[Nexus] AMEN 32: Srs Bzns

[VampireRot]

Flap. Flap. Flap.

A man with large bat wings comes into a landing a distance away from the AMEN base. With blood-red eyes, the robed figure eyes the mechas/skyreme thingies, having no clue what they are. A loud sing is heard as he draws an icey-glowing scimitar from a sheath under the robe. The dramaticly enhanced cloak billows out behind him, completely ignoring any trouble it should be having with the wings.

"Well, that wasn't there when I was last here."

The vampire muses to himself, as he usually does. He walks forward, still looking up at the fighters. He wonders if he should fly up and slaughter some pilots. But what if they are on my side, whichever one that was? What a silly thing to think about. Rot cackles and unfurls his wings again. He takes to the skys and flys toward one of the planes, intentions not so much as undecided as unknown. If he manages to get alongside one, the vampire will probably tap on the glass canopy of the cockpit.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

Bad Cop, Good Cop, that nots important. What is important is how many henchmen there are. You see, the number of henchmen seen is usually small, but here is the majority of them, there's over five hundred here, after all, this is a big room.

The henchmen point their weapons towards the exalted and commandos.

"Not a word to them. The only thing happening here will be death."

And so, the henchmen open fire, trying to create a wall of bullets.

Tepet Kazane leaps forward, summoning a blast of wind that whirls through the enclosed space, throwing off the bullet's trajectories. Most of them bury themselves in the walls, the floor, the ceiling... A few are still headed at the strike team, but few enough that they can be deflected or dodged more mundanely.

The commandos counterattack, firing beams of elemental energy from their swords, and Cerise begins shaping a spell while Anshu guards her.

[Outside]

The fighters are moving rather fast - 140mph. There are three of them in mecha form moving much slower than that, however, toward the skyreme.

• CDS Defiance in the Night
  
  Spoiler

  Show

  The Defiance in the Night is a Kireeki-class skyreme, a vessel 300 feet long and shaped like an enormous orca whale made of steel and jade alloy. Its tail forks into massive, bulbous magitech turbines, clustered in stacks of two each port and starboard. Stabilizing fins set at angles to each side and pointed slightly ventrally end in numerous weapons turrets, while a single deckhouse rising from the dorsal deck terminates in the ship’s bridge. A slender ventral fin holds further weapons turrets and a small observation deck.
• Hurricane-class Variable Common Warstrider
  
  Spoiler

  Show

  This blue jade warstrider has a slender, streamlined construction, with wings folded neatly on its back. The long, sloping adamant helm/entry hatch extends well down the fuselage and cannot rotate, but nonetheless provides the pilot with a 360º visual field. When in "bird" mode, the legs and arms fold up under the deployed wings, holding the Elsewhere stutter cannon along the centerline of the warstrider, and the pilot reclines in the helm, using the harness to direct the 'strider's flight and fire the cannon.
  
  Elsewhere Stutter Cannon
  These rapid-firing weapons fire bursts of coin-sized Essence vortices at high speeds, but the vortices quickly lose cohesion and dissipate. When the vortices come into contact with a solid object, they transport however much of the object they touched into Elsewhere. These "bits" can be retrieved from Elsewhere via a chute at the rear of the weapon for post-mission analysis or other uses.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

Henchmen begin falling, but now their line advances.

"Foward, drive them back!"

The front line of henchmen switch from guns to swords, hoping to overwelm the exalted by sheer numbers.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

"Da gloriam Incarnae!" the commandos shout back, and charge to meet the henchmen, firing more beams as they close.

Cerise continues casting, and Anshu leaps up and begins running up the air as if on an invisible staircase or ramp, trying to get a better vantage point on the contents of the room.

[VampireRot]

((Ah, thanks, that clears up some confusion))

Rot flys down to the three slower mechas. He peers into the helm ((which I'm hoping is transparent, if not, ignore that part)).

"Why... Is there a person in there?"

