Marcus relaxed. "Lower your pluggers, troops."
Turning to the Mentalist, he bows his head a little bit. "Yeh, I can answer any questions ya got. As for why we're here, HQ wants to get its hands on the prototype Heavies. Prolly gunna make 'em into a new Titan class or somethin'. What about you guys?"
Marcus looked around the Mentalist's large head.
"Did you hear that?"
"INCOMING!"
Marcus turned to see Craig listening to his magic radar.
"Several bogeys. Magics...Comin'..."
He adjusted the machine several times before giving up. "They musta sensor-proofed this base for magic supers. They're here, but I don't know where they're comin' from."
Akabane's squad had trained ruthlessly together for years. They needed no words to communicate as they listened to the words being said below. They had developed a complicated sign language between them and them alone, as factional violence occasionally placed them against other Tsoo.
Haoxiang silently sank through the floor, invisibly. He sought to find the ones who were speaking and observe. The Ancestor Spirit remained undetectable by targeting sensors...
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
((If the Wailers are still a problem with their set-up, lemme know. I have another group I still wanna try))
The Wailer Lord looked down the elevator shaft. The Queens had been singing a version of "Anything You Can Do" that was more like "The Servants That Died Were Yours." It wouldnt've been so bad if they hadn't been so off pitch.
Sighing, The Lord saw the shaft was empty, no elevator to bring up. There was a door open where others had obviously entered through before.
He turned to the group. "Jump onto my back." Easily three times a King's size, all of the seven others fit easily. He fell into the shaft, using his blade-like hands to stop, then slowly descend. A Wailer sang, "Just Keep Swimming," as they went. The Wailer Lord regretted having them steal that DVD player...
A minute later they had reached the open door. The Wailers climbed out of the shaft. Others had obviously been here before.
A Queen peeked over the edge and saw the Rikti standing on the platform a few floors below.
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
"Company: yes." Kal'merus said, clearly sensing the approaching minds coming from above, directing his squad out of the elevator and rigging it with plasma explosives.
They would sent the platform back up and remote-detonate the charges, frying anything in the shaft.
As the Rikti spoke to each other mentally, Gunman Kul'Bere translated for the Malta, "Hostiles: many. Approaching: more than one group. From shaft: back away. Explosion: much will be. Other vertical-shaft-box: will be put to use."
The Guardians dropped protective fields over the Malta Operatives as the Mentalist directed the formation, having an absolute grasp on where the approaching forces were - but sadly not who they were.
Still, it wouldn't matter - they sent the elevator platform up and sealed the door again.
As the groups still in she shaft saw the platform rush up at them, the plasma detonators exploded, sending a tornado of fire and debris up the shaft. It would go all the way to the top and rush out of any open blast doors, incinerating anything caught in the plasma gout without ample protection...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Craig nodded grimly, but had more bad news to relate -
"More contacts. Coming in...Looks like the stairs. Christ, strong psychic readings."
Marcus nodded to the Rikti. "Psykers can counter you guys, I think...Hell, I dunno, but we need to say we whacked some Bandits so we'll look good at HQ. We got this."
The force set up in a defensive cluster around the stairway door. Whatever came through there was as good as deep-fried...
The Queen peering over the egde reared back and keened in pain.
The Wailers had been keeping sonic protections around each other but being so close to the blast had completetly burnt away one of the Queen's arms, and her face was peeling badly.
She screamed in rage and anguish, and the floor shook, dust from the ceiling falling onto the Rikti and Maltans below.
A King put a claw around her and sang, "Follow me, and every thing is aaaa-allll right. I'll be the one to-"
"Shut UP!" yelled, smacking him across the face.
The King was about to send her falling down the shaft when the Wailer Lord stomped the ground. The floor caved and the group fell into the midst of the Maltans and Rikti, then instantly began to assault their eardrums.
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
Haoxiang frowned grimly, invisibly. He shot up through the floors again, roaring in Akabane's face as Dawei stood beside her. The Sorcerer recoiled, startled, but the Far Fire didn't budge.
"DOA O SHIMARE!"
At his command, Na-li and Wei-li jammed their sword and claws respectively into each end of the door, slamming the elevator doors closed with a loud shriek of metal. They barely had time to get back before the doors dented outwards with a barely contained explosion, and the small hole made by Haoxiang's blows earlier emitted an impressive plume of fire.
