Splicers - I Am Legion - IC Thread

[Psychie]

Dropping her stealth field and smashing her way out into the open, Toni hopes to be able to draw fire to her and away from Axel before he gets toasted. Kicking on her external speakers, she lets out a loud yell! "You want a fight? WELL, YOU GOT ONE NOW! BRING IT ON!" Whipping her Harbinger Cannon up and to the ready, she levels the weapon at the critically wounded cyborg and releases a double burst at it, expecting to be able to take it out of the fight.

At the same time, she directs her two Sidekicks to target the second cyborg, knowing that the spores won't do much damage, but it should still hit from the wide area of effect and with as nimble as the bot appears to be, it will probably dodge the Super Laser Cluster one, but at least she will make it burn through its ability to counterattack.

Velocity Cannon to hit: 18, doing 110 MD to a 20 ft Radius
Laser Cluster to hit: 8, doing 52 MD. Probably didn't hit. <rolls eyes>
Spore Cannon to hit: 22 critical, doing 40 MD to a 40 ft radius

Spoiler

MDC by Location:
Arms (2): 197 M.D.C.
Hands (2): 107 M.D.C.
Legs (2): 202 M.D.C.
Feet (2): 147 M.D.C.
Head: 137 M.D.C.
Main Body: 630 M.D.C. / 585
Elbow Bone Blades: 115 M.D.C.
Harbinger Cannon: 187 M.D.C.
Munitions Reservoir: 487 M.D.C.
Sentinel Eels: 217 M.D.C. each
Sentinel Shell: 307 M.D.C.

Sidekick Rifle - Super Light Cell Cluster: 132 M.D.C., 2 Attacks, 8d10 Damage, 1,000 ft range - Mega Upgrade
Sidekick Rifle - Spore Discharger: 132 M.D.C., 2 Attacks, 4d8 Damage, 40 ft Radius, 1.200 ft range - Omni Upgrade

Action Points: 8

Combat Bonuses On Foot / In Armor
Number of Attacks: 6 / 9
Strike: +9 / +10 (+5 in melee) (+3 ranged)
Parry: +12 / +15 (+4 in melee)
Dodge: +12 / +3 Automatic Dodge
Roll with Punch: +2 / +10
Initiative: +2 / +9
Perception: +7 / +7
Damage in HtH: +1
Critical Strike on a Natural 18-20
[Critical on a 17-20 with Mantis Blade from Opti-Upgrade]
[Critical on a 17-20 with Velocity Cannon from Opti-Upgrade]

Mantis Blade: 12D6 M.D. [15d6 with PS] for a Blade Strike; 4d4x10+10 for a Dual Strike
Energy Expulsion Vent: 2D8 +bonus M.D. equal to the P.E. attribute (2d8+28)
Organic Rockets: 5d10 M.D. to a 10 foot radius
--Rocket Payload: 15 /
Central Maw: 3d8 M.D.
Velocity Cannon: 1D8x10+20 M.D. for a short burst of 10 rounds from one cannon or 2D6x10+20 M.D. per simultaneous bursts from both cannons firing a total of 20 rounds.
--Ammo in Cannons: 120 / 100
--Ammo in Munitions Reservoir: 600 /
Spore Discharger Tusks: See Description

 

[Psychie]

Whoops. I messed up the damage on the Spore Rifle. A critical doubles the damage, not the dice. Should I reroll to get the accurate result?

 

[Sherwood]

Whoops. I messed up the damage on the Spore Rifle. A critical doubles the damage, not the dice. Should I reroll to get the accurate result?

Yes, please go ahead. It shouldn't make a huge difference, but it could. Thank you for catching that.

 

[Psychie]

Damage reroll. 4d8 x2 to a 40 foot radius.

Ick. Only 24 damage thanks to those 1's.

 

[Sherwood]

Toni fires her heavy cannon at the legionnaire and manages to blast it to bits and damage the wing board as the recoil shakes her hard. Her two Sidekicks fire on the second cyborg as it dives to the side and evades the lasers of the one Sidekick, but the wide blast of the Spore Rifle does manage to catch it despite its efforts to evade. The spores begin to eat the armor away, doing light damage but every little amount of damage adds up.

