Terrans

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

Obsidian Dynamics Research Facility
Utah
Fourth Floor

"Thank....Thank you." The reporter said as she seemed to get her breathing under control. Tacking a moment to brush back hair flecked with debris before she addressed her rescuers. The office they had hammered their way into appeared truly abandoned. The reporter taking the time look over the trio of Acheron contractors. "I'm Melissa Henricks" She stuck her hand to the tank topped man with oddly slicked back hair.

Seemingly oblivious to the gunfire that echoed distantly now that a whole had been opened through four floors. The crump of a distant grenade echoing even from the ongoing fight towards the basement.

"So are you guys like special forces or something? I did a piece on Rangers a year ago. "

A crackle as a radio echoed with the rasp of Graves. Gunfire clear in the background through his transmission.

"Someone get me a machine gun down here now!!!! And as much demo as we have left. I need that door open yesterday!"

A fresh roll of gunfire accompanied a scream before the transmission ended.

@Dyelli Beybi, @Theyra, @PrinceAlexus

*******
" We were on the tour.. Then... Then the massive guys came out..." She stopped as she took in the Acheron team. Her mind seeming to jump around with her eyes. "If its gas then why don't you have any masks?"

The sound of a hasty breaching maneuver by an oversized tech had Whitney jump. Trying to break from the grips on her limbs she stumbled and tried to flee.

"They're still out there!!! We have to go!!!! We have to go!!!" She began to repeat the words like a mantra.

Sam watched in open mouthed curiosity as she watched the desperate scrabble. She motioned for Soraya and Stokes attention. Gesturing hastily at the panicking partially restrained intern. Making a sharp motion with a closed fist at head level.

Graves radio transmission, audible over Sam's handset, just caused the intern to freak out more.

@Tesserach, @PatientBean, @JFK

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

I do apologize for my absences ladies and gents. I understand we’ve been on this arc for a little bit.

Do you wish to accelerate to the next chapter or are we all comfortable with the current pacing? I apologize again for the delays.

Empire of the Clouds

Pvt. Aden Robertson

One of these days Aden would stop volunteering for things. Especially things involving secret royals.

The past few days had seen Aden follow in trail of Zoe and her slew of errands. But not before the pair had been to a variety of tailors for clothes more "suitable" (as Zoe had put it) for the upcoming days. One of those stops had been formal clothing for the "informal" six course dinner.

A stuffy affair that was not help by Aden's newly made dress uniform in Inburian khaki. The low rank of private and his handful of decorations a rather stark contrast to the variety of decorations the military officials in attendance had been present with. Though, his presence at Zoe's side had at least held off the more dangerous of glares.

The drawing room afterwards had Aden expect more of the same; just with tighter spaces and more plush chairs. Instead, he found that the Prince's brashness was in fact not a facade. The man was just that excitable; and knowledgeable too based off a conversation Aden had with the man.

It had been an offhand comment from the private. On his shooting from the airship and the ballistics he had been calculating. The Prince had seized on it; asking him about the viability of air based marksman and gunners. Gaging Aden's experiences on how well air based shooters could effect the course of the ground combat. To Aden it seemed as if the Prince was using the private; not as a guide but as a source. Another point of data for some endeavor the man was assembling behind intelligent eyes.

After that, Aden had been left in peace however. Peace to smoke a cigarette in his corner as Zoe and Max conversed in their makeshift court by the fireplace. Zoe's eyes alight with both the flickering firelight and a gleam he was recognizing as preceding a scheme.

'What could she possibly do with an airship?'

Then he heard her conversation and inhaled too deeply. Choking and sputtering.

Turns out she could do a a lot.

******

She then turned to her companions, switching to Inburian, "Captain Arkadios, the bridge is yours. Mister Naesandoral, you have the helm. Set a course due East towards the Morktree." She spoke with the absolute certainty that people would do as she commanded... "I'll explain exactly what we're doing in a moment. For now, everyone to your stations."

