After your brief rest, you turn your attention to the door into the control room. Mari carefully inspects it and concludes that it isn't trapped or otherwise secured. You group up and get ready to breach.
Flint activates the door and it slides open smoothly to reveal a short hallway opening into a larger room. You see directly ahead another large lensed device mounted onto the wall. Where the previous one had been placed in a way that gave you a chance to spot it before it could activate, you only have a fraction of a second this time before an electromagnetic pulse emanates from it in a straight line.
All three people in its line of fire duck one after another, managing to protect themselves and (perhaps more importantly) their equipment. As you all straighten, you're easily able to send a shot into the device to prevent it from sending another pulse. You step into the room beyond.
This massive chamber is illuminated with red light. Maps, photographs, and scraps of local publications wallpaper the perimeter of this massive chamber, broken up by a massive bank of view screens mounted on the east wall and a heavy curtain showing the Brass Dragons symbol hung on the west wall. An island of computer stations and desks separates the room into a clear operational space. The computer screens prominently show an audio control program running through an eclectic playlist. Otherwise the room appears to have nothing moving around.
Marisol (9 temp HP)
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Flint (19 HPdmg)
Bel (7 dmg, 8 HPdmg)
"About what I expected. Whoever's in charge seems to have left already. They probably left us some kinetic parting gifts, though, so stay alert."
Mari makes her way to the center of the computer island, turning slowly to take it all in. After basking in the glow of their screens for a few seconds, she gets to work.
First order of business, turning off that godawful racket. Then we see what juicy tech we can find in here.
Flint moves in and looks around for other threats as well.
Mari and Bel rush in towards the computer consoles, setting their hands on the keyboards. Just as they arrive, Flint notices that off the the northeast there's a small alcove filled with a bed. A mound of bedding sits there, grey and red synthetic textiles bundled into an odd shape. It takes a moment, but Flint notices the glint of a camera lens in a fold of that oddly human-sized bundle. Ordyt on the other side hears a slight rustle to the south-western side of the room, as if some fabric is moving. Ordyt also notices a large greasy section of the floor to the north-east.
---
Both fall prone as they slip on the grease.
|||| INIT - Surprise ||||
Ordyt
???
Flint
"Look alive, we've got two contacts! Someone in the side room, Flint do you have eyes?" Ordyt levels his grenade launcher at ifrit woman in the corner.
"You don't have to die today, soldier. Surrender and we'll treat you fairly."
A blast of icy cold air emanates from the canister, delivering minor chills to both of you while also coating you with a layer of frost that slows Bel's movements.
|||| Remaining surprise round action ||||
Flint (19 HPdmg)
|||| INIT ||||
??? Ifrit spellcaster
Ordyt (3 HPdmg) (readied grenade)
Bel (9 dmg, 8 HPdmg) (prone, staggered 1 rd)
??? Grenade thrower behind the curtain
Sammad (2 HPdmg)
Marisol (8 temp HP)
Flint (19 HPdmg)
Flint replies, "I'm on it, Ordyt!" and moves quickly through the curtain (in whichever square he did not see the arm extend, so he hopefully has a place to stand with a clear view of the attacker). The sun starting to blaze in his eyes, he says, "Poor choice," and swings his solar dueling sword at the heavily armored attacker.
Sammad watches the situation erupt into chaos, and looks back to the room where they left the mercenary tied up.
"I'll have your head, you little lying bastard!"
To the north-east, the spellcaster attempts to cast another spell, but the explosion of screaming noise injures and distracts her, causing her to lose her concentration.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg) (readied grenade)
Bel (9 dmg, 8 HPdmg) (prone, staggered 1 rd)
Commander Jalusann
Sammad (2 HPdmg)
Marisol (8 temp HP)
Flint (19 HPdmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
Dropping the grenade launcher and moving wide around the grease pool, Ordyt draws his hammer and vaults the control panel, bearing down on the ifrit officer with menacing intent.
