[Away Mission:] Day 3, Alemar III (Final battle)

[ten_fwd_npcs]

Something strange begins to happen underground. Those pretty, glistering crystals that twinkle from the walls and ceilings start to move, sinking down into the rock, and disappearing from all sight. In each cave and cavern, every arching ceiling and cramped tunnel, they all vanish.

The main cave where the visitors were brought during the tour feels darker now. It has weathered the trauma of the last three days better than some places, but that's all about to change.


[ooc: And welcome to the kickoff of our final leg of the Alemar III plot! Day 3 has officially begun, which means all team posts moving forward should reflect that. Below, this post is split into two sections: the first is for any teams or individuals who want to establish themselves as being in the main cave for the final action of the plot; the second is for our teams of fighters and all who wish to assist them. Bear in mind that the historians and empaths won't step in to reveal what's going on until the next group post; this is primarily for the last battle and gathering all the fractured teams back together. If you're not sure where your group is, check in with your plotting e-mails or the plotting post; if you don't want to join the main group until the fighting stops, the next post will also have a place for your characters to enter and reconnect with friends. If there are any questions, leave them in the plotting post and a mod will get back to you asap!]

Comments

[waco_jim]

Jim considers the question as he reloads.

"Depends," he says. "I can hold out a while, but it's not like I'm storing these bullets up my ass. You got a plan?"

He's not optimistic.

[dreams_dont_die]

"I've always got a plan."

Usually two.

That doesn't mean that it's a good plan; he's fond of having a little more time to strategize before he goes into a fight.

"Doesn't mean I like it."

With only a handful of people here likely to be inclined to follow his orders, he's not in a position to make the sort of plan that would be his usual recourse. Not without authority. Or Rommie.

His force lance whirls at a twist of his fingers, passing through a full 360 degrees before he holds it, parallel to the ground, out in front of him.

"Want to cover me?"

[waco_jim]

Jim hefts his pistols into firing position.

"Say when."

[dreams_dont_die]

This takes trust. Dylan is not fond of going into close combat with someone he doesn't know firing from behind him. It's a good way for friendly fire to get you killed.

He might not know a hell of a lot about Jim, but they'd fought together the previous day, and Jim's shots had been unerring, on-target, never coming anywhere near hitting any of his allies. These people are an extra resource here, one he doesn't know well, but one he's going to use.

A good captain knows how to use the resources available to them.

"Whenever it looks like it's coming for me."

The lance extends with a shake of his hand and the quiet sound of metal on metal, and Dylan runs forward into the fray.

[waco_jim]

No sooner does Dylan say the words before a crystal lizard lurches from his left flank. A lead curtain blankets its leg, cracking its limb. It wobbles loosely and cracks.

The beast staggers, swiveling its head toward the offending party.

[dreams_dont_die]

That leaves an opening, and it also leaves the creature open to distraction. Jim is a hell of a shot, but these creatures can't be taken down by the force of bullets alone, so when its attention turns to Jim, Dylan's not about to let the thing get to him.

Dylan runs forward, lance ready, with a shout for the creature.

"Hey!"

He goes in with his lance ready, and swings for the damaged leg, where the crystal's begun to crack.

That gets the thing's attention back on Dylan.

[waco_jim]

For just a few seconds, Jim waits. He waits for Dylan's blow to connect, for the creature to turn toward it and expose the most cracked portion of its limb. Dylan had done a number on the thing. The leg is visibly crumbling now - small pieces flake off with every move.

And then the window opens. It's a small one, one that will barely avoid hitting Dylan. But it's a needle he knows he can thread.

The bullets come one after the other, almost as though they're in a queue. In the blink of an eye, a dozen bullets connect with the leg to finish the work that Dylan's force lance had begun.

[dreams_dont_die]

In the end, it's only the trust he'd developed in Jim's skill over the past two days that let him ask for backup in the way he did. Not because he's shy to ask for assistance, but because it takes a lot of nerve to invite anyone to shoot at a target he's fighting at close quarters.

With Jim, though, he trusts the aim to be true. The day they'd just had? Not the sort of thing you go through without getting a little faith in each other.

So as the lizard's leg begins to crack more, Dylan stands his ground at the sound of Jim's gun firing again and again and again.

It's enough. They'd seen this on a small scale the day before, and now, the crack in the creature's leg gets longer and deeper until the leg actually comes away, leaving the thing bellowing in pain and collapsing to one side.

That's when the call comes to stand down.