Mar 15 09:15:00 107 PA - First of the Aritfacts

From Chronicles

Early for her own event of course Tirzah makes her way to the lockers at the gate to recover her heavy munistions. Late evening in the spring, fog an unusual blessing. She can only hope its spread north to wear she intends to travle tonight. Three hours by road, another hour for shit to happen, and they'll arrive at a fortified Coaltion position to collect something no one would say they have justifiable claim over.

Erica walks out of the city gates in her cyclops Triax armor. In her hands are a backpack and a knapsack full of suppiles. Her weapons are slung over both her shoulders and her jetpack is secured to her back. She seems to be carrying quite a few supplies as she makes her way to the appointed meeting area. A fresh coating of grey camo paint is on her armor, covering up the repairs she needed from her last outing.

March. The ground is still frozen, but the snow melts consistently enough that the earth is black and rimed with silver. Here at the strip, powerful fog lights illuminate the night, yellow marking the runway with running flashes of powerful amber pulses while flood lights burn halos in the freezing fog. Great channels of light standing as solid objects in a great pea soup of night. A low rumble of a heavy civilian engine joins the others, and a wall of lights appears in the fog. Two white headlamps, two amber fog lights, and four white flood lights make up a light bar overhead. The vehicle rolls to a stop as Erica appears before it, swallowed by lights like a tasty morsel before the great maw of a ravenous beast, and with a shiver the truck's engine comes to a halt. The amber parking lights remain on, and Ahriman drops from the cab some moments later. He's clad in heavy tan canvas pants, a worn-looking leather jacket, and a broad stetson with brim turned down, Australian-style. Matching black gloves and boots look oddly modern, though, and a mace swings to his left to match the bone-handed dagger to his right. "We do this without our mysterious benefactor, this time?" Ahriman rumbles curiously.

Returning from the gates with two weapons cases, one large and bulky for some measure of cannon, the other mid sized, large pistol or small rifle/shotgun. Tirzah smirks and shakes her head at Ahriman. "She wouldnt know of him, but no. This is my endeavor, so my rules. Rule number one, team mates are not food. I'll make the rest up as I go along kay?" Tirzah explains with a cheery smirk before looking to Erica. "Any questions? Now's the time."

Erica looks up at Ahriman with that one cyclopian sensor and then makes an exagerated shrug of her shoulders. She sets her bags on the ground and dusts off her hands. Turning to Tirzah she shakes her head a little bit. "No no questions. I need to grab anothe bag and case out of my locker." She mentions before jogging over to the gate and taking a large weapons case and a sack from her locker. She quickly jogs back and sets everything down.

"A shame," Ahriman replies as he turns towards Tirzah, his chin ducking to splay his black mane behind his head. "You look delicious this evening." Those black eyes focus on the small redhead, pupilless and unblinking, staring for more than a polite length before asking, "Do we know what it is we're after? Will it be large, small, heavy, light, is it shock-sensitive, is it explosive? Is it magically charged? Or the composition of the team extracting it?"

"Nothing terribly detailed I'm afraid. A magical artifact they refered to as the mobius. I dont know what size force is watching over it as they wait for the next caravan back to Chi town. Rather I asked myself how big of a force would the colaition have protecting and artifact of untold magical power. So this wont be a frontal assault. Seriously outnumbered and out gunned we're going to have to be resourceful in leveling the field out there." Tirzah admits with a grim nod as she puts the cases in the back of Ahriman's truck. "Of course if we can make it there without them knowing we're coming, thats half the battle."

Erica kneels down and takes a look into her knapsack she takes out a round black object and balanaces it in one hand. "So this might be too early for this, but I figure I would ask anyway. Does anyone want a Wilk's blinder gernade? Good against both foot troops and robors and vehicles. They are also rechargable so pick em back up if you can." She says while looking up and at Tirzah and Ahriman. "Might be good for getting out of a tough spot."

Ahriman's head swivels at Erica, and tilts to the right as he peers at her a long moment. His eyes are moving, though to where is difficult to say. Presently he turns back to Tirzah and replies, "The last time there were scientists and soldiers. However, I have learned that this Coalition has monsters who can smell me from great distances. Perhaps the artifact will mask me? I have no knowledge of this."

Tirzah smiles warmly at Erica, nodding in agreement to the concept but not reaching for the grenades. "My phantoms have arcane equivalents so no need to share them with me. The others though, definitely a good idea if they encrouch on your position." She smiles and shakes her head at Ahriman. "I dont know if the artifact will or not, so I've invited Celaeno on this trip to act as our smokescreen as well as her other talents. You and I will be staying close to her until we're close enough for that factor to be irrelevant." Tirzah explains before looking to Erica again. "And I heard you were bringing another to help as well?"

Merrily humming her way through the fog, Celaeno is practically skipping through the streets, helmet removed on her new-looking NG-A8 armour to let the chill in. Though most of her equipment is strapped tightly down, the sudden motions cause the occasional clatter of a scabbard, the creak of stiff joints. She bounces right up to the group with a wave and twenty-karat smile, "Why, hello there. Funny meeting you all here."

Erica shrugs her armored shoulders as she takes the black gernade and hooks it to her utility belt. "Fair enough then." She says as she stands up from her crouched position and gathering of gear. "Yah Auranna wants to come and help. She should be able to help out a good deal. She seems to be able to handle herself and is more then competent in the wilderness." She turns her helmet to look at Celaeno and gives the newly arrived woman a nod of her helmet. "Hi Cel."

The black being laughs softly, a low, thudding sound that doesn't sound quite healthy coming from his svelte frame. "Close to Celaeno? Interesting." The black being's eyes sway her way, narrowing as he spies her approach, and he blinks slowly at the woman. "You look freshly-equipped. Cat got your tongue? Or was it the dragon?"

Tirzah glances between Ahriman and Celeano with a smirk as she takes a moment to retrieve her helmet from her bag. "Glad you two have kept acquaintences, you're both so talented, yet different. Anyway, maybe we should start out genral plan while we wait for Auranna. I imagine in the forces we encounter we're all going to have oppoenents that we would excel against, and others we wont."

"Actually, I got its teeth," Celaeno practically beams at him. "These two, right here," she smiles widely as her hands come up, middle fingers extending solitarily so as to also point at her canines. "I've turned one into a necklace, don't know what I'm going to do with the other." She chipperly turns away from him, looking brightly to Tirzah for the planning.

Erica walks over to Tirzah and squats down while she nods her head as she listens in on the plan. "Yah most likely you are right Tirzah." She steadies herself with one hand while smiling inside her helmet at Celaeno's antics.

"I am especially unsuitable to stealth, I'm afraid," Ahriman rumbles. "Unless they are devoid of magic-sensing monsters, in which case I could clear half the camp. Ahriman reaches to his belt and fingers that bone handle, running a thin glove up and down its length before adding, "But I find that circumstance unlikely. I'll reduce their effectiveness, divide them, protect you. And when the time comes, I should be able to correctly identify what is worth taking home."

Tirzah nods to Erica, still keeping quite positive. "Right so in the principles of strategy we need to disclose the sorts of CS forces we could trample with much predjudice so that others in the team can consider how to close the gaps. I'll go next, my phantoms and I are best against light infantry. Numbers dont overly concern me, more the merrier. We do not fair so well against borgs or power armor."

Tirzah's discussion topic leaves Celaeno smirking, her head cocking to the side as she listens. "Well, I'm in a bit lighter suit than I might otherwise have enjoyed for this, but it should work out just fine. Generally I like to run interference - nothing like a bit of chaos to make an operation run smoothly, hm? If it comes to it, I can move in and distract anything big one on one, but I'm not exactly going to be happy facing down a SAMAS. Those things have pretty big guns, and can outmaneuver the hell out of me."

