The best laid plans

"Larger than two American football stadiums and more powerful than the largest Aircraft carrier, The somnolent dragon is the top of the line in luxury cruise line vessels. With a perfect balance in power, safety and passenger comforts, makes Yu Han air cruise lines the elite customer choice in vacation travel. Our crew are professionally trained at the Yu Han airline cruise academy, we only employ  the absolute best here for our most treasured customers." The viewscreen goes black. Cebra stands in the middle of a crowd of people in a large room with a podium near the far end. The woman giving the speech adorned in an elegant red dress seems to be the spokeswoman for this particular vessel as far as Cebra can tell. on his HUD he can see her compiled public information as well as important members of the crew. Sue-Anne Yung the hostess, Guan Yanxie the captain, Eve Marshall the head engineer, Mikola Yervich head of security, Hugh Vernon the head chef.

Cebra is currently wearing a janitorial staff jumpsuit and baseball cap as he stands far in the back away from the crowd with the rest of the staff listening in. "Welcome one and all to the Somnolent dragon. I am your hostess for all events during your travels, Sue-Anne Yung. We will be on board for three days cruising around the Pacific Ocean heading first to the Australian coastline. The vessel will lower below the clouds dropping its atmospheric shield to enjoy the great barrier reef." She continues on talking about the various parties and facilities for use by the guests aboard. Afterwards Cebra heads back down below to the crew quarters, his shift doesn't start until later on in the night when the facilities mostly close save for the bars. The vessel has numerous elevators and small automated transports vehicles for those who don't care for the long walk. The crew quarters are quite luxurious considering their position, not as extravagant as the guest rooms but certainly as good as a four star hotel.

Staff had their own recreation area and mess hall. Cebra's tiny room was comfortable and had all the privacy he needed. When alone he takes out a data pad no larger than a phone from a duffle bag in the corner of the ten by ten foot room. There was a list displayed on the screen of what appeared to be the crew manifest and cargo onboard, highlighted was a file named "Object 768." in a bright yellow. In bright red there was a name highlighted "Wesley Burnbaum." When the file is opened there is middle aged man on the screen. He's Caucasian and bald with a stone jaw and somewhat rotund figure. He has a pair of rectangular framed glasses on that look as expensive as his suit. The information Cebra has access to is from the cruise company itself, the information provided states that Wesley is an Orion board member. Wesley according to the file is also travelling with one other person. The file indicates that they are simply a secretary but Cebra knows better than that, there's no way an Orion executive travels without personal security. Cebra puts away the device after going through some files and makes his way to the outside of the ship to the outdoor dining area for the crew.

Cebra leans against the railing looking over the Pacific, the atmospheric shield kept the frigid wind and rain out making a gorgeous view of the water below. Cebra wasn't exactly the anti social type, but it wasn't like he planned to be on this ship a long time and as such didn't engage too much with the crew unless it was required or to keep up appearances. "YO! My dude, if you're planning to jump then I suggest do it at the stern of the ship! The engines will catch you at this point and oof just pudding." Coming up next to Cebra is a young man of Indian ethnicity, his hair was quite a show done in a fashion forward kind of short mohawk dyed bright red. He was slender but athletic in his build, shorter than Cebra who stood easily six feet. He certainly had an upbeat smile and general feel to him, no problems approaching this weird broody looking stranger watching the horizon. Cebra thought for a moment about times he'd been mutilated, being in a blender like scenario wasn't unfamiliar. "I mean if I'm planning to kill myself that works just as well." Cebra playfully uttered back. "Yeah but then the rest of the staff has to clean out your viscera, not nice fellow crewman." Cebra smirked as he side glanced the young man. He extended his hand to Cebra "Hardik Khan." Cebra shook his hand "Sean Crane, nice to meet you."

"So you're working with the janitorial staff hey? You get the privilege to clean rich garbage buddy." Hardik joked "I'm part of the portside engine crew, not exactly ritzy either I suppose." Cebra shrugged "I'd much rather be working in there than in the waste disposal tubes, that's my first shift anyways." Hardik made a face expressing deep cringe followed with a hissing sound. "Oof that's a shit deal know what I mean." Cebra rolled his eyes "Indeed." Hardik reaches into a breast pocket taking out a somewhat disformed cigarette , squashed into a zig zag like pattern with small bits of tobacco flaking off the open end. "So what possessed you to come over and start up with me?" Cebra says with a bit of a lack luster tone, underneath a mild curiosity seeded.  "Oh you know, standing by yourself, looking out to the ocean with that thousand yard. You've got that handsome loner vibe my dude." Hardik winks at Cebra with a sly smirk.

Cebra's eyes pop wide for a second finally seeing this situation for what it was, flattering but all the same not something he was into. He always found it odd how his personality now was heterosexual, he distinctly remembers previous Orion missions having him essentially be pansexual. What happened that day the ship was attacked and he was sent adrift? Why did it change so much of who Cebra was? Regardless he now had only interest in the opposite sex.  "I'm flattered Hardik, but I'm not... Uh." Hardik chuckled "Are you too shy to say gay?" Cebra was many things but shyness never factored in "No, of course not. I just don't wind up in this situation a lot." Hardik scoffed at that idea "Please with a face like that I hardly believe it, a little make up and some foundation and well... You could work a runway." Cebra came as close as he's been in a while to blushing.

There came a voice over an intercom device nearby, the devices were all throughout the ship for easy communication between various sections. The head of the janitorial staff announced the schedule for cleaning duties and where one could view them. Next came the head of engineering over the intercom, orders were given to report to their various stations for maintenance. "Well that's me, I'll check you out later Cebra." and he parted from Cebra who was now keen to see what the bar had in stock and wile away his time until it was shift time.

