Impact Ares: Winds of Pandora

[TamerBill]

Captured by the DR, you have been thrown in prison without a trial. This is not very unusual; indeed, it is virtually standard practice for the Divine Republic. What is unusual is that you have been contained in a tiny outpost in the middle of nowhere, rather than one of the big prison blocks in the domes.

You were thrown without ceremony into a communal cell, shared with three others like you. You are unshackled, but the faint hum of a disruption field tells you that the security is not as lax as it appears.

It has been only three hours since you were incarcerated, giving you plenty of time to consider your future, and what most likely won’t be in it.

Unless you’d rather do something else?

[LazyJoe]

Adam's slender form sat on the end of the bench in the far corner of the cell. He rubbed his stinging eyes and slumped that bit lower. His long, thin fingers flexed tirelessly in vain pursuit of something to do. They reached to his side again and again but found nothing; Adam's tools had long since been confiscated and any hope of escape had gone with them. Not that he would try, he hated the wasteland and was entirely ready to just give up to the system. The best he could hope for was a draughty cell in some huge prison complex and to not be bullied too much. What he wouldn't give for a drink right now...

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Even as he was being escorted to the cell, the young man continued pleading and attempting to bargain with the guards.

"Come on now, guys! Can you at least get me back my rabbit's foot? What? Am I going to dig my way out with it? What could it hurt? I'll be the best behaved crimin...unjustly accused citizen in the whole block! Come on now! Please?"

His answer came in the form of a none-too-gentle shove into the cell without the guards saying so much as a word.

Well, guess I should be fortunate that they didn't rob me of my lucky underwear. I'll have to hope that's enough to get me by for now. Uh oh - I have roomies. Better get my game face on: I'd rather not be at the bottom of the food chain in prison.

Knowing that he wasn't the toughest guy around, the tall blonde did his best to fake it at least. He leans up against the wall nonchalantly and folds his arms in front of him.

Come on, lucky boxers. Don't let me down!

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren Masters, age seventeen, is introduced to the cell rather unceremoniously, by simply being thrown bodily into it! She falls onto her back, one hand coming down to slap the ground hard to take the brunt of the impact. She lands, and rolls, hitting the far wall. Seems the guards... didn't like her much.

She scrambles to her feet, glaring at the retreating guards. "You're just lucky they took my gun! Heretics! Face me when I'm talking to you!!"

[Twilight]

Sasha struggled and passed out before ever reaching the cell. She slowly comes back to consciousness only to realize that it hasn't all been a bad dream. She's far from home...well probably far from home...and she's been caught by the DR.

She mutters to herself. "So much for the freedom that comes with taking what we need."

The young girl, she has barely stepped into womanhood after all, uncurls from the foetal position into which her body had instinctively shaped her small frame and quietly sits up. She blinks in the unfamiliar light and takes in her surroundings. Where are the others?! Are they dead?

A low moan escapes from her throat before she can stop herself and the tears silently flow from her eyes, warranted but unbidden.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

The introduction of not one, but two women into the cell eases a bit of Darren's fears. Hell! They're not even scary prison-women! They're both young! Glancing over at the angry-sounding girl makes him reconsider. Still, raven-haired gun-lady threatenin' the guards is probably not anyone I'd like to cross. Well, could be a lot worse. With a grin he mentally adds, Thank you, lucky underwear. Lady Luck always did like this pair! Regardless, he attempts to maintain his tough-guy look until the brown-haired girl begins to sob a bit.

Darren removes himself from his not-quite-cozy spot on the wall and turns towards the girl, still keeping a good distance away. His voice sounds as though he's trying to be soothing, but his own nervousness still manages to shine through.

"Hey now, miss! You don't have to cry or anythin'. I mean sure, we're in prison; but hey! The company's a lot better than I had expected. That's...that's worth somethin', right?"

[Twilight]

Sasha looks up at Darren from behind a veil of dark brown hair. She pushes the mane away from her face revealing wet red-rimmed hazel eyes swimming above a light dusting of freckles. She remains seated but dries her cheeks with her sleeve before speaking up.

"It's just that...I don't know what happened to the rest of my unit. I've heard stories about Them...you know...The elders always said that They are unkind to the point of cruelty. That that is why we stay away from Them as much as possible. Then again..." She sighs and lets her tense shoulders drop. "I don't remember seeing anyone else carted off. I was struggling a lot." She shrugs. "I think I managed to land a few good kicks. I can hope that the others got away..."

She blinks a few times and stands. "What's your name?"

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren finds himself feeling a bit lost as the girl begins talking about "her unit" and these "Them" people she keeps referring to. Still, the girl's obviously upset so he can at least pretend to understand until a more convenient time.

When the girl asks him his name, Darren gets a bit nervous automatically. With the fringers and nomads he's accustomed to dealing with, he seems to have developed a reputation of untrustworthiness. Well, she doesn't LOOK like a ganger. Don't know about them, though. Maybe those other two won't recognize just my FIRST name. "Uh..the name's Darren. Technically of Prosperity Dome, but I was on the wrong side of the shield walls when they were put up, aye? I was doin' alright for myself out in the wastes for most of my life until the DR picked me up a few days ago durin' the middle of a little...'test drive'. How's about you?"

[Twilight]

A slender hand shoots up towards Sasha's mouth as she realizes that perhaps not all in here will be Gangers or outsiders. I should watch what I say...best thing to do is to avoid compromizing anyone else and to assume that I'm on my own now.

"Heh...sorry about that. I'm a little bit freaked out by this whole being tossed into containement thing. I don't know what I'm saying.

I'm Sasha. I was trying to acqui...ahem purchase supplies. Completely legitimate and justified, of course. No idea why I've been so unceremoniously arrested. I hadn't done anything wrong..." yet.

She glances at the other two cellmates, the older man and the girl trying to be authoritative, she looks like she might belong in the military-how odd. She wonders why the others are in here, what they might have done. I hope they aren't insane or violent.

[TamerBill]

As the prisoners converse amongst themselves two men enter the cell block and watch the ones behind bars. One is clearly a high-ranking military type, and the other a grunt or scribe.

"Well now, what do we have here...." he says as he leans forward to take in the sight of the prisoners.

"One witch, excommunicated for corruption, one worn-out mechanic, one petty thief and a rogue esper, Sir. Captured recently and awaiting judgement."

"Hmm. Send the thief and the mechanic to the mines, they are of no further use to anyone. Bring the other two down to the labs for dissection."

"At once, Sir."

[LazyJoe]

Whilst taking note of Darren and Sasha's conversation, Adam eyed Lorren suspiciously. Just his luck to be locked in a cell with a nutcase. Instead of following the first couple's lead and starting a conversation with Lorren, he merely seemed content to watch the officer and the scribe approach.

'Engineer,' he croaked in a broken RP English accent after the scribe had finished speaking. 'I'm an engineer.'

[TamerBill]

"No, you're a miner, and you'd better get used to it because there's not much in the way of upward mobility down there."

The man sneers, and turns to leave.

"I want these degenerates out within the hour, Johnson. See to it."

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren smiles wanly, leaning against a wall and watching the obvious higher-ranked officer. "...I pity you, you know."

[TamerBill]

"Feel free to do so, it will not save you from the scalpels. I hear they have them extra-sharp this year." replies the officer, eliciting a polite laugh from his associate.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, some of us have lives to go back to."

He turns to leave once more, but a violent rumbling stops him in his tracks.

"Johnson, comm Main Office. I want to know what that disturbance was. Quickly, please, before I have to spend more time with these degenerates."

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren just smiles to herself, lowering her voice, jsut loud enough so he can still hear. "...You're not going to survive the day..."

She isn't surprised by the rumbling in the least. It's almost as if she was expecting it to happen... Oddly, she seems to be edging very slowly to the right of the cell, glancing at the others and gesturing to the right wall.

[LazyJoe]

Adam was not a stupid man by any means and he could easily put two and two together. From the descriptions the officer gave, he deduced at least two of his cellmates were espers, and from what he knew, some espers could see into the future, although he'd never seen one do it. Despite the girl's psychopathic ravings, Adam found himself edging towards the right of the cell.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren was half a heartbeat away from protesting the label of "thief", but he had the sneaky feeling his word didn't count for much. Besides, they found my backside square in the seat in the cockpit of a STOLEN PT. With a rueful grin, Darren has to roll his eyes at himself. Thanks a lot for that 'free' trainin', you old codger.

The labels that the jailor slapped on his fellow inmates did catch his attention, though. Casually eyeing the others, he passes on the effort to try and decide who is who. That is, until the more fiery of the two young women begins subtly hinting that the right wall is the place to be.

Uh oh. If there's a chance she's one of those psychics, I'd best pass off the dice to her. He mutters quietly to Sasha. "I think we need to 'acquire' a seat near that wall, Sasha..."

[Twilight]

Sasha doesn't wait to be told twice, she quickly steps towards the seemingly safer side of the cell.

She remains quiet.

[TamerBill]

Thirty seconds later, a giant metal fist bursts through the left wall of the cell, narrowly missing everyone huddled against the right wall. After a few seconds the hand retracts back out, leaving a gaping hole twice as high as a man in your humble abode. The sounds of battle reach your ears, and through the hole you can see some sort of skirmish playing out between the silver machines of the DR and some unknown enemy. The officer and his lackey flee the scene as three more resounding rumbles shake the building.

[LazyJoe]

Quite unused to all this noise and action, Adam jumped visibly in his seat when the giant hand disintegrated the gaol wall. Shielding his eyes from the flying dust, he peered round to the side of the breach and surveyed the scene outside. This looked like his only chance to escape but he hesitated, unsure of whether or not to brave the heat of battle. However, the three additional rumbles that made the officer and the grunt scatter made up his mind for him, and the engineer surmised that open gound would be safer than a tumbling building. Taking a cursory glance at his cellmates, Adam crept over to the side of the gash in the wall and scanned the compound as best he could for a means of exit.

[TamerBill]

Outside, three PTs of obvious DR design appear to be struggling to hold the fort against a unit of four invaders. Suddenly a giant metal face appears at the hole, blocking the view from outside. It pauses for several seconds, scanning the inside of the room. Clearly not finding what it was looking for, the machine moves on, and the view is once again replaced by scenes of battle.

The fighting is taking place in a large open-air courtyard, with DR buildings on all four sides. A quick look down confirms that you are on the second floor, with no obvious way of getting down.

[Twilight]

Sasha thinks about jumping despite the dangerous fall...she thinks better of it and instead examines the ground for a place that might serve as cushion or any holes in the wall that might serve as handholds.

She glances at her three companions. A witch, a mechanic and a thief...we have to have some way of getting down between the lot of us.
"If anyone has a cleverly hidden rope, now is the time to mention it...otherwise we might have to take our chances with broken limbs."

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

The huge metallic fist unexpectedly crashing through the wall of their cell elicits one quick response from Darren.

"JESUS CHRIST!"

Cringing up against the wall as the PT apparantly scopes the room out, Darren begins panting and glancing over at the door to see what the jailors were doing. Watching them bolt gives Darren a small portion of courage back. In an obviously shaky voice, Darren speaks to the others.

