Saving a Cripple (Sider/GM/Request)

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai followed after Asiv, he would definitely have questions for him later though.

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"THIS WAY! ...wait...."

Sider would turn to zeeke and put one last fireball in his face before moving on.

"it's just through this door up ahead!"

[Delilah A. Black]

((OOC: Posting in response to Lucien's post on page two. For continuities sake, lets just say this thread takes place after "War Drum".

After this, my posts will become shorter to adhere to your guys' posting style; all I ask is for a reasonable posting order so that no one get's left behind. Like "once per round" or something.))

MEANWHILE, AT THE CROW'S BASE:[/U]

Delilah was enjoying a brief moment of reprieve, sitting with Oliver in her lap and reading to him. It wasn't often she had time to spare for her son these days; more often than not she was gallivanting all over Long Beach, destroying Barker outposts with David, wrecking bars, fixing stuff, training, doing reconnaissance, forging alliances and the like. It was these rare moments that she lived for, a small span of time where she could simply be a mother to her young son.

The white haired boy was nestled in her arms, eyelids growing heavy as she read to him from his current favourite book: "Treasure Island".

"'The bar silver and the arms still lie, for all that I know, where Flint buried them; and certainly they shall lie there for me. Oxen and wain-ropes would not bring me back again to that accursed island; and the worst dreams that ever I have are when I hear the surf booming about its coasts or start upright in bed with the sharp voice of Captain Flint still ringing in my ears: "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!'

"The end."

Delilah closed the book and Oliver looked up at her, smiling sleepily, even though it was only mid-day. He had kept himself up late until his mother had come home early the next morning (much to her profound guilt). "Again!"

She chuckled and laid the book to the side, lifting Oliver into her scarred arms. "Another time, chibiko. You can barely keep your eyes open. It'll be an early bed-time for you tonight."

His mismatched eyes opened wide with alarm at that and he pushed himself away from her, struggling. "No! If I do, you'll go away again!!" he cried, clearly not pleased. "I'm not tired! I can stay up all night so we can play!"

She grimaced, feeling hollow and guilty. Poor thing. She was leaving him with others far to often these days. Damn this war. Damn Barker. Hugging him gently, she carried him to his bedroom. "...yes, love," though he struggled, she lay him down on the bed and sat down on the edge beside him. He folded his arms over his chest and stared up at the ceiling, his lower lip jutted out as he pouted, trying not to cry. Trying to be a big boy for his Mama, just like Daddy told him to.

Delilah reached up and smoothed the white hair off his forehead, smiling sadly. "But that's Mama's job. And it's Daddy's job, too. And 'Herr Patchy' and 'Okami' and 'Madame Bleep'. We have to protect all the people who trust us or they might get hurt or stolen. Like you were, remember?"

His face softened and Delilah knew she had succeeded in winning him over again. For the time being, anyway. It was only a matter of time before the subject was broached again.

"...I wish it wasn't, though." he said softly.

She sighed inwardly. Part of her wished for that, too. The other, larger part of herself knew that if she didn't, no one would take her place. For that matter, she wanted to. But she wouldn't tell her son that.

Leaning forward, Delilah planted a light kiss on his forehead. "I know," she whispered. A little blip went off in her ear-piece and Delilah pulled Oliver's blanket's up to his chest. "Daddy will be here if you need anything, okay?"

"...okay."

"You be good for him, okay? If you're extra good, I'll take you out to the beach this week and we can collect seashells. How does that sound?"

He brightened almost instantly. "Cooool!!"

Chuckling, she leaned forward again and rubbed the tip of his little button nose with hers before rising to her feet to leave the room. Pausing at the door, she turned back to look at him, not wanting to leave his side but knowing she had to. The ear piece went off again. "Oyasuminasai, chibiko." <Good night, little one.>"

"Oyasuminasai, Oka-san." <Good night, Mother.>

She closed the door behind her, slumping against it as she sighed. Having to leave him behind sucked. It was worse for him when both she and Stu were called away for active duty, as they had been not too long before to fight the onslaught of Barker soldiers. She shivered and pushed the memories out of her head.

Again, the ear piece blipped and Delilah tapped it, "First Black here," she stated, having a quick, wordless conversation with Stu that Oliver was a sleep and that he was to watch him before heading out the door.

"Afternoon, First. Relaying a message from Brother DesChain."

Her brow furrowed. Lucien? What the hell was he doing sending her messages? If he was abusing his blu-tooth already...

"I'm all ears."

