Apr 22 22:00:00 108 PA - Fire in the Dregs

From Chronicles

From the south the fire burns brightly in the night. The first blazing building looks about the size of a home though its state of disrepair makes it hard to tell if anyone resided there. The heat can clearly be felt from up to 200 feet away and clearly the fire is quite intense for its size. Continuing onward another building of the same size is seen ablaze, this one nearly completely consumed by the flames already. Oddly no one seems to be about, not visibly anyway..

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a house fire or perhaps two is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 9 miles an hour to the north west.*

If there's smoke there's probably fire. But can never be sure. Bella comes up from the south. Places't some people'd rather see burned up. Yep. Looks like there's fire. Feels like it too. She ain' all surprised that not lotsa people're 'round. 'Less it's their place and they got big buckets Bella bets they ran the other way.

Gabriel comes chugging in from the direction of Steel Street, clad in armor and with a few bits of weaponry on his body. His attention was also likely gathered by the glow of intense flames.

The flames continue to burn, no effort yet taken to hinder them. The wind seems to be pushing them slowly back to their origin though, stopping the advance south east and slowing it in other directions.

Bella ain't runnin. Or rushin. Or helpin'. Just watchin. With no fancy recording things neither. She steps up pretty close for a good watching spot too. Maybe somebody'll jump out all on fire. Or maybe jump in, get all on fire, then jump out. There's always something exciting in the Dregs somewhere.

Gabriel may not be so bright, as he seems to be trying out one of the features of his EBA that has yet to come up in action. After looking around for a few seconds, he sprints ahead and into the more intact building to look for survivors or anyone else who may be trapped, while doing his best to avoid having beams falling on himself. "Hello? HELLO? Call out!" Instructions, in case such a thing weren't obvious.

Lens whirring as it rotates, Stasi zooms the camera in on Gabriel and tracks him as he dashes into the burning building. She keeps to the alleyway opening, keeps just filming.

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a housefire or perhaps two is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 2 miles an hour to the north.*

The two buildings continue to burn, the north one completely devasted with the south companion quickly trying to catch up. The wind has died down of late, so the fires dont seem too likely to spread further.

Seeing the smoke from off in the distance apparently has drawn the attention of the giant sized Taz. He doesn't have to many issues making his way because really, who wants to get in his way. "Awww man... I just painted this armor..." He rumbles to himself before he slips his helmet on and makes sure the seals are in place. He flicks the optics in his helmet to check and see the temperatures of the blazes before he makes up his mind, looking to see which way the smoke is blowing and looking to see if there is any obvious directions the fire is going to spread next. "We should knock down the surrounding buildings, let it burn out." He rumbles to himself, "Keep the Dregs safe just in case the wind picks up."

"There's one." See? Bella figgered somebody might show up 'n wanna jump in. Just figgered it'd be a li'l longer wait. "Hi!" That's louder. Called out. Since sombody's givin orders. Course she ain' in the building. Just close to it. Easier to watch everything that way. Hey, maybe there's more 'n one. She looks over at mister mountain man. "Don'tcha let 'em start burnin 'fore ya knock 'em down?"

It's a tough call, now that Taz appears to be heading toward the fire, or at least in Gabriel's eyes. Or visor, currently. Assumptions are always poor, but as his optics seem to be failing, he stops at an open doorway to glance upward to attempt to ensure that nothing will fall on him... before attempting to cross the few feet to get into the rubble.

"Nah, then yah get sparks flyin' everywhere... an' if ya wait, don't build a fire break, then if the wind shifts it can get all sortsa outta hand." Taz rumbles to Bella with a grin then reaches to take the sword off his back that is bigger than Bella is, "Here, hold onta this will ya?" He rumbles to her and offers her the giant sized chainsword, waiting for her to take or not. If she doesn't he'll just slip it onto his back again before heading towards the fires indeed, hopefully though she'll take the weapon or at least hold it up so that he doesn't have to worry about it when heading towards the pair of buildings. "Funny thing... where the hell is everyone?" He rumbles, "Fire should draw lotta gawkers... but this... nobody's here."

Bella let's the big guy keep his big sword. It's bigger'n she is. 'N she ain' his pack mule. "Dunno. Maybe they're slow gettin 'ere? Least there's dumb people ta run in there. More ta be gawkin' at." She grins at him. Since he's headin' thattaways. Not too many dumb nice guys around here to be all hero-iffic. Course, she knows one. And the giving orders before did sound kinda familiar. Bella looks back into the flames.

Gabriel spends a bit of time poking around, but decides that whatever kind of building it used to be, the rubble is now that - just a pile of rubble. He turns and heads back into the still burning building, attempting to use anything in the way of optics that he has to find anyone alive - or dead, because that counts too. Unfortunately, it may be true that thermal is wiped out in a blazing fire when it comes to usefulness.

Taz looks at the still burning building but doesn't make any move to enter, his armors self regulating temperature control kicking in to keep him comfortable even close to the blaze, "Shoulda brought some marshmallows." He rumbles to himself, "Whatever the hell those are made of." He checks the neighboring buildings again, then looks back to the one on fire. Gabriel is noted, briefly, "Gonna help me yank this thing down? Don't think I wanna see the whole Dregs burn, least not the Ivory Lady." He rumbles to the other man before he heads over towards what might be the strongest corner of the building, sizing it up as best he can as if in preparation to tear it down with his bare hands.

The lull in the wind was shortly lived. Its picking up again with decent momentum towards the south east now. With it the flames lean strongly in that direction and its not long until they are overtaking another house. This one appraently occupied as screams accompany the nine assorted people fleeing the structure for a safer abode. A hand full linger to watch the burn outside.

Bella's hair ruffles. The wind's back and now the other way. She watches another one start to go up. Quick. Real quick. "Huh. That was really quick." That one ain't empty so there's more runnin' people ta watch. And ta run out 'n stop 'n watch. Bella's still looking. Just now she's looking around at things. At people looking at the burning stuff'n not the burning stuff.

Triage is a bitch, and Gabriel makes it clear as he hurries over the newly ignited structure, abandoning this one. "Taz, this one's gone, and the one on the other side is done. Maybe skip the next building and tear down the one next to that. Take out some immediate contact, hope that the embers don't spread." Yes, he can speak on the move to look for life in this third structure before it's torched.

