Jul 23 17:53:46 106 PA - Night Raid
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Sat Jul 23 17:53:46 106 PA.
The call will come suddenly for all four of you. A runner coming early in the evening with a simple message. Assemble in three hours, with a location given that is two miles outside of Kingsdale. Transportation will be provided on site as will the details. Come prepared to fight.
Coming to the spot in question, there will a, to some, familiar clearing. The same used previously. And this time, a single individual will be waiting, standing in the darkness with a single lantern sitting on the ground beside him. The individual is clad in dark blue robes which conceal much of his build and features, more so with the shadows of night to veil his features, the lantern providing wan illumination, more as a beacon than a true light source. But the cut of his robes, the posture with his hands folded before him. They would speak to his identity at once for those who have seen him before, along with that distinctive color of garb. He waits quietly for his call to be answered.
Her arrival a little less dramatic than last trip's ride on a warpainted mountain giant Tirzah none the less manages to look intimidating in her leathery armor and its shiny new vambraces. The blades retracted to a foot long to make things easier. At her hip is slung her NG 11S shotgun and on her shoulder is her plasma thrower. She is very much ready to fight.
The group's newest member arrives early, flickering in near the lantern light to stand motionless in the night air. His black mane wrapped in a golden halo, Ahriman's head tilts back to stare at the star-speckled sky, dressed from another age. An unadorned crimson tabard the color of thickening blood runs his chest and back, roughspun shirt and trousers apparently homemade and of archaic design. A sheath sits at his right side, leather below with an ivory hilt, apparently lost in the moment. "It's good to be away from so much ... steel, and concrete," he opines in that rumbling voice of his.
Taking advantage of the offered transportation, Celaeno is fully dressed for the eventual happenings of the day. Her helmet clamped on, she seems rather content to remain quiet at present, keeping a casual distance from anybody else around. Her two swords slung at her hip and rifle across her back, she positions herself so as to eye Ahriman from behind her visor.
Maxy comes along as well. She is in her full armor helm included which makes her look like a suit of power armor more than a woman but the female titan juicer is like that often. She has her swords but they are all scabbarded. She is humming a bit as she comes along.
Tirzah smiles making her way over to Ahriman as she waits for the others a slight nod given to Norwick. "So here we all are. And we finally get to see one another on the hunt. You anxious?" She asks the darkling with a smile. "If you'll lend me your hand start absorbing the power you offered before, and make some globes for you to throw." She offers with a slight wink.
Norwick, the blue robed man, turns his head slightly when Ahriman reveals himself. A slight tug touching the corner of one lip before his attention focuses forward again. Observing as each comes, still and quiet until all have come to gather to him. Maxy gets a bit of attention, the hooded head turned slightly in her direction. Finally, he speaks, voice unhurried and casually warm. "Unsubtle, but perhaps not quite so wild as the last giant?" His head turned towards Tirzah as the casual observation and question are ventured. But he hardly waits for an answer, his hands lifting out from the covering sleeves of his robe. "Welcome, all of you. I apologize for the sudden summons, but there is one truth in life. When an opportunity presents, you are fool to let it pass by untouched. Your task this evening is simple, yet not without great danger. It has come to my attention that something I desire may be in the hands of the Coalition. What is not your concern. Your concern is obtaining this thing for me. It should not be hard.. the guardians of it are not greatly powerful. But they are very close to a small Coalition outpost. As such, you will not have much time to obtain what I desire. If you are not quick, you will surely be overwhelmed. If you are.. the sum of twenty five thousand credits will await all of you, on top of a restoration of expended resources. I have but one rule in this. The object is to be brought to me with whatever container it may lie in unopened." He looks towards Tirzah. "She can tell you that I am quite serious when it comes to this particular stipulation." His arms lower and he asks, "Questions?"
Ahriman's head remains raised, eyes only for the night sky as if those about him didn't matter a whit. His arms turn to fold inside his tabard, disappearing from view as he meanders a bit from the light. Addressing the night sky, he wonders, "Is the package sensitive or volatile? Does it need to be shielded from magic use or transportation, or kept free from sonic concussion?" The black being's head turns then, chin ducking so that his mane flares behind him, one dark eye narrowing as it silvers considering the mysterious Norwick.
Maxy cocks her head to the side, "not a giant, just a modified human." she says and shakes her head a bit. She looks around a little and nods. She doesn't seem to have too many questions.
A visible shrug is given from the suit-of-armour-that-is-Celaeno, a hand adjusting the strap of her belt before rehooking her thumb. A slow look is given to the rest of the group before it visibly drops, half an ear given to the goings on.
Tirzah raises a brow, turning to Norwick as she reaches for Ahriman's hand to start taking on power from him. "Does that mean your previous stipulation that nothing on the battlefield is taken is nulled? I took such trouble to stress that point to everyone.." She queries, finding the change in position a little odd. "We will need a few minute to prepare. To make this as fast as possible I'm going to double our manpower with Ahriman's help." She says with a firm smile. "Also if any of you would like some supportive spells step up once I start summoning the phantoms and we'll set you up." She offers.
