Jul 20 22:32:19 108 PA - Keep on trucking
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Sat Jul 20 22:32:19 108 PA.
The landing strip is a little chilly right before dawn. A large cargo tracked truck is standing on the edge of the strip, already running and letting up a little trail of exhaust. This is where people who wanted the guard job are supposed to show up. A very large man is walking around the tracked truck, examining it very carefully before the trip begins. A large hand rolled cigar, or blunt hangs from his lips as he carefully examines every inch of the tracks and rollers. On the roof of both the trailer, and the cab are gunner's nests. Small walls give the nests cover as well as places to shoot from as the truck is moving.
Dirai comes... oozing up to the truck in good time, strapped with her weapons once more, four arms extruded once again. Arms weaving as she checks through her weapons, she asks of the man,"This what we're protecting? Looks like a mobile fortress." She too begins to check over it, apparently curious. "Huh."
Life moves on with both the wonderful and the terrible coming into play for her, Sage has suited up in an armor that not many have seen her in before. Her gear may tip her hand, though. She approaches the landing strip to consider this latest request for help. She is watchful to begin with, wondering what twist awaits this time around.
Valeriya walks with a purpose, crossing the landing strip from the direction of the gates to rendezvous with the armored vehicle offering wrok. Her pace slows as she closes and takes it in. Quite the admirable piece of armament. Makes her simple leathers look paper thin. With a content smirk she continues, offering a wave to those already present. Bernard comes out as well, armor on, his bigger weapons visible on his person as he makes his way towards the truck, "What day is it today?" the man asks in his accented english as he pulls a chrono out of a pouch on his belt.
Gabriel makes his way in from the west, like he usually does. The man is locked in his personalized and tweaked set of Crusader armor, save for the helmet which is currently attached to his side. He wears a Falcon 300 jet pack, with an NTI rifle, an old semi-auto rifle from his pre-time travel days, a basic handgun that people would probably laugh at, an NTI pistol on his left thigh and small pack slung over one shoulder that conforms to his side. In his hands are cradled the battered L-20 that he has lovingly kept up and added onto like an erector set. Loaded for combat. Perhaps he knows something? Faint whistling can be heard from his direction.
Bartholemew shows up with the promise of work on the horizon. His gaze flows over the vehicle as he first walks up, eventually falling to the man inspecting the truck. "You the one runnin this show?"
The large man, looks like an orge, turns around as he starts hearing and seeing people gathering around. He looks at Dirai, with a bit of surprise and a little bit of disgust before he shakes his head. "We are moving manufacturing parts to the town of Boneridge." He says in brief reply to the question. Looking at all the people he gives each a brief nod before he inhales deeply on his blunt. "Yep. My name is Theo. This here is Katharina." He says with obvious pride as he pats the side of the large tracked truck. If you'll are here then you need to be protecting this here girl for me while we take these parts down south. I'm mighty pleased to see a good amount of you'll. The trip is about 300 miles round trip. It ain't no road, just a trail." He says as he takes another puff while looking around. "All you'll going to ride on the nests, or do any of you have vehicles?"
Dirai rolls her shoulders... such as they are, and then says,"Nests are good to start, but if need be, I can jump off, stall, and catch up later. You make the calls, boss." She stretches her gooey body, then turns to wave at Gabriel, commenting,"Hey... that's pretty snazzy. You're all... Buck Rogers an' shit."
Sage takes a moment to consider the people around her, acknowledging those that acknowledge her. She lets the other's ask the questions to start with to be able to consider the response quietly. "I'll be riding in a nest then." She comments, before she glances towards the vehicle.
"Nest sounds good to me." Valeriya concurs as she glances about to see who else has come. A slight nod is given to Sage before she wanders towards bart and Gabe. "Gentlemen."
Bernard nods his head, "Yours is as good as any." He agrees to the man with the rig, then looks over towards the others gathered about as well, "Shall we start loading up and hit the road?" He asks.
Gabriel makes various greetings, offers up a philosphic, "Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome, Sage." A grin, then: "Nest. As a base for now."
Bartholemew listens to everyones choice in location. Comparing it to the space available on the vehicle. When everyone has had their say he replies to the vehicle question, "I'll be riding what I'm defending." He gives a friendly nod to Val as she comes over.
