Code Geass: Setsuna of the Ruins IC Thread

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

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The young European's head immediately swivels to his companion when she offers his services, a word of protest perched on his tongue. He swallows it. She knew this area and its people better than he, and if she wanted him to assist their new 'allies' then it was his obligation to do so.

The sense of death does not wash over Vergil so much as creeps inside, inhaled through the mouth and nose and finding its way curled as smoke around his heart. He resists a sharp cough, displeased by the sudden tightness of his throat, and wonders if this sudden dread is a portent of things to come.

Trotting smoothly to an unremarkable corner of the shack, Vergil peels aside a medical chart depicting 'The Wound Man' and retrieves a long, serrated knife as well as a handgun hidden in a small cubby hole. He presses the firearm into Genevieve's hands with a murmured "Reste en sécurité," and joins Butch and Setsuna in departing, his own weapon of choice displayed prominently in a reverse-grip.

"Ready."

[Darkstorm]

Takeshi grims and becomes sour as the bullet grazes him. This inferior enemy, even if in a knightmare, was destroying his team. He was the responsible one.

But the eerie silence helps. He quickly refocus. The flame and the void. All these emotions are fed to the burning flame inside him.
He was void of emotions.

And in that state he was a machine, a killing machine.

He lines the rifle and in a second, fires. He was the rifle. He was the bullet.
The bullet flies through the air, the muffled sound it would do was none, but even in darkness, Takeshi knew it would hit true.

The knightmare falls with the frame intact, besides a small bullet hole through wich blood and black oil flows down.

He looks at the others and gestures "Calm" "Gather around" "move to the next targets".

Rinse and repeat he almost hears himself thinking outside the void.

[Grim ranger]

Ghosting onto top of the knightmare, Leonard focuses on his plan. He'll need to go and deliver the knightmare back to Takeshi once he has taken care of the previous occupant, but there is still patrol ahead as well. As they will likely grow suspicious if the knightmare suddenly begins patrolling to opposite direction, he'll have to deal with them, and that will be somewhat of a pain by itself.

For now, however, he still has this to handle.

Pressing his ring and turning into smoke once again, Leonard ghosts into the machine through seams and vents, reforming behind the pilot and reaching into his coat as he observes the man from behind. He has not brought anything particularly fanciful, but his preferred implement of close and personal murder will do quite well in this case. Pulling a hatchet from his coat, he flips it around in his hand to aim the blunt side at the temple of the pilot before swinging his weapon firmly against his skull. It'd be better if he can avoid getting blood on the seat for now, and perhaps this guy can tell them something useful.

[Thokk_Smash]

With a better feel for his temporary speed, Leo runs to the next barracks. His knife falls once more into the bodies of the sleeping soldiers, and he ends up outside of the barracks' eastern walls to survey the situation.

Spoiler

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Move action: Into the last barracks.

Standard action: Takedown 2 on the sleeping soldiers. 2 AoA/PA, +5 for the enemies being Prone. DC 21 Damage, +2 on a 15+, +5 on a 20+.

Soldier 1: (1d20+13)[29]
Soldier 2: (1d20+13)[20]
Soldier 3: (1d20+13)[30]
Soldier 4: (1d20+13)[23]
Soldier 5: (1d20+13)[28]
Soldier 6: (1d20+13)[27]
Soldier 7: (1d20+13)[27]

Move-by Action: To the outside of the east walls of the barracks.

Status: Fatigued, Defenses at 14
HP: 1
Luck: 1/3

[SilentSilas]

Leo, Takeshi, & Leonard

The knightmare falls silently, sparks shooting out of the main structure as it slams against the ground. The team breathes heavily, recovering from the firefight. Matsu and Georgie tended to their wounds as best as they could, neither being very good at the medical arts. The inventor was tempted to turn off her silencers just so she could hear herself swear. She felt that would make her feel better about the injury sustained in the firefight, but she clenched her teeth and endured the pain.

The group gathered up on Takeshi, awaiting his next orders. Georgie was a bit red-faced, unable to meet the bushi in the eye after the fiasco with his nitrous grenades. He had thought something like a Sutherland wouldn’t have been able to withstand his destructive potential, but… He had failed. He had failed, and the team had been hurt as a result. His gaze lingered on Takeshi’s wound before they were all distracted by an incoming knightmare from the north.

The Sutherland was sloppily listing from side to side as it slowly covered ground towards the team. Its assault rifle hung limply from one hand at its side before it came to a halt not far away, the cockpit popping open to reveal Leonard!

Meanwhile, after completing his bloody work, Leo took to the rooftop of the nearest barracks and pulled out his sniper rifle. From his vantage point, he could see a squad moving northwest towards Takeshi and his group, a group of three Britannian soldiers quietly shooting the breeze, not having noticed the defeat of the other patrol. Across the base he could see a lone Sutherland traveling south… Over 600 ft away from his position. It would be a difficult and risky shot to take.

Butch & Vergil

Spoiler

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Setsuna glances between the two men, raising her eyebrow at the fact Vergil willingly left Genevieve behind to safely return the Shoshanna commander back to base… She had not considered it likely for him to do something like that. Genevieve, on the other hand, seemed to pick up more keenly that something was bothering Vergil and Butch. However, instead of arguing the point, she took the gun from Vergil and mutely nodded. As the trio went out into the wasteland, Genevieve followed them out to the door, pausing for a moment before speaking up.

“Fais attention…” She murmurs quietly, tucking the pistol into her waistband and closing the door.

