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The PRT catches wind of a strange increase in disappeared domestic animals in the downtown area. Given that the people who live there are the rich and powerful, this is clearly a problem that needs to be investigated and solved immediately. The PRT, of course, agrees that this is of utmost importance, and not just because of precedent about mass abductions of pets, of course not, why would you think that, they are so very worried about Fido, even Scion recognizes the merits of rescuing lost pets.
(Lorica's asked to maybe keep a few more eyes there than she has been.)
Sadde and Bell in Worm
Two hybrid monkeys jump out of the window after Crusader, and two of Crusader's clones that were inside the building follow them. When they're outside, one of the ways they've evaded tracking this long becomes obvious to the bot: at least some of them seem to have evolved a very advanced form of camouflage, quickly taking on the properties of their background (though it seems not quick enough when they're actually running around). That, coupled with their very low body temperature, coupled with Brockton Bay being a big city, meant that they could effectively stay out of sight most of the time.
thinkering
Lorica writes thirty lines of code real quick to sharpen the bots' visual discernment for this situation and then goes back to paying attention to the fight. Glam's shoulderbot suggests that flamethrowers would be good too.
mxglam
While she was looking away, Purity showed up from inside the building and started shooting the monkeys, causing worryingly little damage in spite of going at it with enough force to crack the concrete they were standing on. As Lorica watches, a blindingly fast vine shoots out of the window, wrapping itself around Purity's midsection and pulling her back inside.
Glam gives the bots a gun that can throw flames or a flame retardant depending on a setting, which is just as well because the two camouflaged monkeys are running away in different directions. Armsmaster has started gathering some heroes and sending them in—he and Drupe are coming on his bike, Miss Militia is supposed to pick Windflower up, Glimmer and Silica are patrolling and for the moment needn't come but should try to stay nearby in case their help's needed.
Glam gives the bots a gun that can throw flames or a flame retardant depending on a setting, which is just as well because the two camouflaged monkeys are running away in different directions. Armsmaster has started gathering some heroes and sending them in—he and Drupe are coming on his bike, Miss Militia is supposed to pick Windflower up, Glimmer and Silica are patrolling and for the moment needn't come but should try to stay nearby in case their help's needed.
thinkering
Bots chase the escaping monkeys with extreme prejudice. Other bots - disposable Glambots - enter the building with the tree to check it out.
Yup, that's a tree. A huge tree, apparently going through all floors and occupying the entire building, while having managed to keep far enough away from the tinted windows that it wasn't visible from the outside. The tree moves, sluggishly, but still in ways trees ought not move.
Its purpose becomes clear, as well: in addition to the several differently-mutated monkeys here and there, many of which are fighting Purity and Crusader's clones (even being impaled is not enough to stop them most of the time), there are several monkeys connected to the tree, duplicating quickly, with mutations, and then having one of the duplicates killed for nutrients, with some help from other monkeys to ensure only "good" mutations persist.
Its purpose becomes clear, as well: in addition to the several differently-mutated monkeys here and there, many of which are fighting Purity and Crusader's clones (even being impaled is not enough to stop them most of the time), there are several monkeys connected to the tree, duplicating quickly, with mutations, and then having one of the duplicates killed for nutrients, with some help from other monkeys to ensure only "good" mutations persist.
thinkering
The robot informs everyone that it is definitely time to freak the fuck out and solicits permission to torch the place. It is sure the flock could contain the fire barring unforeseen circumstances. (The flock looks for non-Empire human presence in the building.)
Apparently Purity, Crusader, Hookwolf, Stormtiger, Krieg, Cricket, Night, and Fog are in the building, isn't that interesting? Also very peculiar how no one called the Protectorate about this, almost as if this building might not be just your regular old civilian building.
In any case, even if the Empire are villains, killing them would break the unwritten rules of the cape community. Besides unforeseen circumstances seem to crop up pretty terribly often when these monkeys are involved, and you never know what they could have evolved in the meantime. Using fire: definitely not allowed. Too much risk.