"Scale, rather than nomenclature," Norwick notes to Maxy, his casual manner lingering. He then addresses Tirzah. "I do not care, in this moment, for any of the devices the Coalition may have. But you would do well to not tarry long. Once they are aware of you, it will not be long before their inevitable call for assistance is answered in force. That much I am sure of." His eyes scan the present. "THe object should be proof against any normal knock or bump. Do not fling it about if you can help it, but exercise all means to obtain, then deliver it to me and you will be paid in full, as I have stated. In this moment, that is the only rule to follow." And he waits again, eyes scanning across them.
The dark being's eyes flicker to Tirzah, and his lips curl faintly. "Anxious? Far from it. I am anxious in that ... cage of concrete, surrounded by tissue paper humans who will gather and burn me if I bump into one of them too hard. This is what I know. This will be a lot of fun." His hands reach to join Tirzah's, cool to the touch through those thin gloves, opening himself to her will. Distractedly, he wonders, "Will there be a ley line nearby?"
A more fixed glance is raised at the comment about humans, but further comment isn't given for the moment - with a very similar response given to the offer of supporting spells.
Tirzah nods in understanding, the power flowing into her quickly and making her eyes a little bright behind the glass of her helmet. "Well then the only other thing I think we need to know is how to identify or locate the target." She says before waiting the few moment it will take to reach her maximum. Then holding up her hand palm up she channels her link and a fiery blue glass globe appears. "Here Ahriman, I'll make you five of these. Throw them at bad guys and they burn for several minutes.
Maxy nods and still just keeps herself quiet for the most part, watching and listening.
"Within a mile, perhaps. I do not know the precise location of the camp which will hold what I desire. But once you step through my portal, it should be due west of that position. Give or take. How you obtain what I desire does not matter to me. Only that it be obtained and brought.. of course, I would prefer it if you do not have a battalion of Coalition forces hot on your heels." He produces a signaler from within his robes and steps forward, offering it to Tirzah. "Once you are clear, signal me. I would hope there is only one container amongst their possessions, but it there are more, consider which appears to be the most locked or otherwise safeguarded. That will likely be it." He will turn them, taking several steps away from the rest. "This shall not take long." And with that he draws out a jeweled device, held in one hand as he begins to call up a spell, making smooth passes with his hands, a great energy building slowly about him.
It won't take more than a minute or two before the building energy is spent and the air before him tears in two. The erratic, blue-whote flickers of torn reality add to the light in the clearing, with another dark spot beyond the portal's surface. "Come now, do not dawdle. You should be a few miles from your target through here. When you strike, strike hard and without mercy." He turns and steps aside, allowing the four to go through.
Creating the other four globes Tirzah nods slightly before drawing the last of the energy Ahriman can offer her. "Then as soon as I summon these phantoms we are good to go." She then turns her hand over to start channeling the power before her and bringing forth four phantoms total. She asks the first to let her walks the winds and it casts on her allowing her to fly as she will.
Maxy nods as she looks around at the others and really has nothing to get ready so is ready and turns to walk through the portal, and taking in the surrounding area once through to make sure that she isn't going to get jumped by ambush or soemthing.
The dark being flickers a bit in the night air, drawing breath in and out as his focus is drawn to a sharp point. Presently his eyes flutter, looking a bit disoriented as he takes those globes to clutch them against him. The dark being draws out a small sack from his tabard, rolling the orbs in mid-transport, walking through without really paying attention like a seasoned dimensional traveler. On the far side he simply doesn't seem to exist, lost in the night and presumably nearby.
Celaeno takes a conscious step back away from the glowing energy, eyeing her surroundings coolly. A giant glowing rip in space in one direction, and phantoms in the other - how wonderful. Rechecking her straps to prevent things from swinging free or banging against anything, she shifts from foot to foot before taking the portal grudgingly. Once through, she hunches down, looking to slip into whatever cover might be available for a decent vantage. You paged Ahriman with 'There is a leyline within sensing range and it is in the direction you're traveling. But it's far. Questionable if it is close to the target location.'
The phantoms called form up about Tirzah and she shakes herself out a bit to clear her head from all the power channeled. "No takers for spell buffs? Suit yourselves." She says gliding towards Norwick as he prepares the portal.
Once all is ready and all go through, they will find themselves in an untamed space of wilderness. The portal closes behind them, leaving the four and the summoned minions in a place with no more light than what they have and what the stars and moon provide. A deeper sort of darkness than city folk might be used to day to day. Unless they live in the dregs, of course. Traveling west will take them to their destination. A ten minute walk at least before some sign shows that something is out there. Thus protections and enhancements will need to be recast. But there is, so long as one is discreet, time enough for that. The gathered will come across a small camp, set around the hulk of a Coalition Mark IX EPC. A ten foot tall personnel carrier that, for now, lies quiet and dormant. A trio of floodlights have been set up, illuminating the camp. A pair of tents have been set up, along with a few ballistic crates that house computer and electrical gear of various sorts. All opened, either set to reveal the gear ready to work when opened or unloaded, used as makeshift tables.
There are four people moving about, all of them in what must be Coalition armor. Yet the armor is not the standard Deadboy that has been used for decades by the Coalition. This new armor has smoother lines and a grey black scheme that is markedly different from the usual total black. Two of them, in a lighter version of the armor are working with the equipment that has been set up. They appear to have pistols. THe other two, rifles in hand, are standing at two ends of the small set up, observing the darkness around them. There are no readily obvious others, though slight movements and the occasional sight of two red, glowing dots suggest something lurks atop the APC, though the position of the lights leave that spot in shadow.
