6315 réponses à ce sujet

[Kel Riever]

Morgan called back, "I might be done before Frank."  He was using his own cable and a grapnel to get at the sides of the flexible material.  "In fact, I'm done with this side.  Give me two minutes for the other."  He climbed back up with the saw and headed for the opposite end of the second car.

[Kel Riever]

"What do you think they're doing?"  Jenus asked.

Iole was more technically minded than the others.  "It sounds like they want to detach the car.  That ship could lift it off with the proper equipment, I'm sure.  It's outside the box, no pun intended, but they don't have to contend with us until they're long gone.  Fighting us and taking the cargo out is time consuming.  They have to know people are on their way from the base.  Probably have to lift it with cables, or mag anchors.  I would stay away from those doors we closed, since they sound like they are severing the connections.  Possibly with explosives."

"Their an unusual bunch, that's for sure," Jenus added.  "Kind of crazy.  If I didn't have to kill them, I might like them."

Mira inquired to Iole, "If their anchoring, can you figure out where they'll attach?"

"Maybe.  You know exactly what we can do about that," Iole informed Mira.  "And it really depends on how crazy this is going to get."

"It's crazy already," Mira said, "Do what I told you.  The rest is waiting."

"Tick. Tick." Tallis murmured.

[Cknarf]

"Hook 'em up whenever you're ready, Androkan." Frank used the material removed from the coupling to create a shaped charge.  He attached it firmly to the coupling  "Charges are set on this side. I'm coming back up." 

[Terca]

"Thanks!" Eteon called to Morgan before turning Vayne. "Mounting won't be hard, it's the cutting that will take time. Now this is a bit unconventional I must admit but at the same time this could be the highlight of your Duellos trip." The Cabal was mostly joking since she was pretty sure that Vayne was in on it regardless. This would be sure to make a first impression with the people downstairs even if it doesn't work well. "Think you can handle four blue ladies and a hunk of carbon tubes wrapped in diamond?"

[Cainhurst Crow]

"I can at least try, if nothing else." He says as he hands her the flash grenade, looking to the door on the roof. "So, this one? Or the one on the side?" He asks, keeping his voice low. "It's all the same once you get into close quarters." he mutters, more to himself then anyone else.

[Terca]

the Cabal looked at the doors and shrugged. "Hard to tell what is on the other side without an analysis." She replied, rocking her head back and forth for a minute. "They're going to be expecting something from the roof though. Do you think you could punch a hole through the side?" She looked at each of the ends of the car and hemmed a bit. The best part about this silly plan is that it didn't really get in the way of anything. "But, if you go in from the top the chance of loosing some of the cargo is less."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"How about a couple of flashes three seconds apart? That'll really disorient them." Irina said. "Not as much as two concussives, but more than one flash. Trust me I've done it. Now if you want something really stirring toss an incendiary. That'll get 'em running out in a hurry unless they want to cook.... Nah, forget the last one. We didn't bring any. Besides, like I said. I might have.. you know... well, I was here a while and I knew a few of the commandos. I don't want to be like... 'Oh hey there Sparks. Hey Textbrain what up? I've got the 50 credits I owe ya.' We used to play Armali Seven in our downtime. Slam down a few ices... and sometimes one thing led to another.... You know what I mean."

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked to the gun at his waist, then to the door as h contemplated things, before looking to the cabal and giving a nod. "You can't see my face because of this mask, but I am grinning right now." He informed her as he drew his gun.

 

"This pistol can punch a hole right in the door, big enough for my hand to toss in the grenade." He said as he looked down at the door on the roof, "So just in case, it'll be better safe then sorry." He said as he pointed his shotgun pistol, motioning which door he'd take.

 

Vayne looked up at Irina and gave a grin, "Sounds like a plan. I'll throw a concuss down just to be safe." he said, getting the grenades ready in his hands. "I'm tossin in a consussive first, then two flashes. I doubt they plan for both." he said as he held the concussive grenade, getting it primed.

 

"Fire in the hole..." he said in a sing songey voice as he fired his shotgun near point blank, a large circular hole getting punched through the door, just big enough for him to shove the concussive grenade down, getting his flash grenade from Eteon as he dropped it down next, priming it and counting down after he heard the big boom.