Archos pops his head up enough and fires a burst from his Casting Rifle at the one wing board and manages to shoot it out of the sky.

At this point, Axel keeps down and frantically crawls for some solid cover, reserving his action to keep dodging. His Sidekick fires a grub at the second cyborg but it manages to dodge out of the way.

The four gun drones from the first cyborg do as Toni hoped and turn on her. A spray of lasers fire out, and they will hit unless you dodge.

Psychie had a defense to declare
Purr is up with Chaska

Initiative Order:
24
--Gun Drone 1 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 2 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 3 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 4 = moderate damage [2]
21 - Chaska [1] <====
--Sidekick 1 [1]
--Sidekick 2 [1]
18 - Legionnaire 2 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 1 = minor damage [1]
--Gun Drone 2 = minor damage [1]
--Gun Drone 3 = minor damage [1]
--Gun Drone 4 = minor damage [1]
16 - Collector [1]
14 - Jin [1]
13 - Toni [1]
--Sidekick 1 [1]
--Sidekick 2 [1]
11 - Archos [1]
1 - Axel = major damage [2]
--Sidekick 1 [1]

 

[Psychie]

Toni has an automatic dodge of +3. I’ll roll it now.

A modified 20.

 

[Purr]

Chaska flies out to overtake Axel's position and give the Legionnaires something else besides Toni and Axel to fire at. He decloaks from his Stealth Field and calls over the Bio-comms. "JodiAxel! Get behind! You stay safe!"

"Woo'stock! Aid JodiAxel!" Feeling that a bird's-eye view of a battlefield is often much better than angry, beaten-up Splicers, Chaska calls upon Woodstock to guide Axel using the best route that would get Axel out of the line of enemy fire.

Seeing that the missile-packing wing-board was destroyed, Chaska looses his Dual Heat Cannons on the remaining Legionnaire.

 

[Sherwood]

Despite Toni’s new armor being much slower and less maneuverable than her old Host Armor, Toni manages to evade three of the four attacks aimed at her with one dead solid shot hitting you doing 40 MD damage before any reductions for your laser resistance.

Chaska takes aim with his heat cannons at the cyborg, and despite its effort to dodge you manage to hit it hard. Not only did Chaska do well, your laser cell Sidekick scores a critical hit on the legionnaire and scars its armor badly. The Sidekick that fires the Stick-um goo at the ground under the legionnaire’s feet but the cyborg manages to move fast enough to not get stuck.

The multi-legged Collector stops it collecting and spins around to face Toni and fires its arm weapons at her. They will hit unless you dodge.

Eonivar is up and Psychie has a dodge roll to make

Initiative Order:
24
--Gun Drone 1 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 2 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 3 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 4 = moderate damage [2]
21 - Chaska [2]
--Sidekick 1 [2]
--Sidekick 2 [2]
18 - Legionnaire 2 = serious damage [4]
--Gun Drone 1 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 2 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 3 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 4 = minor damage [2]
16 - Collector [2]
14 - Jin [1] <====
13 - Toni [1]
--Sidekick 1 [1]
--Sidekick 2 [1]
11 - Archos [1]
1 - Axel = major damage [2]
--Sidekick 1 [1]

 

[Psychie]

Trying to evade with my slow moving suit.

 

[Sherwood]

Toni gets hit, taking 80 MD damage before any damage reduction.

 

[Eonivar]

Jin, still in stealth behind her cover, turns towards the Collector, aims with her acid seed cannon and fires at the Collector aiming for a weak point in its Armor. The weapon fires with a loud "crack"!

Spoiler: Acid Seed Cannon

Host Armor Acid Seed Cannon (Right Shoulder Mounted)

This cannon fires a hollow seed round filled with a powerful acid. The acid is devastating to metals and other inorganic material, but is relatively harmless to humans. The hollow round is more likely to shatter on impact than other seed rounds, but on a positive note, the explosive impact sprays a 10 foot (3 m) area with a fine corrosive mist.

M.D.C. of the Seed: 4D4 each.
Range: 3,800 feet (1,158 m).
Mega-Damage: 4D8 from the seed round. If the seed does not pierce the robot’s armored shell, the round shatters on impact and creates a fine mist of powerful acid. Everything within a 10 foot (3 m) area suffers 1D8 damage per melee round for 1D4 melees. The acidic mist only inflicts 1D4 S.D.C. to organic tissue.

