Meeting Again for the First Time (IC)

Wiremu cannot shake the demons put into his mind and remains in place. Wiremu’s free hand tries furiously to tear the thing from around his neck, but the deep green materiel simply takes hold of and entraps his other hand.
He opens his mouth to scream but before the sound can start, a green tendril slides up over his chin and into his mouth.

------- ------- -------

Numa, now reinforced with some of her own ilk, orders the low-levelers into cover and has them watch the alley mouth with her. All hell was breaking loose up top, but if there was shooting, there was resistance. She still couldn't bring herself to leave their flank so vulnerable here with the enemy so close.

------- ------- -------

The Voice looks up at the communications building the mutants had repurposed as a headquarters. The blast up there had gotten their attention. She looks at Wiremu's hunched down form and a thought comes to mind. Drawing her bolt pistol, she sends a thought to her team around her: --- take him ---, and she starts moving toward the alley mouth.

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap gives the order to his squad and hurries immediately to cover The Voice. [Tactical Advance move]

------- ------- -------

Rook had gently eased the muzzle of the stubber up onto the windowsill and pressed the muzzle to the glass. As the woman who seemed to be the leader turned away, Rook was about to draw a bead on her when he heard charging feet in the hallway behind him. This can't be possible...he thought as the image of mutants overwhelming the group downstairs came into his mind. Suddenly three autogun wielding civilians came into the room looking blown and awkward. Rook hissed at them Get up here and get ready to shoot. Just point at that woman and pull the trigger. If they shoot back, get your heads down. He turned away from them, found the woman and her squad, and unleashed another hail of bullets at her. Hopefully with the weight of numbers she would have to take cover.

The civilians nod and scramble up to the window [Formation full move]

Outside, The Voice turns and stares at the window where the renewed fire was coming from. Around her, the squad of mutants immediately hit the deck and began looking for cover.

------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers line up behind Numa, taking cover where they could. On her word, they trained their weapons down the mouth of the alley while the shots started ringing out again.

------- ------- -------

The brute of a mutant continues his charge south. He is an absolute monster. Twice as tall as any of the gangers standing in the alley and easily half as wide again at the shoulders. His head was a mass of bone in which beady eyes stared out in fury. He wore some sort of home-woven flak armor over hard steel frame over most of his body. Underneath he had what was a uniform of sorts of the mutants. What skin you could see was thick, laying over corded and ripped muscle.

He was every bit an absolute beast.


As he strode past Kenji's, intent on crushing the gangers, a fusillade of fully automatic fire roared out. Apparently, the Ashigaru had heard Rhone.

The brute's body takes the most of the shots that hit. There is a bit of blood, but he looks angrier than actually hurt. The Ashigaru had finally made their presence in the battle know.

------- ------- -------

Rhône’s muscles twitched as he gripped his bolt pistol tight. His place was in the thick of battle and he was anxious to engage the enemy himself but the time wasn’t right. He swallowed his pride end delved deep into his stores of patience. Without comms, any information Cessia relayed would need to be delivered without any form of verbal augmentation to the men just outside, and to Cuck at the entrance. Relying on Cessia’s report, Rhône knew the sight of the enemy brute would shake a lesser man, but Cadian blood flowed through his veins....unfortunately that wasn’t the case for his current company.

“Stick to that dumpster for cover and bring that giant turd down. Whatever you do, hold your ground. We’ve got them trapped between us and the Ashigaru! Aim high and use the alley to frame your shot!”

Cupping a hand next to his mouth, Rhône calls out to Cuck.

“Cuck, we’ve got a reinforced squad in the alley. You have an enemy fireteam to the north. Out those doors to the east, you have the tail end of the squad we’re engaging. I need you and your men to hit them from behind. We’re about to be dealing with something big!”

Micromanagement wasn’t Rhône’s style. The battle hardened sergeant knew the value of decentralized command, but these weren’t soldiers and he wasn’t just commanding them, he was training them. If they were to be effective and survive against this enemy, his focus would need to be coordination. Suddenly, the roar of Rook’s weapon from above called a slight smile to Rhône’s lips. Ol’ metal taint was still in the fight....

------ ------- -------

The Ashigaru unleash another hail of fire, but could not match the accuracy of the initial salvo. Rounds smack harmlessly around the brute. Those that do land impact armor and tough flesh and do nothing more than cosmetic damage.

------- ------- -------

Cuck yells at his gangers, immediately following Rhone's suggestion. No one seemed to be charging inside, so if they could get behind the bastards...

They sprint out through the front, running fast just in case someone decided to, you know, shoot the hell out of them. Cuck comes out first, followed by his four underlings and catch the back end of the mutant squad. The fire team, as it were, turns out to be at least eight mutants... if they could close the distance, they'd have them.

------- ------- -------

The fire team farthest west sees the gangers flood out of the Westin and call out: "Contact! East!" With their comrades between them and the new contact, they could not risk a shot.

------- ------- -------

The second enemy squad, now facing contacts on two fronts, engages. Four of them turn to fire on the gangers, dropping prone to clear the lane of fire from their allies behind them. They open up with their autoguns and one of the gangers is shredded in the blast. Cuck takes a glancing blow, but is merely angered.

The rest of the squad hoses down the front of Kenji's shop. In the chaos, two of his precious Ashigaru are cut down where they stand. The rest, firmly in cover, weather the storm. From within, Kenji could be heard hollering to his men in the Ashigaru dialect. It was indecipherable, of course, but his voice did not sound broken or scared. It was full of courage, the voice of a leader who had been tested and tempered in the furnace of battle before.

------- ------- -------

The third mutant squad moves behind the flatbed truck as Rook's hail of stubber fire forces them back. They bunch up behind the flatbed, momentarily leaving the Voice alone in the center of the street in their panic.

"Take cover, mother!" Some of them yell to her.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith quickly examines the door. There was no external lock, of course. Roof access was meant to be opened from the inside and, if anything, locked from the inside as well. She doesn't bother yelling her findings at the Ratlings and the girl. They had their own problems to deal with. Instead, she disappears from their view on the other side of the door. In her hand, the hilt of the sword appears as she waits.

------- ------- -------

The fireteam keeps up the same tactic as before. One of their number hoses down the general area of Ruaidhri and Jules while the other primes and tosses his last pipe bomb. This time, it flies too far of its target. Exploding with a deafening, but non lethal bang behind the duo.

It was about that time that the door to the roof opened and more of the mutant filth pile out. Five more, the rest of the squad, ran into the fray.

------- ------- -------

Cessia remained glued to her dataslate, her mechadendrite swaying softly behind her as it watched the front area of the Westin so she didn't get shot from behind. Or at least that was the intention.
She watched as the friendly units all missed their shots on the massive target charging towards them. It brought into immediate question how effective these people were as soldiers but one must work with the tools one has.

She was unsure if her information was helpful, so while she did call out another update she also needed to confirm with Rhone that she was being useful in any way.

"Statement: New allies are firing on the mutant from the store on the other side of the alley. They are being fired upon from the mouth of the alley by the mutant squads that I mentioned previously. The giant mutant continues its charge towards you, It is separated from the others. I recommend killing it. Query: Designate: Rhone, is this information useful? Your soldiers seem inaccurate despite it."

With that she continued her work of monitoring cameras, waiting for a confirmation from Rhone as to whether this was a waste of her highly valuable time.

------- ------- -------

From his position of partial cover, Ruaidhri looked over the edge toward the mutants. They fired again, their bullets exploding over the relatively small space of the roof. For a second Ruaidhri felt the cold hand of fear inside him, the desire the duck his head down and be certain that none of the bullets were going to find their destination in his head. But after a moment he had control of himself and was able to remain in place. With the whispered instructions from his companion, Ruaidhri lined up a shot on the head of one of the mutants. They needed to reduce their numbers.

However as he pulled the trigger he felt the trigger pull back limply. Feck it all to hell. He was going to have to reload.

------- ------- -------

All da images, da pain and da sufferin' in his mind kept on attackin' him, hauntin' him as he fled from da scene. He had ta be gettin' away and eerythang ovuh dat way was damn well terrifyin'. He had to just...

And den da big man be stoppin', right on da spot. He be lookin' round and takin' in da surroundin's once mo. He shook his head and be focusin'.

Dey need you big man.

And it be right. The team needed him right now mo than dey had done in a while. Not since Hervara had dey been in da shit like dis. And dey needed him. Whereva dey was.

Get back in there shugga.

Stubbs turned round and made for the cover of da blue vehicle as fast as his legs be takin' him.

------- ------- -------

Pipe bombs exploded and auto fire whizzed all about and all the while Jules remained relatively calm, she at least wasn't panicking which if she got a chance to look back at this she'd be amazed. No one had ever thrown a grenade at her before! She flicked the switch on her auto pistol and squeezed the trigger peppering the area around the mutants with bullets, hoping to throw their aim off while Ruaidhri got around to killing them.