Theo nods his head as people give their various answers. "Alright well I have looked over the girl, and she looks to be in good order. Now we'll be going at a clip. The bandits I am worried about are good at setting ambushes, so that is what I'm expecting. I can't run over everything, so if we get stopped we'll have to stand and fight. I have already lost an employee to those mother fuckers. I am not willing to lose more. Alright?" He bellows as he walks over to the cab of the truck. He pushes a button and ladders, concealed in the walls of the trailer pop out. Ok everyone load up, and strap in."
Dirai clambers atop the large truck, finding herself a lovely little nest, and then settles in to close her eyes and concentrate,"Death is only a transition. A transition that goes both ways. Loading up, boss!" She unlimbers her knife and sword with her lower arms, and lifts her rifle with the top pair,"Ready, boss."
Being close to the object being defended does have a bit of an advantage and disadvantage, but Sage doesn't have much choice in the matter since her horse wouldn't quite cut it in this situation. "How many bandits are we talking about here?" She asks softly, "And, what sort of things have they been able to bring to these ambushes?" She decides is prudent to ask as she moves to board the truck.
Valeriya doesnt hesitate to climp up into a rear nest, though her gaze turns to Sage at her valid questions. Strapping un she takes her rifle off her shoulder to try sighting it over the rim of the nest, using the vehicles armor for cover.
Bernard climbs aboard as well, he situates himself in the nest, with his rifle, and grenade launcher in easy reach if he has need of either, his gaze shifting about a little as he gets comfortable for the ride ahead.
As the walls of the trailer unexpectedly snap up, Gabriel looks around to see who and how the guards are scattered. After a few moments, he apparently decides to keep his place in the nest and plops his helmet securely on his head, wondering just how much he looks like one of Mel Gibson's guards. A small black cylinder slips out from his conformal pack, only to be clipped where a belt buckle would be. Following another moment to check where his 'pack exhaust would be going, to ensure that it wouldn't fry a friend, he turns his blankly armored gaze in Sage's direction.
Bartholemew climbs in tucking himself into one of the gunners nests, nearby Val on the rear of the vehicle, getting a bearing on the view he has available to him. "Locked and loaded boss, bring it on." sounding a bit too excited about the impending battle.
"Beats me. My boy died on his trip. So I don't know what they threw out him." Theos calls out in response to Sage's question. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least a half dozen of them though. Now this ride is going to be pretty rough, so just hold on as best you can. If you are going to puke, try to puke out the side. Fuckers try to hold it in and end up spraying the nest. That makes for a messy ride." He calls out with a loud laugh, as he swings himself into the cab. He starts up the truck and in starts to rumble. "Ok everyone hear me?" He calls out over the radio. A little speaker in the nest responds as well to his call. "We are rolling out." The truck starts to rumble, and shake as he turns up the throttle as the truck starts moving. Soon the truck passes on to a wooded trail. Logs, holes, and small fluffy forest creatures are no match for the tracked truck as it roars down the trail.
Dirai points at an unfortunate squirrel, and hoots to Gabriel,"HOLY CRAP! It's like watching a Coalition Death-head Transport declare war on fuzzy! This truck eats spite, and craps awesome! I... I think I might love it a little."
Sage has settled and strapped herself into place before the truck begins to role. She takes up a spot that doesn't seem to be covered by the others to help provide a protection that extends the entire way around the vehicle. "Great." She says simply to the lack of information they receive. The reaction of Dirai drawing her attention before making a faint noise that's likely amusement before looking away.
What? No discrete paper baggies. How society has deteriated over the the ages. Valeriya luckily shows no signs of motion sickness. Though this rough wilderness ride is probably nothing compared to a space fight in zero gravity. Days gone by. Generally she keeps low in her nest, content to offer as little a target as possible until necessary.
Bernard seems, like Val, quite content to just lounge the time away in the nest, his rifle across his lap. He does, however pull on his demon faced helmet now that the ride's underway.
Gabriel keeps his eyes open, popping up every two miles or so to take a look around with his thermals, trying to spot the ambush that is apparently a necessity along this route. However, he can't seem to quite keep his mouth shut when it comes to Dirai's enthusiasm. Over the radio, in his Kentucky twang comes, "Anyone, who truly wants to go to war, has never truly been there before. It takes man's best to do his worst. Not something to be enjoyed, my sticky friend." He's either hunkered down... or jetted up, two extremes.