If the attacker rolls a Natural 20 (or 24 or higher with strike bonuses, or only 17 or higher if the M.D.C. of the Main Body has been reduced by 50 percent), the seed round punches straight through the external armor and releases its acidic payload directly into the internal circuitry of the robot. This inflicts an additional 5D8 damage every melee round for 1D4+1 melees. The melted circuits and components will impair the robot’s motor functions until the damaged systems can be repaired or rerouted. The robot loses one attack per melee and is -2 to strike, parry, and dodge for 1D4 melee rounds.

Sniper Note: Characters that possess the Sniper skill are more likely to successfully puncture a robot’s armor with a seed round. If the character rolls a Natural 18, 19, or 20 (or 21 or higher with strike bonuses), or only 16 or higher if the M.D.C. of the Main Body has been reduced by 50 percent), the seed round punctures the target’s outer shell and begins damaging the robot’s internal cavity.

Note: The seed round will not open if fired into an organic target. Duration: The acid burns for 1D4+1 melee rounds.
Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one attack per melee.
Payload: 15 seed rounds. The Host Armor can produce one replacement seed round every 2D6 minutes.
Bonus: +2 to strike.

Using Vital Points (Robots) adding +3 on a Called shot. Uses two attacks,

Acid Seed Cannon Aimed Shot 1D20+12+3 (Vital Strike) = 1D20+15 = 14+15 = 29 to hit!
If the Collector has an energy shield damage, the seed explodes in a fine mist 10 feet around doing 1D8 MDC for 4 Rounds (8 MDC for the first round) plus 4D6 MDC for the impact (15 MDC)
If it does not have a shield, since it hit with a 21 or higher, the seed pierces the armor
doing 4D6 MDC (15 MDC) + 5D8 MDC for 2 rounds (16 MDC on the first round)
The melted circuits and components will impair the robot’s motor functions until the damaged systems can be repaired or rerouted. The robot loses one attack per melee and is -2 to strike, parry, and dodge for 1D4 melee rounds.

 

[Sherwood]

Jin's shot catches the Collector in the side, and without a force field to protect it, the acid seed punches through the armor and begins to eat away at the delicate internal systems.

Psychie is up with Toni

Initiative Order:
24
--Gun Drone 1 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 2 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 3 = moderate damage [2]
--Gun Drone 4 = moderate damage [2]
21 - Chaska [2]
--Sidekick 1 [2]
--Sidekick 2 [2]
18 - Legionnaire 2 = serious damage [4]
--Gun Drone 1 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 2 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 3 = minor damage [2]
--Gun Drone 4 = minor damage [2]
16 - Collector = minor damage [3]
14 - Jin [3]
13 - Toni [1] <====
--Sidekick 1 [1]
--Sidekick 2 [1]
11 - Archos [1]
1 - Axel = major damage [2]
--Sidekick 1 [1]

 

[Psychie]

Feeling a minor twinge of pain through the armor of her Valkyrie, Toni smiles. The upgrades that she ordered really reduced the effects of the plasma blast very well. Note to self; thank the Engineers at the Gene Pool for their good work. She pivots on her heel and swings the Velocity Cannon over to face the second cyborg and pulls the trigger to unleash another dual burst from the weapon at her target. "C'mon! Is that the best you can do? Either do some damage or stop wasting my time!"

Critical Strike doing 120 MD! Hell yeah!
EDIT forgot to add the Sidekick Rifles

Super Light Cell to hit: 14
Damage: 36 MD
Spore Rifle to hit: 12
Damage: 23 MD AoE 40 feet

Spoiler

MDC by Location:
Arms (2): 197 M.D.C.
Hands (2): 107 M.D.C.
Legs (2): 202 M.D.C.
Feet (2): 147 M.D.C.
Head: 137 M.D.C.
Main Body: 630 M.D.C. / 585
Elbow Bone Blades: 115 M.D.C.
Harbinger Cannon: 187 M.D.C.
Munitions Reservoir: 487 M.D.C.
Sentinel Eels: 217 M.D.C. each
Sentinel Shell: 307 M.D.C.

