The NEW Vanguard! Lionheart issue #6 - the mission part 4

Admin wrote:Lionheart was still wondering why he'd let her shoot him when he looked up. Man of Ice? Frostbite???

"What are the chances... " Lionheart muttered to himself.

"Long story short, Frostbite and I are old friends, capiche! Now we need to get another, well its a stretch to call him a friend, but it'll do for now,"

Directing the alien to where he had last seen Saladin and hoping that his delay hadn't meant his rival hadn't been scooped up and taken - he urged the ship to fly as fast as it could.

"Right Jarna I will need to hope off and get my friend, keep whatever comes close at bay, and tell em whatever you need to. I won't be long - that much I can promise" Lionheart added that last comment with something of a rueful smile...if he wasn't in the position he was divided in power none of this need have been the way things would have ended up.

OOC:Ok so as Jarna flies in low, I'll mutter something about not double-crossing me, this day couldn't get any worse I hope! And then Lionheart will search the area for Saladin. My concern is that he will have been taken already to who knows where. But right now one thing at a time.

Sj

Jarna nodded, activating the controls on the craft and causing it to rise and spin, before she frowned.

"Capiche?"

Lionheart pointed her towards the direction he'd last seen Saladin and she shrugged, blasting the shuttle forward, nose pointed down. The camp flashed underneath and she immediately spoke into her throat mike in her alien tongue. Lionheart watched her intently, hoping his danger sense would alert him to any duplicity, but it stayed silent. Up ahead he saw a mass of aliens and armed guards gathered in a group. Lionheart was very well aware of automated camp laser guns tracking the movement of the shuttle...

Jarna spoke up "I have been ordered to land back at the parking pad immediately! They are about to open fire! go now!"

Lionheart saw there were more and more guns tracking the shuttle as they got closer and realised they would be blasting in the next few moments! He sped out of the back hatch and flew somewhat slower than he was used to (OOC using Telekinesis to move through the air as opposed to true flight...)

Immediately the mounted guns opened fire on bother Lionheart and the shuttle! He flew low and the guns were mostly unable to track him, but the shuttle span and bucked, coughed and tumbled as it was hit by dozens of blasts at the same time!

Hitting the floor Lionheart sped up to his full (albeit reduced) speed and was at the site in moments! At the edge of a clearing in the cover of a buildings shadow he saw at least twenty armed and suited guards surrounding the massed aliens who were gathered in a group and clearly blasting into their midst with their mental powers! Saladin was being hammered! Lionheart heard thudding footsteps behind him! More guards coming up behind him!

He also heard and explosion... Jarna! A billowing cloud of smoke and flame rose above the level of the buildings and mushroomed upwards...

OOC Attack the guards or the aliens, or all the lot combined? That will be a very hard thing to do...

Admin wrote: in moments! At the edge of a clearing in the cover of a buildings shadow he saw at least twenty armed and suited guards surrounding the massed aliens who were gathered in a group and clearly blasting into their midst with their mental powers! Saladin was being hammered! Lionheart heard thudding footsteps behind him! More guards coming up behind him!

He also heard and explosion... Jarna! A billowing cloud of smoke and flame rose above the level of the buildings and mushroomed upwards...

[color=#00ccff]OOC Attack the guards or the aliens, or all the lot combined? That will be a very hard thing to do...

Almost straight away Lionheart regretted involving the plucky pilot. "Not such a great way to show you care..." He said to himself, at which point he could see the value of a sentient AI being onboard when all your buddies were down and out for the count. And here he was contemplating saving his enemy, whilst his friend might well have just been served a hot slice in a shredded ship he was hoping to escape in. Not exactly the brightest of outcomes he had hoped for. But then he began to wonder if at this point there was a happy outcome here. No allies, no powers, and no real plan save the seat of his pants which on the sheer power he could have mustered before, but now...

