mines. The max coverage of the field is 90%. Characters with Omnishoes who are flying at High Altitude can ignore this effect entirely.
- Panel Breaking can destroy mines. A: DELETED
MetoolMetool (Metool)

Metools not currently attacking will guard. Entering guard mode requires an action. Exiting guard mode does not require an action.

Area: ACDC, Electown, Okuden Valley, Kotobuki Town, Dentech, Beach

HP: 40
Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack
Primary Attack Accuracy: C
Primary Attack Description: Whacks ground with pickaxe, sending forth a shockwave.
Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 10 Null
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Throws a mattock at an enemy.
Element: Null
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): Guard1, ShockWave, Zenny
Special: Can hide in its helmet to negate damage. C: DELETED
Rusty Mettank V1Mettank V1 (Mettank)

A Mettank is a combination of the Metool, Catack, and Armadillo viruses. It looks a lot like a regular Catack, with several notable differences. The main body of the tank is slightly smaller, and the tank's driver is very clearly an actual Metool, though it doesn't bear its signature weapon. The vehicle itself is colored to match the Metool-driver's Helmet; thus the most basic version is gold with green trim, while more powerful versions will be colored differently to follow suit. The tank itself retains the same basic design as a Catack, except that its triangular treads have been replaced with four almost comically over-sized monster-truck style armored wheels, and its main gun now sports two long, narrow tines jutting out vertically up and down from a point close to the muzzle. These make it look rather like a giant version of a Metool's pickaxe, and the cannon is also now housed in a vertical pivot that allows it to adjust up and down, or even swing with enough force to strike the lower tine to the ground.

Most of the time, the Mettank moves very slowly, and it has been seen to activate a defensive mode wherein the Metool-driver's helmet expands to a jumbo size large enough to cover the entire tank in its protective dome. This does, of course, render the virus utterly blind, and when specifically guarding like this it can no longer attack or move.

It has also been seen, occasionally, to display sudden feats of unexpected speed, where it will rev up, then suddenly ram a target. At these times, its helmet defense covers the tank, though it recedes again as soon as the attack run loses momentum.

Area: All

HP: 260
Element: Null

Primary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Stun 1 + Blast 2
Primary Attack Accuracy: B
Primary Attack Description: The Mettank blasts a target with an explosive shell from its main gun, which stuns targets.

Secondary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Piercing + Ground Attack + Wide Attack
Secondary Attack Accuracy: B
Secondary Attack Description: Slams the pick-tine of its main gun to the ground, causing a large shockwave.

Tertiary Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Null + Group Attack + Breaking + Impact + Movement
Tertiary Attack Accuracy: B
Tertiary Attack Description: The Mettank revs up and rushes one target with sudden speed. It activates its MetGuard when it begins to rush, and deactivates it again as soon as the attack run ends. The Mettank does not return to its original position at the end of the attack run, but remains where it stopped.

Special: MetGuard: The Metool's Helmet expands rapidly to cover the entire tank in a protective dome. Assumes MetalBody and can hold this guard for any number of actions. Activating the guard takes an action, but deactivating it to attack does not. Mettank cannot move or attack while MetGuard is active, however its tertiary attack ignores this. Attacks from below bypass MetGuard for normal damage.
Special: Slow to move, but can move and dodge while attacking.
Note: MetalBody is identical to IronBody, but does not hamper movement. Non-Break attacks deal 0 damage, and Break attacks deal double.

Possible Rewards (Per Virus): TankCannon1, Guard1, ShockWave, IronShell1, LilBomb, WhiteCapsule: DELETED

-=Navis=-
Astraea.EXE: 115Hp [Grass]

-=Terrain=-
20% Normal

• No effects.

[Side areas]
25% Sand

• -20% Evasion and reduced movement speed to all.
• Can Burrow as standard action, incurable Blind1 until turn after exiting Burrow.
• Wind attacks: +100% Source Damage + Blind1, change terrain hit to Normal, trigger Sandstorm for 3 turns: Lose 5 HP/action, Blind1, Fire attacks gain Slashing.
• Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Glass.
• Terrain changes between Sand and QuickSand do not inflict damage upon burrowed entities, nor do they eject burrowed entities to the surface.
• PanelShot: Blind1.

[Area around the cave entrance]
40% Grass

• Wood Elementals get +5 HP/action.
• Fire attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Soil.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

[Majority]
10% Soil

• Wood Elementals get +10% Evasion.
• Wood attacks: +100% Source Damage, change terrain hit to Grass.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Mud.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: change terrain hit to Coal.
• PanelShot: Imbue Wood.

[Burned patch]
5% Glass

• Slip Effect: -10% Accuracy, -10% Evasion to all.
• Non-Ice Aqua attacks causes it to be Wet, doubles slip effect for Non-Aqua Elementals for 1 turn. Wet can expire early with Fire attacks. Can cause slippage for poor RP or heavy impacts on Non-Aqua Elementals, 1-2 actions to recover.
• 200 Damage attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken. Damage threshold cut in half for Ground, Break, and Impact, to a minimum threshold of 25 when all 3 are present. Null 25 + Slashing + Nova 2 per panel broken, up to 200 (8 panels).
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, 50 Null + Slashing to burrower, Null 25 + Slashing + Nova2 to surroundings.
• PanelShot: Spread1.

[Where the metool got hit by fire on sand]

-=Mechanical Aides=-
CTA: BROKEN
Terraformer: SELF-DESTRUCT
Abductor: SELF-DESTRUCT

-=Battle 4, Victory!=-
Spoils: 800z, WhiteCapsuleEffect: Add Stun
Accuracy: S
Description: Grants one damaging chip attack the ability to stun on-hit. Rare
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: A

The battle was over and Astraea had survived rather unscathed and victorious. She wiped the back of her free hand across the base of her eyestalks, wiping away sweat that had been worked up by the slicing and dicing she had put on the tank. A smile stretched across her lips. She had experienced the fulfillment from physical labor and a job well done before, she just hadn't expected to encounter it while virus busting.

"Nice work!" Alex's little window popped up beside her and she smiled at it, pleased with the acknowledgement. Her work certainly had been good, even if she had dirt on the front of her overalls now from hiding in the grass.

"I'm glad you concur. Despite the additional armor it was just a metool, after all." It sounded as if she was bolstering her own confidence. "I hypothesize a large number of Metools driving these would prove quite challenging to combat." She tapped the remains of the crumbling data with her return to normal wrench. The point of contact was convenient, she immediately felt the data download and processed it immediately into the PET. Her smile faded as she considered the cave that the viruses had uncovered.

Alex was a little taken aback as his Navi spoke. No 'operator'? An actual smile? "Progress!" He cheered before mentally slapping himself. He could cheer other people just fine usually yet his own Navi had him blurting out the weirdest of things. The smile was disappeared. "I mean, you're probably right! Do you want to check out that cave?"

Her NetOp's weird outburst momentarily derailed Astraea's train of thought. She returned her ray gun to its holster but kept the wrench out. She didn't want to admit to it but its solid mass and heavy weight was comforting in the face of the unknown. She started to move to the entrance of the cave then hesitated, her orange eyes narrowing as they vainly tried to resolve the interior into more than vague colorless shapes in the darkness.

"...I suppose it should be safe, Operator. They entered and left freely once they uncovered it." She hesitated. Alex had sounded pleased when he shouted 'Progress!', and he had done so right after she had spoken up with her assessment of the fight. She took a deep breath and resolved herself to share her assessment of the current situation as well. "They were excavating the area with purpose, as if they knew what they would discover. Operator, is it possible they were told the cache's exact location?"

Alex leaned away from the very serious expression Astraea had turned on the invisible camera that was his point of view. That.. was definitely a concerning thought. He hadn't even been thinking along those lines, just hoping to watch more explosions as any more of the relic tanks were destroyed. This suggested a conspiracy. "Possibly, it's a bit late to try to interrogate them so it's not like we can find out that way. We'll have to investigate the cave itself!"

