CR Arcadum S2E25: Beyond the Veil part 1

Arcadum did not attend Episode 24. Watch the point-of-view of other players.
===Episode 25: Beyond the veil part 1===
====DM: Illithari invasion of the Upper City====
The aliens land en masse in the Upper City using stealth. With their incredibly agile jumping and climbing abilities they make their way over the rooftops of the skyline hirises. Searching for protected computer systems in the corporations headquarters they grab as much valuable information as they can. Divided into teams infiltrating each corporate building they start out by successfully taking over all terminals in both Nirvana and WOTO. 
Entering Mars they initially get fought back with Vee dispatching some of the attackers. While she is being upgraded with parts from her original chassis, BR-16 gets a notification of systems being hacked into and informs Blayne and Conrad. A breach is made in the Sonitii labs and they raise the alarm with an HR team being sent on their way to them first. Before they arrive Ellek is hit in the head with a critical injury. With a rapid fire energy weapon one of the aliens starts taking sniped shots and hits Razz with a fatal wound which would be his last. He later dies from his injuries. 
Atlantis decides to broadcasts a global warning message, telling everyone that the invading unrecognized entities can hack systems and assume the form of other people. Word quickly spreads to the remote places in Savior City, even Scrap Town who happen to be tackling other issues involving an enraged giant fire elemental setting its minions loose in the town.
Continuing taking sniping shots one alien commander blasts and injures Friend, Locket and Korgak. Hacking one of the synths known as Corporal Jonathan, it turns on Korgak and Kraver who aside from getting blasted are completely overwhelmed by alien prodding. 
Manyu summons a lightning spirit that kills some of the aliens but it is eventually defeated.
Dr. Emilia gets overwhelmed and prodded with thousands of small spikes, is grabbed by the aliens and brought to the Nirvana compound. Making their stand in one location they all retreat to Nirvana. Keeping her hostage and being the lead technician of the secret Project Lazarus, they put the whole thing under threat. If the rest of the corporations can't take it back in time they will lose it all to the invaders. An emergency message goes out warning of the hostile force taking over. 
Aliens prepare for a siege and hunkering down to defend, they get a direct assault. Katashi charges in with his sword and gets impaled. Flounder charges in and self destructs in an explosion after taking shots. The countdown running low the attackers, Hawkins, Locket, Kraver, Leonard and Conrad protected behind a shield charge in. Vee gets shot and disabled but together they both physically and firing, Conrad and Locket tackle down the commander of the current aliens to the ground and kill him. The Lazarus program is saved but scattered around the whole Nirvana compound lie injured and dead. After suffering a near fatal injury Leonard is hit again and falls to the ground bleeding out and choking on his own blood. Rikky watches his loyal friend die before him.
====DM: Doctors code====
Crawling out from behind a desk, Rikky is distrought over just having witnessed Leonard utter his last words. Observing the damages, Manyuu manages to get Vee to boot up but she can not do much, her chassis is destroyed. Emilia was kept alive by the aliens, intending to use her knowledge but the scans show that her biosignatures are all compromised, infected by something the aliens left in her and keeping her alive will endanger everyone else.
The current head in charge of Nirvana is Sallie Lune and she is facing a difficult decision to make. Nirvana code dictates that Emilia be exterminated and her body dusted. Refusing to do so the punishment would be death. Crushed with the decision of having to kill her friend, in tears she repeatedly states "Nirvana is God" and knows what has to be done. David protests against it as she pushes the button. Before the incinerator completes Emilias grandmother Phyllis intervenes and orders her to stop. Aborting the sequence an automated message is sent to Sallie. It informs her that it has revoked all Nirvana security clearances from her and everyone under her command, that she is about to stand before a tribunal accused of treason, scheduled within a week. 
Well before any tribunal is held Goldman orders the execution of Emilia and for Talaris to carry out his orders. In a room Katashi, Cornelius, Friend, Calliope and Ikelos have surrounded Emilia and David with Phyllis turning on her Talaris compatriots, intent to protect her dear granddaughter. Callope ordering Cornelius to restrain Phyllis as she is about to proceed with the execution, granny unleashes her magic in defense and chaos ensues. The situation leaves Phyllis unconcious and Emeilia shot to death, David with an injured arm does his best to try and save her but to no avail. Later "The Black Lodge" voted unanimously to kill the unconcious Phyllis, for raising hands against Talaris they decided that she could not be trusted.Granny won't allow you!
====DM: Illithari invasion of The Row====
Thanks to the broadcasted message the slummers of The Row have gathered up and fortified the entrance to The Dirty Diamond, barricading its entrance in preparation for attack. The invaders are looking for intel and valuable information, intending to search through consoles and computer systems.
Spotted the slummers are quick to shoot first and ask questions later. Aliens jumping around like bouncing balls take sniping shots and injuring several locals. Barricading themselves inside The Diamond the slummers lock the entrance. Bashing at the door everyone inside hear a brain piercing psionic scream. Breaking down the door they wildly fire their rapid energy weapons until taking another route from a balcony above. Breaking in they harm and injure Simon, Aloe, Koi and Johnny. The leader backtracks and charges through the main entrance gunning down some of those taking cover in hiding. A Quixote team arrive with Ikaruga in lead,Angela and William behind aiding the slummers in their defense. Wounded the invaders make their last stand against the slummers by turning their hiding place into a trap. Sealing up the entrances the air conditioning is reversed and a gas starts seeping in through the vents. With not enough skilled deckers attempts at decking fail and in panic they break out. The leading alien gets pushed off a ledge by the slummers amassed and calls for a retreat.
