Re: Chapter 18: Shoot, Luke, or Give up the Gun
Now, as the melee near the rocky point had reached a crescendo only moments before, things begin to fall apart.
Cole and Luke pull the reigns on their mounts, coming to a stop as Coopwood approaches. Conway’s man slows down, seeing the wrangler demonstrating his skill in the saddle as Cole expertly brings Bess to a halt within speaking distance. Meanwhile, Luke requires a little extra space to stop his mount, circling slightly to the west while slowing and ultimately stopping Horse. Coop, panting, manages a few brief words as he continues moving past the wrangler, albeit now at a walking pace. “What is happening?” he asks, his eyes surveying the battle ahead, but clearly listening for — and expecting — a response from Trayne.
Fritz finally gains control of his mount, as the stable-kid takes to the trail and continues to move away from the battle. Although the ranch hand believes he could turn the horse, he cannot be sure that it won't be spooked again if he attempts to take it down the slope and towards the gunfire, once more.
JEB continues his re-loading of his carbine, while calling out to Jake. The rifleman, for his part, had finished his task of pushing in a few more cartridges into his Spencer’s magazine and so he begins to move down the slope towards the cave entrance, which based on the movements he has seen among the highbinder seems accessible only from the area of the battle at the rocky point.
Jake, JEB and Coop witness a number of bodies falling in that battle. One thing that the rifleman registers is that there are now two highbinders directly ahead near the rocks, who are — for at least a moment — clear of any of his pards and disengaged from melee. Of course, others experience the deadly effects of the battle more presently, as they are party to the results.
Travis Sunday, for one, dispatches another of the highbinders with three successive shots from his Starr, despite the bothersome swings from his boo how doy opponent’s hatchet. Sunday’s skill with a hogleg allows him to fire effectively, even in the midst of hand-to-hand combat, but it is far from easy. His first two bullets merely grazed the Celestial during the struggle, as he dodges the hatchet and squeezes off the rounds. The third bullet finds purchase in the man’s abdomen, dropping him in a pile over the other two highbinders who have fallen from Sunday’s bullets. And yet, even though footing has become problematic, another boo how doy steps in from Sunday’s left, slashing with a hatchet and missing like the others but giving Sunday a new target — or as it happens, a choice, as another Chinese warrior steps in from Sunday’s right, and next to a third who now seems to present a new problem for the gunslinger. That is, Travis now finds himself flanked on two sides by three hatchet-wielding highbinders.
One of the Chinese warriors, who had taken down Lyman only seconds earlier, had waited for just such an opening to flank Sunday. The Celestial watches as his comrade slashes twice at James— whose shot from his Starr revolver flies well above the highbinder’s head — and sees the burly ranch hand crumple from the effects of those two strikes, the second of which rips through the posse member’s neck, spewing blood in a stream as James collapses. Both of the highbinders now have their attention trained on Sunday, forming the flank to the gunslinger’s right.
Meanwhile, ENS fires another round from his Colt, grazing the highbinder once more, but failing to bring him down. The professor feels the sticky slickness of blood oozing from the man’s arm as he avoids two swings of the hatchet. Feeling fortunate to avoid further blows, ENS wonders if he will run out of bullets before he can take down this boo how doy warrior. To make matters worse, ENS hears Peter cry out behind him, as two swings from his opponent cut into the ranch hand’s arm and mid-section, while Peter’s bullet again buries itself in the ground near his own feet. Like Lyman and James, Peter falls in a heap, bleeding out into the rocky sand. Leaving only Travis and ENS engaged with four total highbinders, with two more just behind them and ready to close ranks and surround the two pards, in mere moments.
OOC: Please state another round of actions. Any speech should be limited to a few words, as usual, while we continue round-by-round actions.
To be clear, there are six total highbinders still fighting at the rocky point. Four are engaged (three with Travis, one with ENS). Two are where Peter has fallen, who appear ready to engage ENS and Travis from behind. Those are the two that Jake sees directly ahead. the total of six doesn't include any highbinders down by the water at the actual cave opening, or south of the cave, or the one that Jake had targeted from the slope, who is still hiding amongst rocks above the cave entrance.
Jake moves, sees two potential targets who are -- temporarily unengaged but likely to move in behind ENS and Travis.
JEB reloads round 2 of 2
Travis hits with all three shots, but it takes all three to drop the highbinder; Travis is now flanked by one opponent to his left and two to his right.
Peter misses; he was hit by hatchet twice (6 + 7) and falls, bleeding out and mostly dead
ENS hits, but only another graze; his opponent continues fighting
Cole stops, speaks to Coop
Luke stops nearby, lingers and waits for Cole; his Sharps is reloaded and ready
Lyman still down, bleeding out
James misses; he was hit by hatchet twice (4, + crit 7) (-2 Con from poison), down and bleeding out
