Mass Effect: Going Dark

[Soleimon Berserker]

Glancing over at Mikhail, Sol'Amon's golden eyes took in the human Engineer for a moment before nodding briefly. "I have a feeling i'm going to like how you work. And your right, how can we know just what kind of toxic atmosphere we're talking about?"

Turning his eyes back onto the map, he quickly scanned the blueprints before tapping the Western wall of the South-West room. "If we're gonna bust in through a wall I recommend this one, from this position we'd be able to slip in between the Blood Packs troops, and knowing them like I do they'll come straight at us."

Looking up from the map he scanned the room before pointing a thumb at himself, "Put me in the front to take the initial first charge, I know their normal tactics well enough to put down the first two or three in close quarters, after that though even I'd be liable to get taken out."

Though he stated the fact as though it were totally normal, the thought of a Quarian going hand to hand with a Krogan was unheard of, just one of the many archetypical parts of Quarian society he'd shunned with his upbringing. Glancing over at Sidonis he shrugged, so far he'd continued to keep his biotics from the rest of the team, saving them for a later surprise.

"We'll each throw two extra rebreathers into a backpack, that way we'd have to have enough. If we don't have that many I say put them on our most durable members, they're the most likely to come out of the battle unscathed enough to get them to the hostages. That'd be Tallos, Many, and any other heavy Soldier class members of the team."

[Cynical Cat]

"How about we wait for the combat engineer to give us his evaluation?" said Jager who was less than impressed by the suggestion of 'let's trap ourselves in between two groups of krogan and vorcha in close quarters'. The Quarian had, at the minimum, volunteered three times that he had beaten krogan in close quarters combat in the casual manner of a movie badass which screamed out to Jager that the kid was far more interested in trying to convince everyone that he was a tough guy than in getting the mission done right. That he thought a plan which would likely lead to close quarters combat with krogan was a good idea only reinforced that impression. Jager had fought krogan in close quarters. Having done so, he vastly preferred to shoot them over vast distances.

"We don't want to brawl with them," said Mikhail. "They're very good at it. The idea isn't to beat them at what they're good at, it's to hit them where they're weak. The Blood Pack is vicious and well armed, not sophisticated and disciplined."

[White Haven]

The lone asari broke her silence again with a question, a furrow of concentration across her brow, "The orbital defenses are down...what would it take to change that, and could it be done remotely? Because that would be a truly ironic way to buy time and deal with the reinforcements, all without tipping our hand IF it could be done quietly enough. May or may not be practical, but I admit it appeals to my sense of elegance."

[JD196]

"Good point. If Sol or Jager can get the defenses back online then we can take out the reinforcements before they arrive. So we breach the wall, and once we do then the doors are perfect kill zones. The blood pack aren't smart enough to realize that fact." He grinned.

"I recommend splitting into 3 teams of 4. Teams 1 and 2 breach the south west wall and draw the blood pack towards them. Besides more than 4 people covering each door would hinder the other people on our team rather than help them. The other team can wait for the fight to start and blow open the north east wall and catch them from behind."

Tallos looked at the others. "Once the immediate threat is over, we secure the other rooms and retrieve or if necessary, neutralize the scientists and research. Then we can attempt to reestablish control of the defenses and wipe out the reinforcements."

[Sabre72]

Junko agreeing with Mikhail, "a typical breach, stun, and clear job, this plan would have to be the fastest we have made, as in the speed of the mission, however lets see what our engineer says, he may be able to reduce unwanted deaths when the breaching happens."

[frigidmagi]

"We wanna breach away from the hostages and come in as a single group. More then one breach can weaken the structure, maybe even cause a collapse. I'm gonna assume we all agree that a collapse with the hostages inside would be bad. If we breach to close to the hostages, we could kill or injury some of them. There's only 4 rooms so I ain't worried about breaching to far from them. Be careful using explosives inside as well, walls can fragment, splinter... People you don't mean to get killed or worse. Usually you wanna leave someone behind to hold the exit, but... Again only 4 rooms. Split into two teams sweep the complex, grab the hostages, bug out. If one team gets bogged down, the other is close enough to pull a flanking attack in support. There is a problem that might nix it though. Can we get close enough to plant the explosive? It's not a loud procedure until the end, but if they got perimeter guards or camera, we can't do it without starting a fight early." Lysander said staring at the map.

[Sabre72]

There is a problem that might nix it though. Can we get close enough to plant the explosive? It's not a loud procedure until the end, but if they got perimeter guards or camera, we can't do it without starting a fight early." Lysander said staring at the map.

Junko answered Lysander question, "one of us can sneak and plant the charge via a stealth device, if we know how to use the charge, then rally back to team, set the charge off, then storm the place."