The surrounding forest is thick with trees, and undergrowth. The trail you all are taking seems to be fairly new. You can see that the truck is built to run over a lot of rough terrain as it cruises over the trail at about forty miles per hour or about 64 kph. Heavy metal music starts playing over the speakers in the gunners nests as Theo puts on some tunes to keep the boredom away. A small cooler full of water and some snacks is attached to one of the low walls of the nest.
Dirai meanwhile begins to sing along. Horribly. Sometimes she even vocally improvs guitar solos. She bounces her amorphous head in time, noting to Gabriel,"I've been to war. Didn't like it so much when I was powerless and facing gargoyles down. I don't mind it so much now that I'm, you know, FREAKIN' AWESOME." Indeed, she seems to have a much higher opinion of herself than is probably warranted. "You know, Gabe... I was raised by bandits. Down in Pecos, don't you know?"
"Let's just hope it isn't the singing and enthusiasm that gives us away." Sage says with a hint of humour as she settles into a position she can maintain for the trip. There's still a long way to go and who can say when the ambush will materialize. She doesn't ready her rifle yet as it seems a better idea to just hold onto it until its needed.
Valeriya gives an amused smirk at the singing pool of goo. Surely it will draw the initial fire in an attempt to end the torture it is creating. Thus she will be able to return fire without fear. Otherwise she is vocally quiet for the trip so far. Merely offering to run through various ambush scenarios with Bart over the radio.
Bernard gives the singing goo a little bit of a look himself, brow lifting a touch but he remains quiet and keeps to himself as the vehicle trundles along the paths.
When an employer hires you for a job, you do your job. Gabriel yells into the radio, "TURN OFF THAT FUCKING MUSIC, I'D LIKE TO HAVE MY SENSE OF HEARING KEEPING US SAFE YOU DUMBSHIT!" Perhaps not the most political way to phrase it, but the point should probably be made. Dirai's comments are tuned out for now, apparently no point in trying to teach a life lesson while on the move or shutting her up. Theo is once more chided, "WHY DON'T YOU JUST FUCKING HANG OUT A BLINKING SIGN SAYING, 'WE'RE HERE'!" Due to the music, he takes the opportunity to resume his aerial post, scanning with thermals and rifle optics. A good place to avoid having your senses blocked and riding a target.
Bartholemew hangs on trying not to be thrown from the nest while its on rough terrain. All seemed good until they actually hit forest, now its hold on for dear life. The unsure terrain able to throw his weight around quite easily. "Gotcha Boss." replying to the radio roll call. He tries to keep an eye out over the terrain for any signs of trouble. He's not worried about food right now, just keeping an eye out for any trouble, scanning through the optics of his MOH in hopes to spot something before that something gets the jump on em.
A couple hours pass on the truck. Little to pass the time except for music and conversation. The music isn't nearly as loud as the roar of the diesel engine that powers the truck. As the truck passes into a more hilly wooded area the truck starts going up, and down as it climbs hills. While the truck is down in the valley between two hills loud explosions can be heard. Trees come crashing down on the tops of the two hills. Theo sees this and swears loudly as he hits the brakes on his truck, trying to stop and not roll the tracked truck.
The crash of trees is louder then the screech of the truck as it slams to a halt, but not by much. Theo swears over the radio as he turns off the music that was playing. Out of the woods comes men dressed in piecemeal armor, most of it looking like it is patched up old Coalition style armor. They have laser rifles at their shoulders as they come yelling out of the woods. Two people appear on the left hill, two on the right hill, one on the rear hill, and two on the front hill. One of them yells for you all to surrender, but without waiting for a response one of the ones in front shoot at the leading tracks of the truck while the other shoots at the man passing overhead on his jetpack. Each of the other shoots at a target up in the gunners nest.
Sage's own gymnastic ability seems to spare her from any serious jostling as the truck comes to an abrupt stop. She certainly hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary before the trees came crashing down to block their path, but she seems to be fairly quick in the recover to consider what's going on around her. Fortunately as the trip went on the likelihood of an ambush increased, she'd taken to holding a blinder grenade in one of her hands while holding the rifle to her lap with the combination of her free hand and other arm. Being one of the less likely to hop out of the truck to wield melee weapons, she'd taken a seat near the front. Her first instinct is to bring forth a layer of psychic armor to keep her from having to guess where the first shot will come from. Sure enough, a weapon strikes against the field but her attention is towards figuring out what attacker to target first. With attackers out front with the danger of taking out the truck or driver, she tosses the blinder grenade out front.
