RP: Setareh Wing [Mission Three] A View To A Kill

Plaza

The child was pulled away from Karuah, he did not want to go but he wasn't strong enough to offer much resistance against Alair.

"His family is probably heading for a check point." Spoke Karuah as she finally had the opportunity to get to work and moved under the bench.

The bomb operated on a timer mechanism and there was not much of it left, only a minute so she had to work fast. However bomb disarming was not her field of expertise so she had to examine the design quickly. There was not much in the way of circuitry on the bomb so it was unlikely that the bomb would detonate if she removed the timer, but she did not want to risk that. Instead she found the detonation trigger for the explosives, it was a small electric starter, rigged up to the timer and the explosives.

Without wasting a moment once her target was found, Karurah pulled out a small piece of nonconductive putty and covered the electrodes so they could not spark. She then snipped the wires around the starter and pulled it out. After words she has a dozen or so seconds to spare, so she covered the exposed wire with the putty as well, just to be on the safe side. Soon after the timer had reached zero, but there was no explosion so Karuah put the device on the bench.

"I have disarmed one of the bombs they're simple timed bombs with an electric trigger." She spoke over the comms, her voice a little shaky from having to be be next to a bomb that might explode, but she was recovering.

Behind Zoren, Near His Butt

"Tch... fine! If there's another in here somewhere, it's your fault!"

Irfan was grumpy as she turned away, keeping her carbine close as she pulled away. She could have sworn there was one more, but all she could do was follow Zoren. She might have been an ace, but she wasn't the boss. The boss lady was the boss. Regardless, her steps behind Zoren were close... enough so that when he came to a halt to raise his weapon she just about smacked right into his back. She had to stylishly throw herself to the side, tucking the weapon close as she rolled on the ground a meager foot away and aimed her weapon at the same individual.

"Yeah, what the grumpy boss said! Nice and slow! Or we'll show you how the Vanguard takes care of terrorists!"

Her hair was trailing near her tightly clad butt, the Iroma woman not daring to try and get up. She had to make it look like this had been planned... otherwise her credibility as an ace would be at risk.

Dahbi-Class Colony

Altair was hailed by an older woman that began yelling at him, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT CHILD?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

She began pulling the child away from Altair's arms. She obviously didn't recognize him as Astral Vanguard.

The enemy that had been caught by Zoren, Shaanti, and Irfan was equipped with a pistol and began firing wildly at the trio while running backwards, then handed the bomb off to a fellow conspirator that was approaching while ducking for cover. They began running away just as the other grey coveralls-wearing hostile bent down and began shooting from behind a trash can.

The bomb Karuah had been working on was decommissioned and disabled.

Naak looked to Ishtar as she told Karuah over comms, "Bring the bomb to our location in the bay!" Then to the FIOMNI, she said, "At least there's that."

Colony Interior

Shaanti sighed and ducked behind the car. It was never that easy. They needed to eliminate the hostile and chase the ones with the bomb. The hulking curdatl didn't feel like that was necessary to share, so he remained quiet and leaned out from behind the car. Despite the chaos, he allowed himself to breath slowly and focus. The world seemed to slow, even as he felt the heat of a laser bolt slide past his cheek. Any moment now...

There! The terrorist popped up from behind the trashcan again, and Shaanti fired thrice. The first two shots slammed against the trashcan, and the third grazed the hostile, causing him to cry out as the outside of his left bicep was given a nice, deep set of third degree burns. He ducked back down behind the trashcan. Shaanti glanced over at Zoren and Irfan.

"We outnumber him, three against one. We should try flanking." he suggested quietly.

Plaza

Karuah picked up the bomb at the orders of Naak and made her way towards the bay. She was careful, since even though the bomb was disabled, it could still explode from a fire or a bullet. Because of that she borrowed the first backpack she was and stored the bomb inside, putting it on her back to free up her hands to defend herself as well. There was no need to worry about jostling it at least with this type, so she could make way at a steady pace.

Near Someone's Grumpy Feet

The second the man started to run and shoot wildly, Irfan instinctively rolled and raised the carbine, tracking the man mid-roll to fire at his retreating flank. The roll meant that her weapon's volley sailed beyond and into the nearby surroundings, ensuring that she helped partially to drive him into running rather than gunning. But as she pushed down to vault herself a few inches up and over the curb, she rolled behind a bench leg to conceal her form. Or, at least, her body. A long trail of her hair was now visible, strewn across the ground, as she hid and watched Shaanti make her exchange.

"Pft... flank? That's lame. You guys should think more like the boss lady! She'd be pushing up on him! Traitors can't keep cool when you pressure them! Now put the heat on them and step it up! We're supposed to be the best!"

