The alpha strike isn't quite enough to be called "devastating", however "efficient" is certainly a word suitable for the results.
The two front runners walk into a storm of lead, and while Cheddy isn't using lethal rounds, it's unlikely to have made any real difference in the end.
Riddled with bullets, the two that had already made it into the warehouse fall in a shower of blood.
Only one attack is less than accurate, Luna's second gun, and it only misses because the victim is no longer alive (or standing) when it comes.
While possibly demoralized, the wharf rats does not seem ready to break anytime soon and comes on.
Luna pouts at her shot missing. That's not supposed to happen. Still she has no time to feel bad about it and so she takes aim once more and fires. Time to bring more of them down before they manage to fire back.
Cheddy does his best to keep his reticle on target and sends another burst downrange from his nest.
Suddenly a transparent-red AR object is overlaid over the door and surrounding with skull marks at the corners.
A single heartbeat later, the stakkato sound of a (somewhat silenced) automatic rifle on full auto echoes from halfway between floor and ceiling as Sauron opens up, sending a stream of spent casings flying far and wide.
(3)
Right into the long stakkato, two more bursts of shots go nearly undetected.
Gig Mom and Webber will prioritize targets which drop prone - easier to hit them that way!
Great tacticians these people are not, and while it might not be quite as effective as the alpha strike, it's efficient enough.
The first guy goes down, two rounds from Luna's pistol in his chest, negating the fact that the second pistol misses.
Cheddy, has less luck, and his opponent manages to avoid being hit entirely.
Then Gig and his little army gets in on the action.
In a staccato of gunfire, the other three go down, and they do not appear to be getting up again.
The warehouse as well as the warehouse doors are clear of enemies, but there are more outside.
In fact, what follows is an eerie silence, broken only by a strange high pitched whine that seems to emanate from... the empty space between the two doors?
Cheddy peers into the astral to try to find out what's going on.
As Cheddy peers at the area, he notices a surge of mana as something breaks through.
Yup, it's a spirit being summoned alright.
It'll appear any second now.
A new sound comes floating over your headsets. Something you've never heard before. A worried Cheddy. Uhh, guys. somebody out there is summoning a spirit!
And the spirit appears.
Most of you haven't much experience with spirits, mojo slingers are less than one in a thousand, and the majority are snapped up by the AAA's quickly.
So this could very well be the first time you've seen one.
The spirit is almost see through, with wispy trails of smoke rising from it.
It's hideous, looking like a rat the size of a large dog, but with patches of "fur" missing, festering soars, and buboes leaking some kind of ghostly "fluids" that disappears the moment it hits the floor.
It opens it's maws and gives voice to a wet gurgling hiss.
"What in the..."
Luna has no idea what that is or how it works but if that thing can be summoned in here with the summoner savely outside then this can only end one way - badly.
"You guys fill that with lead. I'm going out."
She breaks from cover and sprints towards the emergency exit
<< Friend of yours, weasel?
Cheddy, can't you deal with it with your voodoo nonsense? >>
Multiple targeting icons appear all over the things, as if searching for a weak point.
In the end they just converge center mass and a series of bursts hi the thing from different angles.
(3)
(6 again!)
(4)
Cheddy fires another burst, but the gun is starting to get away from him.
The spirit rat takes the full brunt of your guns, without attempting to do any evasive action at all.
And, to your horror, seemingly ignore it altogether. Certainly there are no wounds on it, and it doesn't appear to be in any pain.
In fact, Cheedy, being the only one with eyes on it at the moment feel that it even appears to grin malevolently.
And then it springs, high and far, landing with a thump on the eagle's nest.
The fact that the eagle's nest rocks a bit proves that it does HAVE a physical presence.
Cheddy immediately attempts to fall back. This thing was suddenly waaaay closer than it had any right to be!
Luna has arrived at the secret door and, having seen it earlier, takes only a few moments to get it open and continue outside
Seeing the lack of effect the salvo had on the creature, it is clear to Gig that they had to change tactics.
Only fools try the same things over and over again and expect a different result...
First he sends a command to Webber, instructing it to continue to pepper the ... thing.
Maybe it can at least distract it from killing Cheddy.
Then he instructs Big Mom to keep an overwatch on the door in case more try to press in.
Then he leaves the massive bulk of the van and virtually merges into the much smaller and nimbler bird-drone.
He enjoys the freedom this offers him as every single time before.
Being able to fly - what a feeling.
With a well controlled dive, Saurig rushes towards the open door and out through it at high speed.
(6)
(5)
Another burst of lead slams into the critter, or so it seems, considering the fact that once again, it looks completely unharmed.
Of course, even if it took damage, how could you tell? What with the sores and buboes covering it completely.
The critter grins maliciously at Cheddy, makes a sound in the back of it's throat like a wet hacking cough, and then vomits forth stream of something that certainly looks very nasty.