It wasn't looking good, the smart play would be to go for his friends, but then he knew he'd be next and how far would he get anyway. No, he needed Saladin, besides the man, had tried to do the right thing.

With that in mind, he got himself ready to attack the guards to try and snatch Saladin from them and get toward Jarna and Wandafar.

OOC:So I guess the best play would be to bash into them with super speed, try and knock them flying to grab Saladin and get off asap. To that end, I am happy to spend as much HP as is necessary to make it happen. I mean either I do that or it all ends here... which seems like a place I visit a lot ;-)

Sj

Lionheart sized up the enemy... then realised something... The unconscious Wandafar had been on board that shuttle!

No!

He looked again at the guards and the aliens. He would only have one shot at this!

OOC Martial artist gives you four extra dice, no need for HP spending. You'll need those later on! To attack all of this lot will need... an epic roll, to say the least!

Lionheart Dex 10 (using superspeed) plus roll Roll(6d10)+0: 2,9,7,7,10,10,+0 Total:20 n(good start!) plus Roll(2d10)+0: 6,10,+0 Total:36 +10 (46) vs TN11 + 7 + 12 (30). Hit, +6 effect. 9 Str + 6 (15) vs RV6 + 12 (18) No damage, BUT, you were after pushing them aside, not taking them out.

Speeding through the massed guards and aliens, Lionheart shoved and pushed them aside. There were too many even for him to take out, given his much reduced capabilities, but he could at least achieve one objective...

He snatched up Saladin and turned to run...

OOC Team Attack with Mind Blast on Lionheart. This might hurt!

Mind Blast 11 + Roll Roll(2d10)+0: 4,4,+0 Total:8 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d10)+0: 1,8,+0 Total:17 (28) vs Lionheart OV 8 - Team Attack (- + TN11. Hit, +6 EV. 17 EV vs Lionhearts RV of 13, he takes 4 damage.

LIONHEART MIND 6/9

A searing pain shot through Lionhearts mind, despite his shield in place, and he staggered. Collectively, the aliens were more powerful than he... but had they used slightly less than their full power, he sensed?

OOC Lionheart can speed off with Saladin in hand, or try to take this lot out. The guards are gathering themselves to attack. He has very little to fear from them - his ability to dodge physical attacks is astonishing, but the mental powers of the aliens are another matter! Plus of course his friend Wandafar and the pilot Jarna may yet have survived... Over to you...

Admin wrote:OOC Team Attack with Mind Blast on Lionheart. This might hurt!

OOC: What do you mean, might...it always hurts ;-)

Lionheart shot off toward the crash site despite the risk he was taking in turning his back on his enemies and their collective ability to take him out.  Nothing mattered his friends were captured or killed.  He wasn't about to throw his life away though and pushed himself on, feeling the burn as he dug deep to keep one step ahead of a growing threat at his back.  

OOC: Ok so I'll do what I can to bolster my defences and keep moving about as quickly as possible to make myself harder to target, whilst trying to maintain a good forward momentum.  Here is hoping that this is all for nought, not really feeling the love on this planet and getting off it is proving a might more difficult than even I'd have hitherto imagined.  Oh well, 'frying pans and fires' come to mind. Better make sure I get an upgraded suit - full asbestostosized or something

Sj

OOC What a week! Arrrgh! Culminating in the car going bang on the outside lane of the motorway! Managed to limp it to a service station (and I mean limp!) and take a look under the bonnet. Two cable ties later (I put em in the car the other day rather than throw them away because I couldn't be bothered to go back into the garage...) and I was back on my way! Bodgetastic, but the last thing I need and chucked my plans into the skip for today. Supposed to be driving down to London tomorrow to go see a concert (Depeche Mode) but no idea if my bodged repair will hold...

Anyway... *deep breath* will update where I can and when I get back on Sunday. Hope all well your end mate.

Lionheart Mind 5/9 (can't even add up...)

