Log:Hold What You Got
Hold What You Got
OOC Date: December 17, 2019
Location: Hoven, Wild Space
Participants: Clan Kora, Tarion Tavers, Tara Sur, Idan Jensa as Lady Fae, Zee'Roh Kora, Hadrix Kora, Ca'tra Kora, Narsai Ordo, Kaelyn, Kryll Red, Aliraet, Sumi Kora
HOLD WHAT YOU GOT
The standing order for those following Sumi Kora into battle. The opening area is in the evacuation landing, where ships of all sizes frantically direct the frightened people of Hoven, the world we're on, into ships to meet with a flotilla in high orbit. The fight is getting closer to the evac point, but soldiers hold the castle walls against overwhelming odds.
Objectives:
-Repair Defense Grid -Bring the power back online -Hold the courtyard -Scuttle the bridge if fall back is imminent -Buy as much time for the evac teams as possible
<"Follow me!">
It's the first command right off the shuttle, and our heroes see the one issuing it is a blue plated up-armored Mandalorian. The present setting has the crew moving off a small shuttle onto firm, green grassland that's been trimmed and trampled into mud given the urgency of the situation. This landing zone is ripe with activity, and ships are parked and prepped for departure as thousands of people impatiently wait to board and get the hell off this rock.
The way is forward.
Sumi leads the crew along a path to the north, taking them toward a narrow bridge where the last of the soldiers are barricaded against a contingent of some 14 Killiks. As they reach this bridge, Sumi turns to the group. <"We gotta push these killiks off the goddamn bridge. Aim for their legs or arms. You remove their ability to move, they can't attack. Don't bunch up, and support each other. I do NOT recommend close quarters with these things unless you know how to dance. I will take the tower to the east and direct your efforts. If you need air support, Fae is on station, but I have to paint the target. Tell me what to paint, and she'll take care of the rest. No heroics. I've seen what Killiks do to people. It's unpleasant. Don't be those people.">
The barricades up ahead begin to fail, and the soldiers holding them start to run away. <"You lot are up. The way is forward!"> Sumi's rocketpack putters at first and she shakes her head, but after the 17th press of the control stick, she shoots over the group and toward the tower she indicated. Now our heroes have the stretch of the bridge ahead of them, fleeing soldiers, and 14 Killiks closing the distance.
Straight into the thick of it! Narsai was in the charge. Certainly she was a monster in close quarters, but the young leader of the Revivers wasn't keen to go jumping into a swarm of Killiks in close quarters if she could avoid it. <<Move up!>> she calls as Sumi departs to cover, her trusty hand-cannon brandished and the rest of her weapons primed. This was gonna get intense. <<Watch each other's backs and we'll get through this!>>
Tara follows her Mand'alor off the shuttle, T27 hanging from its sling, force pike maglocked to her backplate, and twin pistols riding on her hips. Seeing the barricades fall she charges forward to the front lines. <<"Ready and waiting, as soon as the friendlies clear the blast radius, I'll light them up!">> Lifting the rifle to a higher angle, she flicks the selector switch to switch power to the grenade launcher. The blaster emits a rising whine as a plasma grenade is prepped.
Were she asked, Aliraet would cackle slightly at the idea of her as a "hero." Protagonist, perhaps. But then, everyone is the star of their own story. She's certainly not here out of a desire for heroics, but for a healthy amount of credits. And slight boredom.
There's a soft hiss of metal and a hum as her vibrosword slides free in her left hand, while her right slides the bulky blaster pistol from her thigh holster. Sure, she's not immediatley going to charge out into the midst of them...but she'd rather have her blade close to hand if she needs it if it should get that close.
Nor was she going to be first in the charge. The Mandos have the heavy armor....better they lead the way, in more ways than one. She does charge after Narsai as others fire their rocket packs...she really needs to get that fixed at some point and get hers installed. Eh!
"The hell is a Killit?" Tarion Tavers, rogue bounty hunter, posits to the back of their fearless leader as he tromps FORWARD as directed, following the blue-armored woman. "I know what a bridge is, but I never heard of a Killit. I mean, granted it's kind of a given what they are, from the name, it's... you know, something you /kill,/" he reasons, the G8 rifle slung around his neck making a handy prop for his hands. He tunes out most of the rest of her directions, eyes glazing over as he nods along. "Right, right, close quarters recommended, painting. I know an artist on Nar Shaddaa, you know, she has some real good paintings. You ever see those?" he asks no one in particular. "This one of the ocean, I had for a while, but kriffing... no one else appreciated it! Bunch of barbarians! No culture!"
When Sumi takes off, he looks ahead across the bridge and sees the dozen plus insectoids charging towards them, death in their beady little eyes. "Yeah, that seems about right. HEY!" he yells up at the Mandalorian in the air. "HEY, I think there should be an extra stipend for exterminator services! You said this was merc work!"
Really considers that dancing with Killicks comment, but decides that he will not inquire further about it. He follows along with the pack, E-11 blaster rifle in his right hand and S-5 in his left. He looks about at the others in the pack as they all move forward, taking quick visuals of their status and threat levels so if this gets into a mass melee then he knows how to support the others. He speaks to himself, under his helmet, "Lets get this done."
Lifted into the air, Hadrix's carbine is up and ready, setting to slam down near the falling barricade, weapon ready with the reticule on his HUD following the point of the barrel. <<"Alorir, setting up for fire line, in forward defense positions. While you're up there scope me for a position to throw ordinance.">> Now down he begins sighting, murmuring some battle chant or mantra he has converted to fit with Mandalorian culture over his... original culture.
The Bounty hunter's doctor, Ca'tra, needs more of her own medicine. Rotating one shoulder to loosen it up under her heavy armor, it looks like she is warming up for some esoteric Mandalorian dance little known to the darmanda. She's not. It's just sore, too sore to use a rifle so she hefts a Glie-44 and will play dodgy dodgy with the Killiks. Their adversaries are the real dancers apparently. And insects, because no matter the taxonomy that's what they look like to her, take a certain amount of gumption on her part to face. Standing next to Kryll, <<"Alright, into the breach. Give me some of that luck.>>
Everyone eventually tries to be a hero.
