| abstract | - "Da," Ace replies with a nod, "I see Lucius has not kept his word and is still here. When did you talk to him? Hossomi steps off the ship, scratching at his jaw, yawning. "I haven't had a chance to talk to him. I was hoping to get an idea of what I missed last night," Jest says lightly. "Should not talk out here," Ace says quietly. Cathal relaxes, letting the battle rifle fall back to his shoulder. He slants a lopsided grin at Jest and Ace, "Ten million profesh'nal soldiers just tasted bile at the notion o' a crude old thug like me gettin' my greasy hands on this little number." "Fox?" Jest suggests and then chuckles softly. "Wait until we are inside to start kissing it, mmm?" The light, staccato crunch of concrete, masonry, and the occasional ping of metal-on-metal follows the zig-zag path of Epsilon. The tasker uses various jump points to make its way down from the three-story height it had climbed up to for a different vantage point, and after achieving ground level, gives each paw a shake to brush off accumulated dust before padding toward the center of the landing field. Aadzrian disembarks from the LMS Artemis. Jaswinder disembarks from the LMS Artemis. Ace drops her voice as others join them rather than relocating to a ship, "Kaxina works for Cabrerra and has said she can get us in to the hospital. Do not know if she thinks we can manage it in MCA or not, so have not made that decision yet. Also says Cabrerra is being held there, that Black Heart holds it and is working with Starlight which is no longer run by Dawson since he has been dead for six years. Lucius left that part out about his visit - he never talked with Dawson." Rillitan disembarks from the LMS Artemis. Tiana disembarks from the LMS Artemis. "How does freeing Cabrerra get our ships off this planet?" Jest asks. Aadzrian comes off the Artemis. His steps are a bit deliberate and slow, his face noticeably pale, but he seems steady on his feet. A glance around, and he moves towards Ace and Jest at that unhurried pace. Jaswinder is apparently being Aadz's minder just now, stepping out of the Artemis's airlock in his new flak armor, staying near Aadz as if making sure he stays upright. "Because I do not think they will let the Fox off this planet," Ace replies dryly, "Kaxina has been undercover with Black Heart and says once they have no use for us, we are dead meat." Hossomi is standing off the side of the ramp, drinking from his canteen, watching the grouping of people with a mind to start hostility. Rillitan walks down the ramp of the Artemis, his metallic hand pulling plates of Flak Armor up his other arm. With a click, he attaches the top plate to the neckpiece and rolls his arm out. "M' arm feel's a bit weak." he comments blandly. Cathal is performing a semi-violent waltz with a battle rifle in his arms. He's only getting a feel for its weight and movement, but it definitely looks romantic. Tiana frowns at Rillitan's comment as she follows him out of the Artemis and down the ramp, "Ya be 'right?" Her tone is a bit protective. "So this isn't a rescue mission? It is a take over mission?" Jest says quietly, scanning Ace's expression. "Is the leadership in the medical center or above us in those, Ace? We take out the medical center, how does that leverage freedom?" "Hey, at leas' no is bot' arms for you," Aadzrian calls mildly back at Rillitan with a toothy grin. Cathal gets eyed suspiciously, but the shorter Timonae continues his approach to Ace and Jest. Noting how soft their conversation is, he stops just out of hearing range and... waits, arms folding behind his back. Epsilon meanders a circuitous path around ship landing gears before finally intruding upon the peripheries of the gathered group, sitting down as it merely watches and listens for the time being. Hossomi sips from his canteen, burping. The sound is lost to the void of empty space. He smacks his lips, making a face. "Robot. Come here." He reaches into his bag, even as the command/request is given. Jaswinder moves up to Jest, murmuring quietly to her before stepping back. "Course." Rillitan grins down to Tiana, he swaps his helmet over to his gloved, fleshy hand and gives a metallic thumbs up. "You gave too much." he murmurs to the back of Aadzrian's head, in Timonese, You may as well run into battle with the horn. Actually, I'm not sure if he doesn't." he watches Cathal for a moment before snorting. Behind Aadz, that's where he waits. Cathal finally lets his attention waver from the military rifle, checking over the rest of his equipment instead. "Hey there, folks. Everyone geared up?" Rather used to the various appellations it has accumulated from the motley crew by now, Epsilon turns its head to regard Hossomi before responding casually, "I would rather be addressed as Epsilon by you," before returning its attention to the other conversations it has been monitoring. Tiana dutifully follows after Rillitan and comes to rest beside him, and behind Aadzrian. Her hand comes to rest on the butt of her pistol, a smile offered up to Rill. "Going to have to wing it," Ace replies, "With Lucius not being forthcoming with what he knew and determined instead to kill Kaxina, cannot say who is up top and who is down here. Will hopefully be finding out and making decisions on the fly. If we get Cabrerra out, can see what she knows and go from there. Wish I knew more, but it seems we have run into too many dead ends and time, it is running out." "Epsilon, come here." Hossomi responds, pointedly patient. "I need you to scan this skull, then take your information to the others." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yo. Long time no ping, I know. Please tell me you're out there and can pick this up. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kit Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Message received. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sat Sep 13 22:22:31 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 37 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is important but possibly risky. Would like to send you footage, realtime, of some bad shit going down on the surface here. The blockade's preventing us down here from reaching farther than the Junkyard. Can I talk you into relaying the footage for us to a news network? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kit Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Easy to do. Realtime will be subjective due to communications lag. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sat Sep 13 22:32:53 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 38 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- True, true. Stand by then - feed should be coming up in the next short while. And thanks. A lot. I'm told there will be money in this when we get off this rock, which is probably better thanks, but still - thanks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kit Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Understood. Payment is always appreciated. Standing by. An anonymous upload to major news networks will commence immediately upon receipt. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I gave exactly what I intended to, Rill," Aadzrian disagrees, equally softly. "Remember. Two days and then take the second bag through that hand line. Dead or alive I intend to deliver on my promise." Looking to Ace, he calls more loudly, "You want should get MCA, Kapitan?" "The one that Aadzrian showed me last night?" Epsilon asks, this time promptly walking over to glance fleetingly over the macabre item. "The tattoo is Naliese script, ritualistic icons associated with blood sacrifices." Jest pauses, "I think this is a mistake, Ace. I think that, if we know Dawson is dead and this? All of this? Is illegal? We do the right damn thing and get the legal help waiting for us. Not alienate it by killing people that the law will, at least at first, consider to be theirs. And we take out the medical center? That does nothing but tighten the noose. Nothing at all." Her tone is flat. She backs up a step and turns towards the Artemis, fingers shifting restlessly against her side, "Jaswinder? A word." Jaswinder nods, moving at once to follow Jest - wherever she goes. "Jazz," Rillitan calls, after giving a tentative look back to Aadzrian, "...same, after the captain, course." he nods to Jest. "Don' like this." Tia murmurs to herself and Rillitan, mostly. A glance is given to Ace first, then around to the others crowding the area, "Not at all." "Might get messy alrigh'." Cathal loads all his weapons, unsafetying them as he goes. "...but then, I wouldn't have it any other way, aye?" Jaswinder waves to Rillitan. "Be right with you, man. Just a mo, kay?" And then he nods to Jest, climbing back up into the Artemis. Jaswinder boards the LMS Artemis. Jest boards the LMS Artemis. "Did you inform the others, Epsilon?" Hossomi responds. "Seeing how this could have been used to properly align the populace against the creature that holds the MedCenter? That it shows that the Nall is likely using the patients that go in there are being used for sacrifices to sway opinions? If not, go and inform the 'others', if you'd please. It is a shame that Lucius is no longer with us. Could have had him deliver this to Starlight, see what his reaction would've been. You can go now." He waves dismissively. "Need to get Kaxina and Rillitan there for treatment," Ace replies quietly, giving a nod to Aadzrian, "Da, for the three of us. Just in case." She looks back to Jest, "Lucius said he was leaving. Am surprised to see he is still here. The ship up there is going to blow us to pieces if we try to leave. Am open for suggestions as to how we get help, but do not think they will hold off coming after us much longer." She looks to the Hoss with a frown, "Black Heart is working for Starlight. Take this to show them and they would most likely kill you for knowing too much." "Wait... I t'ought we were attacking, no taking t'em for treat-ment," Aadzrian hedges, sighing heavily. "Ace, wat are we -doing-? Please, wil you tel me wat is going on? Do you intend to give Star-ligh' wat-ever is left of Reno, or...?" "'Others'?" Epsilon tilts its head, one ear pricked while the other sags, giving it a vaguely puzzled and lopsided look. "I shall send a message with the information to those currently present, if you wish. However, from voice modulation analysis, the emphasis you have placed upon the word seems to imply that you wish more than those present to receive the same data." And on cue, there is a ping from various comms and datapadds all around the landing pad - whoever has one on their person receives an alert as to the identity of the script tattooed upon the recovered skull. Rillitan glances back towards the Artemis, squinting up at it, his metallic hand resting on Tiana's shoulder and giving it a slight squeeze. "Ah know, pet." he grunts, "I'll be 'ere." Cathal straps his shotgun securely to his chest, slinging the battle rifle over his shoulder. He shadowboxes idly as he half-listens to the conversation. "Have no intention to hand over pieces of Renous just yet," Ace replies, "Intend to follow Kaxina's lead to get us all inside of the hospital and get treatment for her and Rillitan if he wishes it. From there we will get a better idea of the situation and can try to figure out a plan from there. A frontal assault is suicide." She takes a look at the PDA, frowning at the image, "Is not enough to know more beyond what Epsilon has already