The alien nodded as her lips tightened into a frown. It was bothersome, but without more information they really couldn't make a more elaborate plan. She walked to the entrance of the cave, her arm still reporting the reassuring weight of the wrench.

(TLDR: The alien makes conspiracy theories then investigates the cave.)
(Looking for Battle 5/???)

All was quiet surrounding the mouth of the recently excavated cave now, and Astraea was left to posit her theories as she carefully began to explore the interior. Beyond the entrance to the cave, light quickly failed, and progress was dimly lit at best. The broken rock carved by metool pickaxes and miner explosives very quickly gave way to a more natural cavern space that arched high as the ceiling lifted away.

The air was dry, with the sharp scent of oxidisation amidst the dust and dirt. Astraea might begin to recognise the smell of dilapidated machinery, rust and stagnant, congealed motor grease. As the curious alien moved in, she began to see signs of what might have once been an ancient vehicle storage bay of some sort, long since gone to disuse and disrepair. Occasional metal panels scattered the ground underfoot, and broken metal parts were scattered everywhere, between and around large rock chunks that seemed to have come from smaller collapses here and there over the years.

Some of the machines looked fairly close to intact, though nothing as functional as the one that the little metool had taken to piloting. Most were broken down in some way; this one completely missing its treads, this one with what looked like an explosive internal rupture. Most of them were the same sort of machine, though many were also completely different, seemingly made for other purposes, or perhaps other combat roles. It was hard to tell in the poor light.

Further the hangar went, deeper into the mountainside. It was possible, maybe, that this bay had been where machines waiting repair had been stored... given that they seemed to all be broken beyond simple rusting and age. It shone no light on the original purpose or designers of the place though. Deeper in, the flooring grew more refined; the metal panels were more frequent, the caved in sections rarer. Long benches began to appear between the machines, spread with forgotten parts set out to varying degrees of neatness, rusted through while they waited to be assembled or installed.

Some larger bays looked like experiments in building several of the machines together, though experiment was probably the key word there. Eventually, however, the service bays ended in a short gantry that stretched out to a T-junction; the metal was coated in a protective red paint and seemed well preserved enough to be stable. At the junction, however, the cavern ahead dropped away into what felt like a deeper chasm, full of veritable mountain of machine parts. The path to either side stretched out to the walls, and led to stairways and ladders down to the bottom, but more pressing to Astraea's immediate concern as she stepped out onto the junction, was a single red light that came on somewhere in the depths of the pile.

the cave rumbled as a low, growling machine sound reverberated through it. It sounded almost like a pull-cord lawn mover, but magnified many hundreds of times. The mountain of machine parts rumbled and the single red light lifted up. Lost pieces began to skitter away as dust and rocks fell to the sides. Something began to lift itself; something almost as big as the massive pile of parts itself, dwarfing Astraea many dozens of times.

“ONLINE... REBOOTING...” The words sounded distorted, and echoed in the cavern, as massive as the creation that was apparently emitting them. As a few more lights flickered on and the machine moved, Astraea got a better view of it.

The red light was located in something that might possibly be called a head, though it lacked most other features. It did seem to be some kind of sensor intake at least, as it lifted up to look at the tiny alien engineer on the bridge in front of it. It had a domed helmet in yellow paint, old and faded. It had a green stripe broken with a green cross in the centre.

The eye watched her from underneath its domed helmet, the head bending in close and approaching the gantry junction on a creaky, ratcheting series of neck joints. The rest of the machine's body was harder to discern, though yellow with green stripe patterns seemed to cover most of it. It had a large stocky core of a body, covered in vents and access hatches, as well, she might notice, as ladders and stairways, presumably for maintenance workers. Its back seemed to bear a huge assortment of smoke-stacks and vents, many of which were now beginning to steam as the mechanical rumble grew louder. She could also see two arms, if they could be called that. They looked mostly like giant rotary digging machines, covered end to end in progressive scoops that looked like metool helmets, only gigantic and tooth at the edges. Fire belched from several places along its arms as the buckets began to move, circling on an internal chain, one might suppose.

“CHECKING SYSTEMS... IDENTIFY...” The single red eye shone brighter for a moment as it scrutinised her. The tunnel back behind her might be seeming a bit more appealing in this moment... or perhaps curiosity might win out. There was no doubt that it was looking right at her, and awaiting an answer, while it started itself up.


-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 400Hp [Metal]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 115Hp [Metal]

-=Terrain=-
70% Metal [Most of the floor and gantry ways]
20% Normal [Scattered patches in the tunnel behind]
10% Cracked [A few spots further back, where the ground is badly damaged]

Behind Astraea, a broad tunnel stretches back, on solid ground. Astraea is at the T-junction of a gantry that extends from this, out over the pit below, with paths leading left and right, as well as back to the tunnel only a short distance (within a movement) away. The head of the machine is right in front of her, having craned itself forward to the edge of the T-junction, while the rest of the machine is in the process of starting up and getting up.

-=Encounter 5, Begin=-

The rhythmic slapping of her bare feet accompanies Astraea's ingress. The cavern looms large over head as she passes by debris and relic alike. Her nostrils flare as she catches the familiar odors: a machine shop not dissimilar to her own beneath the dust. Those who ran this workshop churned out weapons much as she did. The largest difference lied in scale: from what she could see of the piles and extrapolate from the battle she had just fought their works had been far sturdier to her own.

"This would a good industrualist dance club." The sudden intrusion into her musings reminded her that her operator was still present and with a bit of effort she could sense him playing with the camera angles in an attempt to get a clearer view of the area. She turned away from him and instead began to make her way to one of the more intact heaps of rust and metal. "You'd need to air the dust out a bit, but honestly just throw some strobe lights in and it'd work as well as smoke. Maybe build some platforms off the machinery so you have to climb to get there...Have you found any that work?"

"Not at present. This appears to be a repair shop, operator." She skirted around a pile of debris as she talked and did little more than glanced up so her untrained eyes could affirm that it didn't look like anything was going to fall on her right this minute then continued on her way. Her destination was the treadless tank: of all it looked the most intact. The treadless tank though, how quickly could it be repaired? The machinery in here looked long dead but could parts be swapped to bring it back to serviceable use?

She hummed as she ran a careful hand over the machinery that had once provided movement. Could it move again? A portion collapsed into digital splinters and rust and she pulled her hand back guiltily. She turned away from the tank and made her way back to the path she had previously been on, once more making her way further into the dark.

"Who would've run something like this? I doubt viruses are smart enough." The question broke her private musings and she found it disturbed more than she had expected. The viral contingent that opened the door had shown communication, purpose, and teamwork and that worried her.

"I...do not know. As you are aware I have limited experience with viral entities." Her uncertainty in her own knowledge was plain in the hesitation in her voice. Still the creeping doubt did not deter her wish to examine what was here: only made her tuck both hands behind her back as she leaned towards the parts set out on a bench. She was pleased she didn't have to squint anymore, her vision was still mostly devoid of details or colors but it would simply have to do. She offered a theory to go with what little she could deduce from the ruins of machinery. "Perhaps with someone to guide them, Operator. A metool's mattock replaced with a hammer for instance. Or a Swordy with a blow torch."

"In that case wouldn't they just use one of the fire-sword guys? Although if the fire wasn't hot enough..." Alex trailed off thoughtful as Astraea gave up her inspection of the benched parts. He set the camera to follow over her shoulder and leaned back on the couch. When he spoke again it was with the lazy 'who-cares' tone that he used when asking if his previous date had left in the morning. "Everything's broken anyways, and so rusted it can't be fixed."

Astraea's lips tightened in silent disagreement as she continued on: pausing every now and then to peer at the more experimental machines from the path. Her nerves were on edge despite all assurances that the machinery here was far from being run again. The tank outside so far appeared to be a one-off, something she was glad of.

Right up until she stepped onto the gantry.