The man at the other end of the radio clearly sounded disgruntled as he recited, " 'Due to events unforeseen, inside Barker compound with a Dragon and Mr. Zack Asiv. Requesting backup for exit. Over.' "

Delilah stopped walking in the middle of the hallway, eyes wide. That was a surprising amount of information in so short a statement. Lucien was in Barker territory, with a Dragon and...Asiv? As in, the Asiv who was stolen from the field of battle while the Crows fought for their live by Barker HIMSELF?

She slowly brought a hand to her forehead as she comprehended the sheer scope of that. "...good Lord, if Barker hasn't already killed him, I'm sure as hell gonna have a crack at it." she muttered darkly. Delilah started running down the hallway full tilt, intent on reaching her squad. "Nothing else from the message? No other intel?"

"No, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am."

"No, that's fine. Not your fault. Please relay to Brother DeChain that I will be mobilizing Tengu Company for immediate extraction. Also, ask for him to PLEASE tell us where in the blue hell he is so that I can find his sorry ass."

"Yes ma'am."

"Thank you. Over and out."

Just then, Delilah burst through the doors of the training room. As requested, all seven members of her team were present and looked up as soon as the raven haired woman entered.

"Tengu Company, MOVE OUT!"

Today was going to be a very trying day.[/size]

((OOC:

ETA OF 'TENGU COMPANY' IS ROUGHLY TWENTY MINUTES FROM THE TIME THE MESSAGE WAS SENT TO FIRST BLACK. AFTER THIS POST, 'TENGU' SHOULD BE ARRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES {depending on how quickly they receive intel from Lucien}.

Please let me know if there are any issues with my post that I should fix.

EDIT: Had to remove the spoiler. There were some serious code issues. >.> ))

[Lucien DeChain]

{OOC: At this point, fixing dialogue in previous post to preserve canon. Instead of "Your orders were to evacuate civillians", "You were supposed to be doing reconnaissance training". I apologize, wasn't sure about the timeline.}

Following the group, Lucien's earpiece beeped. Finally!

Continuing pace, he gave coordinates and instructions as to his location, and where to meet them. "Yes. No, I'm sure I'm not joking. What?! TENGU?! They're coming HERE?" Lucien hissed the word Tengu as to not say it too loud. On the one hand, he had a particular fondness for the squad that saved his life while kidnapping him, but on the other hand...

At any rate, what was done, was done. And First Black knew what she was doing. "Roger. 5 minutes until extraction. Out." He was getting good at these coded signals. Maybe he was getting better at the hand signs, too!

Turning to the others, and especially to Mr. Zack Asiv, he waved his hands in a very strange combination of movements that could have either meant '5 minutes, Crows coming' or 'Someone please change that baby's diaper.'

[Zack Asiv]

((OoC: For informations sake we are at Underground Facility 6. Just south of Crows joined military protected zones.))

Zack would look at Lucien thinking.

~Thats not very nice. I'm not even that old.~

But after a moment deciphered the gesture which was a good thing. Sider would make it through the door and so would everyone else before the alarm would sound. And guess who came bursting through another door? Sean Barker. Looking at the crew he became more and more furious.

Asiv would step around the group looking to Lucien and Sider.

"Sider move everyone to the exit. I might be able to hold Sean back for those five minutes we need."

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai looked at Barker then back at Asiv but didn't hesitate he knew that Asiv was the only one here that could be strong enough to stop Barker... Hopefully.

"Sider, lets go! No delays! Lucien stay close!"

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"Lucien! where's the rendezvous point?"

Sider said running away at a full sprint still in front of the group.

[Delilah A. Black]

ON THE ROAD:

"First Black, do you copy?"

The large panel van jostled the eight occupants within rather violently as they drove through the ruins of Long Beach. Sitting in the back while Cain drove (no one in their right mind would let the First drive. not after the LAST time...) Delilah tapped her bluetooth to respond.

"Read you loud and clear, control. Tell me you have something for me."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am. Brother DeChain is located at Barker Facility six, South of your current position. Confirm coordinates."

"Roger, Facility Six, South and East of current location. ETA is three minutes to pickup at the Northern-most entrance. Please relay with high priority, over and out."

Cain looked into the rear-view mirror at his C.O., brow furrowed. Nigel sat in the seat beside him, cast iron tonfa laying in his lap as he stared serenely out the window.

"Uh, try like seven minutes...we have to get around three Barker checkpoints before getting to the--"

He clamped his mouth shut at the look Delilah was giving him, a cross between "are you shitting me?" and "DO AS YOU'RE TOLD." Finally, he lowered his gaze back to the road and laid into the pedal "Three minutes it is."

