DXN - A Show of Goodwill (Part 2)

[09:16] <Cherem> After the slightly hostile meeting with Middleman, you find yourselves with a few hours to get acquainted with the plan's location and people. Driving to the place set for you on the map, you find a small inlet, where a water overflow pipeline opens out into City N's river. Waiting and smoking a cigarette, there are four men in matching black uniforms, no insignia. The Sun is starting it's slow descent, and the leader covers his eyes as he peers at you. "Tindalos?"
[09:19] <@Otomo_Reiko> "That's right. You're the escort?"
[09:22] <Cherem> The man nods a little, raising his hand in greeting, "You got it. We'll be operating the boats for insertion, and stick with the boat until the first drop-off. Still got a few hours to go, we'll go over the plan as the time grows closer."
[09:23] <@Otomo_Reiko> The hikki offers a slight nod, gaze drifting to the others in her group.
[09:23] <Cherem> Behind him, you can see a pair of black rubber boats with sharp, angled fronts and matte-black engines being serviced and double-checked by the ninja-knockoff men. Each boat can probably carry four, five people max. Honda's already looking at them with interest.
[09:24] * Cerys_Doyle has been quiet most of this time, obviously still not happy with the plan, but she wasn't the boss here.
[09:25] <Cherem> "Although, gotta say, word from the top is you're elites or something." The leader looks at you curiously, sizing you up. "Uh, no offense, but..." he gives your younger, frailer members a look, "You people do this often?"
[09:25] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu has been similarly quiet, often looking over her shoulder. "We've seen a lot." she mutters.
[09:26] <Mr_Rage> Ai tilts her head, trying to even comprehend the question.
[09:27] <@Otomo_Reiko> "Its not going to be a problem." Reiko offers a thumbs up even as she scoots back to stand next to Miyu.
[09:29] <Cherem> The leader shrugs, "I hope so. Not like higher ups to plan for failure anyways." At that he returns to his own men, checking the boats and explaining to Honda his understanding of how they work.
[09:34] <Cherem> ~
[09:35] <Cherem> The next hour or two pass in relative peace, the kind of tense boredom that sort of teases away at your nerves. About an hour in, the leader pulls you together to explain the plan. With half of the team on one boat and half on the other, they're going to swing in from one side of the boat, while some of Middleman's other men come in from the other side.
[09:36] <Cherem> The Barge is low to the water, so a hook-over ladder will be attached to the boat's side rim. You'll climb up and over, and take over the ship. Knocking out the guards is preferable, but if they try to kill you, anything goes.
[09:38] <Cherem> Middleman's other team has been trained on piloting these kinds of ships, so they will take over piloting it. You will help find which of the shipments are the medical equipment, and accompany his men in "delivering" it.
[09:39] <Cherem> "And that's the long and short of it," the leader ends. "We will be joining you on the barge after it's clear as well." He nods a little, "Anybody here get seasick? We have nausea suppressants to dole out now."
[09:40] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Never been at sea long enough to know.."
[09:40] * Cerys_Doyle shakes her head. "Got my own suppressant." Tapping at the pocket where she kept her flask.
[09:41] <Cherem> "Wouldn't that make it worse?" Honda raises his hand, and the Leader tosses him a plastic packet of pills.
[09:41] <@Otomo_Reiko> Reiko offers out her hand too, just in case. Shes never been on a boat that she can remember.
[09:42] <Cerys_Doyle> "Nah. It makes everything better."
[09:44] <Cherem> "As long as it numbs it, right?" Honda takes a pill or two and pops them in his mouth, dry-swallowing before passing the pills over to Reiko. "It's gonna be hard on you, huh?"
[09:47] <@Otomo_Reiko> She shrugs and downs a couple of pills. "After getting shot at everything else is down hill right?"
[09:48] <Cherem> "Well, probably. Still might be worried about falling out a helicopter, or off a boat." Honda laughs a little.
[09:49] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Honda why would you fall off the boat?"
[09:50] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Good question. I always figured someone would throw him off before he gets the chance to fall." Miyu teases.