In any case, even if the Empire are villains, killing them would break the unwritten rules of the cape community. Besides unforeseen circumstances seem to crop up pretty terribly often when these monkeys are involved, and you never know what they could have evolved in the meantime. Using fire: definitely not allowed. Too much risk.
thinkering
The bots attempt to form a three-dimensional perimeter and shoo civilians from neighboring buildings while they can still pretty much go down the street on foot. Maybe the monkeys (and the E88) should be contained with foam on the various exits?
mxglam
That sounds like a swell idea! Glam provides imaginary foam sprayers and pops in a couple of copies under their own control so they can help along, too. They need to be transmitted a visual of their copies so they can go into the building and see if they can't contain the monkeys more directly.
mxglam
Good! So the copies go inside and start foaming monkeys and—
—that sets them off. Before the bots and copies can cover more than a couple of exits and windows, monkeys explode out of every exit and non-exit like an angry hive. Several of them, it appears, have evolved wings, and are carrying some less fortunate hybrids in all directions away from the building.
—that sets them off. Before the bots and copies can cover more than a couple of exits and windows, monkeys explode out of every exit and non-exit like an angry hive. Several of them, it appears, have evolved wings, and are carrying some less fortunate hybrids in all directions away from the building.
thinkering
"Auntie Em," Lorica indulges herself; the comm doesn't transmit it. "Glam, I need population and if you can't sustain it I need kamikaze bots."
mxglam
"On it, make sure they beep really loudly if even one of them disappears. What do you want on them?" they ask, already making a couple here and there where people aren't looking and then where people are looking 'cause at this point it's pretty much a given that Glam works remotely to anyone who's been paying attention.
thinkering
"Narrow flamethrowers that only burn organics if you can swing that, and infinite foam supplies."
mxglam
"Of course I can swing that," they say with much more confidence than they feel.
And the monkeys keep coming, there are so many of them, but Glam is onto you, Glam is making so many bots.
And the monkeys keep coming, there are so many of them, but Glam is onto you, Glam is making so many bots.
thinkering
And the bots chase monkeys and set them the fuck on fire, ready to foam anything other than monkeys that catches; and bots are trying to contain the ones that are still in the building; and bots are directing evacuees to MOVE IT.
Evacuees are moving it but there's panic and disorder, they have not been trained about evacuation to free from hybrid monkeys.
The bots set one of the flying monkeys on fire, and it catches. The monkey it's holding doesn't, and disentangles itself from the flying one, and falls onto its death—
Wait, nope, not its death, it cracks on the concrete and vines start growing from it, and those vines are now roots and it's starting to grow a tree—
And of course, similar fates befall any other monkeys the bots don't manage to strictly incinerate before they hit the ground.
The bots set one of the flying monkeys on fire, and it catches. The monkey it's holding doesn't, and disentangles itself from the flying one, and falls onto its death—
Wait, nope, not its death, it cracks on the concrete and vines start growing from it, and those vines are now roots and it's starting to grow a tree—
And of course, similar fates befall any other monkeys the bots don't manage to strictly incinerate before they hit the ground.
thinkering
The bots start ganging up on the monkeys to make sure they're ash and not - seeds. Bots set fire to the tree.
mxglam
But the monkeys just keep coming there are so many of them, good thing Glam's making lots of bots, rig—
BEEP
Suddenly a little more than half the bots Glam has made disappear simultaneously, not in a predictable pattern except for "not the ones Glam was looking at that exact moment."
BEEP
Suddenly a little more than half the bots Glam has made disappear simultaneously, not in a predictable pattern except for "not the ones Glam was looking at that exact moment."
thinkering
"Suicide run bots!" Lorica says. "Shaped flame charges with bot chassis, keep them coming, they'll wreck themselves as fast as you can make 'em." The shoulderbot indicates where they need to be.
Not exactly too little, too late, but too little, too late. Even some monkeys that are burnt down manage to grow into large enough trees that they smother the fire.
That's around the time Armsmaster arrives on his bike with Drupe, a couple of PRT vans only about two minutes behind him. "Contain them," Armsmaster practically hisses to Drupe as he uses his Halberd as a grappling hook to get into the building.
That's around the time Armsmaster arrives on his bike with Drupe, a couple of PRT vans only about two minutes behind him. "Contain them," Armsmaster practically hisses to Drupe as he uses his Halberd as a grappling hook to get into the building.