Auriel says something in an odd language that sounds a bit like Greek then says "Clearly, you have some options before you mayor. Perhaps instead of posturing like horny teens, we can sit, each present our case to the Mayor, and let her decide? Or do you both wish to keep shaming the organizations you represent with your behavior?"
"Elders, save me from the posturing of men with minute power."
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Atlas booms as he approaches the impromptu conference, his metal feet making deep impacts in the dirt. The assault mech states, he says with certainty.
His death's head turns and regard the ley-line user. he opens, honestly not knowing what else to call him,
He winds down, having done his duty to put everyone on equal footing.
It only seemed right.
The Coalition commander smirks. "Clearly you misunderstand our motives. If we had wished to 'pacify' Garnet Town, we would be talking amongst a smoldering hole. That is not the case at all. We only wish to station a force detachment from Fort El Dorado to protect Garnet Town from anything that might come through a Rift that forms from the nearby nexus. That is all. We will talk later, Mayor." He bows to her and turns to walk away.
The mage seems untouched by Attie's rebuttal. "We can discuss this at length later, machine man, but you see, only the Federation has the power to protect Garnet Town from the nexus and the Coalition. The Tomorrow Legion hasn't the influence or power." He gives a wave to the mayor. "On the morrow then."
When they both leave, you notice the mayor looking at Jonis. "It is obvious to me what the Tomorrow Legion can offer and having the likes of the Glitter Pilots among them warms my heart. I must be clear however. Garnet Town is my home. Has been for the better part of a century. I have no intention of handing the care of it over to anyone."
She sighs, choosing her next words carefully. "There is another group that has taken an interest in my leadership. Those Brodkil you killed said they belonged to the Black Market. They have been taking people from Garnet Town for some time. I haven't figured out their angle yet, but if you.. if you could, as a personal favor, find out what happened to them, I would certainly appreciate it. I have no money to give, but you would forever have a grateful mayor and mother as a friend."
"Ma'am, do you know where these 'Black Market' people are located?"
As almost an afterthought, he will add "Why IS everyone so gung-ho for your town, anyway?"
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If Atlas could cock an eyebrow, he would. "They call their political faction the Black Market? Why pick a name so common? That's like calling your hit-squad the Kitchen Knives, or your merchant group the Town Square."
Atlas goes silent, apparently musing on the lack of uniqueness in their most recent foe.
She shakes her head. "I wish. I'd point those other two in that direction and wash my hands of them. That nexus does worry me and as much as I hate to admit it, if a Rift opens, we don't have the firepower to hold whatever may come out back. Especially if it is hostile. "
Most of the townsfolk start going back to their own lives as the mayor continues. "From what I've heard, the Black Market is not so much a faction but a name under which several criminal gangs operate. What I do know is that they are taking our people for whatever nefarious end. I don't trust the Coalition not to cause collateral damage and I doubt Symon, that mage, is telling me everything. That's why I'm asking you to look into it."
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Jonis approaches and smiles gently.
"Of course we will. And let me put you at ease. The Tomorrow Legion is not trying to make an empire. We are not into a land grab mission. We only want to help, if we can. And friendship is a treasure to us, more than any number of credits."
Jonis lets out a small laugh and grabs Attie's arm.
"Of course not, silly. We are not the coalition. We are here to help. To protect. We believe freedom and happiness are very important for everyone. We want these people to be able to live their lives as freely and pacefully as possible."
"Jonis has the right of it. Our organization is not about rulership, but people banding together to make the world a bit safer and less driven by madness."
Jonis looks at Auriel and smiles to him, her eyes gleaming, while she nods slowly with her head.
She nods appreciatively. "Your altruistic goals aside, we would appreciate your looking into this. Please, just find them. Do so and I will certainly listen to your offer." She looks around, making sure you are alone. "And I highly recommend not letting those other two know what you're up to. They don't seem the friendly type."
"Who do the brodkill take? When? Do you have any clue where they might be?"
The elfen like woman bows her head. "I'm sorry, I do not know. Many of the people who were taken were folks from the outlying farms. Our doctor, our only doctor, was the first one taken though."
She sighs, looking to her son who has been listening the whole time. "Maybe if you ask around, you might find someone who has seen more. If that Coalition uptight and his Fed counterpart were trustworthy, I'd say to ask them, but it is clear they have their own agendas."
