"We couldn't really tell... they kept their dog-boys hidden but we know they have them, and at least 4...."

Slate has nearly reached the surface...

The light from the sky creeps through the dirt as Slate reaches the surface.

The roof of the building is gone...

Silvermasque, Mithas, Dead Bolt and Sharp are the first into the open room... ready to kill any Dead Boys they find, but instead find several dead bodies... burned to a crisp...

Slate, Xion, Van, and Saila follow...

there is no sign of the Coalition... anywhere... the radio is silent...

 Switched out for extreme close-up weapon-play, 'Masque appears in more or less the centre of the whole, two /very/ large (currently non-humming) swords and a pair of NG P-Beam handguns sweeping through the room as he runs through the gamut of visual and sensory options packed into his ever-loving Russian cyberskull.

 "Clear."

 He silently instructs into the 'comm, flicking both swords into their back-scabbards but keeping the pistols steady as he hoists himself up with a distressing creaking of floorboards and stone. Quick as a flash, he's down on four limbs, swapping out the P-beams for the cannon, moving along the most solid-looking of the remaining walls trying to get a feel for the world around them.


 [ Those bodies... Coalition troopers in armour, civilians, humans? ]

Bringing up the rear of the group, Van sees the bodies as he emerges, giving him the mixed feeling of relief that combat hasn't started yet, an anxious anticipation for something to happen any moment, and disgust for the atrocities of the Coalition. This little anytown in old Minnesota could have been the hometown of any one of us that unfortunately found itself situated on the edge of Coalition expansion, a strategic point in a battle between two powerful nations.

But there was no time to be thinking about this, and what is more pressing at present is the foul smell of charred bodies. Van grabs his air-filter and puts it on as he activates his Armor of Ithan. The pale glow surrounds him then settles as a nearly transparent aura of protection. He finds a wall to set his large backpack up against and removes the sentry gun loosely sticking out of the top. He begins to set it up, turning on it's hovering function and interfacing with his pocket computer which he uses as a remote and video screen.

Van quietly says "I'll be able to scout out the next building undetected with this..." with that he presses a button and the unit disappears.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:02, Mon 16 Jan 2006.

Saila moves to cover, beside Van. She is breathing heavily, but is still in focus.

She closes her eyes and is likely using mystic abilities...

"Masque, eyes up, if you have infrared use it." Xion says to his squadmate as he levels his pistols and surveys the room once more.

 "Yes sir, and eggs to be sucked narrow-end first, sir..." replies the big Tiger softly, spreading his weight across two hands and two feet as he /peers/ with the wide-angle optic visor around the corner of a window-sill, trusting on his low-emission augmentations and extensive stealthing to protect him from most active observation...

 It may be noted that, in addition to being extremely silent, he barely registers as a ripple to thermal sensors. That's infiltration 'Borgs for you...

 The Plasma cannon on the other hand is a steady cherry-red glow, even on standby - and as a consequence is currently being held low and 'ready' out of line of the window, so the rising drifts of warmed air don't give away the 'Borgs location.

 He's plainly done this sort of thing before.

(OOC GM: What caused the fire?/Burned victims?  As a Burster, he can discover the cause, whiter it was magical of natural, if the person who caused it is still near by, etc.  very similar to object read.)

While everything is quiet, Mithas bends down to touch one of the burned corpses.  He expects to discover that they were blasted by some Rocket launcher or equivalently cowardly weapon, but you never know in war.

After confirming or denying his theory on the fires, he looks around the building and begins to think about the squad's next move.  Right now, the CS don't exactly know we're in here.  He moves to crounch below and to the side of a window.  His body begins to heat up the air around him.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:24, Tue 17 Jan 2006.

Leaping up out of the hole Bolt almost slams his head against the ceiling. He tucks and rolls holding the chainsaw he borrowed from his new buddy Ajax tight against his chest. Not seeing anyone in the immediate area that needs chopping he pouts like a little kid and slings the TW monstrosity around his back letting it hang on it's sling. The jucier turns his nose up at the stench of burnt flesh but he still pulls out a ration of granola bar and starts munching it as he walks towards a window. Smacking the granola loudly he will unstrap his wilks rifle and use the scope on it to look around outside. They all run back to Chi-Town I bet.

 "Think maybe we could do with scout..?" mutters the big Russian, when nothing immediately occurs to cast them all into urgent, flaming death and momentarily catching Xion's eye with his visor and tilting his head at the Juicer...

 Scouting : Skout(ing) : The process of getting shot so that your allies know where the enemies are.

 Ahhh, old-school soldiering... though truth be told, 'Masque is almost certainly joking. Though maybe if Arven were around - assuming you could get him to do any honest soldiering.

"I agree, but I can't give any orders. Slate's in charge right now. Although I would recommend we scout at least a little, we are going to need to know where we are in relation to the CS troops at least."

The deep rumbling voice of the Minotaur is heard by everyone in the room.  I think our little buddy Van may have beat you to that. Mithas says while nodding in the TW's direction.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:24, Wed 18 Jan 2006.

