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Post by theredauthar on May 26, 2023 0:57:05 GMT -5
Cassim’s finger hovers over the trigger. There is no amount of words that could express how much he despises this…monster that destroyed his comrades. The Domination and her crew are gone, and this Xenos should pay dearly for it.
But they’re not completely gone. One remains. And if it were just himself and El Dorado, he’d take the risk. However there’s no way he can do so and leave the poor gunner to fend for herself, could he?
No. He couldn’t.
“Throne…” he swears, lowering his weapon. He slides back inside the Sentinel and thumbs the outer comms, “Fine. I'll let you clean up your trash. But you so much as twitch in a way I don’t like…”
LanternO'Red Request: [4df+3] Roll: [+, , -, -] Result: 2
El Dorado’s HK Missile Launcher Moves slightly so the Stealth Suit Can see his threat.
“...I’ll blow us all to hell and back.”
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Zink
New Member
Posts: 24 
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Post by Zink on May 26, 2023 3:31:13 GMT -5
Elsewhere, Caerrick and Hoyt are roughly twenty seconds away from envelopment. Pavel's team isn't up to snuff compared to Kasrkins. But then again, it doesn't have to be. Astartes can die to spears. Kasrkin without support can died to massed autoguns. And so it goes. From behind hastily scrabbled together cover, Pavel bellows his rage and lament, swapping to a new charge pack for his lasgun, the old one having malfunctioned seconds before. Some of his men have gone down. But as far as the camp security can tell in the maelstrom, the Imperial Guard are here to kill them all, they might as well die fighting.
That astute observation came at the head of another burst of autogun fire - chipping away at the metal containers that separated her and Hoyt from a very messy death. Their fire position was slowly being compromised - any chance of immediate retreat was gone by now, getting nipped at the heels and shot in the back by walk-fire wasn't how Caerrick envisioned her 'glorious end'. The options left were firing back, taking sloppy shots over the edge of their cover between the brief lulls to reload or refocus. It was mediocre progress at best, and did nothing to stem the tide of bullets or Pavel's advance. Biting back a grimace at the deteriorating situation, Caerrick didn't even have time to appreciate the canopy above them being taken down, Skyfire Three buckling under the hit of a missile and tumbling into the quarry wall nearby, nor the protruding wing of a Tau craft some part of her brain recognized as a Manta having propped up the whole roof this whole time. The luxury of such frenzied observations was saved for someone who wasn't moments away from death.
I need options. Think.
Her means were limited to a red-hot Hellgun, a steadily draining power-pack, a combat knife on her chest, and... Oh.
That's a terrible idea by collateral alone, a small part of her reasoned in the midst of the chaos.
There's a Manta buried in the camp, Another part of her mind countered, as Caerrick took a brief moment to look up at the wingtip that shadowed over the quarry. Navy will burn it out, and them with it.
A calculated cost. That thought brought a grimace to her face, as she dropped to a knee, letting her Hellgun fall to her side as she pulled the Melta-bomb from beneath her power-pack. Such a small package, barely bigger than a throwing-ball, yet it was the deadliest weapon in her arsenal. Bereft of a frag bandolier (which, if she lived through this, she'd surely requisition once more), it was her best option for dislodging this fire-mob and granting them more than a moments reprieve. Resting it on her knee, she pulled back the handle, twisting it into the ready position as she muttered out the Rites of Activation. Her fingers meticulously tapped over the activation runes embedded into the grip, pulling drill-memories of this sequence from her youth as she deactivated the magnetized warhead and set it to a timer-fuse. It only required an activation to begin the countdown, a button she carefully avoided pressing as she took position behind the barricade. Looking to Hoyt, she gave him a solemn nod, rolling her shoulders and preparing herself for what came next - only to be interrupted by the static of the vox.
++Caerrick, Hoyt, come in! We have extract coming your way soon, friendlies in black and gold.++
++Acknowledged, Lieutenant. Epsilon is engaged with Militant Leadership. High-Explosive countermeasure is being deployed.++
Cutting her vox-bead as soon as she was finished, she turned to Hoyt. "Anticipate the blast radius in case I'm intercepted, Either hunker down or run, one of us needs to extract." Pounding a fist against Hoyt's chestplate, she pushed herself up from the barricade, and charged right into the fire.
