IC: The Sun Never Sets, IC thread for The Sun Never Sets Options

[pbangarth]

"No thanks," Stogie replies. "I have my own. Any move by you to reach into a pocket will be taken as a try at getting a weapon. Now, if you'll just turn your back on the SMG, and toss away that neat little glove, too, I'll come over and dress that wound so it stays clean and doesn't bleed any more all over that fancy suit of yours."

Stogie moves over to the SMG and beside Jake, and, holding his shotgun steady on the man, waits for him to comply. He calms his friend through his mind, Good boy. Brave Jake! I'll take care of you soon and make the hurt go away.

[Tecumseh]

The troll continues to charge up the hill. He racks a new round into his shotgun and sends another swarm of pellets in Ellesar's direction. He runs forward, pumping the shotgun again, and fires another blast to encourage Ellesar to stay down until the troll can introduce himself up close and personal. He's closing in quickly. 20 meters out... now 15... the pounding of his heavy feet in synch with the echo of the automatic fire filling the river valley. What's it going to take to bring this lumbering brute down? Ellesar's rifle may or may not be up to the task.

*****

On the east side of the valley, the downed man nods to Stogie. He lifts up his left hand then reaches over with his right to undo the velco at the wrist. He peels the shock glove off, discarding it into the bushes far to his left. The ruthenium polymer coating on the glove stays active and the glove immediately disappears into the forest. Finding it again would take ages. You'd be more likely to step on it accidentally first, at which point the glove would discharge itself into your foot.

The man deactivates the chameleon coating on his armor suit. What was once just a very loose outline of a person suddenly solidifies into a human male dressed all in black. The suit is futuristic-looking, almost like something you would see on a superhero in the trids. The suit goes over his head and wraps around his face, although Stogie can see some patches of checkbone below the man's goggles, plus his jawline. His skin has an unnatural orange tone to it, suggesting that this man might have an unhealthy addiction to tanning salons when he's not off trying to shoot strangers. He rolls over to his left, per Stogie's instructions, so that his back faces the SMG.

Jake's movement returns slowly, starting with his tail - which wags to Stogie's praise - and his eyes darting around. Stogie can also hear what Jake hears: the low frequency soundwaves of the gun battle that continues to rage elsewhere.

[pbangarth]

Both Stogie and Jake watch where the glove falls, if not to find it but at least to know which set of bushes to avoid when walking away.

Stogie places his shotgun down beside Jake and the SMG and instructs the dog, "Guard!" as he points to the weapons. Then he approaches the downed man from behind, taking out his medkit. "Sounds like the party is still carrying on down the valley. While I'm doing this, I'd like a couple of answers."

Stogie kneels behind the man and gingerly moves the damaged clothing away from the wound. "Looks like the shot went right through. Easy to patch this up.

"So, what were you hired to do out here?" Stogie starts cleaning the wound and bandaging it. Years of caring for various ailing animals come through, and despite the fact this man just tried to kill him, Stogie's attention to the wound is gentle and efficient. No healing going on here, just maintenance, so the task is simple.

[Tecumseh]

Stogie moves behind the man and notices that he has a monofilament sword in a sheath on his back. The man doesn't reach for it, either unable or unwilling to do so. He seems to think that it's strange that Stogie would do this. It doesn't seem like standard procedure where he's from.

"We got hired to find some witches," he says between groans as Stogie pulls the tattered armor away from the wound. "The Johnson said they were toxic, killing civilians in an ecoterror campaign."

He winces as Stogie pours iodine over the wound. Normally this would stain his skin orange but it's already such a strange orange color - and it's covered in blood - that the effect is much less noticeable.

"The Johnson's a real piece of work. Ex-mil. Said he's been sending bounty hunters out for weeks but none ever came back. Said he was forming his own squad to do it himself." He throws his head to the side. At first Stogie thinks he's trying to headbutt him but then realizes the man is indicating the skirmish taking place down in the river.

"I'm just a freelancer from the city. Johnson said that the local talent pool wasn't deep enough." Stogie realizes he mean's Salish-Shidhe, not Seattle.