She pushed up and off the ground, quickly rising up and around the bench as the man spent his time cursing... and simply threw her rifle across the distance with all her might. It soared over the trashcan just as she ran toward the same car that Shaanti hid behind. But unlike the man, she simply leaped up and pivoted one foot on the door of the craft before vaulting herself back up and higher into the air. Like a true, majestic woman who had spent her childhood jumping off of sailing ships and daring herself farther, Irfan put herself high enough that the level-grounded mind of the traitor left him exposed, right hand reaching to grab her sidearm and pull it free in a flurry of shots. It wasn't accurate, but the three shots weren't intended to hit him. Instead, the struck and singed the trash, sparking an abrupt fire and sending debris everywhere. She was on a descent path to land in the road... but she was already trying to tuck her shoulder to go down into a roll.

And then landed with the most goofy roll that made her slam butt-first and upside down against a vehicle across the narrow street. She had a reputation to live up to, after all.

Soon a VAADW could be seen galloping along at breakneck speed toward Naak. The organoid construct came to an abrupt halt at the Lanranr's side. All four of its electric blue eyes seemed to be focused on the woman, then its head tilted as it turned, then it remained motionless. It was awaiting her command.

Altair's grip on the child was gentle but firm. His clear voice cut above the rabble of the crowd.

"Astral Vanguard, Vaybalri Altair Khorvash, with Setareh wing ma'am. I'm attempting to locate this child's parents. I know this is a stressful situation, but the bomb has been taken care of, and I need you to calm down."

He placed the child down on their feet gently before speaking again.

"In order to help us ensure that no one was hurt, I need everyone to kneel down with their hands on their head. I want to take a headcount, and I need you all to let me know if you think someone you were with is missing."

After the crowd sluggishly began to comply, Altair called in to Naak on his radio, speaking so that none of the civilians could hear him.

"Naak, this is Altair, I've got some civilians rounded up, and they're sitting down with their hands on their heads. I've told them its to make it easier to count them to make sure no one was hurt, but thats only partially true. I'd like to have some medical teams come over with a portable scanner disguised with the medical equipment to help us identify the bombers, or anyone that might be carrying a weapon."

Dahbi-Class Colony

Zoren cursed and fired back at the enemy. "Son of a..." Zoren laid down suppressing fire and sprinted after the soldier carrying the bomb. "Take care of that one! I will go after the bomb." He said sprinting after the soldier. He couldn't let him get away. Everything... everyone's life was on the line.

He could not... He would not fail. He hefted his carbine and squeezed the trigger. Firing as he ran down the street. "DIE DIE DIE!" He screamed as he ran after the man with the bomb.

Dahbi-Class Colony

"Thank you, Karuah!" Naak said, nodding towards Ishtar and said, "Please hand it off, carefully, to our FIOMNI!"

Then, looking to the glowing blue eyes of the VAADW, Naak said, "Seek and destroy the bomb at the doctor's location!"

"Altair!" Naak replied. "I am sending someone with the appropriate supplies to you right away!" She spoke out quickly to Ki Lea to get Altair's request filled.

Caught by a bullet from Zoren's carbine, the running man fell and clutched himself around the bomb, desperately guarding it as he writher in pain. The man behind the trash can was splashed with debris but the grey-clad NVR agent ran forward almost immediately and was standing over Irfan, pointing his own gun at her point blank, two feet from her. Shaanti may have not known it, but he was being approached from behind by a man that was about three yards from him with a gun raised and a finger on the trigger.

Colony Interior

To watch a superior stumble like a fool and place themselves in a dangerous position had a profound effect on Shaanti. Namely, he was mildly annoyed. Not that he'd let it show through his calm visage, but he would definitely question the wisdom and judgement of Irfan from here on out.

Time to play hero.

The fool behind the trashcan left his cover to run over to the fallen Irfan. He seemed to have forgotten about the curdatl hiding behind the car. Shaanti quickly raised his rifle, and in the next moment there was a smoldering hole through the hostile's chest cavity through which you could see the buildings behind him. Irfan was safe.

And, of course, there was the issue of the man sneaking up behind Shaanti. The terrorist was an idiot to think he was moving unnoticed. Shaanti's large horns were not just for show. Shaanti closed his eyes and blocked out all other distractions, trying to "guesstimate" the man's position based on the "noise" he was creating. Shaanti realized that he'd most likely be dead if he missed, so he counted to three, and chucked his rifle as hard as he could while turning. The assailant ducked the rifle, obviously, but that gave Shaanti enough time to rush. A massive hand latched on to the handgun as the man stood back up. He tried to struggle and pull free of Shaanti's grasp, but that was akin to pulling an ox to water when it did not feel like drinking; you weren't going to move the ox. And as Shaanti smiled warmly to the smaller man's terrified visage, he remembered the rest of that lesson that he'd been forced to learn through experience: if you weren't going to move the ox, the ox was going to move you.

In a move that looked completely effortless, Shaanti yanked the pistol out of the combatant's grasp, then quickly latched back on to the man's wrist with his free hand to keep him from running.

"Marbalri, would you dispose of this, please?" he asked Irfan, releasing the battery from the gun, dropping it to the floor, and kicking it over to his superior. When the weapon was safely away, Shaanti's smile grew wider and he grabbed front of the man's coverall with his other hand. The NVR soldier whimpered pathetically as Shaanti gently lifted him straight off the ground with little effort. Then, it was straight back to the ground with him. There was a loud thud and the sickening crunch of bones shattering on the concrete. The man lay sprawled on his back, eyes wide as he twitched in silent agony, unable to speak.

