In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 147):

Ike nodded his head in understanding. "I see. Simon's dead then? This is a tragedy. But it sounds like he died a hero." He looked at Jason, speculating on how true that might be. "Yes. A hero. People should know that. The Templars will continue on. They know the fight is too important to let even something like this stop them. Simon knew he might fall one day.

"Allah writes upon every man's forehead the time and place of their death. But this is not for us to see. We know that God has called Simon to Paradise to be by his side. We here on Earth must continue our struggle.

"Now, Biletnikoff is here. So is Buck Masterson. He made it out, with that Trog kid, just like you asked. He's going to lead a strike team down, destroy the Combine base." He looked thoughtfully at Trask and Peter, loaded down with ammunition, and the "liberated" D-21 assault rifles.

"Peter, I recognise some of those weapons and gear as being Junkyard Militia issue. I don't imagine you would have indulged in a little personal enrichment if the Combine was still around. Wihle I don't want to encourage looting you can keep what you found. Plus you and your posse, as well as any friends along for the ride, can claim $2000 in Widgets. Come by my office tomorrow. Tonight, relax at the hotel. You earned it."

In reply to Ike Turner (msg # 149):

Masterson came up beside Turner, nodded hello to the Posse. "Can't say I expected to see you all again. Damn fine thing you made it. Pretty much all of you, by my count.

"And we got that kid back to Biletnikoff. He has something to say about that."

In reply to Buck Masterson (msg # 150):

"In a moment, Mr. Masterson." Biletnikoff came up beside the guide.

"Please excuse us," he said as he led Jason a little ways away.

"There. we are alone. What is it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:16, Thu 11 Aug 2016.

"Librarian Bilitnikoff I have told a half truth to Ike Turner. Simon didn't kill Baphomet all those years ago. Baphomet went into Simon and hid. When we tried to rescue Simon Baphomet took over. Simon used the last of his strength to contain Baphomet. Baphomet is well and truly dead or at least banished back to hell. Simon died a hero."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:53, Thu 11 Aug 2016.

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 152):

Fred took that in.

"I see. To kill the demon Baphomet, Simon needed to kill himself, or allow himself to be killed. You were the agent of Baphomet's destruction, then.

"I suspected that Baphomet was alive somehow. What with the killings of the Boise Horror. Not that Baphomet was possesing Simon, but perhaps hiding somewhere close in the ruins. Too clever to be caught by the patrols. It took me a long time to suspect what was really going on, even as Simon left for the summit I still wasn't sure. And I sure didn't want to be right!

"Of course... we cannot tell the truth of what happened to Simon. Not now, not what happened then, either. Simon will have died to defeat the Combine, in the name of an alliance between the Templars and Junkyard. He will be remembered as a hero. Please make sure your companions understand the importance of this as well.

"Is there anything else? Otherwise, let's rejoin the Posse. I have other news to share."

Rowan smiles and relaxes a little, Looking at the Security patrol, She bows slightly. "I am sorry if I was rude gentlemen."
"I just wanted my patients to live."
"Way to much death and destruction".
"I live to see life"



Rowan politely hopefully "May I come with you, I would like to talk medical matters through with you,"
I was a paramedic before the collapse".
And if the people see me when they awake it will help them believe the others survived"
"Oh there is some of the Security equipment I was carrying so it could be returned to them"

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:31, Mon 15 Aug 2016.

"Simon's sword and leadership. What should we do about those?" Jason pauses and then says "The sword Simon gave me is his sword's twin. They feel right together. Templars need a leader."

Peter slowly looked over at Ike Turner as the man spoke to him directly. He looked down at the gear they'd 'recovered' from the Combine. He started to open his mouth to say they could return it if it was that big of a deal. However, Ike said they could keep it and was going to pay them as well.

Peter blinked a few times and then gave a nod. "Thank you. It...was not pleasant, but it needed to be done. Tomorrow morning would be fine. It would at the very least give us time to clean up." A ghost of a smile graced his lips.

Trask popped the hatch on the front of his armor and looked out at the assembled vehicles and people. "I need some cards, company, booze and a bath and not in that order. Lets get topside I have had enough of this shit hole." He spits to the side of suit.

"Anyone going to give us a ride up to the light ?"

-

Fred looked at the swords, then over at the body bag containing Simon's corpse.

"If you like, I can take the swords for now. Word has beens sent to Boise, we'll see what the Templar Council decides. On one hand the Templars are very decentralised. I don't even imagine that Simon's death will change much for Templars in the field. But now things have to be decided by consensus.

"Assuming there are no more crises, take it easy for a while. We'll sort things out soon."

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg # 154):

The medic, a man, replied Rowan, "certainly, you can ride with us to the hospital. Hang onto all that stuff for now."

A former CS Army Humvee ambulance was backed up and the 2 casualties were loaded in. "Ok, pick a seat. Let's get moving."

In reply to Increase Trask (msg # 157):

Buck pulled up with his 2 open-topped touring cars.

"Come on! We're getting out of here. I'll give you a lift back to the hotel.

"We lost those gunners that got sniped. Did you find any sniper with a fifty-cal rifle? And... did you get Simon out?

"Also, did Fred get a chance to tell you what we found out from the Trog?"

In reply to Buck Masterson (msg # 160):

"No, no and no." Trask took a seat as best he could or found something to perch on. Once they were on their way he would fill in the blanks for Buck as best as he could in regards to what went down in the city.

-

"No Fred and I were discussing other matters. We got Simon out, but he can no longer help us. What did the Trog do?"

In reply to Jason Sinclair (msg # 162):

Coming up behind them, Fred motioned for Jason to give him Colada. "On second thought I will keep Simon's sword for now. You may keep Tizona until your fellow Templars say otherwise.

