Mobile Guard Section One (IC)

[jiriku]

"Locked and loaded, corporal. Whatsamatter? You bring a sword to a gunfight?"

Spoiler

Show

Aces and Eights has additional ammor reserves of quarrels belt-fed from drums in its shoulders, enough fuel for several more volleys of flamer fire, and a full charge on its lightning gun. If Deacon goes down, he'll go down shooting. Physical condition is good, but the power coils aren't a full strength. That can be fixed, though, if Deacon can get a few seconds to flush the system with the alchemical fluid in the secondary reservoir.

[Fri]

@Smuchmuch

suddenly...

"Run to the forest, now!"

Out of nowhere, something landed on front of Arthur. It's the black ARM! Missing one of its limbs and painfully dragging the biggest rifle Arthur has ever seen, it slowly raises it rifle and points it to the moving creature.

Would you do what he say, or you have something else in mind?

[smuchmuch]

Arthur decides not to question the Machina Ex Machina and makes a beeing for cover (on the othr side than were the big thng is going, of course) wich he would have done anyway; mind you. From behing a tree the lieutenant the lieuteneant pulls out his camoed cape and vox
"Genievre take the rein and ready th cart to move; Thomas be ready to use that web launcher.
This is lieutenant sambre, contact at road, in need of mechanised reinforcement." before moving back in dirrection of the cart he camme in while keeping an eye on the situation on the road.

[Starsign]

"Unfortunately no, I brought a fist to a swordfight," Sereda reluctantly says. "By the sounds of it, Lieutenant Sambre would want someone who can fight back, which I regrettably can't now. You go Sgt Black, your ARM is more nimble than mine is. Be sure to take the leader with you!"

[Fri]

Apparently, the back-up might not be needed anymore. It seems that deacon takes care of the masked villain. He's not standing up anymore. And the barrage caught the pursuing bandits off guard. The unbuffed bandit and one of the buffed bandit are down. The only remaining opponents are the leader and one of his lackey.

They might still be able to win, but its' 50-50 chance now. And apparently, the leader can't take that chance.

"Retreat!" he says, before disappearing into the caves with his surviving lackey.

And outside, Arthur hear a deafening roar, and the sound of explosion. And suddenly, he realizes that somebody came out from the bushes and catches his arm.

Before you can do anything, you realizes that it's Elisabeth Shelley, the reporter! She puts her finger on her lips, before beckoning for you to follow him. She gestures that you better leave the cart.

[smuchmuch]

Arthur look back and give a 'one moment gesture and order "Genievre, Thomas, try to retreat to town entrance. abandon cart if engaged. Regroup at town entrance." he orders before getting off the cart before it moves away. The net launcher thing wouldn't rpobably ahve worked, it's propbably better for the two macanics that way.

The presence of Elizabeth shelley isn't entirely unexpected, although the timing isOne has to wonder how much she trully knows. More that him (wich is a somewhat annoying though, a famous detective he makes, really).
Arthur has suspected her to be in contact with the Alf for a little while now, or an informant close enough (seems to be one of the only way to explain her presence int his town at this fortuitous moment; the other way would be somme kind of magucal source), something he intended to investigate once back at Silverport. The possibility of a trap does slightly comem to mind but a tthis point, the roar is probably the biggest danger anyway, besides it's a chance to get somme answers.

Standing in front of the journalist, Arhtur gestures he'sz ready to follow her.

[Fri]

"Despite what this looks like, I'm totally not an ALF member, I swear." She kinda childishly says.

"Would you object to a truce and a meeting with an ALF member without any attempt on killing or subduing each others, detective?"

[smuchmuch]

"Miss Sheley, As an agent of the Silverport watch i do not consort with terrorists of those who would associate with them."
Arthur answers hautily. Before removing something from behind his coat, namely his badge. "But for better or worst we are a long way from Silverport," That sounds a lot more like him. "I'm listening, When and where ? You'll excuse me however if I don't trust your contact enough to follow you righ now without any garantees of safety."
"Oh" asked as an afterthought, just to gain time "Am I wrong in assuming you were the one who broke into the mayor house yesterday ?."

[Starsign]

Seeing as their opposition had been defeated... So suddenly, Sereda goes to lightly place Psyche's foot on the masked magician to keep him locked in place. "Well that resolves that. Sgt. Black what shall we do now, and what to do with... This person." She looks down at the masked man. "Do you want to regroup at the town entrance or shall we defy orders and go with what we feel as usual?"

[Fri]

"I knew you're cool, Mr. Detective XD."

And she puts her index finger on his lips.

"That would be telling, wouldn't it?" She cheekily smiles.

She throws you a vox crystal and pulls an alchemical watch from her pocket. "Here, keep this. See this dead pine? I think this would make good enough waypoint. Come back here in.... an hour then?"

And yes, I suggest that you use that time to think on what you want to do next."

[smuchmuch]

"I see. in an hour then." Arthur look at Shelley moving away and the cristal she gave hims before pocketing it. Much to consider, certainly.

First order of buisness, there's doesn't seem to be any roaring right now. The lieutenant take a prudent peek on the road to check there is no dragon or hostiles in the immediate viccinity. If there isn't he'll call the cart back.

Second, he reaches for his own vox "Lieuteant Faust, Sergent Black ?" Anyone really. there doesn't seem to be any sound of heavy moving (arms aren't exactly stealthy, particulary in a forest terrain but the caves are a way back) "What is the sitution around you ?."

[The_Admiral]

Ted pilots his mech tiredly through the road dragging his cart of weapons behind him. He opens the Mobile Guard Section 1 channel and say's Hello my names reinforcements.