The Brass Dragons Commander takes the rifle in both hands as she steps back and away from Flint. With a warm, low drawl, she says "Honey, I don't think you quite understand the position you're in." She clicks the trigger on her rifle and a jet of superheated plasma blasts through Flint, Bel and Mari. "You wore through my patience a long time ago."
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Bel (32 dmg)
Commander Jalusann
Sammad (2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg) (prone)
Flint (15 dmg, 19 HPdmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
Mari, her head rattled by the sudden onslaught of heat, cold, and electricity (to say nothing of the indignity of being knocked flat on her ass), can barely get her rifle pointed in the right direction.
She tries to shake the ringing from her ears and refocus on whoever was currently beating the crap out of them. I don't know what's going on, but I'm gonna kick somebody's ass!
Cringing from the plasma washing over him, Flint nonetheless steps up and engages with the boss, his eyes glowing brighter with the light of the sun. Over the comms, he says, "A little help here, Sammad? I'm trying to box her in."
Gritting his teeth, Flint swings again, looking for a chink in her defenses!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sammad hears Flint's call and moves into the room, standing at the entrance to the side room with Flint and the Commander. He holds his pistol at the ready.
"I am with you, Captain. Gather your strength, and we will take this one together."
An acid dart from Marisol connects with the western wall, while Flint climbs on top of a bed. The Commander kicks him in the leg as he slashes with his solar blade, sending the attack up into the light fixture on the ceiling.
To the north-east, the ifrit spellcaster fumbles a bulky metal grip and thick braided copper cable out of her utility belt. When she flicks a switch plasma wreathes the length of the flexible cable, turning the strange weapon into a sort of plasmatic whip. She holds the whip in a defensive posture.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Bel (32 dmg)
Commander Jalusann
Sammad (2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg) (prone)
Flint (4 dmg, 19 HPdmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
"Miss, we will accept your surrender if you offer it. It doesn't have to be the end for you." Ordyt punctuates the word end with a sharp strike with the hammer, though his heart isn't into it. "Please don't make me kill you."
The Commander ducks deeper into the room, moving with impressive swiftness despite her armor. She levels her rifle into Flint's face and fires. Plasma envelops everyone other than Marisol, whose prone position saves her from the stream. While the jet of plasma is still in motion, she ducks back out of the small sleeping quarters and into the room proper.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg) (prone)
Flint (12 dmg, 19 HPdmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
Flint takes a quick swipe with his solar dueling blade as the enemy commander bathes his team in plasma once more.
His eyes blazing with solar energy bright enough to balance the flaming plasma of her rifle, Flint follows her and strikes again, trying to damage this heavily-armored opponent before she can destroy them all!
Gritting his teeth against the plasma washing over him, Sammad snaps his hail pistol up and takes a shot against the Commander!
Mari attempts a shot at the Commander.
----
The spellcaster on the other hand maintains her defensive posture, globby claw and plasma whip at the ready.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (27 dmg)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg) (prone)
Flint (18 dmg, 19 HPdmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
"So be it. Blessed Everlight, forgive me for this violence I am about to commit."
On the other side of the room, the Commander grunts as Bel's spinning axe strikes her in the leg. She whispers something into her comms then moves the rifle to one hand and draws a short cylinder from her waist. She flicks the switch to produce a bright yellow plasma blade, which she immediately whips around to slash at Flint. The beam cuts through his armor, searing flesh. Seeing Flint on his last legs, she twirls the saber behind her, beckoning him forward to try to hit her.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (38 dmg)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg) (prone)
Flint (51 dmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
Mari fires again, sending another acid dart to impact uselessly in the wall behind the Commander's head. Cursing, she climbs to her feet and tries to steady herself for a follow-up shot.
Sammad snarls as he watches Flint take a deep wound, and then seeing the Commander shrug off even what few hits manage to catch her.
He looks between Mari and Flint, then calls out over comms, "Take her down before she does more damage!"
Gasping from the almost casual way the commander injured him, Flint clicks over the comms to Sammad, "Give me space for the Nova and have a serum ready...this could get even uglier."