Zink Request: [4df+1 Quick Roll to avoid the incoming hail of fire] Roll: [+, +, , -] Result: 2
Carapace armor made maneuvers like this commonplace - hit by superior volume but inferior quality of fire, each hit was far less likely to vitally score a hit against her. As she entered her sprint, the first of that fire already redirecting at her caught her in her tracks. Bullets spalled against the thick plating, pounded against the tight ballistic weave of her joints, battered her equipment. The Meltabomb was safely cradled in the crook of her arm, safe from reprisal - but the Hellgun slung against her torso suffered worse for it. Peppered by multiple calibers of ballistics, it was rendered virtually nonfunctional within a few lucky hits, saving her from harm in the process. Shouldering through the hail of stray rounds, each second felt like an eternity.
Almost there... Now!
Zink Request: [4df+3] Roll: [ , -, -, -] Result: 0
Pressing her thumb against the activation index in a swift motion, the clicking of the mechanical timer rung out louder than any bullet as it counted down the first second. Pulling the bomb out from her arm in a practiced motion, Caerrick heaved the Melta-bomb with all the force she could muster - aiming it right for the center of the militia's firing line, and at Pavel's feet. It would've been a perfect throw.
If not for a single, lucky hit. Not strong enough to pierce the carapace armor of her shoulder, it was still more than enough kick for her to prematurely drop the bomb. What would've been a perfect arc was cut in half, and the Meltabomb landed square in the middle of the space inbetween them all, lodged firmly in the dirt as its timer clicked down.
She was still in the blast range. She didn't have time to even process if Pavel was, too. She only turned on her heel as fast as she could, a mad scramble that for once betrayed her normally stoic composure. It was a short fuse intentionally, short enough to give no time to properly run.
That was a bad idea, in hindsight.(Caerrick is at one Mild Consequence - Broken Weapon. Unable to utilize the Hotshot Lasgun until it gets repaired.) |
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cyg
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by cyg on May 26, 2023 14:30:54 GMT -5
“And I’ll buy you a drink after we get out of here,” Krast said as Luca joined him, looking back over his shoulder to the medic and psyker. Krast wasn’t the greatest fan of the wytch, no cadian really could, but that wasn’t going to get his men out.
“You, Psyker, your the one that popped in my head?” he asked, but didn’t wait for a response. One wytch was as good as another, “You keep her alive, and maybe I’ll find something to pay you back with.” And with that he started off towards Hoyts position.
Back in his prime, Krast would have been able to clear the two hundred meters towards the fight between Pavel and the Kasrkin in about 20 seconds, 24 in full kit. Pretty good if he was gonna brag. But that was about 10 years back, a few gunshots, and before the plasma wound in his side. Throne he was getting slow, but still fast enough to keep up with the Lucifers, and get to the fight on the side of Pavels advance.
It was then that he say Hoyt charge out, dodge several shots before taking a hit to the shoulder. Something went flying, then landed short of where Krast knew the kasrkin had been aiming for. That looked like…
“Oh frak! MELTA, TAKE COVER!” He shouted to the Lucifers behind him, stopping with a skid and running to the nearest bit of cover he spotted. None of it was very good, and even most cover would only kept your remains in one spot with a melta charge, but it was better than nothing.
((Rolling for quickly avoiding the blast Roll: [+, +, +, ] Result: 5))
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Post by blinddeadmcjones on May 29, 2023 2:04:10 GMT -5
there were moments in life where Hawke would be inwardly grateful for the physique she had as a result of being on punishment PT duty most of the time, the current situation being one of them, despite having gone back and forth each end of the quarry at least once or twice in full kit the cadian was more than capable of keeping pace if not actually inching ahead of the rest of the incoming cavalry to caerricks position.
she was just in the process of lining up her sights on the camp guards when she heard krasts shout about a melta charge her reaction was immediate, and she kicked herself off to one side, tapping off some loosely aimed lasgun shots hoping to either hit pavel and one of the guards or force them to duck their heads down
[blinddeadmcjones Request: `[4df+2]` Roll: `[+, +, +, -]` Result: `4`][quick: melta charge react]
[blinddeadmcjones Request: [4df+2] Roll: [+, -, -, -] Result: 0][quick: fire off a few shots at pavels gang]
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quoth
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by quoth on May 29, 2023 10:29:14 GMT -5
Savin ducks back behind the rock ledge as the backwash of superheated air streams off the injured tank. She pops back up, shouldering her lascarbine for another shot just in time to see the Leman Russ run over the suit.
