Exiles Hope, Sometimes, the only way out, is through! Options

[grendel]

"One, Three has astral, move up to support Five."

[Shadow]

Jessie dives behind the bison, using it's armored flank for cover (+8 cover) while peaking out toward the small door, waiting to see what happens.

Sedryk quickly crawls to the side entrance of the tilt-wing where he left his smartgun, the smg is easy to locate, sitting on top of a crate that was being used as a makeshift table. (+2 cover)

Warpaths moves like a ghost through the hangar, rutheium polymer granting him near invisibility, only a slight shimmering as he passes by. He moves quickly, picking up his weapon and loading a mag of deuce-ex and then proceeding to the door.

The machine gun fire continues, tracer rounds rip through the aluminum door briefly illuminating the interior of the hangar. An explosion showers the Bison in sparks as the main circuit for the hangar is perforated by high velocity lead. The hangars lights dim and then vanish. Emergency lights over the small door "click" on, illuminating a small area in poor light (+2 mod), casting deep shadows on the rest of the hangar (+6 darkness mod).

A loud shriek from outside fills the air, the unmistakable roar of burning fuel and a hyper velocity rocket echo through the room. The hangar doors are vaporized in a massive explosion of fire and light (+2 glare). The doors vanish and the shockwave rolls over the inside hangar. The Bison rocks on the shockwave but it, and the tilt wing seemed relatively unharmed.

( :ooc: Warpath take a 8S - armor)

The now shattered doors wrench and twisted remains fold inward in jagged metal coral. Revealed in the dying firelight is a flat black Ares Roadmaster, parked 50 meters away along the runway. The rain and wind howl in the hangar with a vengeance (hearing checks at +2). The Ares has two turrets, one is mounting some kind of light machine gun, and the other appears to be a dumbfire rocket of some kind, the dissipating contrail from the superheated exhaust leads right to it.

The Bisons sensors go nuts from the optical and thermal over load of the door going critical. Once under control they easily spot the enemy riggers vehicle. A message indicates illumination in the hangar has dropped to zero and the Bison has sustained only cosmetic damage from the explosions. An audible hiss can be heard as the Bisons on board computer automatically engages the enviro seal on detection of the over pressure form the blast.

Danny's body slumps against the wheel of the aircraft as his astral self emerges into space. The hangars is a dead place, the only living things are the people in it. Outside is a torrent of life and light. The van is easy to post,a large chunk of metal on the horizon, a beaming globe of fiery light sits above the van. It appears to be some sort of elemental.

Pulling her predator as she dives, Blackjack slides on the slick concrete floor underneath the tilt-rotor. She comes to rest with the fuselage safely between her and any gunfire. (+8 cover).

[Leowulf]

Blackjack connects an optical cable from her pocket between the radio and one of her datajacks. Instantly switching the radio to the secondary frequency and engaging encryption, Blackjack sniffs and regains composure realizing that crying isn't going to get her out of this alive. With tears still running down her face, she gets up into a crouching position and says over the radio, "Base, do you have room for one more on your network? I can give you some help with your drones. I'm not much good as a pilot, but two heads are better than one!"

[Shadow]

Crouched behind the Bison, pistol drawn, Jesse leans her head out to take a look at the enemy vehicle. Smoke hangs thick in the air from the detonated rocket, and intermittent sparks shower the front end of the Bison. She cycles between vision mods, finds the best one and zooms in on the vehicle.

Through the rain and the distraction she see's three things.

1. The vehicle is brand spanking new.

2. It has recently been painted with the flat black paint job.

3. She spots a Salish Shidhe border pass on the bumper.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

Delacroix drops prone in the cockpit. "What the frag is going on?!" ,screams the elf. The words drowned out by the explosions, gunfire and background noise.

Realizeing quickly that his chances of anyone hearing him from inside the cockpit are slim and none. The elf begins to crawl out of the VTOL.

[Grey]

Not really knowing if shes going to be effective, Jessie raises her pistol, takes aim, and fires off a round at the turret controlling the machine gun, before quickly ducking back behind the Bison.

((ooc: simple action aim, simple action shoot, free action duck back behind the bison))

[Shadow]

It only takes the barest of moments for Delacroix to make his way out of the planes side door. He rolls down the steps and ends up laying next to Sedryk behind some crates.

Jessie steps out, kneels down, takes careful aim and fires a single shot. The heavy pistol bucks in her hand and she slides back behind cover. The barrage of machine gun fire continues.

[Shadow]

The rain and wind continue to howl as the battle rages on.

[Chance359]

Sedryk looks over at Delacroix and smiles "I wonder who tipped them off?"

"Base, this is five. Anything we can do to silence those guns?"

Sedryk begins scanning the hanger for anything that might offer better cover than a couple of wooden crates.

[grendel]

"Working on it, Five."

[Jr. Woodchuck]

[Shadow]

Sedryk looks to Delacroix then charges to the Bison, grabbing the bumper he uses his momentum to slide around the side of the armored truck. Seemingly tracking by motion the machine gun swivels and sends a volley of fire in his direction.

Warpath, taking the opportunity since the gun seems focused elsewhere, whips his cloak wide, bringing his Alpha up to his shoulder, sighting in and opening up. The Alpha barks in his grip and spits fire 3 feet long. A hail of EX-EX rounds slam into the side of the Ares truck. A ripple of miniature explosion roll down the side of the truck as Warpath walks the riffle fire down the length of the vehicle.

