Apr 03 109 PA - Mercs try to repo the refugees
From Chronicles
A typical April evening with vicious bout of rain ad hail lashing the ground for 20 minutes at a time between breaks of 10 to 30 minutes. It makes the northwest dregs quite the muddy pit and especially miserable. Those who have the privilege of shelter have sought it for the night. However for some duty and need work to place them at the mercy of the elements and each other. Such is the case outside the Refugee camp's east wall. The bounty has been made public, any can collect, or defend. Currently there are two guard groups defending the wall, split by north and south with one assumed commander splitting time between the two.
At one time or another, the growing noise filling the airwaves eventually reached Pavel's home and skittered across the electronics of his small communicator. Fortunately for him, his understanding of American is just fine, it's the speaking part that's bad. He now finds himself in the rain, but not apparently caring much, his unique chain mail snug around him, and his various melee weapons hugging the big smith in complete defiance to any possible use of ranged weaponry beyond throwing something. He attempts to avoid trouble from 'collectors' by approaching the refugee guards first.
'Nother night inna Dregs. Ain't never a borin one. Just some't're less borin 'n other ones. People lookin fer creds can make fer fun. Even more when the people ain't lookin ta give 'em up. Excitin. 'N since sounds like pretty much anybody can jump in ta play. Even better! Bella comes walkin up from the south. Where things're mostly way more worse. Way more exciting most times too. Just maybe not no more.
At the northwest corner the guards are momentarily cautions of the rather large man approaching. They glance to each other to apparently share conjecture of the nature of the fellow. All remain cautious with hands on their weapons but none are pointed at the smith prematurely. "Good evening." One calls out to him.
In the southeast all is quiet for the moment. One should expect to see mercenary groups starting to gather soon. But none spotted yet.
"Allo!" Pavel calls out jovially, an open hand raised. He continues to move toward the surprisingly friendly guards. "Hehrd prohblehms heer? Cohm fohr hehlp keep sehf. Ees ohkeh good?" He does his best to keep his speech simple and clear.
Bella keeps on walkin. For the wall more 'n the door in. The rainin 'n hailin 'n mud don't bug her none. She's clean 'n dry. Looks atta wall. Then the one's walkin round it. Then up north at the ones talkin.
There is much nodding from the northern guards as Pavel's response seems to confirm and alleviate suspicions, allowing the group to relax their weapons a little bit more in regards to the visitor. "Volunteering to play bait?" One asks of the smith with a humored nod. "The more bait the bigger the catch." Another answers and the smith is welcomed.
"Beht? Noht beht, no. Strohng ahrms. Behttehr fohr heet feeshehrmahn." Pavel does his best to prove that he can be helpful, or at least potentially helpful. If it was luck or good eyes assisted by lighting, he catches sight of a gathering of people to the northeast, and quietly leans in to the closest guard. Though his explanatory speech may be quiet, his blatant pointing is not. A soldier does not a smith make. The small and distant figure moving in from the south is also pointed out, but with much confusion. "Ees Behlla, " he says under his breath. "Do noht knov hov een rhehn, Behlla ees vahmpeer. Boot ees fohr cehrtehn Behlla, vahmpeer."
Yep. It's Bella the big bad vampire. Cept she ain't big. Ain't really lookin so bad neither. Hair's spiked 'n she's kinda prettied up. Since she got some help a few whiles back. She don't see nothin special past the boys chattin. Cept fer the big guy pointin. Her way. That kinda gets noticed. So now she's walkin more their way. "Whatcha doin?"
The guards' demeanor changes quickly as Pavel points out the people in the northeast and Bella to the south. Radio calls are clearly made and the east wall of the camp starts to stir with life. "Should have the turrets manned momentarily, get some light on both groups. Cap'n's already sent sentries to check out each too.. Is Bella hostile?" One guard explains and asks Pavel to keep him informed, and takes up all his attention.
To the south Bella must be similarly focused on the north guard. She barely notices the creature of earth before it's right beside her..
Pavel is momentarily disoriented as he bends to fix a boot and stands too quickly. It takes him a moment to regain his bearings, but though he can't really look for those sentries or turrets, he can certainly speak on the matter of Bella. Again, though, something that brings him pause. Not due to circumstance of now, but due to memories. Eventually he responds quietly. Pavel whispers "Da, Behlla dehngehroos. Trahee stahrt faheete een Mehrchaht Plahaza. Pavel see oszehr, sahd, boot do noht troost."
