RP: NSS Acadia [Mission 3.5]: Back into the Frying Pan

After waiting what seemed like forever, but with a glance at the HUD chronometer was found to be barely thirty seconds, Anselm called up the elevator.

"Assume everything is hostile, when in doubt wound first ask questions later; everyone in the car, let's go" the marine had to stoop to fit inside the elevator, but there was still more than enough room for the rest of the team and then some.

"Roger that." Ezra stepped into the elevator and moved towards the back behind the two armored marines. He was well aware of how cowardly it made him look and cursed himself for doing so. Then he cursed himself again for doing in his armor tackling that Ripper. In this case, at least, personnal pride had to take a back seat to tactics.

He checked on his shield drones again, grateful for them, and chambered a shell in his shotgun. It was all he could do.

Even before Keladrian's AOP made it halfway to the target, it was intercepted by the 5th Mishhu that stayed far behind. The explosion would have looked pretty during Pasco's Day celebrations, pretty but ineffective. Judging from the number of beams the Ripper emitted, the greenhorn's mini-torpedo stood no chance at all.

"Do it!" The MC responded to Talbain's suggestion. Heavy dual plasma chainguns from the ID-Sol and rifle fire from both Vel Steyr and Sean brought the lead Ripper's shields down to 50%, it quickly stopped and took cover but in the meantime it and its still running partner opened up a salvo of their own on Talbain, who was the only one out in the open. The heavy Aggressor managed to autododge the first Gauss shell, but the second one slammed home just as the Agg touched the ground. Topped off with another flurry of Aether beams the Rippers made off with half the P2C's shields.

Fian Vel Steyr was in the process of swapping out his FMD shells when aether beams rained down on him from the sky, the lips of the crater offering no protection. The two Rippers on the sides of the leading pair had taken to the air, shooting haphazardly at the marine furthest to the front. The MC's shields which had only started recharging dropped right back to zero, about ten beams out of the hundred that landed in and near the crater made tiny craters of their own in Fian's AIR-R. Luckily, armor was a strong point of the M1 and coupled with the ill-aimed but well distributed spread of the beams, the MC suffered no actual penetrations or system damage.

"Damn, wasn't paying attention!" He cursed to himself, but now that he was he noticed that both rippers were only firing at him with one arm, their angle of flight made it that their fronts (The direction of which all their weapons can be brought to bear) were aimed at Sean and Keladrian respectively. He quickly brought up the squadcomm "P3C Sean, get out of there! Move to P3C Keladrian immediately!" The distance between the two marines spanned the entire formation, even at maximum boost, the Cirrus transferee was not going to reach there in one cycle.

Sean decided that there was no point in wasting time questioning orders, or breath in responding overly much, so all that came back would be a terse, "Sir." Even as he was saying that, he started making his way towards Kel, utilizing all of his systems which might be of use to move as fast as possible, deciding that sheer speed would help more then an erratic path in this target rich setting.

"Son of a bitch!" Keladrian cursed into his Aggressors Helmet as he watched his AOP round explode. He attached the AOP to its hardpoint, and pulled out his HPAR. As he pulled the weapon up to fire, he heard the Master Chief's order to Sean.

"P3C Sean, get out of there! Move to P3C Keladrian immediately!"

Keladrian turned towards Sean's location and saw the Marine moving, and fast. Still, they were separated by quite a distance. "I got you covered Sean!" Kel said into the comm unit, training his HPAR on the other Private 3rd Class's location. He was prepared to start firing at any Mishhu who got to itchy with their trigger...tentacles.

Talbain continued to press his advance as he started up his noisemaker system. He'd just have to hope his shields held out for the time that it took to make for the next hole. Keeping a steady stream of fire on the same pod he prepared to fire his PAL as soon as he could get a steady footing in his new position.

Anselm grumbled within the confines of his helmet, feeling no small amount of hostility towards the elevator as his armored glove gently tapped the button that would bring them down to the reactor. Several minutes later the car jerked to a stop.

"Remember what I said about shooting things," recalling that he'd given contradictory orders on the first floor regarding what and what not to shoot he proceeded to clarify himself, "just make sure it isn't your foot".

The car's speaker pinged cordially and opened its doors for its passengers, blithely unaware of the growing tension in at least one of its occupants.

"...or the reactor," he added after a moment's reflection.

The fighting started. Alex was in her crater covering Henry but he looked lihe he wanted to use his mrotars from safer distance. That was okay with her, she can focus mor on fighting.

Two rippers soared into air and sprayed MC with fire. Effective, but they were easy targets now. Plus now there are only two combined anti-missile ripepr anti-missile systems. Not four or how many, that was while they were on ground.