"So who are you and why are we shooting at each other?" he asks as his strength depletes. Stogie pushes compresses against the entry- and exit-points of the wound and begins to wrap the shoulder in antibacterial bandages.

[pbangarth]

Stogie finishes the bandaging. "I'm part of one of those teams that didn't come back. We learned the truth isn't as clear-cut as Mr. Johnson would have you believe. The so-called witches may have a strict view of what should and should not be done in the woods around here, but from what we learned, they have gone out of their way to do less injury and more property destruction. If we're gonna hunt someone, we kinda want to know the truth about them, first. Crazy, I know.

"The ones you were brought here to hunt are serious drek. Me, I'm glad we managed to talk our way out of fighting them, otherwise we would probably be charred husks like the team before us. I don't hold out much hope for your crew in the valley if the women let loose with all they have.

"Now, I'm not all that averse to screwing with corporate bottom line, and so I'm not all that averse to what the women have been doing here. I suspect the Johnson has a personal stake in this, though, either personal profit or relation to one of the few who did get hurt. My team and I have been trying to figure out what really is going on here, and in the meantime dealing with some of the other teams Johnson has sent... from some raw rookies we spanked and sent on their way to more serious talent... like you guys. We're shooting at each other because Johnson wants us to be shooting at each other. No other reason.

"I'm pretty good at sensing things that don't want to be found. That's how I marked for my friends all the hidden crew of yours down in the valley. They're now targets. The magician over there, I smelled his insect repellant, and my dog and I followed the odour trail. I did to him what you wanted to do to me.

"I have to admit, you're pretty good. If it wasn't for my dog, you might have had me. I'm impressed.

"Seeing as how your talents and mine are kinda complementary, I don't see why sometime in the future we couldn't work on the same side. Call it a day today between us and see what comes down the road. When the women have done mopping up downhill, I can vouch for you and keep them from sending their forest friends after you. Some of those things eat more than your body."

[Tecumseh]

The man listens as Stogie finishes working.

"Hey, chummer, I don't have any politics. I just follow the money, same as the other guys out here with me. We're just mercs who are probably here because someone's willing to pay to have the property destruction stop. If these witches keep doing what they're doing, then someone's going to keep sending mercs until they're not an issue anymore. That's just a return on investment equation, omae. Finance 101. You throw in with these ladies, you got an exit strategy? Or are you in it for the long haul too? Ecoterrorism is a long-play, man. This conflict either ends with humanity back in the Stone Age or a sniper shot from a klick out. No offense, but smart money's on the latter."

[pbangarth]

Stogie packs up his medkit. "I don't agree with the Stone Age argument, but it's hard to deny the possibility of the sniper option. I don't know if I'm in with the women for the long haul, but for now, as long as I'm partaking in their hospitality, I'll shoot back at those who shoot at them. I definitely want to be on their good side while I'm on their turf.

"Looks like you're alright for now. Bleeding's stopped and the wound looks clean. As I say, some medical attention back home is in order. Be so kind as to put your arms around this tree over here and I'll use the rest of this bandage to hold you here while I go see why the ladies are still toying with your associates. It'll make my argument that you're no longer a threat to the three of them all that much stronger."

Stogie starts unrolling the bandage cloth, and steps back to near the shotgun to see what the man does next.

[Tecumseh]

The man stares at Stogie. "You'll 'shoot back at those who shoot at them'?" the man asks incredulously. "You ambushed us! Shot one of our mages in the back!" He throws his chin in the direction of the dead mage.

This is true. Stogie shot the mage three times until he was not living anymore.

"We don't want to kill them, man, we want to bring them back with us! Alive! Ain't no one doing any killing out here but you!"

He's getting snippy. He refuses to put his arms around the tree. In his defense, the massive gunshot wound to his shoulder must hurt like an S.O.B., and extending his arms away from his body would be doubly painful and risk reopening the wound. It's cold out, his armor suit doesn't look like it's insulated, and he's already at a risk for hypothermia due to blood loss.

"You already murdered Karl, man. I don't know what game you're playing with the first aid but I don't want you to tie me up out here just so I can freeze to death or be a snack for your forest friends. Frag that noise. You gonna kill me, you gonna have to look me in the face when you do it."