Sidekick Rifle - Super Light Cell Cluster: 132 M.D.C., 2 Attacks, 8d10 Damage, 1,000 ft range - Mega Upgrade
Sidekick Rifle - Spore Discharger: 132 M.D.C., 2 Attacks, 4d8 Damage, 40 ft Radius, 1.200 ft range - Omni Upgrade

Action Points: 8

Combat Bonuses On Foot / In Armor
Number of Attacks: 6 / 9
Strike: +9 / +10 (+5 in melee) (+3 ranged)
Parry: +12 / +15 (+4 in melee)
Dodge: +12 / +3 Automatic Dodge
Roll with Punch: +2 / +10
Initiative: +2 / +9
Perception: +7 / +7
Damage in HtH: +1
Critical Strike on a Natural 18-20
[Critical on a 17-20 with Mantis Blade from Opti-Upgrade]
[Critical on a 17-20 with Velocity Cannon from Opti-Upgrade]

Mantis Blade: 12D6 M.D. [15d6 with PS] for a Blade Strike; 4d4x10+10 for a Dual Strike
Energy Expulsion Vent: 2D8 +bonus M.D. equal to the P.E. attribute (2d8+28)
Organic Rockets: 5d10 M.D. to a 10 foot radius
--Rocket Payload: 15 /
Central Maw: 3d8 M.D.
Velocity Cannon: 1D8x10+20 M.D. for a short burst of 10 rounds from one cannon or 2D6x10+20 M.D. per simultaneous bursts from both cannons firing a total of 20 rounds.
--Ammo in Cannons: 120 / 80
--Ammo in Munitions Reservoir: 600 /
Spore Discharger Tusks: See Description

 

[Sherwood]

Toni plants her feet just so and raised up the rifle and a deadly spray of explosive rounds that slam into the center of the cyborg's chest doing massive damage. The impact knocks the cyborg off of its feet, making it vulnerable to the dual shots from the Sidekicks. After the triple attack, the cyborg is lying motionless, smoke rising from the shattered armor.

Psychie please give me a Perception roll

 

[Psychie]

Perception roll +7

23 total

 

[Sherwood]

Toni manages to spot on her radar a large series of targets about two and a half miles out. From your quick look, you think that this might be the team from House Deluvane with five War Mounts and multiple other smaller targets that are probably people in Host Armor and a large pack of Gorehounds. The targets are on the ground, three of the War Mounts moving at about 100mph and the other two running faster, upwards of 180mph, and a trio of the smaller targets launch up into the air and jet towards you at a speed of almost 300mph.

A sudden contact comes over your bio-comms, saying, "House Artemis team, this is Christian Aramis, callsign Stinger. We have you on radar and are coming to assist as fast as possible. Hang on for just another moment. Stand by." Off in the distance, you can hear the dull rumbling boom that might to an uneducated observer sound like thunder, but to your knowing ears is the sound of heavy guns firing from a sizable distance. As you watch, the Collector is repeatedly hit by large casting rounds, followed by fiery streaks of organic rockets being fired into the orbiting gun drones. Multiple explosions rip through the sky, sweeping the drones away like a massive broom into an invisible dustpan.

Running up is a pair of Grendel War Mounts with Outrider pilots, quickly followed by two Behemoths and a Dracos, all three of these with several riders and a full fifteen Gorehounds and nine Mantis Cannons, and you can see that on the back of the Dracos are six Kamikaze Worm missiles. There is a lot of firepower here.

One of the men in the Dreadguard armor looks over at Toni, waves a hand and says, "I'm Stinger. We need to move. There is a lot to go over and not a lot of time. Besides, you took down two of Legion's babies, and she usually responds quickly when someone hurts one of her Legionnaires. Legion will be all over here in no time sure as shit stinks."

 

[Psychie]

Toni gives the other Splicers a nod, but before she makes any attempt to join them she turns to Axel. “Axel! You ok? That was one hell of a hit you took there. How bad are you hurt?” She heads over to where her fellow soldier is and kneels down to get a better look at him, offering a hand to help him up. “Cerberus Squad, sound off with your status on armor and weapons. Anyone else hit?”

