Seaddle Vertibuck Recovery - Pt. 1

[07:38] <Swept_Wing||GM>  ***SESSION START: Seaddle Vertibuck Recovery***
[07:41] <Swept_Wing||GM>  At exactly 19:00 hours you all arrive in the hangar bay in Moosecow. Swoop and Swept Wing are gathered around the three Vertibucks parked in the center, the rest of the pilots with them.
[07:42] <Swoop> "We're gonna need to replace the bearings on this one's rotor soon, bro."
[07:43] * Adagio is standing by waiting for instructions and will be last into the vertibuck she's riding,
[07:44] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight trots in, flanked by the odd companion that is Brightwork. Both are loaded for proverbial bear, with Midnight wearing thick barding, crossed pistols on his chest, and an AK over his back. Brightwork is in lighter armour, but a huge M240B is slung from his right side. An addition from the briefing is a pair of aviators firmly on his nose.
[07:44] * Swept_Wing||GM nods. "Yep, should last for the mission though." He puts the engine casing back on. "And, we'll have plenty of spare parts after this too."
[07:45] * Swoop hops down off the maintenance gantry. "Good. I can practically hear it squealing when we're airborne."
[07:45] * Blackout trots in followed by twenty or so fully armed and armored soldiers. Today opting out of wearing DCR barding and instead in black tinted combat armor, balaclavas, and combat helmets.
[07:46] * Adagio has refitted her armor with a standard shoulder plate on the left side for the op, her wings have also been dyed to match color with her armor, her bandoleers are fully loaded and her helm is perched on the hook of her left shoulder plate
[07:47] * Swept_Wing||GM hops down after Swoop, nodding to Blackout. Proverb is with the rest of the DCR, her trusty SVD slung over her back.
[07:47] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight looks around the hangar, rather impressed with the set up. Everything seemed rather official. Brightwork was just as impressed, letting his eyes wander behind his newly purchased sunglasses.
[07:48] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Each of the Vertibucks is armed with a full combat load, and one of them had a Daisy Cutter mounted to a hardpoint on the belly.
[07:51] * Swoop trots over to Gale Wind and start discussing other maintenance issues.
[07:52] * Blackout looks around at the assembled ponies. Nodding to some, and trotting over to Swept_Wing while the others who arrived with him stand quietly in formation.
[07:52] <Midnight_Runner> The broad, deep blue stallion trotted over to look at the vertibucks, specicially their loadout. "Bozhe moi, this is...rather impressive," Midnight commented. Brightwork for his part just kinda stands awkwardly, making him look even stranger, given his lanky build and fuckhuge machine gun.
[07:52] * Swept_Wing||GM comes trotting over to Blackout, 20/20 close behind him. He salutes. "You and your soldiers ready Captain?"
[07:55] * Blackout returns the salute smartly. His facial expressions hidden by helmet, balaclava, and tinted goggles. "Yes, I think so. What about the PMCs?"
[07:56] <Midnight_Runner> Brightwork trots over, seemingly unaffected by the weight of both the ammo and the gun. "Here! The other guy's fawning over the firepower of the vertibuck," he said casually. "Should I be saluting?" he asked.
[07:56] * Adagio is checking that her weapons and phials are secured for the flight she was about to make, she looks over at Blackout and nods as she finishes up and stands ready,
[07:57] * Blackout looks at Brightwork. "Negative. You're not a member of the military." he nods back to Adagio, best he could do with mask.
[07:58] <Midnight_Runner> "Just wanting to be polite, hun." Brightwork looked around the rest of the hangar as Midnight Runner trotted back over. "I am here as well. Ready to go, tovarisch."
[07:59] * Swept_Wing||GM nods. "Alright then, listen up! DCR and PMCs, you're gonna be riding with me in Steel One. Pilots, you're with 20/20 in Steel Two. Steel Eight, you're on fire support and have the Daisy Cutter."
[08:00] <Midnight_Runner> "That's an oddly cheerful name for a bomb so big you might be compensating," Brightwork, the lanky, pale yellow stallion commented with a smirk.
[08:00] * Swoop shrugs.
[08:01] * Blackout chuckles. "Indeed. Once groundside DCR are on point." he nods to Swept "Ready whenever you are."
[08:01] <Swoop> "Nothin mows the lawn better."
[08:01] * Swept_Wing||GM chuckles. "Load 'em up!"
[08:02] * Swoop and Gale Wind mount up and begin preflight checks.
