DREK!

Crispy looks right, looks left, then lowers his voice. Uh Sarge, I know we're competing or something, but maybe this is the kind of thing we should work together on. Have a look at our mission briefing. and with that, Crispy sends an encrypted private message to Hammerson with the mission briefing that Team Ricoh received. Crispy wasn't normally that trusting with fellow mercs, but then again, with what he and Hammerson had been through in Bogota...the loud-mouthed merc felt he owed it to the swishy dandelion-eater.

He looks up when he hears Nova's question.

That Humvee we're borrowing has a concealed compartment - we can stow our heavy gear there, and talk our way past the KE guards. You've got mojo, right? Anything you can whip up to make the Humvee seem not so...military? And I've heard that recruit Brian over there is good with people, better than me if you can believe it this last said with a huge drek-eating grin.

<< @Nova [Trish] Hey Sugah, SEATTLE ? Wow you really are outta town! don't tell me anything though, save it for when you get home safe and buy me a beer! ...
You tryin' ta get in my act huh? moving items .. Logistics ... You'll hate it, not enough guys in armour for your tastes.

anyways, ferry rides are usually low rent ya scan? the guys running just wanna do their job and if you make it easy for them then you get a free pass,
and security usually only make a certain number of random checks to be effective,

my advice'd be to call in anonymous tip for a prior sailing or some other distraction,
but let me make a call, if I got something goin on in that area I'll let you know later 'kay!>>

"Si, Amigo I understand, but I have to see I am..uhh.. impartial, but yes I can tell you our part in this mission"
Clasping your shoulder he walks over to the rear of your Hummer and pulls up the map
"We go in here" He indicates the northern point "You go in from south and find a vantage point over the approach to the centre, is interesting we did not know about the runners transportation, but it does not affect our mission at all, maybe is just detour for you, no ?"
with a hand wave the map centres on the complex " Estevez used to work here with his familia, so he goes in with his team to find the runners and extract the data, They have a source that says the team are currently holed up inside, so they'll check it out, then we call in the T-Birds and fly home ... is simple Hombre, you worry too much, but for the sake of your teams score, keep the griterío down huh? Si, let's rock and roll "

"Planning was never my job description, I usually leave that to the smarter kids. I am the guy you ask to sneak in or cover your arse. if we are going heavy I need to stop by my dorm and pick up my panther, and perhaps something else.

<< @Trish [Nova] Thank you for the pointers, that will definitely help. I guess the drinks are on me, next time. If you hear something, you have my number. Call me anytime. Appreciate it. >>

"Ok, so, hidden compartment for the big stuff. But how do we get Crispy in there?"

"Anyways... if we go in there looking all normal, it should be fine. They usually don't look too closely, unless you make them think otherwise."

Affirmative Sarge. Good luck out there

Crispy rejoins his team just in time to hear

Good thing I'm one of the smarter kids. Bring that heavy gear! Hope we won't have to use it, but it'll be good to know we have it.

Then Nova's voice joins the discussion

Hehe - now you're talkin Nova! No compartment built that can handle what I'm packin!

a pause

So it sounds like we've got ourselves a plan. Humvee to the ferry, ferry to the island, humvee up to find the runner team and their vehicle, then humvee it to a point where we can provide support for the other groups. Keep it as quiet as possible. Possibly pick up some local brew for the Sarge if we have time. Did I miss anything?

After hearing the OK for the big heavies Longshot lets everyone know he will be back in a bit. after some time he returns armored up and carrying not only his huge duffel bag, but a PANTHER XXL laid over his shoulder. alright then, I'm ready. He grins wickedly.

Crispy lets out an appreciative whistle. Good to know we've got people with sense on this team!

He looks around at the rest of the group.

Figure we'll need a little bit of a head start if we're gonna investigate that site and then still have time to get dug in. If the go time for the other teams is oh-four-hundred, we should catch the oh-two-hundred ferry over.Unless we think it's gonna take longer, then it's the 1o'clock.

One thing about covering positions the sooner you get there, the better. if we get there and spot bogeys around the drop off point we can have them down before they even get close.

