IC- Chapter Three: Lone Wanderers

[welsh]

[OOC: I know it's pretty late in the RP. But can I join?]

occ- yes, but please post this message on the occ board and post a character first. We can figure how to bring you in later. You might miss out on this part of the story but you can join us soon. Again, this thread should be relatively clear of OCC posts.

I would also suggest reading through this chapter so you know what's going on. I also suggest reading the past chapters. Lone Wanderers is a RPG mostly for people who like to write creatively, not your typical role play. THink of this as a cooperative novel and less as an on-line D&D adventure. If you are looking for just straight role play, try Kilrick Salvage- which is a straight out role play.

Any one else want to comment?

___________

ICC- Grim made his way through the tall grass, carefully watching for any other sentries. He could feel his sense come to life, as if he had tapped into something more primative and aware than his normal civilized form. And he hungered for the fresh meat he now carried.

There would be more.

As he neared the South end of the canyon, he began to move more slowly. He could see the narrow entrance to the Canyon, perhaps no more wide than three or four men walking abreast. At the opening the Oprezki had set up a small encampment, a tent and cooking fire, a row of torches and two small sandbagged emplacements, each with a machinegun mounted. In each was a sentry.

Grim moved as close as he could to the nearest one, low to the ground so as not to be seen. He watched the nearest sentry, listened and waited. The man was yawning widely, but kept his watch around the gun emplacement. But generally watching the pathway up. The man on the other side was smoking something and looking outward. Occassionally they would speak, the further one would say something as if making a joke, and the second one would say something sharp as if cursing, but tired and impatient.

Grim waited until the nearest guard had looked in his direction and began to look across the field. Then Grim moved low, below the line of sight of the further sentry, and moved in from behind, under the torches, until he was behind the emplacement and then laid down.

The further sentry said something, and again the nearer one said something harshly in rebuke. The further laughed at him. Then they grew quiet again.

Grim could hear the nearer sentry begin to yawn.

Quickly, Grim moved in behind him, low, reached out and grabbed the man over the mouth, pulling his neck back while pushing his chest forward.

There was a crack, and the neck was broken.

Grim pulled the dead man down. Inside the emplacement was another sentry. Grim quickly covered his mouth and slid his knife against the sleeping sentries throat. The dieing awoke with a start and tried to struggle, but Grim held him down.

The sentry from the other side called over to him in a gutteral language that Grim couldn't understand. Looking around he found the dead sentries hate, a blue colored beret, and put it one, and then the man's jacket.

The other sentry called out again.

Grim sat up and faced away, so as not to expose his face, but hoping to full the other with a ruse that his colleague had bent down for only a second and had retaken his position. Grim stuck out a hand with middle finger exposed, hopeing it was a symbol the sentry understood.

The other sentry laughed.

Inside the emplacement, Grim could see the bodies of the two men he had killed, and using the knife, began to gut them, in the way he would a Brahma or a fish, removing what organs he desired and leaving the rest. No time to be too greedy.

THe other sentry kept calling out to him, but Grim continued to ignore him.

When he was done with the bodies, he used his feet to push them into the darker recesses of the emplacement.

Then Grim heard the other man get up, his body creaking, and begin walking towards him. Grim also got up and stepped away from the emplacement, his back turn, but his hands going down as if to urinate.

He listened as the man walked up to him, and did'nt strike until the man was right behind him.

When Grim struck the blow was quick as a snake's strike. His hand, open, lunged into the man's throat, cutting into the man's windpipe and lungs, killing any possible sound that might have been forthcoming. Then Grim delivered a quick side kick to the man's sternum, and then another to the knee, breaking it. The man was already dieing, choking from the blow to the neck. The kick to the sternum forced out the remaining breath, the break of the knee dropping him to the ground.

Grim didn't bother to finish him off but went to the second emplacement and killed the sentry there, quietly and with his knife.

Then he went to the tent. Inside he found two men sleeping and two women who had been stripped and bound together. Both women showed wounds as if they had been recently been brutalized and raped. Grim didn't wake them as he slew both the sleeping men.

Then he went to each of the women, woke them up, put a finger to his lips, and whispered low. "Don't speak. We have not much time. Do you understand." One seemed to register but the other was in a frightened daze.

"Are you from near here." Grim asked. The one who could register nodded.

"Do not make a sound. Run from here South, as far as you can go. Do you know the church about half a day to the north?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Go there in two days."

She nodded again.

Then Grim cut their ropes and led them out of the tent, pointed them to the South and pushed them away, into the dark. He went back to man he had killed with his hands, who had finally given in to his wounds. Dragging the man back to the emplacement, he sat him up, as if the man were merely sleeping.

Then he went back to his position and removed the parts of the grenade rifle he had carried down, loaded it with a concussion shell. It would make an explosion when the horses were released but hopefully scare them in the other direction, towards the North end.

Then Grim waited behind the machine gun in the first emplacement for either the operation to begin or any roving sentry that might happen by.

There he went back to one of the bodies, found a prized morsal, and began having a raw breakfast.

 

[Gruug]

OOC: This is just a test post for Dreg, remove it if it doesn't fit.

"Grrraaarr" He whispered, and snapped free of his bonds. The unfortunate 3 Ozprezki that had been guarding him had fallen asleep. Now it was time to escape. He got up, not feeling the red marks on his wrists, and went over to the first one, and brought his foot down right into the guys neck, with a nice snap, he knew that the neck had probably been shattered, but he didn't know how forcefull he had done it. He went over to the other two, who were near each other, and comically grabbed bother heads and smashed them together, then held his palms over their faces, with one knee on each stomach, driving out their last remaining breaths. When the stopped struggling and moving, he got off, and just to be sure, he jabbed each in their solar plexi.

He had crept through the camp, not disturbing anyone, and slipping past all the sentries that he had encountered. Then he came upon a dead sentry, continued along, another, and another, and another. Then he looked up at the cliff face from behind a tent, and saw a sniper.
"Shit." He thought to himself. Well, it looks like there is a bit of an ambush going here. So he continued on his path, going behind tents, untill he saw a dark figure pronging around. Most likely an ambusher. So he thought he might play a game of cat and mouse.

 

[Gunslinger]

OOC- Just part one of the Battle of the Blades

IC-

Below in its canyon, the campsite of the League seemed to stretch into eternity. Strewn across the open mouth of earth were hundreds of canvas tents and bonfires. Reflected in the starlight and the flickering embers of the fire were the shadows of the hundreds of League warriors. They weren’t men, though; they were animals, mostly comprised of slavers and raiders. Their ragtag apparel verged upon tribal, their faces unshaven and hard.

From a far, lying on his stomach with his body pressed behind a boulder, Kino watched the League’s warriors go about their business. He observed their sloppy movements, saw how disordered the camp was. Placing a camp blatantly in the midst of a canyon was one thing. But the chaos of the occupants was too much. The Blade could immediately tell that these men, for all their hard looks, would succumb to an effortless death.

Kino raised the binoculars he had liberated off a dead sentry’s body to his eyes. It was horribly dark with little illumination but he was a scout who had tricks of his trade. He let the lenses drift directly into the campsite, decreasing magnification so that his eyes would adjust gradually. He scanned the camp, counting at least three hundred tents. With an estimated occupancy of four men each, the Blades were vastly outnumbered.

He drifted his binoculars around, catching signs of the secondary crew that would be needed to sustain such a large force. He found signs of supply wagons but they were heartening low; the Blades had made sure of that. The meat on the spits looked rancid and the men looked malnourished.

The Blade scout noted that the morale of the camp was increasingly dismal. He saw that there was a clear division between the men. The raiders, dressed in their bright steel breastplates and rifle, kept apart from the slavers, with their shaved heads and tattoos. There wasn’t any in-group fighting but tensions were evident.

Kino, nephew of Dante, scanned all this with his observant eyes. He was not alarmed at the amount of weapons or armors his enemy possessed because he could gauge the strength by their demeanor alone. When surrounded by Blades of higher mettle, it was easy to find others who were lacking in comparison.