[Kel Riever]

“Goodbye Bam Bam,” Iole said somewhat sadly as she tossed an empty rocket launcher into a corner. “We didn’t know each other long, but I had a crush on you.”

“Lucky we are actually transporting Silaris Armor,” Jenus quipped.  “Imagine if we were transporting, I don’t know, ammo?  Flammable liquids?”

“How about we’re lucky that the train is wider than the tracks?  And how about we’re lucky that the armor is stacked on pallets to the side with an aisle in the middle?”

“So stupid.  So stupid,” Tallis ridiculed.

“It really is one of the dumbest things we’ve ever done,” Jenus agreed.

“To be honest,” Iole added, “I think this is a truly awful idea.”

Mira was listening.  Suddenly there was a hole blown through the roof door.

“Barriers!”  Mira barely had time to warn.  All four of the commandoes put up their biotic barriers and then the concussion grenade went off.

The compression from the grenade in the enclosed space caused each of the commando’s barriers to buckle.  Then another grenade came through the hole.

“You guys up there are a bunch of *ssh*les!”  Jenus shouted loud enough for the group on the roof to hear.

A blinding flash went off.  Most of the asari helmets had polarizing visors, which reduced, but didn’t completely save them from the effect.

Tallis yelled, “Eyes! Eyes!”

“What are we going to do?” Iole asked, concerned about what was coming into the car from above next.

Mira had to half feel the stack of cargo next to her to get her bearings.  “Tell them we’re coming out.”

“What?!”  Jenus was exasperated.

“Just tell them!”

“We’re outgunned, and right now we’re trapped.  If they wanted to kill us already they could have.  And they might if we don’t make this last, so tell them we’ve had enough and we’re coming out.”

“You hear that you freak masochists!”  Jenus called up again to the attackers on the roof.  “Stop maiming us.  We’re done holding this car!”

Mira warned, “Now get on top of the armor pallets, in case they drop anything else in.”

[Kel Riever]

Morgan called over as he clambered back to the roof of the train, "It's all cut away. Blow the couplings and lift when you're ready."

[Terca]

Eteon shook her head when she heard the voices of the Asari below her. Somewhere, deep in the back of her mind she knew this was better than dropping the Krogan in. This probably also avoided an incident in other ways. What caught her though was that she was being called  a masochist. That puzzled her somewhat.

 

"Aren't we the sadists in this situation?" She spoke aloud to nobody in particular. I mean, they were the sadists right? Unless this was some sort of weird psycho-activated thing about... Maybe hurting the Commandos was hurting themselves? That was some deep thought but when they decided to knock out a bunch of commandos that ship had actually sailed. Right now they were the ones-

 

This is stupid. She though to herself. Really stupid. Now she was getting into a philosophical debate. Momentarily she pondered whether that was the purpose of the - For f*cks sake even if they didn't mean for it to work it is working all the damn same.

 

"Anyone know how we can tell these ladies that our Council-sanctioned Spectre needed armor but their Council-sanctioned Spectre said no so we needed to use our Council-Given powers to override the Asari Republic's hold on the contents of their train." She paused for a moment then took off her helmet and put it under her arm. "Really this is all a political gray area. This train is moving Silaris armor, the Asari said they don't move the armor. Thus taking this train which can't be their since it contains what they explicitly said they didn't have."

 

I'm nattering. Spirits condemn me to silence. She turned and looked at Morgan. "The Commando's are coming out..." She shrugged, temporarily dumbfounded. Her stupid ideas rarely worked and this time it worked and the stupid idea didn't even complete itself. "We will need to move them onto the ship before we lift. We could leave them here but..." The cabal pointed either way on the track that was suspended over the chasm. "That might pose a problem."

[Kel Riever]

Mira hissed over to Jenus, "You meant 'sadists', not 'masochists'."

Jenus hissed back, "Don't give me grammar lessons Textbrain. I know what I'm talking about!"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina grabbed Vayne and whispered. "F*ck me! I'd recognize that voice anywhere. That's Jenus, and the other is Textbrain. Jesus! Don't hurt them!"

 

"You weren't kidding, then?" Vayne asked.

