Log:Mandalore: The Wasteland Way - The Hungry II
Mandalore: The Wasteland Way - The Hungry
OOC Date: June 4, 2021
Location: Mandalore
Participants: Sumi Kora, Hahtavi, Avery Ihala Kora, Zelo Parrai, Aubrei, Valeska Jaivon, Terek Rosol and Hadrix Kora as GM Clan Kora Mandalorian
Over the coms that include Zelo and Valeska, Hahtavi sends, <<"Overwatch, Command. We are in sight of the enemy. Fire away to keep them distracted, over! ">> As for hismelf, Hahtavi has moved as silently as he may up those long stairwells and now stands up against the wall, looking carefully. His rifle is in his hands, ready for a fight. But first he makes sure everyone is ready with a hand motion. Hahtavi knows this group needs no urging!
Zelo's trigger finger - pad exposed by a hole cut deliberately in his gloves - slowly increases pressure as he wills the comm to give the order. The longer they stay out here, exposed, the more likely that this isn't a distraction as much as a target practice for the enemy within the fortifications. The comms finally come alive with the order to go to work. <<"Overwatch copies, Command. Going loud.">>
<"Open fire.">The view of targets isn't overly clear, tops of heads as they weave in and out in animated frenzy. One such skin-wearing ugly is chosen, and a massive plasma bolt is sent for it from the SX-451, bipod steadying the aim. Unfortunately, the irregular and erratic movements are enough to throw off the Nautolan's predictive trigger pull and black-pool eyes watch the bolt go through empty space from the cover of an H-visor.<"Well... That's not much of a start.">
Prone in the sand, her finger on the trigger and eyes pressed to her scope, Valeska has picked herself out a fleshy melon of a target. Her rifle isn't strong enough to do structural damage. She'll leave that to Zelo. But what she /can/ do is hopefully make those bastards duck.
She flicks the targetting computer on with a sadistic, angry grin. <<"Let's light this candle like a Wookiee holiday special.">>
Her target ducks. Seems Zelo had the same delicious melon in mind, as well! Lucky so-and-so managed to avoid taking the hit, but Valeska is quick to give him a lesson in standing up too early as her shot -- surprisingly -- goes true and takes his damn leg. Pleasure to meet you.
The barrel of Avery's carbine peeks from the gruesome curtain, the dull black catching the dim light in the room. As requested, blaster fire erupts from outside, hopefully drawing the attention of the masses and masking the entrance by the the team of Mandalorians through the pipe. He also very much hopes that it drowns out the sound of what's coming next. Two bolts fly from the weapon in the Slicer's hands and both strike the skin covered armored freak in the back. The first blast sends him stumbling forward, the second ends his horrific chant for good, sending the savage barreling face first into the ground with a satisfying thud.
Avery moves from the pipe to join Hahtavi along the wall, his carbine pointed forward in case any heard the noise and come investigate. He looks to the others rushing from the pipe, they're all in the shit now, let's hope each and every one can make it out unscathed.
Shots fired raise heads, instincts over tactics. True to their name the sound that raises with one is picked up by others filling the air with claw on slate keening. The creatures that rise on the parapets might have been men and women but only in the physiological sense. Helmets are in the Mandalorian style but many have the form of the T-visor opened wide at the bottom to show mouths with cracked lips and filed teeth.
Armor is strung with skins, from shoulders and worn like cloaks. Gloves with hands stretched over them, feet over boots and some with the skins of heads pulled tight over helmets so that the eye sockets rest over the visor.
The courtyard outside the ritual chamber, for lack of better words, is a charnel house. Skulls and bones line the walls, ossified organs and dried meat set on slab tables and salted meat is hung from open racks to dry and cure in the blistering sun. From the wreckage of homes and buildings it is filling with Shriekers, the lot of them with vibro blades, punch blades in their gauntlets and even razors on their fingers - not a blaster in sight.
Things are a little crazy, to say the least. Terek does like crazy, but only a certain amount of crazy. Skinned people being worn on top of armor is probably a little bit more towards the far end of the crazy spectrum, <<"We need to put these guys down!">> He moves past the guy that Avery smoked, looking down at the gathered armed cultists or whatever they are in the courtyard.