[09:52] <Cherem> "'Long live the king', right? Please don't throw me overboard."
[09:52] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu lazily salutes Honda.
[09:53] <Goemon_Hozuki> "I think its in my contract to make sure you dont get thrown overboard." thinking back to make sure.
[09:55] <Cherem> ~
[09:57] <Cherem> As the sun dips behind the mountains, the boat team leader gives you the heads up. "Alright. The ship should be coming into the river once the light dies down." His team is making final checks, testing guns, making sure the boat's engines aren't loud, everything to get ready for the operation.
[09:58] <Cherem> And as the sunlight finally fades from view, he passes you a bag. "Red-light flashlights, for when you go on board. Hit the second button to get rid of the red, could help you blind somebody when you go on board. Their men should be disguised as regular shipping sailors, ours will be in all black."
[10:00] * Cerys_Doyle takes one of the flashlights and passes the rest out to the others.
[10:02] <Mr_Rage> Ai holds hers uncertainly, but takes a ready stance.
[10:03] <Cherem> Honda is one of the first in the boats, already looking excited about this.
[10:06] <Cherem> Stepping into the boat is unsteady, but there's two of the boat team members on either side, holding it steady, the leader waiting to shove off the first of the boats. When you're all aboard, he and the pilot of the second boat push off into the surf, the cool river breeze washing over you as the engines putter to life, muffled underwater to a loud burble instead of a hideous whine.
[10:06] <@Otomo_Reiko> Reiko hops onto a boat next, looking pretty uncertain about the upcoming experience.
[10:09] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu comes along, wobbling a bit at first. "This is going to be an experience."
[10:10] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon looks impatient from waiting. "Lets get this over with."
[10:10] <Cherem> "Ah, well, we can put this down on a bucket list somewhere, right?" Honda comments over the sound of the motor. Alongside him, one Middleman's men is on a radio, and you can hear the sound of the other team getting started.
[10:12] <Cerys_Doyle> "Being on a boat? You have an odd bucket list.."
[10:12] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Honda we need to talk about your bucket list sometime."
[10:12] <Cherem> If you follow the horizon, you can see a blot against the river, a fat, wide, slow-moving creature of steel making it's way up the river. Your boats kick up a tiny amount of wake as they putter down the sides of the river.
[10:13] <@Otomo_Reiko> "Hey now, we Japanese are a reserved people, I'd be surprised if he wasn't a train spotter in his younger days."
[10:13] <Cherem> Drawing closer, the barge comes into view, covered in what looks like stacks of crates and tarps. If you really, really look closely (or track heat signatures), you can occasionally see a sailor walking along the front bow.
[10:15] <Cherem> "Well, who really gets to go on a boat these days if they aren't fishing?" Honda comments as the boats draw closer to the ship. The two black crafts turn carefully, keeping to the back of the barge as they plunge closer to it, the rear of the ship approaching rapidly.
[10:16] <Cherem> And Honda shuts up as the leader of the first boat and the pointman of the second prepare ladders. The boats kick up a long, low wake as the wind suddenly picks up, the crafts jostling you a bit as they fling forward.
[10:17] <@Otomo_Reiko> "...yep, I'm gonna throw up."
[10:17] <Cherem> You pull close enough to the barge to almost touch it, the engines dying and shutting off as the pilots navigate the wake of the ship to drift right next to it. If you wanted to, you could feel the side of the ship, slick and wet and caked with green muck.
[10:18] * Cerys_Doyle pats Reiko a bit. "You'll survive."
[10:18] <Cherem> The ladders go up, and the leader nods at you. Honda makes a go for the ladder.
[10:19] <@Otomo_Reiko> The jostling causes Reiko to trip as she's trying to move and she falls, hands grabbing at anything to catch herself. It's purely accidental that she has a handful of Cerys' and Miyu's chests now.
[10:19] <@Otomo_Reiko> "S-sorry..."
[10:21] * Cerys_Doyle eyes widen a bit as she extricates Reiko from herself and helps the girl stand back up steadily.