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; crouching in front of truck; 5 Fatigue; Frozen w/Terror - must Snap Out Of It! -10 to all tests after snapping out.
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); in N. alley - Overwatch on alley mouth.
Voice - 13;
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; Just NW of the Voice.
Rook - 11b; No longer pinned; just outside of the next door - room 211.
E1 (brute) - 10a; 10 damage.
LowLevs - 10b; in the alleyway near the sewer entrance; Poo-Beya's crew will arrive at the start of Round 10.
Rhone - 9a; In command of the Flamboyants (and random civvies)
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b;
Flamboyants (x7 + Cuck) - 9c; Cuck 1 Damage.
E Squad 1 (x10) - 9d; holding tight - delay.
E squad 2 (x10: 8 roadblock +2 in Enemy HQ) - 8a.
E squad 3 (x10) - 8b.
Kaylith - 7a; at door to building interior.
E squad 4 (x7: 0 HW team +2 Fireteam - PRONE) - 7b; Pipe bomb thrower pinned.
Cessia - 6a; near alley entrance, monitoring dataslate [+10 to NPC rolls until her next turn]; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 3m W of Jules (body/legs AP 2)
Stubbs - 6c; full run 18m west.
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2)

Wiremu felt the thing sliding down his throat and block his windpipe.

His body spasmed in the real and his head hit the ground, shocking him enough to flash back to reality.

As the terror and illusion faded, his eyes shot open, his hand squeezing the patu in a death grip and the ragged breathes slowly started stabilize.

Looking around frantically he saw what was going on and started to crawl as fast as he could under the car and away from Her.

------- ------- -------

Numa maintains her overwatch cover in lieu of further instruction.

------- ------- -------

The Voice is far from an idiot and understands the situation clearly. While she desperately desired to turn the shooter into one of her own puppets, it was far too dangerous to dally in the streets. She turns and runs back to the blown out front of the enemy headquarters, disappearing inside.

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap immediately jumps back behind the cover of the vehicles, crouching low. He begins rallying his squad. "Squad, return fire. Get eyes on the one that ran!"

------- ------- -------

Rook lined up a shot on the mutant and let loose a tight controlled burst from the reclaimed, cut down stubber. The lighting and cover of the enemy threw off his aim and he shot high. Nearby, the civilians opened up. The noise was pure chaos and they laid on the triggers. There was no tight burst, no discipline of any kind. While they hit nothing, the mutants in the street kept their well heads down and out of sight.

------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers hold their position waiting to kill something. One of them - Andrew - picks up a heavy vox unit off his belt, affirms something, and then clips it back.

------- ------- -------

The brute of a mutant drops its grenade launcher, which quickly catches on its chest webbing and hangs freely. In a flash, the giant hammer was in both hands. The speed with which it pulled it was preternatural. He was on the flamboyants in seconds, swinging the huge hammer over head. The body literally exploded as contact was made, spraying everyone in the immediate vicinity in gore. A third arm that they had not seen yet jutted out from its back and lashed out at another, but the ganger was able to duck back, screaming the entire way.

------- ------- -------

Rhone lines up a shot on the melee, center mass of the brute. He squeezes the trigger. One of the remaining Flamboyant's torso explodes in gristle and fire. Somehow, in the chaos of the fight, he had moved right in front of Rhone.

The other two panic and not even Rhone's authoritative voice can keep them in this combat. They're in way over their heads and dropping like flies. They flee from the scene, heading south as quickly as they can.

------ ------- -------

Kenji responds to the hammering they just received with a beautifully placed shotgun blast in return. One of the mutants torso is put into pieces, another next to him catching some buckshot in the neck and falling down into a gurgling mess. The Ashigaru open up in a brutal display. Some scream the names of their fallen - immediate vengeance.

------- ------- -------

Cuck yelled to his remaining gangers. "Get close an' light th'wankers up!" The three Flamboyants moved forward and unleashed a hail of buckshot, pumping and firing and pumping spent shells again. Three of the mutants are blown apart or lie still where they had dropped prone. Cuck then charged the two that remained, bringing his heavy hammer down in a vicious two handed overhead swing that broke the spine of one. Blood poured out of its mouth as internal organs were jellied.

------- ------- -------

The fire team farthest west shifts position. Five of its members leaving their spots guarding the western approach to move in support of their brethren as combat intensified. The five already lined up and ready to fire unleash a hail of lead at close range. Cuck is struck twice in the body, his leathers doing very little to stop the rounds. While he is alive, it is clear he is hurting. One of the gangers catches a round in the throat and falls to the ground issuing a gurgled death rattle.

------- ------- -------

The second enemy squad was no more. One mutant remained. Without much choice, she moves out of combat toward her brethren in the firing line.

------- ------- -------

The third mutant squad was pinned. One of the humans was running back toward them, but the biggest threat was that support weapon in the second window. Four of them open up on Stubbs as he rushes at them while the rest pour on fire into that window. Next to Rook, one of the civilians screams as she is hit multiple times and falls on her back.

As bullets began to burst through the walls around them, Rook pulled back from the ledge to look at the civilians under his "command". He watched the girl take a shot to the stomach and roll back off the bed screaming in pain. It was a pity, as that was a gruesome way to go. He instantly glanced at the other civilian and glared as the man watched his friend writhe on the ground in agony. He could see the man's spirit begin to waver, until suddenly the side of the man's face was being forced into the bed by Jacjonson, the mechadendrite holding him down by the back of the neck. There is no time for cowardice. The only way you get out of this is by fighting. The man looked at the leering tech priest as bullets continued to punch through the walls around him, seeming to avoid his presence. The milky white eyes pierced through his fear of the bullets and replaced it with a fear of what would happen to him if he abandoned this man. You will stay here and continue to fire on those mutants. Do you understand! Rook solidified the point by shaking the man using Jacjonson. When the man nodded dumbly Jacjonson let him go. Correct answer, Rook said and turned to face the enemy again.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith holds her position. She had to make sure all of the mutants were on the roof before she launched any type of attack or she would be outnumbered and flanked.

------- ------- -------

The shooter on the fireteam with the autogun keeps the pressure up.

------- ------- -------

It was concerning for Cessia to see the large mutant get ever closer to her position, smashing aside most of the resistance in the way and leaving the injured Rhone, alone, with two fleeing gangers as his only real assistance. Statistically it was unlikely that the large mutant would be able to get through Rhone and attack her in the time it took for her to announce more information for whoever was listening, so she held her ground and assumed that the worst case scenario would be Rhone becoming paste and her running away.

She shouted as loudly as she could in her monotone voice, hoping that specifically the Ashigaru could hear her as she relayed more information from her vantage point with the cameras. "Statement: Ashigaru, there is one squad of mutants at the end of the alley. The large mutant is nearly to me and Designate: Rhone to the right of your location. It is tactically advisable for you to fire upon the larger mutant at this juncture."

It was after this information was passed on that Cessia finally got ready to move if she needed to, still clutching her dataslate and keeping an eye on it but also very much aware that there was a massive mutant with a hammer a few steps away.

------- ------- -------

As the mutant bullets exploded in the air around them and with the ammunition charge in his weapon failing, it was a very easy decision for Ruaidhri to slide down a little further into cover. Hitting the release button on the lasgun, he let the metal cartridge clink down to the ground, while simultaneously pulled a fresh one from his front chest pocket and inserted it into the rifle.

Turning his head to his ducking companion, he indicated his head towards the edge of the wall. Remaining in place Uallachan suddenly shouted.
"Damn mutants. You better watch out or I'll throw a brick at you. And Bricks kill."

------- ------- -------

Stubbs be runnin' back, tryin' his damndest ta be gettin' back to da shit. To tha thick o' it. Wiremu be in da shit, and he had a feelin' eerybody else be in da shit too. He took off at speed to tha back o' tha green car, not shuh if he we makin' it or not. The rounds tear into him, but he be doin' his best ta push through, usin' tha adrenaline ta get ta his friends and be helpin' dem.

He wanted ta get ta tha car, but he was damn well tired of jus' runnin' and escapin'. The gun be alive in his hands. It be talkin' to him, tellin' him ta fire back, to get sum and put some of dos responsible on der asses. And where betta than da ones right in front of him.

He pulls up the autogun, relishin' the fact of havin' da gun in his hands once again. A smile don't come to his lips doh. No, not til the tide be turnin' even mo. Not til he knew dey had dem in tha shit too. He steadied his aim, da fatigue makin' it a little tough.

He let loose a full-auto burst on tha squad before him, roarin' out in a mixture of emotions.

"TAKE DAT YA DAMN MUTIE SCUM!"

... the mixture of running and gunning in the dark gets the best of him and 7th's heavy gunner finds his shots go wide.

------- ------- -------

Jules gritted her teeth together trying to keep the bucking pistol in place as she let off another burst at the mutants. She and the Ratlings had got bogged down, they needed help to break the dead lock. As more bullets came her way she ducked back down for a moment behind the piping and shouted at Kaylith "Get Numa and the others up here!"

...both of the mutants, while not hit, seem to hug the ground even harder now. It seems Jules' wild fire was doing the trick.

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; Prone square in middle/under Flatbed; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects)
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); in N. alley - Overwatch on alley mouth.
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; PINNED; with squad.
Rook - 11b; No longer pinned; just outside of the next door - room 211.
E1 (brute) - 10a; in melee with Rhone Formation 10 damage
LowLevs - 10b; in the alleyway near the sewer entrance; Poo-Beya's crew will arrive at the start of Round 10.
Rhone - 9a;
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b;
Flamboyants (x2 + Cuck; x2 w/Rhone fleeing) - 9c; Cuck 10 Damage.
E Squad 1 (x11) - 9d; holding tight - delay.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x10) - 8b.
Kaylith - 7a; at door to building interior.
E squad 4 (x7: 0 HW team +2 Fireteam - PRONE/PINNED) - 7b
Cessia - 6a; near alley entrance, monitoring dataslate [+10 to NPC rolls until her next turn]; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 3m W of Jules (body/legs AP 2); RELOADING/PINNED
Stubbs - 6c; 4 damage
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2)

Wiremu heard the gunfire and screams going on around him and just wanted to stay under here.
Away from that...that lady...her voice...