said." Aadzrian takes out his PDA as it beeps, his eyes widening. "...It was Akhan all along," he says, sounding faintly bewildered. "...Maza's tits. Black Hear' indeed." The Timonae scowls sharply, tucking his PDA into his pocket. "Dially-sis takes hours, Ace. We canno bot' treat Rillitan and... do anyt'ing else. I wil get te armor." That said, he turns and hurries Fox-wards, though short of an actual jog. Tiana angles her head down to brush her cheek against that metallic hand, for her comfort more than anything else, "S'long as we're t'gether." She murmurs to her husband. She lacks a working PDA to receive Epsilon's alert. Woe. Rillitan doesn't really focus on much, though it might be said that he's watching the conversation between Aadzrian and Ace. He doesn't show any signs that he has a clue what they're saying though. Pulling out his PDA, he hands it to Tiana, "Wot's it say?" he asks. Of course, it is not just the Foxes, Rillitan, Tiana, and their friends and allies on the pad - there are dozens of crews here. Most of them have PDAs. Here and there folks are pulling out their tablets, their datapads, then penpilots - and what they find has become a topic of much conversation. "I stated fairly obvious that the window was all but closed, robot." Hossomi responds, ignoring the beep of his own PDA. "Let's try this again. Send all relevant information about Blackheart's true deeds, and our little proof, to every working data storage device to your maximum range of devices and distance." Hey, if one is going to play, may as well PLAY, right. Cathal throws a quick left-right combination into the empty air, following it up with a hard, chopping body kick. "Don' tell me we're gonna be playin' nurse. I mean, I'm all fer puttin' people in hospital, but not like -this-." "Uh... there's a picture of a tattoo on a skull... somethin' 'bout blood sacrifices?" Tia says up to Rillitan as she takes his PDA and staring at the image on screen. She frowns, "Don't like this." She reiterates quietly. "You did not state anything of the sort at all obviously," Epsilon parries, sinking down upon its haunches as if settling in for a long wait. "Partial data has already been uploaded previously upon Captain Jest's request. Messages will be sent with the relevant links and synopses...now." Beep. Ding. Jingle. Another round of alerts makes its way across the landing field and beyond, as Epsilon floods every network within its range. Ace looks around the landing pad, watching the reaction of those around her, an idea gradually dawning. "Or perhaps a frontal assault is not out of the question." She turns then and trots up the Fox's ramp, grabbing a cleat on the side and pulling herself up to the top of the hull, counting on her crew and friends to watch her back. "Listen up!" she shouts to those on the landing pad, waiting to see if anyone pays her any mind, holding her PDA with the image up in the air, "Do you want to end up like this?!" Nixkamich disembarks from the IND Laughing Fox. Jest disembarks from the LMS Artemis. "You can stop sayin' it, Ti." Rillitan chides softly, "I'm goin' blind, love, not deaf." he watches Ace with a frown, "Ey, this seems somewhat familiar." Lucius disembarks from the IND Equinox. "Sorry." Tia replies softly, briefly brushing up against Rillitan's side. She looks up to Ace, staring a moment before she looks to her husband instead. Aadzrian steps back off the Fox with his arms -full- of MCA, grinning up at Ace as he sees her atop the ship. The Timonae seems far from surprised, and much closer to approving. He skirts over to Cathal, handing over one third of that pile. "...Am glad stil has Cabrerra's mark on it. Per-haps, we can draw te loyal." The woman that exits the Artemis does not look like Jest. That is likely the point. She approaches the group though, a compact recorder hanging from a strap around her neck. She's fiddling with its controls. There's a noise that emanates from Rillitan's helmet, and he lifts it up with a frown, "Okay." he says, speaking into the visor as if it was connected to someone's head, "C'mon Ti," he mutters, moving to the Artemis and boarding it. A similar noise comes from somewhere on Tia's person, the little comm unit, specifically. She nods to Rillitan, following after him up the ramp and onto the Artemis. Rillitan boards the LMS Artemis. Tiana boards the LMS Artemis. Nixkamich is always quiet before these kind of things, the Qua stepping out the Fox a few moments after Aadz. It goes without saying that the man is heavily armed as per any occasion that requires him to come outside onto the feild. From his perch, he surveys the area. A figure comes out of the Equinox wielding a standard 6.5mm rifle (no underslung attachment) and wearing marine combat armour. It could be Lucius. It could be Martin. It could be the Lieutenant on ship. No real way to determine since the visor is swept forward. Not everyone stops to listen to Ace. But some do. Several curious glances are thrown her way. Those lingering around the pad, whether simply hanging around or genuinely working at the business of maintaining their ships during the siege, slide looks her way. It's rather difficult not to notice the strange monochromatic woman with the huge Timonae and robot cat, standing on her ship and flailing her arms around. Cathal ducks away underneath the ramp of the Artemis to go into the complicated and undignified process of changing into the black marine combat armor. First set of armor handed over, Aadzrian turns and crosses the distance back towards the Fox. It's slow going with all those pieces of MCA, but he gradually hauls himself up atop the ship next to Ace. Her set of MCA is deposited at her feet. "We still got Cabrerra's symbol on these," the Timonae whispers to his kapitan. "She's still got friends in this city." That said, he bends down and begins the process of assembling the massive suit of armor around himself quite publicly, dignity be damned. "War has come to Tomin Kora," Ace calls out to those who would listen, "But it has been a war of assassination and deception. If you do not wish to get involved, then get to your ships and stay safe, but remember who it is that is cutting off your food, your water and your livlihood!" She points upwards, "Starlight has been blockading your world and secretly killing you off, one by one, so they can control your business. They have hired Black Heart to do their dirty work, to assassinate those who worked for Cabrerra, to pin the blame on one of your own and to choke this planet while it sleeps. They have taken the hospital from you and have interfered where they are not wanted or welcome. You can hide if you wish, but a Nall...a stinking NALL!...has been butchering your crew, your drooks, your business associates and performing barbaric rituals with their remains. I am not going to let another piece of fucking walking luggage take away from me what is not his to take. So now is the time to make a decision. Stand with us, go hide or stand against us, but either way, this will be decided tonight!" The MCA clad figure by the Equinox moves back behind the ship's boarding ramp to use it as a form of cover. It keeps its rifle near, not pointed at the crowd, and goes into a prone, simply watching. The muddy haired woman off to the side continues to adjust the camera, not bothering to look up at the rousing speech. Epsilon watches the goings on, rising to all four paws when Ace begins clambering atop the ship and making herself the focus of attention. "Perhaps it is time for an update to Mother as well," it muses before walking off, pacing around the ship to watch the reactions of the others on the landing field. Cathal emerges from underneath the Artemis ramp as a different man. His flabby, normally laughable exterior has been coated in black armor, instantly transforming his bulk into a kind of walking tank. If not for the size difference, he might make a perfect match for Lucius- marked by similar armor, and an identical weapon- a 6.5mm battle rifle in his hands. Staying at his guard post atop of the Fox's ramp, Nix keeps to scanning the area before him, with that stone-faced look of a dutiful sentinel while Ace gives her speech. The long silver lever-action rifle set in his hand is evidence enough of his watchfulness. Aadzrian is careful if quick about how he assembles that suit's overlapping pieces, working his way up from his ankles, in from his hands. The end result is that the central chestplate of the MCA and the helmet are left for the absolute last. The Timonae is smiling uncontrollably- Ace's speech seemingly giving him a decided thrill. When she pauses for air, he finally clasps the last plate into place, proudly displaying that large and pure white Cabrerra Industries logo painted across his chest. A satisfied nod as if at the completion of some ritual, and the helmet goes on with a hiss of environmental seals activating. Now a seven and a half foot hulking mass of armor, he stands right behind Ace and watches the crowd for danger. Rillitan disembarks from the LMS Artemis. Tiana disembarks from the LMS Artemis. "Otherssssss," snarls a voice in protest, "may wisssssssh to draw sssssteel." The voice is not Akhan's, but it is most certainly Naliese. But even so - that is when it begins; right there, with those simple words. A Demarian lunges forward slinging insults in his native tongue at the scaleback, pointing his claw accusingly while he hisses and spits, ears folded back. Any Nall is a guilty Nall. The reptiloid lashes his tail and wields a sharpened quarterstaff, failing to understand the rhetoric - though the body language cannot be mistaken. The felinoid lunges and they roll in the dust, and before the big cat has wrenched his opponent's head back to snap his neck and rake claws along its apple, the chaos has begun. Gunshots ring out. The first one is toward the Fox - it dings harmlessly over Ace's head, pinging off the hullsteel in a wild ricochet that ultimately drives the bullet into the cracked ferrocrete. The second catches the aforementioned Demmie in the back, square between the shoulders, eliciting a pained yowl that pierces the air. It's a warcry. It's a battle horn. It's complete and utter madness. Shadowheart's landing pad erupts into violence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sat Sep 13 22:32:53 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 38 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Data transfer... The camera's jostled a bit at first, coming into focus on the Tomin Kora landing field. It's focused on the figure of Ace... "War has come to Tomin Kora," Ace calls out to those who would listen, "But it has been a war of assassination and deception. If you do not wish to get involved, then get to your ships and stay safe, but remember who it is that is cutting off your food, your water and your livlihood!" She points upwards... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kit Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Receiving footage. Am in contact with the networks now. Received other updates from Epsilon. Do you need those dessiminated as well? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sat Sep 13 22:32:53 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 38 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please do. It's just turned into a landing pad bloodbath down here. The more footage the better. Epsilon should have a lot of related data. