Black Cloud-RP (rebooting) [Open/accepting sheets]

[Athol]

Theran couldn't understand that everyone was so worked up about. I deliberately launched the device, so in case of failure it would not harm anyone. There was only a 10.965 percent chance of a failure causing any harm to the city. Well within acceptable safety margins. Secured within the drop pod, he made final preparations, then commed Grash. "[small]I AM READY FOR DEPLOYMENT.[/small]"

 

[The Clown]

Grash gave a signal to drop over the radios and slammed his button, the clamps holding his pod snapping open, after a few seconds of free-fall the thrusters activated and the pod swerved away from the dock, soon after the rest of the team did likewise a flurry of pods hurtling down towards the smog.

The pods dipped into the smog and all light was gone, only a perpetual gloom, a few seconds later they saw ground before the thrusters blasted under them slowing them almost to stop before they thumped into the ground one by one. The pods were all within a dozen feet of each other in a small clearing surrounded by black barbed trees, they looked sick. With one loud simultaneous hiss of air then a crack the pod doors flew off, Grash stepped out into the clearing and took a deep breath of the thick air then removed his massive revolver from his waist and turned off the safety.

"Ready yourselves," He said to the group as he scanned the clearing and popped his HUD down over his eye to get his bearings.

 

[Athol]

Stepping from his pod, Theran probed the area with his on board passive sensors. Their range was severly hampered by the smog, but at least it was something. Satisfied they weren't under immediate threat he readied his mass driver, and plasma torch. "[small]GRASH I AM UNFAMILIAR WITH THE NATURE OF THE KRAXEX ON THE SURFACE. ASIDE FROM WHATEVER WAS USED TO BRING DOWN THE SHIPS, WHAT LEVEL OF WEAPONRY WILL WE BE FACING?[/small]"

 

[Ultraman950]

BETH stepped calmly from her pod and pulled the large, covered rectangle from her back with an audible metallic *clunk*, but kept its cloth cover on it. She let out every sort of detection system she had: Echolocation, visual scanning, night-vison, and infra-red.

"I am certain we will be able to handle what comes our way, Theran. As long as we remain rational and decisive, we have a small armory with us and know well how to use it."

She added silently, "I hope."

 

[Lil_Rimmy]

Keal hopped out of his pod, pulling his assault rifle with him. He looked around, his display telling him that the air was toxic. Like he didn't know that, he thought.

His filter kicked in and started giving him fresh air to breath. I just hope it doesn't corrode while I'm down here, he thought.

He swung his rifle around, hunting. The clearing was dead quiet, apart from the other team members getting out. "Oi Rusty, you picking anything up on your radar?"

He looked over at Grash holding a revolver. "Nice gun," Keal said, smiling at it, "how much of a punch does it pack?"

 

[InkBlot Royalist]

Clambering out of his pod Kabreeg moved straight for the tree-line. Being the sole survivor of countless battles that had seen him dropped in a similar, if less comfortable manner than this, to the battlefield had taught him one thing: get out of the drop-zone asap. The others didn't seem too bothered about this however. Kabreeg was probably over-reacting, he knew, but instinct got the better of him.
Once he had his back to a poisoned tree-trunk Kabreeg felt safer. Calmer. He took a deep lungful of the poisoned air. And coughed hard. Just because his kind could breath this stuff didn't mean they liked to. Years of the recycled, "pure" air up above had made him soft. Kabreeg grumbled to himself at that prospect, then raised the machine-gun to his eye-level. He scanned the trees beyond. Visability was poor, but that worked both ways. He doubted any Kraxex opposition would have thermal sights.
Listening to the rest of the squad talking Kabreeg addressed the robot called BETH briefly:
"Yep, rational and decisive sounds good. Or failing that, you can hide behind me if you want."

 

[The Clown]

Grash too took a few steps forward, checking his direction was perfect, south, "This way, stay close and quiet," he said starting off in the direction of the crash. Then turning to Keal he said
"It may look pre-smog era but it fires pressurised slugs which upon leaving the barrel and expanding are the equivalent of the infamous 0.700 caliber overkill," he smiled and swirled the weapon in his hand then answering Theran's question to the whole group said "I don't know for sure but I can guess it will be whatever they can make from the trees or whatever they can salvage from our crashed ships, but what they lack in firepower they make up for with sheer numbers and surprise, be wary, they're not as dumb as the churchlings above would have you believe."

The group began to make their way through the forest, slipping through the trees, the light now nearly non-existant, he occasionally thought he say a sliver of movement of a far of clank of metal on metal but every time he checked with his scanners her saw nothing, they continued.

 

[Ultraman950]

BETH turned to Kabreeg and cocked an eyebrow. If nothing else, whoever programmed her emotional responses and expressions did his homework.