He shook his head. He couldnt stay under here like a coward. Where was his mana??

He closed his eyes for a moment and clutched his patu tightly and whispered to himself."Kia kaha...be strong...."

With that he crawled out the side of the truck, making sure there were no enemies around, and climbed into the truck, staying low in the foot well so as not to be seen, and looked for a way to start the thing...

...The previous driver had exited the vehicle slow enough to take time to shut it off, but urgently enough to leave the ignition key in. All Wiremu had to do was turn it.

------- ------- -------

Hearing all the action up on the roof, Numa started to worry about the infiltration team's chances. If they were still shooting, it meant that they were incredibly lucky... and probably about to be overrun. They needed some backup. She breaks her overwatch of the alley and gestures up the ladder at the others gathered around before swiftly running to it and starting to climb.

------- ------- -------

The Voice readies her bolt pistol and holds out her free hand to her children. They hear her voice inside their heads, steeling their resolve and driving themselves to even more feats of potential glory.

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap doesn't seem to notice Wiremu at all. Instead, he sidesteps over to get a better vantage point on Stubbs. He raises Artur's M36 to his shoulder and squeezes off three expert shots. The snap-crack of the weapon might be the last thing Stubbs ever hears...

------- ------- -------

Rook knew that they had to start whittling the enemy numbers down. With the damned Voice out of sight, it was prime time. He shouldered the cut down stubber and squeezed off a healthy burst. The rounds were largely high as the weapon's recoil buckled it up, but he saw that the first two did some damage. There was a beautiful geyser of arterial blood and two bodies slumped down.

------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers started climbing the ladder to the roof. There was only enough room for one-at-a-time, but they followed close behind Numa. Three of them are on the ladder and two wait on the ground for their chance to move. There is a crackle of audio and one of them - Andrew - pulls his short range vox. "Oh shit! Papa Bear just got here, bruh," he says to one of the others.

Sure enough, from the Manhole, Pooh-Beya emerges followed by four more low-levelers. It looked like even more were coming through now. As he emerged, he looked at his guys going up with a shrug that said, "what's the plan?" Then he heard the noise from the street and the roof simultaneously and knew that it was on.

------- ------- -------

The brute of a mutant rushes forward. It doesn't roar, snarl, or growl. It bares its teeth and exhales, the hiss sounding like a whistle through a maw of fangs. Its hideously muscled third arm extends out to slash at Rhone, missing. The hammer though...

------- ------- -------

Rhone can't get out of the way fast enough. The hammer connects with his body, knocking all the wind out of him and forcing stars into his vision. He didn't know if he had internal damage, but had no time to think. He simply reacted. The bolt pistol fired once and at this range he couldn't miss.

...unless the weapon jammed. The audible click was almost as painful as the hammer blow. Rhone had to ditch this magazine and fish out another if he wanted a fighting chance.

------ ------- -------

Kenji was reloading his shotgun and surveying the carnage they had just inflicted on the enemy when one of his men called out to him. "Gunsou, mitte!" His eyes adjusted to the gloom and followed the young man's pointing finger. Across the street, the big monstrosity had just rushed Rhone. Kenji couldn't risk a shot.

"Rhone, get clear!" he yelled as loud as he could. "Get clear and give us a shot!"

------- ------- -------

Cuck's remaining two Flamboyants moved forward, shotguns up and tried to repeat their luck, but their shots were wild and off. Cuck had no choice now. If he stood still and waited for another round of firing, these cunts would surely finish them all off. No matter. He preferred it this way.

"FUCK YOU THEN," he screamed in his thick ganger accent and rushed forward into the lot of them. He swung with all his might, only to watch the mutant easily duck under the clumsy blow. His eyes went wide.

Well, fuck me then I guess.

------- ------- -------

The fire team farthest west, now locked in melee with the impulsive ganger, move to close in fighting. Teeth, claws, fists, and bayonets. Somehow, Cuck avoided the worst of it.

------- ------- -------

The third mutant squad finally notices the human in their midst. The majority of their fire returned at the most deadly opponent - the shooter on the second floor. The others then split their shots between the next closest threats....

...Rook ducks down just in time to miss the worst of it, even as his cover is chewed up. One round grazes him, but harmlessly bounces off his armor. The remaining civilian with him hits the deck in absolute terror.

... Wiremu somehow is able to avoid being shot, even though he is scant meters away from his attackers. The passenger window blows out, but he is OK.

... Stubbs is not so lucky. He catches a round square in his chest and feels his vision swim. Blood pools in the corners of his mouth. Dark blood poured freely from the wound. If he didn't get it treated - and soon - he was going to die.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith holds her position, still out of sight of the mutants.

------- ------- -------

The shooter on the fireteam keeps hosing down Ruaidhri and Jules' general area, while his comrade remains stuck in position unable to move. From the doorway, their reinforcements act. They take up firing positions and begin to unload on the flank of the trapped duo...

------- ------- -------

Cessia's attention was pulled away from her dataslate by the sound of a hammer hitting a very squishy, unaugmented human. The Brute had closed the distance and Rhone had taken a hit already, the time for her camera callouts was at an end.
She slid the Dataslate away and readied her Autogun to fire the moment she was given a clear shot and Rhone wasn't in danger of getting hit by the crossfire. She hadn't done anything like this with live fire before, only practice, so her movements were even more robotic and obviously bog-standard mechanicus like than usual.

"Designate:Rhone, Statement: Withdraw from melee with the mutant, I will attempt to provide covering fire."

------- ------- -------

Brick chipped and shattered, shards flicking up in the air past the Rattlings head. The ledge provided partial cover to the stream of fire coming from directly in front of them. What it didn't prevent though was fire coming from the reinforcements who had just burst through the door.

It all happened in a blink. There was a flash of light and as the familiar flemmy cough of their guns hit his ears, he felt the lancing stab as the bullets stabbed him. The shock of being hit was worse than the actual pain. He couldn't even be sure how bad it was, his body was shielding him. He would only know once bloodloss started to hollow him out. They were certainly backed into a tight corner, the mutants hitting back hard against their incursion. They needed more guns up here, Kaylith and Brick couldn't enter the battle quick enough.

He stilled his arm, fighting back against the surge of adrenaline, and following the quick whispered direction of Uallachan, found the head of one of the new mutants between his sights and pulled the trigger.

------- ------- -------

Stubbs' whole world be turnin' upside down. The rounds be connectin' and makin' the big man fall flat to the ground. He bit down hard, the pain in his leg summin' he ain't been feelin' fuh a long time. His head was woozy. The big m an be tryin' ta sit up, ta get back to tha action and feth the pain in his leg.

Then the shots be hittin' him in the body, pushing him back down to tha ground.  

So for a tiny moment, tha big man let darkness take him.

"Stay down, you dummy," Barb's voice filled his head. "What were you doin'?"

It was sweet, serene, like honey and it filled his head makin' the big man feel light as a feathuh.

"I gots ta help tha squad, Barb," Stubbs' thought back. "Dey be needin' me, ya hear?"

He couldn't believe it, but he felt it, her hand on his cheek.

"What good you gonna do dead, huh? You always were too eager to fire a weapon," she said.

"Next time, sugar, you should get to cover first, don't you think?"

Stubbs thought fuh a moment. Was that a good plan? I mean shootin' meant more dead bodies, which meant less bodies to be doin' damage to his friends. But yeah, she be usin' some of that logic on him. Maybe it be best to be in cover first. He'd hafta remember that if he don't be dyin'.

"Yeah, you right," he thought. "Should I get up?"

"No!," the voice rang in his head, a loud boom in his ears. "You stay down til you see an openin'. That's an order, from me. Unless you ready to come see me already."

Stubbs sighed and let his head touch the ground. It be temptin', to be taken to tha otha side.

To see her again.

But no, it waddn't tha time. There was still too much left ta do. Too much left to take care of. The sounds of the battle rang out around him, but what good could he do now? The big man felt guilty, but he be knw that jus' cause he be lookin' dead, don' be meanin' dat he ain't gonna get shot at. Stubb's opened one of his eyes and looked round at what been happenin', lookin' fuh his openin'. The car be so close, and the big man knew it gon be a struggle, but he gotta get there. And try ta stop tha bleedin'. Stubbs swung round and began his slow crawl towards the relative safety of covuh. He be pushin' down hard on the worst wound, doin' his best ta staunch tha bleed, but it waddn't gonna be that easy.  No more blasts be comin' his way, so the big man kept it up, inching closer to tha car.

------- ------- -------

She was surrounded and now exposed, her mesh cloak thankfully protecting her for now, but that wouldn't keep her safe for long. She was not skilled in a fire fight so she fell back to what had kept her alive up until now. This was when she was most dangerous. It was almost a reflex action and one Jules would normally suppress but she could see her predicament so she gathered her power... The eddies of the warp were powerful and violent this time empowered by the death and suffering of the battle, it was almost too much for her. Jules bones ached, her head pounded at the pressures and she tasted blood and ash. At the point where she felt she would be consumed she gritted her teeth and snarls at the enemy who were trying to kill her as she locks eyes with the closest few.

