..for when folks go to the Stem

  The  Vans   settled  down  but the  entrance to  The Stem.. awkward  as it was to be standing inside  the  Stem  'upright'... as  the  main traffic  flow seemed to   fly up and down...

   There was a small Enta SEC outpost there...They looked over the people  coming out of the Van.

  There was an LT of  Enta SEC,..You guys look serious ...

 Supe says,..don't know how you guys feel.. But  Hermes SEC doesn't screw around.. yhou want bad guys hunted..they get hunted...

 a woman  Cpl sneered,..yeah... tough guys..right...

 Hodden shoulder through,..though chicks too.... we have waded through  Demon ships, Lizard ships and   Nest ships... what did you do?.. shoot a pan handler...

 The Girl got riled even though she was a good  foot shorter then Hodden.

 ..all right.. at ease.... Now?... Like it or not..Enta's My house.... you follow the rules... Now?.. you can   snuff anyone in there that tries to kill you...but use your heads around the bars... make sure you don't get some jackass who thought he'd be tough  and  drink in The Stem....

Handing two Pen-like scanners to Supe...you  kill someone..scan them with this.. it will keep thier info  around  for  24 hours.. and give Etna  SEC a chance to  download it....once the kills are confirmed..  we'll  send the  creds to ...

 he looked at the  sheet,..PO  Suparski  and   SGT  Wolfrim..normally takes  about 6 hours  for the Bounty money to show up..

 Supe hands one of the Pens to  Garrat.

After stepping out of the van and quickly orienting himself weber took a moment to chamber rounds both in his sidearm and his rifle. Then with a quick nod to the rest of the team took off at a swift jog keeping low and melting into the shadows. There were stories of combat scouts disappearing like ghosts but this ghost had teeth. As Hans disappeared from sight he could be heard softly hummimg an eerie almost haunting tune over the coms...
Yay though i walk through the valley of death i will fear no evil... for i am the evil that stalks the night... And this is MY valley...

 Garrat's  team  moved   to the  port side  and  entered the stem... the    first few blocks  seemed 'nice'.

   Supe's  team was on the other  side..  stepping into the dark.....right then Garrat... we'll meet you at Hikki's.... There were some air car   that came down   low  near the entrance.. but almost all stayed  in the main traffic  stream... some folks dared to walk into the  Stem.. but there  were   gates that  slow the  foot traffic  to enter or leave through the gates , that went  across the   'roads'

  The Night wasn't  quiet... two things   Stems all had in common..there was never 'daylight'...and it was never quiet.

  The  constant   Hum of  air cars and such.. a mile or so in the air..the  roar  of  faster   cares..and the drumming of  SEC Vans  as they flew lower with search lights  flashing.

  in the darkness.. dim light lit up street corners,  or  barrels  of trash burned... Windows   might have a Light on, if they were towards the edges of the Stem... in the middle.. Buildings were falling apart, from constant  warfare that went on between gangs..or even.. with the SEC

 the  Port side ( Hikki's side).. I have

Garrat

Sath

 Lirg

Hans

Jesse

Hemsly

 Minnet

Starboard  Side...

Supe

Hodden

Tucker

 Robbins

Waggstaff

 On Supe's side, it was a good  10 minutes  of  walking past the Gate, when the saw a figure  down the street beating on anoher  figure.

 Hodden went to Move, Robbins  said,...no...wait.....flank the sides.... this could be a trap....

Supe , Tucker  and Wagstaff moved to one side of the  street... Robbins, Hodden  on the other side...

.............................

 On Garrat's  team's  side.. they were  about 12 minutes into their  walk down the street.. they saw.. down the   short alley way.. a small Body.. lying still, while  2 rats, near as big a Mila , were  treating  chunks of  flesh off it.

Garrat shot the rats and checked to see if there was any life left in the body.

 the Rats  die  easy enough.

 The Body is of a child, somewhere  around  10 years old..seems to have been there awhile..The Rats looks like a cross  between a  Earth Rat and a larger , Rat like  Rodet from The Hillite planets

   Garrat sighs, and reports the child's location.  This was not his mission.  Time to knock on some doors.

   Lirg looks at the Rat's  bodies and says to Sath,.... Humans  cannot be made if we eat big furball...right?  he  kicks  the nearest creature to see how  fat it is...

  they here sn the distance  , some  weapons  fire...

 Hemlsy is looking  around with his  greasegun ready,..i liked it a bit better, when i was just gettin'  drunk on leave...

............

 Supe's voice  comes over the COMS.......don't know about your  side... but i think someone's looking for us... Had a set up.. Tuck got  nicked up..but  we killed them both..one of the snipers got away though...

..............

 Hans   see' a figure  running hard  with a  rifle, headed toward  the Brightlights    about a mile away , in the middle of the  Stem... the runner is  about   500 yards   away and moving.

Marked one 500 meters on foot and armed. Hans said quietly into his coms. 500 meters was about the maximum range for a suppressed rifle but Hans dropped to one knee and raised his rifle. One deep breath to steady himself aiming at waist height he led the target by about four feet to compensate for the mans speed and the flight time of the bullet. Then,slowly exhaling his finger caressed the trigger almost like a lovers touch. As the rifle coughed and recoiled against his shoulder he spoke into the com. shots out...

    Hans  watched the runner.... took care for his shot.. then let the round go down range.  The Fellow  stumbled a bit of a   bit of bricks or debris.. the   shot hit him in the left Thigh, causing him to cart wheel to the  road, he  grabbed his  Gun, and  went for cover in a have collasped  Building.

 Supe came on the  COMs...... How you get him... they'er  waitng on us... i don't know if they know the numbers...

Looks like our runners got a flat tire boss. Hans murmered into his mic. One could almost hear the grin in his voice. He was enjoying himself. THIS is what he lived for. The contest. Pitting his skills and training against whatever the gods threw at him.
He keyed his mic again. You guys wanna mop that up? He may have intel. he finished with the co-ordinates then began to move again keeping an eye on the entrance of the building but also scanning ahead.

   Supe's group....

   .... We haveta  stay on Mission here...at least until we  reach the Black where we  move across to Hikki's...If you can  bring him  donw..get alook at where he's goin'...

   Hodden came on the  COMs,...saw a bit of Light  from the  Building near the Hull..its about a block away from the first Compound we'll reach...


 Garrat's group....

   Garrta..Sath, Lirg,Jesse, Hemsly and Minnet move up their side of the Stem... Hans is ahead..somewhere.. looking for snipers  or watch.


  Hemlsy whistles  a Moment they points to an area about two blocks  away.. the lights are a bit brighter there...That looks like a Compond to me...

   Garrat moves his team up.  He sets them to look foreward in the direction of the runner and starts checking doors.  If there are bad guys in the buildings, it wouldn't be pretty if they came in from behind.

  Hans shot at the runner, some  500 yards  and running  towards the   Uppers... they can see a bit of a brighter like in the middle of  the  Stem  in the distance.

 Both Squads are on the last street over, working their  way up the  hull.

Unless he meets resistance on the door to door Garrat continues.  "Nice shot Hans.  keep an eye on him.  Anyone tries to help him, their a target minus the kid rule."

Jesse sticks to her guns and keeps to an exterior wall holding her weapon ready in case she needed it to fire at something knee level or higher.

She listens to the chatter and focuses on her group's COM link for anything she may need to be aware of as she moves along.

  There was a  marked  contrast in the Stem , past the  gates.. the  one block or so of 'livable ' buildings.. others   had only a little power, though the water seemed to work just fine.

 Garrat  knocked on doors and  was  greeted   by everything  from"..Go away!... we don't have anything!"...to Baby  Cries... to  'bugger off , Mate!'

  Then, he saw   what he knew, from past actions.. was the make shift walls of  a Compound. Digital Numbers spray pained on  shattered aircars  and even a few  air trucks, helped for the walls.. with    brinks from nearby  buildings  added in.

 The  sign  on the wall said, " low Cost "  " Good  Deals "... " PAyment Plans"  and there was a sign of a paw in the middle that flashed  ( flickered?) in neon.

..............

 across the way there was  the distance  sound of     Heavy Pulse  and  an MG....

   Garrat goes through the motions "Just a door to door check in ma'am.  we're looking to bring a greater level of security to this area.  Any information you can supply will be noted and used to promote a better stem."  "Sorry about bothering you sir, just a door to door check in.  You have a good evening."

   Garrat scans the set up with his visor, not a lot of information on the basic ability but he sees what he can see.  "Hans, you got a bead on the compound?  Can you see into it?"

  On Supe's  side the fire  fights was  intense... but nothing  the Vets couldn't handle  from a few bushwhackers.

  ..think we   cleaned up the ambush... except  for that runner.. we'll be at the  first warehouse compound in about 8 minutes.

 He said over  All-COMs

.............

 Garrat's team awaited  news from HAns, Or Garrat's orders.

As Hans seemed occupied, Garrat pushed forward.

Finally Hans voice came over the coms. In position. Eyes on compound. Two tangos visible on wall. Two more outside gate. Total four tangos visible. Gate is air truck gate. Should i engage?
  Hans looked through his scope. If he circled around to the side flanking the two outside guards and be able to take them unnoticed. He had plenty of det cord and it would be childs play to cut a breach into the trailer. He then scanned for electtonic sentry gear while waiting for a response.

"No, we need to confirm they are hostile first."  Garrat looks at the rest of the team. "Take cover and watch the front.  Hans, rather than drag the entire team into the open I'm going to have them and you stay hodden and pick out targets while I open communications.  If I click the whisper mike twice, you guys start taking out guards at a distance while I seek cover." Garrat looks at the heavy rifle on his shoulder.  He'd rather be the one shooting it but he has the heaviest armor so he's more likely to survive approaching the compound.  He also loathed to ask anyone to stick their head out where he might not "Any one in this immediate group capable of using my rifle?

   Lirg Nodded to Sath, The  two aliens    looked for a building they could step into. The windows only had a  half pane of glass, some didn't have any.. as  folsk enstled  down with weapons..

  With no takers, Garrat keeps the rifle shouldered and waits until everyone is in position then walks up to the gate, his hands close to the Uccui pistols. He speaks in english rather than using the traslator.

  "Hello gentlemen.  ESN is taking stock of the stem businesses. what organization do you represent  here."

  Off in the disatcne there was  more  Gun fire... it would be reasonable to think it was Supe and the others...'making obervations'.

.......................

 On Garrat's team side.

 The   GUard at the top left corner of the Gate called  down...You don't look like any ESN  we have!..This is a..respectable  business...of  sorts... we deal in Goods..all kinds of goods.. if some one wants.. we can get it..shipped out..or  shipped in....Tolles  Runs this place.. he's away at a meeting... so? what can we do fer ya?
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:07, Sat 07 Oct 2017.

  Supe and his people looked over the Bodies....Use  that  little scanner..... take  all the weapons   you can CArry, QM  will like that...

 Tucker  askswon't that be too  much?

 ..If it is?.. we'll sell some off to  that Hikki guy.. or?... gives some away to kids  down here... even up the odds for those  adults who prey on them..

 Hodden dumped the last  man on the pile,..That's the last one?.. we goign to that warehosue now?

 .. Yep.... see what they have to say about thier bUsiness.... then.. take it from there...

 the small Group walked  towards the  warehouse..looking  at the   walls of stacked  care frames  with    sheet meat    welded or melded to the fronts..

 ..Thick walls... should have brought  Grenades....

   "So I'm told.  Would like to have a quick look at your stock.  We're delta fleet. Checking every business on the street.  We would like to see what's available.  Maybe weed out some undesirables to make more room for useful business' such as yourself."

  The  Fellow  looked over his shoulder , he called abck in some odd language that  the  Chips  didn't   sort out.

  Lirg's  hushed   voice said,..that is Pirate trade talk..mix  match of  differant races and made up words... that me.. he is pirate?  or they work with  Pirates...much...

 ..Right then?.... Come in...  but  I'll give you fair warning, i will... we gots us threee turrets  hidden around the place... they cut through air cars like sanri underwear... Just 'case you thinkin' of  doin' somethin' stupid...  the  two flank guards     still looked out over  the dark streets...

 The two close to the Gates   had weapons  on  GArrat and anyone else they see.. the   ( garrat's right hand) right hand Gate Guard  turned so he could watch anyone   whop enters  from the back

    Garrat switches to whisper mic. "Everyone but Minnet stay hidden.  Minnet come with me and keep transmitting anything we see.  Hans, IF..and only if, things go to hell for us, you call in reinforcements and rain hell on their parade."

   "That's okay."  Garrat says comfortably to the guard, "If anything happens to us theres a cruiser floating around outside that wouldn't mind tearing a hole in the side of the stem to eliminate some EDT sympathisers.  I trust you won't allow things to come to that.  We rather like Pirates and their ilk as long as their raiding the other side.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:37, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

  Sath  and Lirg Hunker  down.. Lirg's  rifle  is trained on the right hand side, guard.

 Sath weapon is in the general direction on one of the forward guards.

 Minnet  and Jesse    are a bit away  behind some rubble.. her   Heavy Pulse  ready  and His grease gun  Kept low  as he watches.

 Hemsly does  say softly,...as long  as the blackguards aren't playin' both sides against us...

...........

 Supe's outfit  enter the Compound though they have weapons  trained on them. Supe  Just grins,..Ok.. show  me the person in charge... and  we can talk some buisness....

   a wiseass looking  guy has a Cig-stick , he chews on it a bit and   jerks his head to the Door  behind them, of a  ...much repaired... building...Go get  the Boss... we'll see what he says..... the worst thing that could happen, is  we get a bunch of new  weapons...

 Tucker   chuckles,..or?.. we get us a new shop...

 The  guy's  grin  dropped  as he  chewed on the stick.

In reply to Stem (msg # 33):

   Garrat goes in for his tour

  Garrat walked into the Compund.  He noted  two  light gray Vans. a couple   people playing  EDT stud.

 creds and some shieny stuff on the crate  near them. A slight loking guy  came over,..Ok  .. you'll stop there ... Now?.. things  go worng.. you'll be  cut  down.....Now..  what can we do for you... Boss  is inside.. he's wacthing... good  bet..he's watching through a scope....

   Garrat looked around, his standard issue sensor visor scanning things, then raises and sticks a spice stick between his teeth.  "I've been nothing but polite, so first I ask that you return the favor rather than threaten me every other sentence.  In the end, Delta fleet is parked on the other-side of that bulkhead. You kill us, some bad shit is going to happen to you.  Second I want an inventory of articles you deal in.  We often have trouble gettin what we need through proper channels so there ain't no reason for me to slap around a golden goose as you Earthers say."

   The   slight looking fellow..might have been sick when he was a kid? Sat one the  end of one of the  crates stacked  near the Vans.

  ...Delta Fleet, You say?  Well... we';re good... damn good  at getting stuff...But  a whole fleet?  we can supply  folks like that... maybe a ship?.. maybe a few crates  here and there... If the Creds are right, we might even be able to make a call and see what folks  found in the way of a ..um...er... 'missing' transport?

 ..now?.. we're sorta  like a  high end  swap meet.... we want creds..pure  and simple... but sometimes the right favor will be  good  currency ..ammo..power cells... Food packs..Med tech kits... weapons that are shipped... we can  get..other stuff.. we might have to sniff around, see what we can do? One thing... we're good  business folks, no matter how  people feel about us?... If we can't get it, we'll let you know  inside a day...

................

  there was   more  weapons fire far across the way the  semi-darkness was  being lit up  by weapons  fire.

   Garrat nods,  He's cone back to his native language which translates like Texas slang. "Noted.  Most of the time it's indiviuals wanting specialty items that get subsidized by the fleet.  Spencer himself likes a good solid sniper rifle, and I'm no stranger to heavy gear,"  He pats his rifle, "I don't have a helluva lot of time but we need to know who's with us and who ain't and how they can be used to foreward the human cause.  Do you do custom work?"

  The  Door Opens, a fellow   is shouldering a  very nice looking Angel sniper  rifle. He is  taller the n the   slight guy... but shorter then the  tower guard. he looks   well muscled, he ears a  light boarding armor chest plate, but  no arms or  legs  covered, other then  ESN  pants..EMS  shirt and a HAt with a  sign of crossed lighting bolts.

   He stops  next to the slight built  fellow..who takes a few steps back...now?... folks in the Stem...any Stem? They don't have it too easy.... they are forgotten about , once the   ends are made... and... only folks down here are those  trying to make creds... or  folks who don't have  any...Damn Etna SEC has Hunts... people get paid  bounties for   gunning down Stem folks who  try to defend themselves..or ..honest business men like myself...Now?.. there folks  in here  that need dying.. and that's a fact... but not everyone  down here wants to kill people...well..unless those  people try to kill them first...or?  Muscle in on territory

 ..my name is  , Cal... this here's my place..well?  OUR  place.. i'm just in charge..

   Garrat clasps his hand firmly. "Good to finally meet you sir."    He looks the man up and down. "You have the feel of a military man about you.  Do I work with anyone you might know?" 