The first nights work went as scheduled for Cebra, it was less than pleasant having to sanitize the waste disposal systems and various pipes. Cebra was more than use to the grind of blue collar work, the problem was having a nose, even the gear only prevented so much of the stench. Along with his workmates Cebra works hard through the night and maintains the façade. When his shift ends in the early morning hours Cebra heads for the showers along with the rest of his workmates. He manages to keep a friendly image by engaging in whatever innocuous small talk is going on that he had something to offer. It wasn't until after he had gotten cleaned up and back to his room that his sleuthing began, he bore a suit of a skin tight nature and lined with what looked like circuitry. It was a silverish blue that reflected the light and camouflaged him as he crept out of a port window and clung to the side of the ship.

The wind was dampened significantly by the barrier but the winds of the early morning  were still harsh at that altitude and battered at Cebra as he crossed. But it would hardly be enough to knock him off seeing as his hands were melting into the metal of the ship like putty and leaving without a trace of damage. He moved quickly with a mechanical speed that was brought on by his implants and physiology, he made his way all the way to the starboard side guest quarters. There was no security to worry about on the outside of the ship, made it easy to move about the ship in a timely manner. He made his way over to Wesley Burnbaums luxury cabin, considerably larger and more ornate with a balcony. Cebra crept along the outside avoiding the large glass doors as to stay out of the line of sight. On the very end of his index finger was a microscopic camera, he used it to view the interior of the room. He couldn't quite make out everything as his view was obstructed by some electrical interference, the audio isn't clear either but some snippets come through.

Wesley Burnbaum: "I have thirty two... the syr...eeping most of them, bu... your clie...to purch... Can accomodate."

???: (In a monotone computerized voice) ... rcent of ...prod... Show up on the manifest... Call the auth... ot look good."

Wesley Burnbaum: (more agitated) "You..... When you cross Or... You will find it beneficial to co... Just sound business advi... We have a deal?"

???: (pauses for a few moments) "... Be it... ave a deal. Brin... down to the starboard crew... Be there."

Cebra had not meant to catch any sort of private conversation but that tid bit of info laid a lot of context for Cebra. He'd been tailing Wesley Burnbaum for a month keeping track of his suspicious movements, seems Wesley, head of the bio augmentation research division was acting peculiar when the branch made a breakthrough in some manner of mind altering agent. He went very quiet for a time even missing scheduled appointments and board meetings, Orion has secretly been trying to track him down and find out why such a prominent member went AWOL away from prying eyes and the authorities. Cebra had an opportune chance to both seize some brand new tool or weapon as well as murder another one of the people who made him what he is.

Cebra hung around after the third party left and it was just Burnbaum and the security he had with him. She didn't seem like anything special at first look; A short haired brunette of Korean ethnicity standing approximately five foot six inches and medium build. Wesley looked more distressed after the interaction, he tells his security attendant to get him a drink from the mini bar. Cebra positions himself closer as he hangs upside down over the large glass door. "Well ain't th..... ullshit.. The fuck does a... orperate sp..." He hisses out with venom. "Otta move the... easearch lab seven forty t... kill that fu..." The security attendant hands an amber coloured drink in a small glass to Wesley as he gulps half of it before adjusting his clothing and fixing his hair, the attendant turned her head revealing a tattoo on her neck reading S-2 (043). Cebra caught a glimpse of it and recognized that designation, she was a mark two personal security android. Fairly nasty set of skills and hidden weaponry, the mark two designation wasn't even commercially available for safety concerns.

After 30 minutes of calming his nerves with liquor and improper use of a security android for perverse means Wesley dresses himself as well does the android and they both leave the room. Cebra finally makes his way inside as the door has no lock on it, minding every foot step he makes his way to Wesley's belongings and starts searching through them. Looking for some information on what exactly this new discovery is. He rifles through luggage until coming upon a briefcase, it's locked and requires a retina scan to open. Fortunately Cebra is geared for such safety cracking purposes and interfaces with the lock, a slim strand of metal surfaces from Cebra's finger and forms a connection to the lock unlocking it in seconds.  Inside is a laptop, Cebra manually implants a device that effectively allows him to monitor, copy and record anything on the laptop. He puts back everything in its place and starts placing covert audio devices to record any conversations that might take place if possible. He wondered if that android had anything to do with the interference in his equipment. It was when he was leaving that he heard footsteps come close and a twisting of the door handle.

His reflexes snap his body in an inhuman manner as he moves without a fraction of hesitation and rolls behind the couch while also drawing a combat knife from his hip. The footsteps are clear now, as before they were muffled by the doorway, they are certainly the footsteps of heels on wood. He listens and uses his internal sensors to predict exactly where her position is in the room. A cat and mouse game plays where the cat is ignorant of the mouse so far, as she looks for something around the room Cebra is forced to slink, slide, shift and sidle this woman and he does masterfully. For all the lack of his hand to hand combat skills the man could have the presence  of a tree in a forest, virtually invisible. After a minute she collected a wallet from under the bed sheets and turns to leave, Cebra takes his leave shortly after and made his way back to the starboard crew quarters. There was a new shift of workers up for the day and the ship was starting to bustle again.

Cebra didn't require rest as of yet, his physiology allowed him more conscious time than a human and little rest time to recover.  He spent his time awake mostly in his room pondering over the farm back home and what Rai might be up to currently. Rather than spend the entirety of his time alone like the creepy loner to be the first suspect of a weird crime, Cebra leaves his room to go engage with the crew. Being a sociable person and having a good grasp of many pop cultural and cultural subjects made the man good company. He could speak multiple languages and had a good amount of wit to spare, the other crew mostly got along well with their cyborg crewmate. While the crew were banned from mixing with the guests they could still see them on the way to their work stations, word passed Cebra's ear of a few celebrities on board.