Once she is sure of his condition and that he’s not in immediate need of treatment, she looks over at Stinger. “You have good timing, Stinger. I’m Sergeant Toni Cruse, head of Cerberus Squad. We got a message asking to meet here, but it was damaged in route and much of it was lost. What’s going on here? I’ve never seen robots like these before. You called them Legionaries? Who or what is Legion?”

She slowly stands, wondering of what she’s hears from him is going to match up with what Chaska was able to get from the war hawk.

 

[Sherwood]

Axel takes Toni’s hand and lets her help him to his feet as he lets out a grunt. He looks down at his armor and gently touches a few of the missile impact spots and says, “I’m damn glad I had the foresight to add to my layers of armor in the gene pool. I don’t want to think about how bad it works have been if I didn’t. I’m ok, sarge, just a bit toasted. My armor will be able to self repair in a few hours no sweat. I’m sorry I compromised the team. I didn’t see the ravine under the layer of fallen leaves until I was already falling, but that is no excuse. I won’t let something so stupid like this happen again.”

Archos replies with, “Armor at 100%. I’m just down a couple of bursts from my rifle and that will replenish in a few minutes. Ready to move, ma’am.”

Stinger is obviously anxious to move as he says, “We can talk as we move. Climb on the Dracos and I’ll get you up to speed as we ride. Otherwise we’ll be armpit deep in robots and our whole mission will be blown.”

Eonivar Purr

 

[Eonivar]

Jin does a quick check around them to make sure that no remaining part of the machine was operational or watching them before reporting in hovering over to where Toni was and landing as her stealth field melted away.

"Jin here, I am undamaged, and down one seed round which will replenish in a few minutes."

Upon the direction of Stinger, and upon Toni's nod, Jin turned to climb aboard the Dracos as directed.

 

[Psychie]

Toni puts a hand on Axel’s shoulder and gives him a rough squeeze and shake. “Just don’t do that again. I’m the one that’s supposed to draw the heavy fire, not you guys. Let me take the hits while you take the Machine apart bullet by bullet.” With a nod to Archos and Jin she looks for Chaska to make sure that everyone of the team is good to go before making her way over to the Dracos for the ride and explanation of just what the hell is going on and what the plan is to deal with it is.

 

[Purr]

Earlier...

The young House Apollo warrior watched with a strange form of delight when both of the Legionnaries died. He did not know what they felt in their final moments, nor what Cerberus felt as they sent them there - Chaska only felt that the Splicers these people once were had been freed.

"Woo'stock," he tells his oldest living friend. "De Legionnaires? Dey die. But also, de Splicas dey once were. Dey die too." He looks to their smoking bodies. "Is good to pray. Not for Machine, not for Legion, but for de humans dese once were." He nods to Woodstock. "I tink... to kill Legionnaires... is to free humans. Dis is what Toni and Axel fear. Undastand?"

Woodstock thinks a moment. What words he does not quite comprehend, but he understands the spirit of Chaska's intention - destruction of the enemy; saving the humans. And when this is not possible, avenging them.

"Namu," Chaska solemnly prays, his free hand formed a spear-finger (all digits together like a spearhead), his thumb against his chest, his eyes closed briefly. "Fallen warriors. May you find peace in de afta-life." Woodstock's eyes close too as they seem to pray a moment together.

Now...

“Cerberus Squad, sound off with your status on armor and weapons. Anyone else hit?”

"Chaska and Woo'stock here - no damage, Toni. We 'A-O.K.'" Chaska sighs in relief learning that Jin and the others are all right. Meeting with Toni and Axel, Chaska flies over and helps Axel until the valiant Cerberus Splicer is steady again.

He looks down at his armor and gently touches a few of the missile impact spots and says, “I’m damn glad I had the foresight to add to my layers of armor in the gene pool. I don’t want to think about how bad it works have been if I didn’t. I’m ok, sarge, just a bit toasted. My armor will be able to self repair in a few hours no sweat. I’m sorry I compromised the team. I didn’t see the ravine under the layer of fallen leaves until I was already falling, but that is no excuse. I won’t let something so stupid like this happen again.”