Junko made a hang on gesture, "now it depends if we need someone that knows how to sneak with a stealth device, or Lysander here with one instead, since he already knows how to blow things up being a engineering, however having just a stealth device is one thing, knowing how to sneak plus a stealth device is another, with the last combo being better."

Junko asks Lysander, "Do you have experience sneaking Lysander?" Junko looks at Lysander, "I would prefer to make a hole first to kick start the fight."

[frigidmagi]

"I do not, I am a Marine, not a Ninja" Lysander replied.

[Sabre72]

"I do not, I am a Marine, not a Ninja" Lysander replied.

Junko nodded and asked Lysander, "I know there is a certain way to place a demo charge to do different things, and we want to minimize damage spread from the explosion, the question is can one of the ninjas be shown how to, without you even seeing the bulkhead?"

Junko chuckled a little inside from the marines strait forwardness, it was refreshing to say the least.

[frigidmagi]

"Alot of that would come from how the charge is set up. But anything strong enough to punch out a large hole is gonna have a spread. A shaped charge can be used to minimize the back blast. Setting the demo charge is easy enough, you want it flat on the wall with as much contact with the wall as possible, which means you need the wall to be flat and as even as possible. Makes it easier to stick to. Building the charge would take a couple minutes if we have the right materials. It won't be easy to sneak with. If I do a bunch of smaller charges, you have more control but it'll longer to set up and more can go wrong." Lysander explained, rather happily in his element.

[White Haven]

"Ah, yes, blow a hole in the building, rush in, and hope all goes well, I just love this plan," Iona shook her head back and forth, looking increasingly pained by the moment.

[rhoenix]

"Ah, yes, blow a hole in the building, rush in, and hope all goes well, I just love this plan," Iona shook her head back and forth, looking increasingly pained by the moment.

"Odd that you'd say that, T'shen - you'd honestly be about perfect as one of the package delivery agents," Sidonis said calmly, still studying the map.

At this point, Sings-to-the-Stars spoke up as well, his eight strangely glowing blue eyes alight with interest. "Singing distraction-songs usually helps clandestine-songs be sung to the end. Should there be those dedicated to singing distraction-songs until the explosives are ready to sing?"

[Sabre72]

Junko signed, "It seems you're frustrated Iona, but you have yet to contribute to any plans constructively, you have only tossed almost every idea out the window, unless you have a counter idea to add to your bad plan rambling, I really dont want to hear it."

Junko smiled, "However using the orbital defense vs reinforcements should be looked into, also we all need to be flexible, I know some of us may like stealth a lot but sometimes you have to go with something different, and in this case the stealth shape doesn't fit into the assault shape, we simply cant sneak through the airlocks without massive repercussions that could happened."

Junko heard what Lantar said and then looked towards Lysander, "anything am holding or wearing while cloaked will be cloaked as well, I only have a pistol, so am hardly carrying anything, am probably the lightest in terms if weapons here, I can also get very far very fast since I am a vanguard though not while cloaked."

Junko pondered a question for Lysander, "hmmm, how heavy would the shape charge be, and can it be attached to my armors back with a carry device of some sorts?"


Junko heard star, "We dont want the distraction to start the firefight, do we?"

[White Haven]

"How in the Goddess's name am I supposed to react to a plan that, in a reconless hostage situation, starts with a breaching charge assault of a sealed environment facility in a hostile atmosphere. Not only is it banking on not catching one or more of the scientists with the charge itself, it's also betting heavily on our being able to neutralize all resistance and reach the prisoners before they suffocate. At that point, why not just plant demo charges on all the exterior walls and blow the whole place apart?" Iona's voice was clearly exasperated as she gestured at the briefing map, "After all, if we're going to give up any pretense that securing the secondary objectives matters, why should we risk ourselves in a firefight at all? Bloody children."

She nodded towards Tallos, still looking at Junko, "Now, why don't you let your elders speak. Goddess, a Krogan is proposing a more subtle and nuanced plan than yours, that should tell you something right there. Or he was until he started talking about breaching charges, at least."

[Sabre72]

"At that point, why not just plant demo charges on all the exterior walls and blow the whole place apart?" Iona's voice was clearly exasperated as she gestured at the briefing map, "After all, if we're going to give up any pretense that securing the secondary objectives matters, why should we risk ourselves in a firefight at all? Bloody children."

She nodded towards Tallos, still looking at Junko, "Now, why don't you let your elders speak. Goddess, a Krogan is proposing a more subtle and nuanced plan than yours, that should tell you something right there. Or he was until he started talking about breaching charges, at least."

Junko bursts with laughter, she carried on while looking at Iona, then regained herself, "you been doing nothing but complaining madam thats what children do, thus your a hypocrite, and saying "why not just plant demo charges on all the exterior walls and blow the whole place apart" just reinforce your complaining madam, not to mention other similar ramblings like what I just mention."