The trio quietly trod across the frozen dirt and clumps of rubble, their breath catching in the moonlight as misty, crystallized fog. The feeling of death didn’t abate… The specter was still out there, delighting in blood spilled. Soon, they arrived at a crossroads - Setsuna heading southwest to return to base, but their instincts told them… To the north. The epicenter of the feeling had come from the north. Almost indistinctly, they thought they could hear voices on the winter wind.

“...What’s going on?” Setsuna stops, glancing between the two. “You two look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

[Darkstorm]

Takeshi looks at the team and gives a comforting smile. A strange sighting perhaps, if they could see it in the dark.

By the way the Knightmare was moving it was piloted by someone that was inexperienced. Leonard must have done his part of the mission.

He gestures to the team to stop and wait, keeping his weapon down as a sign of ease.

He nears Matsu and waits for the knightmare to approach. When it stops, he gestures her to shut off the field.

The second after she does, the sound returning is overwhelming. A cacophony of whispers overwhelms all the groups senses, and Takeshi covers his ears.

Ater a few seconds he whispers to the group “You did well back here. And now we have backup. ”

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

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Vergil does not immediately respond to Setsuna's question, peering intently in the direction of the strange sensation. He was meant to escort these two safely through the ghetto, as per the doctor's wishes. However...this new presence could potentially be a threat to the inhabitants of the area. Including Genevieve herself, without him there to guard her.

The young man considers this, his ponytail drifting in the wind.

"There is an intruder within the ghetto," Vergil finally speaks. His eyes narrow into a frosty glare. "We must ensure they do not pose a threat to the people here, and neutralize them if they do. You may proceed without me if you like - I am going regardless."

He had not promised Setsuna anything, only deigning not to disagree with Genevieve's offer, and thus his word remained intact. His promise to protect the people of this community, however, demanded honoring.

A test, then. He glances at Butch, then slides his gaze to Setsuna.

"If we remain together, however, I would be inclined to share your selflessness with the doctor. I'm sure it would put her mind at ease and bring her to a more...flexible view of your organization. And its demands of her. We are here to save lives, after all. Are we not?"

Vergil stares at Setsuna, unblinking and unmoving. Whatever answer she or Butch may give, he is resolved - there is a predator among the pastures. It must be driven off.

[LimSindull]

Spoiler:

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Butch
Butch’s skin crawls into tiny bumps in the nights cool air. Moisture from his breath hovers in his vision, and Setsuna calls out the feeling that’s been seeping into him the whole walk.

”I can’t see incorporeal things.” Butch keeps his head tilted northward. He frowns and turns to Setsuna.”Sorry. You aren’t wrong Setsuna; there’s death in the air. Our friend here seems tuned into it as well.”

Butch quiets for Vergil to speak. His eyes scan continuously towards the voices. He steps to the right to put himself in between the voices and Setsuna.

"Let me see to this Setsuna.” Butch turns to face northwards. His heart throbs in his ears.

[Thokk_Smash]

With a glance at the lumbering Knightmare behind him, Leo nods with content. It seems the plan is going fairly well. He hefts his sniper rifle on his shoulder and sets his sights on the remaining Knightmare. Taking aim on a place in the Knightmare he knows will simply halt the Knightmare's movements as well as the pilot, he lets loose. The Knightmare shifts slightly, though, and the bullet pierces a more vulnerable spot. Leo rolls his eyes at the knowledge that their resident mechanic will attempt to chew him out for wrecking the Knightmare.

Well, moving on from that inconsequentiality. He sights on the various patrolling soldiers now, popping off shot after shot. He manages to take down one of the southern soldiers, then moves on to another rooftop and takes out two more. "Three more patrol soldiers down, as well as the remaining Knightmare. Six soldiers to six of us, boys and girls. We're almost there."

[Grim ranger]

Nodding to Takeshi and the rest as he pulls the knightmare to halt and opens up the cockpit, Leonard manhandles the unconscious pilot to the ground level with some difficulty before following right after him. It seems they are quite on schedule so far, but of course this has been the easy part. The hard part will be making sure nobody will notice the discrepancies that will pop up after possibly suspicious radio silence once they have taken over the base.

Well, it is concern for another day anyhow. For now, however...

"So, what is our plan going forward?" he asks Takeshi. "It sounds like we still have some enemies to take care of... but I brought us a prisoner who might be able to reveal something. Perhaps he'll be useful" he offers, nodding towards the pilot.

[SilentSilas]

Leo, Takeshi, & Leonard

As the team rendezvoused by the officer’s barracks, the three students quietly tended to their wounds. They were obviously showing anxiety and fear in the present situation… One of them could have died in that silent gunfight, and it felt like sheer luck any of them were walking away. Matsu was uncharacteristically circumspect, hanging close to Takeshi’s side while Seiya tries to bind one of her wounds with a bandage.

While they regroup, Leo is continuing his mission alone. Heading to the rooftops, the assassin quickly sights his next targets and lines up his targets - the Knightmare was first to go, perfectly disabled with a beautiful shot. He quickly pivots and targets a soldier, putting a bullet through his neck and sending him to the ground like a sack of potatoes. His comrades rush to his side, and Leo has already pivoted again, quickly popping off two more shots before his sniper rifle quietly pings, reporting that it needs a fresh clip. Below, he can hear the panicked response of the last soldier in the northern patrol, standing next to two dead men, their blood and brains sprayed across the tarmac.

Down with the group, Georgie smiles timidly as Leonard returns. He felt a tad bit sheepish over his failure where his friend had succeeded quite well, bringing back a prisoner for interrogation. “Good job. Glad to see you made it back in one piece.”