Cooly satisfied. Delilah turned back to her team, her face grim. They were all dressed in full gear, armed to the teeth. This was an extraction mission first and foremost, but they weren't planning on leaving without Mr. Asiv one way or the other.

"Alright, we're neck deep in Barker territory now and we'll be over our heads by the time we hit the facility. I want a clean extraction, we're in, we're out, no mistakes. Might be you lot have to leave me behind to ensure we get everyone out. Don't think twice about it. Stay in radio contact and I'll meet you back at Safe-house A8 one way or the other, IF this isn't as clean as we need it to be.

"You know what to do if I don't come back, right?"

Solemnly, the five people sitting around her nodded their heads.

"Good. Birch, Sergei, you two are with me. The rest of you, ensure the targets are safe and get the HELL out of here. Do you understand?"

Again, the Tengu gave their commander their nods of ascent and she leaned back in her seat, pulling out her knives.

"Then let's show these fuckers that Crow's still have talons."


((OOC: TENGU COMPANY EN ROUTE. WILL ARRIVE IN THREE MINUTES (OR NEXT POST) ))

[Lucien DeChain]

{OOC: Ok, let's do this right..}

1

Lucien saw the really big tattooed guy come in the room. Man, he looked angry. Even without the physique. Did he have something personal against anyone here? Mr. Zack Asiv pushed the group ahead, saying something that bothered Lucien at a cellular level.

"Sider move everyone to the exit. I might be able to hold Sean back for those five minutes we need."

Sean.

Mr. Barker. He was in the same room as the man who was responsible for his parents' death. And he was... Powerless. Unable to do anything.

SPOILER: Click to show

2

Lucien stared, silently screaming, until Raikotsu's yell snapped him from his trance.

"Sider, lets go! No delays! Lucien stay close!"

And he ran. He ran, and he kept close, forcing himself not to stop. Forcing himself not to spin around and sprint back and face the monster who ruined so many lives. Forcing himself not to think.

Life. Life, remember? Life is the ultimate absolute. Preserve your life. Preserve the lives of your friends, your new family.

There was nothing Lucien could do now. He had to leave here, but in doing so, he made a silent promise. I will come back here, Mr. Sean Barker. And I will leave with your head.

3

The bluetooth earpiece crackled to life once again, and a voice came over.

"Brother DeChain, orders from First Black. Extraction at rendezvous point located at northern-most entrance. Pickup in three minutes. Confirm."

"Lucien! where's the rendezvous point?" Sider's cry came precisely timed. He replied to the operator and to Sider at once, trying his best to keep his calm for this.

"Copy, rendezvous point at northern-most entrance. Three minutes until extraction. Update. Mr. Sean Barker is in the building, currently in battle with Mr. Zack Asiv. Mr. Zack Asiv will require additional extraction. Over!"

Lucien ran as fast as he could, determined to make the rendezvous.

[Zack Asiv]

And the three see the five soldiers gathering having prepared for another shift of patrolling. They see Sider leading the other two and grab the batons at their belts to prepare for battle. The first two charging as they other three prepare to make a blockade. Sees they have done this a few times.

Meanwhile deeper into the facility the sound of explosions and loud vibrating thuds seem to rock the entire facility.

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai would move in front of Sider and hold up his hand shooting out tendrils of his blood scorpion style try to impale the soldiers who at started to reach for their batons. There was no time to hold back he hoped that if he missed Sider or Lucien would be able to take care of them. If they made it past the first two with no problems Rai would run straight for the guy in the middle and once he was within the mans attack perimeter he would shoots spikes out to cover his entire body.

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

Sider, now behind rai, took a knee and with his arms stretched to the side yelled in anger "RRAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!" fire appeared in both of his hands and quickly shot to the two men left and right of rai, in a volley of fireballs.

[Delilah A. Black]

As the Barker patrol men, Raikotsu and Sider clashed, there would be a hellish squeal of tires just behind them. Swerving around a narrow corner leading out of an alley would be a white panel van, barreling towards the group, seemingly on a collision course. Whether or not this fooled the Barker soldiers into a temporary panic at having a van appear to run them the fuck over, it would swerve at the last possible second and would screech as it braked.

Before the van was fully stopped (and just as the van was a few feet away from the battle), the panel door would fly open and Delilah would leap out of it, knives and silvery arms flashing.


There was no time for fucking around.

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats before Qi activation (Includes all items):

Str: 43
Dex: 52
Con: 48
Int: 52
Wis: 44
Cha: 28

QI ACTIVATED:

Level : Tungsten (Dangerous)
Upon Initial Activation of this mode: +20 Con.(Def.)/+17(Off.), +3 Dex.(Off.), -10 Cha., -7 Int. -10% decrease to Str. and Con. after two posts.