He stares at Stogie defiantly. Not resisting, not fighting, but shivering. It's unclear if he's cold or afraid or both. Stogie can see his cartoid artery racing wildly.

[pbangarth]

"If I'd wanted to kill you, I'd have done it when I had you in my sights with a dog hanging off your gun arm. As far as the mage goes, there are fewer options with one of them, and they are never alone."

Stogie reaches down and picks up the SMG and shotgun. The SMG he slings over a shoulder and he takes hold of the shotgun. "But coming to take them alive? Not with a 15,000 nuyen bounty Gunny put on each of them has anybody else come for anything but their heads.

"At the same time, you're right about the never-ending stream of bounty hunters. So let's head back down the hill and see if we can find a way to get Gunny to lay off the hunt. You get back to your team, we all get a chance to talk and maybe more than you gets to go home today.

"Work for you?" Stogie indicates with his head for the man to lead.

[Tecumseh]

The man gives Stogie a look like he's a little dense. He looks around furtively then turns back with a conspiratorial tone.

"Gunny doesn't care what happens to them; he just wants them to stop the destruction. But toxic mages, man. The Draco Foundation has a standing bounty on those if you deliver them alive. It says so right in Dunklezahn's Will! A million nuyen! And we've got three of them out here."

He looks like he wants to hold up three fingers but his shoulder wound and bandaging job makes any arm movement painful. He flinches, then checks around again to see if anyone is listening, however unlikely that might be during a gun battle. Stogie glances over and sees a drone flying above the river, ripping up the forest to the north of him with machine gun fire.

"Do the math, man. There are seven of us if you take Karl's share. That's a fat payday if we only bring one back, but if we swing all three? That's retirement money!"

He steps forward again, using his stage whisper.

"It's going to be harder without Karl, but if you know the women and they trust you then that could swing things back our direction. My job was to sneak up with the mage masks. Drop the hood on them, no more mojo! A little shock glove action and then a long walk home. Take three toxic mages out of the picture and you can even feel better about yourself at night while you're counting your fat stacks of nuyen. How often does that happen, man?"

[pbangarth]

Stogie does his best to show in his expression the pity he feels for this guy. "Chummer. You've been had. I've checked these women's auras six ways from Sunday, and they're not Toxics. You can see how careful I am, nah, afraid, of mages. I wouldn't hang with any that are freaks like Toxics. These three? They're just a bunch of women in the forest who don't like what they think somebody wants to do to their little patch of paradise. A bunch of women who can sling fireballs and command spirits.

"I believe Gunny will pay for whatever revenge he's looking for, but ain't no way the Draco Foundation will pay one nuyen for these women. If that's the real reason you and your crew are here, then for fuck's sake let's get down there and stop the fight before more people die. You're throwing away your lives for nothing."

Stogie waits to see what the man does. The shotgun is ready. Three million nuyen, or even the fantasy of it, is a powerful motivator for rash action. The sound of the drone's gunfire begins to worry him. Why is the conflict still going on? What the hell are the women waiting for?

[Tecumseh]

The man listens to Stogie's defense of the Sisters, giving him a look somewhere along the lines of "you would say that." It doesn't appear that Stogie is a credible witness to the Sisters' toxicity, or lack thereof. The man scrunches his face but, disarmed and injured, isn't in a position to make a move. He turns in the direction that Stogie indicates, checking over his shoulder periodically to see if Stogie is about to shoot him in the back or not, like he did to Karl.

[pbangarth]

Stogie marks the location of Karl's body, and follows the other man at a distance close enough to make evasion difficult but not so close he could turn and fight Stogie for the gun. Jake follows stiffly a bit farther back and to the left.

Periodically, Stogie checks the com link to see if he is back in range to talk to Ellesar.

[pbangarth]

As they leave the area, Jake sniffs out the shock glove that hurt him so. He lifts a stiff leg and urinates on the glove. Then he rushes to catch up to the two humans.