[08:02] <Midnight_Runner> "I'd bet. 'Course, the house might need repainting afterwards," Brightwork commented. At the call to proverbially saddle up, both he and Midnight headed toward their assigned vertibuck. "Do I get to use one of the big guns?" Midnight asked.
[08:02] * Blackout turns around to face his troops, making a signal with his hoof and immediately the soldiers start to load up quickly into the specified vert.
[08:03] * Adagio nods and heads to the indicated vertibuck, she waits as everyone loads up and steps in to take a seat nearest the rear hatch, she carefully puts her mane up in a bun before setting her helm down over it and engaging the seals, the lenses flicker red briefly before becoming dark once again,
[08:03] * Swept_Wing||GM and his co-pilot, Golden Star, also begin their preflight.
[08:04] * Blackout looks at Midnight, probably deadpaning under his mask. "Not a chance."
[08:05] <Midnight_Runner> "Snazzy armour, filly," Brightwork said with a smile at Adagio. He uses the term endearingly, not insultingly. Midnight looks at Blackout and would have pulled off puppy-dog eyes, if he didn't look older than most ponies here, and didn't have a three-line scar under his left eye to ruin the effect. "You are no fun."
[08:05] * Swoop flips switches. "This is Steel Ochio, spinning up."
[08:05] <Swept_Wing||GM> Proverb settles into the seat closest to the ramp.
[08:06] <Blackout> "Nope. I'm Blackout. Fun ends when the mission begins."
[08:06] * Swept_Wing||GM hoofs on his helmet, slipping on his Aviators. "Roger that. Steel One to Moosecow Control, requesting permission for takeoff." He says into the radio, strapping in.
[08:07] * Adagio chuckles, the sound slightly muffled and distorted by the helm, "Thanks, got it from my father, he was the last proditor in Equestria as far as I know,"
[08:08] <Blackout> The radio crackles and responds. "Control here, skies are clear with winds to the northwest. Have a good one. You're clear for liftoff."
[08:08] <Midnight_Runner> "I hear that," Midnight said sincerely, settling into a seat closer to the front. "And off we go. Boldly they rode, and all that." It was something he'd heard his apprentice Snowshoe say. "Cool beans," Brightwork said with a smile. He removed his aviators, clipping them to the front of his light barding.
[08:09] * Swoop grins and throttles up, slowly lifting off the ground.
[08:10] * Blackout grabs a headset from above him and puts it on, adjusting it lightly.
[08:10] <Midnight_Runner> "Oh, now this is wild...I've never flown before!" Brightwork said excitedly, smiling around the cabin before looking out one of the small side windows.
[08:11] <Blackout> One random ranger responds to Brightwork. "Trial by fire, welcome to the crucible." he says expressionlessly.
[08:13] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The engines start up with a deep thrum, the rotors spinning up to speed with a high-pitched whine. Swept's Vert lifts off the ground, followed by 20/20's and Swoop's. The roof above them slides open as the ramp closes, the three Verts emerging into the late-evening air.
[08:13] <Midnight_Runner> Brightwork smiled and sat back down, smiling at the ranger. "I trust you'll protect me?" he said, fluttering his eyelashes before laughing. Midnight, nearby, snorted and rolled his eyes, despite a bit of a grin. "This isn't my first rodeo, Steelie. I've been in the fire before, many times," Bright said, despite the smile on his face.
[08:14] * Swoop angles her bird to fall in behind the other two.
[08:14] * Adagio mutters the only prayer she'd ever learned, "Celestia protects, Luna defends," she then settles in for the flight,
[08:16] * Swept_Wing||GM levels out. "Set bearing at two-one-zero Steel Wings." He banks, coming up to altitude. "And then punch it." He pours on the throttle, speeding off towards Seaddle.
[08:17] * Swoop follows suit. "I feel real bad for whatever we're going up against."
[08:17] * Swept_Wing||GM chuckles. "We all do."
[08:18] <Blackout> The ranger headtilts at Brightwork. "Have you looked at the firepower on your back recently?"
[08:20] <Midnight_Runner> "What, this ol' thing?" Brightwork nodded toward the machinegun. It was strapped to the right of his battlesaddle, with a flexible ammo chute over the top of his back to connect to a dedicated ammo bag on the left side. "What about it, hun? And don't worry, I ain't compensating with it. Tru~ust me."
[08:21] * Swept_Wing||GM clears his throat. "Attention, this is your captain speaking. We are currently cruising at 30,000 feet at 300 mph. Our ETA is 2 hours, and the weather in Seaddle is currently a balmy 38 degrees with visibility at half-a-mile. The smoking light is on, and the seatbelt light is off. Thank you for flying with the Steel Wings, and enjoy the flight."