"W...well, those...those guys weren't lookin' for us, but Lady Luck may as well have sent them herself! Let's, uh...let's see how the climb down looks."

Darren creeps over to the gaping hole and scans the wall outside to see if scaling down it is a feasible idea.

[TamerBill]

The perfect construction of the Divine Republic buildings was apparently no match for the power of a Personal Trooper; several bricks have fallen off or been destroyed, leaving the wall beneath the hole pocked with indents. There're enough handholds to make a climb down feasible, if a little dangerous.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

After looking out over the edge a bit, Darren turns back around to face the others. "It looks a little tricky, but the climb is do-able. Sure beats the hell out of jumpin', aye? Well, when the chips are down you can either fold, or go for it."

Unless there are any bedsheets to try to use as rope, Darren lays down at the gap, belly-down and hanging his legs down over the sides. He then begins easing himself slowly backwards, looking for a foothold.

This is an awful lot of luck to ask for from my boxers - sure am glad they didn't find my lucky four-leaf clover sewed into the waistband of this shirt!


Climb check!
3d6 + Str Mod (-1) + Climb mod (-2) = [roll0]

If I could get any sort of crazy-synergy bonus type-thing from Balance or Acrobatics, feel free to let me know. :smallwink:

[TamerBill]

Darren misses his foothold entirely, and with a short cry and little ceremony he falls backwards from the room to the hard floor below. His impact is inaudible over the sounds of fighting, but he certainly felt it; his right leg takes the brunt of the damage, bending in an entirely unnatural way. It won't be taking any orders from its owner for a while.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren only managed to have one coherent thought pierce through the surge of adrenaline as he was falling to the ground. Well, at least I'm not in prison anymore. I broke even, aye?

With a blinding surge of pain, his leg realized just how evenly he had broken. The desire to say something clever like "watch the first step" was somewhat overridden by his pressing need to cry out in pain.

[LazyJoe]

Adam grimaced as Darren hit the floor, taking special note of the way his leg tended to bend around. He'd had enough First Aid training to know how to put it into a splint, but that would have to wait for a more convenient time. In the meanwhile, getting down was the order of the day. Adam turned to his two unbroken cellmates and had an urge to say 'ladies first', but instead could only manage an 'erm, does anybody mind if I go last?'

[Twilight]

Sasha cringes when Darren drops out of sight a little too quickly. She looks down again and hopes to survive the drop before she lowers herself she thinks back to some of her training and wonders whether she could lift her body with her mind. She steps back from the gaping wall and crouches into a more compact form so as to distribute her weight evenly. She then attempts to exert some sort of force upon her body. Her eyes are closed and her pulse races through her veins. Come on...This has to work...

The desired effect is a gentle lift off of the floor...if it works she will move forward and slowly down to the ground below. If not...back to the drawing board and to risking limbs!
Telekinesis check: 3d6+3+1 +3 is skill bonus and +1 is int bonus. Does that make sense?

Edit: Erm...the roll code didn't work. Here is my Invisible Castle roll
http://invisiblecastle.com/rolldice.py?u=Sasha+Erlenmeyer&r=3&d=1d6&n=%2B3+for+telekinesis+skill+and+%2B1+for+int.&a=Roll+the+dice
3+6+2+(3+1)=15 Yes?

[TamerBill]

((OOC: I think something's wrong with your rolling code, it displays no result. Unless you want me to roll the dice for you?))

Very slowly, and with great effort, Sasha's body slowly rises off the ground. She moves forwards slowly, edging off the floor, until she's completely suspended in the air, with the harsh drop directly below her.

And then she begins to fall.

With her power still buffeting her up from below, Sasha's fall is not as fast or as clumsy as Darren's, and is more akin to dropping through several stacked awnings. She hits the floor in a jumbled heap, but without enough force to do any real damage. She is able to get up with little more than a few bruises to remind her of the incident.

[Twilight]

Sasha remains prone for a moment and does a mental check of her legs and assorted body parts.

"Eh...that was not as successful as I hoped that it would be...still I should have thought of it earlier."

She looks at Darren, and tries not to cringe at the sight of the broken bone.

"I can try to help but I don't know how succesful it will be..."says she while looking towards the hole in the building. She awaits an answer.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren continues on with the writhing and the groaning, hoping to high heaven that some endorphins kick in soon. He really hasn't even noticed Sasha's landing yet - but he'll be embarassed as soon as he's capable of it.

[LazyJoe]

Adam glanced at Lorren, not really wanting to address her a second time.

'Okay, I guess I'm going next...'

The engineer gingerly grabbed a piece of the flaking wall and attempted to make his way down, despite having no natural aptitude for physical activity.

Climb check: 3d6-1 Str - 2 Climb mod... [roll0]

[TamerBill]

The piece of wall Adam grabs turns out to not be as stable as he assumed, and it slips off in his grasp. In an entirely unoriginal move by now he falls backwards off the wall, landing in a painful heap on the floor. He feels severe pain throughout his body, with his back complaining the most. He can move, but he won't like doing do.

[LazyJoe]

The only thing that went through Adam's mind as he fell was 'I think I left the bunsens on in the lab,' which was odd, seeing as he didn't own a lab. However, he didn't have time to muse on his lack of a research facility due to the immense pain of landing on his back on top of a pile of rubble. He felt something click out of place and was overcome by intense nausea. Adam lay there for a few seconds in a silent, agonising scream until his vision went blurry and the initial pain passed. He remained lying on the floor until the sounds of battle came back to his ears and the thoughts that he'd be worse off if he remained stationary. He struggled and eventually pulled himself around into a push-up position from which he could stand without putting too much pressure on his back. One thing was to be sure; he wouldn't be carrying Darren anytime soon.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren watches with both anxiety and, she must admit, very mild amusement. "...Ugh. Wait right there, I'll be right down." She sits down on the edge, then swivels around and, concentrating for a moment to get a better 'feel' for the wall, begins to climb down. Slowly.

The roll! 3d6 - 1 (Strength) - 2 (Climb) + 1 (GM fiat bonus from having Superb Psychoawareness): [roll0]

[TamerBill]

Lorren edges down the wall slowly, sensing suitable handholds with her power so she doesn't fall to unstablities as the other two did. However, when she is only halfway down she feels her grip begin to tire, and her hands slip... and before she knows it she's lying on the ground like everyone else.

The impact hurts, but she gets off lightly compared to everyone else; just a few bruises. It'll sting in the morning, but it's not going to stop her. No, her pride takes the biggest damage here...

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren lays there, stunned for a few moments. "...Damn you, karma." She hops up onto her feet, and rubs the back of her head. "Okay! So. Anyone need medical attention? I'm not actually a medic, but..."

[LazyJoe]

Still catching his breath, Adam replied.

'I... know First Aid... but there's... only so much I can do... like this...'

He struggled to get up, clutching his back all the way.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

The sound of one loud thud doesn't get much of Darren's attention. The SECOND loud thud does come when he is beginning to regain a bit of control over his mental faculties. He stretches his neck around to try and see the commotion, only to notice two of the other prisoners painfully lifting themselves from the ground. Between panting for breath and groaning in pain, he manages to squeeze out a single remark.

"Hehe. Ungh...didn't realize...I was such a role model...I, ungh..my leg."

[LazyJoe]

Adam enjoyed a good joke slightly less than the average man, and so was compelled to offer some advice.

'Maybe we should actually get out of here. Do you two think you can support him?' he said to the two girls. He just hoped there weren't any inconveniently placed fences around; then they would be in trouble.

[TamerBill]

While everyone is busy reflecting on their defeat at the hands of The Wall, the battle is still raging around them. Another of the DR's Tempelritters is shot down by the assailants, leaving them at a clear advantage. On the other side of the courtyard from the prone escapees, however, a trump card is preparing to be played. One of the walls splits clean down the middle, and the sides part as a secret entrance is revealed. Four brand new unknown PTs stare silently at you out of the darkness, pilotless and still.

[LazyJoe]

Through the dust of yet another collapsed wall, Adam squinted at the PTs, trying to see if he recognised them.

Knowledge: PT designs and capabilities: 3d6 + 1 skill mod + 2 stats [roll0]

[TamerBill]

Adam has never seen any of the PTs before, although one is clearly a customised version of a DR Tempelritter. One is a slim white model with short wing-like protrusions on the back, one appears to have four large gunbarrels arranged in a cross shape behind it, and the other is a strange purple machine, about half the height of a standard PT, looking for all the world like an angry dwarf robot.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Looking over to see the wall swinging open, Darren begins to feel a fresh new surge of sheer panic sweep over him. More of them - right in front of us! We're dead!

The panic continues for a few seconds - and begins to fade a little. And a little more. They're...they're not movin'? The idea finally hits him, and Darren begins to beam (or wince, depending on your definition).

"If those thin's are unmanned, we may have just been dealt our winnin' hand! If you help me over to one of those, I can pilot it out of here!"

That's one I owe you, lucky clover! If none of this lot are pilots, they'll need me to get them out of here - Darren Sirion's not bein' marooned today! Then the response comes to his mind. If they're ALL pilots, though, you'd best hope one of them is awfully kind...

[TamerBill]

The gang slowly becomes aware of a group of four soldiers running towards their position. They're hurrying towards the empty machines as fast as they can, paying little attention to anything else. They don't even notice the four struggling escapees until they're almost upon them....

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren stares at the opening door, tilting her head to one side. She takes a few moments tog et her bearings, then nods. "There we go. There's our escape plan, people. Everyone pick a PT and get in. I don't care if you've never piloted one in your life, more firepower is always a good thing in these situations."

Without waiting for a reply, she approaches the white almost-winged one! She then turns around, glancing at the soliders. "New plan: Take them out!"

[LazyJoe]

(Dammit, Yuki. I wanted the white one...)

'Er... I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but how? Unless you've got a couple of shotguns hidden up your sleeve.'

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

"We don't have guns, but they'll have PTs if we don't go! Get 'em!"

Being almost 100% immobile, Darren will attempt to crawl and lay down in the direct path of the soldiers. If anyone gets within arm's reach, he'll latch onto a leg with both arms and twist/hold as hard as he can.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren can't help but grin. "Don't worry, I've got it." She rushes the gun-toting soliders, and... attempts to kick one in the face! She actually flips back onto one hand, sweeping a powerful kick right at the solider.

How acrobatic.

Kick to the face! 3d6 + unarmed combat (+2) + Strength (-1): [roll0]

[TamerBill]

The kick smashes into the soldier's face, removing him temporarily from the ground and sending him crashing down onto the hard earth. He doesn't get up.

The other three skid to a halt as they take in this new foe. With a cry all three lunge at her as one, fists flying in a desperate attempt to avenge their comrade. Lorren dodges side to side, effortlessly evading the blows of all three of them at once.