Celaeno slips along through area, drawing her vibrosword idly as she walks before resheathing it, and keeping a fair distance from the others. Sticking moderately to whatever cover is available. With the camp coming into view, she'll move low to the ground, sliding in next to any available underbrush that might be handy and signaling a stop. After a minute's meditation, she'll go slightly limp, her essence lifting from her body.
Sighing softly at the sight of the APC Tirzah grumbles "Not a challenge at all." Her tone deathly soft she looks to the others. "Maxy and Ahriman the phantoms are going to allow you to glide as I did so we can move in quickly on that APC. Celaeno is unfortunately immune." She says before communicating the orders to the elementals to allow all three to glide. "Once Celaeno is done I think the phantoms can take care of the four we see." She explains.
Maxy nods and readies herself to be able to fly. "Should I take out the weapons on the vehicle?" she asks as she is looking forward to it and really the best use of her talents is probably against the vehicle.
Ahriman waits patiently to hear Celaeno's report, crouched there in the dark. Invisible to most, for what it's worth, but plenty visible to anyone with thermo. His body is cool thanks to a light suit of armor, but not cool enough to fool discerning military optics. "Molon labe," he breathes. "Not entirely accurate, but fitting. They all died too. Concentrate on point defense. We want to be inside the main weapon's reach as quickly as we possibly can." As the moment draws more near, he'll quietly hiss at himself, drawing up a simple protective spell to wrap first about Tirzah, and then himself.
You paged Celaeno with 'IN general, via Omni-Sight, you will see that the APC has not moved within the last 15 minutes. Nor are there any heat trails that go outside of the clearing. As well, there visible boxes all have enenrgy signatures, along with the APC itself, the electronics in it still active. There is also something with an electrical signal on top of it.'
After several moments of remaining unmoving, Celaeno snaps out of it with an unheard sigh. Moving back to meet up with the others, she says rather blandly, "So far as I can tell, they've been sitting here for a while. Nothing seems trickier than how it looks, as is, really. Lot of electronics, don't seem to be anybody but who we see. Other than that, that APC's doing something or other with that big thing on top." As she speaks she idly unslings her rifle, running her fingers along the stock.
Tirzah nods to Maxy. "Depending on what Cel learns yes, but do be careful." She advises before looking to her phantoms again "Freeze my blades friends." She asks and two of the phantoms come to her side to lend the spell to her vambraces. (frostblade does it stack with vibroblades?) Then given Cel's report she nods. "Alright lets continue then, Well advance colose enouhg for the phantoms to engage and if anything goes wrong priroty is disabling the APC" She decides gliding forward horizontally to ekkp low to the bush until they are 120 feet from the camp.
Maxy nods as she follows along preparing to take on the epc should things go wrong, knowing she has the best chance of doing it quickly.
Ahriman dips a hand into his bag, drawing out one of those small red globes to turn it over in his hand like an apple. Swift on the breeze, he sighs down the slow decline between the branches lost from normal sight, casting his armor spells as the scene unfolds.
As they approach, Celaeno slides northwards and does her best to keep to the cover, generally following the general movements of Tirzah.
Stopping at the closer position Tirzah turns to her phantoms to give them their instructions. "Fly up above the camp at the limits of your reach and levitate the four armor men up to join you. Then dispatch them with light blades." She orders and the phantoms fly off to repostiotion above the camp.
Ahriman stays low, twisting and turning with the grace of a dancer paired with the whispery touch of wind. He flows more than anything else, parallel to the ground and perhaps three feet up, slithering through the scrub brush and clutching a fire orb in his right hand.
Maxy tries to stay as close to Tir as she can after all she was asked to. She is watching for any suprises though, hard to suprise the juicer even if she is just a physical brawny type.
Getting close seems to trigger something. Even as the Phantoms fly upward and the group closes in, the two red lights that are visible upon the APC shift in a snap towards Tirzah's direction. In fact, it might seem they look directly at her, despite the darkness. And a moment later the four armored persons start, as if alerted by something. The two at the equipment lift their heads, the two rifle wielding watchers standing straighter. And above the APC, the two red lights lift upward, rising twelve feet over the top of the APC, the soft nimbus of light that comes from the spotlights barely glinting off a tall, vaguely humanoid shape.
The dark Ahriman is a little lost in this high-tech world of rifles, scanners, armored personnel carriers, and home toaster ovens. Even so, he flits under the APC as quick as he can, prone floating shadowmelded body able to worm its way into crevices one wouldn't ordinarily surmise. A little flick of his wrist sends that first little orb towards the track on the opposite side of the EPC, an almost idle gesture as Ahriman turns to peek outside. He has no idea what that little red ball's going to do, but knowing Tirzah it's probably not friendly. You paged Ahriman with 'Attacking the west tread?'
The thing atop the APC does not wait to open fire, the laser rifle that it caries in two hands blazing to life as a series of rapidfire pulses are fired off in cold, calculated precision at visible targets. It's accuracy, even in the dark, is likely explained as the flares of light reveal the mystery thing to be.. a skelebot? If so, one that no one here has ever seen before. Twelve feet tall, four arms extending from its main body, two arms on one side cradling a laser rifle, the other two wielding vibro-blades. But the most disconcerting thing is how it never seems to still, the thing swiveling on slender, jointed legs at all times, the two glowing eyes leering from a demonic skull's countenance.