Theo and the two men in front of the truck scream out in pain as the laser beams from the grenade blind every one in a thirty foot radius. Theo crys out as he is blinded.
Bartholemew pops out of the nest with his rifle at the ready soon as the wild shot goes sailing by harmlessly. He unleashes the full fury of the C-12 rifle on his target, firing two bursts of laser fire at the terrible marksman in answer to his shot that hit their mark as expected.
Dirai drops down into the nest as she is slammed by a laser, momentarily just laying there, before she begins to concentrate, trying to focus her mind on the battle around her.
Shot? At a thousand feet? Gabriel curses the man who was keeping a sharp eye on the sky, and as he was caught off guard before he could move sufficiently, only has the opportunity to level his L-20 at the bastard who had the gall to shoot at him. Three quick lasers in a burst, though whether they're visible or not is anyone's guess. Then it's just a scoot, moving to present what is hopefully a worse target.
Valeriya raises a brow as a stray shot seems to connect with her nest's armor to signal the anticipated entertainment. She makes no immediate move to reveal herself hidden beneath the rim of the trucks protection. Rather she utters two dark phrases in time with arcane gestures as she listens to the fight evolving out there.
With the shot at him going wide, Bernard hunkers down behind the lip of the gun nest, trying to get complete cover from the ambushers as he begins a quick incantation himself.
The two bandits in front swear and curse as they are blinded. One of them takes some shots from Gabriel. The four bandits that are one either side of the truck don't see what is happening at the front. They take shots at the passengers in the nest. The one that Bart shot swears as his armor is blasted, but still holds together. He returns fire.
Bartholemew is a lucky bastard or the guy is really that bad a shot. Unfortunately this will be his downfall. The C-12 lets loose another barrage of laser firepower, this guy better have good armor or be quick on his feet. Guess he's not either as they both rip into his armor blasting it into nothingness.
The driver crying out does give Sage enough pause that she doesn't reach for another blinder at this time. She just turns her attention towards the person that seems intent on shooting at her and brings her rifle to bear to fire off a pulse in retaliation.
Gabriel doesn't have much to do except blaze away at his attacker. There's a garbled, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," before he yanks off two bursts at the man who'd shot at him previously.
Valeriya's nest disolves shortly after she finishes her protection and she seems to smirk at the timeliness. Oh well she wasnt going to need it any more anyway. That said she hasnt had any time yet to assess the layout of her opponents. So for the moment she sticks with her rifle and picks the first opponent she sees. Two magical shots go out, the first different that the second. (stun then damage)
Bernard's spell up as well, he pops up over his cover, drawing a bead down on the guy who's been shooting towards him in the hole, firing a quick pulse of shots at the man in the ragtag armor with his TX-42.
Dirai hops out of cover, having fully concentrated, and begins striding in the direction of the unarmored man. Raising one goopy arm, she gestures in his direction, sending a wave of psionic force vibrating through the air at the unarmored man,"Die."
The man is hit by the psionic blast as is knocked back. The crunching of bones is heard over the silent laser blasts as he hits a tree, and is turned into a bag of broken bones and organs.
"The bandits are seeming to have a hard time of it. The two in the front are trying to find, and look for cover. They are slowly making their way back to the treeline. The four bandits on the side of the truck continue to fire as best they can.
Valeriya is minding her own business, shooting at a bandit when another gets the idea to point his gun at her. A bright flash goes out, blinding the impudent fiend who dared gaze upon her through a gun sight.
Bartholemew ducks behind the cover of the gunners nest just in time as two more find him as a target and try to take a shot at the soldier in vain.
When the bandits completely disregard her after she shows off a bit of aggression, she focuses on her selected target to squeeze off a couple pulses to see if she can help her friends against the onslaught.
Up in the air, Gabriel seems to be surprisingly nimble in his little pack, thanks to a good teacher. Although it's probably annoying to other people on the comm, he continues to narrate his life. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it," then shall he pull the trigger of a laser weapon and send out three bursts. Two at the fellow he'd already been targeting, and his final shots at the man who was standing next to him. He further clarifies over the open comm, "If you resist, I will kill you, and the man standing next to you..."
Dirai goes running forward now, towards the wounded man, her lower arm sending a knife sailing past the wounded man, while her rifle sends up a loud shot as the CFT weapon fires a laser towards him,"We're going to kill all of you if you don't stop resisting."