He lowers his pistol towards the group and immediately opens fire, blasting several shots down into the group, <"Come get some, you filthy monsters!"> It seems that Terek is very motivated tonight.
Sumi moves past the display of violence and toward the curtain. She knew the activity was going to happen outside, so best make the most of this tactical flank. She draws the handcannon, a slugthrower with a classic spinning chamber capable of hold eight slugs. .48 caliber slugs at that. These weren't your granny's .22 rounds, this drek /hurt/. She checked the chamber, though in retrospect she should've done that before the op, and spun it, generating a series of clicks before clamping the weapon back together with a practiced jerk of her wrist.
By the time Sumi brushes beneath the flesh-curtain, she's locked the single-action hammer back and begins firing at a sustained rate. One poor sod is capped twice, once in the shoulder then the neck. Another takes one right in the brain-housing group, transforming his head into a canoe.
Each shot echoes in the fortress like, PK-KOWW!
Sumi locks back the bolt again, chuckling conveyed through her helmet. <"Who wants a taste?">
One of the attacking savages simply ceases to exist, the massive green plasma sheathed durasteel bolt streaking through and flash boiling moisture to detonate the Shrieker's torso and leaving behind limbs and head to tumble about. The pincer move, at least, distracts some - forcing confusion as to which way to go when four of their number leap clear of the walls to land at a sprint. Screaming towards where Zelo and Valeska rest, on a short dune, with sniping equipment out. Aubrei able to see them from behind and the onrushing psychopaths on the other side.
Within the fort the assault starts in earnest with bladed fingers mounting vibro blades come, attempting to peel armor from flesh, flesh from bone. Howling and wailing in their nightmare chorus. Their running is a primal lope, sometimes going to all fours, some simply hunched as they sprint.
More calls from deeper in, a throaty roar mingling among them and the rumble of running footsteps begins to join the din.
So many dead. So many human skins, faces, skulls, blood of /his/ people. His former clan, probably some of them of his family such as his crippled mother. Maybe his father, or sibings, or their children. Maybe his own child. Hahtavi can't be thinking about that just now. He tries NOT to look too closely at the grisly human remains. No distractions, not yet. Only the very strange mission he's been put in charge of - the people his decisions are responsible for.
Orders given out over the coms, all hell starts to break loose. Zelo and Val firing from their sniper position in the open desert. Avery taking down the chanter with efficient style and skill.
Hahtavi comes up out of the stairwell himself and in through the carnal chamber, seeking the light outside. The dark silhouette's of the enemy, his own rifle sending out bright red bolts to light up the darkness and cut a path. A crazy figure leaps at him with blades and though Hahtavi's first shot misses, the second shot takes the Shrieker's leg out from other them!
Zelo's not scared. That's not an accurate statement for it. He just... Had not expected them to charge. <"Why can't it be a nice, pleasant firefight?"> He lines up a shot as the four men start charging the dune. Vibros. That's the issue. The last time he tangled with someone with vibros, he didn't have a particularly good time. <"We shoot them, they shoot us. It's not asking too much. This is just..."> He doesn't even need the digital scope on the SX-451, but he tries for it anyway. Right in the mid-section. Center mass. But... maybe it's just a quiver in the shooting finger that sends the bolt so close to the left of the target that it warms his insides better than a fresh cup of caf. But no cigar. Zelo drops the gun entirely and rises to his feet, squaring off, staying limber.
<"I hope there's some backup, because we're going to need it."> Zelo's definitely not scared. This is all according to plan.
Valeska grins to herself, watching the savage hop around helplessly on one leg before toppling over. He might not be dead, but he's going to wish he was later on. Three figures break away from the fortifications and start bolting across the sands. Aw, now Valeska has a decision to make. Put her rifle away and switch to the carbine to prepare for the inevitable close combat? Or take one more shot and try to knock one down before they get too close.
Well, she came with Zelo to make noise. Noise she will make.
Shhhheeeeeeroooom! Right in the the stomach. The savage takes it with a stumble, but the foam around his mouth indicates that a single shot isn't going to take him down. Valeska curses under her breath and looks up from her scope as they're too close to keep a decent lock.