[10:22] <Shinjou_Miyu> "... Hi."
[10:24] <Cherem> And Honda's over the top! No sounds of shooting yet.
[10:24] <Cerys_Doyle> Up Cerys goes after him, he should not be leading.
[10:25] <@Otomo_Reiko> "Now I feel dumb and still want to throw up," she mutters, lining up for the ladder.
[10:25] <Mr_Rage> Hup hup hup~
[10:26] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Was my chest that objectionable?" Miyu asks as she goes along.
[10:26] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon goes up as soon as he can to make sure honda doesnt alert them.
[10:27] <@Otomo_Reiko> "Wha? No, no! It was soft and squishy, bigger than mine..." She quickly shuts up, face red with blush.
[10:28] <Cerys_Doyle> "Shh. We can talk about our chests and dealing with your groping later."
[10:28] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu nods, looking amused.
[10:29] <Cherem> Climbing over the edge, the ship is thankfully less shaky than the rubber boat. Once you're all aboard, the ladders come off and the boats drop back just slightly. All around you are boxes and lanes with crates and tarp holding them down. In you strain your hearing, you can hear the sounds of footsteps, presumably guards.
[10:30] <Cherem> Honda kneels by one of the crates and makes signs towards the cabin of the ship.
[10:35] <Cherem> Listening and looking around, you can hear the sounds of guards making their rounds. Towards the cabin there's a higher concentration of guards, but behind you, closer to the bow, are one or two stragglers. Can't be any more than fifteen people in total.
[10:38] <Cherem> And then... you hear a light warbling. Radio traffic, just a little whine of an alarm being pressed. And the sound of a few rapid, loud coughing noises at the other end of the boat.
[10:38] <Mr_Rage> Ai's ears swivel!
[10:39] * Cerys_Doyle swears to herself.
[10:40] <Cherem> On the approach, the barge was maybe 25m across and 40m long, the cabin closer to the front of the ship.
[10:41] <Cherem> Sounds like the other team made contact, and listening carefully you can hear the sounds of boots running towards that part of the ship. There's a blinding light as the lights flicker on for half a moment, but a high-pitched noise sets you off, and the lights dim and die out quickly.
[10:42] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Plan b?"
[10:42] <Cherem> "Shit." Honda draws his pistol. "We should help the other team. They came in from the other side, so..." The sounds of feet start getting closer, and you can hear people running in your direction, possibly to surround the other team.
[10:43] <Cerys_Doyle> "Let's cut off any incoming support and make our way there."
[10:43] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Aye."
[10:43] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu nods.
[10:50] <Cherem> Moving into position, you're standing just in place as footsteps come around the corner! Two men, dressed in a sailor's garb and wearing goggles to protect from sea foam, both of them toting guns about the length of their arms and circular drums. They don't have time to react!
[10:52] <Cherem> Reiko, in fact, lets you know exactly where to stand to overlap and get the jump on them as they come through.
[10:59] <Cerys_Doyle> Using that information and the surprise Cerys fires into the first one to appear, riddling him with bullets.
[11:00] <Cherem> The first man lets out a surprised cough, the bullets punching through him like paper. Although, he seems to bleed less, his body already starting to try and knit itself back together. Overed.
[11:12] <Mr_Rage> Ai sprints on past the first enemy, swatting another into the deck like a fly.
[11:13] <Cherem> The man tries to jump out of the way but his head meets the steel, ribbing flooring with a rapid smash. Doesn't even have time to call for help.
[11:27] <Cherem> As you fight, you can hear the sound of combat on the other side of the ship: there's a few sudden roars from what sound like shotguns, and rough, coughing fire from surpressed firearms.
[11:27] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon goes up to the last man, his arms igniting, and gives him a hug, burning him and crushing his bones.
[11:27] <Cherem> However, it does sound pretty dampened. The whole ship's noise level seems to be dialed down somewhat.
[11:27] <Mr_Rage> "Rrh--?"
[11:28] <Cherem> The man, reeling from being shot, has no defense, collapsing and vaporizing. Even as an Overed, nothing he can do to be ready for that.