Rather confused by the machine, Rot taps the dome on top with his index finger. Due to the properties of his dramata-cape, it makes the sound the pilot hears rather eerie and scarey-story like.
tap
tap
tap

[Lord Iames Osari]

((The helm is indeed transparent. Adamant in this context is basically magical super-diamond.))

Assuming Rot approaches the central mecha, he sees a man inside wearing a tight-fitting jumpsuit and covered in a system of mechanical gears and pulleys and so forth. At the moment, he has one arm free of the inner workings and is applying pressure to some kind of wound on his other side. He looks up, and his eyes widen. "Unknown contact above me, looks Abyssal!" he cries.

The two mechs flanking him move away and level their weapons at Rot. "Move away from the warstrider!" they order.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

More henchmen fall, but Anshu should be able to see the reason why the henchmen keep coming. For each henchman that falls, another appears to take his place. She should also see Rogar, Sweetums, and a group of 13 armored henchmen around a lever at the back of the henchmen army.

(Cloning vaults + Teleporters = unlimited henchmen to the battlefield)

[VampireRot]

Rot eyes the wound hungrily. That looks tasty... Then he jerks his head up to look at the other mechs. He waves his sword around at one of them and, clearly not understanding the mechs' weapons, askes,

"Yeah? Or what?!"

While waving his glowy blue scimitar around, Rot palms his dagger. Just in case, though it probably wouldn't have much effect on the mechs.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

More henchmen fall, but Anshu should be able to see the reason why the henchmen keep coming. For each henchman that falls, another appears to take his place. She should also see Rogar, Sweetums, and a group of 13 armored henchmen around a lever at the back of the henchmen army.

(Cloning vaults + Teleporters = unlimited henchmen to the battlefield)

((See, that sort of thing is why I expected more fight out of AMEN. Where were those guys earlier?

Also, Anshu is a man.))

Anshu moves over the battle below, hopefully unnoticed, and conjures up illusory duplicates of the commandos to confuse the AMENites.

Meanwhile, Cerise finishes her spell; red strands of Essence flash from her hands to the ground, which begins to rumble at the approach of THE MAGMA KRAKEN.

Rot eyes the wound hungrily. That looks tasty... Then he jerks his head up to look at the other mechs. He waves his sword around at one of them and, clearly not understanding the mechs' weapons, askes,

"Yeah? Or what?!"

While waving his glowy blue scimitar around, Rot palms his dagger. Just in case, though it probably wouldn't have much effect on the mechs.

"Or we'll open fire on you," one of the pilots growls, his weapon beginning to hum and spin ominously.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

(My mistake)

If by confused you mean attacking them too, then yes the henchmen are confused. While the ground rumbles, the henchmen fight on. As for Anshu, one person spots him, and that person is Sweetums. He lifts the weapon he chose for this fight, M61-A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon, (Aka the really big gun Vulcan Raven, from Metal Gear Solid, used.) and opens fire.

[VampireRot]

"Open fire? And how would that w-"

Cutting off mid-sentence to distract them, Rot kicks off the mech with the wounded pilot to fly to the on that just spoke. He kicks his iron-tipped boots into any exposed machinery that might give him a purchase on the mech and tries to fit his dagger into the space where the helm attaches to the rest of the mech. He also hacks the helm with his sword, though it's doubtful if the steel enchanted with ice magic would break through the super-metal.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

(My mistake)

If by confused you mean attacking them too, then yes the henchmen are confused. While the ground rumbles, the henchmen fight on. As for Anshu, one person spots him, and that person is Sweetums. He lifts the weapon he chose for this fight, M61-A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon, (Aka the really big gun Vulcan Raven, from Metal Gear Solid, used.) and opens fire.

Anshu disappears in a puff of golden dust as the bullets tear through the space he just occupied.

He reappears a few yards lower and returns fire, launching half a dozen orichalcum shuriken at Sweetums.

A few moments later, THE MAGMA KRAKEN appears, its lava tentacles forming a broad corridor leading straight to the lever. The lava tentacles then begin removing henchmen from the inside of the corridor, doing their best to keep it clear at Cerise's behest.