Bella sees all kinda dirty muddy shit. People covered in one 'r th'other 'r both. Ain't thinkin she's seen somethin like that thing though. She blinks. "What the fack?" She takes a step back from it too. Didn't get all pretty justa get dirty.
The guards nod again and lights come on the from corners of the warehouse roofs in behind. The mentioned turrets and large spotlights immediately begin scouring the landscape below for targets. To the northeast cries come out suddenly as the group gathering there seems to encounter something unexpected. Combat quickly unfolds there.
This coincides with Bella's own encounter, as the creature takes a swing at her.
Pavel's eyes are drawn in both directions; the lit group to the northeast that erupts in noise and combat, and an unseen something rising up to strike someone who used to be a close friend. With both a healthy sense of self-preservation and the fact that he can do absolutely nothing without running to fight monsters and people he'd come to defend against, he can only ask the nearby guards, "Vhaht hahppehn?" The large hammer comes down into a useful double-handed grip. "Vhehr ees faheete forh me?"
Bella ain't too fackin happy bout that. "What the fack?!" Same's she said 'fore. Just way more pissed off. Sure. She figgers there's people't'd smack 'er soon 's look't her. But that ain't no people. "Fack ya." She can maybe sit there 'n smack it out. But why? She just melts 'way instead.
Around Pavel the guards spread out to take cover and level their rifles at the mercenary group to the east. Between 30 and 40 combatants are illuminated there, mostly behind cover. All currently firing on a single target in their vicinity. To the south the other guard group seems to be doing the same. Three thunderous booms go off indicating one very large gun there got the first go.
Even Pavel can't throw anything that far. Instead of running forward to fight, he withdraws behind some form of cover, asking simply, "Cahn shoot raheefehl. Bohrrov, mehbe?"
The boys can take the low road. Bella goes fer the high one. She starts floatin 'er way up. Fer one'a the nice big towers. Ain't gonna be no dirty goo monsters up there. Right?
"Don't got any extras man. But they'll bring the fight to you soon enough." One guard notes to Pavel and downrange that does appear to be the case as whatever the mercenaries were firing at before is vanquished. Half of them hold position to engage the guards at range, the other half start weaving to and fro as the sprint towards the northern post. Still it will take them nearly a minute to traverse the expanse.
The north and south guards fire a salvo at the immediate threats that are returning fire at range. The guards are proficient but their targets are under cover, even coordinating their fire they only manage to take one down and damage another before the booms resound again from whatever has a big gun to the south.
Said gun takes care of the second merc.
With about an equal number of mercs returning fire the end result is pretty even. Though no one there is yet revealed to have a heavy weapon to tip the scale. One north guard is now down, another well damaged.
Everything is out of range for everything Pavel has on him and in him. His mask and goggles are raised for combat and safety, but otherwise he can do nothing further than hide, cuing off of the guards as to when he might be useful. Rather morbidly though, he keeps an eye on the guards as well - if one goes down, he'd likely try to grab a rifle, or whatever they happened to have on their person.
Bella just keeps on floatin up. Gives her a good place ta watch ev'rythin anyways. Alla booms 'n bangs 'n stuff're fun ta watch.
A rifle is available with one of the guards down, as well as some blinders and frag grenades should one take the time to collect them. Meanwhile the shootout continues with depreciating returns. At this rate there won't be many guards left for the runners to fight when they close.
As foretold one more merc falls to the assault, and is matched by the fall of a second guard before booms ring out from the south again.
But do not claim any additional gain.
As the guard goes down, Pavel scurries over to his body and more importantly, his equipment. Specifically the rifle, as he recognizes the grenades, but has never actually had the opportunity or necessity to use one. He grabs the L-20, leaving the rest before he moves back to cover, looking over the weapon. His gaze is curious, as it bears many similarities to the conventional rifles that he *does* know how to use, but isn't actually the same, being an energy weapon. Not being able to read American lettering about safeties and settings doesn't help. Behind cover, he just takes time to watch how the other guards are using their rifles.
Up up 'n 'way! Bella ain't no bird 'r plane though. Justa buncha fog. Risin up offa the fightin grounds down there. Goin fer a nice comfy tower turret thing. That ain't got muddy things tryin ta smack her.