The grunt on the far side of the APC snaps his weapon around, easily able to tell the direction the combat is coming from. He quickly circles around to the nearest floodlight, spinning it at once to face towards the direction of the attackers, throwing up a good deal of light. Ahriman will, for now, be clear of it on the north end of the APC.
With the rifle hitting, Celaeno, well... Celaeno swears. Loudly. The scorch mark smokes as she raises her rifle, firing off two quick shots at the bot sprouting from the top of the vehicle. "How you think the thing's controlled?" she asks, crackling as she moves to cover.
It takes a moment, but after that moment passes, the turret at the top of the APC swivels, coming down to aim towards the largest of the attackers. It's dual barrels add another flash of laser light that homes in on Maxy once more.
Tirzah is really thankful about the enchantment Ahriman lent even though it was so quickly nulled by the laser fire. So she wastes no time charging her armor (Armor of ithan) "Go ahead Maxy, I'll start with ranged attacks." She tells the armored juicer to give her some warning before darkness envelops the area about Tirzah. Meanwhile above the camp the phantoms focus down to draw up the four grunts (levitate) all for summoning light blades for the airborne battle.
Maxy blinks at the emergence of the large bot and then smiles behind her helmet. She gets scored by a blast to her armor but it doesn't phase her as she flies to engage the robot in melee combat, intending to pound it with her fists.
For the three remaining men, being lifted is a surprising thing, but only the rifle wielding fellow seems surprised enough by it to be stunned briefly. The other two have the wherewithal to pull their pistols and, with the big juicer flying right out into the open, they both home in on the most obvious threat of the moment, each snapping off a burst at her.
The dark being begins whispering in that odd tongue of his, rising from the end of the vehicle as he extends a hand. He'll lift, reaching out with grasping fingers to try and plant a hand on the bouncing, dodging, agile Maxy's leg to wrap her in an extra layer of armor.
The tall demon skeleton bot cooly responds to Maxy's assault, swords not quite quick enough to counter the flying punch, yet the thing handles itself with a masterful control of all four limbs, the elevation of its rifle held steady as the two blades are worked defensively as it continues to swivel and sway on its hinged legs, casually evading one of the energy shots fired at it without a break in stride. When Ahriman lifts up next to the APC, the thing reacts with deadly precision, ducking slightly as the rifle comes around, laser fire flashing at the offending shadow man, even as its blades continue to weave defensively and its body moves in unpredictable sways.
The west grunt, being lifted into the air, spots the.. things above him. Startled, he lifts his gun and fires off a pulse laser blast at the nearest of the blade wielding smudges.
Celaeno's glaring at the robot, and swearing at the world in general. So, this has to be fast, does it? There are inbound reinforcements on top of the skele-thing? Okay. That's fine. One thing at a time, zap, zap, go two quick shots at the weaving thing before she moves to regain her footing so that she might arc around back to the south, to get to the hole.
The turret atop the APC swivels, keeping a bead on Maxy as she mounts the vehicle. It's positioning allows it a free range to fire at her, which it does again, more rapidly than before, now that the one controlling it has woken up.
Everyone being on top of the APC kinda of null all her nast area affect capabilities so Tirzah conjures two fireballs attuning them to the turret to home in on it with viscious blue flames.
Maxy is getting hit and all and doesn't let it phase her though. She throws one fist and then a second at the robot, looking to try and take the thing out as quickly as possible.
The three others who are being lifted up seem to follow the example of their compatriot when it comes down to their lifted state. The two pistol wielders and the now active rifle holder all orient their weapons up, adding to the crossfire on one of the airy attackers.
The dark being's eyes flash once as he succeeds in casting that armor, then widen as he spies two bores as big as death swung his way. The first blast wraps him in a flash of inhuman blue light, chest popping outward in a flare of red fire before his halo turns from golden to red, and begins to deflate about his head. The creature falls smoking to the earth, tearing at his halo as he screams a four-tongued two-tone harmony of pain.
The demon skeleton bot cooly ignores its downed prey. So many targets to choose from. Maxy seems to have fallen low on its list of targets as the two blades it holds continue to weave independent of its firing at various targets. A step to the side amid its slippery swivel opens up more targets, the thing's cold, red eyes lining up further targets swiftly. It centers on the one currently pelting it with fire, ineffectual that it is, the large laser rifle tracking Celaeno briefly before it opens up again.
Her last two shots whizzing off into space, Celaeno glances around for a quick objective, only to have the laser from the bot rip into her. The sudden temperature differential on her armour leads to a very unsatisfying "POP!" followed by a horrendous sizzle. Taking a half-step dodge/roll, she manages to slide out of the way of the follow-up shot with a very convincing "SHIT!" The acrid smell of fried ceramic permeating suddenly burning in her nostrils, and a mixture of cold and hot air suddenly felt against her flesh, and she sprints for the hole, on the south side of the APC, leaping bodily into it.
The turret rolls to keep a bead on Maxy, even as other fire starts to do heavy damage to it. The controller keeping the heat on the Titan juicer as she tries to keep heat on the demon bot. Which, oddly enough, continues to ignore her for the most part. It does, however, emote an artificial and toneless, "Surrender or be destroyed."