He was alive, but he'd probably be eating from a straw for a few months. Satisfied that he wasn't going anywhere, Shaanti jogged to retrieve his rifle a short distance away, then jogged towards Zoren while scanning vigilantly for any new threats.

The VAADW seemed to tilt its head in question at the command. Making a light 'KuRuRuruRu' noise in response as it stood there. The organoid shook itself as a dog would when wet then looked to the woman again before sprinting on all fours toward the intended target. Ishtar herself had adopted a look or remorse upon her countenance. Things such as the VAADW were alive in their own way. Did it know it was likely going to its death? Perhaps the only one there that could possibly know was the diminutive FIOMNI.

Dahbi-Class Colony

Zoren ran up to the fallen soldier and sneered. Without another word he brought the butt of his carbine down on the back of the soldier's head with a audible *crack*. He threw the man off the bomb.

"This is Zoren. I have the bomb in my posession. Tell me how to diffuse this thing." He said pulling out his surgical kit. He had a laser scalpel and a few other tools that he could use to disable it, however he needed to know how to diffuse it and he didn't have that much time.

Civ Bay A-1

Karuah handed the disarmed bomb to Ishtar without any hassle, she was more than happy to be able to get away from the device now. "The trigger device has been totally disabled, however, the explosives are still primed so it can still be set off. I'd have hard to disassemble it totally in order to take them apart. So whatever you do with it keep the heat to a minimum."

With the situation with eh bomb taken care of, at leas ton her part, the mechanist turned her attention toward Naak. "What else would you like me to do?"

Altair waited for the team with the scanners to arrive, and then directed them to scan the crowd, all while attempting to keep the civilians calm.

"Everything will be okay folks."

Civilian Bay A-1

Naak had felt the subtle shift in Ishtar's expression and looked disdainfully at what she had just ordered until she was shaken from her quiet concerns by Karuah.

Naak nearly bellowed to Karuah as she ran forward, following the Haidan, "Follow that VAADW!!"

To the team, she said, "Everyone but Altair, converge on the doctor's position and do not impede the technician's work as she and the VAADW work together to dismantle the bomb. If Karuah cannot do it in time, the VAADW will take it as quickly as possible to a secure location. Jarin's fortune to you all."

Then to the bubblegum-pink haired girl, she asked, "Ishtar, can you locate any other NVR subjects on the colony through its sensors or scanners? If not, we'll have to trust they've gotten everybody."

Altair would notice that the scans were going well. Nobody seemed to be packing anything substantial and all was safe, for now.

Wearing a frown, the FIOMNI seemed to grow distant. In truth she was sifting through reams of raw data to do what Naak had asked. It was a difficult task all things considered. Not because of the size of the incoming information, but because if any of these NVR personnel had, had half a mind they would've opted for a disguise. That made it more difficult and challenging. Still, Ishtar accessed the station's census, crew and habitation manifests. She used these to run facial recognition searches along the board.

"If they've disguised themselves, it will be more difficult for me to locate them. I'm running facial recognition software to narrow it down. But it will take me several minutes to make any significant headway."

Civilian Bay A-1

Karuah turned when Naak spoke and quickly ran after the VAADW as ordered. Her reaction was reflexive and she did not even have time to process in her mind why she was following it, not until Naak spoke up over the communications system at least. It was another bomb, that was to be expected, it was good that they were finding them quickly, but it meant more tension for her as well. She tried to calm her breathing and straighten up her posture to conserve her stamina as well as get her focus back, even if the first bomb was easy, it was still a bomb and she couldn't afford to be twitchy.

Colony Interior

"Sir," Shaanti said to Zoren. "We must go. I recommend restraining the terrorist and leaving his location for the local law enforcement."

In the meantime, Shaanti swept the streets with his rifle, ready for new threats.

Colony Interior

Irfan had smacked the battery away in her pout, knowing full well she had been the only reason the enemy had exposed themselves to Shaanti to finish off. It wasn't like she was going to make a big deal out of it, but the bubbly girl didn't want to get treated like some amateur. She had flopped, of course, but it had been all part of her plan. Genius such as hers was all but assured, after all, as it had led to the exposure of their target. But with the orders rolling out, she could only push off the car with quick stomp-like pushes from her feet, rolling back over and to her feet with the agility one might expect from a well-trained Eyr Ranr. It didn't help as she looked around for her weapons, however, for building back up the image of a dangerous soldier. But the Vanguard member was quick, moving over to where she spotted her weapon and recovering the object with only the briefest check to ensure it was still good to fire. Thankfully, the Commonwealth built them to last!

"Well," she clicked the battery out and then back in while turning and looking to Zoren with her hair whipping around behind her buzzed head, "What are we waiting for boss? The other one is pretty spot on since boss lady said we need to get moving!"