"I think I might be best used as airsupport. I can fly in use blinder and stun gernades and fly back out quickly. I can also provide heavy fire support using my particle beam rifle. I'll be able to move around the field of battle quickly, but I'll likely attract fire that way as well." Erica says while slowly nodding her helmet up and down. "I can move to support whoever may need it. I have plenty of supplies if needed including some extra weapons, a suit of gladiator armor, stun gernades, and blinder gernades, so please speak up if you need anything."

Ahriman tilts his head back and notes, "About that. You drained me completely last time we did this. I ran out of shields, and I have better spells now. I'll keep more of my energy tonight. A cyborg or powered armor, as I recall, has only marginally more useful weapons than any of you," Ahriman waves a hand at the group vaguely. "They win in their durability. I can provide that to you."

"There's the first hurdle." Tirzah points out as the group stis convening in the fog beside Ahriman's truck and 11 pm. "I think its likely there will be one or more Samas there. Solutions?" She asks, her look gaining focus as she identifies the first issue. And then Ahriman brings up another and tirzah pauses to consider. "How much? My phantoms do have their own supply, so they could replenish you provided we have time for it." Auranna comes along from t he direction of the city. She is running a bit late, she wanted to make some extra meditations. She looks around for Erica as she runs. She has her hooded cougar skull shirt on, with its turtle shell collar. She looks around and then dips her head as she group by the truck.

Celaeno slides into a crouch as the others speak, "The best way to deal with those? Not give them a shot at us, or at least try to confuse their lines. Keep them from just strafing us constantly. Assuming your little friends can't converge and take them out one by one. I don't think I'd be able to keep one engaged, honestly."

Erica turns her helmeted head to look at Auranna and gives her a quick nod. "Hello Auranna." She says before turning her head back to the rest of the group. "We should try not to bunch up so we won't be a good target for rockets or missles, but I do think the SAMAS will be a problem. I can't stand toe to toe with one that is for sure. I am a pretty good shot I could try to snipe one's wings off maybe."

Ahriman stays silent a moment, and relays, "I can't give more than half. But I bring more to the table today than months past. An energy field might hold one in place long enough for your phantoms to converge. A sheet of ice across the visor will send one hurtling blind into the night. Our best protection against these are trees. If they cannot see us, they cannot shoot us. The worst we can do is be caught on an open plain where their weapons may strike from half a mile away.

Tirzah considers the options for a moment and reaches into her bag to pull out a glowing fireglobe. "I have 20 of these, should be more than enough for any Samas or borg. But we need a sure way of delivery as opposed to throwing." She points out, solving the damage potential atleast.

Auranna cocks her head to the side and then smiles at Erica, she has seen her in her armor enough to know which is her. "I might be able to sneak up on then and then shred their armor, depending on how high they are flying. We are talking about those big metal suits they wear, yes?"

Celaeno's head bobs, "They're handy little orbs," is all she really has to say, shrugging. "We're not looking to raze the place to the ground, right? We just need to get in, grab it, get out. Sure, easier said than done, but we just need to keep them busy for a little while. Distract 'em, send them running somewhere else." Her head lifts to look at Auranna for a moment, with a shrug. "That's them."

Erica gnaws on her lower lip inside her helmet before speaking. "Well I could fly over and pelt the camp with your globes, but not sure how well that would work out, and unless we are lucky enough to encounter the SAMAS grounded then it will do little against them." She offers with a slight shake of her helmeted head. "Yah that would be more of a sorched earth approach."

Tirzah grins, liking Auranna already. "Perfect, a volunteer. You get close enough for the opportunity you hit it with this when you jump it. I'll give you six. They engulf whatever they are thrwon at in very powerful flames. But wont go off unintentionally. So dont worry about babying them, but dont linger once its done either." She explains as she hands the globes over to Auranna. "I'm Tirzah by the way, and we can discuss the rest of this enroute. I beleive everyone except Erica is riding in the truck most of the way. lets get in and get out." She motions, taking shotgun.

Auranna cocks her head to the side and looks at the truck, "Can I run?" she asks, "Or I have a horse." she wrinkles her nose and looks at the truck some more and then slips the globes into a large satchel. "Can do that." she eyes them the globes a bit as she does that, at least they aren't like the truck or something.

"Ohh, ritzy," Celaeno says brightly, detaching the scabbards from her belt and shifting a few things around. "Been a while since I've been chauffeured. If there's anything terribly important, you can wake me before we get there and repeat it," she grins, glancing at Auranna's distaste. "Hey, the fewer people packing in, the more comfortable it'll be."

The black Ahriman's eyes slide over Auranna, face an impassive mask as he considers her. "More of your kind are returning to their roots than I had suspected. Good. Perhaps you will abandon the folly that is 'technology' and seek a better path." Without recognizing the irony, he climbs up into the truck cabin and starts the engine again. It's an extended cab, good for four or five very friendly individuals. He waits for people to start climbing in, and adds, "I would not count on them being caught asleep nor unawares. We must be fast, decisive, and gone."

Erica nods her head as she starts to stand up. "I would like to stash some of my equipment in the truck." She says as she picks up the weapon case and backpack and puts them in the back of the truck. "Maybe Ahriman will learn how to be something more then a creep." She mumbles to herself as she finishes putting everything away and warms up her jetpack.

Tirzah shrugs as she rolls down the window to nod to Auranna. "If you can kreep up with the truck you can do whatever you want." She decides with a firm look before looking back to Ahriman. "And half will be adequate. My reserves have gone up since then as well." Tirzah notes with a quaint smirk.

Two hours pass, the group making its way steadily north to the coordinates Tirzah holds. The fog breaks after the first hour leaving the sky quite clear. Those two hours are uneeventful, and assumedly undetected. Well until a strafe of fire goes off in front of the truck. Clearly a warning shot. "So much for getting in undetected.." Tirzah groans.

Almost three hours pass, the group making its way steadily north to the coordinates Tirzah holds. The fog breaks after the first hour leaving the sky quite clear. Those two hours are uneeventful, and assumedly undetected. Well until a strafe of fire goes off in front of the truck. Clearly a warning shot. "So much for getting in undetected.." Tirzah groans.

Celaeno wakes up at the shots with an, "mmm?" Tirzah's groan eliciting a sigh from her as she promptly takes a quick evaluation of her equipment. "So, we pack it up and go home, or pile out and do this thing? Who knows, they may want to chat." Her rifle is unslung as she moves to peer out the window to see if she can see anything from her seat.

Auranna did choose to ride in the truck, mostly cause she didn't want to put her horse in danger, and wasn't sure how long the trip was going to last. She wasn't happy about it, but at least she is just riding in it. She blinks at the shots a bit.

"Can someone get out," Ahriman asks, steering towards the treeline, "and hold a leafy frond over the hood? Otherwise I think the hot engine, fog lights, and combustion engine may give away our position to scouting parties." He rolls into the trees and hits the brakes, a shiver of frost falling from the gnarled branches above to dust those climbing out after him. The black being jogs for the truck bed, pulling free what looks like a shaggy cloak, shrugging into it and fastening buttons as he walks away from the truck into the trees.

Erica was flying just above the tops of the trees so she could both keep and eye on the truck from above and wouldn't make a very big target. Her wilk's laser rifle is in her hands as she scans the ground with her optics system while her heavy particle beam rifle is over her shoulder. At the shots she immediatly stops and hovers in place looking for what fired the warning shot.

"Must be their perimeter patrol. We pile out, we all know its owrth the risk even at worst case scenario right?" She notes, grabbing her NG 11S. "Maybe they've had a sudden change of heart to my kind." She offers sarcasticly as she hops out, and slips her helmet on, instantly its optics show her everything bright as day. "Wonderful.."

Celaeno follows the rest out of the car, leaving the rest of the work to, well, Ahriman and anybody else who wants to do it, she takes the moment to move to lean against a tree, taking a deep breath while she peers about and waits for things to get underway proper.

