"Think practically, Jason. You are a better fighter than I. You don't need distractions down here," said Smoker.

"Well my love, I can always use a shower. Especially if you sahre it. Are you doing alright?" The Colonel had lowered his Ghillie's hood to talk to Rowan, when he suddenly realised what was going on behind him. He got up, signed Laurin to hol the position and moved back to where the others were standing around the trog.

"Was zum Teufel geht hier vor?! Jason, are you serious?" The Colonel's voice got really calm. A sure sign to those who knew that he was really angry. "What do you think you're doing? We can't drag this...creature with us. Do you even know what these things have done? I was at Carson City when Silas and his hordes came. Put a round through its head and move on! Get rid of it before it grows up and becomes like the other. Nits make lice. We don't have time for this."

In reply to COL Kurt L. Schaeffer (msg # 835):

"Compassion is never a weakness Colonel. Attempting to teach him right and wrong is never a waste. I plan on getting him to Joan's Doomie's they can help him." Jason looks him over "This trog is as different from the normal trog as we are from chimps."

"I agree," said Smoker. "He has as much right to choose his own path as anyone else. He did not attack us. If raised aright, he may not want to do so. Give him the chance... just as others have given you chances to become who you are."

 Rowan Steps up beside her love,
"come Kurt my love this path is written and already decided."

Rowan seems to be speaking as if she has looked into some thing, her very voice and speech are altered.
Looking at the group "it has been decided so be it". "But!" If you raise him up, do not cast him down"
"This also is written and heard"
Rowan gently turns her love to her and kisses his anger away

Peter stopped at the ramp where he had been walking when he realized most everyone had stopped to talk about a trog child. He raised his rifle, and for just a split second thought about ending the conversation with finality...but he didn't for two reasons and lowered the rifle again. It was misplaced anger for one, and the conversation of outrage from some of the party members immediately following the shot would take even more time.

"We need to stop wasting time and move. The quicker we pick up the pace the less time they'll have to prepare surprises and ambushes for us."

The Colonel shook his head. "Compassion can be an error of immense magnitude. Remeber General Ramirez of the LatAm Alliance? The man who told the world about the LatAm's collusion with the US? Whose confession led to the outbreak of the Last War? I had him in my crosshairs in the Maze during the Mexican's retreat. I could have taken the shot but didn't. We all know what happened then. One moment of compassion and all this," he moved his arms to show he meant the state of the world around them, "all this is the result. I have never wavered again. And Smoker, do you really think this is what I wanted to become?"

After Rown pulled him into her arms, Schaeffer shook his head. "It's allright my love." He turned to Jason again. "You want to drag this creature with you, fine. It's your resposibility. But if there's any trouble because of it, be assured of one thing. I will not hesitate to do what has to be done.".

"Now lets get a move on people, we've aleady lost enough time as it is."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Sat 19 Dec 2015.

In reply to COL Kurt L. Schaeffer (msg # 840):

"We can not lose our humanity and be any better than that which we fight. You couldn't have known what the end result of your actions were to be. As for the damned War it was going to happen with or without that small push. Millions dead because you didn't pull a trigger. No Colonel millions died because the Reckoners willed it. Throckmorten, Modeen, Hellstrome, Grimme, Raven, and the rest are symptoms. Stone and the Reckoners are the cause. This child could be the means to our ultimate salvation. Never forget that light shines from all beings that haven't turn their backs on hope." Jason says as he starts walking. He holds the young trog's hand and says as kindly as he can. "I can't say it will get better. I can't say that any of us will make it. What I can say is this I will do my best to keep you alive which is a lot. As soon as I can I want to send you to some people that can help you and understand you better. For now please just behave and follow along. I will do my best."

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 841):

Knapp was at the entrance to the exit tunnel down, covering it. She looked back, conflicted. It seemed like she was also having problems with the situation.

"The... child? It is traumatised. It will not be able to follow us where we need to go and it will not be safe. Let us call Buck, see if he will take it. Or I can stay with it and take it out. That seems like the best we can do."

