[010] In The Ruins

[Tiglath]

Foix backs her up taking aim and placing covering fire onto the door.

[joertexas]

Grimaud struggles along behind sweating freely and breathless in his vacc suit. He now has his external pockets stuffed with spare mags and has added a holstered pistol to his gear. He is half dragging a knapsack containing boxes of belted ammunition.

He gasps "Lady Anevey, Lady Harper! Please slow down! I haven't your lissome leggage and I can hardly ... um ... bodyguard you as well as carrying all this! He said this was a Legion action - it's sort of a code. We should be prepared for ... all eventualities, of course, but mostly ..." he takes a laboured breath "mostly those eventualities involving it all going to ... er ... merde".

Vee stops and turns to look at Grimaud through her faceplate. "I thought you were going to stay with the shuttle. Foix is ahead of us, and we are to simply watch his back."

[Ramona]

“And this is now the spiders steal our shuttle.”

[Tiglath]

Grimaud draws himself up to his full height and declares "Lady Anevey, I take my duties as bodyguard very seriously! If I remain at the entrance I can surely watch over both you and the shuttle?"

(OOC: Don't worry! With all the bits the Vargr have already had off it they'll never get it started ! )

[joertexas]

Grimaud draws himself up to his full height and declares "Lady Anevey, I take my duties as bodyguard very seriously! If I remain at the entrance I can surely watch over both you and the shuttle?"

(OOC: Don't worry! With all the bits the Vargr have already had off it they'll never get it started ! )

"As you wish," Vee replies. She turns and continues further into the structure.

[ffilz]

Squee's sense of where the the humans are, 3 are somewhat behind the first room of spiders (maybe we should have had Squee come into the temple earlier... to correlate what she sensed with the actual layout) and one farther in the back to the right. The herbivores were somewhat behind the 2nd room of spiders. There might have been some spiders with the group of 3 humans. Deeper in there must be some kind of shielding that prevented her from sensing the Vargr.

The Vargr is willing to show his necklace and indicates he saw the spiders overwhelm the scouts. It sounds like there may be more spiders than you have accounted for so far. He waited about a day before entering (he knows how to operate the entrance and closed it behind himself after opening it). He has been down the passage that turns right, it descends deeper to the main worship room of the temple. He explored around that level and saw no one. There was one door he could not operate.

He also indicates there are other spider lairs, not just here.

And that's about the amount of communication you can get from him before the telepathy runs out.

Just a note - there are tapestries in here that have not been looked behind...

Unfortunately I'm running short of time now... There will have to be a moment of suspense until I have more time to respond to the effort to seal the doors to the spider rooms.

[Tiglath]

(OOC: Sounds like we need to go through the doors not seal them!)

Foix starts back up the ramp to ensure radio contact with Vee and Harper. “My Ladies, Squee has now determined that the Scouts are held behind the very doors I thought to bypass. Please hold your position and cease your efforts to seal them”.

To the group he then says “Between them Squee and the Vargr have clarified the position. It is much as we could have assumed: the spiders are armed, hostile and have kidnapped Imperial citizens. We now have to go through them to free the Scouts. Due to the spider's numbers we will need to leave in a hurry”.

(OOC: I believe Ana "scoped out" the tapestries over the page but we may not have specifically looked behind them ...)

Edit: spelling

[joertexas]

Foix starts back up the ramp to ensure radio contact with Vee and Harper. “My Ladies, Squee has now determined that the Scouts are held behind the very doors I thought to bypass. Please hold your position and cease your efforts to seal them”.

"Copy. Holding here," Vee replies in a voice tinged with anxiety.

[Tiglath]

Foix turns to his comrades and says “Mes amis, it is time to finish this. To do the job we all came here to do – and then leave!" He grins "In La Légion just about now we’d have a cognac – instead I suggest turning your oxygen mix to “rich”. Ana, rearguard s’il vous plait. Allez!”

