[X] After committing so many troops Clovis' base must have few guards remaining. This is the perfect opportunity to reach him.
-[X] Strategy: Order the terrorists to disengage and retreat, giving them a route if there's one available. If they can stow the Knightmares somewhere safe for later use, great, but if not they should abandon them. No matter what they need to get out of Shinjuku, and let them know you'll try to contact them later if you can. They should lay low until then. Meanwhile, you'll head towards Clovis's base. Send one of your minions to recall those already sent so they can give you as accurate a picture of what's going on as possible. While you're waiting ask Seyrun to give you a rundown of the abilities at your disposal. Once your minions have returned get their report. If there doesn't seem to be anyone who can detect them or any other nasty surprises in store begin your infiltration. If they did find something, or they don't return at all, reassess the situation before committing to going in.
No, you have not been defeated yet. If you can't win in a direct battle, then all you have to do is change the rules of engagement!
If you can't defeat Clovis' forces, you will aim directly at your brother instead!
"All units! Retreat!" You shout in the radio. "The enemy is too strong!"
"We can't!" R-1 says. "Kal- I mean Q-1 is fighting the white Knightmare! We can't let her alone!"
Is she? You change channel. "Q-1, how are you doing?"
"Just barely!" She shots back. "This bastard is strong! Never saw a Knightmare move like that...If I still were in the Glasgow I wouldn't last a second!"
You check your Frame remaining equipment...Perfect. "Keep up Q-1, I'm coming!" Then you switch to the others, while searching on the radar for a safe escape route. "I repeat: disengage and retreat. Follow this path." You transmit them the coordinates. "I'll help Q-1 personally. If you can stow the Knightmares somewhere safe for later use do it, but if not don't hesitate to just abandon them. No matter what, you need to get out of Shinjuku!"
"A-Alright! But how are we going to meet again?"
"I'll contact you myself. Until then, lay down!"
After that you close the connection and put away the radio. For what you're going to do next, you will need all your wits and abilities.
But first: "All of you, get off the Knightmare! Follow me, but stay away! When you see the cockpit ejects, follow it: I'll be there!"
You wait five seconds to let all spiders get off. You then use the Slash Harkens to lower your Sutherland back to the ground before moving to Q-1's last position.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing Boss?"
'I hope so!'
"That doesn't reassure me!"
Too bad for him. You turn off your advisor's babbles and concentrate back on the plan.
The difference is staggering: most Knightmares are basically tanks in a vague human shaped form, but this unknown model is more like in white armor, flawlessly performing maneuvers that your (admittedly only passable) knowledge on the subject say they should be impossible. Is this the future of Knightmare engineering? Bah, it doesn't matter now.
"Q-1! Disengage! Then attack with Slash Harkens!"
The redhead obeys almost immediately. Just as the white Knightmare turns to you aim your rifle at it and open fire. It blocks the first volley with those fabled energy shields (
'how do they work?') before speeding towards you.
It abruptly stops when you pull out a Chaos Mine. You activate it and toss it in the Frame's direction. The white robot once again activates its shields, but it needs to crouch down to cover all of its body so it's ill prepared when Q-1's Slash Harkens slams into it from the side.
"Good work Q-1! Now join the others!" You do a last transmission before taking out the second Chaos Mine and speed up at full throttle towards the staggering white frame. You activate the Mine before ejecting immediately.
"A suicide attack? Clever, even more if you don't have to die. Would have sucked, for both of us, otherwise." Seyrun comments.
As if you would accept to die so easily, especially in a place like this.
When your cockpit lands you don't lose time to get out and run away from the hot zone as fast as you can. Once you're far away enough, you're not even out of breath, you hide inside an old building. You sit down, inspire and exhale loudly.
The Anuhles appear around you, either from thin air or by skittering out of the darkness.
"You alright boss?"
"Yes." You reply curtly. "One of you: go and recall those sent to investigate the enemy base."
"Right away!" A spider confirms before skittering off.
"And now?"
'Now we wait.' You answer Seyrun.
'And while we're waiting I want you to give me a rundown of the abilities I can use. I need to know exactly what I can do to plan my next move.'
"Ah. Alright. The whole story is pretty long and contains details that could compromise your concentrations so can I give you the juice of the matter?"
'Acceptable.' "Keep guard." You order the spiders before concentrating back.
'Begin.'