"Awww man. I told you." Taz rumbles out to Bella as the flames jump to a new house. "No time now." He heads over towards the new house that's just started burning, "Everyone OUT!" He roars before he pulls that sword off his back, good thing Bella didn't take it after all apparently as he flicks the electric motor on with a thumb press and then with a shrug moves -away- from the door people had left from just in case someone is still coming out and he swings his chainsword to try and start cutting through walls and support beams. "This one's fresh Gabe, clear the ones next and I'll get them too just to be safe!" He yells out over the sound of his chainsword as he makes his way towards a corner. More than likely the chainsword is cutting through the building like butter, unless it's one of the few buildings in the dread made of modern or magically reinforced materials...

The shifting wind picks up the tails of Anastasi's coat. The flutter like wings then curl up around her. The tips flap restlessly. She continues filming the scene, trailing the flames as the leap from the one building to the next adjacent. She pans down, capturing the beings fleeing out through the door.

"Don' drop't on yer head. 'R his." Bella sees Taz starting to chop things up but don't really watch. She's mostly looking around at other things around them. Ain' nothin much ta see so she goes back to watching the breaking stuff. "Don' drop't on me neither!" Bella's pretty close. She'd be pretty pissed if the big guy dumped a building on her.

His arms pumping at a spring, Gabriel makes his way out of the falling building, then turns toward number four, bypassing the collapsed pile of a firebreak. At least, firebreak in intent. There isn't much to do but hurry people outside and away from the flames. Any interest in why or what happened to start the fire can only wait for later. This isn't the time to play Sherlock Holmes. Once inside this new building, his first order of business is simply to round up the obvious people and kick them outside. "Bella, look for something strange!" is shouted at maximum volume over his external speakers.

Taz is pretty careful really, chop chop, push, to make the building collapse inwards if at all possible, the idea is to build a fire break after all. It doesn't take to long for Taz to cut down the building, he is seemingly a one man demolition crew! Of course if Gabriel is still in the building, hopefully he heard Taz roar for everyone to get out. If not... well he's in armor, he can be dug out afterwards. Taz looks at the smoldering remains briefly before he moves to the next building around the burning ones, one heavy fist hammers on a wall, "Out! Fire! Get out!" He bellows since the people in their homes don't seem to have a clue of what's going on. But hopefully with Gabe helping to get people out the building will be empty as Taz goes about starting up his sword again and beginning to get to work! Even though this building isn't even on fire, yet, it's gotta come down if the wind shifts again it could catch and allow the fire to spread!

Bella tries not to smirk at the running Gabe. She ain't even close. "Like what? Flyin purple horsies? Somethin's up. Jus' dunno what. Sides shit burnin' down." And she was already looking. Now she's looking more. She even walks some, back the way the fire ain't going. If somebody's makin' 't burn they maybe ain' gonna have it going at 'em but the other way.

In the house further southeast more people are found, apparently watching the blaze from windows. They seem rather off put on strangers just walking in, hands go to small weapons in precaution but none are drawn. They don't look agreeable to the notion of leaving so the place can be demo'd

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a few houses burning is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 14 miles and hour to the south east.*

And the house Taz just leveled, still burns. That is odd. its like is was dowsed in kerosene. But it clearly was not. though its reduced state does keep the flames much lower.

"Please, you need to get out," Gabriel says over his speakers - with urgency in his tone. "Fire, I don't know why, but it's coming this direction. Get out!" No reason to state that there's a very large man with a chainsaw who's going to demo their structures with or without their assistance. It's hard to tell which way the winds blow, or their strength, when you're indoors. He moves quickly out, back toward Taz for some fire-dousing strategy.

Bella stops by the southwest side of the first place that was burning. She's still looking around but her head's tipped. Like she's listenin too. Nothin more gets talked about so maybe she's really hearing something. Bella's peering's lots slower now.

The residents make no move to comply with Gabriel, in fact several firmly shake thier heads and another pulls out a radio to make a call.

Well if they won't get out... they'll soon have a reason to. Taz gives a reasonable amount of time for people to start streaming out after beating on the wall. Ten seconds is enough for people to start getting out and then that chainsword comes into play once more, along with his prodigious strength. Taz might even be heard to be whistling as he works, starting on the south eastern most building in the path of the wind, "Everyone OUT!" He roars just before his chainsword starts going to work!

Demolishing a house with people inside is not a great way to save lives.. All in side quickly perish, the chainsword going through the residents as easily as it does the walls. Even Gabriel is unfortunate in this, making his exit in the wrong direction and catching a direct blow from the deadly blade.

"You idiot!" Gabriel shouts. "It's not burning *that* quickly, give everyone time to get the fuck out!" He drags himself to his feet and hurries away from the demolition machine, and also keeping his distance from the oddly burning pile of rubble. The massive gash that runs from his left shoulder at do his right hip doesn't make him smile. Judging by his body motion, he may be considering abandoning the 'Dregs to Taz's own careful ministrations.

Sure, those people might die, but he's saving -more- lives by stopping the fire! That's Taz's story and he's sticking to it, well he will if anyone ever asks him about it. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Or something. With the building coming down Taz shifts to the next one, frowning at the detritus of lives lost, "Idiots." He rumbles to himself, going to the next building he shouts, "Get the fuck out or you're all dead!" As he hammers a hand on the wall, lightly as he can which still probably causes the equivalent to an earthquake on a dregs capable House. If Taz hear's Gabe he flat out ignores him, "You got twenty seconds until this building is coming -down-!" He roars to whatever occupants might be inside the building. They do have twenty seconds. He'll give them that, unless someone slows him down somehow.

Anastasi continues to film the entire scene. Her expression is grim, her brow furrowed. She glides away from the alley, moves herself to a better position as the action goes from building to building.

