Digital Waltz - Part 2

Rain_Runner wrote:"Well... Have we tried contacting clopin about this? Mabye he might tell us why the plan might be... Unethical." she coughs a bit and crosses her arms.

"Before he was hit by the blast, Tomas spoke into his radio about the operation, but i don't think that was directed at us" Rogue suggests "Can we contact Clopin through the earpieces, or is it one-way only, like with the phones?"

(Frost)
Frost shrugs at Rouge's comment regarding Slavegear. She clearly wants to say more but is wise enough to hold her opinion for the time being.

(Naomi)
"I'm surprised he hasn't called to monologue. He's been strangely quiet as of late" Naomi responds more thinking out loud then speaking to the group.

// Hey everyone, I'm sorry about the delays,
I started working at the hospital again and had to pull several difficult night shifts in a row, it really drained me >.<

Sorry again about the delays, I'll try to update as soon as I can. If not tonight, then by tomorrow afternoon

(Twilight Sparkle)


"...-and.. that's the story of the Digital Waltz" Clopin quietly said with a sigh. He was sitting on the table, absentmindedly moving his feet in the air and staring at the carpet.

Everyone was still quietly sitting inside the Safe Room. Handcuffed and the door still sealed.


Clopin just finished explaining in detail, everything known about the Waltz. The Anti Terrorist Suppression program. The prosthetic bodies. The Plumes of Dusk, housing people's consciousness. The Bunkers in the Labyrinth. The hacking. The kidnappings, the murders and the disappearances 44 years ago.

And about the collective of scientists, calling themselves 'The Opera Seven', who control the flow of information, around the world.



"Because of the Waltz, a lot of people started loosing their jobs, their homes" Clopin grimly continued:
"The homeless folk started settling deep in the Labyrinth. Scavenging for abandoned supplies, exploring the tunnels.
From time to time, they would stumble onto a Bunker, see all the horror inside.
And the Waltz didn't like that. They didn't like that one bit.


Too many homeless folk wander the Labyrinth now. Each one, a potential witness and security risk, waiting to happen.

So to get rid of them, the Waltz spinned this ridiculous story, about Vampire Unit terrorists, lurking in the Labyrinth. Lashing out against the Union.


And so, to stop this 'terrorist' threat, the Waltz blackmailed Councilor Mercer, and Captain Kaylee Brown here.
These two had to sign an executive order, permitting a massive police raid on the Labyrinth.

As you've read yourself in the document, the order was 'Kill on Sight'. 'Flood the Labyrinth with tear gas'.
By the time the cops would've realized, they've been killing homeless folk, it would be already too late. And the Labyrinth would've been clear of security risks.


Councilor Mercer and Captain Brown here, were left with a bit of a dilemma.

Sign the order, and allow the deaths of countless innocents. Or refuse, and watch their own families die."



Clopin shook his head with a grim smile: "Councilor Mercer has a 25 year old daughter.
Miss Brown has two sisters, two parents and a nephew. Plenty of targets for the Digital Waltz.
Plenty of people to use for blackmail.


This is how the Digital Waltz operates. This is why they have to be stopped"




Kaylee deeply sighed and looked at you: "I'm sorry Twilight. I wanted to tell you. But they threatened to murder my family.

For me, this started a week ago. I thought Councilor Mercer was acting strange. I didn't have any proof, but I developed a hunch. Like, she was being watched, or, forced to do something she didn't want. I didn't know for sure.

I did sent you the letters, asking you to help me in Adelheid. I hoped we could all solve this together.


But by the time you arrived, the Waltz sent me a picture of my sister. And told me to keep my mouth shut. And do what I'm told. Otherwise, they'll kill everyone I cared for"



Kaylee looked down, a bit sad. Then looked at you and shook her head slightly, giving you a friendly and a slightly accusing smile:


"So when you asked me this morning, 'What's going on Kaylee Brown?' and I refused to answer, it wasn't because I'm a meany meany poop head. Its because I was black mailed"


She sighed, shaking her head: "I still can't believe you called me by last name, like I'm a stranger to you! God! Twi! You know me better than that"

Kaylee frowned. She's clearly pretending to pout.