Everyone but Akabane and Haoxiang loosened unconsciously with a sigh. That had been close.
"They know we're here." the Spirit grumbled. "It is only a matter of time before we meet them face-to-face. The time for stealth is over and the time for alliances has come."
Akabane spat on the floor. She had no time for alliances, but did not deny Haoxiang's words. Hajime glanced over to the Spirit. "What did you see down there? I know I heard Rikti."
"Rikti and Malta." Haoxiang answered, crossing his massive arms over his chest. "More are coming as well."
"...Well?" Akabane finally spoke, turning to her group. "What do you all suggest?"
"Well, first we need to find another way down." Na-li said quietly. "There should be a staircase somewhere if there's an elevator."
"There is no other way down." Da-wei stated matter-of-factly. "The stairwell doesn't have an outlet here, since all there is is a supply closet. It is also due to the security of the secret exit we came in."
"Then..." Wei-li said with a grin, "We'll just have to go back down the elevator shaft. The explosion's over, anyhow. Or it will be in a moment."
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" Screamed Marcus, letting the curse rattle on with the bullets now pouring from his gun. The OpOfficer lowered his newfound chaingun and let the rounds fly, the other Maltans following suite.
"Wait."
"Wailers?!"
Thinking quickly, Marcus flung a flashbang at the group before diving behind a box to recalibrate his helm to block the aural assault.
The Wailer keens echoed louder as the Flashbang stung their eyes. The bullets pinged near harmlessly off of the sonic shields around them.
Temporarily blinded, they used the sonic reverberations as a second sight. A King leapt at Marcus, and cut at him with his blade-like arms.
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
"DAMMIT!" The Engineer cursed as blood followed the Wailer's slash. The Engineer drops another flashbang and readies for a rifle butt. His helm will protect him from the effects - But can the wailer take another one so close?
The King shrieked. The ringing ears he was immune to, but the extra eye meant he had another part of him feeling intense pain from the flash. His cry of pain grew so loud, walls shook slightly.
A Queen noticed his cries and immediately leapt to aid him, joining in slashing Marcus.
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
The Engineer cursed several more times before shooting a grappling hook past the wailers to the other side of the room to recouperate.
The Rikti grimaced, the sonic attacks giving them headaches. Though their shields deflected the actual sonic pulses, the infernal noise the Waliers made took a toll on the Comm. Officers and Guardians, not clad in protective battlesuits.
Kal"merus didn't like this situation. He locked on to the Wailers' minds and attempted to plant a powerful suggestion:
[ALL of you have lost your voices!!!]
At the same time, an invisible advanced drone slammed into the Waliers attacking Marcus, forming a layer of armor with its own body as the demons slashed at it, cutting deep into the chassis and ruining internal systems, prompting the drone to open vicious eneryg fire at point-blank range...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
The Wailer Lord laughed at the thought of his demonic kind losing their voices. The impossibility of the suggestion rendered it useless. A Wailer without a voice. Hah!
The Lord found the Rikti resonsible for the command and delivered a solid uppercut.
The King leapt in front of the Queen, saving her from certain Swiss-Cheese-inization. He fell, black goop seeping from his many wounds.
In rage and fury, the Queen ripped a hole in the armor wider, and sent rattling sonic blasts into the drone, shaking everything loose.
((A Wailer that lost its voice... Emo char idea!!!))
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
((Eh, I thought it'd be funny. Was worth a try 
))
Kal'Merus could havelauched as the Wialer Lord's uppercut wnt crashing into a Guardian shield, the demon shaking his hand to drive away the pain of the collision.
[You have a mass of one hundred of your kind!] the Mentalist attempted to influence the Walier in order to slow him as the Gunmen took aim with their arm cannons, letting loose together...
---------------------
The drone exploded in a spectacular detonation as its power core overloaded, sending the Walier attacking it almost up to the hole in the ceiling again...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
"Ima da yo."
All six of them leapt down the decimated elevator shaft at that moment, Haoxiang charging down fists first. They could hear the sounds of battle on the other side of the door quickly melt away above them as they slammed into the freight platform.
