Ken stowed the binoculars away and turned to Thomas.  "I'd say that the HQ is the most likely spot to keep a prisoner.  It's at least the first place to start."  With a sigh he started the careful move toward the HQ building.  "There is a heat source there so someone or something is in there."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 206):

"Right.  OK, let's do it."

Quietly, the pair stole across the open areas, from shadow to shadow between the pools of light. A generator chugged away, electric lights hummed as insects swirled around them in the cool night.

They made it to the HQ apparently unseen. There was no alarm raised or patrol reaction.

Searching the HQ building, they found offices and storerooms. There were washrooms and a shower room, plus a small canteen. In the rear they opened a door into a corridor that had a row of closed doors. A soldier was sleeping in a chair outside one of the middle ones. A carbine was propped on the wall beside him. He was dressed in a grey-green uniform with a forage cap and various patches and rank insignia.

Ken caught Thomas' eyes and then motioned toward the sleeping soldier.  "Cover him while I try opening the door," he whispered.  "Let's see if we can get through the door he's guarding without waking him.  If he does, we'll tie him up and leave him behind us."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Sat 04 Apr 2015.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 209):

Walker nodded and pulled his rifle into his shoulder, seating a firm stance.  If he pulled the trigger, they were screwed, but if this guy wakes up, they're screwed, too.

Ken approached the door, trying to avoid waking the man.

Make a Stealth check. 7+. Post results in terms of an "action" post.

Ken moved forward slowly as he tried to open the door without waking the guard.  He was ready to jump the guy and suppress any shout or alarm should the man stir from his sleep.  Hopefully he would be surprised enough to allow Ken to get the jump on him before he could do much.

OOC:
Not sure if I get a bonus for tactics although that would still fail.
21:08, Today: Ken Jenkins rolled 5 using 2d6 with rolls of 2,3. Stealth.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Sat 11 Apr 2015.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 212):

The door to the probable cell was locked. Unfortunately, the sound of Ken trying the knob woke the dozing guard.

"What the? Who are you" he exclaimed as he stood up and went for his weapon, the carbine leaning on the wall beside him. Pulling back the bolt to chamber a round, he intended to shoot one or both intruders!

OOC: Post combat actions. Technically, all combat is simultaneous so I will decide actions after they are all posted.

The moment the guard stirred Ken jumped him to prevent him from shooting or sounding an alarm.

OOC: If Thomas is close enough I'll assume he could attempt to butt stroke the guard.  That would play into Ken's response.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 214):

Ken held the man, struggling over the carbine, as Thomas clubbed him with the butt of his rifle. The man's eyes rolled into his head and he slumped to the floor.

GM Note: Thomas does 6 damage with his "cudgel", applied (randomly) to the guard's strength of 6. He receives a Light Wound, rendering him temporarily unconscious.

In reply to GM (msg # 215):

Walker mouths "Oops." at Ken, making no noise.

He returns his rifle to a more useful position, for a rifle.

Ken gives Thomas a thumbs up as he clubs the guard.  He kneels down and ties the man up and stuffs a rag or his socks or whatever into his mouth.  Once the man is secure he searches him for communicators, keys or anything else of interest.  "Good work Thomas," he whispers, "we'll need to hide the guy for now."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 217):

He possessed a "radio" with which to communicate. The guard also had a key ring and some military ID. The uniform looked like it would fit Ken.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 217):

Walker nods, and covers the area while Ken secures the guard.

Ken pockets the key and the ID and then with a glance at Thomas smiles.  "Might as well put on the uniform.  It'll help if we have to bluff our way out."  He donned the uniform quickly and after checking the name he was assumed to have, went over to the door to see if it was locked.  "Let's see what he was guarding."

The key unlocked the door that the sentry had been guarding.

Inside was a man, sleeping. Once woken up he looked like the missing scout, Dumaer!

Ken carefully kept a hand over the sleeping man's mouth so that he wouldn't cry out when woken.  "Dumaer, we're here to get you out.  Keep quiet for now and tell us what happened to you and what they are up to here."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 222):

Walker backed into the doorway, keeping an eye out for wandering bad guys who need to take a leak in the middle of the night.

In reply to Thomas Walker (msg # 223):

Figuring he didn't have much to lose, Dumaer replied, "They've been holding me here since they brought from Alzenei. Kalamanru and his men. They think this city is the ancestral home of the Sky Raiders. They kept asking me about this piece I picked up here on this planet when I did the preliminary survey for the Hegemony. There is some kind of inscription on the back of it that they think is really important.

"A couple days ago everything changed. Kalamanaru Jumped back in-system with this guy they wanted me to talk to, someone I remember working at the Institute on Alzenei. A scientist and translator. Archaeologist I think? Don't know his name, looked to be from Daesekhe to me. Anyways he started translating the plate I found, they want to go over his findings with me in the morning.

"Kalamanaru is here at the dig command post, nearer the ruins. He's got all the files about the artefact I found there, as well as translations."

The new arrival of Kalamanaru would fit with his using the yacht starship Golden Dreamer to transport himself, Lorain's treacherous assistant Lokhav and Lokhav's notes on the translation of the half of the breastplate they'd found. Not to mention all Lorain's files on the Sky Raiders. With all those pieces in the same place it didn't seem out of the question they would search in a new more likely direction. It was only a matter of time before they found what they were looking for.

Ken frowned as they listened to Dumaer.  "We can't let Kalamanaru get the final information on the Sky Raiders.  If this is really their home then all the information he needs is right here to get their treasure.  With that money he can fund the Hegemony's war against the League as well as do just about anything else he wants."  He thought for a moment and then nodded to himself.  "Thomas, are you game to head to the HQ?  What about you Dumaer?  You can't stay here.  Do you want to come with us or try to make your way back to where our folks are waiting?  It's probably better to all stay together."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 225):

"That's probably true. He makes a lot of money running illegal enterprises using the Hegemony as a base. It's in his interest to support them as their expansion benefits him in return. Plus, money buys a lot of power in a corrupt regime like the Hegemony.

"Plus... I think he's just obsessed about the Sky Raiders!"

He looked at the door. "Yeah, let's get going. If we want to raid Kalamanaru's files I know where they are kept. The HQ is about eight klicks away on the other side of the ruins."

Meanwhile, at the hidden Grav APC, the rest of the groups waited for the others to return. As well, they hoped no one discovered them. The night was cool and quiet, sky lit with clouds of stars but no moon.

Linus was sprawled happily on his back, looking up at the stars. At times like this it was difficult to realise that he spent a lot of time out there amongst them. His mind wandered, recalling the many planets he had visited during his Navy hitch and since...

... and eventually he drifted off to sleep.

Ken says nothing, but nods once.

[OOC:  Job hunting, fire and ambulance calls, and parental units keeping me away from kb as much as when I'm working.  Sorry.]

As he listened and spoke, Ken worked to equip the ex-Scout and tie up the guard.  "If the real treasure is anything like what we found on Miryan then I can see why Kalamanaru's after the Sky Raiders."  Ken shook his head.  "He'd destroy everything and anything of historical value in the looting.  That would be reason enough to thwart him."

Ken handed Dumaer a weapon from the guard and tied the guy up in the cell.  Turning to Thomas he motioned to the door. "Let's get going to the HQ."