Spoiler

Show

I'm opening the general channel like a radio. Well that is how a vox works right?

[smuchmuch]

"And I'm sergent Black." Deacon answer in his Vox before climbing back in his Arm with a pat to the sturdy machine. ."Some might say you've arrived after the battle fellas, but ain't we glad to see you anyway."

It's been between a little less that an hour and the section has been busy, arresting the enemy still alive, cleaning the rest and making sense of the situation. Genievre and Thomas are making emergency field check and patch jobs on Psyche and ace of eight wherever needed while the pilot have been allowed a quick rest while Gideon taking prepaing a decision as to make an assault on the cave and flush the remaining bandits.

The Vox message pulls him out of his strategic reflections. "This is lieutenant Faust from Mobile section one. Your arrival is welcomme" he voxes back "What is your ETA gentlemens ?" the youthfull voice asks before sitching to close communication
"That settles it. Sergent, Corporal Sereda, you'll have to finish clearing those boulders past town gate to let reinforcement in. Corporal Rivers and I will stay here to make sure our targets don't escape, we'll resume this once the unit is complete."

"They won't stick in this cave forever, sir" Deacon sounds understadably quite skeptical. (awhy he didn't charge ealier anyway is a mistery for the ages.) "We're just giving them the time to escape by another exit if they haven't done so already. if we charge now we may still get them while they're cornered and still hot" Ace of eight arm is raised, flamethrower on the ready.

"No" Gideon didn't raise his voice and yet his voice is full of authority. "Those are acceptable risks in the circumstances. Loosing two pilots by letting them charge without backup in a possibly booby trapped position, not so much. You have your orders, I would appreciate." there's a slight but firm inflection that means obeying is not facultative despite the formulation. "if you carried them out now"

----------------------------------------------------

Arthur is helping putting the last prisoner(s) in the cart wich will head back to station with the two mecanics.
"Anyone seen corporal Seinin ? I need to t..."
Arthur jumps just a littl as a "I'm here." commes suddenly commes from behind.
"Ah yes, ninja. Well done. I'm going to need your help soon."

Spoiler

Show

Does anyone minds if I take control of some of the unused characters to make things go faster (or just a little more animated) ?
I don't particulary enjoy it (If anyone think they might do a better job, instead, they are welcomme. (PS: Fri that should be your job as DM, just saying.)) but at this point, anything to get this back on the updating track.

I'll give Deacon back to Jiriku as soon he give signs of life, of course but he's just too present a character to becomme passive and/or just disapear all of a sudden in the meantime. Apologies if he feels really out of character.

[The_Admiral]

Next morning at this rate. Though I can dump this cart and be there by sunset. Sadly it's singular. The other two had prior engagements

[Starsign]

"Alright, I'm on it," Sereda responds on her Vox as she goes back to moving the rocks. "Do we have enough guards for the caves at least? There are still some left that we hadn't taken care of yet, so it would be best to expect an ambush or three." At the very least Sereda was glad the masked villain was in custody.

[smuchmuch]

Next morning at this rate. Though I can dump this cart and be there by sunset. Sadly it's singular. The other two had prior engagements

"Very well."There's not of hint of it in Gideon's voice but that's not the answer he was hopping for, both number and time frame wise. "Do your best to arrive as soon as possible. I must warn you, we have fuel but are rather on equipement we won't be able to supply you with much. Faust out."

"Do we have enough guards for the caves at least? There are still some left that we hadn't taken care of yet, so it would be best to expect an ambush or three."

"This might be a problem indeed, but it's not what concerns me the most a the moment. Although, I can't seem to manage to reach Corporal rivers. It would be nice to find a way..."

"With all due respect, lt Faust" Deacon is sounding like a man whose patience with his superiors is starting to run thin. "It's all nice and good to want to do things by the book but I think we've got to the point were we don't have to care anymore, right ? Let's just blow up the entrance and seal the caves with the bastard right in."

There's a second of consideration.
"... .See with our mechanics if it is possible, but if it is, it's a plan I agree too. corporal, would you look into using that method to clear those obstructions at town entrance too, maybe ?
Truth be told, I'm afraid those caves has becomme mostly irrelevant. Lieutenant Sambre has reported me there has been some new devellopements"

"Ah yes. I've seen some of the locals attack somme of our hooded men earlier. I looked like the start of a purge. I'm afraid that doesn't make them on our side, alas."

"Ah !" Deacon remarks under his breath like a man who agast all expectation has been be prooven right in his paranoia and the fact that the situation would have gone a lot better if he had been allowed to rampage freely into town.
But the man is more perceptive than some people would give him credit for. ther's a slight shift in ace of eight position, as if it was reflecting the though of it's pilot. "There's more."

"I had visual contact with the black ARM. on the road. there was a fight. I didn't saw the opponent but I heard it."
It probably say a lot about Arthur that he is still reluctant to name their foe for what ti is despite the fact everyone already had time to prepare themselves psychologicaly to it. "it was somethigg large. I was hopping we cold avoid it but the 'god' has been released."

Spoiler

Show

dun dun... This is hideous, the conversation reads as unatural as possible. I'm terrible at this. Blarg.

Going to stop here for now to let Sereda or any of the DM controlled Npcs a chance to react.
(I'm not exactly sure how to break the Alf meeting in the conversation, though. ).

I'll let weither of not to abandon the cart decision to Captain_Obvious.

I've inserted the part about not being bale to contact roivers as to leave his fate tot the Dm as I don't intend to take him over. (it's annoying enough as is.).
Feel free to have him pop out with minor damge to his vox if you want him to play a part, fir, or to be be mIA/dead soon after, if you don't.