More sawing noises. Just a little more gooshy this time? That gets Bella to look over. She was turning and walking back that way anyways. "Guess they shoulda got out." Looks like that means Gabe too. "Hey! We gotta loony dipshit 'ere!" Bella yells that out. "'N I ain' talkin' bout the big guy." Bella looks around at people watchin' and places where maybe people're watchin. "Hey! Loony dipshit! Don'tcha want everybody ta see who's the big bad burnin' one?!" She don't know where the crazy one is but maybe the crazy one'll be crazy enough to help her find out.

Still feeling the impact of the chainsaw on his chest, Gabriel marches himself toward Bella. Likely his mind whirring on options, with his visor keeping a good eye on that pile of rubble that continues to burn when it really shouldn't. As he makes his way, he'll flip on his suit's radio and make an official call for the Kingsdale Fire Department. They probably don't operate in the 'Dregs, but it can't hurt. Then speaking to Bella, he yanks a thumb at Taz. "He's crazy."

The residents of the next house Saw what Taz did. When he turns on them they have a bold responce to his demands as sever greandes are thrown at him from the house. Meanwhile the wind turns right around again. Blowing North west now.

Erica walks in from the west to investigate what is going on with all the smoke. She is wearing her Triax armor and she moves quickly at a run. She arrives and looks around to survey what is going on. The sounds of the explosions make her a little cautious.

Grenades. Taz spots them almost in slow motion and he takes a few steps and then leaps away from the ensuing explosion with remarkable speed and agility for a man his size, which likely had the desired effect on the building anyways if they had any punch to them. "Idiots." Taz rumbles. With the shift to the wind he rests his chainsword on his shoulder, carefully not triggering it of course. He makes his way further around, whistling to himself as he heads towards the northwest to see if any new buildings are being threatened by the fire. "Anyone check see iff'n there's a burster buried in there causin' this mess?" He rumbles, jerking his free thumb over to the still burning, which shouldn't be burning, rubbled building.

"Yeah. Ain' only one't's fackin nuts though." Bella shrugs. Maybe the loopy one she's looking for ain't gonna be so nice 'n say Hi. So she yells over at the big guy. Who's gettin exploding crap thrown at 'im. "Ya can knock off the knockin' down. Don' think it's gonna stop any burnin. Somebody's pissed off 'n havin lotsa fun. Think they's makin' it burn." Just in case it'll help, she looks around again. At anybody or nobody. "Ain' that right?!" Maybe the one's crazy enough ta be in one of the burning piles of stuff.

"Fuck that. Moron." Two separate phrases come out of Gabriel's mouth and out his speakers. "Pisses 'em enough that they start chucking grenades. I can't take that." He walk - no, hurries - past Bella. "It's only going to get worse if he keeps it up. I'll see you around, Bella. I stay by to help people, but not the ones trying to kill me. Idiot." As he finally passes to move back into Kingsdale city proper, he finally adds, "Keep an eye on that pile of sticks. It's not burning right." Whether he passes by Erica is a random guess. If he does, a greeting. If he doesn't, just into the city and out of trouble.

From the south the fire burns brightly in the night. The first blazing building looks about the size of a home though its state of disrepair makes it hard to tell if anyone resided there. It is mostly burned down now and is not threatining to spread. The heat can clearly be felt from up to 200 feet away from the other burning homes and clearly the fire is quite intense for its size. Continuing onward another building of the same size is seen ablaze, this one completely consumed by the flames already. It is directly south of the first building. To the east another pile of rubble burns down and southeast from that lies an unburned pile of rubble. North of that is Taz, shouting for residents to abandon thier home before he knocks it down. His demands have been answered with grenades so far. A handful of people are watching all this unfold on the south side. Bella among them. The wind is now head north west at 13 miles an hour where new houses await.

Erica uses her radio to call up Gabriel as she sees him rushing away from the Juicer knocking down buildings for some reason. "What the hell is going on?" She asks Gabriel over the radio. She activates her jetpack and goes up about a hundred feet to get a look around the Dregs and see what is happening. "What is the crazy juicer doing?"

Taz is at the moment, heading for the burning building in the northwest, to chop it down before it causes more spread. Since people decided to throw grenades, which is just amusing in and of itself, he'll just work on knocking down ones that catch to hopefully stop further spread.

Gabriel eventually settles outside the immediate area of both natural and artificial destruction. Over an open radio channel, "Taz's making a firebreak. It's a good idea, really. Execution needs work. But it saves lives." The critique sandwich. "Check out that buidlding in the center, Erica. He took it down, and it should be going out. But it isn't."

Bella don't got much to say to Gabe. Just "Guess y'ain' dyin." She bets he'd be way more pissed if that big saw mark was deeper. She did have stuff for Taz. She said it too. He's just ignoring her or something. That ain' good. Bella tromps past the burning stuff and at him. "Hey! Jus' told ya ain' gonna make no dif'rence ya big dipshit!"

North west of the building Tax is wrecking another goes up quickly. Not looking good for the dregs at this rate..

"Huh that is odd. Maybe there is a crazy burster about or something." Erica responds over the radio. "Well guess there is nothing to do but watch the Juicer knock stuff down, as exciting as that is. Super power time." She turns her helmet to look at something heading into a building. "Looks like there is some guy on fire running into a building to the north west of the one the crazy is taking down. Maybe that is the burster." She says over the radio as she moves over to the building she was talking about using her jet pack.

It's amazing that Taz can see anything after he finishes demolishing the building that was ablaze, but still he manages to spot someone, or something, on fire, and moving! "Knew it." He rumbles, then over open radio frequency, "Got a Burster I think, on fire, on the run, from building to building. Two choices, kill it, or talk it calm. I'm only good fer one o' those." And he heads over towards the next burning building cuz even if the burster isn't there, it doesn't stop the threat of fire spreading just from the wind! If a burster is indeed what it is.

"Burster still need a heavy hand cannon?" Gabriel asks important question over the radio, and keeps it brief. "Or is my handgun enough?" He honestly doesn't know. This is a new one to him.

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a handful of houses burning is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 13 miles and hour to the north west.*

"S'what I's tryin ta tell ya. Somebody's doin' somethin." Course Bella's caught up in yellin at Taz so she doesn't see the somebody. "Better to mash up the one't's doin shit 'steada run 'round tryin' ta fack with the mess right?" Now she's close to Taz she stops. "Wait. What? Where?" Bella just caught that the big guy saw something.