Whole god damned galaxy full of people wanting to be the center of attention, protected by some unknown cosmic force that keeps them from paying the price of their stupidity when they do the stupid things they're inevitably going to do.
Zee'roh is quiet. Staring straight forward through the smart glass of her helmets T-Visor as the shuttle loops in to land on the packed grassy area where the soldiers all deposite out in random, disorganized, formations. Because they're all here to showcase how extraordinary they are compared to everyone else.
To Ca'tra, moving up beside her with a clipped nod, <"If someone needs patched up, we'll go to them, oya?">
The VCX auxilliary shuttle touches down only long enough for the team of battle hardened warriors to charge out, before its pilot- the fair haired Lady Fae- guides the blocky craft back into the air, the bording hatch hissing closed even as the vessel ascends once again. <<"I am in the air once more, Miss Sumi. Scopes show a sizable body of Killiks still at the walls. The present company must be dealt with swiftly, as automated defenses appear to be down.">> She even reports battles prettily.
Kae is off the whatever, the girl wearing her own t-visored helmet as she looks around... < Heey, this place is lacking power... Want me to try and bring power up and see if maybe it's got some powered emplacements to help with the swarm?> She asks curiously, as she lifts her carbine and looks down the bridge <Or I can help suppress the bridge!> she calls out again, looking around curiously.
Lozen is a warrior but not a soldier-anyone who's seen Hadrix fight and Her Fight the distinction is likely clear. She follows behind the heavier armored Mandos but compliments of Hadrix she is packing a lil something more than an axe this time though she has to carry it carefully least the stock of the weapon swing wide while she follows at a brisk pace surveying for adequate positions to provide cover.
The shooting starts! Narasi's w-35 blasts out, its heavy bolt immediately blasting the body of one bug and throwing pieces of horror back. One down, plenty more to come!
Tara steadies the T27, her helmet helping compute the trajectory, before pulling the trigger. The grenade launcher coughs, vomiting an orb of plasma into the killik's midst that detonates on impact with the ground. A flash and a wave of heat heralds the sound of three bugs detonating, their innards flash boiled <"Oya!">
Aliraet arrives at the barricade, realizing that my, there ARE a lot of bugs over there....and makes a decision to holster her blaster instead, grabbing instead for one of the grenades at her belt and twisting it, then bobbing out to hurl it towards the horde.
Unfortunately, she overthrows juuuuuust a bit to be sure she doesn't accidentally freeze Narsai in the process, and it bounces off the bridge before exploding, freezing the river below instead of the bridge. HAH! Her true plan, those bugs will break their necks now if they try to escape!
Tarion doesn't look very impressive. Most of his charm evaporated when his hair was burned off by a blaster bolt to the head last month, leaving a scarry trough of real short fuzz down the middle of his scalp like an awful reverse mohawk. His armor is just a plain grey body suit. "I assume these are the Killits," he remarks to the rest of the group, indicating the insectoids already being blown to bits by his compatriots. "I got there because, when I looked at them, that's what my brain said, it was like, 'kill it, Tarion,' and I was like, that sounds like a good idea," he continues to ramble, pulling his rifle up into his shoulder, laying his cheek against the stock to squint one eye closed and squeeze off a quick shot at one of the Killiks, blasting it square in the carapace, but the thing keeps trucking.
"I should have brought my purse with the sticky grenades, that's like, y'all ever seen bug traps? You know what I'm saying? Like a big... sticky... heh heh, ANYWAY. You guys know what I'm talking about."
Kryll continues to push forward with the group, slowing to a steady pace as he brings his e-11 to bear. He fires three blaster shots, the red bolts speeding from the barrel of the rifle to strike his targets, first killik takes it in the left arm, then another gets its torso blown out, while the third loses an arm. All three targets are down for the count, and he continues to track additional contacts, tagging them on the comm network for everyone in the pack.
Ordinance is going out... No one has joined the melee... Hadrix has been waiting to use one of these. He's been wanting to for a while. He expects he'll get over excited... Over throw. Throw to the side... But he's never got to use one of these.
<"DET OUT - DANGER CLOSE"> Hadrix's voice explodes over the battlefield, his externals dialed up to battlefield/riot mode to be heard across the distances. He rears, cocks his arm... fires. The Detonator hits the ground among the swarm and a sun blossoms. Heat and light eradicating insectoid and duracrete alike, sending the bridge quaking, swaying and then the superheated metal and stone sags to collapse down to the river below. As things begin to fall, the big man dives, spotting Lozen in the tumble and angling to hover and hold a foot towards her while his jets fire and keep him up, <"Lo! Hold on!">
The doctor feels strong arms go about her, then her feet leave the ground under the impulsion of Zee's rocket pack. <<We have to stop meeting this way, Zee.>> A wide grin can be heard in Ca'tra's voice. Over the devastation of the bridge and the insect parts being washed down river they go.
<<"So you actually are a dumb ass... that's good to know.">> Zee says as Hadrix throws the grenade and takes out the way forward. She has a jetpack, others have jetpacks, and some others don't. <<"That was tactically the most swinging cock, look how much bigger mine is decision you've ever made... They weren't even /close/...">> Motioning both hands. <<"Get around his girlfriend and he's acting like he's never fought a war before... well I hope she gives it up tonight...">>
The bridge gives way, because of course it does, and Zee fires her rockets with an arm looping around Ca'tra's waist to lower them both down to the ground below. <"It's the Hadrix series of dating websites, bringing Mandalorian women together since..."> pause to glance at a wrist that does not have a chronometer on it, <"A few seconds ago."> Rifle at a low ready, looking around for others what might need pulled from the water...