(Everyone)


"I have the base coordinates" Amy's nervously called: "Forwarding them to you now"


"Coordinates received!" The Spider loudly called over the street and tip toed toward you:
"Climb onto my chassis everyone! Hurry! I can reach speeds close to 60 kilometers per hour! We'll be there before you know it!"


Madelyn jumped roughly two meters into the air, before landing atop the Spider and taking a seat there, grabbing a hold of a short emergency guard rail.


The Spider waited for everyone to board, before spreading its six legs wide and ducking low:
"Cookie-tank moving out!"
She called, before jerking slightly and charging forward, gradually increasing its speed.



"The Slavegear attack exposed several vulnerabilities in Adelheid's defense net" Amy said over the radio: "Steps had to be taken to ensure the cities security, from any kind of unforeseen threat.
This is the Union's Capital after all. Having an attack of this scale happen within the city limits, is a gross oversight and embarrassment, for the Union military. Ensuring the safety of their citizens is top priority.
That's why they felt obligated to build a new missile base"



Madelyn squinted at the road ahead, shielding her eyes from the wind, as the Spider dashes along one of the larger streets of Adelheid.

Far in the distance, you began to hear the wailing sirens of police cars and thin clouds of smoke, rising into the air.


"Clopin has a regular earpiece I think" Madelyn said, thinking: "We should be able to contact him. If he's listening to radio traffic, he should respond"



Several moments pass, and the Spider pulled a sharp stop in front of a massive concrete fence, surrounding a featureless military installation.

Its colossal front gates have been bashed in by something massive, its metal doors now laid bent on the ground. Thin, evenly paced holes in the asphalt, seemingly indicated that some sort of machine passed through here.


Clouds of white smoke obscured most of the courtyard, before the main structure. It takes several seconds to deduce that it's large quantities of highly potent tear gas.

Dozens of soldiers were blindly stumbling in the smoke, moving in haphazard directions and trying to escape the clouds. Some were visibly bruised and tried to drag their colleagues toward the base exit. Others tried to push deeper into the courtyard, toward the main structure.


Its main doors were also caved in. Giant scratch marks on the door frame, suggested that something massive has squeezed through.


As Madelyn jumps down to the ground level, one of the soldiers approaches you, wildly coughing and trying to clear his eyes:

"SHE'S ALMOST AT THE MAINFRAME!!!" he shouted loudly, as if he couldn't hear his own voice. You get the feeling that something had recently deafened him:

"WE COUNTED 30 RUMBAS - UNMANNED DRONES THAT RESEMBLE HUMANS! AND SOME SORT OF MASSIVE MACHINE! I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT!
EMERALD IS REMOTE CONTROLLING ALL OF THEM, AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!"



"How many injured?" Madelyn called, taking hold of his shoulder and trying to help him stay on his feet.


"SIXTY THREE SOLDIERS! BRUISES AND BROKEN BONES BUT NO FATALITIES! THE HOSTILE MADE A POINT OF TAKING A NON LETHAL APPROACH, WHEN SHE FLOODED THE COMPLEX WITH TEAR GAS!
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL SHE'S DOING!
THIS BASE HOLDS 214 MISSILES! IF SHE HACKS THE MAINFRAME, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH ALL OF THEM INSTANTLY, AT ANY TARGET OF HER CHOOSING!

MY MEN ARE TRYING TO SUPPRESS HER ADVANCE BUT SHE'S BREAKING THROUGH OUR BARRICADES WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN!
SHE'S HEAVILY AUGMENTED! I'VE NEVER SEEN CYBERNETICS LIKE THAT!"


He looked back at the main building and shouted, pointing at the caved in doors:

"YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND HELP MY MEN STOP HER! WE CAN'T TAKE CHANCES WITH THIS LUNATIC!"

(Twilight)

She sat in silence, taking it all in. It was almost too insane to be real. A group of seven controlling the world? Hacking through dancing? Entire populations murdered and locked away just for selfish reasons to take over the world in secret? It was almost too much to believe.

Almost.

