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Post by Leda on Jun 18, 2009 0:33:53 GMT -5
Even though the city wasn't so much unlike her own, and she'd spent the vast majority of the previous night studying as much data on it as possible, Princess Sally couldn't seem to keep the jitters out of her stomach as she led her small and unfamiliar team throughout the alleys of Mercia. It had an eerie deja vu effect, yet at the same time was starkly distinct from Robotropolis. And yet it wasn't the city itself that made the young monarch nervous, but rather, her own knowledge of it -- or more specifically, her lack thereof. Were she to make even one misstep, one miscalculation, one bad guess... It could potentially cost this already suffering village everything they had left. Hence why her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, regardless of her relatively stoic exterior. Sally peered cautiously around a corner and zeroed in on a pair of Swatbots. Unlike the other legions roaming the city limits, these two in particular stood guard at the entrance of what used to be Mercia's City Hall, and now served as the central command center. It didn't seem like they had any set patrol route like the rest of security; instead, the robots were locked firmly in place at either side of the front steps. " Shoot," the squirrelmunk whispered, mostly to herself. "We need a way to get past those Swatbots. If we can't get in, we won't be able to pinpoint the exact location and mechanic of the contamination."
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 18, 2009 1:25:11 GMT -5
Vic, hunched lower to the ground than the princess, looked past her at the pair of guards, his eyes narrowing a little. He stayed quiet as he heard Sally's whispered comment, which set his mind whirring. Unseen, obviously, Vic's mind supplied him with a map of sorts of the various routes the robots couldn't use. It had been a long since he'd been this deep into Mercia, but this close to the command center, it also changed VERY little. Which meant... "There should be a way to a back street right behind the command center. It's been blocked up by machinery, but there's enough room we should be able to fit, but the Swats can't. I had to hide back there once or twice."
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Post by Jamie Lee on Jun 18, 2009 1:39:18 GMT -5
Standing beside the princess, Rob cupped his chin into his palm as he thought over the situation, eyeing their surroundings for any potential resources they could tap into. His eyes fell upon a nearby fire escape. "For extra caution's sake I can distract the guards while you make your way over. Wait here," he announced, leaping up and snatching a hold of the rickety old ladder. As quietly as he could muster he scaled up toward the building's rooftop.
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Post by Leda on Jun 18, 2009 1:41:45 GMT -5
"Mr. Hedge, wait!" Sally called as loudly as she dared, despite her instinct that it would prove useless all the same. The princess sighed and ran her fingers through her bangs. Maybe it's not just Sonic and ALL hedgehogs are reckless.
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Post by Jamie Lee on Jun 18, 2009 1:50:28 GMT -5
Surprisingly, the archer paused mid-climb and peered down with a somewhat confused look. "Yes?"
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Post by Leda on Jun 18, 2009 1:56:11 GMT -5
Well THAT was unexpected. The squirrelmunk actually blinked with a stupefied expression for several seconds when she realized he'd actually waited when asked. Luckily, it didn't take long to snap back into focus. "How will you catch back up with the rest of us?" she eventually asked. Sally had other questions on her mind, but didn't bother with the rest; logic would dictate those.
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Post by Jamie Lee on Jun 18, 2009 2:46:20 GMT -5
"Hrm," Rob looked from the princess back up to the foreboding building ahead. "This part of the assignment is only for intel, right? I'll keep an eye on the outside and we can meet back up somewhere around here and fill me in when you return. I know this area well enough I should be fine."
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 18, 2009 18:00:08 GMT -5
Meanwhile, Sue was listening—but part of her mind was wandering, her eyes scanning the town for the bombed-out shell that was once her family's home. After about a minute with no luck, all her attention shifted back to Princess Sally and the others. "I'm ready, gang. I know I am," Sue said, eager to help get the job done. Memories could wait; serious business such as this was a priority. Sue was dressed more like a construction worker this time around—more out of safety and strength than anything else. A hard hat protected her head; a pair of clear safety goggles were worn above her eyes for now, and a pair of boots with climbing spikes served to complement the claw hammer she wore on her tool belt—provided she needed it at all.
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Post by Leda on Jun 18, 2009 19:29:30 GMT -5
Her first instinct was to object to Rob's proposal, mainly do to her own unease with the area, but Sally luckily was able to separate her heart from her mind. This was not her territory; it was his own. Furthermore, he was this group's leader. He was more than capable of taking care of himself. "Just be careful," the princess reminded. "We'll try to be as quick as possible. After we get the information we need, we'll meet you back here."
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Post by Jamie Lee on Jun 18, 2009 23:35:31 GMT -5
The archer nodded. "I will. You three be careful as well," he said, resuming his upward climb. Once he felt he had a good enough view he retrieved his bow and an oddly shaped arrow, nocking it back... ... And then a few seconds later a small explosion rang out from a separate alleyway. Both SWATbots responded immediately, bolting off to investigate the source of the commotion.