"Beats me all I know is they do crazy fire stuff. Try out your handgun it might work." Erica responds to Gabriel over the radio as she lands in front of the building the guy on fire went into and she hurries in herself to look around.

Taz points, "Over there." Towards the new building that is starting to catch. He has finished his work so sword gets placed on his shoulder once more as he turns to head that way, "Burster's nasty Coat. Might wanna stay back else he lightcha on fire." He rumbles as he starts to make his way towards the building Erica just went into, but, he doesn't seem inclined to start cutting or chopping just yet. Instead he points, "We need people to watch the exits, stop 'im iff'n he runs!" He bellows out orders, snap to soldier! Or not.

Anastasi continues after the activity, leaving behind the fallen buildings and moving closer to those still ablaze. She lifts her camera up and records a few seconds' worth of footage of Erica streaking by overhead, arcing down until she loses her again behind the next roof.

Gabriel considers. "I think I'll keep my battered self out of it until and unless circumstances seriously change. Don't want to draw attention to the slash on my chest unless it absolutely needs to be done." He continues to watch the area from a discrete distance. The northeast ex filtration route is already observed, as he's standing there.

Bella never would've figured out the guy on fire and making everything burn had something to do with fire. "Yeah. Sure. Ok." She prolly weren't planning on just running in the building anyways. Bella moves on up to the new building. And around it. Taz can run in the front door all he wants to. She's looking to find and hang at the back one. If it's got one.

Erica looks around and doesn't see the person she chased into the building. Hearing screams she quickly goes to help those in need. She uses the speed of her exo-skeleton to rush to where people are screaming and she starts getting anyone that needs help out of the building as quickly as she can.

Taz is amazingly, not cutting the building down, not yet, nor is he rushing inside at all. Instead he is moving as quick as he can around the building, switching to thermal. The building hasn't fully caught yet, he -might- be able to spot the individual on fire causing all this mess still!

The building is going up quickly, too quickly. Though luckily Erica is also quick in her finding of the 6 people huddled inside and getting them out. A simple punch through and exterior wall does the trick.

Gabriel grumbles over the radio again. But this time, it's bashing himself for running from a place that needed help. He draws his NTI in one hand, the Desert Eagle in the other. Never hurts to carry two, even if that's all you can do. "I'm heading to your location," is broadcast over the radio, and he does just that. Everything is loose and ready to be used.

Taz rumbles, "Alright, so we wait till this thing burns down." He folds his arms across his chest, looking to see where the individual might be as he continues to stalk on the northwest side so he can watch the street to the north and west of the now burning building. "Someone get the people out of the buildin' ta the south an' make sure 'e don' run that way when this thing burns down. We'll get 'im."

Bella ain't callin anybody out this time. She's just waiting. Maybe even lurking since she looks for a little spot to hide in. Bella ain't real big and she's pretty good't getting ignored when she wants to. Even if the flamey guy's all flamey he ain't gonna just sit in the place when it's burnt down. Oughtta come out sometime. Maybe even use the door or side she's watching by.

Erica hurries the 6 people out of the building as quickly as she can, ferrying them through the hole in the wall. Once she is sure of their safety she goes around to continue her search for the burning man she saw rush into the building. She uses her jetpack to make circles around the building and see if she can spot him or anyone else that might need help.

As everyone surround the building several jets of plasma are shot from it. One for everyone and a extra one north east, where the wind is turning. Most everyone manages to evade to Erica is not so fortunate. The spray burns her armor, and keeps burning..

The building to the north east goes up in flames from the shot made at it. Not as fast as the last one though.

As plasma comes shooting out Taz is reacting even before he thinks about it, jumping to the side and rolling to come back up on his feet, "Alright. So now we know it ain't some new Burster jus' scared. Let's kill 'im." And he stalks towards the building the plasma shot out of, readying his sword. "Time ta play." He rumbles with a grin in his voice, even if it can't be seen behind his helmet. "Made me scuff m'armor's paint..." He rumbles annoyedly after a glance over himself to make sure he's not burning and did manage to avoid it all. With the building on fire, so much for Thermal. Taz switches back to normal optics, "Everyone ready to snag him when he runs out?!" He calls as he hefts his sword again, preparing to dismantle said burning house, not the new one to the north east. He'll either be flushed out, or he'll be buried where they can get him at their leisure. Kill this guy, the fires stop, hopefully. Or can -be- stopped.

"Fack this!" That's a pissed off sound. Probably got something to do with flamey shit spewing out at Bella. Or part of sort of her turf gettin' burned up. She ain't waiting to get more burning stuff all over her new clothes. Her coat gets shrugged out of. Dropped. Maybe that won't get fried. Bella must be ready cause she goes on in. Guess she didn' wanna wait for him to maybe run out neither.

Hanging in the rear, still shooting the scene, Anastasia's framing is disrupted when she's forced to dive and roll to avoid getting blasted by the jet of plasma. She decides to stay on the ground, laying on her belly, camera rolling as the others get ready to storm the house.

Erica works to brush off the fire as best she can so it doesn't continue to damage her armor. She looks at the new building that is catching on fire, and tries to see if people need help in there as well. She has a rifle out in case the person that threw fire at her becomes visible. staff the one pc is encouraging the others

With energy bursting his direction, Gabriel dives backwards to take cover around the corner of the southerly building. "I'll get him if he comes this direction. South is good. Just let me know if he runs, so I can stick my head around the corner better than I'm doing now." The Desert Eagle is placed back in its holster Nothing ever seems to die because of normal ammunition these days. Besides, it would be a waste of a silver bullet.

Ok so Bella is going -into- the building, that changes Taz's plan, and so he too is going in, he won't knock a building down with Bella in it apparently... So in he goes, walking through fire and protected by his armor, which is apparently enough to him. Yay for EBA now. Sword at the ready, he looks for Mr. Flamer.

Outside the burning building nothing changes, the other building picks up momentum in its burning and the current buidling burns still. Inside all one can see are flames and smoke. Finding a person also on fire in here will be most challenging.

