Matoran und Panzer

[Ghidora131]

IC Dessimus

 

A turret rotated.

 

Dessimus carefully walked along, making sure not to show any threatening signs.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Tor:

 

The Fe Matoran looked at the mirror attached to the outside of the tank. Sure enough, there was that boxy Exo, clomping behind them.

 

No visible weaponry.

 

"Keep an eye on him, but don't cause a scene. We're professionals, after all."

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Kulkakahn

"Aight boss." Kulk watched the exo carefully.

Edited January 30, 2015 by VahkiDane

[Ghidora131]

IC Dessimus

 

Dessimus wanted to make reasonable contact. He didn't.

 

He raised Whisper's arm, and waved it in a hello fashion.

 

"Dessimus, you look like an idiot right now."

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Kulkakahn

"...he's...waving?" One of Kulk's eyebrows raised upwards. "And he seems to be driving a brick. With legs. And arms."

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Tor:

 

The old Matoran rolled her eyes, "Well he can wave all he wants, we have business to attend to and a report to file."

 

The venerable Armor rolled through the security checkpoint with no issue. Being the oldest tank on the force got you special treatment sometimes.

 

The gates closed behind them, leaving the strange Exo outside the West Barracks.

[Ghidora131]

IC Dessimus

 

Dessimus brought Whisper to a grinding halt. The armor rolled through the gate and into the barracks. He angrily slammed his fist on the inside of the machine.

 

Very well i'll wait for someone here. He shut off Whisper and waited.

[silo]

IC: (Olis/Vingt)

"What is this place?" Olis muttered, staring up at the huge structure.

 

IC: (Zeleran/Neuf)

"Right, that place looks somewhat like a food market." Zeleran intoned, pointing a clawed finger towards a bustling marketplace nearby.

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arktinen (Jatikko/Near Neuf)

 

I shrugged- yes, it is possible to shrug upside-down. "That's what I said!"

[Voltex]

IC: Ikira - Jatikko

 

"You confuse hypotheticals with absolutes," Ikira said. "It was merely a curiosity. We have had three beings request to join our crew in the last day - you will forgive me if I do not trust them or even want them around."

[Nato G]

IC:Zekev

"Turn off the ###### radio, for goodness' sakes..."

I kicked the radio off.

"Err, you were saying?"

 

IC: Cor Seava - Ash Hound. 

 

"I was saying that Sonia is a ." I replied flatly. 

______________________________________________________________

 

 

IC: (Olis/Vingt)

"What is this place?" Olis muttered, staring up at the huge structure.

 

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Office Complex). 

 

"This is the office complex," I explained quickly, "a bunch of government and military buildings constructed over and around the old temple. The temple entrance is in that park over there, and we need to figure out a way to get inside." 

 

I started walking towards the nearest entrance. "Let's start with the most obvious option and go from there...." I stopped in front of the guards, waiting for them to address me. Maybe if I asked really nicely they'd let me in? 

[Constructelf]

IC: Sora - Jatikko

"Hm, you do have a point..."

 

What was with all these people approaching them wanting in? Were they more renowned than they were aware of? That could mean trouble...

 

"How are all these people finding us?"

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Einefus Ingrayv (Vingt - Mangaia Office Complex)

 

I tag along behind Oblitus, moving slowly and disinterestedly. I have a new cigarette between my lips, and I puff on it while I think about how we are going to get in. Oblitus is currently opting for the simple, direct approach, which is unlikely to work. However, it's one of those things that is so obvious that it just might work, and it would be stupid not to try.

 

"Dis is cuhtainly gon' be inneressin'," I say under my breath.

 

I stand a short distance from Oblitus and wait.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

A guard eyed Oblitus and his company. The other two matoran didn't register, but... A scarred and weary De-Matoran with black coloration and a mask of scavenging, that registered. The guard knew this man.

 

"You the new delivery boy? Because you're in a karzload of trouble, being as late as you are!"