"Withdraw Celaeno." Tirzah calls out to her fallen friend after watching her armor get decimated by a direct hit. Not wanting the skilled girl to suffer any more. In retaliation she conjures a third fireball to finish off the turret.
Maxy tries to keep up her assualt, really wanting to grind the bot into small metal fragments, lashing out again with one fist followed by the other, putting her strength to work and hoping she hits.
The three floating armored men remain intent on the targets above, leaving the demon bot to attend to the ground fight, which it seems to be almost too able to. That singular phantom drawing fire from three sides again.
It is little surprise, as the concentrated weapons fire seems to at least cause the vaporous form above to flinch, that the levitated soldiers will continue to fire on it. The grunt who once stood at the west fires off his next series of flashes eagerly. Perhaps this one..
The dark being's eyes narrow as he spies another of his group fall before the lasers of men. His eyes begin to bleed to red, body going utterly still as his tongues flicker in and out of his mouth to whisper little syllabent words and taste the smoke still rolling lazily from his smoking chest wound. One black hand reaches for the sky as he unleashes a spell, voice culminating with an earth-moving word Tirzah would recognize as meaning 'the dark.'
Falling to the bottom of a deeper-than-expected hole, Celaeno lands with a rough thud. After taking just a moment to breathe and flash up a psychic body field, she peers around her suddenly very-different surroundings. Climbing to her feet, she quickly moves to shoulder her rifle and moving to draw her swords.
The one phantom failing to escape the shot the other close in on the grunt who took with bringing their light blades down to cut away the grunt's armor. Tirzah sense the phantoms peril and releases her hold to it as she conjures two more fireballs, and attunes them to the skelebot's head.
When Maxy lands that rather hard hit on the Hellion, it's targeting priorities shift. One fireball shoots right past its head, whilst the other clips it good, though the reinforced demonic visage is barely marred. As it continues to dance its deadly dance with Maxy, the big laser rifle is oriented first at Tirzah, rapid pulses fired her way before it snaps the weapon into another angle, adding to the laser fire that Maxy has to dodge, since the poor turret just got iced, sparking and spitting small tongues of flame.
Maxy moves out of the the laser fire but timing it just so that her movements translate directly from the dodge into two rapid fire punches launched at the robot.
Above the APC, the two pistol wielders suddenly seem to panic, flailing about for a moment as their rifle wielding compatriots keep their cool. While the three mist creatures might focus in on one of the men, their lightblades cut deep scars in the man's heavy armor without breaching it. THe other grunt, however, finds his rifle has crapped out on him. Thus he drops it, pulling his sidearm. The moment of panic aside, the two pistol wielders seem to come back to focus and, along with their fellow grunt, they turn their weapons on the offending mist creatures. One down, three to go.
The night has lit up with fire and lasers as four look to ambush and rob a small camp of Coalition soldiers. With a surprise. At the center of the melee, Maxy faces off with the tall, imposing demon skelebot that has methodically worked on whittling down the opposition with cold precision. It's horned head only slightly melted from a direct fireball blast, Maxy has done the most against it, her heavy blows finally starting to cave in the slender, yet resilient ribcage enough that the slippery thing has focused on her. She;s taken quite a few hits on her heavy armor, but it holds strong for the moment.
Cel has fallen out of sight, taken cover in the wide dug hole at the west side of the EPC, her armor a shambles, much of its center substance having been burned away by the last shot she took, the energy mostly diverted from her tender, vulnerable flesh. Though she will later find some burns that will hurt, but heal. Ahriman is at the south end of the EPC, his own armor a shambles as well, thanks to the evil robot. The tread of the EPC has indeed burned through part of the way from the first fire globe he tossed, though it still has some time before being completely ruined.
Tirzah remains at range north and east of the EPC, one of her phantoms dismissed precious moments before it might have been destroyed, the other three still elevating their targets. The one that falls being the grunt whose weapon jammed on him. He topples to the ground with a cry out, yet the others seem heartened by their victory, yet remain intent on pressing to further advantage. The one who has been set upon by the lightblade wielding phantoms has seen his armor carved deeply, but this newer, sleeker design seems to have some added power as it holds well against the onslaught.
Therein comes the actions of the rifle wielder still elevated and assaulted by the phantoms. He, of course, fires at the next one that he and his compatriots are wearing down, opening up aggressively.
The dark creature at the head of the APC speaks some quiet words, refreshing the shielding about him with casual ease as he creeps about in front of that large armored tread. He snags another globe, giving it a gentle underhand toss at the side door opposite Celaeno, looking more wary of his surroundings than anything else.
Dropped fully from the action above her, Celaeno doesn't seem very inclined to rejoin, an upwards glance being the only thing belying even the consideration. After a moment's concentration, one of her sword begins emitting an eerie white glow, before she begins moving with cautious curiosity into the cavern.
The turret destroyed and Maxy doing quite well against the Skelebot Tirzah decides to make for the hole where she last saw Celaeno go. Pushing off she glides over to dive in without hesitation. Above Her phantoms continue the assault. One of the three though pauses to conjure a riveting display of lights (northern lights) for their opponents while the others cut into the same soldier. Then all three cut into the soldier with fury.