[11:29] <Cherem> Behind you, Honda coughs a little, "Good job. Let's meet with the others!" And he starts heading across the ship, through one of the allyways of crates.
[11:29] * Cerys_Doyle chases after Honda cursing the man for rushing ahead.
[11:29] <Mr_Rage> Ai brachiates over the crates like a gorilla, huge arms carrying her faster than her legs.
[11:30] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Why does he always seem to go first into danger?" running after them.
[11:30] <Cherem> You're onto the other side in a flash, and you can see the aftermath of shooting: seems like the shotguns are dampened too. Four men run by, one armed with what seems to be a shield, followed by two men toting shotguns. They're dressed the same as the other men you crushed.
[11:31] <Shinjou_Miyu> "More of them? What a pain."
[11:32] <Cerys_Doyle> "Let's get this done quick then."
[11:35] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Crush them and then keep moving."
[11:38] <Cherem> As you make your way down the crates, the men who are facing the other team notice you. There's some wuick shouting as they turn their focus on you. Behind them, three men in sailor's garb rush by to keep the other team at bay.
[11:39] <Cherem> One of them gets uncomfortably close to Honda, while the other focus their attention on Ai.
[11:44] <Cherem> The first to notice Honda levels his gun and fires, a narrow cone of buckshot!
[11:59] <Cerys_Doyle> Cerys returns fire in a flash, gunning two of them down, quick and precise shots that leave them no chance for survival.
[11:59] <Cherem> Honda is holding his chest, utterly surprised at what happened before him.
[12:01] <Cherem> On the other side, one man levels his shotgun at Ai, raising it before his arm jumps back, firing a flurry of shot at the Chimera!
[12:07] <Mr_Rage> Ai lunges over their firing arcs, coming down hard on one, but she eats the slug from the shotgun point-blank. The lead shatters against her armor, but her flesh bruises underneath.
[12:13] <Cherem> The first goes down, trying to raise his shield to block. Doesn't work, as he collapses under Ai, and the other tries to ready another shot.
[12:14] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon punches a hole through the last guy standing, setting him on fire.
[12:20] <Cherem> The three that ran past him are down, and Middleman's other men run up to join you. "We can secure the Stern. Head up to the Cabin and clear it out, then we'll send the signal."
[12:21] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Alright."
[12:22] <Cerys_Doyle> "Goemon, Ai, take point. Honda stay back with me this time."
[12:23] <Mr_Rage> Ai hops up ahead!
[12:23] <Cherem> Honda nods, his gun actually drawn for once. "Alright. Sorry about that, I owe you a lot."
[12:23] <Goemon_Hozuki> "sounds good." following after Ai arms still on fire.
[12:24] <Cherem> As you talk, Middleman's agent turns and heads towards the Stern, followed by three other men. Two remain behind, one against the side and bleeding out fast, the other attempting to treat him.
[12:24] <Cherem> Moving up the side, you can see the Cabin's lights have been turned off, and the door is open. However, there is a deadly silence, broken only by your feet.
[12:27] <Cherem> However, as you move forward, Doyle, you can hear the sound of somebody... shifting. Against the sound of the River and distant, muffled gunshots, there's the sound of a shell hitting the ground as a round is chambered. Several pairs of feet.
[12:31] * Cerys_Doyle motions for them to stop.
[12:32] <Mr_Rage> Ai wobbles to a halt, huge arms throwing off her balance.
[12:33] <Cherem> Honda almost bumps into Doyle, slipping a little on the moist barge flooring.
[12:33] <Cerys_Doyle> "Ambush ahead. Take it slow."
[12:34] <Cherem> You stop just in time, as a shotgun blast goes flying past where the front team would be running, shot going out and over the water.
[12:34] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon stops near ai.
[12:34] <Cherem> There's a muffled curse, and a moment later a rifle sticks around the corner, about to pull the trigger!
[12:50] <Cherem> As you charge forward, the final resistance turns to face you. A rapid-slam shotgun blast hits you, Goemon, like a sledgehammer.