[LazyJoe]

Well, looks like she's got them covered... Adam thought as he began to hobble his way over to the PTs. The best way he could help Lorren was in the cockpit of a twenty-metre tall war machine.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren effortlessly avoids the blows, before grabbing the arm of one of the soldiers as he punches at her. She easily deflects the blow to the side, then delviers a bone-shatteringly strong knee to the stomach. Owch.

[roll0]

[TamerBill]

The second soldier crumples under Lorren's brutal assault to his stomach, joining his companion on the floor. The others, losing heart at the sight of this fearsome warrior woman effortlessly taking out half their number, turn tail and flee back across the courtyard, abandoning the PTs.

Meanwhile, Adam has managed to hobble over to the hangar containing the four war machines. Their cockpits are already open, and the stirrup for entering extended to the ground.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren stoops down over the crumpled bodies. She reaches into their pockets, searching, and then grins, finding the precious bounty. "God I love those regulations." Chocolate! Precious chocolate!

Yes, she's stealing chocolate, of all things. What? She has a sweet tooth.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Rolling over onto his side to watch the spectacle, Darren pats himself on the back (figuratively speaking) for his earlier decision. I was right - I DON'T want to cross her. As the one man reaches the PTs, Darren realizes that he is most likely not the only pilot present.

"Umm...Sasha? Don't suppose you'd mind givin' old Darren a hand in gettin' to one of those, would you? I'd be much obliged. Please?"

[LazyJoe]

Having worked on many, many PTs in his life, Adam was accustomed to strange designs and varied mechanics. He thought he could probably pick up any PT easily enough, having test-driven hundreds of different models and variations or models. So, instead of going with the familiar Tempelritter design, he decided to go for something a little more exotic; the one with the four large gun barrels.

[TamerBill]

Adam grabs the stirrup and gives it a tug, and it hoists him up ten metres in the air, so that he's level with the PT's chest. Gingerly, so as to not to agitate his aching body, he slips into the pilot's seat.

[LazyJoe]

Adam let out a stiffled grunt as he slipped into the PT, checking the cockpit controls and familiarising himself with the general layout. As soon as he finds the ignition, he'll turn on the PT and try to manoeuvre it out of the bay.

[TamerBill]

The controls appear to be mostly standardised; Adam can at least find the controls for movement. He flips the ignition, and the cockpit closes in on him, temporarily plunging Adam into darkness. Presently, however, the screen in front of him flickers to life, displaying a visual image of the scene outside. Overlayed on top of the screen, writing appears.

Divine Republic Prototype XPT-2, Verruckt
Motion data installed
For The Republic

Pressing lightly on the pedals, Adam walks the PT out of the hanger and into the courtyard.

[LazyJoe]

After months of just walking around with his own two feet, it felt good to be back in a PT. Ever since their creation, Adam had felt that these machines were the way forward, an extension (or maybe even evolution) of the human body, the perfect amalgam of nature and technology. The fact that Adam knew everything a PT was made of and how it worked gave him a massive insight into piloting one.

The first thing to do was to make sure he wasn't mistaken for a DR reinforcement. Turning the main cannons online, Adam locked onto a DR Tempelritter. He quickly found the button marked 'Launch Petals', took a breath and pressed it. He wasn't aiming for the main body of the enemy PT, preferring not to kill his first person today, but rather hoping for a shot at one of its legs. However, that was easier said than done.

Gunfight: Good (+1)

[TamerBill]

The cockpit shakes as what Adam had assumed to be cannons launch themselves off the back of the PT and into the air. Warning lights flash red in the cockpit as the four suddenly lose power and crash to the ground with a thud.

Alert... Alert...
Connection to T-Link System lost
Telekinesis link failed
Disabling petal function
Please switch to backup weaponry

[LazyJoe]

After a moment of disbelief and cursing his own lack of Telekinetic ability, Adam looked around the cockpit for the controls to the backup weaponry.

[TamerBill]

Adam quickly brings up the unit schematics on the screen, noting all the weapons installed on the machine. He is then swiftly able to locate the correct controls for bringing them to bear.

[LazyJoe]

(I wonder if anyone else plays this game)

Not really one for getting up close and personal, Adam drew the Aussenseiter pistols mounted on each hip and began firing at the same DR Tempelritter. He briefly wondered whether he should pick Darren and Sasha up and take them to safety (Lorren seemed able to take care of herself), but he couldn't risk crossing open ground as such a big target.

Firing pistols: Gunfight (+1) + mediocre weapon power (-1) 3d6

3d6

Bah, stupid forum roller. Invisi castle, here I come

3d6-> [4,1,3] = (8)
3d6-> [3,2,3] = (8)

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren hasn't gotten into a PT yet. The main reason is that she has no idea how to pilot one. However, she assumes that PT armour is tougher than human skin, so she attempts to enter the white, 'winged' PT!

[TamerBill]

Adam's shots ping harmlessly off the armour of the DR machine, his sheer volume of shots not making up for the fact that they simply aren't penetrating. The pilot doesn't even notice that he's being assailed from behind, and continues to duel the invaders.

Meanwhile, Lorren hoists herself up on the stirrup and enters the cockpit. Even with her lack of piloting knowledge she is able to locate the ignition, and the cockpit closes in on her. Presently the video feed flickers into life, showing her Adam's second failure at damaging the DR PTs. Overlayed on top of the images, writing appears.

Divine Republic Prototype XPT-1, Raubvogel
Motion data installed
For The Republic

[LazyJoe]

Frustrated at his poor choice of robot, thinking he should have gone with the customised Tempelritter, Adam holstered both pistols and strode off towards the immobile Darren and the awestruck Sasha. When he got there he extended both of the PT's hands towards the ground, laying them palm-up on the floor in a 'get on' gesture. At the same time, splitting his mind into two parts as he did so easily, Adam opened up a comm-link to Lorren in the white PT.

'Er... you okay in there?'

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren's voice comes back: at least she can use a comm system. "I've never been inside a Personal Trooper before. I have no idea what I'm doing. Over."

[LazyJoe]

'Er... right,' Adam's voice floated back over the comm-link. 'Well, I wouldn't advise you touch anything. Unless you're feeling particularly adventurous, that is, in which case I could talk you through it.'

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

When the mecha walks over towards Darren, he instinctively begins to scooch away a bit. The lowering of its hands to pick him up brings a huge sigh of relief. Darren can't help but notice the lack of, well, anything happening to the white mecha Rambo's daughter climbed in to. Maybe this guy here IS the only other pilot. Jackpot!

He crawls as best he can up onto one of the hands and begins waving and pointing at the mecha to try and send a message to the fellow ex-prisoner piloting this machine. Shouting up at him (in case he has his external microphone engaged), he yells.

"Hey, buddy! Carry me over to one of those and I'll...guard your flank, or whatever PT squad-mates are supposed to do."

Heh. Hope he doesn't pick one for me that's pedal-operated.

[LazyJoe]

Judging by Darren's immediate mobility problems, Adam didn't really think it was such a good idea to get him involved in too much fighting. It's not like he could escape easily if there was a crash anyway. Besides, he knew nothing about the guy's PT experience and felt the less weight the better. He scooped the crippled man up, along with the girl if she wanted to hop on board and set them down next to the stirrup of the smaller PT. At the same time Lorren could hear Adam's voice over the comm-link.

'I'll be back in a second.'

Adam pressed the disengage button on his PT and was lowered back down to the ground, back still aching horribly from his fall. It was a good thing he didn't have to climb up to the cockpit of these things. As soon as his feet were on solid earth, Adam went over to Darren and Sasha, addressing the former.

'How's the leg?'

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Looking up at the man (who Darren has just noticed for the first time is INCREDIBLY tiny), Darren grunts and shifts himself about to face him.

"Rrgh...it's seen better days. Can't... put any weight on it. Still, thanks for... stoppin' to give me a lift, friend. I wouldn't bother with me much just yet - we've not exactly cleaned the house out just yet."

[LazyJoe]

'Well, I'll see what I can do about that. I told the girl in the white trooper I'd return. Stay out of sight until I get back.'

And with that, Adam's short, slim form abandoned the Verruckt (making a mental note to pick up the petal cannons later and reattach them) and limped off towards the next best battle PT, the custom Tempelritter, right hand cluthing his lower back, left hand out to balance himself. Once inside, he took stock of the controls to notice if anything significant had been changed.

[TamerBill]

Divine Republic Fighter RRC02 Tempelritter Mk II
Motion data installed
Learning computer online
Greetings

More text flashes up on the screen, unbidden by Adam's hands.

Compared to the RRC01 this unit sports magnetic coating on the joints, increasing mobility and efficiency in movement. Armour on the back and sides has also been strengthened, for greater combat survival.

Weapons payload now consists of the following: 'Kaiser' Submachine Gun, Beam Sword, Boosted Rifle and Twin-Linked Vulcans.

Unit's purpose is the gathering of data to aid in the production of the Divine Republic's next-generation fighters.

For The Republic

[LazyJoe]

Adam decided to give himself a nice little challenge and multitask. Whilst simultaneously piloting the PT out of the bay, drawing the Kaiser and trying to put his excrutiating back pain out of his mind, he opened a channel to Lorren in the white machine.

'I'm guessing you're still there.'

[TamerBill]

Meanwhile, on the other side of the courtyard, the last DR PT meets its end as an invader drives a sword through its head and kicks it to the ground. The three remaining interlopers turn their attention towards the gang and their four shiny new PTs. Their attention and their guns.

[LazyJoe]

After all the trouble it took to actually get into a position where he could help, it was slightly disheartening for Adam to see the last DR robot crash onto the floor. However he didn't have long to contemplate this as the invading PT's seemed to be turning their attention towards his own war machine. Thinking quickly and decisively, Adam released the controls for the Kaiser and let it fall to the ground with a thud. He raised his PT's hands in a 'don't shoot' motion, at the same time opening a channel towards his unlikely saviours.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren transmits to the ganger PTs! "Lorren Masters, Sargeant (discharged), personnel no. 64325744-43. Desert Ghost covert op. commander. Thank you for the assist. Over."

Why did she give them her DR military info, as well? Lorren is a stickler for protocol. It's still her personnel number, damnit.

[TamerBill]

"Sergeant Masters, this is Dirk Turnkey of the Blood Pact. Get out of the PT or we will shoot. Over."

[Yuki Akuma]

There is a faint 'hiss' as the pressurised hatch slides open, Lorren climbing out and muttering to herself. "Are these things even air conditioned? How can people stand to be in them?"

[TamerBill]

"Pilot of unidentified machine, that applies to you too. Remove yourself from the PT and stand down."

[LazyJoe]

Not wanting to get blown to smithereens and having no reason to fight the gangers anyway, Adam copied Lorren and exitted his PT. When at the foot of the customised Tempel and in more than a smidge of pain, he called out to the gangers.

'We're not DR! We were prisoners and we've got wounded!'

[TamerBill]

"I don't care who you are. Just stay out of our way and this won't get messy."

One of the ganger machines holsters its weapon and kneels down as the cockpit opens. Four roughly-dressed young men swing down to the ground and begin to walk towards the group of escapees.

[LazyJoe]

'Er... fair enough, I suppose,' was all Adam could muster before taking a sideways glance at Darren and Sasha.