“Mais, that works too, I guess.”
She looks around at the carnage unfolding across the quarry. “Might as well try and make a difference.”
Taking aim at the militia pinning down Hoyt and Carrick, she starts giving them some covering fire.
((Careful to avoid damage result: 3, Careful +2 for aspect “crackshot shortstack” to keep the militia from hurting the kasrkin result: 7))
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Post by Fate's End on May 31, 2023 0:41:02 GMT -5
Inside the Quarry
Maddie took in the news from Clacky with a resigned expression borne from secret knowledge. Or perhaps just surprisingly excellent drugs mixed with shock and having her arm blown off. All she really managed was . . . "Oh. Xenos. Of course." As the soldiers left and Clacky was left at least somewhat alone with the wounded nurse, the clamor of the young daughter finally made itself known. Beth had darted away from Yul in the commotion, and slid into the cover next to the pysker and her mother. As she did so, eyes full of fear and worry for her mother, Maddie reaches out her good hand and pats Clacky's shoulder with a remarkably thoughtful motion. "Clacky, it's okay. Everything's hell and shit combined. Thank you for keeping my child safe." She nods wearily at her daughter for emphasis.
Further away and deeper into the market, circumstances collide in unfortunate fashion for Luca and his Lucifer Blacks, for Krast, for Hawke, and perhaps most painfully. Caerrick and Pavel. The head of camp security has little time to react, but in the seconds he has remaining to his living name, he perhaps does his role proud. With a bellow of rage he grabs one of his un-wounded fellows and hurls them bodily away from the impending death of the Melta bomb. This saves the terrified young man's life for the moment, at the cost of any chance on Pavel's part to live. There's a whump, a whoosh, and then heat and fire rapidly expanding from the weapon. The last anyone sees of Pavel is the brief outline of his form silhouetted against the expanding fireball. Most of his security team suffers the same fate, barring one or two at the edges of the effective range, though even they suffer catastrophic damage rendered via fire.
Any security forces who survive in the area are peppered with shots from Hawke, from the Lucifier's, and from the formidably accurate Savin further away. All thought of return fire is driven from their minds as they seek cover or are cut down.
On the ramp itself, a comedy of violent errors takes places as Bruce's Centaur practically hurls itself away from the ramp, finding the sole two-story building within the market and promptly demolishing it, burying its bulk within the rusty metal structure and causing a blindingly quick collapse. On the bright side, they are well-hidden.
The other half of the human controlled vehicles performs a maneuver that is similar, but instead of burying itself within a building, Bellicosa crumples over the battered Enforcer Battlesuit and crushes it. The heavy treads of a Leman Russ view most things with a certain amount of apathy. In this case however, those who were watching at the moment might attribute a sort of gleeful "rumble" from the grinding, screeching "crunch" that accompanies the crushing of the one-legged Battlesuit.
Almost like that, the fighting seems to cease. What remains of the camp security is battered and in cover, unwilling to poke their heads out and fire at their presumed foes. The T'au and their snipers seem to have simply---stopped firing entirely.
The Quarry Edge
The panicking sniper currently sans her eyesight screams out in terror, her mind rapidly exhausting all mundane possibilities for her lack of vision. She shrieks even harder as something grabs her legs and pulls her backwards from the edge. A pair of T'au Pathfinders are rapidly withdrawing her from danger. A third clamps a gloved hand over her mouth, "Be silent. Friendly forces." The Pathfinder hisses, "Shas'El is insane, and likely dead now. The Outcast has taken command, she's ordered a retreat. Live to fight another day." Tears streaming down from her unseeing eyes, the sniper nods, accepting her ally's aid as they lift her and help her walk deeper into the tree cover. A brief glimpse of light, the last thought she has for the moment is perhaps her vision isn't gone forever.
At the top of the Ramp, the T'au Stealth Suit seems to almost "nod". "Pilot, get out and fall back. If you so much as look at the Sentinel I will kill you myself. We are falling back. I repeat, we are falling back." The broadcast voice is still in Gothic, perhaps surprisingly. The Stealth suit is wary of the threatened missile, but at the same time seems more concerned with what the battered Broadside pilot might do. The Broadside pilot clambers out of his hatch, bleeding from multiple minor wounds and shaking with rage. However he seems to take the threat from both El Dorado and Stealth Suit seriously. Keeping his head down, he limps swiftly in the direction of the Stealth suit and the deeper tree cover. "Let all of us choose life, Imperium. Death will come for us another day." The voice calls out again from the speakers on the suit even as the machine slowly backs away.
