Jonis talks to the man.
"We are part of the Tomorrow Legion, and we will not harm you. Rest easy. Are you able to move? Can you fight? We could use your help against the Xiticix. But if you are unable, can you go back to a Coalition Camp? Or would you like for us to ask our transport to pick you up?"
Visibly relaxing as Attie speaks with Auriel, the young soldier shakes his head, not without a grunt of pain. "Definitely not 100%, ma'am. I've heard of the Tomorrow Legion and I don't want to be taken to no Coalition base. They don't take kindly to us. " He looks at Attie and slowly works to remove his helmet. As he does so, you can see that though he looks human, the purple eyes and silver hair tell you another story. "I would appreciate transport back to a 1st Cavalry base, if possible, otherwise, the nearest FARP is fine too. I don't think I'll be able to walk far.."
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"You mean you're...Not...?" Jazz asks, then watches as he doffs his helmet. Welp, that answers that, definitely not Coalition. Looking mildly ashamed, she pulls her trauma kit back from her pack. "Here. Aspirin and water. I don't think I can do any better than Just did patching you up, but that'll take the edge off."
Jonis smile.
"Sorry, we thought for a minute you were part of the Coalition. I think we can arrange transport for you."
You attempt to reach Captain Tiller on comms, but are unable to reach him. The young man looks at Jazz and accepts the aspirin. "Thanks. Do.. do you think they'll come back? "
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"I think you know more about the bugs than we do," says Jazz, taking back her canteen once he's had a good long drink. "I'll take a look at the comms."
"He needs our help, Attie. Please take care of him, gently."
"Well," Jazz says after a while, "I think I can rule out mechanical failure--not sure what's going on up in the air, but I think he's just out of range."
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**Cowards die in shame,**'Atlas replies, the old bit of Coalition philosophy getting through his filters before he even realized he was talking.
The assault mech approaches Corporal Harris and hold out a cupped hand. He doesn't bother going through the contortions he went through for Jazz, and simply offers a mode of conveyance that Corporal Harris probably won't fall out of.
Jonis frowns at Attie comment, but refrains of saying anything. For now.
"...but glory lasts forever." mumbles Auriel in response to Attie's comment, clearly without thinking it.
With some reluctance, the wounded soldier accepts Attie's offer of help and you are ready to move out. "The 1st Cav base is about 20 klicks west of here, but there's supposed to be a town somewhere to the north of here, if it's easier. I've never been, but I heard it's D-Bee friendly. Garnetville or somesuch."
"Attie doesn't mean anything by it," Jazz says, grimacing at the Coalition catchphrase. "Do you have a name, soldier?" She asks as they set out, assuming nobody has a better suggestion than Garnetville. Along the way, she'll regularly check the comms again to see if she can get ahold of Tiller.
"Corporal Jed Harris, miss." He pauses. "And thanks. I do appreciate the help, though I'm not sure my officers will."
You walk for a ways north, scanning the area and attempting to raise Tiller on comms to no avail. He is either still out of range or something has happened. After about two hours, the latter seems the most likely prospect. You have been following a creek for some time that eventually widens to river status.
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As the group continues their walk into destiny, Atlas tells a little story, his metallic voice factually recounting a random memory.
"I knew someone named Jed when I was attached to the Second Dieron Regulars. After the 2nd Juicer uprising we were with a great Crusade army, pushing civilization westward.
Around New Brunswick we encountered a large city-state, headed by someone calling himself the Emperor of Prussia. Our diplomats approached him under flag of truce, of course, and gave him the standard generous offer that if he would Submit, then we would leave his population un-cleansed.
The maniacal egotist declined when he was informed that he would need to drop his title--for there could only be one Emperor. He sent our envoy's heads back to us with cannon fire.
We were marching on the right flank, and set up near an old windmill when his crack infantry emerged from a woods and began peppering us with fire. Fortunately we were attached to a veteran artillery unit--the Concordant Jaegers, part of Dumouriez's Army of the North. They laid into the woods with a great thunderstorm of fire, and the heretic infantry fled, the ground painted red as their dead were pulped into a red mist.
We marched through the wood and rolled up their flank, our blast-canons eating up the armor they had left as rearguard and as the sun set his army was bagged and eliminated piecemeal.
