RP: ISC Phoenix [Mission 4] - Phoenixes, Caduceus and Zombies

MISSION 4 - START!!

Previously on ISC Phoenix...

It started like any normal mission for Luca and his Crew, go to a small desert town, save the people from bandits and walk out with pay. Then things got out of hand and complicated. Soon it turned into a thankfully short lived encounter with the living dead remnants of the raiders they'd cut down. Luca and the crew investigated.
Their brief search lead them to find that the villagers were escaped scientists from the vile Bio-engineers, Halogli Corporation. The scientists have now requisitioned Luca and crew to give them a taste of their own medicine...

"So..." He asked Laeliel sheepishly as he pushed his two index fingers together, "You wouldn't happen to want to give us some, ah - transport, would you?"

With the attackers finally defeated for the second time, Laeliel had finished her zombie-fuelled bout of vehicular ballet and pulled up close to Luca and the villagers-turn-scientists while ensuring herself a path of quick escape should any more surprises pop up again. With a scowl she reluctantly wound down her window to allow Luca to say his piece, something that didn’t do much towards improving the disposition of her mood.

“Because I obviously look like a convenient taxi service, right.” Laeliel’s unenthusiastic gaze meandered over the people grouped near her. The light-framed female let out a sigh that was half dejection, half despair.

Recovering, Laeliel fixed Luca with a narrowed-eyed gaze and a slight frown. “’Want’ is by far too optimistic a term,” After spending too long barely scraping up enough cash to live on, she was not just about to let an opportunity by to let this far from cash-strapped man go without helping him lighten his pockets. “I assume you are familiar with the term ‘half now, half later’?”

Vincent was nowhere near impressed with the lady's attempt to barter with Luca. Obviously this matter was of utmost importance, and with Luca doddling around with this odd woman in a truck, things were becoming more urgent by the minute- and Vincent had no way to help with any of it.

"Harley, with all due respect, i'm an ex-shuttle pilot for two different Nepleslian factions, and I've been handling my Junker for roughly a year now. If I can outlive an onslaught of Power Armors, fly through veritable seas of flak, aether and god-knows-what else, I can recon the Deathpass."

So he started walking towards the Junker.

I'm not sure that's a good idea, Cranebeinn thought to himself. Nevertheless, he trusted Vincent's experience. He turned to the scientists, asking, "How far out do the defenses go?"

As he waited for a response, he half-turned to watch Vincent walking toward his shuttle. So, he thought to himself, we get to go zombie-hunting and take down an evil corporation. He smirked, it sounds like an old video game.

For the fifty-thousandth time, Hitori wondered what she had got herself into. First a whole bunch of crazy small fry missions, then now those raiders led by a human tank, and now... zombies! How cliche is that? The Geshrin sighed audibly as she waited for the next odd happening.

"Vince, before you go," Jim called, "Aren't we going to figure out which method we will use to recon the area? If you simply take the Junker, then you may not be able to get a good recon of the inside of the facility. Perhaps we should figure out from these scientists what to expect."

"Sorta. I pay half now, which I did before..." Luca replied to Laeliel absent-mindedly, looking out at the night sky, "and later you'll get the other half of the money. Maybe more if I like ya."

"Mister - Vince, is it?" Harley addressed, "The corporation keeps 'round the clock turrets manned around the perimeter of the corporation. However, we can save you some time on reconnaissance."

He pulled out his Datapad, pressed a few buttons with beeps, and handed the Datapad to Vincent.


"The place is meticulously defended by air, but on ground it's a bit lazier. There is a chance you can sneak in through the Truck Delivery building." Harley suggested with a wistful smile, "Why not disguise yourselves?"

Vincent had one foot in the door of the Junker and was lifting the other when Harley handed him the datapad. Vincent hung from the doorway with a hand and a foot, looked it over, then transferred the data to the Junker's computer which turned it into a wireframe 3-D map of the facility, marking defensive positions, etc.

"That'll help. I'll drop you guys off at the landing zone and follow you in, the autopilot on the Junker will take her back here." Vincent turned to Harley.

"I'm trusting you not to scrap this monster, because she's practically my own flesh and blood. Just don't wreck it, and we'll be back."

"Well, that's all fine and dandy," Crane said to the group, scratching his head, "but do we have a plan? Or is the plan just to go in and blow stuff up?" Turning specifically to Luca, he added, "Either way, would you mind if I borrowed that flamethrower again, Luca?"

