[Aftermath!] GURPS Operation Morpheus, Session 3, Part 1

Session Three: Part 1: "S.O.S." (March 29 - 31, 2104)

Important People: James (S), Bill (X), Bob (E), Alexis (C),

Important NPCs: Miles Dayton, Rich Johnson, Amanda Hayes, John Ritter, Andy Smith, Reactor Controller at Anderson Stuart Bunker, Steve Miller, IT Lead at Anderson Stuart Bunker, Robbie the PolRob, Nasdaq the Robot, various SecRobs, PolRob #1 and PolRob #2.

While James and Bill man the Physics Building Security Station, Bob and Alexis, with Nasdaq, start the Main University Reactor. This process (the strtupseqnce.doc file contains 12 steps) will take several days. Since the start-up sequence powers the Reactor Control area and part of the Security Station, the phone system is working between these two locations as well as to other powered buildings (like Anderson Stuart).

Bob begins the start-up and James reports in to Anderson Stuart, giving them the skinny on what is going on and also the Groups respective phone numbers. Over the next 48 hours, Bob runs through the first 7 steps on the list and proceeds to step 8.

A few hours after starting step 8, Alexis is on duty while Bob is taking a nap. Alexis fails to notice the warning light on the power console while she is looking through the now-powered up Mainframe Computer. Suddenly, a blaring alarm starts, waking up Bob and an automated voice says "DANGER! REACTOR SITUATION! APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES TO COMPLETE CONTAINMENT FAILURE! DANGER!" A clock on the wall starts counting down from 10 minutes as a nearby wall radiometer starts clicking higher REMs.

Meanwhile in the Security Station, James and Bill hear noises in the hallway. James remembers that the SecRobs haven't been around for about 12 hours and wonders if the noises are them. James gives Miles from Group A a call on the radio, asking if his Group is in the Physics Building. Miles says no but asks if Group B needs backup. James says yes. Miles says they'll be over there pronto.

James and Bill prepare for company. Bill flips over the heavy wooden desk, pushes it to cover the doorway and draws his pistol. James readies his M16 and opens the security door, taking a quick look outside. Down the hall, sounds of an emergency alarm drift up the stairwell from the Reactor Area. Also from down the hall, James and Bill hear electronic voices saying things like "Hello Citizen! Report suspicious behavior to your local police!" and "Hi! I'm your friendly neighborhood Police Robot!" James sees two PolRobs walking down the hall towards the Security Station. Both are fully armed (M16s and Glock 17s) as well as armored in police riot gear. One is also carrying a sword.

PolRob #1 spots James and opens fire, while exclaiming "Be a good neighbor - Report all drug dealers in your neighborhood!" James returns fire and ducks back into the room while PolRob #2 launches a tear gas grenade in front of the security door as it says "Do not play with matches - Report all those who do to your local police and fire districts." Bill buttons up his helmet gas filter while James fires again at the PolRobs.

Meanwhile, down in the Reactor Control Room, Bob is trying to get the situation in hand. Realizing that he has no idea what to do, he calls over to Anderson Stuart Bunker, loudly demanding, over the Emergency Alarm, to talk to someone in the Bunker Reactor group. Alexis rushes to the Mainframe Computer room and tries a few things on the newly started computer to try to assist Bob.

As tear gas drifts into the Security Station, James buttons up his helmet gas filter as well and steps back from the doorway, M16 at the ready. PolRob #2 launches a fragmentation grenade just outside the doorway, loudly stating "Do not litter! Be a good Citizen!" The grenade explodes but James and Bill are not injured by the grenade.

Bob finally gets Andy the Anderson Stuart Reactor Tech on the phone. Amidst the Emergency Alarm, as the REM counter is going slowly up and the timer is fast counting down, Andy has Bob tell him what he did. Bob reads off the list from the strtupseqnce.doc file. Bob realizes that no one in Group B had anyone at Anderson Stuart check out the authenticity of the strtupseqnce.doc file and Andy tells him that step 8 and 9 are reversed!

PolRob #1 steps around the doorway into the Security Station saying "Only you can prevent forest fires! Be a good Citizen and don't pollute!" as James opens up with his M16 into PolRob #1's head. PolRob #1 stops functioning, but remains standing. From the hallway, James and Bill hear PolRob #2 state "When in danger, exit burning buildings! Assist your local fire department by moving out of the way of emergency vehicles."