[TamerBill]

The gangers grab the stirrups on the four PTs and raise themselves up to the cockpits. Without a word they close the cockpits and turn on their machines.

"Thank you for your co-operation." came the voice through an external speaker. "We'll be taking these now."

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren shrugs her shoulders idly, walking about from the PT. "Eh, fine, whatever. Could we at least have a splint or something so we can set this guy's leg?"

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren finds himself becoming increasingly adept at his hobby of laying on the ground squirming. He's beginning to consider crawling over to the stirrup and trying to get into the pilot's seat of this weird mecha he's laying next to when he notices something strange. More appropriately, the lack of something.

No more fightin'. That means that somebody is about to be payin' attention to us.

Looking back towards the direction of the mecha being piloted by two of his fellow escapees, he sees them crawling out of their cockpits. Darren groans, but for the first time in a while it is out of anguish (as opposed to firing nerve tissue). Speaking to himself as much as he is to Sasha, he concedes defeat. "Looks like we just crapped out. Either the 'Dome-Rats' won and it's back to our cells, or the strangers won but they're takin' the mecha as salvage. Either way, they're holdin' all the cards."

[TamerBill]

"I see no reason to help one such as you, Miss Ex-Sergeant Masters. Goodbye."

With that the ganger cuts communication, and directs his men back the way they came. With a burst of thrusters from the back they leap over the barbed-wire fence encircling the camp and boost off into the desert, leaving the four escapees with only the downed Tempelritters for company.

[LazyJoe]

More or less shocked at this strange turn of events, Adam couldn't help feeling largely neutral as he watched the gangers spring away. They were out of prison, at least, but had no immediate transport and a wounded man in tow. It didn't even occur to Adam to leave him behind, he knew from life experience that more could be accomplished by a team than alone. As soon as he thought of Darren, he set his priorities in order.

'Well, I guess I should look for a splint and some bandages,' he said, half to himself, half to the others. 'Somebody should stay here with... Darren, is it? And somebody can come with me if they like.'

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Watching with a grim sense of acceptance as the gangers disappeared into the distance, Darren couldn't help but understand. Out here, you only look out for your own, or those that have somethin' you want.

Letting his head fall back and hit the ground, he opens his eyes to little more than slits and glances at the people standing around him. Can't believe they've done THIS much to help me. I owe these people, if I ever get the chance.

"Ungh...may be a First Aid kit...in the hanger. Thanks...for everythin'."

A thought occured to Darren that seemed a lot more important than his leg - for the moment. "Wait! We...need to find a car, or jeep or somethin'. The prison guards will...get organized soon. I'd rather...keep bleedin' than go back to a cell, aye?"


Knowledge: DR procedure to have any idea when we can be expecting DR reinforcements. And also where to find First Aid kits and/or mundane vehicles.
[roll0]

[TamerBill]

The main body of the Divine Republic stationed here had hidden themselves away as the battle raged on; after all, what can challenge a PT but another PT? Now that the fighting is over, the rest of the soldiers are sure to come out of the woodwork pretty soon, and lying in the middle of an open courtyard may not be the best place to hide from them.

After Adam has left to search the hangar for the emergency first-aid kit that is required by DR regulations to be there, the cockpit on one of the downed Tempelritters bursts open, and a young man in uniform staggers out before collapsing on the ground.

[Twilight]

((crud...sorry guys...was rather afk these past few days))

Sasha snaps out of her stupor too late. Gangers! That's what these guys are! They have to be...

She looks down at Darren and helps him up as best she can. "Sorry...I've never seen this many people drop from the second floor of a building...and then the flying kicks...um...never mind. You wanted to go to the...hey...where did the PTs go?"

She watches the battle wearily in the hopes of spotting a familiar face or a familiar PT. Anything that might give her an in...

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Hearing the creaking of metal as one of the crashed mecha's cockpits is pushed open, Darren rolls his head over to the proper side to see what he can. As the DR pilot flops to the ground, Darren has a small surge of hope (and adrenaline to get him sitting upright again).

"Sasha! Somebody! Grab that prick! If he can't tell us where to find a vehicle, he'll at least have...uh...keycards or somethin' to get us into secure areas! Maybe an armory!"

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren nonchalantly strolls over to the DR pilot... then grabs him by the scruff of the neck and pins him against the machine! She's not very strong, but her technique is flawless. "Hi there. Keys. Key cards. Passwords. Anything you have. Now."

[TamerBill]

The pilot wordlessly hands over his ID card (for a one James Rain) before lapsing back into unconciousness.

Meanwhile, up at the hole above the deadly wall, the high-ranking officer from before appears in view and shouts down at you.

"Get back in those cells, you filthy degenerates! How dare you engineer an escape like this! Johnson! Get down there and bring those scum back where they belong!"

[Twilight]

"Ok...no time to loose now I guess." Sasha glances around and hopes that the others will follow.

"Let's try to make a break for it...it can't exactly get much worst, can it?"
She helps Darren along and heads for the hole in the fence at broken leg speed, which is to say, not very fast at all.

As she walks she wonders aloud. "What we need is to get those Gangers to come back and pick us up...I'm surprised that they didn't just grab us. We're clearly not with the DR. Maybe if I could get a message out to them..."

As they pass in front of Lorren and the terrorized pilot whose ID is being requested, Sasha glances into the cockpit of the downed machine. Maybe the communication device is still working. She tries to make certain.

((What would one roll for this?))

[TamerBill]

((OOC: There is no hole in the fence; the PTs jumped it rather than break through it. The communicator is online and no roll is required))

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren grins a little to herself, looking up at the commander calling down to them. "Big man. Standing all the way up there. Where were you when the PTs attacked, hm? Hiding in the barracks?"

[TamerBill]

"I know where I wasn't; lying on the floor like a broken doll! Vertical plane too much for you to handle, eh?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren leans forward slightly, and says, in a stage whisper: "I guess I'm just not too scared I might get my pretty uniform all scuffed if I go into action, then."

[TamerBill]

"At least some of us still have pretty uniforms, ex-sergeant! How'd you like it down there in the dust, eh? Still too good for you?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Eh. I suppose it's my fault. I actually go into combat, see, and uniforms don't last forever."

[TamerBill]

"Hey, you know what else doesn't last forever? The lives of scum like you!"

With that the officer whips out a rifle from behind his back and takes aim at Lorren with a maniacal laugh.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren bursts out laughing! "Oh God! Not only are you a coward, but you're an idiot, too! Have you ever heard of precognition? Do you seriously think you can hit me when I know where you're going to be aiming before you do?"

[TamerBill]

With a snarl the officer pulls the trigger... and the bullet buries itself in the wall on the opposite side of the courtyard, having completely missed the confident Miss Masters. The officer tosses aside the rifle and fishes out a grenade instead....

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren tilts her head. "So.. officer's school, huh? Never shot at anyone in your life, have you?" She grins, then runs and takes cover behind the nearest felled PT, while yelling: "Conc. grenade, scatter!"

[LazyJoe]

(You know what's awesome? Pulling out the pin of a grenade with TK whilst your enemy's still holding it)

Whilst Lorren had been busy taunting the officer, Adam had returned with the First Aid kit and began a rather hasty bandaging and splinting of Darren's leg.

First Aid: Good (+1)

However, once the word 'grenade' finds his ears, Adam abandons his heroics and dives for cover behind the nearest pile of rubble, yelling in pain as he remembers he fell off a wall about fifteen minutes ago.

Dodge roll needed? If so, [roll]3d6+3

Screw it, I'll use invisi castle: 3d6+3-> [6,4,5,3] = (18)

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren stares at Darren for a second, then breaks into a run. "Damnit!" She uses her precognitive power to judge where the grenade will be thrown, running towards it... instead of trying to grab Darren? "Defensive strike..." It sounds like a mantra. She jumps up with a cry of "Hijutsu!" before rotating slightly. She gives a swift kick, just as the grenade reaches her, kicking the weapon cleanly away! "Meteor Deflect Kick!"

This, my friends, is an example of an "active" defense. And don't worry, TB knows that I rolled that 15. I just don't trust this board's dice roller after the wall incident.

[TamerBill]

With astonishing agility and more than a little terrifying power Lorren's kick knocks the grenade away, catapulting towards a wall on the opposite side of the courtyard. Not the wall, unfortunately, but another structure entirely, leaving a blatant scar on its surface from the explosive impact.

The officer merely fumes as his efforts are continually thwarted by that petulent girl.

[LazyJoe]

Awestruck and slightly frightened that Lorren could kick away grenades, Adam nonetheless went back to stabilizing Darren's leg.

[TamerBill]

Now that no more explosives are being thrown around (for the moment) Adam is able to apply a basic splint to Darren's leg. It's no masterpiece, but it'll do for now. Meanwhile, the officer realizes that reinforcements are probably in order, and calls for a squad on his communicator.

[LazyJoe]

Adam looks up at the officer.

'Can someone do something about him besides pissing him off?'

[Yuki Akuma]

"Give me a gun and I'll shoot a hole through his head, if you like..."

[LazyJoe]

'Did you check that pilot for a gun?'

[Twilight]

Sasha sees the officer reaching for his communicator and makes a grab for it.

Sleight of hand! got a +2 and dex which is also +2 The board roller hates me so I'm using invisible castle: woo! http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1231691

18!
...

I'm a newb for not typing a "1" in front of the "d6" on that first attempt.

"Oh no you don't. Hand that over!"

Telepathy makes taking things from other people easier! Yes it does!
http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1231711

Which adds up to a whopping 14 if my math is correct. Which...being an English Major, it may not be...

Does this constitute overkill?

Sasha goes for the communication device that is within reach and tries to ignore the fear that pools in the pit of her stomach. Was that a grenade?!

[TamerBill]

The communicator inside the PT appears to still be operational, and it hisses with static as Sasha turns it on, ready for her message.

[Twilight]

She sends her communication to the guy who threatened to shoot Lorren. Commander Viktor Dirk Turnkey.

"Commander. This is Sasha Erlenmeyer, not that my name will mean anything to you... I don't think that we are part of the same unit and I'm not even sure that all Gangers get along...but you just left us hanging after you attacked that DR compound and after what I've seen it might be in your interest to get us out. We aren't exactly friends to the DR's cause so any ennemy of theirs has got to be an ally. We have little time before they recapture us but two espers isn't something to sneeze at. Respond please."

Her last phrase comes out as more of a plea than she might have hoped but she can always pass it off as battle stress.

Please respond, please respond...can't stay here gotta get out...

[TamerBill]

"Miss Erlenmeyer, this is Dirk Turnkey. I see no benefit to rescuing you, so unless you have some means of repaying the favour then the Blood Pact will have to deny your request."

[Twilight]

Right...Dirk Turnkey...where did I get Viktor? Clearly I need to sleep more

Sasha's last shred of hope flew away with his response. Spoon!
"...Well I had just offered you our services but it would seem that the Blood Pact" she almost spits the words out "can't identify a good thing when it is offered. What sort of payment did you have in mind?"