[08:24] * Adagio chuckles lightly, her own nerves settled now that things were actually happening gave way to a giddy joy at flying again, it hadn't been long but there was something about being cooped up on the ground that made her feathers itch,
[08:25] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight sighed, setting himself a bit more comfortably in his seat. "So, who wants to start marching song?" he joked. "M-" "Shut up, Bright." The stallion in question giggled, waiting for the ranger to respond.
[08:26] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The Vertibucks roar off into the setting sun, headed towards Seaddle, and whatever the city had in store for them.
[08:28] * Swoop listens to some music as they fly.
[08:31] <Blackout> The ranger literally doesn't respond. "That doesn't exactly answer the question."
[08:32] <Swept_Wing||GM> Proverb has probably fallen asleep against whoever she's sitting next to.
[08:32] <Midnight_Runner> "Most 'cause I don't quite get it," Brightwork said, blinking. "Firepower on my back. This machinegun. Something something crucible, fire and the flames, etcetera. Where we goin' at?"
[08:34] <Blackout> The ranger shakes his head. "You said ' you all can protect me' and I said 'big fucking gun. You have it' and yadda yadda you don't need protection."
[08:35] <Midnight_Runner> "Oh!" Brightwork giggled, slipping over to the ranger in question and leaning against him. "So, you're not going to protect me? What a jerk," he teased, poking at the steel armour.
[08:36] <Blackout> The soldier in question still remains stoic. "Get off me. PMC."
[08:37] <Midnight_Runner> "Aw, fine. If things get tough, you can stick behind me. Just don't touch, probably because I'll be shooting. Hot brass and all that."
[08:38] <Blackout> The ranger is nods. "Right...sure..."
[08:39] * Swept_Wing||GM keys Swoop on the radio. "How's that bearing holding up so far sis?"
[08:39] <Midnight_Runner> "Bah. You just couldn't handle a real stallion." "You know we are plunging into hell, da, Bright? And there is better time for this?" Midnight asked. "Yeah, and?" Brightwork said casually, leaning away from the Ranger. Midnight chuckled and shook his head.
[08:40] <Swoop> "Seems to be holding. It's first on the replace list when we get back."
[08:41] * Blackout apparently sits by the door, looking out the window, reflecting on things quietly. The ranger shakes his head. "You are an eccentric one, I give you that."
[08:41] <Midnight_Runner> "Baby, you have no idea," Brightwork said casually. "How many medics you seen that carry MGs bigger than they are?"
[08:42] <Midnight_Runner> (Says Bright)
[08:42] <Swept_Wing||GM> Provy is leaning gently against Blackout, asleep, her SVD cradled in her hooves.
[08:42] * Blackout silently dies of adorable.
[08:43] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Roger that. I'll have Dark take a look at it if he can when we land."
[08:43] <Swoop> "Sounds good."
[08:45] * Adagio sits quietly, carefully checking her gear once more, the repeated checks reinforcing her memory of the locations of each potion, poison, and chem on her bandoleers and the load of each of her combat knives, her throwing blades are checked as well being the most likely to detach at speed,
[08:47] <Blackout> The soldier looks at Brightwork again. "Very few, my point."
[08:48] * Swoop ([email protected]) Quit (Ping timeout: 121 seconds)
[08:48] <Midnight_Runner> "Yup. Better that way, I think. Who would you rather have protecting you? Somepony who can't even defend themselves in a fight to get at you?" Brightwork pointed out. He was the very definition of a combat medic, usually getting right in on the fights.
[08:54] <Blackout> The soldier nods, stoic by mask and goggles. "If you insist, just don't play hero."
[08:56] <Midnight_Runner> "And miss out on the hero's reward from the likes of you?" Bright grinned mischievously. "I am not sure who gave who what...did you inspire Snowshoe, or the other way around?" Midnight said with a chuckle. "Kinda both," the lanky one said.
[09:02] <Blackout> The soldier chuckles. "Perhaps."
[09:02] * Swoop ([email protected]) has joined channel #Seaddle
[09:03] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The flight passes uneventfully, and after two hours the flight of Vertibucks are surrounded by a dense fog, the visibilty about 400 yards. "Look alive back there. Specialist Adagio, 10 minutes till drop."
[09:05] <Adagio> "Understood," she releases her restraints and steps towards the rear hatch, "Pop the hatch when you want me out."
[09:07] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Steel 2 and 8, when she drops, bank hard left towards Shadow Field, you know where it is."
