Xion will make for the trees with the others, pistols still drawn

   Lotus comes jogging out of the treeline drawing what looks like a shot gun from a holster on one leg.  She touches a button on the side of her helmet to transmit a radio broadcast to the group.  "The juicer was a diversion.  The Coalition forces are on the run away from us.  There were more juicers, full-borgs, stalkers and a dog pack, and troopers.  They're just a scouting party.  But they must have reinforcements nearby.  We need to leave the area.  With their stalker and dog pack, we have zero chance of losing them.  We can only outrun them."
   Once she is about fifty feet away from the trees, Lotus will skid to a halt, turn around and aim her shotgun at the forest. After checking to make sure no one is in her line of fire, she pulls the trigger.  Lotus aims the weapon to the north and sweeps it in an arc to the south as a massive gout of flame streams forth and into the trees.  Trees and shrubs are incinerated, leaving a smoking swath of barren ground.  Fires are ignited along the edges of the weapon's range, which should help to slow down any pursuit in the next little while.  Hopefully the smoke and flame will help to mask their scent.
   "Someone get in the ATV and power it up.  Move the wounded inside and get ready to move."
   Lotus herself will move towards the ATV helping to move all the wounded.  Unless the brodkil choose to resume the battle, she will ignore them for the time being.

The wounded appear to be Raghnall and Fearless. And Sorkhan is missing. Other than that the group appears to be okay.

There is also the matter of who will take care of Raghnall's hovercycle? if anyone?

Also as far as looting goes, the brodkil are looting alot of their own equipment. One hops on Fearless's bike.

The brodkil all leave in their original direction, towards Tolkeen.

Sarah drives the ATV. Fearless sits in the passenger seat, slipping in and out of conciousness. Raghnall lies in the back, still unconcious. Sarah is ready to go when the group is.

Mithas will walk over to Raghnall's bike and try to sit on it.  If it doesn't feel like it'll break, then Mithas will say, "I think Raghnall would want me to take care of this for him"

Seeing the Brodkill leaving Arven shrugs his shoulders returns his guns to their holsters and slides off the back off his Ostrosaurus. Giving Lotus an incredulous look he sarcastically says, Hell no we can't run anywhere! That would make us cowards just ask lizard boy? Arven turns to face Mac across the short distance. Nevermind that I was just following the advice of that damn injun who runs this band and trying to get to the all important mission. Taking his sombrero off he throws it onto the ground in front of him and says calmly to Mac,  Well big fella you called me out but since we are supposed to be on the same team or whatever i'll give ya one chance to take it back.  If your not so inclined then draw down. The Rahu-Man stands impassively and waits for the Grackletooth to make his decision.

 And at that point, the oversized tiger quite firmly steps into the line of fire between the Rahu-man and Mac, his recovered Plasma cannon dangling comfortably from its shoulder-strap.

 "First of all..." he states, turning his back on the Gunslinger to round upon the Minotaur... "Eastwood here is killer, not soldier - takes serious balls to stand and face a man with risk of death - But is different kind of balls as needed to be on battlefield - more brittle sometimes. Not everyone has courage to do both - and when mattered he turned around and stood - that is good enough for me."

 Then he rounds upon the gunman, hands firmly placed upon his hips...

 "As for you - understand, we are allies, da - you ran, you came back - is good, is forgotten. But first man or woman on our side to shoot up allies instead of enemy, then I will have to try very hard to take weapon away and insert sideways in very uncomfortable place, da? - Please note, I can try /very/ hard, so threat includes pretty Lotuses trick eyeballs and those badly disguised tank cannons you have up sleeves, as well as Hornboys firestarting..."

 He then makes two quite specific points...

 "This is not personal challenge to any hard-ass, but simple good sense - you want to shoot holes in each other, you do it on own time, when we have leave - not our Employers... is not professional... And in any case, timing could be better - so saddle up, look to our rears and for Matushka's sake, /move/"

 Well... say what you like about his attitude, his personal habits and his timing... you have to give the guy credit for having a serious streak of authority running right through him... and the look of someone who could make good on that threat about guns, even the thick-bodied Naruni cannon...

 What's particularly worrying is the way he then turns around some more, looking for Xion (assuming he comes out of the trees) before very pointedly offering him a sharp salute and a silver-clawed-heel-click (for as some folks may recall, he's the designated second-in-command, Masque himself just being a 'Squad Leader'...) "Any further orders, Gospodin?"

 But with threats like Masque's hanging around, it's a good thing no-one here's a Glitterboy...
This message was last edited by the player at 10:28, Tue 04 Oct 2005.

Ignoring the group conflilct, Angelo heads with the more prudent team members into the trees and away from the area.

Mithas checks and reloads his gun.  He has stopped burning by now and is looking to the skies.  He takes a final look at the broadkill as they leave the area, and, satisfied that they're not going to resume fighting, he slides his rifle over his shoulder so that it hangs on his back.

Saila hops in the back of the ATV, and Sarah waits to see if one other wants in. She then speeds ahead and drives just along the trees.

Mithas has difficulty on the bike as it is not designed for men his size. He finds a semi-comfortable position, forced to sit behind the actual seat. Mithas slowly tries to follow Sarah, but wait to make sure the others are following.

Mephisto calls over Sorkhan's Silonar. He calls to Xion and says it's his now.

Mac responds to Arven, paying no attention to Silvermasque

"Just stay out of my way Arven. I'll break your skull when we get to town, but right here, right now - you're my ally. But I warn you, if you start shit on the way to Hillcrest, I'll put you down." Mac then runs for the trees, and follows along with the others.