((Clacky, you have stabilized Maddie, no rolls required. Luca, a quick roll of 3 or higher to find momentary cover from the Melta explosion or you will take a Stress/Consequence. Caerrick, you will also need a 3 or higher in quick to avoid taking stress/consequences. If you score a 0 or less, you will take two stress/consequences due to proximity. Krast, Hawke, both of your reactions were quick enough, you are safe from the explosion as well as return fire thanks to your combined fire supported by Savin's excellent ranged support. Savin, now that the Battlesuit is a compacted tuna can, you are remarkably safe. No rolls required. Bruce You're in a building, and safe as . . . houses. No rolls required. Bellicosa, you have claimed an Enforcer Battlesuit kill, though Bruce and Savin deserve at least partial credit for their aid. No rolls required for Bellicosa at the moment. Cassim, the Stealth suit seems intent on falling back and no longer engaging in combat. No rolls required at this moment. All others, no rolls required at this moment. A head's up for all, the Jamming is still broadly in place, but starting to fade as T'au forces begin to fall back.))
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Post by Warsmith Wolf on May 31, 2023 3:18:09 GMT -5
The other half of the human controlled vehicles performs a maneuver that is similar, but instead of burying itself within a building, Bellicosa crumples over the battered Enforcer Battlesuit and crushes it. The heavy treads of a Leman Russ view most things with a certain amount of apathy. In this case however, those who were watching at the moment might attribute a sort of gleeful "rumble" from the grinding, screeching "crunch" that accompanies the crushing of the one-legged Battlesuit. Almost like that, the fighting seems to cease. What remains of the camp security is battered and in cover, unwilling to poke their heads out and fire at their presumed foes. The T'au and their snipers seem to have simply---stopped firing entirely. Domination. For all the din and furore of battle, for all the pent-up anger and terror in equal measures, the sickening kerrunch of the Enforcer under-tread signals a change in atmosphere that is not quite instant, but profoundly different. The airs of a hell-hot fighting compartment, still ringing from the missile impact, seem to fundamentally shift to something more akin to an Ecclesiarchal prayer chamber. “Armour Kill,” they chant in unison, an act of reverence long established, clutching votive icons. Loader Larken taps the side of the hull in exact rhythm, invoking the warding spirits of the tank. Driver Jones, Aquila necklace in one hand, clasps Hull Gunner Hess’ unconscious shoulder with the other. Even knocked out, it’s no good to leave him out of it. “Armour Kill. Armour Kill.” Their chant rumbles on the external speakers, bringing to mind a sermon delivered from the pulpit of an Ecclesiarchal laud-crawler. Sergeant MacVrenner holds one hand to his heart and the other to the ring of his commander’s hatch as he chants, offering thanks to the spirit of his war machine for its service, and to the God-Emperor on both his and its behalf. You got us through, old girl. One more day.Despite the damage, audible in an awful, constant gurgling, they let Bellicosa’s engine idle. None dare countenance turning it off. There’s no guarantee she’d fire back up again. Winched home under the talons of a heavy lifter is no fate worthy of so proud a steed after her performance today. |
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quoth
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by quoth on May 31, 2023 8:24:55 GMT -5
Seeing the good effect of her surpressing fire, Savin turns to the battle suit, ready to finish it off if need be. She makes a face at the mangled, distinctly wet mess that’s left of it.
Savin puts up her hood and activates the chameleoline coat, slipping quietly around the lip of the quarry, looking for evidence of the snipers.
((sneaky roll of 4 to creep around in the bushes))
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Post by theredauthar on Jun 2, 2023 0:15:56 GMT -5
Cassim hesitates. He can practically see the line drawn from him to the retreating pilot. He can see the HK following along the trail of that line, crashing into the helpless xenos, shredding him instantly. In the startled commotion El Dorado rips its Chainsaw free. The stealth suit tries to fight back but its shots go wide as the sentinel’s lascannon blast it to pieces.
And in the confusion Cassim can see the gunner, laying a pool of her own blood from one unlucky shot.
Cassim sighs, there are more pressing matters to attend to anyways. There were other suits slipping past him while his attention was on the broadside. There are others in danger.
