Smoker frowned, trying to understand things he'd never really thought about before.

"Well, cannot argue with that. Leastways, I am still here... and aim on maintaining that, bein' a bit - heck, quite a lot - more cautious than I even was..."

He shook his head.

"But if there's any critters up there that can influence things down here, maybe they oughter put in a bit more effort and make it more pleasant for us who are here without the option..."

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #180):

Rowan sighs
"I am not sure they can Smoker."
"Some thing stops them from acting directly them selves".
"I think they have to act through people willing to be pointed in the right direction".
Rowan rubs her face
"I wish my teacher was alive and still here, she could explain this far better than I do".
"But you are right it would be so much easier if they acted them selves"

"Guess I'll just have to bumble along as best I can... and rely on my friends, the ones right here... Any chance of a drink, I'm parched?"

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #182):

Rowan laughs "oh smoker don't you think I bumble along just like you and the rest."
"I am sorry i talk to much".
"Here". Rowan suports him as she hands him a water canteen.
And makes sure he does not choke him self.
"here have a little to eat as well, but slowly okay"

"Thanks," said Smoker, availing himself of what was offered and, embarassing as it was, help in consuming it.

"You must have some tales to tell..." he said when he was done.

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #184):

Rowan for a moment looks totaly lost and confused.
" Don't we all Smoker."
" If I understood all i think I have seen then I would truely be wise"

Rowan shakes her head and smiles ruefully
" And as sure as we three are in the back of this vehicle I am not that"

Jason who has been out front a ways hears the radio call from the Colonel and starts keeping an eye out for him.

"By doubting we come to questioning, and by questioning we come to perceive the truth," said Smoker, looking surprised.

"Something I read once when I was a kid. Didn't make sense then... now I think I'm beginning to understand."

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #187):
Rowan continues the matra

"From truth comes understanding"
"From understanding comes knowledge"
"And from Knowledge the correct path to take"
 Or at least so I was taught"

"10 four big Kraut. Romeo doing as advised. Over and out"

Roadkill follows the directions given

The posse navigated around the wreckage that was choking the interchange.

After a few minutes travel south, they saw Schaeffer standing beside his WWII replica motorcycle with sidecar. He was waiting by the side of the road, waving at them. Schaeffer was dressed in his combat armour and helmet, M4 carbine slung across his back.

"I am glad to see you all again! Come here, we will talk. I believe we have tracked the Destroyer and his gang to Skeleton Bluff. We have been waiting for you to move in."

In reply to COL Kurt L. Schaeffer (msg #190):

roadkill pulls the convey over, driving past the colonial a bit, knowing that his beard will want to jump out and... who knows, lovers do crazy things. He doesn't and would rather not have to see, hence the passing so Peter can stop in front of the Colonial.

"OK Ian, I hate to say it but I will no longer be my fun easy going happy go lucky self until this is over. General RK is now here"
He opens his door and then stops and turns back
"I'm not really a general, that would be insane but you not what i mean right? It is life and death. We piss around then we die"

Roadkill, General RK, gets out of the truck with his sawn-off and smg holstered and Mossberg in hand. He turns his bullet holed cap around so it is backwards and a serious look comes over his face. He lights a smoke and looks around. Cloud cover all round with the odd burst of rain. The wet road smelt kind of good as it always does but the grey dim horizon was foreboding, then again, it made any sort of assault advantageous. Maybe they will never see it coming until it is too late but then maybe so might the posse.

RK walks over to where the Colonial is, hoping that Rowan has finished with her greeting.

Jason dismounts the bike after pulling it off to the side. He checks his guns and ammo clips. Having holstered his Sig in a shoulder rig. He takes the P90c and walks over to The Colonel and says "Nice day to put a scourge of the Wastes today huh. Roadkill had a girlfriend stop over we had to kill her. Now he is sad. Isn't that right Roadkill!"

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg #192):

Roadkill looks at Jason for about 5 seconds then nods.
"yeah"
He looks to the Colonial still keeping his very serious look about him
"Lets just say they can get very possessive"
He gives his junk a wee bit of a squeeze
"If we get routed here and have to fight our way back, then we have got all manner of freaks out there, i tell ya, the only one who seemed to care is Jason, The thing wanted my god damned junk"

Roadkill shakes his head

"Not Jason but whatever it was that we encounted"

He looks at the colonial and tilts his head to the side thinking

"A friend of yours?"

Suddenly he realises he lost his seriousness. Damn he thinks. How do those soldiers do it.

"No problem.  We all need to be on our A-game for this."

He hops out of cab when it stops.  He does a quick check of his M4, make sure that there is no issue with it.

