MASTERMIND'S REALM

Z1's ship is loaded up, and the PC's and marines are on board. (The
military arranged to get water from one of the worlds behind the
satellite gates.)

A group of twelve mages encircle the ship and, one minute later, the
ship disappears from The Dark Sphere, and reappears in Mastermind's
realm. Note: you can activate the return from the planet, you do not
have to return to space.

The ship is in a trailing orbit (you're falling to the planet at the
same rate the planet is moving away from you) around a green/brown
planet. (It used to be blue/white, but Mastermind's pollution has
changed it's color.) There are a large number of installations in orbit
around the planet, but your ECM seems to be working. The planet's moon
is on the opposite side of the planet from you, which is also where the
majority of Mastermind's orbital forces are located.

Zulu-One is surprized by the amount of orbital activity. It's only been
about nine months since he last saw earth's orbit, but in that time
orbital activity has increased by at least ten times.

Zulu-One proceeds to swiftly calculate best possible covert approach
route to the landing area. Then he will execute it. He will memorize the
action patterns on the orbit and think more about them later.

When Kipling enters Mastermind's realm you feel a "distancing." Your
spirits are still there, but there aren't any "loose" spirits around
you. However, your senses can still tap the "spiritual imprint" around
you, and it's not pleasant. Even in orbit you can sense the billions
that died in fear and terror on the planet. You can also feel your curse
drawing on something in this universe to become stronger.

Orbiting around the planet, Adan is struck by a strange sense of
familiarity. There's something about the planet that strikes a chord of
memory in you, but you can't quite bring the memory to mind. (By the
way, your meta-powers are working fine; for the time being.)

Adan seems to stare off for a time studying the planet. Then suddenly he
rouses himself out of his torpour and turn to the others.

"Z1 how long and where are we planning to make our assualt?" Adan asks.
"I think it would be wise for our plans to get into motion.

Z1: "First in the mission priority is the retrieval of Selena Keller's
remains. For that reason we will touchdown near her grave. Assault is of
secondary priority, but we will do that too if it seems possible.
Increased orbital activity will not make it easier."

Z1: "There has been a surprising rise in the orbital activity since I
last was here. Mastermind is preparing for something major."

"Hold on to something, it may get a bit rough when we go down into the
atmosphere, I am attempting to calculate a route which will take us down
safely, but it is never hundred percent certain because of the
unpredictable weather conditions. If you believe into something
supernatural, now would be a good time for prayers."

Kipling is delighted to hear that gears will immediately go into motion.
"This is the most horrid place I'd ever dare to imagine! Z1, do you have
any idea what happens to the spirits of those who die under Mastermind's
command? Although there are many slain here, billions, it is difficult
to sense them. I do fear necromanical forces of great magnitude here
about! I hope it does not hinder our success in revitalizing your
mother!"

After this Z1 takes the lander down with great care, but swiftly.

Z1: "Some humans used to believe that their 'soul' goes to the 'other
side' after death, places called 'Heaven' or 'Hell', including my
mother. This world is not 'magical' as you understand it, that may be
the reason why your powers do not work."

Z1: "Also, clarification: All humans of this world have died, there is
no doubt. Mastermind never planned to use them for anything, merely
eliminated them all to prevent the 'human' factor from affecting its
plans."

Z1: "Listen, after the landing you will all remain inside the ship and
will not open any hatches. Even a whiff of the outside air could get you
lethally infected. My armor could protect any *one* of you from it for a
while, though."

One of the marines speaks, "That's what we have the body suits, breath
filters, and carbolic acid for. It's probably not as efficient as your
suit, but it should work just fine."

Z1: "Even so, you risk death. You should minimize the time you spend
outside."

(Oops, forgot the carbolic acid on the list of provisions. You have 6
50-gallon barrels of carbolic acid for use as an antiseptic.)

The trip through the atmosphere is a bit harrowing as the ship almost
crashes through a squadron of stealth aircraft. However, Zulu-One
manages to recover and land the spaceship undamaged.