"Sonofa!" OK. Seemed like a good idea before. Now Bella's in there and can't really see squat. She tries to look 'round anyways. Course maybe the not seeing nothing works all ways. Could be kinda handy. Maybe. If things get real bad.

Of course the building is to small for Taz to fit comfortably, "Coat!" He shouts, "Get out of here before it comes down!" Even as he has to trash part of a wall just to get into the fiery burning place. And of course the roof is to short, "Just go!" And then he is reaching up with one hand to start tearing the roof down enough so he can see onto the second floor... and stand up straight. Fire bad and all. For the moment he's just doing his best to get Bella out, with words since he can't see her, and starting to try to give the flaming individual less places to hide from him!

But for all Taz can see he might be right in front of him. From some direction another blast of plasma is shot at Taz. Its stream longer, more like a burst and apposed to the short spurt shot last time.

Bella thinks she's gonna go with Taz on this one. "Sure! Bring't all down!" Burnin' place was bad enough. She ain' gonna wait 'n see if he brings it down on top of her. Bella backs out how she came in. Or pretty close. She thinks.

Nu uh, once you step in on this party you cant just walk out unscathed. Or so the host thinks as he shoots a burst at the withdrawing Bella.

FWOOSH! A stream of plasma comes out of the flames and strikes Taz, the fire and smoke making even his reflexes unusable and he gets lit on fire like no tomorrow. At least it means the guy is on the first floor, and with Bella saying she's getting out. Taz reacts in his usual extreme fashion. With a snarl he takes a couple steps for the start of a run with his chainsword leading the way. No he can't see, but he's damned sure he can handle a building falling on him better than the burster or whatever it is can. He hews through walls, burning or not. Hopefully, Bella can get out before he brings the place down on his head... which should smother the flames too hopefully and his armor's independent oxygen supply will keep him going long enough for him to dig himself out... that's his hope.

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a handful of houses burning is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 19 miles and hour to the north east.*

Gabriel continues to look around the building, being fairly able to keep an eye on both the south and west exits, though doing it from the best place that he can find to conceal himself around his own structure and whatever 'Dregs crap that may be laying around. Sitting quietly like a panther waiting to pounce. Or maybe more apt, a meerkat standing and waiting for trouble before diving for safety... "Still outside," is all that he says as a reminder that they're not alone. Or at least Taz knows, because Bella doesn't have a radio. Large noises going on can't be helped.

Erica is helping the people in the other on fire building to get out. She uses her jetpack to help rescue those people on higher floors. When not helping people evacuate she does her best to put the fires out.

She ain't scathed but she's smokin a li'l. Clothes 'n fire don' mix too good. Bella pats at herself when she's back out. Guy's still gotta come out sometime. She can see 'im then too.

The flames covering Taz are not so eastily smothered, especially not by a collapsing burning building. Its clear it will take a few moments of concentrated effort to smother those hot burning flames but not so clear if he will get that. They seem to be burning more intensely than before now, like ten times more intensely.

That'll have to wait. Taz needs to bring this building down, hopefully his armor will be able to handle the increased flames until he succeeds and can try to put the fire out... tho putting a fire out that a burster is fueling well... there's the rub. So, it's bring the building down on them all! Cept Bella, hopefully, since she got out.

Two homes are ablaze, one now rubble, but still burning brightly. Another just starting to really burn. Four others lie in ruin, three of which show evidense of burning past. The heat can be easily felt from 200 feet away and is intense up close. The wind is blowing 9 miles and hour to the north west now.

Bella grabs her coat. Since the building's coming down. She backs up from the falling down a little too. "Wonder if he's gonna come outta that." Course there's two hes in there. Her coat goes back on and she looks 'round to see what else's on fire.

Taz will succeed in smothering the enhanced flames. Unfortunately not before they add to the already considerable damage done. Make that a lesson for you kids. Do not play in fire.

From the rubble emerges Taz in a cascade of flaming timber and the like, similar to a mole burrowing up out of the ground. With his armor on fire, quite brilliantly as a matter of fact, Taz jumps away from the building rubble and belly flops, trying to smother the flames and he succeeds, but unfortunately when he stands up he's practically nude! Well almost. His armor comes peeling off as it is ashed by the flames before he can get them out and he's standing there in his comfortable 'small' clothes, which could practically be a tent for anyone else. "Hell..." He rumbles, "Just -bought- this..." And he looks back towards the rubble, sword grabbed up and he is stalking, looking for the burster to pop up. He looks, quite understandable, pissed. And yes, Taz is very built, yay for sci-fi hormones.

With nothing more to do, Gabriel just keeps an eye on the pile. "I assume it's not good that you aren't cheering over a death and neither do I see a body?"

The smoke and collapsing buildings have apparently drawn Celaeno to the goings on. Approaching from the west, she'll frown at the rubble and now billowing smoke, one hand moving to rest on a sword at her hip. Well, this looks like it's going to be a hell of a show - though maybe one she should have brought an independent air supply to.

Erica continues trying to get people out of the area as she uses her jetpack to fly to the next building to get the people out of it before it also catches on fire. She uses her armour's loudspeaker to help get people out and organized before this building becomes the next to burn.

People are still reluctant to evacuate homes that are not actually burning. Despite the clear pattern. Some sense is starting to get through though as they do at least make preparations. From the south a rumbling of approaching vehicles can be heard. And back at the burning rubble, the culprit does indeed recognize the limited lifespan of his current residence. So aflame he burst out to run to the one still intact though ablaze. This will take him past Gabriel.

"There's the dipshit!" Just in case nobody saw, Bella points at the guy running. On fire. She thinks about running after 'im. But figures he's gonna get to the burning building first. No followin inside this time. Bella just walks sort of fast that way.

It's probably not the brightest idea but Taz has been waiting for that guy to pop up, and so he takes a few short steps and launches himself into the air, flying over burning rubble to land behind the guy on flames... not exactly where he had meant to land. "Damnit." He rumbles and then since the only thing he has on hand is his sword, he starts to give chase. "Fuckin' cops not lettin' me bring Bertha in..." He curses more and mutters more invectives about how the cops are worthless in this town.