   Returning the clasp, Cal Shrugged...ESN  Marine , the last  part of the  Mars Colony war..... EMS fighter pilot for the The Old..EMS 046 Blackhole..  she vanished during a fight outside of Tortuga.. me  and my  pilots  were on patrol.. ended up joining up with some pirates..amking  money killin'  folks who need killed.... we have  gods-be-damned range wars here now... every on  tryin' to slit everyone's throat..'cept Hikki.. Hikki's  good ta work with...

  "Heard good things about him.  No wonder your people were a little cautious.  Well I'm part of an actual sweep team.  If you can give me a heads up on who to stomp and who not too I'll be greatful, then we can get down to business latter.  I'm afraid my presence is a thinly vealed door to door inspection but the AP really wants to clean things up.  To many EDT running around.  There has been rumer of humans being trafficed out of the area as slaves.  That tends to hit Admiral Hack like a red flag to a bull."

  Cal Nodded,...we don't deal in people.. if  we ship people in or out..its because they need to escape..or because they want to find someone, without  Etan SEC knowing..... Now?.. Hikki's is  about   half way up the Stem.... we don't go much further then there... that's not our  turf ... but between us  and Hikki's  is  ... Oswalds's.. he's a right bastard... if he can make a credit.. he sell and   transport anything...about a month ago,,, a couple of my boys  nailed  two of his who had  4 kids... someone wanted them, out  past the Hillite  system.. but  we don't know who..anyway.. 2 of them ar3e safe in  The Lowers.. the other  two we shipped to Astra.

 Oswald's ain't much differant then us...'cept they deal with the wrong folks... Yo need Help.. i can send some of my people..but..i can't get whittled down too much..or  we'll be taken over by someone else.

Garrat had made sure his helm cam was facing Cal.  "I thank you for the offer, but I get the feeling we need every one of your men intact.  If we create a vacuum Hikki's gonna need some help filling it, so you need all hands on deck more than we need soldiers.  Scouts who know who to watch-out for, an information are a different story.  That should save our lives without risking yours."  Garrat motions to the sniper rifle "Snipers at best.  Just so long as your not really risking your hides."

   Cal Nodded...,...we have a few snipers. I don't have  as big a gang  as most.. i go for quality.. one sniper is  worth  4 or  5 nut jobs with guns..

  ..now.... I'll tell ya  this. two Blokcs up, and towards the Middle is , waht folks  down here call... " the Swap Meet '.. there's a big gathering of  folks who sell stuff to the pretty boys from the Uppers... and the adventurous ones  from the lowers.... its also a good place to  get jobs..nothing  real big in there.. but you can set up orders... set up hits... whatever.... that helps  keep customers alive.... also?.. people will run there if they are being chased... there are   Tunnels in a couple of the buildings that lead to other  parts of the Stem... if you'er  chasing someone.. and they make it there... you'er not  finding them.

Garrat scratches his chin, "How many snippers would it take to cover all approaches?"

 Cal points at the   walls behind His Compound, and the  double doors  that open to the Docks.

 ..the same thing that is good about thses places.. is the same thing that's bad.... The Hull has  our backs.. but there are Pipes, ducks  and    hand holds all over to theplace, for maintainance  and inspection.... there is sort of a pact, that we leave those folks alone, so they can take care of the  Station... now?.. we don't get alot of Benefits.. but now and again some one might run an extra power line  down to us... or, we'll scarpe Creds toghter and thell  link up a house that has a broken connection..

 he waves it off,..But?.. Smart Guys  put snipers up there...  sitting on a piece of dec playe   melded to the Hull...Now?.. I'll put a couple folks up there when I know there is trouble... some folks  never  do?...some..always do..so you can't really account  for them, until the show themselves.... The other things to worry about is ... Turrets.. tower guards..and if they have any creatures  to help guard..

 .......

  Garrat's COM come on....Supe here.... first Compound taken... 'New Owners"  are  Docking up soon... we'll stay until they Dock and MOve on...we'll let ya know, when we're on the move...

   Garrat looks at his com. "Well, I'm  behind schedule so I better get moving.  Any help you can get me will be appreciated.  Now I gotta shake a leg."

    Garrat waves off and heads out moving forward with his team. "Gotcha Supe, hope everyone came through okay.  Found an Ex marine from the Mars conflict in charge of a compound.  I'll introduce you latter.  I think you'll like this guy."

  Cal nods  and whistles  he points to  two people across the Compound and points the  the Hull, the Points to Garrat.

 ..you'er people we'll have to get in the gates... These two will help thin out  the Compund...

  a man and a woman, both only wearing chest armor, shouldered  some sleek looking rifles and climbed the   hand rungs of the hull net to the   dock doors , disappearing into the darkness..

Garrat finds the next compound and examines the gate.

  Garrat and his  team  moved up the street... Hans  was still somewhere ahead  using the buildings.

  they saw another Compound... about  3 blocks away to the   middle was   " The MarkeT"

  Oswald's Cpmpound  had  two tureents by their gate... there were view  ports for snipers..no outside  gaurds  could be seen.

Garrat looked at the turrets and sniper posts he had his team take cover across from the entrance and radioed Hans while he sets up his high powered rifle on the bipod for some good ole fashioned armor peircing.  "Okay Mr scout, is there any other ways into the Oswald compound?"

   Hans  can see  some  movement over the  wall, but  doesn't really have a   shot.

  The turrets  move slowly from   left to right...now and then a bit of light  can be seen in the  sniper slots.. as if  there is movement  behind them

garret gets some of the explosives in his pack ready then checks the turrets with his vision to see if they are automated.  if they have infrared cameras they would show up on the scope as strong infrared signatures.  "alright guys, target the sniper slots and fire  on my command."

   He gets on the com to Cal, "Say Cal, can you tell us anything about the front armament on the Oswald compound?"

  Sath and  Lirg  answer  as they  take aim.

   Hemsly   sets  contacts  for  some   ...crickett ball-saized...C-10

 Minnet sets her heavy  pulse to the   slots near the right most  Gate.

 ..Cal here.... we tried to get the gate a couple times when we had ...disagreements... the turrets  move on motion..i think... the  sniper   nests  are covered like a tunnel with slots facing the street and the compound..you can bet they have  wall hangers... but my team should be able to spot them.. you'll know...

    "Thanks.  That should make things easier."  to his team.  "Okay, stay out of sight but start punching holes around the sniper slots.  Let's see how armored those turrets are."

   Garrat starts using his Heavy Rifle to punch holes in the mechanism of the turrets as fast as he can pull the trigger.

    Once  Garrat started to  Fire..  everyone else did as well..  Minnet used  controlled bursts  at once section to beat a hole through the sheet metal.

   Hemsly  Tossed   the three   C-10 spheres  at the gate..  they  rolled and  Bounced..one  went under the gate inside.. the other  two were pretty close..  he   wriggles   the   trip box  and  triggered the detonators ..   the explosions almost..came  as one  the right  door swung in slowly and the left door ( as they look at the gate). fell off the lower   hinge and bent backwards.. The Turrets  swung    at each flash sending  heavy Pulse rounds through the Darkness, chuncks of  Bricks flew into the Air.

 Garrat's    third  shot   Exploded the   left  turrent with that Turret  down... Minnet opened up  full auto  tracing  an ..almost..perfect line  across the  sniper holes.. screams from inside every now  and them told of  a  Hit.

  Flashes up in the darkness... followed  but  two bodies falling to the Compound from some 100 feet up, told of  an Unseen battle in the darkness.

Garrat opened up on the right turret.  His hard rounds punch through it's armor.

    "If Cal losses any people, we'll have to see if we can bury them with ESN honors.  Maybe get benifits for their families."  He keeps an eye out for anyone leaving the compound.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:46, Mon 16 Oct 2017.

    Lirg    yells  as the Gates  falls.. he rushed up to the wall.. Smoke is  coming from the  two turrets  as  they have been  knocked out.

   Minnet shifted her  fire  to the  right side of the Gate, Since  Lirg Moved up.. there was  a pair of Flashes   in the darkness  above and two more Bodies  fell with , sickening impact.. to the Compound.

  shouts  were  coming from inside the  walls...

Garrat had wrapped some wire around three one pound balls of C-10 and built detonaters into long tails of wire coming off them.  He comes through the gates and slinging them around throws them into the far corners of the compound.  [they have not detonated yet, he will do that as soon as he knows Lirg is not near one.]

  Lirg is on the  outside of the wall, about 10 yards  to the left, of the  left turret.

  When Garrat goes through the Gate. Lirg Runs Up to cover him, stepping to the left of the Inside of the  Gate.. firing at windows at the Hull-wall shops.

   Hemsly   says into the COMs.....hey Hans?.... Move towards  the  Compound... we're ging in..

  Minnet  looks around..where is the  Lizard?

 Lirg comes onto the COMs,Sath.... He get  shot  from above.... I think he is gone...

With Lirg safe Garrat detonates the C-10 to create confusion and goes deep.  What are his options?

 entering the gate,  Garrta Knows ...

 Sath is down..

  Lirg is to his  right...

  Minnet  and  Hemsly are Coming up from  behind... Minnet is  punching hold in the sheet metal with her  Heavy Pulse...'just to make sure'

 Hans is quiet... he hopes that he is safe.

...........

 they can see 4 bodies in the compound...one is  for certain, the Female from Cal's The other  3  are Oswald's men... there are 4 Buildings against the  Hull with and Opening to the Dock entrance.

 There is a flash from above to their left.. and a scream on the ground, to their  right as a weapon flies in the  air and a body drops from behind some crates.

 a Voice  comes  from somewhere in one of the Buildings,WHAT THE 9 HELLS  DO YOU WANT..... YOU AREN'T PART OF THE STEM....

   Garrat had run deep into the compound after detonating the bombs and backed against a crate.  "WE ARE NOW!" He roared with true anger "SURRENDER OR DIE."  He looks at the fallen Female from Cal's  Not much chance of her being alive but if she was, Garrat needed to end things now because she wouldn't be much longer.

  Garrt Nocticed the crumble d Body..chest armor or no.. 100 feet or so to the dusty dirty steel Dec Plating, was very unforgiving...

  a Voice, barely heard, but Garrat could  tell was shouted,..ANY THAT ARE LEFT..ARE INSIDE THE BUILDINGS...

  Hemlsy said, Got me one crickett ball left.. where ya want the bloody thing...

 he had his  right hand on the  trigger of his grease gun... and the  C-10 ball in his left.

   I'm counting down from five.  At zero there will be no further chance for surrender."  To Hemsly, "in the building when I reach zero."

   "Five...four....three...two...one...zero.!"

  Cover is lean  right now in the Compound. the area  cleared for loading Vans and the like.

  There is no answer  from the Buildings.. until Garrat reaches  3... they a rain of  weapons   comes  from the windows of  every building..

 Lirg Howls  as he   hits the ground  then tries to make it to  carts and   Barrels to the far left... once he reaches  it , he begins  to fire slowly into the windows at any movement he sees.

 Hemsly doesn't wait..  using his best  bowler form,, sends the  ball  high, then dives on the ground  as rounds   fly over his  head...

  Minnet, using the gate  for , what cover it is  worth Opens up on the  windows with a side to side Motion...

 Hemsly  reaches  the crates near the  right  side of the compound  swearing  and hollering  in  Scottish... he then  triggers  the Ball...

  By the time he triggered the  BAll.. someone on the inside had  tried to pick it up to throw.. and the inside of the  Middle  Building  Lit up shattering  Bodies and shreding others  with splinter and masonry shrapnel...

Hans rushes to reposition himself for the breach. Reaching the side wall of the compound he unspools several feet of det cord and places it against the wall. He qyickly rigs the detinator and stands a few feet away. Turning away he waits. When he hears the mark he pressed the detinator then rifle up rushes into the breach.

  From the   right side of the  Compoind the wall blows in , about the same  time Hemsly set off his.. Hans  can see that there is only a few rounds  coming out as Garrat had a few  rounds chew up his  breastplate,  and Hemsly  begins to fire bursts from his  greasegun, and the  windows closest to him and HAns.

As Hans stepped in he made sure to control his breathing. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. One shot at a time. He looked acquired targets fired a single shot then continued onward. Movement is life. Stillness is a target. Fire. Move. Fire. Move.

  From the smoke and fire... Hans  was able to get one target for sure.. he was certain he got another, but could not  confirm the kill.

   As the gun fire starts Garrat is not surprised.  Cornered animals are capable of anything.  He nods in appreciation to Hemsly for throwing early and and pulles his milled pistols out opening up on the windos with automatic fire from both of them. He nots two targets taking hits from sniper fire and glances back to see Hans.  "Good to have you back in formation Weber." Garrat makes sure his gear is firmly in place and shifts position so he's ready to run.  "Great job folks, give me some cover fire I'm going in."  Garrat waits for the cover fire then crouch runs to the wall of the building.

    Minnet    Kept   at full Auto on the   left side  Buildings..heavy Pulse rounds  tearing up windows  and   frames alike..  the  weapons  fire  was less there.. and Most was  Just a weapon raised  above the lower  wall and  fired  randomly.

  Lirg.s sniper rifle   barked in a  rythum of   fire.. Drawing  Back the  slide  on the  Hyrian  weapon, slamming it forwards  and Firing again.

   Hemlsy was   firing  hard  Ammo from his grease gun he was greeted with a happt surprise ( not so happy for the other  fellow ) as I guy tried to tosss a smoke   grenade and  lost  most of his chest to the weapon.. the Grenade fell inside.. smoke up the closest  building to  Hans  and  Hemsly

 Garrat made his run...

As garrat ran up his armor held welluntil a heavy pulse round punched through his leg armor.  He missed a step, fell amd rolled to the base of the wall.  Down side? no more running today.  Up side, on the way in he made note of the muzzle flashes.  Grunting, Garrat pulled of his pack and made  some more C-10 balls, and systematically tossed them in the offending windows.  He prayed that any inocents would be hidden tightly away.  Once they were in Garrat didn't give the bad guys time to pick the balls up.  he ducked down and blew the room.  Lots of explosive but little in the way of shrapnel.

   Garrat's explosions  Rcoked the Buildings.. the   end building on Garrat's left lost its 2nd  floor as it  caved in..

 Once the  bangs wee done... smoke roiled from the  Broked  windows  and  chewed up walls.  there was some  screaming for help from wounded   Mercs...otherwise , it was quiet.

  There saw a soft thump  as  a fellow  dropped   to the wall in the far left corner.. he  jogged over to the crumpled body of his teammate, and lowered his head.

 Lirg  limped   towards thew Buildigns,  sweeping the area  with his rifle raised.

 Minnet had some  burns on her chest armor, but didn't look any worse for wear.

 Hemsly and Hans, Just looked  dirty...

   Garrat joined the sniper next to his fallen comrade. "Did she have family?"

  The  Fellow  looked up,...depends.... would have been me.... few thousand more creds... we  were gonna go to Bura..start a family....

 He tried to be tough... but his  eyes  brimmed.

  Lirg  limped over to Garrat  and sniffed around... the burning bodies  smelled good!

 Minnet  stood  near them , looking  around..

  Hemsley kicked in some  boards and Looked  at a  pair of Mercs who were trapped by a Beam.. they reached out to him.. he pulled the trigger of his  Greasegun...there were no more sounds...

 Hans  was near the Opening , Hemsly kicked in.

In reply to stem (msg # 77):

    Garrat nodded silently.  He'd been there, but telling the man that would not help his grief.  The best thing to do was remain as support.  Though his injury burned as he remained hunkered down next to the man, he remained, with his head bowed a witness to the grief around five minutes.  In the digital part of his mind, Garrat kept a file on every comrade lost in battle.  It literally manifested as a memorial wall.  This woman's name would be added when he learned it.  Now however was not the time.  Garrat slowly raised his head and asked quietly, "Can you carry her home?"

Hans allowed his rifle to drop hanging on its sling and drew his pistol and knife. He followed hemsley into the opening finishing any wounded he encountered except the first. The first he saved to interrogate. His knife bit quickly into the tendons of the side of the mans wrists rendering them useless to hold or operate a weapon of any sort. Then straightening he advanced slightly to the right of Hemsley. Keying his throat mic he spoke rapidly. Single tango alive but deactivated breach two two o clock low for pickup.

  The   Guy nodded,..yeah... I'm not leaving her here.. that's for certain. Thank You...

 he   shpoulder  both her  weapon  and his,  then  picked her  up..her ragdoll form held close as he walked towards the gate.

 Hemsly  calls out from the door.....none of the bloody bastards left...'cept the one Hans nicked up... The New owner's kin ship 'im off ta ..where ever...

 Minnet said,... Hikki's   is the next stop, and we're done...

.............

  Supe's   COM came in...... 2nd   Compound was OK.... Blackmarket and all.. but no slavers Sent the COM  address to SEC  in case we need help getting some stuff... we're gonna work our way across that 'Market Place"  and Meet you guys  at Hikki's

  "Roger that Supe meet you there."

  He limps into the building. "Thank you Gentlemen." He says, his deep voice resonating through the now fairly open space.  He surveys the damage.  Not much left but he lost only one man.  Garrat grabs his mad kit, and dermafoams the hole in his leg.  "Make sure you check yourselves for wounds, We'll be covering the other side of the market on our way to Hikki's and I need you guys in good shape"  Garrat steps over to Hans' hostage.  "What's your name?"

