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From a distance, a small human woman runs in the general direction of the coreseeker missile. Sure, she's being chased by twenty rather irritated Nall at the moment, and sure she's mired with dirt, some blood, and more than an unpleasant look of irritation, but she still retains her gimmick in full: Pair of swords, short, and a vaguely black robe-like thing on.
More specifically, Rachael keeps trying to find corridors and pathways through the rubble best she can, but for now has given up on properly hiding. "Kill them Goddammit! No matter what I do!" she shouts, perhaps hoping one of the Outversers hears her. The tone of her voice, while loud, isn't really one of panic, but more like a commander in a less than pleasant martial circumstance.
Well, Rachael isn't exactly the hardest to take notice of, and Tia had been looking for the woman who'd yelled just a few minutes before. Turning, the Martian quickly takes stock of the situation, "Lay her down covering fire!" Tia barks at the group in general.
"Vadim, Raisa, try and find a way down. Pass me back tha' sniper an' I'll cover from up 'ere." Rillitan grunts, remaining place in the vent. He scopes up, aiming at the route Rachel just came through to catch whatever comes into sight.
Once his scanners detected that a large concentration of Nalls was headed to the Quarter, Altor aborted his run to the docking bay and returned to the entrance shaft. Reaching the vent, he stops behind Rillitan. "Sounds like I got here just in time."
Akamatsu turns to the direction Racheal is coming from and tries to get behind some cover to avoid getting shot again in the same day. He quickly puts his sword away and pulls out the P-90 Varal had given him and steadies his arms on the crate waiting for the rest of the Nall.
Two Nall are weaving their way ahead of the pack of twenty, breaking into a gap between piles of junk as they lope toward the cavern with the Coreseeker missile. Both raise their weapons, aiming at Rachael's back and preparing to open fire.
[Skill System] Akamatsu tests his Ranged + Projectile Weapons at a modifier of -1. The result is 4.
[Skill System] Akamatsu tests his Ranged + Projectile Weapons at a modifier of -1. The result is 13.
[Skill System] Brody tests his Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 11.
[Skill System] Brody tests his Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 3.
The first Nall ducks low and jumps for cover behind a stack of crates, avoiding the blast from Akamatsu's P-90, while the second Nall takes a shot to the throat and tumbles backward in a gurgling, hissing heap. The other 18 Nall, alerted to the gunfire, hold back for now, chattering amongst themselves in Naliese. Apparently, they are in no hurry to come running in to an ambush. Someone out there barks orders in their guttural language. Others hiss assent.
For the time being, instead of joining in the cover fire, Tia marches over to Asherak. Her expression isn't the friendliest as she looks down to the psion, jade eyes a bit dark and distant. She grabs at the girl's arm, harshly, making to pull her to her feet, "Up." She commands, "We ain't got time fer whini'. Get up an' go 'ide in t'maze."
Asherak yells out in pain looking up at Rill, "No...we cant leave him!" she cried out, trying to put weight on her leg, almost collapsing, "I can get him! I .." she looked dizzy, "I have to try.." she said as she leaned against Tia for a moment....
A shot scores a dark mark in the crate as the Nall dives behind it. Rillitan, in his little loft, curses to himself and pulls back the heat stock on his rifle with a hefty click. "Y' tearin' through t' vent 'ere. Y'll 'ave me fall." The Timonae calls back to Altor, "Can ye' smash through? S'bit o' a drop but y' should be fine a' yer size." He keeps an aim on the crate.
As Akamatsu's shots hit one of the Nall behind her, Rachael takes a quick look back. Then she rushes for Akamatsu instead, to join him behind cover.
Altor looks at the opening. "Hmmm... I just might." he reaches with his hands and grabs part of the shaft housing, and he puts maximum power to his servos to try to widen the opening so he can squeeze past and drop into the chamber below.
Akamatsu stays behind his crate and moves a bit to allow Rachael to join himm and while still watching the room intently for more Nall asks "I don't suppose you'd be able to do anything about my slightly burned leg would you?" From beyond the junk maze comes a shouted voice - the grumbly growl of Lord Akazar, speaking with the aid of a megaphone from relative safety: "It doesn't have to be like this. You've done an impressive job of not dying, but you're outnumbered and those numbers are only going to get worse when the fleet returns. They're willing to make a deal: Asherak in exchange for your precious Yaralu back."