[09:07] <Midnight_Runner> "You're going down alone?" Midnight asked from the front of the vert, raising an eyebrow. He'd expected at least somepony else would jump.
[09:07] * Swoop rogers and prepares to maneuver.
[09:08] <Adagio> "Get me on comm when you want the distraction or do you want me to hit it during the drop?"
[09:09] <Blackout> "We'll comm you. Our intel is limited and we don't need shit burning yet."
[09:09] <Adagio> "Understood I'll take up residence on Luna's Needle,"
[09:14] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The rear ramp opens, a red light coming on over it. Out the back, you can see the other two Vertibucks flying in tight formation, and a whole shitton of fog everywhere else.
[09:14] * Swoop banks to the left as instructed.
[09:15] <Midnight_Runner> "Cool," Midnight and Brightwork said at the same time, looking out the back of the vertibuck.
[09:15] <Swept_Wing||GM> 20/20 peels off with Swoop.
[09:15] * Blackout is sitting next to the door. "Good luck Adagio. Goddess speed to you."
[09:15] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The light goes green.
[09:16] <Midnight_Runner> "Kick some ass, filly!" Brightwork called out before her jump.
[09:16] * Adagio flares her wings and with a bit of flourish backflips out of the hatch pulling her wings in and watching her helm's altimeter tick off,
[09:17] * Swept_Wing||GM banks hard, the ramp closing behind Adagio as he flew off towards Shadow Field as well.
[09:20] * Blackout comms to Swept_Wing. "Alright, jumper is away. Let's get a move-on, roger?"
[09:21] <Swept_Wing||GM> "We're already on our way there. Steel Wings, treat this just like a normal IFR approach to the 07/25 runway."
[09:22] <Swoop> "Cept we ain't askin for a vector...
[09:22] <Swoop> "
[09:22] <Swept_Wing||GM> "That's what makes it fun."
[09:22] <Swoop> "Uglier landing buys the rum?"
[09:23] <Swept_Wing||GM> 20/20 chuckles. "My bet's on the LT for that."
[09:23] * Adagio watches as the altimeter ticks away 30k, 25k, 20k, she keeps her breathing even as she plummets, her mind races along with the falling numbers, 10k, 7500, 5000, 4300 ft, she flares her wings out,
[09:24] <Swoop> "Oh please. Remember, I grew up with that featherbrain. I can easly outland him."
[09:24] <Blackout> "Meh... I watched him get shot my a tank. My money is on Swoop." he comms in.
[09:24] * Swept_Wing||GM rolls his eyes. "Ahhh, shuddup."
[09:25] * Swoop giggles. "Victory before we've even agreed. Oh so sweet."
[09:25] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Drop down to 5,000 and follow my approach."
[09:25] * Swoop follows in.
[09:25] <Swept_Wing||GM> 20/20: "Swoop, make sure to get the most expensive stuff too."
[09:26] <Swoop> "Only the best for my mother's daughter!"
[09:26] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight chuckled, listening to the radio banter, though he'd prefer a softer landing if possible. "Are we there yet?" he joked, not over the radio.
[09:27] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Adagio successfuly decelerates, the 'needle' part of the Luna Needle coming into view below.
[09:27] * Adagio feels wind screaming past her wings like an old friend, she angles them sharply into the wind to begin hard deceleration and though strained she feels herself slow and she rapidly begins scanning for the Luna Needle, even with the poor visibility Swept had practically dropped her right on it, as she approached the room -c-
[09:28] <Adagio> *roof
[09:28] * Blackout shakes his head. "Once we're down keep the banter a minimum. Roger?"
[09:29] * Swept_Wing||GM dials back the throttle, putting the landing gear down. Below, the sprawling base that was Shadow Field came into view, the runways nearly invisible in the foggy night air.
[09:29] <Midnight_Runner> "Da." "Roger dodger."
[09:29] * Adagio couldn't tell if there were raiders inside so a silent landing was key,
[09:30] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Remember, we're coming in dark. Don't hit any potholes or you might flip."
[09:30] <Swoop> "If I see you go tail over wing I'll know where to avoid."
[09:33] <Swept_Wing||GM>  When Adagio lands, she could just make out the ground below the Needle. The buildings lining the street were mostly destroyed, some maybe even recently. Figures that appeared to be ponies were roaming the streets between them.
[09:35] * Blackout comms to the soldiers sitting with him. "Prep for landing. If we die, blame Swept in the afterlife." he jokes lightly.