In the shuttle's cockpit, Fae's fair brows knit in curiosity as the sensors show a sudden spike in radiation from below. Abruptly, her blue eyes widen with alarm as the shockwave from the thermal detonation is so strong as to buffet the vessel in flight. Grip firm on the flight yoke, she steadies the vessel, even as sensors are scrambled and instruments disoriented. Half lost in static, she wonders, <<"What was that? Was that us?">>
Lozen's choice was between trying to grab something to cling to and dropping her weapon and possibly plunging for a swim-for an Echani the choice is easy. The only acceptable circumstance to drop one's weapons was death and even then there were those who secretly judged those who dropped weapons even in that circumstance. There's a sharp yelp and then grunt as she's grabbed by the arm and rag-doll hoisted along. She doesn't say a word about his choice in attack but there is the briefest of pointed looks up at her heavily armored mate.
Soo she watched the bridge fall into the water after a big explosion. Kae's still blinking spots out, even with the visors built into her helmet... "Eeef! Don't go throwing Thermal detonators on a bridge rigged to blow!" She calls out, now flailing at the flying folks...
Kae then glances down and looks across the area.... "I gotta go over there to fix stuff!" She says and yes she's flailing now....
Finally she comes to a conclusion and starts trying to piick her way down to the edge of the water... Needless to say, she's still seeing spots, and the rock she was using to prop her self up gives way. Aaand there goes Kae, falling into the water...
Kae's used to swimming pools, not current! Now barely able to stay up she's flailing her arms over her head and calling out "Halp! Current's got me!!!"
The sudden explosion of the thermal detonator robs the battlefield of any sound the moment the fusion explosion occurs. The insectoid creatures that stood near it were atomized in a single, blinding flash of destruction and instant death. The explosion could be seen from space as a tiny dot of white, and yet from the surface it's seen for miles around as a tower of white smoke that billows out into a mushroom followed by a wave of concussive, destructive energy.
Everyone who was within a mile of this has ringing ears, and those at close range, are simply knocked from their feet. Killiks, and friendly soldiers were enveloped by the spread of white energy, and the bridge began to tremble.
By the time everyones' senses returned to them, the bridge was tilting and the struts that kept it in place began to spike off with loud screams of over-stressed steel. Those who end up in the water are fortunate enough to eventually find something to hold onto.
EVERYONE except ALI, end up below at the shoreline. The shoreline is outside the walls to the stronghold they were running to. Now that bridge is gone and its debris is washing away in the river, clogging places and tangling people up. Those who land ashore are able to work out a rescue. Sumi's voice is heard over comms.
<<"WHAT THE ACTUAL REKK!?">>
<<"LISTEN UP, THE NORTHERN PATH FROM THE SHORELINE.. FOLLOW IT. THIS WILL BRING YOU TO THE FRONT OF THE STRONGHOLD. CLEAR THE FRONT OF KILLIKS, THEN GET BACK INSIDE!">>
<<"Ali, get up on the wall and help the soldiers. Killiks are getting by. When the wall is cleared of bad guys, open the gate for our team here.">>
ONLY KAELYN IS IN THE CURRENT RIGHT NOW, STRUGGLING TO STAY ABOVE WATER! GO TEAM GO!
With that first burst of the explosion and the shrieking of metal? Narsai's teeth pull into a hiss and whince behind her T-Visor. <<"That might have been a little mu-">> she begins, then the bridge is collapsing and the young woman is quick to engage her jetpack as the ground falls away from her. In the ringing and confusion, there's a moment of disorientation not even the helmet could completely shield her from, but as her senses realign in time to hear the orders from Sumi her eyes widen at the sight of the swept-away Sephi.
A burst of her jetpact, Narsai's armored from skims over the water close enough for the current to splash at her plating while she angles downwards. Some tricky skimming, but there's a sudden 'whumpf' of impact as her arms hook under the shoulders of the flailing Kaelyn and she scoops the other girl out of the water. <<"I got ya,">>
Well, frell. Can't always hit with the grenades. She really needs to work on that more, Aliraet figures. Well, she's still got another so..
Wait, danger WHAT?!?
The detonator lands, beeping nearby as Aliraet's finely honed survival skills send her bolting AWAY right before it detonates behind her, tossing her forwards into a semi-graceful shoulder roll, before she's on her feet in a sprint. Under her feet, the bridge begins cracking with an audible *SNAP* and squeal of metal girders giving away as she leaps from permacrete island in the tumbling rubble to the next, just barely diving clear as the whole mess of the bridge tumbles into the river below with a loud rumbling crash!"....WHAT THE KRIFF WAS THAT, YOU HALF-WITTED GUNDARK KNOB POLISHER!! YOU TUB OF CURDLED WOMPRAT VOMIT!!!!! IDIOT!!! FRELLLLL!!"
She's just a tad annoyed.
There's an angry swish of her sword, before she runs for the ramp up to the wall, cursing under her breath as she goes as she draws her blaster. With so many of those who were on the bridge down on the shore, she doesn't want to risk another grenade miss...and she's pretty sure she can't hurl it all the way across where the bridge was anyway.
Then the point becomes moot as a killik leaps over the wall and lands practically in front of her. Too close! She sends out a pair of quick slashes as she rapidly retreats to give herself some room to manuver, the humming blade shrieking as it scores off the insectoid armor but doesn't penetrate.
...Shab. Her plasma had rattled the bridge, but a full on thermal det? Yeah, it's going away. A quick eye command to bring flight mode online, and Tara lifts into the air, surging backwards to get out of the blast zone. <<"Nice one Hadrix, You got rid of the chokepoint. You /kinda/ overshot P for Plenty.">> That's about when the shockwave hits, The hunter just barely managing to stay airborne before drifting back to the shoreline. She blinks rapidly, visor depolarizing to reveal Kae struggling in the river... until Narsai scoops her up. Okay Nobody's drowning.
Okay, regroup back at the gate. She can do that. Clutching the T27 she charges up the hillside, blazing away in the direction of the attacking Killiks in an attempt at suppressing fire.
"So is there a plan here, or just... lob explo-" BOOM, the thermal detonator rocks the bridge and suddenly things that were suspended by structural integrity are now falling down, along with Tarion, who happened to be out on the bridge. "AHHHH," he screams, falling along with the rubble into the chilly waters below.