-KILL YOUR FRIENDS- She hammers the thought into her targets mind...

-KILL THEM-

There is a disturbance in the air around her. It is almost visible, but not. Like a mini quake that only affected the souls. It was pure warp energy, and it was hungry...

Two of the mutants pause, confusion clear on their faces. They turn toward one another, sparing only a second before raising their rifles and firing. BAM. BAM, BAM, BAM. Four shots and both were lying on the roof in gradually expanding pools of their own blood.

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; Prone square in middle/under Flatbed; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects)
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); on the ladder (5m up), will ascend to the roof on round 11.
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; vehicle cover (AP 3) with squad.
Rook - 11b; Just behind window/on bed of Room 211.
E1 (brute) - 10a; in melee with Rhone; 10 damage
LowLevs - 10b (x5 climbing ladder + x10 in alleyway).
Rhone - 9a; in melee with Brute; bolt pistol needs reload (x2 remain); 1 critical damage
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b; delay until they have a clear shot/enemy comes into range.
Cuck & Flamboyants (x2 + Cuck; x2 w/Rhone fleeing) - 9c; Cuck 10 Damage.
E Squad 1 (x11) - 9d; in melee w/Cuck.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x8) - 8b; vehicle cover (AP 3)
Kaylith - 7a; behind door to building interior.
E squad 4 (x5: 0 HW team +2 Fireteam - PRONE/Grenadier Pinned) - 7b
Cessia - 6a; Overwatch on Rhone/Brute; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 3m W of Jules (body/legs AP 2); 8 Damage; Frenzied next round.
Stubbs - 6c; crawling to cover of truck 8 Critical Damage
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2); PINNED; 5 Damage

Wiremu had tucked into a ball and covered his head when the guns started shooting into the truck.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck"

As the shooting lessened for a moment, he reached up and turned the truck on, lifting up slightly so his head was showing to get some kind of view, before starting to back up away from chaos.

"Fuck me fuck fuck!"

------- ------- -------

Numa kept climbing, getting up and over the roof to a scene of expected chaos. She quickly got her bearings and took in the situation.

------- ------- -------

The Voice sensed a psychic vibration in the air and began to move...

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap looked on at his target not in frustration or anger, but as a hunter might view its prey. It was in his nature to hunt lesser prey. He took no joy in the death of his prey, only in the hunt itself. He dropped to the deck and sighted the huge human's form lying prone. He grabbed him in his sights and fired three times...

------- ------- -------
[Round Update 10/7/2020]


Rook hollars something that terrifies the remaining civilian in the small hotel room with him. A torrent of automatic fire pours out, but between the poor lighting and the chaos below nothing seems to hit.

------- ------- -------

The brute of a mutant roars and swings the hammer up and over his bulbous head in a huge arc, sweeping in low. If it connected, it would crush Rhone's torso...


------- ------- -------

Five of Poo-Beya's low-levelers, the forward team who met up with Numa, Ruaidhri, Julia, and Kaylith previously in the underneath, finally make their way on top of the roof. They quickly take stock of the situation, realizing it is an absolute shit show.

------- ------- -------
[Round Update 12/30/2020]


Rhone was hurting after the last attack. Normally, against something human - or at the very least on his level - Rhone could have responded in time. But this was not human, and it was very much above his current level.

Rhone's world simply went black. The hammer connected with an audible crunch of ribs and sternum breaking. Blood sprayed from the former Kasrkin's mouth and he tumbled to the floor of the alley, defeated and dying.

------ ------- -------

Kenji saw Rhone fall. "Omae mou shindeiru, Oni!" He leveled the shotgun at the Brute of a mutant and fired.

The vast majority of buckshot hits the beast squarely in the head. Flesh tore and purplish blood flowed, but the ogre was far from felled. Rhone had not yet been avenged.

------- ------- -------

"Fethin' have at'em then, boys!" Cuck yelled to the last two gangers with him. They move up, firing from the hip. One mutant catches a round that's completely absorbed by his armor while another's face crumples inside his helmet.

Cuck swings up and brings the heavy hammer crashing down onto the mutant in front of him, pulverizing its pelvis and sending it into instant shock.

------- ------- -------

The mutants around Cuck respond by slamming their rifle butts and bayoneted barrels into him. He takes some thumps and light cuts, but is still in the fight.

The rest of the mutant squad take aim on the gangers. A series of controlled bursts ripped through them and their flimsy leathers like paper. They lie dead and dying in heaps on the street.

Cuck was all alone.

------- ------- -------

The mutant squad in cover behind the car who had been exchanging fire with Rook turn, as one, and rush the alleyway at a full sprint. Rook loses sight of them as they move fully in, knowing that they would soon be engaging his allies over there.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith lithely sneaks around the corner during the chaos of the gun battle. Her sword whispers a thin line across the back of one of the mutants.

He falls apart in two pieces, smoke coming from the halves.

------- ------- -------
[Round Update 1/29/2021]


With two of their comrades having just shot one another, the duo decided to take no chances. Each one pulled a stick grenade from their chest gear and hurled it at the two across from them on the roof. With the amount of enemies coming over the ladder, there was no point in shooting. They needed to kill as many of them as possible.

The grenades hit and roll with devastating accuracy. Uallachan sees it, but Ruaidhri is too consumed to notice. "Hit the deck!" He screamed.

...Uallachan dove back toward Jules, clearing the blast zone moments before the grenade exploded. All but one of Poo-Beya's gangers on the roof are annihilated. Shrapnel tears through their clothes and vital organs while the one on the ladder's face is shredded. He falls back and off the building with a sickening thud-crunch. Ruaidhri takes the brunt of the explosion, slammed down and lacerated by the blast.

------- ------- -------

Cessia took one look at the massive mutant, and it took a millisecond for her to process her chances of survival if he were to lock her into melee. Zero. This was NOT where she was meant to be, combat was not her area of expertise.

So she turned and ran as fast as she could back into the building, trying to find cover from the firefight outside and the sight of the mutant if he entered the building to look for her. The hope was that he would turn to fight the Ashigaru and she would be able to return to provide support, but if he pursued then she was more than ready to keep running...

...Cessia made it all the way up the stairs to the second story and headed toward Rook's last known location.

------- ------- -------

Ruaidhri felt the blast blow him sideways. Rage and tearing the enemy to pieces was all he could think of as his eyes opened back up. But he couldn't move. His thoughts, as violent as they were, were cloudly. He was on his back. He could vaguely hear shouts and screaming. Soon there would be more.

------- ------- -------

Stubbs tried to weakly stop the bleeding from the multiple torso wounds he had sustained. His breathing was ragged, but he was still fighting as hard as ever. He was still working when movement caught his eye. Looking up, he saw one of the mutants lying prone and taking aim. He recognized the red ballcap before three searing shots of energy punched into his chest.

His eyes closed as the last breath left his body.

------- ------- -------

Jules Jules paled inside at the destruction her dominate caused, she rarely used her powers and using them to kill pained her. It had now happened twice in the space of one day. That was not at all good and she doubted her choices, what the fuck has she got herself into. Despite the doubts her new friends and her survival were intertwined and she damned well would stay effective.

The sight of help arriving further steeled her to get a grip, it was not as dire as Jules thought. Glancing over the piping Jules spies the prone duo, she brings her pistol up with the intention of hosing them down but instead hears a crunch and then a clicking noise from her firearm as it jammed

FUCK!

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; driving the Flatbed - 15m E of last location, -20 BS to hit; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects)
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); on the ladder (5m up), will ascend to the roof on round 11.
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; vehicle cover (AP 3) with squad.
Rook - 11b; Just behind window/on bed of Room 211; 1 civilian with him.
E1 (brute) - 10a; in doorway to Westin; 15 damage
LowLevs - 10b (x5 on the roof, x5 climbing ladder + x5 in alleyway).
Rhone - 9a; in melee with Brute; bolt pistol needs reload (x2 remain); 1 critical damage
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b; delay until they have a clear shot/enemy comes into range.
Cuck (Cuck; x2 w/Rhone fleeing) - 9c; Cuck 14 Damage; All active Gangers Dead
E Squad 1 (x8) - 9d; 3 in melee w/Cuck; 5 in short range.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x8) - 8b; in alleyway
Kaylith - 7a; behind E squad 4 - unnoticed.
E squad 4 (x2: 0 HW team +2 Fireteam - PRONE/Grenadier Pinned) - 7b
Cessia - 6a; Overwatch on Rhone/Brute; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 3m W of Jules (body/legs AP 2); 3 critical Damage; Frenzied/prone/stunned until next round.
Stubbs - 6c; crawling to cover of truck 8 Critical Damage - DEAD
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2); 5 Damage; Weapon Jam!

Wiremu was still muttering "fuck" under his breath as he kept the vehicle moving back and in some semblance of a straight line...he hoped...

He kept popping his head up quickly, making sure he wasnt going to hit anything and crush the bitch arbite, and trying to see if he could spot Stubbs....

Fuck where are you....