After some more silence, she softly spoke. "I see... Kaylee, I'm sorry..."

She swallow a lump in her throat. "Perhaps I was too rash with my judgement today. It's just... I didn't expect you to push us away like that. Not without a proper context, like the blackmail. I hope you can forgive..." She then looks at Kaylee with a slight smile. "This naggy mean hag."She begins to snicker. "Meany mean poopy head? Seriously?"

After a few more chuckles, she calms down, looking firmly at Clopin. "Sir, I can't sit idly by while this is going on. Is there anything we can do? Even a few words with them would be enough."

(Angelo, Arnold)

"Hmmm, we better move fast then. There's no telling how much time we even have left." Angelo siad, cracking his knuckles.

Arnold nods. "But first we need to get through the gas. Any way to clear the air or keep our face covered? Like gas masks? Or should someone get them from the base while we wait?"

Angelo cups his chin. "Hmmm... If we wait here, we lose time. Better focus on another way. Even if we use magic, we better not waste too much with spells that need to be maintained."

Rain hops off of cookie and crosses her arms in front of the gate, "yes that is a fantastic question... How do we get in there without the tear gass ruining us... Gas masks would be the best option i think.

(Frost)
"I'm thinking a sustained shield spell or moving the gas away with telekinesis would be the best option. I'd say that staying as a group but having one of us indisposed instead of sending one person in alone to get the mask is a better survival chance" Frost offers, already armed with her spell book.

(Naomi)
Naomi takes a moment to closely examine the area. Searching for anything out of the ordinary.

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Everyone)


"I have the base coordinates" Amy's nervously called: "Forwarding them to you now"


"Coordinates received!" The Spider loudly called over the street and tip toed toward you:
"Climb onto my chassis everyone! Hurry! I can reach speeds close to 60 kilometers per hour! We'll be there before you know it!"


Madelyn jumped roughly two meters into the air, before landing atop the Spider and taking a seat there, grabbing a hold of a short emergency guard rail.


The Spider waited for everyone to board, before spreading its six legs wide and ducking low:
"Cookie-tank moving out!"
She called, before jerking slightly and charging forward, gradually increasing its speed.

"So how come our arachnarok went on a murder rampage, and yours... didn't?" Rogue asks the group as they climb on Cookie.

Kaylee Brown wrote:"The Slavegear attack exposed several vulnerabilities in Adelheid's defense net" Amy said over the radio: "Steps had to be taken to ensure the cities security, from any kind of unforeseen threat.
This is the Union's Capital after all. Having an attack of this scale happen within the city limits, is a gross oversight and embarrassment, for the Union military. Ensuring the safety of their citizens is top priority.
That's why they felt obligated to build a new missile base"



Madelyn squinted at the road ahead, shielding her eyes from the wind, as the Spider dashes along one of the larger streets of Adelheid.

Far in the distance, you began to hear the wailing sirens of police cars and thin clouds of smoke, rising into the air.


"Clopin has a regular earpiece I think" Madelyn said, thinking: "We should be able to contact him. If he's listening to radio traffic, he should respond"



Several moments pass, and the Spider pulled a sharp stop in front of a massive concrete fence, surrounding a featureless military installation.

Its colossal front gates have been bashed in by something massive, its metal doors now laid bent on the ground. Thin, evenly paced holes in the asphalt, seemingly indicated that some sort of machine passed through here.


Clouds of white smoke obscured most of the courtyard, before the main structure. It takes several seconds to deduce that it's large quantities of highly potent tear gas.

Dozens of soldiers were blindly stumbling in the smoke, moving in haphazard directions and trying to escape the clouds. Some were visibly bruised and tried to drag their colleagues toward the base exit. Others tried to push deeper into the courtyard, toward the main structure.


Its main doors were also caved in. Giant scratch marks on the door frame, suggested that something massive has squeezed through.