[TamerBill]

There is a pause for several seconds as the man on the other end considered what Sasha had said.

"Okay, fine. Tell you companions that you're working for the Blood Pact now; we'll send someone over for you. Over."

[Twilight]

Elation and fear mingle in Sasha's breast as she realizes what she just managed to do. She tries to keep her voice neutral.

"Good. Thank you commander."

She steps away from the communicator and looks at the others she keeps her voice low but the flood of emotions threatens to burst through her vocal chords. She takes a few calming breaths and only speaks then. "Ok...Um...The Blood Pact is coming back to get us. We work for them now. Hopefully this works out for us." She looks apologetically at Lorren --who is clearly ex-DR and also the likeliest to be angry at this turn of events-- "Anything but here, right?"

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren was amused but dismayed by the fact that while others ran to cover from the grenade, he pretty much had no choice but to BE "cover." However, Wonder-Woman managed to kick the grenade away before Darren had the chance to soil himself.

After the splint was in place, wasn't really interested in testing it out by moving around. However, the dire need to GET AWAY was a bit more important than his interests. As he was beginning to try and lift himself off of the ground, he heard Sasha yelling the news.

"Blood Pact? Ugh...they sound right friendly. Still...gotta imagine they're a step up for us, aye?"

[TamerBill]

After a few minutes (during which the reinforcements never arrived, much to the frustration of the lone officer) a rumbling can be heard as a white jet appears in the distance, speeding towards the group's position.

[Twilight]

Sasha nods nervously. And helps Darren up if that's the direction in which he wishes to go.

"Um...so...I hope that they get here soon because the DR have less ground to cover before they get to us and haul our sorry bottoms back into custody." She pauses. "Sorry...I tend to chatter when I get nervous. Just tell me to be quiet if I get on your nerves. You certainly don't need more stress after that fall you took. I mean...I should have thought that I might be able to help but you just dropped down before I had a chance...and then he " she nods her head towards Adam "dropped down too...although luckily he didn't break anything...err..." she pauses for breath "I'm babbling aren't I? I'll stop now."

She goes quiet as her cheeks flush an embarassed shade of pink.

She looks up at the sky. "Oh! I think they're here already..."

[TamerBill]

The plane slows down as it approaches the base, drifting lower and lower until it barely makes it over the top the fence surrounding the compund. As the jet comes in to land it tilts upright, as limbs unfold themselves and a head raises itself from the centre of the machine. By the time it hits the ground the plane is gone, replaced by the Personal Trooper Raubvogel.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Starting to have trouble hearing Sasha over the sound of the approaching plane, Darren continues to try his best to hear anyways. His reply begins as speaking and ends in yelling just to be heard over the roar of engines.

"Yeah...Uh, don't worry about it, Sash. If you want a motor-mouth, watch me play poker some day. The talkin' distracts people from bein' able to focus; either on their cards for me - or on their broken legs for you." He tries to give her a pleasant smile, but the sudden slowing of the jet catches his attention. How much help is a damned VTOL gonna be to get us-

His thought is interrupted by the jet's sudden transformation into a mecha.

Oh.

[Twilight]

Sasha blushes more deeply at Darren's response.

She leans in a way that will relieve as much weight from his legs as possible; she isn't very strong but her balance is good, she uses that fact to her advantage. Say something intelligent Sasha...

"You play cards? ... " Her voice is drowned out by the loud engine that has just landed next to them. She clamps her jaw shut as the plane turns into a sleek looking PT. Wha...It's like a hawk.

[LazyJoe]

Unfortunately for Adam, something seemed to have clicked out of place when he took a dive behind the rubble, and was now in more pain than ever, only just managing to hobble towards the shapeshifting Raubvogel. In normal circumstances he would have helped Sasha support Darren, but these were far from normal circumstances and contented himself with trying to keep up. Adam wasn't too keen about being picked up by the Gangers that had minutes eariler completely abandoned them, but as Sasha said, anything but here.

[TamerBill]

As the group hobbles towards the machine trouble arrives on the scene in the form of the long-awaited reinforcements called over by Lorren's erstwhile nemesis. Before they can get close, however, the Raubvogel pulls a rifle down from its back and with a single shot of purple energy reduces the enroaching jeeps to slag metal. The cockpit open up and a rough-looking youth throws down the stirrup.

"Alright you mooks, get yourself in here quick. You're not worth spending that much ammo on, so hurry up before they send more goons."

[LazyJoe]

Aside from admiring the youth's etiquette and politeness, Adam gratefully grabbed hold of the stirrup as something to hold on to and waited to be pulled up with the others.

[Twilight]

Sasha helps Darren to get in with a nod and then climbs into the machine without further ado.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren looks back at the former jeeps for a moment, then shrugs and grabs the stirrup. Does she look conflicted...? No. No at all.

[TamerBill]

The Raubvogel has an unusual cockpit; behind the pilot's seat there are six others for passengers, which the pilot roughly introduces you to. When everyone is seated he takes to the controls again, and the robot begins its run-up to the fence. When it seems like the only option would be to plough straight through, the PT boosts into the air on its thrusters and, after a brief moment of disorientation for the passengers, transforms. The Personal Trooper slash plane flies over the wasteland at speeds no walking machine could ever match, heading after its team-mates.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Once Darren is securely strapped into his seat (and his adrenaline has ran out), he sees his golden opportunity to fall unconscious from the bloodloss and pain. He does so immediately.

[Twilight]

"Oh no! Should we be keeping him awake or something? I don't want him to go into shock..."

Sasha holds onto Darren's hand and looks a bit worried.

[LazyJoe]

'I think he just needs to rest. Besides, there's not much more we can do for him at the moment.'

After a moment, Adam addressed Sasha again.

'Er, thanks for taking the initiative back there. To be honest, I didn't think it'd work.'

[TamerBill]

The unmatched speed of the Raubvogel's jet mode means that it's not long before the three other PTs come into view ahead of them. The pilot opens a communications channel to them as he passes overhead.

"I've got the strays, Dirk. One's injured, so I'm gonna go ahead to base and sort him out."

"Roger. Set them up with some accommodation and brief them on the situation, we'll meet you down there."

"Roger, over and out."

[LazyJoe]

Now that the dust had settled and everyone could get a clearer view of everyone else, the others saw Adam for what he really was, or at least what he looked like. Although mostly covered from head to toe in brown, grey and green desert wrappings, Adam nontheless appeard small and frail. There were deep shadows around his eyes even extending down towards his grey-black beard and sallow cheeks. Tufts of messy black hair fell over the brown bandana he wore, tufts that would otherwise obscure his vision and make his job a lot more aggravating. He hunched over as he sat, as you would expect someone to after they had spent a lifetime sitting down.

Adam thought for a second about sitting back and staying quiet, but his curiosity got the better of him. He spoke a little louder (as much as he could without hurting his back again, the movement was so painful) and addressed the pilot.

'I hate to intrude upon your concentration, but what exactly is the Blood Pact and what do you want with us?'

[TamerBill]

"It's a gang, obviously. We're still pretty small at the moment, but the addition of these four prototypes is the first step to putting us on the map. Oh, and the four slaves of course. That's a nice little bonus too."

[LazyJoe]

Adam was about to ask who the four slaves were, but stopped himself.

'Oh.'

Undoubtedly the others would have something to say about it.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren tenses slightly at the offhand way in which their 'rescuer' refers to them as slaves, but stays silent. She knows full well that they're currently at his mercy.

[TamerBill]

The journey across the desert is tense, with little in the way of conversation. After about an hour of flying the gang's destination comes into view; a large grey building in the middle of untamed wasteland, probably an abandoned factory. The Raubvogel drops down low to the ground and transforms, coming at the base at a run.

[Twilight]

Sasha is glad that the pilot does not have eyes in the back of his head because when he refers to the four of them as slaves her eyes go wide with fear and her lip trembles, if only for a moment. This quickly passes and is replaced by a more neutral yet resolved stare.

If it gets too bad maybe we'll be able to escape...if they're small then their facilities will be also. She dares to hope despite her fear that her actions have landed them in deeper waters.

"Let's just hope that this isn't a case of out of the pan and into the fire." Is the only thing that she whispers under her breath perhaps to Adam, or more likely just to herself.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren currently finds himself in a tiny-sized village so colorful that it looked like a painter's easel had eaten crayons and vomited on the place. The area is full of horrible little people. He feels terribly itchy, and realizes that there's straw coming out of his shirt and pants. He looks around to see that the other prisoners are in similar predicaments - Sasha is wearing a goofy dress and carrying a basket with a small dog inside, the Amazon-woman is made of solid metal, and the scrawny man has a massive, fluffy beard.

There's something about a tornado, monkeys, and a valuable lesson, but Darren's feverish subconscious skips through those parts. The sound of the tornado doesn't seem to go away, though. The roaring just keeps getting louder and louder...

The mecha's landing outside the Rebel base brings Darren back into the waking world. The world where his leg is still broken. His neck aches from the poor angle it was at when he passed out, and he begins to rub as it looks around at the others.

"...I think I liked the itching better than the pain...

[LazyJoe]

Noticing Darren waking up and talking again, Adam looked inside the medikit again and found some painkillers.

'These should help,' he said, handing them over, 'you'll have to dry swallow them.'

Instead of offering more words of comfort, the engineer went back to looking at the grey building and admiring the Raubvogel's impressive transforming technique.

[Twilight]

Sasha give Darren a small smile when he awakens.

"I think it may be time for you to move soon...Do you think you'll be up for it?"

She seems concerned but also distracted by the sight of what lies beyond the Raubvogel's windows.

[TamerBill]

The Raubvogel comes to a halt in a large grey hangar, and the cockpit opens up with a hiss. The pilot gestures for everyone to get out and wait for him on the hangar floor.

The Raubvogel clearly stands out as special in the hangar; aside from it there are only a handful of Tempelritters and a couple of basic customised models. You understand what the pilot meant about these machines putting them on the map.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Between Sasha's kindness (and the scrawny man's medication), Darren begins to feel a little better.

"Oh, I'd bet I can limp a few more meters, yet. Gotta try, anyway - if we're property now, I'd like to keep from bein' given the same treatment as an injured racehorse, aye?"

Whenever the cockpit opens up, Darren will put his good leg into the hoist stirrup and wrap the cable around one of his arms a few times before lowering himself down.

[Twilight]

Sasha climbs down as well. She has mixed feelings about this and her poker face is definetly not up to par. Nevertheless she does her best to remain calm and collected in the face of impending slavery...she wonders briefly if perhaps prison would have been preferable but dismisses the thought as entirely too pessimistic.

[TamerBill]

The pilot leads the reluctant crew through the base, pointing out the mess hall, briefing room and dormitories. Two rooms are set aside for the arrivals; one for Darren and Adam, and one for Sasha and Lorren. The rooms are sparse but servicable, with a single bunk bed, table and chairs. Before they retire to their rooms, however, they most be recorded in the gang records.

"Alright, one at time list your name, any useful skills and anything else of note."