"It's not what the Trog did. It's who he was. He was a child up until a week ago, named Davy. Part of the tribe known as the "Moorlocks" that lived down here. Criminals, outcasts... hunted by the surface people, hated and demonised.

"Then a tall man dressed as a soldier, carrying a large gun came among them. He made friends with their leaders. Gave many gifts to the tribe. Including a number of Milrats. The one thing the Trogs, who struggle to grow or find food down here, would never give or trade away. After a few days, people began to change. All at once. Something in the Milrats is what I guess. A biowar agent, possibly using irradiated Ghost Rock powder. They were contaminated with it, and when the Moorlocks ate too much they changed into the Trogs. Davy's parents were a little richer so they fed him some vegetables, not scarfing down the Milrats like everyone else. That's why he didn't change completely.

"Davy says this man called himself "the Colonel". And once the change was completed, he came back for them. He used them to attack you. Part of the plan, I suppose, to kidnap Simon. Use the Moorlocks, now Trogs, to ambush pursuit."

He looked at Schaeffer. "He says the Colonel talked funny. I don't think it was you, Kurt, you have an alibi! A week ago you were in transit from Boise to here. But I wonder. This person does sound familiar."

In reply to Fred Biletnikoff (msg # 163):

At the mention of the name, Schaeffer turned white in shock. He muttered something to himself. "Nein..."

"It was not me," he replied, trying to regain his composure. "As you say, I am having alibi. But I am not knowing who this "Colonel" is. He is obviously an imposter, some relic of the War that refuses to die. But that would explain how Buck's people got sniped."

He dug out a spent cartridge from his Battledress pockets. "Here. I suspected this was left for us to find. A professional always recovers their spent brass. It is .388 LaPua Magnum. The same calibre as my rifle."

"Never a problem Fred it was an honor to carry the blade of heroes." Jason hands Fred the blade in a somewhat formal manner.

As the idea that Schaffer could have done this even without an alibi it made Jason chuckle to himself. "It could be a Colonel. Near the end there had to be quite a few of them. Funny accent just means not Junkyard. Hell I have a funny accent I am sure. Now we know of another threat to the safety of Junkyard and the rest of the survivor communities. Could he be an agent of the Horsemen? Yeah I know see the big bad boogie men in everything is my job or rather was my job now it is a survival trait."

Peter listened to what Fred had to say about the 'Trog', half-heartedly at first but then with growing interest....horror. His eyes widened for a moment then narrowed and he grimaced in distaste. Not at the Trog, but at what some people would do to other people. Sometimes....only sometimes...he wondered if the bombs shouldn't have been more thorough and just wiped everything....well 'clean' wouldn't be the right word for ghost-rock bombs.

He sighed in anger. "That...is terrible. We did not know." He shook his head.

"So whats this hotel like ? Feather beds and girls to share them ? Cards, craps and faro ?" Trask checks he is not going to fall on his arse when the vehicle takes off.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Thu 25 Aug 2016.

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg # 166):

Fred nodded with sympathy at Peter's horror.

"There was no way to know. Some monsters have always used innocent people for their own cruel purposes, no matter what the cost. And you were defending yourselves, don't forget that.

"There was another gang, but down in the deeper levels where the Combine base was located. They were called the "Tunnel Snakes". Did you run into them?"

In reply to Increase Trask (msg # 167):

Buck helped load the Wolverine suit into the bed of a pickup truck for transport to the surface.

"It's the Junkyard Hilton. There's a casino and call girls, if you want 'em.

"Say, pardner, you look awful familiar. Was your daddy by any chance a no-account drifter named Frank? Lit out after you were born? Card player, used to sleep around with the groupies on the professional "Magic the Gathering" circuit?"

The ambulances with Rowan, the wounded medic and Feldwebel Knapp made their way up the exit ramp from the vast underground parking lot towards the surface.

Buck's two open-topped SUVs and pickup truck followed along. They passed camouflaged Militia trucks headed down the other way, bringing more troops and equipment for the expedition into the Down Below.

Soon, they saw the glow of sunlight reflected off the concrete tunnel walls. They emerged into a wan daylight. Overcast skies through the tattered remains of Junkyard's half-dismantled protective dome.

Smoker had never been so glad to see daylight! But he was also very sad, about Simon and now about the troglodytes as well.

Peter took in Fred's comment and gave a slow nod. He tried to internalize it, but thought it might take a while. Nothing to do but keep moving forward.

"Tunnel Snakes?" He hesitated and looked around at the rest of the group. He didn't think that was the case but maybe he'd missed something. "I do not think so."

Then they slowly made their way out of the darkness and back in to the light. He breathed in deeply, ignoring the pollutants in the air, glad to have sunlight on his face once more, even if it was obscured by fog and buildings. Actually, to a Ravenite, maybe that was better.

In reply to Peter Firecrow (msg # 172):

Relieved to be on the surface in one piece, Buck looked back at his passengers.

"I gotta hand it to you, Peter. Your folks survived down there a lot longer than most people would have. Better than that entire company of Junkyard militia that the Combine took out, that's for sure! That ain't no small thing.

"Hey, looks like we're gettin' close to the Hilton. Finally, those Goddamn idjits beefed up security."

The street was less-clogged by security and medical vehicles than it was after the attack, but many remained. Construction vehicles cleared away rubble from the collapsed stairwell the Combine has used to escape. There was a much heavier Militia presence as well, from trucks and HQ vans to APCs. Triple the number of checkpoints were now in place, they needed to stop three times to show their clearance to enter the inner zone around the hotel.