------- ------- -------

Numa lay still on the floor of the roof next to Jules. It was unclear whether or not she was still breathing, but one of the two grenade blasts had done a number on her. Multiple lacerations covered her head and arms.

------- ------- -------

The Voice continued to move. A retinue around her, though none could currently see her.

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap doesn't smile or relish in his work. It was simply the job that needed to be done for the cause. The big human had finally lay still after his second salvor of las-rounds. He moved from prone to standing in a flash that was as inhuman as it was fast. Without waiting for any incoming fire, he rushed the enemy HQ that his squad hadd just run into.

------- ------- -------
[Update: 2/4/2021]

Rook watched his target duck out of sight before a moment later taking off into the HQ after the Voice. It was then that he heard footsteps charging down the hallway. Without a second thought for what could be still below in the street he flipped over on the bed and aimed the cut off stubber at the doorway. Anything coming through that door would have a split second to make peace before he blasted it apart. Turn around and cover the door! he hissed at the nervous civilian. The next moment saw Cessia appear in the doorway, staring down their barrels. Rook clicked his tongue in bemusement before flipping over to the other corner of the bed. He had heard another commotion down there and wanted to keep his attention towards the street. If there were more mutants he would keep them pinned until the flanks swung around them. He peered over the edge of the window sill, doing his best to keep low while snatching a glance...

...The civilian immediately turned and aimed their autogun at the open doorway and hallway beyond with shaky hands. When Cessia came into view they squeaked in terror. "Should I shoot it? Should I shoot her?? Oh Emperor."


Rook's new view put at least 7 tangos in his sights. Their attention was focused south, toward the alley that hugged the Westin. They seemed to be engaging, and Rook knew that that either meant with the Noodle Bar people or his own allies.

------- ------- -------

The brute of a mutant stepped over Rhone's prone form. The pool of blood spreading from his mouth had formed a halo around his head. His nose twitched as he moved into the Westin, heading up the stairs that the small female had just fled up.


------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers screamed and cursed as the shockwave from two grenades came over the top of the ladder. Five more make it to the roof, while those on the ground replace them on the ladder. They cried out in disbelief at the sight of so many of their friends torn apart and broken.

------ ------- -------

Kenji stared at Rhone's prone form. He knew that the Cadian was dead. No one could take a blow like that and survive. His immediate urge was to open the gates and go and tend to him. But that would expose his men, his precious Ashigaru of which so few remained. He knew what duty dictated. He gave Rhone a deep bow and ordered his men to keep cover and only open fire when they had targets in sight.

He would tend to Rhone's body properly when this was done.

------- ------- -------

Cuck screamed in a battle rage and brought his hammer up and around in a brutal arc. Another mutant's chest caved in under the swing, blood spraying out of its mouth. Yet even though he had killed another, seven still surrounded him.

"FUCK YAH!!!!" He screamed wantonly.

------- ------- -------

The mutants in front of Cuck reel back as another of their comrades dies horribly. They hit and stab with their knives, but their nerves are frayed and all miss. Meanwhile, those nearby fire on the giant gang leader. hard rounds scorch into his leathers, sear across his scalp and arms, slam into his legs... and he just takes it. Laughing maniacally, he points to the next mutant just to let him know who is dying next.

------- ------- -------

The mutants who previously moved into the alleyway line up shots on Poo-Beyah's guys who were still ascending the ladder. There were five in total. Five easy shots. Three of the low levelers are killed outright, falling off the ladder onto the hard asphalt with hard thuds. The other start cursing and pointing. This was a flank attack that could easily spell their doom.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith's sword moved like a blur. No one remembered it as a source of light, but as it shifted up and then down again, it looked like a bright neon blue blur that lit up her small section of roof. The two mutants in front of her fell apart in steaming chunks.

------- ------- -------

The last two mutants on the roof finally realize how stacked against them the situation is, grenade success or no. They stand, and start to hurriedly shuffle to the heavy weapon. Kaylith's eyes go wide as she sees their game.

"Kill them! Shoot them now!" She hollers.

------- ------- -------
[Update: 2/10/2021]

Cessia moved with her mechanical, too-calculated movements into the room and found the farthest spot from the door that was still in cover from the street to stand with her autogun at the ready and trained at the door, though she did not have enough time to aim or prepare an overwatch.

Things were not going well, that much was very, very obvious to Cessia and her very mathematical mind. The odds did not seem to be in their favor, and it was highly likely that the mutant from below would follow her up.
"Statement: There is a large mutant coming behind me. He killed Designate: Rhone. Suggestion: Be ready for his arrival."


[Dialogue IC interupt] When Cessia blurted out the news of Rhone's demise and the mutant likely following her into room, Rook offered nothing but silence in return. After a few moments he replied, You are mistaken. Rhone doesn't just die. His wounds have obviously overpowered his ability to remain conscious. I suggest you run a diagnostic of your pict viewers when we mop this rabble up. He looked at the civilian, Watch the door with her.

------- ------- -------

As the concussive echo faded from his ears, Ruaidhri found the sudden frenzied anger which had gripped hold of him was gone too. He was no longer on his feet, but back prone and he felt like he'd been stepped on. There was an uncomfortable oozing feeling all over his body, he wasn't sure which parts of his body were bleeding but it felt like everywhere.

He noticed the two last mutants had got up and were moving towards the gun. Aiming his gun, he tried to line up a shot, but with his body still trying to gather itself, he fired over their shoulders.
"Excellent shot angry boi."
Hearing the new arrivals on the roof, Ruaidhri directed his voice to them.
"We need to stop them getting to the gun. Attack!"

------- ------- -------

Jules naturally ducked down as the grenade exploded nearby, it took a moment for her to adjust her ears ringing after the blast. She tried not to look at the bits of flesh plastered about. Her gaze wandered to Numa laying still on the floor and then to Kaylith who was shouting something and pointing. Jules followed her pointing arm, the enemy fire team were trying to get to the heavy machine gun so she brought up her pistol and pulled the trigger... in the explosion she'd forgotten it was jammed. She had wasted precious seconds and with danger imminent her mind snapped out, but this time to her surprise not at the gunners but at the weapon they were trying to reach...

...away from anyone's gaze, the heavy stubber starts to corrode and rust. Slight dents form around its housing. The crosshairs bend.

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; driving the Flatbed - 15m E of last location, -20 BS to hit; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects)
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); prone near Jules. Condition unclear.
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on him.
Rook - 11b; Just behind window/on bed of Room 211; 1 civilian with him; line of sight on Mutant Squad 1
E1 (brute) - 10a; in doorway to Westin; 15 damage
LowLevs - 10b (x6 on the roof, x2 climbing ladder).
Rhone - 9a; in melee with Brute; bolt pistol needs reload (x2 remain); WIA/KIA
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b; delay until they have a clear shot/enemy comes into range.
Cuck - 9c; Cuck 14 Damage; All active Gangers Dead
E Squad 1 (x7) - 9d; 2 in melee w/Cuck; 5 in short range.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x8) - 8b; in alleyway engaging with low levelers
Kaylith - 7a; behind E squad 4 - unnoticed.
E squad 4 (0 HW team x2 Fireteam - moving toward heavy weapon); HW considered Poor Quality - 7b
Cessia - 6a; 2nd floor of westin, 12m S of Rook/8m N of staircase; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 3m W of Jules (body/legs AP 2); 3 critical Damage; Frenzied/prone/stunned until next round.
Stubbs - 6c; crawling to cover of truck 8 Critical Damage - WIA/KIA
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2); 5 Damage; Weapon Jam!

Wiremu kept moving back, his head popping up to check around him, when he saw Stubbs lying there.

"Oh fuck..."

He stopped the truck and took a second to check there was nobody pointing a gun at them before jumping out and moving around the back of the truck.

"You awake lady??"

The Special Agent Arbitrator - Anderson was her name - who had interrogated and tasked Wiremu and Stubbs with rooting out the crime boss Petra stirred slightly. She was alive after all.

Her hands were bound behind her, and both her wrists and ankles were secured to the length of steel jutting up from the truck bed.

------- ------- -------

Numa remained unconscious amidst the turmoil and chaos of the roof battle.

------- ------- -------

The Voice continued to move. A retinue around her, though none could currently see her.

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap rushes forward. Now that he had some cover he could move unimpeded. He quickly closes the gap to his leader.

------- ------- -------


Rook

------- ------- -------

The brute of a mutant

------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers

------ ------- -------

Kenji

------- ------- -------

Cuck

------- ------- -------

The mutants in front of Cuck

------- ------- -------

The mutants in the alleyway

------- ------- -------

Kaylith

------- ------- -------

The last two mutants on the roof

------- ------- -------


Cessia

------- ------- -------

Ruaidhri

------- ------- -------

Jules

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; at read of Flatbed with Spec. Agent Anderson - 30m E of Stubbs; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects)
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); prone near Jules. Condition unclear.
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on him.
Rook - 11b; Just behind window/on bed of Room 211; 1 civilian with him; line of sight on Mutant Squad 1
E1 (brute) - 10a; in doorway to Westin; 15 damage
LowLevs - 10b (x6 on the roof, x2 climbing ladder).
Rhone - 9a; in melee with Brute; bolt pistol needs reload (x2 remain); WIA/KIA
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b; delay until they have a clear shot/enemy comes into range.
Cuck - 9c; Cuck 14 Damage; All active Gangers Dead
E Squad 1 (x7) - 9d; 2 in melee w/Cuck; 5 in short range.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x8) - 8b; in alleyway engaging with low levelers
Kaylith - 7a; behind E squad 4 - unnoticed.
E squad 4 (0 HW team x2 Fireteam - moving toward heavy weapon); HW considered Poor Quality - 7b
Cessia - 6a; 2nd floor of westin, 12m S of Rook/8m N of staircase; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 3m W of Jules (body/legs AP 2); 3 critical Damage; Frenzied/prone/stunned until next round.
Stubbs - 6c; crawling to cover of truck 8 Critical Damage - WIA/KIA
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2); 5 Damage; Weapon Jam!