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Post by Leda on Jun 20, 2009 19:25:02 GMT -5
Quickly falling back into her usual habits, Sally's eyes watched unblinkingly as the security cleared away. Once the last Swatbot had passed, the squirrelmunk waved an arm. "Let's go!!" As fast as her feet would carry her, the princess led her team past the commotion and toward the command center. Her first instinct was to rush into the front door while the guards were away from their posts, but in a stroke of luck (possibly the only one they could have that day), her keen eyes fell upon the security cameras. Practically skidding to a stop, Sally diverted the team's trail to the back alley Vic had mentioned a moment ago.
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 20, 2009 20:35:50 GMT -5
Seeing Sally change course, Vic darted ahead of the princess, leading the way into the alley... And seeming to disappear into a machine that looked as if it was pressed against the wall of City Hall. A moment later, the squirrel poked his head out from where the machine was actually about a foot or so away from the wall, various protruding pieces making it look as if it was flush with the wall. " Yep, still here."
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 20, 2009 23:24:14 GMT -5
"Vic, you think of everything," the tapir replied with a smirk. Sue looked back down the alley, her right hand touching her holstered hammer, in case another SWATbot was near. "After you, Princess."
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Post by Leda on Jun 20, 2009 23:41:32 GMT -5
"Thanks. Let's hope we can keep up this pace and be back out quickly." With Vic's leading the way, Sally squirmed her way through the discarded junk, nearly slicing her left hand open in the process. The princess breathed a sigh of relief; Sonic having food poisoning was bad enough. She didn't need to go and get tetanus on top of it. "We need a way inside," she announced, moreso talking to herself than her teammates. "In Robotropolis, we have the most luck with the ventilation system, but I don't see any ducts back here..." This is what I get for guessing there'd be reasonable access. Her blue eyes flickered between Vic and Sue. "Are either of you aware of any other maintenance passages in the building? Electrical, plumbing...?"
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 21, 2009 18:28:57 GMT -5
Vic shrugged a little helplessly. "I just knew how to get around the place, not how to get in... But since this is a generator... I think, there must be some place where it's hooked to the building."
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 21, 2009 18:51:07 GMT -5
Sue just shook her head. "I don't have any experience with th' place, Princess Sally, but that doesn't mean I can't help ya." Sue took a look at the various wires and came to the conclusion that the wiring continued underground, rather than across the wall. To get there, however, the three of them would have to figure out how to get past the concrete floor. "Crazy stupid damn...concrete." Sue got on all fours and felt the ground, hoping for a trap door. "There's gotta be a way in there. You'd think they'd hafta get in to make repairs to th' wirin'."
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Post by Leda on Jun 22, 2009 21:51:29 GMT -5
"This is why I wish I'd had clearer schematics when I was trying to plan. Unfortunately, the maps I managed to download from Robotnik's main computer don't include any building blueprints, just street layouts." Her eyes scanned along the structure's backside, looking for something -- anything -- that could serve as a point of entry. There did happen to be a window on this wall, but it was a second-story window. That could be possible, if I could just get the proper boost... The princess glanced at her surroundings again, and grinned while visually sifting through some of the nearby scrap. "Sue," Sally called, "you told me during the meeting last night that you were handy with putting things together, correct?"
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 22, 2009 22:02:19 GMT -5
"Yes'm," the tapir replied, continuing to look for any sign a trap door. "Why, whadya see?" As she turned, she was able to discover the second-story window. That, coupled with the nearby scrapheap, caused Sue's eyes to widen. "'Eeeeeeeeeyyyyyy, yeah!"
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Post by Leda on Jun 22, 2009 22:41:10 GMT -5
"I'm not sure if there's enough to get all three of us all the way up there, but if there's not, I have another plan." Sally waded carefully amongst the junk, considering what they had to work with. "A lot of this stuff is pretty well-aged, and not very structurally sound. Let's start with the strongest pieces, and see what we come up with." Turning to Vic, she added, "Since Sue's the one that has the natural knack for this, you and I will have to step back and assist, okay?"
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 22, 2009 22:55:50 GMT -5
Vic looked over at the junk pile, then up at the window, and grinned. "And they don't bother monitoring back here, so as long as we're quiet, we're golden!"
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 22, 2009 23:23:18 GMT -5
Any other day, Sue would have gone scuba-diving as a means of relaxation. This time, however, the tapir got to work scrap-diving, salvaging any pieces needed to get through the window. "Support columns, support columns," she murmured to herself. Any pieces deemed suitable for construction were set aside in a separate pile. "Ehhh, this ain't no good," she said, discarding an unusable piece. After a thorough search, Sue stood up and started to think about what could be done with what she had. She realized their climb to the window could be made simpler by climbing onto the sturdy wiring box. "Okay," she said, pacing around a little. "We could climb up on this box here," to which she gently rapped on the metal case, "then climb onto a platform we'll build with support beams to prevent collapse." Taking a deep breath, Sue whipped out her trusty hammer, and went to work. "I ain't ready for twenty-one guns yet. C'mon, group, gimme a hand." The three of them whipped up a raised platform at a feverish pace, with Sue guiding Sally and Vic along the way. The thought that she was giving orders to a princess never figured into her mind; she was there to help save the water supply. Fifteen minutes later, the group put the finishing touches to the platform. "Th' braces we put in should keep this dingus together," she said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "You two go first. I'll join ya." Sally climbed onto the wiring box without much difficulty, then made a small leap onto the platform. The platform didn't shake, none of the beams or braces moved—perfection. Vic was the next one to make his way into the window before Sue brought up the rear.
