The rain finally stopped, and the wan sun peeked out from behind the mountains and the clouds as the convoy moved out.

With a head nod, Roadkill acknowledges smoker and throws him his tobacco pouch
"You made it. I was thinking you might have stayed to fix the rig and drive it back to Boise. We would've waited"

He was pretty dispondant to his on words, already bored sitting in the trailer. Paying more to the smoker flowing upwards and around him. Perhaps he had ADD or was manic in some way but who would know or care these days. People had real problems and not just old modern society ones anymore.

"I thought you had the rig going pretty well, these guys are probably just jealous that you are better than them."

He pauses a bit to smoke some more

"The convoy is OK but the people. Oi, what i wouldn't give to be my own boss, maybe run a few rigs. I heard people used to do that before it all went to hell"

The grumbling didn't stop as Smoker caught the pouch and rolled himself a cigarette.

"It was goin' sorta. Still looked a mess but goin' I tell ya! To be shoon away like that, not right."

"so true. Guess something big is going on though but still, stopping someone in the middle of something, nothing good can come of it."

Roadkill smiles

"I'm sure we can have a face to face about it with that dog some day. Maybe after a few friendly drinks, or not so friendly drinks. perhaps involving a dark alleyway"

Roadkill puts his had out for his pouch. All this talking and broading makes one want to smoke after all.

"You do know we would've waited right? I get the feeling these guys are about cutting and leaving all the time"

Smoker returns the pouch.

"Yeah. I know I ken trust you. 'Bout all I trust, these days."

Jason mounts up and as the Convoy leaves. Modeen's and Sullivan's bodies were both being transported back to Boise. Sullivan in a protected place. Modeen was simply stuffed in a bag and tossed in a corner. Jason wanted to make sure that Brad stayed dead. So much easier after the head wound. "C'mon guy lets just get back to Boise. I hope that Modeen didn't have a second force attacking Boise while we sat around gabbing about a truck. Y'all know wh't I mean."

Jane was still with Peter in the truck so she just waited for him to taxi her to their next location.  It was a pretty good thing.  Saved on walking and he did it so well.  They were a good team.

She looked around at the rest and nodded, mostly to herself to herself but nobody probably would know that.  Yep.  This bunch was a pretty good group to hang around.  They fought some times but then what group didn't?  They got the job done and that was the important thing to do.

Finally Jane looked into the cab at Peter and smiled.  All she could see was his eyes through that mirror but it was enough to reassure her.

Trickster pooks his head out from behind the seat and wriggles till he is sat on Rowan's lap his nose intothe wind, "Better"he says,"away from the death and none life"He turns and looks at Rowan, "one is confused, why do you kill if not for food".

Rowan sighs she has wondered this for oh so long, "For my self friend to survive to live and to grow, to hope for a time where I may find a mate and raise young in safety"
Trickster
"So not because you wish to or for the sickness that some creatures find in it"
Rowan sighs
"For my self no nor for my man who drives us", she looks fondly at Shaeffer.
And speaking to him explains what trickster is asking
This message was last edited by the player at 19:35, Mon 18 Mar 2013.

In reply to Trickster (msg # 816):

The sun peeked out, it looked like the rain was stopped for now. The convoy started to wend its way down the cursed Skeleton Butte and onto the Interstate. They picked up speed, weaving their way around the washouts and odd pileup of derelict vehicles. Their radios had about the usual amount of interference from the disturbed ether, a remnant of the war and the apocalypse.

As usual, the trip took about six hours. There were no further disasters or attacks, and around noon they were approaching the ruins of Boise in the distance with the Ghost Storm looming above.

It was with considerable relief as they passed a picket force of Convoy technicals and mercenaries on the outskirts of the city. They waved the small convoy through.

Nearing the wall of the storm, they encountered the now partially-destroyed community of Simon's Rock. CB Radio traffic went back and forth and Peter heard it was safe to approach. They saw several Convoy rigs parked near the entry point of the storm wall, accompanied by a dozen technicals and mercenaries set up in defensive positions.

It was obvious that a pretty serious battle had taken place. It looked like the defenders had won out, as there were many destroyed motorcycles lying in pieces. Other larger vehicles sat nearby, burning. There were several Convoy technicals covering a group of mercs as they dragged the bodies of Destroyers, other bikers and even road gangers off to funeral pyres for disposal.

One Trucker that Roadkill recognised (he couldn't place the name) waved them on further. "Go on in! Goose is waiting for you at the temple!"

In reply to The Marshall (msg # 817):

"Hey that sounded familiar"

Roadkill dusts himself off a bit.

"Best gussy up a bit for them. Damn i have a soar back from sitting in here."

  After seeing the damage and hearing that someone is waiting at the Temple. Jason gooses the throttle. He had been about midway down the convoy running a sort of over watch. As he nears the head of the line he sees the Temple up ahead. He eases off just enough to keep station in relation to the rest of the trucks. Jason seems to be worried that even after all that they did it wasn't enough. "A little bit further guys and we can rest a little bit. I need to return this sword and see that Modeen's and Sinclair's bodies are taken care of. I owe them both that."

Peter shook his head at the devastation. It was like war was all over the place again. Battles here, battles there, debris and the dead lying everywhere. He glanced back at Jane for just a second. He found a place to park and got out of the technical, locking it up. "Forget about that, let us just go in to the temple and finish this. I want to sleep for a few days afterwards."

