Not wanting to create any more noise than necessary so close to the barracks, JD will draw his newly acquired survival knife from his armour and rush to the Hobgars.
Like JD, Jarix goes at the hobgars with his knife rather than a gun.
"Gah! Rodents. Shoo!" JD curses as he lashes out at the hobgars again.
"It worked! Shoo it away Jarix, let's clean this mess up and get outta here."
Jarix doesn't try anything fancy, only tries to get the hobgar to run away.
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Jarix guts the last hobgar, leaving the annoying creature to twitch out its final moments. He and JD quickly clear the scene at the side of the Azlanti garrison after collecting the parts of Sh-Ux strewn about on the ground.
Back at the moisture collector, Mallura and Verne have successfully determined how to acquire whatever water rations would be needed by Aibretta (and others) now that the dampening effect of the water elemental has been removed. A few empty hydration containers stand nearby, ready to be filled.
After clearing away the evidence and attempting to locate Sh-Ux's old laser pistol from inside it's casing, JD tries to thank Jarix without actually saying thank you. "You didn't have to come with me, but I, uh, well... should we try to get the voice box from the Hobgar cage? , He clumsily changes the topic, ...Or get the Captain on the comms and make sure that water elemental hasn't regrouped?"
He's acting shifty, and looking about nervously for any approaching danger.
"Here it is." Either Jarix doesn't mention the comment or doesn't notice it as he shows the voice box. "Let's get back to the others."
"Great, some good news anyway"
JD activates the comm unit on his custom rig.
"Captain, Vern, what's your status? You want us to head back to you, or meet back at Aibretta's?"
Back at the moisture collector, Verne fills the water containers.
"Captain, Vern, what's your status? You want us to head back to you, or meet back at Aibretta's?"
"We're a bit worse for wear, but nothing a bit of rest and medical attention won't fix," the android replies. "We should be able to handle bringing the water over ourselves. Meet you are Aibretta's."
"Confirmed. Get yourselves back to ground. How'd Sh-Ux fare? Did he get the voice box?"
While she talks, Mal is hastily grabbing a hydration container and filling it so she has something to show Aibretta for all the hassle. Once the vessel is full, she nods Verne off toward the east, aiming to make for the woods and get back to the secret entrance into Aibretta's under tree cover.
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Madelon's Landing seems busy with all sorts of unseen noises as the crew make their individual trips back to Aibretta's domicile. Occasional rifle shots, punctuated yells, and two further explosions echo out from the west, indicating the Azlanti force active in combatting an unknown threat to the occupation. Scattered zaps of electrical energy highlight the chaotic work of the newly-freed hobgars across the colony as well. The crew return without bother to Aibretta's and re-enter the forest-side secret door lugging a few precious containers of water liberated from the moisture collector. Your expectations of a welcome greeting fall short, however, as a pale Aibretta rushes to meet you, twisting uncharacteristically nervously at a metal ring on one of her fingers.
"They’ve got him! The Azlanti, I mean. They’ve got Jellik cornered - probably captured by now. The blasted idiot snuck out for some sabotage and got caught. They've got him pinned down somewhere to the southwest of here near Madelon's residence." Aibretta gives the ring on her finger an angry twist. "The turnip-brain sent me a message using our wedding band. Please hurry and rescue the damned fool; they're likely to kill him as a warning to other would-be-rebels rather than lock him up. I'll take care of a distraction to prevent further squibs from turning up - that water should help.”
The mechanic points out to you where she estimates Jellik to be; it coordinates nicely with where the majority of the noises that you've heard have been coming from. She then swiftly empties a container into the previously-inert vehicle that rested on top of the in-ground bunker and starts up its engine.
Mallura's face falls in dismay when she hears what has happened. "Well, there's no rest for the wicked, gents," she tells her crew. "Let's saddle up and move before...eh, nevermind. Let's just move."
"We did recover the voice box, yes. We have Sh-Ux." After he stops transmitting, he adds to Jarix, "Most of him, anyway"
"Sorry, Buddy"JD utters quietly as he dumps bits of twisted metal from his pack into a bin as Aibretta approaches.