Foix ditches his Gauloise, replaces his helmet and leads off up the ramp and back to the main passage.

(OOC: Seems like a complete turnabout (which it is!) but the last from Squee means we’re in the wrong place! There are also way more spiders! Over extended exploring in those circumstances is surely the sci fi equivalent to taking "shortcuts through the haunted/werewolf infested woods" )

[SpinwardMarch]

Cmdr. Taheri

I am relieved to know that the Scouts are in here somewhere. What are your orders for Nathan and me?

To herself: Spiders, it had to be spiders. Spiders armed with energy weapons. Oh, <explicitve deleted>.

[Tiglath]

Foix replies "I propose to liberate the captive Scouts by military means or diplomacy - if Squee can grant us her aid once more". A sadness touches his eyes as he adds "However, I am familiar with psionic abilities and Squee may already have done all she can to assist us".

He then grimly continues "It seems that the Imperium has committed to an ill concieved and under resourced mission here which has placed their citizens at immediate risk. The Domain of Foix military and La Légion will do what we always do on their behalf - put out this fire and go on to the next!"

Foix then turns an entirely charismatic smile on Taheri and Nathan and with a wild gleam in his eye laughs "I should add that, on analysis, the military option might seem a little reckless. We are heavily outnumbered, likely outgunned and unless we are quick ... well, things may become "interesting" quite rapidly. I can not order either of you to join such a venture ..." his smile turns into an infectious grin "... but I would count it a personal favour if you would volunteer!"

He then fixes the pair with his piercing blue eyes "In these circumstances volunteering also brings with it ... a certain cachet. Speak three simple words and I will both put you in the company of heroes and make you immortal!"

Foix pauses and then calmly says "If you're coming please repeat the following: Legio Patria Nostra".

(OOC: Leader 2, Soc 13 gives Foix the tools to make this mad scheme seem attractive - if perhaps not entirely sensible!

It also seems that Foix is offering Nathan and Taheri the chance to be temporarily "deputised" by the Legion.

Anyone with a sharp mind or an eye for Rift politics would realise that this would make the mission exclusively a House Foix / Legion affair i.e. entirely non Imperial).

[SpinwardMarch]

Cmdr. Taheri

I am honored by the offer, and will assist, as a former Imperial officer. I now realize the stupidity of this venture. But these are my people, and I feel responsible to get them out of this mess. Nathan, you get to decide for yourself to "join" the Legion, for now.

Even though Taheri was hired to do this job, she still has that concern for crew members that the Navy encourages. The fact that her employer totally screwed up the mission is not her problem. She just wants the Scouts out alive, if at all possible.

[Tiglath]

Foix leads the team back up the ramp to join Harper and Vee.

He replies “Madame Commander the honour is mine – it is ever a delight to serve with the Imperial Navy!” He waves a hand dismissively and says “Please, forgive my politics – these are, with regret, becoming political times. For the record in my view you are entirely blameless for the situation here and continue to act with all honour and integrity”.

He then adds formally "I owe you a debt Madame Commander".

Foix will enquire if Squee has sufficient remaining strength to communicate with the spiders. He will also attempt to get the Vargr to mark his local map both with any known locations of spiders and to also show the Vargr territory.

(OOC: Waiting on Faanku but I thought it would help to reply and get the enquiries with Squee and the Vargr done.

I assume we are now back with Vee and Harper outside the doors to the two spider rooms we initially encountered?)

[Faanku]

Nathan, having been quietly inside his own head whilst the other more more spirited members of the impromptu company made their plans, returns Foix's gaze with a sardonic grin. "How about we just call this a temporary entente and worry about owing allegiance for later." He winks at Foix upon using the French term. "Not that I got a problem with any of you, you understand, but I learned the hard way what jumping in to things feet first brings."

He would belatedly accept a cigarette if the offer still stands, then shrug. "Besides, my expertise are of a more logistic inclination. Not much suited for the army life, unless I'm sat behind a control panel or a starship turret."