 

* * * * * *

 

In his hand, Mokeron held a thin brown wager of some type. Maybe plastic? It smelled rather odd and was segmented into twelve pieces, the separations indented to facilitate breaking the wafer into chunks.

 

* * * * * *

 

"I'm glad to hear it!" Grunbeld produced a sheaf of paper from his pocket. He seemed awfully loose with secrets and information that concerned national security. "This is a map, it ain't the full version. I don't need ya traipsing about the west. What's highlighted on it is a map of Motara's northern coast, in better detail than any other map I know of. This ship," he gestured to the shipwreck behind him and Golutaka. "-Was headed toward a location codenamed Circadian. It was one of the 'treasures' located on those bootleg maps that were circulating about." He pointed to the map now in the matoran's grasp.

 

"Seems to be a clock tower or somethin' along those lines. Odd place for their to be treasure of any sort in my eyes. Why this is important is that this ship here had some mighty strange **** on it. Lots of cages for rahi in the hold, all recently empty. Correspondence with some politicians from Seize, as well as weapons from Seize manufacturers. The only crew was the captain, a skakdi. We found him crumbled up in a locker not much bigger than you."

 

As if that news might be worrying, he took a swig from a flask on his person. "Not that I think it's anything a contingent of Neufian armor can't handle. My guess is some sort of pirates or smugglers set up shop around this tower, thinking they'd crown themselves king of nothing. A few shells lobbed their way and they oughta scram. Give you a chance to find anything 'might be hidden."

 

* * * * * *

 

Shard found the camp exactly where the Sergeant had described it to be, though it seemed empty. Hadn't he mentioned engineers and supplies?

 

The Cy-matoran's radio crackled as a message came over the air waves. "Any reports from the camp? I want you to stay put until we reach you. Keep an eye on the three scouts once they get there." It was Sgt Logan's voice.

 

* * * * * *

 

Elsewhere, Kain, Cor Saeva and Zekev could observe the slowly changing landscape. Buildings became scarcer and the flora and fauna seemed more coastal. The weather was taking a turn for the worse as well, dark thunderheads had built overhead and the rain and wind had picked up. Visibility was dropping. Even keeping track of one another would be difficult.

 

The Ash Hound's radio received a transmission. "-or Saeva and Zek- - - on the watch f- - - ian, he has g - - - rogue." It was the voice of Sgt Logan.

 

Nearby, though invisible through the howling wind, the Dreadnought's radio also crackled to life. The cautious voice of the Sergeant coming over the airwaves. "Kain, we have - - - - to - -lieve that the As - - - - und has g - - - rog - - -, be cauti - - - "

 

* * * * * *

 

Tor would find the western barracks quite empty, almost like everyone was out on some expedition and he had missed the briefing because he was in the field. The mess hall was still well lit and populated.

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangai Office Complex).

 

Perfect. "Ah... yes, I am. So sorry.... I got lost on the way, and my associates..." I indicated the other members of my party, "...had to steer me back on the right course. I do apologise; it won't happen again, I promise." 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Lufon Vance - Ertrunken.

 

"Is it... food?" 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Cor Saeva - Ash Hound. 

 

Before the Sergeant had even finished transmitting, I had the turret pointed towards where I'd last seen Kain and his Exo-Suit. Our Volitak was active; if he came after us, I'd see him coming long before he saw us...

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Treize

I checked around and the camp was indeed empty. I got under a tent before I transmitted.

"Sir? I think we may have a problem. The place is empty."

Edited January 31, 2015 by ArcticFreeze17

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Einefus Ingrayv (Vingt - Mangaia Office Complex)

 

I can hardly believe this appears to be working, but I know better than to question it. I figure my filthy visage will lend some credibility to my being the hard labor type. I pull my cigarette out of my mouth and glance down at it, my face blank as always.