[Twilight]

Sasha sighs inwardly. No sense in not going all the way with this thing now...

"Sasha Erlenmeyer, I lived in an un-domed community before the DR grabbed me. I was working with some local Gangers. I'm an esper, mostly telekinesis but my telepathy skills are good too. I know how to defend myself in a fight.

I've also had some time to experiment with chemistry and mechanics."

She looks up with what was meant to be a modest and friendly smile but betrays a bit of her pride at having come so far despite her youth.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren begins gritting his teeth. His eyes flash over to Sasha as she begins speaking. C'mon, darlin', don't tell 'em about your powers. That's an ace up your sleeve that you need... He seems to shrink a little as she says the words.

When the pilot looks over at Darren, he's still trying to decide on whether or not he should be fully honest, himself. As a stall, he begins to do what he always does when he needs to bluff - he begins talking. "Well when I was younger I wasn't nearly as good as bleedin' and bein' in pain as I am now - I've had plenty of time to practice lately. But apart from that I'd have to think. If you'd just give me a sec - it's not everyday a man's got to come up with a resume for his new career as a slave, aye?" Two choices - see Sasha's wager and go all-in, or fold right here and now. He looks over at the others. They've already gotten in to trouble just to help me. Might as well get myself into trouble.

He speaks up again, more resolutely than anyone has yet heard him. "Darren Sirion. I'm a good gambler, for starters - and good at what comes with it. I can fight, shoot, smell an ambush from a mile away, and run like hell." He then pauses to draw in a short breath. "And I'm trained in mecha operation. My weapon experience was limited to beam weapons and melee, 'cause we didn't exactly have ammo to burn. I've also learned a little bit of DR protocol - just comes from gettin' so used to runnin' from 'em."

[LazyJoe]

(Sorry for the downtime, I've been working six days a week recently and pulling 12 hour shifts for a couple of days.)

Adam too was highly reluctant to venture too much information to these Blood Pact people. However, if they thought he was useless he'd mosty like be put in some menial position scrubbing floors and whatnot.

'Adam Marcovic. I'm a PT engineer, designer and physicist, although I also have some knowledge in Chemistry and explosives. Technically I'm good with computers and I have training in Trooper use and combat. I'd also like it noted that the manners of your staff need improving.'

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren hmms a little bit, then smiles brightly. "Hi! My name is Lorren. My measurements are 30 bust, 22 waist and 30 hips. My turn-ons include long walks on the beach, unrealistically oversized guns and beating the crap out of people. My turn-offs include the laws of physics, people who question my beating-the-crap-out-of-people abilities, and people who stand up after I knock them over."

[TamerBill]

"Riiight."

The pilot jots some notes down on his datapad while simultaneously edging slowly away from Lorren.

"You're to remain in your quarters for the rest of the day. Do not attempt to leave, as you will be under armed guard. Tomorrow at 0700 hours you are to report to the briefing room for your first assignment. Any questions?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren waves a hand, walking into her and Sasha's shared room and sprawling out on the lower bunk. "Mmhmm."

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren's sense of self-preservation is quickly being worn away by the gradual diminishing of the painkillers' effects. With a grimace, he grunts and raises his voice to the pilot.

"Yeah, I've got a damned question! Got a doctor on staff here, or do you want one of your...our gang's PT pilots to die in his bed?!"

[TamerBill]

"That depends. How much do you think you're worth? We've got a couple of crates of Panacium packs in a recent raid; one of those will mend a clean break like that overnight, but they're not cheap. If I heal you you'd better work your proverbial socks off to earn it back because those things are damn hard to get hold of."

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren realizes that he's treading on dangerous ground. If I'm a slave, I've gotta be careful. There's a fine line between the tool you fix and the one you throw away. He sighs wearily. Time to face the music. "Look, I wasn't a ganger but I sure ran with enough of them. Life isn't easy out here, and there's hardly enough supplies to go around without some mongrel you picked up wasting more. But I'd rather be helpful than dead weight - or dead. If you can spare the whatever-pack and need a PT pilot tomorrow or a soldier or whatever, you've got one."

[TamerBill]

The pilot grunts. "I'll have it sent down later. Just don't make a habit of... well, whatever you did to break your leg in a prison."

[Twilight]

Sasha Erlenmeyer

Sahsa tries not to look dismayed at Lorren's response but, as previously stated, her poker face is really rather poor. She quickly recovers and seems pleased at how Darren's break problem will be solved.

"We'll do what needs to be done. Thank you for your help so far." No sense in being rude back at them. Mom always said that being polite would get me further in life...I miss her...and Dad...shouldn't think about them, it won't do if I start to cry like a five year old.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren glances at Darren, then Sasha. Her face creases in thought for a moment, before she stares at the wall. One of her feet kicks idly, as she thinks to herself.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren clenches his teeth into a blend of smile and wince as he replies to the pilot. "You've got it." With that, he can finally let himself relax.

The first thing that came into his mind (once the image of eating a bullet had left) was the Amazon-woman's outburst. He couldn't help but cough out a little laugh out after-the-fact about the parts he remembered. He turns to Sasha. "Well, seems like you're in for a fun time - your roomie is quite the firecracker." He pauses for a moment. "Still, these guys are willin' to patch me up. Beats the hell out of the DR wantin' to slice ya'll up, aye? You made the smart play for us. Thanks."

Good God Darren, could you have been cheesier? Darren begins to limp himself around towards his room and puts his arm on the other man's shoulders; more for support than for cameraderie...but only a little more. "So! Adam, is it? Top bunk or bottom? Just so y'know, I don't snore but I hear I talk in my sleep. Guess I don't do it enough durin' the daylight hours, aye?"

[Twilight]

Sasha's cheeks acquire a pink blush at Darren's comment. She looks at her feet in order to mask her expression. "Thanks..." She glances at the surly pilot briefly. "Maybe we should still reserve judgement...sleeping on it should do us all a world of good." Ah! that came out all wrong!!! Change the topic...change the topic! Her blush deepens.

She turns to Lorren. "Shall we? Will you tell me how you managed that crazy kick you did earlier? And that thing you did to the pilot guy...He looked so terrified! I wish I could do that! Um...You know, fight like you do."

[LazyJoe]

Adam's face remained its grim and humourless self as Darren addressed him, although he readily enough helped him limp into their quarters at the cost of his own comfort.

'I don't think you could manage the top bunk,' he said, lowering Darren down onto the bed.

[Twilight]

Sasha shrugs and climbs onto the top bunk.



Lorren waves a hand, walking into her and Sasha's shared room and sprawling out on the lower bunk. "Mmhmm."

[TamerBill]

A couple of hours later, as everyone lies in their bunks with their thoughts, a medic enters Darren's room and applies an unusual balm to his broken leg. The pain is quickly replaced by a strange icy feeling, and the medic instructs him not to touch it or move it.

After a night of uneasy sleep the group is woken by the morning alarms. It is 6:30 in the morning, half an hour before you're wanted for briefing. Darren is pleased to note that his leg is as good as new, though slightly stiff from unuse.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren spends the first 10 minutes of consciousness this morning wondering if he is actually awake. The whole "lack of pain" thing seems to be throwing him off. The reality of his situation doesn't hit him until he realizes one thing. Even his mind has to spit out the dreaded word. I've got to get up and...work. The sudden cold chill that fires up Darren's spine confirms his status of wakefulness.

With a groan he gets out of bed and, in a move that seems somewhat out of character for a guy like him, begins his morning stretching routine.

[Twilight]

Sasha carefully climbs down from the top bunk and quickly prepares herself.

Her stomach growls at her insistently as she splashes cold water on her face. Where was the mess hall again?

She leaves the room and lets her feet lead her to sustenance. She hasn't eaten since several hours before they broke out of prison and now that her nerves are not on high alert, she realizes how ravenous she is.

[Yuki Akuma]

Even before Sasha wakes up, Lorren has finished her morning rituals, and is sitting in a chair, staring at the far wall. Her bed is impecably made, and she even seems to have straightened out the rest of the room.

I was planning on searching the room for bugs (and actually talking to Sasha before morning.. Damnit TB), but my connection's been terrible lately and I couldn't get on MSN to tell Mr. GM Man. So, bah.

Lorren grins at Sasha, standing and stretching a little. "Ah, awake, are you? Well, better late than never..." This is late?! "Breakfast, then?" She grins, and falls into step behind Sasha. Lorren imediately feels... comforted. Slipping into her military persona, following a routine... she'd missed this. And she'd only been out of her routine for a few days, too.

[Twilight]

Sasha blushes but grins at Lorren nevertheless.

"I guess I overslept a bit...Breakfast sounds perfect, I'm starving.

I wonder if Darren and Adam are up."

[LazyJoe]

Adam always woke at 6 in the morning (if he ever went to sleep in the first place), but instead of being constructive like Lorren, he had been staring intently at the ceiling for the past half hour. As the morning alarms sounded overhead he climbed down from the top bunk as fast as the stiffness in his back would allow him, and Darren could get a better look at Adam. He was even more scrawny and underweight without his clothes (three layers didn't bulk him up much), and had a caved-in chest with skin-tight ribs. He'd be the sort of man to develop a pot-belly if he wasn't so thin, and although most people's skin tanned and roughened in the desert, Adam's remained milky-white, a stark contrast to his dark hair and stubble.

Splashing a little water over his face and putting his dusty, brown-grey clothes back on in silence, he tried (half-heartedly) to make conversation with his room-mate.

'How's the leg?' he said flatly.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren's legs are straight out across the floor in front of him and he is reaching out as far as he can to reach those toes of his - but they're so far away! Not relenting, he turns his head up to the left to try and get a look at his roommate.

"Mornin'," What'shisnamewhat'shisnamewhat'shisname? "...Adam! It's feelin' better than broken, that's a safe bet. You all excited about our first day of slavin', too?" His stretching is interrupted by an audible 'Mmmrreerrrr' from his stomach. "Don't suppose you know the way to the nearest fridge, do ya?"

[LazyJoe]

'That would involve me having been here before,' he said absentmindedly, although Darren's stomach-rumblings reminded him of his own need for a breakfast consisting of strong, black coffee. He decided to take the initiative once he was fully dressed and peer down the hallway for any sign of a kitchen.

[Twilight]

Sasha wanders briefly before finding the correct location. She pauses at the entrance to the mess hall and observes the room before walking in and checking out what breakfast will be.

[TamerBill]

The gang locate the mess hall, and each other, without too much trouble, and settle down for breakfast. This, apparently, consists of little more than a bowl of porridge and a smile, and not even everyone gets the smile.

There are approximately ten other gangers sharing the hall with the new arrivals, three of which are women.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren accepts the porridge (she likes oats, anyway) graciously, and sits down with the other three to eat. She eats in silence, but it's not that awkward, uncomfortable silence you get with strangers; she seems perfectly comfortable, just... silent.

After a few minutes, she reaches into one of her pockets, and produces two bars of chocolate. Well, if you can call it that; it certainly tastes something like chocolate. She breaks both bars in half, and offers the pieces. Her motives? Who knows.