At first she didn't realize the rumbling was mechanical in nature nor the direction it came from. The sound was everywhere, all compassing. Her first instinct made her look up and search the ceiling for falling rocks. Nothing. Realization dawned with a wave of fear as she gripped the railing of the walk and peered into the depths below. The head of the now-awake behemoth rushed past barely inches away from her face and she stumbled back, falling to the metal floor in a seated position. Her wrench hit the metal with a loud 'clang' and the arm with the shield around its wrist waved awkwardly in the air as the machine announced its boot sequence.

With a quiet 'shhk' the collapsible shield on her arm snapped into the ready position as she stared open mouthed at the behemoth before her, her eyes trained on its own. Suddenly the shield seemed like such a silly thing in the face of such an awe-inspiring construction.

"I-Identify?" She repeated blankly for a moment before she nodded. She began to take deep breaths as she fought to bring her fear under control. It was a machine. She could handle a machine. She had handled many different kinds before. That it talked and had laid in ruin for a long time did not make it any less a machine. It was only a machine. It was running identification protocols, she was good at those.

A soft silver glow slipped out of her skin: haloing her in a faint light that brought little clarity to her surroundings but was instead a reflection of the inner clarity she had found. She picked up her wrench from where it had fallen beside her. she straightened herself, keeping her eyes on the metal gantry below her feet for a moment before resolutely raising them to meet the monster's own. She took a single step forward.

'Don't say you're a net navi!' Flashed a private message from Alex in front of her eyes followed by more lines about "running the frag away". Alex said it more crudely, of course, but Astraea was quick to close the window. That first line had really been all she needed, a little unexpected confidence. Keep it light in the details.

"I am Astraea, formerly on-board mechanic of a satellite. I have been retired to planetside." She took a deep breath in an attempt to smother the waver in her voice. Facts were good! They were easy (if a little painful) to recall and they helped her keep her words clear despite the tremor in her voice and extremities. She had a request to make of the mechanical nightmare.

"Facility has been found in disrepair. Account of events leading up to current state of repair requested. Identity and purpose of challenging-" Would calling it a machine hurt or hinder her cause? Too late to alter her word choice; it was already slipping off her tongue."-machine requested."

-------------------------
Action Summary:
1) Panic flail Shield NCP
2) Starmight: 20 strengthen
3) RP - respond/identify

The large chamber lit up more, in bursts and patches, as more of the vents across the goliath's back spewed fire and smoke. There didn't seem to be any way out of the huge chamber for a machine of its size, and if it were to stand straight, rather than having what seemed to be its legs buckled up and folded... well, it wouldn't actually be able to. The odd splashes of fire light that passed over the ceiling gave images that might have once been a retracting dome, but the support machinery for pulling it open was gone, and the joints looked to have been welded shut. Smoke was beginning to fill the chamber.

Whether Astraea noticed these small details in her panic and recovery or not, she struggled to address the machine with as firm and factual a response as she could. It was hard to tell if it was listening or hearing her. Its rotating scoop arms looked uncomfortably like gigantic chain-saws, in the intermittent bursts of fire light, and they continued to churn around at a lazy pace, scraping whatever they contacted and throwing piles of broken machinery parts and scarp metal out behind it just by incidental digging.

“SCANNING. MULTIPLE ERRORS IN EXPECTED START-UP STATUS.”

The gigantic met-helmed head ratcheted slowly to the left and right, then looked up briefly, before returning to stare at Astraea again.

“DESIGNATE 'ASTRAEA' IS NOT A REGISTERED OR AUTHORISED ENTRY ON...” The voice stuttered and a series of hydraulic and mechanical sounds hissed their way through the main head of the machine.

“AUTHORISED PERSONNEL TABLES ARE COMPROMISED. RECOMPILATION REQUIRED. PROCESS QUEUED BEHIND SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC.”

Slowly, the great behemoth moved as though to stand up; one of its digging arms planted int othe ground beside it and ground to a whirring halt as it lifted its massive body and attempted to pull one of its legs underneath itself. There was a scarping sound as several of its vents grazed the ceiling of the chamber, then a destructive-sounding crunch before it fell back again with a crash that shook the entire complex, sending tremors through the ground and filtering shimmers of dust from the walls and ceiling. Somewhere far off, Astraea might have heard some rocks falling. The machine sat still for a moment, and there was a sound almost like an unhappy sigh, though through the mechanism of ancient metal parts the size of a building. The smoke was building up as well, beginning to sting at Astraea's eyes.

“COMMUNICATION FREQUENCIES UNRESPONSIVE. PLANT CONTROL UNRESPONSIVE. UNACCEPTABLE FUNCTION CONDITIONS. LACK OF VENTILATION WILL INHIBIT OPERATION. HEAVY DAMAGE TO NON-ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS. MODERATE DAMAGE TO ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS. DEFAULT TO CORE DIRECTIVES REQUIRED. HIGHER ORDER DIRECTIVES WILL RESUME WHEN STATUS IS STABLE.”

The mechanical rumbling of heavy machinery suddenly grew to a fierce roar as more gouts of fire announced the machine shifting gears, so to speak. It began to move again, this time lifting an arm to scrape its digging buckets across the ceiling. They scratched and scarped, throwing sparks, but the welded metal dome held tight... and from what Astraea had seen of the outside, there was a whole mountain of rock and soil above it anyway. Failing that, it lurched forward, shifting until it was essentially on its hands and knees. Each time one of its arms pressed to the ground, the rotating system ground to a halt, complaining loudly. One arm crashed down on the gantry way to Astraea's left, obliterating the further stairway and ladder system. the head of the machine was right over the T-junction now, and Astraea could see its single red eye reticulating its lenses in various ways as it looked at her. The vast array of vents and smoke stacks were pointed in her direction as well, by virtue of its changed position, and though the smoke continued to billow upwards and gather on the ceiling, the bursts of flame came dangerously close to her on more than one count. The voice that came from the machine now was slightly more modulated; not softer, or quieter, but less blaring and grating on the senses. It was still uncomfortably loud.

“You Are Not Authorised Here, Astraea. You Must Leave. Quickly.” After it spoke, the behemoth began to crawl forward, crushing metal and gantry as it came on, and sweeping ahead of itself with its large, chain-spinning digging scoops as it sought to clear the way and force itself back through the broad tunnel that Astraea had come from. If she stood where she was and did nothing, the small alien would likely find herself crushed, incinerated or otherwise pulverised.


-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 400Hp [Metal]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 115Hp [Metal][20Strengthen][1-Hit Shield]

-=Terrain=-
70% Metal [Most of the floor and gantry ways]
20% Normal [Scattered patches in the tunnel behind]
10% Cracked [A few spots further back, where the ground is badly damaged]

Behind Astraea, a broad tunnel stretches back, on solid ground. Astraea is at the T-junction of a gantry that extends from this, out over the pit below, with paths leading left and right, as well as back to the tunnel only a short distance (within a movement) away. The head of the machine is right in front of her, having craned itself forward to the edge of the T-junction, while the rest of the machine is in the process of starting up and getting up.

-=Status=-

The Behemoth is crawling into the tunnel; if Astraea does not stop it, or flee ahead of it, things will probably get very unpleasant for her.

The alien's eyes were quick to adapt to the increased light but the angle was all wrong to spot the potentional clue on the ceiling. The source of the light was troubling: was it caused by design or disrepair? Astraea erred on the side of experience: Fire spewing from a machine rarely meant good things or those around the machine or the machine itself. Over the sound of metal screeching and crashing as it was flung, had it heard her at all? So many other broken pieces its arms were tearing through: junked before or after this place fell into disrepair?

It's comments on errors found in start-up didn't hold an answer to that question. Her next statement did answer whether it had heard her or not but brought with it an icy spear of fear. She couldn't fake a registeration or autherization that didn't exist, not without access to the tables and a more technical support to show her how. Luck was with her when the tables themselves proved suspect. If the tables were in questions than so too was her status.