"AAAAHHHH," he screams as he flounders in the stream, chunks of rubble from above raining around him, splashing the brackish creek up into his face. "AHHH-*bloorple*-AHHHH." Moving towards the edge of the stream by a heroic effort, which here means, the current pushed him there, he clambers atop Kaelyn's shoulders to boost himself out onto the bank, launching himself to safety and leaving the Sephi behind to be rescued by Narsai. Spluttering and spitting, he starts heading up the northern path. "You people are lucky I'm here! I'm holding this thing together!" the bounty hunter declares, running his hand back over his hair and spraying water in all directions. When he sees the group of Killiks coming over the wall ahead, he slows to a stop. "Ah, krif. More kill-its."
Kryll had slowed his pace, he was blasting killiks, and then, someone who was NOT Tharyn, but seems to be as crazy as him, was throwing thermite grenades ahead of them onto the very bridge they were using to cross. Tactical failure. And then, the bridge was going to hell and the whole pack of people with it, Kryll realized there was no way he wasn't going into the drink, and fires his S5 at the shoreline as he falls disappearing into the water. Moments later he reappears as the cable starts reeling him up and out, back onto dry land where he lays there for a moment. <<Hadrix. You are hearby added to the list.>> Climbing slowly to his feet, the water running down off his armor, he turns and heads along the path with the others.
Once on the bank, gun drawn and at the ready, Ca'tra crouches and turns to watch for the others still laboring under the concussion of the blast and fighting the current of the river. Tavers, has an interesting method for survival, she waits till that little scene plays itself out. She has already put Hadrix on her 'to do' list but not the pleasant one.
<<Kriff, Kryll that was almost as dangerous as that blast. But well done.>> After giving the man a moment to find his feet, she jogs off towards their objective.
<<"HEY! He might be an idiot, but he's my idiot.. I'll dress him down, the rest of you fight, or move, but definitely shut your kriffin' face about it.. except Lozen, she can talk to him however she wants. Not my circus...">> Zee slaps a palm against her helmet to clear the verticle bars with a little plan b action on her HUD, <<"You heard the Alorir, get your asses in gear!">> Motioning up the pass, <<"Aliraet, we're inbound from the ridge... Coming up the pass ahead of the front gate /now/, about to engage the Killiks charge line from the rear.">> Tap tap, <<"Lady Fae, I want a fire mission on my light-">> Reaching for a IR beacon straped to her chest to hurl out ahead of them once they clear the pass back up onto the ridge, <<"-Danger close fire mission to clear us some breathing room back into the fort... Set up a fire and advance line.. We have to get in /that/ through /them/..">> Pointing at fort and Killiks, <<"Let's do it.">>
What begins as static over the comms gradually gives way to Fae's voice, <<"..to ground team, I say again: what is your position? Ground team, please respond-">> Then the call for fire support comes from Zee. <<Understood, Miss Zee'roh. I read your beacon and will clear a path as best I may. Miss Sumi, please illuminate the desired endpoint. Commencing fire.">> The shuttle comes around overhead and angles down, opening a cannonade of dual lasers that tear apart Killiks and ground alike, before nosing back up. <<"Be advised, a larger body of Killiks is visible emerging from the treeline, perhaps half a kilometer distant. I advise haste.">>
Lozen pulls herself up as Hadrix lower her down, gently whumping her helm against his just briefly before she darts away, rifle lifting again to brace against her shoulder with the barrel down as she makes haste to meet the threat.
Kae blinks as she's caught... She then looks up "Nice catch!" She calls out, her voice can probably be heard... <Heey, drop me near the power systems and defense net! Imma try and get both up. That should help us out lots!> She calls out. Yup, she's back to normal.. <I'm happy I'm not completely inundated with water!" She calls out again...
She then glances around <Anyhoo, yeah, get me next to the stuff that needs repairing... I'll get it online! See if we can get me a little cover for it as I bring systems online!>
Then she notices where she is < Umm well, nevermind that, Imma fight my way in with you guys! Lets try to get to the power systems and stuff!> She calls out, now probably running with the rest of the group.
The thunderous impacts of double laser cannons shakes the very ground everyone is moving along. The result is what they see as they round the northern path and come up on the front of the stronghold and the sight of absolute wreckage Fae has caused. Sumi lowers her painting device from above and glances over the edge of the tower, smirking. <<"Good run, Fae. Good call, Zee. You've got a few stragglers in the dust there, team. Kill the killiks by the gate and get back inside the walls. We'll have to ferry the platoon back to the Evac zone while we hold this position.">>
Sumi takes aim down below where Ali is fighting a Killik. A moment for sight alignment and picture, then she fires. The red contrail of her blaster lance passes through the creature dropping it. <<"You good, Ali? I need you to be ready on that gate. Our people are about to be knocking on the front door.">>
THE GROUP RUNNING TO THE FRONT GATE (Narsai, Tara, Tarion, Kryll, Ca'tra, Zee, Kaelyn, and Lozen), there are 15 Killiks near the gate. Take them OUT!
Aliraet is still cursing a bit under her breath as the killik chitters at her, raising a serrated claw...and then its head explodes as a blaster bolt smashes through it, the headless corpse staggering back and falling back off the wall. <<"I'm greeeat, nice shot...heading to the gate controls now.">> She flicks her sword over to reverse her grip so it's behind her as she runs over towards the gate controls, peering through the armorplas shield to the area in front of the gate. <<"I'll open it as soon as the exterior is clear. So squish those kriffin' bugs down there!">>
Charging up the hill, Tara is greeted by... Another densely packed group of Killiks clawing at the walls and gate. <<"Plasma out!">> The rifle coughs, but this time the plasma impacts the riger and raises a gout of steam. Shit. SIghts were misaligned from the shockwave... A quick smack and some tweaking to re-align them, and Tara re-slings the rifle and draws her pistols... Things are about to get up close and nasty soon.
Back on the ground! Narsai is among the charge, firing her blaster once more and dropping another bug with a heavy shot. <<We need to clear these things out so we can move the non-combatants, or hold them off until a ship can get them out. They can't chase them into orbit!>> Armored as she is, Narsai wasn't running into melee distance while the others were using explosives, but her free hand rested on the hilt of her backup weapon, ready for the bugs to rush in at them.
