Silas allowed everyone a moment's breather Their encounter with the Chimera was an unexpectedly intense trial and had nearly cost them a few of their number. However, through ingenuity and teamwork, they were able to overcome such a lethal threat that would've had no problem of wasting a squad of regulars. Silas however still eyed the silenced vehicle. Despite the damage it took, the Chimera was relatively still intact. The hull was certainly compromised and one of the thrusters was essentially out of commission. Further more, the internal control compartments, while likely to have been cooked and suffered quite a bit of fire damage. Nevertheless, the 'wreck' was, surprisingly still serviceable; if one were to try their best to discount the stench of seared flesh.

That lead to another thought. The Chimera's crew. The same crew that fought unusually hard unlike the thugs they've been dealing with for sometime. It was very probable that - and the same could be said as well with the combat power armor units from before - they were apart of Deval's PMC forces, loaned to Gorcht to accommodate his own forces and as assurance that the power generation facility remained under the Horsemen's control. Or specifically, Lasminee's control. That was going to end soon.

With Ducaelia prompting for their advance, Silas figured it was time to move, [color=00a651][b]"Alright. Remember the plan folks. We're knocking out the main power supply that runs through Lasminee's control towers. We have an untold number of civilians enslaved by those same towers and our job will become excessively complicated if they are not dealt with - I don't want any crap from the resistance if we screw this up. So...Cyne here is going to-"[/b][/color]

[color=00746b]"Whoa, wait a minute. Why're you bringing me into this?"[/color] Cyne abruptly protested.

[color=00a651][b]"Because you're the genius who opted for and backed this plan to begin with,"[/b][/color] replied Silas as he eyed the sniper, [color=00a651][b]"and rather belligerent about it to, I may add. So as I was saying, [i]you[/i] will be taking point and lead us to this plant's grid control network. We're cover you while you and Pathfinder-"[/b][/color]

Pathfinder buzzed in protest as well. Sven couldn't help but snort in amusement. 

[color=00a651][b]"Good, God! You too? Whatever. You're helping. And I want [i]both of you[/i] starving those towers out of commission. Once that starts, I'll inform the resistance and after that, it's their problem about the freed civvies. We clear?"[/b][/color]

Cyne was about to respond but couldn't get a word in before Silas cut him off. Probably got annoyed of being interrupted, [color=00a651][b]"Good talk. You heard Ducaelia; ladies first."[/b][/color]

---

As ordered Cyne, begrudgingly, lead the group into the power plant. Unsurprisingly, they met no resistance once they passed though the lobby area. The lobby itself was poorly treated during Gorcht's crude and clumsy takeover of the entire facility. Being more of a utility site, the lobby certainly wouldn't have been glamorous although albeit not spartan either. Simply nice looking and functional, ideally with the arrangement of furniture for idling guests with a few tables hosting all the latest local magazines and a colored tarp crafted into the floor which lead to the security and receptionist desks. That's what the space would've looked like had the furniture not been ransacked, the tables flipped, and the desks set ablaze. But by far the worst offence with the muddy tarnishing of a great and inviting looking tarp. The barbarity was astounding.

Their advance further into the facility was essentially uneventful. The further fact of there being a distinct lack of any hostiles was unusual. Granted, the facility wasn't all that big and was perhaps a rough average fifty or so meters in ground length. Ironically, it was the generators outside that dwarfed building. Before long, they arrived to the deck that governed power distribution throughout the entire city. The large room was arrayed with mechanical obelisks in rows of four and flanked the main walkway on both sides. Mass of cords and wires covered the black rectangular nodes like vines, covering the many lights that flickered in constant patterns. As they travelled down the path, electronic chirps and beeps echoed around as they passed each row of the tangled structures. Soon, the arrived at the end of the room where a large screen positioned on the back wall showed the map of the entire city and the grid it encompassed. Below it were many consoles that controlled where power was routed to; whether it be a section of the city or to a certain structure. There must have been thousands to sort though. 

[color=00746b]"This looks like the place,"[/color] Cyne commented.

[color=00a651][b]"Dunno what else it could be,"[/b][/color] replied Silas, [color=00a651][b]"I'll get in touch with the resistance ahead of time and let them know what we're doing."[/b][/color]

[color=00746b]"Right. C'mon Pathfinder,"[/color] the drone chirped and acknowledgement and followed him to the nearest console.

It didn't take them long to figure how the control towers were networked. Apparently, each tower that was installed was positioned in close proximity to a native power line and leached off it. That figured, since it would have taken more time and resources to build a whole power grid. Additionally, since the Horsemen typically didn't stay in one spot for long, there was little need to go through the hassle in trying to perfect a system that was already working the way it should be.

[color=00746b]"Shouldn't take too much longer,"[/color] Cyne reported as he tapped away at the nearest console. Funnily enough, he didn't really know what he was doing; only following Pathfinder's instructions as was displayed on his HUD, [color=00746b]"we isolated the scheme for regulating power to the towers. All we have to do now it getting though the override and...huh."[/color]

[color=00a651][b]"What's 'huh'?"[/b][/color] Silas queried suspiciously.

[color=00746b]"A new command was just put into the power sequence. Remotely... directly to this room."[/color]

Before he could say more, the overhead lights suddenly died and bathed the entire deck in darkness, save for the small lights that still flickered from the wired obelisks.

[color=00a651][b]"Ah, hell. I know where this is going. Night vision if you got them, folks."[/b][/color] Silas declared as he assumed his Shade's Skin once more.

Silas scanned the room cautiously as he tried to spy any intruders that might be trying to advance under the cover of pitch black. His assault carbine raised and a laser dot to guide his aim, he slowly shifted his position behind one of the consoles. Sven followed suit as well. Their eyes were mainly trained on the open door way they came in from though only briefly, did looks around for any movement. Oddly enough, there was no movement they could race.

[color=00a651][b]"How're we doin', Cyne?"[/b][/color]

[color=00746b]"Still working on it. Pathfinder is still trying to localize the source. From what we could tell, its close by."[/color] Cyne replied as he assumed a defensive position.

[color=00a651][b]"How close are we talking?'[/b][/color]

[color=00746b]"...right on top of us."[/color]

Sven was the first to notice something was amiss as his visual sensors, now set for night vision, picked up what appeared to be a distortion moving about behind one of the wired devices. At first, he though he was seeing things. But soon enough, more circumstances of the distortion began appearing and moving between the flickering pillars. And they were getting closer. Fast.

Sven arrived to the conclusion they were not alone, [b][color=fff200]"Cloaked contacts! Twelve 'o clock!"[/color][/b]

Just one cue several masked and capped interlopers materialized from thin air and began opening fire on the group. Intense automatic weapons fire harried their positions, Forcing Silas and Sven, and everyone else to take evasive action, [color=00a651][b]"not this shit again."[/b][/color] Silas growled as he ducked behind one of the consoles.

[@Athol]
Several of the unknown figures vectored in on Gerad. Three kept their distance and applied covering fire while two other attackers, drawing what appeared to be high-frequency blades, closed the distance with their Garudin prey. The intruders moved with inhuman speed and instincts, as if they kept a careful eye on Gerad's armament and fluidly moved out of the line of fire if the sights were about to set on them 

[@Dealdric]
A squad of five assailants zeroed in on Ducaelia with HF blades drawn with the odd member of the group wielding some kind of energy halberd. Ducaelia's attackers seemed to jink and sway awkwardly but still covered ground rapidly. Multiple glowing red eyes emanating from the assailants danced through the darkness with murderous intent just before striking out at her.