@Dyelli Beybi

Aden stood in Zoe's wake. Not a part of the Mittelandische escort but within them to a degree that signaled he had been allowed in the "Princess Regent's" near orbit. His uniform the khaki work uniform of the Inburian infantry; though he had sown his 46th Alpine patch on the left shoulder. The dirty and weather beaten circle a stark contrast of muted green and blue on the otherwise pristine uniform.

His Krausser had been returned to his hip holster. A comfort he was glad for as he leaned for to Zoe's ear.

"Not too late to turn around if you have doubts." He was no coward and knew Zoe to not be one as well. But he figured he might as well point out they had no need to risk the ship (and herself) on this plan.

He had heard enough of it after the dinner to know where they were going. There was a chance they all go down in a ball of flaming debris.

Though Aden was resigned at this point. His options were Zoe's plan, the frontline or a military prison with an express line to the firing line.

Paradise Lost

Captain John Lockman

John had been at his station when the ship exited from it's jump. Practice at least making him somewhat competent in how the ship maneuvered. The manual at least helping him where he stumbled. So for the initial approach he was to busy focusing on his particular portion before he joined the conversation.

“We should say refugee vessel next time or humanitarian contact. Something that doesn’t sound like we’re here to plant a flag and start measuring their farmland.”

@InfamousGuy101

John gave a snort at the engineer's advice.

"Because nothing says trustworthy like fleeing desperate people with only a ship to their name." The piloted commented as je nudged the vessel into an orbital plane.

"This seems weird to me. Our transmitter and receiver are not broken so the failure to communicate is on their end," she pursed her l, "I'm in favour of going down anyway and seeing if we can talk in person. If they shoot at the shuttle we'll know they aren't friendly."

@Dyelli Beybi

John turned around in apparent horror. His shuttle was a next generation assault shuttle. Which meant hits job was to be shot at. On the flip side however he had spent most of this journey repairing it. An endeavor he did not want to repeat given he was already maintaining the thing.

"I just fixed the Kestrel. You can't just send it down to be shot up!!!" He protested to Velia.

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

Late post is better then no post. My apologies. Busy couple of weeks.

The break room team dealt with their Goliath through the luck of the Goliath rolling a 1. Sadly cheapest bidder wins typically.

Whitney continues to doubt( rightfully) the gas leak.

I apologize for the short post given the wait. Trying to get back into the groove.

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

Obsidian Dynamics Research Facility
Utah
Fourth Floor

The Goliath that had battered its way into the break room didn't have much in the way of facial expressions. The glazed over features not giving any real modicum of emotion. But suprise might have been the best thing conveyed as it ducked its way into the doorway and into the panicked volley of the three Acheron shooters.

Three things occurred near simultaneously.

Kedem's and Enzo's fire took neat chunks of face and skull away causing the giant to stagger and grab onto the tall stainless steel fridge for momentary support.

Fabio's burst made a nasty splash of red over the groin area that caused an all too human exhaling of air from the overly muscled person. The Goliath dropping to an knee and toppling the fridge on top of it.

The combined weight of the dropping Goliath, the toppling fridge, and sub-par construction materials at competitive rates; resulted in a distinctive crack that resounded in the break room. The floor beneath the Goliath splintering open and allowing the up muscled being and its fridge companion to begin a multi floor descent.

The resounding cracking of the Golaith and massive appliance splintering through subsequent floors until reaching the bottom floor below with a definitive, distant sound of meat tenderizing against concrete.

"Holy Crap!!!!" The Direct Action team in the lobby inadvertently let out over the radio net as nine hundred pounds of appliance and muscle came to rest among debris. Narrowly missing two of his shooters.

If the four people gathered in the newly renovated break room looked through the hole they would see the cautious head of a Acheron shooter in the lobby; glancing up at the newly created hole through the four floors.

@Dyelli Beybi, @Theyra, @PrinceAlexus

******

Whitney had not initially replied to Imogen. Taking in the rather telling lack of gas masks among the self proclaimed gas company personnel.

Though she did at least take the spin-woman's hand. Grabbing on for an extra half second to make sure it wasn't skin over the metal limbs that she had been fleeing from.