Tarion is there with the rest of them charging around to the front, sopping wet. The bounty hunter blinks as water drips into his eyes, and points his gun in the general direction of the Killiks before squeezing the trigger. "Yeah, go get them!" he yells half-heartedly, looking around at the strangers he's fighting beside for a moment and realizing he doesn't know any of these people. At least, he doesn't remember knowing any of these people. "But what's my motivation? We're getting paid for this, right?"
Kryll following up the hill, water still draining out of and off his armor, Kryll spots the next pack of hostiles and levels his E-11 blaster rifle. He fires off three quick shots again, only one striking a killik in the leg, the others going wide. He shakes his weapon, making sure the water has drained from it and prepares to engage in close if things continue this way.
Marching at the rear of the pack, head down, keeping watch on things until they've rounded into the face of insectoids. Looking from point to point between the non-humans he lifts his flame rifle, externals engaging <"Incendiary engaging. Clear"> and an arch like a solar flare streaks across and into the mass of creatures, chitinous shell running and cracking, leaving innards cooked hard where there would have been liquid, tumbling to the ground as its hardening fluids cook and choke out its cardiovasuclar system, and then the steam from the flash cooking pops open other areas, more goo pouring out as it twitches.
The group of assorted bounty hunters has spread somewhat as they jog towards the gate. Blasts blow Killik pieces and ichor back on to Ca'tra's helm. She wipes it off relying on her HUD display to target, firing into the group without much effect. Fire leaps high, her visor muting them to pale flames that leave puddles of smoking insect that she splashes through as they merge on the portal.
<<"There he is!">> Zee shouts as Hadrix whips out the flamer and roasts a bug down to its base parts with her hand coming off the rifle to hop up and slap the back of his helmet affectionately. The slung rifle drops down against her chest in favor of her heavy blaster yanked free from the big holster on her right thigh, snapping off two quick shots at approaching Killiks that kill the bugs in a heap and a third that staggers, but doesn't drop it. <<"We've still got a ton of heat out here, but we're wittling them down. Keep at it.">>
<<"I understand, Miss Sumi,">> Fae acknowledges, bringing the compact shuttle around to lower on thrusters above the besieged fortress, making use of the shuttle's external speakers to instruct the surviving platoon of native defenders to board for evacuation. The fair haired Hapan lowers the hatch, but does not land on the fortress, unwilling to test its integrity with the weight of a spacecraft and hovering just above the masonry. The first load of harried defenders pile aboard, in haste. Fae wastes no time before calling for takeoff.
Kae glances around as she's running with the others... Then well there's a chance to shoot and she slows her trot to the 'traditional' 'groucho' walk for a fast tactical approach while firing. She's read her books! She kinda knows what to do!
Kae raises her carbine and squeezes off one shot on the run, a second following it quickly, however her feet kind of step over one and she stumbles a little, before Kae raises the rifle again and fires a third, dropping him... "Ooh, ok this is harder than it looked on the holovids!"
Lozen is most at home getting close and personal with her foes but she holds the rifle like she knows how to use it. Her firing suggests perhaps maybe not. There's a low growl and without any fear she adjusts and lines up another shot, holding her ground as she does so.
The battle up front has taken the strain off those who have been defending the walls for hours. This is a much smaller group, but bodies are piled up EVERYWHERE, steaming and stinking. Most of the surviving killiks at the front gate are shot down as the war party moves into position, and those who remain are at close range now swinging their deadly limbs and make shift weapons.
Sumi manages to drop one of the Killiks that Kaelyn injured, then lifts her rifle angling the muzzle skyward. She walks to one edge of the tower to look down. Troopers are leaving the walls to climb into Fae's shuttle. Within a few moments, the craft is filled.
<<"First squad is on board the shuttle. Let's mop up these last few; get inside, and get these defenses back online.">>
A cursory glance angles further out from where Fae had indicated 'reinforcements' were coming from. All Sumi could see was a shifting sea of green insectoid bodies. <<"Gods..it's a swarm.-- KILL EM ALL DOWN THERE AND GET INSIDE! THOUSANDS ARE APPROACHING!">>
Tara grunts as one blow from a killik smashes into her ribs, a sharp yelp of pain escaping as another lashes out and catches her in the rear with a sharp leg. Cue a rather large amount of Mandalorian swearing, and Tara unloading with both pistols at the bugs in her face, hammering one into the ground with blasterfire.
More bolts from Narsai come as the wave of fire and...actual fire lights up the area. This Killiks however seem to be learning, weaving between her shots when the call comes of -many- more on the way. Crap. "<<Sumi, if you've got an extraction ship call it. Otherwise, signal the Malachor. We'll just have to hold out till she gets here.>>"
There's a *THOOM* as Aliraet's K-16 sends a large blaster bolt down range to smash into one of the injured bugs, before she reaches out to pull down the control to start the massive doors opening. With a rumble, the barrier begins to part as they slide into the wall on either side. <<"Get your asses inside before their friends get here!">>
Kryll follows the pack in, but slows his pace again, firing as he walks towards the killiks. Again, his first shot strikes one, blowing off its limb and putting it down but the next to shots fail to find their intended targets. He considers for a moment drawing his blades, since his fire has become so sporadic, but with a complete swarm coming that makes the decision for him.
"Wait, THOUSANDS?" Tarion repeats, eyes widening at the quoted number, his reverse mohawk still damp from the dip in the river. "Thousands of these things? Like four zeroes?" No. "I didn't sign up for that!" the bounty hunter yells at Sumi, about the time a Killik warrior jams a pincered claw into his left arm. "GAH!" he shrieks, jamming his rifle into the tight space between them and frantically pulling the trigger. The blast takes the Killik's right arm clean off, tit for tat, and part of the torso goes with it, leaving the hunter spattered in insectoid fruit filling. A few sparks short out of the holes in his sleeve, but no blood.