The real possibility of being blasted from behind meant Lionheart had to pour on what speed he could, then weave between buildings and even cover his own tracks again in an attempt to avoid the inevitable attack!

Heading to the twisting pall of smoke rising into the sky he came across a number of flattened huts and smashed supply dumps, some of which were in flames. Dazed personnel were staggering to their knees, others lay where they'd fallen.

The ruins of the craft made Lionhearts heart sink, and he firmed up his forcefield, ignoring the heat as he threw shattered metal and twisted panels aside! Through all he'd gone through, Wandafar had been a constant if somewhat confusing presence.

Where was the cockpit... no!

The cockpit was mashed, no one could survive that!

Just then, as he tried to come to terms with his friend and allies deaths, he heard shouts from outside and sped out.

A parachute was falling, and Lionheart squinted. one... no, two figures! Laser blasts lancing up at them! And the rate they were falling...!

He was on his way in a heartbeat and sped through the camp to catch Jarna who struggled to hold Wandafar in her arms. No wonder given he was two or three times denser than a human!

She gaped in astonishment as Lionheart scooped them both up, and looked behind him. Guards! Dozens of them! including what looked like Cyborgs! Too many? Who knows, but having saved Wandafar from death this time, would he risk it, or leave at once and live to fight another day?

Admin wrote: in a heartbeat and sped through the camp to catch Jarna who struggled to hold Wandafar in her arms. No wonder, given he was two or three times denser than a human!

She gaped in astonishment as Lionheart scooped them both up, and back. Guards! Dozens of them! including what looked like Cyborgs! Too many? Who knows, but having saved Wandafar from death this time, would he risk it, or leave at once and live to fight another day.

Lionheart knew that with two of them all but out for the count, Jenna to think of and more foes than he could shake a stick at, it was time to leave and urgently.  They had the potential of allies back in the jungle - assuming they could even locate where they were.  But this spelt the abrupt end of their departure from the planet.  A planet that had proven more than capable of killing them half a dozen ways if they didn't take sufficient precautions.  

OOC:Ok so make sure Jarna is ok and scoop up Saladin and Wandafar to get away asap.  Make for the jungle and lay low.

So sorry to hear about your car disasters, what a week for it to happen.  Depeche Mode, I was listening to a bit of 'enjoy the silence' earlier.  Small world.  Well hope something gets sorted, enjoy mate - hope to hear from you Sunday.

Sj

OOC Ended up enjoying the concert, not so the aftermath as London was chaotic given all that was going on only minutes away from where we were (Whitechapel area a short walk from the Bridge and all that went on). Got back in one piece and while we weren't directly affected it does drive it home that we live in dangerous times just as we did when you and I were growing up with the IRA threat.

Anyway, back with the show.

Lionheart had a hard choice to make. Wandafar and Jarna were alive, albeit injured from the explosion.

Saladin though... the last he'd seen of his unwilling ally was being buried under and hammered by the continued psychic and laser blast assault across the other side of the camp! He was tough, a warrior, and as powerful, perhaps slightly more so given his narrow focus on combat, than Lionheart. He was outnumbered though, and if Lionheart was to save his friends he would have to leave Saladin behind for the time being!

He sped off, leaving laser blasts in his wake as they tried and failed to hit a man who could see laser blasts coming and duck aside with the barest of effort! He watched as automated guns tracked him, their motors struggling and failing to keep up, and a few moments later he was speeding through the jungle.

Even he had to slow down, and he knew that with the people he carried bearing injuries, a high speed impact would be the last thing he needed!

Lionheart came across a lightly worn path through the jungle and made better progress. At the speed he was travelling he knew he'd put nearly a mile between himself and the camp, all deep jungles with high trees and thick canopies, teeming with life and heat sources and that would hopefully mask any heat signature.

Just then he burst out into a clearing. Jungle was all about, but before him was a waterfall, plunge pool and surrounding plants were heavy with all manner of coloured hanging fruits. A place to rest, and easy to duck back out of view in case of overhead patrols.