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Latest Breaking News: FLASH: The Siege of Shadowheart! - SEPT08-2 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Article: SEPT08-2 Headline: FLASH: The Siege of Shadowheart! Reported To: INN Reported On: Tomin Kora Time Reported: Sun Sep 14 00:00:49 3008 (Sivad Mean Time) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- INN is receiving up-to-the second reports of rioting on Tomin Kora. The planet, which has been under siege by Starlight Security for two weeks, is now the scene of civil war. An anonymous contributer has sent us the following feed: "War has come to Tomin Kora," the famed Kapitan Ace calls out from atop the IND Laughing Fox, "But it has been a war of assassination and deception. If you do not wish to get involved, then get to your ships and stay safe, but remember who it is that is cutting off your food, your water and your livlihood!" She points upwards, "Starlight has been blockading your world and secretly killing you off, one by one, so they can control your business. They have hired Black Heart to do their dirty work, to assassinate those who worked for Cabrerra, to pin the blame on one of your own and to choke this planet while it sleeps. They have taken the hospital from you and have interfered where they are not wanted or welcome. You can hide if you wish, but a Nall...a stinking NALL!...has been butchering your crew, your drooks, your business associates and performing barbaric rituals with their remains. I am not going to let another piece of f**king walking luggage take away from me what is not his to take. So now is the time to make a decision. Stand with us, go hide or stand against us, but either way, this will be decided tonight!" The pad erupts into chaos after that, men and women of all races engaged in mindless, desperate slaughter. It is cut with startling images of what appear to be a hospital locked down and held by soliders all wearing bright red armbands. They turn away the hungry and wounded, going as far as beating them. A reporter cuts in, explaining the next series of still images, and warning viewers of possibly disturbing content: a humanoid skull missing its jaw, covered in ragged, tattered flesh and decorated with grisly tattoos. "These have been linked to Akhanvrok of the Black Heart Mercenaries, and not Renous Marquin," notes a woman's voice. "It is believed that Black Heart has been contracted by Starlight to execute the men and women of Cabrerra Industries. What you see here are Naliese symbols - blood markings, indicators of ritualistic sacrifice - on what is reportedly the remains of one of the fifty victims of the mass slaughter which originally prompted the blockade." We will continue to report as events unfold. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- At least the idea to take cover was an apt one. From his vantage point behind the heavy composite plate of both the landing ramp of the Equinox and the marine combat armour, its inhabitant watches the battle carefully, swinging the 6.5mm rifle up and clicking it off safe. The internal display of the helmet tracks various targets closeby. A search begins for people firing weapons at the Foxes and friends. Ace raises her gun and takes aim at whoever shot the Demarian, firing before jumping back down to the ramp after she fires, "Take them down! Do not let Starlight and Blackheart take your livelihood and your drooks from you!" Rillitan walks partially down the boarding ramp of the Artemis with Tiana, patting his helmet down over his head when a man is kicked onto his back a few yards from his feet. The Timonae grunts, backtracking for a moment before pointedly opening the airlock again. "Tiana." comes a voice from his speaker system, "Wait inside the ship like the nice voice in my head's tellin' you to." Cathal falls to one knee, part of his armor-coated form hidden behind the Artemis's ramp. Meanwhile, he lifts his rifle and sights down it, likewise sweeping the pad for hostile targets. If he can find one, he'll squeeze off a non-nonsense burst, aimed to kill hard and fast. And thats Nix's cue to take cover, jumping down off and under the ramp. While under the large section of metal, the Qua exchanges his rifle for his pistol. Mostly likely personal choice. Flicking off the safety, he takes aim at the nearest person deciding to shoot up the Fox and its crew and pulls the trigger to let of a burst of fire. Tiana pauses just behind Rillitan, a frown offered to the Timonae. However, she really is quite the obedient wife, even when she dislikes the situation, "B'careful." She says quietly to him, before heading back in through the airlock. Aadzrian follows Ace down with a grunt and a very loud thud as he lands. He slams his PAR into the right arm-mount of his armor and grasps his Mk6 in his left hand, but for now fires neither. Instead he dogs Ace protectively. "YOUR REAL ENEMIES ARE NO EASH OT'ER!" he screams at the rioting crowd, relying on whatever amplification his helmet can provide. "We can taking you to t'em and shed te blood t'at NEED to be shed!" Tiana boards the LMS Artemis. The litany of curses coming from Jest is probably highly instructive. The woman falls back to cover, pistol drawn. Unlike its more vulnerable companions, Epsilon does not seek cover first and foremost. Instead, it is busily noting positions of friends, neutrals, and potential foes as well as the armaments present. Then, with methodical precision, it begins to hunt down those that represent the most danger to its companions and/or itself; culling them out with the impartiality of a gardener weeding. It's quite hard to make a point about solidarity on a lawless world that has literally been feeding upon itself for many long days and nights. Ace's target rings true, punching a neat hole in the belly of one of her fellow Ungstiri - he doubles over with eyes bulging from his head, clutching at the blossoming red flower. No time to contemplate mortality, however, as half a second later the a knife erupts from just below his ribs. A mercy killing? No. The poor sod is curbstomped the second he hits the ground with the sickening sound of a watermelon splitting. Nix's shots ring-ting-ping of of Epsilon when the robocat lingers in the crossfire, a wild spray that threatens foe and friend alike, catching a Vollistan in the leg and changing his aura from enraged to wounded. Sparks of color go flying, a morbid, macabre rainbow, scattered with blood as Cathal riddles him with bullets. No one is listening any longer, save for a handful of men and women - five or six at the most - who drift toward the Fox and are clearly fighting on their side. One is a beautiful young Ungstiri woman; Ace, perhaps, in her mid-twenties, save for emerald green eyes. "Kapitan!" she shouts, sketching off a salute before flinging herself behind a crate to answer the deadly torrent with a storm of her own. "This is /not/ the medical center!" Jest's voice howls up protest into the chaos. "Stay focused!" Ace calls out to her crew, acknowledging those who have joined them with a nod, "Get word out if you can to those you know and can trust. We move to take the hospital!" She fires now at anyone who targets her crew and new allies, leading them off the landing pad and towards the medical center. "Get anyone you can! No more slaughter in the night! Now we face those who make war upon us!" A single shot might go unnoticed, where a burst wouldn't. A single shot is easy to lose within the crowd. That said, Lucius, the man in the MCA by the Equinox, takes aim at one of those people shooting towards the Fox and steadies his breathing. He exhales. A squeeze of the trigger and the crack that follows is recognizable as the report from a 6.5mm weapon. But maybe, to those in the crowd, it will be lost in the chaos. Aadzrian curses more softly to himself at the evident lack of impact of his words. He nods to Ace's words and then wades out into the fray, trying to defend their seeming allies with bursts of fire from his Mk6. "Take te hospytal!" he yells constantly every few moments, perhaps hoping repetition will do something, and trying to edge that way himself once he can get others free to go with him. "Go to te hospy-tal!" Rillitan crouches back on the boarding ramp of the Artemis, patting the airlock door behind him to gauge his position before pulling his rifle from his back and aiming it outwards, into the fray. He doesn't shoot, but he makes a good effort to, at least, look like he'll shoot anyone who comes near the Artemis. Behind that visor, however, the Timonae's eyes are closed and he wears an expression of concentration. Hossomi watches the small, semi-organized riot with a flat expression. When they began to move, he pulls the hood of his simple tunic up, tucks away any glint of metal beneath somber colors. He slips off in a different direction, and hopefully out of the immediate way. "Damnit." Nix grumbles from his spot, annoyed that the Phyrrian/cat/thing decided to walk into his scope of aim. The command is heard by the warrior, and after an intake off breathe makes off at on a roadie run toward the direction of the hospital, though not at all once. Hit the nearest section of whatever can be considered cover, pop up for a few shots, then repeat. Cathal rises from his protected spot, relying on his armor plates to take any damage he receives. He squeezes off another burst into the nearest enemy, attempting to herd potential allies on as well..albeit with far less eloquence than his crewmates: "Fucking make yerselves useful, ya poxy bastards!" Epsilon catches on quick in spite of having taken the fight directly into the melee rather than fight from afar. Having kept tabs on Ace's movements in preparation for the move toward the hospital, it shoulders aside a body or two to win free of the ruckus and then heads in springing leaps to flank the Fox's captain and crew. Jest is doing her best to stay skulked along the edges. She is reluctant to fire her weapon, doing her best to dance around conflicts and provide a punch or two to the face rather than a lethal option. This may not serve her well for long. Hossomi swings out of the immediate conflict, as most of the attention has shifted onto those willing to shoot and shoot back instead of a single Timonae attempting to circle around it. He seems... content to follow the chaos in it's wake, lips forming a thin line of paranoia that has nothing to do with the exchange of bullets being fired off in all directions, and many bodies in close proximity to his own. Lucius only fires when he sees people shooting at the Foxes - that is to say, his shots are sparingly used, and he doesn't move position. The Ungstiri woman darts through running cover for Ace, positioning herself between the kapitan and Nix. Another Timonae's at her back, along with a Sivadian; they seem to be covering her. "Medical center? Hoop. Am a doctor. What is at medical center?" she hollers, throwing an arm up to shield herself from a pulse blast that zings too close overhead. In that instant, it becomes apparent - she's not a fighter. She is terrified. A Zangali rears up suddenly, bellowing mightily in the midst of the fray, catching countless bullets and seeming entirely unfazed. Tail lashing, the mighty reptiloid grabs ahold of a cargo module - and /flings/ it dead on toward the knot of people at the Fox. "Look out!" Jest shouts, still on the outer edges but heading towards the distant medical center. Aadzrian is covering the rear of the group, sending numerous stun blasts winging out at the