Flexing his hand with obvious difficulty, he walks quickly towards the gate, leaving the others to clean up what's left of the Killiks outside it. "Thanks, Orange Lady, you're a real /peach./ Get it? See what I did there?" he winks at Aliraet as he strides inside, before his hand spasms in a decidedly unhealthy fashion. "This is normal."
Still firing without much effect in the general rush forward to the gates, Ca'tra stoically whistles to herself at the announcement that they are imminently going to be overrun by the insect-like creatures. She is in a knot of the hunters as the portal opens still firing behind her.
<<"Everyone get inside, I have the rearguard.">> Hadrix continues to tromp along, shoulders hunched, voice dripping with rage. The continued stream of liquified flame pouring out <<"Attempting to establish incendiary perimeter">> his left hand straying to his ordinance belt again as he switches to the Aliit's channel, <<"Vode... I have another thermal... I could put a dent in their front.">> he moves purposefully to let others move ahead, to the open gates, lollygagging.
Lozen lifts her rifle and there's a click. There's another growl of exasperation and a brief pause as she thinks about letting her axe join the party but then Tarion's temper tantrum gains her attention and she blinks, "Thousands?" She shoulders her rifle and reaches for her axe as she begins to make a hasty retreat.
<<"Well come on then, we don't have all day...">> Zee says to the approaching Killik, dodging right out of the path of one of the one that charged her and firing into its left arm as it passes her. The arm might be off, but they don't even care, they'll keep coming... but the doors are open and they have /thousands/ coming. <<"Kaelyn, get the power back up...">> Rushing into the fort with her pistol sliding back into the holster on her hip as she passes the threshold, <<"Soon as it is, I'll get us some defense weapons.. Ca'tra, start tending to everyone while we've got some breathing room.">> Click click, <<"Alorir, how long until that swarm is on us?">> Enter hadrix, <<"Fek yeah, send a thermal up their back pipe. Kiss it first and go with our blessing, oya!">>
Fae lifts the shuttle off and engages the engines as soon as it's reasonable to do so... perhaps even a bit sooner. The rhomboid vessel accelerates across the fortress and fallen bridge to set the first load of rescued soldiers, with the prim but forceful words, "Do make haste or prepare to jump, gentlemen; I'm taking back off in ten seconds, whether or not you're all safely ground side." She's true to her words, returning to the air and reporting, <<"This is Fae, I am returning to the fortress for the next octet.">>
All hail the groucho walk!! That would be Kae, shuffling while trying to steady her rifle. The first shot rips off and she blows a hole right through the Killik's center. And another two shots ring out, the second hitting the other Killik center mass, before Kae stumbles and sends a random round flying some where, other than where she was aiming.. "Who invented this walk anyhow!" She calls out, as she tries to get back to her feet some... "Eeef!"
The last of the bugs up front are falling, overwhelmed by blaster fire. With the gates opened, the crew can move inside after climbing a small ramp to get into the courtyard of the fortress. Tall walls protect them from all sides, and a pair of generators are smoking from the far right side. A view of the demolished bridge is to the south, the metal and debris still smoking, and beyond that they can see the evacuation area.
<<"Lady Fae is working our evac shuttles right now, Narsai. She's getting the local nationals out while we cordon this stronghold. She's on her second stick of 8 now. That will leave 9, then us.">>
Turning back to the open field which the stronghold faces (THE NORTH), a destructive wave of Killiks swarm forward, stirring up dust. The gates manage to shut in time, but the walls shake from the impact as the first wave of bugs hit, and the second simply smashes them into the armored exterior. Sumi grumbles and points from the tower to the wall.
<<"GET THE DEFENSES ONLINE.-- REST OF YOU.. MAN THESE GODDAMN WALLS AND HOLD WHAT YOU GOT! THIS IS IT!">>
Sumi moves into a firing position and triggers her internal comm to Hadrix. <<"Let them have it, vod.">>-- Then Sumi's raspy voice crackles over comms again. <<"Everything you got, people!">>
Upon the walls, the group manning them could see Killiks climbing to reach the top. They began throwing rocks and spears, making it difficult for good shots to be taken. Killiks, by sheer number, look to be in the hundreds, if not thousands. It's not about killing them, it's about holding the wall! 11 Killiks are climbing onto the wall!
Soon enough Narsai was at the wall as hell and horror began to climb over in a swarm. Rushing into the close-quarters mess she didn't really have more time of offer a call of <<Acknowledged>> to Sumi's information before she moved with the rest of the group and began to empty her E-11 in rapid fire at the bugs. Soon there'd be enough the weapon's accuracy wasn't going to matter all that much, but for now two of the three bolts slam into the critter before her. Tarion's complaints of thousands reach her coms and Narsai gives a laugh, clearly a little high on the adrenaline of very likely death while explosions and blaster fire ring out. <<C'mon, do you wanna live forever?>>
Aliraet yanks the switch for the gate back into position the moment the last of the warriors below are passing through the doors to get them closed inside, then shifts to move to the wall, stalking along it. <<"Not going to be hold these numbers for too long..."> she warns. <"We're going to need to evac quickly once we pull off the walls...">
This is punctuated with her taking aim at a killik pulling itself up over the wall as she sends another blaster bolt its way, forcing it to duck back down to avoid the shot as it blasts a chunk out of the wall parapet.
Tara gets inside, pausing just long enough for a quick patch-up from Ca'tra, and then she's up on the wall and blazing away. The Sentinel screams, its intense beam punching a fist sized hole through a Killik's torso and blasting it back off into its fellows. The DL-30's higher pitched shriek follows, punching a hole through another bug's brainstem, and burning a hind leg off a third. <<"Oya! Hukaat'kama, Mand'alor!"
"Ah yes," Tarion intones with an affected Coruscant accent, a really bad one. "The Last Stand of Tarion Tavers, hero. In which he vanquished ten thousand Kill-its singlehandedly before succumbing to death by a thousand little bitty cuts," the bounty hunter continues, a twinkle in his eye. "I always dreamed of how I'd die and I gotta tell you, slaughtered by giant bugs in a weird fort in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of strangers I never met for a tiny paycheck is honestly not that far off." He cocks the charging handle back on his rifle and lines up a shot on one running across the top of the wall, tagging it with hot plasma from his spot in the courtyard. "If you people think I'm going up there, you're out of your minds. We got perfectly good walls to hide behind until they overrun them and kill us all!"