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Jazz spends a long time uncharacteristically, sullenly silent after Attie's story. She does pick up one of the rifles of the dead Brodkil, tinkering with it, spending some time listening to it hum and crackle, but she stows it, even the sound of new, strange tech failing to appeal to her right now. During the whole confrontation between the Coalition Officer and the Federation Mage, she stares angrily at them from behind Attie's legs, seemingly unable to choose which one she hates more.
She finally speaks up to the mayor. "Wherever the Coalition and Federation go, people get dead. You think it's only weird people like me, or like Burgurk, but before long, it winds up being you," She leans to the side, looking over to her son. "Or the people you care about." Sniffing, then wiping her nose, she brightens up a bit. "Doctor, you said? Did they have a family?"
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Atlas grows suddenly silent and stares at where Jonis' arm grabs his own, his deeply buried biological impulses fighting for control of the curcuitry and programming that are most of his person now.
Some part of him thinks that he should say something, but he can't think of what, so he says nothing until the moment passes.
Instead he nods at Jazz and at the mayor. "Do not worry, we will find them and destroy them." he states with his usual certitude. "I will make inquiries."
Atlas stomps away from the gathering until he sees more people that they've not talked to, and blares out,
There. That should do it.
Jonis walks behind Attie, and smiles when he queries the people.
"Please?"
Auriel will take a different tact: He is going to look for tracks away from the roads of large humanoids.
The mayor, Linith you've figured out, sighs heavily. "Old Man Duncan is our best medical practitioner. Honestly, our only one. He has no family here that is related to him, but he treats everyone as if they are his children."
As Attie bellows out, some of the townsfolk look up, visibly scared. One of them, a younger man whose hands look far older from a lifetime of hard work, approaches and clears his throat. "We aren't military folk, as you can plainly see. We just want to work hard and be left alone. I can tell you this though. We never had this much trouble until that armored fellow and that robed fellow showed up and started bothering Linith. Since then, she's been worried about that Rift and people have gone missing. I ain't no expert, but I don't believe in coincidences neither."
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Having likely found a camp, Auriel will sneak forward to see if it is just a group of travelers or the demons that his group is looking for.
Auriel calls everyone on their comms to meet him outside of town.
Once they arrive, he will share what he learned during his scouting trip:
"I found their camp, and here is what I learned:
They have a robot: I believe it is called a forager, but I'm not exceptionally well-versed on such vehicles. I did notice, however, that it is armed with Ion cannons and several missile launchers.
There are seven of the Brodkil demons in total, including one of them that I believe would be the chieftain of the tribe. He wore cybernetic armor, which was adorned with the skulls of sentients. I never saw the robot's pilot, but it is conceivable that he is the leader of this group."
As he is talking, Auriel draws a map in the dirt using a stick of the camp.
finishing the map, Auriel will add "Do with the others as you see fit, but the one in the cybernetic armor is mine. The only people who wear the skulls of their fallen adversaries are those who have abandoned common decency. I wish to Chastise him greatly."
Burgurk will keep it to himself that many of his people's warriors wear the skulls of their conquests on their belts.
"Why don't those of us who *don't* stand out," glancing at Atlas and Jonis, "attempt to sneak as close as possible to their camp. Then the heavy-hitters can approach and engage them in conversation, and when fighting breaks out, we'll have the drop on them."
"I am a practiced hand at using stealth. The enemy I was trained to fight often uses numbers to it's advantage and so typically requires surgical strikes."
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Atlas shrugs.
"I am indeed adapt at approaching without notice. I will lay in an enfilading position to those that approach loudly. If the engagement becomes hostile, I will lay down a withering fire, ensuring the safety of those of us that are exposed.
This should make me the primary target, allowing the others to attack with relative safety," he states, impassionately.
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Auriel will reach up and pat Atlas on the shoulder as he says "For someone that doesn't seem to like people, you spend a lot of time trying to protect them from harm."
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True to his word, as the group approaches the enemy's location, the big mech hunches down, his gliding step attempting to distribute his heavy weight over the greatest area, and his inner A-TAC looking for the paths of least resistance and greatest concealment.