  The   Guy was Muffling his  whines from the wounds.. besides the  wrists, his left  leg was full of wood shrapnel .

  He shakes his head, Ryan.... I'm...I'm just a henchmen.. why'd  ya have to kill us all?

 Hemsly snorts,..Ya bleedin' bastard, yer  goin' around  harmin' folks who can't do much back?... yer lucky Hans  found ya first..

   Garrat snorts. "I gave you a chance to surrender, you opened fire on three.  You have only one chance to live through the next minute.  Do you know anything about the contacts made with EDT sympathetic customers?"

 the  guy's head lulled back and forth,..no..no.. i'm just a gun.... the boss man kept all his stuff up stairs..logs and such.. in case he needed to...blackmail anyone... or..call in markers....

  "Thank you."  Garrat says looking at the collapsed second floor  "Is it in one of the sections still standing?"

 The  Guy  tried to look up.......where the steps...were... the   room that was against the Hull at the Tom, was his Offcice... good   chance ... stuff in there is  still good...

 Hemsly  Mover through the  mess kicking an arm out of the way......'ere's the bleedin' steps.... I could get up there....

Garrat unslings his rifleand uses it but down as a staff.  He scoops up the hapless prisoner, tossing the man over his shoulder, and slowly makes his way up to the room.

 Hemsly, climns the   shattered  steps,  at one  point   some break off, but he clings to the Upper part , swinging his legs up over the landing.

 ..9  bloody 'ells...  we gotta be carful up here... ain't no one worked on these  since the  'ighlands were  first freed!

   He looks..... 2 doors up 'ere... one ..right  where the stairs  used ta be.... the other, looks in Good shape... a bit down the 'all.

  "Alright,"  Garrat says to the man over his shoulder "Which way do we go?"  he turns sidewise so the man can see.

After sweeping the lower floor with hemsley Hans made his way back out of the compound and took a hidden post in case a reaction force was dispatched in a countee strike. Once he was posted he confirmed his location via coms.

   On his way through, Garrat tries to wrap up loose ends."Hans, can I get a confirmation that we lost the Largrane in the fire fight?"

  The   Guy  motioned with his damaged  the stairway rubble.....That Guy.. is up byt the Office.. the first door...

  Hemelsy  Kicks , what's   left of the door  in,..Ok?   5 file  cabinets  and a   computer.... and?  two bottles  of Rum...

    Garrat walks in watching his footing "Oh, better keep those.  I hear the Midgardian Rum is excellent.  Where's the info merc."

  The  Fellow   Just  fell against  Garrat's  BAck,..what part of ' i am just a gun' did you not understand?.. File cabinet? Desk...? I dunno?

 Hemsly   looked around,..well each  file  cabinet has   4  drawers....No closets.. desk has one drawer...

 Minnet stood  by the  Door   watching the area.

   Garrat drops him into a chair and pulls out a pistol.  "Pity that.  I was going to keep you alive and use you to help out the people moving in here but it looks like you've outlived your usefulness,"  He points a pistol at the mans forehead.

  The  Fellow was in a lot of  pain, and  has lost a lot of blood..

  ..do what you have  to do, mate...Lying to you is conly going to  get me what?.. another hour, maybe?... I'm Just a Gun..

     "And as a gun you know to look for things that aren't usual.  Make sure everything is on par.  You'll have a feel of how things work and how your boss thinks.  Best guess best memory."

   The Man gives a  tired and Painful laugh,

  ..Oswald didn't gibe a demon's crap about us.. he paid us good.. that was enough.. he only let a few folks up stairs... his girls.. or his  foremen and.. well, jack?..you killed all them...The furtherest i got in the offcie?  was The   Station  New Year... when he  got us all drinks.. right down here.. and had  tables  set up in the compound... other  then  that?.. he had to mean somthing to him, to get up them stairs...


 Hemsly went down the  Haul  and kicked the other  door in.....Bed room.... three chests of  drawers, No closests... a  small desk.. 2  drawers... and a bed  with silk sheets...

   "Thank you."  Garrat pulls the trigger.  He coms sec. "Before we clear out we need a Information gathering team in here.  Apparently the late owner kept dirt on all of his dealings for blackmail purposes."

  Hemsly  climbs  down from Upstairs, Hands  Garrat one of the Bottles...takin' the orther one of the Lads and LAsses of the 5th.

 Lirg hobbles in a bit,..we go now?... no  people to shoot here...

Garrat takes one last look around.  "Yes, we go now."  He walks down into the court yard. "Did anyone actually see what happened to Sath?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:59, Fri 20 Oct 2017.

     Hemsly and  Minnet  just shook their  heads. we were  pounded the   sniper  slots  from the  building there... Minnet says.

   Lirg had  removed his helmet  to get some fresh air, his  ears were down,..he was  not  far from me.... he was it, just  below thwe neck from above...

   Garrat bowed his head. "We'll need to make sure he is treated with honor."  Garrat recovers the body and places it just inside the compound for later retreival.  He didn't want his fallen comrad to get cash slashed or looted.  Then continued on to the market with his team.

  The Market was a  very bright place, But  Stem standards.   jury rigged spot lights   shown a got  100 yards   all aound the   blcoks that was considered. 'The MArket'.

    Alleys  and  streets were Blocked off   but   bricks   , masonary , and  sheet metal.   there were  4 ways in.. each  on was a  street  they   Stems folks agreed to leave  open for traffic... Building were  used  for  'hotels' as well as   for men and women trying to earn  creds in the oldest profession.

 In the Middle  were more lights.. and stalls were  set up.. only  'regular product was  set out.. bigger stuff would  either have to be delivered or  picked up..depending on who you bought it from.

 Supe's Voice  came on the COMs....we're  headed up- Stem we'll enter The MArket from the   east  gate.. we're Gonna stroll through. maybe see what they  have out... then  exit from the west gate to get to  Hikki's.... The Market us supposed to be  nuetral , but we'll see.. we had some kids runnign  ahead of us.. I'm betting they are scouts...

   "Roger that.  We are coming in from our side as well."  Garrat turns to his team. "You heard that.  Be aware and ready but don't take the first shot."  They enter the market.

   Lirg Nodded as he    readied to go... Hemlsy  looked to Hans  and jerked his head towards the gate, Minnet had went  into the   long rectangle that was the sniper  perch.

   she dropped  six  pulse, snife  rifles   on the  top of the handing, she was adding  power cells  to her  belt pouch

Garrat has his rifle slung but his hands are on his pistols.  The slight limp from the flesh wound on his upper leg and the chewed up armor are the only signs he has seen action tonight.  He walks calmly into the market place.

((flex))

  Lirg is limping a bit.  Though he held his  rifle, it was pointed down  as his helmeted  head moved back and forth

  Minnet walked  by him and   the same manner

  Hemsly brought up the  rear.

  Hans  was......

...........

  As they neared Hikki's they say the bright  lights ( for the stem)  one Black over  to the east. where the market place  was set up. A ring of buildings around the MArket place  from the next Blocks   held   riflemen,there were Lights that shined  down, on the streets that encircled  The MArket Place, as Vendors   talked to customers.

  As Supe and his people entered the gate, they were warned  about   trying to harm anyone in the 'protected  area' Supe gave a curt nod of understanding ,other then that he said nothing.

 UP Stem  sat a parking lot, of sorts. rubble  cleaned away from a building and the  stones and brings used to  held with the walls of The MArket Place... this parking lot had guards and  a turret  that watched over the vehicles and people who landed there, as they  paid  for the service and went to check out the wares.

 It was an of mix , going through the  Market...stalls had  everything from clothing.. jewelry  weapons and even food stalls

  Stemmers shopped  side by side  with people  h=in  suits  and fancy dresses.. Moms or dads  from the lowers spoke with  pirates and Mercs about items   on display..a few  booths only had a person sitting there with a Vidboard, for  itmes you would have to pick up...or if you were selling....deliver  to  one of the warehouse dock, complexes.

    Garrat looked around, "You know? This appears to be a necessary part of the station.  I hope we can keep this market as we reform the harmful elements from stem."

 Hemsly  shrugs,..was alot like this back  'ome, ya know? Bloody rich folks made the   cities hard place for normal folks.. so we had places like this..not everythin' 'ere is good.. fact.. most  stuff are bad.. but the good stuff  makes it wothwhile for those who don't 'ave a bunch of creds..

....................

  Supe  Had his heavy Pulse on his  shoulder  as he  walked through the stalls.. some  folks glared at them.. others  smiled...some turned away , as if to hide their  faces.

  ..Give us all a beer...  the  woman  and man who ran  one of the drink stalls   poured beer into disposable cups  and  Supe overed his   left wrist to be scanned.

  They stood there a  bit as the woman looked at them..

 ..you ain't  from Etna...

  Hodden    smiles,..no ma'am we aren't... but you'll be glad we're here... unless..well..unless you'er  helping the Empire..

Hans had to scramble to keep position ahead of the group. After verifying that Sath was down he trotted forward and was thankful to find the embrace of the darkness again. This sweep was progressing at a pace much faster than he was accustomed to in combat but he made it a point to keep the pace. As he made his way along he kept an eye out for anyone or anything out of place. When he neared the market he took out a flashbang grenade and unscrewed the pin and fuse then took one of his remote detinators and put it into the canister. He kept the detinator in his hand as he moved. He figured if there was trouble the rigged flashbang would be a good diversion. He dropped the canister into the trash accumulating against the gate.

((flex))

 Hans  fines alot of  refuse   piles and  cans.  I even notices  some kids who pickign up  wrappers  and  Cups and   metal bottles that have been cast aside. and  haulign them to some other Bins that are  sorted.

 The Bins  say "..scrap metal"...." burnables ".... "  food  "  " clothing "

  These bins  are  at the gates  at each entrance, he does notice  some older folks and kids  going through the   food and clothing bins.

Hans moved through the market calling out anything of interest to the group via his coms.

   all the shops had  'good stuff' still packaged, still in crates.

   It was noticed the  weapons were limnited to pulse  sidearms.. and  a selection of poppers.

   some with buckshot... some with 'pumpkin' balls.. some  with shrapnel

   there were many blades  some in cases.. some  were obviously salvaged from the last owners...but all were clean and polished.

  Punching daggers,  throwing daggers and stars  ect ect.

...........

 the food  smelled  great... mostly thinks  like hotdogs ( made from various animals) the were tagged   with what creature..everything from  Station RAts.....Lonnox...  dogs... as well as  honest to goodness   beef or pork ( from transtposts )... Vats of PAsta's  steamed .

  some little kids stood near the stalls .. dirty and ragged.. too small to be  runners or cash slashers... every now and then some one  would toss them a cred.. or give them a paper cup of some  noodles  or pasta.

 Supe   stopped  by such a place, a bit up the north section.. he saw three little Girls and a littler boy stand near a pasta   stall.

 ..when was the last time you guys ate?  the little blonde girl, pushed some dirty hair  from her eyes....yesterday...

 The woman who ran the stall looked a bit Vexed,..don't never mind them... they's nothin' can't carry thier own weight.. some one will give them somthin' ..they always do...

 Hodden frowned.. Tucker   looked around the area.

 ..so?.. were  do you stay....The Big Man crouched low...

   The short hair Brunette. as dirty as the others,..er stay in the   buildings  close  to the market.. sometimes  we can get some good stuff  before the scavengers  come...

 Hodden asked,..Scavengers?

 the Stall woman just  made a wave.....bunch of teenagers.. the     have a gang.. they hit the  garbage bins before the  Bosses  can recycle..... they stay together  though.. so if  ones like these are smart.. they can hit  bins on the other side...

 Hodden  bites her lip.

 ..Give them each a full cup of  whatever pasta  and   sauce they want... and a drink...

 ..look..Mr?.. you don;t have  ta do that...they'll get by..'less you want somethin' else  from them...

 Supe's hand  banged  down on the plank of the stall the  woman cowered  and the kids   hugged each other... you say something like that again?.. and this  stall will need a new owner.. i don't  care what the rules are here...

 She      turned to the Kids .. Tucker Nodded to them  to choose.. they each  picked out  pasta  and the woman  heaped the cups   full then poured  red or white sauce or  Butter ( or what passed for butter)..  they each got a  roll  and  a cold  drink.

  Supe   let  the woman scan his wrist and  told her to take an extra 5 creds..

   Moving off to the side,The  kids    ate  fast looks at the adults  with weapons around them..

  ..You kids have a mom or Dad?

 they ate looking  around  or  taking a drink  , they shook their heads..

 ..how long you been together?

 the   other long haired, dark haired girl  said...some man brought us here... then another man  took us down here... but he was killed... we ran away...been here  since i was as tall as him....

 the little  boy looked up, some bruises on his  face but he smiled at Hodden.

 Well... I'll tell you what?... You guys are  coming with me and My friends... and we're gonna find you a place to  go....maybe on  a Navy ship?.. what do you think?

 The Longhaired girl said,YOu  can do that?.. they said the   big car men could only do that..if we were good ..and  done what they say?


 .. well?  no? YOu come  with us.. to our ship... and  if they can't  find a Mom or Dad for you.. you will go to a colony.. were there will be a mom  and dad... and trees.. lakes...

 The Blonde girl started to cry....

 Hodden asked,what's  wrong?

 ..then men  in the black Cars  said they will hurt us, if  we tried to run away....

 Tucker   chuckled,..Let them Try...We  are ESN.....

 The   LOnghaired  Brunette said,..we have nothing to lose... they took one of  our friends  last week.. she was a bit  taller them me... I don't want to go with them....

 Supe   looked at their Halfful cups.....Lets go.. yhou can finishing  eating on the  way... we have to Go to Hikki's.. then we go back to the ship...

 the short haired girl said,..Mr  Kikki don't like kids  around his place....

 ..Too bad for Mr Hikki.. you;re with us... and your going  back with us... YOu don't  need to live in a place like this...

 Robbins  and Wagstaff came  back and saw the kids,wow.... four more folks for the Hermes? Robbins  grinned.

 The Oldest o9ne said.....you are from the Hermes?

 Hodden  nods ,why?
 The LOnghaired  girl seemed  a bit more  comfortable..there are stories.... people don't think we hear... but we do.... stories  of bad men dying.. or vanishing... they say it is  " the Coming of the Hermes"

 well kids?.. they ain't wrong... lets go...

   Garrat had spreadi his team out through th emarket. Noticed the Children and Supe.  He walked up... and heard the later part of the conversation.  "One moment Supe," Garrat hunkers down on front of the children but keeps enough distance not to scare them away.  "I have three questions for you and it will come with  the toy action figure of your choice." [garrat figures more food reward will make these starving tykes sick.]  A smile tugs on his face, "If you want there are even actionfigures of this guy here." Garrat says pointing at Supe. Goodness knows he's MY hero.  He's saved me many times, and has helped save many children like yourselves from Demon slavery."  Then the smile fades.  "First question: Are the men in black cars nearby?  We need to know as much as we can about them.  I am unhappy about them threatening you and don't want them harrassing your buddies after you're gone."

((Flex))

 The Longhaired  Brunette speaks up. TGhey don't   come down here, unless its to pick  up....'helpers". But once a helper is picked  up.. they aren't ever  seen again... The older kids  can hide better then us little ones.. so  they grab us when they can...

 Supe looks around  , Waggles  and Robbins   are spread out  a bit.. while Tucker and Hodden stay close to Supe.

  Hemsly comes waslking over  after  finishing a 'seafood' hotdog...

  The rest are   looking around.

  the   shop keepers  and  guards  are watching the group a bit more  now.

   "Thank you, Question number 2: can you tell us how to get in contact with the other groups of street orphans?"

(( Flex))

  The Likke  boy   is   eating the last of his noddles.. his lips are covered in red sauce... and he still has  half his  roll that he uses  to  sop up  sauce in the cup...they hide.. hide alot...

 The shorter  haired Brunette  says,... Us little ones... we have to hide alot.... Bigger kids  might grab us.. to sell... or  mean  grown ups?.. They can't touch us  in The MArket Place.. so we have to be careful when we leave.

 the Blonde girl smiles up at Supe,..never had  hot  noddles  before..only get  cold  dry stuff...

   Garrat chuckles, "Hot is better for the gut.  You use less energy warming it up.  Last question:" Garrat ques up a picture of the son of the cook from the fishing boat. "Does anyone know where I can find this guy?"

(( Flex))

 The all look at the Picture, but they shake their heads.

 Supe  frowns a bit,..Stem's a Big place.. we're not even  1/4 way up it..but we only have to reach Hikki's

    Garrat sighs, "It was worth a try." To Supe, "Joe's coffee and hobby is selling action figures.  What he doesn't have he can order.  We'll let them choose what they want and put it on my tab."


    He looks at the children "When we leave the market, we become targets.  Can you call an airvan to take them to sefety?  It would be dangerous to take them with us."

  Supe   frowned a little, and so did the older Kids,..I dunno?   we just wiped out one place.. and made a deal with another one, on our side... we'd almost have to wait   to make sure the  Van was who we want it to be.. and  time isn't waiting on us...

 The  Little blonde  girl looked worried. as she looked around at the others.