His solar power overflowing, Flint becomes fully attuned and blasts out his Supernova as soon as Sammad steps back. After his ultimate attack, the wounded captain steps carefully to the west and pulls out his last serum with his left hand just in case.
, DC 15 Reflex for half.
-
The spellcaster decides to finally attempt to make a break for it. She puts her guard up and steps out across the grease, moving carefully enough not to slip.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (3 HPdmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (44 dmg)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg) (prone)
Flint (51 dmg)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (9 dmg)
As the ifrit steps onto the grease and wobbles Ordyt seizes the opportunity to slam his hammer into her torso, sending her sliding the rest of the way across. Cursing at the (in hindsight) obvious outcome and not trusting himself to follow, the oread instead advances on the commander.
"Mari, Bel, take her out!" he shouts, gesturing at the spellcaster. "Your Brass Dragons are dead and scattered, 'Commander'. You've lost."
Bel takes aim at the now exposed spellcaster with her throwing axe and tosses!
but finds her weapon bouncing into the grease patch before she can recall it to her hand.
-
The Commander gives him only the slightest glance before slashing in at Flint. Unfortunately even the cover from the wall between them is not enough to protect the valiant solarian. The plasma saber cuts deep into Flint's chest and he falls. The Commander continues her swing around and slices Ordyt across the legs. She scoffs at his statement "What's here is only a tiny fraction of the Brass Dragons. This will be a setback, but one I'll recover from." Even after striking twice, she takes a guarded step up to get Ordyt between herself and Marisol.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (13 dmg, 3 HPdmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (44 dmg)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg)
Flint (0|0|0, prone, dying)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (17 dmg)
With the med serum in his left hand, Flint tries to inject it into his thigh before he loses focus and the world fades to black, but he is too slow...
"For the Everlight! For Kerschiu, and for Flint!" Ordyt raises his hammer high before bringing it crashing down on the mercenary officer's collarbone.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Mari looks between Ordyt and Flint, hesitates, then runs to the fallen Captain's side.
"You're not done yet," she whispers.
Watching as Marisol makes her way to Flint and begins to administer first aid, Sammad turns back to Ordyt and the Commander.
At her boast, he smirks in return as he raises his pistol and Ordyt moves to attack her. "I wouldn't be so certain about that..."
The spellcaster rushes westward for cover against the various foes gunning for her. She stops right behind the Commander, then reaches over and inscribes a sigil upon the hilt of the Commander's plasma saber. The weapon blazes far brighter!
Ordyt's swing connects, bludgeoning the Commander further. A burst of electricity from her armor runs up the haft of his weapon in response .
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (18 dmg, 3 HPdmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (58 dmg, supercharged)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg)
Flint (0|0|0, prone, stable)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (17 dmg)
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (48 dmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (58 dmg)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (2 dmg)
Flint (0|0|0, prone, stable)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (17 dmg)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Eyes blazing, Mari strides forward, dropping the dart rifle and pulling her autotarget rifle into her hands. Instead of hanging back and taking another potshot, though, she reaches out with a hand coursing with electricity and tries to grab the Commander's plasma sword.
Flint's breathing evens out as his wounds are quickly patched. He struggles to wake, but his resolve is spent, with the med serum injection rolling gently out of his limp grip--victory or defeat is up to his crew now, may the Burning Mother bless them.
Seeing Ordyt take a brutal hit from the Commander, Sammad calls out, "Ordyt, fall back! And stay with us, or you'll never get that view I promised you."
-
-
The ifrit spellcaster looks to be on the verge of outright panic. "Ack! Keep away!" She waves her whip and conjures a wave of flame to wash over Mari and Ordyt!
Marisol manages to shield herself from much of the flame, but Ordyt is caught off guard.
|||| INIT ||||
Ordyt (45 dmg)
Bel (40 dmg)
Commander Jalusann (58 dmg, saber overloaded 1 rd)
Sammad (3 dmg, 2 HPdmg)
Marisol (6 dmg)
Flint (0|0|0, prone, stable)
??? Ifrit spellcaster (17 dmg)