The day went on as normal with the various events on board, staff and guests moving about. Nightfall came again and it was time for Cebra to move again. He gathered the location of Burnbaums secret cargo in one of the holds, it was on D2-aft or deck two in the back section. His next shift wasn't until the next night so now was the prime opportunity to sneak a look at the objective before he could find a way to covertly move the item, he gathered that the agent required to be maintained at -3c. He once again dawned the skin tight suit and armed himself with nothing more than a flashlight as he intended to kill no one else besides Wesley. To incapacitate guards he had to only touch them and send a jolt of electricity through them to stun them for a time, but even that would be a failed mission. He had to remain unseen and avoid contact as to not raise any alarms or make Wesley aware of what was happening.

It was easy enough to slip past the crew and over the side of the ship as most of the crew were enjoying the last of the evening light before everything shut down in the crew section for the night. He crept and slinked along the ship, his hands digging into the metal like it was clay. He made his way for what seemed like and could have been hours to the cargo hold. Making a breach was very tense, he had to perfectly mold the metal of the hull around the frame of his body as to keep air pressure and prevent any alarms. Moving with a slow cephalopod like movements, limber and elastic in motion he forces himself through onto a metallic tile flooring. The colours in his suit shift like a chameleon in his changing environment providing a great degree of stealth, around him were many large safes lined in two rows with stairs leading to the next row. To his left were numerous lesser storage containers with their own lesser security measures on them. There were some statues, idols, artworks and objects all around secured and fastened in place. All around Cebra could hear the slight feet shift, cough or rustle of security guards. He kept low to the ground or pressed to a wall in the shadows and moved silently.

The guards were quite consistent with the routes they took through the maze of objects and safes, rarely deviating from their pathway. Cebra could see the guards armaments and they were substantial: Gss-11 plasma hand gun with 5x35Pl rounds, tasers, flashbang grenades and flak armor. Cebra had anticipated a heavy security presence but it seems as though the cargo hold was under special guard. a logical choice given the wealthy passengers and no doubt bountiful treasure in the cargo, not that piracy was a heavy worry but safe over sorry was the name of the game. Cebra darted by three guards behind their back as they were chatting with each other. The lights above made oval shaped beams to the floor and provided a sufficient amount of unlit area; Cebra moved like a contortionist as evaded the light and squeezed between narrow spaces.

He was getting closer to his objective now, but the guard detail was pretty tight in this section of the hold. The closer one was to the more wealthy safes the more guards there were logically. Cebra had a number of options available to him as Cyco pointed out in his HUD: He could sabotage the lighting, he could cause some objects to fall over and make a guard have an accident or he could try using sound based misdirection to get the guards to move from their current location. He wouldn't need them to move too far as they were still on the first floor of the more wealthy safes, they were simply too close to the stairs leading up. After thinking about it for a brief moment Cebra opted for the lighting, the switches were near the main entrance to the hold and only had one guard somewhat close to them. Cebra threw a coin he quickly molded out of the metal of the wall, it bounced on the floor a good distance from him ad instantly got the guards attention.

Cebra was able to quickly move in and place his palm on the light switch panel, with a quick jolt of power he managed to seize control of the lights in this room only. He flickered the lights for a second before shorting them out rendering the room pitch black, the intent was to make it look more like a malfunction than sabotage. The guards called out to each other and radio contacted the head of security, the guards were put a little at ease hearing from the head that this was just an issue with engineering, the repair crew would be down there within a half hour. The guards still had some light in the form of some slender flashlights on their hips, but now with visibility this low Cebra could easily make it to the objective. He navigates his way in the dark easily with his own modified eyes that reflect a greater amount of light due to the nanobots augmentations. He slips by several guards one after another without a trace of suspicion or a flawed step, he arrives to the proper safe and checks the immediate perimeter to make sure he's clear.

The guards are now more than forty meters away now and he could open the safe, the heavy metal of the safe Cebra identified as tungsten. This would prove difficult as the metal didn't carry an electrical charge well at all, he couldn't just shove his hand inside or disable it. Luckily Cebra was able to gather the password from the laptop he infiltrated earlier. He looked at the door and recognized the pad where one could enter the code, the noise from the safe opening causes one of the guards to perk up "Hm?... You guys hear something? I'll be back in a sec." he alerts as he proceeds up the stairway. "Shit!" Cebra yells in his mind as he realizes he's cornered at the end of a column of safes and a solid wall, he can see the objective right in front of him but it would require a moment to secure. Making a split second decision he jumps inside the safe and closes the door more quietly than it had opened. The guards swings by where Cebra last was and investigates the area carefully. Cebra stands perfectly still with his ear to the safe door trying to listen outside.

The guard came closer and closer to the safe, Cebra could only speculate that he was safe as there was no urgency in the guards pace nor any back up. He remained quiet and stifled his breathing, not a muscle twitched as he remained like a statue. It seemed like a longer time that it was waiting for the guard to lose interest and move along. He breathed a small sigh of relief before once again having that tension flood his mind like lapping waves on the shore... There was someone else in the safe with him. The safe was no larger than six by eight by eight meters in volume with some few objects inside slightly obscuring a complete view in from the outside, Cebra was in front of a large ornate wooden cabinet but the issue was he couldn't move it back. Something was blocking its movement and Cebra knew upon entry there was nothing behind it.

It was a brief and violent clash when a shadowed figure slid out to the side from behind the cabinet and pinned Cebra to the safe door with a tackle and tried to jam a blade in his throat. Despite the dark his eyes could make out enough detail to identify the assailant as humanoid and catch their arm before the blade cut his throat. Cebra was using a good amount of his implant enhanced strength to hold off the attacker, they exchange a quick series of blows and grapples in the incredible narrow space, both of the fighters also making sure to keep their noise to a minimum. Cebra notices while he has the assailant pressed to a wall that they have opened the holding device for the objective agent, a series of vials sits in a case with places for eight where five are missing. Cebra catches a back swung elbow to the head stumbling him back and a solid kick to the frame nearly knocking him into the objective but he is grabbed by his assailant before he hits it. They certainly have the same goal.