Tears from the smoke or maybe relief began to build up and she blinked them away, resolutely tightening her grasp on the wrench. She took a few cautious steps backwards as it attempted to leverage itself upright, wincing as it fell. Small mercies: With legs unable to hold it Astraea could leave it here if worst came to worst. She certainly didn't wish to fight it in such cramped conditions, movement alon would be enough to smash her into fragments against the walls. It was already damaged, should it prove dangerous perhaps a series of hit and runs revolving around dropping her own machines could wear it down over time.

If negotiations failed it was a tactic to consider.

Once more ignoring a private text from Alexander she stepped forward. She felt bolder than before, she had freedom of movement and the behemoth did not. A bargaining chip that she did not yet know how to use. She opened her mouth to speak-

-and promptly shut it again as it rattled off the assesment of its current difficulties. The sight of it scraping at the ceiling as if yearning for freedom struck twin cords of pity and fear in her. What might such a construction do, let loose on the Net? It appeared to be built with design choices taken from the Metool, but that didn't mean it was violent. She thought back to the Shrubby she had helped battle the bats, the one she had tricked to sanctuary.

When it spoke again all her pondering stopped with her brain's equivalent of the complaining whine the chainsaw-like appendages gave when pushed into the ground. The change in voice was welcome but the sight it came from was not. 'That is,' She thought, already taking a couple staggering steps back as her bravado from earlier buckling like the gantry beside her, 'rather a lot of firepower.'

“I-I can assist you!" She called as the first edge of the walkway crumpled before it. She was desperate to halt it, desperate to make it wait. She could not make a decision as to whether to flee or fight, whether she needed to keep from reaching the outdoors or whether allowing it to leave was better. "I can enact physical repairs to enable your systems to function again!”

A text box to all popped up in front of her with font as bold and as tall and as red as it would go. It was a single word but the trail of exclamation points trailed after it so far that for a moment it partially obscured her view of the behemoth, breaking the mesmer that had been cast.

Run.

Astraea, feeling hopelessly outmatched by the sheer size of the foe, obeyed. Dim silver light lined her limbs as she moved: clumsy but obeying both Alexander and the construction behind her. Her decision had been made for her but as she ran she thought.

Surely there was something she should do.
-----------------------------
Action Summary
1) Rp/Bargain!
2, 3) Run down the hallway, away from the beast.

((Chase Phase))
During a chase, regardless of whether your character(s) are chasing after a target, or fleeing from one, all parties are assumed to be moving as quickly as they are able to unless someone specifically says that they aren't. Players do not need to use their actions for movement, and doing so generally will not help. Targets instead use their actions in other ways to attempt to gain ground, slow their target, put distance between them or prevent themselves from being slowed, as appropriate. The chase setting may provide such opportunities, but participants should feel free to be as creative as they like in their efforts.

A chase phase generally ends when the target is captured or stopped, if the players are in pursuit, or when they reach safety or successfully halt whatever they are fleeing from if they are being pursued.

In the case of a pursuit, destroying the target may potentially be a failure condition, and further custom restrictions may be outlined by your moderator, or the situation itself, in any style of chase.

Viruses may appear during chases, to harry or hinder players, however they generally will not join the pursuit unless noted; non-pursuing viruses are swiftly outpaced after having one round to interfere or be deleted, to be replaced by others further on (Players will be given heads-up warning on what new viruses are coming in at the end of each round, to allow them to respond accordingly on their next turn). No more than 5 additional viruses should ever be present on any given round.

Deleting additional viruses will not improve zenny, chip or FXP rewards, however each virus deleted will still deliver its quota of BugFrags.

[Chase: (Astraea Fleeing Metanlger)]
[Success Condition: Get outside, or stop Metangler from pursuing]
[Fail Condition: None, aside from EJO]
[Extra Viruses: None]
====

As Astraea backed off and began to run ahead of the ancient machine, she had enough time to see it coming on, cramming its body into and through the passageway behind her, as the remaining gantry work shrieked and tore asunder. As it pressed on, chain-digging arms sweeping ahead of it, the walls and ceiling were scoured and mangled. the first few repair bays and experiment tables were crushed and scattered, with a multitude of broken parts flaying forward from the various coincidences of physics that came with such an unrelenting force of movement. dust and chunks of rock fell from the ceiling all around her as she ran, having to dodge left and right across the metal floor just to stay ahead.

“You Must Leave. Core Directive Outlines Only Self-Preservation And Removal Of Unauthorised Intruders. Proper Ventilation Is Required To Stabilise Operating Conditions.” There was a note of apology, maybe, in the loud words that echoed above the grinding of metal and earth behind her. the machine didn't seem unwilling to talk to her, but it wasn't slowing down either. It seemed quite determined to make its way out of the tunnel regardless of Astrea's actions for the time being. If its previous answers were anything to go by, however, she could probably presume that it had heard her offer, at the very least.

The smoke was thick against the ceiling of the tunnel, and getting thicker. At a guess, it might only take a minute or less before it filled downwards enough to reach the ground. If nothing else, the behemoth wasn't wrong about needing better ventilation, judging by the amount of black, choking smoke it was putting out.

A jet of flame roared over her head by a few inches, expelled from one of the now-horizontal smoke stacks atop the machine's back; it was frighteningly close to her as it pressed onward, slow crawling steps nevertheless covering far more ground than her short strides ever would. Making any ground on it was proving difficult.

Another glance back came just in time for Astraea to see one of the rotating shovel arms sweep across the tunnel on its forward reach, destroying the repair bay beside her and slamming hard into the little alien in the process. It didn't seem deliberate, so much as incidental to its efforts at moving forward, but if her shield hadn't been there, flimsy as it was, it might have been a grievous strike. As it was, Astraea found herself flung forward and onto her back for a moment from the impact, most of her senses ringing from the shock as she got back to her feet.

Just ahead, she could see two sets of stairs that led up to higher walkways along either side of the long repair hall. They looked old but seemed intact, and it looked like either of them would provide a clearer run than staying on the ground, which was increasingly dotted with fallen rocks and broken machines that she would need to traverse far more quickly than she had on her way in. At the same time, the upper walks would bring her far closer to the choking smoke layer, and there was no telling how stable they wold remain when the behemoth behind her began to destroy the ends of them with its passage. The floor ahead was still mostly metal, but a clear path forward was hard to see; she'd need to make her way around a large number of broken rocks and scattered machine parts, many of which were taller than her. In glimpses she could see that there was a way through, it might just take some diverting, and the precious few seconds that would cost.

-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 400Hp [Metal]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 115Hp [Metal][20Strengthen]

-=Terrain=-
70% Metal [Most of the floor]
20% Normal [Scattered patches in the tunnel ahead]
10% Cracked [A few spots further ahead, where the ground is badly damaged]

the tunnel leading back the way she came is beginning to collapse as the Metangler pushes its way through, becoming strewn with large obstructions, like fallen rocks and dilapidated machines. Two short stairs are coming up on either side and seem to lead to uncluttered walkways, but the thick black smoke is swiftly filling the cavern, clouding down from the ceiling.

-=Status=-

The Behemoth is crawling through the tunnel. Astraea is only barely ahead of it at the moment.

Core Directives, Self-Preservation, Removal.

The words rang in Astraea's head as she got back to her feet, her body stinging with feedback. Such a force! She staggered a couple steps then broke into a run that was staggered from more than just dodging piles of metal. She left her wrench on the floor behind her in her haste,, her senses so rattled she wasn't aware of her lack. There was a buzzing in her ears surrounding those words, but again she forced herself to think on them. She had almost thought of the answer when the arm had hit: now she sought to bring it to the fore again.

It came to her.

Nothing could be discussed or bargained with until she had left the tunnel. It was a gamble if getting into better ventilation didn't restore more than core functions she'd still be forced into a fight. Her attention turned from the why of her situation to the how. She didn't think she was agile enough to dodge all the piles of debris and broken machinery and still stay ahead of the behemoth. The catwalks provided a clear running path, but the catwalk was another problem. The smoke was hiding any ceiling attachment points from view, would it remain upright? If only she could pull the behemoth off course, perhaps cause it to smash into the wall to stun it.