One of the blinded men in the front takes a hit from Gabriel's laser and the rest of his armor is gone. The second shot takes him through the chest and a chared hole is goes straight through him. He falls to the floor soon after.
Valeriya doesnt even look as a bandit is blinded for thinking about shooting her. She keeps focussed on her target, another stun followed by a energy blast.
The bandit hits him twice, the first absorbed by the energy field around him, the second tagging his leather armor, which actually manages to absorb the shot. He fires another quick pulse shot at the man in return, grimacing a bit under the demon faced helmet.
One of the bandits is still wondering around blind in front, Sage having blinded him with science. The bandits on the right side are doing poorly as one's armor is almost gone and the second one is blinded by magic. The two bandits on the left side are undamaged and are still firing at the people on the truck.
Sage's quick checks on the battle field before deciding to drop one of the combatants to even the odds further as her gun swings around to take aim at the damaged enemy on the right that doesn't seem to be stumbling oddly. She rifle spitting out pulses to finish him off.
The first silent laser strike from Sage's rifle takes out the little armor on the bandit. The second strike burns a hole through his belly, leaving a smoking hole as he falls down
Bernard shifts sides to one of the unhurt bandits on the left side of the rig, aiming his pulse rifle and firing off a quick blast towards one of the bandits.
Dirai leaps down now and goes running flat out towards the two undamaged bandits, even as the burns and scorches marring her ectoplasm begin to seal up.
As he has a bird's eye view of the ambushers dropping, Gabriel may be uniquely inclined to change tactics. Rather than continuing the brute-force bashing of coherent light upon armor, he takes his time to gently ease the crosshairs of his lovingly modified L-20 on the rifle of the one remaining man who has yet to be harmed. No reason to waste more energy - literally - blasting away in an emergency manner when you can end the battle by castrating your enemy. Crosshairs, magnification, laser sighting... the trigger is nudged backward in that space between breaths. "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong."
One of the bandits crys out in surprise as his rifle takes a blast from the hovering guy up in the air. It looks like it is heavily damaged by the shot.
Bartholemew fires two bursts at the two to the left hitting both as he spreads down a bed of laser fire on the area they occupy.
The bandits on the left side seem to have had the fight leave them. One tosses his damaged rifle to the ground and turns around to flee. The other does the same in his damaged armor. The woods will soon conceal them again, they hope. The two blinded bandits are slowly retreating as well, feeling about as they try to make their way to safety.
Retreat? Denied. Valeriya may not be able to hit anyone so far but she can prevent them from leaving. With a gesture and a dark curse she sends magic out to encorcel the ground at the left side bandit's feet to hold them there beforev taking another damage shot at one.
With the battle seemingly swinging vastly in their favour, Sage moves to get out of the truck at this point. They likely have enough fire power to kill the enemies. "Give up! Or we'll be forced to kill you." She advises simply, "Put your weapons down and your hands on your head." She is simply trying to get close enough to be able to influence the decision with her psychic prowess. If she can get into range, she'll try to convince one of them empathically.
The fleeing bandits don't seem to have really given Bernard much reason to stop shooting, so he takes aim at the one he previously shot, and opens fire at the man's exposed back with a quick pulse of lasers.
Dirai continues moving inexporably towards the bandits... until she finds something equally as gooey as herself sticking to her 'feet'. Frowning, she gestures towards the trapped bandits, and the safeties of their weapons click into place,"Stay put and be good."
"Ah," is heard from Gabriel over the radio after his shot to the man's rifle. As he's slinging his L-20 over his shoulder, he pulls his heavy pistol and a Blinder then descends, ultimately intending to take whatever time is required to safely put himself on the ground in the forest from where they'd come, a place where he can choose to blind them or shoot them through with an NTI weapon as he so chooses. Watching carefully or course, to not get stuck on Valeriya's carpet. Upon final approach, he'll politely offer the advice through his external speakers, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it."
Bartholemew climbs down from his perch and goes bolting after the closest blinded bandit to be sure he doesn't get away.
The bandit are defeated and even though shots were fired after their surrender was called for. They throw down their weapons and hold up their hands. "Alright we surrender." They yell out as they keep their hands up high.
Valeriya keeps her rifle level at a Bandit, should they change their minds. But for the moment she's content in the part she played.