Asherak had seemed to be preparing for something, then....heard the offer, and her skin drained of all color, and she began whimpering, "nonononono" she mumbled to her self, looking about, backing up slightly,incase she needed to make a hasty exit.
"How about we try and see what happens if we play with the coreseeker a bit too much instead?" Rachael says, quite loudly and cheerfully. "Maybe it'll wreck that precious fleet en route you talk about."
The grip on Asherak's arm tightens as Tia reaches up to reholster her shotgun, a second taken to reach into her pocket and switch on the psi-blocker she always carries. Her DS pistol is taken up instead. Depending on who you are, this may not be expected from the usually quite genial Martian, "Ye want 'er?" She calls back, stepping forward and trying to pull the girl along with her, "Fine by me, but ah ain't 'andin' 'er o'er while we're all stuck down 'ere."
The reaction to Rachael's comment isn't exactly what she might have expected. At first, it's silence, followed by an eruption of chuffing laughter - amused Nall. Akazar bellows through the megaphone: "Give it a try."
Altor hops down out of the vent using his newly created exit, and stands up. "I doubt they're gonna be too scared of a freaking empty missile casing.." he mutters. "That little weasel's words didn't mean shit before, I don't see why we should trust him now."
"Fine," Akazar replies to Tiana through the megaphone. "My associates suggest that you bind the girl to the Coreseeker and leave a psi-blocker close by. You'll be allowed to depart through that ever-so-convenient duct. Once we have confirmed that your ship has departed and we have the girl, Comorro Station will be freed."
"Tie her up." Rachael says to Tiana. Then stands and takes out one of her swords. "The rest of you leave. I'll stay behind and kill her if they come after her before Comorro is free and you're released."
Akamatsu begins to look at Rachael as if she were crazy and says "So what exactly happens to you if they even honor the deal enough to let us go? After a stunt like that they certainly won't let you go."
"This weren't why we came back, Tia." Rillitan grunts over the comms, "This was 'bout sending a message t' who would second guess OtherVersers. What do we say, 'andin over one o' our own? Who's that remind you of?"
"I would strongly recommend we tap an ally we haven't yet considered... it's very possible Comorro does not know this weapon is a dud." Altor says in a soft voice. "She'd be able to act if she is informed of that fact, especially with the fleet still out of range."
"Make your decision," Akazar shouts through the megaphone. "The fleet returns in less than an hour."
[Skill System] Asherak tests her Strength skill at a modifier of 0. The result is -1.
[Skill System] Tiana Ryoleli tests her Strength skill at a modifier of 0. The result is 6.
"Leave, inform Comorro, do whatever you can." Rachael continues as she approaches Asherak herself. "But you already betrayed the girl, she'll stab you in the back next chance she gets. Finish." then to Asherak. "You. Live. Don't do anything to threaten your life further."
Asherak cried out, "No! you cant" she whimpered trying to pull away from Tia "No! I cant go back! You cant let them take me!" she pleaded, tears streaking down her face, as if cutting a trail in the dried blood and dirt.
Now that Tia's had a moment to let it sink in the sound of Rachael's voice hits her first, and then the woman's features start to make their way through memory lane. The Martian's eyes widen and the other woman doesn't even get a response, her head turning to look up sharply towards Rillitan's vent as his voice comes out over the comms, "I... Love." She offers back to the Timonae with a quiet, stressed whine, "Wot shoul' we do, Love?" Her grip on Asherak doesn't relent, but the girl does get an odd look from the Martian which might seem a bit apologetic. Finally she looks to Rachael, "Vent's wrecked up. Won't work anyway. Gotta keep 'em talkin' fer nah while we figger somm't out."
"There's nothing wrong with the duct, we can still get out that way." Altor notes. "One way or the other Comorro needs informed about this, I have no doubt she's still operating under the assumption there's a big fucking bomb in here. You have any idea how pissed she'll be when she realizes the deception? Let's use that rage, it'll be fun watching her wipe the floors with the little hissing bastards."
Rillitan sighs a heavy breath over the channel, "Altor, can you contact Comorro? Everyone else, get some cover."
"Inform Comorro. If you can't do that, leave. I'll stay here with her while you buy time." Rachael says. "If they do anything in the meantime, I'll kill her, but this will allow everyone to live." the small woman takes out her other sword. "And buy us time. If anyone tries to stop me, I will kill her anyway so none of you need to have it on your conscience. The betrayal of this young woman is the choice I made and I alone, and the rest of you are morally innocent." though with the way Rachael looks at the moment, she seems quite serious about the killing part.