Crane couldn't help showing a small glint of excitement just mentioning the weapon. He really did love fire. As he thought about torching some more zombies with pyrotechnics, another idea hit him. "Hey, Luca," he began to ask before hearing the answer to his previous question, "I still have some of my small fireworks on me. Do you think they would be any good at confusing the zombies? I've got one or two small ones that flash like Vincent's strobe light."

“Like… hah, fat chance there,” Laeliel muttered to the empty space of the passenger side of her vehicle, only slightly less impressed with Luca’s negotiating than the fly-boy was with hers. She turned back and looked at the wannabe action hero out of the corner of her eyes.

“I expect you too to wear a head-stocking when the time comes to pay me, then” she replied, her voice so over-the-top with forced pleasantness that it was obviously completely fake.

"Well - you certainly don't seem to be asking for extra, eh?" Luca seemed laid back with Laliel's response, not reacting to her anger or sarcasm, "Ah well - your loss."

"Crane," Luca finally got around to responding to his chef, "I think we've cleaned the town of zombies, but hang onto those--"
He then overhead the conversation between Vincent and the Scientists. He took his attention away from Laliel and to Harley and Daryl.

"Hold on," He tuned into to the conversation and raised his arms to shoulder level, "We could just get the shuttles across the ravine and do a short hike to the place..." Luca looked up at the night sky and checked his Communicator for the time, "It's about 12:32 AM. How often do they switch the guards around?"
Harley couldn't quite recall, "Once each hour or so, I think."
Gordon interjected with the right information, "Each Half Hour, sir."
Luca took a look at the map provided to Vincent, then took it from him and studied it. A plan coalesced in his head.

Hmm. That truck department looks quite open. Might be easy to sneak in there relatively unnoticed... The guards may be a problem, the team and I could evade them when they rotate. I have no clue what's on the inside of the building, so the rest will have to be winging it.
His left hand began to wander around his chin, stroking it gently as he tried to think of something that would make sense, and not be a frontal assault. He'd seen too many movies where a frontal assault got cut down easily and where stealth was the best option.

Those sentries could pose a problem if they spot us. I don't want anyone to be full of bulletholes. There has to be some way to disable them but they'd probably be inside... But how do we get inside...? D'oh - shit. Hmmgnh... Think you idiot, THINK!!
His face contorted into an angered grit, and he hit himself on the head a little, trying to get something - anything. He sighed lightly.
I think it'll be better if I just studied it there and winged it. I still have a pair of launchable grenades on me.

"I have a plan." Luca announced, "Some of us could sneak in through the truck department while the guards are rotating, or we could disguise ourselves as luggage and get in. Vincent, get the Junker prepared, and I'll see you about 1 or 2 miles east of the corporation." He then turned to the Scientists, "Here's my Communicator Number," He passed it to them on a sheet of paper, "Call me if you've got information, and the gang and I will call you if anything arises."

As Luca began to head towards the Phoenix with John, he turned to the lady in the truck, "I think I'll find a use for you later, bossy boots - unless you want to come along and contribute some way or another! Maybe you could do doughnuts in the parking lot of the place if you can get across the ravine!"
His pet name was somewhat endearing, even though he didn't know her name yet.

Vincent climbed into the cockpit and began flicking at switches and pressing buttons. The engines on the Junker flickered, and displaced air from the small boosters on the belly of the craft pushed sand into the faces of the scientists. The Junker now hovered 3 inches off the ground.

Jim examined his flechette launcher, attempting to figure out what was wrong with the thing when he suddenly remembered the thing was battery operated and must have simply run out of batteries. He popped the back end off and slapped in a new battery. Taking aim, Jim test fired a shot. The railgun mechanism worked as it was supposed to, and with a smile, Jim said, "Lets get those bastards."

"Yes - Let's." Luca replied as he made his way to the Phoenix with Mitch, Mel and Hitori following suit and getting to the passenger area. John had already made himself comfortable, leaning back in his chair, rocking his head side to side waiting for the order to go.
However, Luca had forgotten that he had his Motorcycle in said passenger's area too.
"Hmm. I almost forgot about this baby!" He commented on the way in.
"What, the Motorcycle?" Mitch snapped up as the thoughts of relishing combat begun to wear away on him.
"Yeah - Would've been interesting to ride in. Oh well, I could do with a walk anyway." Luca replied while touching his gut and assuming his rightful position as co-pilot.

"By the way, Luca, thought you'd like this." Mel said as she tossed one of the Zen-arms 10mm SMG's she'd picked up to Luca with an extra magazine, she gave another to Hitori, who seemed befuddled by the device, "Thought you could do with an extra bit of firepower."
"Yes, but ..." Luca said as he tried to balance the weight of that, and two shotguns, an SMG sized flamethrower, two pistols and lots of ammo on him and around him, "I don't think I can carry any more!"

