Lotus' smile is plainly visible with her helmet removed.

 So much to respond to... so many things to deal with... And all this just to see to it that people don't screw with the chain of command and share their take with their fellows.
 Well, that's how 'Masque sees it - others might just see it as getting to keep what's theirs.

 "Please Lieutenant, Lotus... is no reason to be pulling guns, or encouraging trouble. Is Arven's move." he states amiably enough as people start pulling handguns and generally milling about in an agressive fashion.

 Magnet on the other hand, when he turns up is given something of a wry look - insofarasmuch as a visor can be said to have a wry look, whilst one hand comes up to tap silvery vibro-claws lightly upon a battered, shot-scarred marking on one shoulder, "Three stripes are beating two last time I was counting Corporal - even on Mercenary, and you are not 'sir', you are working for living like proper soldier. But you talk good sense." - and indeed, he extends the handset towards Magnet with one massive clawed hand with no real sense of mockery in his words, or any attempt to call the super-powered human on his challenge - not when he's /essentially/ doing the right thing.

 That of course is when Zed chips in and adds another level of complex to the situation...

 Not seeming dramatically more concerned by the massive particle beam rifle than the four alien lasers hidden up Arven's sleeves - or, if it should come to that than the entire Coalition convoy the company were just in action with (a fine mechanical control over your expression and the keys to your own personal drug supply are lovely that way), 'Masque's attention swings back up to the arms dealer.

 "One million on thirty men better than thirty million on one, I am thinking - and is best to deal with before things are being sold and split up and made hard to trace." - another of those big shrugs, four-armed and expressive - "Am sorry though for choice of location - was first chance to speak with Eastwood after battle."

 - All this of course, rather assumes that Arven doesn't draw a gun and start shooting the instant he hits three. If he does, it's probably safe to say that all bets are off on this long, involved interaction.

As Arven finishes calling out "TWO" - Lotus' helmet is dropped to the ground, and Arvens' guns are launched from their holsters at Magnet Man stopping in front of him - where they remain hovering..

Magnet Man is obviously responsible, standing with his arms out, and a smirk on his face.

"I have erected several forcefields... this is over for now. From now on loot will be divided by Tolkeen officers. Arven turn in your staff or leave the region. Those are your only two choices now - if you leave, you forfeit all owed money and these fine looking rifles I just acquired. Furthermore if you choose to stay you will be transfered off this platoon to one of the others. May I remind you there are several forcefields in the area so I suggest you make your choice without violence... cuz after all of this bullshit - you are about a second from being put down like a dog.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:55, Wed 09 May 2007.

Braga stands next to Magnet Man with his hands hovering over his holsters. He ran dozens of simulations in his head of gunning the rahu man down... like a dog... disgusting. He may not care for Arven much, but he doesn't really know him. But he sure doesn't deserve to be gunned down without his weapons by the "good guys". What was he doing in this chicken shit army. It should be every man for himself - take whatever you can carry...

It is unfortunate then, that Braga was not as outspoken as some of the other sergeants in this company... as he keeps all of this to himself.

Arvens CTT-M20 missile rifles are jerked from his back to hover around under Magnets Mans power. Turning his attention cocking his head towards the man he hears the threat that he will be "put down like a dog." Arven never really needed much provocation anyway but being called out so obviously makes things that much clearer for him. His counting and posturing is over. Four beams of bright red light reach across the short distance to connect with Magnet Man seemingly coming from Arvens palms. Of course they are from his NE "Hand-Cannons" that popped up into his grip so fast it was nearly imperceptible. Thankfully for Arven high quality arms manufacturers, especially those from alien worlds, see no need to contain such crude components as ferrous or other heavy metals in their weaponry.

Jack, currently in human, walks forward, obviously intent on Lotus, frowning a bit to find her floating. He tilts his head a bit as he listens to some of the things being said and sighs. Momma always told me the military was a bad idea. He paused and smiled. Well, that's not true. Never really knew any parents, but that's what I've heard human soldiers say.

Then he remembers his "mission" and the smile leaves his face, setting into hard stone again. He crosses his arms and looks over the conflict, unconcerned. "Silly, silly peoples. Lotus. I take it you are not floating there of your own free will?" Assuming she confirms that, <Purple>"Can whomever is floating Lotus please set her down so I may speak with her? Thanks. Really."

Arven doesn't even bother to count to 3 before turning and blasting at Magnet Man with his pistols. All 4 blasts crash against an invisible wall just three feet in front of his guns.

Magnet Man keeps his smirk - stretched wide across his face.

The sounds of Tolkeen police on their way can be heard. It is only a matter of moments before Arven is subdued and will spend the rest of the war in a prison cell.

He is left with another choice. To leave, blast the forcefields again, or wait around to be taken into custody.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:03, Wed 09 May 2007.