He panned his binoculars wider. Off to the side of the camp were recent wagon arrivals. The canopies of the wagons were shot up to hell. The brahmin hitched to their tethers looked dead tired and famished. The supply crews, cooks, engineers, quartermasters, and other support crew that were essential to an army’s life were not to be seen.

Dissent was obvious. The raiders, mercenaries, and slavers would be soon deserting for lack of either action or pay. The few serious soldiers would be seriously hurt with supplies and manpower. Given time, the League’s ragtag army would collapse into itself. But time, however, was a luxury that the Blades did not have. There was enough gas left for the League to mobilize and destroy Grey Cliffs.

The beast had to be stifled now.

Kino lowered the binoculars onto the ground. The corpses of the seven guards surrounding the entire perimeter of the camp lay around him. He had observed that the guards would relay their status after half an hour interludes. All seven men were killed in quick succession.

Below him, hiding under shingles of rocks, were the rest of the Blade forces. They waited patiently for Kino’s sign.

The young Blade scout unwrapped the ancient carbine at his side. The artifact from the Second World War was in relatively good condition. The wood had rotted off and was replaced with stamped steel and a low-magnification scope had been mounted off the side of the receiver. Other than that, the carbine was completely original.

Kino pressed the butt of the rifle against his shoulder and sighted down the scope. Its magazine was already prepped and the scope sight had already been zeroed in. He let the crosshair settle on his target and fired three shots in quick succession.

***

Rocky was dead drunk when he stumbled over to the camp’s ammo dump. His bladder was aching for relief but that didn’t mean he would quit the drink. The beer was going fast and it didn’t wait for those who could not hold their own.

The mercenary undid the button of his pants and let them sag down. He stood bare ass with his cock in hand. Warm piss drizzled down onto the piles of ammunition and boxes of explosive ordinance. The quartermaster would have flipped if he saw what Rocky was doing. If there was even a quartermaster. The mercenaries had easily done without; they had divided their shares equally (or as equally as squabbling children could) and placed the surplus into a pile dubbed the “ammo dump”.

Rocky was shaking the last bit of piss out when he heard the dry cracks of three shots. He jumped instinctively but then forced himself to relax; there were always fights going on and a gun was involved in all of them. It was only when he saw the three rounds plug themselves into a crate of ammo that Rocky grew alarmed.

The shots kept coming and Rocky realized that all of them were aimed at the ammunition dump he was standing next to. He collected his pants in his arms, not caring that they were undone but only on getting the hell out of there.

He stumbled drunkenly five steps before he heard the hissing sizzle of gunpowder igniting. He tripped on his boot laces and fell face forward.

“I’m fucked,” Rocky sighed resignedly as the ammo dump exploded.

***

Kino watched heartlessly as the crates of bullets and bombs exploded in a fiery cloud of destruction. The entire camp caught fire as a shower of fiery fragments rained down upon it. The mercenaries quickly succumbed to the growing inferno.

The Blade scout turned around and pumped his carbine in the air twice. At his sign, the Blade guerrilla advanced silently onto the burning camp.

Now it began.

 

[Rogue Hex]

IC-

Lieutenant Lyall stared at Judd with a look that could have pierced solid steel. He couldn’t believe the bull shit he was hearing. Where did this rookie get off telling him how to run his own mission? And then, he had the pure audacity, the complete and utter nerve to come out with something like that.

Oh, it was all too much for the lieutenant who couldn’t contain his anger a moment longer.

Lyall turned around in a flash to face Judd. As he turned, he swung his right arm out with astonishing force and speed. Judd had little time to react and the solid fist collided with his jaw before he had time to dodge the attack sending him to the ground with a thud. Judd lay in the middle of the floor, holding his jaw he was sure some teach had been broken as he spat blood.

The rest of the Lieutenants squad didn’t move. Instead they remained on watch for those ghastly creatures, besides they knew better than to mess with the Lieutenant when he was worked up and frankly that bastard deserved it.
Mitzi turned back to face in front of her with a sly smirk on her face. She didn’t like that guy much anyway.

“Where the fuck do you get off trying to tell me how to run my own squad?” Spat the lieutenant furiously.

Judd dragged him self up using the wall for support. The lieutenant was a big guy but he hadn’t expected such a blow.

However he had expected this sort of reaction some what.

Judd’s superiors back at head quarters had seriously warned him about the Lieutenant before he joined the recon team.
He was a man who had given everything for the Slayers. He had no family or anything of the sort that might tie him down to a life out side of the circle. What friends he had were his squad members who he considered as his own family and some other Slayers he had served with in his younger days as a member of an assault team.

The Slayers were his life; his reason to be. Yet lately even that had been put to question. It was so simply before. He didn’t question his orders, or think about why he was doing the operation at hand, he just did it. Lyall had the Slayers to rely on to make the right decisions for him.
But now things had changed. The tasks they were doing no longer seemed so righteous and the lieutenant had lost the feeling that he was making a difference to this cursed earth.

Lyall ran a crack recon team, maybe one of the best in the service, with a reputation to succeed beyond all odds; he had not failed to carry out an order yet.
There was no other man for the job intelligence had said.

However, there was one thing that lieutenant Lyall did value higher than the success of the mission and that was the lives of his own men and he wasn’t ready to stand there and watch some bastard put them all in jeopardy.

Judd, finally able to stand without support wiped the blood from around his mouth. “We all have our orders Lieutenant, except mine come from slightly further up the chain of command.”

It was then that Lyall realised what all this was about. Intelligence replacing his tech just before the mission got the green light for go, Judd’s questions about the location of the main frame computers. Judd wasn’t a member of the Slayers which explained why the lieutenant hadn’t heard his name before. His was an operative of the league.

The lieutenant was a devoted soldier and had kept his mouth shut about the Slayers take over. Not wanting to speak his mind, Lyall had followed along, carrying out his missions as in the only way he knew how to.

But now, they’d used his squad to get Judd in to the main frame and at any cost as well with little regard what so ever to the safety of him or his men.
Lyall stared at the man in front of him. A cold hatred was forming and getting the better of his judgement.

“Fuck your orders, you want that information, then you go fetch it.” He commanded. “No body uses me like this.”

The lieutenant spun around on his heels and headed back towards where Cleary was waiting. “Squad, we move out.”

Cleary shot him a worried look.

“No Lieutenant, I issued you a direct order.” Shouted Judd towards the retreating lieutenant but there was no response. “Lieutenant!” He yelled.

“You think that was wise.” Cleary commented to his lieutenant. “Technically he’s management and this is treason.” The lieutenant looked down to where his sergeant was kneeled, “Maybe not but it’s done now, lets get the out of this death trap and worry about the consequences later.”

Mitzi who was waiting at the front of the column grinned contently at Lyall as he approached. She wasn’t the biggest fan of their new superiors and loved to see them get what they had coming.

“Elevators just down that access point.” Exclaimed Cleary pointing.

“Right…” But the Lieutenants words were drastically cut off by the trembling sound of a large explosion which seemed to have come from the level above. The lights around them flickered from on to off and for a few moments the entire level seemed to have been swamped in darkness before the lights flashed back to life.

“What the fuck was that.” Shouted Studly running up to where the rest of the crew were waiting.”

“Explosives of some sort?” Suggested Cleary.

“The anti personnel mines I set.” Exclaimed the lieutenant looking at the rest of his crew.

“Shit, there through the door.” Said Mitzi brining her weapon to a readied position.

OOC- Looks like its dinner time! There is a slight time difference here between the operations being carryied out by Reggie and rhe recon group. This should be cleared up in the next post.

 

[welsh]

OCC- Please note suggested edits above. Smar, please fix according to pm I sent to you and post on OCC. Thanks.

Reaper- lets finish this section up. The rest of us are getting a bit impatient.

_______________

Up on the bluff, Rogue kept a steady eye on what was occurring below.

Smar, his blackness matching the night, and come up close, readying his rocket launcher.

"There is someone else down there." Said the big mutant in a hissed whisper.

"Yes," Said Rogue, "And he is following Gabriel. I don't like it."

"Kill him, remove the worry. He's not one of ours." Said the Mutant matter of factly.

Indeed killing the man would resolve the problem. "But I don't think he's one of their either. He looks too, I don't know, different." Replied Rogue.

