Gunstar Heroes: The Spiral Raid [IC]

[The_Snark]

Junai

... closes her mouth before anyone notices that she was about to say more or less the same thing. As the raksha. Horrible thought. Although she's only known Gunstar Hero Theta-19 for about fifteen minutes, she's already come to the conclusion that that's fourteen minutes and thirty seconds too many.

"I'll take point," is what she says instead, and moves to the stairwell before remembering that she's not actually in charge. She glances back at Howl. "Captain?"

[Jade_Tarem]

Hologlyphic Howl

"Point is fine." Holo says flatly. "We've already been here too long, and the Apostate...s...?" She makes it an uncertain plural at the end when she remembers the multiple voices. "Whatever - Someone seems intent on interfering with us. Pick your targets and go."
She'd like to give a more detailed plan, but there's no time to come up with one, and their Rhaksha wouldn't follow it anyway. She'd need to discuss a few things with him once they were underway - as it was, she'd rather have Syphilis on this mission than Mr. Hero - but right now she was willing to sic him on the Apostates and worry about coordination later.

[Aevylmar]

... And, drowning out Junai's words, the bubbling sound in the dying guard's throat rises to a teakettle whistle and his skull explodes in a shower of burning acid that etches rude words into his armor, boils over the pavement, and combusts flesh, drenching everyone in sight.

Spoiler

Show

Unparryable attack against everyone in the room seven ticks after combat ends. The last necroguard is now extremely dead.

(9d10)[4][1][10][7][2][8][1][5][2](40) - 4 successes.

[industrious]

Gunstar Hero

As the acid erupts from the dead guard, the quick-witted Gunstar Hero springs into action. He dashes towards Junai, and heroically shoves her to the ground pushes her out of danger, letting the acid spray over him to no effect.

"You're welcome!"

Spoiler

Show

It's unparryable, but I'm immune to non-stunted, non-magic as well as acid. So, I'm stunting a Defend Other action on Junai, if that's okay with you.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Arathmus

Arathmus stepped to the side, letting the splash of acid pass by with the faintest smile on his face. These creatures would have to do far better to catch him then spitting at him. He looked over at Howl, shrugging.

"Dang, and I just got warmed up. If we are heading out, then lets move."

[The_Snark]

Junai

"What - get off!" Junai rolls to her feet, protests dying away as she takes in the acid-spattered terminal. By way of thanks, she scowls at Gunstar Hero slightly less murderously than she would have otherwise. "Changed my mind. You take point."

But she only gives him a second to get ahead before taking off up the stairs herself. No time to waste; this whole setup reeks of something aimed at them. Even the Apostate alarm strikes her as suspect—awfully convenient excuse to clear the area... And there's no sense waiting around for the other guard to explode too.

[industrious]

Gunstar Hero

Hero bows at her remark, sweeping the tricorn from his head to settle upon his heart. Not his Heart, of course; the Deliberative, in their wisdom, had that.

"Of course, my lady. I would be honored."

Spoiler

Show

Does that count as a stunt?

[The_Snark]

Junai

"Be honored faster," Junai snaps, rattled. What in Ku's smoky hell was the thing playing at?

[industrious]

Gunstar Hero

"As you wish."

He takes point, sprinting ahead.

[Aevylmar]

The building is empty, but luminescent crystal signs give precise directions, which Gunstar Hero ignores (but happens coincidentally to follow) as the Story leads him to the hangar, his retinue of sidekicks following behind him. Speakers in the main building constantly repeated variants of the same warnings that had echoed in the compartment.

"Warning. An Apostate has been spotted in the building. The Void Hunt has been alerted. Please evacuate the building."

Three voices can be heard, echoing some distance into the building. Two of them are uncomfortably familiar; the tones and patterns of speech of the two guards when at last they spoke, repeated in alien mouths. The third is a mechanical scream like a swarm of angry bees, and it carries by far the furthest.

"- And I'll rend your innards and split your gizzard, toast your nose on a spit and chop your ugly spleen into smaller spleen-shaped pieces! Now open up!"

"Why should he do that if you're just going to kill him?" The voice was female, the speaker absolutely calm, asking the question with academic detatchment. "Would you remove your armor for someone trying to kill you?"

The bee voice hesitated. ""I'll keep on killing the hostages until you open up!"

Team Hero is getting closer and closer to the Kairemer's hangar...

The last voice is sensible and fatherly. "Be a little more patient, son; Haste makes waste and you don't need to be so prodigal. Torture them first. There's a very simple method that always gets results that I'd be glad to teach you..."

Gunstar Hero is at the high door that connects to the hangar; the rest of the party following on his heels.

"No more delays! Stop ambassing that door and start helping me kill these hostages!"

[Jade_Tarem]

Hologlyphic Howl

"Well, that's enough of that." Holo says to the group. "Ideas?"

[Tackyhillbillu]

Arathmus

"Punch down the door. Punch anything that looks titanic. Continue punching till said things are dead."

He smiled.

"Simple, but it has always worked for me."

[The_Snark]

Junai

"Hit them hard and fast," Junai says promptly. "I make it one Apostate and two unknowns, possibly more."

She pauses, then just in case the captain is having an attack of conscience adds, "Nobody's ever pulled off a successful hostage negotiation with Apostates, sir. Best hope is to keep them too off-balance to worry about killing them."