Erica speaks over the radio channel that was agreed on earlier. "Dogpack approaching truck. SAMAS in air over the truck."

Auranna slips out of the truck and moves away from it for a moment and then glows for a moment and shifts, her body changes as she gets away from the truck. Much better to see and sneak if she isn't in a human form. There is a bright glowing and shimmer as her forms shifts and swells in size, shifting forms and leaving a massive giant Cougar in her place.

Ahriman finishes buttoning up and ... disappears. Gone into the night as readily as he came. Though there are those who would find him without trouble, first from the whispering words under his breath, and then from the scent of magic in the air.

With Erica's warning Tirzah is able to turn and locate the dogback with a snicker. "Aww I love puppies, you know the saying, let sleeping dogs lie." She jests over the com as she makes sure she's out of Cel's field before drawing on her link to conjure a cloud about the pack

Erica lifts her laser rifle to her shoulder and flys down into the trees, trying to use the cover of the trees to give her some protection from the SAMAS. She takes aim at him hoping that she wasn't spotted yet.

Celaeno turns in the direction of all the hubbub, taking a moment to slide a little further away from the group and interpose a tree or two between herself and the mutts. "Wonderful," she mutters, glancing upwards as if it might reveal the Samas. "Spread it out, don't want to get firebombed."

Silver Cougar moves around towards the pack, circling to come at them from a different angle. She hasn't seen the Samas yet but the pack she did and they make good targets.

Silver Cougar takes the opportunity to leap forward and slash twice at one of the dogboys, before they can shoot, she is a predator in this form and sometimes doesn't think things through.

Erica finishes taking aim at the SAMAS and fires of a pulse of laser shots. She doesn't wait to see the result of her shots and darts to the right to try to keep herself from being pinpointed by the powerarmor.

Celaeno calls, "Move 'em away from the truck," and begins swinging outward and around, skirting the edge in an attempt to get behind and past, doing her best to keep some trees between her and them. Up comes the rifle briefly as she snaps off a shot at one of the figures in the cloud.

As soon as the cloud is conjured two of the dog boys succumb immediately. The panther tears into a third, shredding its armor before succumbing herself. In responce the other dogboys scatter, as priotity one is getting out of the cloud. The stalker on the other hand has a more direct approach since he is safely in eba. He pulls a grenade and throws it at Tirzah. Above the Samas gets hit by Erica's pulse.

The black form that is Ahriman stalks through the night, a whisper of motion in the wilderness going crazy. Eyes rolling back, Ahriman stares at the noisy thing in the sky and four tongues whisper different words as his breath leaks frost into the night air. The fog coalesces into snowflakes intermittently through the trees, a breath of Old Man Winter carried by a zephyr on its way towards the airborne intruder.

A grenade going off beside her Tirzah levels her shotgun at the stalker, sending two plasma shells at it with cool efficiency. Above, the Samas was set to pursue Erica through the trees before sudden flost over his helmets has him struggling to pilot.

Erica uses the ice that Ahriman conjured to stop and pull off two more pulses into the power armored flyer. She swears a little as she fires, obviously nervous at being up in the air with one of the Coalition's SAMAS.

When she pulls the trigger, Celaeno's rifle just crackles, an arc leaping from the e-clip across the entire length of the gun. "Shit!" she says, simply moving to strap it down, as her hands slide down to her swords, producing one and then the other, "Well, my gun's fried," she comments as they slide out of their scabbards, glinting in a marvel of technology as she begins a charge toward the closest dog, swords swinging around to tear into him.

Cel attacking one dogboy it has no course be to try and retaliate with its vibro claws. The others though, following the stalkers lead, draw ther rifles and fire on Tirzah.

The stalker, throws two more grenades at Tirzah, not letting up at all since the Woman in the black armor does have the highest count so far.

Ahriman is a fly in the ointment. A monkey in the wrench. As lasers converge and a firey ball of plasma lights the night in an eerie green glow, Tirzah finds herself in a blasted crater of baked glass, the earth beneath her feet glowing a dull orange as the glass hardens quickly in the cool air. Those nearby are left blinking, clearing their sinuses, and it's almost enough to make one miss a hand brushing her left arm, from behind, words spoken from the wind. "Careful, Little Sister." Moments later a glowing blue bubble circles her, pinning the redhead in place beneath its faint soap-bubble-like surface, as Ahriman walks away, putting her and the bubble between the stalker and Ahriman.

"Should have contained him not me. Tirzah mutters, stuck under the field. But she can start channeling her link to a more fruitful endeavor for sure. so she does, taking advantage of the protection.

Above all this the Samas takes two more volleys from Erica and it sets about clearing its systems from the interfearance.

Silver Cougar lays still asleep within the could, poor girl, should think more before leaping.

Erica swears under her breath but loud enough to be overheard over the radio as she keeps up her barrage of the enemy power armor. She squeezes off another two pulses at the SAMAS not able to spare attention to the people on the ground as she tries desperatly to take out the SAMAS before it can counter attack.

As the dogs' claw lifts, Celaeno's left sword rises to deflect it as she slips left and back, regrouping from her charge to make a double-handed chop that would rake across the entire front of the suit, the swords diverging and drawing back into a double-stab.

With the poor dog collapsing with the first half of a sharp yelp, Celaeno quickly brings her swords up, turning her sights on closing the remaining distance between her and the stalker.

One dog down and Tirzah now shielded the other three turn on Celaeno, pulse rifles firing.

The stalker, noticing Cel's charge draws a pistol and fires quickly once, more carefully a second time.

As Celaeno scampers away from the psi-stalker, ducking and running from the blasts incoming from afar, a second soap film appears, falling from the sky like a gossamer curtain about the psi stalker to seal with a faint 'pop!' Moments later a black creature steps from thin air to stride before Celaeno, head ducking inside a faint golden halo glows about his black head, eyeing the arrayed dog boys before them. In a slithery whisper, tongues and no voice, the black creature breathes, "Get down."

Tirzah finishes her spell and the wind twists about outside her shield with the presence of a phantom. "Blow the dogs away. She tells it as she draws on her link to summon another. A massive gust of wind blasts accross the scene shortly there after, heading straight for the remaining dogs.

The wind is fierce like few storms and hits the dogs full forces, sending them tumbling, equipment scattering in ther wake. They will be a bit recovering from that. Above the Samas accelrates as it is clear again, bearing down on Erica with two bursts from its rail gun

The dogs appear distracted. Ahriman strides away from Celaeno, quite visible, whispering some words as he takes on a peculiar aura. The frozen air seems to sparkle around him, his fine features exquisite under the half moon. Even his rough working clothes seem fine and dashing in the uncertain light as his voice projects through the firefight, that black creature approaching the dog boys and psi stalker. "PRIVATE!" he barks, in a deep voice tortured to gain volume in the deepest night. It sounds like tearing burlap. "You're under a spell! Those gargoyles are tearing us to pieces! Now get through this illusion and return fire!"

Erica tries desperatly to get out of the sights of the SAMAS power armor. She turns the speed of the jet pack to full and zips and turns as she trys to climb away from those railgun shots while her armor starts sending warning signs of all sorts.

The dogs currently disposed of tirzah smiles as another phantom enters this plain. "Help our flyer." She bids next, and a sphere of inky blackness coalesces about the Samas as its pursuing Erica through the trees. She is of course already drawing the power for her third pantom.

Engines roar, but away from the curent Samas, another has arrivecdon the field, lashing out at the glittery demon thing. with its rail gun. The stalker has a similar notion as the demon seems to take leave of his senses.