Alex moved few foots back in her crater so she could use her minimissiles and fired a two volley on the ripper on the right. 10 darts followed closely by 10 arrows. Both volleys took different paths so it was harder for ripper to defend.

Phaedra left the leader Mishhu and took aim at the lesser Rippers assailing the squad. She fired a round at one of the flying Rippers attacking the MC, ejected the spent casing and fired again, the second time attempting to hit the Mishhu's main thrusters.

In a target-ripe environment, Phaedra only paused to acquire a new target and then fired until the target was disabled or taken out by her squadmates. Whenever it seemed one squadmate became the focus of enemy fire, Phaedra concentrated her fire on the Rippers nearby.

"How long are we going to keep them occupied up here? Blow the damn plant already!" thought Phaedra.

Now was a good time for Viktor to back off and play into the VOID's strong suit: support. While the majority of the squad advanced, he held his position and readied his shoulder-mounted mortar. Then he activated a monoeye just long enough to guide the best-aimed TRACER he could; his target was the retreating 'commander' squid. As soon as the TRACER had its trajectory, Private Kingston immediately shut off his sole active monoeye. Didn't want to go spoiling the surprise he had in store for the squishy bastards.

TRACER loosed and mortar primed, the VOID launched its first mortar round of the fight.

The reactor floor was devoid of anything, alive or dead, enemy or ally. Anselm stepped out verbally irritated by the scene, "Fuuuuck- alright ladies... and lady," he growled, refering to Ezra and Avel, respectively, "set this sucker to blow, please."

The Aggressor pilot double-checked the room twice with his monoeyes, sweeping randomly incase anything was trying to evade detection, AMP and PCTs at the ready to roast anything that popped up on his HUD.

"set this sucker to blow, please."

Avel shook out of her thoughts when Anselm radioed her. "On it." She replied and walked over to the fusion reactor's control console. Interfacing with the computer, her suits AI went about modifying the computers control functions and a timer appeared on the main screen. "Alright I've set the timer for 25 minutes. That should be more than enough time for us to evacuate the remaining guards and get out of here." She said and brought a timer up on her HUD.

The Mishu in the air closer to Private Sean fired furtively at the marine's fleeting form. Fire from the twin arm-mounted weapons took his shields down to 70%. The gauss rifle shot missed altogether by the virtue of firing from a moving platform at a moving target, the shell whizzed a little behind the transferee and skipped on the sand like a pebble across a pond for a short distance. This poor showing by the Mishhu was reprimanded by Private Keladrian, whose accurate Savtech guided HPAR bursts leaded the Ripper from across the battlefield. Phaedra's MPR bolts in a one-two punch penetrated the distortions created by the HPAR rounds and impaled themselves in the Ripper's gut (The thrusters were not visible from her perspective), it crashed-landed into the hole Sean had just vacated. The next jump would put Sean right next to his destination.

Alexandra's combination ARROW/DART volley was intercepted but only with considerable difficulty by her target and the designated interceptor Mishhu. Her micromissiles exploded to the same effect as Keladrian's earlier AOP round.

While Keladrian wasn't paying attention, the second flying Mishu which was headed for him much like the other one was headed for Sean landed close to him without any opposition. A square-on gauss hit dropped his still regenerating shields down to one third from two thirds. It then charged, in their weakened state Keladrian's shields could not hold the Ripper back. Slashing wildly, the Nerimium blades ripped away the side of the Marine facing it. Even though taking serious damage, the right arm of the heavily armored Aggressor held, protecting the vulnerable Nano-muscles below the surface.

With a good lock and perfect firing solution Viktor's mortar round sailed across the field, past the 'holed' up MC, past the two Mishhus in the opposite hole, past the interceptor Mishhu too busy doing something else, to explode right next to the Ripper leader. It had spotted the mortar in its 'observations' and used the precious time between firing and landing to move out of the way. The shockwave nearly tipped the pod, but in a show of skill the Commander stabilized it in one motion.

In the meantime the holed up Mishhu pair had decided to rush the MC. Boosting out side by side they again fired at their closest visible target: Talbain. Even with Noisemaker and autododge benefit, suppressing fire from two pairs of arm mounted beam weaponry and glancing blows from one gauss shot (the other one missed) took the ID-SOL's shields to critical, the next shot, no matter how small directed at his Aggressor would definitely penetrate. Counter fire from the P2C's shoulder mounted PCTs could not even return half the damage received.

"I need PAL support!" The Vel Steyr shouted, triggering his Monoeyes on the charging pair and 'blind firing' with his service rifle.

Faint signatures of additional Rippers were detected to the rear of the Commander.