Lionheart turned... and instantly gaped as a humanoid figure sprung from the jungle, swinging a fist ended flail at the hero!

Admin wrote:

"You have got to be kidding me..." Lionheart rather doubted that this place was in the mood to joke, even if such a concept existed in a place like this. But the irony of getting out of a frying pan, into a bigger frying pan didn't escape him as the lithe figure effortlessly swung toward him.

"I don't suppose there is much chance of us having a heated game of chess, tiddly winks or I don't battle of wits, rather than our fists? No, you don't look like the sort of guy who would know what a sense of humour was unless you could eat it first! Hmm, I think my new secret power a stunning repertoire isn't really going to cut the mustard here. Oh well, it gives me a chance to catch my breath before I face off in another life or death fight. All in a day's work I guess."

Lionheart decided that letting the alien come to him gave him chance to assess the situation, whilst he did he strengthened his defences and took a stance ready to dodge and retaliate if needed. However, it wasn't the first time he had found friends in unexpected places, but he was nobody's fool he had also found enemies here aplenty. He was ready for an attack but wanted to get a better measure of his opponent seeking to stun it and learn from him assuming he could.

Sj

OOC Been on a training course all week, somewhat away from keyboard. Won't last forever, hopefully after I pass an exam on Friday, fingers crossed!

Lionheart was used to watching the world in slow motion but this time wondered if he could even keep track of the bouncing speed and agility of the humanoid who landed in a crouch in front of him!

The creature spoke... unfortunately it sounded like the hissing and snarling of a big cat! If it was a language as such, it would need some kind of device to act as translator...

Just then Lionheart spun his head about.

Another. And another!

Leaping from the bushes, three others appeared. All seemed as fast and agile as the first, maybe even more so!







Finally, as it seemed a battle was about to take place, mere heartbeats after the others had arrived, an older, more sage figure walked from the bushes rather than leapt, and stood without a body position of threat like the others carried. This figure looked at Lionheart, narrowed its eyes, then levelled his staff at him. Lionhearts danger sense told him he was in danger, but not from which direction! Was the staff a weapon? The others carried varying weapons of different types and possessed super speed and agility at least equal to Lionhearts own he figure. Like everything else on this crazy planet, he expected it to be tougher and stronger as well.



The latest newcomer didn't talk, but instead pointed his staff at Lionheart, the tip of which began to glow!

Admin wrote:The latest newcomer didn't talk, but instead pointed his staff at Lionheart, the tip of which began to glow!

"What is this, charades? I've got to guess the manner of my demise and you'll make it quick. If that is so, get in line. I've got a line of clowns ready to read me the riot act back over yonder and strictly speaking they've called dibs first. Though I was kind hoping in this mad game of cat and mouse to catch a break."

Lionheart babbled on as he tried to judge from which way the attack would come first, whom he'd have to strike or evade as they meant to swamp him by sheer numbers. Well, he wasn't going down without a fight, and since talking was proving no more effective than a steak at a vegetarian potluck meal, it was time for a new tactic.

OOC: Time to put up or shut up, so going to again wait for them to make the first move. Either these guys are going to be helpful or turn out to be a bunch of douches like the last lot. Either way, I am on guard and almost ready for anything.

Hope the course has gone well and the result the same.

Sj

The glowing staff glowed brighter and began to bathe Lionheart in a soft glow. The others tensed but the older cat simply gazed. Then he spoke.

Despite the shape of the creatures mouth forming words Lionheart couldn't understand, he heard a clear, slightly accented version of English!

"Welcome to our jungle. We share it with many other creatures, but not the ones you know as the Empire. They burn, destroy, take what they want and slaughter all those animals and plants that call this place home with their sky weapons. You look like them, but are different, my staff tells me this. I am Rarghan, or so my name is translated to you. You are not a Cat, yet share many traits I feel. This makes us kindred spirits, and you may pass in peace through our area of the jungle or take your companions to our tree village where they will be treated. I fear your war with the Empire will bring war to our home, but I have always argued to the more sage elders than I that we are already at war, not just with the Empire but ourselves, with denial. Until they make a direct attack on our village, they will not sanction a fight..."