Cebra stabilizes himself by bracing against a wall and firmly planting a jack boot to the assailant and knocks them to the ground seeming to knock the wind out of them. The assailant looks up at Cebra and Cenra gets a steadier look at them, they're covered in some kind of skin tight suit vaguely similar to Cebra's except with some manner of metallic plates and a metallic light helm hiding their face. Cebra couldn't afford to have someone around competing with him on this operation, a shame he wouldn't be able to find out their identity but priorities. He charged a high amount of saxon energy in his palm and moved towards the assailant to finish them off, as he got closer though the assailant pulled a very unexpected move. They vanished, with a small electrical pulse and flash of light they seemed to compress their form quickly into a portal and flee. Cebra was left there with a grim worry on his mind now and having been robbed of his full prize. Three vials would still be better than none at all and he was lucky he arrived when he did.

He claimed the vials and attached them to his hip, a small amount of liquid metal secretes from Cebra's side and covers the vials. The liquid shapes itself into a small cooling device that will also keep the vials in a dry environment. Now it was a matter of getting back out without being seen. "This is the safe you thought you heard something?" A voice from outside breaks Cebra's thoughts. "Yeah, could have been nothing or my imagination, but with the lights well you know. Better safe than sorry." One of the security guards contacts their boss and the tone shifts a little. "What?... O okay boss, if you say so." The guard looks puzzled as contact ceases and two others look at him with mild concern "So Ben, what was that bout?" Ben turns to the two of them and shrugs "Apparently one of the guests will be coming down here personally to check on their cargo. Wesley Burnbaum and his assistant." Cebra cursed up a storm in his mind while also putting every bit of his cybernetic minds processing power to eluding discovery. It became clear extremely quick what the only option was. Cebra quietly opens up the cabinet and hides himself inside.

The time passes slowly and agonizingly as Cebra stands in the cabinet listening to the shifting feet and voices outside. He's desperate for an opening to make his escape but the guards go nowhere and soon Wesley will be here and find his possessions missing. Time was also working against his effort to keep up appearances. If Cebra was gone too long people might become suspicious of his whereabouts. There was a loud clanging as metal doors opened and shut. Multiple footsteps approached including the sound of heels, Cebra surmised that it must be Wesley's security android.  There's a brief pause in activity outside before the door is opened again, Cebra is ready to strike quickly if he has to. The great door opens up as the android steps inside immediately going for the serum in the holding device. She stops as she looks down to already see it opened up and all the serum missing.

The android immediately makes a call to her boss in hushed tones, but Cebra can hear her clearly.

"It's gone sir, every one of them is missing."

"What?! How?!"

"Unknown, one of the guards heard a noise and called it in immediately."

(A tremendous amount of vulgarity from Wesley)

"Sir, shall I give our buyer the bad news?"

"No!... No no no not yet Alice, I don't want to bring any attention to this. The security will remain quiet about this but I need to know who stole all my serum.  If Michael found out... Couldn't be him. You need to find out who's responsible for this. I can't afford to have my name and presence here in any news site by one of the journalists on board. Work with the security and find out who's behind this... Make sure you discover their identity before... You know."

"As you wish sir."

She ends the call and looks around the safe for any kind of clue as to how the safe was breached or who might have been responsible. The guards seem to be ok with this passenger engaging in police work on their vessel, Cebra has to wonder just how much pull Orion or Wesley himself has with this company. His thoughts are cut as the android woman stands directly in front of the wardrobe giving it a thorough investigation. Cebra can feel his muscles tense up like elastic stretched until it could snap, this was the end of his mission and he would have to escape compromised and only partially completing his objectives. Her hand gripped the door handle and Cebra readied to kick the door open and send her flying back.

"HEY! STOP!" One of the guards yells out. Alice turns her attention immediately to a fleeing woman being chased by security, she abandons the wardrobe and in a single leap closes the distance on the woman below on the first floor of the hold. She lands right in front of her blocking the woman's escape, she is immediately placed in cuffs and placed against the wall, there appears to be some confusion among the guards. Cebra can't tell what's going on but he can sense the immediate area is clear of anyone, he's not about to waste this opportunity. The escape is careful but swift in its execution, rapid movements that elude notice and still moments as stone. Cebra moves like the spider in the corner of your room creeping for the window out. What he catches a glimpse of as he slides away is the woman now detained, it's none other than Cheryl Laine the A list film star.

Cebra is at a loss for explanation, why would that woman be there in the cargo hold? Even if she had something besides luggage the process to check the cargo hold requires signed papers and ticket receipts. Cebra snuck out no worse for wear and returned to his room with a burning curiosity occupying his thoughts: who was that assailant and why was Cheryl in the cargo hold? Day began to break and Cebra was still wide awake, tonight he'd be back on duty cleaning out his section of the waste disposal again.  It was time once again to mix with the crew and the daily façade of friendship, though Cebra did extract a small amount of amusement from his interactions he knew he'd never see these people again when he was done. The guards move around with new and determined purpose in their faces, stern faces watch sentinel while patrols are tight, orderly and plentiful, mostly in the crew areas.

Cebra was able to gather the playback of the phone call Alice made, there wasn't much for Cebra to gather from it besides the fact he was certainly running the security on the ship. Cebra always kept one ear to his current activity and one ear to the wall, it was easy for him to split his attention when he had an AI conscience that was far more adept at multi tasking than he was. His AI aptly named Cyco (Cybernetic conscience) picked up one of the passing guards conversation, or at least a fraction of it but what small bit was collected lent important context to the previous night. One of the security guards had brought up a number of grave interest a number that was whispered and loathed among the wealthy and those with power "1423".

