[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter XII - Journey to the Millennium Tree

[Aaron Clausen]

>> [GM]
>> The first skycycle appears over the top of a snow drift. Ted takes
>> aim and fires [Strike: 21]. The well-aimed shot strikes the pilot
>> itself [Damage: 14MD], damaging the its armor and forcing it to
>> veer of course rather than engage.
>>
>> Shots ring out from the rest of the company, but all the heavy
>> weapons men miss. Jacek, with his railgun strikes the Skycycle
>> itself [Damage: 20MD].
>>
>> Then the next Skycycle appears, and this one doesn't make the same
>> mistake the first one did, and comes over a drift all guns
>> blazing, hitting two of Jacek's men and one of Oz's [Damage: 22MD]
>> before return fire from one of the heavy weapons strikes a
>> hoverjet, doing some damage and forcing the pilot to retreat. The
>> two skycycle pilots fly very low and disappear over nearby
>> snowdrifts.
>>
>> Meanwhile, Alex is facing down the girl/thing, whose eyes are
>> open, but says nothing.
>> [/GM]

>> [Louissa]
>> "What's your idea, Alex?" Louissa asks.
>> [/Louissa]

>> [GM]
>> One of the scouts radios, "We're falling back. The skycycle pilots
>> have retreated but it looks like the rest of the minions on the dam
>> are heading this way."
>> [/GM]

> [Ted]
> Emboldened by his success, Ted picks another target--this time on the
> ground--and prepares to fire. [Strike: 7, 9, 16]
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Unfortunately, Ted's first shots go quite wide, due in part to poor aim 
and due in part to the distance to the targets on the dam itself. The 
blast hits the dam [Damage: 21MD], and notably enough blows a fair sized 
hole, about four or five feet in diameter, in the dam itself. Clearly 
the dam is very old and not made of megadamage materials, or at the very 
least has lost much structural integrity.

The next shot strikes one of the Kydians on the dam [Damage: 12MD].
[/GM]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper hears the weapons fire and moves off to see what is
> happening.  Before he can get there the skycycles are gone.
> He tries to pull as much ppe as he can from the nearby leylines and
> nexus.
> [/Vesper]

OOC: Still lots of PPE left. 50 PPE to summon air elemental, so you 145 
PPE plus what you can dip into from the nexus for a total of 175 PPE.

> [Oz]
> "Soldiers up on the crest of the hill, get whatever cover you can from
> the oncoming bad guys. Heavies concentrate fire on a single target
> until it goes down. Rifles fire at will; concentrate on skycycles if
> they try to come over the top again. Scouts, do not engage unless you
> think you have cover from any return fire. We need your eyes out
> there."
>
> Oz dropped his guns into his holsters and pulled the sniper rifle off
> of his back, then went to the top of a hill that wasn't covered in his
> own soldiers and burrowed down into the snow. Unfortunately, his black
> armor wasn't made to blend in with the white expanse, but it was fully
> environmental so the cold and wet didn't bother him as he dug into the
> snowpack.
>
> Once he was concealed from the Splugorth's casual vision he powered up
> his sight and started sniping, concentrating on taking out the smaller
> individual monsters as fast as possible to reduce the number of people
> shooting at them. [Strikes: 21, 7, 20 not natural]
> [/Oz]

[GM]
As Oz makes his way to a clear spot to begin sniping from, his unit is 
efficiently carrying out his orders. In short order they have managed to 
pin down the minions on the dam and on the shore of the lake. One of the 
skycycles is struck in its jets and spirals into the hillside with a 
loud boom.

At the same time Jacek the Borg and his men have joined the firefight as 
well, and between all of them the enemy, for the moment is prevented 
from storming the camp.

As with Ted's shot, there is further damage to the dam, making crossing 
very difficult. Still, the minions do have a route across the frozen lake.

Once Oz is firing, he hits two of the targets [Damage: 70MD, 30MD]. 
Neither is fatal, but both hit Kydians, doing some serious damage to the 
armor.

The Splugorth minions are not idle, and three of Oz's men and one of 
Jacek's are hit. Jacek's man is killed.

Through his scope, Oz can see Splugorth reinforcements coming. There are 
somewhere between ten and fifteen Kydians coming up the hill on the 
other side of the dam and preparing to cross the frozen lake. Behind 
them Oz catches sight of two Kittani hover tanks. It appears the 
Splugorth have fully noticed you.
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> Without turning, Alex responds, "I don't have any answers here. The
> best I can do is try to keep the girl under control."
>
> Back to the demon child, "If you do anything I don't like, I will
> give into temptation from my dagger, don't let yourself think that
> concern for Ted will stay my hand."
> [/Alex]

[GM]
The child nods. She closes her eyes for a moment and then opens them again.

"It would appear," she says in a childish, and yet somehow very ancient 
voice, "that Ted, indeed all of you, have a considerable amount to be 
concerned about. I could be of assistance, if you put away that dagger."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen