Still hearing gunfire from the hold, Anson decides to risk it and inform the helicopter approaching them of his suspicions, considering they asked if they were here under duress.
Anson: Situation may have escalated. Gunfire has been heard from the hold.
Using whatever cover he can find, Eli moves forward to see where his enemy is.
Recon?:
Eli moves to the far side of the pallet (#3) in an attempt to sneak up on Thaya.
She had exactly the same idea, so the two of you almost run into each other coming around the cargo pallet's corner. Make an Initiative check.
Initiative:
Thaya attempts to strip the gun from Boone's hands.
Fineline, the chopper passes overhead, and continues on.
Boone, your gun clatters to the floor.
Fineline worries over the situation. He wants to see what's happening in the hold but is unwilling to leave his station here. He continues to observe the chopper's movements, on the look-out for any communication happening.
Boone attempts to kick the woman after she knocks the gun from his hand.
Unarmed Combat:
Thaya (with her gun inches away from Boone's abdomen): Any reason I shouldn't kill you right now?
Fineline, there seems to an incoming transmission, scrambled.
Anson attempts to make sense of the scrambled transmission.
Eli looks down at the gun then back up at Thaya's face.
"Well you got the drop on me lady. But just know that I will not be made a pawn in whatever plan you have going. I will fight you and your cronies until we are free of you. So do what you must!"
Radio transmission: Thaya! Georg! What's your status! The emeralds weren't at the camp! They've been moved! The team was bounced on their way back, and had to ditch!
Anson keeps an eye of the helicopter while he presses the button to communicate to the entire ship. He relays the transmission, hoping whatever situation is happening in the hold is going fine.
Everyone's current position in hold
As Thaya listens to the message relayed over the intercom she looks stricken.
Seeing that Georg is stable, Aurora moves to scoop up her weapon and quietly makes her way around the back of the container between her and Boone and Thaya.
Thaya (snarling): We're going to the bridge!
Thaya gives Boone a sharp push, she apparently intends to march Boone to the bridge.
Dr. Feldspar scoots behind the cargo pallet in #2 position, making her way to where she lost her weapon.
Dr. Feldspar, if you could please make an Initiative test.
"Sure lady. What ever you say, but let me ask you something. What was you plan? Why are we here and who the heck are you people?"
Eli tries to keep her attention on him so maybe someone might get the drop on her...
It appears to have worked, Boone...
As Thaya shepherds Boone into the center of the hold, Dr. Feldspar springs out from beside one of the cargo pallets, gun in hand.
"Okay, lady. Drop the gun and kick it over to Boone." She holds the weapon with confidence, trying to seem as threatening as possible.
Eli will take the gun from Thaya and all of us will head for the bridge, if possible.
For the briefest of moments Thaya glowers defiantly at Dr. Feldspar; then, she slumps, defeated, she makes no resistance as Boone takes the weapon from her.
Dr. Feldspar, you see that both combatants are wounded.
Fineline. It looks the first helicopter, which is moving away from you now, has been joined by another craft.
It looks like the 2nd craft appeared from the north, and it seems to be approaching, slowly, even as the 1st helicopter is moving away, on a generally north-bound line.
Eli escorts the two prisoners into the cockpit.
"Lookee what we have! Should we toss them off the ship and get out of here? Oh, and the bombs can be removed as well.
Anson broadcasts what he sees to the entire ship again, still unclear of what's going and hoping in vain that what he's doing is having some effect. He then hails the second craft and repeats the same procedure as he did earlier, identify himself and his craft before asking for the second craft's identity.
As if on queue, another broad-cast from the other vessel: Thaya, Georg! What's going on over there !
Anson (broadcast): This is Captain Fineline of the Luis Wu. We've been having some trouble. We've just been contacted by a helicopter saying we're in territory claimed by the 99Liberation Front and our situation is unknown. Please wait.
He doesn't mention the gunfire just yet.
Anson then switches to internal communications, trying to reach whoever is else on the ship.
Anson (internal comms): If anyone is still there, please head to the bridge. I need either Thaya's or Georg's presence here, but any help is appreciated. The helicopter's left, heading north, but another craft's heading towards us from the same direction and I don't have the expertise with sensors needed to get more information. We're also being contacted by the other vessel and I can't talk with both parties at once while keeping a look-out for whatever's targeting us.
He then checks the active sensor scans if the Luis Wu is still being painted.
Georg (to Fineline): Should I answer that?
Anson turns his head, looking at the group. He doesn't know what happened, even if he could guess, but he just shakes his head. He's far too overwhelmed with what's happening to process this.
Anson (to Georg): Please do.
Anson (to Eli): And if you can, check the sensors to see who we're being painted by and if there's anyone else around.
Georg: This is Georg. Uhh...look...its over. They've defused the bombs. We have to let them go.
Other vessel: What do you mean its over! How did they defuse the bombs?
Thaya, interrupting: What happened to Thom!
Other Vessel: Their air-raft came under fire as they were returning from the prison camp, they had to land. The bombs?
Fine-line: the other helicopter is now about 10 km. away.
Anson attempts hailing the helicopter again.
Anson (to Eli): Now would be a good time to use the sensors on the helicopter approaching us.
"Yes, yes..of course. Now lets see..its been awhile.."
Sensors:
Fineline, there's no response.
Boone, as you pull up the ship's 'scope' the copter lands two km. from your position.
The other vessel: They defused the bombs? Are they armed?
Georg: the bombs have been removed, and they have recovered their weapons.
Boone, you detect another helicoper, coming in from the south. The first of the three craft, is now moving back towards you.
"Skipper, we have 3 helicopters coming our way. I suggest we dump our prisoners and get off this rock!"
Anson shakes his head.
Anson: With no weapons or any sort of protection? We'd get shot down, fast.
He addresses Thaya and Georg, reminding them about the helicopters.
Anson: The helicopters aren't responding to my hails. I don't know what they want. I have the barest knowledge of what happened in the hold earlier and while I understand we may not like each other very much at the moment, right now working together seems to be the best option.
Anson turns to Eli and Aurora.
Anson: Unless either of you have any objections or any good ideas on how to proceed from here.
"I've got nothing, skipper."
Gritting his teeth, and looking daggers at Thaya, the big man give a curt nod.
"Aye skipper, I suppose"