Volidana whispers to Rill "Bait and Switch. Tie Ash up. Sitere there till most of the crew is up and out. Someone grab here at the last minute while I make it look like she's still tied up and bug out
[Skill System] Asherak tests her Unarmed skill at a modifier of -2. The result is 4.
[Skill System] Tiana Ryoleli tests her Agility + Reaction at a modifier of 0. The result is 10.
[Skill System] Rachael tests her Agility + Reaction at a modifier of 0. The result is 6.
[Skill System] Tiana Ryoleli tests her Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 11.
Asherak was going on pure instinct at this point, and swung a desperate, if not flimsy kick Tia's way, crying out at the pain in her leg from doing so, she couldnt really speak anymore, now just whimpering and pleading incoherently to no avail.
Bad Ash. Bad. Oh gosh. There's already so much mental strain on the Martian, what with /Rachael/ and a psion right beside her that one could almost her a few of those last, tenuous holds snapping. Instinct is met with experience as Tia quite easily shifts out of the way, and then it's promptly met with violence as the Olympus' owner, seeming to be running just a little bit on auto-pilot, drops her gun - safety still on - and proceeds to snap her now free hand in at Ash's throat.
[Skill System] Tiana Ryoleli tests her Unarmed skill at a modifier of 0. The result is 4.
[Skill System] Asherak tests her Agility + Dodging at a modifier of -3. The result is -2.
Volidana sighs "Oh Vol's Dark there goes a plan out the window...i need a way down
"Any deviation from my orders and I will instantly kill her." Rachael says, quite loudly. "Any. Deviation." She looks at Tiana. "You. Tie her up. Now." then to Asherak, "You. Don't resist one more bit." then, "Everyone else: Leave. Now." her swords quite close and very ready. "This is not a debate. Any argument and I will kill her."
Akamatsu stands from his cover and while limping just a bit says "I don't suppose you give me much choice but to listen. That said I hate just about everything about this plan. Also how exactly do you want me to get back out?"
Altor meanwhile is off adjusting his transmitter and focusing a tightbeam signal towards Comorro's control area. "Altor to Comorro... come in Comorro.. I doubt you can respond, but you've gotta listen. The missile is a dud, repeat, the missile is a dud. You are not in danger, I say again, you are not in danger..." he says, keeping an eye on the altercation nearby.
"Dud?" replies the Yaralu via transmission to Altor. "A non-functional missile? They *lied*?" She sounds rather peeved. "Evacuate, if you can. Get into atmosphere suits, if you cannot. I have a plan for dealing with them."
Raisa pokes her head out of a hole in the vent from where she's been staying ready with rifle in hand. "Tia, let the little idiot breathe a little," she calls down. "Or you lose a bargaining chip."
"Tiana." Rillitan grunts, "We are evacuating, girl an all. Tell the woman if she don't stop barkin' orders she won't be walkin' out." His crosshairs find Rachaels legs, keeping aim.
"Send me down at atmosphere suit, then, and the rest of you leave. Evacuating with you would be quite unpleasant for me at this point." Rachael says. "But I am glad that this may be resolved without bloodshed, assuming you comply." her swords still quite ready.
"Yes." Tia says tensley, her voice making it's way over comms, though it's directed mainly at Rachael, "We're all gettin' outta 'ere safely. Includin' ye, /Missus Akari/." For good measure, Ti gives Asherak's throat one more squeeze and then quickly tries to punch the girl in hopes of knocking her out and making her easier to deal with.
[Skill System] Tiana Ryoleli tests her Unarmed skill at a modifier of 0. The result is 6.
[Skill System] Asherak tests her Agility + Dodging at a modifier of -3. The result is 5.
Akamatsu looks to Altor and says "I assume you are our new ticket out of here then?"
"I'm a starfighter bub, not a taxicab!" Altor says. "The ship's still parked outside, if anyone needs a boost up to the vent I'll offer it."
"Dana, can you lift them up into the vent with your psi stuff?" Raisa asks of the Vollistan. "Or at least get them close enough that we can grab their hands and drag them in?" She clears her throat and raises her voice down to the people below. "I swear to God, if you people don't get it together and get your asses up here, I'm just going to start shooting without really caring who I hit down there."
"I'll be on the Fox." Rillitan mutters, over the comms, before he struggles back through the vent.
That Nall who's been hiding behind the stack of crates in the junk maze takes this opportunity to peer from behind to see what's going on, as everyone seems focused on Asherak and Altor at the moment. He takes aim at Altor, aiming for whatever point looks most vital.