"That explains the sounds of combat we've been hearing. No wonder we were able to move around without raising any alarms. He begins checking all his weapons for readiness as he talks, and secures them away on his armour. "We owe it to him to mount a rescue. And more important, he owes me a drink still"
Ready to move out, he casts one last look at the bin of Sh-Ux bits before stepping off with the team.
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Mal looks at her crew, reading the weariness in their faces. She moves to adjust one of her holsters and realizes how wet her clothes still are after getting smacked around by the elemental. This is going to be a mess, she thinks, realizing how ill prepared the team is for another fight. But we can't stop now. Especially when Jellik's life could be on the line.
"Alright, Brilliance crew. We've got a friend in a hard spot. We're battered and bruised, ammo is limited, and we're down a gun with Sh-Ux being out of commission for the moment." Mallura gives JD a sympathetic look as she mentions the fallen drone. "And I've got more bad news. I got word during our previous scuffle with the Azlanti that Asenath succumbed to her disease, and is dead."
The captain pauses for a moment to let this dour news sink in, then picks up again. "But don't let all that make you think we're done here! If anything, I want you to think of what those Azlanti scum have caused here and take that anger with you into this fight. They invaded this colony, which has kept us from being able to get Nath the treatment she needed. They neglected the hobgar cages, which lead to Sh-Ux getting taken out. And now they're going to try to take out Jellik? I don't know about you all, but I say NO PRONKING WAY! We don't have much time here, boys. So let's shoot up any serums we need and make our way through town to go help Jellik. We're going to show Madelon's Landing that there are people here who are going to fight alongside them to retake their colony! Let's go!"
Mallura pulls out her one remaining healing serum, jams the injector into her leg and tosses it aside, then draws her pistol. She strides over to the secret exit and waits for her crew to line up.
Jarix uses his serum of healing as well before shouldering his gun.
At the news of Asenath's passing, JD removes Sh-Ux's laser pistol and stares at it, turning it over in his hands. Modified heavily to fit into the drones casing, it's trigger and handle have been removed, but could still be used by a human hand as if holding some kind of small vacuum. Despite it's modification, he remembers for a moment it's original owner.
"It's been a long time since I've lost anybody. It's been a long time since I've had anybody to lose." He looks up at the group, and tucks the laser pistol away again. "Let's not lose anyone else today."
Verne, although somewhat fatigued, nods at Mal and the rest of the crew.
"Rest later, save Jellik now. Got it."
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The crew of the Brilliance race as heedlessly as they dare across the village green to the southwest, weapons and eyes out for Azlanti forces active in the night. The sounds of shouts and movement grow louder as they make their way through the ever-present fog. A out-of-cycle streetlight casts its yellowing light on the misty scene as the group approaches, a small and huddled group of bed-clothed citizens gathered at the intersection of paths leading from dark trailer compounds.
It is easy to spot Jellik dangling from the lamppost by his manacled hands. His body hangs so his feet nearly touch the ground, his nose crushed and bleeding badly, fresh bruises rising all over his face. Two senior Aeon Guard cadets, their helmets both clipped to their belts, stand near the gurgling and coughing Jellik, one holding a taclash and knife in each hand, the other gripping his rifle and grinning at the crowd's horrific expressions A half-dozen colonists stand around watching in numb shock. Just as the crew arrives, the Azlanti cadet holding the rifle wheels at you all and calls out in accented Common: "There's the conspirators now! Like rats to a flood - you're too late for your friend!"
At this, the other cadet slashes Jellik across the stomach with his knife, opening an ugly wound that begins to darken with blood. The rifle-wielding cadet moves behind the nearest group of onlookers and aims.
Verne reacts as soon as the cadet slashes Jellick, approaching the soldiers while tapping into his mystic source to try to prevent Aibretta's ex-husband from any further damage.
He locks eyes on the cadet, and speaks the Command word: "Halt."