Seeing Kel's predicament, Sean kept right on going,, altering his path only enough to shoulder charge the ripper alone, instead of hitting both the ripper and Kel. With that decided, he also sent a burst of HPAR fire back at the Ripper that had been following him, more as a distraction then an actual attack. Right before reaching Kel's position, Sean yelled "Incoming," just in case the Savtech had miscalculated his new path.

Damn you to hell you stupid faggotty mishu wanker! thought Alex as she rushed out and moved forvard to next crater. She used her thrusther to get few meter in air and then pulled herself near.

When she was safely nested she shouldered her HPAR set to full auto and started spraying squids running for MC. Master Chief could really use help. Kel and Sean has to take care of themselves, they are trained for this, buc MC is only by himself against two rippers and Alex wanted to even the odds a little.

Alex fired i longer controlled bursts to get Rippers attention and cause him the most damage she could.

Seeing her target eliminated, Phaedra tossed the spent magazine out of her MPR, slammed a fresh one into place and then yanked back on the slide. On her HUD, Phaedra saw the Mishhu engaging the squad at close range.

"I need PAL support!" shouted the Fian over the comm.

Phaedra saw the pair of Rippers charging the pinned Master Chief and brought the five-foot MPR to bear against them.

"That's too close to the MC for a TRACER; by the time the PAL got there they'd be right on top of him..." thought Phaedra as she lined up her crosshair on one of Rippers. She fired right over the MC at her target's limbs, attempting to knock out its weapon systems and therefore render it less of a threat. She ejected the spent casing and then fired again.

"That at least might buy him some time," thought Phaedra, already lining up the aiming reticle on her next target.

The GAFM was reloading, so Private Kingston brought his FGL to bear, once more reactivated his monoeyes, and aimed at the heels of the Rippers advancing on Talbain and Vel Steyr. Two can-sized explosives went hurtling their way, and then... patience. If he became too engaged in any one encounter, he might not be able to help another in time.

Keladrian attempted to turn when he heard something hit the ground next to him, but he was too late. The Mishhu bastard that landed next to him started slashing away at his Aggressor. "Motherfuck!" He yelled, completing his turn to face the enemy. His shielding was badly damaged, as was his arm. Luckily his arm wasn't severely damaged, and Kel could still use it.

"Try this on for size!" Keladrian yelled, pulling the HPAR up to bear on the Mishhu attacking him. At this distance, the SAVTECH got an instant lock, and Kel pressed the trigger. Full auto HPAR rounds flew towards the Mishhu.

In the meantime, Keladrian's HUD showed a friendly coming, and fast. He saw that it was Sean, on a direct collision course with the Mishhu. "Incoming!" The Private yelled, and ran past Keladrian towards the Mishhu.

“We have five minutes before we set down on the planet!” Ran stood up in the already cramped troop bay of the Viper Gunship, which had just left the NSS Dust Devil, one of four Vipers that were ferrying reinforcements to the various Marine forces on Rok’veru. The Chief had stayed behind to get outfitted in a VOID armor, and was voluntold to take several new recruits down to the planet before Mishhu anti-air completely cut the planet off from shuttle traffic.

“Currently friendly forces have been engaged by the Mishhu and are in defensive positions around this city!” At that, a marker was added to the topographical maps that the Marines under him had, as well as the Marine positions around it.

“The squad we’re going to be reinforcing belongs to Master Chief Fian Vel Steyr. They are currently engaged by Mishhu forces, and are attempting to destroy a nuclear reactor inside our lines! We’re going to be landing within our own lines, about a few miles from the site. From there, we’ll move on foot as a platoon to reinforce the Master Chief. Expect casualties, as Mishhu have dropped between our defensive lines!”

As if to announce their presence, a few Mishhu had taken pot shots at some of the Vipers coming in, with one taking moderate amount of fire and the one the Chief was in being peppered by 40mm shells. The Vipers suddenly shook in response to this by maneuvering so that the Mishhu could not target them so easily. “Fucking shit” was all the Chief muttered in response to this violent maneuvering and hostile fire.

“These Vipers are gonna be the last shuttles that come down! After that, it’s all infantry. We’re going to be landing behind the last line of defense and will make our way to the MC’s position. Any questions before we land?” Ran particularly looked at the two new recruits making up his squad in the Viper’s bay for any questions.

Jan smiled, checking his Hostile's rifle one last time before they entered combat. The Nepleslian was eager to finally see combat, and happy to be fighting for his country's continued survival.

"Sir! Why is the Master Chief's squad attempting to destroy the nuclear reactor, and what are we likely to be facing, Sir?"