Instead of firing his hands fall back to the chainsaw controls and attempts to fire it up once again.
[Forceful to Free Chainsaw: LanternO'Red Request: [4df+0] Roll: [ , , , -] Result: -1]
The Chainsaw whines, sputters, and then dies. Of Course. El Dorado was in no position to fight, despite the minimal damage it has taken. It is probably for the best that Cassim didn’t fire his weapons.
He thumbs the vox. He’s completely forgotten about it since the fight began.
++Can anyone read? This is Sargent Sonnam. Domination destroyed. El Dorado is Down but not out. Requesting Status update over!++
He waits for a moment in case a response crackles through before retrieving his longlas and hauling himself back out of the sentinel. He glances towards the Domination’s gunner, and gives her a friendly smile.
[Flashy to be reassuring: LanternO'Red Request: [4df+3] Roll: [ , , -, -] Result: 1]
“You doing okay? We’re a bit stuck at the moment, but no worries. Old El Dorado here can still take quite a beating. And this thing…”
Cassim kicks the battlesuit, “At least makes good cover while we await for orders.”
He sets himself up in a sniping position, attempting to figure out what the feth has been going on.
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Post by hobbsy on Jun 2, 2023 2:17:52 GMT -5
Brice raised himself up from the debris with a cough and looked at his dusted surroundings . The rear of the Centaur had been loaded up with supplies to begin with, but now the piece of collapsed build filled the opened top compartment to overflowing. He considered cutting his losses there and slipping away while no one was looking, but that thought left him as both his comrades and the unfortunate guardsman still inside with them surfaced from underneath the rubble.
"Still breathing?" Bruce coughed with a half smile, to which both Jed and Tane gave a silent gesture of acknowledgement. "Tane, work on your driving aye? Hold tight you two while I take a peek." He continued in a hushed tone as he scuttled to the front of the tank which hadn't been sucked into the damaged structure. Sliding out on his gut between the building above and the roof of Nomad's front compartment, Willie Gee could see that things were quieting down, but we're still abit hot. At least the tin can of death looked like it had been prepped for recycling by the other tank.
Bruce now considered the idea of staying in the building and hoping everyone else would be too busy deal with the aftermath of this mess to worry about them. It was unlikely, but maybe, just maybe it could work. Looking up at the building above him, Bruce suddenly realized something. "Hey Tane. Isn't this the building that belong to the father of that girl you were trying to chat up?".
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Post by Fate's End on Jun 11, 2023 0:34:54 GMT -5
Within the Quarry and around it, the fighting dies down. The survivors of the Camp Security forces realized very quickly that they had essentially done zero functional damage to the Guard, and had suffered catastrophic casualties in return. Several civilians had been caught in the crossfire as well, the market itself was in ruins and likely not to see another dawn given everything that had just occurred. Some security forces who were out of sight simply dropped their guns and tried to blend into the crowd, others stayed hidden as best they could and waited for what they assumed would be quick and violent ends. Most still didn't realize that it wasn't the actual Guard who had fired first.
With the silence brought on by lack of gunfire, the screaming now could be heard in earnest. Wounded civilians and those looking for loved ones lost in the debris of destroyed tents and collapsed shanty structures. The terrible whining of the fallen Valkyrie's engine slowly grinding itself to a stop in its damaged housing. Here and there, small fires guttered and flared intermittently, and the terrible static of the vox jamming slowly started to recede, pulling away from the Quarry with the T'au's retreat.
A new voice could now be heard over the vox, harsh and guttural, feminine in some barest tinges of the meaning. "Task Force Krast, this is Cohort Andromache, your regular check-in has been missed and we are inbound. Be aware, unexpected Navy Valkyries are in zone and we estimate one has been shot down by T'au fire. This message will repeat, we are six zero seconds away from your last given position." For Krast, hopefully this is good news. Skitarii Alpha Andromache was a fierce woman, and while her reserve force was small, it would help secure the area.
Further away, Maddie's breathing had calmed, her body had ceased most of its shaking. She cradled her daughter with her remaining arm, managing to covertly cover Beth's ears and and whispered to Clacky. "You think these guard will be the sort to just shoot everyone? I don't see any of the silver-masked jackals that gunned down folks in the streets of Harvest. But most days it seems like All Guard are the same. What're the odds I can get the children safely out of here, you think?"