"I have an onboard top-of-the-line, redundant, self-renewing energy shield system. Failing that, the nanites that my exterior consists of can self-replicate rapidly. I daresay it would be safer for you to hide behind me."

Her coat-tails swished about behind her as she walked forward.

 

[InkBlot Royalist]

Kabreeg snorted derisivly. He doubted a top-of-the-shield self renewing redundant energy line thing would make much difference to four feet of titanium packing an emp charge. The fact that he'd just been back-chatted by a can opener irritated him. It was hard to argue with a circuit board, so Kabreeg didn't bother, it just encouraged them.
Still, this was going to be an interesting mission.
"Remind me sir," Kabreeg began "what exactly are we going to DO with the ship once we've wiped out the scavengers?"

 

[The Clown]

As they walked through the woods Grash turned slightly and gestured to Kabreeg to keep his voice down then replied in a whisper "Take whatever they're using to bring down our ships and kill the bastards."

 

[Athol]

Walking a bit behind Grash and Kabreeg, Theran spoke up. "[small]SHOULD SAID WEAPON BE TO LARGE FOR US TO EASILY TRANSOPRT AND REMOVE I SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONVERT IT'S POWER SOURCE INTO A RUIMENTARY DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE WITH WHICH WE CAN DESTROY IT.[/small]" His piece said, he went back to sweeping the area with his sensors. They all show nothing, but I can't help shake the feeling that we're being watched. He thought. Guess no matter how much you change the body, those organic 'gut' instincts still remain.

 

[Tiger Sora]

"Well whatever they're using it has to be big to take out whole ships". Calia jumped over a rotten tree root. Everything on the surface was to at least a plus five disgusting on her scale. "Least when we do blow whatever it is up I can outrun you all from the resulting explosion". The cheeryness of her comment certainly wouldn't help anyone else's resolve. It did make her feel better though knowing it would probably hold true.

 

[Ultraman950]

"I can fly," BETH said bluntly.

 

[Lil_Rimmy]

"I can fly faster," Keal shot back, "how could a hunk of metal beat me?"

 

[Athol]

"[small]I FIND ALL YOUR POSTULATING HIGHLY UNLIKELY.[/small]" Theran said, addressing the two humans and the android. "[small]THE BLASTWAVE FROM EVEN A CRUSE FISSION DEVICE WOULD STILL BE TRAVELLING AT SEVERAL THOUSAND METERS PER SECOND. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE TO A SAFE DISTANCE ON FOOT. ALSO THE ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE THAT SUCH A DETONATION WOULD GENERATE WOULD MAKE FLIGHT A RISKY AND NEAR SUICIDAL ENDEVOR IN THESE ATMOPHERIC CONDITIONS. SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY TO TAKE SUCH ACTIONS I PLAN ON BEING WELL OUT SIDE THE AFFECTED AREA BEFORE TIGGERING SUCH A DETONATION.[/small]"

Inside his own mind Theran grumbled. I suspect the two humans may suffer from watching too many action videos, but the android should know better...unless such information was left out of its programming.

 

[Lil_Rimmy]

"You just had to ruin our fun, Clanky, didn't you?" Keal shook his head, Stupid robots always over thinking it. He looked around in the smog, everything dark. It was like the exact opposite of Aetheros. He kept swinging his gun around. Keal wasn't sure why, as much as he made fun of the androids and cyborgs, he still had trust that they would detect anything coming.

But still his gun swung left and right. "Oi, robots, do me a favour and warn me if we start getting shot at." Keal lowered his gun and tried to calm down.

 

[Athol]

Despite his usual 'machine-like' attitude, Theran did from time to time let some of his emotions slip to the surface. "[small]DO NOT WORRY KEAL YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW IF WE START TAKING ENEMY FIRE...I PLAN ON USING YOU AS A SHIELD WHILE I ENGAGE.[/small]" If he could've still smiled, he would've been grinning ear-to-ear.

 

[Lil_Rimmy]

Keal looked at the cyborg and laughed, "Damn, did Clanky just make a joke? But don't worry, you can use me as a shield. I'll just get Big Ol' BETH here to stand in front of me. You can take a couple of hits, right Rusty?"

 

[Tiger Sora]

"Calm down ladies. You'll get your panties and pantie circuitries in a knot if you keep arguing". Calia snickered. "Besides, I said I could outrun any of you. I didn't say anything about flying did I"?

 

[Lil_Rimmy]

Keal looked down at the short rouge, "Really? You could outrun us with short little stubs like that? Come on! I could beat you with my armour on!" For a second Keal wished Angel was here, she loved to race. "Heh, when we get back to Aetheros, you race my dog. I have $50 on Angel."

Keal laughed, Come on! We are sitting here making bets and talking about how fast we could run. Damn, looks like this expedition won't be so hard after all.

Spoiler

Stop.

Twist.

It's gonna go to shit.