More fall to the firefight and the toll is taking more out of both groups' current effectiveness. Except the refugees don’t have a second group to meet the one rapidly closing from 800 feet. This may also start to worry Pavel in that soon he will become a likely target..
The southern booms sound again and this time 2 of them find their target, feeling another merc and giving the refugees a bit more to hope for.
Bella keeps goin fer her li'l perchin spot. Good view. 'N it's gotta big light. Some big guns too. Even better fer watchin from when ya can shoot back if ya wanna. On her way up she's gotta peek over at the south. Cause that's where all big booms're comin from. Way better'n watchin the muddy thing beat up mercs.
As people go down around him, Pavel grimaces and tucks the rifle to his chest, ducking behind cover before scurrying out to grab a bundle of grenades from the dead and dying. The Blinders, specifically, before returning to complete cover as quickly as possible. "Vhaht ees seecreht?" he calls to the guards who are valiantly throwing away their lives. His eyes light on the rifle, and he shakes his head. It's at this point that he simply hugs the wall and begins to run north. "Yesli nih yest plan eto plohoi!"
Ooh! People fighting people. Monsters fightin people. Fightin fer people. Fun. Bella'd be cheerin maybe. If she hadda mouth. Gotta be why he's so quiet. She floats her way over to the turret. Landin 'fore she gets her feet back's a good idea. Less fallin that way.
People are dying on both sides, one might ask why. Is to defend one's home not enough anymore? Maybe not if no one is left to defend. The death rate is slowing though, another refugee falls but the second target choice isn’t so nearly beaten up. The same goes for the mercs before the booms sound off from the south.
But they are not quite enough to end a second merc in this round of exchanges.
Pavel takes in the situation once more, looking north, east and south, head on a swivel. In the end, after assessing the battlefield and his own usefulness in it versus his own mortality, he simply stops running however far he's managed to go along the wall and drops for cover. The L-20 is let down delicately as he takes up a first Blinder, studying it to be sure that he'll be able to use it correctly.
Bella's just a bitta cloud onna breeze. Watchin. Movin. Waitin. Ok. Mostly waitin. Maybe the breeze needs ta start blowin the way she wanna go.
In the northwest dregs a firefight is underway between refugees and mercenaries. Currently the refugees are outnumbered but not outgunned as they fell more of their opponents than succumb. 16 refugees total are left at this point, divided into north and south groups. The north with only five left. Eleven mercenaries are firing at them from the northeast as 20 more close for a more personal form of combat. Two turrets are manned from the refugee camp behind the conflict providing light to direct the battle.
From the south three massive booms to sound a larger weapon that ends another merc at range, barely.
Watching as the battlefield continues to be a mess, Pavel once more changes direction. Grabbing the salvaged energy rifle and his bundle of grenades, he moves back south toward his original position, and the target of the running mercenaries. However, this time it's not running, it's simply moving from cover to cover as safely as possible, trying to get the bad guys in range of his pitching arm.
Bartholemew has come seeking bounty of his own heading out armed and dangerous through the dregs where he races as fast as he can, somewhere around 30 to 60 miles per hour, towards the wall of the refugee camp in a death defying charge. In each hand are a Triax stun grenade at the ready just itchin to find a target.
The tide of this battle is lulling as the remaining mercs no longer have the firepower to take out a single refugee in a volley at range. The refugees are ahead still possessing that much firepower. Perhaps even more if the southern canon gets lucky..
Which would be like that volley of blasts, taking out two more mercenaries to leave only 7 left at range.
Pavel continues to move south toward his original position, as fast as he can manage while staying under relatively safe cover. The Blinder is still gripped in his hand, ready to throw when he's close enough to hit something. The L-20 is dragging along behind him, looped over his shoulder.
Ok. Just watchin gets a li'l borin. So Bella goes batty ta get where she's goin maybe a li'l quicker.
Bartholemew races on foot at an insane pace along the wall, then leaps up to bound over the wall as if it was a mere hurdle of a small chain link fence guarding one's backyard to keep the dog in. This dog, however, just got into the neighbor's yard lookin for that little poodle in heat. That little poodle is the turret atop the building just on the other side of that fence.