One o'clock it is, unless anyone else has any other ideas. I'm going to try to get some shut-eye before we head out

Sunday 00:30:00 @ Ferry port Tacoma-2-Vashon

The trip down past SEA-TAC and further south is quite relaxing, the reflectors at the road side stretch out to the extent of the headlights in a multicoloured runway that is almost hypnotic, fortunately the AR pilot program is not distracted and eventually the offroad tires go from barely audible humm of tarmac to a crunching of gravel as they hit the carpark of the ferry terminal.

At this time of night the place is eerily quiet, out in the pitch black the occasional light flashes on he water and a buoy sound it's bell, the dull tones echo across the abyssal waters.

Queing at the waters edge are a few other civilian vehicles, a billboard opposite you advertises Vashon Marina, exclusive sailing and fishing clubs which is probably where they are headed, or families returning from shoreleave before their week shift resumes in the factories.

A loud "Snort" from the rear indicates Crispy has awoken from his slumber, he looks at the others then out at the bay, "did we miss the boat?"
Nova gives him a look that quiets him again, they turn to watch as a guy exits a small office and chats to an older gent in a beat up truck as they share a smoke.

"Keep your heads down!" Brian hisses as a vehicle pulls up behind the Hummvee, crunching on the gravel,

looking in the mirrors the local police livery is obvious even in the darkness and two officers step out and adjust their headgear before walking toward you.

Brian! Nova! You guys handle things. Longshot's too ugly and I'm too famous to talk to these cops. Crispy's whispered warning is followed by him trying to make himself as inconspicuous and invisible as possible in the humvee's interior.

"The hell you calling ugly, have you seen yourself lately remind me to purchase you a mirror amigo? Why don't you make you and your famous self useful and use your techie skills to spoof some random call for them? Guys like you know how to do that kinda stuff right? while he may not be ugly, Longshot definitely is not a talker, so tries to be as invisible as possible, and if seen is seen as asleep.

I'm no hacker, but maybe I can jam any scanning equipment they got. Now scoot over, you're hogging all the space on this side of the floor!

Nova sits in her seat, calmly waiting for the officers to come over and ask something, or not.

She uses the time while they get out of their car and approach (and while she is not visible to them) to cast some spells.

Sunday 00:32:17 @ Ferry port Tacoma-2-Vashon

Officers Banks & Roberts approach the vehicle from the rear,
on the passenger side, Banks produces a flashlight and waves it over the tires and the side of the Hummer, his left hand obviously working on a comm-button on his lapel but his moving lips make no audible sound.

on the drivers side Roberts walks alongside but with a safe distance from the doors, right hand hovering over a hip holster mostly casually,
he taps on the window with a small device in his left hand and waits as Isabelle presses the window button, opening it about three inches to reveal only her face in the darkened cabin. next to her, Brian watches nervously in the wing-mirror

Crispy and Longshot, sitting in the rear in full mil-spec armor, begin to sweat, the nano-servos whir into life and circulate cooler air through the heavy armour, that does nothing to ease the tension.

"Miss LeDoux?" Roberts enquires "Step out of the vehicle and present your documents to the scanner please!"

He steps back, Gravel crunching lightly under booted heels, giving the door room to open and reveal the interior.

"Is this your vehicle Miss?"
he asks, hand still within striking distance of the pistol, you spot he has removed the securing strap for a quick release.

Tatjana shows a friendly smile as she nods and gets out of the Hummer, closing the door behind her. With a hint of french accent in her voice, she answers the two security guards.

"Oh, sure. Does this look like the kind of car you expect a girl to own? Seriously? Of course, not. It's borrowed from a friend of mine. I'm not from here, and it was either this testosterone-slinger or a stupid rent-a-car that makes me look like I'm twice my age."

She then proceeds to take out her commlink to let them scan her documents, while making sure that she keeps the guys' attention.

"There you are, officer. I hope there is no problem with the car?"