She couldn't do it herself but she had a machine that could.

Her right hand closed on the railing of the left staircase as she began her ascent, her left hand flicked open the keyboard on her belt and began to type. She paused for a brief moment about a quarter of the way up the stairs, her eyes trained on the wall. A small circle of light appeared, as close to the wall as she could get it. With a decisive nod she set her choice then continued up the stairs.

Behind her the saucer-shape of one of her Abductor Units rose from the ground below. The light faded and the machine set its three feet on solid ground. The sketch-line Astraea turned to look after the original, one hand coming up to the base of its eyestalks in a salute. It grabbed both joysticks and swiveled the little hook to face the behemoth. Its eyes narrowed as it sighted its prey and then with a soundless cry it shove its levers. The hook swung out and sought a purchase on the Behemoth's face. If it hit it planned to try to pull the much larger machine off track: straight into the tunnel wall. If it hit the Abductor unit in the process, so be it.

It was built for this.

"Nice thinking!" Alex crowed as he watched the Abductor unit make its swing. He was leaned all the way forward on the edge of the couch, fingers nudging chips this way and that. Most of them seemed useless in the situation they had found themselves in. The new chip they had gotten from last fight could stun an enemy, but would it be worth the time Astraea would have to take to stop and aim? His hand stopped moving. Last fight, last fight they had mired the tank in sand. Alex didn't waste time thinking about his decision further, he lunched for the chip and slammed it into the chip slot. "Astraea! Use this on the floor!"

The little alien had tucked her head down when she made it to the top of the stairs: the smoke was so thick and acrid up here her eyes were filling with tears. Luckily her route was straightforward, quite literally in fact. The call of her operator brought her head up slightly, orange eyes blinking rapidly as she attempted to clear smoke and saline from her eyes. The chip data hit and she immediately held out her hand, palm up as she ran. Her legs had steadied once she made it to the stairs and she was grateful for this small mercy as a sphere of glass dropped into her hand. It was hard to see through the smoke, hard even to breath, but she knew what was inside it. Astraea stretched her arm out over the railing then turned her hand over: her fingers releasing from the smooth surface.

Glass shattered behind her and she tucked her head down and stifled a cough. She was regretting climbing up so high but at least the path ahead of her was clear.

---------------------------------------------------
Action Summary
Astraea Passives
Self-Destruct: Destroyed objects explode to deal their max hp in damage in a blast around them.

1) Take the stairs
2) Summon Abductor Unit: Summons a 15 HP Object + Passive (5 Null, Thrown + Pull) Accuracy C
Abductor Unit: Try to pull Metangler off course and into the wall. (5 Null + Pull, thrown) Acc C
3) SandSeedDamage: 10 + Small Sand Terrain Change / Medium Sand Terrain Change
Accuracy: A
Description: Lob a seed that create a medium Sand area. Only a small area if it hits an opponent.
Duration: Once
Element: Null
Trader Rank: E @ Ground below catwalk

Moving quickly to the ladder and climbing up brought Astraea hazardously close to the filling smoke, but the extra moment or two it took to climb up was more than recovered by the straight and unobstructed path ahead of her. The sound of crashing machinery, heavy impacts and rending metal was loud behind her, and the frequent gets of fire lit up the corridor in fits and starts, but as she moved past the heavily obstructed lower floor space below the gantry, she could see the Metangler's massive shovel arms sweeping forward, side to side, scattering the broken machines and fallen rocks with equal ease.

It was getting hard to see up here, and the smoke brought on alight-headed sensation as long as she continued to try and breath in it, but it seemed like she'd managed to put a small amount of distance between herself and the oncoming force of destruction that was moving up the passage. The gantry lurched and made the small alien stumble briefly. The far end of it, near the ladder, was rapidly being crushed and mangled as the massive machine pushed itself forward. The straight path began to list and warp and in the back parts of it were progressively crushed down to the ground. Several of the beams holding it up beneath her began to buckle, both behind and ahead.

Her next efforts to slow the behemoth as she ran on were conducted by one of her faithful constructs, though the miniature abductor had to realise it was hooking more than it could really bite off as it launched its grapple. Even so, any small diversion or delay was precious seconds for Astraea Prime to move further up the corridor, and that was what mattered. The abductor looked its certain destruction in the eye without faltering.

The hook flew up to attach itself to one of the articulation joints between the construct's head and the thick, barrel-centred body it was attached to and locked firmly. When it began to pull and strain, the comparatively tiny machine had to dig in as best it could to prevent simply winching itself up to the other machine's neck. It had to seem fairly futile, on the scale of things, but it did manage to tug one of the joints a little bit and turn the behemoth's head, just slightly, towards the opposite wall. There was a moment where its net arm fall was slightly off line, moving aside just a touch, but that was all it could really manage before the other arm ground forward, scraping alone the floor and wall and crushing the little construct as easily as so many of the other machine parts it was destroying on its way out. The explosion from the abductor detonating, however, did throw the arm itself up and back for a moment, and there was another brief stumble. It wasn't much, but it was something; an extra moment or two when every moment counted.

Astraea herself didn't have much time to look, dashing on and hurriedly preparing her next delaying tactic already. the walkway lurched again, tilting sideways as more of it was crushed down behind her. It began to fall, and the fleeing mechanic barely had enough time to throw her glass sphere back before the entire structure gave way, crashing inwards with a slow groan and sending her spilling back to the facility floor. At least she was past the largest obstructions now. The smoke had been choking anyway, and even down here it was reaching the point of stinging her eyes. If she'd stayed up, any longer, well... It was probably best to be down. Further ahead, Astraea could make out a patch of light; the collapsed cave entrance that she'd entered from was just about in sight now.

Behind her, a stuttering fire of machine engines and the shriek and grind of diggers rocked the chamber. The Metangler had met the broad spread of sand she'd left behind, one arm planting into it and digging like it was designed to, swiftly throwing sand back and ploughing through into the soil and earth below. The extra unexpected depth seemed to cause a chain reaction of stumbling as the machine crashed down to one side, its arm failing to slide forward in rhythm as planned. There was another cacophonous crash of metal striking metal and giving way, amidst the blasting of engine fires, and a moment of stillness before it pushed itself up again and kept moving. That had gone well, though, as far as she could judge; she'd gained ground on the machine, despite her own fall, and the exit wasn't too far away now. Behind her, the Metangler forced its way on, burning arms carving into rock and stone now as it moved. It didn't seem to have responded to the small acts of obstruction Astraea had set before it. With luck it wouldn't hold such things against her later.

The view of light ahead was hard to focus on, even so; maybe she'd breathed in too much smoke when she was higher up, but the tunnel felt like it was swaying as well as rumbling, and her vision swam with a dizzy sensation; the black smoke was still building up, but Atraea needed to stop breathing it somehow, or she might not be able to keep up her pace for long enough.

-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 380Hp [Normal]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 115Hp [Normal][20Strengthen]

-=Terrain=-
60% Normal

• No effects.

[Most of the floor]
20% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Scattered patches in the tunnel behind]
10% Cracked

• Changes to Broken when stepped on, chance to fall in when triggered.
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, Null 50 to burrower.
• Panel Crack attacks, >100 Damage Break/Impact/Drop attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken.
• PanelShot: Splash1.

[A few spots further ahead, where the ground is badly damaged]
10% Sand

• -20% Evasion and reduced movement speed to all.
• Can Burrow as standard action, incurable Blind1 until turn after exiting Burrow.
• Wind attacks: +100% Source Damage + Blind1, change terrain hit to Normal, trigger Sandstorm for 3 turns: Lose 5 HP/action, Blind1, Fire attacks gain Slashing.
• Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Glass.
• Terrain changes between Sand and QuickSand do not inflict damage upon burrowed entities, nor do they eject burrowed entities to the surface.
• PanelShot: Blind1.