After taking in the scene below, and spying the enemies that were left on the street, Rook rolled back over to cover the door with Cessia and the civilian. He lined up the stubber on the doorway and waited. The next thing that barged through that door was going to have a very hard time not breaking apart under their combined fire. He sat and listened for footsteps...

------- ------- -------


He didn't have to wait long. There was no finesse with this thing. Its feet slammed and thudded up the stairs, creating an impact vibration that the two tech priests could physically feel. With a roar that seemed to shake the walls, it emerged from the stairs and into the hallway in a flurry of movement. It must have run straight from the ground floor.

------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers react immediately to Ruaidhri's calls for carnage. They start lining up shots with their weapons. An assortment of pistols and sub-machine guns pop off with impeccable aim. They cut down both of the mutants running toward the heavy weapon. There are no cheers, however. They were still standing in the remains of their comrades.

The final two on the ladder decide to scramble up as fast as they can.

------ ------- -------

Kenji makes the decision to open the gate to his shop. There was still fighting to his left, and Rhone lay in a pool of his own blood straight ahead. The beast that felled him had run into the Westin. Sitting around was not an option. He barks orders at his men and they fan out. Two each take cover behind the two dumpsters hugging the Westin, while two more hug the wall opposite. All begin to immediately cover Cuck.

Three of the mutants near crumple and fall under the trained precision of the former Astra Militarum troops.

------- ------- -------

Cuck laughs as the enemies in front of him crumple. Wasting no time to see who, how, or why, he charges the nearest mutant. An audible crack erupts from its crushed sternum. Blood pools at its feet.

------- ------- -------

The mutants in front of Cuck have just watched the majority of their squad disintegrate in front of their eyes. The advantage that they had has been completely taken away. They look at one another in a panic, and without a word flee the source of their destruction as fast as they can. They head west, down the street at a full sprint.

------- ------- -------

The mutants in the alleyway rush forward, moving in covering formation to the bottom of the ladder that leads to the roof.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith surveys the scene. All the enemies on the roof were dead, but the victors were hurting. She tilts her head slightly as though to listen...

"More are coming up the stairs. Ready yourselves!" She then moved back to her position of cover just beside the door that led to the roof.

------- ------- -------

Rook overwatch triggered

Cessia - "Statement: My pict viewers are fully functional and my understanding of human biology likely surpasses yours. You are likely in shock, I suggest ignoring the revelation until after the battle is over."

Rook doesn't waste a second. Cessia was replying to him, but he would have to ask her what she said later. He opened up with the cut down heavy stubber. The weapon was devastating in such tight confines as a hallway, and the heavy rounds smack into the huge creature rapidly. The walls around and behind the beast chunk apart, as do parts of the creatures body. It thuds back against the back wall on its ass... in a daze but somehow, in some Emperor-fucking forsaken way, still alive.

Cessia spoke even as the giant mutant thundered up the stairs. She brought her autogun up and fired after Rook did, hoping to bring the thing down before it had any chance to reach her and do what it had done to Rhone... The flesh was weak, at least for now, and she had many things to do before she let it die.

The shot smacks into the creatures body as it falls.

------- ------- -------

The halfling had been aiming his weapon at the remaining cultists when a wave of fire overcame them and suddenly the roof was clear of them.
"Who do these lot think they are? Marines riding in to save the day?"
"I thought Marines were meant to be aquatic? What would they ride then?"
"Feck for brains, that's only for Terra. Everything else is reached by boat. So technically they can ride anything. Probably thinking of riding right now."
He put a heavy emphasis on the hard 'R' when he spoke, but Ruaidhri's mind was on the warning Kaylith had shouted out. An attack fore and aft. Double-teaming them. Or as Uallachan put it, 'receiving the catechism'

Turning he moved quickly towards the wall, trying to find a spot where he'd have a sight on whoever was going to climb it and still have a bit of cover. As he moved he shouted out to the new arrivals on the roof.
"Good shooting but we've more incoming. You two that have just come up can you fire on anyone coming up the ladder, the rest of you cover that door!"

The low-levelers don't have any issue taking orders from the halflings. Two of them turn to cover the ladder without poking their heads out over the lip or anything suicidal like that while the other six take a bead on the doorway.

At Ruaidhri's feet, Numa begins to cough slightly and stir...

------- ------- -------

With the brief lull in combat Jules found tears coming to her eyes. She had killed again, the dead and the dying and bits of them were scattered across the rooftop. She was no soldier and today was becoming all to much... She shook her head, anger flaring to keep her emotions at bay, this was not done yet.

She became aware of Ruaidhri giving out orders, covering the door and the stairs. So she left the others for now and looked to herself. Her pistol was jammed... she pulled the magazine out and seeing the offending bullet pinged it out after a brief struggle. Slamming the mag back into place her gaze came back up.

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; at read of Flatbed with Spec. Agent Anderson - 30m E of Stubbs; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects)
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); prone near Jules. Condition unclear - Still alive
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on him.
Rook - 11b; Just behind window/on bed of Room 211; 1 civilian with him; overwatch on hallway triggered
E1 (brute) - 10a; 2nd floor hallways/20m from Rook/Cessia; 6 critical damage - stunned for 2 rounds, fallen against back wall
LowLevs - 10b (x8 on the roof).
Rhone - 9a; in melee with Brute; bolt pistol needs reload (x2 remain); WIA/KIA
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b; in the alley engaging mutant squad 1
Cuck - 9c; Cuck 14 Damage; All active Gangers Dead
E Squad 1 (x4) - 9d; BROKEN - fleeing west at full sprint.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x8) - 8b; in alleyway at the bottom of the ladder
Kaylith - 7a; taking cover behind roof access
E squad 4 (0 HW team x2 Fireteam - moving toward heavy weapon); HW considered Poor Quality - 7b
Cessia - 6a; 2nd floor of westin, in room with Rook; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 1m W of roof lip - sharing space with Jules (body/legs AP 2); 3 critical Damage
Stubbs - 6c; crawling to cover of truck 8 Critical Damage - WIA/KIA
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2); 5 Damage; -1 reload (3/4 remain)

Wiremu was swearing under his breath as he started untying her.

"Fucking Stubbs dead...everything turning to shit....what the fuck...."

He keeps working, first loosening her feet and then hands, ready to take her weight once it dropped.

"Miss...wake up miss. Shit is bad. We need some of your bully boys down here to sort shit out miss..."

Special Agent Anderson stirred some and blinked open her eyes. It was though a fog was fading away, and Wiremu could see her taking in her situation. "Wha... what is happen...?" She closed her eyes and her jaw hardened. "Mutants." She was still somewhat out of sorts, but gaining strength by the second. She checked her belt, likely for a vox or weapon, but finding none looked at Wiremu.

"What's the play?"

------- ------- -------

Numa continues to cough and pull herself up. The explosion had knocked off her rebreather, and the Ratlings get a look at her face for the first time since meeting her. One thick scar crisscrossed across her cheek from her left ear lobe to her chin and mouth. It splintered off down her neck from there. Other than that, her features were angular and sharp, hard like stone, and not at all unattractive. Her breathing was ragged and she quickly scooped her rebreather back into place as she came to.

She didn't react to the gore and destruction around her, but she did spare a moment to lock eyes with the Ratlings and give them a nod that she was good to go, and still in the fight.

------- ------- -------

The Voice halts for a moment, tilts her head to one side as if listening to something that only she can hear, and then continues on. She was almost at the rooftop now. One thing at a time.

------- ------- -------

The mutant in the ball cap stays close with the leader of the Innerwyrm. The Voice. She was the guidance and knowledge. She was what would bring change to the corrupt chaos of this galaxy, and he would die defending her.

------- ------- -------

One of the Ratlings would have a derogatory description for this, Rook thought after he and Cessia's combined fire dropped the mutant like a bad recurring protocol. Seeing that the beast was still drawing ragged breaths, and Cessia's claim that it had somehow ended Sergeant Rhone's career, Rook let fly with another long burst to put it down for good.

The fourth shot clearly enters, and exits, the Brute's head. In the twilight darkness of Port Wander's faulty lighting, it is hard to make out many details. Regardless, in any normal circumstance, that would be a kill shot; however, from this distance he could see the Brute still held tightly its hammer in its two right arms, and its grenade launcher that it used to such deadly effect against the Westin previously still hung from its combat webbing... could be useful.

He paused for a heartbeat to make sure it wouldn't be getting back up.

He nodded to himself once and stood up. "Well done. That is quite a specimen. I have no doubt if it managed to engage Rhone in close quarters, then he is either dead or in dire need of your skills. Take the civilian and recover him, if you can." He crouched as he went back into the room to post up over the street and look for more targets. Perhaps the one with the hat was still down there...

