RP: Taking It Back [Time-out!] New Players, New Problems

Jack moved ahead behind Caffran and took a seat. He noticed how everyone's hands didn't stray away from their sidearms, making he realize that perhaps tucking away his weapons in an attempt to show 'good faith' maybe wasn't the best choice after all.

He waited for the man to finish introducing himself, all the while thinking of how to best formulate his words.

Jack relaxed in the chair a little bit and his voice came a little hoarse in the beginning, out of tune. He didn't quite know how to make introductions like that, he never had to in a long time. "I'm Jack Greiss." he said, pausing, "I like blowing things up and I don't like the Squids. Then I heard about your mob and what you do." He simply said.

Archie put a hand on Sam's shoulder and firmly steered him to face back to the briefing room.

"Come on, Sammy. Let's go see what Alex has in store for us." Archie gruffed "You had probably better slow down on the pharmaceuticals if you want to live any measure of time."

Archie turned to Ally, "We will talk later, then." he said firmly, intending to make sure of it as he gently closed the door.

When he arrived in the briefing he saw some unknown person had taken his seat, one of three unrecognized faces in the room. He sighed slightly and took another chair quietly, again placing his feet on the table. He examined to three gentlemen for a few seconds, wishing he still had his old knife before turning to Alex.

"Well, at least we haven't picked up another one who thinks they can handle a long rifle." he said dryly.

"The Raven knows how to fire a long rifle effectively." Alex purported, setting his teacup on the table, "Although not as well as Alexis Arms or you, Gray Wolf. If the surveillance footage of a few nearby stores in minor engagements has any indication."

Ally watched them leave out of the corner of her eye, not looking directly after them until the door was shut and secured, and she was once more completely alone with herself.

She lit a cigarette, crossed her legs, and stopped even pretending to clean her guns. She had reloaded a box full of .357 before she had went to sleep, and adjusted the trigger pull of several sidearms to suit her better than the average Nepleslian male, with his iron grip and tendency to fire with knuckle instead of pad. Really, nothing existed for Alexis to do except contemplate Alex.

She still had half a pack of cigarettes.

And time, enough.

Raven found himself a seat, adjusting the small arsenal that festooned his person waiting for the "boss" to tell him what was going on and what his mission was going to be. He had completed his sole bounty hunting contract and was wanting to do something else to alleviate his boredom and helping this motley crew liberate a city seemed like a good way to start.

Rennik scowled when Archie spoke, clearly getting the message that, without his rifle, he was useless as a marksman. This day was turning from bad to worse already (in his mind), and he hadn't even learned what the next mission was. He leaned further back in his chair, staring absentmindedly at the wall, wishing the briefing would go on.
"And what are we doing today, captain" he said aloud, speaking to Alex.

Alex nodded and sampled his tea once more before standing and moving to the side of the room that all of the chairs except his were facing. After a quick wave of his hand, a large volumetric display fluttered to life in front of them. Depicted was a small island, rotating slowly. Alex spoke up a little louder, as a pair of red arrows formed a pincer around the tiny landmass.

"This is a small island not too far from this precise dock." He started. "It houses an extremely important facility. All of the information gathered at the police station three weeks ago suggests that it is abandoned. The NMX forces in the city intend to take it tonight. Which they will, without resistance."

Alex stepped across to the other side of the map and prodded a finger to the larger of the two red arrows before continuing. "This is where our team will advance on the island."

Immediately after he said this, a tiny representation of the submarine appeared below the smaller arrow.

"Obviously, the other approach will be Lucas with the submarine and a number of small craft. They will provide a frontal assault with some of the recoilless guns we liberated from that police station. The boats will make quick work of the outer defenses, but as I am sure you are all aware, it would be unwise to attempt a landing on such a concentrated position with limited numbers such as ours. That is why I will take a small team to the rear of the island. Our approach and landing will be undetected, as will our entry into the facility. Once inside, we will seal the doors and Lucas will be ordered to retreat for the time being. I will instruct everyone from there."

"Um, Alex?" Lucas raised his hand like a schoolboy, "If this is all happening tommorow, why are you telling us now, instead of the day of, like last time?"

Alex nodded his head. "Certainly, Lucas. Excellent question."

Lucas beamed with pride like a schoolboy, Chrys could feel his leg tense up underneath the table.

"Today," Alex began again, "I will ask everyone to look at this plan and see what is missing in it. Those things are to be acquired by sundown. We need boats, explosives, electronic equipment, and welding equipment. I would also like a new eye."

Alex lifted the eyepatch to expose the brushed metal of his empty socket for a moment to illustrate.

"We will no doubt have to split up. Samuel will be in charge of the large purchases as treasurer, so he'll be headed to the junkyard today. I will be acquiring the electronics and the welding equipment, as well as the explosives. Hence, I will go to the store. We will both need people to carry things and maintain security. Are there any questions?"

"What's so important that the Squids would want, but not so important that we would abandon?" Archie asked as he lit himself another cigarette, not looking up. "Also, does anyone here know how to operate a welder, or will we be dragging along an engineer?"

Alex pointed to Archie and nodded. "I can use the torch if there is no one better suited to the job."