[Skill System] Brody tests his Ranged + Energy Weapons at a modifier of 0. The result is 10.
[Skill System] Altor tests his Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 9.
Tiana Ryoleli half catches Asherak as she drops, her lip curling faintly as she gets a look at the back of the girl's head and neck. Lowering down with the psion, Ti tries to position her well over a shoulder and then heft her back up so she can be carried towards the vent.
Volidana blinks " lifting people is a bit of challenge. I'm not sure I can get everyone. Light folks. Yes
As Altor focuses on the discussions, a shot rings out that grazes along side his chest plate, scorching it a bit but not otherwise causing serious harm. "WHAT THE!?" he bellows, as he turns towards the Nall his optics flash. "Bad move, scales. REALLY bad move..." He raises both arms as his cannons raise out from within, and he unloads at the direction of the Nall and crate with a pair of blasts.
[Skill System] Altor tests his Ranged + Energy Weapons at a modifier of 0. The result is 12.
[Skill System] Altor tests his Ranged + Energy Weapons at a modifier of 0. The result is 6.
[Skill System] Brody tests his Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 12.
[Skill System] Brody tests his Agility + Dodging at a modifier of 0. The result is 9.
The Nall flees as the blasts tear the crates apart. He ducks down the path leading out of the junk maze and into the Forgotten Quarter proper, shouting: "Esssscape! They plan to essscape!"
"I believe it is time to depart." Rachael says, running towards Altor.
Akamatsu makes his way towards Altor as well waiting to be taken up to the vent hopefully before the Nall show up for real.
Raisa frowns, "What about one or two at a time?" she asks. She pokes her head out of the vent again. "Let's move it, party people, or you're going to be afternoon delight for the Nall." Her eyes focus in on Tiana. "Tia, get your scrawny ass up here, /now/. I don't care if you drop the little bitch and leave her for the lizards."
"Shit... spry little fuckers." Altor says as the Nall runs off. As the folks run to him he starts boosting them up towards the vent. "I think our time just ran out."
[Skill System] Volidana tests her Psionics skill at a modifier of -2. The result is 1.
Volidana sighs as the pair doesn't budge from the ground "Not my day"
""I'm coming, Maza dammit!" Tia yells back up to Raisa in Latin, a moment taken to shift Ash's position before she makes a dash towards Altor.
Rachael makes her trip up to the duct, after that, it's making her way out as fast as possible.
Akamatsu gets to the duct and also makes a run for it saying while he goes along "Well at least I took out 5 of the vile things. I'd say that's good enough for shooting me three times."
"Start heading back, Dana," Raisa says, already wiggling away from the holes, and in the direction they originally came from. "We're going to be getting real crowded up here in a sec. Let's hope Rill and the others got the ship ready to go."
The temperature in the chamber drops significantly and, in the distance, there's an ominous whooshing sound. Volidana nods and follows Raisa
"You guys are running out of time!" Altor hollers from below. "Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself, you guys get the hell out of here, now!"
Rachael goes as fast as she can, seeming to be in quite a hurry like everyone else.
Tiana Ryoleli pulls up beside Altor, obviously gets a boost up and proceeds to start getting her and Asherak out through the vent. A bit slower going dragging someone else along, of course.
Akamatsu finally after a bit of travel down the vent reaches the end of it and also the ship.
In the Forgotten Quarter, Lord Akazar watches as the remaining Nall succumb to the chill, drifting off to sleep as temperature makes its precipitous drop. He grins, revealing glittering gold teeth, but the smile fades when he realizes that each breath he draws grows thinner. "Ohnono," he mutters, and then runs toward his throne room - only to find his Aukami compatriot waiting there, wearing the air mask he had intended to acquire. For a moment, the Lotorian's whiskers droop and he growls, but then he says, "You've got...the mask. But you need a way off, yesyes?" The Aukami frowns. Akazar nods: "You share. I share."
- Logs That Include Comorro
- Logs That Include Combat
- Logs That Include Rillitan
- Logs That Include Tiana Ryoleli
- Logs That Include Raisa
- Logs That Include Kallyn
- Logs That Include Asherak
- Logs That Include Altor
- Logs That Include Akazar
- Logs That Include Rachael
- Logs That Include Akamatsu
- Logs That Include Volidana
- Logs of Staffer-Run Events
- OtherSpace Logs
- Olympus Logs