Once PFC Baker is finished supplying his immediate first aid with Genie's help, she grabs Jacob under the legs and helps carrying him out to the nearest vehicle. During this entire time, however, she never takes her eyes completely off the knight, terrified that he might rise again from the floor like something from a Hammer film she saw in her youth.
Dawn covers the front door, there was another guy, and he might be coming back from all the racket, but she safes and holsters her pistol and swings her M4 around and steadies it on the doorway.
Best strip that armor from him too. Bind and gag, fingers interlaced. We need to go find the other one.
The inn patrons, once the shooting stops, all begin moving toward the back of the inn, pushing toward the kitchen door. They keep their hands on their weapons, eyeing the group with something between anger and fear, obviously impressed they took down an Imperial Knight, but also mad they did (probably because they'll be the ones the Knights go looking for for information).
Jacob will regain 2 HP, has no bleeding issues, and is stable. However, he took a crippling wound to his arm and leg.
Nodding to Dawn, Daniel replies On it. as he continues to strip and secure the knight. Overconfident fool. What did he think would happen when he opened up on our CO. he says to himself. I've half a mind to put a round into his brain pan just to be sure.
After removing every conceivable weapon and anything that might be used to do magic Daniel secures the knights limbs and then considers how he might take off the armor. He will start with any helm and pieces like gloves and boots before tackling the more complex pieces.
About the time Daniel is finishing up trussing up the still armored knight, Calia comes back in carrying an axe and a helmet that's dripping blood. It appears there's still a head inside the helmet.
"Oh, you just knocked him out? I had thought you'd kill him. Oh well, if you prefer, I can do so." She hefts the axe in one hand. "The other one was significantly more bark than bite."
Daniel looks up with relief as Calia enters. Is he too dangerous to take hostage? Or is he worth nothing to us? Daniel asks, unsure if the group would be better off with the knight dead. He shot Jacob just for standing up. Hit him 3 or 4 times with this beast of a crossbow before we could even react. If you have any healing magic at all I know Jacob would be most grateful...
Jacob will regain 2 HP, has no bleeding issues, and is stable. However, he took a crippling wound to his arm and leg.
Laine heads over to where Scott is tending to Jacob "How's he doing doc? Do you have what you need to treat him or would we need to either get local aid or return to base?"
Scott rubs his temple. "He's stable and not bleeding, at least. We can transport him. But his arm and leg... I can examine him more thoroughly once we're out of here. But he might require surgery, and in that case we'll have to get back to base - I'm not a surgeon and will do more harm than good trying to operate him."
"Sounds bad. Well let's get him to somewhere where you can examine him in peace." Laine says getting into position to help move Jacob out of here.
Dawn stands up when Calia walks in. She smiles and nods. I wouldn't be surprised if enhanced interrogation methods were being used. If it's safe, we should consider trying to bring him back. If he can magic himself loose then we aren't equipped to take prisoners.
Dawn walks over to give Daniel a hand. I watched a documentary once. Check along the ribs, there should be some buckles. Lots of buckles. She'll help with rolling the body back and forth to look for releases to the armor.
Genie looks around to see if there is something that could be used as an impromptu litter inside the inn to carry Jacob. If not, hearing that the knight outside had been killed, she holsters her sidearm and dashes off toward whichever vehicle would carry such an item (.
"We can try to sedate the knight. I'm sure we have the necessary drugs." Suggests Scott. "Although I'm not sure how it would work on the locals."
"He is extremely dangerous. How many times did you have to shoot him to knock him unconscious?" She looks at the man's forehead. "Good shot." She shrugs at Scott. "His body has been enhanced by magic, I doubt he'll be unconscious more than a half hour, and then he'll send for assistance."
She then moves over to Jacob, and bites her lip. "I can help some, I do not have any more of the reagents I used when we first met, I used them all up on Brona when we met." She reaches down to touch Jacob's forehead. She then takes some of his blood on her fingers, and begins to write on the air with it, the words hanging in mid air as she speaks in her alien tongue. It takes 2 minutes, and she seems to write two different spells, one on top of the other.