You are in a mountainous area close to a major manufacturing center and
tranportation hub (Denver), and one of Mastermind's "brains" (Colorado
Springs).

From the spaceship you can see a "meadow." The vegetation is sparse, but
there is still some there. There is a gravemarker, but no obvious grave.
If there are any habitations present, they are too well hidden to be
seen in a cursory check.

[to Kipling on the Spirit Channel

After you land, the mountains block a great deal of your spritiual
senses and you are able to function a bit more easily.

You can sense the diseases and poisons lingering in the world outside
the ship. However, you believe that a few seconds and a minor ritual
should enable you to be unaffected in any form. Unfortunately, you doubt
you can do the same for your companions, though you might be able to
cure them if they become sick (an hour-long ritual per person).

While it would be very difficult to restore the meadow to the living
entity it should be, it is still possible, but the life is definitely
dying, and you don't know how long it will be before the land is
completely barren.]

Adan: "I don't breath and so far all attempts to poison me, and there
have been more than a few, have failed. I think that it would be wise
for me to wear some armor still. There is some possibility that my
abilities and immunities will fail w never know."

Muttering under his breath to no one in particular: "Why does this place
tug at my memories?"

Adan: "Would you like me to scout or is that something you would prefer
to accomplish that feat Z1?"

Z1: "There is no certainty that you will survive exposure to the
atmosphere. Wear my armor." Z1 shows how to wear the armor so that it is
sealed.

"By moving your jaw, you can activate the communication system, which
will allow you to communicate with me over short ranges, like mile or
two. Also on the helm are an array of sensors, with which it is possible
to see in dark or to see heat patterns." Z1 also shows the use of these.

Kipling speaks, "I believe the enviroment will not be a problem for me,
personally, either. There is a ritual which will protect me, although
not the others. If the Marines' enviroment suits fail, I should be able
to heal the damage to their respritory systems, though. Z1, it appears
yourself, Adan, the Marines, and your humble servant are quite capable
of dealing with this enviroment! What do you wish us to do? Adan and I
can scout the area in the air. He is a most formiddable warrior, and no
fate the enemy could create for me could be worse than others I have
faced!"

Z1: "The disease assaults all of bodily systems at once - Not only
breathing systems, it can come through skin, or through breathing as
well. I am not at all certain that your science would suffice to defend
against it."

"If you feel like it, you may establish a defensive perimeter once I go
dig up the remains of my mother."

Adan: "How far out would you like me to scout? I fly about 3 times as
fast as a cheeta runs so I can go pretty far pretty fast. I would
recommend. Oh wait I can communicate with you through this device. It
takes getting used to. Let me rephrase then. Can the enemy detect what I
am saying and if so should I encrypt it by speaking Kipling's native
tongue or should we maintain silence and scout a specific area?"

Z1: "Silence would be best. Use the comm only if you have to, and be
brief then. Scout the surrounding area, but do not fly too high - Long
range sensors could pick you up. Use extreme caution, friend."

The marines set up with their gear ready inside the ship. Under the
circumstances, they will not go outside unless something happens.

Z1 goes outside with a digging tool, he sweeps the surroundings with his
sensors before starting to dig up the grave as fast as three men could.

Just as Z1 hits the coffin lid, the ship reports an active radar trace
hitting the valley. Did Z1 shut off the ECM unit after landing?

No. He intends to stay as little a while as possible, and in the open
the lander is all too easy to detect otherwise.

Adan: "Z1 do you want me to check out who that is or do you want me to
wait until you are finished, don your armor, and then scout. Also
humanoid constructs of Mastermind, how do they act and what do they
wear?"

OOC: If Z1 wants him to go check it out he will. Flying low and using
his high mobility [relatively speaking that is] he will see what is
there keeping cover as much as possible and trying to avoid being seen.
If possible he will try and duplicate the actions of a humanoid
construction of Mastermind but I want to see what they have to do first.

Z1: "They act to be ordinary humans, if they are on infiltration
assignment. No, you could not pose as one of them - They have IFF codes,
which means that when they detect each other, they see a mark invisible
to others.. When you encounter them, eliminate or avoid them."