While she can't really do anything about the people stuck on the carpet, Sage decides their word on surrendering is enough as she makes the rounds to pick up the weaponry that she can get to without having to worry about getting stuck into place.
Bernard huhs a bit, lowering his rifle, "I guess we're going to let them go huh?" he says, glancing over towards Val. "Think we should off 'em once the white knights get their armor off?" he asks with a quirked brow.
Dirai is stuck as well, so she trains her rifle on one of them, and then draws her pistol with her lower limbs, and trains it on the other stuck bandit,"I've got my eyes on you." She pauses for about a heartbeat, then clarifies,"If I had eyes, I'd have them on you." To Gabriel, like a needy child, she observes, gesturing with the guns to the bandits,"I didn't kill them, this time." She then reaches out with her minds to try to touch the minds of the bandits,"Hmmm..."
"We can handle this a few ways, gentlemen. Option one, we chat, maybe we let you run off to your cave, maybe we turn you in. Option two, I ask you questions but you resist, I blind you, we beat the shit out of you before questioning you again, just because you pissed us off. Option two can continue as long as we want." Gabriel holds up three armored fingers - from the hand holding the Blinder - "Option three - and I like to vary the details a bit - but the punchline is you die. Say 'Yes, Colonel I understand' if you understand." With age, experience and family life comes patience; Gabriel has boatloads of all three. What? Is that whistling on the radio?
Bartholemew helps gather up the blinded prisoners, herding them into a small group together. "Alright, now strip down to yer skivvies. Then ya can tell us where your camp is." reiterating the best option for them to live.
The bandits swear softly under their breath, but they take off their helmets and toss their gear on the ground so people can collect it. Theo finally is able to see after a little while and he climbs down from his cap. He goes around the truck to look for damage. "Well glad to see that this little ambush failed. You boys are in some trouble now. Lets take em to the authorities in Boneridge." He mentions. The bandits frown as they take off their armor. "Our camp is a few miles to the west of here. Look it wasn't personal." They say after getting rid of their stuff.
As more goodies are discarded by the bandits, Sage doesn't leave them on the ground for long. All of the items coming to be tossed into the truck for safe keeping for the time being as they still have a drive ahead of them. If possible, she'll secure the items to keep them from bouncing around in transit.
Valeriya keeps her rifle leveled on the bandits as they disrobe. The carpet holding them disolves after a few minute and allows everyone else to collect the loot. She waits, ready to cast another should the bandits go for broke. She seems content to let the others do the talking for the moment.
Bernard lowers the rifle, his hand reaching to his belt pouch, and he pulls a flintlock pistol out of the remarkably small container to take aim on the bandits with himself.
Dirai looks to Gabriel, and then begins taking off the things she's wearing, dropping them by the truck,"Take care of these for me, will you? I'm going to go check out their camp, then scout ahead for us. Be back soon." With a hissing sound, she discorporates, her ectoplasm puffing into steam.
Gabriel has patience, and opinions. He'll address the man who spoke. "You tried to kill every last one of us. That's pretty fucking personal in my book." His NTI is swapped for the .45, but he maintains a hold on the Blinder. "So, you're just pissant third-rate fuckups whose best shot's to ambush the random merchant? Or is there someone actually in charge?" He looks up - well, his mask does - and he asks politely, if anyone here has a lie detector on 'em, that would be just great."
Bartholemew continues to stand guard over the prisoners while the others take care of storing the loot and such. "Anyone got something to tie these buggers up with?" directing it more to Theo as he was the one who suggested taking them to the authorities.
Theo finishes inspecting his truck and then walks over to where the bandits are gathered. "Alright lets fucking tie thes boys up. We'll take em to Boneridge they can put em on trial there. These boys have been a pain in the ass on this route." He says with a growl before poking one of the bandits solidly in the chest. The bandits look properly scared as they look at all the people holding guns at them. "Look we were just trying to make a living. I'm in charge if you care." The bandit that has been doing most of the talking says. "Take us in then." He says with a sigh and a frown.
Sage's gaze considers something as if Dirai was still visible, "See you when you get back." She says simply, before turning her attention to Theo. "Don't suppose you came prepared for this?" She asks simply, "I've got some tie cords if needed." She offers, before looking back towards the bandits. "And do we want them to be able to move on their own at all?" she adds.