"Open fire? And how would that w-"

Cutting off mid-sentence to distract them, Rot kicks off the mech with the wounded pilot to fly to the on that just spoke. He kicks his iron-tipped boots into any exposed machinery that might give him a purchase on the mech and tries to fit his dagger into the space where the helm attaches to the rest of the mech. He also hacks the helm with his sword, though it's doubtful if the steel enchanted with ice magic would break through the super-metal.

There is little exposed machinery, nor is there much in the way of hand- and foot-holds on the streamlined mech, and iron-tipped boots, like steel swords, are not the sorts of weapons that are capable of quickly doing damage to war machines as armored as these. Rot's dagger finds the appropriate seam, but it will require considerable strength to lever it open, and before Rot gets that close, the mech opens fire on him.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

The bullets from Sweetums weapon likely hit the shuriken, throwing them off course. Henchmen die from this, but they keep coming. The magma kraken however is enough to make a corridor to the lever, and the elite group of henchmen.

(What happened to bushranger?)

[VampireRot]

Rot is riddled with coin-shaped holes of the "Essence vortices" as he flies toward the mech who spoke. But seeing as how the stutter cannon don't use garlic or wood, it doesn't stop him. With blood streaming from round holes all over his body, including his wings (though he still seems to fly fine), the vampire latches onto the mech's flimsy holds with bat-like grip, holding his wings out to keep him steady.

"Bwahahaahahhaa! You ain't ever fought the likes of me have you?!"

He wedges his dagger into the seam and pushes up on the handle with enhanced vampire strength. Since the dagger is non-enchanted, there's a good chance it'll snap. But the dagger's job is done. Rot pulls his right arm back and thrusts the enchanted scimitar into the slightly enlarged gap. He'll either use the larger, and magically stronger, weapon to lever the helm open more, or inflict stabbity and freezey death onto the poor pilot if he's close enough.

[The Bushranger]

((Eep. I should remember where I have my characters, shouldn't I? ))

Shrike (having followed the commandos to this point. I think.) drops to the floor as the rotary cannon opens fire!
Sending her dagger, a massive weapon that enhances psionic energy, flying down the corridor at Sweetums' leg, crackling with electricity...

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

The bullets from Sweetums weapon likely hit the shuriken, throwing them off course. Henchmen die from this, but they keep coming. The magma kraken however is enough to make a corridor to the lever, and the elite group of henchmen.

(What happened to bushranger?)

The commandos charge down the corridor, firing a barrage of beams to soften up the elite henchmen before they reach melee.

Anshu descends, ducking and weaving to evade further attacks from the gatling gun. The fact that Sweetums is likely to be distracted during this period probably makes things easier. Anshu will land just behind the commandos and pause there for a moment.

Rot is riddled with coin-shaped holes of the "Essence vortices" as he flies toward . But seeing as how the stutter cannon don't use garlic or wood, it doesn't stop him. With blood streaming from round holes all over his body, including his wings (though he still seems to fly fine), the vampire latches onto the mech's flimsy holds with bat-like grip, holding his wings out to keep him steady.

"Bwahahaahahhaa! You ain't ever fought the likes of me have you?!"

He wedges his dagger into the seam and pushes up on the handle with enhanced vampire strength. Since the dagger is non-enchanted, there's a good chance it'll snap. But the dagger's job is done. Rot pulls his right arm back and thrusts the enchanted scimitar into the slightly enlarged gap. He'll either use the larger, and much stronger, weapon to lever the helm open more, or inflict stabbity and freezey death onto the poor pilot if he's close enough.

The pilot leans away, wanting to avoid stabbity and freezey death as long as possible.

"Creature of darkness, unhand him!" comes a voice, and a golden bolt of energy, tinged with shadow around the edges, comes streaking out of the sky toward Rot.

[VampireRot]

"What the-"

Rot is promptly blasted by the energy bolt thing. He screams in pain as it hits him and does... whatever golden energy beams do!

