[Nexus] Remnant HQ

[Halae]

[Outside]

I's at about this time that a huge green troll will lumber into the area, looking rather messy and unkempt. his club is put away on his back, but he's jogging for the gates. He is, however, trying to be non-threatening, difficult as that is for a troll who is larger even than most of his race

[UncleWolf]

Comm Center

Vasquez scowls. "Summon all units back. All units. Sound attack alert and have Anna get a Jade ready."

HQ-General

The alerts sound, and all men and women who are able to do so, drop what they're doing, grab their weapons, and head to their defensive positions. Further inside massive turrets are raised towards the skies, and hover tanks provide a ring of defense.

The remains of IA and ISF are intermingled under what few officers are left, and whatever disagreements they had before, are gone. The units outside of the gate stay, knowing they'll likely be killed off, but that they needed to stay there regardless. Dizzy sees the troll and fires a trio of shots at the ground in front of his feet. "Back off or die!!!" She shouts, obviously thinking that the thing was an idiot, or possibly an AMENite.

Back inside, a lone member of Mortal Coil sprints to the armoury.

[Halae]

Torg looks down at the spot where the shots landed for a moment, then looks back up at Dizzy, and yells, waving his arms in the air, "I Torg! Torg come help new Chieftan! Torg is Pola... Palud... Warrior of Light! Torg Fight evil!" he pulls a medallion out that was hanging around his neck. To anybody who recognizes such things, it's obviously a holy symbol of a sun god

[billtodamax]

A pair of technicians look up, guns raised at the sudden appearance of the robot, but lower them when they recognize it. One begins to say something snarky, but gets a glare from the man next to her, who turns to it and raises his voice. "Event and Locations are unknown. A Power Coupling is at the North side of the old Barracks." He tells the robot, pointing at the half-ruined building. "It should be functional."

Meanwhile, fire teams begin evacuating the nearby buildings, promising the occupants money when the repairs are over, but needing them out for security reasons. On the rooftops of the taller buildings, sniper/spotter teams set up, small-scale teleblockers next to them, and begin keeping an eye on the area.

Thank you. Information requested on defense efforts. Orders requested. It says to the man, its eye blinking faster. It looks like it doesn't have much power left.

Lasers still functional. Missiles still functional. Shields in need of maintenance.

[UncleWolf]

Outside

"Then get your slimy green ***** in here!!!" The Dragonkin shouts.

Inside

The technician sets down the tools and picks up his gun. "Power up, then join in the defense." With that, he goes to join the others at the wall.

[Halae]

[Outside]

Torg takes up running towards them again, looking grateful for being allowed to help. Depending on how everything is situated, he'll move inside the gate, barricade, whatever they're defending themselves with. Once he reaches Dizzy, He'll bow and say, "Thankes. Where warchief? Torg need orders."

[celtois]

[Snipers Nest]
*Pop*

On the streets not far from the HQ (Outside the teleport blocker range at least.) Xavier will teleport in, or more appropriately in a nearby tallish building. This time he was armed, a rather advanced looking sniper rifle slung over his bare back, a pistol at his side and a pair of knives.

Now he just had to find a good vantage point from which he could take out potential targets, he scans around looking for a potential spot before settling on a broken window with what looked like a good view of what was likely to be the battle field.

A wicked grin spread across his face as he punched in the start up code for his new toy, this was going to be entertaining, now it was just a matter of offering his services, to both sides.
(Scene continues next post, broken up so people can react if they so desire.)

[billtodamax]

The robot thanks him again and walks slowly over to the power coupling.

It reaches it, and a panel in its chest open, a wire snaking out to attach to the power.

It stands there for ten minutes as it recharges, before turning and heading towards the front of the base.

Its eye is now glowing brightly once again, and sophisticated scanners start searching the area beyond the base.

It's likely a comforting sight for those soldiers that have been relegated to guard duty.

[UncleWolf]

Gate

Dizzy gives a growl and decides to save time. "I'm your Warchief for now. Do what I say, when I say it, understand?" She asks, not really expecting an answer. "Now get ready, we're about to be attacked."

Sniper's Nest

He might notice a few other snipers on rooftops near the complex. One of the teams notice him and turn their sights onto the intruder. For now, they hold their fire.

Inside

Anna walks out of the armoury, slow, as if carrying something infinitely heavy on her shoulders. She looks around, but stays where she is, the center of the compound.

She gives a shudder, and waits for an order.

[Halae]

Gate

Torg nods, "Yes, Warchief!", then moves to join whatever soldiers are presently getting. He swings his Greatclub around to hold it and get ready, expecting enemies to appear from the surrounding area at any moment. He is vigilant, and prepared for anything. He's also looking around at the soldiers to see what their reaction to him is.