GRMM

However, the moment ends as an alarm begins to sound across the base - the remaining soldiers must have reported the casualties of their patrols. From his vantage point, Leo can see red lights flashing up in the control tower. Thanks to his sabotage, he knew the base couldn’t communicate with the outside world, but their short-range comms from patrol to patrol must still be working.

“Perimeter artillery towers coming online!” A female Britannian voice echoes across the base, projected through intercoms. “All hands at full alert! We are under attack! All hands at full alert! We are under attack! This is not a drill! All hands to battle stations!”

Matsu listens to her earpiece. “They’ve got orders… They’re converging by the hangar, I’ll mark it for you.” She reports to Takeshi, making sure to use her radio to clue in Leo as well.

OOC: Leo roll perception.

Butch & Vergil

Spoiler

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“Death is in the air.” Setsuna says with an incredulous tone. The commander glances between Butch and Vergil, her eyebrow raised in a manner suggesting she was looking for the punchline to their joke. “There’s- I’m sorry, you said there’s an intruder in the ghetto. Are you being serious right now? You two aren’t-”

Her next words are cut off by a distant scream of pain, rising over the bitterly cold wind. Setsuna pauses, her breath hitching and her hand drifting towards her sidearm… This was weird, but… She had heard about this sort of thing before, amongst Todoh and his Four Holy Swords. Veterans of bloody conflicts who developed a preternatural sixth sense for violence and bloodshed.

“F u c k. F u c k, f uck, fuc k.” She hisses, inhaling through her teeth. “Alright, we’re going together, keep your heads down and don’t do anything heroic if people are in trouble.” Setsuna walks past the two of them, heading in the direction of the scream. Her hand shakes almost imperceptibly.

GRMM

They trek through the barren woods that fill the sparse gaps between urban ruin, following the sounds of voices to the source of the deadly premonition… Standing on the road to Saitama was a group of about two dozen thugs and gangsters, surrounding a single long-haired figure standing over two groaning bodies.

“-No!” Setsuna gasps, covering her mouth. In the moonlight, they could see it clearly… Crypt, the leader of Gehenna, standing over Kyung-won and his bodyguard, Kento. Both of the Shoshanna members had been brutally tortured, their blood staining their skin in dark patterns. Crypt was speaking in a low-tone to the two of them, a knife in his hand…

The commander of Shoshanna stood frozen in place, watching her lieutenant and subordinate get tortured. Crypt bent down beside Kento, and a gurgling scream could be heard echoing through the night once more…

What could they possibly do?

OOC: Roll stealth.

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

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The young European watches, eerily still save for the twitching of the ring finger on his right hand. A hint of red creeps into the edges of his vision, trailing to meet dead center of his sight like drops of blood rolling with gravity.

Torture, was it? Perhaps this man of Shoshanna deserved suffering. Perhaps he did not. But suffering was for life to dole out, not those who walked within its domain. This was cruelty. This was beneath even animals. And that they would inflict such pollution here, so close to the doctor's home...

He inhales. Exhales. Realizes he has been lazily twirling his knife between his fingers.

"Stay here," he drones. "I'll be back."

Ignoring any beseechment, Vergil circles the scene until he is sufficient distance from Butch and Setsuna's positions. Then he simply walks forward until he is noticed, blade clenched between white knuckles.

He raises his voice, the words hoarse from a mouth unused to speaking boisterously yet seething with intent. "Enough. Whatever business you have here, it is time for you to leave. Go now and you will not be harmed. Stay..." his volume drops into a hiss. "...and you will bleed.

- - - - - - - -

[Preemptive OOC Information]

Initiative: D20 + 9

Attack Bonus (w/Knives): 10
Dodge Bonus: 06
Parry Bonus: 08

Helios Knife: 3 Damage (.Net Value).

Actions:
- - Intimidate Attempt [D20 - 1]
He cuts a pale, sickly figure with a raspy voice so it's really gonna be up to the dice to decide if these boys heed a very generous warning. Personally, Vergil and I are half hoping they don't.

[LimSindull]

Spoiler: Blood in the streets

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Butch

”By his blood!” Butch exclaims in English. He moves forward unhidden and tries to shield Setsuna from Crypt’s gaze.

The animal before Butch is protecting its hierarchy. The torture is for the men watching. Whatever joy Crypt gets, the fear that flows from the scene is important. He reminds me of mother.

Setsuna’s shock was unseemly for a hardened soldier. Vergil’s eagerness betrayed his rage. Butch is empty. The fear doesn’t reach inside.

”Orders Hieka?...Setsuna!” His voice lashes off his tongue and his eyes continue to taste the scene.

[Darkstorm]

"Ok. Mission at full speed" says Takeshi just as the alarms start.

He enters the knightmare and says for all behind him "They’re making us a favor of coming together so we can kill them quickly."

He looks at all the team and continues "I'll make noise and draw fire with the Knightmare and you use the silencer to approach and flank them. Keep hidden and steadily eliminate the opposition.”

[SilentSilas]

Leo, Takeshi, & Leonard

Following Takeshi’s orders, the group falls in around Leonard and skirts around the copse of trees while heading inward towards the center of the base. They can see the patrols converging together to make a group of five soldiers, too spread apart to be easily picked off with explosives. Up in his perch, Leo realized he’d have to reposition himself if he wanted to get clear lines of sight on the soldiers… Though he did spot three Britannians up in the control tower he could easily take out.

Takeshi takes center stage inside the Sutherland, heading towards the Britannians… Who do not immediately fire on him, instead he can hear their radio communications. “Sir Beck!” One shouts. “Where’s Sir Cavill? Sir Damian’s knightmare isn’t moving, according to the control tower! Where are the terrorists?!”