Something instinctual makes Gabriel dive so that he's hopefully out of the way of the oncoming whatever-type-of-man it is, mumbling the merits of shooting an unknown entity in the face. In fact, he'll probably use Taz as a kind of human shield. He also does one more very important thing. That is to flip one of his Blinders toward the giant with the quick instruction, "Hit the fucker with this when he's past us by 30 feet."

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a handful of houses burning is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 9 miles and hour to the north west.*

Celaeno is slightly amused by the situation, though as an eyebrow twitches as the man-on-fire goes running through, and the Giant Taz goes bounding through. She looks at the smoke and the flames, and then takes a deep breath - an odd choice given the surroundings, and heads northwards toward one of the gathering crowds at a medium jog.

Erica seeing the man that seems to be causing all the fires she raises her rifle up to her shoulder and fires off a burst of photons to hopefully take him out. Her breathing slows down as she concentrates on taking her shot.

Lept at, ran from, shot at, The flaming fire bug persists, pausing to turn back at his would be pursuers and shoot another bit of plasma at Gabriel and Taz. Burster with a modern flame thrower, wonderful thinking.

Bella mutters something. Speeds up some too since Taz missed the guy. "Quit yer bitchin'. Don' gotta be big 'r need all kinds big guns ta do somethin." Maybe the big guy used up alla 'is breakin stuff fer today. It's too late to catch up with the burning guy now but least she's tryin. Bella figgered she weren't going back in a burning place. Maybe she's gonna have to anyways. Or maybe he's gonna stop 'n spew more flamey shit. Maybe she can get him before he gets in there now. Bella runs at him. With all 90-some pounds. That oughtta be enough to do something. Bounce off? Make him stand there and laugh? Something.

Anastasi picks herself up and pursues. Still she lingers at a moderate distance; too far to be useful, too close to be safe. Her camera rolls.

It's good and bad that Taz can't feel pain, it's also good and bad that he's not wearing armor, he's cheaper to repair than his armor will be to recover. Like, free. Assuming he lives. He knows enough from last time to not let the fire just stick, but in the amount of time it'd take to smother the flames... well he'd likely be bar-b-que anyway. Since Bella's still coming in, Taz doesn't see her yet and thus, acts! The blinder that he'd caught is dropped, since well, no thirty foot range and he needs both hands for when he closes those last few feet to get him in range of his sword, even while bringing that thing around in vicious swings, or that's the intention anyways. Kill the burster before the burster can kill him. Yes, the smell of burning human flesh is nasty. Very nasty. Hair too. Eww. But Taz is more resilient than a normal juicer and he's got one chance to live through this at this point.

The flames fall away from the blow, like it was a flame shield now broken. Revealing someone in slightly beat Gladiator armor.

Now it truly is time to run, even if it is just someone in a suit of Gladiator armor. Gabriel's on fire, that style armor can take some hits, and who knows what its wearer can do. "No weapons," the older fellow observes at only a quick glance. Gabriel holsters his weapon and takes off in whichever direction is most immediately open from the burning thing and provides the most distance to escape at the same time, all the while slapping at his chest in an attempt to put out. Over an open radio frequency comes, "Erica, I could use a cab right about now. Or a bucket of water. Just stay away from my flames." He'll just keep going, more distance, more batting at flames, more hoping for someone to swoop down and get him the hell out, as now is clearly not longer a time for valor.

Celaeno stops at the broken water main, turning to the assembled onlookers, "Those of you who're watching your houses burn down, shit, grab something and fill it with water. Take that water, throw it on the fires! You want to watch your neighborhood burn, fine, I don't live here. Don't bother with the big fires, pick something small and get a bucket chain going. And for the love of god, stay away from that goddamn pyro." She looks around for parts to begin building something.

Erica breathes a sigh as the fire is put out around the man. She takes aim and fires off two quick bursts of photons from her rifle. "Gabriel I need to take this guy out before he ignites more of these buildings. Just put yourself out and get away as fast as you can." She calls out over her radio while firing.

The fire starter isn't looking so confident now. One blow took away his fire shield. Another will surely finish his armor. What choice does he have but to do what he does, and burn his adversary. So he does, and the flames burning Taz increase. The smell of burned hormone enriched meat is inescapable.

Maybe it's time to NOT run. Bella stops hers. Short of trying to tackle the flaming guy but still close. Coulda been the big hunka hunka burnin' Taz't slowed her down too. New plan. She talks. "So. Ya burned up most the block 'n cooked a big ass ham." Bella points to the cooked ass with her thumb. "Awful lot ta do all at once. Wears ya down don't it? Big fire gun looks heavy too. Gotta be makin' yer arm tired. Makin' everythin tired. Don't look like ya got lots ta keep going on." Pretty yellows of all the flames are shining back in her eyes. Maybe flaming boy's favorite color?

"Fuck that, I'm not even warmed up yet." The burster says, shaking off the attempt.

As the flaming aura flickers out of existence Taz grins, and it's a big grin, all those bright white teeth, the man does take care of himself, even as he burns, quite literally. He smirks at the armor, knowing for a fact that won't stop him for long and he steps closer in again, looming large as he brings that sword around to ready it for another brutal swing. Unfortunately, the enemy knows it too, and the flames burst into brighter focus, growing larger and in an instant there's... nothing but a shadow of the giant within all the flames, then the shadow is shrinking, the huge chainsword falls to the ground with a clatter of metal on the ground, it's engine dying until all that's left is the twisted remains of the titan juicers harness. What's left of it anyways... totally unusable of course. At least with flames that hot the smell isn't going to linger long, and the man had no fat on his body either so no grease slick left behind.

Despite the happenings involving the death of a heroic fellow, Gabriel is left in the dark. His back is turned, there was no shout or other sensory input to grab his senses. Not even anything over the radio. He simply acknowledges Erica's reply and continues to put distance between himself and the burster, still batting at the flames. Life and death comes and goes, and sometimes, it isn't noticed, at least for a while due to other diverging circumstances.

Celaeno eyes the contraption that she's assembled, frowning as it's not quite in working shape yet. "Let's see if we can't reassemble the nozzle assembly," she mutters, detaching a few things in an attempt to get it working properly.