 Hodden  adds,..we might be the first who gave  a damn about them ..  I'll stay with them.. we Get to Hikki's we can have a Hermes shuttle  get them at the Docks?...

 ..I can call the ship.. Have them send  a shuttle to have it  waiting... we have to get back , anyway? Waggles   said  I he  held   up his SEC  COM.

   Garrat nods.  "The best we can do. On a less human level, It's good for the colonies to have  the new blood these guys can provide.  Perhaps the AP should put in an efort to find new life for stem orphans on a regular bases."

   He contacts his unit and tells them what happened and to keep their eye out for others as they move through the rest of the market place.  Might as well offer relief to some more homeless kids if there was going to be a van comming.

   Waggles  hits his  COM.. he steps  away   and  talks  for a bit, but Comes back shaking his head...

  ..What?

  ...seems   that  LT Stoly is  on leave...somewhere..... so... they are sending the Felrite   Shuttle pilot...

  Hodden  giggles  a bit, in her  alto voice,..Have you kids  ever seen a Felrite?

 The oldest asks,..Cat folk?.... No!

 well?  You'er gonna see one  in a bit... she's brining in the shuttle to take us home...

  Supe  nods,..well?  the ride back  won't be.... boring...

  Hemsly  shakes his head,.. she bounced me off a bloody fighter...

 Robbins laughed,..stuff like that happens  when you hang out of a  Shuttle in the  middle of a  Battle...

 As they walked   the Little  Blonde  girls  still had  half her  pasta left.

 ..what's a matter?.. You can't be full?

 ..i want to save  some for later..so i ain't hungry later...

  Hodden smiles   as  she gives the little girl  a  'get going' pat on the back of the head,

  .. trust me?  You'er never going to be hungry again....

 Tuncker    walked slower behind  Robbins  and Waggles.. Hodden and Supe to the right of the kids..

 Hemsly to the  left..Lirg  came into view.. the Kids GAsped.....THAT"S A DOG FOLK!

   "He is, and one of the best soldiers I've worked with.  I've lost two freinds who were Largrane, one of them today, and got to fight alongside a Demon who had no problem filling other Demons.  He was a crack marksman and was from a family who raised dragons as pets."

 (( stem))

Lirg's   ears  dropped  a bit  as he heard the  sound of   fright in the kid's Voice.

 ... Its Like he said Kids... Look at his unifrom.. see the  Foot on his shoudler Patch....?

  The Little  boy took a bite from his   roll that was almost gone...can i pet the doggie!

  shhhh!.. you'll make him mad! the older one said.

 the kids   were walking, but a bit slower as they ate  and walked...

 Hans  saw a pair  of Kids  hiding behind some rubble.

  Garrat motions Lirg forward, "Lirg, you have children don't you?"

(flex)
 Lirg  shrugs his   wide shoulders..... I have Pups.... not sure how many are at colony.. Mates are taking care of them... makign them grow to be big warriors... maybe..pilots!

 the Kids Look at the approaching Hyrian.

In reply to stem (msg # 128):

    "See guys, he's an Adult like me.  He understands children but you should treat him with respect.  That's the difference between those who we call our friends and those who are our enemies.  Our friends respect us.  Our enemies don't."

  Supe  Looks  around,  the Heavy pulse on his  right shoulder with his  hand on the Grip and finger  near the trigger.

  ..He's right..  never respected the Empire after we saw what was on that first ship... I decieded then.. they weren't   soldiers , they were thugs  and thieves... and  terrorists.... They only time they come out ahead in a stright up fight.. is  if they have over whelming numbers.

   they could see Hikki's about a block or so up the  Hull  and  2 blocks over. The kid s by the  rubble were peering out  at the   group of armed people and   4 kids.

Hey boss if youre starting a daycare you missed a few. Got more kids here...
Hans forwarded the location.

 Garrat looked at his com, "Thanks Hans.  We might as well pull them in if they aren't packing Five pounds of C-10 under their rags." He turns to the other children. "It seems we are being watched from that pile over there.  Any one want to invite some others to join us?"

  The Little Blonde Girl waves at them  as HAns  Appraoches , they are looking at the others  from and do not see him yet.

 Hodden says,..me and Tuck will get them some pasta too.. then catch up....if.. they come over.

Garrat nods and waits

  there are  2  kids   a smaller  girl and an older boy. The Little  girl waves. as they move to another bit of  rubble.

  Hoddne  waves as well...

   Hans   nears the   2  'new' kids  and they move topwards  the others.. scared, but..seemingly ,less so, since   there are other Kids  with the Group.

   Tucker   goes ahead  and gets  a pair of pasta cups  with red sauce    a roll for each and  a soda

 once they are together, they head to Hikki's

................

  Hikki's  compound is well lit..inside  and Out.  there is a Heave Pulse  gun set up  in a ruined Van that is protected  by  rubble, to the left of the gate.

 to the right of the gate, on the top is a Heavy pulse  'nest' with three  people  manning it.

   As they group entered the  Compound, they have some weapons trained on them,

   A two armed  Sanri came out. One upper  (left) arm..one lower ( right )arm,

   ..So... you are the people who  have been making noise out there..... and.. what of these children?

Hans positioned himself where he could keep the Sanri in his sights. He remained calm but poised to fire at a moments notice. He transmits two clicks on his com to signal he is in position.

   Supe  Looked   to Hikki and swung his arm around to encompass the  two teams and the Kids,

   ..We  all need to get back to the ship..... we neutalized  one  Compound on the   starboard side of the step.. and one has   'made a deal' to work with the Delta Fleet..  YOu will be Contacted  by  our people for ...'needs' ..of our fleet when  we are in the area.

 The Felrite Pilot  stepped out of the  Dock  doors  to wave them over...we should be going.. the  time... is getting short.

 The Little Blonde  girl says, Kitty Lady!

   Supe  and GArrat lead their  team towards the docking doors ( along with the Kids).. The Felrite seems  very easy going  as they pet her  fur  and tak e with her.. she even allows the  two smallest ones  a hug.

  Supe looked   at the scene, chuckling,..i wonder if they would be so keen on hugging her, if they saw a Felrite in Battle...

 Lirg snorts,..i would not wish to hug  the cat ..at all!

  Hikki manages   a Bag for the Fallen   LArgran and they put  the   bag at the ramp end of the  shuttle, while the kids are up front, closer to the partition of the pilot's cabin.

 Once all are on Board.. the shuttle    undocks , arrowing for  the Hermes

(( the shuttle will have arrived  before the  incident with the bomb at the ramp way))

 STEM OP is now  over.

Post here..Garrat, Muri, Lirg...Ops

 AQs they approached the gate...   the  Guards  out side styeped forward...You folks  don't look like folks we normally get here?... If you want trouble.. you might  have found it... if you don't  want trouble.. then get the 9 hells out of here...

 Lirg   Growled  a bit.

  Garrat was approaching them directly when the guards said this.  He puts his hands on his hips and looks at Lirg, "He's probably right, we should go." But as the last words left his mouth his hands have already dipped into his trenchcoat and pulled out his Occui machine pistols.  Garrat hoses the guards faces down at as close a range as he could manage, the suppressed muzzles making a muffled popping sound.  They should be dead before they know what hit them.

 The  Guard  Fell.. to the  ground..there is a shout  from the makeshift parapet   and the Turrets  Began  to Fire...

   GArrat  Muri and Lirg were under the guns   do, and the round s  just  hit the streets.

   Lirg  Fired up at the  Guards  on the  'wall'.. Nuri  swept the area lookign for  anymore outside guards.

  The two on the wall were  shouting.. shouts  from inside  were  returned...

   If there is a chink in the wall, Garrat fires his asgard pistol through it [Asgard round= fragmentation grenade.] in an attempt to take out the wall guards, if he has the oportunity, and if there is a way to shoot at the guards in the compound with his second asgard round he does.  Garrat reloads the Asgard pistol and slaps some shaped charges on the hinges of the door.

 The Gates, like all Stem compounds,  are   Made  out of  either sheet  metal, or  Car Bodies.

 Vinno,  just  used Sheet Metal.. the   gates  Have  2 inch  Gap, where it is easy to see,  two metal  Bars  holding the doors.

  The  Guards on the   homemade  parapits,    shoot over the walls...  the  Grenade-like   rounds   Blow the   Metal Back  well as nicking    Muri ,  Garrat and  Lirg, but   not enough for wounds. Lirg  is  firing away  at the    right hand Turret...

In reply to Stem (msg # 146):

As that is the case Garrat slaps the shaped charges over the bars and looks for for targets to unload more Asgard rounds on.

    While  Garrat is working on the Bars, Lirg  manages to Take out  the  Turret on his  side of the gate.

 Muri is  workign On  Hers.

   It takes a moment of  so,  But  Garrat has the   charges  fitted on the   bars, it  would have been faster, but  rounds  were striking  all around  his  Hands, causing him to have to  jerk  his hands back a  few times or take wounds.

  But  now the   Bars  were set.. and  some  riflemen were about 20 yards  away behind  a ..newer' air van..and   to the right.. a stack of  crates.

  Garrat blows the charge and fires his postol at the ground beyon or under the rifle men.  It there is a wall behind them he hits it.  The fragments from the explosion should give the rifle men something to worry about.

    The  Gate  Blew ( opening in)..  Garrat  fired at the  Van, the   dust and  thin layer of  dirt scattered  as  the  rifleman  hid, the  one  behind the  Crates  Just ducked  behind, then  fired   after the  rounds went off.

 Lirg   stepped through  and turned  around.. shooting the legs off the  Man  at his   side..  Muri  Killed   The Giard  at her side,  but  not  Before he shot   Lirg  who fell to his knees  and Howled in anger

   Lirg was howling so he was still alive.  He wouldn't be if they didn't get the situation under control immediately.  Garrat was waiting for the rifle man behind the crate to pop backup.  He had the triggers on both his occui pistols just about a second after the rounds went off and when the rifle mans head came back up a deadly stream of rounds ripped up the top of the crate and everything beyond it.

     Garrat;s   weapons   Go Off.. the  fellow behind the crates  has  splinters  hits   his helmet,   and then he grabbed his eyes and  Fell to the Ground , the other  fellow Opened  Up On  Garrat, Just as Muri Opened Up on the   other Guy.

  The van took some shot    Gut the Man screamed  and Fell... Garrat took a   stray round to his left  him, The  Pulse round   lucky enough to bore  through what armor he had.

     All was quiet.. Lryg  and a  Low  rumbled in his  chest as he  stood  , using the same crate- cover   as he limped towards  them.

  Muri  Moved  with Felrite  quickness to the Van.

  Garrat zip ties the crate gunman, then whipps out his med kit to tendto himself and Lirg then followed Muri to the van.  They open it careful of an ambush and peak inside.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:43, Fri 16 Feb 2018.

   Garrat manages  to  stabilize   thier  wounds.. Lirg's was  on the lower  waist of his left side..  not  real debilitating , but painful  and   were  leaking blood.

    As they Open the Van  they  see  3 Children  tied  Up , almost like  Mummies  with  only thier  eyes  and Nose  exposed.. they look terrified  that the  big nad, Hyrian and  Felright...

  what is more   disturbing  are 4 stacked  Bodies on the  ohter side of the Van, that are wrapped  completely and sealed in plastic, with the words  " LArder "  stenciled on.

Garrat sighs, and starts freeing the kids.  "Relax kids, we're the calvary, chosen by Shadow himself to free you.  When you need somone really nasty to fight the bad and help the little ones out they send for us."  He looks at the controls  "Lirg, can you fly this thing?"

  He looks at the Van.. he  sturgs,... it  will be tight... my shoulder  too big for puny human's  vans.....

 He    looks at the   Controls sniffing  around ,...contols look  like  any controls...

 There is  some Movement  at the BAck were there  are  large  windows, of what...in the beginning , was  an old store front  for  3  stores..

  "Good, protect these children like they were your own pups and get situated for a quick take off.  Come if I call you in."  Garrat finishes cutting enough bonds so the children can free themselves and eachother.  "Muri, we can't let the target get away.  We need to move fast." Ignoring the pain in his [arm?] Garrat reloads his pistol and puts fresh batteries in his guns, and moves up to the store front.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:05, Fri 16 Feb 2018.

    Garrat    Reaches the    Street  Front.. he  and Muri can  hear lots of talking.. but  can't tell how many people..he thinks  at  least 3.. might  be 5... One Voice  seems to be a bit  more thern the others.

   One of the Doors Opened, and a Human  Came out , his weapon Up.

  ..Boss wants to know who sent you... and what do YOu want....

 Muri's cat like  hiss  is heard  as she   has her  weapon  pointed into the Building where a shorter  dark Complexion fellow was standing behind  a counter of  the middle building  a weapon up and resting  as he listens  and waits..

 Lirg has his  weapon  leveled at the  door   as it rests on  window of the  van

   Weapons already drawn Garrat hoses the human down before the words are completely out of his mouth. It was possibly just a ruse to give the "boss" time to escape.

   Over the mike he calls for his allies to be ready as he pulls the pin on a flash-bang and waits then throws it into the building. Timing so it goes off while it is still in the air.  And then goes in directly afterwards guns a blazing, giving those inside no time to recover from the blast.

   The  Flash and Bang  go off...  Muri   popped up ans shot through the windows...  Lirg growled  as he was stuck int eh VAn with the Kids  and  aimed at the far windows to shoot anything   that moved..

  Garrat stepped  through and Fired  the  Counter    turning into woodchips   Vinnie screamed and  grabbed his face  ,  falling  backwards....

 then....all was  quiet... smoke  and  dust  was wafting upwards to the vents.... a slight  groan from the area to the left was heard... some sobbing from behind the counter..

Garrat keeps his gun out and and carefully checks the area.  He motions Muri to come in and watch his back.

  The Felrite  enters  and moves a bit  to his Left... she  is lokign for the   maoning  from  her side..

  Garrat sees  Vinno,   Laying  on the  Fllor, one of his eyes    has   some splinters  sticking out of  hit, his  face is tore up from the wood  as  well.. he's  sobbing, and  has  not seen  Garrat, as  of  yet.

   the others  are  dead.... there is a   corridor  behind the    Counter section that leads to a working  Dock, Garrat can tell, bu the flickering Lights    in the back.

Garrat doesn't waste words.  He executes and cash scans Vino and goes through the office.  If they are clear he sends Muri to cash scan the other fallen and plugs his com into the computer so beth can hack it.  He also looks for important information and money.

  Muri  begins  to scan the dead..  Lirg is   still not in a good  mood in the Van.

  Beth tells Garrat to route the Info to  a COM path she gives him that will feed it into a 'waiting" computer in  SEC.

 as he  downloads.  he rifles the office area,  find   6  disc  cases countining    4 cred  discs  each... he  also fins    500 creds worth of  folding  Creds  with a  rubber band  around it.

 There isn't much Hard  copy  info.. but he does have a Binder of  pics  that have  Kids standing in front of the  Air  Lock  door as a back round.. with  sums of Creds under thier names.

After transferrnig the information, Garrat throws the items into the van and waits for Muri to return.  He splits up the hard credits evenly, "Okay, we need to drop these kids and bodies of somewhere they will be taken care of and get back into the feild.  We have one more target."

  Lirg  looks,... we can  throw the bodies out the   Airlock?.... As for the Kids , we should take to  Etna SEC?

   Muri  nods,  as she stashes  her share of  Creds.

  Garrat sighs. It might have been nice for their families to be able to put their loved ones to rest but they were on a schedule. "We'll scan their wrists.  Even if the acount is dead we'll still have their names.  The kids will have to be a drop and go.  We have other tasks to complete."  If all goes well they are soon headed back into the stem

  Lirg nods,..if you wish..I  can  take the Children to the SEC..and Come back?

 Muri stands  Near Garrat  waiting   as she  says,..we can leave the  bodies here... let those  who come after  worry about them?

  "Sounds like a plan.  Let's see if we can locate our next target in the mean-time"

   Lirg   lifts off, COMing  ahead to tell them a Hyrian  is bringing in some  dead, and  ex-captured human children.

 Muri waits for Garrat to lead the  way... if the Inte; was right, they should have to go about halfway up the same side of the Stem

Garrat pulls his hood up and over his head and hunches over so his pack under his cloak looks like a deformity.  Just another alien freak in the stem. “Walk like you mean business; not like your on the hunt.”  He advises to the felrite mix "We are walking into the saber tooth's lair and this may be bigger game than we can hunt."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:11, Sat 24 Feb 2018.

 Muri Nods   as  her  het looks  around  with Cat like jerks every now and then. Her weapon is ready but pointed at teh ground.

 ahead of them, are  a few kids  who scatter when they see them walking  down the Dim lit streets.

   Garrat shakes his head and sighs "How can a cat bred be sooo ESN"

Do they have an address, possible places of frequency, anything but a picture to work with in the perpetual stem twilight?

  Muri  shurgs, wondering if it was a compliment....

 Garrat checks  his COM to see the  'target Area'... it  should not be hard to see. One of the few, Bownstones that have   retained int  5 story height, or has been  repaired to that  extent.