"We can't take risks now. If Gabriel fails to release the horses..." Said Gruug.

"Then the mission is a failure. Gabriel will have little chance to escape, and they will probably catch the lot of us before we can retreat." Rogue said, finishing the thought. "I know, it's risky. But maybe he's an ally."

Grug shrugged. "If he becomes a problem, kill him."

"I will."

__________

Mean while Grim waited for the action to begin he quietly began dissembling the machinegun in the emplacement so that it could be withdrawn. Hopefully he would be able to dissemble the other gun as well.

He looked up at the sky, measuring the time. Gabriel must be getting close. He rested his hand on the stock of the grenade launcher. When the first rocket laucher was fired, Grim was to fire the grenade rifle. It was loaded with a high explosive round, more of a big bang than something that would do damage. The goal was to scare more than hurt, the idea was to direct the horses towards the more wider north entrance.

A rider was supposed to come with his horse, fetch him, and they would go back to the camp. But Grim also knew his was the longest distance to cross, and if the Oprezki were fast, they could cut him off.

Those who dare, win. The pin that Isabella wore had that emboldened. Let's see if its right.

_________

Meanwhile, Talon and Raoul had moved their machine guns to either end of the North exit. They were to wait until the horses had gone past, then were to delay any pursuit. Although they were not the last to leave, if the Oprezki were to follow, then the riders would undoubtedly run them down.

_________

At the churchyard, Ibis spent what time was available to collect whatever medical supplies he could find. Luck was with them. A grove of trees held fruit, and they had found cartons of old nuke cola. Mixed with hyperdermic needles and stim packs, a number of other roots and flowers, he had been able to make both stimpacks and super stimpacks. Not enough, but they would help.

He waited and watched. Soon the raid would take place, and upon that success their futures were made. If the mission failed, the caravan and the De Silvas would be that much weaker, and the Oprezki more eager to take revenge. No quarter given, Ibis had learned, was what he could expect.

Buffy was also present. Before leaving Talon had asked to inspect the camp and get a better estimate of what weapons were available. Who ever had armed the De Silvas had stocked well. She had found an array of ancient weapons, all well maintained and prepped.

While most of the De Silvas preferred rifles for hunting game and preserving ammunition, they were also armed with a variety of light machine guns, including something called an MG42, rifle grenades,BARs, submachine gunes, mortars and even a recoilless. She had spoke to one of the men, one of the few who had a smattering of English, who had told her that before the war, one of the old Dons had been a foreignor, an Englishman, who had come to Mexico to prepare for the war. With him, and his colleagues, had come an array of weapons, which the family had kept and preserved for the days when they would need to fight again.

Buffy, waiting near the gate, thought about the De Silvas and their history. Well, sun up would tell if today was that day or reckoning.

 

[Rogue Hex]

OC-

Duke and Shannon continued with their systematic search of the level. Room by room they went in an attempt to locate the mechanical arm they so desperately needed ready for Shypon’s upcoming operation. The duo searched onwards with determination, unaware of the Andy/Giles bot which made its way ever closer to their position.

Pipboy dangled silently from its arm; the small man seemed quite calm for someone who was technically being held captive by the cyborg. Maybe Pip had come to realise that whilst the Andy bot was still in dire need of repair, it would not harm its only potential way of being fixed.
That in fact, the malfunctioning Andy bot would even protect Pip against any harm he might possibly come to as to protect its only means of reparation.

The bot progressively made its way from within the discrete little room designed for advanced research into robotics and cybernetics, back up the steel stair well which lead back to the robotics level where Duke and Shannon were still searching furiously.

“Damn it, this place is emptier than my gut.” Said Duke feeling his stomach growl repeatedly. The last time he ate must have been before the Slayer’s attacked the caravan and damn was he hungry.

But it was true though. All the rooms they had presently searched were rather on the bare side. By appearance, they’d been raided by the ghouls for anything useful, which then had been evacuated from the university. All that was left for Duke and Shannon to rummage through was discarded materials and junk. Nothing worth while and certainly no advanced mechanical arms lying around.

It was Pipboy who first noticed Duke up ahead. His rifle slung loosely over his tanned armour, the average sized man was searching through a fallen locker and had his back turned in their direction.

When Duke span around, he found himself staring face to face with the approaching Andy/Giles bot accompanied with pip under its arm. Duke jumped back against the wall levelling his assault rifle, his heart in his mouth staring at the bot. He recognised Pipboy who he’d previously seen around the camp but it took a few seconds before he recognised the large man carrying him.

When he did, he sighed heavily lowering his rifle, unaware of what had happened in Talon’s tent the night of the attack. All that Duke knew was that these two people were friends.

“Jesus, I almost fired there.” Duke said walking forward.

Pip not knowing how the cyborg would react to him calling out for help or even to hostility from the likes of Duke, tried miming to get a message across yet it didn’t seem to be working. Duke threw him a confused look and continued to approach them.

“Howdy, you fellas from the caravan right?” Exclaimed Duke.

But no answer came. The huge man seemed in a world of his own, ignoring Duke’s words.
Duke looked at the pair. No response and the big guy just kept on walking, walking as though he was some sort of robot on a mission. One thing Duke did know was that this guy gave him the creeps, making Duke uneasy watching them approach.

Shannon heard the talking from behind. This place was meant to be deserted so who was he talking to? Her curiosity too much for her own good, Shannon went to see just who Duke was muttering too.

Unlike Duke, Shannon knew about the power armoured man. How? She had been helping with the medical side of the battle and had heard about the mans death in Talon’s tent. Shannon had also heard about the so called weird noise the guy was emitting once he’d died.

The moment Shannon laid eyes on the Andy/Giles bot holding the small Pip she knew who it was and that there was no way he could possible be still alive. Not after the cyanide pill he’d used to commit suicide with. Where her eyes betraying her? She thought.

Shannon went to yell but Pip threw his one free hand in the air, waving it at her. Shannon stopped still. Duke stared cross eyed at her and then back to Pip who shot him a “See what I mean!” sort off look. He decided against acting with his weapon, Pip’s look made that decision for him.

No, instead they watched as the cyborg just kept on striding towards them. It didn’t seem to notice Duke and Shannon, not even flicker an eye towards them. In fact its eyes didn’t move once, they just stared straight forward as though it was fixed on a specific target and nothing could deter it from getting to it.

As the cyborg passed, Pip boy looked in Duke’s direction, “Medical labs need a doctor.” He whispered.

…………

With a look of pure concentration on his face, Reggie proceeded to insert the robotic medical arm with the up most care into the small wound where the mechanical implant was being placed.

The bone reconstruction had been successful and now they needed to insert the final mechanical implant that would allow Keli to use her back as normal. Any complication with the insertion of this piece of medical hardware could lead to serious consequences when the operation is finally over.

Reggie was using the medical arm for this final part of the operation to Keli’s damaged back. The arm offering a safer way to insert the mechanical features needed and would do it with better precision than he could offer.

Nat was working next to Reggie. She had been charged with keeping the inside of the wound clear in order to allow Reggie the best view possible of what he was doing. Luciel stood close by waiting on any commands from Reggie whilst often watching Kili’s or Syphon’s vital signs for problems.

Once the implants had been inserted to the correct location connecting the two spinal ends together. The nerves were run through the machinery which then transmitted the signals to the lower parts of the body where the nerves had been severed or destroyed.
It was a gruelling and long task making sure that all nerves had been accounted for. Even the slightest nerve over looked could lead to future problems as a consequence.

Reggie removed the robotic arm from in the opening and set it to one side. Connecting a small wire to the port of the implant, he tapped a few buttons on a key board close by and the monitor above it sprang to life displaying all the vital information about the new medical implant and its status.
From here, Reggie would be able to test the efficiency of the implant and also to check whether all had been joined up successfully.

“It’s all green.” He said looking through the details.

He punched a few more keys and Keli’s right leg twitched repeatedly. He did the same for the left leg which twitched in the same manner.

“What’s it doing?” Asked Luciel curiously.

“The computer is using the mechanical implant to test for responses in both legs to see if it works correctly.” Explained Reggie, “So far so good, all the nerves below the waste seem to be working.”