The demon skelebot continues to fight despite its weakening armor, reacting with mute, focused precision as it continues to dance with Maxy. The blades weaving defensively in its two hands, the large laser rifle brought to bear, a half step back giving enough room for it to start pumping laser pulses at her rapidly as it continues to weave back and forth on its slender, jointed legs.
Maxy manages to just get her body out of the way of the first shot which is a feat for the massive woman. She doesn't get out of the way of the second, it scoring the magic blowing through it and scoring her armor again as well. She growls a bit and again looses two rapid punches at the machine, wanting to take it out for good.
The fight above is almost removed from the one below. Though it is no less frantic. Mostly for the one beset by the phantoms. Elementals are indifferent beings and it shows clear as the three remaining simply cut apart the grunt they're set upon. His scream is loud, but brief. The flashing lightblades sectioning him into pieces once his armor's integrity fails, the pieces not part of the center mass falling away, along with sprays and surges of blood. Those below may think it rains briefly. But the dark sky remains clear. The other two who remain levitated are suddenly captivated by the lights that appear above, their movements pausing as they stare upward at it. And below the one who fell drops with a hard thud and, for the moment, lies still on the ground.
The fire globe rolls from the darkling's hand, just a little low, skimming grass for several moments and igniting individual blades before spilling into a torrent of liquid fire between him and the vehicle. His dour frown moves the armored door not a whit. Still, as humans rain from the sky and that skelebot keeps tearing away up above, he very cautiously climbs the side of the APC once more, reaching to try and refresh the shield he felt fall up above his head.
With hundreds of curses dancing on her tongue for Norwick, the Coalition, and the situation at large, Celaeno presses deeper into the earth. Her glances around her becoming increasingly thorough, she begins to hesitate at her decided actions, looking back over her shoulder briefly before trying her radio, "So... this hole seems to stretch on for quite a while."
Her spells suspended as she catches up with Celaeno in the cave Tirzah draws her shot gun. "Hey, you alright?" She asks the psychic from close enough to not need the radio, her tone concerned. Meanwhile the three phantoms converge on the next soldier, having no problems with doing the same they did to the last.
The Hellion twists and slaps aside Maxy's driving fists, the agile bot twisting around in a lithe sway to fluidly keep a little distance to keep firing at the juicer. Though the first shot is the only one she gets before a twist of head and downward snap of the big rifle points it at Ahriman, who dares show his face to the evil automation again. Perhaps another focused beam of concentrated light will teach him the error of his ways.
Maxy shakes her head, "You will not beat me." she growls as her fists are parried and then gets a shot. She shakes her head and tosses two more fists at the beast, hoping to put a final dent in it.
There really is little for the fellows up there to do, caught by the lights as they are. The attack of the phantoms on the one has much the same effect as the other Though his armor is almost as strong as the other, they do a better job this time and one of the pistol wielders is simply caved up, the other still settled slack. And the grunt who fell still lies on the ground for the moment, unmoving. Atop the EPC, the Hellion that battles Maxy takes a bad step. The field of battle is an unpredictable thing and her punches catch it square, caving in the things chest deeply with a mix of crack and the grinding squeal of metal. THe force of it, as the thing's body shuts down, carries the tall, evil bot off the east side of the vehicle, the rifle and swords falling away as it drops heavily. The evil red eyes dimming slowly to dead darkness. But it surely took a piece with it.
The victory is punctuated when the EPC itself suddenly comes to life. Just who is it that controlled that turret? Likely the same one that suddenly hits the gas, the vehicle lurching forward. And though part of one tread still burns, it has yet to break, thus the thing quickly start to accelerate.
The situation has changed radically. The fighting, for the moment, has ended. WIth one target captivated, the Hellion downed and the other grunt still as death, there are no active fighters out in the open. Though that doesn't account for the turret user. Who makes himself known as he applies pedal to metal, the EPC roaring off towards the west as it turns sharply around the hole in the ground. Almost clipping Ahriman, leaving Maxy floating in the air, it rises up to forty miles per hour and climbing. The sound of it audible to those in the ground as it roars overhead. But for the ones in the open, another sound can be heard. Far to the west klaxons are going off. DIstant, yet not distant enough. Time is running out.
With a frown to the sudden rumbling coming from above, Celaeno moves to the lighting systems, sheathing her vibro-sword as she reaches to illuminate the area at large.
Ahriman was halfway climbed in front of the EPC when it lurches forward, brushing him easily aside as he spins momentarily in air! Darting after that EPC as quickly as the wind will carry him, he makes one last desperate attempt at the damaged tread before it's out of range.
The rumbling up ahead signals Tirzah to return to the surface. Doesn't seem like there is any threat down here anyway and Cel is making good time. "Keep going Cel but be quick. I'm heading up to see whats going on." She advises her teammate on the radio. Above the orders for the phantoms have yet to change and the close in on the last floating soldier.
Combined damage does finally rip apart one of the treads, metal shearing as the EPC, still accelerating, loses some of its control. The pilot does a decent job of keeping it from careening too wildly, but by the time the momentum is bled off, the thing has slammed into and cracked a thick tree, canted to the side slightly due to the one torn tread.
With things ultimately rather uninteresting at the bottom of the hole, Cel begins making her way with considerable alacrity toward the exit.
And Ahriman isn't there. Sure, the technology on the top of the EPC may be worth millions to the right buyer, but it's all junk to the eye of someone in a 5th century BC mindset. Quick as the wind, and not nearly fast enough, he's darting back for that hole to leave Maxy alone. Such a hero!