 Like all places there is a wall, of sorts  around it and  more lighting in the 'kill area' outside the wall

    Garrat sighs, "Another compound, we might need a two pronged strategy on this one.  Some one to engage the gate from a hidden location, while Lirg flies me in, but only if we can confirm target.  This place is likely to have an escape other than the gate so if he's in there we might not have the man power to get him out." Garrat looks at the ceiling and uses his visor to look for snipers, and sniper positions, "Lirg, we might have to have you pick up some gear.  Hows your wound?"

  Muri  Nods    as they  move  down the streets, Far above them  ate the Flashing lights   and  movements  of   Air vehicles .. the Buildings   around them, Garrat is  used to seeing.   Broken down city blocks.  some people have power..others the Flicker of  lights  speaks of   thing s being burned for warmth  , cooking and Light.

 They are about  a half Mile  form the  TArget compound , as Lirg is dropping  down, out of the  Traffic  stream.   He  Hovers   behi8nd a  Dark  Building, one  street over from the  Hulls side  that others  are moving up.

 ..I am here now...  I am ...ok...no worse  wound then fighting for food  with my littler mates..

In reply to Garrat's  team (msg # 177):

Garrat nods. "I learned with the first ESN mission I led it is wise to ID your target before making the kill.  This guy has the ability to be a real thorn on our side if he escapes.  Demon allies who act as assassins often get...upgrades.  We are supposed to make him hurt before death but as long as he can act he's a danger so it is wise to immobilize him with bullets through all of his limbs, not rope."

    "First thing we do is observe the compound from a distance and watch for him.  The front gate is the logical place but I doubt that he uses it much if he has another option.  We need to find if there is a back door, do we have anything in the intel that suggests there are maintenance tunnels under his compound."

   If not Garrat respectfully asks Beth if she can check the schematics..

   Lirg and Muri  don't know anything more the Garrat

  Beth Come son the   Line, her Voice  a bit  stressed as she juggling   Coms  comign from everywhere.

  ..Unless he  made changes... its  the  Standard store front int eh Stem.. all  businesses were on the sides of the Hull so they  could  unload  straight into thier Businesses...  there  are  tunnels   btween the outside  and Inside    Hull  for   gettign rid of Garage... That's were the  Stem Rats  found a home and began to breed..... we don'[t see them often, because they  get enough food hunting the tunnels....sadly..alot of Kids  hide in the tunnels too.,... That old  Shuttle  Pilot, Naomi?.. was  kept  near thier docks  with those  tunnel doors.. on Fuji.. but  they never used them in that instance..

  "Thanks Beth, we need to get you some support."  Garrat closes his com and thinks for a bit.  "Okay, Lirg, drop Muri on that five story building out front and me on the one besides the compound.  I wish we had binoculars and rifles but we have to make due with what we've got."  Garrat nods to lirg, I need you to park around the corner and watch the front gate.  We look for signs of the target.  If we see any we radio the others and come up with a plan.  Try to drop us off without being in line of sight of the compound."

   Lirg  snarls  into the COMs,..I am not liking this  person already... it makes  sense...sinc e he  be  angel...

 Dropping  down  , he waits for the others   to board the   van...Curving around the Building and slowly rising( and  bumping into the wall a bit )...The VAns Hovers  enough for the  felrite  to  slink out towards the wall that faces the Compound....

 Lirg , then drives  op a few Blocks, scraping a  building as he makes  a turn,  nut  rises up to  drop Garrat off  on the Upper.

 after That drop, Lirg settles into teh streets with No lights..facing the  GAtes, one block away.

In reply to Garrats Team (msg # 181):

“There are good Angels out there, though few of them seem to come from their home planet, but he’s getting on my nerves too.  I don’t like torture but I’ve something special in mind for this one.”  Lirg does the drop-offs and Garrat gets into position “Great job Lirg, thanks for being here with us Murry.  I couldn’t watch all fronts without you guys .  Com if you see any action.”

   They watch.. 10 minutes... 15 minutes.. all they can see is some  guards  walking around the   yard.

  A Gleaming Black  sports  car sits there....on the other side of the compound  two Vans.. one  red..one white sit there.. a Human sits   in front of one on an old chair reading something on his COM.

 Lirg can't  see much  except the view of the gate...I will put out this question..yes?  the  dark brown eye s  keep searching,..this person is  Angel.... Killer person... Like Shadow?...why does he live here in  garbage place... why not   in fancy place?... Did  not other  Killer man live in Fancy place , when Shadow   met him?.... good  killer s get  paid  good.. even on Hyria...

In reply to Garrats Team (msg # 183):
  “ We were told he enjoys his work.  I get the feeling he can do better work from here than under the spotlight of the uppers and the lowers doesn’t have the freedom he would want.”  Garrat watches.

  ..all killing persons  enjoy thier work..there is no other reson to do it.. I..myself..enjoy the  death or  the LArgrans  and creshians... i look forward to attack a demon....

  a smaller  is coming down from the traffic  stream,Lirg    mentions it  as it lands outside the gate..  the gates open a bit, and  a smallish peson gets out of the VAn, opening the back.  a hover  cart comes  out from the  compound and is loaded with 'take out" boxes.. the   driver is  paid in  creds.. and he takes off  as the  cart  renters the gate.

In reply to Garrats Team (msg # 185):

Garrat watches closely to learn as much as he could about the security “That looks good.  Maybe we should drop by for a snack.  Let’s see if it causes any action inside that might reveal where the target is”

  Muri says  she  can see the  Guards  fussing with the gates..it seems to be  a very large  lever bar...

  Lirg watched the  delivery Van head up into the main trffic  stream,..I think it was a real delivery van... it is goign back the way it  came.. I cannot  see it  now.. too high up...too many vehicles...

 Garrat can see one of the   Guys    clling out to people... the guy sittign by the vans   gets up to get a small box of something.. a few of the guards   take boxes and drinks.. the rest goes inside the  main door that sits in the middle of the  Brownstone... There are lights in the first two floor, but the  windows  are frosted.

In reply to Garrats Team (msg # 187):

  “They don’t seem to be looking up all that much.  Does anyone see any anti air weapons?”

  Muri   keeps her  keen eyes  on what she can  see.. but some of the 'closer' targets are Hidden by the wall.

  She says, she seems  normal weapons, but the very set up, of the  Stem, seems to indicate  the need for some kind of anti- aircraft weapons.

  Lirg  just  stews,..i see the gate... some little humans  walked by just  now.. they  ran when they saw me...

In reply to Garrats Team (msg # 189):

Garrat coms, "Looks like we are going to have to take this place by force,  Any way we can station Grit outside the stem in case someone tries to take a back door off the station?"

   Beth snorts ( on all COMs ) ..Grit?... He's  sitting here   Patched up with Nagy and  Har.... where the 9 hells is Harry!

   Garrat can hear  some   chatter in the BAckround.. as  people  are calling out HArry's  Name...

  Do you need us to pull ff this Angel and help out elsewhere?

  Beth    made the sounds  of  blowing air, which, would be her  Habit of Blowing  Muticolored bangs  out of her  eyes,... Not sure  right Now....  the Mountain team  is in the process of thier  OP.... Shadow completed a second one.. but is down... Roy is  supposed to be  enroute to the Stem in case you needed  Halp... I don't know where Harry went.. If you think you need it.. stand by for a while... if some one calls  for help and you are not engaged..then you can pull out  and aid them..we  still have a secondary TArget out there...somewhere...

   We have a compound against the wall to take down.  Both Lirg and I have received wounds but have gained a van from the last take.  I armed for catching an individual out and about, not taking out private armies.  There is activity in the first two floors but the upper three where most party boys would live are dark.  He could be sleeping or enjoying company in the dark.  We will wait for sniping support if that's what Spencer is offering.  If I bought you a clip for that hair, would you use it?"

  Beth  chuckles softly,..don't pick on may hair  big man!

  she is  quiet for a space,...roy will have to make that choice... Shadow is out...if he says's he's hurt... he must be hurt pretty bad....I can try to see if Elge  can send  anyone...but he's still vetting his people...

In reply to Garrats Team (msg # 195):

“Then it sounds like we need to get this started, pity we can’t call in a couple of Naragran.  No one would see them coming in the dark.  And Beth, your hair is just fine, it’s just that your face keeps hiding behind it.”

 >>>>> Roy-Lyri from  Condo

 Lyri Comes on the COMs,..Ok..Roy  and  I are on the way to the Stem to  help with Ka-Li..should be there in?.. 10..or less...

 Raven already Had the Van up and moving in a direct line and rising towards The Stem....Comon?.. YOu have a Pilot Flying?.. it will be the  'or less..."

   Garrat Grins, "Roger, we are keeping the two places of highground warm for you.  When you get settled in we'll be going in."

   Garrat looks over the set up.  It's rather a nice one if yiu take these two buildings and use them as outside suport.  Maybe they could find a means of keeping them.

    5 minutes go by, they are treated to seeing  people eating while other people  stand  watch, then  take  turns, or even eat while they watch.

   another Balck Van is droppign out of the Traffic  stream like a bomb.....let us know  were you want us....

   "If you can drop Lyri and Spencer off on the five story buildings without showing up too much and take Murry and I down to the street level, that would be greatly appreciated."

  ..alright..where's your  dog-guy at!

 The Van dopps  down to street level to approach from behind, rising up slowy to get to Muri..

  Lyri  steps out with the pulse rifle... Muri gets  in...

  She'll go around  the blocks  and repeat with Roy and  Garrat.

  while this is  all going on, Lirg  says,...dog guy is right here.... there is a bit of disgust in his voice.

  Garrat supresses a grin, "Don't mind the Monkey guy Lirg, he doesn't know anybetter."

  Raven  says,..Guy!..Jeez ...what do your  women look like,  You overly tall ..alien?

 Lyri chuckles,...now you did it....

  "I thought all you woman air jockeys got pissed if you weren't treated like one of the guys.  Well until my line, there were no woman Einherjars but we found i was the best way to deal with the genetic draw backs of my longjevity...so yeah.  They looked pretty human.  Eccept for the dwarven women.  They tend to get beards in their late eighties.  The Feild witches always look old if spunky, the Havefest always look young from the waist up...from the waist down of course they look like dolphins so who knows... did you really want the full break down?"

  Raven  mutters,so..we get all these aliens, to help save earth and anyone else in the APF..and none of them appreciates a good looking woman...

 Lirg pipes up,..bemon's like good lookign  human women.. with that green suace they make  from Pirloc eggs...

  "Sorry, you live, you love, You watch the woman you care about die of old age, get eaten, get crushed, get destroyed with her planet, get shot and die in your arms, Raven, I'm just not into skirt chasing that much anymore.  Alright, we have the usual killzone outside the compound, but we have two snipers, two flying vehicles, and two assault Personel.  We should be able to clear things quickly with a littl vehicular manslaughter as you earthlings call it. and Murry and I dropping in on the gun mounts.  Then we open fire on the buildings with their own guns  and go in and finish off what's left.  Everyone good with that plan?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:28, Wed 28 Feb 2018.

  all was  quiet...Lirg sat  down the street....

  Raven sat  on the 'UPPERS' Side of the  Building  that Roy  was drooped off on...

  Muri and GArrat were now on the  Ground...

 Lyri was on the Building across from the Compound lookign through the scope of a  SEC pulse rifle.

Roy settled himself behind the Barrett, getting a slow sweep across the compound as Garrat spoke.  "You do what you've gotta do down on the ground, we'll just shoot bad guys as they show up."  He preferred more precision in his plans, even if they ended up being imprecisely followed...but he was here supporting Garrat, and it wasn't his operation to command unless he wanted to override the sergeant.  And he didn't.

"I take it you want us to drop the gun crews, then, as a priority?"  He followed the perimeter of the compound with the scope, searching for a gun emplacement.

  Roy can see  from his perch.

   There are  two Heavy Pulse guns on either side of the gate. Two man teams, both  teams seems to be  more involved with thier eats and talking, then lookign around.

  The Gates have a weighted Lever ( roy can see that back side of the Gate.... Lyri, only the front ( much like Muri and Garrat when they were in  those places)... Two guards  are inside the  gate, sitting on chairs, on either side.

 there are at least 5  others  walking around the Compound...6 if you include the guy reading or playing something on His COM, by the Vans.

  Inside  there are  shadows of  others  moving back and forth.. one window is opened to the 'lowers' side of the  main door.

 From Lyri's side  she can see a Heavy pulse gun to the 'uppers side' , tucked away on a raised  Platform.. one guy sitting behind the  weapon eating..whatever it was, he had ordered.

 Outside.. two guards  stand by the gates.. they have some Metal containers and such for cover...otherwise, the'killing area' is swept clean...no rocks, rubble or  stray candy wrapper.

  Lyri relays what she  sees and adds,..this guy?... takes  care of his people? they look preety happy, and at ease..not jumpy..but you notcie? every one has their weapons   handy.... if  we strom this place.. its  not going to be pretty....

 Lirg pipes up,.. I can fly Van, fast into  Gate..  Jump out before  it hit  barraicade... or.. just  fly over.. land in  place  and shoot things?

Roy grunted quietly at Lyri's observation, then snorted slightly louder at Lirg's suggestion.  "As calm as these guys are, they're either total fools or really well-seasoned.  Given our target and his reputation, I'm going with 'seasoned'.  The minute they see the vans, they're gonna start shooting.  Probably best if Lyri and I do what we can to even the odds a bit before anyone tries any sort of frontal assault."  Given that he had the Barrett, that meant...  "Guess you get to try out the new toy, Chief...here's hoping the damn thing shoots straight..."

  "I was counting on that.  I wasn't sure how good a bead you had on the turret gunners.  I thought we might have to do a flyby drop in.   As the groung team was in two man groups they could be taken out one group at a time.  Again, other action was on the first two floors only and we don't even have confirmation that the target is in the building.  Intel is incomplete to finish the job with more than a roll of the dice."

   ..wow!! Really!... Raven..bring the  Van back here...

  coming  right up.... man... ground support has changed.... now?  I'm a delivery girl....

  it took a Minute or  two.. Lyri slunk back to the reach of the Building and Hopped in, opening the case , like she just had a birthday party....this is gonna be sooooo great...

 she took the weapon and  the  Ammon  box, she slung her pulse rifle  and  went  back to her  Perch.. she  Picked  an HE  round  and  slid it in.....gods... i can't wait to fire this.....

 Raven dropped the Van down behind her  Building,..Yeah..ok..that's not wierd...

 OK..got the sights of a Hamberg Hammer on the  compond... you guys  tell me what to hit.. I have an HE round...in..

 Lirg says to all though it may be directed  at GArrat,..the Human, Lyri?..sounds like she found a mate...

  "Um, I was refferring to AFTER you sniped available targets."

Garrat face palms.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:13, Thu 01 Mar 2018.

  Lyri says in a  pouty voice,...so..what are you saying? You what me to use this  thing or you don't?... I mean..if you just want me to kill folks   regular? I can....

  "You take out as many as you can quietly then we storm them like the Gods of wind and thunder." Garrat sniggers, "That should probably be the Name of Spencer's assault team now that I think about it."

 ..Ok... SM?.. You take  the Gate on the lowers  side.. I'll crossfire to the one on the uppers side... I'lll try to hit the  Gunner in the  corner?.. after that.. we  just start shooting people who arn't us...and..um..lemmie  know if  i can use the Hammer..

 Lirg  shifts in his seat,.. let me know..what i should do.....


 Muri looks at Garrat...

   Lirg, your still our pilot, we'll let Raven handle Lyri And Master Sgt. If the targets go down quietly we wait until they are down then hop the wall and drive up to the front door.  If not Lyri or Spencer will tell us which way the bad guys are facing and you jump the wall from the oposite direction.  Then we pin them against whatever barricade they are hiding behind and give them a few extra holes to worry about.

   Once the yard is clear, we'll let Lyri do her cowgirl with a big gun routine from Raben's van, against the second floor while we take the first.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:52, Thu 01 Mar 2018.

   Lyri asks on all COMs,..so?.. the two guards outside the gate don't matter  much.. we cap the   Gunners... but.. as soon as the first body drops..there's gonna be the 9 hells break loose.

In reply to Stem (msg # 218):

if their bodies don't drop screaming and they kinda slump in place, there's a chance that the other guards won't notice while eating.  It is only a matter of time before news of the clean sweep get around.  Do as much as you can, and when hell breaks loose we will be waitingto stuff it back in it's hole.

  Lyri   watched  the Guards  a bit , then settles into  the   crossfire on the   right  gun above the  gate..leaving the  left on for Roy...

  ..I'm as ready as i'll ever be...we have to be pushing Midnight  if The Admiral's Party is breaking up...  then she adds...say the word...

Roy snorted softly.  "I'm firing super-sonic fifty caliber rounds.  They're gonna notice right away...the weapon report will alert them, if the target's midsection turning to red gooey spray doesn't.  We'll rain hell until there's no targets...or no ammo, whichever comes first.  I hope everyone's ready...it's time to kick the anthill..."  He settled his sights on the more alert-looking of the two men in the gun emplacement closest to him, took a deep breath, and let it out easy, feeling his heart beat...

In the pause between beats, he squeezed the trigger.