This level of usage makes Delilah very aggressive. After two posts, her attacks become incredibly reckless and fierce. She will resort to unorthodox methods and reacts to things purely on instinct and will become a hazard to people fighting alongside her. Maximum coverage coats 77% of the body at any given time (minimal protection) and will definitely hurt opponents if contacted. Maximum coverage (minimal protection) prevents 55%of damage to a specifically defined area (up to 20% of body coverage) and will definitely hurt opponents if contacted with force. Qi can only be moved from spots on Delilah’s body once per post. When hit, a clang noise can be heard on contact and a vibration may travel up the limb. Concentration of armour is more dense than in Mildly Dangerous mode and is almost impossible to break or penetrate. Dangerous mode armour can permeate from the skin down through the muscle and through the bone. At this point, the areas that are affected by Delilah’s Qi will gain a metallic coating.

Str: 43 +17(Off.)
Dex: 52 +3 (Off.)
Con: 48 +20 (Def.)
Int: 52 - 7
Wis: 44
Cha: 28 - 10

And after all that math:

Str: 60
Dex: 55
Con: 68
Int: 45
Wis: 44
Cha: 18

She would fall upon the remaining soldiers in a hurricane of cuts and slashes, whether they were already grievously injured or no. (However, if the soldiers all died beforehand, then feel free to ignore that last line). Looking breifly at the carnage, her steely blue eyes would flick upwards to Lucien's, scowling for a moment before locking on Raikotsu's and the third, who she did not yet know. Odd, but she wouldn't press the matter. Now was not a time for questions. The silver of her Qi would be swirling over her upper body and face in her agitation as she looked at the men standing before her. Out of the van, two men would emerge, one with a heavily scarred face and the other grinning like a maniac. The latter winked at the trio solicitously.

Sergei and Birch, respectively, and armed to the teeth.

"Where is Asiv?" she asked softly. Calm, determined professionalism radiated from her, as well as a murderous intent that said she intended to do business while she was here.

Once she got her answer (and assuming Asiv was somewhere in the building still), she would nod curtly and gesture with a flick of her knives at the open door of the vehicle. "In."

And with that, Delilah, Birch and Sergei would begin their dead run back into the facility, listening to the clamour of battle and heading for the sounds to get to Asiv in time. If they were accosted, Birch would use disposable ninjato to cut down whomever came near Sergei (who would be firing heavy ball bearings at his opponents as they came close). Delilah would run past as fast as she could, blades dancing as she sought vital points for lethal kills.

If for whatever reason that wound up not being viable, the response will be edited in this post to suit the needs of the thread.

Meanwhile, if the three men didn't get in the van fast enough (or resisted for whatever reason), they would be unceremoniously hauled in by their hair and thrown on the floor of the van while Cain made to make a quick getaway. Otherwise, they would be free to sit anywhere in the back as they saw fit and Talon would tend to their injuries if they had any.

[Lucien DeChain]

Lucien ran with the group, keeping to the back, since he was obviously the least effective in combat at this point. When the blockade of soldiers appeared, if there was any left after Raikotsu, Sider, and Delilah had their fill, Lucien would take them to the ground using his staff to sweep out their legs, and kick them unconscious/dead.

Meeting up with Tengu Company, a massive sigh of relief came over him, before Delilah's glare hit his face like a crashing wave of fuck you. He then stood upright, almost at attention, for his superior officer's next order.

"Where is Asiv? Her voice was more calm than expected.

He answered with the least-shaky voice he could muster. "Inside the building, ma'am."

And they took off. Lucien looked back, wanting to join them, to help them. But he knew he couldn't. So, instead, he led the others into the van, hoping that Cain wouldn't grab him by the hair again. If everyone got inside, he would slam the van door shut, keeping his eyes on the entrance to the building, looking for any sign of a quick and clean extraction.

...Man, they're going to skin me...

[Mr. Kaar]

Inside Delilah would find broken and cracked walls, lights hanging from their fixtures swaying shadows and casting them where light would usually sit. Sparks flying from terminals and blood swirls splattering the walls.

Finally her eyes would be able to spot the image of Sean Barker his left arm looked to be practically useless as bruises riddled his body, yet Asiv was in similer condition. Blood covering his face his green messy hair clung to him through sweat and blood, he was wobbly on his own legs as if tremendous weight where being held upon his shoulders for a long time and it was beginning to cause hims fatigue. Both men appearing to breath steam through expressions of pure ecstasy.