(I assumed that Adan would be wearing the armor allready - Suiting up
would take at least a whole minute.. Diseases do not affect or infect
Z1.)

Z1: "Maintain low profile, but prepare to fight."

Z1 continues the excavation operation, but also monitors the
surroundings passively.

"If I may..." Kipling has waltzed out to the excavation site. He seems
uneffected by the atmosphere or contagions. "Z1, I could dig while you
assist our Metan friend. Either that, or I can act as a decoy..."

If Z1 wants Kipling to dig, he will. Otherwise he will change forms and
fly high, checking out the incoming...

Adan:	Flying low and using his high mobility [relatively speaking that
is] he will see what is there keeping cover as much as possible and
trying to avoid being seen.

Z1: "Okay. That is a good suggestion. I will cover you."

Z1 jumps up from the hole and readies his grenade rifle, he starts
guarding the area, and also watches what Adan is doing.

Kipling grabs the spade, and goes to work, humming an odd, alien song
he'd heard in a dream,"I've been workin' on the rail road, all the live
long day..."

Adan takes off, and Kipling begins digging. Everyone is clearly able to
see a large cargo plane fly high overhead. You can make out two groups
of objects being dropped from the plane. One looks to land at the foot
of the valley, the other up towards the top. The likelyhood that you
were spotted is low.

Magnification reveals that the groups are composed of the following:

1 Terminator Unit, 1 large box (probably various equipment), 100 "flying
disks" which Z1 does not recognize, but which are spreading out to cover
the area around where the T-Unit is landing.

The "flying disks" are broadcasting single-view TV images on close
frequencies.

Z1 can guess that the cargo plane took off from the Denver armoury just
a few minutes after you contacted the stealth fighters. Concentrating,
he can make out more contrails north and south, so it seems likely
Mastermind is blanketing this entire area in an effort to locate your
party. 

Luckily, it looks like you'll have a little time before the search
parties arrive at your location. Unfortunately, you don't know how fast
the search will progress or what reinforcements might be arriving. (Z1
knows that Denver has a minor military base, and that Colorado Springs
is central command for Mastermind's North America district.) 

Kipling: As soon as you start digging you can feel the presence of the
woman who is buried here: brave, strong-willed, and caring. However, you
also realize that just her body will not suffice to call her soul back.
An Espiri will also require something she shaped (Zulu-One fits that
description), and something that shaped her; something she used to
formulate her ethics and personal identity. 

(Actually, these things are necessarily required, but they will make the
job so much easier that they might as well be.) 

Kipling looks up to Z1,"Friend, your' mother' was quite the remarkable
woman, indeed. From what I sense here, I have discovered, and must
inform you, that two things will be required to adamntine her
ressurection. One would be, easily enough, an object into which she
poured her very heart and soul into the creation of. That, my friend,
will be you, yourself. However, it may be important for us to acquire
something that helped to shape her into the person that she was. Would
you have any ideas as to what we may use for such a focus?" 

Z1: "Her portable computer terminal. She switched computers a lot, but
she always used the same terminal - It had 'emotional value', I believe.
She got it as a present when she was a child.. I will investigate the
building, proceed with the recovery operation." 

Z1 proceeds to investigate the building. 

The rest of the party sees Z1 move up to a rock outcrop and place a hand
against it. A section of the outcrop moves inward, and Z1 follows it. 

In the bunker, not much has changed. A little more dust is about it. You
quickly locate Selena's notepad-terminal. Anything else you want to do
while you're here? (You've already purged your personal command codes
from the local computer.) 

No, Z1 gets out swiftly after taking a look over the place - Time is a
limited quantity on this mission. 

After a thought, he picks up the Bible before exiting. 

Adan will continue his scouting if it looks like the others are going to
be discovered by the terminator unit or the like he will provide a
distraction. i.e. he will attack something from the opposite direction
that the group is at. Hopefully this won't be required but it may be.
Adan will keep a good amount of distance from the known terminator unit
in the area for now though. 

