Jarix hopes these creatures will quiet down. A knowledgeable hunter might be able to tell where they are from the calls. Of course, if all of the invaders are as green as those they already faced, that won't be a problem.
"Hobgars, on the hunt," Verne says in a hushed tone. He places a hand on his hunting rifle. "Be on your guard, they might attack. Does anyone have conductive metal on them? They seek it out to eat."
Unfamiliar with these creatures which Verne seems so knowledgeable about, Mallura tries to go along with his suggestion. "I might have some spare wiring in my engineering kit. Do you think they'd eat that if we stripped it?"
"That was a hunting call. Whatever we do, we should do it quick."
He ponders the Captain's suggestion. "We can have Sh-Ux prepare a decoy of the conductive wires while we sneak through the grass."
JD moves up to the edge of the clearing and fires his rifle at the hobgar.
The drone advances into the clearing still obscured by its reactive camouflage.
Mal steps up between JD and Jarix and makes big, flailing gestures at the hobgar in the trees to the north. She then reaches back and pretends to fling something at the creature.
Jarix fires at the red Hobgar.
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JD blasts the far hobgar out of its perch on the tree with his sonic boom gun. The poor creature lands on the ground with a wet splat and does not move. The captain jukes left while watching the near hobgar after its unsuccessful electric blast at Jarix. Jarix fires a shot that ricochets off a tree branch.
Lagging behind, Verne jogs up to reach his comrades. As he reaches Jarix and his captain, the burning in his throat intensifies.
With a slight cough, he rallys himself and aims his pistol at the remaining hobgar.
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Verne's errant shot pings off the trunk of a tree as the remaining hobgar brachiates through the overhanging vegetation to a position of cover, screeching the entire way.
Verne follows the retreating hobgar. He shrugs his newfound weapon off his shoulder and lines up a shot.
He sighs to himself as his shot goes wide.
JD watches the first Hobgar fall and asks, "Can we eat these things?". He will then move into the mist until he spots the second Hobgar and fires.
With the hobgar still somewhat off balance from her previous antics, Mallura moves through the tall grass to join Verne and fires a shot from her laser pistol into the trees at the beast.
[oo]Semi-Auto Pistol 9/9 (15)
Longarm Rounds 4/6 (9)
[/ooc]
Jarix moves up to get a better target on the alien creature and fires at it again.
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The crew light up the foliage with ammunition as they chase after the lone remaining hobgar. The mechanic's shot nails the creature square in the back as it flees, increasing JD's kill count by one. Unfortunately, as the group moves around a small copse of trees, a further pair of hobgars swing out of hiding: one high within the tree branches pounces down on Jarix while another difficult-to-see one attacks JD's legs.
Jarix reflexively back peddles and shoots at yellow.
JD takes a step away from the Hobgar in the grass and fires down at it.
Sh-Ux will fire on the Hobgar in the grass, shimmering into view as it fires.
Mallura shouts violently at the yellow hobgar to leave it open to attacks from her crew.
"Easy there, Jarix!" rasps the android as the bullet from his crewmate's rifle whizzes by.
Verne takes a breath amist the chaos. He reaches out at a nearby rock, then calls on his connection to fling it at the nearest hobgar.
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Verne begins using his mystic powers against the higher hobgar who reacts swiftly.
The hobgar's claw whizzes right by Verne's face as he glances a rock off of the creature's face, sending it chittering with rage. The concealed hobgar continues harrying JD's ankles.
Neither hobgar lands a hit.
JD blasts another shot into the shaking grass after taking another guarded 5 foot step back.
The drone fires again at the Hobgar attacking JD
Forgot to move Jarix last round.
A frustrated Jarix pulls the trigger quickly hoping to hit the agile hobgar.
full attack
full attack
Verne moves out of range of the hobgars and levels another shot at the previous recipient of his stone .
Mallura raises her pistol and fires at the flat-footed yellow hobgar which she had deceived a moment ago!
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Mallura's laser just clips the hobgar in the tail, sending it screeching and yowling in pain as it withdraws back up into the canopy of the trees!
Intent upon a perceived meal, the hobgar within the grasses advances on Sh-Ux, teeth bared!
Jarix steps over to get a better shot and fires at orange.
Verne approaches the hobgar in an attempt to assist Sh-Ux the second.
"That's enough," he says, digging deep to channel his mystic energy. His voice deepens as he projects it at the enemy.
"HALT".
Having missed with the rifle twice, JD slings the rifle over his shoulder , and draws his pistol.
"Barbeque that thing Sh-Ux, real meat!"
JD gives the drone a "great job" as he scoops up a Hobgar and checks it over. "Gods, I hope this is edible. Sick of rations"
Jarix reloads with the last of his bullets. "Let's get out of this area and take a short rest." He leads the group past the clearing.
"Agreed," Verne replies to Jarix. As he follows his crewmates, he places one finger on his chin absentmindedly. "The longer we stay here, the less optimistic I'll find a cure for my affliction. At the very least, we can lend a hand to those we heard in the transmission...I wonder who they could be?"
JD nods and throws the Hobgar over his shoulder. On his custom rig screen he readies his new energy shield for the first sign of danger. He'll re holster his pistol and have his rifle at the ready again.
"Ready to move on"
"I'm worried about that as well, Verne. With any luck, we'll find some medicine or another person with some skill as a medic, like Lih. We just need you to hold out a little longer, alright?" Mallura is obviously worried about the android's condition, but is determined to fight on until they can find a cure for him and Asenath.
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"There's a doc at Madelon's Landing," a lanky human with a gap-toothed smile and short, graying hair says as he steps away from the trunk of a far tree and shimmers into existence, "and hobgar meat tastes like burning. You're not Star Empire mooks." He raises his hands half-heartedly with a smirk. "Don't shoot?"
Mallura instinctively raises her pistol and aims directly towards the man's chest, but manages to control her reflex.
She sends a quick telepathic message to her crew to inform them about the man's personal cloaking device.
"Personal cloaking, huh," she asks, "Pretty impressive tech. And you have it right that we're not Azlanti, but how do you plan to convince us that you're not?"