"No, no problem miss uh ... this says Bruce Rogerson ?? ... ummm wait a sec, it's on the fritz"
He looks briefly at the device and smacks it on the plastic case with the palm of his hand before it whistles and dies
" ... can you uuhm please stand with your hands on the hood of the vehicle .. uhh .. yeah that's great !"
His attention firmly fixed on Nova's form fitted attire he barely notices the door quietly closing.
"Hey! Jeff... uhh come help me check this ladies uuuh.. statistics will ya ?"
His colleague comes round and they spend an awkward moment behind Nova, they seem to be holding the scanner up to the bare light available from the street but their eyes seem focussed ... elsewhere

the moment stretches to the almost too awkward

Tatjana spins around, looking at the two guys with a scolding look on her face, her gloved hands resting on her hips, elbows out.

"Would that be all?"

They look abashed at each other and Banks trying to regain his composure sputters out
"Umm, yeah, well thas an awful big vee-hickle for a young lady to be drivin around all on her lonesome innit Roberts?"
he looks at his colleague for re-assurance who turns to him and then back with a grin,
"Yeah, kinda late to be out and about isn't it? them folks on Vashon don't appreciate new faces and you don't look like one o' them workers over there!"
You can see the mental cogs turning as he figures out where he's going with this, then the lightbulb moment as he realises there's fun or profit to be had
perks of the job out here in the docks in the gloomy hours

Behind him you can see the outlines of people in vehicles trying very hard to not see anything, but at the same time SEE everything!

as Banks takes a step toward Nova

"it'd be a shame if we had to call for backup after a poor lost girl out here was, I dunno, say, badly abused, by some random SIN-less and left for dead"
another glance for re-assurance to his colleague who responds
"yuh... YEAH! terrible shame wot happens out here where nobody sees stuff, and policing gets awful expensive to cover a hundred percent of the place alla the time!"

There's a hungry look in their eyes as they advance towards her.

"So, You be a good girl now and turn back around real slow like and put your hands on the hood!"

"Oh, wow guys! How about this for a compromise... I put my hand on your 'hood!"

Tatjana then moves her hand between his legs and activates her stun glove.

Looking at the other guy, she says, with a very deadly calm.

"By the way, I'm a reporter. I have this whole conversation taped. So you better play nice now, or you will be in some huuuuge trouble."

Longshot relaxes a little as it seems the gal gets the situation under control, even smiles when he hears a slight yelp. * I hope she has this, I do not wish to pop up in front of rent-a-cops and god knows who in this stuff. Now THAT would be a scene.*

"Yeah right! Whatever you say" Banks kicks at the back of Nova's knee and she drops to the floor, going with the flow as the armour there negates any pain she may feel
Then, grabbing her hair that's bunched at the back of her head in a pony-tail, he hauls her up and around the front of the hummvee, her feet swing out wildly making an act of some weak resistance
The assailants completely miss the growing grin on her face and thinking her compliance has something to do with his strength of will.

Pushing her over the hood now, out of sight of any prying eyes and oblivious to the passengers in the car
"Now, Spread them pretty lil' legs for us miss reporter, lets you and us have some fun!"

Nova feels his hot breath on the back of her neck and the awful halitosis makes her retch, but she bides her time waiting for the moment.
he loosens the grip on her pony-tail and his hand goes down her spine , she hears the un-mistakable sound of a zipper from behind in the dark of the undergrowth against the dis-used building they pulled up against.
as the searching hands look for a weapon on her outer thighs and then reaching forward, he goes for the jackpot, fumbling for her belt buckle.

"You ready Jeff ? I got her all placid like" He smirks to his companion, fully confident he has her fully compliant "Be still now, don't make this hard on yourself!"

Tatjana laughs. "Pretty sure who will be the one who is still here, after I am done with you!"

Then she punches his groin with her shock-gloved cyberfist.

"Come on now... please, make it hard on yourself!"

Crispy winces at what he sees, then laughs. It's not funny if it happens to you, but when another guy gets hit there it definitely is. Still, he puts his hand on the door latch (still mechanical in this day and age on Humvees) and readies himself for a quick exit if the situation grows beyond Nova's control.

When the dirty cops both lie in the dirt, appropriately, Nova drags them to the shadowy side of the Hummer, where she begins to take away any weapons, commlinks and other equipment they are carrying.

Both of them get another smack from her cybered fist, to ensure they keep sleeping for a while.

Then she proceeds to free them of their clothes, leaving them all naked and dirty on the ground.