Erica swears under her breath as she watches Taz go up in flames. She fires at the pyromaniac with two more bursts of high energy photons from her rifle hoping to take him down before anyone else gets killed. "Bella get out of there." She calls out using her loudspeaker to be heard. "Gabriel Taz is down." She says over the radio so Gabriel knows what is happening.

Anastasi's eyes widen while she watches - and films - the titan juicer consumed in the flames. She sets the camera down, draws her pistol and lines up a careful shot on the out of control burster. "Enough," she states in a quiet growl. The trigger clicks. A spear of red light leaps out.

His armor is almost faling off him, people are shooting at him. The fire will save him. There is not much left of the burning building but he leaps into it anyway to avoid the shots being taken at him. The flames consume and conceal him.

"Shit." Bella was trying to get him all distracted. Get him shot at. Just weren't enough. "Now what're we gonna do?" She still ain't big on runnin' in after 'im. Sombody oughtta. Don't mean it's gotta be her. Course she dunno if there's even lotsa others still around.

Erica's radio call makes Gabriel turn and look - and find no towering man, just a bunch of piles of burning debris. His own radio call goes out. "I'd like to help, but I still have a burning problem of my own." Indeed, he does, and he continues to bat at the flames on his chest.

Celaeno sighs as the adjustments have no effect. "Fine," she mutters, moving to a down the piping. It would probably be easier if she spent more time working on things like this. Or even had some regular materials on hand. But that's okay, it will work eventually. Ish.

Erica notices Cel's efforts to the west of her an makes herself airborne, looking for a big ass bucket.

• In the north east dregs a plume of smoke big enough to be a housefire is visible. Clear skies make it visible across the city. The wind is blowing at 13 miles an hour to the south west.*

Snatching up her camera, Stasi moves back away from the fire and the dangerous being hiding within. Gliding on light steps, long coat billowing, she slips around the corner of another building, out of sight of the danger. Leaning back against the wall she breathes, slowly, carefully; focus. Not just for the camera.

Things are improving for the moment. The firebug seems to be tacking stock of his predicament and how to get out of it. The winds grow favorable. Celaeno has managed to craft a weapon to fight the fire. And the rumbbling from the south turns out to be a beat up water tanker. Is it finally at an end? The burster certainly isn't giving up as the house east of his is shot with plasma.

Bella backs off from the new hidey hole. Somebody can just drown the guy or something. She don't want to get hosed down, burnt up, cooked, or buried. That don't leave lots of choices. The guy likes ta run from burning to burning though. Maybe she can catch 'im if he tries for the one he's shootin' at. Bella walks round the one he's in to the side he'll maybe come out of.

Gabriel dives completely around the corner of a building. He can't see a damn thing of the man or the pile that he's in, save for flickering light on other nearby structures. However, as the situation remains complicated, yet his armor is nowhere near a position to allow him to fight, he does the best he can. Which is to yank a Triax plasma grenade and chuck it blindly around the corner. He can't even see where he's aiming, just praying to higher power to guide his hand. Of course, his prayer comes over the radio more as, "God please let me kill this motherfucker."

Celaeno gives her makeshift nozzle-assembly a turn, a sudden gust of water petering back down to a small stream as she moves to begin dousing as much of the burning house and surrounding area as she can from her vantage. She calls some people over, "Keep this pointed toward the fire. If it looks like it's going to catch something else, try get the smaller fire first. Otherwise, keep this thing running and pointed at something useful. Drench the area," and after showing the simple, rudimentary controls, she'll move to take her leave, tacking on, "And be careful with it, or it might fall apart on you."

After a moments hovering Erica finds a bucket a few blocks down. A small swimming pool actually. She quickly darts off, flying to retrieve it.

Anastasi readies herself with a breath, then rolls out from behind the wall and raises her laser pistol to take another shot at the lunatic pyromaniac. She swings the barrel of the gun back and forth quickly, feeling rather than looking for her target. The shot is taken, brilliant laser light adding to the blaze, in only for an instant.

The tanker truck pulls to a screeching halt south of the burning buildings, spelling certain doom to friends of the flame. So clearly such a person cant just let them interfear. Superheated plasma spits out to take out the cab of the tanker.

And does so, turning it and its occupants to conjoined slag.

Gabriel's toss certainly garnered him a pleasingly large explosion, but as things continue to roar in flames, and he can hear shots being fired (even if he can't see them from his position of cover), it's obvious that things aren't yet finished. Unfortunately, he's rapidly running out of useful options. If a plasma grenade didn't work, it seems to him, if one could see his face, that not much else will, either. He grumbles to himself, "I hope the bastard's gone and blinded himself." He draws the heavy NTI pistol from his hip and like the grenade, just contorts his wrist around the corner, and yanks off a burst praying for a hit. On the bad guy.

Celaeno moves in the direction of the fire, slowing as she sees the shooting into the first fire. Her eyes settle on the smoke - and hopefully the people she left with the hose will be putting up some steam to match it. She seems happy to be aiming herself at the space between the two burning houses, head swiveling to keep focus on the first as she moves.

The toe of her boot nudges her camera out into the street where it can keep vigil on the trapped burster. Leaning out as well, Anastasi brings her laser to bear and pierces the rubble with another blast. "Just surrender!" The offer is made an instant later. She doesn't reflect on the irony just yet.

The winds pick up and turn south, carring fire and debree ot a house yet untouched in that direction. The burster's house is almost done, getting easier to see him now. Of course he is aware of this and so he turns his fire squirter on the two blocking his escape, dousing the area.

Flying flaming fiery stuff. Didn't Bella tell him to stop flinging it at her? She ducks 'n darts. Just not dary enough. There's a scream. "Sonofa! Jus' got this fackin coat!" It's new. Now it's new and on fire. Then it's on the ground since she shrugs out of it. Lots easier to try and stomp out the flames when she's not wearing it. Least bootprints wash out.

Gabriel peeks his head around the corner just enough to see that the man is slightly easier to see. Grumbling over the radio about the plight of his armor, he actually takes time to line up a proper burst this time before squeezing the trigger of his heavy pistol.

Celaeno leaps out of the way of the plasma, moving to pust some distance between herself and the now-burning Bella, though not directly in the burster's path - though she may briefly cross it. She seems content simply staring, for the moment, though she does take a moment to draw a long, gleaming katana.