 

"No, I wasn't. We used to do all sorts of crazy sh*t." Irina said and then shouted. "It's okay, Textbrain! There's s Council Spectre here giving the orders! He's a Turian, Deidrus Androkan, and his Cabal is guaranteeing your safety, as am I. Besides, I've got the 50 credits I owe you. So you, Jenus, and I heard Tallis and Iole in there can come out. We'll take you aboard the frigate."

[Terca]

Eteon nearly lost it when the damn commando said Grammer. It was whispered but had the volume of people who argue all the time. She started chuckling before throwing on her helmet and taking a few steps away. Her left arm crossed over her chest and her right elbow rested against the forearm and she held her visor while trying to stifle her laughter. Post-mission jitters. Easier to laugh it out then act like a caffeinated thresher maw diving in to chat. She shook her head and walked back to the group.

 

She took her helmet off again and coughed. "Sorry. Post-hunt jitters. It is made easier if you shoot something." A beat. "Ignore that," She looked to Irina. "well are they going to be the type of people amicable to this kind of..." She waved her hand around in a circle to point out their surroundings. "Thing."

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Don't give them a name Irrrrris." Vayne said, catching himself before he said her name, before he sighed, "Ah **** it." Vayne said as he stood over the hole.

 

"Sorry about this, ma'am's. I haven't done this sort of thing in a while, got a bit caught up in the moment." Vayne said simply, shrugging his shoulders as he holstered his shotgun pistol.

 

"We do need this though. We're going collector hunting, and we can't do that with standard grade hull armor or, well, if you've served in the terminus you've probably heard the horror stories of collector weaponry and destroyed ghost fleets." he said, looking to irina as he tilted his head, a batarian habit for asking questions and good for when wearing a helmet.

 

"You sure this ain't some trick of theirs? Come out peaceful then shoot us when our backs turned?" he asked.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina looked up at Eteon. "I sure as hell hope so, because they're a hell of a lot of fun. I miss the times we had together," Irina said, "Hey, Jenus, remember that time we went bare assed bungee jumping? I think it was about 30 meters further down the trestle than we are now. We drank about half that bottle of ice brandy and waited for the train then bailed? Damn that was a fun night. I miss those times we had together, don't you? Remember when Textbrain tried it?" Irina cracked up laughing.

 

Jenus cackled.

 

"Shut up!" Mira said, "What are you doing up there, Irina?"

 

"Aw, I was working as a guide for this group while they were investigating the Drowned Aspire, and all hell broke loose when these monstrosities started pouring out of the depths of the place. They tell me the monstrosities are part of the Collectors whatever they are. The Spectre said he had a run-in with them once on Omega and he needs the armor. That's what this is all about." Irina said.

 

"So how did you get mixed up in this?" Mira asked.

 

"Well, he said he needed experienced people for an important mission, Mira. And I was one of them." Irina said, "You know me. No one wants anyone to get hurt. I know you take your duty seriously, but please consider surrendering. This is a special case. It's to a Council Spectre. You won't be derelict in your duty."

[Redbelle]

Jess heard everything over the comm and looked back to see that the team had apparently caught survivor's of their initial assualt. Several questions popped into her head as she stood and started walking over to where the hole lay. Her curiousity over what was happening over riding her desire to sit with her thumb on the trigger of her Omni-tool.

 

For starters, she wondered which one out of all of them was Frank.

 

Next, she wondered how Irina knew these people. Having someone who knew the guards might make getting them to surrender easy in bridging the trust gap. But it potentially made tracking them all down afterwards easier if they shared a past history with one of the team. Oh well. Every plan threw up unaccounted variables to deal with. Probably why folks didn't send those simple minded LOKI mechs to carry out their business. And It wasn't like she could just make an escape in the ways she usually would, like just fade into the background of regular ship traffic after the incident. She sighed. Damn Spectre's. Made everything simple so complicated.

 

And last of all..... she wanted to lay out to the commando's what was going to happen if they behaved. And what was going to happen if they didn't.

 

Pulling up to the hole she knealt down and peered over the side. "Hey Luv's! Hell of a day right? Listen. There's good news and there's bad news. The bad news is that this is daylight robbery we're undertaking and your in our way. And there's more of us than you. And we have a ship more of us to bring to bear if you make a fuss over this".