Reggie continued to test the mechanical implant thoroughly for problems or defaults that may have occurred. It would be a much simpler task to correct such problems now whilst they were still operating rather than once they’d finished.

After a few more minutes of testing, he seemed satisfied with the performance of the implant and was content that they could finish up and close the wound.

“Well that’s the hard part over.” Said Reggie smiling. It was the first time the ghoul had smiled since beginning of Keli’s operation. Deep down he was relieved about the current success and sighed deeply.

“Could you get the stitches?” Reggie asked.

Then explosion hit them.

Like a blast from a mortar shell or grenade, the sound of the explosion seemed to shake the very floor they stood on, knocking the lights throughout the entire med level out. With the lights went the power to most of the medical equipment in the room.

“Oh shit.” Reggie exclaimed aloud grabbing for Keli’s table to hold it steady. After such an operation, they needed to keep Keli as still as possible to avoid any ruptures.

“The others.” Shouted Reggie pointing to the other tables shaking. Nat and Luciel headed for one each, dodging medical instruments clattering to the ground. Hindered by the loss of light, the relied on touch to find their way.

The rumbling stopped as did the shaking. The lights flickering before they finally came back to life, Reggie looked to the others.

“What on earth was that?” Asked Nat.

“I don’t know,” Replied Reggie.

“Luciel, you better go and check the others.” Said the ghoul.
Taking Rogue’s rifle in hand, the young boy nodded and left the room in a hurry.

Reggie looked up abruptly and stared at the sudden continues beep coming from where Nat was standing.

The sound was coming from Syphon’s life support machine. His vital signs had dropped and were now flat lining. Syphon was going into cardiac arrest.


“Oh god.” Nat exclaimed.


OOC-
Sorry if i've butchered any medical terms or aspects. I'm not very good at describing such things but i am trying to get better.

Oh and for the Andy bot part, if any one has any suggestions on what to do with him i would love to hear them. I'm a little stuck for a path. If not then i'm sure i can work somthing out!

Ciaos

 

[Syphon]

Reggie and Nat, watched and listened in horror as the everlasting, constant BEEP stalled into a contious sound. Rushing quickly over to Syphons table, Reggie reached for the electric shock device, while Nat began giving C.P.R. to the still victim. Syphon's eyes seemed to roll back into his head, looking ever so sadly.

The others stared silently as the team tried to revived Syphon.

 

[Gruug]

He kept following the sneaker. He was good, very good. He knew that the sneaker knew that He was there. The sneaker made the clear by looking straight at him a few times.

"Now I get to see him in combat..." He thought. He sneaked behind a tent and watched intently.

The sneaker had come up to a group of guards. Yet the man hiding behind the tent didn't get to see him, instead, he was tackled to the ground by a burly man.
Suprise gave way to annoyance.
"This idiot could foil my whole plan!" He thought, whilst struggling to stop the man from hurting him. He made a split second decision. He did an upward kick into the man ontop of him's stomache, and the man let go, which is exactly when he made a hard blow to the neck with 3 of his fingers, blocking off air circulation to the mans body. What followed was a series of quiet, quick jabs, further crippling the man. Best to finish it off though, the splinter in the middle of the temple finished the job.

Then he got up, and looked around, noone had noticed, just a few people mirmering in their sleep. He looked around the corner, the sneaker was gone, as were the guards...

OOC: That should fix that little bit up, and allow Reaper to do the little slaughtering with the guards.

 

[welsh]

Gabriel stayed low to the ground. He had heard the scuffle behind him, and knew who ever was following him had been delayed.

But the sound of the scuffle also suggest that who ever it was, it was not, perhaps, an enemy.

Even so, he could take no risks.

He had found himself in indenture in the canyon floor, and looked up. His night vision allowed him to pick up targets with greater ease than any other man, and even past the many torches and fire lights, he could pick out his friends along the canyon's rim. He could also see Rogue, who has so far hesitated to shoot.

Why?

Sometimes, he had felt, Rogue got squeamish. She was an excellent shot, one of the finest, and there were no better eye nor steadier hand, but she had not been trained in a way to make her the icy killer that necessity sometimes required.

Reaching into his leg pocket he removed a long black tube and quietly screwed into the barrel of the Sig. He had preferred to work quietly, with his knives, up close and personal. In this fashion, Gabriel knew of no equal. But judging from the scuffle, the man following was no stranger to close combat, and Gabriel could not let him within the range of his hands.

Quietly Gabriel moved aside a few paces.

Gabriel watched as the man moved across the ground towards him, having predicted where Gabriel would go. He was a big man, but his movements were quieter than a whisper, and Gabriel waited until the man was touching the spot were Gabriel had sat only a moment before.

Dreg turned his head to face Gabriel directly, and could see the open of the sound suppressor pointing at his head, just out of range.

Gabriel whispered, in a hush of a voice. "Tag, you're dead. Now who are you and tell me why I shouldn't kill you?"

OCC- By the way, there may be more captives in the canyon camp. If the horses stampede, they will probably be caught in the middle of it.

 

[Gruug]

"Me? Well, I am just a solitary... Well, I would say monk, but you would not know what that is. I am a wanderer. And what might you be doing right here, at this time of night, in this place of vileness?"

 

[welsh]

In the long dark shadow on the canyon floor, the two figures were frozen. Their voices so low, no one within a few yards might have heard them. But with a gun pointing at one man's hand, the whispers were electric with tension. Gabriel listened to the big man infront of him, who seemed to be stuttering for a response.

This is a distraction. And distractions in the middle of a mission were dangerous. Shoot him. Kill him quick and continue. You're wasting time.

Gabriel pulled back the hammer of his pistol. "I am not a patient man, stranger. And I don't like people who answer a question with a question. And I have the gun but not much time to listen. So speak."

Gabriel's mind was operating fast, operating on an adrenaline high. By the wounds on the man's wrists, red and bruised, he could figure that the man had been tied up. By the bruises on his knuckles he could tell that the man killed with his hands. But other than that, this stranger was an unknown risk.

Shoot him. It would be the easier thing to do . Shoot him and finish your mission.

Years of training where struggling with his recently acquired reticence to act the part that had been made for him. It was more than a mere physical effort that kept him from pulling the trigger.

But something else was bothering Gabriel. Through the corner of his eye, he could see one of the guards was approaching the tent from which this stranger had emerged.

If this man had escaped, as he surmised, than the surprise was about to be spoiled.

Before the stranger could speak, Gabriel said, in a low voice, "And your escape is about to ruin my plans."

High up on the canyon wall, Rogue had followed the large man and thus could make him out in the shadows.

Gruug was also watching. "You should shoot him."

"I think Gabe can take care of it." She replied in a whisper that didn't hide the hardness of her temperment.

"Perhaps, but there is also someone going to that tent." Said Gruug, pointing out the guard.

_____
OCC- Gruug, you can't assume that Gabriel will immediately take an alliance with you considering the circumstance. He is in the middle of a mission. And chances are Gabriel will not want Dreg to come along. I think the opportunity for a quick rescue might help. Also you might want to make use of a diversion.

Again, much of this has to do with being realistic with the role. But also look at what I have written above. Eight short paragraphs of something going through Gabriel's mind, what he sees and what he thinks, that would probably last all of about 4 seconds. Take your time and write so that you paint a full picture, including inner monologue if you wish.

 

[Gruug]

Dreg had also seen the distraction at the tent. He knew it would be his only chance to escape. The man was closer, closer. Soon, he would reach the tent, and notice the abscence of Dreg, and the guard. He would probably twig to what had happened. And then he would shout.

"God damnit rogue, if he alerts the base, our plane will go to shit. Could you take him out?" Gruug asked.
"Well..." Rogue said, trying to think it out.
"There is no time woman! Just shoot him!" Demanded Gruug.
"Fine." She said as she lined it up.