"Inventory limit reached eh?" John commented, as if making a private joke and recalling the dungeon crawlers he played back in his university days.
"No ... I could carry it, but it would be inconvenient!" He rested his 3-barrelled shotgun in the small gun cabinet, and his SMG flamethrower to keep the other gun company. Now he had some room for the new weapon.

"Without further ado, everyone strap themselves in and enjoy the flight." John said over P.A to the people in the passenger's compartment and the Junker, "Vincent, head north a few miles, stop when you get over the ravine and continue by foot..."

The scientists saw them off with a wave. Then one of them, Daryl slapped his forehead. "Oh shit - I forgot to say..." He swore out loud, "There's a bridge across the ravine that doesn't show up on the map."
"They'll get there..."
Then they seemed to seal themselves back into their little hideaway...

"Roger that, sir." The Junker's main door bolted shut and Vincent guided the shuttle towards the ravine low over the dunes. Wind whipped the soft sand around the bottom of the craft as though something was stalking it below the sands.

Within the Junker with Vincent, Jim checked his inventory before going into battle. He checked his 10mm Type 28 noting that there was still a round chambered inside. Making sure the safety was still on, he stowed it inside his jacket. Already having made sure that his flechette launcher was in prime condition, aside from the few new scratches on the paint, he re-slung it over his shoulder. Telepathically, Jim asked Luca, So what is the overall plan, are we going in disguised or what?

Hitori flushed slightly as she accepted the SMG as well as the insult without a word. She removed the safety with ease and slid it into her belt, making sure that it wouldn't accidentally go off before she needed it. It wasn't her first time around such a weapon... and apparently not her last. Throwing back her hair to get it out of her face, the Geshrin stood and waited for everyone else to get ready.

It only takes one word to get John flying in the direction you wanted to go.

"Hit it!" Luca commanded, upon seeing everyone accounted for. Hold on, Make that two words.

The Phoenix and the Junker had taken off and began sailing across the moonlit desert at a fairly quick pace, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.
"Hmm..." John said as he turned on the map. The ravine that the scientists mentioned was up ahead, "Looks like the ravine is ahead... We should be able to land a mile or two away from this corporation place, and then continue on foot..."
"Mmm. A bit of walking wouldn't hurt." Luca said as he sucked thoughtfully on the lollipop he always keeps in his mouth, "We have to come in from the east though, make a note of that, and to Vincent."
Then Luca got the telepathic message from Jim, and replied in kind: Yes - we will be disguised... as luggage.

Soon, they were about a mile or two outside company grounds. It was time for them to land on the sandy plains and get packing for the mission ahead.
"Vincent, land here - and get ready. When Luca says so..." John sent over Radio to the Junker, "We'll begin moving east on foot. I'll stay here and guard the camp." John cocked his .45 pistol. He hadn't used it in a while.

Luca stood up and examined his inventory as he walked into the passenger bay. The normal Shotgun, the new SMG, the tranquilliser pistol and the regular pistol. "Okay - I'm armed. Who else is?"
Mitch motioned to his backpack and nodded, still wielding his Sniper rifle. He had a tight smile on his face, relishing combat, but not wanting to thrust himself into a spotlight of sorts for doing this job.

"Roger that, Phoenix. Landing now." The Junker set down on the ground with something just short of grace, flaring before landing, and then shut down. Vincent climbed out of the back and gathered up his weapons.

"So, where are we off to?"

Crrrrrrrrrrraaaaaap.

Laeliel’s watched her attempt at negotiation fall apart as Luca turned away to discuss other things with other. The sullen female just wasn’t used to being in a position where payment could be discussed; the usual ‘take it or a bullet’ style she was used to didn’t leave her much room to improve her persuasive talking skills.

“Tch.”

The excitement over for now, fatigue started to settle down on Laeliel’s shoulders; her long day and the now-flying circus having both done their fair share to sap away her energy. The idea of charging off into yonder wilderness yet again, this time for the vague promise of the possibility of more money while getting shot at funnily enough didn’t sound all that appealing to her; a nap however, did.

Releasing the slide catch on her seat Laeliel pushed it all the way rearwards until it stopped with a thud, then proceeded to wind the windows all the way up and double-check all the doors were locked before reclining the seat back to a comfortable angle. With a swing of her long legs her once-upon-a-time pink sneakers crashed down onto the vehicles dash unglamorously, and after a bit of shuffling around to find the best position she crossed her arms, shut her eyes, and tried to let the peacefulness of oblivion overtake her, but not before mumbling one final, undirected word.

“Damnit.”