Alfhedil

Fallout: Into the Storm

Khaliya, The Swordwind

December 3rd, 2286
New York City Metro - Blue Line

Before them the railcar's twisted carriage lay buried in the rubble exactly as it had died two-hundred years before, every slight sound carrying in a soft echo through the darkness within. As the tunnel prior, there were no signs of recent habitation, only the dead still seated or strewn across the floor in heaps. Here and there luggage racks had popped open, suitcases dangling precariously and threatening to fall with just the slightest jostling. Luckily neither were enough to sway the subway car too much, though it was clear if the group chose this route they would need to clear the way for their power-armored escorts. It was confined almost unbearably so, the weight of the tunnel above crushing the roof and sides to compress into a space barely passable single-file in the hazmat suits.

Only careful and steady going would allow them through the darkness, the silence interrupted by the increasing click of their geiger counters. As soon as they had stepped aboard, it had increased from the rather balmy and comfortable +15 rads at an exponential rate, until by the time they had crossed the divider it was clicking at an angry +150. Khaliya stood watch just at the end of the railcar with the rest of the group, her headlamp illuminating the thin passageway.

"No risks, just take a look out the other end and come back." That said, she turned to Marvin and nodded in acknowledgement, stepping to the side and putting a hand to her blade to stay at the ready just in case. If anything did give chase, it would find a face full of lead and a sword in its chest before getting to the rest of the group.

Age of Glory

I see you.

Fallout: Into the Storm

Khaliya, The Swordwind

December 3rd, 2286
New York City Metro - Blue Line
@Polaris North

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

Those words settled uneasily among the group, almost as much as that strange sound that had dissipated the moment they passed the invisible barrier. Already a few of the mercs were looking fit to bolt, nervous eyes glancing back and forth as they scanned the tunnel walls. Where before in the station the tunnel had been almost pristine save for a few blemishes here and there, now that they were fully within the Necropolis cracks spread across the ceiling showing the stresses of the Great War. It had been rumored that the reason for such a dense field of radiation around and inside the city was multiple direct impacts, but it had never been confirmed. Khaliya spared the group a grim chuckle as she thought of how they may be the ones to put rumor to the test.

As it stood, they could use something to distract themselves from the imminent danger lurking around that next bend in the subway, and for sure above ground itself. Luckily she didn't have to improvise as a voice came across the radio channel, singing a simple cadence that seemed to help out a little bit. Bailey was her name, a quick glance behind her finding the woman with her weapon at the ready. Putting her at her back was a risk, especially if Jeremiah's concerns had grounds, but she needed to break away from the assumptions that the two of them were here for their own glories. The Brotherhood had enough issues and public relations was one of the biggest ones of late, if the group felt that they were there to seize the tech, then things would get very ugly in a hurry.

At the very least it seemed that their resident ghoul was assured that he wasn't going to be executed, something she knew was more common than she was comfortable with. A quick signal to him showed that she was turning off the group channel, and she slowed a moment so that she could speak more directly.

"Don't quite think I caught your name earlier, and since you've got our back with that rifle, I would be remiss if I didn't properly introduce myself." Khaliya extended her right hand out to him, palm up and inviting. "Khaliya Bertrand, or if you're one for formalities then Star-Paladin works just as well. That or just shout for some armor. I know that we're not too good with your people, but in here…" She knew he would understand what she was meaning by "we", the turning of her helm indicating her husband bringing up the rear of the group.

"Prior allegiances don't matter when it comes down to the mission, and more importantly survival. Most of the group here won't know anything more than the basic rumors, and I figure the westerners might not even know that. I want to make sure we take this slow and carefully, avoid as much danger as possible. The fewer risks we take up there, the greater the chances that we all get out of this hellhole alive."

As they walked, her headlamp illuminated the tunnel ahead, other lights flickering on and off along the walls and in the distance a brighter sign. It was the next station, and for a moment she had wondered if it had really been that long since they began, or if it was just closer in reality. So far nothing had happened beyond the idle chatter, not even a feral sighting or signs of recent activity. In fact… There were no signs of the tunnel being used by anything in a long while, likely since the bombs fell and there was no longer a need for it. A safe and stable route in and out of the city, uninhabited by feral ghouls, stray mirelurks or even radroaches… What is going on here? Khaliya was troubled by the very distinct lack of habitation, up until they were coming up on the first station.

The reason why became evident quite immediately, to the point where again she stopped. Before the group was a tunnel collapse, a subway car embedded in the rubble with just a narrow passage leading deeper. There was no way to tell just how far that path could lead, if it was just that single car, or if the entire train was open. Nor was there any way to know if the collapse was local or extended beyond what they could see. Khaliya went back to the open channel, turning to address the group.

"It looks like when the bombs dropped and the subway trains lost power, this one derailed and impacted the wall. There's a path through, but unless someone wants to scout it, we can't risk entering the carriage. We'll have to go above ground here."

Fallout: Into the Storm

@Eviledd1984

Right here.

Fallout: Into the Storm

Holla at me all you want, just know that I ain't no hollaback girl.

Fallout: Into the Storm

@Eviledd1984 Don't forget we got a discord server for the RP if you want to chat or have questions. It's usually the best way to shout in my direction about things :v

Fallout: Into the Storm

Hi i was wondering if you had room for one more?