Cheddy manages to sidestep the disgusting vomit by a literal hair's breadth with some of it splashing on his armored clothing. He turns his entire focus onto the spirit, trying his best to not die right now.
The rat chatters maliciously, clearly amused by Cheddy's by-the-skin-of-his-teeth escape.
There is some commotion outside as more wharf rats begins to rush at the doors.
As Gig flies through the doors, he can observe another eight of them on their way, and more approaching from the shadows.
[spoiler Perception TN 3+ Gig only] And there is one of them, hanging back, holding what looks like a crude doll, and muttering under his breath[/spoiler]
Hiding behind Big mom, Weasel looks out and gulps, then he takes a deep breath and raises a gun, but instead of shooting, he hurls it towards the eagles nest.
"Try my gun Cheddy, I...I think it might work!"
Everyone gets a new vid stream.
This one is quite a bit shaky but first show a huge number of hostile pressing forward and then a weird looking fellow with something like a doll in his hands.
<< Multiple targets inbound.
Weyrd-Target located.
Engaging: now. >>
Following the short message, the stream suddenly lits up from muzzle flashes of a quick burst of gunfire.
<< Dodge tis, filthy casual!! >>
Inside the warehouse, more suppressive fire is flung against the main approach by Big Mom while Webber continues to pepper the spirit with the stubborness of a machine.
(3)
(3)
The door secret backdoor flies open and Luna, after taking a quick peak to confirm no guns are pointing into her face, sprints outside towards the corner of the warehouse.
Luna rushes outside and around the warehouse, coming to a halt at the lefthand corner, back pressed against the wall as she peeks forward.
Just in time to see one of the wharf rats being gunned down by one of Gig's drones.
Something strange happens though, the bullets cuts him down, but his body simply fades away, and suddenly an exact copy of him appears about two meters to the right, looking both very surprised and scared.
Meanwhile, inside the warehouse, the rat spirit once more titters and begins to cough.
Then again it sprays forth a ray of corrosion.
- 3
Cheddy is ready for this one! He dodges to the left and snatches up the Weasel's gun. He fires a quick shot just to see if it actually has an effect.
The space is tiny, but Cheddy is a very nimble (or lucky) individual and once more manages to swerve out of the way of the disgusting fluids coming from the gaping maw of the rat.
If a spirit is without physical presence, can the liquid really have physical substance?
The thought nearly distracts him enough that is nearly misses the shot.
Had the rat made an attempt to dodge, it likely WOULD have missed, but perhaps it's confident it cannot be hurt?
If so, it is wrong.
It's not enough to bring it down, but it clearly hurts.
The rat shrieks in pain and rage.
Cheddy flinches at the scream, but ends up smiling. The Weasel really came though!
Luna is still panting takes aim with a single Ares V and tries to finish off the mojo rat
It's not a good day to be a mojo slinger it seems.
First his image is destroyed, and then as he shunts back into visibility, he is shot in the chest.
It's not quite enough to drop him, but he clearly is on his last leg.
A well thrown stone could probably take him out now.
Assuming he doesn't have any more mojo magic to use.
Well, it is time to get out of there. Except the target is not dead yet.
Luna doesn't take the time to aim properly and instead lets her muscle memory correct the recoil from the last shot and does a slight correction to account for the rats movement - and fires
She lingers for a split second more to see if the mojo rat actually goes down this time or if it reappears once more - before sinking back behind the warehouses corner in order to avoid retribution fire.
The bullets spat out by Luna's pistol are accurate indeed, and while the mojo slinger tries hard to dodge, even forgoing everything else, it's just not enough.
He just cannot get his wounded body to move fast enough to dodge.
Two bullets hit him int he chest and he goes down.
Inside the warehouse, the rat suddenly stops, looking confused.
Seing the mojo go down (twice), Saurig sweers up and around in an Immelmann turn and attacks the would-be attackers from the rear while the drone's speakers playback the sound of StuKa's diving onto an enemy - and a mecha-manical laughter.
The drones continue shooting, Big Mom at the incoming ones, Webber at the spirit. None has gotten any other command...
Sometimes, you just have to realize when you're holding nothing better than a pair of deuces, and your opponent really seems to have a hand full of aces, more than he is allowed even.
The wharf rats, having lost more than half a dozen of their number, including what was likely their ace in the hole, wisely decides that they've had more than enough and turns tail.
Inside the warehouse, the rat remains, but it looks confused and unsure.
Cheddy takes advantage of the confusion and shoots it again!
The second shot from Cheddy seems to hurt the creature enough that it begins to dissipate.
Before it is completely gone however, it turns it's face to Cheddy and glares at him with nothing short of supernatural menace and malicious intent.
No words are spoken, but there is a promise there, a clear declaration of intent, and the intent is revenge.
As soon as the rat is gone and the shooting dies down, Weasel pokes his head out from behind big mom.
"We're all alive? Wow...
Not to be a dreckhead though...but we better get the slot out of here pronto.