As Madelyn jumps down to the ground level, one of the soldiers approaches you, wildly coughing and trying to clear his eyes:

"SHE'S ALMOST AT THE MAINFRAME!!!" he shouted loudly, as if he couldn't hear his own voice. You get the feeling that something had recently deafened him:

"WE COUNTED 30 RUMBAS - UNMANNED DRONES THAT RESEMBLE HUMANS! AND SOME SORT OF MASSIVE MACHINE! I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT!
EMERALD IS REMOTE CONTROLLING ALL OF THEM, AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!"



"How many injured?" Madelyn called, taking hold of his shoulder and trying to help him stay on his feet.


"SIXTY THREE SOLDIERS! BRUISES AND BROKEN BONES BUT NO FATALITIES! THE HOSTILE MADE A POINT OF TAKING A NON LETHAL APPROACH, WHEN SHE FLOODED THE COMPLEX WITH TEAR GAS!
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL SHE'S DOING!
THIS BASE HOLDS 214 MISSILES! IF SHE HACKS THE MAINFRAME, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH ALL OF THEM INSTANTLY, AT ANY TARGET OF HER CHOOSING!

MY MEN ARE TRYING TO SUPPRESS HER ADVANCE BUT SHE'S BREAKING THROUGH OUR BARRICADES WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN!
SHE'S HEAVILY AUGMENTED! I'VE NEVER SEEN CYBERNETICS LIKE THAT!"


He looked back at the main building and shouted, pointing at the caved in doors:

"YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND HELP MY MEN STOP HER! WE CAN'T TAKE CHANCES WITH THIS LUNATIC!"

"What did the massive machine look like? Did you get a good view of it? Weapons, number of limbs, armour?" Rogue asks the soldier.

The Mage and The Mechanic wrote:(Frost)
"I'm thinking a sustained shield spell or moving the gas away with telekinesis would be the best option. I'd say that staying as a group but having one of us indisposed instead of sending one person in alone to get the mask is a better survival chance" Frost offers, already armed with her spell book.

(Naomi)
Naomi takes a moment to closely examine the area. Searching for anything out of the ordinary.

"Oxygen-selective forcfield bubbles around our noses and mouths'd work as gas masks" Rogue adds "But it'd be better to find some way of clearing the tear gas from the area, such as using cloudwalking spells to push it out of the way."

(Frost)
"Speaking of weather, why not just neutralize it with a rain spell? Why go passive on this stuff when we can just remove it from the equazion all together" Frost is now starring at the fog wall of tear gas.

// Sorry about the delays everyone =( work at the hospital became really stressful lately



(Everyone)


As you examine the area, you notice dozens of soldiers, slowly moving away from the base or toward it, covering their faces and uncontrollably coughing. They seem to be severely disoriented.

Four police cars stand by the sidewalk, the officers shouting information into their radios and trying to come up with a way to enter the base.

The area was overall enveloped in chaos, with several dozen people moving closely in random directions. It was hard to spot something out of the ordinary, through the overall shouting and chaos.


"It must be related to what my husband said in my memory.." Madelyn said, looking at Rogue:
"The Phantom Body Syndrome. Every patient that was placed inside a robot shell, experienced some form of mental illness without fail.
The overall experience of body switching is traumatic. People deal with stress differently..

The Spider you saw, lashed out in anger. Perhaps, it was her way to cope with the new reality.

And.. the Spider we saw.." she looked at the Spider Tank with a saddened expression.


The Spider looked back and emoted a happy smiley, using the armor plates on her face: "Cookie!" she called happily.



The soldier who spoke to you earlier, was intently rubbing his eyes. He finally seemed to stop coughing:
"The machine we saw was gigantic. About 10 meters in height. Four limbs, I think. Heavily armored. It rammed the front gates in a flurry of razors and claws. Moved freakishly fast, unpredictable. I couldn't get a good look at it.
Don't know about weapons but it tore through our heavy blast doors, like it was tinfoil."



"Whatever we do, we better do it fast" Madelyn grimaced: "Oh, right, don't worry about me. I.. don't really breathe.."

"Ye, me neither-cookie" the Spider excitedly nodded.



The soldier grabbed his earpiece and turned pale: "Shit. My men report that Emerald just breached out last barricade. She's riding atop that machine monster.
They already made it inside the control room! We're out of time! We have to get in there now!!!"

