Nerrone's Rangers IC

Dagon spoke up: "Sounds to me like we're getting to that security booth on the first floor and gaining access before we know what we're up against. Frerraro ain't exactly getting in better shape while we stand around having a chat...

"Now, we've still got five of these healy-things going spare, and I know there's a bunch of you that can barely stand without painkillers and/or fresh bandages, so it's now or never. Who's up first?"

"I guess I am," Quark said, picking up one of the five devises. He pulled out a little X-ray gun and did a quick circuit mapping before he turned it on. After having a rough draft of the circuitry, he felt the health running back though him. The blinding green light felt like real pure sunlight, fixing all his pain. The gash that spread deep into his am disappeared, leaving only a scab. It was an amazing feeling.

Xol responded to Dagon, "Once we gain access to the first floor terminal and I've hacked the security, Quark can take over it and I'll provide recon with my Zeafly. If needed, I could hook onto security cameras and send the team a feed, or perhaps send the camera into a constant loop, rendering you all invisible. Also, I could gather intel about where our enemies are hiding out, and who all we're up against."

Grecsh spoke up, "This sounds all fine and dandly-like, but I think we've really got to get moving. The situation isn't exactly improving itself."

"As long as I doesn't get involved in hand-to-hand combat, I can lead the strike team. Or at least coordinate it."
Rhak was too proud to take help of the 'healers'. The suit would probably just cause problems.
"Either way, I'm joining the strike team. I will hold a support role, but I will need more than just my pistol. Anyone got a rifle to spare?" He adressed the group.

"Oh, we're choosing teams?" Grecsh asked. "Well, I think I'll go with the hacking team. Gotta keep an eye on Xol, don't yah know?"

The Xol gave the O'onthos a sideways glance.

(Bianca) "So let's see there's about two healers, myself and Cuna plus a few hackers, two bodyguards.. one of them might a carer for Xol? We might be able to pull this off quickly assuming we don't kill ourselves in the process."
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(Chalen) "Right. Look like everybody is nearly ready for new mission. I'm still not happy about this but we no choice." Chalen got his bit's n pieces together and had a shot at fixing up his badly dented armour by whacking it. Somehow it looked better then it was but it's still dented not by a lot.

"Oh, yes." Flank retrieved his rifle from the corner he stashed his things in and gave it to Rhak again. "Hope you'll get to use it this time."

He looked around at the crew. "I'd say we're ready to get moving then. Do we need anything else?"

"I'll join the hacker team", said Bor as he used one of the devices to heal his leg injuries. "You never know what the Kingdom might have in store for us."

"If you're completely certain you wish to proceed with your injuries," Kwa said to Flank, "Also, we still require a volunteer to remain here and keep an eye on the ship."

"I guess ill stay here and make sure nothing happens." Said Celdryc.
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"Well, we seem to have enough guards for the hackers, so ill go with strike team" IO said. He thought about using one of the health packs, but decided that it wasn't worth it. Though he had a nasty burn, it would probably be of better use to someone else.

((Anyone wishing to use one of the three remaining heals may still do so in their next post.))

Dagon stood up and hefted his rifle, "Right! I reckon we've wasted enough time then, let's get this show on the road!"

Somewhere nearby, outside the ship, a thunderous *crack* suddenly interrupted Dagon's purposeful stride across the living area. The sound of stone being smashed and scattered on the ground echoed across the courtyard and off the walls of the tower beyond.

"What the hell was that?" exclaimed Bor. He grabbed his Plasma Pulsers (which somebody had been kind enough to recharge while he was unconscious) and cautiously stepped outside of the ship to see what had happened.

Flank's cannon swiveled about at the sound, the faint click of a plasma bolt being chambered barely audible. He hurried after Bor, but not before stopping by the rest of the ETRs.

Oh, what the hell. He slammed his left hand down on the smooth hand print on the topmost face, and had no choice but to stare into the brilliant light. Like the EMP he suffered earlier that day, the devise caused his skin to sting like it was bitten, and his vision faltered with interference, but it wasn't a weapon, so it did not last for very long.

As he followed Bor out of the ship, another CRACK sounded, and he fell over. Pulling himself up again, he staggered out into the courtyard.

Day was breaking slowly. The light outside was still limited, but they could still make out the source of the commotion: the statue in the middle of the square, a number of meters away from the landing pad, had been beheaded. Shards of stone flipped and rolled across the ground at its feet. Beside the defaced sculpture stood a hulking automaton — a ten foot tall humanoid construct built like a brick wall, hefting a wrecking-ball of a fist on the end of one arm and a large blaster weapon of some kind on the other. A small swivel-mounted head was set on its front, from which a single menacing red eye glared towards the Lacuna.


In the command hub at the very top of Sapphire Point, a dark figure surveyed the interlopers through the eye of the Guardian Defense Mech, hands busily manipulating the unit's controls from afar.

"Aw, crap." Bor turned back toward the Lacuna. "Guys? We're under attack out here. Grab your weapons." He turned back toward the automaton and raised his Pulsers, ready to unload on the behemoth if it so much as blinked.