He walks over to the Colonel and says "Good Morning, I hope that you night was less eventful."

"So have we gotten any recon of his location yet?"

Peter followed Roadkill but kept silent on the radio. No need to chatter on the air waves where anybody could hear. They'd be able to talk soon enough....once Rowan was done filling the colonel's mouth leastwise.

He pulled up near the parked German and stopped, turning off the engine. He stayed still for a moment. He wasn't happy about this suicidal mission still but he tried to put his doubts and anger out of his mind. They wouldn't help him on the job.

Finally, he climbed out of the truck but left the door open as he kept reaching in for things. He was wearing his Infantry Battlesuit with helmet on. He slid a machete into a sheath attached to his belt. He put the Redhawk in a home-made underarm holster, with the Snub nose under the other arm. He stowed the Tokarev into the belt in the small of his back. He pulled out the Auto-shotgun into his hand and finally shut the technical's door.

He turned to face the Colonel at last with a nod of greeting. "Good to see you alive, Colonel. Where are the others?"

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg #195):

Jane stayed with Smoker while everybody went to greet the Col.  She nodded to him and knew that she would be debriefed when and if she needed it.

In reply to Jane Guin (msg #196):

Rowan smiles her thanks at Jane as she climbs out of the back of the technical.
" Thanks Jane" she adds, then wanders over to see her love.
Sliding through the back she tucks her self in by his side, "morning lover" she says softly.
Then stands to hear what he has to say

"Don't stay here on my account," said Smoker to Jane. "I'm feeling a lot better now, even if not up to a sprint or a wrasslin' match!"

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #198):

Jane looked down at Smoker and smiled.  "You're suppose to say thank you.  Weren't you taught that?  They will tell me what I will need to know.  If not Peter than Rowan will.  If I am here than I am by Baby in case anything springs out at us.  This way I can help cover all our asses...even yours."  She then added.  "What?  You're tired of my company already?  Jeesh.  Patients.  No pleasing them."

Thank you, then..." said Smoker, with a grin. "Not used to all this lazing around, Jane."

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #200):

Jane nodded.  "Yeah, I know.  It would bug me too.  Sometimes though we have to do it if we want to continue fighting...whatever evil is out there.  Been where you are not that long ago Smoker.  It...Thought it was my time but I guess it wasn't.  Take it easy for a little bit more.  You'll be up soon."

Jane handed her water canteen down to Smoker.  "Here.  Have some but take it in small sips.  I don't want to undo any good work that has been done to you.  Also don't want to clear up your puke....so if you puke you have to clean it up."  She tried to hide her smile when she said about puking but couldn't quite.

"Thank you," said Smoker, accepting the canteen and taking a drink. "Don't feel like puking, though. Ache all over and the leg hurts like hell.

In reply to Smoker Nix (msg #202):

Jane nodded.  "Yeah but at least you're alive to feel the pain.  Beats the alternative as they say.  You'll be up in no time at all."

Schaeffer seemed stiff and formal as usual, although he did unbend long enough to give Rowan a quick hug around the waist. Then he was all business.

After the description of the "tin man", he shook his head. "No, not a friend of mine! Sometimes Combine automatons will get corrupted programming. Believe they are human. Try to... graft skin onto their exoskeletons. Very dangerous, you were lucky."

He looked over his shoulder at Skeleton Butte, a few miles away. It was a low, sandy hill.

"We tracked most of Modeen's gang to a hill called "Skeleton Bluff". Then they split up. We believe some of the prisoners might be there. Or at least their remains. They are keeping watch, we decided not to move in until you arrived.

Schaeffer then let them in on what they'd done the previous day:

"Roadkill's friend Daphne led us to the ambush site. She couldn't tell us a lot about the attack, she was taking cover. I determined that there were something between fifty to a hundred motorcycles, plus several cars and trucks. One large construction vehicle, like a bulldozer. Weapons ranged from small arms to grenades, one rocket and either a Ma-Deuce or even a 20mm flak kannone.

"There were many bodies at the ambush site, including one Syker prisoner. Modeen apparently had one prisoner, a Syker, put to death. Bald head, wore a BDU jacket with "Fightin' 43rd" on it. Perhaps Modeen did not want the headache of such a powerful prisoner?

"As far as I can tell, all the larger vehicles split off proceeded south from here, through the city. The motorcyclists came this way, we tracked them to Skeleton Bluff. Most of the bikers left the bluff, perhaps some remain."

"There is a problem... Skeleton Bluff is a hill, good lines of sight. It will be impossible to approach in the rig and remain unseen. We can all travel in the technical and on the bikes to the rear, then approach on foot."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:28, Mon 11 June 2012.