[Twilight]

Sasha eats the porridge, thankful for any kind of food at this point; she fidgets a little at the lack of conversation but keeps quiet nonetheless.

When Lorren produces the chocolate bar, it is accepted with a grin. "Thanks! I can't remember the last time I had any."

She happily takes a small square and wraps the rest into a napkin. "Hmmm. There's just something about this stuff. I'll save some...in case of emergency." She smiles some more as the little square melts on her tongue.

[LazyJoe]

Not looking any of the other gangers in the eye, Adam moved with the others to get food and ultimately be seated at a table in the corner. He sat hunch-shouldered and concentrated on what was in front of him.

Adam eschewed any of the porridge, instead relying on a large mug of black coffee for energy. However, he did accept Lorren's chocolate with a grunted 'thanks' and crumbled some of it into his dark brown beverage.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren plops down with his tray in a seat close to Sasha and the Amazon-lady. Trying to not break the lingering stillness of the air, he doesn't call out to Adam but makes an effort to try to flag him over to a closer table several times. He mutters quietly to Sasha. "Feels like home already, aye Sasha?" Darren's ability to tolerate the silence lasted a few minutes, but soon had been exhausted. Forcing down the last throat-clinging spoonful, Darren lets out an exaggeratedly loud sigh of contentment. "Aah! Good for mind, body, and soul, that is. You'd think I didn't have a broken leg yesterday. Nothin' like a hearty breakfast with a little help from the miracles of modern medicine, aye?"

When offered the piece of candy, Darren politely declines. "Thanks, but no thanks, miss. Gets all stuck in my teeth. Besides, I've been told I get a bit hyper when I get the sugar in me. Would you believe that?!" He presents his best 'innocent' face to Sasha and...Uh...Amazon-lady's name...L...L...Lauren? Laura? Lorren! Lorren. "Maybe you should offer a bit of that to our quiet comrades here, Lorren." It's kind of obvious from the way he says the name that he's proud he remembered it. He then starts to speak just a bit louder and more excitedly to make sure his voice carries across the room. "They must be hung over from celebratin' - you'd think they'd be feelin' all-Aces after yesterday's big raid. With those PTs they jacked these boys are goin' to be power-players pretty soon, don't you think?" Without looking around any, Darren listens and waits to see what reaction (if any) he provokes from the gangers.

[TamerBill]

There is a quiet murmuring from the other tables, but none of the gangers saw anything to the new arrivals. One by one they finish their breakfasts and depart for the briefing room.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

As the crew begin to leave without so much as a "hello", Darren slumps forward in his seat to plop his left elbow down on the table. He leans down to rest his the side of his face on his hand, and for a brief moment his cheeks fill up with air - only to be blown out in the middle of a sigh. "Terribly friendly crew we've got here, aye?" With a bit of a laugh in his voice, he continues on a brighter note. "What's the world come to when you meet nicer folk in prison than you do out and about? Shall we be headin' on to that meetin' now, ourselves? Duty calls!"

Darren lifts up his legs and spins around on his seat to stand up. He does his best to tuck away that nagging thought that's been bothering him before anyone sees his face again.

Gotta hope the Lady's still lookin' out for me - if this crew is a gang of killers, I don't know what I'm gonna do.

[Twilight]

Sasha observes Darren's odd antics with a mixture of dread and amusement...mostly dread.

When Darren stands she does as well and she squeezes his arm lightly, whispering so that only Adam, Lorren and he can hear. "I guess it might not feel like home quite so soon." She looks a bit sad but does her best to replace the frown with a small smile.

"Let's get to that briefing while we can still follow someone to the correct location..."

She hustles in order to keep an eye on the unfriendly Gangers.

[LazyJoe]

Adam treated Darren's and Sasha's comments with his usual attitude; he heard but did not listen. A human element of almost any situation was lost on him and he had more important things on his mind. However, when the others started to move he was in front of the other three and led them into the Briefing Room.

[TamerBill]

Once everyone's filed into the briefing room and settled down a stocky commander-type addresses you from the front of the room, flanked by your 'rescuer' from before, Dirk Turnkey.

"As you all know, we acquired some new machines yesterday, courtesy of the Divine Republic. As prototypes for the next generation of Personal Troopers they're more powerful than anything currently in mass production, which means that now is the perfect time to hit the DR with all we've got. We've got the PTs, we've got the people and we've got the plan but we're low on the fourth 'P' required for any successful operation, which is of course supplies. I'm splitting you into three groups today; you'll each hit a different area and bring back the supplies to fuel our big raid."

The commander spends the next few minutes assigning teams. All four of the new members are assigned to Blue Team along with the pilot of the Raubvogel, Ryan. Their task is to parachute from the Raubvogel onto a DR supply train as it travels from one dome to another.

"This operation will be known from now on as Operation Goldmine. Any questions?"

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren's expression could only be described as dumb-struck as the briefing progresses. They're just...puttin' us in the game like that? No ante? Sounds too easy. When the commander asks for questions, there's probably little surprise when Darren throws a hand up - not that he waits to be recognized before asking his question anyway.

"Just a couple, err...boss! The first one, I suppose, should be 'what do we do on this train'? Stop it so some of yo..our boys can come unload it? The second one," Both his voice and expression darken noticeably. "..is why you're sendin' us. You've got no reason to trust us yet, so either you're really runnin' out of cards, or this is the kind of gig you don't expect anyone to come back from. Am I right?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren raises a hand. "I have a question. Why do you commander types always insist on giving these things goofy names?" She glances at Darren. "...And why exactly are you sending four 'slaves' on an important mission like this? Do you actually trust us? I know I wouldn't trust us..."

[Twilight]

Sasha's eyes nearly bug out of her head as she tries to sink into the floor through the seat of her chair.

Well...low profile we are not...

[TamerBill]

"We are sending you because it is just difficult enough for you to prove your worth while not being so difficult as to require more experienced men. It is also not vital to the operation as a whole as we have the other two teams to rely on for supplies in the event that you botch it like schoolgirls. I hope I make myself clear."

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Well, that's a bit of a lucky break. If it's not difficult enough to need their best, maybe we WON'T die.. "Painfully clear...Sir? Once you tell us what we're to do with our train after we nab it, I'm guessin' we'll be all-Aces."

[Twilight]

Sasha seems to recover a bit from her mortified state and perks up her ears in the hopes of clearer instructions. She nibbles nervously on her lower lip but avoids fidgetting further.

[LazyJoe]

Showing the merest hint of surprise upon hearing he was to be parachuting from a moving plane onto a moving train, Adam remained silent throughout the others' responses in the hope of any additional information he might use. Only then could an informed reaction be reached and applied.

[TamerBill]

The commander looks irritated at the groups pleas for more information about the mission.

"I don't have time to babysit you anymore, outsiders, I have real operations to direct. I don't care how you accomplish your mission, so long as you do it. Now get in that plane and get those supplies!"

The pilot of the Raubvogel, Ryan, signals to the group to follow him to the hangars, where their ride awaits them.

[LazyJoe]

Trying to forget how insanely dangerous the next 12 hours will be, Adam follows Ryan to the Raubvogel. Hey, it's not like staying here would be a safer alternative.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren's head hangs low and he begins to massage his forehead. He falls in step behind Adam and that pilot-guy. As the group walks along, Darren is barely heard muttering to himself.

"Greeaaaat. All we've got to do is jump on a train, packin' nothin' but our fists and the clothes on our backs, hijack it, and sort out a way to unload the damn thing and carry the goodies back before the DR comes a'callin'. There's no way these boys are playin' with a full deck, no sir..."

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren follows the pilot, and sighs a little. "If we're hijacking a train, can I at least have a gun? I'd be much more reliable with a gun, I think."

[TamerBill]

"Amusing as it would be to see you fight off DR soldiers with only your scathing sarcasm, it won't be necessary. There're rifles in the Vogel."

When they arrive at the hangar Ryan sets off ahead to prep the machine for launch, motioning the others to wait there for a minute. Looking around the hangar you can see the Tempelritter Mk II and the Verruckt from your earlier exploits, though the Zwergenhaft is nowhere to be seen.

[Twilight]

Sasha follows. Evidently worried about the mission and about the fact that she is the one that got the group into this. Although I guess that the worst that will happen is that we end up caught by the DR again...no...wait...we might also be killed. Her face falls.

Once they get to the hangar, she observes the available machines and muses "So...do we get both of these? And if so, who gets to pilot the second one?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren stares at Sasha, groans, and grabs her arm, pulling her in. "This is an aerial mission, knucklehead. Neither of those can fly."

[TamerBill]

"Hehe, good one. 'Do we get those'. No no, we're dropping you out of a plane."

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Starting to get a little nervous about this whole "mission", Darren shifts his weight back and forth between feet with his arms folded in front of him. He raps his fingers upon his left arm and looks vacantly out across the hanger.

"Hopefully they tucked away some parachutes to go along with those rifles, then. Maybe the abridged version of "Skydivin' for Dummies" while they're at it would be nice, aye?"

A slightly comforting (but moreso amusing) thought manages to put a stop to his anxious mannerisms at least - even brings a grimace to his face. May be as dangerous as bein' back in my cell, but good money says this's more interestin'. "Still, sounds more fun than bein' slaves to a librarian, or dirt-farmer or somethin'. Not everyday it's in your cards to leap out of an airplane."

[LazyJoe]

Adam gave Darren a scrutinising sidelong glance.

'I could think of worse things than working in a library.'

[TamerBill]

"Okay folks, all aboard the bird of prey!"

As each of the group ascend up the stirrup in turn Ryan presses a rifle and a parachute into their hands and points them towards a seat under the cockpit.

[Twilight]

"Oh, right." Is the full extent of Sasha's response to her mistake.

She awaits Lorren's actions and takes cue from her before doing anything that might seem funny or erroneous. After all, this is serious and potentially rather grim business.

[LazyJoe]

Adam took the rifle with a certain unease. He'd fired shotguns back on his father's estate many years ago, but that was worlds apart from being in an actual gunfight. The mere idea made him feel more than a little queasy.

There must be a better way to do this he thought as he sat down.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren, on the other hand, takes to the rifle like a duck to water; she sits down, examining the rifle, getting a feel for it... "Hm... a bit heavier than I'm used to... what kinda rounds are you using in this thing?"

[Twilight]

"So...what are the specifics of this thing? We need as many details as possible if we are to pull this off." She looks hopefully at the pilot.

"What we know so far is that we'll be jumping from the air onto a moving supply train with nothing other than our wits and these riffles. Do we know how many guards will be on this train? What is our target cargo? Are we to take prisoners or kill those that oppose us?" She tries not to look squeamish at her own question.

[TamerBill]

"Details schmetails. Don't you get that we're testing you here? Show some initiative."

With that the PT boosts out of the hangar and into the desert, scattering loose sand in its wake. A simple jump and a stomach-churning transformation later the group is flying through the air at amazing speed, heading directly towards the sand-train just visible on the horizon.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

For the first time since leaving the mission briefing, Darren laughs aloud at the pilot's comment. Although still filled to the gullet with butterflies, the laughter helps alleviate a lot of his stress. "Haha! Whether you were jokin' or not, thanks - I needed that."