He paused and turned to the younger cats, who had slightly relaxed. "There are many though, the young in particular, who would fight back. We watched as other villages were slaughtered, and because of long held rivalry with those villages many of our people rejoiced, for hunting grounds they once fought for and kept from us were now available. Their joy was short lived though. Other villages fell and those of us who would have fought when the Empire arrived now see that our time will come all too soon when the Empire smash us with their sky weapons and we are no more. We should have put aside age old feuds to protect one another when we were strong, in numbers. Now each village is distant to another as the Empire carves up our world in search of natural resources that have little value to us, but which are used to power their machines of death. So stranger, yet not stranger, what say you, for I feel as an old man I can prattle on about things which in the grand scheme will not matter in 100 years. We will all be as dust, and the world will still turn. Speak." he says with a look of sadness on his face.

Admin wrote:So stranger, yet not stranger, what say you, for I feel as an old man I can prattle on about things which in the grand scheme will not matter in 100 years. We will all be as dust, and the world will still turn. Speak." he says with a look of sadness on his face.

With a weariness that had nothing to do with physical tiredness but the sad realisation that the things that had unfolded here had come from his own world, Lionheart replied.

"I see that you carry that staff for a reason, old one your wisdom and insight does you and your people credit. Sadly my dealings with these people, the Empire is limited. But my aim is to rescue my own people and stop them. For left unchecked one can imagine that their ambition would be not only to carve up this planet but the very stars themselves. For what limit is their to their ambition and avarice, if good people do not stand ready to hold it in check? Such is my task, unfortunately, we've been so far overwhelmed by their resources and my abilies such as they are have been halved." Lionheart made a face, his thoughts turning back to the compound and what might become of Saladin. He had no love for the man, who was so consumed by hate, but it seemed that his existance, contained as he was within Lionheart himself, was at least being made to do good. A fitting life, for one who deserved far less, and now seemed to be getting what he actually deserved. But there was no rejoicing no relief in the thought.

"Wise one, we'd take the invitation to join you, we are short of precious allies and my friend has been wounded, your assistance would be grately appreciated and if I can help for my part then let it be so."

OOC: Ok looks like I might have an ally or two, so lets head back to the village and see where we go from here.

Sj

The journey to the village took about an hour. Lionheart had no trouble climbing from the jungle floor to the village in the trees.

The natives, all cat people, stared at the newcomers but made no effort to stop Lionheart seeing as he was with the elder and the hunting pack. Wandafar was taken to a tent where other elders gathered around to diagnose and treat the diminutive genius. Jarna was taken to another tent. Lionheart was reassured by Rarghan that despite her wearing the uniform of an Imperial trooper, she would be treated well.

He was led away to higher levels in the trees, using his amazing agility to match the cat like speed and gymnastics of his hosts in climbing to the upper level.

=========

The next few hours saw Lionheart fed and sit mostly in silence as other elders from other villages arrived with their entourages, until a large platform area in the highest level of the trees just below the canopy was covered with perhaps 100 elders from other villages in the forest.

Finally, Rarghan approached Lionheart. "I have made the case for war against the Empire. The arguments against it were many. They are legion, we are few. They have weapons of death we have what we fashion with our own hands as well as our claws and teeth. Many of our young will die and our species will face extinction. The Empire will burn our forests down to find us. We will lose far more than we gain."

Lionhearts' heart sunk. He was clearly going to have to fight the Empire on his ow...

"However." continued the Elder, "I have made it clear that my village will fight on, alone if necessary. That we will take the war to the Empire and sacrifice our lives so that the other villages may run in fear and perhaps one day die old in their beds having lived decades longer thanks to our sacrifice. That did the trick."