   Lotus shakes her head in the negative in response to Jack's question, indicating that her levitation is entirely not intentional.  Lotus looks at Arven, understanding that a man must do what he feels is right.  From the moment Silvermasque approached Arven with this issue, there was no other path Arven could have taken.
   Still floating in mid air, Lotus watches everyone below her, waiting for someone to take a shot at her friend.

 That's right... it is all, fundamentally, 'Masque's fault. He chose the time, and seemingly he chose the place to approach Arven over the matter of group shares, and it's probably not impossible that he could have worked out how the big 'Slinger would react if he'd stopped to consider that 'Eastwoods sense of right and wrong excludes sharing with his comrades.
 That said, it either puts him in the role of an incurable optimist or a machiavellian genius, and whilst it might be possible to mistake 'Masque for many things, a master manipulator of mens minds isn't real high on the list.

 Either way, as Arven draws and shoots with blinding speed, sending terrifying amounts of energy downrange to slam into the air in front of Magnet Man, the big Russian 'Borg moves - he doesn't really have any choice. No force-field in the world, perhaps short of those generated by the heaviest Naruni battle-tanks, can survive such a bombardment for long - and there are people in the area who /aren't/ necessarily covered in bonded ceramic armour with servomotor muscles who really can't take too much splashback.

 He's wearing heavy powered swords over his back, is armed with terrifying claws and a powerful set of hydraulic jaws. He has handguns and grenade launchers, explosives and probably no end of built-in cybernetic weapons, but all of those share the same problem of being absolutely lethal to unshielded flesh.

 Instead he simply gives a cry of "Gas!", opening his jaws as the speaker produces the word and floods the vicinity with a billowing cloud of opaque crowd-control vapour that promptly attacks unshielded mucus membranes and eyes of both natural and supernatural creatures alike, producing considerable (and often debilitating) discomfort... without any actual damage.

 ---

 Yes folks, it's your old favourite 'Tear Gas'

 It's a 20-25' radius cloud of opaque gas. That means you can't see through it with normal vision - or most other sorts, come to that.

 If not wearing EBA or a protective mask, you're -3 Initiative, -10 to strike/parry/dodge and lose an attack a round for 1D6+1 rounds.

 If in EBA you're just in a big cloud.

 It also affects MD creatures quite happily. There's no saving throw for it.(whereas the knockout drugs on the same device *do* explicitly get a save v non-lethal drugs, there's none for this listed - Moloch's call on whether he wants to add one, 'cause it might just be a typo).

I am happy with no save. The only way to avoid it is close your eyes and stop breathing.

Vision abruptly reduced to nil, Lt. Drake drops to the ground and rolls away from the firefight, not wanting to get stepped on or worse in the resulting fracas.  Any number of people went well over the line here, and heads will roll when the dust settled -- that's a safe bet.

Xion wanted to scream, his soldiers were the only ones behaving this way. Perhaps the special forces were his lot, not commanding troops. That would be for the higherups to decide once this was done, now it was time for him to act where words had failed him. Rolling away from Masque's gas cloud Xion mutters a few arcane syllables and fires a near invisible net at Arven. Hoping he got the Rahu-Man, Xion turns to Magnet Man, giving him a quick glare, there would be words later...did Avery draw first? More things to think about...not that either was wrong in their actions, but perhaps overstepping their bounds.

Xions' net impacted itself all over an invisible wall in front of Arven.

Arven smiles back at Magnet Man. "Your real cute ain't ya. Keep smilin bitch theres many a slip twixt a cup and the lip." Then Masque releases the teargas. Arven disappears from sight just blinking out of existence taking the troublesome staff with him.

Jack sighes in annoyance and lets his human form fall away and shifts to his dragon form. He reaches up and grabs ahold of Lotus and then rears back and begins flapping his wings with huge sweeping thrusts to clear away the gas. "SILLY! STUPID! PEOPLES!"

As tear gas filled the area - Braga draws his weapons, Attila moves to where Arven WAS standing, while Mephisto, Mithas, Na-Wa, Van, Dekker, McKnight and the two gargoyles just watch the show from the sidelines.

A few moments pass. Magnet Man screams after several "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzwhip" sounds. His screams are silenced instantly however.

After the gas is mostly dissipated, Magnet Man is revealed on the ground. Both of his legs and his left arm have been disintigrated and his 1-armed torso lays bleeding on the ground.

Several Tolkeen soldiers arrive on scene - and before Zed can file his complaint they spot Arven on a rooftop some few hundred feet away. He vanishes from sight yet again - and the Tolkeen police persue.

One human female remains to take a report of the incident - from all parties involved.

Arven The Anihilator is gone... for now...

Sarah McKnight rushes to Magnet Mans' side instantly and does what she can to keep him alive before Tolkeen can take him to a hospital.