Xol and Grecsh simultaneously whirled around at the sound of Bor mentioning an attacker. Xol drew his pistols and reloaded them with new cartridges, Grecsh opting for an EMP grenade, given the nature of the attacker.

I'll let you take this first move, the Selthem thought.

((The word filter on Drew's name is gone now, just so you know. ))

Hearing Bor, Kwa made a dash for the cabins, where her equipment was stored, and Dagon made his way to the landing ramp, reaching the opening in time to see the mech's left arm, the one with a firearm built into it, suddenly sweep upwards. An intense beam of scarlet light blazed from its tip, leaving a burning trail in the lawns as it swept from the right towards where Bor was stood at the foot of the landing pad.

Swearing like a Flixxel, Bor dove off the landing ramp to avoid the beam. He hit the ground, rolled, and fired two plasma blasts at the arm-mounted weapon that had nearly decapitated him.

Flank broke into a run and left the confines of the Lacuna's landing pad. He ran in a wide arc around the machine, firing four plasma bolts from his cannon as he did so. The shots didn't announce themselves as proudly as his bullets or shells did; they were relatively quiet.

He continued to run, desperately looking for some kind of bench, or shrub, or pillar to use as cover, but there was nothing to block the machine's view of him. Accepting this, he came up with a plan. He slowed his pace and fired another plasma bolt for attention, keeping his scope trained on the machine's heat ray.

((@Mitchz: I am picturing it as more of a continuous beam weapon than a flamethrower. ))

In his circuit about the automaton, Flank made out the faint yellow glow of an external power module nestled between the shoulder-blades of the machine. A sphere of blue light flared around the mech as its energy shields absorbed the plasma blasts coming in from all sides, extinguishing them inches from their target.

Dagon dove out onto the landing pad as the beam swept by, moving swiftly off to one side and hopping off the raised landing pad onto the lawn below.

"Spread out! Draw it away from the ship!"

After a three-second burst, the mech's beam fell silent, only to recharge and flare up again another two seconds later — cutting a low semi-circle from the right this time, at thigh level, that would encompass both Bor and Flank at their current positions.

Xol and Grecsh sprinted in opposite directions, the latter attempting to get in sight of the mech's back.

Seeing the energy fields surrounding the automaton, Xol swore under his breath, remembering all too well the Sentinel he had faced only hours ago.

Grecsh on the other hand had arrived on the opposite side of the mech. The lugged the magnetic EMP device straight towards the glowing power modules. The strength the O'onthos had put behind this move would make it hard for the grenade to bounce off its target or miss entirely, provided it made it through the force field.

The second the crash was heard, Celdryc instictivly stealthed himself. He was about to return to normal when Bor shouted of an attacker. At that, he rushed outside, just in time to see Flank's shots get harmlessly absorbed by the mech. Great, energy shields he thought to himself. Ranged weapons are gonna be harmlessly absorbed until it wears down, but I wonder....
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IO became alert when the crash sounded, and soon ran outside to join those who where out already. He was about to fire a rocket, then remembered the things proximity to the Lacuna. Instead, he fired a few shots with his wrist blaster to get its attention and lead it away. "Well, I guess this makes up for not getting to do anything about that sentinel earlier..." he muttered

NOW! Flank urged to himself. As the searing beam swept toward him, he activated his stealth field and jumped backwards. His stealth field, when activated, always gave the visual impression that he was vapourising, so when he jumped back from the beam, it seemed as if it had claimed him.

He landed as quietly as he could. Keeping quiet would be crucial to Flank as long as his ruse appeared to be successful. Had he any lips, he would have smiled to himself, confident that a machine with such a heat ray would not be able to detect him with infra-red sensors.

The mech turned as Grecsh made his throw, and his EMP latched onto its left shoulder instead. The power unit was unaffected by the ensuing pulse, which instead discharged down its arm. The light in the eye of its weapon faded and died as it was leveled at IO.

Realising this temporary setback, its operator changed tack: the beam weapon was lowered and the mech charged; its enormous form bearing down on IO at a speed that one would not expect from something so heavy, with steps that cracked the stonework beneath its feet and threw up clods of earth when it passed the borders of the square. Both its arms swung out at him as it approached, each thick as a tree-trunk.

Naboo had the worst of luck, he had just come out of his room from getting restocked on ammo and energy cells for his guns in time to get briefed on the mission and when they come out, a mother fritting giant robot that the statue just happened to be started attacking them. It took all of his willpower to keep him from screaming in rage. Guess what it had a shield generator. In the ensuing chaos Naboo got an idea. Shields were meant to block lazer and plasma fire, not solid objects. "Wedge something in halfway and the shield will feed back on itself." Naboo thought. Naboo activated his communicator and contacted Kwa "Kwa, it's Naboo, I have an idea to take down it's shields, it's crazy but it will most likely work." Naboo took his rifle out and dove for the nearest cover as soon as the machine was facing away from him.