The Junko everyone as seen disappeared her expression just changed very rapidly she spoke in a calm but different voice one that would give off that she has experienced horror, "why should we risk ourselves in a firefight at all you ask? The main objective is to remove the blood pack, not to save the scientists & research materials which is secondary objective, sneaking in is a death wish, which has been stated many times before, we put at risk two or more stealth units just to get a location of scientists & research materials, we have no knowledge to suggest they are hostages, neither does the mission op."

Junko crossed her arms, "and frankly what says the scientists are in the same room, what will two or three stealth units actually do in there, other then sitting on there ass till the assault team gets in? If they make a move in there before the assault team comes they are dead and the scientists will be in even more danger since the assault team is not even there yet."

Junko pointed at Iona, "A dead Iona and a dead Junko, is worse then a one dead blown up scientist."

Junko retorted, "and before you call me a child again, I was fighting on earth since the reapers landed, I lost all my friends I knew and the ship I served on, you are a typical stereotype Asari, thinking your better then everyone else, I suggest to remove that if you are going to impress Shepard."

Junko continued to sit in her chair and just stared at Iona with a unnerving calmness.

[rhoenix]

The aerogel screen at the center of the room alit once more, showing the increasingly familiar visage of Spectre Commander Shepard. "Candidates, it is now 0800. Team Three, you are first - report to the training area by following the flashing hallway lights from your meeting room. As for the rest of you, I suggest you take the time to prepare for everything and anything during your trial. Shepard out."

With that, the aerogel screen went dark once more.

[Cynical Cat]

"What do you want Iona?" said Mikhail. "A fucking guarantee that nothing will go wrong? Here's a hint: You don't get those in combat. This is a hostage situation against a heavily armed, ruthless enemy with a ticking clock. We cannot retrieve the hostages without entering the building. Entering through an airlock is suicide. We have to breach unless you have a teleporter. The atmosphere isn't is merely unbreathable without a mask, not toxic. The facility is hostile environment prefab and we'll have surprise on our side. We have close combat specialists and a Geth hacker. We have a very good chance of seizing control of the systems when we breach, allowing us to isolate the Blood Pact elements and open a straight line to the hostages.

"There's risks. All hostage situations involve risks. This maximizes our chances, especially if we can manage a distraction before the breach. You've offered fuck all but whining someone might die during an armed raid with krogan and vorcha mercs on the other side."

He turned to address the rest of the group. "Stealth fields aren't magic. They won't work well in a corridor fight. Out there, providing cover for the extraction and making a distraction is another thing. Distance and cover are our friends. I'm betting almost half the people in the room are sniper qualified and the extraction team is going to need people covering their asses."

[White Haven]

"Fine," Iona snapped with a shake of her head, "If you lot are going to insist on going ahead with your ridiculous 'breach and hope' operations plan rather than something with a shred of subtlety appropriate for a potential hostage situation, the least I can do is try to make sure that the scientists survive in spite of it. Sings-to-Stars," she looked over at the Rachni, "If the breach is small, can you hold a barrier over it? If so, do you need help to hold it for a prolonged period if the assault bogs down?"

While she waited for the Rachni to come up with an answer, she turned her attention back to the rest of her predominantly-human antagonists, "As to you lot, I'm stunned. Absolutely stunned. 'We don't know the scientists are hostages, so we don't care if they die?' What kind of people are you? In the absence of proper intelligence, they are hostages until proven otherwise. Is such a basic principle alien to you?" She shorted quietly, "And a quick reminder to spur your childlike memories, I was the first person here offering up potential operations plans, well before you" she speared a finger at Junko, "offered up your little amateur-hour 'briefing.' You don't have to like me, but neither of you get to lie about me being a hypocrite, or doing nothing but complaining."

[Sabre72]

"Fine," Iona snapped with a shake of her head, "If you lot are going to insist on going ahead with your ridiculous 'breach and hope' operations plan rather than something with a shred of subtlety appropriate for a potential hostage situation, the least I can do is try to make sure that the scientists survive in spite of it. Sings-to-Stars," she looked over at the Rachni, "If the breach is small, can you hold a barrier over it? If so, do you need help to hold it for a prolonged period if the assault bogs down?"

While she waited for the Rachni to come up with an answer, she turned her attention back to the rest of her predominantly-human antagonists, "As to you lot, I'm stunned. Absolutely stunned. 'We don't know the scientists are hostages, so we don't care if they die?' What kind of people are you? In the absence of proper intelligence, they are hostages until proven otherwise. Is such a basic principle alien to you?" She shorted quietly, "And a quick reminder to spur your childlike memories, I was the first person here offering up potential operations plans, well before you" she speared a finger at Junko, "offered up your little amateur-hour 'briefing.' You don't have to like me, but neither of you get to lie about me being a hypocrite, or doing nothing but complaining."