[Murkus]

[Surrounding Blocks]

Jack commences the drawing of summoning wards. Of course, keeping these creatures here will sap even more of his waning power, but he had already decided to avoid leading the charge this time around.

The hollow man's hand dances across stone walls, leaving trails of bloody chalk in its wake. Impossibly complex formations cause ripples in the air, warping reality before they're even fully activated. The very second he finishes the final scratch of white dust, it happens.

Surrounding the headquarters, six portals to... somewhere special pop open. Out of each snakes a semi-physical spirit, travelers from a different realm called here by the hollow man's magic. Almost immediately, they spread out to 'possess' anything they can get their hands on. One of the snipers might spot the eldritch entities moving around.

One finds a cat. One finds a rat. Another finds a drunk. The fourth finds a bird. A fifth takes a broken golem. And the final one sneaks towards one of the snipers, perhaps having spotted him in its wanderings. The warped, swirling mass of transient energy slips up inside the soldier's building. Unless attacked or stopped in some way, it will surge forward and try to infest the humanoid. I imagine he might make a noise of some sort, but the entity will try to cut him off before he starts screaming. If successful, it probably takes full control of his body and mind. Unlike the others, no mutations occur.

Strange roars and cries resound through the evacuated area. Accompanied, I imagine, by the march of AMEN's henchmen.

[billtodamax]

Entity lacking physical presence detected. Alert! Magical deterance suggested! The robot announces, picking up on the energies. Unfortunately Ted's only qualified to deal with the strictly physical.

Suggests the attack has begun. Confirmation required.

[celtois]

[Snipers Nest]

More then a little aware of the other snipers Xavier goes about setting up the furnishings of the room into ample cover to which he can retreat if needed.

The other snipers were really killing his game, a lot. They'd make the whole thing a lot less fun. He'd been planning to run a live auction between AMEN and the Empire for each shot.

Growling he considers the possible side effects of just taking out the other snipers, before concluding it probably wouldn't be worth it. Ducking behind his new cover he'll put out a cell phone and call... well he had wanted to call AMEN, however the only people he knew from AMEN were Magtok and Jack.. Xavier wasn't really sure how to contact Jack, and Magtok...well. He wasn't exactly sure Magtok would really agree to pay for the shots, or be involved in the attack.

Sighing he will try and ring up Imperial HQ. Bring, bring.

[UncleWolf]

Outside

One of the snipers do notice the spirits. "This is Scorpion 6. Spirits have been sighted."

"They won't be able to get into the Reality Anchor, but be careful. Vasquez warns them.

A few of the units outside the walls take out a container of salt, and pour a circle around themselves to ward away the spirits.

Unfortunately for the one sniper, he's taken before he can finish the ring, and falls to the ground as he tries to resist. His spotter however, notices. "Frak! They can possess people!" She shouts over the Comm as he finishes the ring and draws her heavy revolver, aiming it at his body. She hesitates however, unable to pull the trigger just yet.

(I'll wait to respond to the henchmen until someone actually controls them. But, as a request, please have a fixed number in mind)

Comm Center

A woman answers the phone. "If this isn't a true emergency, you will be hung up on." She says as she reroutes all the other comm chatter.

[TechnoScrabble]

Main Gate

Phil walks up, looking about with a look that could be described as 'half giddy, half worried' followed by Rho, who is in his battle suit. Phil is also followed by a scouting/diplomacy drone, though this one has been repainted black and blue for some reason.

He'll wait patiently at the gate, waving a white cloth on a stick, and if the place comes under attack before he gets someone to talk to, he'll defend it.

[celtois]

[Snipers Nest]

"Then I suppose you should hang up. I was calling to offer my aid. Sounds like you could use a hand. Though if you don't want my help I suppose I could give AMEN a call." The voice coming out of the phone sounds rather amused, as if he's enjoying the Empires tough position, that last line is probably intended to be rather infuriating and the way he says it certainly can't help.

He is for the moment still behind cover so he hasn't seen the loveliness going on, out on the battlefield.

[UncleWolf]

Phil

Phil won't be able to get to the HQ due to the giant AMEN army that's been teleported in.

Comm Center

"I'll take it that you're the sniper on the rooftop then?" She asks as she zooms in on the sniper's view of where he had been spotted. She gets a nod from Vasquez. "In that case, I'll offer 10gold per AMENite Henchman head, 2000 per PC, and varying bounties on anything in between. And I'll make sure that sniper takes his sight off of you. We'll even verify the number of kills. Deal?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Phil

Oops, sorry. I missed that.
Phil will wait patiently at the back of the army to see what happens. If need be, he'll bring in a little army of his own.