people he identifies at threats to his crew and their allies. That Zangali is definitely one of them, but too late- all the armored behemoth of a Timonae can do is launch himself forward, aiming to serve as living cover for anyone who looks too slow to get out of the way. "Is injured woman on the Fox," Ace says to the woman, "Get her to the medical center! Black Heart is holed up there and giving her...shit, get down!" she shouts, pulling the woman aside as she tries to avoid the incoming crate. Jest swears and then turns on her heel. She sprints back towards the Artemis and Rillitan, as fast as she can. Hossomi pauses, perhaps it's mere chance, but he takes a moment to glance toward the conflict as he heads for the Fox. Retain cool, poker face, never let the enemy know what you're thinking. Those rules of civilized combat go out of the way when Zangali start playing throwbar with crates filled with unknown goods. He starts to run, trips, plants a hand down to keep his balance and scrambles away from his current position. With one last burst, he throws himself forward, arms protecting his head. The giant monster Zangali hurling pieces of the local landscape can't help but draw attention. Cathal's armored form twists, bringing the battle rifle to bear. He scopes in, attempting a difficult shot to the lizard's head in the midst of the chaos. If anything has gotten Nix's attention, its that Zangali. Hitting the next section of broken ferrocrete while being one of the few at the head of the group, he focuses on the crate chucker. Looking for a headshot, he fires off a burst, letting his pistol do the talking. Rillitan stands up and slowly makes his way down the ramp of the Artemis again, "Wish I was better't this.." comes a somewhat sullen voice, over his helmet speaker. The helmeted head looks back and forth, for all the good it does him. Lucius takes a knee and moves out into the open - in front of the Equinox. He hefts his rifle up oncemore, this time firing a double tap at the Zangali's centre mass. "This calls for some bigger tools." Mumbles the soldier within his closed helm. After the two shots crack out of his rifle, he stomps up the Equinox's ramp. Has anyone ever seen a Zangali explode? Anyone? Show of hands. Everybody should, because that's what happens now. Nix and Cathal's brilliant teamwork and masterful shots obliterate the reptiloid's head before he can roar his pain, and his midsection becomes a ruesom mess of black, sticky blood as practically everyone on the field wails on him. He topples onto his knees, sagging heavily before flopping snout-first onto the pavement with tongue lolling out. A grenade is launched into the fray. From where? It came from above. It explodes mere seconds after it hits the ground, blasting a section of the fallen aerie into a raging fireball of twisted metal, concrete, and shrapnel. The Ungstiri doctor ducks behind Nix, covering her ears at the sound of the blast. "Hoop," she swears again, pupils dilated with adrenaline and fright. "A what? Oh--! Da, will get her," she adds with a nod, barely peeking a glance up at the kapitan. "My-- my name, it is Nadia, da? Nadia-- Nadia Tostanavich. COMRADES!" Nadia calls back to her friends. "Come!" And they scramble into the Fox. Hossomi rises back up to his feet, closing his eyes for a second as the Ungstiri moves into the ship. He narrows his eyes, and slowly moves to follow the woman and her small group toward the Fox. "Cover them when they come back out!" Ace yells, "Will need Kaxina at the hospital. Keep the way clear for them!" She lays down some suppression fire as the doctors make for the ship, trying to drive the enemy to cover so they'll have clear run of it. Epsilon has caught up with Ace's group - just in time to track the incoming improvised-missile and be forced to dodge aside again. Lithe as the animal it resembles, it twists aside; turning with open mouth aimed toward the Zangali and something gleaming deep within its throat - before others take care of the reptiloid handily. Jaw hinging closed abruptly, the Phyrrian obediently helps cover any weak spots in the defense of the impromptu med crew and their mission. Aadzrian whirls out of the way of the crate when it becomes obvious his services as meat shield are not required at this time. He's stymied a moment by the grenade's concussion, stumbling, but then moving towards the Fox as well. "I wil get t'em t'ere safely!" he yells to Ace, positioning himself at the base of the ramp and trying to seek out the source of the explosive with careful eyes. Nixkamich doesn't have have to look at the Zangali any further, the sound of wet blood slopping about is indication enough, but the big warrior blink when the little Ungstiri joins him in cover. "Go! Now! Into the ship! I'll cover you!" he yells toward the woman and her friends, doing just that; proceding to fire off burst after burst fire. Jest reaches the ramp to the Artemis, "Coming up in front of you, Rill." She calls out. One hand goes out for the man's arm and she tugs. Cathal does what any decent, self-respecting thug does when danger arises: Puts someone else in the way to save his own ass. Not only does the old Lunite bastard throw himself to the ground, but he attempts to grab the nearest rioter between him and the grenade, yanking the pour soul down for additional cover. "What exploded?" comes a high toned voice from Rillitan's helmet, his metallic hand bats hers away from his arm and places itself on her shoulder, "Okay, I'm good. Move it." As Lucius comes out again from the Equinox in his covered MCA, his long arm mount has his 6.5m battle rifle in it. In his hands, however, are a large bore .50 sniper rifle. As the grenade comes down from the 'sky', Lucius gets back into his former position, pulling out the bipod from the tip of the weapon's barrel. And so he aims up - towards the towers. He's really not sure where it came from, but he looks through the sniper rifle's scope to see if there's anyone in those high guard towers lobbing shit down. "A grenade," Jest retorts. Once more unto the breech, she tries to angle around the least of the fighting to head back towards the distantly seen forms of Ace and Aadz. "Epsilon, can you get through to the Junkyard?" Ace asks, continue to shoot as targets present themselves, ducking as the grenade explodes. "Would be good if the Junkyard could handle what is sitting in orbit while we handle things down here." Streaked with dust and drying blood by now, claws and muzzle the most liberally, Epsilon obediently trots near Ace; hunched in a ready position to spring at the slightest provocation while it watches the rioters alertly, waiting for any new targets to reveal themselves that the others may not be aware of. "I have been in contact with Mother. I will send your request, though I doubt she has authorization for such maneuvers. It will be a few minutes before a response is expected." "A /grenade/?" Rillitan calls, sounding disappointed. He keeps up with Jest as well he can, sliding jerkily as he treads on a chunk of Zangali. "What the..." he manages, catching himself before he's on the floor and stumbling back into a rhythm alongside Jest. As they plunge deeper through the chaos, another fiery mushroom sprouts, biting a chunk out of a second-story flat and spilling rubble and rock into the streets. Part of the building's face collapses, dumping debris into the road much to the misfortune of those below - they die screaming. But their deaths are not in vain - Aadzrian is in the best position to spy the grenadier in a third-story window of a ruined skyscraper. Back toward the Equinox, Artemis, and Fox, the nightmare rages on. Cathal's meatshield is not exactly happy about that whole meatshield thing, and once their pair have recovered from the brunt of the blast, he bites - bites! - into the man's glove, wrestling for control of the firearm the Fox possesses. Kaxina comes limping out of the Fox with Nadia and Hossomi's assistance; lithe and armored, wielding a sword, but walking with a hitch and still sporting bandages. Her violet eyes widen, and instinct takes over. Duck and run, duck and run, surrounded by a wall of Nadia's entourage. A pulse blast skims Nix's helmet; he is unharmed, but the plastisteel warps and the paint job is ruined. In the distance, Jest and Epsilon may hear the familiar sound of an aerial beast. Kit has taken over one of the smaller storage bays that dot the Junkyard; the most noticeable modifications made in accessible connections rather than furniture. Surrounded by half a dozen screens and one of the Ariels at her back, Kit scowls darkly at an open message by her right hand before huffing in disgust and rapidly forwarding the message on with an addendum to the current master of the Junkyard: Check the news. See request from Ace, via Epsilon, below. I do not have a mind to take my first lesson in flying via long-distance instruction. Are you authorizing this and where the $@*#! are you? The current master of the Junkyard comes barrelling in, booted feet pounding on the deck. Winded, sweating, and wearing all the signs of one completely overwhelmed by the unfolding situation, Mika Tachyon shoulders through her team of mechanics busying themselves around Blackjack's hangar. "Wot th' Christ is goin' on?!" "It's getting bad down there," her Grimlahdi friend replies. "It's bad. Kit's been here fooling with this," -- he gestures with a claw -- "and, I-- I don't know. We can't keep ignoring this. Refugees are spilling in, blockade-runners, vagrants, name it. It's only a matter of time before Starlight or whoever the /hell/ is causing all this trouble turns their attention our way." Morgan's protege bites her lip, swiping a hand over a scarfed head, brow creasing. "Marc /fried/ our guns," she reminds him. "This station can't bloody /do/ wot it did t' th' Nall, mate, it blinkin'--" "There is /more/ to this station than just the Captain's firing system," the lizard cuts in as reminder. "There are /people/. People with /ships./" Mika bobs her head. "Send up a red alert," she decides. "All armed ships. I'll be..." Green eyes wander Kit's way, then to the Tasker at her side, then back to the lizard. "I'll be on th' Sat'sfaction. Tea an' plunder, mate -- yo ho ho." "Ace, we need to go!" Jest calls across, "They are sending in the helicopters." She is the mistress of the obvious tonight, it seems. Lucius's scanning of the guard towers brings up nothing, and he's left empty handed. Now that he has no targets, he begins to free roam in search of the grenadier elsewhere. It's possible he might find the skyscraper. Maybe not. Once the doctors have made their way into the Fox safetly, Nix stays where he is. "Up high!" he calls out, before the explosion goes off, and coupled by the plasma blasts he ducks under the shell of car while bits of dirt and rubble rain over him. "Somebody pick him off!" he adds, before poping back out to take the nearest target. He doesn't noticed the scorced plastisteel of his helmet. For now, he takes aim at anything that poses a threat to Kaxina, Nadia, and Hoss Aadzrian pauses a moment. Very deliberately, he eschews the pulse assault rifle hooked up to his right arm to raise that Mk6 and take aim on the grenadier, despite the distance between them. Only a breath or two taken to make sure his aim is good, and the Timonae squeezes the trigger to send a blast of energy lancing at that grenadier. THEN he's running, providing literal moving cover for the doctors, patient and entourage. "Time