Dreg saw the tiny muzzle flash, and heard the guard slump down to the ground. The sneaker also saw it. That was when Dreg made the choice. Quick as a snake, he flung his arm right at the gun, knocked it upwards and darted away, just in time. He knew if he had been half second slower that he would of had a bullet in his back. Not that that would of made any difference, but no matter if you have your sense of feeling or not, a stopped vital organ is a stopped vital organ. Dreg knew the sneaker wouldn't follow him. He had his own job to do. But Dreg knew that if he didn't do something to help the ambushers, the next time he caught up with them, he would be dead. He had picked up a bit of the tongue of these men, and knew there were prisoners about. Why not let the innocent live?

 

[Sander]

Right. He was being carried by a dead man, controlled by a cyborg brain or something of the likes, to have the man(zombie, cyborg, whatever) "fixed", which would come down to reviving him. Great. He'd been in weirder situations.
Or at least, Pip couldn't remember any weirder situations, but there would have to be some point in time where something weirder had happened. Right?
All the while the cyborg/man kept on walking, supposedly taking him to the med labs. Supposedly.
Hmm, maybe he could do something with the bot. IF he could get it to disable itself, maybe he could somehow alter it's routines, make it obey him.
Or maybe not.....

Maybe, just maybe, the bot could be convinced that helping Pip would be the good thing to do.

ANd all the while the bot kept walking.

 

[Rogue Hex]

OOC- back and ready to go!

IC-

Nat went immediately to work on Syphon, giving him CPR in an attempt to resuscitation the flat lining combatant.
She proceeded to gave him two breaths and then started with the chest compressions in the same way as Ibis had demonstrated to her earlier during the attack on the caravan. As she had been shown, Nat repeated the two steps, breaths, chest compressions but to no success.

The continuous beeping of the life support machine rang through the room as if it was the sound of death itself surrounding them.

Reggie glanced at the monitor. There was no change in the straight green line which ran horizontally across its screen. Nat’s resuscitation procedures didn’t seem to be gaining any success.

Reggie made for the AED pads as a desperate last resort. Every minute that Syphon was not breathing, every minute that passed without defibrillation was critical, lowering his chances of a successful revival by at least 10%. Even then, the longer the time which went passed would mean more chance of possible damaged caused afterwards, even if Syphon was resuscitated.

It had already been over a minute and the clock was ticking.

Reggie pressed a few buttons and the automated external defibrillator machine sprung to life displaying Syphon’s vital signs amongst other flashing numbers.

If the CPR wouldn’t bring him back then maybe this would.

Taking the self-adhesive electrodes, he quickly rubbed a strange gel on the faces, and then rubbing them together he readied to initiate a shock across Syphon’s chest.
Turning the power to the electrodes on, he could hear the faint humming noise produced from the mass of electricity running through the pads.

Reggie looked at the display monitor which clearly identified that a shock was needed before He proceeded.

“Clear.” He yelled to Nat who moved well back out the way.

Reggie pressed the electrodes down upon Syphon’s bare chest, pressing the button at the same time.
As he did so, an electric wave surged through Syphon’s body causing it to spasm violently.

Reggie turned to face the machine as it re-analyzed Syphon’s heart rhythm but there was no change displayed. The machine repeated the charge process as Reggie delivered another shock to Syphon.

“Damn it, come on!” The ghoul yelled in frustration as he did so.

Yet still there was no change to Syphon’s vital signs, just the continues ringing noise produced by the life support machine, a sound which filled the room around them.

Reggie signaled to Nat to turn up the velocity of the AED who threw him a worried look before doing so.

The AED readied, Reggie moved to place the electrodes once again upon Syphon’s bare chest. He was millimeters away from initiating another serge when there came a sudden change in the Syphon’s heart rhythm and the continues sound change to a more stable yet faint bleeping.

Reggie hearing the sound nearly dropped the pads. Over powering his joy he turned the machine off and move quickly to Syphon’s side.

“Ah ha!” Reggie shouted looking up at Syphon’s vital signs on the monitor in front of him. “His heart rate is stabilizing.”
A huge smiled appeared across Nat’s face as she sighed deeply with, clearly relived.

“God, wish he wouldn’t give us such a shock like that.” She mumbled feeling her heart racing.


“I don’t think we can wait any longer.” Reggie said with a look of concern. “Where the hell is that robotic arm?”

It was true, Reggie might have managed to bring Syphon back this time but there was no telling how long he might stay stable for. They needed to go to work on that arm, they needed that robotic arm.

Nat turned and stared down the empty corridor. What was taking so long?


……………………..


Duke watched as the android walked off down the corridor with Pip in hand. He had both a look of confusion and concern on his face.

“Come on.” He said starting after the abnormal creature.

“Wait, what about the arm?” Shannon asked, “We need to keep looking.”

“Right.” Duke answered, “You keep searching this level and I’ll deal with that thing.”

Duke turned to following after the Andy bot but Shannon grabbed him by the shoulder, “You be careful you hear.” She said quietly. Duke smiled, blushing slightly, “You too.” He answered before turning and heading off after the cyborg.

Shannon turned away and continued with the search where they’d left off earlier.
She rummaged through what was left of a supply room but found nothing more than discarded junk and an assortment of nuts and bolts.

Together, Shannon and Duke had almost finished searching the entire level from top to bottom and there wasn’t the slightest sign of anything remotely like what they were searching for. Come to think of it, there wasn’t anything a scavenger would even consider worth anything down here. It was clearly visible the place had been ransacked.

As Shannon turned to search what looked to be the last rooms on the floor she noticed a small stairway leading down to a lower level of some sort. It seemed to be from there that the Andy Bot had appeared from carrying the small Pip boy.
Probably nothing she thought but worth a look anyway.
First though, Shannon proceeded to search through the final rooms before descending to where the Andy bot had appeared from.

Duke followed the cyborg with a strange quietness in his steps. Not that he thought there was any need to be so quite but it made him feel more at ease doing so.
The bot seemed to know exactly where it was going. It didn’t stop or even give a glace to any of its surroundings nor to some of the people who were resting on the ground floor above the stairs. It truly was a robot.

But what did it want with the med levels Duke thought to him self. What could an android possible obtain from using medical equipment and medicine?

Duke followed the Andy bot to the stairs where it stopped for a moment before heading off down towards the elevator leading to the level below.

 

[Rogue Hex]

OOC- First encounter between the abominations and the recon team. Don't you all wory, it won't be the last nor the worst!
A little long but happy reading...


IC-

There was a moments silence from each member of the recon team. They listened, most likely for signs of the abominations that would no doubt come for them soon; it was as if they were listening for the sound of death.

“I fear we’ve lingered here too long.” Whispered lieutenant Lyall

“What about him?” Asked Cleary, “We just gonna ditch him here.”
Judd was still stood up against the armoured door. He seemed to be making attempts to break the locking code of the accessing panel with some device.

“He wants that data, let him have it.” Answered Lyall adding, “I’ve spent enough time in this god for shaken hell to die for that bastard.”

“I hear that.” Smiled Mitzi.

“Yea, lets blow this joint sir.” Added Studly readying his weapon.

So, for the final exit, the small recon team moved out again, making their way to what seemed to be their last chance at getting out of this cursed place without levelling the entire building to do so.

The team headed out once again in formation. Their destination, the elevator leading up to the med levels and above, their last possible solution for an escape out of this hell hole.
As they went, they left Judd behind. The League operative was still trying to break the locks on the door; he seemed unconcerned with the rising danger being imposed on his life.

Cleary calculated it to be only a brief distance to the elevator shaft. 3 minutes, 5 tops. But they didn’t ponder or waste time.
Motioning forward in the same general formation which they had used earlier, Mitzi lead onward, followed by Cleary and Lyall with Studly covering the rear of the group.

They moved swiftly through the hallways. Most of which were of similar setting to that which they had witnessed through the rest of the level and also on the level above, mainly empty and disorganised storage rooms that had long since been stripped of any valuable content.
A few times they passed through a room filled with dead computer equipment but they could see nothing of any interest.

But most of all, there was still no sign of the abominations. Could it be that the creatures hadn’t been able to make it this far down? Lyall found himself asking.
Not that he was complaining, but the lieutenant had learned that things were never this easy in his line of profession. Especially not when working in such situations.

Mitzi dived right as she followed the now clear directional signs to the elevator shaft.
The room set in the same type of surroundings as on the previous levels, she could make out the lift at the bottom of the corridor.