He moved around the head of the table for a moment, testing in his head whether or not it was safe to let out exactly what they were going to take. He finally spoke up again with his back to the group, surveying the map with his hands behind him.

"It is not that this is something unimportant enough for us to abandon it. The military wouldn't have left it behind if they had not had remote access to it from Nepleslia Prime. In fact, this facility is very suddenly the key to holding this planet, and thus very important. Rather, a full-scale defensive operation would be much more costly than simply taking it out from under their noses."

Chrys moved her hand toward Lucas and held his tight. She wanted to make him sure she was there for him if needed. Apart from defending Nepleslia he was her all now. He was reason fer her to fight. Reason for her to combat NMX. TO kill, to defend to survive. "Do not worry luv," she whispered to him.

She then look straight at Alex. Never to be intimidated by him. "Hey Stalker. Why don't whe just hit it before NMX, copy what we can and blow up everything else." She asked him.

"Hmm?" Alex leaned his head back, his eyepatch peering over his shoulder. "Oh, we aren't planning on leaving after we get it, Chrysanthe. We shall if we have to. We really do not want to, though."

Chrys though about that for a while. The facility was quite important apparently. Alex wanted to keep it for himself and Nepleslia, which meant a lot of data or expensive tech was there. Chrys could understand it.

"Then I got another idea. Let me, Lucas and few mobsters land right now. We will get some defenses ready and hold NMX for you to hit them in the back. Recoiless rifles and my Impaler should to a lot of damage. If your morale will be all right we will survive. And Lucas and keep the soldier in line" She told to him.

"No." Alex started to leave it at just that, before adding, "The intelligence gathered at the prison suggests that they will have far superior numbers. I do not want to lose you or Lucas defending a rock when we will have time to take it without losses later."

"I understand," replied Chrys. She looked at the desk of the table fore while before speaking out again. "Okay, then I would like to check for one thin. In close area let's check for security companies. They would have valuable equipment in their stations. Most likely armoured cars and weaponry. Most people does not pay them much attention but even shotgun, pistol and bulletproof car is handy." She said and shrugged.

Rennik studied the map carefully. He felt that the task they were all given was vague.
"Well, I don't see any markings on the map. It doesn't say who owns the island, what kind of a place the building is, or how big the whole area is. An incomplete map, yes?" he said, still thinking of things he might have missed.

Caffran listened to Alex explain his plan and then the discussion that followed. No one else in the room seemed to be in a hurry to introduce themselves but Caff didn’t mind. He’d figure out who was who soon enough. He pulled out his pipe and looked at it thoughtfully then shook his head. “Still out of tobacco.” He muttered under his breath as he put it in his mouth anyway. He glanced at the map again then asked, “Me being new and all I’m going to up and ask a question. If this place is so important and you know the NMX will have superior numbers, why the Feth do you want to let them get it and then attack? Seems to me the best thing to do would be as the lady suggested, get in and defend the place.”

"I have gone over this with you all." Alex's voice took a strained tone and a cigarette found its way into his hand as he turned back to his audience. "We do not have the numbers to defend it. We will not have those numbers. Heavy losses will be incurred in the defense of this facility."

The submarine icon flashed again on the map as Alex continued, "We will distract them with a frontal assault from down-range while my team sneaks in from behind and infiltrates the facility. If everything goes as planned, there will be no casualties what-so-ever."

Alex plopped down in his seat at the head of the table and repeated his initial instructions; "We are not meeting to discuss my plan. If any one creates a better one, which is highly doubtful, they can address me personally. We are meeting to discuss the furnishings for it. Does anyone have any questions that are actually about collecting boats and trinkets?"

Archival sighed and took his feet off the table, glad the continuing argument was over, he'd sort of tuned out when most it became a rehash of the original briefing.

"I'll take Sam out to the junkyard. A visit to an irradiated, industrial run-off, super toxic slag dump. What could possibly go wrong, wot?" He said sarcastically as he stood up and began walking towards to the door. He paused in front of the new faces.

"You gentlemen can ride with us." He said simply before leaving to get his kit.

"I have a question." Said a familiar edged voice, standing in the doorway in combat fatigues was one Colonel Dean Lang. Formerly the primary commander for Paragon operations, now he found himself in a slightly more opportunistic position without the burden of running a corporation. "Why use boats when you can have dropships?"

"We will still be getting the boats. We can make use of them." Alex replied blankly. He stood as people began to make their way up and around. Quietly, he placed a hand on Lang's shoulder and ushered him towards the door. "And you can tell me more about these dropships you were referring to when we are all outside."

-----
In a matter of minutes, the team found themselves beyond the submarine by only a few foot steps. Ir was cooling down from before, when the sun seemed to crawl overhead. Now, the rain clouds drew nearer.

Alex surveyed the environment around him with a thorough eye. Unlike the West Side three weeks prior, Eastern Funky City seemed somewhat inhabited. The occasional car flittered here and there on the road, and citizens wandered freely, pursuing their business at no apparent pace.

As they stood before the first city street, Alex addressed the team again.

"Okay, everyone, let us make our decisions now. Who's coming with me? And who's going to the junkyard with Sammy? Does anyone want to stay aboard the submarine and await our return?"