to move!" Ace shouts to her crew, "I am on point, Aadzrian you are with Kaxina, Cathal cover the rear. Nixkamich, watch out for Jest and Rillitan!" She looks down to the Phyrrian, "Last thing we need is their ships coming down on us. Make sure they know that." She starts to lead the way into the ruins, looking over at Lucius, "Is a mass murderer at the hospital. If you wish to bring justice to Tomin Kora, then come with us. Watch the skies!" she calls out to her friends and allies, "Incoming helicopters! If there is anyone on the Artemis who can handle her guns, now might be the time to bring them online," she adds to Jest. Epsilon's ears prick sharply just a second or two before Jest's warning. "I can help lay covering fire if it comes to that, but it would be best if you were already in the ruins by then where cover from aerial pursuit is better," the Phyrrian nudges past Ace while it falls into line with the herd around Kaxina. Hossomi leaves the ship behind, hood still pulled over his head, though really? As he's part of the VIP being transported, there really isn't much chance of being entirely unnoticed. So? He simply moves within the limitations set for him, and if this bothers him, it is hard to tell with the clenched jaw and shaded features. Cathal, no stranger to such dirty barfight tactics, willingly sacrifices the comfort of his hand to prevail. He swings a mighty leg over his prone opponent, dragging the -four hundred pounds- of Lunite and cold metal overtop of the man and letting it crush into his ribcage. If that's not enough, he reigns back with his other arm to slam a hideously brutal elbow at the poor fellow's face. Hearing Ace's instructions, he adds his own hoarse voice to chaos, "-An' if yer addicted ta any drugs: They're sure as all fuckin' hell gonna have 'em in the hospital!-" "You ever seen a fifty caliber rifle hit a helecopter? Boom. I'll cover you, keep moving. SOmeone has to watch the ships." Lucius gets up to find himself some vastly superior cover away from the Equinox, running (with surprising agility for one in marine combat armour) towards the edge of the landing field and the strewn rubble. He marks out a few positions on his IHADSS, to move to after each shot, maximizing on cover. "Acknowleged, Kapitan!" Nix calls over, swiveling his view from the group of doctors onto Jest and Rillitan. Using that roadie run for all its worth, the Qua ducks and weaves with uncanny movement toward Rill and Jest, picking off whoever might take aim at either one, and firing off more than a few at the few that might. One hand reaches behind him smoothly, while a finger spits out a spent clip, the fresh being slapped in almost immedeitely. Rillitan continues to move with Jest, his rifle held in his other hand with the butt wedged in against his shoulder, ready to aim and fire if anyone gets close enough for Rillitan to take note of them. Still, besides an already dead body, his few and far between shots don't hit anything. Jest ducks, twisting to the side. She reachs out to Rill to make sure that he dodges with. Aadz's target comes tumbling from the window and splatters onto the pavement like a bloody marionette. A second man inside sticks his head out, sighting the big Timonae, but BLAM -- Nadia's Sivadian buddy has got him. "Run!" the Ikeopan shouts unnecessarily, slapping another clip into his weapon. Nadia shrieks, recoiling at every shout and scream, driven along purely by autopilot and the fear of being trampled by their own circle of cover. That copter comes zinging in from overhead - Epsilon and Jest will recognize it. Its cannons punch out twin rounds, soft and spherical, plastering the street with adhesive slime and knocking down the unfortunate few that catch the impact of the blast. They're kayoed, and not only that - they are stuck to the ground. A woman screams, trying to free herself, but the problem only worsens. The real problem becomes apparent in that even if the medcenter is only mere blocks away, and even if the rounds do not connect? There's no passing through the gunk without trapping oneself in it. Ace gives a sharp nod to Lucius, looking up as the copter comes in, "Take it down!" she calls out, bringing her rifle to bear as she aims for the tail rotors, trying to hit it at one of its more vulnerable points. Aadzrian doesn't have time to attend to the copter himself, focusing on guarding his little cavalcade. The Ikeopan gets a grateful nod, but as they approach the slime the Timonae slows to look for an alternative way around- after all, where there are ruins the distinction between street and otherwise quickly becomes moot. If he finds a path he'll direct them- otherwise? It's just back to playing guardian. This time, there is no intent to play coy with the aerial force. Epsilon maintains careful tabs of the copter's approach as it runs along the edges of the group, tireless and unflinching amidst the chaos...and as soon as the vehicle has come within range, it skids to a stop, whirling around - jaw opening once more, this time unhesitant, and a lance of pure light flashes out toward the helicopter. Having set up his position in the rubble that makes up most of SHadowheart and surrounds the landing field, Lucius has been taking careful aim and trackign the noise from the helecopter as it came in. Once in sight, he lowers down to his weapon, waiting for the perfect moment, tracking, tracking... waiting for it to come to a slowed speed, or stop, whichever one. He depresses the trigger as the helecopter itself finishes firing its gunk. Not at the cockpit, or the tail rotor - no, he fires at the engine block at the top of the helecopter, which presents a fairly large target. BOOOM! The .50 cal bullet comes off like a cannon, and without withdrawing its bipod he gets moving to the next point. Cathal clambers off of his downed opponent with a triumphant roar, "-Yes-! RI-OT!" Caught up in sudden bloodlust, the armor-coated monstrosity spins about to wing a wide, looping left hook into the jaw of a random ally with the force of a sledgehammer. He starts looking for another victim before the sound of the helicopter's attack snaps him back to matters at hand. "...right, rearguard! I'm on it." He retrieves his rifle from the ground, looking for threats less obvious than the hovering, rotored death. Jest hisses in breath to yell, "Ace! Keep us moving!" Tack Tack Tack! goes Nix's weapon, picking off the next closest threat while in the process of meeting up with Jest and Rill mid-way. "You two unhurt?" he asks, not waiting for a response before he goes back to giving out free samples of hot lead complements of his assualt pistol. A glance toward the back of feild and the old man. "Cathal! Move your ass!" "T'is way!" Aadzrian hollers to the group he accompanies, pointing a thumb down a narrow rubble-choked alley and leading them off the beaten path... as much as such a thing exists in Shadowheart. "-Stay close-!" Rillitan has left RP mode. The fuel line is hit. Ace didn't want things coming down on their heads - but now there is. A fsking hovercopter. The barrage of fire from Lucius and company brings it down in a gulping cloud of flame and sparks, raining down hell as the thrusters sputter and overload and glass shatters. It comes down long and wide, spiralling orange and crimson and belching black smoke and noxious fumes, taking a small wreck of a storefront with it as it skitters dangerously into the mouth of the landing field. Anyone headed into the city is now quite trapped there. Ace was headed that way as she fired her shots, taking point as she charges into the ruins and veers right, "Follow me!" She keeps low, leading the way down a back alley, watching over her shoulder to make sure everyone was with her. "Well, at least there's no fucking threat no more." Lucius shrugs. He clicks his sniper rifle onto safe, and then onto his back in the second long arm mount. Then he sprints towards Ace and company, pulling off his regular rifle and cocking a round into the chamber. Again, for a man in MCA.. he moves fast. You head into Aerie Ruins . You head into Aerie Ruins . You head into Aurora Strand . The massive framework construct of the aerie, where ships used to land back in Cabrerra's day, has toppled over the thoroughfare known as Aurora Strand. Before the fall of Tomin Kora in the aftermath of Majordomo Grim's rampage, the spacious avenue had been home to numerous neon-lit businesses. Now, it's a boulevard of broken hovercars, skeletal remains of crashed spacecraft, and drifts of rubble. The remnants of the old Tomin Kora spaceport, cracked from impact by the aerie's collapse, loom nearby. Epsilon stays to watch only long enough to confirm the copter will be going down before it is whirling around to run after the group again, bringing up the rear with ears and every other sensor it has at its disposal working full time to watch out for dangers. Cathal lumbers to catch up to the hospital demolition team, his booted feet crushing the dead and dying on the street as he runs through the wreckage. When he gets close enough he takes up rearguard, watching the vulnerable flanks and preparing to support the forward fighters should they need it. Aadzrian falls back to follow Ace's lead once the group's clear into the ruins, keeping himself as Nadia, Kaxina and Hossomi's living shield. He lags a little compared to his usual speed in MCA, not at all tireless, but he manages somehow to keep up. Newt arrives from Aerie Ruins . Ace keeps up a decent pace through the ruins, slowing only to give the others time to keep up and to avoid running headlong into any ambushes. As they approach the casino-hospital, she comes to a stop, calling back over her shoulder, "Your show Kaxina." Jest crouches down, hand going to the camera that rests along her chest, red button shining steadily. First she rotates the lens to Rillitan, perhaps her way of providing those 'at home' a little reassurance. Then she takes a long pan of the hospital. Ah, the hospital. Familiar ground for Jest, Cathal and Lucius. The latter one takes up the rear guard. Someone's gotta do the dirty jobs. "Ace, if you give me my plasma cannon back I don't mind taking the suicidal position of man-to-clear-rooms. Your call there." This voice comes from the vocaliser of the camo MCA. Moving along in the middle of the pack, Nix slows as the people in the front do, making his way toward the group. "Its going to get messy in there. Close-combat." he states, exchanging clips once again while he has the spare time for it. Also has a precaution, he flick loose the strap that holds his blade secure. "We have any grenades?" "You wish, sonny-boy. My shotgun calls shotgun." The larger, darker MCA suit near to Lucius seems to want to mark his territory. "Besides, these bastards owe me an ear." The Lunite adds from within, chortling. "That was one of-- that came from the medcenter!" Kaxina shouts to whoever the hell will listen, practically gluing herself to the wall of the alley with her long blade held protectively before her. "The copter! Maza's flying deathtrap, Akhan's marshalled his men!" "What does that /mean?!