“Elevator up a head sir.” She shouted back, not stopping running.

Mitzi stopped just short of the door leading to the elevator room. If there was any likely place that the abominations were going to be, except all over the level above them of cause, it was likely to be here.

As the team assembled, Lyall was once again making with the silent hand signals. Without words, the lieutenant was able to give each team member an order, instructing them on what he planned to do.

They were to take down the room. Studly was to be the first through the door followed closely by Mitzi. The two gunners, experts of their trade would do the damage and eliminate any enemy they encountered on insertion, be it monster or man.
Lyall would follow with Cleary taking the rear. It wasn’t their standard formation but the best they could do considering the circumstances.

Lieutenant Lyall held a clenched fist up. Looking at the rest of his fellow men, he nodded and then gave the signal. As he did, Studly burst through the door wielding the heavy M249 SAW at anything that should as much as even blink in his direction. The rest of the team followed closely behind, each man taking up a position creating a circle like formation in the room and then they stopped. They stopped still, taking in their surroundings and searching for any enemy.

After what seemed like hours of waiting in perfect silence, the lieutenant was the first to break the quietness which filled the air.

“Clear.” Were his words as he stood up. The rest of the squad made it to their feet.

“Let’s get outa here.” Exclaimed Mitzi.

“Well that could have gone worse, a lot worse.”

The team made there way around to the front of the lift which was situated in the centre of the room.

As Studly was walking forward, he heard the faint noise of a drip on the floor just in front of him. As he got closer, he noticed another drip splash to the ground to form a small drop of yellow gooey liquid.
Then a faint hissing noise came from above him that sent a cold chill right down his spine.

By the time he realised what was about to happen it was too late.

The creature, which had been hung from the metal piping above, let go and came crushing down on top of him. Studly, who was un able to bring the SAW up in time, was sent hurtling to the ground.

The noise of both Studly’s yell and the abomination crashing to the ground with a thud alerted the rest of the recon team to the creature’s presence.

Mitzi who was just in front of Studly turned abruptly to face the hideous monster but couldn’t move fast enough to dodge the creatures lightning attack.
Thrusting forward with formidable speed, the abomination knocked the female fighter of her feet. Its claws slicing through armour and clothing tore deep into the flesh sending her crashing against the steel wall. Mitzi fell crippled to the floor. As the female soldier slipped slowly into unconsciousness from the impact, she stared at the creature as it turned on her comrades. Then everything just seemed to stop and then darkness took her.

Lyall stared at the creature for only a second before acting, but during that second, he captured an image that would last him an eternity.
A creature, which seemed to be move with speed on all fours yet, had feet and hands like a man which wielded small yet razor like claws. From its size, if it had stood upright it would have reached 6”7 easily. Dark brown oozing skin covered its entire body except for its back which seemed to hold some sort of hard body armour. Small horns sprouted from the shell like armour in multiple places.
But the most unique feature, which the lieutenant would never forget was the huge eye placed in what could be considered as the centre of its head. Just one big piecing eye with two pupils that seemed to look right through a man as if staring into the man him self.

As the creature turned towards the two men still standing, Lieutenant Lyall brought up his assault rifle and unleashed a volley of rounds in its direction.

The creature using its back legs for propulsion, seemed to spring up and sideways attaching its self to the side of the elevator moving out of Lyall’s line of sight.

Cleary looked at his lieutenant who was keeping his weapon closely trained on the elevator and brought his weapon up to the same point. He could hear himself breathing heavily.

Then it appeared suddenly, over the top of the elevator door it came and with some speed at that. The creature propelled its self forward towards the Lieutenant who was now firing madly towards the incoming beast.

“ARRRRGGG.” He yelled furiously emptying the entire magazine upon the incoming thing.

Rounds seemed to be hitting the creature but to no effect as the Lieutenant soon realised when the abomination pounded into Lyall sending him and his weapon flying.

Cleary watched as the creature landed on top of his lieutenant, its claws dug in deep.

He brought up his rifle and fired off a hail of precision shots towards the creature. Getting its attention, the abomination turned on him. It snarled deeply for a moment as if eyeing up its prey, debating on how to kill the man and then it came as it flung its self into a forward run in Cleary’s direction who continued to fire upon his target.

As the monster ran forward, it jumped sideways gripping to the wall and then cannoned its self through the air towards a retreating Cleary.

The sergeant’s eyes widened at the sight of the beast in mid air. What could one do against such pure ferociousness? He thought gripping his rifle uselessly.

His attention was suddenly pulled to the side of the elevator as the hellish clattering of Studly’s SAW filled the room.
The gunner was leant against the elevator wall for support, M249 in hand, unleashing a storm of 5.56mm rounds in the creature’s direction blowing it clearly out of the air and slamming its body against the wall.

Cleary turned his attention back to the beast and opened fire once again, catching the abomination in a cross fire between the two of them.
The two soldiers didn’t stop firing till the creature relentlessly stopped moving.

When they finally ceased firing, the abomination was little more than a bloodied mess. Studly’s SAW had literally shredded the beast.

Both men stood dead still, staring at the corps as if expecting it to jump back to life at any moment. Clearly looked over to where Studly was standing. The gunner was still leant against the wall. The sergeant noticed the blood slowly dripping down his right hand arm.

Studly noticed the sergeants look, “I’m ok.” He assured him.

He noticed lieutenant Lyall stood over Mitzi’s unconscious body. Rushing over to join his lieutenant, Cleary stared at the young soldiers wounds.

“She’s bleeding heavily, that thing cut her up pretty bad.” Said Lyall. “You ok Studly?”

“I’ll be good, Mitzi?” He asked.

“She gonna need more medical attention than I can offer her.” Cleary exclaimed. The sergeant was the team’s designated medic and was a skilled field medic but Mitzi’s wounds were serious and the bleeding was a problem, a big problem.

“Can you get her good to move?” the lieutenant asked.

“I can patch her up but it won’t last.” Cleary replied.

“Do what you can sergeant.”

“Aye sir.”

The lieutenant walked over to where the creature’s wrecked and broken body lay.

“What the hell is this thing?” Asked Studly joining the lieutenant by his side.

“I don’t know, but it makes you wonder just what the hell they were doing down here.” Lyall replied.

The lieutenant turned to face Cleary who was applying bandages to Mitzi’s wounds.

“If we can get you to some med supply’s can you help her?” He asked.

“With the right stuff, yes sir.”

“Level four is a medical level, we can get the lift to there and foot it the rest of the way.” The lieutenant exclaimed.

Cleary and Studly pulled Mitzi to her feet, “Don’t you worry girl, you gonna be just fine.” Said Studly who was certain she could hear him.

“What if that levels hostile?” Asked Cleary.

“We just gonna have to take that chance.” Answered the lieutenant. He pressed the lifts access button and the doors slid quietly open.

The four soldiers entered the lift, Cleary and Studly carrying the wounded and unconscious Mitzi. Lyall turned and closed the metal doors.

“Let’s just pray to god this level is free.” He said pressing the button which would take them to level four.

OOC- just for a note, the abomination i have described here is the one displayed in the creature thread on the RP forum. I think theres a pic there as well.

Ciaos...

 

[Reaper]

Damn that was fast.

Gabriel made to give chase but his old military mind took over, reminding him to focus on the mission. The monk could wait, but Gabriel was anxious to meet him again. Whether it was to learn about him and his impressive skills, or to put a bullet through his brain, the assassin wasn't sure yet.

A decision for another time.

However, one prisoner meant there might be more in a camp this size. An odd feeling was tugging at the back of his consciousness and it took Gabriel a moment to recognise it.

He cared. The prisoners were not his concern. If they had been strong they would not have been caught. This was the wastes. No second chances.

But Gabriel knew that if he stampeded the horses, the captives would probably die.

Not my problem. The ambush is mpre important. Every war has casualties, civilians have to pay the price just like the soldiers.

The world is a fucked up place. File a complaint.

Gabriel blinked the emotion away and checked his grip on he Sig, then slwoly he began moving again, the gun flicking out ahead of him like the tongue of a snake, testing the air.