====Rook returns to the calm after the storm====
Armed with a Mars rifle and firing at the retreating aliens Rook returns after hiding in Scrap Town. Limping after falling off a ledge he makes his way to the gathering of slummers and gets updated on the situation. Dr Cell flashing a revolvers shows him that even she is ready. Armed to the brim Vessa and Kee'ra stand guard outside of the clinic while Dash on his hoverbike ambulance, is moving the injured inside. Rook spotting more invaders climbing and jumping among the cityscape opens fire and tells everyone to move inside as they're still about. Glad to see Faye with them he asks her to scan the surroundings. Asking if she's alright, Kee'ra tells him she was shot in the shoulder multiple times and he helps her by applying some wound sealant. Hearing a loud soud like smoldering embers Rook moves up to the hospital balcony to discover a giant fire elemental moving around the row square. Considering taking sniping shots Rook borrows a sniper rifle from Vessa and stands guard. Deciding that the threat has passed he returns to his bar, The Grindstone with Faye to assess any damages. Faye informs him that the aliens got ahold of the systems access codes to the Sonitii Warp gate and decides to inform Coach who insists to let everyone know. Along with by Coach, Keera and Faye, Rook travels to the Upper City to warn even them of the reason why the invaders are here.
In the upper city with Keera, Faye and Coach, Rook asks to speak with the superiors but gets told by a guard that they're on complete lockdown. Approaching the Nirvana compound the guards inform them that comms are down and that most have gone into hiding after a full out war took place and directs them to Talaris. Exasperated about dealing with mages Rook ponders them supposedly being at fault for it all. Meeting up with Damien, head of Talaris, Damien tells him he's in charge for now but that is something that "comes and goes". Promising to tell the reason for the invasion Damien invites them to his office board room after passing them through security checkpoints. 
====The lesser evil====
 
Katashi asks how to handle a situation with someone being kicked out for attacking a Talaris member, embarassed Damien apologizes for the show of internal conflict. Swallowing his pride, Rook admits to him that the corporations are the only ones with enough resources to actually do something about their predicament and gets Faye to bring up illustrations on a monitor. It shows Sonitii warp gate codes. Rook explains that the codes normally change every day so that Sonitii can effectively charge taxes for passage, but that the aliens cracked it and are already on their way to the system. Approximating the alien fleets current ship, it is comparable to a destroyer class capable of holding a military force of 20-40 thousand strong but gives no clue as to what more may be coming. Offering Faye's capability of pinpointing future attacks Damien asks him if he knows of any weaknesses, as their weapons didn't seem to do much good against the aliens. Noticing how they disliked cold Rook suggests that could be something. Having access to some cryo grenades Damien tells him that in the chaos they unfortunately weren't even able to test them. 
Rook admitting to his past having fought against the coporations in the war on the union side, Damien tells him he will skip the usual pleasantries and make an exception as they really are desperate. He gives Rook a sitrep, telling him that they lost their general and field commanders and are going to need a united front with experienced generals replacing them, accepting even those previously cast out who are hiding in The Row. He also tells him of their new secret project, a joint weapon between Talaris and Mars where they developed a nuclear warhead where the explosion is expanded even larger by using magic. Having run tests in secret they lack a way to place it in the enemy ship, needing support from experienced runners crazy enough to attempt a suicide mission like that. Agreeing to collaborate and putting their differences aside Rook and Damien shakes hands as they part for now.
Moving on other corporate headquarters are locked down with noone present in charge. Moving to Quixote Rook runs across Ikaruga and asks to speak in private. In her office Rook and Faye tell her the same thing they told Damien as well as the plan. Ikaruga agreed to lend their support and Rook asks if they have place for them to stay. She agrees to give them shelter and Rook offers his condolences for the loss of Duncyn, possibly knowing them to have been close. The task of informing the remaining corporations is saved for tomorrow.Callous Row Season 2 Ep 25: Beyond the Veil Pt. 1
==Twitch Clips==
==Gallery==
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 1 Illithari invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 2 Corporate HR team Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 3 Illithari alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 4 Illithari alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 5 Illithari alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 6 Illithari alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 7 Illithari alien invaders shoot Locket Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 8 Illithari alien invaders overwhelm Korgak Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 9 Illithari alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 10 Corporal Jonathan Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 10 Corporal Jonathan crop Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 11 Corporal Jonathan Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 12 Conrad aims at alien invader Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 13 Emilia Röntgen captured by alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 14 Emilia Röntgen captured by alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 15 Alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 16 Alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 17 Emilia Röntgen captured by aliens Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 18 Alien invaders Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 19 Emily Beischel (Iineo) Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 20 Hawkins injured Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 21 Rikky hiding Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 22 Manyu checks the broken Vee Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 23 Kraver Phil and Locket Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 24 Kraver Phil and Locket Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 25 Rikky Manyuu and Vee Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 26 Calliope Katashi Friend Emily Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 27 Friend Katashi Emily and Calliope Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 28 David Sallie and injured Emilia Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 29 David Sallie and injured Emilia Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 30 David Sallie and injured Emilia Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 31 Sallie gets to make a decision Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 32 Sallie gets to make a decision Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 35 Sallie David and Phyllis Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 36 Sallie David Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 37 Phyllis w Sallie David Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 39 The Row Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 40 Barricade at the dirty diamond Colour2.png
Arcad June 12 2021 CRS2E25 41 Barricade at the dirty diamond Colour2.png
Category:Callous Row Arcadum Episodes