------- ------- -------

Poo-Beya's low-levelers hold their positions, waiting with their weapons trained on the areas the Ratlings had ordered them to watch.

------ ------- -------

Kenji rushes to Rhone's side and kneels. It was bad. The Bastard's Buff, Bald, Bearded leader was not breathing. There was blood pooled around him, and Kenji knew that he was dealing with a dead man. Regardless, he begins CPR while his Ashigaru take up defensive positions outside of his shop.

------- ------- -------

Cuck looked around in bewilderment as the berserker rage left him. He had no enemies left and he roared in celebration, but upon further review he realized he had no gangers left either.

No bother. There are always more cunts in need of a leader.

------- ------- -------

The mutants in the alleyway begin to ascend. Four get on the ladder and start moving up, while four remain on the ground aiming up and covering.

------- ------- -------

Kaylith maintains her position, out of sight of the others on the roof but in a prime ambush location.

------- ------- -------

Cessia stared at the Brute as it fell against the wall. It did not seem to be dead, so Rook shot it again. She still wasn't convinced it was dead, but she wanted to be as far away from it as possible so she would do as Rook said.
"Statement: Understood. Recommendation: Shoot it again, utilize the grenade launcher to provide aid for our allies below, it is efficient."

Cessia assumed the civilian would follow her since Rook said they should, so she said nothing to them as she pulled out her datapad and looked at the cameras she had captured once more. She flipped through each of them, and would notify the group of anything important going on. Assuming the bottom floor of the building she was in was empty, Cessia started heading that way with one final word to Rook.

The bottom floor was clear, as was the alley way and the front of the Westin. She could see the friendly Ashigaru men covering the hallway, and their leader crouched next to the still body of Rhone.

"Request: Do not destroy the body, it will be useful to study when the battle is over."

The civilian, terrified and still shaking with the weapon in hand seems to be on auto pilot as he follows the cybernetic woman down the hall. They make it to the top of the stairs and take a step down. Behind her, Cessia notices something...

------- ------- -------

An odd silence had descended over the rooftop. They were currently in the eye of the storm, surviving the battle thus far, but it was about to get a second wind. Further violence was coming here, on either side of them, their enemies hoping to crush them between their hammer and anvil. Not the ideal position to be in, but it could be worse. As if on queue, Uallachan farted.

Ruaidhri made eyes across the roof at the new arrivals who'd arrived to give them much needed reinforcements. He nodded his head across at them, his partners in the coming conflict, and then raised his gun and trained his sight on the top of the wall, where you could just make out the top rung of the ladder. He slowed his breathing and allowed himself to loose himself in concentration on this one action.

Crouched next to him Uallachan grinned as the foul scent wafted around him. He caught Numa's look and gave her a wink. For a moment he considered miming something sexual across at her, but the complete stillness of his companion seemed to have some influence. He pointed one finger at the top of the ladder and then the other at the door and mimed shooting. For good luck he then sucked each thumb and then turned his head back to where his partner was looking.

------- ------- -------

Jules could feel the sweat on her palms against the grip of her pistol as she trained it at the top of the ladder. A person would appear over the lip of the wall onto the roof at any moment, a person she would try and kill. It seemed to take an age but only seconds ticked by. She looked at the others, her allies she supposed and she had never felt so alone. She knew none of them. Although she'd only known them for less than 24 hours she thought of Rhone and Kenji, she hoped they were both ok. They were the only friends she had on this god forsaken port.

She tightened her grip on the pistol...

+++++++
Wiremu - 15; at front of Flatbed with Spec. Agent Anderson - 30m E of Stubbs; (all actions -10 fatigue, -10 Voice fear after effects); Anderson is awake and active.
Numa - 14 (legs/body AP 3); prone near Jules. Overwatch on Doorway. Wounded
Voice - 13; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on her.
E2 (ballcap) - 11a; fled into Enemy HQ - no visual on him.
Rook - 11b; Just behind window/on bed of Room 211.
E1 (brute) - 10a; 2nd floor hallways/20m from Rook/Cessia; DEAD...?
LowLevs - 10b (x8 on the roof) - x2 overwatch on the ladder, x6 overwatch on rooftop doorway.
Rhone - 9a; in melee with Brute; bolt pistol needs reload (x2 remain); WIA/KIA
Ashigaru (x10 + Kenji) - 9b; in the alley spread out/covering.
Cuck - 9c; Cuck 14 Damage; All active Gangers Dead
E Squad 1 (x4) - 9d; BROKEN - fleeing west at full sprint.
E squad 2 (x1) - 8a;
E squad 3 (x8) - 8b; x4 on ladder, x4 covering; first will ascend to the roof in two rounds.
Kaylith - 7a; taking cover behind roof access
E squad 4 (0 HW team x2 Fireteam - moving toward heavy weapon); HW considered Poor Quality - 7b
Cessia - 6a; 2nd floor of westin, at the top of stairs; Locked out of Arbites Security System (4 DoS/4 DoF attained); 1 Civ with her; 4 damage
Ruaidhri - 6b; On enemy HQ roof; 4m W of roof lip - overwatch on ladder (body/legs AP 2); 3 critical Damage
Stubbs - 6c; crawling to cover of truck 8 Critical Damage - WIA/KIA
Jules - 4; on enemy HQ roof; body/legs in cover (AP 2); Overwatch on ladder. 5 Damage; -1 reload (3/4 remain)

Special Agent Anderson pulled free of the restraints that Wiremu helped rid her of. Both mentally and emotionally injured from the psyker, stripped of their weapons by the Innerwyrm, they were a sight to behold. Anderson rubbed her wrists and then turned her head as a dog might do. "She's near. I can feel her." Ignoring Wiremu's quizzical look she pointed to one of the buildings up ahead, as if that explained it. Wiremu, despite the look, knew who she referred to.
"Her fucking goons killed Stubbs. We need to kill them all." His face was hard lined and deadly serious.
"We will. Arm yourself. We're outnumbered, but we've got the element of surprise. Hurry."
As Wiremu looked around, he realized the closest weapon was his fallen comrade's. The body was still warm when he got there. The big man's breathing had stopped completely, and there was little blood. The hot shot las that inflicted the kill shot had cauterized most of the wounds.
"I'll get some payback for you, bro. Rest easy now." He took the weapon, checked the power charge, and moved back to Anderson. She was deep in thought, or so it seemed, until the Indira Chindit realized his breath was coming out in puffs in front of his face. No, she was doing her psyker thing. Instrinctively, Wiremu made the sign of the Aquila and took up a position of cover.
"I found her... and she is gearing up for something bad. We have to move."

+++

Numa stills herself against the far wall. She gets into a seated firing position and aims her las at the doorway that led onto the roof from inside the building itself. Seeing that Uallachan and the low-levs were both covering the ladder, she figured it the best spot to be in.
She was hurt, but she was tough as nails. She was sent on a mission to lead the Ratlings to a target. She had done that. She had fought hard and stayed by their side even when her mission was over. She didn’t quite understand why, but there was something about this rag-tag group of n’er-do-wells that spoke to her. So, if she died here, it would be a good death. It would be worth something.
She thumbed the safety off her weapon and waited for glory or death,

+++

The stair greeted her heartily. Just in front of her, her most trusted lieutenant in his red baseball cap moved forward. His stolen M36 lasrifle – Artur’s M36 lasrifle – hung loosely in his hands, ready to be brought up at a moments notice. He would guard her with his life, or die trying.
He reached the top of the stairs and stopped. He put a gently hand on the door and listened. Behind him, she waited and lifted a hand. Wait.
He halted.
Her head tilted to the left, feeling out, feeling something…
“Clever,” she whispers. “But I see you.”
The air around her goes icy.

+++

Ruaidhri and Uallachan share no word. No quips. No special jokes. This was it and they knew it. Everyone could feel it. They had fought hard with little. They had bled and killed, and now it was completely up to the Emperor whether or not they would survive.
The Bastards were the strongest as a squad. Everyone had their part to play – each a piece of a much greater whole. Ruaidhri and Uallachan were the Bastards eyes, ears, and asses. They were long range killers – assassins. And now they found themselves on the front lines.
Ru calmed his breathing. Uallachan very likely just exacerbated his. Regardless, they took aim and waited. There was nothing else to be done.
Soon the killing would start again.

+++

Across the hall in the blasted out Westin, Rook took up an overwatch position. The street below was quiet, but he knew the remnant of that last squad of mutants had rushed into the alleyway and out of sight. He also knew that Ruaidhri and Uallachan – as well as Kaylith – were up on that roof opposite of him. He was smart enough to know that they were about to get the bad end of that deal.
With a grunt, he turned and made his way toward Cessia and the civilian, stopping only momentarily to take the heavy grenade launcher from the corpse of the enormous mutant berserker. Making his way downstairs, he caught up to Cessia as she loomed over Rhone’s corpse.
Kenji, the Ashigaru noodle shop owner from across the way, knelt next to him, attempting first aid.
“Statement: he is breathing, but it is extremely shallow. Recommendation: medical bay, immediately. Time is of the essence.”
Rook grunted a frustrated grunt as though that was the obvious answer.
“We can’t take him anywhere until we deal with the enemies across the way. Follow me. We kill them all and then care for Rhone. Kenji, he is in your hands now. Yours and the Omnissiah.”
With that, Rook and Cessia moved down the alley, across masses of mutant corpses, to find a very large man with a very large wrench.
“Oi cunts. Welcome to th’party.” Cuck stood tall and proud over the body of a crushed mutant. He was hurt, and his wrench was drenched in gore, but he didn’t seem to mind. He also didn’t seem to mind that all of his men were dead.
He took in a big breath of air and hocked a fat wad of snot on the ground. “Reckon we should kill the rest, eh?” With that, he gestured to the building across the street. Before he could move, Rook cut in.
“The enemy moved into that alley way. I have something for them.” He tapped the grenade launcher in his hands, his autogun across his back.
Cuck’s smile widened and he bowed. “Lead the way.”