Mal screams as the knife-wielding guard slashes Jellik's stomach, then her expression turns cold and deadly as she shouts at the man in Azlanti.
Jarix gets closer taking cover and firing at red.
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Jarix's shot blasts past the cadet (and Jellik). In response, the cadet grins and runs towards the operative. He then whips his tactical lash ('tac-lash') around his head, whipping it out at Jarix's pistol!
The clumsy attempt drapes the taclash ineffectively around the disappointed cadet's shoulders. He shouts back at Mallura (in Common).
"Interlopers! Why must you bring pain and disappointment on these poor Nakondis colonists? It is because of you and that dangling pig that we must teach you a lesson for the glory of the Aeon Throne."
JD rushes forward with his rifle drawn, and fires at the second Azlanti Cadet.
Ignoring the cadet's propaganda, Mal fans out to the east, keeping her attention on red the entire time. As she skids to a halt, she turns and looks thoughtful for a moment. "Hey, guys maybe he's right? Maybe we should just give up and let the Azlanti oppress all of us. Whaddya think?"
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JD jets forward, ignoring the panicked citizens and zeroing in successfully on his target. Mallura's words cause the cadet standing near the gurgling Jellik to lower his taclash and cock his head in confusion.
Verne crosses the remainder of the space between him and Jellik . He tries to assess the man's current condition.
"Try to stay still."
cadet.
"I need a medkit!" he shouts to the others.
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Verne quickly determines Jellik's wound to be severe and life-threatening. Verne's mystical touch seems to slow the advance of the blood from Jellik's wound, though Jellik slumps forward in exhaustion as he does so.
The rifle-wielding cadet doesn't like Verne's actions.
His bullet pings off the lamppost from where Verne is strung; he then steps fully behind the panicked crowd, cursing unintelligibly.
Jarix moves up to the cadet and tries to stab him.
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Jarix's juke and slash fail to connect with the taclash-wielding cadet. In response, the cadet steps back, holding his knife in a combat pose at the operative. He reveals his ruse as he flicks his wrist behind him at Verne, attempting to trip the mystic!
The whip bats up against Verne's legs, but fails to ensnare him. The android awkwardly hops out of the way, acutely aware of the attempt
Mal moves over into cover beside the post, pulling out her laser pistol as she moves, and levels the weapon at red and squeezes off a shot.
JD charges around the crowd to get in behind the second Azlanti Soldier. As he runs he waves at the group and yells, "Get down, get down!"
He once he has a clear shot, he raises his rifle and fires.
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Jellik dangles limply from the lamp-post by his wrists, his feet tickling the ground. His bloody wound does not seem to be haemorrhaging further. The crowd screams with fear, shifting and ducking as JD and Mallura move and shoot at their respective targets. Both shots miss wide in the chaos.
Verne positions himself between Jellik and the attacking cadet.
"We need a medic or a medkit over here!" he calls out again, to his comrades as well as the crowd.
He strikes out with his baton.
Jarix uses the fleeing crowd to help hide him as he moves up to the cadet and tries to use his blade to dispatch his foe.
JD pushes through the fleeing crowd, making it about 15 feet forward. Once the crowd has cleared away in front of him and he has a clear shot, he raises his rifle and fires again.
Mal moves into cover again and continues firing on red, determined to take down the obstinate guard.
Desperate to help Jellik, Verne checks his pockets one more time. His fingers wrap around the vial of a healing serum.
He administers it immediately.
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Verne sinks the hypoderm into Jellik's thigh, providing some form of healing to the unconscious colonist who remains helplessly shackled to the lamp-post. The rifle-toting cadet races to the side of one of the buildings and squeezes off a shot at JD.
The shot into the churning cauldron of onlookers stokes terror levels.
Jarix is not about to let red go. He continues his assault.
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Jarix feints at the whip-wielding cadet, then swoops in low, scoring a nasty vertical slice on the inside of the cadet's thigh. Yelping with pain, the cadet steps back and lashes out at the operative, causing a local colonist to dive for cover!
The flexible metal lash cracks harmlessly up against the side of the building