[12:50] <Cherem> Behind them, the men with assault rifles turn, unable to bring them to bear on Ai! They swing at you, but there's nothing they can do as you bat their clumsy swings away.
[12:57] <Mr_Rage> Wings still extended, Ai swats the crowd with the limbs. They look feathered, but on closer inspection, they're pinioned with flexible scales, making them excellent clubs.
[12:59] * Cerys_Doyle tries to fire around Goemon but just can't seem to get a good line on a shot for once.
[13:02] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu provides sage guidance for shooting around Goemon.
[13:03] <Cherem> The men take several solid hits from Ai, one of them collapsing from a strong blow to the head.
[13:12] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon throws a few punches at the shotgunners, setting one of them alight.
[13:22] <Cherem> In return, the last shotgunner left, probably the leader looking at his slightly cleaner uniform, takes a shot at Goemon, his gun shimmering as he pumps Renegade into the metal. But the shot goes wide, punching a fist-sized hole into the tarp behind Goemon.
[13:23] <Cherem> And his backup backs up, literally, fleeing in an attempt to get away from the monster stalking them.
[13:28] <Cerys_Doyle> That gives Cerys the perfect unprotected shot, and she takes it to full effect dropping them mid stride.
[13:31] <Mr_Rage> Wumpfh. Ai lands on the remaining combatant in a flurry of those exotic feathers.
[13:32] <Cherem> The final combatant goes down as his fleeing comrades collapse. A silence goes over the ship, finally. A moment later, you can hear the faint sound of engines as the rubber boats pull up.
[13:32] <Cherem> Honda is looking around in awe, "Wow... all that muscle for this stuff. Must really be worth it."
[13:33] <Cherem> A moment later, some of Middleman's men rush by, "Is it clear up here? We need to toss the bodies overboard and get moving. We have "uniforms" for you as well."
[13:33] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Big business, Honda."
[13:33] <Cerys_Doyle> "It better be." She looks over Reiko and Miyu, glad to see them unharmed. "Ai, Goemon, you guys alright?"
[13:33] <Cherem> Behind him, you can see men starting to check the boxes to a big brick of a tablet, scanning and checking inside boxes.
[13:34] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon rolls his shoulder "Still in one piece for the most part."
[13:34] <Cherem> "Crazy big." Honda clears his throat, "Should be clear. We'll start poking through the boxes and get changed."
[13:35] <Cherem> "Looks like you guys did a number on them. thanks for your help." This man is probably the leader of this team, a taller, rough-looking man with a submachine gun hanging from his belt. "Lucky to have you on our side."
[13:35] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Nice shooting Doyle." Nodding as he went to go get a "uniform".
[13:35] <Mr_Rage> "I'm okay!"
[13:36] <Cherem> There's a few duffel bags set aside. Unzipping them, you see... Ugly brown Overalls, worn, slightly mothball-smelling jackets. Plain gray T-shirts. With these on, anybody could look like a porter or low-budget modern sailor.
[13:36] <Cerys_Doyle> "Thanks." Her armor disolves around her and she takes out her flask as she goes to get in disguise.
[13:37] <Cherem> "I guess the Renegade is good for something, in the end." Honda laughs a little bit, going to check out the disguises.
[13:37] <Mr_Rage> Ai, after a moment of consideration, shapeshifts into an older version of herself before dressing up.
[13:39] <Cherem> "Hm..." Honda examines Ai, "Didn't know you could do that. Probably a good idea though, more... believable." He looks at Reiko and Miyu, probably thinking something... not exactly mean but questionable.
[13:40] <Mr_Rage> "I didn't either!" Different voice, same innocent cadence.
[13:40] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Should we start throwing the bodies overboard?" raising an eyebrow at ai.
[13:41] <Goemon_Hozuki> After getting into the "uniform".
[13:42] <Cherem> "Might want to leave that to the others. No point in getting blood on ourselves." Honda shrugs a little, peeking inside one of the crates.

[00:00] <Cherem> =====