"Who...who are you-" Whitney's question interrupted by a newly recovered Soraya; the accent and the guiding grip on her arm causing the intern to stumble slightly. "Wait if you're not cops why do you have guns?"

She tried to dig her heels in. Converse squeaking on the floor as the distant explosions of Grave's firefight were joined by the roar of gunfire from their level. In the direction that Kedem, Enzo and Fabio had gone off to.

"Wait stop. Let me go!!" She began to struggle then. Finding Soraya's grip at least stronger then a woman of her size should have been. "They're still out there!!!"

@Tesserach, @PatientBean, @JFK

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

Get somthibg today or tomorrow.

My guys at the comfrence room right?

@PrinceAlexus

I thought you guys broke off in your own search so you get to deal with a Goliath in a kitchen.

<Snipped quote by PrinceAlexus>


@terrans OOC am I allowed to just fucking ice the intern? Or is she important? Not sure if I will just yet but it's a possible consideration.

@JFK

Before I revealed the intern I would have just shrugged. Now that I revealed her I think it would be poor form to kill her without letting the concealment team do their jobs.

But that’s just my take.

Empire of the Clouds

Pvt. Aden Roberston

Aden wish he could say that by now he was used to the fragile nature of moments. How things could swing in a seeming instant with no thought given to one's preparedness.

Like how it had gone from the silent comforting weight of Zoe on his shoulder to silent, confusion as a tall man in the blue garb of Mitteland swung her around to both their amusement. Their familiarity and Aden's belated realization of what that meant brought a slight hint of awkwardness as he stepped back uncertainly.

Zoe was well...Zoe. Shared trauma and experiences did a little to removing some of the awkwardness of watching royalty act casual. The prince, Prince Maximillian, was not familiar to him. Though one wouldn't know it by the way he talked to Aden.

The private pondered whether a casual disregard for formality was just a trait born into Zoe's family.

"Another Ardellian?" he remarked in surprise, "Unless that name's Brendahlandische... though I'm willing to be Ardellian." There was a brief pause before he added, more seriously, "Well cousin, I am glad you made it here, truly. You are welcome to stay in Mitteland as long as you want, though no doubt your Parliament will want you at the Grendell."

@Dyelli Beybi

"Favian actually...." He trailed off as the prince continued on.

"MY parliament?" Zoe raised an eyebrow, a look of alarm crossing her face.

"Well... yes," Max chuckled, "Oh don't tell me you haven't figured it out! You're the Princess-Regent."

Zoe gave an exaggerated groan, dropping back on the sofa, "Me?" she groaned again, staring up at the ceiling, "Out of interest though... does that mean that that airship out there belongs to me?"

"To the Inburian crown," Max countered, "Which happens to be yours, at least temporarily. You really didn't pay much attention to your tutors did you?"

She nodded, deciding not to answer the question and instead glancing across at Aden, a slight smirk forming, "Well that's good to know."

@Dyelli Beybi

Aden met her glance with one of his own. A hint of uncertainty as he took in the smirk but not out of concern. Rather one of what Zoe was planning to do with an airship that she now had an official claim to.

A plan that Aden had pledged himself to serve. One day he would learn to stop volunteering.

"To the airship your Highness?"

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

A post as promised.

The intern has been found and has been told the cause of the whole affair...a gas leak.

The reporter has fallen into the arms of our valiant security room team; and also brought them a Goliath for their troubles.

Graves and his teams push into the bowels of the facility and he tells Redecker to worry about security.

In The Black (A Clean-Up Crew RP)

Obsidian Dynamics Research Facility
Utah
Fourth Floor

Somewhere, in between Soraya having taken office furniture to the cranium and Imogen's pleas; Sam had swung her MP5K up and pulled the trigger.

To no effect.

Sam's focus turned to fear filled annoyance as she tugged on the trigger a few more times to no effect while the barrel hung in the direction of the figure. The figure however did not respond with more weaponized chairs but instead stumbled out of the shadows. Her jeans and hoodies spoke of a college lifestyle that had been hastily updated for the casual professionalism of an internship. Gore, dust and whatever else was around coated her face and hair but her features were distinct. The visitor's pass with "PRESS" printed on it also gave a helpful identifier.