At the top of the Quarry ramp, the sponson gunner took cover behind the wreckage with El Dorado, "Better than my crew, I guess. Thanks for saving my life." She managed a weak smile, shivering as the cold reasserted itself over the adrenaline of the fight.
A little further out, Savin manages to stay unseen as she searches for the snipers. At first all that is seen is dead bodies, chewed up from Heavy Bolter and also the destroyed Draxin Patrol that must have died before the sniper fire. Further away though, in a small clearing she can see six T'au Pathfinders as well as three human soldiers retreating through the forest. Two Pathfinders are carrying a human woman half in their arms, supporting her as they retreat deeper into the trees. The T'au seem to be in full retreat.
((Everyone, no specific rolls required.))
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cyg
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by cyg on Jun 11, 2023 11:26:00 GMT -5
Krast felt like his whole body had been kicked by a Grox, then rattled around a Taurox driven by a Tallharan with a death wish. He sucked in air as he felt the pressure wave pass, and was glad his helmet had been secured, cause the ringing in his ears faded pretty fast. Pushing himself to a knee, he surveyed the area around him. As the ringing fade from his ears, he heard the chatter of his vox coming in. Him men confirming the security guards dropping weapons and running, what they should do with civilians, wounded members of their own ranks, and then the repeating message from Skitarii Alpha Andromache.
He was glad they had followed through with the check ups, and as he managed to get his lungs working he pressed the vox button and spoke first to the Skitarii commander.
++Cohort Andromache, be advised, this is Task Force Krast. We encounter resistance from what we believe were Tau forces, they managed to take out a Valkarie and one of our heavy armor supports. We also engaged briefly with the market's security team, but little casualties from that. This place is a refugee camp, more civilians than anything. All hostiles have been neutralized, avoid targeting the civilians. Land on the North edge of the quarry, near the ramp down, that’s where we have our forces dug in. Lt. Krast out, Glory to the Emperor.++
He looked around then, kneeling with his hands holding his hellgun, taking in the wreckage of the melta charge. A charred hole smack in the middle of the ground was a good indication of where the melta had detonated, and most of the civilian guards were down or barely getting to their feet. But Krast didn’t see Pavel. Thinking back to before the blast, Krast tracked where he had last seen the man, and saw it put him a good foot into the blast zone. Frak. He’d heard that if you were just on the edge of a melta blast you could survive it, barely, but no way you make it anywhere that close.
“Bastards fried. Frakking great, at least that means I don’t have to tell him about the Nurse.” Was Krast's first thoughts as he pushed himself up. As he did, he made another Vox call, this time to his own forces, trying to get some cohesive action done.
++All units be advised. Commander for security forces is confirmed KIA. Take prisoners from active combatants but do not target the civilians, they’re fate is in command and the Emperors hands now. Keep a close watch on the ramp, we’re excepting mechanicus reinforcements soon. I will be making my way back to the vehicles soon. Lt. Krast out.++
As he finished the message he remembered he had run her with the Lucifer’s and Hawke. He and the Lucifer’s were lucky to be in carapace armor, little that did but it was something. Hawke would only have standard flak armor. He quickly swept around to check behind him, then spotted Hawke laying behind some cover and jostled her by the shoulder.
“Your not dead yet, are you private?” He asked, and got what he decided to believe was a very weakly groaned “Sir, no sir,” then patted her back.
“Good, cause the Emperor’s not done with you yet, and neither am I. Come on, let's get you up.” He offered and helped pull the Private to her feet. Looking around he called out to Luca.
“Lucifers! You still alive?”
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quoth
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by quoth on Jun 11, 2023 19:16:44 GMT -5
Savin watches the retreating tau through the iron sights on the lascarbine, but lowers the weapon unfired. She spits the bitter taste from her mouth and leaves the alien scum to their cowardice.
Looking over the rim she sees things have calmed down. Now how was she gonna get out of this? Hop on a truck and pretend she’d been there the whole time? Risky, but probably better than trying to sneak all the way back to the barracks on foot.
She spies Hawke getting helped up, and starts working her way down the quarry face, nearly invisible with her coat active. That’s when she sees Krast. Oops. Time to hang back and be unobtrusive.
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Post by blinddeadmcjones on Jun 26, 2023 23:35:15 GMT -5
Heat despite having an entire stall between her and the blast hawke could still feel the intense blast of heat from the detonating melta charge, briefly she wondered if this was finally it for her, but that soon dismissed when she realised that she could hear krast talking...