[09:36] * Adagio with careful steps she eases away from the edge to reduce her silhouette, just in case any raider were to look up, then she orients herself according the maps she'd studied and waits for the signal, she'd make a major fracass and cruise as fast away from the base as possible before losing any pursuers and doubling back to the vertibucks,
[09:36] <Midnight_Runner> "Swept, hun, you don't crash and I'll give ya a kiss," Brightwork teased over the radio. Midnight let out a bark of laughter. "Okay, glad to be out of here. Is cramped," Midnight said.
[09:38] * Swept_Wing||GM comes around, lining up the black piece of asphalt beneath him. He brought the Vert down, tires connecting with a screech. The Vert swerves to the right, nearly skidding off the runway as it hit a shallow pothole. Swept recoverd, pulling it back and rolling to a stop.
[09:39] <Blackout> "And to think we could have just landed vertically." he chuckles. "Everyone prep up."
[09:39] * Swoop chuckles, then brings hers down next. She's able to miss the first pothole that caught Swept, but the one right behind it bounces her vert halfway back into the air before thumping down hard again. "Ow..."
[09:39] <Midnight_Runner> "Da, that brings on good question. Why didn't we?" Midnight asked, getting up from where he'd been thrown to the ground in the impact.
[09:40] <Swept_Wing||GM> 20/20 lands damn near perfectly, laughing as he rolled to a stop. "Sergeant, looks like you're buying."
[09:41] * Swoop swears. Loudly.
[09:41] <Midnight_Runner> Brightwork laughs over the radio. "Right, let's get this little shindig going."
[09:42] * Adagio radioes, "In position and standing by,"
[09:42] * Swept_Wing||GM unstraps, lowering the ramp. "Everyone out."
[09:42] * Swoop taxis off the runway.
[09:43] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight and Brightwork stood up, getting ready to get out of the vert once the way was clear for them to leave.
[09:44] * Blackout hops out of the vert, followed by twenty more stoic and near identical soldiers. The solidarity of each gone based on uniform.
[09:45] <Swept_Wing||GM> Proverb makes a few adjustments to her SVD, ready to go.
[09:45] * Swept_Wing||GM trots out last with Golden Star, closing the ramp behind him. "Steel Wings, over here."
[09:46] * Swoop shuts down her bird andd joins the group with Gale Wind.
[09:46] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight and Brightwork trot out. Attempting to look like a badass, Brightwork floated the sunglasses from his armour's collar and flicked the aviators open onto his nose. "Seaddle, here I come." "This is not sightseeing. Bozhe moi, gde ona dazhe nayti vas..." Midnight mumbled, shaking his head.
[09:47] <Blackout> The soldiers spread out into a defenseive screen around the verts, ten running defense and ten staying near the pilots. Blackout trots over to Swept_Wing. "Alright, how is this going LT?"
[09:48] <Blackout> One of the soldiers watching the perimeter looks at Midnight. "All the right questions."
[09:50] * Swept_Wing||GM indicates the building sitting off to the left. "The main entrance is in the little foyer sticking out over there. That's the only way in that isn't blocked or destroyed. Once inside, I'll help gui-" He stops as gunfire crakles through the air, coming from the north end of the base.
[09:51] <Midnight_Runner> "Suka!" "Aw, shit, we're in for it now," Brightwork readied his machinegun, getting the bit released and ready for combat. "Anypony hit?" he asked.
[09:52] * Swoop and Gale Wind both dive back toward the Vert.
[09:53] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Several rounds ping off the sides of the Vertibucks, a few skipping off the cracked asphault of the runway. More zip through the air overhead.
[09:54] * Swoop leaps inside and restarts the engines.
[09:54] * Blackout looks towards the sound of the gunfire. "Outstanding. Reaper element, protect the verts. Renegade you're running interference, any questions?"
[09:55] * Swept_Wing||GM ducks behind his Vert, drawing his PPC. He keys his com. "Adagio, any time now would be great!"
[09:55] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight grunted as a shot pinged off the vert next to his head. "Let us get going, please." "I agree with the big guy," Bright said.
[09:56] * Swoop goes through the emergency startup and gets quickly back into the air, pulling out of small arms range before turning back to rake the target area with chaingun fire.
[09:56] <Blackout> The soldiers running ground protection begin to return fire in accurate, controlled bursts into the fog. Perhaps the glasses they were offer optics.