The intern, Whitney, had the air of a frantic animal about her. The safety of seeing humans clashing with whatever instincts had kept her alive amidst the killing floor that had become the facility.

"Hey, there's no need for that. It's over. Now, we can walk out of here calmly and safely or we can do it the hard way. Either way, you aren't leaving here without some course of action. I can help ensure that is, at least, done with your well-being in mind. So, what's the plan?" She asked that question, but looked over at Sam.

@PatientBean

"Are....are you the police?" Her voice had the quality of someone who had not spoken for awhile. Dry and wary. Brown eyes darting over the assembled Acheron team members in the conference room.

A mechanical click resounded in the room as Sam finally figured out the weapon's problem. Her safety finally flicking off. The Coordinator gave a sheepish look as she realized the problem had been her fault and that she probably would have shot Whitney had it not been for her oversight.

"No....We're with the gas company. There's been a massive gas leak. Not safe here."

Somewhere in the building another firefight started up in the middle of Sam's words.

@Tesserach, @PatientBean, @JFK
********

The intrepid trio separate from the drama of the conference room would find nothing in the kitchen. The same pattern of chaos that the facility bore no different on this floor.

Then a shriek of terror followed by pounding feet that sounded as if an elephant was trying to jog. The trio would barely have a second to process the sudden change before a figure darted into the kitchen. The reporter panting as she slammed the door shut. Not with any conviction of safety but with the desperation of a drowning person grabbing for a lifeline.

She turned, eyes wild, and almost recoiled as she took in the three men in the kitchen. Hope then confusion danced across her features as she took in the operator like Kedem, the massive Enzo and the action-hero esque outfit Fabio portrayed. The massive fist that suddenly pounded through the door brought her attention back to the present; sneaker's scrambling on the hardwood floor as she ducked behind the three Acheron shooters.

"Save me!!!" A second fist appeared beside the first; ripping the door from its hinges and tossing it into the corridor. The hulking Goliath had to duck to enter the room; electric blue eyes the only color. It's indigo jumpsuit splotched with dried blood of some previous victim.

@Dyelli Beybi, @Theyra, @PrinceAlexus
*****
Field Commander Daniel Graves
Obsidian Dynamics Research Facility
Basement Access

The elevator that would have lead down the heart of the dramatically named "Null Zero" was locked. Not that Daniel would have trusted it. That left eight flights worth of stairs that Juliet and Lima were currently descending.

Or, fighting, if one wanted more accuracy.

Tech-zombies in the dozens were trying to stop their descent. Attempting to ascend into the gunfire; their charges becoming less effective as the Acheron shooter's became more used to the jerky movements and flashing eyes of the hostiles. Acheron took no casualties at least as they descended; climbing over the butchered bodies on their way down.

Graves paused on a blood slicked landing to swap a magazine. Beside him, a shooter called for a frag, another responding by tossing the grenade over a railing. The crump resounded even from three floors up. The gunfire picking up as the DA teams exploited.

His radio crackling with reports. Though one stood out.

"Hostile neutralized. VIP condition unchanged. Maintaining surveillance until the third floor is secured. I will immediately report if I see anyone else who is uninfected, VIP or otherwise." Redecker Krueger said over the radio as he continued to look through the scope.

@Flarbinia

Graves gave an incredulous shake of his head. Keying his mic as he motioned another team forward to to take his place.

"Redecker, Graves. We have the male news member accounted for. No idea who you're looking at. Break. Stop shooting into the building we have friendlies within. Break. Hold perimeter and engage only those outside compound. Graves out."

He signed out of the radio with no possibility for talk back. Reshouldering his weapon as a call came from below.

"Goliath!!!!Goliath!!!"

He sighed as he began to hustle down the stairs. The gunfire turning into panicked spraying and the too human screams of a shooter told Graves this day was going to be longer.