Returning to the surface just in time to see the EPC crash into the tree Tirzah smiles lightly. Though that smile is short lived with the sound of approaching air force. "Time's up people. Everyone grab a closed box and we'll take what we get." She orders over her loudspeakers and radio. Then looking up to the phantoms she gestures to the EPC and the descend on its hatch as one.
Maxy cocks her head to the side and flies to the side of the EPC, not sure where the crates may be, she is still concerned with it for the moment, "See any locked crates or do I need to pry open the EPC?"
The combat ends, for the moment. The EPC is crashed nearby, the camp is in a mild shambles, much of the area peppered with blood. One of the flood lights is fallen over, one of the lights shattered, the others glowing into the ground, the other still pointing northwest where the attackers came from. The various containers that are scattered in a rough semi-circle all have at least one of two qualities. They're open or they're large. About seven feet long for the ones being used as surfaces. The smaller ones on top or to the sides, all opened to reveal electrical gear, including the power source that runs the lights. And while the klaxons are audible in the distance, there are no lights in the sky yet, But time is most certainly running out.
Celaeno's haste remains in full force as she bounds past the two stone pillars and further through to the entrance room of the cavern. Still clutching a glowing sword in one hand, she begins hauling herself up the ladder - only now hearing the klaxons in the distance. Pulling herself to her feet, she takes in the seen briefly, with an exasperated sigh.
The dark shape of Ahriman slips by as fast as the wind will take him, eyes narrowing as he concentrates on seeing beyond the veil. His dark form hovers over the campsite for a brief moment, flittering here and there a little uselessly as those people remain below ground, and then dropping to the fallen CS soldier he cradles the human in his arms to fly away into the wilderness at flank speed towards the nearest ley line.
Grumbling at the size of the boxes Tirzah channels her link into one to see if she can lift it from the ground and push it along (Levitate). Meanwhile the phantoms start carving into the hatch of the EPC with the light blades.
Maxy cocks her head to the side, "Do I rip my way in or did you find what we are looking for?" she calls out, trying to decide if she needs to rip into the epc.
The three large containers lift up easily and float along easily And the door will rip open, though when it does laser fire comes out from within. Of course, the pilot's chances aren't too good. And inside there will be a pair of boxes in the aisle of the back section, devoted to personnel transport. Nothing else unusual or out of the ordinary present.
Celaeno takes a deep breath. And another. And then she moves to some of the more expensive looking electronics boxes. The phantoms seem to have things in enough control with the EPC, and the large boxes are levitating merrily, themselves, so ... small box, it is.
Some distance into the wilderness, Ahriman's eyes cast back over his shoulder, chin turned back as he drops the human once more into the brush. Falling on him hurriedly, the dark being reaches for his obsidian knife and begins hurriedly working at the seal that holds the soldier's helmet in place, looking for the release so that he might tear it off.
The phantoms descend on the pilot without pause cutting into him as they did the others. Pulling along two of the boxes Tirzah shakes her head to Maxy. "Nah grab the third box for me will you?" She requests the juicer as she makes her way to the EPC to wait for the phantoms to finish off the last defender of their target. Ahriman's sudden departure gets a slight sigh and a shrug. "He doesn't get any from the extra boxes." She decides aloud, leaving 3 for 3 big boxes and thre small ones, one of which must be Norwick's.
Maxy nods and moves to get the last box, "Can grab one of those if you need." she says as she moves to follow after then, cart service.
It's not a contest for the last guy. He gets taken out and all current opposition is gone. Just in time as, to the west, several flyers can be seen, by the powerful exhaust of their hover jets, the sound carrying softly from a distance. But it won't be more than a minute, if that, before they descend upon the area. Likely much less. For Ahriman, getting the helmet off is an eventual thing, but will he be able to do what he seeks quickly enough? He's closer to the approaching Coalition than everyone else.
Sheathing her sword - as what good is a sword against an impending airstrike? - Celaeno cherry-picks another box before moving to join the other two in the immediate area. "So, anything left for me to carry or do?" she asks, her hurried glances toward the cycles the only thing belying her anxiety.
In the dark, in the brush, 'quickly enough' is a matter of getting the radio away from the trooper before he can give up their location. He murmurs and pries with that ground glass blade, biting into the environmental seals briefly before prying the latch open at long last and dragging the helmet off the soldier in a hurried jerk. Then with an armful of soldier he resumes flight into the brush, melding with the shadows as those engines begin to vibrate the world about him.
Tirzah shakes her head to Maxy and the phantoms relieve her of her boxes with ease. Stepping into the EPC she quickly collects the last two boxes, stepping over to fallen corpse with little regard. "Alright we're out of here. Back to where we arrived people or you lose your ticket home." She orders, herself and the phantoms heading back quite quickly as the third Takes Tirzah up. Once Tirzah and the boxes are delivered she sends the three back for Celaeno, Maxy and even Ahriman though he seems to be intent on other activities. Expediting things as much as possible.
Maxy nods and plans on following carrying her box and working towards getting back to the starting point.
