Dark*Matter: Discovery, The Delphi Paradox
- Thread starter Falkus
- Start date
industrygothica
Adventurer
Whatever we do, we need to get a move on. That girl isn't going to save herself.
Falkus
Explorer
After purchasing the bottle of vodka, the team and the van made their way through the cold streets of Moscow, until they reached the apartment where Boris Kyznetsov resided.
Boris was expecting the agents. He was an elderly man, in his late seventies and a wheelchair, but the awareness and intelligence visible in his eyes suggested that age hadn't dulled his mental capacity.
"So, you're here to ask about Hammerfall? Why should I help you?" he said, getting straight to the point. "You don't work for the government, and you aren't collegues of mine. The only reason I'm even talking to you is because Fedorov is an old friend."
Boris was expecting the agents. He was an elderly man, in his late seventies and a wheelchair, but the awareness and intelligence visible in his eyes suggested that age hadn't dulled his mental capacity.
"So, you're here to ask about Hammerfall? Why should I help you?" he said, getting straight to the point. "You don't work for the government, and you aren't collegues of mine. The only reason I'm even talking to you is because Fedorov is an old friend."
iwatt
First Post
"Comrade Kyznetsov, we appreciate you receiving us at this time, specially when it is this cold. But were are my manners, let me introduce myself and my friends." After the required introductions, larry adds. "I do not know how it is done here, but in my country it is customary to bestow a gift when disturbing a man at his home. This is but a small token of our appreciation for receiving us." Pulling out the vodka bottle, he presents it carefully to the man. "It is not much, but it might help on those cold Moscow nights." Larry does his ebst to present himself as graciously as possible to the man. It never hurt to put a mark at ease. Specially one as distrustful as a paranormal KGB officer probably was.
"Now, as to your question. Why help us? Maybe it's better to think about who you can hurt. We are not the only ones after Hamerfall's last project, you know. Think of every rival agency you ever locked horns with, and a couple of newer ones. They're all after the same. Surely you would prefer the organization that absorbed the Paranormal Division to keep it in their hands. Keep it in the family, as it were."
With a grin, Higgins pours another thimbleful of vodka for the aging Russian, and adds, "Besides, we're offering you something every retired agent wants. Getting back into the game. Surely an old fox like you has a couple of tricks left to teach, and you wont find a better student."
Leaning to whisper in the old man's ear, he continues in a low voice, as if to ensure privacy. Cade's intercoms should be enough to pick it up anyways. "We are getting soft, comrade Kyznetsov. I have heard tales of the good old days, but our orders lack the confidence of before. We hesitate when we should act, we talk when we should shoot. The Hoffman institute of before, your own Paranormal Division, the missions those agents took were breathtaking in their boldness. It is time to recover that clarity of vision, that hunger for knowledge. A return to the good old days, as it were."
[sblock] Diplo +9 when trying to get in his good graces, and Bluff +14 when talking about the good old days.[/sblock]
"Now, as to your question. Why help us? Maybe it's better to think about who you can hurt. We are not the only ones after Hamerfall's last project, you know. Think of every rival agency you ever locked horns with, and a couple of newer ones. They're all after the same. Surely you would prefer the organization that absorbed the Paranormal Division to keep it in their hands. Keep it in the family, as it were."
With a grin, Higgins pours another thimbleful of vodka for the aging Russian, and adds, "Besides, we're offering you something every retired agent wants. Getting back into the game. Surely an old fox like you has a couple of tricks left to teach, and you wont find a better student."
Leaning to whisper in the old man's ear, he continues in a low voice, as if to ensure privacy. Cade's intercoms should be enough to pick it up anyways. "We are getting soft, comrade Kyznetsov. I have heard tales of the good old days, but our orders lack the confidence of before. We hesitate when we should act, we talk when we should shoot. The Hoffman institute of before, your own Paranormal Division, the missions those agents took were breathtaking in their boldness. It is time to recover that clarity of vision, that hunger for knowledge. A return to the good old days, as it were."
[sblock] Diplo +9 when trying to get in his good graces, and Bluff +14 when talking about the good old days.[/sblock]
Falkus
Explorer
Boris warmed up to Larry's initial offer, smiling and acepting the drink. "The doctors say I shouldn't. But what do they know?"
He chuckled and smiled knowingly when Larry made his offer. He leaned in close, and whispered into Larry's ear. "I was playing people before your parents were born, kid. I give you an A for effort, but I was there when most of your tricks were invented."
He chuckled and smiled knowingly when Larry made his offer. He leaned in close, and whispered into Larry's ear. "I was playing people before your parents were born, kid. I give you an A for effort, but I was there when most of your tricks were invented."
"Please," Meredith says. "There's a little girl...Cade, can you pull up a picture?"
