[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter V - The Debate

[Kitsune]

ooc: It seems like some of the posts involved in this thread got lost. . 
.I can follow it but a bit confused.
Should I assume that Alex was unable to effectively return fire against 
the sky cycles with her rifle?

[Alex]
Once she gets to the castle, which she considers more a fort, Alex will 
look around at the defenses to see how good it might be at holding up. 
In looking, she will try to find an e-clip charger
[/Alex]

On 11/30/2011 17:38, Aaron Clausen wrote:
>>> [GM]
>>> The Baron does not look terribly happy about this. "Do you mean I
>>> have to walk?" he asks miserably. "It's at least ten miles!"
>>> [/GM]
>
>> [Oz]
>> Osmar chuckles. "Think of it as an adventure, old bean. And think of
>> how the peers will 'ooh' and 'aah' over your retellings of the tale."
>> He looks over the wounded being loaded into his truck. "Besides, it
>> looks like your passenger seat is safe."
>> [/Oz]
>
>>> [Louissa]
>>> Louissa shakes her head, but decides it's better not to insult local
>>> nobility.
>>> [/Louissa]
>
>>> [GM]
>>> The knights ignore the Baron and begin loading up the most wounded.
>>> [/GM]
>
>>>> [Alex]
>>>> Alex looks to see if anything is visible with night vision?
>>>> [/Alex]
>
>>> [GM]
>>> Whatever it is is a long ways up, perhaps 20,000 feet, but the heat
>>> signature suggests a triangular shape, perhaps 60 or 70 feet long
>>> with a wingspan somewhere around 50 feet. There's a slight ripple in
>>> the heat signature and then she sees a clear flaring, possibly from
>>> something rocket-powered, and it's heading their way very quickly.
>>> [/GM]
>
>> [Vesper]
>> "We got a jet or something in the air."
>>
>> He doesnt know too many kingdoms in England that use jets so prepares
>> to throw up an energy field in case he see's any tell tale signs of
>> missiles.  Keeping the energy field away from him and the group more
>> of a detonation shield.
>> [/Vesper]
>
>> [Oz]
>> The German man nods. "As I said. See you back in New Camelot, Baron."
>> With that, Oz ducked back into the car and restarted the engine. He
>> looked over at the man in the passenger seat. "You are the navigator.
>> Tell me where we are going."
>> [/Oz]
>
> [GM]
> "Away from here," the man manages to say, though he's obviously in a 
> great deal of pain.  "Nearest place with a doctor and a chemist."
> [/GM]
>
>> [Justin]
>> Justin lands easily, with about the degree of reaction of a normal
>> human having jumped three feet. "The skycycles were definitely
>> Kittani, I nailed one, and they both bugged out." He looks towards
>> the sound of the jet rumble, using his armor's optics "Now though,
>> I'm wondering whether they were running from me, or running for
>> minimum safe distance. I'm not inclined to stick around to find out.
>> I can carry a man or two if necessary, but I think we ought to move,
>> right now."
>> [/Justin]
>
>> [Alex]
>> Alex states, "There is something wrong here. I feel danger." The red
>> haired scout has her rifle ready in case of emergency
>>
>> Alex looks over where one of the men she shot is laying, feeling a
>> little bit guilty
>> [/Alex]
>
> [GM]
> The commanding knight looks up.  "Good lord!" he shouts.  "I think 
> we're about to be bombed!  Everyone that can carry one of the wounded, 
> do it now. Move move move!"
>
> In moments everyone who can is hustling.  One man looks at Justin and 
> says "If you can carry two, there's two over there."  He points to two 
> men, one of which is the one that Alex had just been looking at.
>
> There's a distant roaring sound, but it's getting closer.  There's 
> only seconds, and as everyone scurries, a missile strikes Vesper's 
> energy shield.  The shield [50 MD] absorbs most of the energy of the 
> blast [Damage: 130MD], but the concussive force is enough to send 
> several people, including Vesper himself flying [Missile Strike: 13], 
> as well as Louissa [Dodge: 7] and several others.  No great harm is 
> done [Damage: 4SDC] other than some bruising.  Vesper's shield has 
> saved several lives, it seems.
> [/GM]
>
> [Louissa]
> Louissa, picking herself up and dusting herself, turns to Vesper.  "I 
> thank you very much! A handy companion to have around."
> [/Louissa]
>
> [GM]
> The knights are now moving with great speed. The leader turns back to 
> the company. "The keep of New Bournemouth is about twelve miles north 