 

She paused. "The good news? We're not amatuer's. We don't want to kill anyone. We just want the cargo. You lay down your weapons and co-operate everyone get's to walk away from this with a story to tell. The first one that breaks rank and tries to stop us from getting what we came for get's zapped or shot. Kinda depend's on the person doing the shooting which one they decide to go for..... so if you four be cool..... We'll be cool. And everyone walks away from this. But just so we're clear. We are taking the armour. We have a Spectre's authority and sanction. And we're ready to do the taking right now one way or the other. This goes down the easy way or or hard way depending on you showing some of that Asari commando disclipline I heard alot about while we work. So how is this going to go down ladies"?

[Cknarf]

"Wait, so that's it?  Everyone's just cool about it?"

You may live after all, Frank.

[Redbelle]

Jess looked up at the person who spoke. "Yup! Pretty much. Come's a point when the safest thing to do is stop resisting. If we were one of the blood thirsty pirate gangs they'd be no point in surrender and the defender's may as well fight to the death so all the mercy they'd be shown. Me? I prefer the let's all live and laugh about this afterwards approach.....Mr.....". She stopped and reached for the name of the individual before her. Finding nothing coming to mind she hesitated, then shook her head.

 

"Sorry luv.... Do I know you"?

[Terca]

"Well... It isn't like we planned to fight them in the first place." Eteon said in reply to Frank. "This fortunately makes things a bit clearer..." She looked at those surrounding them before glancing up at the sky and the sun. "We need to get out of here soon."

[Cknarf]

Frank nodded. "Yeah, we should probably get going, huh?  I'd rather not have my skin ripped off by...  whatever we're calling them."
----------------------------------

"Sorry luv.... Do I know you?"

"Frank." He had matched everyone else's face to a name, so it left one possibility.  "You must be Jess."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Textbrain, how long do you have to think about this? It's a bloody Spectre for the sake of the goddess," Irina said, and then she turned to Eteon and spoke quietly so that the commandos couldn't hear, "You'd better tell your bloody Captain to get his arse down here or find some way of him communicating directly. I think Mira is thinking 'well, I haven't heard any Spectre say anything, yet' if you know what I mean. Otherwise we're going to have our hands full.

 

"They need a Spectre ID code, and it has to come from him, but I didn't tell you that."

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Well that's just great." Vayne said as he eyed the opening, looking to Irina and Eteon, "You sure I can't just drop another concussive down there?" he asked half jokingly, wondering if it might save them some time.

[Kel Riever]

“Irina?  Irina?!”  Tallis tilted her head up.

“Stay on top of that pallet,” Mira warned as she activated her omni-tool silently.  She used hand gestures to indicate Iole should do the same. “Irina, if that’s you, I’m okay for not getting the 50 credits today.”

“Hey, that fire-headed psycho is my kind of people,” Jenus made point to mention.  “At least she’ll understand us.”

“Of course.  They’re all affectionate now,” Iole sarcastically rebutted. “When we give them what they want.  Do you still see rainbows at the edges of your vision?  Because I do.  It goes great with the ringing in my ear.”  She hesitated, then added, “I really wanted to shoot those armor tearing rockets from Bam Bam.”

How many rockets? Mira typed to Iole on her omni-tool.

All four, Iole typed back.

Mira called up. “You realize that we have orders from a Spectre, yes?  And it isn’t our job to sort out the decisions.  Nevertheless, we’re coming out.  Are we over the chasm?”

Deidrus Androkan peeked over the side.  “You certainly are, and it’s a sheer drop.  I’m reading fifteen hundred twenty four meters.”  He was sure to emphasize every number by hardening his consonants.

At least we won’t die blowing ourselves up, Iole typed again. Maybe.

“That’s got to be a krogan’s voice up there,” Jenus determined. “He seems nice.”  A bit louder, and towards the roof, “We can’t keep the armor for ourselves, we got that.  Nobody’s coming out to shoot.  And that’s saying a lot because you started this.”

“No shooting.  No shooting.”  Tallis made sure all her gear was locked in place, including having her weapons holstered.

“Nice guilt trip,” Iole mocked Jenus.

“Thanks!”  Jenus spoke towards the roof once more, “Hey, Irina, I can tell you we didn’t drop any fifteen hundred meters.  That was closer to base.  Don’t worry, I’m not blaming your memory.  You were totally s**tfaced.”  She said more quietly to Mira, “You did bug out on that jump.  Do you think Irina brought ‘bungee’ cords?”