[09:58] * Adagio radioes, "Distraction on its way," she jumps up and flaps rapidly to gain altitude before pulling over to drop like a stone her wings flapping furiously the air pressure begins to mount its resistance and she bites into the inhaler tip of a dose of rainboom, her senses becoming razor sharp she adjusts and presses faster,
[09:59] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The raiders were just out of sight, and were firing blindly into the fog towards the Verts. The combination of Swoop's gatling gun and the Rangers' accurate return fire cuts them down quickly, but more were probably on their way by now.
[09:59] <Adagio> leveling out at nearly street level she rips down the street the crushing boom behind her deafening many, killing some, and shattering most of the remaining glass in downtown Seaddle, she begins to decelerate for her first turn,
[10:00] <Swoop> "GSwept, we're gonna make a few passes around the LZ to look for reinforcements."
[10:00] * Blackout comms to Swept. "Lt, let's ge ta moveon, I don't want the entire raider nation cramming in our flanks."
[10:01] <Midnight_Runner> "Make it raaaaain!" Brightwork said with a giggle as he heard the blast from Adagio's distraction. He decided to give the Rangers a hand, turning to lend a couple short bursts from his MG at the muzzle flashes pointed at them. "That was awesome," Midnight said, readying his AK.
[10:01] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Roger that." He blinks as the distant boom from the rainboom reaches them. "Hot damn."
[10:02] * Swoop ignores the rainboom, banking north over the buildings looking for targets.
[10:02] * Blackout laughs. "Now I'm distracted." he shakes his head. "We follow you Swept, oscar mike."
[10:02] * Frequency[RIP] ([email protected]) has joined channel #Seaddle
[10:03] <Frequency[RIP]> wow, other ponies are actually on here
[10:03] <Midnight_Runner> [Middle of an Op right now too]
[10:04] <Swept_Wing||GM>  All of the raiders that Swoop could see stopped at Adagio's rainboom, looking back towards the city. Easy pickings.
[10:04] <Midnight_Runner> "Da. I agree, let's get going." Midnight trotted out toward Blackout and the rest of the Rangers, joined by Brightwork. "Right."
[10:04] * Swoop grins and gives them both barrels.
[10:05] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The pair of .50s rip the raiders to shreds.
[10:05] * Blackout chuckles. "Oh if DJ Pony gets news from up here I can hear the headlines. 'Mysterious ponies with verts massacre raiders and then disappear'."
[10:05] * Swoop keys her radio. "North end's clear, ground team. Get movin."
[10:07] * Swept_Wing||GM nods. "Roger that Swoop." He tuns to Blackout. "Follow me." He trots off towards the base.
[10:07] * Blackout looks at Swept and the other pilots. "Right, Renegade has you covered, same with the PMCs, pilots are NLP. " The soldiers move in a protective formation around the pilots, trotting in a ready position and sewwping for targets.
[10:08] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Meanwhile, downtown, Adagio's rainboom did way more than she probably intended to, destroying an entire block. Any raiders left alive didn't give chase.
[10:08] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight and Brightwork followed Blackout and Swept. "Ik soldatushki, bravy rebjatushki...raz, dva, tri chetyre! Raz, dva, tri chetyre!" Midnight mumbles to himself as they head out on their way.
[10:09] * Adagio feels that something is off, this wasn't like the usual boost... as she rounds the first turn she catches the startled look of an earth pony raider just before her forehoof blade took his head from his shoulders,
[10:13] * Swept_Wing||GM approaches the double doors into the base, one of which was lying on the ground nearby, the other hanging open by one hinge. Looming darkness lay beyond.
[10:13] * Frequency[RIP] ([email protected]) has left #Seaddle ()
[10:14] * Blackout moves forward lightly, clicking his headlamp on and peering into the darkness through his goggles.
[10:16] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight grabs a strange looking device clipped to the front of his barding. He clamps it in his mouth and shakes it, getting an odd look and a mischievous grin from Brightwork as he watches. The device emits a rather loud clacking, but a push of a button reveals it to be a flashlight. He clips it back to his barding, and Brightwork just lights up his horn in a bright purple glow.
[10:16] <Swept_Wing||GM>  A dead... thing that might have been a pony at one point greets them, hanging from the ceiling by a chain just inside the entrance.
[10:17] * Blackout shakes his head. "Great! I new I loved bandits more for a reason." he says into his comm, not much out loud.
[10:18] <Midnight_Runner> "Brightwork, M.D., says...I think he's dead," Brightwork commented idly. "Woo. Raiders are always a barrel of laughs. Great interior decorators and all that."
[10:19] <Blackout> One of the rangers coughs. "Stinks like shit... nope that is shit."