When that is done, Nova gets back to the car, taking the stuff of the guards with her for now (to drop it somewhere a couple klicks away, unless they had anything useful to keep, though she is wary of possible ways to trace the gear).

Raising her hands in an all-innocent gesture, she turns to her team-mates.

"Hey... not my fault. Should we just leave them here, or put them into their car and get them out of sight? Can someone figure out from their 'links how to get the autopilot active?"

"I can turn myself and them invisible, so I could get them into their car that way; nicely gagged and cuffed - they should have brought their own - and locked-up in the back. Then we could send the car away on a little cruising tour via autopilot."

I think lots of people behind us saw some of what happened. The less permanent the mess the better. Yeah, lemme try to unlock their autopilot. Just gotta get that thumbprint...there. You're set. That gear we could drop in the bay...

As the flashing lights and the echo of the blaring siren fade into the night, you look around at your surroundings.

Between where you are parked alongside an old docks building and the Ferry offices is a barely used carpark with numbered parking bays,
each bay has a metal barrier onto a quayside road that is used to filter onto the boat.
a simple approach to prevent vehicles that haven't paid getting passage.

Nova's feet kick up dust from the gravel as she stomps over to the office, the bright neon light inside illuminating the outside only partially.

As she passes them, conversations going on around the few vehicles in bays 1-7 hush and the occupants look up briefly then return to their hushed chatting.

walking up into the booth she looks around.

It's a flimsy structure with glass windows all around and faded and cracked paint adorns the woodwork where rot and mould hasn't taken over.
Inside she sees a Cafe bar with a few simple tables, only one of which is occupied, an elderly gent in sea faring gear clutching at a coffee and staring into space.

On the far wall is a booth decorated with ancient maritime goods, plastic sea-gulls and red and white rings,
with a sign above that reads
"Pay the TOLL or Pay the TROLL!"
inside the glass is a robotic Troll Sailor with a broken pipe hanging from it's metallic grimace under faded paint.
Someone at some point has dressed it in a woolen jumper that has torn and looks more like a fishnet than a piece of clothing.

As Nova walks towards it

"AVAST! Yaaaar, Be welcome ye arrrgh tae Pete's Port !"
the torso struggles to raise an arm in salute, whirring crazily as cogs mash and grind inside the robotic simulacrum.
" Deposit yerr pieces o' eight in me bounty and I'll give ye passage to yon' island, but beware ..... beee..... waaaaare....beeeeeee WAAAAARE"
Screaching at a deafening volume and with eyes glowing red and manicaly it halts and eventually dies

The lights on the front of the machine blink and go out and it looks like the payment slot for credsticks is no longer functional

"That's about time that fraggin' monstrosity quit it's yammerin' an' left me in peace!"
The gent at the table behind her mutters gleefully,
"Tired o' fixin' it, tired o' hearin' it ! .. just plain tired, but you missy, well you're a sight fer sore eyes an' no miistake... Names Pete, Ya lookin' ta sail tonight? "

He looks at Nova with genuine interest

Brian, what do you think? She need some backup? Brian? BRIAN? Damn man, you can sleep through anything can't yo...GET BACK ON YOUR SIDE LONGSHOT! Didn't think I'd have to tell you twi...OH YOU JUST MADE A HUGE MISTAKE

Luckily the humvee is soundproofed enough that the sounds of a slight scuffle inside are muffled from the exterior. And even though it's threatened by Crispy, the shock glove he's wearing doesn't get used. This time.

longshot can't help but chuckle as he pretends to roll over in his sleep right on crispy. After blowing is cover he says.I think she has it under control, if she needs help I am sure she will let us know she needs assistance.

As she gets inside, Tatjana looks at the weird robotic troll and is quite glad when it finally stops, hopefully for good.

She turns to the table and offers the man a friendly smile.

"Thanks, Pete. Yes, I want to take a trip to the island. Is the fee per car or per person? And, I read it's V.I. property over there, so anything one needs to keep in mind? Apart from not walking onto the lawn and stuff like that? Are there any areas that a visitor is not allowed to drive or walk into?"