Meanwhile, Georgie and Leonard drag the real Sir Beck along behind them, breathing heavily as they drag his limp body along while Seiya and Matsu follow along. Leonard can see Matsu and Georgie are both injured, but Matsu seems worse off, her face quickly turning pale from the exertion.

OOC: Leonard and Leo need to roll initiative.

Butch & Vergil

Spoiler

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"Stay here," Vergil drones. "I'll be back."

Setsuna snaps out of her shock, reaching out to grab him by the arm- but Vergil is already gone, recklessly circling around the tableau of violence until he steps out onto the road, north of the gathered thugs surrounding Crypt and his victims, walking forward calmly… But he can feel his heart pounding intensely in his chest. He was walking into danger, towards a person who emanated the presence of death itself.

But he had courage… That could be said. Setsuna cursed under her breath, watching the scene with growing horror. This had not been how she intended for any of this to go, she hadn’t… Expected… An encounter with Crypt at this early moment. This was bad, they were outnumbered and there was no way to save those two now… Vergil alone couldn’t fight all these men.

Vergil raises his voice, the words hoarse from a mouth unused to speaking boisterously yet seething with intent. "Enough. Whatever business you have here, it is time for you to leave. Go now and you will not be harmed. Stay..." his volume drops into a hiss. "...and you will bleed.”

GRMM

Everything stops, and all Vergil can hear is the blood pounding in his ears as Crypt stops dragging his knife across Kento’s face. The crime lord glances over his shoulder, his cold eyes locking with Vergil’s as his men slowly turn to face the european boy. Brushing back his locks of black hair, Crypt turns and stands to face the interloper, a rare smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His face was covered in war paint, made to look like a skull. The knife in his hand dripped blood onto the broken road, a small dark drop following after its siblings with languid drops.

“...Well this is unexpected.” Crypt replies, his smirk growing confidently. “This… I did not see coming, but I guess stray dogs do follow the scent of blood, now don’t they?” His teeth glitter in the moonlight, and Crypt tilts his head just a little to the side. “Yeah, in case that was ambiguous, I know you, dog. I’ve seen your comings and goings out of this town, I know where you sleep, where you eat, where you ****. I even see who scratches you behind your mangy ears.”

He frowns suddenly, as if confused. “But- I get the feeling, mutt, that you do not know who I am. And that is extremely unfortunate, not only for you, but also for me! Because, because you see, I-” He points to himself, “-Run a very lucrative business around here.” He twirls his finger. “I make it my business to keep an eye on all of you wild animals pretending your'e people, scrabbling across the ruins and thinking that all of this can be remade, reversed, people who just do not get that the world has changed. It is my job to keep the restless dead underground, I… am the Crypt that holds you all down. I let idiots like these play around, let their restless spirits roam, but once they start to kick up a little dust?” He shakes his head and brings his heel down onto Kyung-won’s head violently, making the Korean whimper in pain. “Well, then I need to keep a closer eye on them, but when they starting hurting my men? No, that **** I will not tolerate.”

”Orders, heika?...Setsuna!” Butch hisses, and his commander turns to look at him resolutely. Her expression is steely and cold, and he sees her intention is to survive this encounter… Vergil went running off without listening to orders, and if this was going to be the price he had to pay to learn the chain of command, then… She’d just have to explain it to Genevieve later that he ran off without consulting her first.

“H-hold back. We’re letting this play out.” She whispers, noticing already that a handful of Crypt’s men had already noticed them. “Sometimes you… Need to accept your losses and focus on the mission. There will be other battles.”

Crypt takes a deep breath as Kyung-won squirms beneath his heel. “I had a thought going there, what was it- Ah right- It’s unfortunate that you don’t know who I am, because if you did, you would not have interrupted me in the middle of my business. But guess what, mutt? Tonight is your lucky night!” He points the knife at Vergil. “Because I happen to know that girl who scratches your ears and gives you a warm place to sleep at night. She patched up one of my men not too long ago, one of my men who this ******* almost killed with a brick to the ****ing head. And while I don’t personally think pro bono work is a good business model, I certainly appreciate her efforts. So in respect to her sacrifices… I’m going to let you walk away.”

“But these two?” Crypt shakes his head. “These two are going to die, and it is not going to be pretty. If you have a problem with that, though… I can certainly oblige you.”

[Darkstorm]

Putting his plan into motion - drawing fire and disrupt the Britanians, Takeshi uses the surprise element of being in the knightmare of the enemy.

The knight mare lounges foward at a normal speed.
As he reaches near the point of gathering he unleashes a volley of fire in the direction of two of the guards and another volley in the direction of the other group.

Now he just had to wait for the return fire and his friends support - Takeshi is in his void, but even there (or especially there) he can hear the sound of hot metal in the cold night, as the Knightmare rifle starts to hiss from the heat dissipating.

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

Show

Vergil considers his choices carefully. This "Crypt" had the bearing of a competent fighter, and even if he did not there remained the issue of his numerous underlings who could very well find their courage and complicate things. Even at his best, defeating that many opponents with naught but his knife would've been a tall order. And he has not been at his best for some time.

The direct approach was out, then, seeing as Crypt seemed to know Vergil's reputation yet was bizzarely unfazed. The young soldier suspected that Crypt was the proud, arrogant type who might accept a challenge of single combat on the grounds of his credibility. In such a contest, the odds were not so heavily against him. Victory would certainly cow his soldiers.