[10:19] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Downtown, Adagio approached a T intersection, where a pair of raiders were scrambling to set up an machine gun.
[10:21] * Swept_Wing||GM shakes his head. "Swoop, go ahead and land. You can either stay out there or come with us, but don't waste too much fuel." He skirts the dead thing, stepping into the old entrance foyer.
[10:22] * Adagio spots the raiders, still dosed they look like they're moving in slow motion,
[10:23] <Blackout> Swept would be flanked by Blackout and two other soldiers, the other eight are spread a bit more. The other element is securing the entrance for defense.
[10:23] * Swoop rogers, then swings around for one last pass before settling back onto the tarmac
[10:23] <Midnight_Runner> Midnight and Brightwork take up the rear, both their heads on a swivel. Like Snowshoe, they were smart, and had clearly been in more than one fight. Midnight had to turn around every now and again to pan the flashlight around, however.
[10:23] <Swept_Wing||GM> Proverb takes up position on the roof of the entrance, covering the area with her sniper.
[10:24] * Swoop leaves Gale Wind to guard the birds and runs over to the group. "Nothing like a little steel rain to clear up your day eh boys?"
[10:25] <Blackout> One of the rangers guarding the doors looks across at Swoop. "Needs more sunshine."
[10:25] <Midnight_Runner> "It was gorgeous, Swoop," Brightwork said with a smile. With the darkness inside, he had to take off his aviators and stuck them back on the collar of his barding.
[10:25] <Swept_Wing||GM>  "Fuckfuckfuck! Here she comes!" One of the raiders yells. "Shoot the bitch!" The other raider opens up down the street with the MG.
[10:25] <Swoop> "Not my department."
[10:27] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The foyer has quite the decoration. Blood smeared the walls, spelling out every profanity imagineable and then some, bodies and body parts were strewn everywhere in gorish decoration.
[10:28] <Blackout> Another ranger whistles. "Welcome to the abusement park kiddies."
[10:28] <Midnight_Runner> "I like what they did to the place," Midnight commented idly, examining a bloody "FUCK" written on the wall. "Look. He even put little curly bits at end of letters to make it fancy."
[10:29] * Swoop shudders. "Shit like this is why I stay my flank in the air..."
[10:29] * Swept_Wing||GM nods. "I here yah..." He heads for a doorway next to what used to be the welcome desk. "This way."
[10:30] <Swept_Wing||GM> hear*]
[10:30] * Blackout shakes his head at all the ichor. "Roger." he comms. "Reaper, send R five through ten back out to the verts."
[10:31] <Midnight_Runner> Brightwork looked around. "Never understood why they did this. Can't be santiary living conditions." "I theorize it is deterrent. Make ponies not want to get close. A show of what they'll do if you do," Midnight ventured with a shrug. they seemed alone, and able to outnumber and outgun whoever was there.
[10:36] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The hallway they now entered was significantly less gory, but the walls were still smeared with blood. The room it lead to, formerly a lounge of some sort, was also desecrated by raider decorations, though not as much.
[10:37] <Swoop> "Ugh... these ponies need to fire their decorator.."
[10:37] <Blackout> The soldiers maintain their pattern, the most protection around the majority of the pilots. Blackout comments. "Huh, I'm surprised nopony is home."
[10:38] <Midnight_Runner> "I'll take over. Bit of paint here, some flowers there..." Brightwork said with a smile, seemingly unaffected by everything. Midnight just shook his head. "Da. It is...strange," he agreed.
[10:39] * Swept_Wing||GM nods. "Indeed..." He glanced around the room.
[10:39] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Anyone examining the walls make a PER check.
[10:43] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Midnight_Runner and Bright both notice that not all of the blood on the walls was old, but a decent amount of it was actually fresh.
[10:44] <Blackout> Blackout either didn't notice or didn't care.
[10:44] <Midnight_Runner> "Well now." Brightwork trots up to one of the walls, poking it gently. A bit of blood comes back on the end of his hoof. "This...isn't good." Midnight looks over his shoulder. "It's fresh," the Stalliongrader says with a frown.
[10:45] * Blackout looks at Midnight. "Oh no, you mean raiders are still creating art on a daily basis? If they have any hostages still alive mission objective changes, civvies are out of here first."
[10:45] * Swoop shudders again. "This is too creey for me. I'll be outside with the Vert's..."
[10:45] * Swoop ([email protected]) Quit (Quit: Easy as 3.14159265358979323846... )
[10:46] * Swept_Wing||GM nods. "Stay safe sis." Swoop heads back to the Verts.