Tecumseh and and Jelme remount their vehicles and prepare to move out. Tecumseh motions for Lotus to hop on the back of his bike (not in a "how you doin' way). They then catch up with the ATV.

Mephisto rides into the trees, with his silonar, becoming a blur along the way.

Arven winks at Silvermasque and then picks up his hat. Climbing up into his saddle he tips the sombrero to Mac. Well then I will keep you on my dance card big fella. I do look forward to being put down. With the immediate situation resolved Arven tears ass towards the cover of the forest hoping that their isn't a CS airstrike in his immediate future.

   Lotus will accept the offer of a ride and join Tecumseh on the bike.  She holds on to him with one arm and keeps the other free to wield her flame-throwing shotgun.  Before leaving the area, she'll make an attempt to contact Sorkhan by radio, broadcasting to everyone.  "Sorkhan, come in.  This is Lotus, can you read me?"

No reply...

Again Van will ignore the loss, and try and stay focussed on the road ahead of them. He will take to his hoverboard, also riding along the treeline, weaving back and forth, keeping his eyes and ears peeled for anything deeper into the trees.

Over the radio: "I guess our best bet now would be to try and get all the way to Hillcrest without stop. We can't afford so much as a washroom break. Once we get within range of the city though we'll be safe. They won't attack us there until they're prepared to follow through all the way."

 With one great feline paw, Masque does his best to slap Arven lightly upon the shoulder... 'course this may not be entirely successful in the event of there being any sort of MD shielding up, but at least it's a friendly gesture... He then turns to Mac, and gives a grave nod.

 "Is good enough, for now we need to be gone - we are missing friends, maybe taken, maybe dead..."

 He then turns to look once more for Xion, who should, after all be doing what the Tiger is now, and taking /charge/ of this situation...

 "Would be dangerous for to stop and look for our missing, but I do not like leaving ally behind... you move at pace of slowest traveller, I think I can catch you chop-chop if have to - Permission to look for Commander sir?"

 - And of course, that last question was directed at the elf-warrior who's now the senior commander of the team.

Xion hears Masque speaking, "I would like to stay and look for them too. But we will be overwhelmed if we do. I am going to have to decline giving you permission to do that. Sorkhan can take care, trust me. Probably already on a transport watching us to see how we handle it. I froze up, nearly having your head ripped off will do that to you. Masque, let's go." Xion has a look in his eyes that go against everything he has just said, any looking can tell he wants to look for their missing, but knows that for Hillcrests sake they cannot.

Mithas is simply riding along on the hovercycle that belonged to Raghnall.  He is looking into the forest.  Then at the path ahead.  Then back into the forest again.  Clearly something is on his mind.  He radios: "How are the injured doing?"

 The expressions of the Tiger take a hell of a lot more reading, but it's not too difficult to make the leap and assign his current one to 'resigned and unhappy' - but he nonetheless salutes and unslings his Plasma cannon once more, checking the load and switching out the l-clip with a careful motion and tucking it into a BDU pocket... thoughtfully in the process studying one or two singed patches where he didn't quite put enough zig into his zag... But fortunately, his ever-so-precious hide remains pretty much unscarred.

 Taking up a position at the rear of the group, he keeps his jaws firm-shut against the inevitable trail dust and spends his time keeping an eye upon the skies, trying to ensure the team gets at least some warning of anything incoming and hostile.

Sarah replies over the radio "Fearless will be fine, he lost alot of blood, but he will be okay. I don't know about Raghnall, he is badly burned, there is little I can do for him.".

A outside transmission comes in just after Sarah. "We are listening"

Private:

The rahu-man picks up his little radio which looks like a toy in his giant sized hands. Pressing the button he replies to the mysterious voice. Well listen to this butternuts it's the sound your grandma makes when im fisting her ass! Arven proceeds to moan lewdly into the radio for a few seconds.

Despite all the fighting and the sour mood Mithas feels, everyone can hear a very deep, right-from-the-chest laugh from Mithas.  It actually sounds like a mixture of a huge man laughing and a tinge of a cow-moo on the inhale.  Arven's comment is clearly one of the funniest things Mithas has heard from the group and it lightens his mood considerably.  None the less, Mithas repositions his rifle so that it is sitting on his lap while he rides the hovercycle.  He looks deeply into the forest, and in fact slows down the bike to get a better look.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:02, Wed 05 Oct 2005.

While the others make light of the situation, Van's heart sinks a little when he hears the voice. God, that was a little too quick, he thinks to himself.

Trying to sound cool and smug though, he radioes: "And who, might I ask, do we have tuning in tonight?"

private

There is no further reply over the radio.

Xion does one last survey of the area, to make sure everyone is accounted for, and Sorkhan doesnt suddenly appear...

He hops into the back of the ATV as Sarah pulls up beside him. He looks back yet again for a few seconds before sitting comfortably and catching his breath.
The whole platoon is rather quiet thinking back to how fast it all went bad. They consider if it was or wasn't Lotus's fault. They remember the ferocity of the demons, the look of murder in their eyes. The images of the sprays of blood and organs dropping about, courses through their minds.

They think back the the explosions, and gunshots.... and the screams of Saila.

Two of their own nearly got in a fight. It is obvious tensions are running high... and they haven't even got to their first mission yet.

Poor Raghnall, and Fearless...

You wonder what happened to Sorkhan, was he killed? Was he captured? Is he being interrogated now?

The voice on the radio sounded like a human male. If they were listening, they would have surely heard Van mention the group was on route to Hillcrest...

These are the thoughts while traveling to the City.

Soon enough, at the mid-point of dusk The City of Hillcrest can be seen on the horizon... and there are no signs of Coalition troops in the area...

you made it...
This message was last edited by the player at 16:24, Thu 06 Oct 2005.