She looks back at the old ex-agent. "She was exposed to...something. Whatever it was that Hammerfall uncovered at Delphi. If we can't work out how to get it out of her, she'll die. There's other things too...global conspiracies, evil cabals after the power to see the future...but for me at least, it really boils down to keeping the future uncertain, where it belongs, and saving a little girl's life."
"Isn't that worth some of your time?"
She looks back at the old ex-agent. "She was exposed to...something. Whatever it was that Hammerfall uncovered at Delphi. If we can't work out how to get it out of her, she'll die. There's other things too...global conspiracies, evil cabals after the power to see the future...but for me at least, it really boils down to keeping the future uncertain, where it belongs, and saving a little girl's life."
"Isn't that worth some of your time?"
Friadoc
Explorer
"Don't forget facing down a minotaur, Meri,," says Cade as he pulls up an image of Carol and show it to the man.
"Sir," says Cade in a more serious tone, locking eyes with the man. "If you can, I'd...we'd really appreciate your help on this, okay?"
"She's important enough that I'd risk my life to help her," Cade leaves out the fact that he almost died unsaid.
"Sir," says Cade in a more serious tone, locking eyes with the man. "If you can, I'd...we'd really appreciate your help on this, okay?"
"She's important enough that I'd risk my life to help her," Cade leaves out the fact that he almost died unsaid.
iwatt
First Post
Falkus said:
"Can't blame me for trying. See, I really could use the help of a pro like you. Conning old ladies out of retirement funds isn't the same as going against KGB field officers."
After the other bring up the subject of the girl, larry rolls his eyes. He didn't think the man would respond to such an obvious ploy, but he might be wrong after all. It was a land of poets, after all. "So old man, will you help us? You wouldn't want such a fine crew getting wasted because you forgot to mention something. If we make it back, I promise to bring back some more of this vodka, and we can go blue telling each other war stories."
Falkus
Explorer
Boris chuckled again. "I was a KGB agent. You really shouldn't bother trying to appeal to my better nature. I haven't got one."
He then looked back at Larry. "You've got promise, kid. Get me some paper and a pen, and I'll tell you a few thigns that might save your lives. That was first duty post in the KGB, I was part of the security staff. Lucky for me, I was topside when the base got shut down by whatever it was that went wrong.
He then looked back at Larry. "You've got promise, kid. Get me some paper and a pen, and I'll tell you a few thigns that might save your lives. That was first duty post in the KGB, I was part of the security staff. Lucky for me, I was topside when the base got shut down by whatever it was that went wrong.
iwatt
First Post
Larry looks at Cade, who with all the hight tech gear he carried probably didn't have an old fashioned pen on him. "Meri, notebook, paper? You got any?" As a former reporter, she probably still carried one all the time. Handing them over to Boris, he says "Great, anything that improves my chances to come back and share another drink with you is OK in my book."
[sblock=Larry's PDA] Note to self: Have Nick do a background check for future interviews. Might be easier to BS with some background info on the subject. Likes/Dislikes, psych profiles, family history.[/sblock]
[sblock=Larry's PDA] Note to self: Have Nick do a background check for future interviews. Might be easier to BS with some background info on the subject. Likes/Dislikes, psych profiles, family history.[/sblock]
Falkus
Explorer
Once he received the paper, Boris quickly began scetching out the layout of He explained as he did so. "I'm sure as 'digital' agents, you're familiar with computers and electronics and circuitry and all that modern rubbish. It won't do you any good in Hammerfall. You'll need a blowtorch if you want to get through the security doors there."
"What you're looking for will probably be on the second level, in artifact storage. We had a few items we'd found in various sites across Europe and Asia. Bring rope, I doubt the elevators are still working."
"You'll probably die before you get there. The surface will still be toxic and radioactive, and whatever wiped out the base in the first place is almost certainly still there. Please don't let it out. Russia doesn't need any more problems right now. Frankly, I tink you should just put an end to this venture right now, while you're still alive. The KGB never dared send anybody back in there after we locked it down. Follow their example. Do the smart thing. That's part of what being an agent is all about, kid. Knowing when to cut your losses and walk away."
By coupling the plans Boris drew with the satellite view Cade had acquired earlier, a layout of Hammerfall base and its surface was quickly put together.
"What you're looking for will probably be on the second level, in artifact storage. We had a few items we'd found in various sites across Europe and Asia. Bring rope, I doubt the elevators are still working."
"You'll probably die before you get there. The surface will still be toxic and radioactive, and whatever wiped out the base in the first place is almost certainly still there. Please don't let it out. Russia doesn't need any more problems right now. Frankly, I tink you should just put an end to this venture right now, while you're still alive. The KGB never dared send anybody back in there after we locked it down. Follow their example. Do the smart thing. That's part of what being an agent is all about, kid. Knowing when to cut your losses and walk away."