This much shooting, sooner or later we'll get Lone star here, patrol or no patrol."
Cheddy makes his way down after retrieving his spare clips and hands the gun back to Weasel. That thing actually worked. Thanks. Let's get out of here before we can't anymore.
Weasel gives Cheddy a weak grin.
"Got it from someone I did a favour for, was low on cash so I got it in trade.
I think it's not the gun though, but the ammo.
Said the bullets were cast from..."orichalium" I think it was called.
I...I guess I wasn't short changed after all."
<< That went rather well.
Could have done without that friggin Mojo-nonsense though.
You load up, I'll check the area for incoming patrols or bandits and plan our way out of here... >>
And with that, Saurig quickly rises higher up into the night sky and starts scanning the streets for the tell-tale flash-lights of lone star patrols or other kind of speeding traffic coming their way.
He is also scanning the common Matrix channels for any signs of appraoching Lone Star.
(7 hits, limit is 8 I think, so all are net hits)
(7 hits as well)
Luna waits and observes a few more moments, making sure the rats actually get the frag out of here instead of just regrouping. She then sneaks back inside - no need to be seen by whoevers attention they might have grabbed with that scuffle
She also closes and secures the backdoor again on her way back in. She also holsters her babies once she's safely back inside.
"Alright, now that the fun part is over we're back at the problem with this huge lighting post right? Do we have a date with Smugley McSmugglesAlot yet?"
Date or not we need to get out of here. We just made lots of noise.
Luna shrugs "That was kinda my point, just asking if we already have a proper destination or if this is just going to be a joyride"
She immediatly starts loading the rest of the boxes into Gigs Van however they will fit in there.
I say we ask Gig where he likes to park that's nice and mojo-shielded. The shorter time we spend with this thing in the open the better. Gig?
Weasel raises a finger and begins, "I..." before suddenly pausing and checking his comlink.
"Oh, we're on a roll now.
I got a meeting with the smuggler, in two hours.
And this will be good, we're invited to the Wasteland club. This'll make it a lot easier for you to get in there later if you want to hire an extra runner for a gig.
And that's the sort of club suits stay away from, it's for runners only, the sort of people you don't want to mess around with."
Make that twice in the past minute you've impressed me, Weasel. Ok everyone. Game faces on. We're going to be watched so lets look like we're not totally green.
"It'd take us about one hour from here to get to the Wasteland, they'd probably not like us to sit in the parking lot for one hour though, looks suspicious.
And they'd not let us in until she is there either...
There is a coffee shop close by though, we could...grab a cup of soykaf and a doughnut maybe?"
At Cheddy's question, you get a bad metallic feedback sound back, as if a piece of metal fell into grinding gears.
<< Yaah, I don't think so, Cheddy.
You're our friggin' Spellslinger, I know jack nothing of that mojo b+#*$*!~.
It doesn't make any sense anyway.
Got one back in my time in basic training - nothing that lunatic told us made any sense whatsoever...
How's it going with the crates?
I'll call back the bugs so we are ready for take off as soon as the last crate is loaded.
Street looks fine for now.
If a Lone Start is even so much as looking our way, Sauron will know...>>
On Weasel's suggestion you all just get a (virtual) thumbs-up indicator as a way of reply.
It doesn't take you too long to retrieve the crates you had stashed away and load them up.
As you exit the docks and head back towards the more familiar stretch of downtown, you get a glimpse of Lone Star vehicles heading towards the area you just exited on one of gig's various screens.
Seems you got out of there just in time, the docks are hot now.
Within just a short while, you arrive at the indicated coffee shop, the banners above promising the best soykaf in town AND the option to even get real Turkish coffee, though the prices for that are nearly ten times that of soykaf.
The doughnut menu looks pretty extensive as well.
Weasel is the first to leave the vehicle, clearly happy to be able to stretch his lanky frame again.
"So...do we all head on in, or do we order out?"
"I say we go in. Sitting around in a parked vehicle or driving around in circles is more likely to get someones attention than just going in and relaxing a little. Also if Gigs' tin army doesn't spot anyone who gets a little too interested in the car then they probably deserve a little extra for their work."
Agreed. Let's go. Maybe I can get a good feels for the place before we have to make a potentially major deal.
The inside looks fairly comfortable, upholstered seats made of what you assume is faux wood and red fabric, polished tables, and hey, clean utensils.
Business is probably fairly slow right now, a shop that could easily seat forty people or so has only five other customers at the moment.
Then again, it's fairly late now, so most "decent" folks would be at home or in bed.
A young human girl stands behind the counter, wearing what you suppose is an "ethnic" uniform and give you a tired but still fairly sweet smile as you enter.
Clearly, the shop isn't unaccustomed to a little rougher crowd from time to time.
"Call me when you are ready to order, but don't be too long eh?"
Cheddy nods and proceeds to order a cup of basic coffee and finds a corner with a view of the Wasteland.