[Taocow PBEM] [Oz] Book 3 - Chapter X - The Quest For Louissa

[Aaron Clausen]

>> [Sir Prrcyvel]
>> Prrcyvel returns to the table, looks out the window and sighs. "It is
>> war in the north, too. The Splugorth have us between a southern army
>> and a northern army. I'm afraid you've been drafted at rather a tough
>> moment, old chap. We have orders to clear this lot of hooligans out by
>> morning, or to find this wall of mist, and blast everything around it.
>> Mrrylin apparently has something that will keep whoever is inside that
>> wall in there and out of our way."
>> [/Sir Prrcyvel]

> [Oz]
> "I don't mean to argue with a king and a wizard, Perce, old man, but I
> wouldn't throw away an organized force of humans so easily if I were
> them. This is rather a tough moment, and we can use every man, woman
> and child who can aim a gun or plant a mine. Every alien the Hood and
> his men kill is one who isn't trying to kill us."
> [/Oz]

[Sir Prrcyval]
Sir Prrcyval ponders that for a good long moment. He then shakes his
head and laughs heartily.

"I'd best watch you!" he says. "Soon you will outrank me. I'll pass on
the recommendation. If we can secure their loyalty, every sword and
energy rifle firing at the Splugorth and not at us is an advantage.
Mrrlyn will be little pleased that he doesn't get to play his latest
trick, but I can live with that."

"Henry!" Prrcyval shouts to his aide-de-campe. "Get me a copy of those orders.

The young man rushes over with a piece of paper. Prrcvyvl writes out
some amendments and signs it.
[/Sir Prrcyvel]

> [Oz]
> Oz finished his last cup of tea and stood up. "So if I find them, I'm
> going to try to talk to them. D'you think the king would back it if I
> offered amnesty for service in the war against the monsters? Or does
> he want the Hood in chains no matter what?"
> [/Oz]

[Sir Prrcyvel]
The knight hands Oz the paper. "These are your amended orders. If you
find the main body of these men, or the Hood, or both, you are
authorized to discuss amnesty if they will join our forces. We can't
do any more until it is cleared with the King, and I would prefer to
do that when I know I can talk to him alone. But the King will see the
wisdom of your idea, I am sure. Keep in radio contact, and I will let
you know as soon as I have talked to the King."

Prrcyvel salutes Oz and then dismisses him.
[/Sir Prrcyvel]

[GM]
Below the tower Oz's squad is forming. As he requested, there are two
fireteams of four mean, each with one heavy weapons specialist (one
with a grenade launcher and the other with a plasma cannon). Oz's
bodyguards effectively give Oz his own senior fireteam, and a sergeant
is busily organizing the two other fireteams.

The sergeant salutes Oz as he walks out of the tower. "Teams
assembled, SIRRRAH!"

One of Oz's aides puts down a radio. "Sir Osmar, scouts are contacted.
One has made contact with an enemy squad moving westward. He says
their moving like lightning zapped their asses, pardon my language,
sir. One of the other scouts is moving in to track them as well, so we
don't lose them, and the third is making his way along the west trail
scouting our path."
[/GM]

OOC: Unless there's something else...

[GM]
The teams move quickly and efficiently towards the west trail, keep an
eye out for any bandits that might be set out to ambush them. They
quickly reach the junction of the east, west and north trails by the
creek, and start heading westward, with the creek to their left.

The land begins to rise and the creek forms a gully. The trail keeps
to the side of the gully until it is several dozen feet above the
creek bed below. The two scouts tracking the enemy group keep in
frequent contact, and suggest that Oz's group can't be far ahead of
the enemy, who is now pushing right through the forest towards the
west trail.

The third scout radios Oz a minute later. "Sir," he says, "I'm at a
big landslide, mostly shale. It looks like it happened in the last
hour or two. I can climb the slide and can see the path continue on to
what looks like a wall of mist. I can spot your group, maybe ten
minutes from my position. I'm also pretty sure I can see the enemy
squad pushing right through the brush, looks like they may even be
firing laser pistols to clear a path. They'll reach the slide at the
same time you do, unless you can pick up the pace."
[/GM]


-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com