As intended, it unjammed and continued downward. The six Tsoo streamlined their fall, the Ancestor Spirit keeping hold of the less durable Sorcerer and Yellow Ink Man as they hit the bottom. The Enforcers and Akabane tapped down gently, and Haoxiang lowered the other two down.
"Now take care of that door." Akabane commanded.
Haoxiang punched at it, but frowned. This one was much, much more durable. Hajime stepped forward. "Allow me." he said, beginning to fiddle with the device from its opposite side.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"ROCKETMAN!" screamed the Queen as she shot up into the hole. "I'm free!" she leapt back down. "Free faaaaalin'!" She had both blade-arms coming down to implae a Maltan skull.
The King rose in a spectacular display, then did the moonwalk singing "I'm aaaaaalright," before turning to launch a disorienting blast at a Rikti.
The Lord mistook the mental persuasion's meaning. When he was heard 'mass' he thought strength. Much more confident, he brought both fists down for a crushing attack.
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
Craig looked up.
"Highway to hell." He uttered before loosing a shotgun blast into the Queen.
She flipped through the air, and groaned as the wind was knocked out of her. The sonic shield had kept her from being killed, but right now she couldn't breathe.
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
Craig dropped a single grenade and jumped away...
Kal'Merus realized his mistake too late, right when the Walier Lord's fists shattered the shields over him and plowed into his suit, making a huge dent in the chest plate and sending the Mentalist to the ground.
The King's attack, however, paled just on its own, sputtering out on the shield of the Rikti it was aimed at ((I'm assuming it's a different one)), and two invisible drones promptly drove him back, their stunning energy fire making it difficult to counterattack.
And as the Walier Lord was finally given the RIGHT suggestion of slowing by Kal'Merus, still lying on the ground, the compounding stunning energies of the Rikti cannons mounted on him as the searing blasts came even more quickly than before...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
"Useless." Akabane scowled as Hajime continued to fiddle with controls.
"I swear I know what I'm doing." the Yellow Ink Man muttered. "It's just more complicated. As you go farther down, the security gets tighter."
Na-li looked up unsurely. The Dragon Enforcer knew that the only thing standing between their small squad and the huge fight up above was the no-doubt already heavily abused elevator door. There was no room to fight in the elevator shaft, either.
Wei-li noticed her tension and grinned. "Jie-jie, you should not worry so." he teased. "You'll become an old woman."
"An old woman with a sword." Na-li grumbled. Wei-li knew when to be quiet.
Finally, a soft mechanical hum heralded the opening of the door. Hajime sighed in relief as Da-wei icily stared him down.
"That took far too long." the Sorcerer said with an edge of menace. "You are lucky it did not take one more minute." With that, the squad advanced through the dark hallway...remaining silent.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
The Queen shrieked as the grenade exploded, gore spurting around the room.
The Wailer Lord was slowed, but he still moved to cut the fallen Rikti.
The King kept coming at the one he attacked, not giving up.
The three Wailers crept up behind Marcus, then proceeded to slice his back.
The remaining Queen and King made a fierce duo as they leapt around the room, knocking Maltans into walls with forceful screams and promplty running in to decapitate,
Arc ID: 475246, "Bringing a Lord to Power"
"I'm only a simple man trying to cling to my tomorrow. Every day. By any means necessary."
-Caldwell B. Cladwell
Diana adjusted her mask, making sure it held tightly. "Lets take the stairs. It's only the.." Diana paused as she turned to find thfloor number. "Basment 15" Turnng around she observed the room. It seemed to be a simple office at the moment. Then Alex caught her attentoin. "Stop setting stuff on fire were still inside!" Diana shouted over to the pyro. Quickly hiding her torch behind her back she gave puppy dog eyes, "I'm sorry diana, can you forgive me." "Oh I can never stay mad at you, just save it for the Rikti." diana said with a smile behind her mask. Even though she couldn't see Alex's face she knew she was happy.
As the Carnival of shadows strolled down the halls of cubicals to the stair well the sound of mecahnics could be heard. Suddent four pop up turrnets, well, poped up. Within seconds they were either burn or cut to peices. "This is the protectoin the longbow have. The snakes have better defences" Alex said as she walked through the door. Just a few flights of stairs and they would meet the Rikti...