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Post by Leda on Jun 24, 2009 18:39:28 GMT -5
"Good work, guys!" Sally whispered once they'd all made it inside. Luck was with them; it looked like the room they'd entered had previously been a mayoral office of some sort, but for the most part was full of broken furniture, old equipment, and a thick layer of dust. The squirrelmunk hustled her way across the room, but didn't head for the door; instead, she began climbing a filing cabinet to her old friend, the ventilation grate. "This way is much safer than the hallways; I never travel in the open unless I absolutely have to!" Once inside herself, the princess turned back to offer her two companions a hand.
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 24, 2009 19:26:29 GMT -5
Vic was quick in following the princess up into the vents, his body language even more on edge than he'd been outside. He knew how to get around outside, but he'd never been -in- any of the buildings run by Robotnik's 'bots.
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 24, 2009 20:27:10 GMT -5
"Thanks," Sue said, as she managed to squeeze herself into the vents. Despite the lack of SWATbots, Sue kept a hand close to her hammer just in case something went wrong. Safety first.
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Post by Leda on Jun 24, 2009 21:12:12 GMT -5
Using what scattered bits of preliminary information she'd managed to gather in advance, Sally's team crept cautiously throughout the building, sometimes backtracking, sometimes waiting for heavy corridor traffic to clear, sometimes pausing for an orientation check. Some rooms were found to be empty, but with no useful equipment inside. Other rooms had computers Sally would have loved to let Nicole devour, but were too heavily trafficked to allow them to even exit. Finally, the group found what they'd been looking for: a computer terminal with only a single robot in the vicinity. The squirrelmunk turned back to her companions and whispered, " There's a techbot at the terminal. If we can disable it before it raises any alarms, I can get the information in a snap."
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 24, 2009 21:35:45 GMT -5
At that moment, Sue whipped out her hammer and spun it around to show Sally and Vic its claw. " I can smash its sensors with this side o' th' hammer. I'm glad I discovered that there's more to a hammer claw than removin' nails." Sue shimmied closer to the grate and got a better look at her target. " And don't gimme no guff 'bout no 'lectrical shock. That's why rubber handles were invented, after all." Sue slowly lifted the grate and carefully descended the file cabinet conveniently placed by the opening. The moment she made it all the way down, she casually walked toward the techbot and tapped it on the shoulder. The robot turned around. "Peek-a-boo." AN IGNOMINIOUS DEATH FOLLOWED.
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Post by Leda on Jun 24, 2009 21:49:52 GMT -5
"Great work!" Hopping out into the open air, Sally sprinted for the nearest seat at the computer boards and quickly began hammering away at the keys. "Vic, give me a hand with searching the database. Try to look up anything having to do with the river, the contamination, or orders from Robotropolis."
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 24, 2009 22:06:48 GMT -5
With a nod, the squirrel hopped out of the vent, and took the next empty seat, slightly less confident at the keys than Sally, but also working quickly. He decided to -start- with orders from Robotropolis, in case there were a lot of them to sift through. He'd work from there.
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Post by Gatorman on Jun 24, 2009 22:15:32 GMT -5
Sue, meanwhile, stood by the door with hammer in hand, her mind filled with visions of robot guts. "No fear, guys."
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Post by Leda on Jun 25, 2009 11:59:36 GMT -5
"Yes!!" Sally cheered to herself, her hands flying over the keys. "I've found the files for processing the contaminant! This could work out even better than I'd hoped!" The princess retrieved her hand-held computer from her boot and plugged it into the terminal. "Nicole, can you crack the access codes so I can modify the files here?" "One moment, Sally..." The squirrelmunk drummed her fingers impatiently. For the most part, she had grown accustomed to using Robotnik's own computers against him, but with the unfamiliar setting, she couldn't quite suppress the nervous flutters in her stomach. Sally stole a quick glance over her shoulder, as though to reassure herself that Sue was still there keeping a look out. " C'mon, Nicole..." After a couple more minutes of the drone of Nicole's clicking and beeping, the electronic voice offered up the good news. "Access granted." "Excellent!! Now I just switch this around here... Delete that command... Add one more... THERE!" Triumphantly smacking the enter key, Sally turned to smirk at her teammates. "The contaminant being added to the river is now completely harmless! This way, even if your general tries to rebuild the generator, it's going to be making a useless substance." Her attention returned to the monitor as she began backing out of the files she'd just sabotaged. "Now if we can just find out where the generator is, we can meet back up with Mr. Hedge."
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