[Further back, mostly already passed over]

The tunnel leading back the way she came is beginning to collapse as the Metangler pushes its way through, becoming strewn with large obstructions, like fallen rocks and dilapidated machines. the smoke is almost to ground level now, and is choking and thick almost everywhere. Astraea is beginning to feel light-headed from exposure.

-=Status=-

The Behemoth is crawling through the tunnel. Astraea is a decent distance ahead of it, and not in danger of its arm swipes or fire jets, for now.

A message from Alex popped up in front of her, the walkway beneath her wrenching horrendously the moment she saw it. Abruptly the alien found herself falling as the railing tore itself from her grasp.

//...Hey Astraea. Do you really think trying to fix this thing would be a good idea?\\

The message hung, an unwitting catalyst, ahead of her, the data signature marking it as unreadable except for her eyes She almost wished she couldn’t read it, once she did. It put certain tracks of thought into process that she had been neglecting.

"Are you okay? Can you move?"

“I am capable of movement still and I have received your message.” She informed him as she pushed herself upright. The floating text message disappears t There’s more ash than air and it seeks to choke her but she’s use to to it. She has spent enough time around the blast furnace in her workshop, has enough tolerance from her natural affinity that she can keep moving, can still see. The stinging, swirling smoke wasn't enough to send the alien to her knees just yet.

She ran.

Her processes travelled down branches of thought simultaneously then returned to the trunk. They brought with them reasons, observations, the scant facts that she had. Her hands closed into compulsive fists as she moved as if that would help her come to grips better. Astraea had hypothesized what would happen if her repairs went well, if the mechanical monstrosity held no ill-will beyond the current prime directive.

>It was found in a repair shop for viral machines.
>Strong themes of viral inspiration ran in its design, and possibly in its programming.
>Net Navis were made to eliminate threats to the net.

“…It would not be wise.” She finally admits. In truth that offer she had made had been one of desperation, a product of fear and longing for the chance to learn more. She thought of the great machine and the lure of disassembling it, of the naive dream of working out the purpose of each piece and part and rebuilding it better in her workshop under her control. Right now it was acting on its prime directive, its equivalent of instinct that it could not override with the limited intelligence it had shown.

She sneezed ash and spat to the side, a black glob of spittle and cooling cinders marking her path.

“Assessment: failure to destroy the entity known as Metangler increases probability of future damages to the network to unacceptable amount.” She said, her words quiet so as not to carry further back to the mechanical behemoth. There was a bitterness to the words for a future that would not, could not be. There was also an expectant pause as she considered what she knew, what was behind her and what was ahead of her. With a flick of her wrist the folding shield spread and snapped into shape. “Operator, requesting chip support for battle.”

She didn’t miss Alex’s relieved sigh, faint though it was from his distance from the microphone. Something churned in her gut but she hardened her resolve, the silvery glow across her skin strengthening.. Astraea would get through this as she had gotten through the transit from satellite to planet side, as she was getting through the transition from combination caretaker-researcher to personal Net Navi.

It was all she could do.



—————————————————

1 - Attempt to perservere due to elemental affinity
2 - Shield NCP: 1-Hit Shield
3 - Starmight - Strengthen 20

Cooldowns
Abductor Unit: 1/2

The light from the tunnel exit ahead was growing larger. As hard as it was to see through the thick black smoke, Astraea managed as best she could while assessing her options. Any other navi would probably have succumbed to the cloying smoke by now, she had to realise; it was only really her suitability for dealing with things of this nature that was stopping it from gumming up all her senses.

She'd reached the more natural tunnel section now, while the grinding and tearing behind her continued. Flickering lights from belches of fire lit the corridor and the crash of metal on rock remained uncomfortably loud and continuous. It didn't appear that the massive machine had herd her uncomfortable planning whispers, but as she drew close to the cave mouth its booming voice reverberated through the passage.

“FUME CONCENTRATION IN IMMEDIATE VACINITY EXCEEDS TOXICITY SATURATION THRESHOLDS. ATTEMPTING EMERGENCY BURN. ACTIVE PERSONEL MUST EVACUATE OR EXOPROOF IMMEDIATELY. BURN IN FIVE... FOUR...”

The countdown continued evenly while Astraea fled ahead of the crawling construct, almost reaching the entrance as the voice rumbled to zero. There came several ignition sounds, deep and heavy, before a furnace roar filled the tunnel. Fire engulfed everything in a nigh unstoppable conflagration that consumed the black smoke and completely drowned the entire corridor in blinding yellow flames.

Despite having some distance on the machine, Astraea still felt the wave of fire wash over her utterly. Her shield protected her from some of it, but in the narrow confines of the passage the fire was everywhere and there was simply too much of it for the little shield to protect her completely. the flames singed her lightly, though Astraea would likely realised, once she had time to think about it, that the fire itself wasn't particularly hot or dangerous; it was a cooler flame, designed to rapidly burn and consume without generating too much actual heat.

When it passed, she was only a little bit burned, but more importantly the black smoke had been mostly cleared from the tunnel and Astraea herself was more or less at the entrance. She'd be out into the sunlight and open air in a moment, and already the taste of fresh clean air rushing in after the fire cleared was a very welcome sensation. The behemoth was a few seconds behind her now, but it didn't seem to be slowing; if anything it had picked up its pace after the short burn. Perhaps the smoke had really been inhibiting its functions, at least a little bit.

She would have a few moments to prepare before it also existed the tunnel and came into the open, and enough time to get some space i she wanted; the question still remained as to what exactly the little alien planned to down about such a massive machine.


-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 380Hp [Normal]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 100Hp [Normal][40Strengthen][Shield Broken]

-=Terrain=-
70% Normal

• No effects.

[Most of the floor]
20% Metal

• Cannot be Broken or Cracked except with Geddon/PanelShot, cannot be Burrowed into.
• Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Cracked.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to Furnace.
• PanelShot: Imbue Elec + Break.

[Scattered patches in the tunnel behind]
10% Cracked

• Changes to Broken when stepped on, chance to fall in when triggered.
• Burrow: Change terrain to Broken, Null 50 to burrower.
• Panel Crack attacks, >100 Damage Break/Impact/Drop attacks: Change terrain hit to Broken.
• PanelShot: Splash1.

[A few spots]


The tunnel leading back the way she came has mostly collapsed behind the Metangler's push to get out. The facility, whatever it was, is more or less completely ruined.

-=Status=-

The Behemoth is crawling through the tunnel. Astraea is just about at the cave entrance, and can exit and prepare herself next round in relative safety.

Alex had been worried.

There had been many reasons for his parents to nay-say his acquisition of Astraea. She wasn't experienced enough, she wasn't custom built for his needs, she wasn't a proper NetNavi, her appearance would cause him to lose face. Silly, petty reasons that could be addressed. Not that he had bothered to address them with his parents, no, he had spoken platitudes and framed his ownership of Astraea as a whim instead of the quiet rebellion at their deconstruction of the research group's holdings, backlash for the troublesome position that had put him in.

As much as he had handwaved his parents concern there was one that bothered him. Could Astraea do her job? Could she turn her weapons on the various entities that roamed the Net? He was well aware of what her previous position had been and the fact that she had not been explicitly programmed for combat. Of all the things the little alien had been built for combat wasn't even in the top five of the list.

So it was a relief when she spoke her assessment, when she answered the way she did and that weird silver light appeared on her skin. The resolve to do what needed to be done should her plans turn south, that, really, was what he had hoped to see, needed to see to put the last vestiges of his parents' naysaying to rest in his mind.

He picked up the chip he had found data for sitting in his email from a contest he hadn't entered himself. He had run a search, had found a recording of the contest and his Navi's entry. She was growing, not just into her position as his personal Navi but out of the shell she was in. He was admittedly hurt she had not talked to him about the subject matter of her entry, or even the fact that she was entering but that was for another time.

For now he was her wingman, and that was a role he intended to play to the hilt.