"Getting Buck to take him topside would probably be for the best. If not then Someone should. I would, but if Simon lives when we reach him I am to give him something. The boy needs to be taken to Librarian Bilitnikoff. Fred will make sure he is safe. I will try Buck on my radio." Jason pauses and vocalizes into his comm unit "Buck this is Sinclair do you copy?"

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 843):

When Jason tried to raise Buck, he got only static on his radio. Trask was able to use his suit's more powerful set to retransmit and boost the signal.

There was a garble of static, then, "KkkkKKKrrshhhkkk...the hell do you want?"

In reply to The Marshall (msg # 844):

"I have a package that I need dropped to the Templars. It needs to be given into the care of Simon's Librarian, Fred Bilitnikoff. You are headed out so it makes some sense for you to take it and I can't just leave it here."

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 845):

"Goddamn it, what? I can't hear you. Alright, we're coming back. Just hold your position."

It seemed Buck hadn't gotten far. The sound of engines hadn't really gone away, and now they sounded louder. In less than a minute the SUVs pulled into view, stopping near where they were parked before so they wouldn't roll over any dead bodies.

Laurin covered the open loading bay doors. Schaeffer, Peter, Jane and Smoker covered the ramps leading down. Vundra tinkered with his Voxxar cannon.

The mutant boy seemed resigned to his fate, lying limp in Jason's arms and looking up at his through slit eyes.

"I need you to bring this young boy safely to Fred Bilitnikoff. Tell him to keep the boy safe until I can get back or to get him to Joan if I should die." Jason pauses and then adds "He shouldn't cause trouble. He is different from other trogs."

"Right if we are finished with the love in for monsters lets get this show on the road." Trask then went back to his sensors and then once he was satisfied that the interlude had not attracted more company he moved back to the entrance that led deeper into the complex.

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 848):

"What the hell? Oh, all right. I know Fred. I promise to get him there safely. After that, I can't make any promises."

He took the limp figure in his arms. "Sure is an ugly 'lil cuss. OK, in you go. Don't move none."

Buck climbed aboard. "Gol-dangit, let's get goin'!"

In reply to Buck Masterson (msg # 850):

The SUVs again reversed and took off.

It did seem odd that they were not attracting more attention. At most maybe five minutes had passed since the end of the attack. But "behind enemy lines", that was an eternity without seem more enemies!

The Posse now had a choice. Go down the left ramp tunnel and down to Sublevel 2, where the Combine seems to have gone. Or take the right ramp, which rose towards the surface.

It they wanted to find Simon, the answer seemed clear.

Rowan bristled, "love in no, proving we are still human which this wasteland needs yes"
"That is the way of it Trask, to quote".
"Nam-tor ri vath kau eh ri vath rok na’etek hi ta shetau etek kau-bosh.
Be no other wisdom and no other hope for’us but that become us wise and learn.
"

Rowan turns and looks at Schaeffer
"Let us walk softly my love"

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg # 852):

Jane didn't say anything but waiting over by the left tunnel, letting everybody make up their own mind.  If they chose to go right she'd follow since she wasn't dumb enough to go in the sublevel by herself.

Vundra just head down to the left, it doesnt seem like a choice to him.

Peter clamped down on his lips to keep from mouthing anything off or spouting something irritatedly. He waited with as much patience as he could muster for the trog-child to be handed off and then he began moving down the ramp to the left slowly, allowing others to over-take him and take the lead that were better suited to do so.

Smoker took a deep breath. He still didn't want to be here. Heck, he'd almost offered to go with the trog kid. But he wasn't going to leave the only family he had in the lurch.

He started off down the ramp to the left, tagging along behind the others.

The Colonel took a moment at the ramps searching for clues, like empty casings, about who had shot Buck's crew.

OOC: 03:04, Today: COL Kurt L. Schaeffer rolled 14 using 3d8, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(8+6)14,(8+2)10.  search.

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg # 852):

"You can quote all you want won't make a pile of difference when he tears your head off over dinner. I have nailed countless numbers of these things against the wall and one thing is true once you start second guessing whether you should put them down or not one of them will jump up and bite you on the arse, just saying is all."

He walked of to the ramp and waited before descending with the others watching his sensors as he went.