But someone who could emenate such a presence was not to be taken lightly. If he lost, he may die. And it was possible that Genevieve would face repercussions for his failure. The obvious choice, then, was to choose the path where he did not lose.

Vergil considers Crypt's unlucky victims. They were Setsuna's creatures, and as such he felt little empathy for them as individuals. However, their prolonged suffering was needless. And their survival would be of some use to the Shoshanna movement. Was he willing to die for them? Not especially? But a death in defiance of cruelty he could most certainly make peace with.

Of course, Crypt didn't see this as cruelty, did he? What did he describe Genevieve's work as? "Pro bono."

A business man in a gangster wrapping. Violence was simply a transaction. Therefore...

"I see,"Vergil replies in his low, scratchy tongue. "You're a business man. Or the closest that these parts have to claim. I would like to negotiate a deal, then."

"My offer is this - - " The light in Vergil's eyes flies forth as sparks from a bonfire. "As I understand it, their deaths are a message you intend to send, yes? But death is a rattle before the quiet. If you intend to kill them, the torture is worthless to you. Death is the ultimate penalty - the message isn't stronger for their suffering beforehand."

"You would be better seved letting them live as examples of your retribution, where every breath they draw speaks of your work and every place they walk will know the price of crossing you. And how generous you can be."

"Release them as they are, and reap the benefits. Several of your men are spared an untimely death, your reputation is upheld, and...I will owe you a favor. You know who I am. You know what I can do. Which is more useful to you? The deaths of two nobodies or the leash of a very skilled mutt?"

Vergil awaits judgement.

[SilentSilas]

Leonard, Takeshi & Leo

The remaining Britannian soldiers jog closer to the Sutherland captured by Takeshi, relief evident on their faces as they regroup from the devastating attack unleashed by Leo. As the auto cannons come online, they begin to spark and blaze with bolts of electrical discharge, some falling offline, others beginning to fire at random, attacking disparate heat signatures out in the surrounding countryside.

“What the hell is going on?!” A voice comes in over the Britannians’ radio communications. “The cannons are on the fritz! We can’t get the damn long-range radio working either! Why isn’t anyone in the barracks answering the alarms?! What the hell is going on?!”

GRMM

At that moment, Takeshi strikes, unleashing hot lead on one of the regrouping patrols. One of the soldiers ducks, while the other disappears in a mist of red vapor, chunks of his body splattering on his compatriot. Quickly turning, Takeshi sprayed a volley at another patrol, blowing another soldier into chunky bits as the others dive into the concrete.

Georgie watches the gore grimly, wincing at his own wounds. The chaos of the firing cannons and battle on the airstrip was something the boy had not experienced in seven years… Not since the invasion. He glances over at Leonard as the other Britannian drags their prisoner along with him towards the officer’s barracks.

The soldiers gape at their murdered comrades. “Oh my god! That isn’t Sir Beck - THE TERRORISTS HAVE CAPTURED ONE OF OUR SUTHERLANDS!” One of the soldiers shouts in terror. “OPEN FIRE, OPEN FIRE! IF WE DON’T TAKE THAT BASTARD DOWN WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!” The remaining four soldiers light up the Sutherland with their assault rifles. Takeshi isn’t able to dodge gunfire coming from all directions, grimacing as the computer flashes a critical systems failure!

Alerts appear all across the screens as the computer prompts Takeshi to eject before it is too late - raising the eject bars, the Japanese bushi is propelled away from the frame in the nick of time, watching it explode violently into a ploom of brilliant fire. The cockpit crash lands outside of the base, bouncing off of a hill and slamming down into the sod. Takeshi takes a moment to get his bearings as the cockpit pops open, and then launches himself outward, dashing back to the fight!

Butch & Vergil

Spoiler

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GRMM

Crypt’s gaze narrows ominously as Vergil begins to negotiate for the lives of the two members of Shoshanna. Vergil can see curiosity and interest flicker briefly across the face of the violent gangster, but he isn’t entirely sure what Crypt will choose. “You’ve made one error in your analysis of this situation, mutt.” He murmurs quietly, just loud enough for Vergil to hear if he strains his ears. “This? This isn’t about sending a message. At least not for these idiots.” He shakes his head, still a bit annoyed that he’s even having this conversation. “It’s about exacting a price, the price of ****ing with my men. This ******* snooped around my business, so I snooped around his, and he almost killed one of my boys for it. That? That is asking for my retribution.”

He points a finger at one of his attending thugs. “My boys need to see why they’re working for me, right? So what do you think I’m telling them when I just let some punks from the ghetto drop bricks on their head and walk away alive?” He raises an eyebrow. “You think they’re going to respect me, mutt?”

Crypt pauses, and then chuckles. “I’ll say this, you’ve got guts, mutt. You certainly think very highly of yourself, sticking your nose into my business, threatening me and my people. You don’t think these things through, though… You’re alone out here on a very cold night and there’s two dozen of my boys here still pretty fresh. You’re doing exactly what this idiot did… Snooping around my business, except you also had the extremely poor taste to threaten me too.” He shakes his head. “Tell me, what part of this made you think you would be any better off than these two *******s?”

In the woods, Setsuna inhales a hissing breath. This was it. She was going to watch three members of Shoshanna die in one night, and then they’d probably go kill Genevieve too for good measure. So much work, completely wasted because these idiot men couldn’t keep their ***** holstered and had to go sticking their noses into the business of crimelords.