Smoker jumped out peering around, and lit another cigarette.

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg # 820):

Jane went through her normal procedure for securing everything in the back of the technical and then jumped down to Join the group.  "Sleep?  Yep that does sound good.  Besides if they can't take us like this, knowing that we don't mean any disrespect by it, then that's their problem."

Jane brushed off the dust and straightened up as much as she could anyway, but was sure it would suffice.

Rowan looks over the bikes trying to see if her hover bike is any where in sight

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg # 823):

There was no hover bike nearby. The escaped biker had a night's head start, but so far he wasn't there.

Leaving Simon's Rock behind, the convoy entered the wall of the Ghost Storm. Inside was far more destruction. This was where the Junker they'd left behind had organised the main defences, and it looked to have been effective if costly. Fires were still smouldering among the ruins, more buildings were collapsed than before. There were several more burning Destroyer technicals (many with large holes in them) and bikes, more pyres of bodies. Defenders, this time Boise's surviving "downtowners" who'd stayed to fight, were collecting more bodies.

They saw a handful of Templars directing efforts, a mere four. But it had been enough.

As well, in front of the Temple three more armoured rigs, including Goose's personal rig, were parked with an equal amount of armed technicals. There was also a Humvee armed with a 20mm autocannon and hover APC with a 35mm autocannon. Truckers and mercenary guards stood watch but it was clear the fighting was over here, too. The Convoy had some heavier military combat vehicles, but they generally stayed with the main Convoy because they were fuel hogs and required a lot of maintenance. If Goose had to travel fast they would have just slowed them down.

In reply to The Marshall (msg # 824):

Crichton, the Junker, noticed them and came over after stopping what he was doing. His massive railgun was slung over his shoulder, Colt Dragoon and Plasma Pistol in a cross-draw holster slung around the hips of his IBS. He took off his helmet and tiredly looked at the newcomers.

"Peter! Glad you could make it, man! It was crazy. We stopped them but we lost a lot of good people. You wouldn't believe what happened.

"It's over now. But God, the smell."

Rowan looks out at the end of yet another small war, fought for the hell knows what reason, and thinks some where some time this has to stop.
We are so busy killing one another off soon there will not be enough humans left to do any thing with.
She shuddes suddenly discusted with her self and the weapons she carries, "have I gone so far from my true path" she mutters to her self.
'Once I carried these things for deffence, now I get mixed up in fights for no good reason'.
She burries her face in her hands and shudders 'what have I become?'

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg # 826):

Dismounting in front of the Temple, Schaeffer was sympathetic. "It is hard, my love. Sometimes we choose our role in the world, sometimes the world chooses it for us.

"You must remember, this is not a meaningless squabble, this was the work of the Reckoners, the embodiment of evil. Do your beliefs admit for good and evil? And the need to uphold the former by resisting the latter? Once, as a good soldier I would have laughed at such a notion of a battle good and evils as meaningless, there were only orders and duty. But there were also vows to uphold the right and protect the innocent and now, I understand that those have led my path. If unwillingly."

Peter's nose wrinkled at the smell and not just because of the smoke in the air. Death seemed to follow him quite often, like a lover or a predator...which could be one and the same he supposed. There was quite a mess when they came back. He sighed softly.

He looked up when his name was called. He gave a small smile and nod. "It is good to see you as well! I am glad you are alright." He gave a more somber nod. "I am sorry to see that there was so much loss, but I am glad that many are still alive. My grandfather once told me that battles are never won, only survived. I thought that was silly at the time, but I have long since learned the wisdom of it. You survived. That is what matters."

He glanced at Jane and nodded at her as well.

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg # 828):

Jane walked up by Peter and stood by his side as he talked to the other man.  She listened and joined in if asked a question but was content to be by his side.

   Jason just chuckled at Chricton. "Nice pistols. Is the Big Guy inside? An' can we see him? After this I can help you and the rest of the defenders in whatever way you need."

 Rowan Shudders "I know love, but I am doubting my own self now."
"I cast such on that orchard that all dead should remained dead, but some thing tore it apart as easily as i love you".
"And that makes me wonder if my path is still true, some where along the way I seem to have takena wrong turning. And what happened I believe is down to what I did"
Rowan gases into space for a long time, then collects her medical bag and goes to help with the wounded

   "Kurt she does know that shit was like mega-Evil not your run of the mill bad shit. Right? I mean the Reckoners have probably been soaking that ground for ten years or so with the blood of innocents and heroes. That would be like spittin' at a greater manitous not very useful. She needs to understand that what she does is fight the good fight. In the end it is one of the few things that truly matters."

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 832):

Looking between the two, Schaeffer smiled, something that seemed unnatural on his face. He thought for a second.

"Our good squire is correct. Modeen and the Anti-Bishop were more than just men who made bad life choices, they were willing and knowing servants of a vast and great evil. That evil gave them great power, and this power corrupted them.

"Now, if you were as powerful as Modeen and the Anti-Bishop, then perhaps you too would be as corrupted as they, ya? Instead you must work for your miracles, accept that yours may not be the easy path, but it is the right way."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:18, Sat 23 Mar 2013.