Already, she's scrambling to her feet. <"Remember when you asked me why training in hand-to-hand was useful, Zelo? Here comes your answer.">
Even from a distance the sound beyond the wall carries. Long neck of her neo crusader armor is lifted as she rolls her shoulders, doing so to release the tension as the savages are inbound. Fear rushes up her spine and she lets out a sound within as she looks to the snipers and then to those who mean to close the distance.
Time to step in and play her part. The Scout pulls the S-5 up from her hip, the setting ever at stun as she steps forward and aims down the sleek barrel. The first shot is a beaut. The rings slam into center mass, dropping one to the ground.
Steadying her hand with deep breaths the next shot claims a target. But there is only a little time to try to center the third and she misses. <"I am your back up, Zelo. Worry not. I think."> The touch of jittery nerves sounds in her voice. <"The others are in too deep">
No sooner had the firing begun that the group was set upon by a swarm of savages with long vibro-blade fingernails. A pair of such fingernails found their way past Avery's defenses to plunge into his chest, eliciting a strangled roar of pain from the wounded Mandalorian. <"AAAAAAH! KriFF!"> he yells, glancing down at the blades that disappear into his chest piece, his head reeling with shock at the sensation of something punctured underneath.
Anger flashes in Avery's eyes but only the cold emotionless visor of the grey helmet reflects the snarling visage of the man who cut through his armor. <"My turn..."> Avery coughs, a line of blood splattering against the inside of his helmet as he fires his carbine. Apparently he's way more hurt than he realized as he sags a little and the bolts go wide, ricocheting off the wall to fly harmlessly into the distance. <"....unh.... n-not good."> Avery claims as more blood dribbles from his lips.
Terek's blaster fire is interrupted when one of the skinners tries to stab him. He deftly turns and deflects the blade off of his shoulder armor, but is now wrestling with the skinner in point blank range. His blaster goes off a couple of times sending shots into the sky, before he manages to turn it enough to shoot the skinner right in the torso, dropping him and giving himself a brief moment to breathe.
Sumi ducks beneath a swing of flaying fingers and pivots to fire two rounds into the back of the warrior, putting them down for the count. She locks the hammer back for a third shot, stretching her arm out to take aim toward another skinner who was running across a small distance.
PK-KOOOW
The round touches his arm and forces its way out the tricep in a display of pink mist. It wasn't a kill shot, but by the way he's screaming, Sumi assumed he wished it had been.
She locks the hammer back and begins to look for her next target, moving through the chaos to pick her target more wisely.
<<"Sumi, we may need to withdraw.">> said moments before serrated vibro blades cut through his vambrace and send blood spraying and sending the big man stumbling back - his first bolt exploding against stone and the second blasting one of the maniacs into a fog of flash boiled ichor as another's blades scrape across his cuirass and more against shoulders and helmet. <<"Greeza, Pheegus - get back around. Top speed.">>
The Shriekers keep up their swarming, some over the wall and charging behind the savages who have begun to close with the sniper position, flailing and screaming, attempting to get close and lay into the long rangers. The sound of the skiffs massive back-up jets roaring a short distance away.
En route.
Things have become violent fast and these kriffers are fast and tough! No sooner than Hahtavi's dropped one than he notes Avery's injury. <<"I'm here, vod!">> He steps to block attacks coming at Avery and try to give his clansman room to breath, but there are so many of these savages! Two more Shriekers are instantly upon him and others get past Hahtavi!
One misses but the other suddenly swings long vibro-bladed claws up underneath Hahtavi's helm, missing the Mandalorian's throat, but puncturing his helmet's seal and slicing up his face! The surprise of it forces Hahtavi back! Searing pain, like fire, rips through his face, bloodying the inside of his helm.
Peripherally clan Kora's newest tal'at'cuyir is aware of Hadrix stepping in close to aid Avery as well - but also being wounded repeatedly. Hahtavi hears Hadrix over their coms. <<"I'm for getting out!">> Time to grab a Shrieker's head. Only the one he tries to grab is still connected to it's body too well. Hahtavi fires again, determined NOT to jet off and leave his wounded comrads. Not if he can block attacks and try to cover their Six while they disengage.
<"I had a much less high-risk edcuation planned for learning hand-to-hand. But the Togorian has been busy."> Zelo's gloved hand reaches behind him and pulls up the E-11 - the gun whose bolts could be attributed as the last thing that a fair number see in this Galaxy. As Val drops one, and two continue to close, he's not expecting this to go pretty. But when the stun pulses of Aubrei's S5 come from behind him, rather than tense up, Zelo relaxes.