 Masque simply gives one of those large, heavy sighs that can only really be demonstrated when you've a sophisticated subsonic-range capable 'voders rigged up to a chest the size of a small family runabout.

 Somewhere deep inside, his internal monologue ticks off the following:

 (i) Team is not full of soldier, therefore does not know 'scout' is way to say 'send someone to get killed'

 (ii) Those in team who are soldier are officer, and therefore need map and psi-hound pack to find backside.

 (iii) No-one else seem to think Juicer is strange.

 (iv) Do not to make joke.

 And yes, if it's possible his internal monologue is even more thickly accented than his external one - with all the 'R's backwards (since everyone knows that's all that Russian really is anyway).

Deadbolt knocks out the few little pieces of glass that are still attached to the window with the end of his rifle. Hearing the important job of scout open up he quickly volunteers. "Oh-Oh pick me...but only if I can borrow a fusion block or a couple of plasma grenades. I used up all my explosives making a big car-bomb last week.

Van continues to use his mobile sentry gun device to scout the area, paying attention to the screen and mostly ignoring the conversation of his comrades. It may seem an unconventional and tacky way to scout, but then Techno-Wizards tend to have their share of querks. Besides it's a hell of a lot better than putting his own ass out there. But he'll let the higher ups decide how they want to run their troops, he'll stick to his inventions.

Sharp readies a pistol in his waist holster. He draws a huge sword covered in ancient runes. It seems to glow, yet there is no light.


"Dead Bolt, do not go scouting - it will be a suicide mission. At least don't go alone..."
This message was last updated by the player at 18:25, Sun 22 Jan 2006.

The sounds of gunfire are coming from Razgrizs' direction...


even worse... two Coalition Terror Trooper power armours are making their way up the main street to the church... they are currently crossing to the church in the open. They are eleven feet tall and look like this :

http://img506.imageshack.us/im...terrortrooper7of.jpg

behind them is a CS: Hellraiser. It looks like this:

http://img506.imageshack.us/im...ftshellraiser3or.jpg

pairs of other ground troops are quickly moving from building to building along with the power armours. Very cautiously and very quickly... some of them appear much larger than most humans...
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:38, Sun 22 Jan 2006.

Deadbolt slowly adjusts his sniper rifle taking careful aim and adjusting the dial on his scope ever so slightly. What say we concentrate firepower on that big Hellraiser for our initial flurry. If we can manage to take him out quick-like maybe we can cause his buddies to panic a little. With his finger resting lightly against the trigger the jucier makes micro-movements as he tracks the Hellraiser. Aiming at the funny little skull face in the middle of the thing he waits for the go ahead.

 "What say we come up with plan that does not involve us all being in blast radius of return fire from missiles all his little buddies carry, khorosh?" the big tiger asks, looking back to Xion.

 "Not too sure about taking on three heavy armour plus infantry at this range in this cover... maybe if could distract or split their response, sure... but as is, is inviting devils grandmother to come dance on our bones, youbet."

 'Course, that doesn't mean he won't stand and fight with the team... just that he has a very fine idea of what is and isn't good odds - and taking on that little patrol at point-blank range doesn't quite fit his whole 'shoot and scoot' philosophy of modern warfare.

 Unless someone has got a /plan/.

"But those power armours are on their way to Razgriz and the others... they are in trouble... I can feel it..."

"Masque, can you clear the gap between buildings? If you can, and do it with me on your back, we should move down a few, and try to get them in a crossfire, perhaps disorient them."

Xion pauses, "I think we should get rid of the power armors first, they are more manueverable. They will pose a greater threat I am certain."

 "Of course... could carry small tank if did not have to get airborne..." he states, giving a fierce grin... "Might be best to go out back door instead of get technical though - do not want to be in air in ballistic path in front of three big metal suits all packed full of radar and ranging gear, da?"

 The large 'Borg starts moving low away from the window, backing up enough to give the far side of the house a quick glance-about... and then nodding.

 "Should get couple with smaller, rapid-fire guns to surpress infantry... do not forget to light fires, here and there in buldings to throw off IR, or they will shoot you in face, right through wall that is to them like mist, yes?"

Van parks his still invisible sentry gun in an out-of-the-way spot on it's way south, puts away his computer and readies his demon-glove, hammer and short sword, turning his attention towards the direction of the power-armors.

"Got it, we'll work on the ground infantry if you think you can incapacitate the mechs. Mithas, give us some fire in the building the troops are by, then we'll come from behind them. If shit gets heavy, we bail, but it'll split up their troops, then we regroup and go again. Shoot and scoot," he says looking at Silvermasque.

He will wait for 'Masque and Xion to start crossing over to the church (along with anyone else who thinks they can do some damage to the power armors), while he will be coming up behind in the direction of the ground infantry along with the rest of the squad. He is also not letting Saila out of his sight.

Light this bitch on fire on your way out too Mith im hanging here for a bit. Looking down at his wristwatch Deadbolt pushes a small button and then resumes his firing position. I start shooting in 120 seconds so you all start the scooting!