"I've got it under control," Celaeno says flatly to Ahriman, standing flatfooted as she recovers from the ... well, everything. As the wind blows the dogs away, she simply stands and watches as things begin to happen. The booming above everybody's head draws only the mildest of attention, "We going to sit here and fight more and more of these things, or are we going to go get our loot?" The psi-stalker enbubbled, the new SAMAS on the scene doing... something... and Cel decides to go find and pick off the scattered dogboys.

The first Samas is ingulfed in darkness and has to focus on its flying instead of finishing off Erica for one moment atleast. Too bad it didnt crash..

The radio pipes up, a whisper slithering over the radio as delivered by what sounds an awful lot like a whole gaggle of tongues. "By the time we arrive, help from any number of Coalition bases will be there. More flying units. Just shoot down a flier and salvage it for repair money, we can try again some time soon." Ahriman goes dark then, invisible, walking away towards the SAMAS circling overhead.

Erica keeps dipping and dodging as she uses her jetpack to try keep herself a difficult target. She keeps cursing to herself as she notices the second SAMAS coming in to support it's partner.

The last phantom summoned Tirzah tells it to stay and lend her power before going to help Erica as Tirzah turns to the other Samas. Three electric balls a conjured outside her field and mental sent to surround the new samas in the air. The three phantoms close on the first samas. One enshrouds Erica in a similar cloakc of darkness, but she can see through it. Another cloaks the samas again. the third, just arriving summons a blade of briliant white light.

Electricity crackling harshly against it the second Samas turns on the agressor as it flies out of the field, a volley of missles heads towards Tirzah

Celaeno paces for a few moments, looking vaguely in the direction of the dogboys' impromptu flight, swords swinging as she searches them out.

The first Samas continuing to have to focus on its flying instead of hunting really cand do anything against Erica at this time.

Slam! Explosions in the trees, shards of branches and trunk hurtling through the air. The chunk of wood ricocheting off Ahriman's shoulder spins him sideways, a feat more interesting by the fact that nobody can see him. A whisp of frost lifts into the air again, snowflakes spontaneously forming here and there in a rapidly-moving trail up into the air before exploding in a blossom of blizzard, fog hardening around that descending SAMAS unit to hard-coat it with an inch of ice.

Erica keeps using her jetpack to zip around as best she can making herself as difficult a target as possible. She does manage to get a chance to turn around and fire a pulse at the SAMAS pursuing her.

JUst a bit more juice left, and Ahriman's got her opponent distracted. The more balls surround the second samas, energy crackling intensles between them. With Erica the one phantom catches up to the first samas with the lightblade as another summons its own. The third keeps the darkness comming for the Samas

Celaeno finally spots one of the dazed dog boys and moves in towards the pitiful thing as it's digging through the snow, searching for its rifle. Shaking her head she approaches it, katana at the ready, building up speed as she moves in for the coup de grace.

The first Samas reels as a blade of light cuts far deeper than expected into its armor, causing warning bells everywhere when added to the damage Erica already did. Immediately it alters course, booking it west without looking back.

Ahriman is on the ground! Somewhere near Tirzah, as the frosty Samas barrels overhead. His eyes roll up, and he waits for it to begin plowing through the treetops, dodging as best its frozen visor can manage. A little grunt escapes Ahriman's lips as he turns, reaching momentarily for the sky with a beautiful, beautiful black hand, and in the distance a glowing blue bubble appears atop a tree in front of the poor SAMAS unit.

Ahriman is on the ground! Somewhere near Tirzah, as the frosty Samas hovers overhead. His eyes roll up, and he grins at the frozen thing snapping and sizzling in the sky. "You humans and your machines," he chides softly. A little grunt escapes Ahriman's lips as he turns, reaching momentarily for the sky with a beautiful, beautiful black hand, and in the distance a glowing blue bubble appears the poor SAMAS unit. Finally free of the bubble the stalker reloads, discarding its spent clip with a curse. Meanwhile the second Samas is now incased with the crackling balls of energy. Nothing to loose it fires two missiles to arrange its escape.

Erica raises her rifle to her shoulder and fires at the retreating SAMAS power armor while trying to follow it as best she can. Not wanting to let it get away to the Coalition camp.

With one dogboy down, Celaeno leaves the rifle where it is for the moment - it was so very close - and moves to close the gap with the next, swords flashing up and down to repeat the same process as prior.

Out of juice for the moment Tirzah can only watch as her three phantoms return to finish off the Samas above her if need by. Unlikely though.

The black being wanders back towards Tirzah, tilting his head to the right. "Do you think it's a man or a woman in there?" he muses, apparently having forgotten that there's still villainy to be done with troops on the ground. Energy surges about him, focused into his mace at his hip, and the tip crackles a little. Tiny static bolts leaping to the earth below.

The stalker may be the las man standing in all this, but he sure as hell Aint gonna turn coward against the face of evil like so many others. Raising his pistol her fires two burst at the darkling. Above, the second Samas is clearly almost scrpped as well like his wing mand he turns west, aiming to go rogue somewhere far from here.

Erica spots the second SAMAS trying to make his way out and escaping. She turns towards it and raises her rifle up to fire two pulses at the retreating power armor, hoping to take it down as well.

Celaeno secures her sword once again, muttering to herself as she stares down at the fallen creature. Once again the swords rise, curtains fall.

Ahriman blinks as a flicker of light scores over his chest, inches from his skin. Black fingers touch his leather jacket, probing it briefly for holes as his head tilts to stare at the Stalker. Plunging his hand aside, into Tirzah's satchel, he draws free a glowing red ball of living flame and hurls it across the void, a pathetic slow arc through the air propelled by strength unknown to Mankind. Ahriman throws like a girl.

The stalker is engulfed in flames! But raised as a CS citizen he learned stopp drop and roll in school. I does keep him occupied though.

Erica continues to follow the SAMAS trying to finish it off before it can get back to it's base. She squeezes the trigger firing off two quick pulses at it.

It's grizzly work finishing off one dazed dog after another, but Celaeno goes about it with questionable efficiency. The last dog is still trying to regain his footing as she approaches, the swords swinging once, singing twice.

"I wasnt about to waste one of those on him." Tirzah growls at Ahriman half heartedly before pointing to the stalker and looking to the phantoms and their light blades. "Slice and dice." the order is simple, the result not recommended for viewing by minors.

"But I like to watch them burn," Ahriman notes softly, pointing. "Look. A human evolved specifically to kill superior beings. Can you imagine anything less appealing?" He waves his hand at the now-diced corpse, and narrows his eyes at the bodies. Queueing his mic, he says, "Celaeno, gather any weapons you can find. Tirzah, let us see if our Brothers will help us collect the Samas units. I think we should be leaving soon."

Silver Cougar is just starting to stir and groggily wake. She hasn't moved much other than her tail swishing back and forth and one paw moving up to rub at her nose and whiskers.

Erica swears softly to herself as she strips off the barely intact Triax armor and digs around for her Crusader armor. "Well I'm grounded for a while." She murmurs out as she works on suiting herself up. She looks up to check up on Auranna but seems assured by the big cat's movements.

Everyone dispatched Tirzah is still all business. "Ok they dont have access to reinforcments until dawn so lets get what we need of the corpses and move on. We can come back for the Samas' on the return trip, no point in weighing us down if we dont live that long." She corrects, moving towards the dogboys that are still sleeping. She'll pull back their armor plating before plunging her vambraces into thir chests, Keen on Usinsing the Armor. "Erica, you're a techie, you know how to place thes plates over my armor for max effectiveness?"

Celaeno simply mutters something back over the mic, returning several minutes later drenched in blood, and carrying what she could gather. She unceremoniously tosses them into the truck's bed, eventually moving to join the group in picking over the bodies here.

Silver Cougar manages to shake off the last bit of sleep and get to her feet. The massive cougar snorts and shakes her head a bit, "Remind me to ask about strange clouds next time before leaping in." she mutters in English. She pads over.