Alexis runs a similar diagnostic program that she ran at Anderson Stuart before she realizes that the diagnostic program is actually a Trojan Horse program that allows someone outside the Physics Building to control the Physics Mainframe! Jumping up from the Reactor Controls, Alexis runs to the Mainframe room. Andy asks Bob if the Mainframe is up, because it is necessary to control the Reactor.

PolRob #2 steps in front of the doorway, says "DARE to keep kids off drugs! Assist your local authorities in times of crisis!" and opens fire with it's M16 at Bill. Bill takes several rounds in the chest, but his military grade armor protects him from injury. Bill leaps the table and closes with PolRob #2, causing the robot to drop his M16 in the struggle. PolRob #2 jabs at Bill with his built-in Stun Gun fist!

Andy tells Bob that he needs to enter the small door to the Reactor Control Valves from the Control Room. Bob rushes to the Security Station to get a Radiation Suit. While he's quickly getting dressed, Andy walks him through what he has to do to, telling him that he shouldn't have to go farther than 30 yards to the Control Valves and warning him to get out as fast as possible. Bob, with his Geiger Counter and radiation badge and Key Cards ready, steps through the security door into the corridor to the Control Valves.

Bill is fighting in close quarters with PolRob #2 and manages to get ahold of it's wrist, preventing the Stun Gun fist from connecting with him. James drops his M16, quick-draws his pistol and jumps on PolRob #2's back. PolRob #2 states "Comply with all orders from Police personnel! We're here for your safety and protection!" and fires his built-in taser weapon into Bill, stunning him.

Alexis rushes into the Mainframe Computer room and tries to stop the diagnostic/Trojan Horse program from completing. When she fails to stop the program, Alexis tries to smash the Mainframe with a chair but is stopped by Nasdaq who informs her not to damage University property. Bob runs down the access tunnel to the Control Valves.

James manages to get PolRob #2's helmet off and shoots it in the head with his pistol. Uneffected, PolRob #2 disentangles it's Stun Gun fist from Bill and stuns James with it, saying "The Police are public servants, serving the public good! Assist them in all their endeavors!" Things are looking mighty grim for our heroes!

Bob reaches the Control Valves and only makes one small mistake from Andy's instructions. Quickly recovering, he corrects his mistake then runs like hell out of that radioactive hellhole! Bob enters the Control Room as the control gauges go from Red to Green, the REM meter drops, the Emergency Alarms stop, and the timer stops counting down. Only scant minutes to spare! Meanwhile, Alexis dives behind the Mainframe to unplug it and stop the Trojan Horse from working.

Miles and Group A tackle PolRob #2, bringing the whole lot of them down to the ground in a heap. Within a few minutes, Bill and James are recovering and Group A has disassembled PolRob #2, amidst electronic cries of "Report anyone who is driving impaired to your local police!" and "Don't steal from others! That's wrong and it's against the law, too!" and "Violence is not the answer! Stay away from fights and any gang activity!"

Andy assures Bob that the Mainframe must be operational to control the Reactor. Bob finds Alexis in the Mainframe room and stops her from disconnecting the Mainframe. Alexis tells Bob about the Trojan Horse and tries to find the Ethernet connections to cut the Mainframe off of the rest of the Uni. Bob returns to the Control Room and Andy walks him through several more procedures to assure the Reactor will operate correctly.

Alexis calls Anderson Stuart and talks to Steve Miller, the IT lead, warning him about the Trojan Horse program. Anderson Stuart is in a uproar about this and many calls back and forth to Alexis are made.

In the Security Office, James, Bill, and Team A (Miles, Rich, Amanda and John) rest from their encounter with the PolRobs. A group of SecRobs pass by the Security Office on their normal patrols.

James, Bill, Alexis and Bob all let each other know what has happened in the last few minutes:

* the attack of the PolRobs ("We need bigger and better guns!" says James)
* the Reactor situation ("Someone switched the procedure around!" says Bob)
* the Trojan Horse program ("We've got to disconnect the Physics Mainframe from the rest of the University!" says Alexis), and
* getting shot at close range with an M16 ("Ow!" says Bill).