Address 1423 is a secret cult who's means and methods are steeped in shadow. They steal items of great value for unknown means. They're mostly non violent save for self defense and prefer espionage and sabotage over direct contact. The organization has some religious or cult convictions that are as of yet still not understood. The unique ability of all the cult members of the cult are the ability to transform any door at the address 1423, and travel back to their church. One theory is they are trying to blunt the progress of certain technologies as they tend to target potential weapons, another is that they are converting these various stolen technologies into more helpful tools for their own followers. There have been plenty of conspiracy theorists discussing their existence and purpose but no official body has acknowledged them in any capacity. Cebra had surmised that Cheryl might have been a follower of the cult.

There were a lot of guards going into cabin 1423 which was no coincidence, the cult was here and after something likely dangerous. Cebra and the other assailant must have gotten to the goods before Cheryl, but now he had to wonder how many people were here and after Wesley. Cebra finished a very light meal of mostly fruit and coffee before visiting the indoor pool for a quick swim. Once again Cebra came across Hardik as he lay poolside near the glass wall letting light inside. After seeing Cebra he waves him over exuberantly and surrounded by a small group of men and women that seemed in equal good spirits. Cebra pulls up a chair and sits down properly introducing himself, the group seems to be composed of mostly Hardik's work crew and some from other crews. The conversation is mostly light hearted and casual avoiding the subject of their work load. Cebra was about to take his leave after some time of chatting and a little flirting from one of the girls, that was until one of the guys brought up mention of 1423 and how Cheryl Laine was nowhere to be seen today.

The man had overheard some guards as he was working maintenance in water purification, the guard seemed to be giddy to share the info among other guards as the man explained it. According to the guard Cheryl had a stun device of some sort on her person, she was able to make her escape after stunning the security and made her way to cabin 1423. The head of security was trying to keep things under wraps but after having an A list star vanish and loud explosive stun weapons go off, it was too late and the events were becoming public fast. Hardik seemed fascinated by this info by his wide eyed "Are you serious?" stare at his friend. Cebra now has a need to look into this a bit more before he continues with the next phase of the plan, a phase now in serious jeopardy. Before he moves to assassinate Wesley he must ascertain the whereabouts of Cheryl and the assailant as well as retrieving the extra vials. As of this point Cebra's activities have gone unnoticed and he could still get around in the day with a certain amount of anonymity, but with the heightened guard presence making his way to 1423 would be challenging and require tact.

Cebra needed a guards uniform and identification in order to get into the room and began formulating a plan based what he currently knew about the set up. Acquiring the uniform would be quit difficult due to their location in the security lockers, swarming with guards going on and off duty. He thought about what means he'd use to get a uniform, forging an ID was actually the easier part of the plan due to Cebra's abilities. He decided upon using the outside of the ship again and breaching the outside like last time, but the issue was he'd be seen immediately upon entry and he had little time now before his shift in seven hours. Causing a distraction would be a necessity in order to lure the security away or stun them, he'd only need enough time to quickly open a locker, grab a uniform and slip out.  Having the schematics for the vessel in his mind made it easy to see points he could exploit, Cebra could see how he could connect to the water and heating systems leading to the showers and directly attached to the lockers, he could steam them out.

Cebra took his leave shortly after the chat with Hardik and went back to his room once again dawning his stealth suit. He exited his room making sure there were no prying eyes before making his jump over the edge and onto the hull of the ship.  It was now six hours until he was on shift leaving him seemingly plenty of time to make it, the crawl was a long one though. He made it to the outside of the security lockers easy enough, he breached in between walls separating the locker room with the storage for an eastern style cafe. The space is small and Cebra is pressed tightly in the gap, there are large pipes and wiring all around him. He slides smoothly moving himself cephalopod like, squirming and slipping through narrow gaps, limbs one over another twisted and contorted straining every muscle. It was crucial he move slowly as to not cause any significant noise. The walls were quite thick steel but not by any means sound proof as Cebra could hear the occasional muffled voice over some mechanical door like slide. After twenty minutes of crawling he had the particular plumbing and wiring he needed to target in range.

He makes contact with both of them taking a good grip, he releases a charge of saxon energy along with a stream of nanobots, working in unison with Cyco AI the nanobots and energy sabotage the water and heating subtly. It would be easy to mistake it as a malfunction brought on by wear and tear the way Cebra set it up. Inside the showers the steam began to blast out from a burst pipe high above in the mens shower. It didn't take long for the heat to start shooting up to intolerable levels, but everyone inside the lockers and shower scattered immediately out of there to the hallway outside. Cebra took that opportunity to melt through the locker room wall and feel that disgusting humid blaze. Cebra wasted little time and immediately moved to a locker, he started skimming through one locker after another looking for something in his size. It was eight lockers until he found an appropriate size for his frame and snatched it. He made his way through the heat with ease, being able to tolerate considerably high and low temperatures with ease... Then the gasp.

To his right in the corner of the showers was a young red haired man completely naked and bleeding from the head, his body was turning redder than his hair as gasps and groans escape his breath in pain. A chunk of jagged bloody tile that was blasted away from the steam explosion rests near him. He looks directly at Cebra though whether he's still in the right frame of mind to know what he's seeing is questionable. Cebra moves towards him instinctually before stopping fast, he wanted to get the young man out of the room... But he'd be caught. And frankly having himself compromised any more than he is was dangerous to his mission. He takes a step back as the man reaches out his hand, the heat and steam slowly cooks him, they won't reach him in time and Cebra can't afford to have a witness to his scheme. The only thing Cebra can think to do is an act of mercy, or what someone like him would call mercy. He quickly reaches for the mans head and releases a lethal charge of saxon energy. The mans spasms and jerks violently for no more than a half second before his eyes roll back, the energy leaves the young mans body and back into Cebra.

Cebra stands quietly with the sounds of blasting steam behind him as he stares at the mans body for a few cold seconds. Cebra quickly shoved the tide of regret and shame to the back of his mind and weighed it down with the importance of his mission, he'd have plenty of time later to contemplate his various sins that he'd never answer for, a man creates his own hell when there's none for him".