"JodiAxel..." Chaska examines Axel's damaged Host Armor. "You say you no see ravine? De leaves fool you?" There is zero judgment in his voice. As always, he sounds as if he is collecting the facts of the matter. "If JodiAxel wish, Chaska help JodiAxel? Help him see de way Deliverymen see?" The Deliveryman who has spent most of his life above ground peers about the blasted and burned scenery. "Later, I show you how to see what nature conceals? What you say, JodiAxel?"

Spoiler: O.O.C..

There isn't really a way in Palladium rules for Chaska to improve any of Axel's skills, but that doesn't mean we can't roleplay the sharing of such knowledge and thus the building of further camaraderie, right? =)

Stinger is obviously anxious to move as he says, “We can talk as we move. Climb on the Dracos and I’ll get you up to speed as we ride. Otherwise we’ll be armpit deep in robots and our whole mission will be blown.”

With a nod to Archos and Jin she looks for Chaska to make sure that everyone of the team is good to go before making her way over to the Dracos for the ride and explanation of just what the hell is going on and what the plan is to deal with it is.

"I be right dere, Toni."

Realizing this is his only chance at this, Chaska speeds off under the power of his Organic Thrusters to take whatever he may from the fallen Legionnaires (especially if it looks like intel!). Chaska feels the enemy can use recovered Legionnaire weapons and gear to make friendly humans suffer, but not if those things are no longer here. He and Woodstock do not dally in this, but nor do they abandon this lone opportunity.

 

[Sherwood]

When Chaska gets a closer look at the ravine that Axel slipped into, and you can see how the branches were laid out just right to allow the leaves to land on top of them and cover up the edge of the ravine and make it possible for Axel to have missed it, especially if he was focused on the robots. So it is most likely a simple mistake and not any kind of trip-trap.

A quick exam of the bodies of the two Legionnaires shows that they were indeed a horrible blend of human and machine, much more than the little bit of wiring that was found in the head of the one Splicer that attacked you earlier. This work is much, much more than a few wires. There are massive amounts of metal bonded to the human body to turn it into the deadly war machine you see lying here now. Other than this information about your foes, they have nothing to salvage that can be used by humans.

Upon a closer look at the spider-like Collector, besides the rubble from the fallen Sky Fighter, there are three dead human bodies on its back, a woman and two children, with all three wrapped up in some kind of woven cord, obviously too strong for the trio to be able to break free. It looks like they have been dead for a while, as there is no fresh blood coming from their bodies from the damage done by the heavy guns of the two Behemoth War Mounts. There is nothing here of a salvageable nature.

Once everyone has gotten to the various War Mounts and are saddled up, the group sets out at close to the top speed of the Behemoths with the large pack of Gorehounds leading the way. As you draw away from the combat site, the tension that Stinger is visibly feeling seems to ease up a bit. He opens up the bio com and says, “I wish we had met under better circumstances, Cerberus, and I’m sorry to have to rush you out of there. Legion is a nasty and vindictive bitch, and she really doesn’t like it when one of her prized legionnaires are destroyed.”

Axel lets out a grunt, saying, “We’ve come across the name Legion before, but you seem to have more info on her than we do. What can you tell us?”

Stinger looks over at one of the other Splicers and says, “Tessa is the better person to tell you; she knows this inside and out. Tess? If you would?”

The other Splicer nods. “It is fairly well known that NEXUS is insane, and it’s mind has been fractured into multiple personalities. Apparently, not all of these personalities get along with each other. One of these personalities calls itself Legion, and she has decided to go to war against both humanity and her sisters, but not to destroy, but to incorporate all things into a single hive mind, melding organic and inorganic materials into a single construct. We learned about Legion from an emissary from a Gaia, one of the less hostile minds in NEXUS. She told us that Legion constructed the largest robot body ever seen before, a Factory Walker that is bigger than even the Land Dominators that have destroyed so many lives. Legion is using this Walker to not only build her own robots, but she is also capturing humans and robots controlled by NEXUS to subvert them into her own minions.”

Stinger chimes in with, “Thanks Tess. Once we had this intel, we started to monitor the area for signs of this Factory Walker and quickly found that a village was attacked and everyone was taken. Taken, not killed, all to be spare parts for this Legion to make her monstrosities. We finally got eyes on it after we found another town scoured away. Right now, we have a plan to try and destroy this Walker, but we need your help to pull it off.”