[Taocow PBEM] Chapter IX - In The Ruins Of Old Chicago

[Aaron Clausen]

> [Alex]
> The ex-Coalition Ranger helps the others to their feet. It is better to
> die on your feet than your knees in her opinion even though she is
> not a particularly brave type. She looks out the window to see if
> there is any way to escape.
> [/Alex]

[GM]
The craft has landed on its side halfway through Frost's snowdrift.
The company can either go south, east or west down one of the streets.
 The building in front of them seems relatively intact, and there are
a number of side doors.  There's also the possibility of manholes on
the street for an underground escape.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Suddenly, Alex comes up with an idea. She does not think that it it
> likely to work but a fools chance is better than no chance. She
> turns her radio to the coalition frequency and calls, "Sergeant
> Stryker, Special Forces Number 4325, under attack at coordinates
> 5674 by 1258 there is some kind of rift open and demons are
> pouring out." She will then just break transmission.
> [/Alex]

[GM]
A stern-sounding woman's voice chirps up.  "We read you, Sergeant
Striker.  What's your compliment?  We've got some D-Bees on the run
and if you can hold them bastards for a little longer, I'll have
reinforcements there.  Just what's coming out of there?"  Her voice
becomes friendlier.  "What a day, eh?  We'll get medals for this one.
Nothing like coating your boots in the blood of inhuman
sonsofbitches!"
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> Ted moved through the cabin, checking injuries and offering
> assistance as needed. When he realizes the horse is gone, he
> says to Osiris, "I can catch your horse if you want me to."
> [/Ted]

[Osiris]
Osiris, looking a little worse for wear, shakes his head.  "Let the
beast go.  If we split up now, we're finished."
[/Osiris]

> [Bongo]
> "Heh, hope they buy that one more than they bought my bluff..."
> Bongo grunts as he extracts himself as quickly as possible from
> the vehicle's cockpit and makes for his motorcycle.  "Either way,
> it's time to bug out  pronto.  They want to make sure this crash was
> fatal."
>
> He also checks to see if everyone else's bikes are still operational
> after  the crash.
> [/Bongo]

[GM]
The bikes are scraped up, but still appear functional.
[/GM]

[Osiris]
"They say caution is the better part of valour." Osiris moans.  "I
agree with Bongo.  We'd better find a good hiding place, and fast."
[/Osiris]

> [Lady Frost]
> As Bongo checks out the bikes, Frost moves about seeking any
> sort of explosives that might be inside the craft.  "We got anything
> that goes 'Boom', real well lying about?  Rigging one to take out this
> craft might make them think we were killed in the crash without
> them bothering to land and check it out."
> [/Lady Frost]

[GM]
The vehicle was pretty well raided when the company had left it in New Chicago.
[/GM]

> [Talas]
> When Talas relies that everyone is OK and out of the vehicle, he
> speaks to the group "My friends it appears that Mr. Kyle has
> sacrificed himself to save us from the Demon who attacked us near
> the end." Talas then looks to wear Kyle and the demon collided and
> recites a short Elvin prayer.
> [/Talas]

[Osiris]
Osiris bows his head and Talas makes his prayer, and then gives a
brief one of his own to remember the friend and compatriot who gave
everything to save them from doom.
[/Osiris]

> [Talas]
> Talas then turns back to the group and with a definite tone of anger
> in his voice asks "Now can any one tell me who these skull
> obsessed men are? And why are they so intent on killing people
> they have never met?...  And in the name of all that is holy please
> do not tell me that they are this Coalition that we are to save!
> Because I have always gone out of my way to NOT take a
> non-demonic life. But I swear I am on the verge of making an
> exception for these men!"
> [/Talas]

> [Bongo]
> "It's a long story," Bongo mutters, "but for now let's just say that
> they DON'T make exceptions.  Now let's move!"
> [/Bongo]

> [Lady Frost]
> "Not that long."
>
> She gives up on her search for an explosive and tries to ignore the
> fact that Kyle wasn't flying about anymore.  Catching Talas'
> attention, she continued as she moves out of the downed craft.
>
> "They don't need to know anything about us more than we're not
> human, and we have power they don't.  Prejudice taken to the
> extreme."
>
> "Like I sid before, I'll protect the people of the CS, the innocents like
> Pierre was, but I will not help their leaders unless i have no choice."
> [/Lady Frost]

> [Talas]
> After taking in what Lady Frost has said Talas simply replies "Then
> let us hope it is the people and not their leaders that that we were
> sent to save. For it would seem that this government is Mad. To
> wage war agents everything that is not human is sheer madness."
> [/Talas]

[Osiris]
"There can be no doubt of it." Osiris replies.  "For the moment, we
have a clear path, however.  We have to get out of here.  But we also
have to decide what do with him."

Osiris points up at Angelica hovering above with Arden lying still in
her arms, his eyes wide with madness.
[/Osiris]

[GM]
A strange calm settles on the area.  For the briefest moment the sun
pierces the clouds, a beam of light intersecting the spot where Kyle
made the ultimate sacrifice.

And then, with that, it is gone.  The clouds, dark and ominous gather,
and a cold northern wind begins to howl.  Within moments snow begins
to fall, at first a few flurries, but then stronger.

Alex's radio chirps up again.  "Sergeant Stryker, do you copy?  We're
sending in reinforcements.  Should be there by 1900. We can't see any
evidence of nexus activity your way, but this damn storm is driving
our sensors bonkers.  Check in every five minutes.  Over."

The only options are to ride out in this weather or find a place to
hide.  Moving out carries the risks of dangerous weather, in a ruined
city notorious for its sudden violence, human and inhuman.  Hiding, of
course, means the risk of capture.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen   mightymartianca at gmail.com

Palladium Rifts PBEM:
http://members.shaw.ca/selfreferential/rifts_pbem/