LotS/The Story/Legions of Steel/Streets of Capek Major

Streets of Capek Major
The Princess has been groomed since childhood to one day rule the Sian Empire – which would place her in command of all its armed forces. Thus she understands the ways of war. When she looks at the holographic display of Capek Major, she sees it as you do, visualizing the lines of attack, anticipating strengths and weaknesses based on what you see and what you’ve learned from the Chief Assembler.

Fabricatrix Vespasia’s troops are thinly spread, since she’s relying on a relatively small force to secure an entire city. That’s likely why she was so keen to press the attack – hoping to keep the defenders off-balance and prevent them from organizing a proper counterattack. Most of her forces are guarding the main approach to the command center.

Together you devise an attack on two fronts. Wilex’s battle bots will assault the command center directly, attempting to fight their way to the front door. This should provide an adequate distraction. Meanwhile the Princess will lead a small group through the city streets, and attempt to enter the building from the opposite side. The Chief Assembler warns you that Vespasia has stationed snipers on the rooftops you’ll be moving beneath, as well as packs of battle bots patrolling the streets.

You raise your concerns about the Princess putting herself in harm’s way, but it’s a mere formality. She overrules you, as you knew she would. Telemachus also refuses to be left behind, once he learns of your plans. You are far from happy at the thought of taking a mere child into combat. But short of destroying his mech, dragging him from the cockpit, and locking him in a room somewhere, there’s little you can do to stop him. He tells you that if you leave him behind, he’ll just join the robots in their frontal assault. At least if he’s with you you’ll be able to keep an eye on him.

Ragnar exchanges some words with the Chief Assembler out of your hearing, and informs you that he’ll be coming. Either he’s been offered a lot of credits, or is simply unwilling to pass up an opportunity for slaughter. But whatever the reason, his violence should prove useful.

You make your final arrangements, and wait for the gold and silver robots to begin their attack. Then you move out.

Bait & Blast

A robot sniper covers the streets you intend to pass through with its rifle, ready to send a deadly beam into the heart or head of anyone attempting to make their way towards the command center.

As arranged, your companions begin to open fire on a group of patrolling robots, keeping a corner of a building between them and the sniper, but drawing its attention. Meanwhile you make your way onto the rooftops, relying on stealth and the distraction they provide.

Once you’re in place, the riskier part of the plan is put in motion. Talia emerges from cover, ensuring that the sniper will go for her and not detect your approach from behind. You have to destroy the robot, before it takes her out.

The Deadliest Soldier...

The robot sniper collapses, a hole blown through its head. You seize its weapon. From up here on the rooftops you can cover your allies, and protect them as they fight their way through the streets.

You look through the rifle’s scope, and see a robot moving to attack the Princess. You place your finger on the trigger…

...Is The One You Never See

You move along the rooftops, keeping the others in sight. Whenever a target presents itself, you drop to one knee, take aim, and fire. Then you’re in motion again, trying to destroy some of the black and red robots in their path, and even the odds as much as you can.

Ahead of you, robot snipers are running across the rooftops, taking up firing positions. You raise your rifle, to pick them off before they can take their shots.

Path of Least Resistance

At last your companions reach their goal, and come to the square in which the command center stands. You climb down from the building to join them on the ground. You can see the rear entrance of the command center, and from the other side of the square you hear the sound of heavy fighting as your robot allies assault it from the front.

“Just a few of them,” says the Princess. “This shouldn’t be too difficult...”

You, Talia, and Ragnar issue a collective groan. Illaria and Telemachus look at the three of you in confusion. The Princess may understand much of the arts of war, but she lacks your combat experience.

“Never say things will be easy when you’re about to go into a battle,” growls Ragnar. “That’s just asking for trouble.”

“Well, it’s said now,” sighs Talia. “Let’s just get going.”

And so the five of you move out from cover, and attack the robots that stand guard at the rear entrance to the command center.

Carnifex Prime

The last robot falls in a clattering, sparking heap. But even as it hits the ground, the doors to the command center are opening, and you know that worse is yet to come.

A massive robot comes from within the building, the ground trembling beneath its four metal feet. It’s even bigger than the Carnus 9000 you fought earlier. As it passes through the doorway, a crackling energy barrier appears behind it, spanning the width and height of the entrance. It seems there’s no chance of evading the gargantuan machine, and trying to get inside.

“This is why we don’t tempt fate,” says Ragnar, “and say things are going to be easy.”

“Oh…” replies the Princess.

The blue light on the robot’s face, where a human’s eyes would be, turns to regard Princess Illaria. An ominous glow is building within it…

You dive at the Princess, knocking her aside as an energy beam blasts the spot where she was standing a moment ago, sending shards of stone into the air. As the two of you hit the ground, you look up to see the eye glowing once more, gazing right at you.

But a blast from Telemachus’ mech hits it square in the face, and the glow subsides for a moment – long enough for you to drag the Princess to her feet, and get moving. The others are already opening up on the robot for all they’re worth, their fire scouring its metal plates.

.............................

The robot freezes, its arms and legs locking into place in mid-movement, becoming as motionless as a statue. The weapons that bristle across its frame are silent. The blue lights on its body flicker for a moment. Then the blue is replaced with bright red. That’s never a good sign.

The others are equally perturbed, and a second later all five of you are running back out of the square, seeking cover amongst the buildings. A long moment passes as you take shelter behind a solid-looking structure.

“Maybe it’s not going to explode,” Talia suggests. “Just because something flashes red-”

Then comes the explosion.

You return to the square, which is now covered in bits and pieces of robot. Some of the wreckage is flaming, other fragments sparking. Ahead of you, past the billows of smoke which rise from the broken heap lying before it, the entrance to the command centre is now uncovered. Perhaps the barrier was overloaded by the force of the blast, or else the force-field was linked to the robot. Either way, your path is now clear.