There is a trespasser in the refugee compound, moving to fast for anyone to prepare. Almost too fast for any to react but the towers are trying, the targeted south tower taking over lighting the mercs so the north can light up the trespasser. Meanwhile a single refugee falls after taking a second volley from the small band of firing mercs and it does not look like those sprinting will make it in time so the split. 10 take cover to start shooting from where they are and ten continue forward as three more booms sound.
Two more mercs have been felled this round.
The large smith may be out of place in combat, but those northern guards need help, and throwing grenades is just about the most useful thing he can think to do. His feet continue to carry him from cover to cover, moving as fast as possible toward his original location.
Flap. Flap. Least Bella's movin quicker now. Right fer the south tower. Cause watchin from high is more fun when ya don't gotta keep flappin yer wings. Oh. And the whole light 'n guns thing too.
Bartholemew races to the foot of the building that has the gunners nest resting atop it, hitting his rocket boots to launch him up the 35 feet plus dropping a stun grenade onto the gunner from midair before he lands atop the roof with a monotone growl to introduce himself.
The tower invaded its turret immediately turns on Bart to try and do him in before it's too late. The north tower is making similar efforts but is much further away and harder to get a good shot.. Meanwhile the firefight continues bellow, the mercs again capable of felling a refugee or two in a volley to keep up as the refugees do the same to them in turn. The refugees almost take down 2 mercs this bout but not quite. Both sides are clearly slowing. At this point, Pavel is nearly lost, with everything happening, including the previously helpful turrets now firing on each other, as far as he knows. A gaze out at the runners doesn't look very appealing, so he simply closes the distance back to where he'd begun. A very circuitous and unnecessarily long around trip. He'll stop to grab more of the grenades along the way.
Batty flaps on over 'n lands onna tower. Behind the turret's shootin at Bart. He's really handy. Fer distractin 'em by getin 'em shootin. She grows her normal self back, too.
Bartholemew narrowly leaps straight up to dodge the south turret gunner's shot, the other is simply a roll out of the way as he advances on the gunner himself coming up with pistol in hand pointed straight at the gunner's head. His spiked form being portrayed as menacingly as possible to the gunner. A laugh of enjoyment emits from the external speaker of his armor. Now with the big guns turned on him, let's see if these amateur mercs can advance.
At this point, Pavel is nearly lost with everything happening, including the previously helpful turrets now apparently firing on each other. A gaze out at the runners doesn't look very appealing, but moving forward to toss one of his collected Blinders seems to be the most useful thing that he can do. It's at the edge of his range, but still within range. He lines up his aim at the center of the group, winds up - and throws.
Two of the closing mercs are caught in the large radius of the blinding grenade as it goes off in front of them. The other eight lucking out to be ahead of it. Still their numbers are seriously suffering now and it's not looking like they're going to accomplish much more than killing a handful of guards.. Another merc and another refugee fall as this is going on and three more blasts shoot from the south to route this group of amateurs.
But the blasts don’t quite manage the damage that would do so.
Up above the turrets continue to quell their adversaries? They appear to be multiplying out of nowhere, making the mercenaries bellow look like an expensive ruse as the turrets are exploited up close.
Bartholemew in his cockiness over the misfire of the close gunner misreads where the second blast comes from. Its blast tearing through his armor and just disintegrating it, knocking him to the side but not quite off his feet. In return he fires on the gunner right next to him.
Pavel isn't quite aware of how these grenades work, but he knows that Blinders help deal with many people at once. Hefting another into his right hand, he sights along his left index finger and lobs it toward the new center of mass.
"This one's mine. Getcher own!" Maybe Bella's talkin ta Bart about the tower. 'R maybe its fer the guy shootin Bart 'n she's talkin boutta turret. That's the guy she grabs for. Why fack 'round beatin on him when all he needs is a good toss off the tower?
Another merc is blinded as the mud monster catches up with the other two, starting to pummel them into the earth. The other 7 have caught on to the ruse now and are headed right for Pavel, his refugee group almost decimated anyway. One more goes down, and another merc does as well before the booms come from the south.
And another falls from those cannon blasts as the turrets above nearly vaporize one attacker, but its crew must dodge Bella's attempt to give him a good break. The north turret has no issues though and fires at the nearly done juicer.
This juicer ain't done just yet, Bart again, narrowly avoids the incoming blast. Returning fire on the north tower with his own particle beam weapon.