Cebra was out of there quickly before the emergency crew was even on the scene. Crawling his way back with the uniform in his possession. He snuck back into his room with minimal effort only having to avoid a crew mates and guards, when he got back to his room he quickly got out his phone. Metallic tendril no thicker than a human hair protruded from his wrist into the phone, he began to quickly fabricate a false security ID. Another tiny device like an electrified pen protruded from his other hand, the tip glowed a faint yellow and Cebra used it to overwrite the physical ID papers. Even the picture of the security guard was perfectly adapted to Cebra. This would all have to be temporary and immediately destroyed after investigating the room less ship security find Cebra with two different ID's.

Cebra had placed the vials of the unknown agent behind a wall in his room behind the headboard as to ensure its safety, only he would be able to access it by melting his hand through the metallic wall, he also decided to hide his data pad there just for safety. Once he was ready he immediately headed to 1423 located in the first class section on the port side. The guards didn't question Cebra on the way to the room, he carried himself like one of the security as well with his imposing height and wooden face. Creating a side arm was easy enough from a raw chunk of metal from his wall. All the time he spent now left him with an hour and a half before his shift and moving with the utmost speed while trying to maintain a sense of calm and authority inside the room, he began to look around the room that was considerably larger and more opulent than his. The walls were wooden panels and painted a soft eggshell white that contrasted well with the gold décor and crimson carpeting. The room seemed quite inconspicuous at first look with the naked eye.

Cebra turns to address a guard by the doorway "You there, Marcel. Who else has been in here besides the suspect and the guest? Any janitorial staff or crew?" The guard shakes his head and responds "No sir, at least none that were seen by security." Cebra considers the effort it must take to organize a heist like this, even for a group like 1423. The ability to appear and vanish behind a door was useful but not the perfect tool. "Who are the owners of this room?" The guard takes out a data pad of a different make than Cebra's and looks up the owners. "The owner is a Mr. Caltrop, he's still being searched for but there's no trace of him." Cebra in his various interactions had come across tid bits of either lore or myth about the cult, one fact that he recalled was the cult use of code names. They tended to relate to the idea of covert work, Cebra put it together that caltrop was related to the type of trap used and likely a code name. Realizing this it was easy for him to conclude the room was a port for likely a few cult members that used it like a base of operations.

He was quick and concise in his search of the room, his thorough eye picking up vague signs of multiple people using the room such as hair strands and vague carpet impressions with traces of dirt. The cult had not had the chance to return and clean up the room and as such left some physical papers behind, the other security must have missed it wedged between the headboard and mattress of the bed. Cebra walks over as casually as possible before turning to the curious subordinate watching Cebra work. "Hey, you got a cigarette on you Marcel?" Cebra says addressing the young man, he shakes his head no. "Mind asking the guard outside for one?" He nods before turning to open the door, Cebra takes that opportunity to quickly use his dexterous hands and slide the papers into his jacket. When the guard comes back Cebra feigns looking around for any further evidence, the guard hands Cebra the cigarette as he turns to leave. "Didn't find anything of worth, fuckin ridiculous. Fuck it, my shift is up, this is someone else problem." The guard cocks an eyebrow and smirks.

Cebra makes his way back to his room with not but minutes to spare before he had to be on shift. When he entered his room Cebra halted immediately sensing something was very wrong. he scanned the room with a variety of internal sensors including infrared, air pressure, bio electric and radiological. He didn't find any changes except near one area, near the wall where he had placed the vials there was a trace amount of some weak radiation like from some other scanning tools. He immediately melted his hand through the metal wall section and was relieved when he pulled out the vials in their cooled containment. So now it appeared as though 1423 was on to Cebra somehow, they had snuck inside and found the hiding place, but were unable to penetrate the wall section for now. Cebra had to move the goods now. There was no time to think about what the cult planned for him now as he had to get to his shift. He got changed as fast as possible and hid the papers away in a drawer, he made sure to use some of the metal on the wall to make a durable and complex lock with a taser like function, a lethal taser of course. Before he put the papers away he noticed a few distressing words.

SUBJECT: Cebra Ulkenne aka Project Hephaestus

"How the fu... Fuck me." Cebra was stunned for a moment, "how could anyone know me by that title?" he thought in confusion, seeing the reach of this cult now to even penetrate Orion Tech&PMC, his creators. He left the room and forced a more upbeat appearance onto his face, he'd have plenty of time to ponder over what happened.

It was many hours into the night nearing 2:00AM when Cebra was busy mopping and chemically cleaning some trash recyclers when he had a spark of instinct, if 1423 knew so much about him and that he was here, did they know his schedule? Probably he thought to himself. Perhaps if he went back now he could catch them red handed with no door to escape to. "Loua!" Cebra called out to another woman on the same cleaning duty. "Whatchu want Cebra?" She responded with quite a friendly tone. "Hey you think you can cover me for a while? I need to go back to my room for a bit, I'll buy drinks next time we're at the bar yeah?" The young woman smiles behind the tinted visor of the hazmat suits "So what's her name?" Cebra doesn't answer at first, but figures quickly that's a decent excuse "I'll tell you when I find out." The woman cackle laughs and waves Cebra off "Yeah yeah alright, nearly done this section anyways and we got a break round four." Cebra nods as he makes his way to the showers and then changes quickly into his clothes. This could end up being a pointless hunch but it nagged his mind heavily, he wasn't fond of the idea of wasting this idea and still having to buy drinks for a whole night for a crowd of people he'd never see again... Small price in the end.