(Twilight)

"I missed you" Kaylee smiled, resting her head on your shoulder. Signs of fatigue and severe lack of sleep, were showing over her face.


"Yeah... so uhh.. Clopin?" One of the other hostages called, his voice extremely nervous: "We really can't sit idly by in here any longer! Its been hours and all your demands have been met! Could you like... let us out now?"


Clopin's face became pained: "...I don't think... that would be the best idea.."

"Why not?!" The hostage loudly called.


"The Digital Waltz is still in control" Clopin quietly said: "They can still potentially blackmail any one of you. The moment you step out of this room, they will send you threats and clear orders. And you'll have to carry them out"


"..so?...." the hostage asked in anxiety and confusion.


"So, while you're locked in this room, they can keep mailing orders all day. It won't matter" Clopin smirked slightly: "You've been taken hostage. Its not your fault if you don't follow their orders. You're being held against your will. You can't even leave.
No one can blame you for not complying with them and they have no reason to punish you either."


"..wait hold on" Kaylee slowly said, squinting at him: "The way you're talking right now.. its as if-"



"I'm sorry" Clopin heavily sighed, looking at you: "The hostage situation was a farce. A giant bluff, to fool the Digital Waltz.
You were never in danger. I was never going to harm you. Even if your friends refused to comply.

But I had to put an act for the Digital Waltz. Everyone had to think you're in danger. Everyone had to be convinced, that I am a mad man, willing to kill innocents, just to get revenge on the Waltz.

It was the only way, to release you from their control.
To make sure you're not blackmailed, to do something horrible. Like murdering homeless folk in the Labyrinth"




"aaaaaAAAAARRGH!!! CLOPIN YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!!!" Kaylee shrieked, jumping onto her feet and covering the distance to Clopin:
"YOU SCARED THE GODDAMN SHIT OUT OF ME!!! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE!!!"


"Captain, calm down" Clopin calmly said.


"FUCK YOU! GET THESE CUFFS OFF OF ME!!!" Kaylee barked at his face, looming over him.
Clopin slowly reached into his back pocket, then calmly unlocked the cuffs on her hands.


As the cuffs dropped on the floor, Kaylee angrily glared at him, seemingly restraining herself from strangling him.

Clopin heavily sighed again, calmly looking at her: "I'm sorry. I came to terms with what I had to do. Once this is over, you can arrest me peacefully. I won't make trouble"


Kaylee slapped him across the face. Hard. There were angry tears in her eyes. The realization that the fear she experienced for the past hours, was part of an act, visibly stung her.


Clopin turned his head and looked at her again: "...are you done? We have a crisis to solve and I'm going to need help of everyone in here"


"Couldn't open your goddamn mouth and clue us in?" Kaylee scowled, gritting her teeth.


"No. Captain. I couldn't" Clopin frowned: "If your reaction wasn't genuine, if the Digital Waltz suspected, even for a second, that this entire thing was a farce, they would've blackmailed everyone in this room, including me.
And our entire operation would've been blown out of the water. We couldn't afford that.
The worlds fate is at stake, I'm sorry for causing you momentary discomfort. As a soldier in the Union Navy, I assume these types of experiences are an occupational hazard."


"Asshole" Kaylee turned away and walked towards the other hostages, beginning to remove everyone's handcuffs.


"We can't leave the room" Clopin called: "Not yet"

"What are we supposed to do?" Kaylee said, unlocking Twilight's handcuffs.


"Wait, until Emerald completes her objective" Clopin shifted on the table, taking a more comfortable sitting position:
"She's going to hack a Union missile base. And performed a concentrated strike, on every TV station, internet provider stations, and radio stations, in the Adelheid region.
Then, she will jam every radio transmission in the city"


"...she's gonna do what?" Kaylee slowly turned around, zeroing in on Clopin.


"Tomas will order an evacuation. We're not monsters" Clopin raised his hand, trying to calm things down:
"Once the missile strike hits, every means of communication in Adelheid, will be effectively offline. The Digital Waltz will loose the ability to issue orders to its assassins. Meaning, it can no longer threaten people's families.
You will be free, from any form of blackmail.
It will allow us to perform the final assault, on the Digital Waltz. Without fear of repercussions."