Beyond all reason or expectation, the laws of physics are heard softly crying in the background as the battleroid finds a path of moss-covered rock that drown all sound as he makes his way into the emerald copse like an undead spirit. Like a scientifically augmented operative. Like a Wraith.
Burgurk attempts to follow in Atlas' footsteps (literally) :
Spending a Benny...
= 4, a Success!
Jonis will remain back, not wanting to ruin the surprise for the others, and amazed at Attie ability of advance disappearing into the environs.
She will approach with her Glitter Girl in plain view, calling the brodkill with her loudspeaker.
"This is GlitterGirl pilot Jonis Witta of the Tomorrow Legion. Please lay down your weapons, as I have information linking you with some disappearances in the town near here! Please comply!"
Auriel will also slip into the shadows, moving from cover to cover and sticking to his weird-looking crouch-run.
As the rest of you slip into the trees, shrubbery and shadows created by them, the camp itself becomes quickly abuzz with activity due to Jonis' entrance. You spot several of those red-skinned creatures from before, some with obvious bionics, some not. All are armed with laser rifles of some kind and look to be ready for a fight, but they don't open fire yet. Instead, your comms crackle to life.
"Foolish girl, the Tomorrow Legion has no authority over this place and certainly not over me. Leave now and I will call off the demons, don't and they will tear you limb from limb. The choice is yours GlitterGirl pilot Jonis Witta. Make it quick, these guys don't like to wait around very long.."
The voice is strangely human. The brodkil aim their weapons in the direction of Jonis' GG and you see one with several trophies strapped to his body in the form of skulls and arms carrying a larger rifle, possibly a plasma cannon...
From his hidden position, Auriel will whisper into his comms "All, I'm going to go offer my challenge. This may go very badly, but I want to try to end this with as little bloodshed as possible. If violence breaks out, Jonis will be in charge of dealing with the Robot vehicle, although she will probably need your help Attie. Burgurk, please give me backup as you see fit. I will kill the large Brodkil, or die in the attempt."
With that, Auriel will move from his hidden position into camp, walking with as much confidence as he can muster.
"Hear me, oh demonic host. I have come to lay terms for a duel. I know that none among you are brave enough to take my challenge, so I will stand here and wait until one of you finds your courage and chooses to accept my challenge."
Burgurk does a face-palm when he sees what Auriel does...
As Auriel steps up, his challenge issued, several of the demons come out eager to test their mettle against this interloper. The one with all the trophies steps forward however, laser rifle over his shoulder.
"State your terms mortal and we will see where to add your head to my collection."
The other demons hoot and holler in agreement, the chant begins, "Agor, Agor, Agor..."
As they await Auriel's answer, a Forager-class robot emerges from the river. It takes up an overwatch position behind Jonis and waits.
Jonis makes a silent prayer for Auriel, her face flush with admiration for the brave warrior.
She digs her Glitter Girl down, facing the Forager, but keeping her boom gun in the "stored" position.
"My terms are simple. A fight until one person surrenders or is no longer capable of fighting. When I win, you will give us all of the people from the village you have taken. What the fallout of that is, is on you to deal with. Additionally, you will leave the village alone, your employers be damned."
"Should I fail, I will grant you a tattoo, similar to what the Splynn offer."
Switching back to American, Auriel will finish with "If my allies interfere, I forfeit. If your allies interfere, you forfeit. We will each have one minute to prepare, and battle in a cleared area, as I have no wish to destroy your lodgings."
"Are my terms agreeable?"
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Atlas' comm unit is honed in on the conversation, rail gun trained in that direction.
Internally he nods, then his A-TAC sends a message throughout his programming.
'Orders Acknowledged. Chapter I, verse 18-20.'
His grenades launcher loads a spread of 3 fragmentation.
The one called Agor ponders Auriel's offer for a long time. Long enough for all of you to see that the other demons with him are getting itchy trigger fingers. He answers finally, with a laugh. "Your terms are acceptable, tiny one, brave and foolish, but acceptable. Prepare yourself. Your minute is running out."
With that, he waves off the other demons who reluctantly lower their weapons and back away to form a fighting circle in an open area. The chieftain puts down his energy weapons and instead activates a large chainblade that extends out from his arm. It is then that two more bionic arms appear from his back that he flexes as if they had muscles. He grins as he walks towards the center of the circle.