From her small distance and slight cover Anastasi watches the burster attack Bella. She narrows her eyes, narrows in on where he must be hiding. Another shot taken, another streak of brilliant red energy.

Its now or never for the burster, his cover is now effectively gone. One of his opponents is distracted, another has fled his righteous fire. Valiant he strives forward to progress into the cover of the fully engulfed house east.

Bella stomps. "Gonna." Stomp. "Shove yer." Stomp stomp. "Flamey flinger." Stomp. "Up yer orangey ass." Stomp stomp stomp grind. Maybe it won't bug him. Maybe he'd even like it. Still make Bella feel way better to do it.

Gabriel sees the man running, and unfortunately, has only a single burst remaining before he needs to change out his magazine. But an opportunity is an opportunity, and from his prone position peeking around the corner, he zeroes in on the villain and prays for a strike.

Celaeno moves to cut the man off from his exit - literally as her sword comes around, to deal with the flaming barrier, and ideally the man if it goes down easily.

And finally Erica is on her return, pool full of water in tow. Indeed it doesnt look easy to tow that with a jetpack but she's managing. She just makes it to douse the southern house before crashing.

Mr Quicklite is looking panicked now. The creepy lady with the sword has cut him off and he's to busy avoiding her word to advance to salvation. Now what?

Fack this. Bella's coat's out. The prick't put fire on it's out. Where she can see 'im. She leaves the coat and tromps right over at him. Knife gets pulled too. Bella's gotta cut a hole in 'is butt armor if she's gonna stick that flame flinger where she promised.

Gabriel has swapped out his magazine, and take no time lining up his shot, taking two quick burst a the man who is seemingly invulnerable to everything that can be thrown at him. Burst-burst.

Celaeno steps back for a moment, amused at Bella's taking the situation into her own hands, her sword slices across at the man's body once. Twice if needed. And if she needs a third, a nice stab to finish things off.

The burster is no match up close. One cut takes out the last of his armor and the second runs him through. The third carrying through momentum is just fluff as his lifeless body falls to the ground. It is over finally.

"Bout fackin' time." Bella gives the lump another stab 'r two. Just ta be sure. 'N cause it feels good. "Messed up my coat." Speakin'a that she goes to get it and put it on. It's burnt 'n dirty but least it's in one piece. Mostly.

Gabriel keeps both hands on his pistol, not exactly raised, but ready to fire. So many strange things around here that he doesn't even know about, the bastard might suddenly rise from the dead and need to be killed a second time. With his EBA now essentially plate armor, he moves toward the remains. "So... he's really dead, right?" He also peers around to see what's still burning.

Anastasi pulls her coat open and stuffs her laser into the holster there, after first checking the charge levels. Her camera is retrieved, the final scene given a final pan before she cuts off the recording and slips the device back into a pocket.

Only one building still burns, it is nearly completely burned down now though so not much point in trying to save it so long as the wind behaves. About the neighborhood faces start to emerge. Scared yet relieved they gather around those who fought for their homes. Indeed one was misguided in that but the others prevailed. Many lives were saved. Credits don’t run freely in the dregs though. What is offered are drained eclips, armor plating, a few damaged knives and pistols. Altogether with the flame thrower and the chain sword it will be a respectable hero's reward.

As her sword cuts home, Celaeno just lets the burster fall, her sword clicking off as she moves to wipe the blade clean, not noticing the camera or many of the other goings on. As people begin to emerge, she gives the body a quick check for anything further of value - having waited until Bella was done with it - before dispassionately accepting payment, When it comes to the split, she'll simply shrug and take her share.

Bella shrugs at Gabe. "Looks pretty dead ta me. Ain' movin. Ain' burnin' nothin. No movin' when I stabbed 'im inna ass." Twice. But who's counting? "Ya get too crispy?" Now she's eyeing Gabe. Since he was sawed up 'n on fire.

The older man grumbles again as he runs a gauntleted hand down the massive scar on his chest. "Guess it wouldn't be polite to insult a dead man, now would it?" He pokes very obviously at that scar. Not that he speaks well of him, either. The giant Juicer is ashes, and that constitutes a fair funeral. "I guess we'll sell off this stuff and move on. Just hope it doesn't happen again soon," is what Gabriel offers to all remaining. "I'm heading home. Maybe catch you in a club later." Whoever 'you' is, or all, is indeterminate, but the truth of the matter is that he does begin to quickly make his way out of the 'Dregs, toward Steel Street.

"It's really too bad it had to be this way." All Stasi can offer is this as she moves closer to the slain burster and the center of the devastastion. She looks up from the body and into the eyes of each of the three who brought him down, then turns and steps away to speak with some of the residents who are now homeless.

"Just a pissed off burster decided to blow his top," Celaeno says with a shrug, having missed Taz's ... well, she may have met him once, so life. "Nothing to cry over." She doesn't seem to be filled with warm fuzzies for the job done. "And everybody else'll live, if only for a while longer." She spits before producing a cigar and lighting it. "Could've been worse."

"See ya. Prolly come by ta get diff'rent clothes." Bella waves at Gabriel's leaving. Then she's smirking at Celaeno. "Yeah. Ain' like half the place weren' fallin' down anyways." A little shrug. "'R they ain' used ta people tryin' kill 'em." That kinda comes with the Dregs.

Gabriel is already home in his mind, more than likely. In fact, two homes to choose from. He's out into the shadows.

Anastasi moves off in the other direction, deeper into the Dregs. A few of the people she stops to speak with seem to know her. The talks are brief; tense. It is not long before she's gone from sight and nearly from memory as well.

"This is one of the better parts of the dregs. May not be what you call safe, but they're trying. Wasn't as bad as it would've been deeper in, but it's a bigger shame," Celaeno inhales on her cigar, nostrils flaring as she takes the ambient smoke in. "That's all right," she says, beginning to move deeper into the dregs, herself.

Bella looks around. Smirks s'more. "Ain' so much no more." She shrugs more too. "Maybe somebody'll make somethin' better. Maybe not." Bella ain't looking like she's gonna lose sleep about it.