Even large Pavel can't handle a one-on-seven. He grabs one more Blinder, heaves it at the new, new center-of-mass, then sprints as fast as he can northwest, toward the northeast corner of the compound and possible escape from the battlefield. Hammer in hand, those big legs just pump away.
Slippery shithead. Don't they know they ain't s'posed ta move when she's grabbin at 'em? Bella tries it again. From the top. With more feeling!
"Jimmy get your cross on that bitch while I finish the other guy." The turret gunner orders his light-mate as he turns to finish Bart off. Meanwhile down below the northern refugee guard is officially ended, leaving only the fleeing Pavel as the closest target for 10 mercs using rifles. The 4 closing mercs that aren’t blinded are still giving chase as well. Then the booms sound again. One more merc falls, 9 left to fire on Pavel next volley.
Bartholemew easily dodges the north tower again and bolts across at the gunner to knock him off the roof himself with a running shove.
Running as fast as he can, Pavel searches for something large to hide behind. Still, spotting the large monster of dirt he calls to it in American, Euro and Russian - just to cover as many possible communications avenues as he can - the idea, "Please attack the nine men who are going to shoot at me." He then describes their position as best he can while pulling a third Blinder and throwing it behind himself after getting a look at his attackers with a turned head. Then he simply does his best to get behind something that would put him as out-of-sight as possible from both the runners and the shooters, crossing fingers for the mud creature.
Cross? With a big ass light? "Fack that!" S'what Bella thinks. Maybe why she kicks atta light first, shoves atta light guy second.
Two screams go off in short succession as gunner and lighter fall from the turret to the ground below. They will live thanks to their armor, but it still gives a valuable position to the enemy. Hence the north turret wasting no time in trying to gun down the juicer. Bellow a mud creature looks up from the merc it is pummeling to consider the call of Pavel. A thought goes back to its master on the strange metal man with reluctance. An order returns and a sandstorm suddenly engulfs the mercs who were ready to shoot. Forcing them to move out of it first. The smith is on the same side after all.
Bartholemew moves so quick that the far gunner doesn't even have a chance to get near him. With this gunner gone he fires again across the field the the gunner on the far tower.
Having found momentary shelter, albeit possibly only a brief respite, Pavel quickly takes stock of his surroundings. A shield between himself and the gunners - themselves under attack - is good. But he calls out again in three languages, urging the monster to continue its attack on them, explaining further that he will die if it doesn't. As for the remaining three men who continue to charge him, the numbers game is beginning to tilt barely enough in his favor that he tosses what is likely the last of the Blinders that he was able to gather, then prepares to either flee or do battle with his enormous hammer. Anything going on in the rest of the compound or indeed the entire battlefield is momentarily lost to him, with only immediate survival on his mind.
"Told ya!" Bella waves atta guy fallin down. Just fer a second. Then she's hoppin in behind the turret, spinnin it round. She ain't no turret girl. But can't be that hard right? Just point sorta where ya want dead 'n hold down the shooty buttons 'til ya get bored.
Some might have been not fighting for their lives enough to notice no booms fired when they ought to have. That’s because in light of the trouble with the turret the firer had to reposition. The firer being a 30 foot stone monster that shoots cannonball-sized rocks. It's in position now and will take out the whole corner of the building if need be. Meanwhile the south guard is still shooting down mercs as they come out of the sandstorm, the elemental expanding it to keep as many as it can consumed.
Bartholemew bounces out of the way of the next two shots to leap down the south side of the building to be shielded from the northern gun nuisance, he ain't gettin a trophy today. But the Bart dog did get his poodle as he intended.
Thanks to an unfortunate muscle spasm, the smith managed to drop the grenade at his own feet and blind himself. Pavel can't fight blind, though he will if it comes to that. For now, with his large hammer gripped in one hand, he throws his left hand out and starts to run, using the compound's wall as a tactile map to keep himself oriented north.
"Fack!" Bella ain't happy. Weren't thinkin the gun turret thingy on th'other buildin was just gonna jump outta the way. Course then there's the big giant thing throwin rocks at 'em too. Oh. Not at her. Justa buildin. Who cares. She just keeps the shooty button pushed down. Maybe wiggles a li'l ta spray the lasers over atta other buildin more.