<"Aubrei, you are right on time! I'm so very glad to see you."> He turns to shoot the Mando in the Neo-Crusader armor a smile hidden by Beskar, also making a smaller target for the Shriekers still charging. The SX on the ground, luckily, doesn't trip him up. He flicks the safety off of the carbine and the whine of a charging ammo cell joins the noise in the air.
<<"Command, this is Overwatch. we're three out here, now. They're charging from the walls.">>
On her feet, Valeska flings her sniper rifle onto her back once more and yanks up her carbine in one fluid motion. It's still powering up as the enemies close in the distance and she's not able to get a shot off. Yet.
<"This is going about as well as I thought it would!">
Valeska's helmet looks over to see a new form: apparently an ally! Hey! Those Mandos are so cool with their last-minute entrances and their saves-the-days.
<"I am not sure I am glad to see me here, this is....this is distressing at best. Look at them,"> for truly these creatures are something to look at. Not in a good way. She lets out a breath and watching as more stream out and the calls from the others reach her she shakes her head. Her finger strokes over the toggle and for a moment one can see the life changing decision.
The stun rings are put in the backseat and as the S-5 switches to kill there is a sort of weight that lowers her shoulders, but not enough to keep her aim from being true. Green bolts sear the air as one of her first slams into a savage and downs it.
Then the next two take down his companion but that still leaves three that are dead set on their position. Aubrei is quiet beneath the green crusader armor but finally comms to the others <<"DO you all need help in there?!">>
The missed blaster fire was the sign of things to come as Avery tries to pry the blades from his chest and feels a searing pain in his leg. Tendons severed, the slicer drops to a knee, those blades he tried to dislodge sliding from his chest to allow him a moment of respite. That brief second of freedom is short lived as the fingers plunge back into his chest, slipping past his ribs, and puncturing all manner of vital organs. Wide bulging eyes stare up at the face of his attacker. Behind all the pain, all the shock, all the blood that pours from his wounds, his biggest regret is that he may never see her again. <".....help."> is all the grey Mandalorian is able to gurgle before toppling backward to lay still on the ground, blood pooling about his form.
Terek finds himself suddenly feeling a sharp pain in his chest, and looks down to see the vibroblade in the side, having stabbed him right under his arm. He didn't have as long of a breather as he thought.
He pulls off the blade, and turns into melee combat with the Savage, trying to shoot him in close quarters, but there's a lot of blood coming from that wound, and it's clear he's hurt for anyone who can see him, as he tries to shoot several times, wrestling with the Savage, <<"Could use...Some help..">> He says over comms, clearly sounding hurt.
PWANG!
Sumi takes a hit to the dome-piece, the scraping noise of blades carving marks through the blue paint of her helm was enough to make her teeth grind in a butt-clenching cringe. She pivots to the source, firing point blank-- twice, with enough firepower and momentum to carry that sorry sack of Huttsucker several feet away from her in a display of violence and physics they'll never forget.
An empty gun prompts Sumi to slide it home in its holster before slipping free a grenade off her bandolier and pivoting. <<"Commander, have the team fall back a bit.. gonna try something.">> Sumi growls, triggering the grenade and under-handing it toward the grouping of skinners and savages. The sudden flash of dry-freeze substance that followed was so bright, Sumi shielded her tinted visor with an upraised hand, ducking down a bit. If that didn't draw the heat of every huttsucker in this place, she wasn't sure what would.
<"Here comes the pain!">
<<"Copy, firing withdrawal. Everyone prepare to Ba'slan shev'la">> Strategic disappearance. Hadrix is watching comrades being torn apart and with Sumi's order his instinct is to grab for Avery - his injured arm giving out and forcing the big man to a knee, a wild shot with his cannon going off and blowing a chunk out of masonry. Stuck, kneeling, but unwilling to give up just yet as he takes a breath, trying to sum up something to keep moving.
The two of the three of the latest batch of Shriekers wade in, attempting to tear apart the long range attackers, teeth gnashing and vibro claws whining in protest to their overclocked sonic systems. One at Aubrei and the other at Zelo and the third coming up rapidly behind them and looking at Valeska with mad eyes.