Erica nods her head as she digs out her tool kit. "Yep I can make some patches to your armor. Won't be the best work in the world but it should help you out at least." She calls out as she starts looking through the battlefield for spare armor to help out Tirzah. Soon enough she has a good deal of spare plating to work on armor as need be. She gets her tools ready and starts patching up armor as best she can.

Ahriman frowns, and waves. "The Samas units are the most valuable pieces here. We should not leave both of them on the field. This one is a hundred yards from the truck. If we load it, and perhaps get the expensive weapon from the other..." Ahriman cranes his neck to try and view in the distance."

Tirzah glowers, looking imapatient for having to restate herself. "Ahriman. it will still be here when we come back will it not?" She points out as Erica tries to place the pads adequately. "Lets get our buts to that camp, get what we came for and then bicker about whats more important to take back. Heck for all we know there's even more valuable scores at the site. So lets go already. Well after you replenish my reserves anyway."

As Erica begins working, Celaeno plods over, "If you'd give mine a once-over if you've got the spare materials, that's be grand. And something happened with my rifle - don't know just how intensive the damage is, but it might be fixable." She shrugs, ready to hand any of her broken things over should there be anything left to use to repair them.

Silver Cougar nods, "Don't need it anyway." she murmers under her breath and then looks at each in turn and stretches a little. She looks in the direction of the camp, "That way?"

Erica gnaws on her lower lip as she opens up another sack. "Sorry Tirzah. I couldn't do much to fix it. You want to wear my other spare? It is some dead boy armor is the only thing." She turns to start working on Celaeno's armor and seems to have more success there as she reworks some of the pads on the suit. "Best I can do Cel. The offer is open for you as well."

Tirzah shakes her head without a look of concern. "Nah I'll just hang onto this dog boy's. It may smell but Ahriman can buy me the time to change if need be." She notes before looking around to do a damage assessment. "So we're up three rifles a pistol grenade and clips, down moderately on armor. Any strategy changes to be made?"

"Your armor is damaged and your magic is drained," Ahriman notes, and waves at the carnage around them. "And this was a scouting party. Can we assume the base will be better guarded? We can walk away now with a win." He eyes the suits available and shakes his head. "We can look. See if there is a smaller amount of resistance. But another foe like this will kill several of you, and I can't load a rail gun alone."

"See them before they see us," Celaeno says, nodding at Erica, "Nah, I'm sure you patched it up fine enough - plus I don't think your suit would quite do it for me somehow." She moves to the truck, cleaning up whatever gore is left on her before calling over, "I'm going to take a nap while you figure out what the hell you want us to do. And for the record, I'm more than game for keeping this party going - but the longer we wait the more likely it's going to be that somebody notices their buddies were cut down in the prime of their life. Especially if, say, either of our big buddies in the sky had emergency transmitters. Wake me when you've decided."

Silver Cougar looks at them each in turn, "Scouting can be done, and probably at least should." she paces back and forth, tail swishing some. Her voice is exactly like it is in human form, just with a little slurr do to her fangs, "We came after soemthing particular did we not."

Erica pats her particle beam rifle and smiles a little bit. "I'm going to switch to this bad boy. I have my wilks rifle still and I have a spare C-12 laser rifle that someone can use. I think we should go in fairly quickly before the camp calls in more help. Hopefully they will be a little disorganized." She says with a shrug as she picks up Celaeno's rifle to try and see if she can repair it. She nods her head and quickly fixes the short that happened in the rifle. "Uh here you go Cel. That should work if you have another problem do you want to borrow my C-12?." She asks Celaeno after fixing up Cel's rifle. She pays no attention to Ahriman at all. "Maybe Cougar should scout?"

"Walking away now, would not be a win Ahriman. You'd be giving these humans, who think magic is all about warts and cauldrons, permission to safe guard a magical artifact of unknown parameters. Yes I expect the base to be more fortified. But I also expect to be prepared far better than we were for being detected enroute. The phantoms can use wind rush to take down all their troops, leaving the heavies to the rest of you. Use the fire globes, make them hurt While I retrieve the artifact." Tirzah argues, not looking ready to back down. "Yes Cougar can scout, once we get closer."

Ahriman eyes the small redhead, frowning faintly as he stops sparkling in the moonlight. "You're very young, Little Sister. We will see what they have arrayed against us. All of the Coalition sees magic as warts and cauldrons, but that is no reason to assault Chi-Town. If this is feasible, yes. If we see another group like this? I take my guaranteed money and survive. You humans may live so short a life that the only way to win is a great risk. And there are so many of you, why not? Someone has to win, yes? There is only one of me."

Silver Cougar leaps up into the back of the truck, prefering to stay in the shape that she is in for now.

Tirzah smiles, seeming fine with the compromise. "If thats what you want Ahriman I wont stop you. But i'm going to hold you to your agreement to fortify my reserves now, so you wont be leaving me totally high and dry if you do. You can take some back from one of these summoned phantoms and we'll be set."

The black being steps towards Tirzah, gloved hand wrapping about hers as he stares into the woman's eyes. His black orbs are empty, blank, though as that stare holds a hint of silver creeps in, about the edges, a stormy dawn. "Summon our Brothers," Ahriman utters softly, in a voice more whisper than not. "And let's get this over with. I'm beginning to dislike your first rule."

Erica slings the heavy particle rifle around her shoulders as she gets into the back of the truck. She settles down near the giant cougar and idly scratches the big cat behind her ears while she does a nother check of her rifle to make sure it is ready to go.

Tirzah grins and moments later they are joined by three more phantoms to escort the truck the rest of the way as all get on board. Indeed the camp ahead is well let in the night, looking prepared the the incoming raid.

Hoping out of the truck Tirzah considers the scene her optics lay out before her. "Shiny, anything seen coming is going to be shot full of holes right quick." She notes before slipping back below the ridge. "I can send the phantoms in first to draw fire and incapacitate. But against that I dont think can draw fire for long. Looking at losing half right off the bat. Sending 3 friends to die for this doesnt overly appeal."

Ahriman reaches for Tirzah and shakes his head. "We do not ask our brothers to plunge to certain death, Little Sister. But humans have a certain ... trait. By now they're well aware that their scouting party fell. All hands lost, including two flying units. They're frightened, Tirzah. Do they even know what they face? He waits a beat and answers his own question, "I think not. If we create an explosion, something shocking, they will look in the direction and fire. Our bretheren could be nearly upon them from another direction before they turn, while the rest of you flank from a third direction. Then I walk in and take the artifact."

Erica scans the area with her own optics as she tries to assess the camp as best she can. The expression on her face is not a good one as she looks at the camp. "These are very well trained soldiers. They won't fall for such a ploy Tirzah. One explosion might distract them but only for a moment. Most will keep watching their barricade."

Celaeno takes her exit from the truck soon after Tirzah, stretching with a yawn as she goes. Sidling up to the ridge she pops her head up at all the talk, laughing to herself before dropping back down with a laugh. "Can't just huff and puff and blow them all down like you did the poor pups? I mean, I'm all about splitting and coming at them from several angles - if we can knock those two groups out and then split up the middle…"

"Have to get them past the barricades first, thats the issue." Tirzah points out as she considers the options. I'd rather not waste something on the bet that their nerves are gone. They are after all fortified against a Tolkeen attack. So we took out their south patrol? It was only a patrol, exposed and all, not the same situation. Lets consdier going in from above.

"Big explosion," Ahriman replies. "People turn. Our elementals approach the southern embankment from the east, and you hit it from the southwest. I walk in from the northeast. Invisible and with my suit on. I get it and walk out the western side." They might be able to smell me. Maybe. But smell does not let you hit something with a laser."

"Unless of course they have IR, so I don't think it will be the walk in the park. If someone does see you you'll be very open." She says with a slight shake of her head. "But whatever Tirzah wants to do. I recommend using blinders and stun gernades to keep them as distracted as possible." She says with a little shrug of her shoulders.