 

Normally, I speak oddly to keep people off balance and attentive. When you have to really listen to understand what someone is saying, you tend to pick up more. It's also a good way to get people to underestimate you. People tend to relate poor speech to stupidity. It's ridiculous, but it's usually easier that way. In this case, however, my odd speech would probably attract more attention than we needed. Best keep it simple. Ditch the accent, improve the grammar.

 

"He don't have the best sense of direction," I say. "He'd be lost without us."

[Ghidora131]

IC Dessimus

 

Dessimus scraped bits of his armour together. Whisper stood still.

 

...

 

 

It sure seemed awfully quiet... After all, a tank had just rolled into that military base, or whatever it was. He should expect to hear some noise...?

 

He got out of Whisper and began to polish the outsides.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

A nondescript and slightly inebriated su-matoran sways his way to Derkahn's side. Lazily and inaccurately slamming a fistful of widgets onto the counter.

 

"I'll be havin' a round for EVERYONE!" He shouts to the other twelve customers, still tucked away in their numerous and impossibly angled corners. "This oughta pay for whatever you're missing too, friend!" He speaks jovially to the matoran ordering the rum. "Not often I overhear something as interesting as yer destination. Or yer order.."

[Timageness]

IC: Kain - ???

Kain wasn't deaf; the message coming across his comms unit, while rather garbled, was audible enough to hear.

The Ash Hound had gone rogue.

The storm around him was making it so that he couldn't see three feet in front of his face, so it was no surprise that he had lost visual on the tank. The scene was ripe with tension, and even the slightest miss-step could prove fatal.

But he wasn't stupid, either.

From their previous position, he could tell which direction the pair would most likely be in, so there was little chance that he was about to get ambushed. The fact that they hadn't opened fire on him yet was another clue; even if they did go rogue, why in Karz would they attack him? He was just a merc, which left him in a more negotiable position than the standard military goons; attacking him would be a waste of firepower when they could come to an arrangement for him to look the other way. No matter how he looked at it, the evidence just didn't add up.

Some may have believed the Neufians to be paranoid cowards hiding behind their walls, but when one of your tacticians are roughly the equivalent to ten from any other country, you know you must be doing something right.

Take, for example, the institution of The Tenth Man regarding their intelligence circles; the first nine react to a situation at face value, while the tenth opens themselves up to the fact that they may be faced with something different entirely. This one was a personal favorite of Kain's, since as he was previously in the habit of operating solo, it was better to trust no one than anyone at all. He held no loyalty to either group, but it was better to play it safe for the moment while preparing to defend against anything that might come his way.

"This is Kain, Sergeant," the Ta-Matoran said as he slapped the comms unit a bit, hoping that the interference would clear up. "Please repeat, over."

He then switched channels in an attempt to contact the Ash Hound.

"You two getting any garbled messages from the Sergeant on your end? This storm's wreaking havoc on my communications."

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Derkahn (Neuf, in a tavern)

 

"Oh, thank you, stranger!" I say to the merry Su-Matoran and smile. Well, that's a good solution to my problem. I get all of the drink and don't have to pay everything. Excellent! Although I'm not sure if it's a good thing that he heard about my destination. But Nomansland has nothing but sand, rocks and ruins, so why should I be worried? "Well, I do agree that Nomansland isn't the most popular travel destination, but I'm not going to do much there. And yes, I do need an entire barrel to quench my thirst, haha" I respond to him.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

Inside the building's darkened antechamber, Kat found little of interest. The small room had a glass covered booth on the left wall, paperwork, chairs and other such things filled the small space. Most of it was moldy or decaying. On some of the walls, large murals or paintings of some sort hung. Depicting characters or scenes, at the bottom of the artwork was row upon row of the ancient squarescript. Names and dates. A title of some sort was plastered across the top of most.

 

Past the antechamber was a much larger room, posts with silken ropes connected between them outlined a path to a desk and counter with more of the paperwork and further on into a darkened hallway. Unfortunately blocked off by rubble.

 

Aside from some glass cases with more of the foil-covered food, there was nothing to take back. Save perhaps, some memories.