A near-by mage arrives out of breath as though he had been racing to the conflict as well. He teleports Mag and himself to a hospital.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:17, Thu 10 May 2007.

After Magnet Man is gone she stands and faces Xion. "Sir he will likely survive - that is all I can offer right now as far as information goes."

Sarah is already covered in blood and they havent even left Tolkeen yet.

   "You can put me down now."  Lotus more told the dragon than asked.  Although even she was not unaffected by the reality of being grabbed and held in the talons of a creature than could swallow her whole.  There was a tinge of nervousness in her voice, for just a moment.

   Lotus will hang around and provide answers to any questions the investigators ask.  She picks up her helmet from where magnet man dropped it and heads back to Zed's "shop".
   "I'm sorry about all that mess.  Its just fucked up how this place tries to persecute us mercs for petty theft while they let fuckin' monsters walk around like citizens.  Anyway, Zed, you think you could help me with my armour?  Its been shot up pretty bad.  The helmet too.  I'd prefer to keep this suit rather than get a new one, unless your silent friend there."  Lotus indicates the Mystic Knight, Kelthos. "Is in the business of selling spare outfits from the order."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:44, Fri 11 May 2007.

"Yer big friend there is quite the monster it would seem.... you should see Smith about armour repairs."...

Zed is quiet as though the recent fight bothered him.

Throughout the altercation Van is only heard to have said one thing under his breath when, knowing Arven, 'Masque, and Lots, he could have called the preceeding events as they happened, play by play -- and that was simply "Fuck me..."

Speaking mainly to Mephisto he keeps his distance until the tear gas clears (although, thanks to Sustain, luckily he doesn't have to breath it in) "Doesn't seem like rank means a good goddamn around here anyway, so I don't know why they gave me this fucking Corporal badge. Reminds me of the badges we got in camp, when we learned how to make a fire or some bullshit. If there's even a Tolkeen left after this whole thing, I hope it at least gets me a free beer in one of these pubs."

 With the cloud of gas stubbornly resisting for a few moments, then washing away in the beat of the... Oh shit it's a Dragon's... wings, 'Masque spends the first few fractions of a second assessing the scene before him, energy weapon fire pouring in through a tight hole in space to slam against Magnet's protective shield for a few moments before overwhelming it just as the large 'Borg feared.

 He spins swiftly, bringing all four arms up to bear in the murderous giantlike figure upon his distant rooftop, thumb-thick panels in the armoured gauntlets covering his hands snapping open sharply... And remaining silent as the four-armed killer moves on.

 "Permission to join 'pursuit?" he asks swiftly and urgent of Xion, one part of his mind scanning the ground for tracks, the other sweeping through the various optic options his augmentations give him, searching far, far above and below the range and sensitivity of a usual multi-optic system for any trace of the 'slinger.

   Lotus doesn't bother retorting Zed's remark about Arven being a monster.  She could tell him all about the monstrosities she witnessed today, but griping to him would accomplish little.  Besides, she doesn't actually know her brother that well.  "Thank's Zed.  I'll talk to Smith then."  And so she looks over to Smith and inquires about armour repair.  If necessary, she strips out of her beleaguered suit and hands it over.  She asks about borrowing something to last her until her own is repaired - this town isn't one she trusts well enough to wander around without.  She's only got a pair of spandex shorts and sports bra under the armour.
   All the while, she keeps an eye (and an ear) on the events unfolding surrounding the pursuit of Arven.

Jack the dragon slowly sat down and released Lotus (so she could do her post) and snorted. He looked around and shook his large head a bit at the stupidity of it all. Arven was a testy sort for the short time he'd know the Rahu Man, but this seemed a bit much even for him, a showdown with a bunch of his platoon mates. He wondered if there was a story behind. Then he realized he didn't really care.

He resumed human form, and followed patiently behind Lotus. When he hear Zed mention Smith for armor repairs, he nodded. His own Mystic Knight armor could use some work as well.

Xion looks at Masque for a long minute before speaking, "Denied, let the MP's handle it. This foolishness has cost us one efficient asset for good,"speaking of course of Arven,"and one for who knows how long." indicating Magnet Man. "You pushed an issue that wasn't all that important at the time. It's over now, let it go."The sternness in Xion's voice was something new. Turning to regard Lotus, "You get your armor dropped off, get some clothes, we have a chat that needs to be taken care of." Then facing Drake, "Would blowing off his leg have been worth dying for? He would have killed you...trust me Drake. Don't ever point a weapon at one of my soldiers, or mercs again unless you are ready to use it post haste. I don't give a damn why you did it, unless you are using it, keep it put away."

Drake regards the senior lieutenant for a moment, inscrutable inside his helmet.

"I don't draw a weapon unless I'm prepared to use it, sir," he replies.  He'd had his reasons, but the lieutenant didn't want to hear them.  Fine by him.