Krast felt like his whole body had been kicked by a Grox, then rattled around a Taurox driven by a Tallharan with a death wish. He sucked in air as he felt the pressure wave pass, and was glad his helmet had been secured, cause the ringing in his ears faded pretty fast. Pushing himself to a knee, he surveyed the area around him. As the ringing fade from his ears, he heard the chatter of his vox coming in. Him men confirming the security guards dropping weapons and running, what they should do with civilians, wounded members of their own ranks, and then the repeating message from Skitarii Alpha Andromache. He was glad they had followed through with the check ups, and as he managed to get his lungs working he pressed the vox button and spoke first to the Skitarii commander. ++Cohort Andromache, be advised, this is Task Force Krast. We encounter resistance from what we believe were Tau forces, they managed to take out a Valkarie and one of our heavy armor supports. We also engaged briefly with the market's security team, but little casualties from that. This place is a refugee camp, more civilians than anything. All hostiles have been neutralized, avoid targeting the civilians. Land on the North edge of the quarry, near the ramp down, that’s where we have our forces dug in. Lt. Krast out, Glory to the Emperor.++ He looked around then, kneeling with his hands holding his hellgun, taking in the wreckage of the melta charge. A charred hole smack in the middle of the ground was a good indication of where the melta had detonated, and most of the civilian guards were down or barely getting to their feet. But Krast didn’t see Pavel. Thinking back to before the blast, Krast tracked where he had last seen the man, and saw it put him a good foot into the blast zone. Frak. He’d heard that if you were just on the edge of a melta blast you could survive it, barely, but no way you make it anywhere that close. “Bastards fried. Frakking great, at least that means I don’t have to tell him about the Nurse.” Was Krast's first thoughts as he pushed himself up. As he did, he made another Vox call, this time to his own forces, trying to get some cohesive action done. ++All units be advised. Commander for security forces is confirmed KIA. Take prisoners from active combatants but do not target the civilians, they’re fate is in command and the Emperors hands now. Keep a close watch on the ramp, we’re excepting mechanicus reinforcements soon. I will be making my way back to the vehicles soon. Lt. Krast out.++ As he finished the message he remembered he had run her with the Lucifer’s and Hawke. He and the Lucifer’s were lucky to be in carapace armor, little that did but it was something. Hawke would only have standard flak armor. He quickly swept around to check behind him, then spotted Hawke laying behind some cover and jostled her by the shoulder. “Your not dead yet, are you private?” He asked, and got what he decided to believe was a very weakly groaned “Sir, no sir,” then patted her back. “Good, cause the Emperor’s not done with you yet, and neither am I. Come on, let's get you up.” He offered and helped pull the Private to her feet. Looking around he called out to Luca. “Lucifers! You still alive?” "lucky me..." Hawke replied after she was pulled to her feet, taking a moment she looked around as she dusted herself off she noted how the other side of the stall - the side exposed to the blast - was a few shades darker than it was before, along with a few lighter shades shaped like a human silhouette. ... lucky me indeed
it was then that she noticed one of the camp guards lying on the ground, the same one that pavel had chucked out of the melta bombs range (not that hawke knew that) who was inching towards an autogun laying a few feet from him "easy there pal" hawke told him, bringing her lasgun to bear "lets not do anything stupid yeah?" |
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Post by theredauthar on Jun 27, 2023 22:18:01 GMT -5
Cassim gives the gunner a quick smile, “Anytime.” He’s about to say more when the Vox crackles out a jumbled message from the El-Tee. ++All units be advised. Commander for security forces is confirmed KIA. Take prisoners from active combatants but do not target the civilians, they’re fate is in command and the Emperors hands now. Keep a close watch on the ramp, we’re excepting mechanicus reinforcements soon. I will be making my way back to the vehicles soon. Lt. Krast out.++ However, being on the Quarry edge, the message is corrupted by static and interference still and does not come through very clearly. Dipping back into the El Dorado’s cockpit, Cassim grabs at the vox speaker and tries to signal back a reply. ++El Dorado to Command, repeat El Dorado to Command! Message unclear, did you say “Target Civilians?” Again the message did not come through clear, please repeat orders!++ He looks back out to the gunner, “Why in the Primarchs’ Name would they want us to target the civilians now?” |
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