Within the fortress the flash freezing is unexpectedly detrimental, three of their number exploding moments after being caught in the epicenter and the other seven brought up short, unable to accurately assault now while their eyes are gummed shut, frostbitten, or their limbs too numb to work properly.
But the skiff comes - at high speed. The Ithorian Mandalorian at the controls and the Twi'lek opening up with anti-personnel cannon to wipe one of the shriekers off the face of Mandalore before it can get too close.
Sumi throws her grenade to freeze the dingles off of them! Sweet. Himself injured, having a hard time seeing for the blood running down his face and inside of his helmet, Hahtavi sees that Sumi is keeping the Shriekers off of them. Hadrix trying to grab Avery and lift him but too badly injured to do it.
So at the risk of maybe /not/ getting any artifacts or Shrieker heads, Hahtavi lets go of his rifle and squats down to get a hold of Avery instead, gloved hands under his friend's armpits. <<"Stay with us, vod. We're getting you out of here!">> Even seeing the last of his blood kin isn't worth loosing Avery or any of the rest of clan Kora over.
With a grunt, Hahtavi manages to heft Avery up from the stones, getting a good grip on the other man who isn't light. Not with all that armor on him. Jaw clenched and unseen teeth bared, Hahtavi attempts to fire off his jet pack and get Ihala free of the battlements.
The jetpack begins to fire but his balance isn't right, only dragging them closer to the edge. No, that's not going to work. Hahtavi stops and adjusts his grip on Avery - deep breath, calm his inner self and try again...
Green bolt. Green bolts, not stun rings, fire from the S5 and for just a moment, Zelo can see in slow motion. He's never seen Aubrei using lethal force, but the scout's just dropped two savage foes who will not be getting up again. The sniper tries to reconcile the green bolts, the stun circles, and the two coming from the same source. <"Aubrei..."> That distraction keeps him from fully engaging the charging banditlorian, which ends up with a vibroblade through his right side and a vocoder-edged scream from the Nautolan as blue blood gouts out of the wound. Pushing the man away with the butt of the E-11, Zelo pulls the weapon up, even as his side screams. This is what had made him so nervous when they started charging.
The whine of the charging E-11 goes beyond normal hearing and the automatic click that Zelo hears in his head a second later reminds his body to shoot, even as part of it is screaming. The first shot for the one who had stuck him is narrowly avoided as the would-be-skinner bats the E-11 away. One bolt wide, and Zelo tries to pull the gun around for another shot which is slinked away by the finger-blades again. Another scream, this time as much rage as pain, cuts through the vocoder. At least Zelo can hurt their hearing... Or blend in. And he tries to keep the eyes on him.
Zelo takes a hit and the new face -- dubbed Aubrei by Zelo's exclamation -- manages to keep out of the way. There's still two of them kicking and in her rush to take them down before they can attack again, her shots go wild. Coupled with the commotion she can hear in the distance, the jitters are starting to get to her, as well.
<<"... Guys?">>
She doesn't speak like a Mandalorian. She speaks like a mercenary that might be in over her head. The dead air coming over their comms so far from those inside... ah. There's Hadrix! Thank goodness! Valeska starts backpeddling towards Zelo as the skiff enters the fray guns a'blazin.
<<"I don't know what that means, Hadrix, but I hear you all the same. Get out of there!">>
Worst. Wookiee. Holiday. Special. Ever.
Zelo takes a hit and the new face -- dubbed Aubrei by Zelo's exclamation -- manages to keep out of the way. There's still two of them kicking and in her rush to take them down before they can attack again, her shots go wild. Coupled with the commotion she can hear in the distance, the jitters are starting to get to her, as well.
<<"... Guys?">>
She doesn't speak like a Mandalorian. She speaks like a mercenary that might be in over her head. The dead air coming over their comms so far from those inside... ah. There's Hadrix! Thank goodness! Valeska starts backpeddling towards Zelo as the skiff enters the fray guns a'blazin.
<<"I don't know what that means, Hadrix, but I hear you all the same. Get out of there!">>
Worst. Wookiee. Holiday. Special. Ever.
