[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XI - Dissension in the Ranks

[Aaron Clausen]

> > [GM]
> > Frost finds the work exceedingly tiring, and the heat truly is an
> > agony to her in her icy form.  Her mind focuses on cooling the lava,
> > shutting out the sounds of combat above.  Slowly, or so it seems to
> > her, the temperature begins to drop and the lava loses some of its
> > fluidity.  A little longer and there is a darker, cooler semi-elastic
> > shell on top.  Finally, though still at least 40 degrees or so, the
> > lava river is cooled off, and the passage, while stifling, is much
> > more bearable.
> > [/GM]

> [Ted]
> The lizard man scrambled for the crack in the floor.
> [/Ted]

> > [GM]
> > Though producing ice has never tired her before, Frost now finds
> > herself dizzy and disoriented.  She feels her knees buckling and her
> > vision darkening even as there is are large explosions above.
> >
> > To the horror of the rest of the company, the Borg soldiers are
> > throwing grenades at the back of the room.  Two blow up close by,
> > knocking Talas, Bongo and Ted to the ground.  There are loud shouts,
> > and the Deadboys, along with their Borg comrades, start running
> > towards the altar in a hail of energy rifle fire.
> > [/GM]

> [Talas]
> Talas quickly gets back on his feet, and on seeing the oncoming charge,
> he slings his rifle and quickly runs over to Alex and Phaeton.  He says
> "Please forgive me for this Lady Alex." And with that grabs the two of them
> and drags them down into the tunnel. Once down in the tunnel, and seeing
> that Lady Frost has collapsed, puts Alex down that then picks up Lady
> Frost and puts her over one shoulder and Phaeton over the other. He turns to
> Bongo.  "Mr. Bongo, which way now?"
> [/Talas]

> [Carlos]
> Since Talas has taken care of everything, Carlos prepares to move down
> the passageway.
> [/Carlos]

> [Alex]
> Alex does not understand why the Coalition are risking so many 'Borgs.
> They are expensive to build and are far less expendable than skelebots.
> Being that she sees no way out, she plans to die in battle instead as a
> groveling prisoner. She is surprised when is grabbed by another member
> of the team but does no more than struggle to get free.
>
> When put down, she looks up at the ceiling. As soon as everybody gets
> through, slinging her rifle, she pulls her pump pistol and fires a full
> five explosive rounds into the entrance to the tunnel. Hopefully, the
> entrance collapsing will prevent the cyborgs from following them.
> Holstering her pistol, she runs after the others.
> [/Alex]

[GM]
Alex's plan works as expected, and within moments the entrance to the
passage is covered with concrete and rock.  The warm air is thick with
white dust, covering everyone in a ghost-like coating.
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> "Thanks, Alex. Now, let us see where this leads..." The lizard man
> surveys the frosted lava flow, hoping they had made the right
> decision.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
As if to answer Ted's question, the sounds of earth and rock being
moved can be heard above.  Those Borgs seem awfully interested
in getting to the party, and as Alex privately observed, this seems
rather odd.

As the company looks ahead, the narrow path leads on, following
the meandering path of the lava river for several hundred feet
before it, and the river, end abruptly at a sheer face.  From this
distance, there is no obvious door.

Below, Lady Frost's freezing is coming undone, and a few
bubbles of lava can be seen breaking through.  Above, the
Borg can still be heard furiously trying to clear away debris.

Lady Frost herself soon comes out of her swoon, and finds
herself being carried by an elf.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen   mightymartianca at gmail.com