Clopin shifted in place again. He's clearly nervous. The now free hostages are giving him unfriendly looks.
Councilor Mercer finally rose from the floor and dusted herself off. She didn't look very happy, but she didn't say anything in protest either.



Clopin took the silence as a sign to continue: "What you can do now, is call your friends and convince them to help Emerald.
But be extremely careful, about how you approach the subject.

The Digital Waltz will be monitoring the call. You can't tip them off that you're wandering free in the Safe Room. But at the same time, convince your friends to help Emerald, without making it seem like I'm forcing you to say that."


"Thats... not going to be very easy.." Kaylee grimly said, looking down at the floor.


"Are you starting to see what its like, to be in my shoes?" Clopin quietly said: "Talking to both sides, without blowing your cover and trying to save lives in the process?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:// Sorry about the delays everyone =(  work at the hospital became really stressful lately



(Everyone)


As you examine the area, you notice dozens of soldiers, slowly moving away from the base or toward it, covering their faces and uncontrollably coughing. They seem to be severely disoriented.

Four police cars stand by the sidewalk, the officers shouting information into their radios and trying to come up with a way to enter the base.

The area was overall enveloped in chaos, with several dozen people moving closely in random directions. It was hard to spot something out of the ordinary, through the overall shouting and chaos.


"It must be related to what my husband said in my memory.." Madelyn said, looking at Rogue:
"The Phantom Body Syndrome. Every patient that was placed inside a robot shell, experienced some form of mental illness without fail.
The overall experience of body switching is traumatic. People deal with stress differently..

The Spider you saw, lashed out in anger. Perhaps, it was her way to cope with the new reality.

And.. the Spider we saw.." she looked at the Spider Tank with a saddened expression.


The Spider looked back and emoted a happy smiley, using the armor plates on her face: "Cookie!" she called happily.



The soldier who spoke to you earlier, was intently rubbing his eyes. He finally seemed to stop coughing:
"The machine we saw was gigantic. About 10 meters in height. Four limbs, I think. Heavily armored. It rammed the front gates in a flurry of razors and claws. Moved freakishly fast, unpredictable. I couldn't get a good look at it.
Don't know about weapons but it tore through our heavy blast doors, like it was tinfoil."



"Whatever we do, we better do it fast" Madelyn grimaced: "Oh, right, don't worry about me. I.. don't really breathe.."

"Ye, me neither-cookie" the Spider excitedly nodded.



The soldier grabbed his earpiece and turned pale: "Shit. My men report that Emerald just breached out last barricade. She's riding atop that machine monster.
They already made it inside the control room! We're out of time! We have to get in there now!!!"

"If we deal with the tear gas, can you lead us to the control room?" Rogue asks the soldier.

(Everyone)


"Yeah" the soldier nodded, looking back at the main building: "Please, just hurry! I don't want to think what she'll do with that arsenal"

"Time to clear this" Frost cracks her neck then takes a step towards the gas

With a flash of magic, a small spiked ice star appears in Frost's hand. She tosses it air born right over the courtyard. Another flash of magic and the iced star suddenly expands and shatters out into a fine mist. Moments later the mist starts to reconverge as a low hanging rain cloud appears.

Slowly at first, but gradually increasing in strength drops of rain start to pour over the courtyard.

Rain draws an arrow and twirls it in her hand, "hmph..." she watches the magic ice ball as she draws two daggers, she puts the arrow away and casually juggles the knives.

(Twilight)

When the cuffs come off, she rubs her wrists. She then immediately went to grab a smoke, but hesitates with lighting it when Clopin mentions the rest of the plan.

"Hmmm... To put down all communications around Adelheid, even for a moment... It would cause mass hysteria in the streets as well, as everyone would be in doubt about what's happening. We wouldn't be able to see where they are or communicate with our allies after that. But, if it can turn the tables on the waltz... Hmmmm..."

She goes to the radio. "I don't approve of it, but it has to be done. All I want to know though... Will wounded people be treatable? That those on life support will not die?"