Shaken by her own decision Aubrei has enough wherewithall to focus on what is coming. The soft click of her teeth sounds in her helmet and her hand grasps, firming her grip as she angles the S-5 at the last of the incoming foes. That ones that look ready to offer a close haircut should helmets become optional. Aubrei likes her hair.
She squeezes off a shot that downs one of them but with two more bearing down on them in short order she finds herself taking steps back so that she can keep her shots clear and certain without the fear of getting swiped at - but that is not likely given the distance. <"Once they are clear we need to go."> This for Val and Zelo who are near to her.
She glances aside at the others as she looks to the two still willing and ready to part their heads from their bodies. Nope. Lots of Nope.
She's quiet despite the chaos and her blaster held out to lead with another volley to clear their get away.
He struggles to keep his eyes open as his life seeps from multiple wounds, sputtered blood coating the interior of his visor. Avery longs to remove the helmet to catch a full breath, not understanding that the reason he can't breathe is due to the punctured lungs within. Instead he registers flashes and snarls, darkness, cries and screams, and a fading pain that slowly pulls away from his consciousness. His body resists any attempt at moving only able to watch as red coats the floor and a black pit greets him.
There's a sense of rising, his body lifting from the floor, being jostled and hanging limp. Instead of the floor receiving his vitae, it now pours over a friend's form... he tries to speak, tries to fight, but it only results in the darkness taking him faster. With a final wracking cough that shakes his chest, Avery's eyes slide shut...
Terek continues to struggle with the guy he's been fighting with, until he manages to get his blaster against the man's chest, and fire his weapon, putting a bolt through him and collapsing down on top of him. He rolls off the guy and takes a few deep breaths, before pulling his vibroknife off his belt and starts to cut off the head. He'll need to be quick about this so he can get the hell out of here before the others take note. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.
<"Ow!">
Sumi yelled, as another skinner struck her arm and made her tilt the wrong way. Suddenly, the rocket from her pack deploys, the loud whistling-screamer colliding with the wall in a brilliant explosion making a path for the exterior grounds, and their tactical exit. <"I was aiming for the other guys.."> Sumi growled, moving to intercept the skinners and savages and keep them from the Mandos beating feet to their skiff. This was a rough fight.
They all needed to get laid after this one! What with all the violence and trophy display, the stank, and these stir-drek crazy heathens that made the cannibals on Ealor seem sociable.
Sumi pulls out a frag grenade ready to put more shrapnel between them and danger once the team is far enough back.
It is a precious two seconds, but it is well spent. Hahtavi's deep breath centers him, recollects himself. Hadrix is heard and seen to take off. Sumi's holding back the hoard, Terek's still on his feet and collecting a head, thank goodness. It's time.
Focusing on what he's doing, Hahtavi has his feet planted firmly, has a good hold on Avery's limp form. He bends his knees and thrusts off, his jetpack igniting and his take off sound. He arcs up into the clear air and free of the earth that tries to bind, free of those who would destroy.
Against the sky they fly, heading out from the ruined fortress. Hahtavi sees Zelo, Aubrei, and Valeska fighting below. He turns his bloodied helm to try and see where the sail skiff is and heads that way with his burden.
Zelo's side is screaming and his throat, raw from the yelling, now stings as well. As the skinners turn their backs on him, they learn a vital mistake. Even as his blood leaks away, he can aim without pressure. Especially at this range. First the one, then the next, each gets a pull of the trigger, and each gets a bolt. His aim may not be center mass, but one bandit's left leg, and the other's right leg take plasma burn and sprout holes from the vicious E-11. Quick-firing with a snap of the wrist, he has a longer recharge time, and he uses it to muster his companions outside the wall.
<"Skiff's behind us. Backtrack and shoot!"> Zelo watches Aubrei and Val - the watch-me post on the dune was his idea, and they were here because of it. Everyone gets home.
<<"Gladly.">>
Valeska, decidedly, fast-tracks towards the skiff, staying close to Zelo as they go just in case one of the remaning enemies gets froggy. When the Nautolan injures two of them, Valeska claps him on the back and continues. She fires two more shots at the downed targets: putting one out of her misery and giving the other something to think about.
Now she can hear rockets. Looking up, she can see the familiar armour of Hahtavi in the distance carrying the limp, armoured body of Avery. Her stomach drops and a lump catches in her throat. No....