Valeriya can sympathize with the bandits, she's been caught doing questionable things by hired guards herself. And had to do unmentionable things to escape it. But that doesnt mote any pity from her as she puts her rifle back on her shoulder. "Its just the way of things, those stronger move forward over the pathes of the weaker." She remarks to them before moving to see if another nest is available to replace her destroyed one.
Dirai eventually comes sailing back, all astral and such, and directs some words at Sage via telepathy,"Nothing at the camp. Seven tents. Supplies. Just move on."
At Bart's request, Gabriel shrugs off his larger pack. "Bunch of cord in there. Plenty to hog tie every last one of these assholes. I'm not great with knots," he admints. After looking up at his erstwhile comrades, he suggests, "Let's get somewhere safe or at least defensible, then have a little chat with these guys." He then turns his helmeted gaze on the surrendered bandits. "You're quite fortunate to be alive, as I'm fairly certain that at least two of us would quite happily have severed your spines and left you for dead because it was less trouble than taking prisoners. I'm not a fan of that myself, but I have no trouble with it if you push me by not cooperating. I'm only repeating this once more to ensure that if you do die by our hands, you can't tell Saint Peter than no one told you the rules." His .45 is leveled at them, the rope in the pack just waiting to be used. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taketh away, because you guys are an embarrassment in His grand design."
Bartholemew continues guarding as the prisoners are tied up. "You buggers should listen to this guy, cause he's the crazy one of the bunch, and he's in charge of the rest of us. don't make him cut off your fingers one by one. Please." going for the sincere pleading with the prisoners.
"There is plenty of rope, or some hand cuffs if you want in the back of the truck." Theo says as he digs out a large chainsaw from one of the trucks. He looks towards Gabriel and shake his head. "Ain't your job to interogate prisoners. Just your job to defend this here truck. We'll get them up to Boneridge and the law there will deal with them." He moves over to the fallen trees and starts cutting them up into pieces easy enough to haul away. "Help me out with this so we can get back on the road." He calls out.
The bandits looks quite a bit scared as they are tied up. Once they are tied up they don't do much in the way of struggling. "Look we won't try anything." They protest.
When the hog-tying of the bandits seem to be well in hand, Sage decides to simply save everyone a little sweat as she wanders towards where the tree has been cut up. "Just move out of the way." She advises as she reaches out with her abilities to use a superior form of telekinesist to move the heavy pieces out of the way.
Clearing the path is something Valeriya can help with. Leaping down from the tracked vehicle she moves to the front as she makes another gesture to
go with an unttered dark phrase. Then she goes about picking up one of the offending trees and moving it out of the way.
Bernard tucks his pistol away into his belt as the others go about rounding up the bandits, "Well, think we'll run into any more ambushes on the rest of the way?" he asks whoever still remains on the vehicle as he watches the work begin on clearing out the path, having little to offer to the task.
Dirai zips off even as Bernard is asking, and returns, directing to Sage and then Gabriel with her thoughts,"Road ahead is clear."
Gabriel holsters his weapons and regains his pack once everything's been straightened out. However, as there isn't much that he can do to assist the other people with clearing the road of mature trees, he jets back to the sky with his L-20... you can never be too careful. "Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward," another piece of something flutters over the comm.
With the prisoners all taken care of, Bart moves to help clear the way for the vehicle to get moving once again, but it appears the wizards have most of it under control. He still lends a helping hand doing what he can as a normal average human can.
Once both the way forward, and the way back are cleaned of the trees Theo makes his way back to the cab. "Well you all did great hopefully it will be smooth sailing the rest of the way, and the way back." He says over the radio before the truck roars to life again. Soon the tracked truck is hauling ass along the trail. After about another two hours you pull into the small town of Boneridge. Everyone cames out from their houses, and cheers as the truck arrives. "If you give me a hand unloading then we can start heading back. Should make it back before dark."
The sight of the reaction to their arrival does some to ease Sage's mind about this particular shipment as opposed to another one. "Well, let's finish this off..." She says simply once they get to the point of off-loading cargo. She'll be more than happy to help out.
Valeriya is also quick to assist with the completion of the job. That's what they are being paid for after all.
Bernard tucks the pistol into his pouch again as he too goes about helping to unload prior to the return trip.
Gabriel's helmet is off now as they seem to be safely in town, but everything else remains where it is. He will do what he can to unload the cargo - possibly trying to sneak a peak. Possibly just asking, "Hey Theo! What'd we deliver, anyway? Oh, and did you ever know a guy with the last name 'Black?'"
