[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter XVII

Tue Jan 19 21:20:54 UTC 2016

OOC: Okay, I see where the confusion is. Alex is on a Skycycle with the
pilot, Ted is on the ship, it is Alter-Ted who is on the ground with
Vesper. Sorry about that confusion.

> [GM]
> The alter-Ted is standing towards the edge of a large piece of concrete,
> offering him some good defense against oncoming attack. It's a short ride,
> and when they land alter-Ted comes up.
>
> "Thanks for not abandoning me," Alter-Ted says. "I couldn't leave this
> woman to those creatures, and I'm not likely to find my way back to my
> dimension soon. Things are a... little different here."
>
> Vesper prepares himself, but this is going to take some time. Alter-Ted
> keeps an eye out for any oncoming attack, but there's none to be seen. It's
> the better part of a half an hour before Vesper is ready [OOC: as per Rifts
> Main book p.115], and finally he begins the ritual itself.
>
> In the meantime, the people are loaded into the ship, and the New Camelot
> soldiers move efficiently to find places below decks to stow them. It's a
> very crowded ship now, and the Sergeant reports that supplies could be an
> issue in very short order. "We have maybe two weeks food now, and that's on
> strict rations, maybe three if everyone can get used to hunger pangs."
>
> As Vesper begins the ritual, one of Jacek's men, on watch shouts, "We've
> got bogies, flying in from the northwest, close to the center of the ruins."
>
> Sensors show four aircraft, all larger hover vehicles, well-armed, and
> looking like far better technology than any of the Maligs had (most of
> their equipment looked like badly-patched together refuse from pre-Rifts
> times). Oz recognizes them to be of Triax manufacture, but at least thirty
> years old, older versions of the Triax MZ-10 Wilderness Crusaders [NGR
> p.138, see attached MZ-10 description for stats]:
>
>
> 
> All are painted in camouflage colors, all have identifying numbers and a
> flag:
>
>
> Jacek recognizes it at once. "That is the standard of the Kingdom of New
> Strathclyde. I don't see how it's possible, that kingdom fell when I was
> still a lad in Gdansk."
>
[/GM]
>

> [Ted]
> ~Warn the others~, The lizard man transmits. He takes his
> rifle from his shoulder and moves into better position to
> shoot through the lead vehicle's windshield, should it come
> to that.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Several others follow Ted's advice and take aim.
[/GM]

> [Oz]
> "If I've learned anything in the past few weeks it's that nothing is
> impossible. Were they reputed to be a friendly lot, when you were a
> lad?" He nods at his sergeant. "How long til we've got everyone on
> board this boat can hold?"
> [GM]

[Jacek]
"All I know is the stories," Jacek says. "They had some sort of alliance of
marriage with New Camelot, but that was before the old king died and King
Arr'thu took power. They were allies of NGR, that is for certain, and I had
an uncle who was in the NGR army who fought briefly with Strathclyde
against the Fomorians are some other threat of that kind. I cannot say I
know any more than that."
[/Jacek]

> [/GM]
> Oz radios the captain. "Captain, hail those hovercraft, identify
> yourself and let them know we're official an New Camelot vessel
> currently on a rescue mission."
> [/Oz]

[GM]
Captain Neeson radios back "Aye, sir!"
[/GM]

[GM]
> Meanwhile, Vesper begins the actual ritual. It will take seventeen
> minutes, and will fail if interrupted. He can already tell that the poor
> women was indeed impregnated with some supernatural horror, and she writhes
> and screams, as an alien voice comes from her mouth, commanding "Withdraw,
> mage, or thou shalt die! Withdraw I say!"
>
> Alter-Ted whispers to Ted, "We've got company," as the first of the
> hovercraft comes into view off in the distance.
> [/GM]
>

> [Vesper]
> "I know but I can't stop this, and creature it's my trade to face things
like you."
> Vesper flicked on the naruni force field since that wouldn't ruin his
concentration.
> "Thank you Ted for watching my back."
> Vesper stayed on task trying to force the creature back to it's hell.
> [/Vesper]

[Alter-Ted]
"No problem, Vesper," he replies. "Your counterpart is as skilled as you,
though I have to admit his third bio-arm would probably come in handy for
you right now."
[/Alter-Ted]

> [Alex]
> Alex will radio down, "This is Alex, is there anything that I can do to
help?
>
> At the same time, she asks the pilot of the hover cycle, "You know who
> those guys are? Are they friendlies?"
> [/Alex]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper curses inwardly since he wants to talk to Alex but he can't afford
to
> drop the ritual with the gathering energies.
>
> He pointed to Alter Ted and pointed to his radio passing it to the Lizard
man.
>
> He stayed focused wary of the incoming but dedicating himself to ridding
> the woman of that horror.
[/Vesper]

> [Ted]
> Ted takes the radio. "Alex, this is Ted. What kind
> of assistance can we give you? Over."
> [/Ted]

> [Alex]
> "I was calling to ask the same thing?"
> [/Alex]

> [Alex]
> After Ted does not respond, Alex radios down, "I am flying
> overhead and you seem to be having problems down there.
> I was wondering if there was anything I could do in order to help."
> [/Alex]

[GM]
As Vesper tries to finish the exorcism, the three craft draw closer and
then finally hail the ship, and indeed everyone, on an open channel.

"This is Commander MacCallum of the Strathclyde Royal Army. You are flying
through contested territory. Identify yourselves immediately."

To this Captain Neeson replies, "This is the New Camelot vessel, the
HMS Teufelshörnchen.
We are recovering some of our crew after an attack by some locals. We mean
no offense and were unaware of any contested borders."

Commander MacCallum radios back after a moment. "We have forces on the
ground. We are warning you that there are several hostiles approaching.
These aren't the Maligs you were fighting, but Fomorians. We recommend you
come with us before your exit is sealed off. Being in the air won't help
you."

Captain Neeson hands communications over to Sir Oz, "Sir, I think it's best
you deal with this, as you are Commanding Officer of all forces here."

Meanwhile, Alex and Ted both see several hover cycles, who must have been
shadowing the company from the cover of the ruined skyscrapers, riding out
towards them to encircle them. They don't show any signs of attack, but one
of these new skycycles radios "Do not open fire. We are here to protect."

Vesper is finally completing the exorcism when both he and Alter-Ted get
radio communication, "We see you are treating an injured person. Do you
require medical assistance?"
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com

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