The other turret is peppered by ten rapid shots from the south as the rock monster fires three more shots at the south turret. Bellow that corner of the building is Bart, who has just enough time to get out, or face the multitude of refugees encroaching to meet soon to fall Bella. The north turret can fire back with its operator trying vainly to avoid the fire. On the battlefield the mercs are being contained in sandstorms and picked off when they're not. Three close in on Pavel though.. Bartholemew does in fact bolt. No armor to protect him anymore, might as well not push his luck too much. So for the wall he goes, as fast as his super drug induced legs can take him to bound up and over the wall once again to his own yard.
Somehow, a blacksmith has become the tragic story of this brief campaign. Pavel trips and falls, catching himself on one knee and with the hand which was already outstretched. Gripping his hammer in both hands for a fight, he will continue north as best he can, using the head scraping along the wall as his guide, trying not to trip. He does call out in all three languages for assistance, hoping that someone or something will come to his aid. Meanwhile, he simply listens for his known attackers to get close enough to be within range of his hammer, even if he might only be able to swing it blindly.
Bella don't fly so good with no wings. The building goes does down. She does too. 'n not inna fun way. The laser gun turret thing too.
And Bella falls into a handful of refugees surrounding the area of the fall. More targets? Maybe not as three globes of daylight go up to try to surround and trap the vampire.
The turret going down frees the south guard's big gun to go after the other mercs, bounding off very quickly. Will take a bit to get there though. Three mercs are at Pavel now, eager to relieve the man of his very expensive possessions.
Bartholemew darts for the nearest bit of cover that will conceal his whole body once over the wall, this is where he stops. As sneakily as possible, he peeks around the corner to take note of his closest targets and who has a line of fire on his position.
Pavel felt things poking around his body and hands. Nothing's going to come out of his belt unless they drag it from his dead body and take a blowtorch to it, though, and his grip is one of both self-preservation and anger. He swings the hammer as best he can toward one of his unseen enemies, willing to die fighting before yielding his treasure to evil.
Bella's just standin up. Maybe even gonna just walk 'way. Then it gets all damned bright. "What. The. Fack?!" She backs up a li'l. If she can. Also helps her move a li'l so she can grab fer the laser gun she was shootin up high. "Back the hell up!" She hisses at the ones comin up on her. Eyes glow. Fangs show. They started the damn fight. But she can finish it if she gotta.
The refugees falter and pause at Bella's threat, one backing up slightly in fear as she reaches for the gun. Nothing more dangerous than a cornered animal after all.
On the other side of the wall the south guard takes down another helpless merc as the mud monster uses its last sandstorm. Luckily only a handful remain. And three continue to try and knock Pavel's hammer from his grip. They better hurry though after that last hit..
Bartholemew takes his chance while the guards have their backs to him, their minds occupied by the mercs. He takes the time to line up a head shot on the rear most guard in the group from behind his position of cover.
Roaring a deep guttural tone and cursing out his attackers in Russian, Pavel fixes his stance and once more slams his hammer sideways with as much strength as he can possibly muster, as if trying to hammer out an entire sword in one stroke.
"Ain't so happy ta start shit now is ya?! Turn offa fackin lights!" Bella can maybe just fly out if she's gotta. But don't mean she's gonna let the humans boss 'er round. She waves the gun at 'em. Pushes the shooty button. Makes a real quiet li'l click. Ok. That ain't so impressive.
The momentary intimidation Bella presented passes quickly with the help of her empty weapon. The globes remain, and one refugee pulls out a bow to knock an arrow.
Outside the south guard remains oblivious to Bart's intent as the continue to take out the mercs to the north who are finally starting to regroup after the sandstorm. The three with Pavel keep up their efforts.
Bartholemew fires off his shot to take the helmet off his target. Nothing spectacular like his earlier attacks, just waiting until the perfect time to squeeze the trigger. Poor guy don't even know its comin. Is he lucky?
Someone is still close enough to contact his hammer, even if Pavel's stroke didn't find an appropriate mark as he'd intended, and that's a useful piece of information. His shoulders lift the head and haft, and the bludgeon swoops down in a vast, sliding arc from vertical to horizontal toward the best target he has - whatever parried his own weapon. He continues to call for help in multiple languages.
Like Bella needs more reason ta not be happy. "Fack. Fine!" She can't shoot the thing. But she can still throw it. Ain't that what they do in those old vids? She even aims at Robin Hood.
The one that was drawing an arrow has to recover from the heavy rifle thrown at him. But the other four refugees can still draw pistols to take down her armor first. And they do.
Outside the south guard is warned of being flanked by an arrant shot and turn to return fire on the meddler. North Pavel is still being engaged and couldn’t see help if it was present. The north turret gunner has finally returned to his senses to help him out. Bartholemew goes to aim again, but is forced to roll roll roll out of the way of a barrage of laser fire. But even the soldier's new found speed isn't enough as he rolls roll and rolls again, just not getting quite out of the way. The laser rips silently through his body, a clean hole causing the man to go limp and still.
The sounds of a mercenary being vaporized near him by a shot from out of the blue make Pavel smile, but only briefly. He continues to call for help and assistance - but injecting a 'thank you' here and there. Two left, if he weren't blind might actually have been a relatively easy fight. Alas, he is still blind, and likely will be for a while. Some anonymous bastard got some type of object close enough to tickle at disarming him though, and that's the target that he chooses for his next swing.
Bella looks round at alla magicy sunshine round her. Maybe thinks bout runnnin. "Fack it." She shrugs outta her coat. Balls it up a li'l. Chucks it up atta wall aimin to go over. Then she's eyein all the uppity people. "Ya wanna keep goin? Fine. Was gettin hungry anyways."
They do, though they hesitate again as their pistols are made useless. One takes up the bow and arrow from their dazed comrade.
Outside the south guard turns its attention north after finally ending the juicer threat, taking down another merc as they start to return fire. And north Pavel will feel very heavy footsteps approaching before a massive slam into the ground where a merc was. The turret is still helping too.
The slam startles Pavel, even a man used to the loud noise of a forge is going to jump at something like that. Yet it gives him a renewed sense of vigor to swing toward what is at his best count the last of his immediate attackers. "Pozhaluista, rukovdodsatvo moyei storyony," is muttered under his breath as his hammer strikes out.
With Bella trapped the four refugees around her hold position as one takes up the bow and arrow and draws an arrow back. Though a bit shaky with inexperience.
The last merc fighting Pavel must have magic feet as he skirts around a blow similar to the one that made juice of his friend. And avoids a turret shot. But he's to busy doing so to manage any sort of counter.
Whiffing a giant hammer around isn't terribly useful, but rather than using up the energy to stop his swing and restart the other direction, the still-blind Pavel simply continues through, the head and haft following through a complete circle.
Bella ain't gonna just stand there 'n play target dummy. Don't really wanna run 'way neither. So she grits her teeth. Glares atta people. 'N starts movin at 'em kind between alla light. She don't get real far though. Maybe a coupla steps. Guess her pissed offedness ain't strong enough. But it pisses her off more. Maybe she is gonna be standin there a li'l.
One shot came real close to the heart, beginner's luck. But the rate of the fellow firing and Bella is almost healed by the time the second misses..
Bella screams at that one. Sure. Don't kill her. Still hurts like fackin hell though. Shoots up her pissed off a bunch too. She yanks the thing out 'n glares at Mr. Billy Tell. Starts walkin at 'im too. Maybe just takes a li'l more pissed ta get out. "Can take that fackin bow 'n shove't up yer ass!"
Bella moving towards the man with the bow does nothing for anyone’s composure even though her suggestion is resisted. She is moving through the globe of daylight where they are thinnest to escape their hold and they try to compensate but will take a moment to get the lights in position. So for the moment one is just shining on Bella, compelling her to flee.
The smack against the mercenary was soft enough to let Pavel know that the man was quite completely dead, leaving the smith theoretically alone and out of imminent danger. Having no idea what the rest of the area looks like right now, Pavel can do nothing but crouch down right where he is, rest and try to make himself as small and easily overlooked target as possible until his sight returns. Doesn't even call out his suggestion or for help, fearful of giving away his position to any evil that might remain.
"Fack alla ya." Bella pushes out through the sorta but not so bright part. She wanna pick up her big laser gun again. Thinks real hard about maybe smackin somebody inna head with it again too. But she don't. She takes off instead. Take way too long ta beat 'em all into mush. She'd probably get bored first. Maybe.