[Tecumseh]

Jake finds the glove after a moment, which smells lightly of ozone. Lifting his leg, he expresses his displeasure by emitting a stream of urine on the glove. The stream quickly separates into individual droplets, but one final contraction of the bladder squeezes it into a continuous stream for a brief moment. A small electrical current travels up the stream, zapping Jake in his nether regions, causing him to yip. Stogie feels a strange tingly sensation via his attunement and rolls his eyes. Jake is alarmed but has suffered no harm. (Some people actually pay for that tickling feeling.) The glove sputters for a bit and then shorts out, sending up a little wiff of doggy steam into the dry autumn air.

[pbangarth]

Ellesar wracks his brain to figure a way to deal with this locomotive rushing at him. How do you reason with this kind of behaviour?

He ducks behind a tree and then drops the rifle, fumbling for his Ruger. Shakily he draws it. A thought comes to him. He backs away from the tree and shouts, full voice, "Drop the net now!"

If the troll keeps coming around the tree, Ellesar will have to shoot.

Where the hell is Stogie? And the Sisters?? Do I have to deal with this lot all by myself?

[Tecumseh]

Ellesar times his move precisely. He pivots around the tree, backpedaling as he shouts. The troll had a 50/50 guess as to which side of the tree Ellesar would emerge on. Given the fact that his shotgun is not in-line with his target it seems clear that the troll guessed wrong.

Ellesar raises the heavy pistol, hoping that it has enough stopping power to bring the troll to a halt but not so much stopping power that it actually kills him. He probably thinks he's just doing his job. No need to kill him just for that, he thinks to himself as he tries to channel the muscle memories from his training so many years ago. It's been ages since he used a pistol, as their range is generally too limited to be of much use in the forest.

The Ruger bounces three times in his hand before Ellesar can even blink with surprise. "Surprise" might also accurately describe the look on the troll's face as three heavy rounds slam into his stomach and promptly explode. The troll immediately stops running and looks down at his belly. The rounds have completely obliterated not only his lined coat but also the natural dermal armors reinforcing his skin. The troll touches his abdomen and his hand comes back slick and coated in red. Ellesar's eyes go wide. He can see tattered bits surrounding the wound but he's not quite sure if they are armor, skin, or something internal. The troll SCREAMS at the shock of the wound but, to his credit, does not topple to the ground like a reasonable person might.

[pbangarth]

Ellesar is a little taken aback by the damage he just did. But it isn't over yet. He demands, "Drop your weapon or I shoot you some more."

If the troll surrenders, this may yet end without any killing on my part. But if he doesn't...

[Tecumseh]

The troll's eyes are wild with adrenaline and endorphins. He bellows in anger, oblivious to Ellesar's threat. The troll puts his blood-soaked finger on the trigger and raises his shotgun.

[AtroposReborn]

Heart pounding and head racing, Ellesar reacts more from self preservation than anything. His hands seem to work on their own to squeeze off the first shot. A fresh wave of ancient memories washes over him as he lets off the second round.

[Tecumseh]

The huge handgun bucks in Ellesar's hand again, although the action is smooth for such a large gun. The additional weight under the barrel is comforting and helps keep the shots from arcing off into the forest. Ellesar has no trouble leveling the pistol for another burst, which he delivers accurately. The troll, already wounded and unable to dodge effectively, takes the second burst right in the chest. A bloody mist puffs up as the troll grimaces and falls over backward down the hillside. Gravity pulls him five meters down the slope before he comes to a stop against some gnarled roots of a nearby evergreen tree.

Ellesar can see blood pulsing out of the troll's chest with every heartbeat. It means that his heart is still pumping and that he's alive for now but won't be for long. Ellesar has made a bloody mess of the man's sternum; a gruesome wound to accompany the already grim gut wound he received moments earlier.

[pbangarth]

Stogie's commlink notifies him that a link, tenuous though it may be, now exists between his commlink and Ellesar's.

<<Stogie@Ellesar:You OK, E...kkkhhht... I'm returning with a prison..kkhht>>

[AtroposReborn]

Ellesar runs over to the man, Ruger leveled at his still frame. He carefullly kicks the large shotgun away from the troll and gives him a brief once-over to check for any obvious weapons that could prove dangerous.