The CS will descend on the scene not long after the rest clear out, but they seem to make it clear without being detected. Barely. Tirzah will get a quick trip there, the others having to make it part of the way on foot before they get their own lift out. It's rough initially. While they aren't seen, the Coalition quickly sends out scouts to canvas the area. Seeking the attackers, but all save Ahriman manage to make it back to the extraction point undetected. But even as the last gather, in the distance the whine of hover engines can be heard.
Celaeno's suit looks like hell, and she's still recovering from the running that she underwent prior to the phantom's assistance. Oh well, she's alive, there's little else to be done or said about it - it doesn't much matter what she thinks. "So, we good, then?" is all she asks, glancing back toward the insistent whining. "Can we hit the button and leave, already?"
Maxy has score of laser marks on her armor but for the most part doesn't seem much worse for the wear as she carries her box and gets the lift the last of the way. She hears the whine and nods, "Departure would be a good idea."
Pulling out the signal Tirzah clicks to notify Norwick that the task is done as the others arrive. She shows some concern behind her glass helmet in her expression at Ahriman's absence but says nothing. Rather she simply waits for the portal to open. "Button is clicked." She confirms to Celaeno with a slight smirk.
Ahriman has no radio left, nor has he seen another living soul from his team since he left Maxy at the EPC. That soldier is carried by the air current as far as the spell will take him, and then checked for signs of life. If any exist he continues dragging the human towards the ley line, away from the search parties, trudging through the brush.
The portal opens not too long after, yawning open to their place of origin. "Quickly now, don't dawdle," comes Norwicks calm voice from the other side. And a step through will bring the three back to the clearing near Kingsdale. Norwick will pause a moment when only three step through, a brow raised. But when it's clear that there will be only three, he dismisses the portal and it closes at once. "I see many boxes," he murmurs, turning towards them. "But which is the right one?" He motions to a place near the lantern. "Place them here, we shall see." THough after that he considers the three who have returned. "A hard won battle, was it? Did your friend fall?" His interest in such things casual, with a bit of solemn.
Stepping through Tirzah shrugs placing the two smaller boxes atop on of the larger ones. "We had some close calls but adapted quickly. They were much more fortified than you had implied. If Ahriman had fallen I'd think the box you desire would be worth considerably more that what you opened with. But as he did not, but instead elected to make his own way back I have no issues. Perhaps the other boxes will hold things of value. The others though may have their own opinions." She notes with a slight gesture to Maxy and Celaeno.
"Well, there was this skele-thing," Celaeno says with a wave of her hand, "And it had a tendency to burn through pretty much everything it laid scanner on." A deep breath is taken as she gestures to the remnants of her armour. "Then there was this big vehicle, and then a very empty hole in the ground. So we grabbed everything we could find. If whatever you're looking for's not there, then I say you chew out your worthless fucking sources and find a new one." Her tone's practically chipper, but she finishes with a much more low-key, "But these things, of course, happen."
Maxy gently sets her box down where indicated and shrugs a bit. "Definitely an interesting bot, never seen anything.." she shrugs a bit and nods as she looks at the others and waits to see if they got what he wanted.
"Pay is not negotiable," Norwick notes simply to Tirzah, standing with his hands wrapped in his sleeves. "Death and dismemberment is a thing to be expected when one lives by the sword." His attention then turns to Cel and he considers her state. "That they do. And you all live to tell the tale. Your expenditures will be covered, as I did promise." Yes, his own concern is rather lacking as he turns to approach the various boxes. A hand extends, held out over them as he slowly does a tour in one direction, then back in the other, cowled head lowered as he considers the various items. Then be pauses. "Mmn?" He steps towards one of the small ones from inside the APC, smoothly dipping to a knee to lay a hand on it. Then his hand lifts and moves to the second one. "Mmmn.." He stands then and makes a pass of his fingers, murmuring soft words. The two boxes lift and start to follow him when he does. "You have succeeded. Congratulations." HIs hand waves towards the other boxes before folding into his sleeve again. "You may do as you wish with the rest. There is but one more matter.." And when his hand emerges once more he has four cred cards, splayed between them like playing cards. "Come, accept your due." His eyes shift towards Tirzah. "Will you take the proceeds for your companion, should he return? If he does not, I do expect it returned, of course."
Tirzah nods a slight sneer evident from the non negotiable comment. But she does not press the moot point as she takes the two cred chips. "I will, he lives right next to me. So if he returns I will know and he will be paid. If he wants to be." She swears and then starts looking to the remaining boxes to see what they scored.
"Tch, what about the man's poor young widow?" Celaeno asks, moving to take her chit. "Certainly she deserves some small stipend. After all, what's done is done, and your overhead's about the same," she says, vapidly before going deadpan, "But really, you should get a more informative source. If there'd been two of those things, your precious little trinkets wouldn't have made it back." Turning to Tirzah, "Here's to hoping it's something we can use, and not just a bunch of boxes full of rocks, hmn?"
Maxy nods and moves to get her cred and dip her head to the side a little. She looks at Tirzah and nods, "Look here or depart to elsewhere first?"
Namtar nods once to Tirzah without comment, though his eyes linger on Cel. "Had I poor resources, I would not have learned of this before what I desire was taken into a more secure facility. Do not question my sources.. given time, they can find out anything. What was discovered in the space of hours is remarkable." He smiles and turns. "I will surely be in contact with another promising opportunity presents. I am quite pleased. Do enjoy the rest of your evening." And with that he will walk into the woods, soon to simply disappear once more.