Her hand shakes slightly. "Come, let's do this. We only have to make sure they aid Emerald, right?" She cracks her knuckles. "Sounds doable. Go make the call, Clopin."

(Angelo, Arnold)

Angelo nodded. "Okay, the rain is coming down. Madelyn, you go ahead with me. Warn us if other types of gass are inside. I'll blow it out of the way with some wind. So the rest of you, you'll have to do the fighting, got it?"

He looks at Madelyn. "After you."

Blue, blonde and purple wrote:(Twilight)

When the cuffs come off, she rubs her wrists. She then immediately went to grab a smoke, but hesitates with lighting it when Clopin mentions the rest of the plan.

"Hmmm... To put down all communications around Adelheid, even for a moment... It would cause mass hysteria in the streets as well, as everyone would be in doubt about what's happening. We wouldn't be able to see where they are or communicate with our allies after that. But, if it can turn the tables on the waltz... Hmmmm..."

She goes to the radio. "I don't approve of it, but it has to be done. All I want to know though... Will wounded people be treatable? That those on life support will not die?"

Her hand shakes slightly. "Come, let's do this. We only have to make sure they aid Emerald, right?" She cracks her knuckles. "Sounds doable. Go make the call, Clopin."

(Angelo, Arnold)

Angelo nodded. "Okay, the rain is coming down. Madelyn, you go ahead with me. Warn us if other types of gass are inside. I'll blow it out of the way with some wind. So the rest of you, you'll have to do the fighting, got it?"

He looks at Madelyn. "After you."

"No change there then" Rogue replies to Angelo, leaving Frost to clear the tear gas, as he pulls up a forcefield bubble shaped like a suit of armour around him.

Rain frowns as she watches her friends use magic to prepare themselfs, "can you help a pegasus out? Like... Mabye... A speed spell... Or extra armor or something? No?... Alright..." she stops juggling daggers and with a flick of her arm, both slip into their sheathes and she draws her bow and knocks an arrow with three others in he drawing hand.

(Everyone)

As the rain poured over the courtyard, the clouds of tear gas began to vanish. Madelyn waved everyone to follow and sprinted forward, running under the rain clouds and into the main structure.

You only make a few steps, before the ground starts to shake, rocked by an increasing tremor. Bright flashes of light suddenly appeared over the building and as you look up, you see smoke trails suddenly shoot up into the sky.

Dozens upon dozens of missiles, launched almost in unison. They flew high into the air, obscuring the entire horizon and gaining altitude fast. More and more kept launching with each passing second, dispersing and changing trajectories, the higher they got.


Madelyn briefly froze, looking up at the sky, as it became obscured by countless smoke trails:
"Holy shit" she quietly muttered.



"Missile launch! We have a missile launch!" you heard Amy's panicked voice over the radio: "Tracking... 75 missiles launched.... 120.... 170.... 200... 214 missile launches detected! Emerald launched the entire arsenal!"


"Whats the target!" Madelyn called, shaking off her thoughts and sprinting into the building.


"Tracking..." Amy replied: "Confirming targets... UNN TV stations, marked... Adelheid Radio Stations, marked... Internet service providers, marked... Cellphone companies, marked... more targets in Earth's orbit, calculating...... Three Argus Satellites, marked....

5 minutes, until the missiles hit. God... she's going to knock out every means of communication in the Adelheid region."


"So that is her plan.." Madelyn quietly said, as she ran forward: "The Digital Waltz cannot utilize blackmail, if it can't issue orders to its assassins. It can't threaten anyone. But.. those targets have dozens of innocent people inside..."



"This is Sergeant Tomas Kohler of the Adelheid P.D, broadcasting on an open channel"
Tom's raspy voice echoed over the radio:
"All Union forces and police units in the Adelheid region, initiate evacuation of local TV stations, radio stations.. all communication service companies. Divide forces sector by sector. Utilize the Fire Department and other emergency services. Standby for more traffic. Over."