So sorry for the huge delay, I have the attention span and memory of a knat.
Do French and Italian and other such old Earth language variants still exist this far in the future. And if so, what would I roll to identify them?

[Tiglath]

Foix smiles “Don’t worry M’sieu Quinn your time as a locally recruited Legion Auxiliary would last about as long as this Gauloise – or, technically, until we get back to the Starport”. Foix lights Nathan’s cigarette with an antique “zippo” lighter. It has a skull motif with a motto engraved on it – probably military. He taps the engraving and replies to Nathan “Legion Paras – I made a career out of jumping into things feet first!” He smiles amiably “There will be plenty of time for other pursuits after your brief career in the military. If you fight today my Aunt is looking to recruit gunners for her yacht”.

To the company he says “Let’s see if Squee can persuade the spiders not to fight. If they refuse or shoot first we go in hard, grab the scouts and get out fast. Understood?”


(For GM:

1) Are we all now reunited outside the spider room doors?

2) Has Squee enough Psi points to “speak” with the spiders?)

[Faanku]

"Well, I'd be lying if I said the prospect sounds unappealing. Served on a few boats in my time but sure as hell nothing close to a noble's yacht."
Nathan looks around at the gathered troops, then winks at Sara. "Let's get through this first though, eh?"

[Ramona]

Ana brings up the rear, watching carefully behind and above them.

[ffilz]

Foix smiles “Don’t worry M’sieu Quinn your time as a locally recruited Legion Auxiliary would last about as long as this Gauloise – or, technically, until we get back to the Starport”. Foix lights Nathan’s cigarette with an antique “zippo” lighter. It has a skull motif with a motto engraved on it – probably military. He taps the engraving and replies to Nathan “Legion Paras – I made a career out of jumping into things feet first!” He smiles amiably “There will be plenty of time for other pursuits after your brief career in the military. If you fight today my Aunt is looking to recruit gunners for her yacht”.

To the company he says “Let’s see if Squee can persuade the spiders not to fight. If they refuse or shoot first we go in hard, grab the scouts and get out fast. Understood?”


(For GM:

1) Are we all now reunited outside the spider room doors?

2) Has Squee enough Psi points to “speak” with the spiders?)

Sorry, I should have responded to this quicker... You are reunited outside the spider room doors. Squee is too low on psionic strength to speak with the spiders.

[Tiglath]

Vee and Harper will first hear then see their comrades jogging back up the ramp and into the main entrance tunnel of the temple. They are now in company with what must be a local Vargr. When he sees them Foix acknowledges both with a beaming smile “Lady Harper, Lady Anevay – what a joy to see such beauty amidst this desolate environment!”

As the crew take post near the doors Foix speaks briefly with Squee and then says "So be it. Based on the information we have from the Vargr and the evidence of the spiders' hostility we will take the military option".

He continues with an absolutely calm confidence "Firstly, seal that door opposite the one we will use. Secondly, form up so you have a line of fire into the room we will breach. As usual Sara will open the door. Immediately engage any spiders you see and shoot to kill. We will neither negotiate nor take prisoners. We expect to extract four scout casualties so we will need everyone on hand to carry them out. Lady Anevay is squad medic. Ana and I will be first in and last out. Any questions?"

Foix checks the belt feed on his autorifle is unobstructed, pulls back the cocking handle, sights through the door and into the room beyond and pushes the fire selector to full auto.

He says “Captain Kelley, please open the door!”

[joertexas]

Vee and Harper will first hear then see their comrades jogging back up the ramp and into the main entrance tunnel of the temple. They are now in company with what must be a local Vargr. When he sees them Foix acknowledges both with a beaming smile “Lady Harper, Lady Anevay – what a joy to see such beauty amidst this desolate environment!”

Vee smiles tightly. "Just remember, my bedside manner is horrible. Don't get shot. Come to think of it, don't get anyone else shot, either." She draws her pistol and holds it close to her body and pointed in a safe direction.