“I sincerely hope not.  Not long ones at least.”  Mira then texted Iole, Are you ready?

“The last one who spoke,” Jenus went on, “I’m not sure I like her.  She sounds like she prefers it the hard way.  Actually, now that I think of it.  Maybe I do like her, too.”

Good to go, Iole texted Mira.

“We don’t have all day,” Deidrus sternly said to the commandos.  “I’m working in a window which is closing, so like your friend Irina suggested, it is time to surrender.”

Jenus contemplated, “They’re asking us to surrender.  Nobody really would respect us for surrendering without doing anything, nice as they are.  I mean, I wouldn’t.”

“Neither would I,” Iole agreed. “But we are not going to shoot.  Not unless they start shooting again.”

“Is everybody all set?”  Mira checked.

“All set.  All set,” Tallis confirmed.  Iole and Jenus nodded.

“Okay,” Mira informed the train robbers, “We are coming out!  That’s how it will go down!”

“See, Mira?” Iole smiled.  “You do have a sense of humor!”

“Cover up,” Mira warned.  The commandos lay face down on the pallets and put their hands over their heads.

[Kel Riever]

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

The train shuddered four times in rapid succession, buckling under the feet of those on the roof.  Fire erupted from the bottom of the train, in four cone-like ignitions, out into the chasm below with two explosions on each side of the undercarriage.  While the structure of the car did not collapse, the rocking caused Frank Eli to pitch off one side, and Morgan and Dahlia to pitch off the other.  Deidrus used his Armiger suit rockets to lift and land on the roof, steadying himself.  Vayne’s shuttle pilot pulled the craft away from the train, and up, fearing a collision, although as he evaded he realized his fears were unfounded.

The second train car remained intact and in place, but those who could see over the edge watched as the deck was blasted out below, followed by Silaris armor pallets descending into the chasm, followed by four falling asari commandos.”

One commando distinctly could be heard shouting out in glee.

~ ~ ~ ~

Morgan went over the side with Dahlia.  She was within reach, so he grabbed her arm with his as they fell.  His other hand went to the grapnel gun he had brought along from the Audron.  Morgan fired the grapnel hook up into the side of the last train.  Fortunately the hook was strong enough to sink into the train car’s side and hold firmly enough to stop the fall. 

As Morgan hung there, clasping Dahlia over the chasm, he looked down at the Silaris armor plunging to the ground.  “What a mess.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Mira was plummeting with Jenus, Tallis and Iole, all within earshot of each other.

“Is anyone hurt?”

“Singed but fine. We never agred to surrender, right?”

“Warm and fuzzy.  And no, we agreed to come out with no shooting.”

“Okay here. Okay here.  Hehehehe!" 

Iole descended with her back to the ground, with a good look back up at the train.  “So it was Bam Bam Bam Bam!  If I couldn’t have placed those rockets as charges under the pallets so we were protected…and if they weren’t directional explosions to blow the floor out…Oh, who am I kidding?  It’s a stroke of luck we’re not dead!…Let me see…I think a few of the bad guys fell off.  Two look like they’ve got it under control.  One’s going to need help.”

“I swear,” Jenus commented, “Can’t they take care of themselves?”

“We’ll catch him,” Mira said. “They didn’t kill us.  We aren’t killing them.”

“Look at that armor go,” Jenus laughed, then cheered again. “It’ll take forever to pick up the plates once those pallets hit and the armor goes flying everywhere.”

“Everybody ready with their grav chute?” Mira asked.  The other commandos verbally confirmed.

“I’ve got a good view of the human who thinks he’s a bird,” Iole attested.  “He’s mine.”  She activated her grav chute first, seeming to launch upward as she braked her rapid descent.

Frank Eli was careening to what would be his certain death when one of the commandos falling underneath him suddenly came up and at him, with thrusters firing from a pack on her back.  She hit him hard enough to knock the wind out of him, but held onto him tightly.  Frank’s dive became a controlled glide. 

The asari, with golden eyes and a constellation of tiny gold flecks as facial markings, said to him, “I admit, I don’t usually pick up men.”