  Garrat has Lirg take up position just beyond the right wall.  The most likely safe entrance as it is across from where Roy is shooting from. "Then it looks like I'll need to respond quickly."

   "Okay, let's end this."  to Lirg, Once the shooting starts, inch us up so we can peak over the wall and know where to go."

   The  Fellow  on the Right  who seemed to be  lookign around now  and again, Flew  sideways  as he  chest vanished in gore.. The Other Fellow Looked Up with His Mouth wide open.

   Lyri quickly switch to the Left side the first shot  from the Pulse  rifle  caught the seated  Man In the  Shoulder..he  second  shot..with a heart beat more aim.. Caught his  friend In the chest,   Making Him Buckle  and fall into the Compound.

 Lirg   went around the block   and comign down the side street to get to the wall.. as he was halfway there, the two Guards outside  began firing, full auto, Pulse  rounds  at Lyri's  perch, She  had to  duck behind the bricks that were now, being shattered.

  "Sorry, forgot to tell you to run those guys over"

  Lirg Shrugs and hits the power..a Black VAn  hums across the space between the  containers and the wall to   Slam into Both  Men The first never saw it comign.. the second  t urned in time to scream before he  died..... the Van had Vappr  pouring from its  shattered Hood as the  compression tubes   Broke.. and the  front end of the Van now  scraped the    floor..

 Lyri Popped  Up  and  Began to Look for  target..   she Managed to drop a fellw   running  to the Left side of the compound...

With precision born of countless repetitions, Roy chambered the next round, moving his crosshairs to the other guard, trying to catch him while he was still in open-mouthed shock.  He didn't bother with trying to get fancy...at this range, with this weapon, just about any hit was lethal.  If the round didn't kill him outright, the tissue damage from the impact would send him into massive shock.  Getting a target picture centered on the man's torso, he fired again, waiting only long enough to assess the hit before moving to engage other targets that Lyri couldn't see.

  The  Second  Guard   Died  as the first...for a heart beat he saw his ow inside   spray out before him as he  was tossed  forward.

   Lyri  fired   at the    Heavy Pulse in the corner...  The Pulse  rifle  didn't have the   accuracy of  a sniper  rifle..but she was hitting  around him... ...screw it...

 she placed the Pulse rifle  down  and  brought up the  Hammer   settling it in on the   Gunner..  the  fellow   By the Vans  Moved  over and the Gunner pointed at Lyri... the Van  person fired  rounds at the Building , but  was hitting  around  the  top..not too close to Lyri... even with the suppressor .. the Hammer  mad  a  loud   'pop' Like an overly large  wine bottle... the  round  Hissed through the air   and Hit  right under the   Heavy Pulse. A Bright explosion Lit up the Corner.. turning both men into Shredded  Meat...oh gods...oh god..oh gods...  Roy !  YOu gotta  try this!!!

 she collected her self  and says.....I can't  account  for at least 2...maybe  three guards?...all  Heavy Pulse  are  Clear...the one in the Compound is gone.....

 Roy can she  the  two guards  By the Gate.. they are starting to fire on his position... the other  two  are trying to find some cover  as they  look to see if they can hit Roy...

Outside the compound.. the  shattered bodies of the Guard   lay sprawled on the lot... Lirg Is sitting in the Van..Mumbling  about   a waste of good meat...

 Muri and Garrat are outside the GAtes.

  "Alright Lirg, Get us over the wall from the oposite side of the sniper fire but not close enough to get caught in it."

   When that is done Garrat looks to see who is left.

  Lirg Limps  the van around to the  Lower's  side of the walls..snice Lyri is  shooting from across the street.. and   Roy from the  Upper's  side...

 the   Vans    Nose   scrapes the  the lots, the back  end up in the air,..we need to get the van we left down the  way..this one..no good...

 Peeking over the top.. he sees  two Guards  by the gates  shooting Up  at Roy... one is peaking though the welds  of the  wall to try and see  Lyri.. the   4th one is Lookign around  wildly as Blood  drips down from  Spencer's  targets.

 Lyir's Voice  is  calmer now  as she looks through the Hammer's  Scope,..still people  m oving around.. slower.... can't see real good... no lights on up stairs, but they would have to be idiots to do that..

Roy kept his cool...they might be shooting at him, but the building was still masking most of his body...and there was plenty of reason to doubt they knew his exact location.  He put his crosshairs on the one closest to him, and pulled the trigger.  He watched long enough to verify the hit, then ducked back from the edge and began low-crawling to his right, changing up his position to keep the guards guessing.

  Roy's   next shot hit the  guard  on the  (inside ) Left of the Gat, the Body all but lifted  into the  wall and fell with insides  dripping  down the impact  point/.. two of the  Guards   opened  fired on the  roof top...but could not see Roy...

 Lyri frowned....still can't see the actives?....  bit there is  something going on inside.

  "Give them something to worry about." Lirg, we just need to get high enough to get over the wall, we need to be in there now.  Can we get enough out of this vehicle to do the jobb?

 Lirg Gets out  of the Van..it is  still running in 'hover.. but only the  BAck end is up in the  air.

 Pulling out  a  shortbladed , think knife..   he Punches  holes in the roof using them as  steps  until he gets to the top...

 ..there..now you climb.... Muri  should not even need walking holes...

Roy scuttled as far as he could to his right, listening to where the hits were landing against the side of the building.  When he felt like he was safely clear of their line of fire, he peered carefully over the wall.  "Hey, Lyri...put another round through the wall..."  He gave an estimate of how far above ground she'd need to aim, and a distance from the gate.  He prepared to get the Barrett up to aim and shoot...he was pretty sure the wall erupting behind them would draw the gunmen's attention away from him.

"Fire in three...two...one..."  He silently counted another three, then popped the Barrett up over the edge and searched for targets.

  Lyri  chuckled,...oh...boy!

   a half of a heartbeat she  sent a  second HE round to ( roy's) right  side of the  GAte . The wall eruoted in wards sending  some shards  of Metal  into the  'nongate'  Guard    and he  Yelped  and moved  further to  Roy's   right..

  The  The (inside  ) left Guard  turned his  head  for a Moment.. while the Guy near the  impact moved  quicklu to  the left...

In reply to Stem (msg # 235):

Garrat didn’t waste any time.  He ran up the van and started unleashing automatic fire into the torsos of the two nearest guards (one gun in each hand).  Can the turrets be turned inward or are they light enough for Garrat to remove them from their mounts?

Roy scanned the scene quickly, assessing new locations, then settled his eye behind the scope, focusing on the guards that had moved further to his right.  He settled crosshairs on the center torso of one, adjusted aim slightly to account for the man's movement, and fired...

     Garrat sees  the   2nd cloest one to the ( inside)  right, go down as   his  BAck is Blown out  and splattered on the wall..

 His weaposn   chew  up the shattered Body and the Fellow  right nest to him..  The Last Guard left standing  runs to ( the Inside)  the left, Now firing at He Tall Guy and The Felrite.. the  Cat jumped into the  compound, hitting the  Ground with a roll and ran to the  fancy aircar for cover.

 Unlike  Vinno's compound.. the   Heavy pulse guns  are  the same  as Supe and Hodden use, heavy guns on a tripod.. they  just life out of the base  or can be swung around..

 Canisters  come out from the Building's first and second Floor..Fillign teh  area  with a dark blue smoke.. that  seems to be a bit heavy... Muri  complains  about it  stinging her  eyes..

Garrat pulls a gun out and chews up the guy running for the building.

  All is quiet  as the   Blue   'fog' forms  thicker and thicker  around the front of the Buildin...

 there is Now one left alive... Muri  pulled back to the wall  and  is sort of sneezing and rubbing her  eyes.

 Lirg  says,..no more shooting? every one dead?

 Raven sits  in the VAn.. fighting the desire to rise up and see what's going on,..be damn nice  if    we  knew what was going on ther guys....

 Lyri    has an annoyed  voice,..they are either  Damn Lucky..or they know what they are doing.. that fog   stuff is  too damn thinkc for me  to sight through..the  upper three floors  are clear.. I can Guess where the  windows  are... that's about it...

 a female Voice..sounds  human...WHAT DO YOU WANT...WHO SENT YOU.... THIS  WILL NOT GO WELL, WITH THE AGREEMENT THE BOSS HAD...

We can't see them but they are watching us from the upper floors, possibly by camera.  We approach, we walk into a trap.  Raven, can you drop us of upstairs?

   Without even peeking to see, Raven says,..should be easy enough?   i fly a few blocks  away head up towards the traffic  stream, then   double back  and   drop down...

Good, I want to blow a hole in th third story and enter there.  The upper levels are likely bobby trapped

 Raven shrugs, though no one can see it,..Tell me who you want and I'll pick them up...

 Ok..this isn't  any normal smoke screen.. its  staying longer  and not thinning out...

“Is it extending into the second floor?”

   ...Can't say for sure?.. I think its...'heavy smoke' its designed to  stay in place  alot longer.. and without wind  or rain?.. who knows how long it will remain this thick... but  it only reaches  the 2nd floor window.. doesn't go any higher then that.

 Muri flat out doesn't like the  Smoke.. she says it hurts  her eyes  and  nose...

Roy stayed still, moving just enough to sweep his scope across the compound.  He rapidly lost any sight of the grounds, and gave the vusible windows a careful perusal through the scope, looking for surveillance devices or spotters, or any sign of motion beyond the windows.

  From Roy's position.. he an see the  roof..it is flat there  are  small waste cans there and a chair... The   covered  doorway for the stairs has  a New   metal door on..a blinking   light  tells of a keycard.

  From where   Lyri sits.. she has to sue the  Hammer's  scope.. she can't  see the   'floor ' of the rood, but she can see the covered stairway building, but not the door.

  Lirg and Raven wait   for what they are to do.

Lacking any other targets, Roy focused on the fog, looking for any swirling currents that would indicate someone moving through it.

   When garrat gets picke dup he throws both sentry guns and spare ammo on board "Alright Lyri, it looks like you have a mean new toy there.  Can you hit the building from your post or do you need to get closer?"

  Lyri  Looks at the  Middle  upper   window then Drops down  where she thinks  the  Front  door  was..maybe a  tad  Higher.

  ..Lots of yards to spare yet.... If You want.. I'll fire Termite  on each end.. and HE on the Main doors.....unless they have armored walls.. these rounds  are going through...

  Raven watches   Garrat  toss the  Heavy Pulse into the back.. Muri gets  in rubbing her  eyes and nose......man..you guys can't   get enough  weapons..can ya! Three grenades  come out of the  'fog'.. they Go off, but none of the  ESN folks  are  in any real danger...

 ..BOSS WANT'S TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT.... THIS ISN'T  A NORMAL HIT!

In reply to Stem (msg # 251):

   Garrat smiles, He doesn't yell an answer but looks at the others, "He's in there...at least for a bit longer.  Take us to a large third floor window on the side away from lyri."  to lyri  "That sounds like a good answer to their question,  as soon we are in place go ahead and give it to them."

   Garrat breaks the window with the butt of a cannon with lyri's first round, his armor should keep him safe if it is normal glass, if it doesn't break he opens fire with the heavy gun between the first and second hit.

   If they are not too dazed to hear his cannon fire, the second hit from Lyri will make them forget it.  Garrat leaves the other gun in the van and grabs a can of spare munitions.

  Muri, you have point.  Be careful and take cover.  I can't dodge with this but your our best dodger.  Once we know where they are shooting from I can use the big gun to get them through the walls.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:44, Mon 05 Mar 2018.

    Lyri waits  Until Raven drowns  Garrat and  Muri Off. Lirg was a bit pout of  sorts with his basted  Van.

  ..Alright... here it comes..Roy?..watch for runners....

   its  was Quiet for a few second  and the Cough of the weapon sent a Termite  round through ( Lyri's ) left side of the Building.. There was  and  Explosions  as the  Phosphorus-Magnesium mix ,started   papers  and   wood  afire... the Next Termite  went into the right side of the Building witht eh same results.. screams of  surprise  and  yells of Pain answered this  on.......Then the   HE  round  went  in through the Middle.. Yells of Death  are pain answered that sound...

 as the Flames Licked out of the  windows.. the Fog  caught  Fire... putting up a  flickering  wall of flame that  would last a minute or so, before it  vanished...

  some moans  came  from the Buring smokign Building...

Garrat busts through the third floor glass and sweeps through to the hall searching for the stair.  Once finding it he goes down to the second floor and let's Muri scout.

  the   smoke is   rising   as he  enters the  Building...Muri  moves out  ahead...She doesn't like the smoke  anymore then she liked the fog...

  Garrat see's  , nice  rooms, single beds   small fridges, vid  screens...

  No one  seems to be on the second floor... the  walls   of the Buildings have been  knocked out and forged into Hall ways.. there is a Common  stair way..with stairs  on the east and west of the main opening.. they lead up and down..

Garrat sweeps the level keeping and eye on the architecture for spaces in the walls that might be a safe room then moves on to the first floor.

  Moving  down towards the First floor, thesmoke is thing, there are at lest three Bodies  Garrat can see.. there appears to be another  trapped under an overturned  table , seems like its  trying to Move,,, Flames can be seen  By Garrat to the  east ( looking in Spencer's  direction)

 Muri has stopped  as the smoke is  alot thicker  and she is  coughing a large , cat-like, cough

 he does  hear some Moans  comign from  'behind him' it the west section... He can see  Lyri's  HE hit just  to the   left hand side of the doors, and  seems to have went off in the Middle of the building.

   "Muri, get out of here.  You can't if your choking and we'll need you another day."

   Garrat puts down the big gun and draws his pistols.  "Lirg, watch my back."  Garrat checks the form under the table.  Is it the target?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:31, Mon 05 Mar 2018.

  Lirg helps  Muri Up the  stairs  so she  can get to the roof... he  comes down with  the  rfles   looking  for Movements.

 Garrat reaches the Table and sees bark skinned   Human   trying to get the  table  off of its  wounded legs ... The woman Looks at GArrat in fear,

........

 ..I see  Muri coming out?... and Lirg going  in..what's going on?

   Roy doesn't see any movement in the grounds, but does  see a scattered Occui Body on the  front porch...

"Apparently Felrites are sensitive to air polution.  She can't help me if she's hacking up peices of her lungs."

   Garrat wordlessly zip ties her hands and ankles together, then tosses the table off her like a toy.  He photos her with his com and sends the picture to headquarters.  Then he drops a med kit and leaves her to tend her own wounds and investigates the moaning with his pistols drawn.

  He can show compassion when the mission is done, and she should be able to tend her legs with hands bound together.  Garrat hooks his com into his visor so headquarters can recieve a video feed. "Third and second levels seem to be clear.  As no one jumped Muri and Lirg on the way to the roof there appear to be no threats on those floors either.  Raven, can you recover Muri please?"  Garrat pushes foreward carefully while using the whisper mike to update Spencer and Lyri. "The first survivor is a darkskinned human woman.  I photographed her and sent her likeness to headquarters.  We will see if she is worth saving.  There are sounds of other survivors in the western direction.  I am investigating."

  Raven's  Van   hums over the Compound , close to the Hull, she pivots so Muri can get in when she is ready, but she is hacking hard,

  ..so?... this  Time  Humans  have the cat  hacking...

 Muri's  reply is something along the lines of 'not funny'

..........

The woman  Garrat left behind  , didn't seem like she was too much in a hurry to try to help herself...

..In the  west  Building, Flames  were Mostly against the Back wall when the   Terminte, caught  Files, Papers  and   , then.. wooden  chairs  On Fire.. Lirg Followed  Bu watched to the East.

 ..some does not bother us.. unless it  is stining kind for eyes.... our planet has many smoking  lands from the  Hot  Mountains....it is  worse now....

  Garrat sees  three dead bodies ..one of which , is burning.. The  moans  come from a Mad whose hands are  b badly Burned  and has a nasty bruise/wound  on his forehead  , though the Blood is pretty thick from being close to the heat.

In reply to Stem (msg # 261):

Do any of the dead or living appear to be the target?

  Garrat doesn't seem to  see any  people that look like Ka-li...nor has he seen an Angels  ..

In reply to Garrat Wolfrim (msg # 262):

Garrat casually drags the injured man away from the fire and zip ties him and carefully secures the 1st floor before asking him where Ka-Li is.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:40, Tue 06 Mar 2018.

Roy looked along the side of the rifle, keeping his silhouette against the 'sky' as minimal as possible, relying on Mark I Eyeballs to spot motion that he could then check out with the scope.

   Lyri says  quietly as  she  scans with the Hammer's scope,..Muri is in the Van  with Raven..Raven's holding  Position..... Still no sign of  Moverment

...

Roy, from his  angle, can see  a light  flash inside the   'smoked' glass of the fancy sportscar... The  Car  begins  to  climb Fast.....

........

 Inside the  wounded make   just mews in pain... but at  Garrat's Answer   he Pointed  with his  tied burned  hand to the    'uppers' side of the third building...

 Lirg Looks in as the small fires  burning  in patches of  papers and  a small stuffed  chair..The   Hyrian's shoulders  shrug.