“But I do like people owing me favors.” Crypt says, cupping his chin thoughtfully. “And these two are about as good as dead anyhow, though I was wanting to take some bits of them with me for my art. Hmmm…” He shrugs, allowing himself an easy smile. “Well, if I was really worried about my boys turning on me, I’d have much bigger problems on my hands. Sure, I’ll take your deal.” The crimelord makes a sharp whistle, getting the attention of his men. “We’re heading back to Gehenna! Leave these two *******s in the dirt. They’re no longer worth our time.”

Crypt glances back at Vergil before walking away. “I’ll remember that favor, mutt. When I come to collect, I’ll be very disappointed if you say no…. Oh, if I or my people ever see you in Gehenna, I will have you killed.” He waves casually and heads south along the road, flanked by his men.

When the Gehennites have left, Setsuna emerges from the woods with Butch, staring first at the mutilated bodies of Kyung-won and Kento, and then at Vergil. “Don’t you ever do something like that again.” She says, her voice shaking. “That was reckless and stupid and risked more than you know. Thank god he doesn’t know yet you’re affiliated with us.”

When Butch examines the bodies, he sees that Kyung-won and Kento have been cut, beaten, and brutalized in a horrible variety of ways. Their injuries are critical and will result in their deaths very soon if he isn't able to save them... But as he is now, he'll need to take them to the clinic or the infirmary at Shoshanna HQ to have a hope of saving their lives.

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

Show

Vergil exhales a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, stock-still as Setsuna chastises him, his heart steadily slowing to an even pace. The ring finger of his left hand twitches intermittently despite his efforts, and his skin feels cold and clammy.

With the crisis averted, he allows himself to fully feel the fear, free of anger's comforting buffer. That had been...reckless, indeed. In the moment his anger had emboldened him, quieting his better senses, and he had thought...well. He hadn't thought. He had simply moved, letting the current of indignation carry him perilously close to a sheer drop.

It'd been some time since he had been so angry. Or so afraid.

"Alwin," Vergil addresses the medic. "You came asking for patients. It looks like you have two now. Do what you can to stabilize them, then we can return to the clinic or to your base."

He glances at Setsuna. "Whichever you prefer."

He has the courtesy to be deferential. Hindsight was 20/20.

[LimSindull]

Spoiler: A grey light at the end of the tunnel

Show

Butch

Butch rushes forward and stays low to the ground. Crypt was likely to change his mind and doubly so if he saw Setsuna.

In English, his throat hisses out, ”By his blood,” through closed teeth. He drops down to a knee in front of Kento and Kyung-won. His vision darts over them to assess damage; his brain pulses in its calculations.

Butch’s face muscles pull his gaze to Vergil. ”You idiot revolutionist! You're lucky that savage isn’t putting three heads in jars tonight.” His mouth is sore from the steely dagger his tongue becomes. He turns its blade to the two wounded men.

”Where are your pills cowards? This is exactly why we have our Emperor’s orders, so eunuchs and street rats don’t down empires.”

Butch reaches forward and rolls Kento over his shoulder and stands up with him. ”Heika, ...Whig, carry that man as gently as you can, as quickly as you can.

Butch turns and begins a very practiced, smooth, awkward trot towards the Shoshanna base.

[Thokk_Smash]

Leo grimaces as he takes in the exploding Sutherland, and the artillery going haywire. He'd thought he had done a better job of sabotaging those; apparently not.

"I'm going to disable the command tower, but it'll only be temporary," he says into his commlink as he sprints toward the tower. "We need Seiya there ASAP; the rest of you, take out the remaining soldiers on the ground."

[SilentSilas]

Leonard, Leo, & Takeshi

Explosions thunder over the base as the cannons go off sporadically, though thankfully at a frequency that wouldn’t wake up half of Area 11 tonight. If the team could disable the cannons for good and get the tower under control, any slip-ups could be easily smoothed over. As Leo moved closer to the control tower, he could see the commanding officer by the window with binoculars in hand, trying to get a sense of the situation.

OOC: If Leo wants to remain out of sight, roll Stealth.

Georgie quickly bolted through the grass behind Leonard, planting a hand on their prisoner’s chest. “We’re outnumbered by those soldiers until Takeshi gets back. Seiya isn’t exactly good for a fight.” He scowls at the technician as she quietly follows behind the two with a dull expression. Georgie looks back further. “...Where’s Matsu?”

Seiya shrugs. “Coming along.” She replies softly, not meeting Georgie’s eyes.

Butch & Vergil

Spoiler

Show

Kyung-won and Kento aren’t exactly capable of responding to Butch’s vitriolic frustration right now. Setsuna glances at Butch as he picks up Kento, not exactly appreciating how he barked something suspiciously close to an order at her. Nonetheless, she bends over and grabs Kyung-won’s ankles with a rather distasteful expression. “C’mon then.” She grunts at Vergil, nodding to the strategist’s shoulders. “Help me pick him up.”

The three hustle back through the frigid night to Shoshanna HQ, coming through the garage and finding Nori working on one of the Glasgows. The mechanic’s eyes widen in panic and surprise as they pass by through his garage. As Setsuna and Vergil run past, Kyung-won makes an odd rattling, gurgling noise…

“What the hell is going on?!” Nori yells, following them down the corridor. “Who the hell is this guy?! What happened to Kyung-won?” The green-haired mechanic looked frantic, in spite of his distaste for Kyung-won… Perhaps he had not experienced violence like this in some time.

Passing through the conference room, they give Yuuki and Omen a surprise, the masked member of Shoshanna swearing quietly as Yuuki turns a paler shade of white, then turning and vomiting on the floor. Under the artificial lighting, it became clear how badly the two members of Shoshanna had been tortured by Crypt and his men.