Kryll makes his way into the compound with the others and quickly assesses the situation. Spotting the killiks on the wall, he moves in and stands his ground, firing into them before they can attack any of the survivors. Both of his shots blow off the right leg of his target, putting them down for the count. He takes a moment to track the surviving killiks in the perimeter, and then looks to his comrades for this engagement to determine their combat status. He spots Ca'tra hitting one of the killiks and gives her a nod, then refocuses on the matter at hand.
The big man's jets ignite before the creatures hit the wall as the gates close behind. There's no fear, no expectaction of being called a hero. But if he can thin the tide he will. Hadrix is skybound to hover over the masses before he calls over comms <<"Det out. Danger close. Watch your eyes, Fae prepare for shockwave.">>
He holds up the sphere and side arms it out into space, a throw to place it a good thirty meters back from the wall, the gates, enough to warm them up but not just melt them and kill them all. He scowls inside his helmet and then leans while his thrusters fire, carrying him backwards and away,
<<"Detonation in 2... 1.">> a sun us born, grows, consumes like a ravenous thing crafted of heat that bleaches color again and sets everything in stark relief.
Hadrix is on the wall, kneeling head down and an arm before his visor - to protect his vision.
Kae is busy! Yup, and focussed for once, as she stows her carbine at the small of her back.. "Here we go..." She mutters as she pulls out a couple tools, including a very very big variable hydrospanner? She hits a button and the thing extends some while she starts fidding with things... She then pauses and sticks out her lower lip...
More fiddling, and sparks fly, and finally, Kae walks around one generator, looks it over, hits a few buttons and switches, adjusts the connectors, then she kicks it, that one comes on...
Kae makes her way to another, morefiddling and this one she whacks with the giant hydrospanner...
Finally she shrugs, and starts whacking all of the danged things, knocking dirt, and whatnot out of the intakes on the generators berfore she hits the startup switches and brings them on line... "Heeey! We got power! Do yer thang!" She calls out cheerfully... Yeah, when in doubt, get a bigger hammer, or in this case a hydrospanner with a handle nearly as long as the Sephi is tall.
After the gate portals have closed behind them, Ca'tra unpacks her satchel of medical supplies. The first to come to her makeshift medical station is a fellow Mandalorian. Tara is quiet and stoic under her treatment returning to battle within minutes of having stripped her armor and being bandaged. No one else comes to her for treatment which liberates her to climb up and join the battle on the wall. The sea of bodies jostling and waving weapons below is like a nightmare out of her exo-biology classes, she fires into the masses, wounding had climbed nearly to the top.
Zee lays her weapon up against the Terminal for the automated defenses and waits for the power come back on line, frequently glancing to the side where Kaelyn is over there doing her thing. <<"Alright...">> Command prompt window, fingers blazing over the keys... she pauses only long enough to turn her head away from the resounding blast of Hadrix' thermal detonator blowing bits of Killik into the air like it's some kind of twisted horror movie Life Day celebration...
Soon as she gets the clear from Kaelyn, Zee likewise gives a thumbs up in the Engineers direction and recalibrates the defense weapons targetting parameter.
Rnew.para.score~ laststand.protocol.run biometric=enemy.download~ director< run.iftrue
<<"We've got defense weapons..">> Shouldering her rifle, moving towards the ramp leading up to the wall... only to be greeted with a wave of killik so deep she can barely see the end storming the base.
She nods once and slides back the receiver on her slugthrower, <<"Alorir, volunteering to rocket out with Hadrix after everyone is out of this rats nest.">>
The Auxillary shuttle returns swiftly, maneuvering via thrusters to rest in the fortified courtyard, it's boarding ramp already lowered. <<"The next eight, and be swift,">> the shuttle's external comm instructs. The instant an eighth pair of boots land on the ramp, the shuttle lifts back off. <<"Understood, Mister Hadrix-">> the Hapan responds, yet still she isn't fully able to master riding the shockwave of another thermal detonation. The blocky craft spins, briefly out of control, Fae avoids a crash, but scrapes the blocky shuttle along the top of one wall, damaging both craft and castle before pulling clear and regaining enough speed to keep in the air. <<"I'm.. I'm away. To return in utmost haste.">>
It's the second time in one mission, and it came in sudden relentless fashion. For those safely behind the wall, there was a brief flash to the north, and all sound was robbed from around them. Just a sudden, physical /WAVE/ of concussive energy that cast capes, dirt, debris, and arousal back before subsequently ROARING with an explosion that could be seen from space as a bright, white dot.
A massive white cloud expands to the sky as raw, nuclear fusioned energy creates a vortex that captures a MASSIVE bulk of the bugs outside the wall. It's unclear the exact effect because smoke, dust, debris, body parts, and everything begins to rain from the sky.
If that was not enough, those along the walls heard the mechanical whine (or at least felt it) as massive rotary cannons began to deploy from hidden hardpoints all along the ramparts. The entire wall was aligned with them, each folding out, coming online, and producing a LIDAR tracking laser. The contrails of the lasers cut through the smoke, and the rotary chambers began to spin, spooling loudly as the targeting system identified an overWHELMING force outside the walls.
Through the lingering smoke, a barrage of automatic laser fire began to cut across the field as the cannons erupted full tilt, firing at the cyclic rate. Bugs along the base of the wall evaporated due to proximity, then the weapons opened up, sweeping in defiant waves that made the smoke flash brilliantly with red. Those heroes who stayed upon the walls appeared as silhouettes in the flashing red cannon fire. A courtyard anti-personnel cannon emerged, instantly blasting the killiks off the wall that remained. One attempted to jump down into the courtyard only to be shot mid-air and dissected before it hit the ground.
<<"FALL BACK TO THE CENTER. THOSE WITH JETPACKS ARE LAST TO LEAVE.. EVERYONE ELSE.. WILL BE ON THE SHUTTLE!">> Sumi yells over the interference and constant laser fire.