Steeling herself, Valeska maintains composure for now. They need to get out first. Details and assessments can come later.
Whether or not Aubrei is registering the kills is something she herself will know better later. The chaos gathers in the form of two of the skinners converging on her position and each taking a swipe. The agile slender figure in ancient armor ducks low, the knife sailing past where her head had once been. She rolls back out of the way as the downward swipe from the other swiftly follows.
Shots ring out from her companions around her and she pushes up to her feet when clear as the two skinners are injured. Valeska puts one down and then Aubrei lifts her gun and without hesitation ends the other one. <<"We are clear out here.">> WIth the announcement that their way out is behind them she moves to set up with the other two to cover the escape of the team now leaving the inside of the walls.
Terek, once he finally manages to seperate the head from the body, looks upwards, and lights his jetpack. It takes a second, and he's worried he's going to have to fight his way out, but then the jetpack ignites and he shoots upwards with a plume of smoke. Once he's up in the air, he'll angle his way to the skiff so they can try to get the hell out of here.
Sumi is right at home in the middle of this chaos, but it requires every bit of her focus to avoid being hit. Lifting one leg, only to dance another way, twist, then hip thrust backwards. <"Woah!"> She calls out as something intended for the belly misses by a few centimeters. Pulling back further, she blindly throws a frag grenade into the gaggle and turns to jiggy jog after her group. She's caught again at the gap in the wall, going through the ritual of dodging again. This time, after twisting away from a hellish swipe of blades, she jumps down the pile of rubble and beats feet for their ride, taking to the ladder with great vigor. <"PUNCH IT!"> To whoever is in charge of getting this skiff going.
Still trying to provide cover from where he is standing on shaky ground, another green comet surges from the cannon, nearly toppling Hadrix over the edge. The blast melting through durasteel armor and sending parts flying before the second skims another trying to claw at Sumi, creating a small crater in the ground.
<<"Sumi, I'll see you aboard. Greeza and Pheegus have anti-personnel turrets primed.">> the Massive Mandalorian watching for any to come clawing their way up towards him as he draws the slide to lock another bolt into the pressure chamber. <<"Zelo, Valeska, Aubrei - collect bodies, we need their heads. Can remove them once we're under way.">>
The clearing of the outside allowing free transit for those making good their escape, Greeza also moving on body detail, firing a turret meant for capturing other vehicles to snatch up one of the bodies felled by the overwatch grouping. Pheegus giving time for the other three to mount up - seeing Hadrix's jets not firing properly, the control line from his gauntlet damaged with his arm.
<<"I shall be back around shortly, I apologize.">> said with nary a preamble as the Itorian guns it to bring the prow of the skiff under Hadrix when the big man's pack kicks in enough to send him spinning through the air and fire-sale ammo packs across the deck, sliding into a guard rail even as the Ithorian is wheeling about again.
Inside the walls more cries come, more figures start to pour out of the buildings, coming up from the mazes of corridors.
Hahtavi lands a little roughly with Avery on the sail skiff. His boots make contact with the deck and then he's laying his friend down as gently as he can, mindful of Avery's injuries. Hahtavi can't hardly see shit through his bloodied helmet so he reaches a gloved hand up to pull it off and wipe blood from his eyes. When he can finally see better, he starts doing what he may to staunch Avery's bleeding, opening up his friend's armor. It's several days sailing by skiff to get Avery to a proper doctor.
As he works to save his friend's life, the fighting and the retreat continues. Hahtavi doesn't do more than glance up, too busy to toggle his coms so he shouts as he sees Hadrix hit the deck.
"What's their status! Sumi get clear?!"
Zelo is feeling it. The blood loss, the confusion, the head panic of combat, and concern. He spares a look towards Aubrei as the order comes to grab bodies - more than a couple were her work. Zelo's progress for the skiff is halted as he comms, <<"Overwatch copies. Gathering them up, can you bring the skiff our way? Took a hit, strength's waning a touch.">> Zelo kicks up the barrel of the SX-451 and throws the sling to his shoulders, but his visor locks onto a cluster of bandits fairly near to each other. Going over to them, he makes lines in the sand, pulling them closer together. Just in case there isn't time, he gets his gloves under the arms of the third and lifts him, slinging the body over his shoulder. That's one.