Reaching the infirmary, Butch carefully laid Kento on a gurney as Setsuna and Vergil scrambled inside to do the same… However, looking down at Kyung-won’s face, it was clear to Vergil that they had run out of time. The strategist stared blankly at the ceiling lights, his mouth hanging open ever so slightly… No air escaped his lips.

Kyung-won had died.

Setsuna stares down at her lieutenant for a moment, realizing… He was gone. If he had gone with somebody else, like she suggested… Would they be dead too? Or would… She shakes her head resolutely. There was no time to think about what may have been. Meanwhile, Butch leans over his patient and gets to work, cutting open his clothes and stripping them away, preparing to wash the wounds and treat them. Kento had lost a lot of blood, but… Maybe. There was maybe a chance to save him.

OOC: Butch needs to roll Treatment to Stabilize Kento, with a slight modifier to the difficulty due to his critical condition.

[LimSindull]

Spoiler: A few stitches

Show

Butch

Butch slices through Kento’s clothes to expose as much of the man as he can. He turns away to grab a vial of blood and jams it’s needle into Kento’s chest. Two seconds later he pulls it out and tosses it to the ground. It clatters across the tile, but fails to pull Butch’s attention away from Kento. Butch reaches to get his scalpel. ”Vergil. Leave that one. This one requires our attention now. Please acquire the rest of our surgery equipment in the labeled cabinet. After that, gather some blood. This one is Kento, he should have at least one bag labeled for himself. Please bring other blood matching his type.”

When Vergil returns, Butch has cleaned most of the wounds. ”I’ve hooked up a feeder into his right arm. Please keep whole blood flowing.” Butch’s attention stays focused onto Kento until he notices some color flowing back into Kento.

Butch looks up to Vergil as Kento’s vitals begin to stabilize. ” Where the hell are you from Whig? What kind of moron walks out to die like that?”

[Grim ranger]

Surveying the situation, Leonard frowns somewhat. The resources at his disposal are currently rather inadequate for direct confrontation, but that is hardly what the campaign ahead of him will be about anyhow. It will always about striking from surprise and as unfairly as possible: to do otherwise is to invite certain defeat. As such, he will have to get cunning here, as well as save Matsu: assets cannot very well be wasted.

And he is, despite trying to psyche himself up for it, still not heartless strategist.

"I have a plan" he speaks levelly, looking at the two while relieving their prisoner of his pistol and ammunition. "We cannot simply charge the soldiers to get into the effective range of our weapons: their superior numbers would shred us before we could take them all out. As such, I plan to lure them here with radio from my prisoner. If we lure them into ambush between the buildings, we can catch them by surprise before they can muster up a proper response" he explains, looking at Seiya. "I would like you to ziptie and guard our prisoner: alert me if he is coming to. Georgie, you go and get Matsu: I don't want to leave anyone behind. I will give you half a minute before calling the britannians: it should give you enough time to hurry back and then we can deal with them together so we can push our way towards the control tower."

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

Show

Vergil, despite his recent actions, is quite good at unflinchingly following orders when he must. He follows Butch's instructions to the letter, very much at ease with the work. Once their efforts have succeeded in stabilizing the patient, Vergil searches for a sewing kit and begins to stitch closed the wounds that the good doctor had cleaned.

Butch looks up to Vergil as Kento’s vitals begin to stabilize. ” Where the hell are you from Whig? What kind of moron walks out to die like that?”

Vergil doesn't meet his gaze, still busy with the business of patching up the sole survivor of Crypt's work. He is not especially bothered by the doctor's temper or his insults, but he does answer when he has finished sealing the most grievous of the cuts. That ought to help on the road to recovery, if there was truly a path that could bring someone back from this measure of pain.

"Where I'm from is my business, as are my choices," he eyes Butch with weary disdain and frosted words. "I have nothing to explain to you, Alwin. Least of all my motives for saving a life. Although I suppose someone like you would need that explained to them."

If Butch has any further words for him, Vergil does not respond. He has said all he can be bothered to say.

[LimSindull]

Spoiler: Ye tho I walk

Show

Butch

Butch spits when Vergil calls him Alwin. ”I would appreciate you not using that name. Butch or Butcher will be fine Vergil.” He looks around the room and his eyes finally land on Kyung-Won. He drags his scalpel across the table as he walks over to the body and gingerly begins to cut away the man’s clothes. He is silent as he works.

”How shall I go on if I am frightened. Since you will not dispel my doubts?” He looks up with a knowing smile and continues to cut away and clean Kyung-won’s body. ”You keep a lot of secrets for someone who wants to save the world one idiot at a time." Vergil is ragged and the blood on him makes him look devilish. Butch notes his efficiency in caring for Kento and his willingness to follow orders under pressure.

”My guess is a brother and two sisters. Big families breed distrust for outsiders. That’s why they wanted us to have large families. Share the blood, fall into their trust.” Butch moves from cutting clothes of Kyung-Won to cutting into his skin.

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

Show

Vergil's eyes flutter when Butch begins his deductions, then narrow into a very displeased scowl. Butch gets the strong sense that he is simultaneously very, very right and very, very wrong about the young European's family history.

He distracts himself by following the motion of Alwin's scalpel, and the dark blood that seeps from every stroke of his surgeon's brush. A reminder of the impermanence of life and everyone in it. His dark thoughts trickle with the blood and bleed out through his pores until the anger is quieted and he can think clearly again. Despite his earlier words, he takes the bait.

He watches Butch. (Insight Roll = 29)

"A man who sees secrets in others often has plenty of his own," Vergil begins, unblinking. "Since you've seen fit to pry into mine, I think it's only fair I look into yours."