/" Nadia shouts back as they zigzag, racing between the dilapidated buildings, staying close within her circle; she is practically clinging to Aadz. Kaxina winces. "It means we may be too late," the assassin admits. Her height gives her considerable advantage over Ace, as she peers over the kapitan's shoulder, brow furrowed. Violet eyes dart down to Jest - and she takes one clean step to the side to allow the woman to drink in more grisly footage. And what footage it is. Armored hovercars patrol the ground as troops scramble to fall into rank - twenty or thirty easily apparent on the grounds. More unseen. They all sport the same red armbands leaked to the press via Artemis and Kit, all of them wielding basic assault rifles and flak jackets. They're a little ragtag in appearance. But they're organized. "What you see there is Starlight training," Kaxina explains. "Scooping thugs off the streets and turning them into soldiers. It would be brilliant -- if they had stayed loyal." A glance back at Jest. "I'd wanted to tell you hello, before. It'd been a long time," a smile, and then she ducks past, striding carelessly across the street and into the hospital's parking area. Ace holds up her hand as Kaxina moves forward, "Stand your ground," she says, watching the woman go, waiting to see if she beckons them to follow or not. "...hello," Jest says dryly. She continues to take the shot, now focusing on Kax. "If you wanna put yourself in the line of fire, Cathal, then I can get your back. First to die, you know. Well, you remember the last time. That plasma cannon saved your life as much as your shotgun saved mine." Quips back Lucius, evidently forgetting or ignoring whatever happened between the soldier and the Foxes in the last few days. "Ace. Do you have it on you, or not? That plasma cannon can fucking pierce a LAV. No problem." Aadzrian halts to obey Ace's order, standing protectively just in front of Nadia- and probably blocking her entire field of view. Uncharacteristically, he seems to be actually panting for breath, audible through his helmet's speakers. "I took te plasma pistol from te locker when I grabbed te MCA. Odd feeling it migh' be use-ful. But I t'ink we leaved te cannon." "I have one, however," Epsilon reminds mildly as it lopes up, taking in the scene in one lazy look before it is moving to the side - spreading the potential targets and expanding their field of fire. Cathal comes to a halt, dropping to one knee. His helmeted head turns to Lucius, lifting the battle rifle in his hands slightly. "Trade ya. I ain't ever fired plasma a'fore." "What I wouldn't give to have that railgun again." Nix muses darkly. "So no grenades, hmm? Shame. Would've come in handy." he looks about the scene and troops gathered. "A diversion would be helpful, but I'm not sure if we would be lucky enough to be granted one." Newt asks once stopped, "Will we all haveta go in there?" "Cathal. Give me that plasma cannon and you go in first. It doesn't do you any good when you're shooting off a shotgun." Lucius says to the really fat dude in MCA. "Perfect." He gives his factory crafted 6.5mm to Cathal in exchange for his hand crafted one. Not a difference noticeable to the eye. But to Lucius? /ALL/ the difference. He keys off the safety from the plasma cannon and grins under his visor. "Well. Looks like we're gonna need to take these vehicles. Havoc causing is appreciated. They might panic and piss themselves when they see their war machines go up. Maybe not." "I have one," Jest says to Nix, offhand, "But it's range is only as good as we can throw, buddy. We can shoot farther than that right now." Aadzrian reaches back over the gun mounts and racks of his MCA, taking out the plasma pistol and sliding it into his right hand. Now he's dual-wielding it and his Mk6 in thoroughly impractical fashion, hopefully only intending to use one at a time, and with the PAR still attached to his arm. It's quite a ludicrous display. "Point me in te righ' direction, Ace, and t'ere I go," he says simply. "Hey. Hey, it's Kaxina. Hey, Kax," calls out one of the soldiers. "Holy hell, what happened to you?" Kaxina's expression is unreadable with her back turned, but her tone is not. It's flat as a board. "Your mother is rough in the sack. What in Maza's unlucky name is going on here? Why was I not notified?" The soldier makes the universal "I don't know" sound, shrugging massively. "There's riots. Some asshole send out this PDA thing, and the Lieutenant--" "And where is the Lieutenant?" Kaxina cuts him off. "He ssssendssss his regardssssssss to the betrayer," snarls a Naliese voice over his comms. Nobody sees it. A bullet bites into the Timonae's side, and she goes crumpling to the ground. Soldiers swarm her. Guns are levelled dead upon her. Cathal accepts the change in weaponary quite happily. That plasma stuff is no way to kill a man- You should at least have the courtesy to fill him with lead or beat him to death with your bare hands. It's just civilized. At the sight of Kaxina crumpling and being swarmed, Cathal's only comment is, "Fair 'nough." The camera is brought up, Jest shifting to the side to focus in on the fallen woman. She's missed the blood splatter, likely, but...she's got the crumble and she's got the swarming. Aadzrian's helmeted gaze swings to Ace, the Timonae tensing slightly but actually waiting for orders before he does anything. "Plasma cannons on the vehicles," Ace orders as she moves forward, providing cover and drawing fire in her combat armor, "Clear a path to Kaxina and then to the door. Our smaller numbers will work better in closer quarters. MOVE!" And as she moves she opens fire with her pulse assault rifle, taking aim at the men surrounding Kaxina. "If you're not in this fight, keep under cover!" Tirax arrives from Aerie Ruins . "Hey, why the fuck not." Lucius doesn't key his vocaliser for that one. But he does raise his rifle up, and there's only two motions left to complete his action. One, the safety is touched off with his thumb. Two, with his finger, a massive bolt of plasma extends from his rifle's underslung attachment towards then nearest vehicle. Considering it's one of the functions that the Purification is meant for, it's going to be nasty if it hits. Epsilon crouches as soon as the shot rings out, eyes and ears rapidly scanning the space between itself and the hospital - before Ace's order launches it racing ahead. With no more restrictions now except to cause as much mayhem along its path as possible, the Phyrrian reverts to its true origins; red optics gleaming, it sprints with open mouth...firing the canon hidden within even as it leaps for close-contact sport with the makeshift troops. Jest draws out her pistol and scrambles to her feet. The transmisison will have to deal with a jolty picture of the landing pad for a moment. Well. That's if the camera doesn't get turned around. Then the quality of the show will go down. Or up, depending on your point of view. Nixkamich was about to reply to Jest about the grenade being mentioned, but the shot that out gave him pause. He stands still for a moment before hearing Ace's commands. With a movement, he draws out that vicious looking blade of his, holding his pistol in the other, appearing to only use one at time; currently its the assualt pistol. Speaking of his gunarm, he takes aim at one of the goons hovering Kax, opening fire. Aadzrian is moving as soon as he hears Ace's words, letting Nadia's escort handle her now that Kaxina isn't there. He sacrifices accuracy for sheer firepower, probably more wanting to make a scene than actually hit, by firing his plasma pistol at the vehicles and his Mk6 at one of the men targeting Kaxina. Between the double volley and the jarring, thudding footsteps of his armored bulk, the Timonae is going in with a bang. Cathal slides along the side of the alley towards the scene of utter chaos. He covers the fighters rushing forward and ignores any soldiers around the fallen assassin. He brings up his rifle, looking to use it for a more distant threat. If he spots anything, he'll squeeze off a burst. And who should come sprinting in from the landing pad but one Timmie, rifle in hand, fully charged. Oh snap, he's got a plasma cannon too. And it's bigger than Aadz's, though -that's- nothing new. Getting as close to the group of the combined forces of 'better than the bad guys', he fires off a shot with his plasma cannon at the nearest vehicle. The Phyrrian whirlwind does an amazing job of wreaking utter havoc on the ranks of men, who have absolutely no idea what in the hell to do with a big robot cat suddenly spitting plasma everywhere. It's quite a terrifying sight - one of the LAVs suddenly goes up in a massive eruption of flame, spitting tendrils of gasoline chased with fire through the air like some sort of signal flare, and then punching through the maelstrom of fire comes Epsilon. He cleaves through one man's ribcage, shattering it utterly with half a headbutt, half a tackle, bringing him to the ground in a bloody mess. Shots ring-ting-ping uselessly off of the otherworldly death machine... and that is enough to instill fear in anyone. Kaxina's assailants respond not only by breaking away and emptying odd rounds to keep the Foxes' heads down, but one of them wrenches the Valshonian by the hair and yanks her along with as if he were Cathal and she were a meatshield. One of Ace's shots, unfortunately, catches the captive assassin in the leg. She shrieks. Lucius keeps concentrating on the main objective at hand - the vehicles. His next shot goes to the next vehicle which is damned close, still - a bolt of plasma comes towards it. The carnage has caused a break in the lines, and Nix takes advantage of it. Moving toward a peice cover in the direction of Kax, he starts firing off rounds at the men around her, attempting to incease the distance between them. Speaking of unfortunately, Aadzrian doesn't decide to keep his head down very much even in the face of oncoming fire. The Timonae just lumbers on in his quest to clear a path to the door, doing his slightly labored best to keep up with Ace. He swears viciously as Kaxina is pegged, shifting his aim for the time being towards the enemies slightly more distant from the captive. Jest continues forward, shooting with both hands. It may be hard to tell which will do more damage, the gun or the jolting camera to its poor viewers nausea. She drops the camera again and digs around in her jacket for that grenade of hers. Time to get close enough to use it. More or less. Ace sprints forward then, cursing under her breath as she pulls out her pistol and fires as she runs, heading full speed towards the captured assassin. She lets the others cover her charge, "Get to the parking garage! We can find a way in from there!" Cathal pauses in his advance and decides to do the exact opposite of his comrades: He goes for it. Carefully lining up the shot, he sets his sights on the challenge of pegging Kaxina's captor in the head, ignoring the high odds of turning the assassin's head into an exploding melon. "But I left my hoverbike at home, they don't let pedestrians in!" Tirax calls to Ace, obviously enjoying all this carnage as he sends a spray of pulse fire towards some soldiers, catching up to Aadz. "What's a good looking suit of armour like you doing in a place like this?" And Nix is right behind Ace, meeting up with the kapitan as she runs past. Moving to assist the Ungstiri, the warrior veers off slightly to engage the closest grunt to let her take care of Kax, firing at a run then lowering his pistol as he comes into extreme close range. Spinning on his heel, he brings that sword around in tight rending arc, looking shred the man through the neck. "Killing. Sorry I did no wake you up for te figh', but you are cute when you sleep," Aadzrian answers Tirax, a strained laugh escaping him as he turns and heads for the parking garage via Ace's orders. Anyone in his way gets heedlessly shot at- anything in his way gets heedlessly plasma-targeted. Either way, he's barrelling onward. (repose due to lag) The Phyrrian is eerily silent - for all that its shape is remarkably life-like, there are no roars or growls except for the occasional hiss of plasma as Epsilon revels in its original purpose...that of war tasker. Gamboling through those still foolish enough to stand before it, the felinoid shifts tactics smoothly to accommodate the crewmembers that are catching up, complementing Aadzrian's push for the entrance and keeping the path open for the others. It's not enough that Kaxina's captor suddenly takes a bullet in the eye. As he staggers, a second away from death, his nerveless fingers release her - and that's all the time the assassin needs to regain control. Bleeding profusely and far from agile, Kaxina Nayali still manages to guarantee the man's demise by swinging her blade in a wide arc and catching him square beneath the ribcage. She thrusts, popping a hole right through the guy, and immediately yanks the hilt back in a vicious stab. He is dead before he hits the ground. She swings her gaze left, swings her gaze right, then she's lurching as fast as she can after the Foxes, half-hopping, half-limping, clutching her side. Static suddenly breaks the complex's, followed by an ear-splitting electronic squeal. Then panting fuzzes the speakers. "Say 't," comes a female West Enajian drawl, booming through the complex. There's a thump, the sound of a man grunting. A Timonese accent filters through. "Mika... Mika Tachyon is... is..." he trails off into a mumble. "/SAY 'T!