((If its a special energy weapon that does something awesome, ignore this part )) Rot isn't your average everyday vampire, which may or may not have disintegrated/sparkled heavily after that. The assumedly badly wounded vampire focuses his mind and dissipates into a cloud of smoke. As in, actually becomes a smoke cloud. The gas seeps into the gap wrenched open by his weapons. Inside, the vampire begins to reform and tries to chomp down on the pilot's neck for a nice meal.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

And so, a few elites fall, but the rest get into melee with the commandos. Sweetums keeps up the firing, while Rogar makes sure that the lever is still guarded.

[Lord Iames Osari]

"What the-"

Rot is promptly blasted by the energy bolt thing. He screams in pain as it hits him and does... whatever golden energy beams do!

((If its a special energy weapon that does something awesome, ignore this part )) Rot isn't your average everyday vampire, which may or may not have disintegrated/sparkled heavily after that. The assumedly badly wounded vampire focuses his mind and dissipates into a cloud of smoke. As in, actually becomes a smoke cloud. The gas seeps into the gap wrenched open by his weapons. Inside, the vampire begins to reform and tries to chomp down on the pilot's neck for a nice meal.

((Derp. It's a concussive energy attack that's been made holy. Should've said so originally >.<))

Rot can certainly get inside as a gas, but unless he's a contortionist, it's rather too cramped inside the helm for him to reform and be able to get a good angle on the pilot's neck.

The other warstriders close in.

[Inside]

And so, a few elites fall, but the rest get into melee with the commandos. Sweetums keeps up the firing, while Rogar makes sure that the lever is still guarded.

Anshu focuses his Essence, settling into the stance of the Water Dragon in a swirl of dappled sunlight, as if seen through a shallow pool of water. The commandos continue fighting, trying to push their way through to the lever.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

And so, the elites fall, leaving Sweetums and Rogar themselves to guard the lever. Sweetums, struggling after his leg getting hit, tries to keep firing, but he can't. Rogar, seeing as Sweetums can't last, swings at the lever, breaking it in the off position.

"You lose, freaks."

[VampireRot]

Eep. Holy concussions. Rot is really dizzy, the best he can do it is stay in gas form inside the helm. Ew, it feels really bad to have the pilot breathing him in. The smoke cloud tries its hardest to keep all of its molecules together and away from the man and the gap at the helm's edge. It wouldn't do good to get blown outside or wind up reforming in someone's lungs. That would be messy. The dizzy vampire can't manage much else besides to hold his gaseous form against the helm's roof.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

And so, the elites fall, leaving Sweetums and Rogar themselves to guard the lever. Sweetums, struggling after his leg getting hit, tries to keep firing, but he can't. Rogar, seeing as Sweetums can't last, swings at the lever, breaking it in the off position.

"You lose, freaks."

"Perhaps," Anshu says, stepping forward to face Rogar while the commandos focus on Sweetums. "I will give you one more chance to leave. Drop your weapons and go, and we will not do you further harm."

Eep. Holy concussions. Rot is really dizzy, the best he can do it is stay in gas form inside the helm. Ew, it feels really bad to have the pilot breathing him in. The smoke cloud tries its hardest to keep all of its molecules together and away from the man and the gap at the helm's edge. It wouldn't do good to get blown outside or wind up reforming in someone's lungs. That would be messy. The dizzy vampire can't manage much else besides to hold his gaseous form against the helm's roof.

The warstriders reach the skyreme and dock with it, the helm/cockpits sliding open. The pilots begin to extricate themselves from the machines' inner workings, and medics arrive to tend the injured pilot.

[ThePhantom]

[Inside]

"Leave? Where would we go? AMEN is our home, but seeing as I have stopped you."

Rogar shakes his head, but drops his electrostaff, and Sweetums lowers the muzzles, since its strapped onto him, he can't drop it. The henchmen, following their leaders suit, drop their weapons.