Through the darkness of the canyon, he culd see the horizon lightening ever so slightly. If he didn't move fast, they were all fucked. He was a professional and he was going to get this job done.

An unbidden thought popped up in his mind, surprising him; he hoped the strange monk found the compassion he lacked and decdied to save the remaining captives.

Slithering forward, past the tent, Gabriel quickly inspected the body of the investigating guard and saw that he was no longer a threat. Time to move on.

Gabriel ghosted on like a shadow and soon found himself less than twenty yards from the corral gate. make or break time. If he fucked up now, it was all for nothing.

Five guards between him and success. Two at the gate, one on the right and two on the left.

The assassin took a deep breath and moved, appearing in their midst like a striking rattler.

He took the one on the left down with a swift double tap. He slashed one of the gate men open across the belly with his unsheathed katana, fired three quick rounds into one of the men on the right, pirouetted left, keeping the skewered corpse between him and the advancing guard, turned and blasted the other gate man's head off witht the Sig. Then finally, wrenching the katana free of the corpse, Gabriel darted forward to meet the fianl man, parrying a swing of the man's swpord, then decapitating him on the backswing.

Five men dead, barely a whisper save for the final clang of metal on metal.

The path was clear. Gabriel hoped all was prepared and that the otheres would be ready. He was about to unleash hell on thie sleeping Oprezki.

 

[welsh]

Atop the Canyon walls, Rogue and Gruug watched.

"He's through." Said Rogue. "Prepare the rocket."

"Ready." Said Gruug.

"Not yet. let him get a horse first. Let him give the signal." Said Rogue. If Gruug fired now the stampede would come down atop Gabriel.

"I am watching for it. What about the other one." Said Gruug patiently. Indeed the other person had moved.

"I don't know."

Down in the Canyon, Gabriel neared the horses. They could smell freshly spilled blood and it made them anxious, nervous. They were big, powerful beasts and Gabriel was still unsure of them. He had enjoyed the ride, felt exhilerated in fact. But he was inexperience and that made Gabriel more careful then normal.

But he had watched the instructions he had been given well. Near where the Oprezki had died, they had left their saddle gear. Like most calvary, they each had saddles made of leather, which they had worn in and which they kept in the best conditions. These were men who slept with their saddles as pillows at night, who prided themselves in their workmanship. Indeed, after days of riding, a good saddle was a blessing.

Gabriel put his weapons away and moved towards where the animals were kept herded. It was a deep box canyon and the horses were kept in tightly. So many, more than Gabriel could count. There were two columns, which meant 200 horses, for each column was 100 men. But the Oprezki were long distance riders and they brought with them fresher mounts. So in fact there were double that.

This was supposed to be a temporary place to keep the horses. So they had built a small make shift fence and a gate, which Gabriel quietly swung open and stepped inside. There was water on the ground and Gabriel found clumps of small grass that that horses had not yet consumed.

Choosing a tall pale horse, Gabriel quickly fixed the saddle and the harnass. When he was sure the horse was ready he looked up at the sky. He could see it was beginning to get light.

Laying low on the tall horse, he gently urged it back to the gate. He quickly worked the gate mechanism and lifted it, so that the large gate swung outwards. The horses now were breathing heavy, anxious to run. It would do little to set them off. Had any of the guards been alive they might have taken notice. But silent, they gave no notice to the others in the camp.

Gabriel gave one quick look at the camp. Men were beginning to stir and there were more fires than before. The sky was beginning to light up.

It was time.

Finding the small metal object he had been given by the De Silvas, he pulled back the cover and found the the small mechancial wheel, which he put his thumb to.

Flicked it.

Nothing.

Tried it again.

Nothing

He could see one of the Oprezki men was now looking in his direction and walking forward.

Again he flicked it.

A short flame, but it died suddenly in a gust of wind.

The short man said something in a strange gutteral language.

Don't think about him now. Besides he's out of range.

Gabriel flicked it

nothing

Again.

This time the flame came up.

Gabriel held it high aloof.

He looked to see the man, who was now reaching for the carbine slung around his arm.

An instant latter, Gabriel could see the sparks and plume of smoke as a rocket was fired from across the canyon.

He brought his heels into the horses ribs, making it leap, kicking back the rest of the gate so that it now swung wide.

He was already galloping into the camp when he heard the rocket explode in a loud explosion behind him.

The man with the carbine had gotten it into his hands, and now pointed it at the horses that were bearing down on him. The horses had been his life and in the moment he hesitated. When he finally lifted it into the air, firing, hoping to stop the stampede, it was too late, something he realized even as the stampede crushed him into the dirt.

Gabriel could hear the horses neighing behind him, and around him men were suddenly awakened, alarmed and aware of a catastrophe bearing down upon them.

There was another rocket whooshing across the canyon ceiling, to explode above the heads of the horses, and Gabriel could hear the thundering of 400 hooves of panicked horses come storming behind him. He could hear men crying out, in fear and in pain, being drawned by the rolling thunder behind. Another explosion, loud, to his left, from the southern entrance, Grim.

Less in control of his horse than he wished, the mount went North, at full gallop, towards the canyon exit, towards salvation.

OCC- Grug, you still can figure out what you will do with Derg, before this moment, but you should post soon.

 

[Gruug]

Dreg heard it all, and knew that he would have to get the freak out of there, so he chose his method. He had always liked rock climbing, it had always exhilirated him, so it was his natural choice, but he went for the south side, where the ambushers were.

OOC: Sorry, but cant post much.

 

[welsh]

Grim had fired off two shells from the grenade launcher back towards the canyon. The shells exploded in loud, thunderous and brilliant explosions. Explosions not to spread damage but alarm, hopefully shifting the horses towards the north exit.

It didn't quite work. From his position inside the sandbagged emplacement, he could hear a few of the horses thundering down the narrow exit towards his position, even as he reloaded another shell. He fired it off, high into the air, as the first of the horses coming through a full gallop.

Quickly he ducked as the horses raced past his position, circling around and then going past, as if he was a rock in a flash flood. He stayed low as one and then another jumped past him.

Then they were past, and he looked back to were they had run, but they had already vanished into the early morning dark.

Grim turned and began working on the second machine gun, disassembling the weapon.

From inside the canyon he could hear the thunderous explosions as Gruug picked his targets. Soon he could hear the rifle fire from the canyon rim.

When he heard the gallop of horses come from behind he turned around, pistol ready.

But it was one of the DeSilvas, bringing with him Grim's horse and two mounts. The boy rode up to where Grim was working and got off, understanding quickly, and began helping loading the two machineguns on the horses. They worked quickly, and Grim could hear the sounds of gunfire now, clearer, from the canyon. The sound of thundering had already disappeared.

As soon as they finished Grim got on the horse and they rode, as quick as the wind, back towards the Canyon Rim and then North, the the De Silva encampment.

______

On the Rim, Rogue had quickly disassembled Grim's modified pistol and had taken up Syphon's gun. It was slower working than her own, and she was uncomfortable with the weight. The feel of recoil was suprisingly powerful and aiming would have been more difficult without a tripod.

She picked her targets with care. Looking for anyone who seemed to be trying to stop the stampede. She had gotten a glimpse of Gabriel, atop a tall grey, going for the North, at the head of the stampede. Outside the canyon, De Silva riders were waiting to herd the frightened animals.

Nearby she could hear the other shooters, a half dozen, popping away at targets. Down below the Oprezki had little time to respond to the fire. Those that could tried to find shelter from the stampede, or escape being run down. For many there was no escape.

Horses ran through morning camps, trampling men who had been slow to awake. They crashed through tents bring them down. The men inside caught under the canvas, crushed under hooves.

Even on the rocky canyon floor the horses brought up a cloud of dust, making targets harder to see, but also blinding Rogue to the worst of the carnage below.

Gruug had now changed shells, most of the horses now fleeing north, following the leaders, primarily Gabriel on the big Grey.
A few of the horses went in other directions, some had been stuck in the box canyon, and a few crumbled and fell, either tripping or beng brought down by random gun fire.