Zulu-One quickly emerges from the bunker carrying a book and a box.
Kipling has finished uncovering the coffin, and Adan reports that the
scounting forces don't seem to be anywhere close. 

With everyone's help, the coffin is quickly sealed and placed in the
lander. Everyone who went outiside is rinsed down with antiseptic.
Shortly after everyone arrives back in the lander Zulu-One reports that
the scout-disks should arrive in your area in about 15 minutes. 

Evasive action through orbit into the ocean, where the lander can
refuel. Lander can make orbit in far less than ten minutes. 

Z1: "Everyone strap yourselves and also fasten the cargo. We will take
off right now, within the following two minutes. First mission objective
has been completed, we may yet be able to complete the secondary
objective; acquisition of technology." 

Adan immediately sets to securing cargo and as he straps himself in he
romoves portions of Z1's armor as they ascend into orbit (but obviously
not at the point where G-forces make it dangerous. He's strong not
stupid. As soon as they reach orbit he will complete removal of the
armor so that Z1 can don it at first opportunity. 

Z1: "Keep the armor on friend, if you would like. I am not a living
being, and I can withstand harsh environments without armor and no
diseases affect me." 

The lander takes off, and, this time without incident, lands in the Gulf
of Mexico. Mastermind's only major center on the gulf is Houston. All
other gulf-coast cities have drowned due to the effects of global
warming. 

Proceeding towards Houston, you find you are easily able to avoid
Mastermind's few sea patrols (apparantly this area isn't on alert.) 

Houston is a major sea and space port, and the site of much industry,
manufacturing, distribution, and research. The growth of the 20th
century led to a great deal of urban sprawl, and meant that Mastermind
could use a great deal of the city even after the Texas partisans
destroyed most of it's infrastructure. The combination of destruction
and redevelopment has led to many robotic enclaves set into a "no man's
land." Several of the enclaves are partially below the water's surface.
Note: even though the enclaves are physically isolated, they are stilled
linked by communication and transport facilities. 

Houston was one of the last cities controlled by Mastermind, and does
not have a lage military presense. Any major military response is likely
to come from the north (Dalla-Fort Worth). (NASA Houston was neither
critical enough to wait until Mastermind broke its security, nor weak
enough to absorb outright before Mastermind made its move.) 

The marines reveal that their equipment is adequate for underwater
operations if that should be required. 

Additionally, one of them reports that his psionic talent can "sense"
various types of energy patterns associated with robots. He's not quite
what to make of this, but wanted to inform you. 

What area do you want to target (should I give you more information
about)? 

As soon as Adan hears that the sea level has been raised and wiped out a
number of coastal cities, you start to experience a massive headache.
The headache increased with the phrase "Texas Partisans." 

Well regardless Adan will walk over to the nearest computer and if you
don't mind start typing away trying to access more info on the Texas
Partisans. Not knowing how much effect this headache is having on him
would you write a post discribing Adan rushing to terminal for me and
send it to the entire group. I'll take it from there and it will allow
me to gauge how Adan should act. Thanks Jeff and keep up the interesting
work. The more I get into your game the more I amazed by its great depth
and detail. I'm really impressed. 

Though injured, the undersea area has not been as badly hurt as the
terrestrial one (at least until you get pretty close to Houston).
Kipling estimates a population of Seenee would have few problems here. 

Additionally, the "noise" Kipling experiences is much muted under the
sea. 

Z1 goes over the general layout and devises many strategies and
considers their disadvantages and advantages. He attempts to create a
plan to hijack a larger transport ship with lots of useful equipment
without too much of a risk. (If it seems too risky, Z1 will decide
against attempting the mission at all and will attempt to return to
N'Ferra with Selena's body.) 

Preferably a fueled up ship ready for takeoff on launch pad would be
caught and taken off into orbit before the dimensional shift would be
done. It would be a bonus if the lander could be taken along as well -
Anyhow, Selenas body has to be taken along at least.