At least in his own mind, this helped to clear the air a bit. Feeling a bit more bold now, he begins to converse with the pilot. "So what'd they say your name was? Ryan? How long you been with the uh..Blood Pact?"

[Twilight]

Sasha frowns when the pilot looks away.

She whispers.
"Test us? Hmpf. There's testing and then there's potentially sending someone to their death." She is obviously displeased with the Blood Pact's callous attitude but resigns herself quickly.

"Nothing that we can do about it now save survive and succeed."

She looks at her now teammates. "Well they won't give us a plan but I expect that having might help us. Any suggestions about strategy?"

[LazyJoe]

In a fit of uncharacteristic desperation, Adam thought of putting a bullet through Ryan's head and getting the hell out of here. However, he'd have to cope with the Blood Pact retaliation and couldn't anticipate the others' reactions, as well as heavily doubting his own piloting ability. Plus, he'd never work up the guts to pull it off.

'Well, er... have any of us been a firefight? Apart from yesterday.'

Without waiting for a response, Adam called up to Ryan.

'I don't suppose you have a spare toolbelt lying around here, do you?'

[TamerBill]

Blithely ignoring the gang's questions, Ryan slows down the Raubvogel as the DR sand train comes into view. Made up of five large cars, the train ploughs its way slowly through the desert as Ryan issues their final instructions.

"Okay guys, you've got about... sixty seconds before I open the hatch here and push you out of the plane. Your chute'll open automatically, so good luck and try not to get yourselves killed."

[LazyJoe]

Adam didn't really know how to answer a comment like that, so he simply gripped his rifle, checked his parachute a dozen times over and prayed to whatever god was listening that he would see this day through.

[Twilight]

Shasha holds onto her rifle and tries to ready herself as best she can--not very well all things considered.

She takes a deep breath and tries not to scream out when the hatch opens and she is sent tumbling into the air.

[TheGreatJabu]

Darren Sirion

Darren puts on a fairly unconvincing smile. "Chutes open automatically, aye? Guess we can just enjoy the ride down, then. It'll be the easy part."

[TamerBill]

One by one the gang make the leap of faith out of the speeding plane down towards the distant sand-train. After a heart-pounding freefall the parachutes do eventually make good on their promise and open, leaving the four plucky recruits to spiral down onto the DR train armed with nothing but their wits and some classic rifles.

But hey, compared to the wall this should be a piece of cake, right?

[Twilight]

Sasha's heart threatens to exit her body for a moment but when the chutes open she heaves a sigh of relief.

"Lorren! You're good with these things...where do you figure would be the best place to land on this train. I'll try to steer us to it."

[LazyJoe]

Sasha's words were wasted on Adam as he attempted to gain control of his parachute. This would have been easier had his hands not turned to jelly the moment he was unceremoniously ejected from the flying mecha.

[TamerBill]

With the wind thundering in everyone's ears all communications prove futile, so everyone is forced to use their best judgement when landing on the train. And let's face it, if their best judgement was any good they wouldn't be parachuting onto a moving train in the first place.

Everyone lands on the train with an unceremonious thud, Sasha narrowly hitting the edge after attempting to use her power for course correction. With any luck they've landed on an uninhabited section of the train, as their violent descent caused more than a little noise. There are carriages to the front and back of their location, so they could try getting in through a door. Failing that, peering through the windows on the side of their carriage might yield some information. Failing that, there's endless wasteland if anyone feels like just ending it all right now. It's the situation, such thoughts are none too strange.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren has been rather quiet! Not entirely grim; just concentrating quite hard. As she lands, she quickly takes the chute off; as former military, she's quite quick at it, as she's been airdropped several times before. "Chutes off! Everyone follow my lead." She clicks off the safety on her rifle, before chambering a round and heading towards the nearest door.

She stands just out of sight from the door, then closes her eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply...

Know the Center (Psycho-Awareness) to 'scan' the immediate area [roll0]

[TamerBill]

Lorren feels the presence of two soldiers in the carriage, sitting on the piles of boxes and playing at cards. Presently one of them gets up and walks to the door concealing Masters, presumably drawn by the noise of their landing.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren's eyes snap open, and she lets out a breath. Suddenly, she ducks down, aiming her gun right at the door, waiting and watching. Her finger stays glued to the trigger of her rifle...

[TamerBill]

The soldier casually opens the door, blissfully unaware of the crouching sergeant lying in wait for him. With a start he notices her, and reaches down to the belt where his pistol is holstered....

[Yuki Akuma]

As he reaches for his pistol, the guard is greeted by a bullet aimed directly for his skull. Lorren doesn't mess around!

Shootin' Guns [roll0]

[LazyJoe]

(Zoiks, there's discriminate killing afoot!)


Adam, having never been the most athletic of fellows, landed clumsily on the top of the train. He grappled the longest with his chute and only finished in time to hear the shot of Lorren's rifle. It made him jump even above the roaring wind and he grabbed his own armament with sickly unease, making a slow, anxious path towards Lorren's part of the train, looking to the others for back-up.

[Twilight]

Sasha untangled herself as quickly as she could but Lorren was far more efficient than she could have imagined.

Seeing Lorren's movement Sasha followed suit, not quite knowing what was in store. As such the gunshot came as a bit of a surprise to her despite everything...the young girl seemed a little shell shocked but tried to regain her composure and aimed her own riffle towards the soldier.

[TamerBill]

Adam and Sasha drop down next to Lorren, quickly taking in the fact that she's standing over a bloody corpse missing part of its head. The other guard, in a state of shock, fires wildly to no effect.

[LazyJoe]

Although the panicked guard's shots missed, Adam instinctively ducked back behind the door against the outer part of the carriage, breathing heavily. With slightly shaking fingers, he loaded his rifle.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren dashes into the compartment, dodging out of the general line of fire. She brings up her rifle, and aims another quick shot to the head. She tries not to aim for any other vital spots, as those tend to take a while to kill someone. The brain, though...

Bang! [roll0]

[Twilight]

Sasha aims and shoots as well.

Bang as well! http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1485805/

[TamerBill]

Lorren's shot narrowly misses the soldier, flying just past his shoulder. With a cry he lunges forward at his attacker, tackling her to the ground.

Meanwhile, Sasha shoots a hole in the ceiling with her woeful shooting.

[LazyJoe]

Adam swung himself into the room at the exact moment Sasha took a shot at the train's ceiling and consequently jumped half a foot in the air. Deciding it was safer if no-one did the shooting, Adam instead went to smack the remaining live guard with the butt of his rifle.

No melee skills whatsoever: [roll0]

[Twilight]

A little freaked out by the hole in the ceiling which might have been a hole in a person, Sasha decides to go with what she knows. She moves nearer and tries to punch the soldier.

Sad little punch. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1487625/

[TamerBill]

Despite their target lying on the floor in front of them, Adam and Sasha do just as badly in melee as they do with guns. Keeping a hold on Lorren, the soldier rolls to the side to dodge the clumsy blows, which threaten to hit Lorren more than anything.

[LazyJoe]

Disguarding the treacherous rifle, Adam attempted to grab the nimble guard and pull him off Lorren.

Nope, no grappling skills either: [roll0]


[Edit: Suddenly The Wall looks appealing...]

[TamerBill]

Easily anticipating Adam's amateur grapple attempt, the guard counters with a powerful punch to the jaw that sends the poor engineer staggering backwards and nearly knocks him off the train. The soldier gets to his feet with an arm wrapped around Lorren's neck, holding her as a shield as he starts slowly backing up into the carriage.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren, on her part, seems to be oddly calm throughout this entire farcical combat scene. Until, of course, the guard begins to back away using her as a shield. She can't have that.

Smack! [roll0]

And she completely fails to actually do much, other than squirming to get her arm free. Ack.

[TamerBill]

In response to Lorren's squirming the soldier tightens his grip on her neck, and unholsters his pistol. He fires a warning shot at the two in front of him, before finally speaking.

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Suddenly, Lorren's arm snaps back, moving with the restraint instead of against it. Her elbow smacks into the guard's ribs with force that such a small girl really shouldn't be able to muster.

Another smack! Maybe? [roll0]

[LazyJoe]

Adam had never been sucker-punched before and didn't particularly care for it. When the white spots stopped dancing in front of his eyes and the pain in his jaw was reduced to a mere agonising throb, Adam got to his feet to find Lorren a captive human shield. Glancing at Sasha he grabbed his rifle and aimed it squarely at the guard's head.

Maybe it was the hit to the face, maybe it was the adrenaline surging through his veins, whatever it was, something made Adam speak in his usual raspy voice.

'Release her and you'll leave here alive.'

Convincing people to do stuff: [roll0]

[TamerBill]

With a cry the soldier doubles over, clutching his stomach. Lorren is able to scramble free of his grasp as her victim struggles to breath.

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren grins, jumping back. She then aims a kick at the guard... but she seems to be slightly off-balance, as she misses by inches.

Attack: [roll0]

[TamerBill]

Taking advantage of the opening, the soldier lunges forward and shoves Lorren, knocking her to the ground and leaving her with barely an inch to spare between her and the edge of the train.

Adam feels slightly left out as no-one bothers to acknowledge his threat.

(Update: Lorren is at -1, Adam is at -1, the soldier is at -1)

[Yuki Akuma]

Lorren falls to her back, and lays there for a split second. Then, she grits her teeth, jumping to her feet. Snatching Adam's rifle from his hands, she twirls it around before aiming it directly for PC Killer 9000 and pulling the trigger.

Blam! [roll0]

[LazyJoe]

Now that Lorren was free from the clutches of the guard, Adam acted rather rashly and fired the rifle, aiming for a bodyshot.

Shotgun Proficiency which carries over to rifles, according to TB: [roll0]

At least, that's what would have happened had Lorren not pulled the rifle out of Adam's trembling hands.


(Edit: Curse you and your precognitive abilities, Official Simu-Ninja Yuki!)

[TamerBill]

Looking back, they never could remember who fired that shot. Between the head trauma and the shock of almost dying to a faceless grunt, it's hardly surprising. Regardless, the soldier was now lying in a pool of blood in front of them, and the gang has time to catch their breath. And hyperventilate. And pray.

[Yuki Akuma]

"Well that was... awful." Lorren rubs her temples, walking over to the guard to relieve him of his pistol. She then collects the other pistol from the other guard; she's much more comfortable with smaller guns.

[LazyJoe]

Despite being extremely relieved that Lorren took the shot instead of him, Adam couldn't help but feel queasy at the site of the two bodies.

'Let's just get the supplies and never speak of this again.'

Adam began to look around the carriage for any signs whatsoever of the train's cargo.

[TamerBill]

Unfortunately, it's never that easy. Not for the team beaten into submission by a wall and humiliated by a grunt. Oh no. The crates in this carriage contain only files; boxes and boxes of recruitment data and service records, with none of the elusive supplies sought by the gangers.