Cebra was quiet on the approach to his room, he didn't specifically sneak but he made no sound at all down the hallway, it helped that most people were in bed sleeping still. He got up to his door and listened closely pressing his ear to the door with enhanced audio sensors... There was sound. Cebra wasted no time as he quickly opened the door and shut it behind him. "Stay right where... You are?" Vacant The room was empty save for him, that might have thrown him completely off if it wasn't for the heavy gash marks in his wall and some manner of intricate high tech tool near his drawer. Cebra kept his guard up as he walked about his small space, how could they have escaped? Or even knew he was about to enter? "Now if I were suddenly discovered in a small space where would... I... Oh." Cebra looks upwards just in time to dodge a figure dropping from above that held on to the ceiling fan. Cebra gets a good look at the thief; a female of about five foot four inches, clothed in a faded brown cloak and light robes fitted close to the figure and short enough to not restrict movement, a pair of black tights or a spandex like material for pants. Her face was covered by a gas mask whos lenses were tinted red .

She made the first move and drew a combat knife, she and Cebra circled each other. Cebra wasn't particularly afraid of just a knife, but seeing as these people had knowledge of him then it's safe to say they might know how to beat him. Cebra dodges the first couple of swings with relative ease, perhaps they sent some greenhorn to steal from Cebra underestimating his abilities? Cebra grabs her arms and restrains the woman "I think you might want to GAHH!" Before he realized the woman had manifested a whole arm from the center of her stomach, passed the knife to it and slashed Cebra. Cebra stumbled back holding the fresh wound across his gut, the fact his saxon energy field didn't stop the knife dead meant it was non ferrous, one of Cebra's weaknesses.

Cebra already began to recover as the wound started sealing behind a thin layer of nanobots repairing the damage, a light wound like that was nothing to recover from, lethal blows were still enough to take him out for a while. That cut had some power behind it, more than what a human female of her size should be able to muster. He assumed it was part of her abilities. She was agile, quick and dexterous with her blade and movements around Cebra, it was difficult for him to keep up at first before his vision reddened and his S.E.M (Spatial environmental matrix) program activated. Moving in time with every calculation visible before his eyes Cebra matched the woman in combat and danced her blade with no missteps. Her abilities came to full display when from her arms manifested like a growing tree two more arms from the palm and extended her reach greatly, the limbs were brawny and man like with hair and scars of battle. Cebra was nearly caught off guard but dodged her strikes.

As if the sight of this multi limbed person couldn't get any worse, from her elbow like joints on the far end of her arms sprang two more arms that now gave her extended limbs a crab like appearance. She passes the blade between her hands at a rapid speed before having another go at Cebra, his skills are put to the test as he weaves in and out of the grasping, punching and slashing. He manages to get in close to her torso and aims a punch to her face, just as he does so another limb spawns, not from her arms but from her face, a large foot slams into Cebra's face manifesting from the womans face and sending him flying back onto the bed with a bleeding nose. She moves quickly and pins Cebra down, her limbs manifest and de-manifest with relative quickness and she has him held down with four pairs of arms but one free with the blade in it. The S.E.M normally could predict attack patterns, however it had not worked out a formula to use with an assailant manifesting limbs at random. She goes to stab his skull but Cebra is far from beaten, he releases a burst of saxon energy into the woman. She is sent flying off of him and slams into a metal wall.

Cebra is now aware that they're making a bit of a ruckus with this fight, it's only a matter of time until someone pokes their nose in or calls security. She's back on her feet with a little stagger in her rise, the electrical pain wasn't easily shaken off. The flurry of oddly shaped limbs comes at Cebra in a perfect coordination of strikes from so many angles, he cant dodge it all yet and gets hammered from up high by a downward kick putting him face down on the floor. Cebra comes to understand one limitation of her powers, the fact she had only so many body parts at her disposal, Cebra counted a total of four other sets of limbs and didn't know if she could spawn a new head or torso. He rolled out of the way and dodged the knife coming downward before flipping to his feet and sending a hard kick to her chest. The two went at each other for a time feeling out the others moves carefully until Cebra realized the obvious answer. He put his hand to the metal wall and sent a charge of energy through it and towards the assailant, the energy warped the wall along its path until she accidentally touched the wall bracing against it.

In an instant her arm melted into the wall until her torso was more than half way in and Cebra solidified it again trapping her in the wall partially. She struggles to escape with all her limbs trying to pull herself, she swings at Cebra trying to fend him off but it's too late for that. She's trapped and Cebra uses another chunk of the wall to form his own blade and approach her cautiously. "Well now, that was different. So who is it you work for? Orion? One of Wesleys goons? Whatever." He raises the blade and goes in for the killing blow "Wait please!" She says with desperation, Cebra dropped the blade immediately as his eyes widened with recognition. He grabs the mask and pulls it off of her.

"... Cheryl Laine? The fuck?"

Cebra couldn't believe the thing he just fought was one of his favorite horror actresses. "I... I see, so it's true then." Cebra says putting two and two together "You're a member of 1423." Her crystal blue glare fixes on him but offers no reply, her frustration and dilemma on how to reply was clear enough in her awkward shifting, what little shifting she could do while partially in a wall.

A knock at the door interrupts the questioning.

The two of them quickly look towards the door as a voice calls out. "Security check, open the door please." Cebra and Cheryl look at each other wide eyed, this however isn't the first time Cebra has had to do a quick clean up and cover up job. He pries Cheryl from the wall and gives her a hush finger over his lips before he throws her under the covers of his bed. He removes his clothing down to his boxers "Hello open the door sir." The guard grows impatient despite Cebra's speed. Cheryl seems to understand what Cebra is doing to some degree, she removes all the bandages on her head and faces away from the door. Cebra opens the door just enough to speak with the guard. "Yo, how can I help you?" The guard looks Cebra up and down as he stands nearly nude and unconcerned "I er, there was a noise complaint from a cabin. I'm just here to make sure everything is ok." She looked past Cebra to see some light damage done to the room. "Sir do you mind if I have a look around?"