@Eviledd1984

We're still open for more people, yes.

Fallout: Into the Storm

@AnneLynch You're all good to post Devon over in the Characters tab and post in the IC when ready.

Fallout: Into the Storm

Khaliya, The Swordwind

December 3rd, 2286 - 16:30
Fleetwood Subway Station

Such a minor difference it seemed to be walking among what the Brotherhood would have called amateurs, the soft chatter over the radio provided a slight distraction from her thoughts of the journey ahead. Up ahead of them and staying on point, she let it be a reminder of those she was leading into a literal hell, and that she would need to protect over the course of their mission. It wasn't a bad distraction in that respect, and a smile came to her as she listened in on the difficulties involved by some who were not quite used to such things.

"The suits are mostly intact and pre-war from the looks of things, though not built for comfort." Khaliya called back, not even glancing behind her to one of the medics who was having a tougher time than most with her suit. "When we make camp I'll see if mine might fit you a little better. Since we're about the same height and all."

A little bit of help would go a long way she figured, and might dispel some of the hard feelings more than a few in the group had towards her and Jeremiah. Of him there was precious little, but she knew he was in the back and keeping watch, which was all she needed for now. First and foremost was figuring out where to go, and how long they needed to take the subway tunnels. Luckily Marvin was on point there and provided the map, showing her the marked areas on the island and immediately she had an intended route.

"Looks like about a mile or so until the first station exit, and another two miles to the more ideal station." At a decent pace they could make it within the hour, but there was no predicting the dangers above or below, especially once they passed the demarcation line that was the wall. More than that, again was the point of most of the group being in hazmat suits, and those were not conducive to extended physical exertion in the slightest. She had concerns to begin with over how they would hold up if the group needed to move in a hurry, but that was what a healthy supply of rad-x, rad-away and patch kits were for.

Behind the metal faceplate of her armor her expression was unknowable to the ghoul pathfinder, but she furrowed her brow deep in thought, taking the map for a moment to study it. "We should actually be coming up on…"

Khaliya went silent as a mechanical hum was just barely within their range of hearing, a sound that was distinct from her power armor's soft whine and hiss of hydraulics. This one was more distinctly mechanical, akin to gears shifting and grinding against each other in the distance, but also as if being heard underwater. The more she focused on the sound, the more disorientating it became, as if it was something that wasn't supposed to be heard. A wrongness about it set her teeth on edge, and she had to quickly adjust the filters on her armor to screen it out.

"It's the wall. The barrier that keeps everything in the Necropolis." She said at last, handing the map back to Marvin as she began moving again, unaware that she had stopped dead in her tracks for a good moment. "Let's get past it as fast as we can and get to the station, it would be best not to dwell beneath it."

@Dread @Polaris North

Fallout: Into the Storm

Khaliya, The Swordwind

December 3rd, 2286
Fleetwood Subway Station
@Polaris North

Readouts scrawled across the right-hand side of the display, the dim purple tint showing all the important bits of information necessary for continued survival. A soft click engaged the seal of her helmet and the suit at the bottom right lit in green to show a hard seal. Khaliya flexed the fingers of each gauntlet for a moment as she stood in front of the group, testing their responsiveness and quietly going over a full-systems check in her head. Radiation was in the green for now, tolerable but at the upper limits. Armor showed minimal damage, only a few places at less than full integrity. That was expected as getting to New York had not been as uneventful as she would have liked. Still, everything looked good to go, and with her pistols mag-locked to the waist of her power armor, her sword at her hip and the spear holstered next to the pack on her back, there was only the group to be concerned with.

They moved out to something close to what she asked for, though whether it was because she had given the order or they thought it the best idea she couldn't tell, not now at least. At least they know how to carry themselves well enough, even the non-combatants. It was more ideal than any squad-leader could have asked for considering the circumstances, and she wasn't complaining in the least. Not that any of them would consider her squad-leader. Jeremiah took up position behind the group with his laser rifle, to all of them appearing much the same as he did when the two of them first entered the subway, but she knew better. His footing was stiff and even with the helmet on she could tell he was looking past her, not at her. That troubled her, not his disdain for possible enemies in the group but that he seemed concerned regarding her.

Khaliya filed it away, resolving to speak to him later when they made camp inside the city at the first checkpoint. For now, they needed to move while there would still be daylight above ground. She accessed the radio inside her helmet, searching nearby open channels and found the one she was looking for, speaking softly to the entire group.

"Khaliya to group, we're moving out. As I'm sure you've noticed since I'm speaking to all of you directly, your suits have a built-in short-band radio. Should be able to find the controls at the neck of your helmets, but for the sake of easy communication I would recommend leaving it on open channel."

Without another word she moved forward, the headlamp for her armor lighting up the tunnel before them and showing the ruined subway. Here the paint had crumbled from the concrete walls exposing the cracked grey surface underneath, but it held steady despite two-hundred years of neglect and the multiple impacts of the Great War. It was something she was thankful for, not just that it afforded them a safer passage into the Necropolis, but that provided a more direct route to their objective. Marvin had the map given to them with the suits, so she spoke to him first, half-turning in her stride.

"The subway stations should be marked on the map, which one gets us as close to the Consulate as possible? Avoiding the surface for as long as possible would be ideal, as that means having to deal with what's up there less than we have to."