"A thunderclap then, no expense followed by a light show for the west side. The other sides will be distracted enough by that. Well cloack Erica in darkness and she can deliver presents then we move in." Tirzah surmisesm taking working elements for all viewpoints

"The suit," Ahriman shakes it. "It makes me invisible to your silly heat vision. And even less visible in the night." The black creature looks aside and blinks slowly at Erica. "Though I would gladly work more closely with this delightful human. A fine specimen of stealth, I'm sure."

Erica nods her head at Tirzah. "That sounds like it might work. Be worth a try at least." Turning her head to Ahriman she shakes her head slightly. "For someone who claims to be superior you sure are a sad pathetic creature." She keeps shaking her head as she turns back to Tirzah.

Celaeno listens to the discussion, clearing her throat a moment before offering up, "If I can either disable or cripple the guys we can see, from here, you think it'd be enough to bring the other people over to reinforce? It's not as flashy, but if you wanted to toss an explosion somewhere to liven things up, that might work." Her voice is uncharacteristically hesitant - almost meek. "Couldn't get them all, but..."

Tirzah shakes her head, hesitant to sniping. "We have to be pretty good shots consistantly. But I think we might run out of ammo before they run out of soldiers. If I were them I'd move the heavies to our side and wait us out." She explains sticking to the current plan. She walks to her phantoms who wait to one side, really disliking being near Celaeno. "Which of you is the most drained?" She asks, and two come forward, presumably holding the smae level. "Both of you will don cloaks of darkness and then skirt around the lit camp to the east side. From there you will encroach close enough to perform thunderclaps followed by northern lights. I'll release you should I sense that you are at great risk. If not, advance further and blow away all you can before finishing them off with lightblades."

Celaeno hesitantly raises an objection to Tirzah's dismissal, "I - ahh - wasn't talking about sniping," she says. "I've uh," she pauses before suddenly changing track. "You give me fifteen seconds, and I can probably incapacitate two or three, and stun four or make 'em wish they were."

Tirzah nods, not altering her orders as the phantoms disappear into darkness to travers arround the lit camp. "You've got fifteen seconds then to hit the south barricade. 45 to hit the west." She offers before looking back to the phantoms. "You friend, cloak are flying one in darkness." She requests, gestiring to Erica to have her come away from Cel for the task.

Erica quickly moves away from Cel and readies a blinder gernade in one hand while her other hand holds and steadies her rifle. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in as she readies herself for what is to come. "Well luck to everyone."

Ahriman peers down the ridge. "I should approach from outside the line of fire. Though it does mean I will not be able to better protect my brothers." He says a word before each phantom slips out, reaching to touch their spectral bodies with the occasional glance towards camp as he works on armoring them. He reaches for Erica next, and the great cat, and finally Tirzah, saying a word. Then with a flicker of amusement, he turns to walk down the ridge line, head kept below that earthen berm. Odds are they know everyone's there. Assuming they didn't already know, long ago, from that many magical beings present. "Three minutes," he utters quietly, as he walks away.

Silver Cougar paces back and forth a little. "So things start and then I work on fighting the borgs, yes?" she verifies to make sure. She has a couple ideas to help her. She shivers a bit att he magic taking effect.

"The thunder clap is the signal for everyone except Cel, clear?" Tirzah asks as she gathers the remaining phantoms about her for her approach. She nods to the cougar with a smile. "Yes, take the rest of these." She says, handing over a satchel of the other thirteen fireglobes.

Silver Cougar looks at the satchel and takes it in her mouth. She seems to be thinking for a moment. Then she starts padding off to get where she is supposed to be, moving with stealth as she pads around. She will find a good secure spot to lob her globes from and shift back to human for the moment waiting for the signal to start.

Celaeno simply sighs, turning to the ridge as everybody begins moving into action, "Just get the fucking artifact," she mutters as she lifts her head slowly above the ridge, bringing her rifle around. She can already hear the screams in her mind. They're not pleasant.

The camp is expecting someone. Everyones on the lines, waiting, watching, paying the utmost attention as negligence is death. Three of the soldiers on the south and west sides read their scans well enough to aim at Celaeno. Two aim successfully. And one of the compatriotes shudders with the sudden blinding pain throughout.

The blasts rip into - and subsequently through Celaeno's exterior armour. Gritting her teeth, concentrating on the two who have opened fire. She may not be much help after all of this goes down, but she'll do what she can while she can.

One of the three that shot at Cel steps back, suddenly dazed as if hit by something, The other two hold fast though, aiming and firing again.

Celaeno is keeping things moving along the ridgeline, suddenly pealing right before leaping suddenly backwards, the soldier's shot arcing just in front of her as she rounds on more time, throwing herself down into a crouch, ready to retreat back behind the ridge in but a moment.

BOOOM! the thunder rolls to the west, followed shortly by a spralling captivating mirage of light over the west barricade. One shoty was taken at the phantoms there, but only a graze, and now four of the seven on that side are spell bound by the display. Indeed this does draw the attention of the rest of the camp Save the two original soldiers that spotted Celaeno, and two more that have homed in now.

This is going well, Ahriman has his cloak activated, and reaches for his mace to touch the hilt as he watches the light show above. "My turn," he utters quietly, and oddly ... he's not invisible as he crests the hill. The first head above water, plainly visible, jogging slowly down the berm in his Indiana Jones suit with a big, toothy, 'I'm-coming-to-eat-you' smile on his face.

The east side, unable to assist whatever is taking down the west scans their vicinity deligently. Ahriman jogging freely into the fray does not go unnoticed. Immediately the whole side opens up at him, the officer throws a grenade.

Lights flash in the night, a hail of beams flickering across the battlefield. Mostly blue, near the infrared range, with a couple green thrown in for good measure. They burn tubes in the light fog, small white dust devils in the white air floating away as the shaggily-cloaged Ahriman is lit in technicolor. And he is, apparently, unstoppable.

With a shimmer and glowing as she changes form, Auranna retakes her human form.

Auranna shifted back to her human form and reaches into the satchel she was carrying and gets into a range to be able to throw one, throwing

Turning on her heels, Celaeno simply swears as she watches Ahriman go on a merry jaunt toward the camp, sighing slightly as all the shots seem to go a little wide, nonetheless, she blinks at one of the mobile soldiers at hand before quite literally jumping back over the ridge to cover and safety.

Erica runs as fast as she can. Her particle beam rifle is in one hand and holds a blinder gernade in her other hand. She keeps running to get withing throwing range so she can help disable some of the Coalition troops. Luckily she is fairly quick on her feet. Celaeno pages: Mute the officer.

The phantoms to the west now summon forth powerful winds to pummle the west and south sides, sure to clear out a good number of soldiers.

Ready to fire again at their shadowy assailent the south dside never gets the chance as a massive gust of wind bowls the whole side over. All sent tumbling none can even begin to recover until the wind ceases.

On the west, much the same save for one valiant soldier left standing. He takes his short at the darkend phantom.

To the Norht the borgs turn, one to face its opponent as it bursts into flame, the other two west, to gun down the phantom.

And now for Tirzah's entrance, flanked by four phantoms. She sends two to the east to deal with forces there and two to the south. As she does she conjures a tro of eletric balls, forming an electric field about some of the knocked down south side.

Boom! An explosion to Ahriman's right, as he continues his charge. He speaks quietly as he moves, a hand raising, even as he slows to concentrate. As he nears that column, he summons one soap bubble over the farthest group, then a second a little closer, smirking before picking up the pace to continue his mad dash into the center.

Auranna looks as the one borg catches fire and then misses her. She takes two more globes out of the satchel and lobs one at each of the other borgs.

The only humans left standing the east side is briefly uncertain what to do against Ahriman but then the phantoms arrive, giving them a new target.