The old cat had a twinkle in his eye. "I almost caused war there and then!"

Lionheart turned and saw the gathered elders departing in different directions. Many stared at each other with undisguised hatred, making no secret of centuries old feuds being strong in their thoughts. However the wily elder had planted a seed that would flower and grow in the hearts of the warriors - the promise of glory and the knowledge that they might one up ancient foes in their battles and sing around the fire of historic victories whilst rival clans muttered only of having barely assisted. They would fight all the harder.

And die just as likely.

"We need a plan, however, Heart of the Lion. If we run from the jungle we shall be scythed down like Juna grass. That is our way. See the enemy, make for it, kill it, then eat it. You are an outsider, but I have secured a special status for you. Fight alongside us and survive, and you will be made a part of our tribe. Fight alongside us and die, and you shall form part of our legends. Clearly the latter is the greatest honour!"

Again that twinkle and a slight smile. The elder placed a heavy paw on Lionhearts shoulder. "Think on it. We do not go to war lightly. We fight and win, or die. There is no retreat, no surrender. Villages have tried that and been dragged into slavery or used as an example and burned alive to crush the spirit of other villages. No more. The Empire shall be swept from this land or we shall no longer care, for our souls will be in the hunting grounds and free of this mortal coil! our women and any cats old enough to use a weapon shall also fight. Our most infirm shall take the younglings to a secret place of safety. If we fail to claim them, they will ensure that our young will not be taken by the Empire..."

Lionheart took a moment to think on the nature of what the Cat Man had said...

"How then, Heart of Lion, do we beat the Empire?"

Admin wrote:Lionheart took a moment to think on the nature of what the Cat Man had said...

"How then, Heart of Lion, do we beat the Empire?"

"just to state the obvious, but not without great cost. Now they are here, they are not going to leave without a fight. Any war is costly, but doing nothing is going to be costlier. They won't stop to go around your village or that of any of the other tribes. But then that is pretty obvious. Our problem is that they have superior means to attack. I'm no tactician, but I guess that what we might have in our favour is the jungle itself. If only we could find a reason for them to come at us in a manner that could make the best of what we do have. We know they have superior air power, but would they use that if we were in a place where there are significant resources, that they'd dare not loose so that they are forced to meet us on the ground? Would they then try to gas or poison us? Could we withstand such and offence, let alone if they just decided to burn things down?

I guess the only alternative is could always take the fight to them?

Hit them hard on several fronts so they don't know which way or from whom they are being attacked? The only problem with this is that we just don't know what their defences can handle and indeed if we ourselves would be cut down before we got any further. If only we could switch off their defences, we might have a chance to overwhelm them before they could muster up a reasonable defence? The problem then is how we can get at them, without them being to launch a counter strike?"

Lionheart thought about this, what he needed was information, sadly the only person who might know was Jarna and she wasn't one who could talk right now...

OOC: Ok several questions:

1. If Jarna is able to talk, can I pump her for information as to how and if the defences can be neutralised?
2. If we cannot ask questions or she doesn't know or its just not possible, is there anyone she knows who might know?
3. If that is a dead end, is there any other way to get into the base, like tunnels that run underneath, or some way of dropping in from above?
4. Do the Tribe have any information, from their raids and encounters with the forces of the empire, have they noticed or taken account of resources or information that might serve our purposes of helping launch an attack?

Sj

"Our best defence and weakest vantage point will be the jungle I fear." stated Rarghan.

"Several villages fought the invaders when they encroached on their territory and they used all of those things you mention and more. Gas, fire, bombs... they flattened the land and turned it into an ash strewn wasteland. They have no concept of the worth of nature, or the effects of what they do. Like a machine." hissed the elder cat.