Sunday 00:39:22 @ Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

Shaking his head as if he anticipated the reply
"Well, with Pirate Pete here on the fritz we got no way to take more tickets see, he's tied into the barrier system directly"
He rubs a gnarled fist on his bearded chin
"Hmmm, not to worry though missy, the morning crew'll be here in at first light, that's about 8am for you land-lubbers.. and I can get him fixed right up!"
He smiles and walks over to the coffee pot for a re-fill
"You fancy a cup while we wait ? The Skipper on the boat'll be happy for the break today when they dock so it's good news all round"
topping his coffee up he enquires
"Vashon Island .. it's just a dirtier version of this place, don't get many tourists and to be fair, you don't get places ya ain't s'posed to cause of the security barriers .. ya can't miss them!"
He sits back on his chair and pulls out a well worn deck of playing cards
"Go Fish?"

Sunday 00:39:58 @ Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

Meanwhile out in the park, Crispy and Longshot are arguing like school kids on a field trip.
Friendly banter to ease the stress, boredom and pass the time.

Through the toughened glass a deep rumbling sound permeates their senses and they both halt, instantly switching back into business mode.

Looking down the docks they see the rear of the office bathed in bright LED white light as numerous vehicles pull off the side street and the wrong way into the carpark

"Drek, gangers!" Longshot spots their colours emblazoned on leathers first.

They, about ten of them at a guess, halt in the area behind the office and get off their bikes,
swigging beers and laughing raucously at some unheard joke, a number of them relieving their bladders against the wall while others round the corner to the cafe door.

Inside, Nova hears the laughing and the tinkle of a door bell as it chimes open.

<< @Team [Nova] Anyone here an engineer or something? The ticket machine is out of order and the ferry is parked in the meantime... >>



As the gangers head to the office, Nova silently curses their luck. What else can possibly go wrong tonight...

She quickly looks for a hiding place, to turn herself invisible, while Pete is distracted.

Drek drek DREK! Seeing as how the police aren't around anymore, Crispy slides the concealed compartment cover back and retrieves his Ares Predator. Securing it to his hip with a nod to Longshot, he reaches back again and retrieves other gear, such as his goggles and grenades of the non-lethal kind. Then he sends out a call to Nova using the secure team frequency that has been set up just for their use.

<<@Team{Crispy}: Gangers headed your way Nova, count about 10. Longshot and I are ready to support on your word. And did I hear that there's a problem with some machinery in there? If the situation allows, I'm whiz with that kind of thing.>>

Longshot Grabs his Ares HVBR battle rifle and places his hand on the door handle as if to leave the vehicle

<To Team: Prepared to engage hostiles, do I have the green light?>

Tatjana vanishes into the restroom, where she calls the aid of a spirit and turns herself invisible.

<< @Team [Nova] Hold for now. I will see, if I can scare them away. Maybe that will also get us a free ticket to the island. >>

Then she waits for the gangers to begin causing trouble. In the meantime, she erases the signatures her magic has left in astral space.

Sunday 00:40:18 @INSIDE Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

"Heeey ... You guys smell dat ? whooooaa .. smells Fishy in here .. Hey Gramps, you need ta shower old man !"
The Jokes and jibes begin immediately as the FOUR gangers head inside, they swarm around Pete, and Nova can hear scraping furniture on the floor from her bathroom vantage

"Hey man, Free Soy-Kaf!" one of them announces to which Pete calls out "Hey that's not...." But is cut off abruptly "Johnny says it's free old man so siddown an' be a good quiet pirate .. Yaaaaargh!"

The sounds of an in-gang argument ensue over who gets the first cup and the place quietens until Pete breaks the silence
"I Tolds you Blazers, you ain't welcome in here, tearing my place up!"
there's cheering and heckling as the old man stands up to them
"Whhoa old man, we don't want no trouble, we're just law abiding citizens lookin fer a day trip to the island fer some ... fishin' ... that right boys? we all goin' Fishin!"
More cheers erupt from them as the leader, a guy called Johnny, speaks up.