[Halae]

Gate?

Torg will hold his position untill engagement starts or at least until the soldiers move. He's not stupid, just never learned how to use first person pronouns. That, and he's been in large scale battles before this

[celtois]

[Snipers Nest]

"A good guess on your part, I like your terms, the numbers are nice and even easy to handle. We have a deal. The sniper taking his sights off me certainly does sweeten the deal. I was worried I was going to have to take him out. I'll let you get back to your duties." He concludes before hanging up the phone with a click. They had plenty of important calls to make, and now he was in business. The question now was whether he should call AMEN and get a counter offer.

[VampireRot]

[AMEN Army]

The army of Named Henchmen, a total of 147 uniquely-colored and technologically augmented minions, is marching. Well, not exactly marching. Even they aren't stupid enough to clump together in a big column for the empire to explode. Rather, they're darting around the rubble I'm assuming is left from the big explosions that destroyed the previous regime.

While they advance and will shoot at any imperial who is in range and shows his head (their guns shoot regular bullets, to make things simple), the henchmen are waiting for more advanced orders before they truly go on the offensive.

[TechnoScrabble]

AMEN Army

Does that include Phil? Because Phil's just standing there with a handgun, a weird looking glaive, and a robot in a battle suit.

[VampireRot]

[AMEN Army]

Phil gets seven guns pointed at him.

"Who's side are you on, then?"

They give him the benefit of doubt, seeing as how AMEN can get new members very quickly, and he's not actually attacking them.

[celtois]

[Snipers Nest]

With the advance of the AMENites Xavier pads over to his window and sets his sights on the advancing henchmen, peering through his scope he waits until one of the henchmen darts out of cover before firing off a shot, an arc of high powered energy that flies right for the henchman's chest, or at least that is what he tries to do.

The gun is surprisingly quiet, no loud bang just the hiss of air being rapidly pressurized.

[TechnoScrabble]

AMEN Army

"Well, that's a very objective question. At the moment, I am out for my own hide, and that of my friends. However, I was created by Dana and MacLir to exist as a good being. The question isn't what side I'm on, it's what said you all are on, because the only reason I'd ever help the Empire despite the fact they killed a few of my closest friends is that they defend my other friends, and despite my misgivings, have been a wonderfully worked out government so far," Phil says all this in a rather bored voice, as if the henchmen are wasting his time in his opinion. He doesn't seem worried about the guns, though deep down he is a bit.

[VampireRot]

[AMEN Army]

Phil gets seven blank looks. DarkRed shakes his head and gestures with his gun.

"Your own hide is in peril right now. So go charge that HQ with guns blazing or lose it."

If they weren't minions, they'd probably be smart enough to just shoot him after during a speech like that. But that's a job for PCs, not henchmen. Phil should consider himself lucky.



Orchid gets an arc of high powered energy through the chest. He dies immediately. The henchmen nearest to him duck under cover quickly, and spread the word that there are snipers. They begin to scan the rooftops and windows for said snipers.


The henchmen not near either of these two continue advancing.

[FireFox]

[Sky]

Dark storm clouds begin to gather overhead. What would a great battle be without suitably dramatic atmosphere? The board is set, the opening maneuvers begun. Pawns are arranged in their respective structures, playing an important (albeit relatively less glorious) role. The more powerful pieces deploy to gain control over the center...
Whatever the outcome, this battle promises to be one of the greatest events in the history of the Nexus. The thick, black clouds in the sky serve as a thematic detail, it would seem. So far, no rain falls or lightning flashes. There is just the thunder, booming out like the martial beat of a drum.

[TechnoScrabble]

AMEN Army

"Hmmm...Charge the well defended position, or wait right here until someone needs me...Yeah, I don't take orders from the Masked Mumbo and his Red Shirts gang," the soldiers may notice Phil has a slight blue glow, and that static is running up and down his body.
And his pupils are gone, leaving his eyes milky white.
Creepy.

[celtois]

[Snipers Nest]

Rather fortunately for the AMEN henchman, Xavier gets pounce upon by a blob of deadtime before he can fire off another shot.
I'll be back in 2 hours or so. Hopefully I don't miss the whole thing.

[The Bushranger]

Somewhere...

...presumably near the back of the henchman army.

There's suddenly a rush of fire from the sky down at the henchmen!

But not from the clouds.

This is holy fire....


Called down by the smirking Nordic blonde.

"Come to party?" Eileen asks, snapping her denn'bok out with a flick of the wrist. "And didn't even invite me..."