Complete pacification began the next day."
As you come towards the bridge, you think you hear something coming from the trees across the river.
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=7
"Hey, what's that up ahead? It looks like...a small human child. From the way he keeps looking back over his shoulder, he's probably being chased by something. Everyone stay sharp!"
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Atlas states as the human child comes in to view.
He drops his passenger, telling him As Atlas moves off, his shoulder-mounted grenade launcher turns back toward Jed like a pirate's mocking parrot.
Atlas takes a few steps closer then drops prone, his rail gun sighting down the child's path, curious why he's looking behind him.
He might be getting over confident, but he doesn't bother aiming at the child, assured that he can always neutralize it if it becomes a threat.
Notice: 7
From the Glitter Girl, Jonis voice pours out.
"Protect the child!"
She anchors her Power Armor, and scans behind the boy, ready to fire against any hostiles that appear.
Auriel doesn't say anything, as the entire group has noticed the running boy. Instead, he takes the briefest of moments to summon his sword and shield and then charge off toward the disturbance, actually running past the boy.
Try as he might, he just can't bring the proper focus to bear, as his concentration is torn between arming himself and protecting the boy, and so he chooses the boy first.
Auriel runs forward as the rest of you prepare to meet whatever is coming through the trees. The boy is headed right for you, screaming "Help!" in plain American, with a lilted accent. Right behind him come a few demonic looking beings with cybernetic parts sticking out here and there, firing laser rifles in the boy's direction. When they notice you, one of them yells.
"Now it's time for a real fight boys!"
Jonis talks on the radio.
"Clear out so I can fire!"
When (if) they clear the sonic boom area she will fire against the creatures, trying to get as many as possible in the blast radius.
(Success and rise)
The boom gun goes off and 4 of the 5 demons explode and vanish in a flash of light. The last one, despite the quick annihilation of is compatriots, decides to fight on, almost enjoying the idea of taking all of you on..
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Atlas takes a breath-equivalent, letting the shockwave of the panzer's main battle gun do its work.
Only a lone figure of the filthy Xenos remains standing. Too bad for him.
From his prone position the rail guns rattles off a continuous stream of hot lead. The vehicle-grade munitions have just one target to direct their kinetic energy toward.
raise
hit #2
raise
While his damage output continues to be dwarfed by the GlitterGirl, he hopes it will be a sufficient follow-up.
Attie's high powered rounds rip through the demon, tearing metal and flesh equally. Instead of bursting into light however, it falls to the ground. Attie's sensors tell him that the thing is still alive. Barely.
The boy has taken to hiding behind Auriel's legs...
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"Nice shooting Attie!"
Auriel will turn, face the boy, and say "Are you alright boy? Where are your caregivers?"
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Is that a hint of a smile on his metallic face? No, it must be a trick of the light.
Atlas stands up and replaces the clip with a fresh one. He advances forward and investigates the still-living Xeno.
= 12
A part of him feels massive disappointment that the GlitterGirl panzer can destroy three enemies, while, apparently, he can not fully eliminate a single one.
The boy looks up at Auriel, catching his breath. "Thanks mister! Those things were gonna eat me! I'm Von. My mom is in town." He reaches up to take Auriel's hand. "Come on, I'll show you."
Attie goes over to the still living demon. Sparks fly from various cybernetic implants and blackish blood pools underneath it. A cough spurts more of it from its mouth, which is strangely smiling. "Thank you, warrior.. you have spread the seed. " It stops moving and its body melts into the ground. The only thing remaining to show that they were even there are 5 broken laser rifles...
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" 'You have spread the seed'...I don't like the sound of that. Could it be that when one of these things die, its body merges with the soil, altering it in some way? So that maybe in the future, more of them will spring out of the ground?"
A part of him feels massive disappointment that the GlitterGirl panzer can destroy three enemies, while, apparently, he can not fully eliminate a single one.
" 'You have spread the seed'...I don't like the sound of that. Could it be that when one of these things die, its body merges with the soil, altering it in some way? So that maybe in the future, more of them will spring out of the ground?"
"I sure hope not!"
Jonis voice sounds worried.
"Well done all. You have fought to preserve life from those who would subjugate or destroy it."