Valeska skids to a stop, kicking up sand as Hadrix's orders come through. Body detail? Eeeww. Tucking the carbine away and pushing the ever-growing concern of her friends' well-being into the back of her mind, Valeska jogs back over towards one of the dead.
<<"By the Maker, they are uglier up close.">>
Grabbing the corpse by a leg with both hands, Valeska drags it across the sands towards the skiff as fast as she can before unceremoniously hoisting it up and flopping it onto the back; his ass-end sticking out and one leg dangling over the edge.
Piling into the skiff, Valeska rushes over to Hahtavi and sliders to her knees next to Avery, carefully pulling off the man's helmet, her face going white with the sheer amount of blood. Very carefully, she lifts his head to rest on her lap. If his neck was broken, he'd be dead already, so this should be okay. Right? <"Avery? Talk to me."> Getting no reply, she looks over to Hahtavi as he works. <"What can I do to help? What happened in there?">
Aubrei clenches onto her pistol, listening to the chaos unfold and the directions rerouting them back the way they had come. She turns her head, visor reflecting Zelo's faint outline before she moves in to aid the dragging of the bodies back towards the skiff. Dead bodies. Though two stunned targets remain in the field.
She grunts a few times but is otherwise quiet as they load the corpses into the skiff. Its a wonder it even holds any of them.
She reaches up to check the power in the cell of her pistol only after, her hand shaking a little but otherwise the green armored figure seems untouched even as Valeska rushes to the gravely injured. <"Did we lose him?"> There is a tentative tension in her voice as she reaches for her medpac. <"I can begin treating anything you have not otherwise I will take up a defensive position."> This said to Hahtavi as she studies the blood that washes over his armor. Possibly not any of it his.
Terek lands hard on the deck of the skiff, collapsing down to his knees. He pulls his helmet off and coughs up a bunch of blood, splattering it on the deck of the skiff, before he falls over. He's still breathing but it's labored.
Sumi crests the top deck, climbing up the ladder and hoisting herself to her feet, old knees having something to say about that. No time for it though, she jogs to the turret emplacement. Zelo said they were closing in, which meant they needed some suppressing fire. She kicks the T&E regulator off the emplacement, sending it clanking across the deck before hoisting up the weapon to 'free gun' the turret, meaning it was no longer stable and held in place.
<<"Greeza.. interlocking fields of fire here.. let's spray and pray.">>
Sumi took hold of the charging handle, 'sling-shot' yanking it back twice to prime the receiver before stepping on the pedal to start the spool on the rotary barrels. When she pivoted to take aim, Sumi pressed the trigger in and promptly opened fire at the cyclic rate, red blaster fire erupting from the side of the skiff to the tune of:
PNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNKPNK
And Sumi:
<"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!">
<<"Mando'ade and friends.">> Pheegus's monotone translator collar voice is on comms again, the skiff sliding up to pick up Zelo and allow him time to get himself up with a hard grip on -something-, <<"I do believe that the appropriate phrasing is intended, 'Hold on to your butts'. Unless I am grossly mistaken.">>
More Shriekers come, forced down or blasted by anti-personnel weapons manned by Sumi and the twi'lek Mandalorian in Hadrix's employ. Dozens of them. How long since this clan of Mandalorians had gone fully mad and reverted to mindless bestial impulses? Their numbers considerable and a wonder at where they renew them?
<<"Really?">> Greeza grouses while firing the other AP-Turret. Swinging to have her bolts pass with Sumi's and back out again as they weave and chop meat through the hole in the wall, eliciting a wheezing sound that must be the ithorian's laughter. Then the, now rather crowded, vehicle takes off, sail lowered and mast folded back for the jets to do their work. Namely press everyone back for a few moments as it gets up to speed.
One of Hadrix's wampa paw hands is set against Avery's helmet and the big man's balor glow behind his visor moves from injury to injury. <<"He's tougher than he looks, pretty-boy chakaar.">> the rumble is low throated and his own kit is out, looking over Avery's form to Aubrei. <<"Help me keep him stable, we have a doctor we can bring him to.">>
The skiff continues to hurtle on, leaving the beasts that were once people behind, with a collection of heads to prove their worth.