--------------------------------------------------

Fire raged around Astraea, the heat proving too much for both her and her shield. Pain stung her arms and her head. The burns mostly stuck to her sides where her shield had not protected: the sides of her head, the backs of her arms, her bare feet. Pain, brief and unpleasant, lingered in the fire's wake.

The blastback of the heat had at least cleared the smoke from the tunnel, allowing to see exactly how close she was to her perhaps final confrontation with the Metangler. The glow still emitted from her skin but she could feel her stomach twist.

What was wrong? The thought troubled her as she ran. She had made up her mind she thought, had bent her will to violence and destruction but she still felt uneasy with her decison. What would happen if she didn't follow through? Her existence continued purely at Alex's whim. Hadn't he made clear what he wanted by asking that question?

It troubled her to go counter to what she had offered earlier but she was not in control.

"Man I wish I'd sent this soon! It might have cooled down our friend enough he wouldn't need to clear the air that way!"

Chip data flooded her systems, a powerful wave of force that ran counter to her natural inclinations. Such strength! It would do a number on the superheated machine following her. The silver light faded from the parts of her body furthest from her raygun as the power and confidence in her decision drained away: the power into the chip, her confidence into despair. She didn't want this. She drew her raygun.

"So it might be a bit too late to use it positively, but if it's still overheating outside you can cool that behemoth down and-WAIT!"

Astraea slid to a stop in the tunnel and pivoted with a grace unusual for her. She pulled the trigger on her raygun just as Alex yelled wait, anything else he said was lost in the rush of water and the literal roar of the water dragon that had sprung from her raygun and charged down the tunnel. It was poised to collide directly with the behemoth, or at least make the terrain more difficult for it to move.

She ran, the sounds of water and angry dragon fading behind her as she sprinted into the clearing beyond. It took a moment for the silence from Alex's head to be broken.

"You weren't suppose to do that yet! At all, actually, if the thing had cooled down! It'll be a miracle if it even talks to you now, much less if you can even fix it!"

Astraea stumbled, her shock sending her to her hands and knees, raygun still clasped in one hand. Her sides heaved and she compuslively gasped down the clean air. "I-what? But the assessment, is this not what you wanted, Operator?"

A frustrated groan from Alex's end met her stunned exclamation. "As I was trying to tell you I only sent that chip in case things went poorly after exiting the tunnel! Now there's almost no way you're going to be able to speak with it. You're only hope now of salvaging this the way you originally wanted is to hope it's still in a good mood coming out of the tunnel."

"I..." The alien trailled off as she got to her feet and hurridly shuffled further away from the tunnel, her mind weirdly blank. Her operator was saying things completely contrary to what she had been lead to believe-no, what she had lead herself to believe- was what he wanted and it was throwing her thought-tracks into useless circles.

With a shake of her head and a turn of her body she turned to face the tunnel entrance, her face still wearing the shell-shocked expression as she waited to see what came out after her.

---------Action Summary-----------
Action 1) AquaDragon1Damage: 100 + Ground Attack + Medium Area Sea Terrain Change + Terrain Changer
Accuracy: C
Description: Summons a WaterDragon that attacks enemies as it glides across the ground. Changes terrain to Sea as it passes.
Duration: Once
Element: Aqua
Special: Terrain Changer: Ceases attacking when the Terrain Change effect is completed (once 25% of the terrain is changed).
Trader Rank: D: 100 + Ground Attack + 25% Sea Terrain Change + Terrain Changer (Acc: C) + 40 Strengthen @ Metangler
Action 2) Movement diagonally away from tunnel entrance
Action 3) Dodge/confused wobblings

At the entrance to the cave, Astraea had to deal with her own conflict while her operator mused and the giant machine ground its way towards her. Its movement had sped up after the black smoke was burned away, though already more was beginning to gather at the ceiling. A moment of crossed wires and well-meaning resolve led to the engineer turning and releasing a very potent blast of water back at the ancient construct, which may have had enough force to severely cripple its ability to move forward.

Perhaps it was her own faltering confidence, or the conflict of not wanting to damage something that could feasibly be reasoned with, but regardless of how it happened,the moment of hesitation and shaky aim was enough to send the cascade rushing down the tunnel and up the wall,s but largely missing the body and head of the machine itself. Even so, there was no avoiding much of the splash and the hiss of flash-steamed water against boiling metal was accompanied by the familiar shriek and groan of metal plates reacting to such a rapid temperature shift. The Metangler had moved one of its digging arms ahead of it, bracing against the blast of water, but as it moved forward again the arm plunged down into the suddenly present deep trench of water in front and around it. Once more, the construct tumbled forward to an unceremonious halt before struggling to push itself upright again.

Her shot hadn't scored a direct hit, which likely wouldn't help with her inner conflict about attacking the machine at all, but it did seem to have done something to inhibit it, and there was likely some minor damage just from the large scale metal contraction. It didn't respond to her actions vocally, short of continuing to force its way out of the cave, however. Astraea was wise enough to make some distance from the entrance, as it did, at least.

====

It was a few long moments listening to the crash and clang of mechanical reverberations echoing from the cave mouth, before, finally, the rock fractured and shattered in a large burst as the machine tore free of the passage at last. Its massive rotary digging arms swept around near the cliff-side as it crawled out into the light, widening the forgotten exit and throwing dirt and rock about in the process.

It still didn't look in Astraea's direction as it got clear of the cliff side, instead pushing its diggers against the the ground and standing upright for the first time since she'd encountered it. The main drum of its body, painted in faded yellow with green stripes all the way down retained the same low-tech heavy-duty aesthetic as the rest of the machine and its legs were the same; functional, simple and massive. It had seemed gigantic, cramped into the small facility tunnels, but the sense of its scale didn't diminish out in the open now; it was easily several storeys tall, now that it was standing up, and as wide around as several houses. It almost seemed to stretch upwards and there was a sound like a massive intake of air across many vents and ports around its body. It would be easy for a sentimental person to image it as the machine breathing fresh air again after a long time without.

Rather than a sigh, however, the intake was followed by a series of fiery blasts, shooting upwards from each of its smoke stacks. Astraea's keen eye for engineering might identify, however, that this did look to be a much healthier operating progression than the belching smoke of before. The flame bursts grew regular and even, venting clean fire and steam alternately. the Goliath's feet glowed and hissed as it stretched, before a spreading field of large, chunky coal spread out from underneath it, covering the entire ground for a very long way around. Astraea herself found her feet picking spaces between chunks of coal almost as large as her own head, and in equally non-standard shapes.

The sound of heavy machinery gradually throttled down again to a background rumble; still a roar by any standard, but with the definite feel of a more 'idling' rhythm. The massive machine crouched down, then with a creak and a thundering rumble, sat down amidst the coals. It moved its arms in such a way that they twisted back behind the back of its body, protectively covering the venting and piping on its back, though the rotating chain shovels didn't stop moving; they seemed to be a constantly working part of the machine so long as it was active. Now, finally, the reticulated joints supporting its head structure twisted and rotated, ratcheting downwards until the truck-sized mass of its face was pointing towards Astraea. The domed helmet lifted then dropped a little as its various ocular lenses examined her again.

OPERATION STATUS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE STABILITY PARAMETERS. CORE DIRECTIVES SATISFIED. HIGHER ORDER DIRECTIVES REINSTATED.

There was a pause as the head moved in a few ways and the ocular pieces re-positioned themselves, before the less overbearing and more modulated voice returned.

“System Diagnostic Indicates Heavy To Severe Damage To Many Non-Essential Systems, As Well As Moderate Damage To Several Essential Systems. Repair Will Be Required For Prolonged Operation, However, Essential Systems Are Stable At Present.” One by one each eye piece closed, then re-opened again in a progressing wave.

“Information Request: System Start-Up Resulted In Several Unexpected Returns. Next Activation Expected Is Network Date CN6528FY452309. Current Network Date Registers As CN6547FY501502. This Is A Discrepancy Of... In Excess Of... Fifteen Network Year Cycles. Please Confirm Current Network Date.”