[Gordon's office]

Meanwhile, a rug in Gordon's office moves as Gordon enters.

"Now, I think, I'll rest, and watch the show."

Gordon limps to his chair.

[VampireRot]

As the helm opens, the gas streams out. And Rot forms in air... and promptly drops to the ground. A quick look at him provokes a gag reflex, for half his face is burnt to a crisp by holy energies and there are still coin-shaped holes all over his body, bleeding profoundly. It sure is a good thing he's undead. Or, in the pilots case, it sure is a bad, bad thing he's undead.

"Someone... Will pay for that..."

Rot swipes the air with his icey scimitar and jabs it against his forehand, drawing blood to let the freezing magic stop the holy energies from burning anymore and to clear his head. Because that works somehow. The vampire looks up with a fang-filled grimace and jumps up onto the mech again. He looks around for the nearest person (probably the mech's pilot) and leaps at them. Fangs out, and heading for the jugular.

[Murkus]

Gordon's Office

Jack Empty appears, mostly whole once more, in Gordon's office. He simply falls into a chair.

Knitting his fingers together and grinning his mostly-whole grin, the hollow man tilts his head to the side.

"Gordon. Me and Moff managed to rough up the Embassy some, but there was more resistance than expected. Where am I needed here?"

[ThePhantom]

[Gordon's Office]

"Getting your doctor friend over here. I need his help."

Gordon, while somewhat healed, is bleeding, a lot. Getting shot with things that takes parts of away is bad for you.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

"Leave? Where would we go? AMEN is our home, but seeing as I have stopped you."

Rogar shakes his head, but drops his electrostaff, and Sweetums lowers the muzzles, since its strapped onto him, he can't drop it. The henchmen, following their leaders suit, drop their weapons.

The commandos usher the henchmen, including Rogar and Sweetums, back through the corridor of magma kraken tentacles. Cerise comes the other way, joining Anshu and Shrike at the broken lever.

"Can you talk to the least god?" Anshu asks.

"I can try." Cerise kneels down and starts murmuring a prayer to the least god inhabiting the lever, asking it to turn itself for them.

As the helm opens, the gas streams out. And Rot forms in air... and promptly drops to the ground. A quick look at him provokes a gag reflex, for half his face is burnt to a crisp by holy energies and there are still coin-shaped holes all over his body, bleeding profoundly. It sure is a good thing he's undead. Or, in the pilots case, it sure is a bad, bad thing he's undead.

"Someone... Will pay for that..."

Rot swipes the air with his icey scimitar and jabs it against his forehand, drawing blood to let the freezing magic stop the holy energies from burning anymore and to clear his head. Because that works somehow. The vampire looks up with a fang-filled grimace and jumps up onto the mech again. He looks around for the nearest person (probably the mech's pilot) and leaps at them. Fangs out, and heading for the jugular.

The pilot throws up an arm to try and keep Rot away.

[The Bushranger]

You mean Shrike, yes?

Shawna glares at Rogar and Sweetums, clearly not liking having lost the opportunity to fry them both to an extra-crispy crisp.

As opposed to an Original Recipe crisp, of course.

"So, boss," she addresses Anshu in an icy tone. "What's the regulations for surrendered prisoners, again?"

[ThePhantom]

The commandos usher the henchmen, including Rogar and Sweetums, back through the corridor of magma kraken tentacles. Cerise comes the other way, joining Anshu and BR at the broken lever.

"Can you talk to the least god?" Anshu asks.

"I can try." Cerise kneels down and starts murmuring a prayer to the least god inhabiting the lever, asking it to turn itself for them.

Oooh, bad idea. You see, which yes, the lever would turn itself, that would wake up the base itself. Remember the base is a genius loci, and since the person who blew it up is here, well, its not happy about that. The floor tries to swallow Cerise whole.

Also, in the crater, the lava cannon rises from the lava.

[Moff Chumley]

((If you people kill Sweetums, I believe I speak for all of AMEN when I say we will never, EVER let you forget about it. ))