 

* * * * * *

 

Shard's radio stayed silent. Or at least, the howl of the wind and rain drowned out any white noise or static. Through the storm, he might've heard one thing.

 

A soft *pop* and the tap of metal on metal (in a forest? that was odd), accompanied by the sight of a curiously thick and inky black darkness out of the corner of his eye. Though before he could've turned to face it, it would've fled. The deep and oceanic noises of the storm died down for a moment, allowing him to hear part of Logan's communication.

 

"-ty? What are you seeing, pl - - - back at on - - -"

 

* * * * * *

 

Logan responded to Kain as well. "What in the blazes are you talking about?"

 

* * * * * *

 

The Su-Matoran ambled closer to Derkahn, he stunk of alcohol and up close looked a little ragged. "What might you be planning to do? I'm not unfamiliar with the area me'self."

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Derkahn (Neuf, in a tavern)

 

Interesting. "Well, not much, really" I answer, hesitant to tell him too much. We're criminals, after all, it wouldn't be good if too many would know where exactly we're going to go or what we're going to do. Sure, I've already told everyone in the tavern that I'm going to Nomansland, but it's a big place, and I highly doubt any of them recognize me. "But I could use your knowledge.. in fact, I have a few friends who could use it.." I say to him, my voice becoming gradually quieter.

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Inside Tent of Engineer Camp

I looked around the outside of the tent after hearing a noise. Seeing nothing I walked in to see that Sarge had tried to tell me something from my suit's radio. I activated my personal one.

"This is Shard, sir. Can you repeat that?"

[Timageness]

IC: Kain - ???

The Sergeant's tone was enough to confirm his suspicions as he continued to keep watch. He then began to elaborate.

"My comms unit just picked up a message relaying that the Ash Hound had gone rogue; a message in your voice, I might add," Kain said. "Also, those two have yet to respond to my attempts at communication. You guys better not be trying to pull something on me over on your ends, because I do not find it amusing."

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: "I shall rendezvous with my crew and alert them to the situation forthwith sir," Golutaka looked at the map, striving to commit every detail to memory, "Are we to be joined by any others or shall we continue withe mission as soon as we are ready?"

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

Nothing. I Stomped back outside, looking around. We had to find that underground highway.

 

 

None of the buildings were marked, or if they had been, thet'd long since worn away.

 

There. A stairway leading down into the cracked earth.  Seemed as likely as anything.

 

I carefully piloted the old girl down the stone steps a ways, making sure not to go too far....

[Ghidora131]

OOC: whoopsies.

 

 

IC Dessimus

 

Seeing that Whisper was shined enough, Dessimus climbed back in.

Edited February 1, 2015 by ghidora131

[The UltimoScorp]

OOC: No. Please check which character I'm actually posting as, man. Tor is still in the Barracks, and I'm waiting til Norik makes a post, since we're on some wacky time zone differences.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

The Su-Matoran was silent, taking a long drink from his tankard. It was thick, dark ale. When he faced Derkahn again, he looked a little anxious.

 

"Well, let me tell ya first off. Everyone else I told this to thought I was crazy. You'an... Open minded sort of fellow?"

 

* * * * * *

 

Elsewhere in Neuf, Grunbeld scribbled out a quick note before handing it to Golutaka, it bore his coat of arms at the bottom. A pickaxe crossed over a captain's compass.

 

"Can't say if we've got anyone else open to head out with you. You can check at the barracks-by-the-bay. You'll be passing through them to use the ferry any how. That note'll let you requisition some small arms or any tune ups you might need for your armor."

 

* * * * * *

 

"Shard? I asked what you meant by empty, are the engineers and supplies not present? You should return to us as soon as possible. I don't like us being separated in this storm." There was a worried note in the Sergeant's voice.