"Okay, first thing you need to know is this: you're an Exalt. That's the definition for those like you. You had a piece of divine essence put into your soul: it lets you transcend your limits as a human and grow indefinitely."
'Again, sounds too good to be true.'
"I was told that's why the Yozi lost." Seyrun says tonelessly.
"As an Exalt, your most basic power is to make yourself better at certain task. You do a task, channel Essence while doing it and the end result turn phenomenally well. Either by luck or because you had a moment of brilliance, you can make the improbable into probable and then almost certain."
Your eyes widen.
'Amazing! Any task?'
"No. You need to, for a lack of better words, follow the theme of the Yozi you're been empowered from. Since all your powers are minuscule fractions of the titanic might they used to shape the world. You should be able to 'feel' if a certain method or the way you're approaching it resonate with the powers at your disposals. This is all instinctual, so I can't help you much."
You hum.
'I kind of get what you're saying. What else?'
"You already know about the trick to change appearance - by the way, I suggest finding real clothes - but there are more. The first lets you make someone else fail, inflicting bad luck and lapses in competence. Another helps you escape physical restraints or physical confinement, but it supports only your own personal efforts. With me so far?"
'Yes. Keep going.'
"Let's see...Uh. This part is not very clear. Who wrote this thing? There is something about a passive bonus to help you fascinate people, a technique to stop someone from correctly guessing your true intentions through observation, and another passive bonus that cause others to guess everything about you but the correct choice."
'Please explain the last part more clearly.'
"I'll try....Okay, by what I understand this ability makes it so that, when someone use an ability or skill to discover something about you, it will always succeed but it only reveal you aren't something else. And they can't find the correct answer by elimination, because even that is influenced."
'Range of action?'
"Everything and everywhere in existence. Those with magical abilities may bypass this ability, but it will be difficult."
'I guess most of my previous concerns are now useless.' You reply in wonder.
'Continue.'
"Another power lets you, after speaking with the target and managing to convince him of something or to do something, inflict a momentary form or mental illness or insanity on him. You can make him paranoid, amnesiac, cause hallucinations and even make so he develops cannibalistic tendencies."
'I can make people mad just by speaking with them?!'
"Yep. Like I said it's only temporary. Another power lets you...peep into an otherworldly realm to gain inspiration for your actions? Moving on...ah, finally the good stuff. You have a power that make so the enemy cannot perceive or react to your attacks until they hit him. Always catch them unaware, that's my motto. Finally, another power make so, after successfully hitting a target, you 'mark' him somehow: if he dies his body and soul shatter, becoming a trace of Essence you can then use as a material to make stuff."
'Material...to make stuff?'
"Sure. Like gemstones made of tears, or the dreams of a newlywed bride. That kind of stuff."
'...I'll pretend I understand what you're talking about.' You deadpan.
'But I am ready to admit those powers are very useful. Are they the only ones I have?'
"For now yes. But the more you use them, the more you grow in power and unlock new ones. Like I said those things are mostly instinctual, like a new limb you learn how to move. Give it time...Oh right, I almost forgot: there is a special power specific of the Fiend Caste. You can sanctify oaths."
'Sanctify oaths?'
"When you are party or witness to an oath, you may use Essence to sanctify it. You must shake hands to seal the agreement or touch the hands of those who are party to it. Those who break the oath, yourself included, will suffer terrible luck at the worst possible moment."
'So I can force someone to make a promise, and if he breaks it he will suffer? How much?'
"From losing all his money to losing his life. I said worst possible moment, I meant it. You can also use this power to protect someone else who made a similar oath from the effects of breaking it, but as long as you want. Perfect for blackmail. You can also learn powers that don't come from the Yozi, with limitations, and enjoy diplomatic immunity everywhere but the domains of the Gods."
That's when the spider you sent returns with the reconnaissance team.
"Boss." One of them begins.
"The enemy base has very few men. We looked around carefully and found nothing suspicious." He pauses briefly.
"Apart for one thing, but it was far away from the base so we keep scouting."
"What it is?"
"Two humans inside a metal box with wheels, working on a machine. The female smells normal, but the male-" He clicks his mandibles.
"It's a Dragonblooded. I think of Air Aspect."
Seyrun hisses.
"I knew it!"
'What's a Dragonblooded?'
"Another type of Exalt. Weaker overall, but they make it up with numbers. It's gotta be the one who build the machine with the Jade. You must avoid him at all costs Boss, you have no training fighting other Exalts yet!"