Gruug was firing down on the tents that had escaped destruction, looking for clumps of men. He had brought with him many shells and was making good use of them. He would fire, duck down, reload, move to a new location, and fire again at a chosen spot. Long streamers of sparks would follow the rockets flight down into the canyon floor, and would echo loudly against the walls. The blood of men virtually vaporized in brilliant flashes of light and thunder would further terrify the horses.

Rogue kept her mind on her targets, focusing her mind to ignore much of the spectacle.

Than one of the men near her spun around, a shot to the arm, and fell.

"Medic! " She yelled.

They had begun to return fire.

___________

At the North entrance, Talon and another got down, using a stretch of broken wall and a collapsed tree as shelter for their hidden light machine gun.

He and Raoul would be the last to retreat. If the Oprezki could chase, they would go North to recapture their horses. He was to wait for the horses to pass, wait further until the other groups had withdrawn, and then keep any pursuit of the Oprezki at bay. When the others had withdrawn behind him, only then would he leave.

Down in the canyon, he had heard the rockets go off, the muffled explosions echoing up the canyon walls back to him. He looked far to the left, where Raoul had taken a similar position, but he could not see the man.

"Get ready." Talon said.

"Si," Said the De Silva man, a man named Julio.

Then he heard the rumble of hundreds of horses, drowing out even the cries of the two hundred men in the Canyon, suddenly aware of the doom coming down upong them.

It was little more than a few minutes and then he saw Gabriel, astride a big Grey, hanging on for dear life, come gallopping out, a stream of horses at his heels, and more, so many. Greys and blacks, and browns, wild and powerful creatures running for dear life. Streaming past, kicking up dust and dirt in all directions, their hooves thunderous.

Talon watched, his mouth agape. He watched them, and thought they were perhaps the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. Deeper down, his instincts, learned from being in the trade of men, also realized something else. These creatures would change his world, and he wanted to be part of that change as well.

The horses ran past him, and then, they too vanished behind into the late morning fog. Somewhere to the north he could hear De Silva men, the sound of gun shots. They were herding up what horses they could. Herding them up and sending them north.

Later that morning, when the De Silvas would count their horses, they would congratulate themselvs on their success. They had stolen over 263 horses and predicted some other 50-75 were still out there to be captured.

What they did not fully realize was that they had beginnings of the first herds of horses to repopulate the Northern plains of North America since the great war. That these horses were a treasure that could restore the De Silvas to their former glory.

But it would not come wihtout its price in blood.


CC-

OK, anyone want to take it from here- Gruug you have two characters to work with, Rogue, you want in on this? Reaper?

 

[Rogue Hex]

Serge goes nuts.....

OOC- Sorry i didn't get these posts up yesterday. Got a little side tracked.
I'll be happy to get back in playing Rogue as well...

IC-

Luciel made his way up to the surface where the rest of the wounded had been stationed for the night. The majority of them had already been mdically treated by Shannon and Nat earlier that day before the serious operations had gotten underway. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the most of them till it was time to leave. Luciel found nearly all were asleep. Some stirred awake and talked amongst each other whilst others simply sat in the quietness of the night.

As Luciel walked through into the destroyed remains of the universities lobby, he was met by Serge who was him self accompanied by two other guards who seemed to be in good enough condition to move around.
All three men were armed and the two guards seemed on edge, terribly on edge. Their eyes jumped from one place to another, scanning for something but what?

“What was that explosion?” Asked serge curiously.

“We don’t know yet.” Replied Luciel, “Is everyone ok up here?”

“Yea for now, but there’s something not right about this place.” Said one of the guards.

Serge nodded in agreement, “There’s something out there. We don’t know what yet but it’s lurking in the darkness, waiting for something.”

“You sure?” Luciel asked staring out into the misty darkness of the night. He couldn’t see a sodden thing in front of him.

“Don’t worry, it’s there.” Answered Serge.

The four of them stared out into the night. Luciel could make out little more than the vague outline of the universities walls.

“Still can’t...what was that?” Luciel whispered suddenly.
He heard a faint noise of something moving across rubble and debris. A weak crunching sound as somthing passed over broken glass of some sort.

Luciel brought his rifle up and waved it in the general direction the creepy noises had come from.

“Any of our people out over that way?” He asked quietly.

“Not one.” Serge replied. “We got them all in the lobby where we can watch them. Their safer in there.”

The small bunch moved slowly forward. Creeping over the universities ruins as quiet as humanly possible before once again stopping to listen for any other sounds.
They stared out into the pitch blackness of the night, straining to see what lurked out there.

Serge span around, Luciel and the other two guards did the same.

A scream, as loud and high pitched as physically possible broke the nights silence from somewhere behind them. Another scream followed, they were screams of terror coming from just outside the lobby.

“The others!” Serge exclaimed diving over rubble and running back in the direction of the lobby. Luciel and the two guards followed closely, their weapons readied.

But nothing could have readied them for what they were about to engage.

Serge was the first on scene. The huge mutant pounded through into the lobby only to witness the dog like creature attack its first pray.
Those who had been camped closer to the exit had ran for dear life to the inside. Not everyone had been fast enough though.

The abomination swung forward off the wall in which it had been perched on and collided with one of the scavengers fleeing from the creature.
A long clawed arm extended out catching the scav across the back and sending him hurtling into a mass of rubble.

Luciel, who came up behind the burly mutant nearly tumbled backwards with shock.
Never before in his life had he seen such a beast. Like a dog it moved, yet it was nearly the size of a brahmin. Its grey skin reflected in the moonlight giving it a healthy shine and its eyes which flashed yellow as it peered around looked full of cold, killing emotions.

The beast snarled, savagely tearing away at the doomed scav.

Serge could watch no longer. He readied his large, self made spear and charged at the creature.

Luciel, who stood like a mindless dummy finally remembered Rogue’s rifle gripped tightly in his hands. The young boy cursed him self for not being faster, dropped to one knee and chambered a round.
Breathing heavily, he watched Serge quickly approach the feasting creature which had now turned to face the mutant. The abomination stood over its kill, snarling menacingly.

The two guards who were still stood next to Luciel looked at each other before setting off after Serge. Both guards were armed with semi automatic rifles and could provide close support for the big fella.

Luciel took his time to aim the shot up perfectly. Remembering how he’d been taught, he silently put pressure on the trigger allowing the rifle to fire at its own will.
A large flash from the muzzle with an echoing bang and the round was sent tearing down into the abomination, impacting the monster in the right shoulder and causing the creature to stumble slightly.

Distracted by the blow to its shoulder, the creature wasn’t quick enough to escape Serge’s forceful attack who then proceded to plunge the spear deep into the creature’s chest.

The abomination reared up and let out a chilling howl that echoed deep into the night.

As it fell back down on its back, Luciel managed to let off tow quick shots in succession. Each round bore down on the beast and buried deep into the flesh.

Despite the abominations impressive size it was still little compared to the hefty mutant who clearly dwarfed the monster.
Serge, making quick use of his momentary advantage over the wounded beast got up close and personnel with his spike knuckles.

One crushing blow after another he launched at the beast. Each one punctured deep into the creatures hide causing substantial body damage. Even if it could by some means beat the mutant and then the two guards there would be little chance the abomination would make it through the remainder of the night with the wounds it had sustained.

The abomination fought back furiously as it swiped with its claws at the mutant but with little effect on Serge who had worked him self up into a formidable frenzy. The mutant ignored the minor wounds he took from the creature’s claws and safely landed a solid right hand to the creatures face.
The blow connecting with some force and sent the beast crashing backwards up against the rubble.

Barely alive, the two guards finally arriving opened fire upon the beast, shooting the hell out of the creature, sending it all the way back to hell.

Luciel stood up from his position and stared at the lifeless body of the thing they just killed.
If it hadn’t been for Serge’s hand to hand attack on the beast they would have been in some deep shit.

“You all right?” Luciel asked approaching the exhausted mutant.

“No sweat kid.” Serge said deeply. “I’ve taken worse.”

“This place truly is a death trap.” Exclaimed one of the guards sat changing his empty magazine.

“Problem is, that wasn’t what we heard.” Said Serge.

“What, you think there’s more?” Asked Luciel. Serge shot him a quick glance in which his expression spoke more than words ever could.

“Your right, we need to get out of here.”