[hr] [u][h1][center][color=9e0b0f][b]Jude Styles[/b][/color][/center][/h1][/u] [hr] Jude was no stranger to anxieties. In what little memories remained of their life before reconstruction that was a common emotion. On the battlefield you were always anxious, waiting for plasma and bullets to fly by, the blade of Damocles always hanging over you. But Jude wasn't feeling that sort of anxiety right now. This anxiety was leaning more on the eagerness side than fear. Jude was simply hosing Alan down with extinguisher whilst waiting to grab them, while it felt like the rest of their comrades were doing so much more. Jude didn't spare more than a quick glance in either direction to confirm, but even beyond that just the sound was enough to confirm. Avelyn was relaying the guard's orders back to Maria, who would do so to the entire team, while Tarak and Samuel used that intel to delay the soldiers gunning for the group. And the less said about Nero, the better. Jude was eager to act, to do something more pivotal than chuck foam at someone. But, having forgone bringing a weapon to the bazaar, felt they could do little else of import. Eventually, the flames died down, even in the riotous noise didn't, and Trajan reached for Alan's still steaming form. Jude followed him, and grabbed Alan's legs as Trajan hoisted him upwards. To Jude, the heat didn't hurt much at all-- an odd blessing of having every patch of open skin replaced with nuts and bolts-- even if it clearly was too hot for Trajan to handle. Jude wanted to put their foot down and say they should carry Alan by themself, but before they could work up the courage, another spanner was thrown into the works of their already terrible day. The roar of a great beast traveled through the market, from above everyone. Jude let their eyes wander towards the sound, and saw a great dark cloud above them, blotting out the sky, bits and pieces breaking off and coming down to the planet's surface without any force behind them. They carried bizarre creatures with them, holding weapons of bone and demanding death. These were some kind of dark magic, maybe from the bounty hunters Nero mentioned. Either way, the group now had to deal with them along with the military presence. One goblin, and then another, and another, converged on Alan, Jude and Trajan's position, though due to the way Trajan was facing he could probably only see one. As Trajan drew one of his blades and hoisted Alan onto his shoulder, Jude leapt into action, happy to finally be able to do something. While the first goblin-thing was focusing on Trajan, Jude let go of Alan and ran into a dropkick, snapping the poor creature's neck instantly and leaving it to disintegrate into dust. [color=9e0b0f]"Please, let me handle them. Get Alan to the ship!"[/color] Jude shouted at Trajan, now sizing up the remaining two beasties. Jude was confident their armored hide would be able to deflect simple bone-made weaponry, and even if they didn't have a weapon, just a hard stick would be enough for things this weak. With their magnokinesis, Jude ripped a loose metal pole from the scenery, and snapped it in two over their knee. Now armed with two jagged spears, they lunged at the goblins, who obliged the challenge. The three locked blades for a moment, the goblin's weapons cutting more dents into Jude's impromptu weaponry, before they threw the things off. One went too far, so Jude hopped to the other, and drove both of his improvised spears into its chest, destroying its heart and turning it into dust. The other was on them much faster than Jude anticipated, however, and latched onto their neck, trying to drive its knife into where their neck would be. [color=9e0b0f]"Bad idea."[/color] Jude mumbled, before leaping up in the air, and back down, right on their back. The goblin, still in the way, had most of its ribs crushed instantly. Jude finished it off quickly, and made to seek out someone else who needed help. They could wait on returning to the ship until everyone else was in a safe spot.