"Your first guess about me was that I came from a large family, because I do not trust you. Big families learn to trust one another and so rarely rely on outside help. That sounds like the kind of dedication an only child would make. Single children lack a certain degree of personality development, because they have nothing to define themselves again. They don't know who they are or what they want."

His stare stretches on, dissecting what he knows of Butch and examining each piece. "Your parents put a lot of pressure on you to succeed, and you never quite stopped trying to please them until you realized nothing would be enough. You can't trust your family, but rather than trust others you trust no one. Not even yourself. Because you've spent your whole life trying to live up to another person's ideal, then your own, only to discover you've failed at both."

"I would say my observations are about as correct as yours, doctor. Wouldn't you?"

[SilentSilas]

Leo, Leonard, & Takeshi

Georgie nods enthusiastically, “Right!” He barks, stretching and getting ready to take off towards Matsu. Seiya wrinkles her nose slightly, taking the zipties in hand and carefully applying them to the prisoner’s wrists - too loosely, from what Leonard can see, he might want to give them a quick tighten. She stares down at the Britannian officer with a blank expression, her feelings on the situation… Inscrutable.

“Leonard.” She says in a neutral tone. “Let me know when you’re going to use their communication device headset.” She points at the headset in his hands. “My radio dampener is still active and it won’t be receiving or sending any signals to his allies.”

From his vantage point, Leo can hide from the men in the control tower and observe the activities of the remaining soldiers… It seems they’re retreating back towards the control tower building, running at full pace as the alarms continue to blare.

Takeshi had cleared the fence and was back within the confines of the base, skirting around a thick grove of evergreens. His body was still sore from the crash landing in the cockpit, and he figured he had a visit with the doc in order when he got back to base… But right now the mission needed to be completed.

OOC: It is now Takeshi's turn.

Butch & Vergil

Spoiler

Show

Under the careful ministrations of Butch and Vergil, Kento was successfully stabilized and stitched up, his vitals reporting positive results as blood was transfused into his body. The rebel would survive this encounter… Though the long term results of the blood loss and traumatic injuries would surely remain with him for a lifetime.

While the two members of Shoshanna get to know each other better, Setsuna quietly slips away, a trembling hand pulling a cell phone from her pocket… Breathe, she needed to breathe. Glancing to her side, she could see Nori, Omen, and Yuuki at the end of the hallway in the conference room, staring at her with shock and fear. “Return to your posts.” She says hoarsely, turning away and heading down a corridor towards Bachiro’s lab… Opening her cell, she quickly punches in some numbers… With Kyung-won dead, she had to make a call…

Nori is shaken by the violence inflicted on the other members of Shoshanna… No matter his personal feelings towards Kyung-won, or how he found the strategist’s calculated attempts at jokes to be rather distasteful… No one deserved this. “...I…” He didn’t know what to do in situations like these. “...Is this what will happen to us?” He wonders aloud, walking back to his garage.

Yuuki hugs himself tightly, shivering from panic and horror. This was too much… He had never thought he’d witness brutality like that, even… Even after… Shaking his head, Yuuki walks away, a hand clamped tightly over his mouth as his stomach roils. “I can’t do this.” He mutters.

Omen shrugs dispassionately, no stranger to violence. “Shoulda watched your step. You had it coming, you smug bastard.” He says snidely, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

[LimSindull]

Spoiler: Life lessons

Show

Butch

Butch stops cutting and smiles at Vergil. ”I wouldn’t know much about that. F is for family, and that is the first letter.” He turns back to Kyung-won and starts cutting again. Butch seems much more attune to the pressure and response of the corpse in front of him than the man talking with him.

”You know, my mother was as good with people as she was with corpses. I picked up half of that from her, though, she tried to teach me more. She could read a living man as easily as a dead one. That left little room for mistakes… She always told me ‘dead men have no secrets, and live ones are a few moments from being dead.’ I still don’t know half of what she was on about. I just learned the anatomy she pushed on me.” Butch’s scalpel continues it’s way around the corpse.

Butch continues cutting past any point of inspection. He begins to remove large portions of skin and bags them up. Taking his time to section it off and place the pieces in storage.

”I’ve always reacted as if I was helping people, but righteousness is a damned thing. When I lost that, I joined up with a bunch of murderous rebels and watched the closest thing that I’ve had to a friend in a long time get tortured to death.” Butch scans Kento. He trusts Vergil to keep his eyes attuned to the survivor of Crypt’s show.

Kyung-won’s body is slowly dismantled by the scalpel in Butch’s hands. ”Where’d you practice your stitching?

[Spartan Altego]

Spoiler: Vergil

Show

"I practiced wherever Ms. Genevieve was needed. What little I know, I know from observing her."

He is not especially interested in continuing conversation with Alwin, but he makes note of the man's mention of his mother. Alwin wore all the scars of a person warped by their earliest years into a twisted shape. Doubtlessly his mother, given her choice of adage, was at the root of that. In a way Vergil envied him - was a complicated connection better than no connection at all?

Resigning from his work on Kento, he observes his surroundings warily, seeing tired faces, dispassionate faces, and frightened faces. So much fear, here, with Alwin almost the center of gravity in that respect. They were all afraid.

Perhaps they needed Genevieve more than they knew. She was good at providing balms for the soul, just as she did the body. These people needed a reason to hope if they were going to survive. And they certainly would not find it in the vision of Alwin carving up a cadaver. But...this is, at the moment, very much not his problem. He is tired. Kento is stable. The other victim is dead. He decides to find a quiet corner somewhere where he may rest and recuperate.