"Yeah well you is Drek outta Luck boys, the TROLL is broken, there ain't no sailin' and no fishin' !"
Nova hears both the fear and the quiet resilience in his voice

"That's bad news old man ... bad news fer you that is!"
Johnny can be heard standing up from his chair and stepping quickly towaards Pete
"You lot, GET OUT! I need to educate the old timer" The leader hisses angrily at his team and they scramble for the exit knocking chairs flying.
"Sec... secu .. Security'll tell you! they comin in on the next boat!" Pete protests, you can hear his voice is muffled, maybe someone has a hold of his throat.
________________________________________
Sunday 00:40:18 @OUTSIDE Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

Finished urinating the six gangers have moved away from the building and their bikes
and have walked towards the nearest occupied vehicle, dancing drunkenly, laughing and hollering.

The car has wound it's windows and locked the door leaving the occupants huddled inside as the gang begin to rock the vehicle side to side
"TILT WARNING ..!TILT WARNING ..!"TILT WARNING ..!" they chant out as the vehicle lifts onto two side wheels.
Then dropping it onto it's bouncing suspension they move over to the next one, ripping off screen wipers and mirrors and anything else easily to hand.

Crispy mentally triggers his wired reflexes to kick in. This could get ugly really quickly, and he needed to be ready. Taking deep, calming breaths, he focused on what he might do in the ensuing seconds.

<<@Team{Crispy} : Something tells me if we don't stay silent, this mission is all but scrubbed for us. So let's stay silent if we can. But if the drek hits the fan and we go hot, I'll toss a flashbang in the middle of this group out here. Then let's light 'em up.>>

As the other gangers leave, Tatjana orders her spirit to go outside, find the drunken gangers and materialize nearby but out of sight, conceal its presence and then scare them away, making use of its powers to cause fear and nausiate them.

Then she comes out of the restroom, hidden from sight from her spell, but still careful to not make them aware to her presence.

She quickly approaches the ganger, who is holding poor old Pete, ready to strike him down with her shock glove.

Sunday 00:40:28 @INSIDE Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

Johnny holds the old man in a headlock as the last of his compadres leave the door
"Look Johnny, Ya gotta stop bringing them here, your mom'll have our hides and if Vashon finds out, then I'm outta work!"

Pete drags the younger mans arm from round him into a shoulder embrace
"Yeah I knows Dad, but the guys needs ta play and I gotta let 'em or I'm road pizza.. anyways.. can ya just get us on the boat ?"
The aggressive tones all gone from his voice, he's almost pleading like a teenager for the latest 'Action Soldier' ™ toy in a shop
"You know the security guys on-board'll try and stop ya !.. but it's your choice Johnny!....."
the bathroom door squeals as it opens slowly, Johnny drops his fathers arm and goes for his side arm with a look of panic in his eyes
"Who's there? .. come out Mutha-Fragger .. I'll Frag you right up!" he begins shouting loudly enough that those outside can hear
Meanwhile Nova has invisibly and quietly moved behind them both
________________________________________
Sunday 00:40:28 @OUTSIDE Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

Six men in biker leathers have finished their fun with two vehicles and are kicking something around the carpark and swigging beers and other substances

Swinging into view around the pier, out on the water, the flood-lit ferry begins it's approach, people mill around on the two decks, mere specks in the night from this distance

"Woooow .. Check.. it ... ooout! Heey guys Scan the wheels on this fragger !"
One of the boys kicks the 'ball' in the direction of the Hummer and following it into the gloom spots the vehicle calling his friends over to check it out,
they begin to circle the hummer, appreciating the money spent on improvements..

"Man, those alloys are worth a fraggin fortune man, imagine the amount-a Jazz we can score with those bad boys... come on ... lets' have 'em!"

Four more guys come around the corner from the direction of the office

<< @Team [Nova] Keep calm. I sent a spirit to scare away the gangers. >>

Well, this is getting interesting...

While Tatjana circles the room, she talks to Johnny from different directions.

"Hey Johnny! ... Don't make promises you cannot keep. ... And keep calm, it will be better for your health, you have my word on that. ... Listen, just listen now, ok? ... You want to visit the island to have some fun. I want on the island as well. We are in the same boat here, actually. And you and your dad don't want this family part here to be known, I guess... maybe we can come to a mutual understanding here?"