Sprinting through the massive central corridor of the missile base, you could see signs of battle, where Emerald has passed through, moments ago. Unconscious soldiers. Broken barricades and bend metal doors.
Long, massive scratch marks on the walls suggested that something huge has passed through here, breaking metal like tinfoil and ramming the walls that got in the way.


No more tear gas was in sight and Madelyn continued her sprint forward, following the signs of destruction:

"...five minutes... it may not be enough time to evacuate everyone... the time frame is too short... there may be casualties.."



"Everyone, listen!" Amy's panicked voice came through: "Emerald has hacked into the mainframe and using it to guide each missile to its target. In theory, if you interrupt her and assume control of the mainframe, you should be able to redirect the missiles to explode in a different location."



"No! You can't!" Clopin's voice suddenly cut in: "You must not! The targets must be destroyed! Its the only way to destroy our shackles!"


"And how many innocent people are in danger of dying?" Madelyn grimly replied.




"You must trust the Union to evacuate them in time!" Clopin nervously barked:
"Listen to me! Everyone! Do not sabotage our plan now!
44 years ago, a small group of people, just like you, have sacrificed everything they had, to bring a stop to the Digital Waltz. Madelyn, Christof, Max. They gave it their all and payed the ultimate price.

Back then, they failed, and the world was plunged into darkness.

You have the opportunity to pick up the torch and finish their mission! Do not squander this opportunity! It won't come again!

Help us shut down the communications in Adelheid and we will assault the Opera House together!

You must finish the mission, for the sake of those who have died!
Do not let Madelyn's sacrifice be in vain!"



Madelyn remained gravely silent, as she sprinted ahead. A few seconds pass and you enter a massive control room, shaped like a square. It must have been 50 meters in length, filled with countless terminals and computers.

At the far end, on a platform, there was a massive computer screen, showing the trajectories of the missiles.


Emerald was standing in front of it, facing you. She was twirling in place, blue colored holograms enveloped her body, as she energetically danced in place, her eyes locked in on you and tracking your movements:

"You've finally made it, my prettys" she said with a smile: "Came to enjoy the show?
Rejoice, as the invisible chains come crashing down all around us, and we will be finally free" Her grin grew wider, something slightly menacing and unhealthy reflected behind her eyes.

(Twilight)


"The city won't loose electricity, the patients will still receive treatment and life support will still work" Clopin nodded:
"That's why, when we planned this operation with Tomas, we decided against using a giant EMP to shut down communications.
Hospitals still need to functions, we can't sabotage that. That's why our only remaining option, was to hit the communication stations directly" he sighed. It seems the plan wasn't much to his liking as well.

"Once the communications are down, we will rondevu at the Opera House and commence the final assault on the Digital Waltz.
We end this, today"

Rain falls deathly silent as she steps into the room. Her boots pounding against the floor as she steps up next to maddie, "Emerald darling... how many people are in danger of being harmed because of this missile barrage... 214 missile sounds like a helluvalot of firepower just to bring down all communications... each one seems like it can level a block... it seems like you are just leveling the city at this point..." she puts her bow away and crosses her arms.

(Naomi)
"You're killing innocents! You're no different than the Walts!" Naomi growls at Emerald "It's always blow everything up with everyone! 40 years of planning and it all comes down to a bitch fight with who's got the most firepower"

Naomi takes a step towards Emerald "Why the radio stations? Why not just bomb the Opera House? Unless you plan on taking over and all of this was just a ruse to gain control of the system."

(Frost)
"It is a bit excessive" Frost's fingers twitch as magic runs along them "and like Naomi said, why not just strike the final target. Blowing up every means of communication is going to play hell on the economy. In burning off the shackles you may kill the prisoner"

(Twilight)

She rubbed her chin, then with a slight smirk she gave a wink to Clopin. Then she shouted at the radio.

"Wait, no! Give us a little more time to say goodbye! Ack!"

She fell on purpose to make a thud sound. Then, she whispered under her breath. "No oscar for me."

(Angelo, Arnold)

Arnold looked a bit confused. "Um... Emerald, could you you hold these rockets off for a little longer for those in need of evacutation?" He grins sheepishly.

Angelo rubs his chin. "Because the opera house is too heavily protected, right?"