Erica takes her blinder gernade and seeing the people she was supposed to try to disable allready knocked down for the time being. She eyes where the borgs are firing from and throws her gernade trying to diminish there capacities with the blinder. Then she shoulders her rifle trying to be of some use and provide fire support.

With all of the enemies she had been initially engaging to make things easier blown away, Celaeno crawls back up the embankment, witnessing the mass panic and complete disintegration of the front lines. Wincing to herself as some of the grunts are blown through an electrical field, she brings up her rifle anyways, sighting it to pop off a few shots at the officer left untrapped to the east, even as the barrage of rifle fire tears into the encasing. "Crack!" Ahh, there's that wonderful sound. "Crack!"

Back to the west the phantoms summon shining blades of lite to continue their orders. the one remaining soldier still desperately trying to gun them down as his comapatriots struggle to recover. The two borgs assist slightly phased by a blinder grenade, the third still gunning for Auranna.

Tirzah's phantoms surviving the attack from the east one sends a blast of wind through that group. The other enchants Tirzah with flight. To the south the other two phantoms draw shining blades of light. Enchanted with flight Tirzah leaps up and over the wind rush, heading for the artifact's location.

The black being continues to run towards the middle, looking a little silly in his ghille suit before disappearing into the night. Ahriman comes upon the structure, presently, fingers trailing its edge as he begins to concentrate. Looking for signs of magic, some indication of what the building once was. Keeping an eye for the undefinable tingle that says 'this thing bears PPE.'

Auranna thinks for a moment and glances around and then mutters a bit and focuses her will throwing a spell, one of the few she has access to and centering it on the closest borg and then she shimmers and changes back into cougar form.

There is a bright glowing and shimmer as her forms shifts and swells in size, shifting forms and leaving a massive giant Cougar in her place.

On the east side again the officer blown away by the buffeting witn the soldiers pause, maybe breaking the shields isnt such a good idea just yet.

With the situation having - to Celaeno's view - come to the point where everything is under control, she hesitates. Seconds go by as she gazes up and down the camp - as the wind pummels the land, and it all... is. Hopefully it keeps up like this, but she nonetheless turns to one of the soldiers encased in the bubble, giving a reluctant squint.

Erica raises her rifle up to her shoulder to target the borgs wanting to try to pin them down a bit at least. She squeezes off a shot before moving up a little bit to hopefully get a better shot.

The phantoms in the west attack the standing soldier, impassively resolute in cutting him down.

That soldier manages to parry the one blow with his rifle, but cuts the gun in half in the process. He stands there quivering, no other options available.

To the north the two borgs will help the lone soldier, firing at the phantoms. The third fires at Auranna again.

Tirzah lands beside Ahriman as her phantoms of the east draw light blades, and the phantoms of the south start dispatiching with the officer. "So what do you see?" She asks, sounding quite calm

"Wires, on the ground," Ahriman speaks over the radio. "Wires on the --" he kills the mic and just looks up and yells at Tirzah. "Wires! Be wary, Little Sister!" The black being pauses, putting hands above the walls, apparently completely unaffected by the run. He takes one step foreward, breathing some words in the air, and breathes some words over the interior of the dig site. Ice crystals run along the walls, the hard-packed earth beneath him freezing solid, and deeper in strands of wire shine like gossamer strands of spiderwebs caught in a morning dew, before slumping a touch and eyeing the interior. The well may not be limitless after all.

To the south the forces are starting to recover as the winds there finally abate. Still, they are quite dazed. Same with the west, where the remaining soldier runs to the shelter of the borgs to the north, the only ones apparently holding their own. Before he makes it though the phantoms each get one more slash.

Celaeno frowns as the winds begin dying down, looking down at the scene of desolation from on high. "Hurry it up in there," she crackles over the radio, "things aren't going to stay so calm and nice out here all day," before something seems to click in her head. She turns to the east. She turns to the south. What's the difference? The rifle come up as she aims at them. "Crack! Crack!"

Erica notices the winds are starting to abate, and not wanting more troops to joing the fray she grabs a blinder gernade and throws it at the southern grouping, being careful that none of her comrades are in the way of the laser grenade.

The bubbles collapse and so do thwe soldiers while the winds persist in the east. All but one tumble like weeds before the forces of nature,

Silver Cougar changed to cat form last round and then charges the borg that has been shooting her and swipes a claw at it.

The soldier from the west cut down the other two borgs aim to avvenge him with plasts from their particle beams. A shame that side is recovering all around the phantoms, making missile volleys unethical. The other borg seems to have a emotional quandary with a giant cougar jumps it.

"Oh how thoughtful." Tirzah chimes before she carefully floats into the champer, going slow so as to avoid the frosted wires. Meanwhile her phantoms continue cutting in the east and south respectivly, those east focussing on the sole stand soldier.

Ahriman eyes the hallway, the frost, and frowns. "Tell me what you see!" he calls. "Don't be so blinded by the artifact that you miss what's around it. There may be quite a bit of value in there."

The phantoms in the west, having dispatched the standing soldier turn on another before he can recover. Really not being particular in all in rank or disposition.

Standing upon her perch, the disarray of the field is wholly visible to Celaeno - and even though the enemy is slowly recovering she is slow on the cleanup, and she begins walking downfield, snapping off a halfhearted "Crack!' at the remaining soldier to the east.

Erica walks over to get a better view and sighting on the borgs, so she can better support Auranna with her rifle. After getting a little better position to take a shot she aims and fires and one of the big metal Coalition borgs.

On the east the lone standing soldier ducks and runs to his officer for help with the hardships of light blade wielding phantoms cutting into him and some one else shooting at him. He is intent on being resilient to the end actually, not whining. See he went to the officer to grab his grenades.

On the north side Auranna rakes at the borg whi her clasws again, competeing with the blue fire that devours it for maximum effectiveness.

The borg parries one of the slashes, but the other is doubly effective. In responce he fires his particle beam at her. His companions fire theirs at the phantoms.

Tirzah floats down the chamber to the pedestal, where something glows inside an armorglass cylinder. Seems they went and locked it up good and tight for transport. Considering the bulky armored unit Tirzah pauses as she senses one phantom severed from her. Immediately its wounded companion is released back to the elemental plain. Its companions however all recieve a singular directive. "Tides turning folks, start withdrawing, I'll have the artifact in a moment." She orders over the radio.

Ahriman knows nothing of what those wires may actually do. He's fairly certain they're harmless, being human toys of barely mediocre construction, but they may harm the artifact. So instead he reaches for his belt to draw out a video recorder, snapping pictures of the dig site. Click! Click! He backs away, hitting video, recording as much of the structure as he can as he walks out.

The man really should just go down. Especially with the order to withdraw, it really would have been in his best interest to just fake it. Oh well. "Crack!" comes the shot, which goes unfortunately wide. Oh well. "Crack!" her rifle goes again, "Can do. Sure you'll be able to get out? Still a little bit of fighting going on here and there," Crlaeno questions, stopping her forward advance.

Erica is busy trying to keep the damage coming at the borgs. She keeps trying to back Auranna up by firing her particle beam weapon. Having a better shot thanks to her previous movement she manages to pull off two quick shots this time. One at the man going for grenades and the other at the borg that Auranna is attacking.

The soldier on the east side just keeps going, recovering the grenades despite the extra attention. Maybe he wont survive this. But he sures as hell not going to let whatever it was they found be claimed by withces such as these. Thus he throws a grenade at the entrance trizah entered

On the north side Auranna is a good girl and listens to the order to with draw. This is especially smart because the other tow borgs turn to focus on her as well.

The phantoms all return to Tirzah, joining her in the chamber as an explosion rocks the struckes, bring dust around about her. "What the fuck are you guys doing out there?! I said withdraw!" She reiterates before tasking the phantoms with extracting the artifact, pedistal and all.