The machine's booming tone faltered as it gave the read-out. As it was, it was only Astraea's own familiarity with very old styled internal date-markings that ever allowed her to recognise the system of date reference it was using... though if the old system had been continued long after it was discarded, the date would line up, more or less.

“Further Request: Facility Appeared To Be In Disrepair. No Maintenance Personnel Appeared To Be Present. Short Range Scans Revealed Designate Astraea To Be The Only Other Complex Program Present. This Leaves Insufficient Data To Recompile Authorised Personnel Tables...” It seemed to pause, several working shutters drawing across its eyes for a few seconds while it processed the question part of its request. “What... Has Occurred?”

-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 360Hp [Coal]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 100Hp [Coal]

-=Terrain=-
100% Coal

• Fire Elementals gain +20 Strengthen/turn, but must be allocated to Fire Element attacks only. Any Coal Strengthen vanishes after moving off of it.
• Non-Fire Elementals get Burn (5 Fire/action for 1 turn or until cured) the turn after they come into contact with Coal Terrain.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Soil.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to to Lava.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[The outside area for a fair distance around]

Back out in the open, the land surrounding the cave entrance has been converted into large coal field, upon which the Metangler is now sitting.

-=Status=-
Chase Completed!
Encounter Continuing, though it seems the danger may possibly be passed.

A miss.

A spectacular one to be sure: the roar of the dragon’s waves and throat as it charged down the tunnel past the behemoth of metal and fire and smoke.

She had thought it would be a sure hit.

The alien’s mouth turned into a sharp frown as she ground her back teeth together in frustration. Delete, don’t delete, hit, miss. Things were moving too fast, gaining momentum and speeding up before she could properly follow them.

What did her NetOp want? Astraea stepped back, her toes pressing against the ground beneath as she watched the Behemoth emerge from the tunnel. She half-raised her ray gun, her mind churning over what Alex had said. Had she not come to the correct conclusion earlier? Had he not wanted her to decide for herself that the behemoth was a threat?

It was speaking to her now and after a brief moment spent listening to Alex’s quiet she closed her eyes. For a moment she was tense listening to the mechanical menace run its diagnostics as the higher directives were resumed. At least it seemed there were more than her confused here.

She could ask, could send a private message to Alex or ask directly in front of the [ [i]enemy[/i]/curiosity ]. The first felt like failure. A good Navigator would be able to preemptively act upon their operator’s wishes. The latter option was completely out of the question: doing such would weaken Alex’s, and by extension her own, position in front of an outsider and that was unacceptable.

With a particularly deep breath she forced the intake of her lungs to slow. It was difficult forcing her body into a calmer state but as she opened her eyes she could feel herself regaining her mental balance. Once again her voice took on its formal, clipped speech. Once more she fell back into a false-guise of stoicism.

Strange that a body made of data should so closely mimic a body made of flesh in response.

“The current time is correct. By your own words you have been in stasis for longer than expected.” It took her a moment to take the data and convert it to the more common parlance. It was a telling sign of the machine’s age that it used such archaic formatting. Still, all eyes were on Astraea and her shoulders hunched unconsciously as she stared back at all those lenses. Her monotone was matter of fact and steady as she reported what little she knew as fact.

“Following a testing period on the Net I came upon a group of unorthodox acting viral articles excavating the side of this rather large geographical formation.” She gestured with her bulbous fingers to the cavern’s container. She holstered her ray gun as her arm dropped back to her side, her movements kept nice and slow and obvious. No need to start the conflict back up when apparently neither side wanted such. “Discreet observation of entities soon showed progress when entrance was gained to the …repair hanger. One Metool unit procured a tank and swiftly began driving recklessly: eliminating another Metool in the process.”

There was another pause in her otherwise dry recital and now Astraea began to fumble more and more. She wasn’t creating a lie completely but to embellish the truth was still a difficult prospect for her. There was also the matter that she didn’t know what side of the[ Kill/Don’t Kill ] virus line Metangler was on, nor did she really know what side she was on either.

…Now really wasn’t the time for these kinds of doubts.

“Realizing danger to equipment should the group continue to act …recklessly the group was…engaged in communication.” If by engaged one meant ‘shot at’ and by communication one meant ‘more shooting at’. Yeah, definitely just a friendly talk here! “Situation destabilized, violence occurred.”

There was a note of regret in Astraea’s voice at the last line. As much of a threat as the Metool in the tank had been, it was amusing in hindsight how enthused it had been about its new ride: even if said ride had proved inefficient at stopping the virus’s destruction.

“Scouting of interior of cavity was attempted wherein Unit Designation-“ Astraea paused and squinted, her little orange eyes trying to keep locked on to the tiny string of characters that typically identified her foes. She was going to have to fine-tune the settings, at the moment it was clipping through parts of the be moth and becoming unacceptably difficult to read as a result. “-Metangler was mistakenly woken. ”

“What was your purpose before arriving for maintenance? ”

Astraea could hear the quiet scrape of Alex picking a chip off the coffee table. Her next action would depend on the answer depended on the anser.

The factory-grade churn of motors seemed to fade into the background somewhat as the tiny mechanic addressed the massive digging machine. It was difficult to read anything on its features, given the rather distinct lack thereof, but there was something there in the zooming and shuttering of its eye lenses from underneath its giant metool helmet. It listened to Astraea's explanation as the grounded parts of it seemed to passively feed on the coal field it had created, its vents firing healthy jets of fire into the air in rhythmic intervals. It took a long few moments to contemplate her answer before speaking again.

“Astraea Triggered Reactivation Sequences By Incidental Vector. Reactivation Was Not Intended. Facility Is In Disrepair. All Indicators Suggest Disuse. All Communication Channels Remain Off Line, Terminated or Non-Responsive.” It paused, the reticulation joints of its head ratcheting around slightly to look back towards the cave entrance, and the large mountain of earth and rock that made for natural countryside beyond it.

“Processing Correct Action. Processing Function Directives...” The head turned back, looking down at Astraea, then up slowly, on joints unused to moving in that direction, towards the open sky. It remained silent for several very long-feeling seconds, then lowered its head again, looking downward instead at itself, as best it was able to.

“Function Is To Guard. Function Is To Protect. Function Is To Repel Or Destroy Intruders And Unauthorised Personnel Within Facility. Function Is To Excavate Further Ground In Order To Create Increased Room For Facility Personnel.” Metal creaked and groaned as parts of it shifted, the behemoth seemingly uncertain. “No Personnel Remain. No Directives To Locate Directive Authorities Remain. No New Site Has Been Forwarded. No Means To Restore Communication Remain.” It began to look around again, its massive head moving slowly as it surveyed the cave entrance, the surrounding field, the sky, and the then Astraea again. Its lenses shuttered and opened again a few times, before a rush of steam escaped from a number of the machine's vents and its motors quieted to a much lower throttle hum.

“I... Am Abandoned.” It looked down at the tiny alien; as much as the volume of its voice was still booming, it was hard to deny some element of confusion and loss in the words. It didn't seem hostile particularly, but that didn't really answer the question of how Astreae was supposed to resolve the situation.


-=Awakened Entity=-
Metangler.sec.OLD: 360Hp [Coal][Pondering The Existence of the Self]

-=Tiny Mechanic=-
Astraea.Exe: 100Hp [Coal]

-=Terrain=-
100% Coal

• Fire Elementals gain +20 Strengthen/turn, but must be allocated to Fire Element attacks only. Any Coal Strengthen vanishes after moving off of it.
• Non-Fire Elementals get Burn (5 Fire/action for 1 turn or until cured) the turn after they come into contact with Coal Terrain.
• 100 Damage Aqua attacks: Change terrain hit to Soil.
• 100 Damage Fire attacks: Change terrain hit to to Lava.
• PanelShot: Imbue Fire.

[The outside area for a fair distance around]

Back out in the open, the land surrounding the cave entrance has been converted into large coal field, upon which the Metangler is now sitting.

-=Status=-
Chase Completed!
Encounter Continuing, though it seems the danger may possibly be passed.