> of here. If we're lucky, we might make it. If you're coming, the time 
> to do so is now."
>
> He walks over to Osmar's vehicle. "I'm assuming you know the way. 
> We'll be right behind you."
> [/GM]
>
>> [Ted]
>> Ted volunteers to stay behind and cover the group's escape. "I can
>> follow the tire tracks and catch up with the rest of you later," he
>> assures them.
>> [/Ted]
>
>> [Vesper]
>> "Ted get on my bike, no need to be left behind, it will be cramped
>> but right now thats better then leaving you here with all the
>> Splugorth pawns running about."
>> [/Vesper]
>
>> [Ted]
>> "How far do we have to go?"
>> [/Ted]
>
>> [Vesper]
>> "Don't know, might not have the time to discuss it come on."
>> [/Vesper]
>
>> [Ted]
>> "Right," the lizard man replies. He mounts the motorcycle behind
>> Vesper and holds on tight.
>> [/Ted]
>
> OOC: I'm assuming everybody is in tow, so let's carry on... !
>
> [GM]
> The entire company moves out, and probably in the nick of time, too. 
> About ten minutes into their journey, they here another large 
> explosion behind them, and then another. It sounds like the Splugorth 
> are trying to blow the whole forest down.
>
> Much to Ted and Vesper's surprise, the little girl that has been 
> tagging along seems to walk at any easy pace, but is somehow keeping 
> up with them. She hums to herself, stopping every once in a while and 
> laughing over something; a branch or a leaf or an insect, and then 
> just as quickly catching up with Vesper's motorcycle.
>
> Within another few minutes they find themselves at the eaves of the 
> forest, and looking out on a grassy plain. Twilight has disappeared 
> from the sky, and it is night now. The lay of the land here is of a 
> shallow narrow valley between two hills. There is the distant sound of 
> vehicles, and on what is likely a road can be seen a distant convoy 
> moving north. Above can be seen some sort of aircraft encircling the 
> convoy.
>
> It is a dangerous task moving northward. Neither Ozmar or Vesper find 
> themselves able to move very quickly due to the necessity of sticking 
> to the border of the woods. Still, the convoy the company is shadowing 
> is moving slowly, and soon enough as the hill is crested and the 
> valley left behind the convoy is out of view.
>
> The commander, who has ordered radio silence, finally contacts New 
> Bournemouth and requests transportation. It seems timely, as the Baron 
> seems ready to die of a heart attack, his plump face red and sweaty.
>
> In a few minutes a pair of hover vehicles arrive. With great 
> efficiency and few words the injured are transferred from Osmar's 
> vehicle to one of the hover vehicles. In short order everyone has a 
> ride, and it is timely. Even as the hovervehicles take off, the 
> Splugorth army reaches the crest of the hill and begins firing salvos.
>
> In a few minutes the company has reached the walls of New Bournemouth. 
> It is a small town of perhaps eight hundred people, many of which, it 
> appears, are fleeing, leaving the army and the militia to try to 
> defend it.
>
> Above it, on a high hill, is the keep of New Bournemouth, an imposing 
> structure made at least in part of megadamage materials. The Baron 
> orders the company to the Keep, and within a minute or two they are 
> landing within its walls. For the moment, it seems, they are safe.
>
> The Keep is a hive of activity, every hand, even the cook, has been 
> pressed into service mounting weapons or taking the wounded to the 
> medical facility. It's clear that they expect combat very soon.
> [/GM]
>
> [Louissa]
> Louissa looks very concerned, and turns to her companions. "I think 
> this is a 'frying pan into the fire' situation we have here."
> [/Louissa]
>
> [Little Girl]
> The little girl, who has been kicking stones around and singing to 
> herself, looks up and then right at the southern wall of the Keep, and 
> almost as if she's looking through it. She begins to giggle in a 
> sweet, and yet somehow menacing, childish fashion.
>
> "You have no idea, my Lady Louissa." she says, still chortling. "But I 
> am only here to help Ted Smythe. The rest of you, well..." she shrugs 
> noncommittally, "you're not my concern and dispensable. That poor fat 
> Baron, though. My goodness, but he's in for a surprise!"
>
> She begins to laugh uncontrollably and falls to the ground, rolling 
> around with insane mirth.
> [/Little Girl]
>