As Jacob's blood burns green in the air, she dips his fingers into the pool of blood, and then writes on his forehead several symbols, as she speaks, and when she's done, the symbols burst into flames on his forehead, the blood burning away without damaging the skin.
She then wipes her forehead. "He'll sleep now for 8 hours, and heal rapidly as he sleeps. Do not wake him up. If you do, the healing will stop." She nods toward the stairs. "Take him upstairs and put him to bed, he can't be transported while he's healing. He needs to be still in a bed that doesn't move."
As Daniel is trying to get the armor off, Brona pulls her sword off and drives it through the knight's throat, severing his head from his body, sending a spray of blood out. "Green Warriors too hesitate, he would not hesitate execute you while sleep." She says, shaking her head and then cleaning her blade off with a rag she picks up off the floor.
Genie audibly gasps as Brona drives her sword through the knight's throat, and instinctively draws her pistol and levels it at the warrior.
"Drop the sword, lady, drop it now! I don't know how you do things in Dragonf~+!istan, but we don't execute our prisoners."
Dawn raises a hand to Genie, At ease. We're not in Kansas anymore. Calia isn't beholden to the UCMJ. Go ahead and write a report, you can include it with the others in he after-action.
Dawn turns to Calia and nods at the armor, I assume this is enhanced magically as well? If not, we still might have a need for armor so easily recognized.
Daniel pales as Bronna kills the unconscious man, but just a little. His left hand goes to his medicine bag by instinct. Yes. he agrees. That needed to be done. Relaxing some now that the knight was not going to wake up at any moment Daniel turns to Calia responding. I shot at him twice. Hit him both times but I think I got lucky with the last burst and hit him with all three rounds. That is good armor though it mostly protected him. Only one round really went through well. Must have hit a tinder spot. Were you injured in your fight? he asks.
"F%~+!" Scott have seen some action since the portal appear, but still has not completely used to it.
Seeing Calia do her magic calms him enough to start thinking. "Great! What now? We have to wait eight hours until the magic do it's thing. I'm still not sure how thing works here. Will someone search for them? What about the owner and the customers - will they report this?"
Yes, we must set up a heavy watch and be prepared for for others to come looking for them. I don't think these knights are well liked here, and since we did just save the local kids perhaps the locals will help us, or at least warn us of trouble comes. Call, can you talk with them?
Genie slowly lowers her sidearm at the suggestion of her platoon-mate. She gives Dawn a death stare, holsters her sidearm and goes outside to catch some fresh air.
"Jesus Christ, I hate this f%#*ing world" she mutters under her breath as she leaves the room.
Brona eyes Genie's gun, but doesn't put the sword down, instead the amazon girl adjusts one foot, as if ready to attack Debbs. However, as her squadmates talk Debbs out of it, she relaxes, and finishes cleaning the sword.
Calia shakes her head. "I got lucky, he underestimated me, and I got in a lucky blow early and took a hand off." She nods. "Of course they will report it. But it will be reported to the local military, not to the Empire. Or rather, not directly. The rumors will get back to the Empire eventually. If that one had remained alive, he would have reported back faster. We likely have a few weeks before someone follows up after them." She uses her sword to tap the buckles Daniel needs to remove, in the correct order. "The armor is certainly magical, as are their weapons. We need to shield them so they can't be traced though. Or bury them." She looks around. "Where are the children they wanted?" She asks, looking at the empty inn room.
Genie is too full of disgust and anger to see or hear much of anything around her. She storms up to one of the grunts, slamming her hand against the armor plating of one of the vehicles.
"Can you believe that woman? I mean, if you could even call her a woman. She's not even a human, so what do we call her? A female? I'm just completely out of my depth here."
"Easy there, Genie, she's a human, more or less like us. Different cultures, different customs."