Crispy's hand hovers on the window control, waiting to lower the bullet-proof glass if Nova's plan doesn't pan out. His idea, intimidation, could keep things quiet...if it's played the right way. He swallows his unease and waits...

Sunday 00:40:38 @ Ferry port office Tacoma-2-Vashon

From the office the angry buzz-saw noise of a small calibre automatic weapon sounds,
the four gangers that had just exited reflexively duck down and then look at each other waiting for someone to contradict the orders they got from the Boss

The noise also attracts the attention of the group near the Hummer leaving them confused, as this was supposed to be just a run across the bay to raise some hell on an island where few other gangs have access.

The shout from the office is only barely audible across the carpark but the enhanced sensors pick it up and filter out the important bit

"GET OUT OF MAH HEAD .. SHEEEE DEEEVIIIIL !" as Johnny lets rip, his arm goes wide past Nova the snub barrel almost catching her in the cheek
but she is standing safely out of the line of fire

the full clip empties into the defunct robot, sparks and ricochets fly around and PIRATE PETE the Troll whirs into life as if jolted with a defibrillator,
it's one good arm swings out and flings the pipe across the room and it wails a continuation of it's earlier spiel
"BEEEWAAAARE theeee SEEEeeeEEAAAAAaaAA MM MMM MMM OOOONnnnNSTttEEERRssss!"

and with that it crumples into a useless heap

Longshot places his battle rifle in his lap and pulls out his Ruger super warhawk making sure it is still loaded with his gel rounds and prepares to lower the window and threaten any gangers with it if they attempt to touch the hummer, he is also prepared to back that threat up. <To team: If they touch the hummer I am going to lower the window and attempt to scare them off, I will try to keep from showing to much of my armor. if it doesn't work I am going to make an example out of the first poor sod to touch the vehicle.>

He has to go down fast... Tatjana thinks, as her body reflexively sets itself into motion already.

Her fist with the shock glove lashes out in Johnny's direction, aiming to knock him out in one clean strike.

The shots are deafening inside the Humvee, even with his ear buds in. Crispy winces slightly at the quick pops but his training keeps him from flinching too much. The decision has been made. Rolling down the window enough to stick the barrel of the Ares Predator in the direction of the remaining gangers, he says as calmly as he can You ganger-wannabees better slot and run, unless you want to see upclose how quickly you're turned into fishfood.

Seeing their comrades bolt for the vehicles, one guy drop from a single shot and the glint of an automatic weapon from the open window,
the remaining gangers see the signs written in the stars and make off for safety, though, not without calling Crispy's parentage and sexual orientation and both combined, into question in a massive show of bravado to their running mates as they back pedal away waving pistols in the air (yes, held sideways for extra effect)

seeing their retreating forms out of the shadows at the far end of the carpark, the four gangers at the cafe recover their wits and jump oonto bikes, revving the engines and calling "Heeey Johnny ! .. we gotta Split Maan!" over the noisy bike engines and the long slow blast of the ferry horn as it approaches the landing dock.

Tatjana's form becomes visible again, as she kneels down next to the wounded Pete.

"No worries, you will be fine," she says, as she puts a hand on his shoulder and begins to concentrate on her healing magic.

The mana flows through her into the wounded body and the wound begins to close.

Her look becomes a little worried, as she hears the ferry horn. No this couldn't be security already, the ferry would take way too long from the other side. It must have been on its way for quite a while already. But there would be security onboard, Pete mentioned them before, and they would surely come to investigate.

"We need to talk!" she finally says to the man, while she switches her senses back to the astral and begins to remove her spell's signature from his aura.

A quick look around shows that the gangers are fleeing, the security guards are nowhere in sight...now's the moment. Crispy gives Longshot a toothy grin. Follow my lead - let's have some fun. Brian, stay with the car would you?

Gathering up the "borrowed" gear that used to belong to the security guards, the merc starts outfitting himself in their clothing while stashing their gear prominently about his person. He also dons his armored jacket and fastens the pistol prominently on his hip. Then Crispy exits the vehicle and struts out to the ferry landing like he owns the place. He begins waving the incoming boat into the dock.

<<@Team {Crispy} : Nova, you ok in there? I'm going to try to make sure this ferry doesn't have any reason to raise an alarms.>>