[10:46] <Midnight_Runner> "More like art on an hourly basis. their painting crew is probably still here," Brightwork said, looking at Blackout.
[10:47] * Adagio is still racing forward as the muzzle of the MG begins to flash, time hadn't caught up with her quite yet and she flexed her wings twisting and rolling to avoid the rounds coming at her, it was almost like dancing through snowflakes, she kept her eyes focused on the raiders each twist and dodge bringing her closer to them,
[10:47] * Swept_Wing||GM frowns. "We need to keep moving then." He heads towards a set of stairs leading down. "Now we get to the fun part of the tour..."
[10:49] <Swept_Wing||GM>  "Shit shit shit shiiiiiiiiiiit!" The raider not manning the MG dives off to one side, whilst the other goes the other direction.
[10:50] <Midnight_Runner> "Define fun," Midnight said with a dry chuckle.
[10:50] * Blackout follows after. "Fun? I love fun!" he jokes making a fake giggle.
[10:51] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Whatever you do, don't press any of the buttons down here. You don't wanna know what'll happen."
[10:52] * Swept_Wing||GM trots downwards, the stairs groaning and bending beneath him.
[10:52] <Midnight_Runner> "Roger dodger. No pressing the big red button, no matter how much I wanna," Brightwork said with a smile. He grins and bumps playfully against Blackout as he passes. "I can show you real fun," he joked.
[10:52] * Adagio rapidly decelerates as she reaches the MG by wrapping a foreleg around the barrel, landing briefly her wings flicker and two throwing knives slice through the air, one at each of at the raiders,
[10:53] * Blackout looks across at Brightwork, expressionless just like all the soldiers. "Uhm... no. Taken, sorry."
[10:54] <Midnight_Runner> "Details." The lanky unicorn grinned. "Just kidding. I'm sure she's a lovely mare, or he's a wonderful stallion. Whichever it may be." Midnight chuckled. "Swept, you're getting fat. Listen to those stairs," he teased, following the stallion down.
[10:54] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The raiders go down, one of them landing on the knife and driving in further.
[10:55] <Swept_Wing||GM>  The stairs threaten to break beneath the weight of Bright and his MG.
[10:59] * Adagio quickly checks both raiders to reclaim her blades, no traces left, she quickly places both into a leg pouch, she thinks for a moment to figure out where she was in the city now, the streets she'd passed had been a blur as she focused on the raiders,
[10:59] * Blackout ([email protected]) Quit (Connection closed)
[11:00] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Adagio is about 15 blocks from the Luna Needle now, and there are no more raiders in the viscinity currently.
[11:01] * Swept_Wing||GM reaches the bottom, the stairs leading down into a tunnel beneath the base.
[11:04] * Adagio takes a moment to radio in, "I am roughly 15 blocks from the Luna Needle distraction complete, objective update please?"
[11:06] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Roger, we've made it into the base with a very light resistance, and none within the base itself, despite the generous amount of raider decor."
[11:07] <Adagio> "Understood continue with distraction or rendezvous?"
[11:09] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Your call. Things are almost too quiet down here. How're things up there?"
[11:12] * Adagio looks around the raiders are either absent or suspiciously quiet, "Similar, I encountered two on an MG and dispatched them, but the fire hasn't drawn any others out..." she jumps into the air and starts to climb to the top of a nearby building, "I don't like this, I'm going on over watch, something is up."
[11:14] <Swept_Wing||GM> "Roger that."
[11:15] * Midnight_Runner is now known as Pony_42635
[11:15] * Pony_42635 is now known as Midnight_Runner
[11:16] <Swept_Wing||GM>  As Adagio gets to the top of the building, she sees a fleeting glimpse of something go past above and to her left.
[11:17] <Adagio> "The buck was that?" she mutters and with a quickness lent by the rainboom she peels off in pursuit,
[11:20] <Swept_Wing||GM>  Whatever it was pulls up, disappearing into the clouds before Adagio could get a good look at it, but now that she's in the air, she can hear a low drone coming from above and behind, getting slowly louder.
[11:23] * Adagio chances a look behind her as she continues flying away from the sound,
[11:26] <Swept_Wing||GM>  As Adagio looks back out from the dense cloud bank emerges an entire wing of Vertibucks, 8 in all, the emblem of the Grand Pegasus Enclave emblazoned on their sides.
[11:35] * Adagio had left her comms open as she climbed in pursuit dumbstruck she uttered the first words that came to mind, "LUNA FUCK ME WITH THE MOON!"
[11:33] <Swept_Wing||GM>  ***SESSION END***