'I have the Anuhles.'
"And if we are lucky he is merely strong enough to hold them off until reinforcements arrives." He snaps back.
"Never underestimate an Exalt Boss. Just look at what you did today if you want an example."
That's also true. In the end it doesn't matter: your goal is Clovis, not whoever made the white Knightmare. You turn to the spiders. "How many of have the Essence to materialize?"
"Four."
Insufficient. "Follow me."
{====}
--[X] Infiltration Strategy: If an insufficient number of your minions have the Essence to materialize to get you out of a bind or kill interlopers if needed, make sure to let them feed on some Britannian soldiers before you go in. Otherwise go ahead. Using manipulation, you'll get a private meeting with Clovis. You have two pieces of bait to report - the first is that you have information on what the terrorists stole (knowing it is more than just poison gas) and the second is that you have information about traitors in the ranks that allowed the terrorists to get the upper hand and only the Prince can be trusted with the information.
Finding a troop of Britannians didn't turn out to be difficult. It seems that with the terrorist's thread resolved Clovis resumed the ghetto's destruction. Not that there are many people left, but it's still something he will need to answer to.
While your minions eat you strip a relatively clean soldier of his gear, drop the illusion and then put it on. It's not quite your size, but it will do. "How many now?"
"Fourteen."
Good enough. You concentrate again and your shadow rises again. When it lowers it leaves behind a middle aged Britannian of sharp features, dressed in expensive military uniform. You even have an ID card in your hand: all the data is made up, but at first glance it's just like the real thing.
"Let's go." You say in a voice that isn't your own.
{====}
Approaching the G-1 base is pathetically easy. You just have to walk around like you own the place and everyone just salutes and lets you pass.
Once the base is in sight you act. "You there!" you say in the most authoritative tone you can muster, grabbing the attention of the posted guards. You quickly flash your ID card and put it away before they can inspect it closely. "I am with Internal Affairs, and I must speak privately with His Highness immediately. I have vital information about what the terrorists have stolen, as well as regarding possible traitors in our ranks."
The guards look at each other, their uncertainty clear. "But, sir, I..."
"No buts! I will not have it! Go now and be back in the next seven minutes or I swear you won't like the consequences!"
The guards' terror is evident on their faces, and two of them rush to get approval after a quick "Yes, My Lord!"
Not long after, they return. "His Highness will see you in his private chambers, my lord. Right this way." You move to follow, your demonic minions in tow and no one the wiser.
Clovis is exactly as he was on TV a few hours ago. Only, instead of acting like a primadonna he's clearly agitated, even if he tries to hide it. With a gesture he dismisses the guard. Once the doors close, leaving only you two in the lavish room, he turns to stare at you. Hm? How strange: now that you can see it close Clovis' hair has a strange green tint, while in your memories it was dirty blonde. Does he dye it?
"What's your name?" He commands.
Right. This is going to taste bitter. You bow in a manner fitting for addressing Royalty. "Eric Granfield Your Highness. I work for His Majesty the Emperor's Internal Affairs department, and was sent here to Area Eleven a few months ago incognito."
"So that's why I'm learning of this only now." He tsk's. "Does my father have so little faith in me?"
"Forgive me, my prince, but I don't know if my orders came from the Emperor himself. It's beyond my authorization. I only obey."
"Of course you do." He seems to ponder on something for a few seconds before walking to a cabinet, where he takes out glasses and a bottle of liquor. "Whisky?"
Absolutely not. "Just a little. I am still on duty."
He nods before pouring himself a glass almost half-full and gulping it down. He must be very nervous. "So, mister Granfield." he begins while filling another glass. "I was told you have vital information about what the terrorists have stolen, and also about possible traitors?"
[] Keep lying. Try to make Clovis slip up and reveal what he knows about your mother's death.
[] Maybe if you are subtle enough you can use your powers and cause Clovis to see the ghost of Marianne. It's distasteful to your mother's memory, but terrified people say a lot more than calm ones.
[] Just take out your gun and force him to suspend the hostilities. Then you will interrogate him about Marianne's death.
[] Write-in.
====
Sutherlands owned by the Terrorists: 5
Active Charms:
Loom-Snarling Deception
Personal Essence: 1/13
Peripheral Essence: 32/32
Willpower: 7/7
====
This post was a pain to write
