Doc nodded at Polky's words, "They are, but they ain't all mindless killers. Some of 'em are decent enough. Gotta show respect to them what deserve it. We don't know these fellas so, we gotta assume they deserve a proper send off to where ever they go."

Polkitain nodded trying to take it in.

"I will try and remember that. Sometimes it is hard to think like an elve or human. We would normally leave a defeated enemy to the world and nature. I do know humans tend to bury their dead though. I will try harder to fit in."

Doc shook his head, "You gotta be you Polky. We're just tryin' to help ya. And I'll tell ya... there's a lot of folks I'd leave to the buzzards. Just depends buddy. Complicated, I know."

"Does anyone know how they died ? Was it guns or claws or maybe swords ?"

"I know you have technology that records things, did they have anything that might help us learn what happened to them ?"

"Beyond respect, we burying them down far enough or burning them keeps some evil magic user from using their bodies for other purposes. It was pretty obvious that there was a battle, but I think that the air car pilot might have screwed up and ran into this rock first. Hard to tell."

"Sometimes the CS isn't the enemy. They can help if the cause is even so good that it tears away the blinders of hatred. They are foes and generally decent enough to each other. They hate and fear what is different. I don't hate them Polk I pity them. Plus to many Vamps running around these days so we burn as a total kill precaution. Saves us the trouble if they got turned."

Polkitain bobs his head then realizes they might not see him.

"Alright I understand, we dragons have many philosophies that separate us too."

The entire car is able to be towed into the storage bay of the Behemoth. It's a tight fit. In fact, it might not have fit at all had the driver not already folded it up a bit before you arrived. The salvaging of the hover car takes only several minutes, but gathering enough wood for funeral pyres and getting one up to the adequate size takes about an hour.

By the time that Kalista gets her pyre hot enough to burn the cadavers, Polkitain notices something approaching. At the edge of his vision and coming over a rise on the horizon, he spots some black hover bikes heading towards the smoke cloud. It looks like three bikes carrying two riders each. From this distance, he can only make out that everyone is wearing black.

At the same time, the Behemoth's radar picks up these objects approaching from some nearby hills. The robot's combat computer IDs them as Coalition models.

Circling the Behemoth the psi-slinger tightens his horse's motion into a spiral as soon as he notes the bikes appearance - himself or from any warning his companion's make. He tries to keep their speed below a canter as they return to rejoin the others and slowly draws his rifle, careful to keep it pointed towards the ground but wanting something to distract from the six shooters he carries

"Acorns. I was hoping to get this done and be gone before they got here. Thrice blasted acorns. Blooming Daisies. Freaking flaming ferns. Son of dragon-bat." Arulas says in a rather irritated voice. "Polk hide or shift your call. Not likely a Dog Pack Patrol, but they might be right behind."

Doc rolled his unlit cigar around in his mouth, before biting the end off and lighting it, "Nyx, bet I get more of 'em than you do if it comes to it." his hands hang by his side, empty, open, index finger and thumb with a slight twitch to them.

++Polk, you might want to not be in the shape you are in now. Team, we have 6 troopers on 3 CS bikes headed our direction. We might have to give up our Salvage if they can't see reason. Unless the rest of you disagree, I will be attempting radio contact before they get here to identify ourselves as adventurers on our way South to go vampire hunting.++

Samuel has the missile bay doors open on the Behemoth and it will turn towards the bike riders.

Laughing the elf turned to his twin, "Bet you take out half what I take" before the operator's voice came over his helmet radio, ++ Go ahead, Master Lund. Ain't keen to have my ears trimmed ++

Polkitain was a bit worried.  He alerted all the others about the oncoming possible coalition soldiers.

As Sam said for him to change forms Polk nodded, "Ok, I will." His mind spun as he tried to think of a good form to change into.

He thought of the birds they had recently faced and turned himself into a raven.

"Hope this is good." Polk tried to just act like a bird that was just hanging out.

"Caw, eh hem Caw, Caw."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:45, Wed 27 July 2016.

Doc chuckles, "It's a bet then. Loser buys the winners drinks next town we hit, yeah?"

Nyx's eyes narrow inside his helmet, invisible to the others as he tries to make out the incoming hoverbikes, "Deal"

Popping a few settings to go broad band transmission with enough power to get to the bikers.