/" somes the woman's voice again. Something smacks hard against flesh. "Mika Tachyon is my sweet sugar momma," the voice laments. "Sweet, sweet sugar momma." Static. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kit Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, that sophomoric display was Mika announcing that she has captured the flagship. Anything else? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sun Sep 14 03:14:22 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 44 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You're beautiful and Maza's avatar just made me inhale good brandy. Literally. Damn that stings. Thank you! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jaswinder Date: Sun Sep 14 03:19:18 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 45 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Request from captain of the Artemis: Think you can tell the avatar of Maza to order the folks here to lay down their arms? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kit Date: Sat Sep 13 22:11:16 2008 Folder: 0 Message: 36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- She is currently occupied with training the captain how to bark on command. In other words, it will have to wait until we have cleaned up the rest of the fleet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, there's always people who need to pull rearguard. Even despite the fact that Lucius promised to be the guy to breach, he breaks his promise and is too busy shooting at infantry, finding cover. They might be trained, but he's a professional special forces soldier. The difference is somewhat pronounced as he pops off rifle fire at the enemies. Lucius has disconnected. "That's okay, I was having a nice dream about naked lap dancers, trained in the art of.. art .. uh.. I forgot," Tirax says, firing a blast of the plasma cannon to clear the way. "No matter. You're going to have to get pictures of me sleeping, some time, if I'm that cute." He ambles after Aadz, firing at anything that comes close. "Help get her to cover!" Ace calls to Nix, scowling behind her mirrored visor at the sight of the Qua following her. She whirls and bellows to the remaining soldiers, "YIELD!!!" she shouts, "YOU HAVE LOST!!" Bang. Bang. Aadzrian just keeps on going for it, galumphing for and into the parking garage, even though he's noticeably a bit slower by the time he gets there. He's also laughing hysterically, which might explain it. The speakers get a crisp military salute, and the armored man searches for anything resembling an entrance into the building at large. The first one's taken, and he says absently as his laughter dies, "I have pictures of you asleeping, sevy-ral." Mk6 raised and ready, he continues in his push to enter the building itself. Cathal lumbers towards the parking garage, planting a grateful kiss on the battle rifle with his masked lips. Everything is looking up for Cathal Yoren, until the speakers sound out their dread news. "...oh no, no no no. Not that crazy bitch, no way. Not again!" Gunshot there, then a glimmering flicker of reddened steel there, Nix does what he intending to do; keep the two Ungstiri covered, even if told to do otherwise. Completing that task, the blade is holster smoothly on the way back over, assisting in getting Kax up to her and then moving in the direction to the rest of the crew. If that means he has to carry her, then so be it. Black Heart's troops look conflicted. Confused. Bewildered. Some are lowering their weapons - a few are even dropping them, and lifting their hands - but others only seem to be incensed by the declaration over the comms. Or, perhaps, simply ignoring it. "What the hell?" Kaxina wonders, bafflement crossing her dark features as she slumps against a pillar to Aadzrian's right, olive complexion draining frighteningly away. "/Jhime?/ Do we have-- what's going on?" "Did they just play pornographic material over the comms?" Nadia squeaks, not certain of what this all means. "It means nothing," Kaxina breathes. "Nothing. Not to Akhan. All it means to us is that-- whoever that was? They just-- the /idiot/ just signed the Boss's death warrant." The loudspeakers gain Epsilon's attention as nothing else has. Still standing in someone's ribcage, the tasker's head abruptly jerks up, both ears swiveling forward to catch the familiar voice of Mika Tachyon...for a moment, expectant; as if waiting for something that should inevitably follow upon this evidence of the rogue's presence. Except that it doesn't, from the sudden droop of ears and head and tail at the return of static, and there is a great shake through the metal frame as if to shake off the gore that now streaks its hide, and it steps forward once more to search for any last opposition. And perhaps the fact Kaxina quietly states is what spurs Aadzrian on in his quest to find some entrance, any entrance to the building, the Timonae's helmeted head swinging first one way and then another as he searches with a distracted swearword. He seems on the verge of making one if one can't be found, plasma pistol raised. Tirax's head turns at Kax's words, a silvery frown snapping into place before he looks up at Aadz. "Find a wall in. I'll blow it with this," he says, his voice hard as he taps his plasma cannon. Jest has disconnected. "Uh, Tirax?" Nix pipes up, nodding towards the door thats mysteriously been there the entire time yet due to the firefight, its not surprising that nobody really noticed it. Staying alive and all that. The man then glances toward the young Ungstiri. "You, Nadia, right? Think you can look her over?" he indicates at Kax. "Sure she could use it." Newt runs for the garage soon after Cathal, lagging behind slightly but finding it easier going due to there not being as much of him to find cover for, or move. Cathal draws hard, heavy breaths when he finally joins the other in the parking garage. "...gotta quit smokin'. Really, startin' tomorrow. I mean it this time." It's easy not to smoke when you have a helmet on. He slings his battle rifle back, clipping it securely to his armor. He reaches over his other shoulder, producing the small cannon of a shotgun. Ace listens to Kaxina's words and her expression darkens as she reaches down to grab the comm off of the dead man at her feet, "There should be a door inside. MOVE!" she shouts, her voice changing to a sibilant hiss as she addresses Akhan over his own comm system. "You tailless son of an honorless clan. You are nothing but an empty husk of a Nall who Nalia will curse to eternal shame in the afterlife. Your people hold me, a human, in higher regard than you and you do not have the courage to face me." Aadzrian grumbles in irritation at himself as he spies the door, just as Nix points it out. Actually smart enough to try the doorknob first, the Timonae enters if it's not locked. And if it is? He just kicks at it angrily with a big armored leg, playing Juggernaut. Either way, he's going in! Tirax goes in after Aadz, letting the large, black, phallic symbol force its way through the door. "Bold words from the lap dog of a faded crime lord," snarls Akhan's voice, in perfect Naliese, in response to Ace. "Your Boss is dead. I will drink his blood and dine upon his cowardly flesh. His doctor carves him into pieces for me even now, the butchering wench. It is only fitting that Black Heart shit him out." Nadia nods to Nix, pale, moving toward Kaxina and slinging an arm about her. The assassin doesn't resist. "Is it safe to go inside?" she asks of anyone who will answer. It isn't. Black Heart's men are everywhere inside, and the halls are so well-lit and narrow. There's no way to sneak or skulk about, and Aadz is greeted with wary, uncertain weapons pointed his way. Akhan laughs. "Come, Polunocnica. I welcome you. If you would duel me, duel me," he challenges. "Or will you find your beloved Boss's corpse, instead? I will not wait for you." As the exterior is finally cleared, Epsilon wends its way around the crew, discreetly nudging a few legs aside if necessary to win through to the front. "Perhaps, for the sake of expediency, I could go in and flush them out for you?" it asks. Ace switches to the private Fox commlinks then, "He said 'he.' Aadzrian...can you farsense for Cabrerra?'" That said she uses the Black Heart link to speak to the Nall again, "You do not have the balls to fight me you coward. Come and get me if you dare. "Not until we've cleared it." Nix replies to the doctor, moving to stand with Nadia and Kax, guarding over them both while the others take the front. Cocking his head, earpeice going off on the Fox comm channel to listens to Ace's relay. He listens absently, nodding at Epsilon when the feline war tasker appears. "Sounds like a good plan." "Busy righ' now," Aadzrian notes into his helmet's integrated comms. "Tir, do it? Come wit' me, Epsilon." And then he raises his pistol at the three men, regardless of their well-armed and armored state. "Out of my way," the Timonae says simply, discharging the roar of super-heated energy at the nearest opponent he sees. No more laughing, this time. Tirax tucks himself nice and close behind Aadz before nodding and shutting his eyes, trying to farsense for the wicked bitch of the west. Cathal takes up position on the other side of the doorway, keeping himself just out of sight with his shotgun ready to support Aadzrian. "Well, she's alive," Tirax murmurs quietly into his comm. "And killing someone on a table." Epsilon needs no further encouragement. Fast upon the tail of that first shot from Aadzrian, the tasker is darting straight down the center of that narrow space, uncaring of the tight quarters at it plays hunt and seek - searching for hidden bodies and dragging them out into the open for those that come behind it, if it does not dispatch them itself. Newt gets himself next