COMPLETE Chapter 7c: Poker Face

Scene 1   SM: All right. You're looking for a mech named Blackjack. He frequents Dancitron, and he told us that he'd be willing to talk if someone met him there.   Scene 2 Entering Dancitron   After the party reaches Dancitron, while it's open, they will have trouble finding Blackjack. Asking Brownie will help them locate him, where he has a private seat behind one of the structural pillars.   BJ: Ah, so you're who they sent, huh? Yeah, I'll talk, but we've got to go somewhere private first. And no Autobots can come with me-- sorry, but it's the rules.   If they accept, BJ will guide the non-Autobot party members to the elevator, where he will enter a special code and descend into the Dancitron Backroom.   Scene 3 BJ: All right, this is more like it. You're on our turf now. Let me let you in on a secret-- nobody in this world does anything for free. So I'm afraid this info is gonna cost ya. Don't worry, I charge a reasonable rate. Bring me 10,000 credits, and I'll spill the beans on the Black Shadows. If you don't have that on you, I'm sure somebody in here's got something to trade for it. Just be polite.   There are many gambling tables set up around the Backroom, all filled with sinister looking characters. One is occupied by Roulette. If Double Down is with the party, Roulette will specifically invite them over.   R: Hey, Double Down! I didn't know you were a big TV star!   R: Anyway, I've got some work for you, if you're interested. I mean, you've got to pay off your debt to me somehow, right? I do a lot of sales out in the badlands, to people just kind of scraping by. Just a couple solar cycles back, I went out to visit a client that had taken out a loan, and she was gone! One of her kids was out there, and apparently she had gone into Vegas to get some food when the Millenium showed up and made a scene. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the Millenium kidnapped her and put her on one of their farms. Now, I don't normally poke around in the Millenium's business, and most sane bots wouldn't, but I've got to get that money somehow. And I guess those kids might starve without her, whatever. Head to Vegas, bust onto the farm, grab this lady-- oh, her name's Esmeral-- and get her back to paying me. Do that, and I'll give you 15k. That's half of what you owe me, so I think that's pretty fair.   R: You've never been to Vegas, huh? Ha ha, you'd love it. No Autobots, no rules. Plenty of humans, but they're pretty fun, if we're being honest. They know how to party. The only downer are those damn Millenium psychos. Religious extremists with guns, a great combination. They're trying to set up Vegas as their very own kingdom of Primus, or whatever. Mostly it amounts to them bullying the people just trying to live their lives in hiding, but I hear they do some sick shit, too. They've got these farms outside of the city where they're growing... something, I don't know what. Anyway, it's some kind of indoctrination camp. But the people out in Vegas have started banding together. They've set up a kind of community center there. You'll probably be able to find somebody who can get you to the farms. I'll give you the coords, just keep your heads down. After all, humans are kind of suspicious.   Scene 4 Entering Las Vegas   After a substantial amount of travel, the party will reach the coordinates within Las Vegas-- the abandoned ICE nightclub, now transformed into The Citadel. Inside, the guts of the building have been removed to increase available space. Many disheveled Cybertronians rest inside, including young children. The operation is run by Miko Nakadai, a human girl.   MN: Password?   MN: You don't have one?   MN: Come in, then. But follow instructions.   MN: Stand in the center of the room. Now, what are your names? Who do you work for? Answer truthfully... or else!   Liquid Nitrogen begins to fill the room with icy fog. The party begins to take Cryo damage.   MN: OK, I'll buy it. You're not Millenium, so that's what counts. Side doors open and the residents return into the center of the room.   A catwalk descends from the ceiling to reveal Miko.   MN: Sorry about that. It's just a precaution. The Millenium are really bad at lying. I think it's a sin to them. Anyway, I'm Miko. And yes, I am completely aware that I'm a human. An unfortunate reality.   MN: This is the Citadel. Ever since I found out about you Cybertronians, and what all you've went through, I thought this was the best thing I could do to help. It's a shelter for the people that need it most. Now you don't exactly look like you need it... so you're here for something else?   MN: Esmeral... yeah, she came here every once in a while to pick stuff up for her kids. But a week ago we got... compromised. Luckily I was able to get the fog on and spook the Millenium off, but they took her. And it's only a matter of time before they're back. Now, I've got a guy who helps keep the people here safe, but there's only one of him. We can't afford to go on a rescue mission. But something tells me you all can. The Millenium has a Garden south of town, past the Sloan Canyon. They mentioned it when they broke in here before. That's got to be where she is. Breaking in won't be easy. And I imagine breaking out won't be either.   MN: These Gardens of theirs, from the couple of escapees that have made it here, are nasty pieces of work. It's basically a prison camp. But they're growing some kind of Earth plant there. Drugs were my first guess, but they told me that the Millenium were eating it. They've also got their church services, all doom and gloom stuff. And they make everybody follow their commandments. They're pretty obsessed with their religion, so for them, sinning is an actual crime. They, like, whip people and stuff. Sounds grim. Don't get caught.   Scene 5 The Garden Tucked between the rocky hills south of Las Vegas is the Garden. There are no cloaking devices or fancy domes here-- the facility is only protected by its remoteness. Guards with searchlights are stationed at the corners.   In order to infiltrate, the players must circumvent the defenses of the camp and reach the fields unseen. From there they can locate Esmeral. Unless the guards have been eliminated, other field workers may attempt to alert the guards if the players approach her.   ES: Oh, Primus who-- who are you?   ES: Oh, bless you. But this is the worst possible time... The Prophet is on his way here now. We need to run!   ES: I would fly away, but... there are missiles. They'll shoot us down.   Gigatron, The Prophet, arrives.   GT: Oh, my children... what wolf has come among this flock? The enemy seeks to steal you away from me...   GT: Primus hath judged the unfaithful and has found them lacking... but it is not too late to return to your father's arms! Confess, and you will be forgiven!   GT: Oh, what do we have here? Is it the Autobots? They claim to stand for a truth or a justice, but I have seen their decadence! Their culture worships greed as a false god! The corruption of the Empire festers, and, mark my words, they will die to it. These are the end times! Primus walks with his people. He has led them to the promised land, and you only need to embrace His word and repent from your vile and sinful ways to join Him at His side!   GT: Do you repent? Will you join us to walk through the desert of this Millenium? Together?   GT (upon seeing Floop): That's... my... sword...   GT: That's my sword!   GT: You're beyond salvation!   GT will engage the players, pursuing them and Esmeral. If knocked out of the air, GT will end his pursuit.   GT: Mark my words... Primus will never forgive you!