Turning to the boy, Auriel will add "So, what exactly happened here. Is your town in danger, or were you just out in the wilderness by yourself?"
The boy nods. "Ma says the Black Market has been sending these demons to take people. She is worried. We've been missing some people. I thought I could help, so I followed them... they saw me..."
You walk for a while, following the river bank. Soon you come upon the 'village'. It is built along the banks of the river, using the swift and deep river flow to their advantage with a water-wheel mill. The settlement is picturesque, composed of buildings made from local woods in a somewhat faerie-tale style, very “old world” in their construction. However, there are signs of technology as well—a fusion generator near the center of town and electrical wires strung up between some of the buildings. All in all, the town looks fairly prosperous. However, the newest addition to the town isn’t quite so pretty. A low wall around four feet high surrounds the settlement, made primarily of sandbags and mud. A pair of men—farmers, based on their attire—stand watch near a makeshift gate.
Once that is done, the assault mech follows Auriel in to town, watching for more Xenos to bring salvation to.
"Good idea Attie. Do it!"
You walk for a while, following the river bank. Soon you come upon the 'village'. It is built along the banks of the river, using the swift and deep river flow to their advantage with a water-wheel mill. The settlement is picturesque, composed of buildings made from local woods in a somewhat faerie-tale style, very “old world” in their construction. However, there are signs of technology as well—a fusion generator near the center of town and electrical wires strung up between some of the buildings. All in all, the town looks fairly prosperous. However, the newest addition to the town isn’t quite so pretty. A low wall around four feet high surrounds the settlement, made primarily of sandbags and mud. A pair of men—farmers, based on their attire—stand watch near a makeshift gate.
Jonis approaches in clear sight, with the boom gun pointing upwards. She calls on the loudspeaker.
"Good day! We are the Tomorrow Legion, and would like to approach. We saved a boy from your town. Please don't be worried, we came in peace."
Seeing the two men on watch, Auriel will say "Friend, we don't mean any trouble, so please stop threatening your neighbors." He will nod to indicate the one who is not paying attention to his death weapon of death. "You should keep that pointed down or at your enemies, and your finger off the trigger, so you don't shoot someone unless you mean to."
= 6, Success
As the group approaches the men, but before they are within earshot, Burgurk murmurs to the group "There's a ley line around here, I can feel its presence."
One of the men fumbles his rifle a bit and then points it somewhere near you. He is shaky with it. The loudspeaker from Jonis has also drawn some attention as a crowd is starting to form in the center of town.
"You..you just stay right there..."
"Aww, Willem, put that down before you shoot yourself. Again." The boy with you speaks up. As he does so, you notice a woman version of his race appear from within the crowd. She hobbles towards him, one leg bandaged up extensively. "Mama!" He cries. "These people saved me from them demons! You shoulda seen it!"
The woman hugs her child and approaches you as best she can and holds out her hand. "You have my gratitude, but you are too late if you are here to negotiate for control of Garnet Town. The Coalition and the Federation have already sent their envoys."
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"Would you not at least be willing to officially hear our offer?"
The woman sighs. "I suppose, being the mayor had that responsibility, but whatev..", she is cut off by a male voice.
"Whatever you are peddling, we aren't interested. The Coalition already has a division in the area and we are more than willing to protect Garnet Town from the likes of you and any one else." You see a man dressed in Coalition Officer Armor, without his helmet, staring not at you, but near you. As you look to see what he is looking at, you see a man dressed as a ley line walker, his air filter mask covered in runes, along with most of his clothing.
"Perhaps, but I do not think they will be as tolerant. ", the magic user turns to you. "Tomorrow Legion, the next group of upstarts in the area to try to usurp the established nation of the Federation of Magic. I sensed your coming, but did not think the Legion so foolish."
The mayor shakes her head. "So you see, too late."
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Jonis gets out of her Cyber Girl, and advances to greet the mother of the child.
After shaking her hand, she turns towards the town, and the Coalition and Federation of magic envoys, making her clear voice heard to everyone.
"We arrived just in time. We didn't come to control or conquest anything. Maybe we arrived after the envoys from the Coalition and the Federation, but we got here in time to help this child, and that is our true mission. To help all the people whenever we are able. Simply that,"