The instant Roy saw the flash, he settled behind the scope, getting crosshairs on target.  The moment he had a clear sight picture of the car through his scope, he squeezed the trigger, the Barrett barking out a sharp report which was actually equal parts sonic boom from the bullet leaving the gun and the sound of the .50cal cartridge firing.  "Someone's trying to run," he said, after firing, as the bullet impact resolved itself...

   With the call on the radio Garrat snagged the big gun and the rest of that chain of ammo and took off as fast as his beat-up legs could carry him.

  The Facny Car rose into the air.. it was  about 19 feet off the Ground when Roy
s round  crashed throuhg..where a  driver should be.., the Glass shattered , the impact when into the  steering controls and needed its impact in the  engine Block..

 the Car Turned over as Garrat  Came out on the porch  and   fired   up at the thing...heavy pulse punching hloes int eh Trunk , roofs   and Hood..



 The Thin  Rolled   in the air like a whale  coming back to land  into the sea..  Crashing into the 'lowers' end  wall... ( near Lirg's   abandoned and crippled  van)

 ..Good  Job.. I could  fire if the round went through i could  kill some of ours...

 when the Car   hit  the  wall  there was   a flicker of Light  then  an Explosion as the Power cells  Ruptured...

 Lirg Dived   back into the Building....

 at that moment   the two Vans   took off..... One  went  towards the Uppers...   Diving over the   wall and  around the next Building.. the  other one    flew  over the  exploding   Car... diving   to the  street  and  zig zagging    towards the Middle to put more Buildings  between it  and the Compound...

 ...DAMMIT!..... she  stood Up  and ran to the   lowers  ned of the roof  but  couldn't bring the Hammer to  bear...

Garrat strung tight like a banjo yells into his mike "Raven, go after the other van!"  As he  shoots at  the easier of the two targets to hit "Muri, you have a big gun on board.  I'm going to talk you through using it."
   [I need the layout of the inside of Ravens vehicle.]

     Raven calls Out,..which one?... one is going to the lowers..the other is going to the uppers !!!!

 Lirg   gathers himself,and returns Back out,.... this..is crafty  Man....

As Garrat was facing towards the one that went over the crashed car he already had his gun up and pinted in that direction.  He needed only shift his aim and rip into thunderside of it damaging the Repulsars as it mounted the fence. "The red one!  Don't loose him!"

    Garrat directs a com back to headquarters. "Beth, sorry to bug you again but we have two runners, Reven is on a red dilivery van headed for the uppers, and I marked a white one with gun fire headed for the lowers.  Any way you can help us catch them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:45, Tue 06 Mar 2018.

   ( assuming Garrat wasn't effected  from the  car  explosion)....

   The white  Van took a few  Nicks, and was  Gone..Garrat could see Lyri  running  and  swearing as she  couldn't get a shot off. ,towards the  lower's  side of her  building.

  Raven     Piloted   in the Air  and shot off after the red one......On it!... this   will be  more fun then waiting around!

  Beth Came on the COMs,..Alright... Raven... thry to stay close... we flat out  don't have  anyone left to send out..or..who volunteered..and we got a  bunch of  wounded back here...I'll see  what Elge  can do....

 ..Gott be  alot of  white Vans out there Garrat... I'll   Have  Elge check on that too..he's getting spread thin with sending out the clean up crews and all...

    "I plastered it with some shots in the hopes of hitting the repulsars.  My visor feed should show you where it was hit.  There aren't going to be that many vans with the same number of high calibur bullet holes in them on  this station.  I need to ask for some funding and make some tracking rounds after this."

   "Lirg, check the downed car just in case those vans were being used to draw us away from those inside so they could escape."

   "Muri, I need you at your best. How are you doing?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:35, Tue 06 Mar 2018.

  Muri is in the Van with Raven  Holding the Heavy Pulse gun..."..I am  fine..now..no smoke or burning  fog..."

  Lirg  went over to the Airc are.. it was   still Burning on teh  inside  and the  Engine Block was  splintered,  from the  inside  Goign out through the Hood...

 ..There is no body in this  car....

 Beth came back, we'll see what Elge  can do..I am trying to  reach Az-el.. but her COMs  are off...  we just don't have any   Spec  folks  healthy...

   "We can hope it was empty all along, are there any blood trails?"

Roy scowled, up on the roof.  The vans had been up and gone before he had a chance to target either of them...and the Barrett wasn't really designed to shoulder fire...definitely not on the edge of a roof, where the recoil could knock you back and off the building.  "Yeah...first car was a remote decoy.  None of our hits landed anywhere near the power cells, and if they ruptured in the crash, it wouldn't have sat there for a moment...it would have gone up on impact."

He started folding up the bipod on his weapon.  "Do we have any way of retrieving me and Lyri, now that our van's in hot pursuit?  I'm sure we can make our way down through our respective buildings, but if there's a faster option, I'm all for it."

He sat there, for the moment, watching the scene critically.  There was a chance both of the vans were decoys, as well, an attempt to splinter the group down so far that a concealed enemy would stand a chance of taking on anyone left.  "Stay sharp down there...our target may still be on site.  How well did you sweep the building, coming down?  Any chance there's some sort of panic room, or concealed exit?  I could see Ka-Li sending us off chasing after low-level minions who don't really know anything, and holing up until we all took off.  Also be a good idea to check where those vans lifted off...see if there's some kind of gate or tunnel...hell, even a sewer line...that opens up over there.  We didn't see anyone run for it...so anyone in the vans was likely there when the shooting started, unless there's a concealed route out to them."  Or this whole compound is, itself, just a big decoy and he was in one of the other buildings the whole time...

Roy flipped the bipod legs down again, surveying the nearby buildings that he could see, looking for surveillance gear, reinforced windows, signs of the building having been fortified...
This message was last edited by the player at 19:05, Tue 06 Mar 2018.

   "There might be a port to the outside of the stem but I checked for panic rooms on the first two floors.  Sorry SGT, The van we took from the last hit was damaged beyond the ability to help you.  I'm going to have to look into organizing a care package each sniper has with them including a repel line and a bullet resistant tote bag to hide behind."

   Garrat goes and investigates the spot wher the vans left from.  "This was definitaly best as a unit hit.  Wer weren't prepared with the numbers and equipment we had.  Thanks for dropping by."

  Garrat gets on the com with Muri. "Can you comfortably aim the big gun out the front passenger window?"

 Lirg Replies,..I can Move  Van Back.. nose hits  ground though.. have  holes  Punched in for ladder? he looks up.....be much short of roof....

  Raven was trying to Gain On the    Red Van,..Its rising into the traffic   stream.... I'll eat up some distance... I can see  another one.. have to focus so i don't lose it....

 Muri answers,".. i will be trying  my best... I am not Heavy gun person.."

 Lyri    grabs the   Hamburg Hammer  by the  carry handle,  walking back to pick up the ammo box  and  left over  brass...

  A tired  voice  come  on the COMs,..Hey?.. Flores   here?... I can grab a Van and  come out to you..if you think that will help?

 the Two  wounded    people are still in the Middle of the  Buildings.. the  'lowers side  fires  are  almost out... the Uppers side  still as a couple piles of papers burning.

    "Flores, you are a goddess.  That would be a great help." Muri: "If you wedge it in a way that is stable and not moving, Raven is an ace and can simply drive the van so it hits your target." Garrat returns to searching the grounds for any sign of anything, then covers the inside of the building.

  Raven snorts,..so?.. you want us  to shoot it  down?...   its gonna be in the main stream pretty soon..., we might have a chance  when we  exit....but..watching a Van go down in flames....?

  ...alright, be there in about...8--10? flores  signs off...

   "I'll have to bow to spencer's athority on this one maam, but I screwed up with Lady-V and thousands of civilians have suffered.  This guy is a Shadow level assassin.  How many people will he kill?  How much colateral damage is acceptable?  I say be ready to shoot the van down if you have the oportunity."

  Raven comes back,,,hey?.. Me?  I don't care?... I'm just laying it out there for you guys.. gods  know how many body bags  we have filed in the last few years...

 Flores  came on the COMs,..Entering the Stem..Going to be flying low..look  for me..

Roy sighed, listening as he surveyed the area through the scope.  "If you get a shot in the open, take it.  Otherwise, just keep track of it, as best you can.  This guy may be on a par with Shadow...but so is Elge, and if we can point him in the right direction, my money's on Elge."  He paused for a moment, then added, "Engaging him in traffic could just turn into another propaganda moment for Lady V.  We don't need that."

   Raven came  back,..all right... clean or not.. is what it comes  down to... I'll COM you as  soon as we know...

 A B Lack  van was   slowing  down as it  hedgehopped over the Buildings ( accidently knocking some one with a rifle off  a jagged  roof top).

..I can see Lyri.. where do you want me?

  "Pick up Lyri nd spencer and bring them down into the compound please."

  It takes  another 10 minutes all told  , for   Flores to reach them, gather them and Land in the court yard.

  Flores  still has her Dress and  rumpled hair....gods..you folks  are busy...hoe the 9 hells   do you get any shore leave...from your shore leave?

  Raven COMs,..another Minute or so?.. we'll  see what we  can do  with this  Red Bird...

 Beth   came on,..Elge  has  another Balck  Van in the air , searching for that white vane.. they stoped two  so far.. one had pies and  Rolls in it... the other had   a Mom and 3  kids... they are still looking..

Roy grunted slightly at Beth's comm.  "I'm not altogether certain they'll find a van with anything in it.  Not altogether certain this is actually Ka-Li's base of operations...the dossier said he had a thing for kidnapping high-profile targets and holding them for ransom..."  He turned and looked at Garrat.

"You see anything in that building that looked like holding cells for hostages?"  He explained further, "This could be where Ka-Li does business...setting up a fake front to keep people from finding out where he actually lives and operates...we saw people, armed guards...but none of them looked like they were Angels."

He looked at Lyri.  "I started checking the surrounding buildings, but take a look, yourself...you're trained for it more than I am.  See if you can locate any sort of surveillance cameras, any signs of a building having been fortified against attack..."  He looked back at Garrat and Muri (and Lirg).  "We need to do a clean sweep of that building before we take off...make sure there's no intel and make sure there's no place anyone could be hiding or no escape passages.  I doubt we'll find much, as Ka-Li seems pretty thorough...but if he's not here, he's gotta be somewhere, and anything we can find that will help narrow the search will be useful."

  Lyri    Nods and  Hands the Hammer to Roy,..you gotta  shoot something with this... I'd Like to see  the  Face of  a Demon when one of the  Shells  hit them...

 Lirg   starts to go back into the Building,why would that make  anything  differant..all demon's ugly...Not Handsome, Like Hyrians...



 Lyri had her Pulse  Gun  ready  as  she walked to the  Gates

 Flores  watched everyone  scatter and said,..I'll?.. just be here..you know...guarding the   van..and ..stuff...

...............

 COMs  came on,..Ok?>. we're  aboce and Behind  the redBird.... its heading   Up the   Beach on the   'Glassside' of the Mountain... I'm gonna let it  run for a bit...

.......

 Elge's voice  Comes on the COMs,...My friends?  we Have  stopped  two more Vans  that  do not have   weapons burns...   there is  One  about to settle on the Beach near Leena's  Home  ,  we have not sent the cleaners there  yet...

 he paused before he adds,..you  are making this a long night  for my people!
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:34, Wed 07 Mar 2018.

   Garrat addresses Elg   "I am sorry for that Sir.  It is our hopes that this will make things easier for you and safer for your people in the future.  I sent our headquarters a video of the van getting hit, it should help your people to know what to look for.  Know that the fugitive is highly dangerous.  Advise your people not to close with him.  He won't give you much time to manuover so keep any targets with weapons burns at a distance until you know who's in it.  Advise shoot to maim."

   Garrat completes his sweep of where the vans were and how they escaped notice.  What does he find?

    To Roy, "I'm sorry sir, this is all the intel I was given, so I had to make do.  Still, like you say it is wise to leave no stone unturned."

    To flores "Thank you Flores. Keep the repulsers hot, we might need them running soon enough."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:32, Wed 07 Mar 2018.

  There doesn't seem to be much, other then  foot scrapes in the  dust, where the VAns  were parked.

 Lyri walked out the gate her  rifle  ready as she looked at the   empty buildings  around the perimeter.

 Lirg   moved passed the two wounded people, they watched in pain, as the two  creatures moved  towards the'uppers' end of the Building.

.........

 Muri  came On the COMs..."...we  are getting closer to  red van.. it  seems to  beheading to a parking  area on the  'darkside..of Mountain..."

.............

 Elge comes back  in a musing  voice,..yes.... Ka-Li and I have  been on the same  side... and different   sides..depending on who was paying for what needed down...we have both  changed our stances  now..and seem to be on Opposite side of this  war now..

   "I didn't mean to patronize you sir."  Garrat said in joining in the search of the building.

"Back side of the mountain?  Isn't that where they said that hidden dock was?  I was a little preoccupied at the time..."Roy scowled.  They'd cast a wide net tonight, yes...perhaps too wide for the available personnel to cover, although there was absolutely no question that Lady V's operations on Etna had been massively disrupted, no matter whether they managed to round up all their targets.

"If it looks like that van is going to fly inside some kind of structure back there, light it up.  If it just sets down outside...Muri, switch back to your rifle and take down anyone who gets out, or anyone who tries to get in.  Try and get her to a stable shooting point, Raven..."  Given a choice, Roy had always opted for precision over firepower, and this situation was no different...a sniper rifle against a van was tricky...doable, but tricky, and the heavy gun Garrat had liberated from the emplacement would make faster work of a van.  But they'd already seen the problems of relying on firepower instead of accuracy, before.

He hefted the Hammer, thinking for a moment.  "Lirg, let me know if you find anyone inside who might be able to answer questions...we might be able to at least cut down on the swarm of unknowns we're dealing with..."

After clearing the building and any other buildings in the compound [provided there is no one in them] Garrat examines the wounded and patches them up the best he can. "I see no reason to remain here if we have not yet covered all of the targets or possibilities.  We can question these two if needed but I suggest we load up and take them with us."  Garrat looks around.  "This is a nice compound with lots of potential.  It's a pity we can't keep it as a fleet hostil or something.  It might help the neighborhood to have a presence here."

   Lirg slowly comes out of the  Building... he says in a low voice,..in the   room with burning things?..... those burning things  ..are piled...to burn long?.... keep smoke  around?


 ..he points up into the traffic  stream as if he is talking  about that,..there is place.. not as strong.. in floor of   room, in corner...by Hull wall...


 Lyri  comes back through the Gates....no one  in the first two buildings... lots of  sings   of fpolks  being killed in there , though....

 ...............

 Raven Comes on the COMs ,..Van Landed.... The  cat capped  someone getting out... another person is  runnign towards the  beach..

 Muri  growls "..the cat has a name!.... The person that is now dead... is  human.. the  person that is running..is not?.. look like it might be Nivarian..."

......

 Flores looks  around, her side arm in hand,..i feel a bit ..overdressed for this neighborhood....

   "It suits you Flores, kinda a Fem-fatal look as you earthlings say."

   "Nice job Muri Go for the second. Raven, she's half human, that's half you, so play nice and get us another kill.  Muri, if you can walk up the legs so there's enough left to talk that would be Ideal."

   If there is fire extinguishing equiment Garrat uses it on the flames. "Thanks Lirg, this might help us out a great deal."

Roy chimed in.  "Don't get fancy unless you've got a really good shot.  Dead people can't answer questions...but we're here to take apart the organization.  I'd rather have a confirmed kill than a failed attempt at collecting interrogation subjects."

He looked at Lyri.  "I guess that's something...we can have Elge's people go through the buildings looking for forensic evidence, see if they can help open up any more doors.  Did you notice anything out of the ordinary on any of the surrounding buildings?  Not just inside, but on the exteriors?  I just want to make sure we're not sitting here with Ka-Li watching us safe and sound somewhere else on a video feed...if he is, Beth might be able to track it, but we'd need to find it, first."

He started toward the building.  "Keep on your toes, Flores...you ARE overdressed for this part of town, but don't let anyone give you any shit for it.  And keep in mind that we still haven't located Ka-Li, and his preferred modus operandi is to take hostages and torture them.  It took a long time, but I've finally gotten to the point where I kind of like you...I'd hate to see you go that way.  So if someone comes snooping around, don't hesitate to do what you've gotta do."  He kept moving into the building, the Barrett slung over one shoulder and the Hammer resting in his hands.

"Alright, Lirg, let's check out this weak spot..."

   Flores Pouts,..a long  time?.. what did i ever do?... hey!..rescued EVOL  fighter pilto here!

 she souble checks her   side arm, make sure  its powered up...great... bastard  will  ruin the dress, and  the Commander  won't let me wear any, any more...

  Lyri  is the last to step in, I didn't see anything... but if  he's  as good  as Elge or Shadow... it would be better one of them were looking.. but..for  my level of expertise, i didn't see anything...

  Standing in the 'Upper's  side ' of the  building, Lirg was  right. Piles of Papers buring, rather then scattered  sheets or  books and things.