to Cathal, his own weapon in hand. As soon as one man goes down, the others start firing. The shots empty out the hallway, caroming off of Epsilon as it tears through savaging whoever it finds. Akhan just laughs again. "Choose wisely," the mercenary hisses, and then the feed is dead. Aadzrian forges ahead just behind Epsilon. The plasma pistol is ignored now in favor of his Mk6, which seems hardly less powerful... if the shots are more pinpoint in their accuracy. He just walks right ahead into the hail of fire, dodging when he can but mostly seeming to rely on his armor, and aiming to pick opponents off one by one. Ace shakes her head, then and turns to follow the others, "Find her," she snaps over the Fox's comms. Cathal grunts his displeasure about something, ducking in immediately after Aadzrian. He brings his shotgun up, but like everyone else behind him he won't be able to get a shot off down the narrow hallway without sending his Timonae comrade to an early grave. He follows anyway, ready to help him tackle doors or intersecting hallways as need be. Tirax moves behind Aadz now, popping his head and gun out to fire alternating blasts of plasma and pulse fire at anyone in the way. "She's being held in surgery," Kaxina remarks, limping alongside Nadia with her sword practically falling from her fingers. "In surgery, in surgery. Maza's bloody promises - I really need to - " "You really need to stop talking," Nadia chides softly. Aadzrian checks the sign on the wall, and forges on through the slog of combat to surgery. Having experience with how personal blades can be, Nix reaches down to pick that sword before it clatters to the ground. "Surgery. Hrm." he mutters in an echo, sheathing the weapon between his belt. After such he goes back to keeping his guarding posture of the two making sure no harm will come to them. The clangor of screams, shouts, and weaponsfire advances inexorably into the complex, leaving a gory trail in its wake. And finally, after several turns (and one doubling back - signs are only as reliable as those posting them), the party arrives for the reckoning. That strange feeling Tirax was experiencing becomes evident when one gets an eyeful of Katatina Cabrerra. Apparently masquerading as the doctor of some ill-fated middle-aged man - the mistaken Cabrerra, no doubt - the Ungstiri crime lord stand drenched in blood... and not all of it his. She has been stabbed multiple times; the wounds have been stiched and patched, but the result is a sickly, greenish pallor painting her skin. She chops. Chop... chop... chop... brutal and efficient, her cleaver dismembers the man. "Boss," Kaxina breathes, trying to lurch ahead. Nadia restrains her, and the Timonae cannot much resist. "Sweet, merciful Lin." Cabrerra looks up with blind eyes; Rillitan's eyes staring back at them. "Shadow." "Kata-tina," Aadzrian breathes in soft horror. By this point his MCA shows the results of many shots undodged, and it actually creaks as he moves forward into the room towards her. "Kata-tina... come wit' us. We wil get you help..." He sheathes a pistol to extend a hand. "Is no too late." "I think it is," Tirax says quietly, shuddering a little as he looks over Katatina, slipping in to the side of Aadz. "How long has the fire-eye been in your system?" he asks lowly of the fallen crime lord. Cathal works the pump on his shotgun at the sight of the hideous monster that await within- wait, that's Cabrerra? Ew. "...you can't be serious." Always sensitive in times like this, the Lunite grunts and stares at the woman. "This can't be her. We're talkin' 'bout -Cabrerra-, here. This is just..." What it is, he can't seem to quite put his finger on, so he trails off awkwardly. "Now's your chance to look them over if you can." Nix suggests to Nadia, taking some of Kax's wait onto him to help assist. Theres a glance forward at the others and Cabrerra, then back towards the way they came to make sure they hadn't been followed. "At least she is still alive," Ace says, her eyes hard and cold as she takes the scene in. "Do what you can for them both," she says to the young doctor. Newt takes one step in, stares for a while, takes a step right back out and leans against a wall, the sight well out of his field of view. Epsilon only goes so far as to stand just past the threshold; enough to allow others to move past it. After a single, long look at the fallen Boss, it seems almost disinterested - turning to Ace and asking, "Is this mission over?" Rillitan arrives from Aerie Ruins . "Ah, Polunocnica," Katatina insists, methodically continuing her work, blind yet eerily precise. "What a sweet voice you have always had. One can hear its warmth, beneath the ice..." She laughs, ever so softly. Nadia eases Kaxina in a step, two steps. Helps her to a chair, but the assassin is having none of it, battling to run to Cabrerra's side. The end result is a rather pathetic struggle between the pretty, birdlike deyvachka and the strong, but wounded killer. "Maza's-- you drank it. You weren't supposed to. We were going to poison them-- the whole shipment, Renous's shipment," she insists. "Renous Marquin. He-- he brought it in, I was going to--" "I know what you were going to do. Mend that broken bridge. Condemning Marquin so for rash behavior, and look." Katatina chuckles. "You have a soft heart, Shadow. As do my beloved Foxes. It is why I treasured them... and why I may never leave this room alive." "Who were you supposed to poison?" Ace asks, weary and getting straight to the point. "T'ere is no time to sit around talking!" Aadzrian insists fiercely, gesturing around the room. "No now. We need to getting you into treat-ment, and t'en we need to *go*. If any-body try and keep you from leaving, we wil wiped t'em out. We fough' our way here and here we are. " "She's not going to make it Aadz," Tirax says quietly, his voice softening moment by moment, stepping forwards to try and stop Katatina from any more cutting. "Rest now," he says softly. "You are among friends, once more." Cathal sloooowly makes his way around the tragic moment, giving the friends their privacy. It just so happens that this touching gesture lets him look through a few supply cupboards at the same time. "Until we are out of here," Ace adds to Epsilon, "Nyet, not yet." "Lay still." Nix advises quietly, to the resisting assassin. "There will be more than enough time for talking after we've all made our way out of this place." he states, keeping a firm grip on her while Nadia goes about with her medical duties. Other than that, he keeps an ear on the dialouge and an eye on the exit. Epsilon bows its head in acknowledgment, before slipping out of the room - stopping just outside the door to stand guard with one ear turned back to the room behind it and the other swiveling freely as it watches for potential trouble. Shadowheart's founder - some would claim her clone - stops chopping. She smiles at Tirax, tired and fading. "Indeed. But not to say this mission should not be a complete loss. That would be unfortunate, lives lost in vain..." She lays the cleaver on the table, having separated the man's limbs from his various joints, all save for his head. Her hands are drenched in blood. "To leave here with me is to reveal my identity. To reveal my identity is to kill me. Is that what you wish?" She gestures a crimson hand toward the corpse. "This? Of me? I have not been kind to you. Not always. Love is not always kind." Kaxina grunts her frustration. "With all due respect, we can't-" but Nix shuts her up, and now she's just growling while she struggles. "Leave here. Leave here with Boss Cabrerra. Declare his life, and declare his victory. Let Shadowheart sing, let it throw off its chains. Let it destroy those who would destroy it. Give it victory." Katatina draws in a breath. "Kaxina Nayali. Polunocnica. Approach me." Ace takes a breath, unhappy at not getting the answers she seeks, but she steps forward nonetheless. Nixkamich takes a moment to look between Cabrerra and Kaxina, before obliging the Boss, gingerly helping lift up the woman up and onto her feet. No carrying this time, he understand the dignity that might be involved in this only appearing to help take weight off her. "You do no have to leave here as Cabrerra..." Aadzrian disagrees, but the steam and the vigor are leaving his voice. He falls silent to hear what else Cabrerra has to say, watching her through the visor that shields his expression. Cathal makes a sad, disappointed noise in his throat that happens to sink up quite nicely with Cabrerra's speech, but is actually in response to a drawer that yielded him no narcotics. But, as we all must in times of trial, he moves on...to the next cupboard. He keeps his looting as quiet and as subdued as possible. Tirax sighs softly, stepping back to stand beside Aadz, watching now. Katatina catches their hands, if they both permit, smiling. "Be that cornerstone," she requests, "of my dreams for Shadowheart. That is all I ask. You are freed from my service, Polunocnica, with my apologies - and with my own regret. I was foolish, to think I could cage a star-chasing fox. And yet... my Shadow, my own Shadow," she remarks thoughtfully, "forever with me, as a shadow in truth. Assist her, Polunocnica. I do believe... I do believe the Boss of Cabrerra Industries will require your wisdom and strength." Kaxina looks up, blinking. "I beg your pardon?" "Go," is all Cabrerra has to say in response. "Go now, with my blessing." Both bat-like ears prick and turn at the announcement, and in profile, Epsilon's one visible eye gleams a dull red in its black setting. Then, as Cabrerra grants her last blessings, it turns away, watching the corridor as silent and immobile sentinel once more. Cathal opens up a large, double-doored cabinet, and only by a supreme effort of willpower does he managed to stifle his expression of glee- allowing only the smallest, strangled noise of pure joy escape. The motherload. Medical-grade painkillers that would fetch a small fortune out on the streets of this very world. He reaches in greedily, massive gloved hands claiming huge fistfuls and stuffing them in his- Oh no. No, this can't be happening. Marine combat armor...no pockets. No seams, no pouches, nothing. He looks around desperately- something, anything! Nothing. Slowly, he lowers the pill bottles to the counter, letting them fall. He hangs his head in quiet mourning for the payout he'll never receive...and the passing of Boss Cabrerra, rest her soul. "Wish you had shared with us just what that dream had been," Ace replies, "Perhaps then all of this might have been avoided. But is too late now for regrets." She gives a slight shake of her head, "Will promise nothing, for a promise made to someone in death is unbreakable. Will see what tomorrow brings and will offer nothing more than that. It will have to be enough." Aadzrian doesn't say a word, simply reaching for Tirax's hand. Tirax takes the offered suited hand, squeezing gently, though he doesn't look away from Cabrerra or the other stuff. Nixkamich just looks on for now. This isn't part to play at the moment. No, he's just there to make sure that Kaxina doesn't lose the strength in her legs. The stoic warrior is silent, watching. Katatina merely inclines her head, saying nothing more. Taking the knife in hand again, she continues her rhythmic chopping -- this time severing fingers from the man's hands, and humming quietly to herself - requiem for a crime lord.
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