++Greetings Coalition forces. This is Explorer Behemoth out of Silver Hill. We discovered the remains of a battle and did the honorable and smart thing and burned the dead we found. We have put their dog tags on their grave marker. We would appreciate it if you did not come within a mile of our position without radio contact confirming your peaceful intent.++

Kalista, alerted to approaching vehicles, takes up a defensive position.

Sam's radio broadcast is answered as the bikes rapidly close in.

++Civilians, this is an official CS search party. Stand down and prepare to be interrogated.++

The bikes come to a stop less than a hundred meters from the Behemoth. Indeed, there are two soldiers on each of the three bikes, riding somewhat crowded. All six Dead Boys are dressed in old-style Coalition armor. One of the suits of armor sports a spiked helmet. They carry standard infantry laser guns, laser pistols, vibro-knives, and grenades. Their armor looks damaged in places. They are also packing ancient-style weapons on their backs in the forms of maces and axes. These melee weapons do bare runic writing. None of their faces are visible due to the old-style deaths head helmets.

Through a loud speaker in his helmet, the Dead Boy in an officer's helmet barks commands. Keep your hands were we can see them, civies. My squad is on official business from Doctor Bradford himself. We've been rounding up magic weapons from this region for proper destruction. Submit your weapons for inspection. If they aren't what we are looking for, you will be released to continue on your way. Otherwise, you will be held accountable for the cowardly ambush of brave Coalition soldiers.

#1 wears CA-1 Heavy Body Armor with an officer's helmet. He carries C-10 light assault laser rifle, an attached vibro-bayonette, and hand grenades. He has a large bipenal axe which looks like black iron on his back.

#2 wears CA-1 heavy body armor with a platoon leader's helmet. He carries a C-27 heavy assault laser rifle, a single vibro-knife on his hip, and hand grenades. He has a heavy bronze-looking mace on his back.

#3 wears CA-2 light body armor. He carries two C-18 laser pistols. He has a large hatchet or small axe made of some dull gray metal at the back of his belt.

#4 wears CA-2. He has armed himself with a C-10 light assault laser rifle and two vibro-knives. He has a small horseman's type of mace of the same black wrought iron hanging from his belt.

#5 wears CA-2 with the spiked helmet of the psi-corps. He wields a C-14 Fire Breather assault laser and grenade launcher. He also has a vibro-knife attached to his boot. On his back, he carries a large fireman's style axe with a wooden handle and a heavy steel head.

#6 wears CA-2. He has a C-18 pistol, a vibro-saber, grenades, and a large morning star sort of mace made of brushed steel on his back.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:08, Sat 30 July 2016.

Doc looked at Nyx and grinned, "Got a feelin' them boys is lyin'." his hands drifted closer to his laser pistols, not grabbing them yet. Then he sees Polk turn into a giant raven and immediately begins backing away, "Damned crows!"

Polkitain just looked on judging what he should do based on what his companions did.
He noticed the more primitive weapons and used his vision to see if they were baring runes like the ones the green lady had shown them. He also looked to see if they held the weapons in big bags or if they held them the way someone might to draw them and use them.




Did we have a chance to rest after the encounter with the crows. To regain Isp/ppe etc ?

Kalista stood her ground when approached. She raised her hands, showing herself unarmed. "I am Kalista Nugendare, Lady Cyber Knight. I bear the crest and insignia of Lord Coak, something not taken lightly. We came upon these men unarmed, unarmored, and dead. We did not know their allegiance for certain but we thought they were likely your comrades. We sought only to give them a proper and respectful burial, in a way that would prohibit them from returning as undead monsters. I carry no magic weaponry, and I will summon my sword and shield only if attacked."

On the teams encoded channel, ++Once they get off their bikes, they will be vulnerable to say the least. Wait till all of them are off their bikes and we can jump them and take a look at their rune laced weapons which no CS troopers would be carrying...++

Samuel, while they are incoming goes back and gets into his armor and gets his rifle ready.

In reply to Polkitain (msg # 44):

No bags nor cases, yes your characters are fully rested, yes their melee weapons have the same runes

Polkitain glides down and pecks at something on the ground getting into a better position to help his friends.