Iron Stars - alistair

Alistair cleans his face from the basin in the wash tent. A pavilion was recently set up allowing front line soldiers to be rotated out, get some rest, chow, and clean. The battle against the Zero Foundation in the southern region of Groa has gone well, unexpectedly well, so far, though there are other areas of the planet where the foundation is more dug in, and the NMC will not be operating with the element of forewarning or surprise. A large explosion in the distance is the tank your team grenaded finally going off- reactor overloading.

Alistair raises his brows and gives a soft chuckle as he towels off his moustache. "By jove, it seems someone left the stove on!" He pats the sergeant of the squad. "That'll teach them damn tinkers!" Allie takes up his sabre and straps it to his sword belt. As he touches the hilt the mono blade crackles and humms with dancing electric light. He nods to the NMC troopers sincerly. "I'll see you back out there. I best see the brass." (edited)

“I don’t think the brass have to listen to you” your companion says as he also cleans up and then refills his canteen. “Seems like that’s the last of it for now anyway though. Maybe we get to actually sleep tonight”

The itch to get back out there abates for the time being within Alistair's eyes at the thought of the soldier's heaven, sleep. "That would be a fine thing, my friend. All the same, best keep those Laslocks clean of this infernal dust, just in case, it's a bloody nightmare to the systems. How is it the Tinkers can work so well in this environment, you reckon?" (edited)

“Don’t think they are. We clean the weapons for them remember?” There is another shriek as an outgoing volley of shells from wheeled energy cannons scatters the last bits of resistance here.

"Aye, that's true enough." Alistair smiles tracking the lines in the sky left by the energy shell rounds, little orderly contrails like marks. "It feels remarkably good to be dishing out the arty instead of receiving it..." He ponders for a long moment before coming back to the Sergeants gaze. "Thoughts on where we'll hit them next?" (edited)

(I’ve got to figure out army movements with max. I’ll have something soon)

(no worries, in the meantime please could you tell me what's morale like here? And the terrain?)

(It probably won't matter since the fight is about to move some place else)

(that's fair come to think of it)

Orders have come in, shifting fighting to the north near Groa's capital city. A scout element of the Zero foundation fought a brief skirmish with an NMC corps moving to secure the lake-fort there, and after a brief but fierce skirmish, the bots have broken into smaller units, and are using the surrounding forested terrain to harass NMC forces now garrisoned there. Supply convoys are being targeted, and trying to bring supplies in by air is not happening in a large enough volume to keep the men there provisioned. Small counter-ambush units entering the forest have been authorized, and you along with some of your men have been called up to serve as scouts and rangers

Alistair looks at the orders coming through his comm piece, looking up to the Sergeant across the table. "Well... Sorry to piss on the parade my friend, looks as though the front is moving and we've been seconded to the scouting actions. Get the lads some grub and as much rest as they can before we move out. They'll need it, most assuredly." Alistair stands patting the sergeant on the shoulder before going to see the quartermaster about transport.

A small needle jet has been set aside for the rapid reactor forces to make it to lakefort. There is a landing strip there where the plane can set down and you’ll be able to leave the fort and head into the countryside where the robots are prowling

Once his men are as rested as they can be Alistair picks the best shots among them and has them moved on to the jet. He dons his dark green field jacket as to be less conspicuous then boards with them. Moving to the Fort with them.

(You’re only going to get 1-2 guys. Not a whole 10 man gang gang)

(Sweet, out of his men he'll take who he thinks is the best shots and/or trackers)

You’re assigned two men to go with you as small units seen more easily able to handle the dense terrain. Other patrols will arrive later , and as the craft lands in lakefort you see soldiers and craftsmen working to try to repair the ancient stone star fort into something worth using once again.

Alistair sets down and moves with his two would be rangers towards the command tent.

The tent is more of the keep's central building, with beefed up security outside of it. More soldiers are in the upper floors, weapons sticking out firing slits like a porcupine's quills

Alistair moves through the bussle of the military establishment with quiet grace, saluting where necessary, nodding his way to the commanders room.

(what did you need him for? You've got your orders already)

00:47

(just trying to know what to have ready)

(oh I didn't know if there was something more specific he wanted of me sorry if I miss read that)

00:50

(if not just disregard that and I'll get straight to it sorry)

(not really, his scouts are going to kill their scouts, pretty straight forward)

(Noice! Fair play can we retcon that last emote then and I'll head straight to it)

The three of you are escorted to the fort gates. The woodland around the fort is dense , and the peninsula is about 200km of square area where robotic infiltrators could be hiding anywhere

"Time to root them out, let's go lads." He signals calmly as he begins to move out and into the woodland, he looks to first follow the peninsula's coast line around.

(Survive/wis)

(3

good start)

5

You spend the first few hours in the woods trying to find a trail, be it footprints, an oil slick, spent ammunition casings, anything. You come to a clearing where the cinnamon stink of recent rot is on the wind.

Alistair signals the two men following him to take up position in the woodland surrounding the clearing. After this he cautiously enters under their cover to investigate the source of the smell, wordlessly drawing his sabre

Mixed amid the long grasses, several decaying human bodies in muddy NMC scout uniforms dot the clearing.

Alistair doesn't go near them to begin with but instead scans the nearby cover for a potential ambush points and or booby traps.

The woods are silent for a moment before a flickering yellow flash and then a second- followed by the nervous staccato chatter of a Light machine gun sends rounds skipping through the air and into the ground. A second burst is well aimed and both of your companions are struck down before they have time to even react or get into cover. (Their surprise round was a crit/9 and then 15/13 which passes through woven armor) The twin guns are 25m from you across the clearing. The long grasses and thick trees at the clearing edge have kept you concealed for the moment.

Uses this to his advantage, he begins whispering in a some old foreign tongue almost inaudibly. From his outstretched hand comes a crackle, pop and then an arc of blue lightning toward one of the guns before he makes for more cover from the second gun. (I'll roll the attack in a bit)

(the name of the technique too when you get a second)

15:45

(I don't have the codex or WWN even close to memorized)

(elemental warrior, black codex)

(Thank you)

(no worries)

(7/3.... it's not going well)

The crackle of lightning breaks a clod of soil and sends it sky high, but you miss the gun you're aiming at.

17:24

(and then 10m move?)

(yeah, from cover to cover if possible)

The two machine guns fire, both of them miss as shots strike the ground, tree trunks, and branches around you

"Come on you bastards! I'll have you this time! What, what?!" He calls as he leeps over the trunk after dodging a tirade, running toward the enemy positions (5m away) He fires another arc of lightning, this time zipping of the point of his sword. (will roll in a while)

(Alright)

(12/6)

There is some hanging brush that is knocked into the closest firing position. You’ve disrupted them enough to keep them from shooting ahain while they figure things out

Alistair explodes through a nearby Bush into the enemy position. "Come on you Tinkers, let's have you!" He bellows before attempting to slice into one of them, lightning coursing through the strike and crackling on the blade.

(Big whiff 3/9)

You’re in combat with the gunner and loader of the first light machine gun. The second swivels toward you willing to strike their own if it means felling you.

19:11

(Evasion save and then if they’re up too I’ll get. Their turns )

(failed, my luck, is not going well)

(13 damage )

(I'm down)

(The two robots youd have been in melee with are down though )

(-4 hp

level one vibes)

3

(With a heavy weapon so you’d be dead dead)

(yikes)