Auranna is torn momentarily as she sees the soldier trying to atomize Tirzah with grenades. Keeping her head though as he armor is almost gone she diceds to throw a fireglobe at him as she makes her exit.

The borgs are hardly concerned with the cougar lady getting away. Protecting the artifact is the priority so the look to the other still prsent who just shot at them. Known to us as Erica.

The east side is still in wide disarray although the winds ceased a moment ago. All save the one soldier are dazed and slowly recovering. On the south side things are different. The surviving soldiers have recovered and one of them even has a gun, and the officer has his grenades.

The word to withdraw is what it is, and Celaeno simply crackles back over the radio, "Withdrawing," as she slowly backs away toward the ridge, eyeing the recovering officer with a weary eye before concertedly turning and moving to the ridge.

Fire globe of death coming, the lone soldier in the east is smart enough to dodge that one. As such though he cant grab another grenade to throw at Tirzah.

Tirzah resurfaces from the crypt, for phantoms following shortly after carrying a stone pedestal topped by an armored cylinder. "I have the package. Lets get out of here." She confirms over the radio, gldiing with the pantoms back to the truck at a very quick pace.

The south side seesthis of course, though the officer looks stunned for the moment. The armed soldier takes his shot though. But he does look a bit shaky in the process.

Ball! A little human object comes flying through the air, aimed to sail inside the small opening where his Little Sister and a half ton of Coalition explosives reside. Ahriman jumps into the air, smacking the little object down with the flat of his hand to stare at it a brief moment, head tilting to the right. A flash of green lights the right side of the building, a flashbulb in the night, followed by the 'thump' of a concussion and the bretah-stealing rush of air flying back in to fill the hole.

Erica grunts loudly as the borgs almost destroy her with their weapons. She turns and starts moving as fast as she can trying to withdraw back to the camp. She turns her head to look behind her and see if she can make any good shots while withdrawing.

The borgs follow around the corner to better pursue the now fleeing team, and see the quad of vermin leaving with the artifact. Consideration for the soldiers is abandoned as the fire all their missiles.

Celaeno is standing on the ridge, apparently the only person who realizes that 'withdraw' does not mean 'stand around in the very middle of the enemy encampment and let them shoot at you.' She doesn't seem very concerned as the soldier manages a hit on Tirzah, the and she doesn't even see Erica get lit up, but once the 'borgs actually round the corner and step into view, a very clear, "Fuck," is heard over everybody's radio. Her rifle snaps up as they all not only take notice of Tirzah's scurrying away like a mouse with the cheese, but the mini-missiles suddenly twitch on their shoulders. And then let fly. The loud "Crack!" of her rifle is almost immediately overwhelmed by the concussion of the fiery series of explosions that shake the camp as they all go up, "You're welcome." She mutters, "Now fucking run."

The lone soldeir in the east scowls and squints the the atmosphere ignites before him in fire glory. Still the dark demon thing remains, he cna kill that one atleast. Get a commendation even for being the only one to kill something.. He grabs two grenades and throws the at Ahriman.

Tirzah and her elementals return over the ridge, loading the pedestal in the truck. "Ahriman get you black ass out of there!" She calls, a little annoyed.

Shoooo...Wham!WhamWhamWham! The grenade has apparently obliterated Ahriman, though as the sky lights with a half dozen tiny suns an absolutely black creature casts a long shadow from twenty feet away. His silhouette rests in the afterimage of human vision, though as people blink he's gone once again, missing in the dark of night, moving in the direction of his parked truck. Another pair of explosions light him, a black afterimage in a flashbulb world of neon colors and absolute darkness, and he's gone once again as impurities burn off the top of fused bits of glass in the now rather balmy night.

As the running brings everybody over, Celaeno simply turns away, shouldering her rifle as she begins walking toward the truck, "Certainly hope that thing's worth it," she says, glancing back at the continual glow that represents the lingering fires of the assault. "Let's go load us up some nuclear reactors before they call in a couple more SAMASes to track us down."

Tirzah nods in aggreement as she finishes securing the pedestal. "Yes lets, been a while since I've done any actual salvage. Hope I'm not too rusty." She bids, looking to the others as she hops out from the back of the truck. "Everyone's in one peice.." She frowns at Erica's senond tattered set of armor though. "Hun, I hear there is a special armor involving enrgy shielding. Perhaps we should look into that for you."

Ahriman probably isn't the first one back to the truck, but he's still not quite there. The door swings open. The door swings closed. Anyone looking into the driver's seat sees a rather natural-looking shadow, until they piece together that there ought to be enough light to make out the steering wheel. When the cat changes back into human form, Ahriman peers back curiously once and then turns the truck around to start off. Slowly. Carefully. Lights on same as before. "They don't need Samas units," comes a rumble from the 'empty' seat. "Those cyborgs run faster than us. Let us hope they regroup rather than immediately follow. Tirzah, you should have our remaining Brothers watch us from above, and tell you when they draw near."

Erica keeps running and hops into the back of the truck. She looks down with disgust at the scraps of armor that are barely hanging on to her. She starts taking them off as she curses and swears under her breath. Striping the left over armor off of her and tossing the scraps into the back of the truck she reaches over and grabs her last armor suit and gnaws on her lower lip as she debates with herself to put it on. She looks up at Tirzah with a raised eyebrow. "Oh and how much would that cost or is it some magic thing that I can't use at all? Cause all the forcefield devices I've heard about are super expensive, and those magic devices might as well be rocks for me." She mentions as she puts on her last suit of armor. She might as well make it a trifecta.

Tirzah shrugs, not really knowing how expensive such a unit is.. "Well say it costs double, how many sets of armor to go through before its worth it? I mean the bench I have Nemain building can fix a lot, but that has limits too. Not to mention the energy drain fixing modern armor will have. my own is not that bad and may be a few days to fix. Luckily I have no plans to go out for a few months after this." She notes before climbing into the truck. "Way ahead of you. She notes to Ahriman in simple reply.

Celaeno simply wedges herself down, pulling off her helmet, not even bothering to strip away the shredded and pockmarked worthlessness that also covers her. Her rifle is shifted forward so it's within easy reach, rolling down the window. She lets the cold whip against her face for a few moments with a sigh. She looks absolutely exhausted, only managing a, "Then make us scarce."

"Can't," Ahriman replies, not dropping his invisibility. "Power supplies. Rail guns. We could have done this an hour ago." The bumping and rolling continues, and he muses, "But at least the cyborgs won't know exactly where the first battle happened." He presently draws up to a stop and says, "Stay here. Tirzah, call our Brothers." The black being is remarkably strong for one so svelte as he drags things back in with the help of he elementals. And then, not breathing hard, he climbs back in the cab and rolls out again, saying nothing as he continues on towards home.

"Luckily for me then I have to go right back out pretty much then. Well whatever this unit is who manufactures it so I can look into it?" Erica says with some curiousity as she starts hauling on the repainted armor. "Well maybe you can fix my Triax whenever you get that thing working. I'll have to pick up something for my trip to Newtown." She says with a shake of her head and a sigh. "And the only place I know that sells those energy things were Naruni and they have to be crazy expensive now that the Coalition killed them all off. But oh well I guess I'll spend my share of credits on another suit of crusaders armor or something."

Celaeno simply naps in the back seat as they move - keeping the window down as long as nobody complains to the point of waking her. Her eyes occasionally open and glance about after a particularly heavy jostle, and when they come to a stop. But otherwise, sleep. Wonderful sleep.

Tirzah jumps out to direct the phantoms in helping Ahriman with the down power armor, its pilot long gone now. "I'm not really a techie so no, but I bet Sebastien would know. If it shoots or gets shot at he either owns it or has considered owning it. Bit of a redneck that guy." She notes to Erica as they work.