"KRIFF, HE DID IT /AGAIN/!" Aliraet peers over the wall at the large crater now outside the door. "....frell, I want one of those things too." she grouses. So unfair, she didn't get to blow anything up really other than some fish!
And then the withdraw order is given and she tries to take the shortcut down the wall, jumping down to a crossbeam then down to...nope, she just slips, goes limp but still manages to come down on her right ankle poorly as she lets out a curse, twitching, then gets to her feet and starts limping to the ship as quick as she can!
Tarion doesn't have to be told twice. Before the shuttle has even completely settled down to pick up the defenders, he flings himself bodily into the hold, clutching his rifle to his chest as a mother would her child. "Go go go!" he yells to Fae before anyone else has really had a chance to get on board, writhing upright to shove the barrel of his gun back out the hatch in case any Killiks get up to any funny business. "COME ON, ALREADY, THIS IS THE LAST SHUTTLE OUT OF- where are we? Get on board!"
Between the blaster fire and bug-howls of dying Killiks, the catching of Zee'roh's call back to her Alor'ir has Narsai butting in. <<"No way I'm leaving you two back here without me!">> she calls, but further instruction and orders are swift to follow. The redhead's weapon rings out in a near-constant stream while the others start to retreat onto the shuttle and by the time they're clear? Narsai was about at the point of bashing the butt of the weapon into the face of a bug. Shuttle's loaded?
<<Alight they're clear! Get airborne ner Vod!>> her call comes quick, followed by the burst of her jetpack lifting her above the tide begining to pour into the fort. <<Someone can nuke this place from orbit later!>>
Tara pauses from pouring blaster bolts into the horde, dropping to a knee and burying her visor in her elbow. Just because the helmet CAN polarize doesn't mean she still likes it. ...And then she's covered in a fine mist of ichor. Yay.
The guns coming online, though... That's good. <<"Oya! Kandosii, vode! They're getting massacred!">> Grinning madly behind her visor, the roar of the rotary blaster cannon echoing in her ears, the hunter re-holsters her blasters and shoots into the sky. Dropping into formation behind and to Narsai's right, She zooms in with her visor, getting some good footage of the killiks getting torn apart by cannonfire, before focusing back on staying on her Mand'alor's six.
Kryll walks backwards towards the shuttle as it lands, not having any fancy jetpack to propel him around he waits for it to touch down as he scans the walls in case a killik makes its way over into the evac zone. Once the ship settles he allows the others running in to get ahead of him and then backs into it himself, standing just inside the door and providing cover fire to everyone still outside. He does a count of everyone inside, and waits for those with jetpacks to make their way on, lowering his rifle to offer a hand to anyone flying onto the shuttle itself.
Even turned away from the concussive wave Ca'tra rocks with force of the blast, her silhouette a small rounded form as she crouches protectively. The call to fall back to the center has her moving with alacrity towards the rallying point to climb up into the shuttle. She waits till the last has boarded before running up behind them. <<Ca'tra on the shuttle>> she reports over coms.
Zee holds her fist out to bash her forearm against Hadrix then brings her rifle up to take shots out at the Killik wall as the others board the shuttle... She's not going anywhere until Fae lifts off, until her people and the ones that came with her are safe. <<"Alright, vod.. let's get the kriff' out of this shivat..">> Turning away from the wall that's still spitting lasers at an endless stream of bugs trying to clamber up the side and over into the courtyard.
Her rockets fire and bring her up off the deck, hovering until she's slung her weapon and released the controls from her wrists. The fold up into her hands and propel her skyward, rolling into a formation with Narsai, back and to her right.
<<"Would've been nice if someone programmed a self destruction... oh wait..">>
She turns her wrist over and taps in a few keys.
Delighted grin implied here.
Lady Fae in the auxiliary shuttle retreats and returns quickly, lowering to the ground in the fortified courtyard more gingerly, this time; the combination of minor damage to the ship's belly, and the heavy defensive perimeter coming alive both require and allow her to be more cautious in descent. Her reward is an earful of Tarion. "As soon as all are aboard," she answers. Moments later, the last defenders of the last redoubt board, and with the rolling roar of defensive artillery audible through the hull, the shuttle angles high and away.
Kae tilts her head as all the firepower comes on line... "Ooh, that's kinda nifty!" She says then gets the order to Evac... "Ooh we're done? Good!" She call sout, and starts making her way to the shuttle post haste.... Along the way a Killik head goes flying at her and she screeches "Eee!" swinging the hydrospanner and sends it flying off in a random direction... "Ooh wait, body wasn't attached.. Ooopse!" She calls out and then makes her way toward the shuttle again.... < You'd be better off programming the fusion generators to overload after a certain amount of time! Biggerbooms!> She calls out as she climbs aboard the ship.
<<"Copy, Ruus'Alor. I'm on your lead">> Hadrix states, a nod and a rumble that is in the 'generally pleasant' range of the big man's vocalizations when he is struck <<"You're not allowed to talk about 'dick swinging' about explosives, either.">> is added before he rolls and adjusts thrust to be at Zee'Roh's seven low, arms held at his side - habit from the days flying the CAS suit.
<<"We suiting it up to out of atmosphere, Ruus'Alor?">> They have the EVA capability... after all.
Watching from the tower as the last of the crew loaded up, and the Mandalorians took to the sky, Sumi smirked and walked back to the edge of the tower to look north. Absolute destruction left hundreds of bugs in a charred crater, and the laser cannons were cutting everything down in short, brutal, efficient order. <<"Good work. We may not have won this battle; but they'll remember we fought.">>
The stronghold began to detonate, the explosion consumed by the swirling dust and smoke from the thermal detonator. The concussive blast follows, and slow to emerge from the new cyclone of dust and smoke is Sumi. She flies high above, rifle in hand. Unable to join her fireteam in space, Sumi breaks off from the formation to fly alongside the shuttle, saluting Fae before breaking low of the Mando formation to land with the evac shuttles to find a ride up!