Junko sighed, "I dont hate you Iona I just dont have time for nonsense, we just need to make a plan that starts in order, your observation didn't really solve the how to get in part, you offered other ideas but those were not get in the door ideas, if we dont figure that out, we cant carry out the other steps can we?"

Junko chuckled, "plus your observation sounded like a Salarian thinking about fifty things and talking about seventy five things I honestly couldn't follow it."

Junko stretched, "However we should keep planning, We need to get a better understanding what everyone can do?, I'll start first."

Junko explained, "Am a vanguard however, given my skill set and load-out and a squad this size ,I would default to role of scout , if we are to breach the wall I should be the one scouting ahead under stealth and planting the charge."

Junko offered, "anyone else care to say what they are, and what role you would best fit in for a 12 man team?"

[frigidmagi]

"Enough. Iona, going through the airlocks is a fast method of suicide. They will be heavily guarded, they will be watched with camera and other security. Cameras will be there simply for medical reasons, in case someone has a bad reaction after coming in. That means we cannot sneak in through the airlocks unless our opponents are pants on head retarded. If we try to fight our way in, we are hoping we can assault through an easily reinforced chokepoint before something goes wrong. Add in reinforcements and we don't have time for slow, we need to hit fast. Since fighting our way in through existing entrances is iffy at best, our best shot is making a new entrance which gives us surprise and the added benefit of picking where we're going to do our fighting. If you have a better idea, we're all listening. Otherwise, pitch in or walk out. Now, we need recon. I don't want to blow a hole into a room where the hostages are, it's likely to reduce them to paste. Additionally, is it me or are these prefabbed rooms hooked together? Can we cut off the rooms from one another? If we can it lets us control the Bloodpacks moment. Thoughts? Questions?" Lysander said. It was easily the longest speech he given since waking up on earth, but they were running out of time and needed to focus. They didn't have the luxury of a long planning stage.

[rhoenix]

"Fine," Iona snapped with a shake of her head, "If you lot are going to insist on going ahead with your ridiculous 'breach and hope' operations plan rather than something with a shred of subtlety appropriate for a potential hostage situation, the least I can do is try to make sure that the scientists survive in spite of it. Sings-to-Stars," she looked over at the Rachni, "If the breach is small, can you hold a barrier over it? If so, do you need help to hold it for a prolonged period if the assault bogs down?"

The brood warrior looked at her, and gave a very humanoid nod. "I can sing barrier-songs for long notes of time, if I must," the brood warrior replied. "The barrier can also sing repulsion-songs to the Blood Pack if I am the last one out."

[JD196]

"I hate to admit it but it is the only viable plan. However if someone can hack into the camera feeds inside the building then we should be able to pinpoint the safest spot to breach."

[Sabre72]

Now, we need recon. I don't want to blow a hole into a room where the hostages are, it's likely to reduce them to paste. Additionally, is it me or are these prefabbed rooms hooked together? Can we cut off the rooms from one another? If we can it lets us control the Bloodpacks moment. Thoughts? Questions?" Lysander said. It was easily the longest speech he given since waking up on earth, but they were running out of time and needed to focus. They didn't have the luxury of a long planning stage.

Junko spoke, "When I was young I grew up on a pretty large prefab base, if this base is anything similar, those tubes connection each room should also dub as a airlock. Being a science base this would make sense, it would also reinforce they they should have re-breathers in each room, instead of blowing a wall, we could blow a tube, and the airlock doors should be damaged and not close, but wouldn't make half the mess blowing a wall would if am at all right, might need one shape charge on either side of the tube on wall that has the door, thats my thought Lysander, hopefully I explained it correctly."

[Cynical Cat]

"That's why I said hackers on the breach team," said Mikhail. "The Blood Pack isn't known for employing sophisticated computer hackers. Chances are the software in place is pretty much the same all these prefab bases come with and that means one of our Geth friends should be able to housebreak it in a few nanoseconds. That means we can restrict the Blood Pack's movements and open a straight line to the hostages from our entrance point.

"Recon helps and a talkative prisoner would be ideal, but the moment one of their boys goes off the grid the clock starts ticking in earnest. It may not be feasible."

[General Havoc]

"We are prepared to act in any manner necessary," said Shaddai, who had remained silent through the entire planning session, preferring instead to listen to what suggestions were being made and file them away for later analysis. "However, we would like to point out that if the metabolization of the local atmosphere is a factor, we do not require respiration."

Shaddai looked over the holoemitter for a moment before venturing another comment. "Our capacities should be equal to the task of causing security breach within the local security net. It is not, however, our recommendation that time be taken for analog interrogation of mercenary subjects. Analysis of similar operations to this would indicate that rapid reaction is a major contributing factor to overall success. Analog communication, particularly for the purposes of eliciting information from an unwilling subject, is time-inefficient."