"Why don't you people ever listen?" The elf barks, more out of frustration than anger. "Can you hear me? I can help you but I need your word that you won't try anything fatally stupid." He moves closer to the troll, attempting to get a good look at the chest wounds. Stogie will have to wait until I can deal with this lug.

[Tecumseh]

Judging by the amount of blood pumping out of this guy's chest with every heartbeat, it is obvious that he is no longer a threat. Rushing forward, Ellesar pats the troll down for weapons and finds a veritable mobile Stuffer Shack:

-3 Thermal Smoke Grenades
-3 Flash-Paks
-4 Plasteel Restraints
-2 Containment Manacles
-Erika Elite Commlink
-Extendable Baton
-Stun Baton
-2 Survival Knives
-2 Shock Gloves
-Ruger 100 with a bipod and several magazines of ammo

Evidently the troll's motto was "always be prepared", although his current condition suggests that he still wasn't prepared enough. But there's kit here for lethal takedowns as well as non-lethal takedowns, plus restraints to take someone alive.

In the process of patting the guy down, Ellesar feels the troll's pulse. It's shallow and rapid, like a hummingbird fluttering it's wings. It's obvious that it's nowhere near strong enough to pump blood to all of his extremities or even keep him alive. His skin is growing pale and cool to the touch. He won't be with you much longer.

[Tecumseh]

Stogie presses forward with his prisoner, moving west down the hillside while listening to the sounds of the fight echo up and down the valley. Why is the conflict still going on? What the hell are the women waiting for? he thinks to himself. He finds a break in the trees ahead where he might be able to see what is happening. Jake helps to 'herd' the prisoner and ensure that he never gets within arm's reach of Stogie. The odds of the injured man making a ninja move for Stogie's shotgun seem slim - especially with that gunshot to the shoulder - but better safe than sorry.

Even before they gets to the clearing, Stogie and Jake both hear far more gunfire than they expected, and from unexpected angles. Moving to the gap in the trees, Stogie eventually sees why. The mercs are leaning on their technological superiority to balance the fight, mainly through the generous use of drones. Stogie sees at least two roto-drones hovering high overhead, cutting up the forest with short bursts of fire. Closer to the river, there are two ground drones doing much the same, establishing a perimeter and pressing uphill toward various spirits and astral forces which emerge to fight them.

Why aren't the Sisters wiping these guys out? Stogie thinks, wondering how the Sisters' home field advantage and obvious magical superiority could be kept at bay by a handful of radio-controlled guns. He switches to the astral to get the other side of the story. What he sees there surprises him. The Sisters are indeed conjuring a steady stream of spirits and shooting spells at regular intervals, but none of them are very powerful. What Stogie sees is very unlike the power he witnessed at the Sisters' campsite, where the spirits were monstrosities and even the smallest spells sent a spark of power rippling through the air. Here, away from their aspected domain, the Sisters have been rendered... average. Their spirits are small enough to be overwhelmed by automatic weapons fire, ably directed by Gunny standing in the middle of the river. Hester and Selene don't appear to have any magic that can affect the drones directly. Ellie is able to send bolts of fire from one side of the valley to the other, but is having a difficult time hitting the small and nimble drones that simply bob out of the way. Occasionally she sends the same down toward Gunny, but the men in the river take cover underwater and emerge unfazed from the flames.

The fight is a race for time between who will give out first: the ammo reserves of the drones or the ability of the Sisters to absorb drain. Stogie sees Hester and Selene fire weak manabolts at the men in the river. The mana of the spells is tinged with frustration and anger. The black color of the spells turns the auras of the men in the river into muddied swirls of brown and red. Stogie can see them starting to bleed from their noses and their ears as the spells eat away at them from the inside out. Eventually the man operating the drones slumps over, bleeding into the river. Gunny's right-hand man topples over as well. Gunny picks him out of the water so that he won't drown. Gunny backpedals toward the shoreline while firing his weapon. The drones are now on autopilot; their firing patterns are less sophisticated than before and they begin to be overwhelmed by the spirits that accost them. The tide is turning.