+++

Jules sat with shakey, tired, aching hands aiming a laspistol at a ladder and awaiting the face of a mutant to come into view. She had not signed up for this, but then again, she had never signed up for any of the twists and turns that life had given her.
The closest things to friends were this motely crew she was on the roof with.
Bastards. The name was fitting. What was she, after all, if not exactly that?
If she had to die as anything, it might as well be a Bastard.
There was the slightest tap of rubber on metal. Her ears perked up. Ignoring the pain in her body, she steadied herself and shot a glance at Uallachan. He was still as stone; his las up against his cheek aiming at where the ladder came over the roof.
Another scruff of rubber on metal. Then it stopped.
Was she hearing things?
The grenade thumped up and over casually. When it exploded, they would all die. Period. It was one of Poo-Beyas men who acted first, grabbing it and running over to the lip of the roof to drop it down. He made it, and so did the grenade, but not before he was riddled with autogun fire. His body crumpled over, but so did the grenade. His sacrifice saved them all, and there was a crumpled explosion below.
Then a face, ugly and twisted, with razor teeth and black eyes, crested the ladder, weapon in hand.
Uallachan was already squeezing his trigger. Calm. Cool. A killer through and through. Jules fired off a shot as well, but the beast already had two holes in its face.
It had begun.

+++

Kaylith felt something snaking into her brain. Even though she was hiding, she had been found. The jig was up and she immediately began fighting back.
The power she was up against was incredible. She hadn’t expected it. She saw her sword hand moving against her will. Pulling the sword from its resting place and activating the power rune at the bottom. Horror flooded her as the weapon turned toward her heart…

+++

The Voice smiled and whispered, “Quiet now…. It will be over soon…”
Ballcap waited steadily by the door, ready to breach at his mistress’ word.

+++

Kaylith cursed in a language not entirely Imperial. She was fighting but she was losing. The sword, in its sleek blue hue, moved closer toward her vital organs.
She laughed. This, after all these years, was how she would die? The galaxy loved irony.
Abruptly the sword stopped.
From within the stairwell there was  yelp.

+++

The Voice bared her fangs. Frustration and rage boiled within her. She was so close to killing the thief in the night, only for the interloper to show herself.
“We should have killed her.”
“Who?” Replied ballcap.
“The one on the truck. The arbites. It is no matter. Hold position. They outnumber us now, but reinforcements are coming.”

+++

Special Agent Anderson had blood coming from her nose, but she looked determined. “Trooper, we have to kill that psyker. Let’s go, now.”
From the front of the truck there was a scream. It wasn’t one of terror, but pure frustration and anger.
Bonds snapped as Karsith broke free. “I will kill them all!” He screamed. He was apparently running on adrenaline and nothing else. Left for dead, his chest heaved with air as he took in his surroundings.
“Where the fucking fuck am…” He looked back. “Wiremu? Where is… No matter. I need a blade. I need to carve myself into the Emperor’s redemption.” His bionic arm twitched. The young berserker was filled with rage and was ready.
Wiremu, sighing deeply with no proper reply, patted him on the back. He stepped into the driver’s seat, and with Anderson and Karsith in tow, began to drive.

+++

Rook, Cessie, and Cuck made it to the alley mouth as a pair of headlights greeted them from the east. He made out Wiremu’s waiving hand and focused back on the renewed firefight in the alley.
“Karsith?” Rook exclaimed as the young Bastard made his way over. His chest heaved, and he was looking around frantically for a weapon. They were everywhere, but he didn’t want an autogun. Eventually he found a machete, and smiled wide.
In the alley, a crumpled explosion greeted them. Ahead, a handful of mutants were ascending the ladder while the rest covered. Rook took the grenade launcher and shouldered it while Cessia, Cuck, and the rest made ready.
“For the 666th. For the Emperor’s Bastards.”
There was a thump.

+++

The mutants poured over the ladder. Uallchan was squeezing the trigger and reloading. The Low-levelers were firing, but too afraid of hitting one another, had broken out into a melee. In that game, the mutants were winning handedly.
Jules fired where and when she could, but realized quickly that it was not going to be enough. She began to cry. They were not tears of fear, but a chemical reaction. She couldn’t help it. She would die on this roof. As if on cue, one of Poo-Beya’s guys screamed and fell beside her, dead before he hit the ground.

+++

“Go now, child.”
Ballcap breached the door cooly, turning his weapon left and firing off a burst of covering fire. Ruaidhri had missed his opportunity. The melee behind him had stolen a second of his concentration, and it was enough to make his first shot miss.
The red ballcap – he was moving – quickly. Ruaidhri reloaded. He knew the girl was over there, and apparently so did ballcap. Ballcap was efficient in his movements – trained. Smooth. Exceptionally deadly. Ruaidhri almost admired him.
His M36 lasgun – ARTUR’S M36, Ru noted – lifted. He fired three times before Ru could set his sights. He knew that Kaylith was dead. He had missed his shot. But he wouldn’t miss this one.
Already ballcap was turning, weapon up. Their eyes met.
They both squeezed their triggers.

+++

The Voice exited the building, her hands held out before her like she was warding off evil. She nearly gasped when she saw the body in front of her.
“No…”
Her most trusted lieutenant lay twitching at her feet. His head was gone, and the ballcap that had been on it blown to pieces. Across the way, the killer also lay still.
“Interlopers. Heathens. The Innerwyrm is here! The Innerwyrm is eternal! Triumph is ours!”
The air around her turned icy. In the melee, the low-levelers began to slow, slightly. The mutants shared no such fate and began cutting them down. Even Jules and Uallachan could feel it, but Uallachan was much to busy scurrying over to Ruaidhri, screaming, tears streaming down his face as well.
“The Innerwyrm is NOW. The Inner…”
Blood trickled from her mouth.
She looked down to see a blue powersword emerging from her sternum.
“The Innerwyrm is nothing, bitch, and neither are you.”
Kaylith turned the blade and swept up and then down, splitting the Voice from sternum to crotch in two sweeping movements.
As the reaction speed of the Imperials went back to normal, a psychic shriek cut across the landscape. Some of the mutants fell to their knees, wailing. Others fought with more ferocity, but it was wild. They were cut down where they stood.
As Uallachan reached Ruaidhri, he turned his companion over and his mouth dropped open.
Ruaidhri was smiling, ear-to-ear. “Got ya, ye fecker!”
For perhaps the first time in his life, Uallchan had nothing to say.

+++++++++

Karsith stood in a sea of gore. The grenade had done a lot of work, but he and Cuck had done the rest. His chest heaved, never seeming to be able to catch his breath.
“That was for Artur, you cunts.” He spit on one of the corpses before delivering a brutal kick to its mouth.
Up top, he heard wailing, screaming, and gunfire. Then… silence.
Rook aimed the grenade launcher up. “Ratlings? Kaylith? Did you make it?”
There was silence. Finally, “Aye. I made it with yer’ mum. You can call me ‘papa’ now, you half metal twit.”
Then another voice, “You are spare parts, bud!”
Karsith smiled. Wiremu smiled. Anderson frowned. Cessia remained impassive. Cuck looted mutant bodies.

+++++++

Rhone was dying. Stubbs was dead. Artur was dead. Bazin was dead. Newt was dead. Karsith was somehow alive, but very likely dying. Everyone was hurt in some way, shape, or form. A routine snatch-and-grab had turned into an all out street war with mutants, and here they were.
The 666th Penal Regiment, Bastards, 7th Battalion, 7th Platoon, 7th Squad… was fucked.
As the pieces were being picked up, the red emergency lights around the giant blast doors that Kenji had mentioned earlier began to swell. They were about to open.
As you gather in the street to lick your wound and stare at the door, you cannot help but wonder what is coming next. Would it be friendly or waves of mutants. With a determined sigh, you all set your sights on the door and wait.
There was simply nothing else to do.
With a hiss, the pressure releases and the blast doors – big enough to allow a column of tanks four wide through without trouble – opens.
+++
The beasts emerged. Eight feet tall. Clad in armor. Weapons fearsome and at the ready. The Bastards couldn’t win this fight if they wanted to. They probably couldn’t win it if they had a Baneblade.
Six Astartes clad in black armor with silver left pauldrons, with a range of weapons as deadly as they were impressive emerge forth. Behind them an Inquisitor and behind them… was that your mark?
The man you were here to apprehend walked proudly. You recognized his face immediately from your briefing. Beside him was your captain, and the honor guard of Bastards sent to protect him.
They all looked like they had been through it.
Barriks smiles when he sees you and rushes over.
“Where’s Rhone?”

[END OF MISSION - PENITENCE IN DEATH]