 

* * * * * *

 

Towards Kain, the Sergeant's voice contained not worry, but confusion and a hint of irritation. "I haven't sent or received any radio contact from either the Ash Hound or you in quite some time. I can assure you that nothing is "up" on my end. I'll try to radio the Ash Hound as well."

 

* * * * * *

 

Kat's choice of building wasn't spot on, but it was getting closer. The stairs led to the beginnings of a tunnel. Smooth and geometrically perfect, it had long metal rails on it's floor, they led right into... A pile of rubble. It seemed this tunnel had collapsed, at least she might know what to look for next.

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Tent in Engineering Camp ---> Sgt. Logan's Location

"There's nothing here but the tents. I'll be right back."

I checked one more time around the camp before I left.

[Not Quite Dead]

* * * * * *

 

The guard glared at the trio, speaking to Oblitus with a scalding tone. "Well ya better well have a better explanation for the boss! He's been waiting for his food fer a good twenty minutes now!"

 

OOC

Supposed to go with the last post.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Tiragath

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Tent in Engineering Camp ---> Sgt. Logan's Location

After finding nothing, I began to return to Sarge's location.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

Still nothing. But I was getting warmer.

 

I radioed Lufon and Silat, "Think I may have found our way in. This one's blocked, but if you find any other squared off stairs,, we might just have our Highway entrance."

 

I clomped back up the stairs, dust shaking from the ceiling as I went back into the open sunlight, looking around for other Stairways.

[Timageness]

IC: Kain - ???

"Just figured I'd run it by you before I started shooting," the Ta-Matoran said in his defense. "I'll radio in again if I happen to encounter anything else that strikes me as weird."

[Nato G]

The guard glared at the trio, speaking to Oblitus with a scalding tone. "Well ya better well have a better explanation for the boss! He's been waiting for his food fer a good twenty minutes now!"

 

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Office complex).

 

"Yes sir, right away sir," I stammered, waving for my two companions to follow me through. 

 

 

IC Kat:

 

Still nothing. But I was getting warmer.

 

I radioed Lufon and Silat, "Think I may have found our way in. This one's blocked, but if you find any other squared off stairs,, we might just have our Highway entrance."

 

I clomped back up the stairs, dust shaking from the ceiling as I went back into the open sunlight, looking around for other Stairways.

 

IC: Lufon Vance - Ertrunken.

 

"Understood, we'll keep an eye out." 

[silo]

IC: (Olis/Mangai Office Complex, Vingt)

Karz. That had actually worked.

Karz.

"Thank you for your understanding." he muttered under his breath as he passed the guard.

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangai Office Complex).

 

"Sometimes..." I whispered once the guards were out of earshot, "...the most obvious solutions prove to be the best ones." 

 

Luck was on our side for now, it seemed. But we still had to get inside the temple itself. 

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arkie (Jat/Near Neuf)

 

I think for a moment, and then, creating a lightbulb out of ice over my head using my EDD, say, "Well, it's not every day that a heavy armour without affiliation to any state comes rollin' through a Neuf checkpoint, is it? But on the bright side, none of them actually know who we are yet. So we still sorta have anonymity."

 

IC: Lohi (Seize)

 

Err... Whoops. Did I just *accidentally* knock over a building? Sorry, Seize people. Actually no, I'm not sorry at all. I'm just doin' what I left Treize for, ya know. Destroying stuff. MOAR explosions. MOAR destruction. MOAR being a general public nuisance and national security threat.

 

So come an' get me, all yow foolz out there.

 

Come.

 

And.

 

Get.

 

Me. 

 

OOC: Lohi open for interaction in Seize.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Miras: Makuta of Awesome

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Einefus Ingrayv (Vingt - Mangaia Office Complex)

 

I lumber past the guard and pull up behind Oblitus.

"Sometimes the most obvious solutions prove to be the best ones."

 

"Ain' da' da tru'," I say, speaking in the same low tones as Oblitus. The accent is back. "Bu' da' was jus' step one." I point toward the temple proper. "We gots ano'er tuh go."