By coupling the plans Boris drew with the satellite view Cade had acquired earlier, a layout of Hammerfall base and its surface was quickly put together.
Attachments
Friadoc
Explorer
"I appreciate the warning, sir, but we follow the trail and its leading there," Cade asks as he compares the maps that Boris drew with the satellite images. Cade takes a well-worn moleskin notebook out of his inner coat pocket and flips past a few pages of schematics and begins to make notes about the area and its pitfalls and danger zones. "How long ago was the base NBC salted and you have any intel on what wiped the base out? Plus, if you can find me any information about the security on the base, I can aim for something more subtle than a blow torch and it'll be secure when we leave."
If there is one thing that Cade is fairly confident and competent about, it is security and he is familiar with the whole spectrum of it, not just digital.
OOC
NBC - Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical.
NBC Salting is a military term for what they did, referring what was supposedly done to Carthage when the Roman's leveled it.
If there is one thing that Cade is fairly confident and competent about, it is security and he is familiar with the whole spectrum of it, not just digital.
OOC
NBC - Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical.
NBC Salting is a military term for what they did, referring what was supposedly done to Carthage when the Roman's leveled it.
Falkus
Explorer
"It's been more than fifty years by now. I wasn't responsible for that operation, nor was I involved in it, so I don't know what we dumped there. Nor do I want to know. As for security, nice heavy locks, key and combination both, were what we used. None of these fancy keycards or scanners that you kids use these days. I can't imagine that any of them still work properly, not after all this time."
Friadoc
Explorer
"We'll see, sir," says Cade after a long pause in thought. "We appreciate your help, as well as your time."
"Well, I think it's wheels up, folks," says Cade as he looks at the rest of Team Libra. "Don't say I never take you anywhere nice, okay?"
Cade's patented smile is right there on his face, but the team can tell he's very got a mix of worry and seriousness in his eyes.
"Well, I think it's wheels up, folks," says Cade as he looks at the rest of Team Libra. "Don't say I never take you anywhere nice, okay?"
Cade's patented smile is right there on his face, but the team can tell he's very got a mix of worry and seriousness in his eyes.
Friadoc
Explorer
"Well, hopefully the suits we're getting are in-line with M.O.P.P. gear," says Cade as he looks at Meri. "It's what the armed forces uses in nuclear, biological, and chemical events and are pretty sturdy with a focus on long-term usage."
"So in addition to the gear, like gieger counters, we should be fairly safe," says Cade, however he adds. "With exception to unknown threats, from potential paranormal, xeno-, and cryptid elements."
"Which is where our normal Idiots Luck comes in." With a wry look on his face, Cade shrugs and says, "Well, a full arsenal, too."
"So in addition to the gear, like gieger counters, we should be fairly safe," says Cade, however he adds. "With exception to unknown threats, from potential paranormal, xeno-, and cryptid elements."
"Which is where our normal Idiots Luck comes in." With a wry look on his face, Cade shrugs and says, "Well, a full arsenal, too."
Falkus
Explorer
After leaving the retired agent, the vans took Team Libra to the airport, where a large, cargo jet was waiting for them. They got on board, and after a few minutes of clearing the standard details with the airport control, it took off.
Once they were in flight, a quartermaster started handing out the gear they would be using. Key, of course, were the combat NBC suits that the Hoffmann Institute was providing. Equipped with Geiger counters, atmospheric analyzers and a six hour supply of oxygen, the suits were actually fairly easy to wear.
[sblock]
Combat NBC Suit (light armor)
Type: Environmental
Defense bonus: +2
Non-prof bonus: +1
Max Dex bonus: +4
Armor penalty: -1
Speed: 30
Wt: 16 lb
[/sblock]
There was also ammunition, with blessed and WP ammo.
Finally, there was the means by which the team would be deployed near the site. The quartermaster held up a parachute, and said. "So, any of you ever jumped before?"
Once they were in flight, a quartermaster started handing out the gear they would be using. Key, of course, were the combat NBC suits that the Hoffmann Institute was providing. Equipped with Geiger counters, atmospheric analyzers and a six hour supply of oxygen, the suits were actually fairly easy to wear.
[sblock]
Combat NBC Suit (light armor)
Type: Environmental
Defense bonus: +2
Non-prof bonus: +1
Max Dex bonus: +4
Armor penalty: -1
Speed: 30
Wt: 16 lb
[/sblock]
There was also ammunition, with blessed and WP ammo.
Finally, there was the means by which the team would be deployed near the site. The quartermaster held up a parachute, and said. "So, any of you ever jumped before?"
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