 Goign over to the weak place, Lirg pulls out  a boot knife that could be a shortsword, jams itinto  the crease  away from teh wall, and Levers  the ...thinner Metal..up.

 a  4 foot  by 4 foot square hole is in the Floor.....the Hole is close to 8 foot  deep with a feel rungs   into the  wall.. there is  an  empty cred did case, and a file rack.. the file  had been shredded by a blaster.

 ,,there is Hole..on Hull side....

......................

 Raven   Comes on the COMs  she   yelling   while  the Chatter  of  Muri's  HP gun is in the Back run...

 ..what did you thing  was gonna happen, you dumb bastard!  then in a Calmer  Voice  she says,..Alright.... the runner is  down... two   rifle men came out of   a  stand of..what looks like ..hedge type things..... they aimed their rifles  at  us so  i ran them over.. the..Van?.. isn't  in too good  Shape.. we got a door way here... Muri is  'chipping' the  bodies.. ..one of the riflemen was yelling at me for hitting them..but its ok..he's dead now..

   "We'll be on our way as soon as we wrap up a few things here.  You might want to wait for help."  Garrat explores the hole towards the hull.

  Garrat sees  a  neatly cut Hole that breaks into the service  tunnels of the Hull and the Stem..  On the  wall are 5 2foot wide.. 3 footlong  rail-riders... normally used  by  Techs  to bring  supplies  and tools and such as  they check the walls... a  6th slot is empty.  there are tiny recessed lights in the  'ceiling that is  about 6 foot  High, the   tunnel is  6  foot  wide.

  there are   bones  of rather large  rodents.. scattered  here and there...the Tunnel  runs  with the stem.. Lowers  to uppers..

  Garrat face palms.  "I should have gone straight for thr service tunnels"  Garrat looks back at spencer "Should we try and follow or go back Raven and Muri up?  Only lyri and you can ride the rails.  I doubt you will find the Angel even if you split up to cover both directions but then you will have to face him alone.."

"Just a minute..." Roy answered.  "Raven, if you've found what I think you have, grab one of those rifles and stand backup for Muri...and watch for anyone coming out of the mountain that isn't one of us."  He thought for a moment, before saying, "Elge, I'm ninety-five percent certain the van you're looking for is a decoy.  Might still be worth locating, but odds are good whoever's driving knows nothing significant about Ka-Li...but they might know locations of safe-houses and dead-drops."

He sighed, then said, "Beth?  Any way you can track a rail rider in the service tunnels?  We've got five out of six here, it'd be helpful if we knew where the sixth one went...and whether it's still moving."

He grinned slightly as he changed tones to a more conversational, less business-like style.  "And Flores?  It's nothing personal.  You're a fighter pilot, I'm infantry...we tend to dislike flyboy types until they earn our trust and respect."  He chuckled darkly, and added, "I actually threatened to shoot Raven...a few times.  So it could be worse."

 there is   all kinds of  Crosstalk..Beth is snapping at everyone   until they  shut up, then she  says,ALRIGHT!..... Now.... ease up...Elge ..first....

 Elge sounded a bit afraid to  talk,...ahhh.. ok, Comrade.. beth....  I will p[ull one  van off the   hunt  for the white Bird.. i send other to the Uppers.. it should be there.. 15..20 minutes  depending on the driver...

 ...Amateurs...

 shut up!...well..no... talk now...

 ..ok..got  a rifle.. I'm not too bad with it.. but i'm gonna say the CAt is way better then i am... all told  we got  4 bodies  down.. One by the Red bird..  and three here... we'll wait...

 ..Ok..I can't  track the  Maintenance  tunnels...yet... Maybe   Elge  can help with that....

 If  I may, Comarade  Beth.... Rail riders   are good.. quiet transport... but t hey travel  by pushing or pulling...sometimes an engineer while  rig a thruster from an air car?.. but you could tell by fumes  and  Burns on the rails ... the limit to the  rail riders?... they only travel the length of the Stem...every 100 feet,  above..you must  get into a new tube.. they are still used.. but ..mostly  by folks who needs creds bad enough to work in the  tubes... it is not  a clean job.. and Station rats are like small bears..

 Flores sounded a bit mollified ,..well... i guess.. but that's  not a fair comparison  .. lots of people want to shoot down Raven..

 ..Don't let  being Shadow's  wing Lady  go to your   airy little head.. he loses   alot of wing men...

As Elge explained, Roy stepped over to the rails, looking for any evidence to show where the missing rider had gone.  "Don't push your luck, Raven...it hasn't been that long since the last time I threatened to shoot you..." he muttered into the comm...but he chuckled as he said it.

"How far apart are the stops on these tunnels located, anyway?  If we can figure out which way he went, and know about how far, we might be able to fly to that location and intercept him coming out..."  It was a long shot...but they weren't likely to catch up by chasing on the same set of rails.

  There was  a bit of quiet, Elge  could be heard  with some ruslting of  paper and the tapping of  a Vidbaord ,...it has  be  a while, since i was  there.....but the  run from Lowers  to Uppers... they  can be accessed at the Maintenance  outlets.. and   every quarter Mile at street junctions.... this one, appears to be home made..

 Raven snickers  a bit.

    "Judging by he fact the burn, scrape mark from starting up will be heavy then light, he must have gone this direction."  Garrat points in the indicated direction. "If he has a headstart, one of us in the tunnels could run the inside while we use the air van on the outside.  That way the inside man can radio where the angel got off."

 The COM broke through again, Elge  with a grim sounding Voice,...My Friends?   the Van found the white Bird   down near the  Lowers  Beach..there was  a gun fight.. Both  people were killed, as  was one of  my vetted  troopers...

"And just hope, for the sake of whoever's in the tunnel, that he hasn't booby-trapped the trail behind him, or stopped at the next juncture to ambush anyone following him..."  The words were spoken with reluctance...because, for all that chasing him might be a suicide mission, it was, likely, the only way to figure out where Ka-Li had gotten off.

He turned to look at the rail riders.  "Looks like either you or I will be chasing him on the rail, Lyri...I don't think these things will accommodate Garrat or Lirg.  Whoever goes should take some automatic small arms...even if he's out of the tunnels by the time we find his rider, there's still the chance of the rats."  He sighed.

"Your call, Chief..."

[is Roy talking to Lyri or Garrat]

  Lyri shrugs... ..get me a couple sidearms from the  dead guys... I meet you are the end  of the  Tube.....

 she hands  Her Pulse rifle  to Roy..just to be clear?... if   I see him..he dies... I've  seen what shadow can dow when he's within  10 yards of someone/...you gotta  figure  an 500  some odd old Angel might know a few more tricks.

   Garrat gets her the gun. "Sounds like a plan."

  Lyri  Pulls  a  Rail rider off the wall,...shows you my luck....most folks fight  Angels, they are in night  buildings..or  in the air..me?.. I  Get to  chase one through the  repair ways....and.... I will say it once more... I see him..i shoot him..no screwing around..no.. brining him in...not unless its in a black bag..

 she sets in on the rails,..I'm gonna  keep my COM  open the   whole time.... in case...

 then she  Pushes off towards the Uppers...

Garrat rushes top side "Okay, Flores, get that pretty outfit of yours in the pilot seat.  We have an angel to hunt.  Speaking of which, I'm glad Ma-Ti wasn't wearing angel silk.  I'd probably still be distracted."

    Garrat snags the remaining turret gun and waits for Spencer and Lirg to get on board "We're headed for the uppers."

  Flores  frowns,we...are leaving  Lyri behind?

 she looked at  the others,..I can't do that!.. I couldn't look the LC in the eyes again!

 Lirg Looked at the others.....the tubes  only go as far as the  the Uppers...and  Lowers.. is that not  right?

"Wouldn't handle it any other way, Lyri...the dossier says absolutely nothing about wanting him alive."  As her rider slid away, he headed for the rungs, to climb back out.  "So where's the next few stops on the line, Elge?  We'll pick up Lyri a lot faster if we're in the right neighborhood when she finally gets off."

He climbed in the van just in time to catch Flores' protest.  "The Master Chief's taking the low road, we're taking the high road.  The idea is that she either tracks down Ka-Li...and out of all of us, she's the best trained for that...or she flushes him out, in which case we've gotta be there to bag him.  So let's get a move on...

  Flores  straps in   setting her  side  arm in a cup holder, barrel first....well..... alright.....lets go then...

 Once  the others  were In the van lifted off, moving towards the Uppers.

 Lyri's  breathing  could  be heard  as she pushed the  think along the rails... the sound of the wheels Rumbling  as it gain  speed.Ok....just passed  the  first maintenance  Intersection... easy enough to see here... they have a  Little  Light on and a  door  that opens to the floor...Guess they load up from there? ...its  closed though...no sign of a stray  Rail Rider...moving on...

 ..Going  By  where   the Van is now... I am guessing on Comrade Lyri's position?... if  i am correct, she'll pass at least 3  more... and then  another 1/2 mile or so until she reaches  the end...

 ..the Layout....of the streets will be an east mark... the side streets that  lead to the access points  run , right into the Hull.

Roy nodded.  "Okay, Flores... take us along that route...just above the rooftops, and not too fast.  Everyone keep yiur eyes open, especially as we pass those side streets.  You spot someone ducking for cover, of Lyri confirms it's the stop, we pile out and box him in.  Don't get fancy...just shoot to kill.  If he's spotted off the side street...well, we'll figure out what to do then.  Hit it, Flores...keep pace with Lyri, as best you can."  He chambered a fresh round in the Barrett, checked his machine pistol (half a mag left), and checked the Verian pistol (half-charged...about ten shots left).  He left the side door open on the van, giving him an easier view of the side streets as they flew overhead, and held the Barrett ready to try and shoulder-fire, knowing the recoil, even with compensators, would roll him back into the van.

"Hey, Elge?  A request for future operations...each of these vans and aircars we use for backup needs a stash of small arms...Thompsons or even just stock pulse rifles.  Granted, we won't often be trying to send people on three and four operations a night, but...well, I'd feel a lot better about our chances with some refreshed firepower."

   Elge  came Back,we'll see about  Comrade Roy.... there is going to be a big upturn in Van purchases though.... many are scattered  around the station!

  Lyri Voice   was a bit puffed  as she  pushed the    Rail rider  along.....Just passed the   2nd  one past the  compound.. still no evidence  of...  there is the  sound of  some pulse fire...

 ..dammit!... These things  are as Big  as wolverines!.. Killed  2..... but... If he's in the   tunnel? he knows   I'm coming..

"That's alright, Lyri...I'm hoping he thinks there's more than just you coming and opts to withdraw...right into our gunsights."  He grimaced a little, and added, "But if he decides to take a stand, sing out and we'll back you up as fast as we can..."  He kept his eyes sweeping the streets as he spoke, watching for anything beyond the typical Stem street vermin.

  Flores    moves  fast enough ( in her mind) that she  should  be able to  jump to the next  intersection,..I can see why the Admiral asks  for Volunteers... I've  spent  more  time in a Stem today, then i would want to, in a life time! 

 ..Stem si not so bad... if they had  more  businesses  and food... more people come down... right now..it is  a quiet warzone...like...tribes foghting..

 Raven COMs,..ok?  SM?.. two bit  Rat things  Just came out of the  damn tunnel... The cat gunned them down..but WTF?... isn't the Uppers  suppsoed to be high class?

 Lyri COMed......Just passed the 3rd....

Roy grimaced as he continued scanning the streets below.  "You must not have been there for the pre-mission briefing, Raven.  The mountain is some kind of concealed R&D facility, working on a totally different kind of biological warfare.  Be thankful they were only rats...who the hell knows what kind of critters they may have in there..."  He shook hs head at the thought.

Though she couldn't see it, Roy nodded at Lyri's check-in.  Thoughts of ways Ka-Li could have outsmarted them and given them the slip raced through his mind, and he forced himself to concentrate on THIS option.  He didn't have the personnel to counter every plan he could envision...they had rolled the dice on this option, and it was time to see it through.

"We're doing a pretty good job of pacing you, Lyri.  Keep the updates coming."

      Lyri moves   down the rails... her Voice  comes back... excited,,yet cold  and firm,


  ...if you go by the lights.. there are two mor e side lights.. and in the distance.. i guess the  service doors.... the Light  keeps   flickering.. it has  to be Him..on a rider... bockign the  servcie light as he   pushes  his  way down the tracks.....if it is him?.. he just passed the  last  side  entrance... he shoulf make the main service  entrance in... 5  Minutes?..... Less?

"Copy that, Chief...Flores, bump up.the speed a notch.  Get us there ahead of him so we can offload and set up for him..."  Still, Roy kept his eyes sweeping the streets.  There was a chance their mark had swapped riders with someone, gotten off already and had yet another decoy leading the way.  He wasn't ready to take anything at face value, yet.

    ..alright..Hang On  back there....,,she   Punched the   power   and Brought the Nose up.

 Lirg Growled   as he  slammed into the back doors..

 ... I'm no expert on this...but its gonna take me 3 Minutes  at full burn to reach the Mouth of the Uppers...  I'll have to  take a hard  down  turn to reach that service   entrance... if...i don't  wreck.. well be there in 4..manybe  4 and  a Half Minutes

 ... He's  staying steady... He  knows  i can't  ctach him before he hits  the end...... I might  be able to get some Long range  shots.... should  Kept  the rifle..

Roy's voice was steady.  "All you need to do is encourage to hurry out of the tunnels, Chief.  We're gonna be in position to intercept as he comes out the doors."  He spoke up, despite the fact that he was wearing a comm and Flores could hear himjust fine...he spoke so his voice carried through the wind rushing around them.  "Flores, I want you to drop me on a rooftop at the mouth of the alley, then drop Garrat and Lirg on rooftops above where the exit should be.  If they don't bring him down, I'll be the last resort.  Get the van on the backside of those buildings as fast as you can after dropping them...we don't want a suspicious van hovering overhead to tip him off."

He began readying himself and his gear for 'rapid egress", not expecting Flores to touch down.  He'd just jump when the moment ptesented itself.

  Lyri's  Voice was  ragged  now.....I closed  ..about... 5 Yards?... hard to tell in here..he has  to know.... i'm here.... I'm keepign low... I''m hoping... he can't see  any better then I can... and I don't have a Light behind me..

 heh Van  Exited  the  mouth of the   Stem,  then Banked  hard as Flores  Dove  towards the  entry wat..it  took a few  seconds   as she  popped up ...I see the light  for the service door..and there are two workers...and a service van there!

Roy bailed out as soon as the van was close enough to the rooftop, roling with the momentum, cradling the Barrett to avoid jarring the optics.  He scrambled for the edge nearest the street in question, dropping into a low crawl as he got near the edge to minimize chances of silhouetting himself, and popped the bipod open with quick, ready movements that bore testimony of massive repetition.

Settling behind the scope, he swept the street, looking for the van and workers.  "Do what you can to get Lirg and Garrat in useful positions...might need Garrat to use his new toy on that van to disable it.  That van doesn't leave this alley without my okay..."

He settled crosshairs on the door...at about center-chest height on a tall human or Angel...and waited...

    Flores, is driving  like she's in her Dart,, if she is  nervous, it  doesn't  show, Once  Roy  His dropped  Off..

  then  free falls to the street , dropping   Lirg and Garrat on Opposite  sides of the street as she   drives by.

  One of the works looks Uo when the VAn goes  by on the street, but continues  to 'sweep' the area with  a Vac-broom.

 ..He's  taking his  time  getting  off the rider..... I'm going to hurry him up.... he has to come  back my way..or  go out the door...

 a breath later the sounds  of Lyri's  Pusle  Gun goign off.. and return fire...
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:34, Sat 10 Mar 2018.

Roy grunted quietly...the sweepers could, potentially, be more of Ka-Li's personnel, there to retrieve him...or, being as this was the 'bottom end' of the Uppers, they could be legitimate.  "One way to find out..." he mused softly...and sent a .50cal round downrange, to go through the body of the van and into the controls, hopefully disabling it.  How the sweepers reacted to the shot would speak volumes about their legitimacy...

   the  round    whistled  through  the air  and  Hit the   Van from a slight   downward angle when the  round impacted.. the  Van  sparker  the   drover's  side   door Blossomed   out.

 The  thing  shifted  sideways and its  nose  was  down. The two   workers   spl its   and   pulled sidearms   as they sought the cover of the trees.. One  was   says something Into His  COM

Roy nodded to himself.  "Garrat, Lirg, they're Ka-Li's men.  Go in."  He chambered a fresh round and shifted the rifle, seeking a good target.  He didn't need much...just a limb poking out or a silhouette of a body through the branches...

   The rounds from Garrats heavy gun chews through whatever cover they find.

   Garrat Chews   up one  gun and a  tree, on the Left..

 Lirg Manages to Pounce on the other  one from the right, tearing  hiom to shreds  with   his  claws  and arms

 Lyri's  Voice is a whisper....he is  shouting into his COM..... He's lookign down my way... I'm...pretty sure   he can't see me..but....

Garrat doesn't wait.  Lyri is in trouble.  He runs to the doorway. Lyri, you still with us?

  There  are sounds  of Gunffire, from behind the doos, and Lyri's COM...

   Flores growls,..what the  9 hells  is going on!

Garrat blows the hinges off the doors, causing them to fly inward with force.