Cebra was struck by a bolt of anxiety though he managed to keep a good poker face. "Yeah sure, but like could you be quick about it? I uh... We'll keep it quiet but we're um" She looked at Cebra a bit confused by the request, that was until Cebra opened the door a crack more revealing the figure of a woman in his bed breathing heavily and squirming, moans escaping her lips as the outline of her hands slide between her thighs. The guard is taken back and blushes  "Oh no no my mistake, It's perfectly fine. Just yeah please try not to be too uh... Loud." Cebra smirks at her awkward retreat from the door "Of course miss." With that potential disaster avoided Cebra turns his attention back towards Cheryl she rises from the bed and turns to Cebra. She's still free of any restraint and Cebra is aware "I hope you know if you try anything I will seal you in the wall again." Cheryl huffs angrily "Figured." Cebra has a seat on one of the tiny wooden chairs provided for the room "Ok then let's start with what exactly you're after."

"Oh? You don't know what I'm after? I thought it was fairly obvious by now... I thought you were clever?" Cheryl openly mocks him with the same icy glare. "I like having confirmation... Clever am I? And just how much do you and your ilk know about me?" Cheryl smirks  "Enough to deal with you." Cebra scoffs at that answer with his own cocky tone "evidently not... Though." He grabs Cheryl's knife and looks at it curiously. "You did come with a tungsten blade. Sometimes you reveal things you didn't intend to." Cheryl squints in confusion and unconvinced by Cebra's taunt "I've revealed nothing to help you." Cebra quickly flourishes the blade before holding it to her throat "If you know this blade can pierce my shielding then you know simple knife wounds wont kill me, incapacitate yes, but not kill. Your orders were not to engage me if possible yeah?" Cheryl face palms and sighs "We don't look for fights... Typically." Cebra draws the blade back and relaxes in his seat "Do you think that was smart when dealing with a murderer like me? I almost killed you earlier... I still might."

Cheryl cocks her eyebrows "You don't do this kind of work if you're so afraid to die. But also I don't think you have any intention of that. You've been followed long enough that we see who and why you kill, besides that you'd be losing so much information. Cebra pauses a moment to think about any time he might have been surveilled along with how much they know about him. Cheryl smirks again and shifts on the bed, she moves to her knees and leans forward towards Cebra as he was still thinking. "I know another reason you wouldn't wanna lay a hand on lil ol me... Or maybe you would?" Cebra snaps out of his thoughts. On a subconscious level he may have had his gaze fixated on the womans curvy figure "You noticed who I was immediately didn't you? You're a cute lil fan boy hm? Oh was I your first Celeb crush? Do you send mail to me?" She snickers while Cebra now returns the glare "Listen that has nothing to with." Cheryl's eyes widen in the middle of that sentence, wide and accompanied with a big smile and laugh. Cebra grows annoyed with her antics by now "What? What is the big jo...ke." Cebra sighs defeatedly before he puts his pants back on after getting physically aroused in front of the woman.

Cebra hatches an idea, out of the need to keep Cheryl under a certain degree of control and further his own plans to now assassinate Wesley. Her help would no doubt make things go smoother but bargaining would be tricky. "So I first have to know. Who was the other assailant in the vault? The one with the teleporting stealth suit?" Cheryl's face turned to a blank expression before a flash of realization came over her. She smirked and said nothing while looking up at Cebra with nothing short of gleeful defiance. Cebra groaned before standing up and turning towards the wall behind his bed where lay the vials. "Ok here's the deal, I have only need for a single vial of the agent and as such I'm able to give you one. Of course your cooperation would be the price for this. The alternative is that well... I can't afford to have you as a complication, you understand correct?" A coldness in his tone made the point inescapably clear to Cheryl, she took a few moments to consider the offer. "And how can I trust you wouldn't kill me after you're done with me?" Cebra sat back down and smirked "I thought you people knew how I worked?" Cheryl stares at Cebra judging her odds of this going well. "... I'm fairly certain that you encountered an agent from Berth & Clydeshaw arms, they're the buyer that Wesley is dealing with. Probably trying to double cross him."

Cebra's eyes darted back and forth as his head tilted down and thoughts raced through his mind, he knew this company somewhat. They had been involved in the incident of his liberation many decades ago. "I see... Is your sole objective this vial?" Cebra asks a leading question trying to work some more private info out of Cheryl. "Listen I'll help you as far as your mission is concerned, but I'm not about to reveal all of my purpose Cyborg." Fair enough as far as Cebra is concerned "I'm not just here to Rob Wesley, but I'm sure you've come to that conclusion as well." Cheryl looked in Cebra's eyes with a knowing look, no judgement but a cold glint. "You've been eliminating people involved in your creation, Wesley was... He was head of the bio research division and current board member, we are aware of what you've been doing yes." Cebra made a personal note to do some sleuthing into 1423 "So what is your organizations feeling on murder?" Cheryl was visibly uneasy by this, on her face were flashes of memory that she endured with a small pain "I can help you. But you can't ask me to do what you do, I'm not a... I mean I have killed before in self defense but." Cebra raises his hand to stop her from explaining further "That will do, I don't need you to do anything like that, just help me along the way. Is that acceptable?" Cheryl sighs when she thinks of the report she's going to have to make "Alright, if it means you'll give me a vial then I'll help you."

They discussed long into the night about Cebra's plan and how to alter it to fit Cheryl aiding him. She explained her abilities to a degree revealing she can spawn numerous limbs and even replace her own body completely, a very useful tool for spy work. Wesley would likely still be attending regular events on the ship for the first class members, his frequently loved activities included the casino for his gambling fix, the library and the sauna. The way things would go is that Cheryl would be used to distract the Android assistant and draw her into a trap, Chery had no problems taking out a piece of machinery, however she was dangerous and likely armed with a few nasty surprises given her model. While the assistant and bodyguard was distracted Cebra would infiltrate the sauna staff and eliminate Wesley.