In response the rocket launcher on the back of the truck belches fire as another AVM launches. The missile speeds through the air, particles of rain vaporizing in it's wake. Narrowly missing the tilt wing and zeroing in on the Bison, the missile shoots through the hangar!

The massive explosion vaporizes the REAR wall of the hangar. The missile skims by the top of the Bison, thrown off course by Grendels ECM. The fireball illuminates the entire hangar sending flames, and shrapnel, in all directions. The shockwave rolls through, throwing Jessie, Sedryk and BlackJack around like rag dolls, and bounces the Bison around like an amusement park ride.

As the concussive wave settles, the Bison remains upright, over the comm. a cold, calculating voice broadcasts in the open, "My turn".

A Novatech made, series 4 Anti-vehicle Missile, launches from Grendel Bison like the trident of Neptune. The missile immediatly fires a solid rocket propellant that ignites the air around it. By the time it exits the hangar it hits 400 miles per hour. When it slams into the cockpit of the Ares Roadmaster it breaks the speed of sound. The resulting fireball lights up the entire airport and sends a mushroom cloud 200 feet into the sky! Shrapnel and parts fly in all direction as the remains of the Roadmaster falls from the sky landing in a heap on the runway.

(OOC: Jessie and Sedryk ressist a 8S, BJ ressist a 4S)

[Leowulf]

Blackjack begins bracing for the explosion a split second before the projectile hits. Her arms are barely covering her head and neck when the deafening blast shakes the hangar. Blackjack looks up and realizes that she is ok. She was far enough away from the Bison that the blast was absorbed by the armor of her camo suit. It feels like someone just kicked her, but otherwise, Blackjack is unharmed.

Seeing the now exploded Roadmaster, Blackjack says over the radio quietly, "Is everyone ok?"

[TinkerGnome]

The digital voice comes across the comm. "Four, check. Going wide."

With that, his weapon vanishes under his cloak and he slides out the door using the burning wreckage as cover. Whatever that was, he's pretty sure that the Roadmaster was remote controlled. The controller has to be around somewhere.

[Grey]

Jessie takes a moment to get her bearings strait after that explosion.

"This is Two, I'm ok. Base, can you get some surveillance out there for us?"

((ooc: taking a first simple action to observe in detail, will hold off other actions until I get a reply from this.))

[Shadow]

Peaking out again from behind the blackened flank of the Bison, Jessie looks around. Her eyes pick up several details.

1. A burned, blackened, and broken body among the flaming debris of the roadmaster.

2. The smell of diesel fuel permeates the air.

3. The runways seems to be burning even though it is raining.

Warpath moves out into the rain like a cat in the jungle. Staying low, and keeping his eyes peeled, he scans the horizon for more enemies. None are readily apparent.

[Chance359]

Sedryk shakes his head, trying to get his ears to quit ringing. Slowly he rolls to his knee and aims the Smartgun toward the reckage.

"Five here, are we clear?"

[Grey]

"Base, you picking anything up on Sensors? Everyone keep your eyes open. Two has the rear. And don't go lighting any matches guys, I can smell gas all over the place."

Jessie quickly moves towards the back wall, hiding as best she can within the rubble and takes a look to see if there are targets in that direction.

This post has been edited by Grey: Nov 21 2003, 11:31 PM

[grendel]

Grendel scans on active sensors, combing through the electrostatic hash of the storm for the telltale echoes of incoming drones or vehicles. The port rotary launcher whines, spinning to place a fresh AVM in the launch tube in case the trouble isn't over.

"Two, Base, stand by."

[Fortune]

Danny's Astral form pulls up short near the hangar doors just as the Roadmaster explodes in a burst of bright energy. The brilliant flash from the explosion is not enough to drown out the glow emanating from the Elemental near the burning wreck though.

He concentrates for a moment, then sends a sparkling stream of magical energy at the unknown Elemental.

[Shadow]

The bolt of Mana rips into it's target, gouts of lava like material spray from he wound. The elemental screams in agony from the hit. But it does not respond, other than to to turn and flee.

Within the blink of an eye the elemental has left the area. All that remains is the burning wreckage of the Ares Roadmaster.


(OOC: Combat is over)

[Fortune]

After watching the Elemental disappear into the ether, Danny returns to his body, but not before ordering the Watcher accompanying him to keep watch for any other Astral threats. He groans softly as he once again takes up possession of his physical form, stretching out his limbs and working his jaw a little before reporting in.

"This here's Three. Astral's secure...for now."

[grendel]

"Team, Base, let's mount up and roll."

Grendel dismounts from the Bison, his operations on remote, and heads towards the tilt-wing.

[Fortune]

Rising from his position leaning against the landing gear, Danny is somewhat surprised by Grendel's order. Squaring his Stetson, Danny steps in front of the elf as he moves from the van to the aircraft.

"Don't y'all reckon we should be lookin' fer clues 'bout who's behind them there varmints?"

[grendel]

"The forensics required to obtain clues from that wreckage will require more time than we can afford to allot. We can put Zoe onto the task if you'd like, but our best option is to clear this location immediately in case back-up forces are on the way. Not to mention our timeline for rescuing the target is winding down. Speed, Three, is life."

Grendel pauses at the hatch of the tilt-wing, multiple decision trees hanging open around him, waiting for the inertia of the team to determine his direction.