"Whatever, Baker. Act like a human, and I'll treat you like one."
She shakes out her hand that she just slammed into the vehicle and pulls out a pack of cigarettes and furiously lights one.
What kind of shielding works? Will lead plating work? Or is that just for kryptonite...
"I think we earthhumans were just like her not that many centuries ago, we might be better today, but we were no better when we were still knights and kingsmen if we listen to the history professors." Laine says light a cigar to relax a little.
"I think we earthhumans were just like her not that many centuries ago, we might be better today, but we were no better when we were still knights and kingsmen if we listen to the history professors." Laine says light a cigar to relax a little.
Genie takes a long pull from her cigarette, blowing the smoke out forcefully as she listens to the sniper.
"Yeah, but we have evolved, Laine, we don't act like we did in the Dark Ages. We don't crucify people, burn witches, or drain people of their blood to cure diseases anymore either. I just can't get used to this place; one moment its all wonders beyond wonders, and the next moment its this medieval bullshit."
Laine takes a good pull on the cigar. "Indeed we have Genie, but these people haven't had that chance yet. It's taking a bit to get used to, but you have to find a balance you can live with and look the other way when people here act to medieval for you. When we are not here fighting anymore perhaps you can become the catalyst to spark the evolution here to a more civilized way like back home, but for now we have to content with this. Some places in Afrika isn't that much different then here perhaps that is why I have an easier time adapting to this world as I was stationed in some bad places before."
Scott asks someone to help him move Jacob's body to the inn's room and makes sure no one disturbs him for the next eight hours.
He goes out in time to hear Laine's words. "You served in the army? For how long?"
"I've served in the army for most of my adult life, been almost 7 years before I retired and joined the Nevada SWAT team continueing my role as support sniper in diffecult situations, mostly hostage situations."
Daniel works on the armor taking pointers for Calia and asks This is pretty nice armor.
Can you tell what the enchantments are on it? I was thinking, instead of lugging it around, what do you think about Brona wearing it? Can we adjust the straps to fit her?
Scott & Daniel noticed the kids sneaking out the back with the other inn patrons during the initial fight.
Nobody but the group is left in the inn, even the innkeeper ran off.
Calia shakes her head. "We either would have to re-enchant it, or we would need to keep it in a completely silent dark place. It might help if you pretend the magic users of the Empire can transport all their senses into the armor when they want to. They can see as if standing there, hear, smell, feel, even taste. Unless you have some way to completely isolate all senses on the armor, they will use it to trace us. Even if we bury it, they'll know within a few of your miles where it is." She nods at Jacob. "We should take him upstairs now, and talk in the morning. Even if they know their two are dead now, there won't be any way they can be here for at least a few days. Unless half the knights are all out looking for us that is."
Daniel nods and helps transport Jacob. After he plans to bury the bodies of the knights in shallow graves in their armor. Any help would be welcome. he says.
Between the two bodies, you have 57 copper coins the size of a silver dollar, 48 silver coins the size of a quarter, and 32 gold coins the size of a nickle. There are also some 'bits' where coins have been broken into smaller pieces, 16 gold bits, 20 silver bits, and 30 copper bits.
Each had a horse with armor and saddle packs with field rations (hard tack, moldy cheese, and heavily salted meat), two torches, blanket, cup, spoon, knife, and small pot. There are also dried beans in the saddle bags.
We should take the armor into the forest and set it up in a dead fall. We might catch another knight.
Daniel pales a little at this suggestion. I'll be no part of that. We know noting of the man they might send to retrieve the armor.
"Men. We took out two Knights. If a Knight dies, they send 4 knights to kill whatever killed the single Knight. If two die, they'll send a dozen." Calia responds with an oddly chipper note to her voice. She's seemed in a remarkably good mood since the group killed the two knights.
"We barely took down one knight. I'm not too enthusiastic to wait for another two or four. I think we should wait till our CO recovers and get the hell out of here."