He was drawn aside by a pair of old looking cats so Lionheart went to find Jarna. To his surprise, Wandafar was sat up in the bed next to him, albeit nursing a sore head and grimacing as he gulped down a cup of what looked like slimy maggots. With a grimace he nodded as Lionheart entered.

The hero asked Jarna his questions. (OOC her answers...)

1. The empire has huge vast resources and any problem that conventional means cannot overcome are usually dealt with by more - more troops, explosives, cleansing fire or simply bombarding the site from orbit. Delays were their enemy, with superiors facing serious consequences for failure and delay.

2. Capture a Captain or even better, a Colonel or higher. They value their lives far more than the clones!

3. The base follow a standard pattern which is modified to cover any shortfall or weaknesses that have been exploited. Quite often a base would fall due to sheer firepower from one direction. The resulting backlash would see the base flattened by an orbital strike to remove any trace of failure to dissuade any hopeful natives!

4. The tribe are making preparations but do not yet trust Lionheart seeing as he looks like an Empire humanoid. Plus he travels with one, and they don't know what to make of Wandafar. Skill in battle wins their respect, as does personal sacrifice.

Wandafar spoke up, albeit croaking "...get me vun of zere ships. Big, small... I'll pull it apart und interface viz zere systems. If there is anything to learn from zere computers, I vill get it."

"Pffft!" remarked Jarna. "The computers are hack proof!"

Wandafar chuckled, but winced. "Zet is a challenge I vill heppily take on!"

Lionheart saw Wandafar was in pain, but his recovery had been remarkable. He glanced at the cup of slimy worms and grimaced. He would rather get better faster than swallow a cup of slimy sludge worms! Whatever their properties were though, it was clear the healing process was massively enhanced by taking them onboard!

Admin wrote:Wandafar chuckled, but winced. "Zet is a challenge I vill heppily take on!"

Lionheart saw Wandafar was in pain, but his recovery had been remarkable. He glanced at the cup of slimy worms and grimaced. He would rather get better faster than swallow a cup of slimy sludge worms! Whatever their properties were though, it was clear the healing process was massively enhanced by taking them onboard!

Lionheart took heart that the diminutive dwarf was not far off being his old self despite the ordeal he'd been through. But what remained was also proving elusive. Twice now Lionheart had tried to get off this planet, taking ships that in both instances had failed to make it out of the atmosphere let alone far off the ground. Wandafar had offered them a hope, but a slim one.

How could he get on the base, steal a ship and get it back to Wandafar without being detected?

OOC: Ok at this point I need to talk with (and in no particular order) Wandafar to find out what he might need and how I can get it out. Jarna to see if her inside information could help and then the Rarghan to inform him of the proposed plan and to see if we can't get some help in going about it. Although it will be dangerous as it's possible that any ship successfully liberated would be easily tracked so that the whole village would be carpet bombed from space. Something else to talk to Wandafar about.

Sj

Sj

Wandafar coughed, pulled a face, shrugged then drunk another can of worms!

"Better tasting zen ze noodles back home! Vell. Mostly." he grimaced. "Right zen. If you get me vun of ze ships I vill pull it apart und talk to ze systems. Vonce zet is done ve may be able to figure out how to get into ze base automated defences. Get zem out of ze vay..."

Jarna shook her head and chuckled "The Empire is so big and vast because it takes all of the enemies technology, learns from it and improves things. They've honed their approach for decades. Still, have to start somewhere. I suggest ... hmmm." she wandered over to where a small pile of posessions was gathered. "We pilots carry a beacon should we ever get shot down. A lot of the time the beacon is ignored because this planet is so lethal. We'd get to where the beacon was and find out it was running around in the belly of some beast. However..."

She handed the pocket size transmitter to Wandafar. "If you're so smart you can figure out how to hack this thing to put out a priority signal. That of an officer. Despite it being suspicious that an officer would go missing they'd come and check it out hopefully. With any luck they won't expect the primitive natives to be able to do what we're proposing."

Wandafar took the transmitter, turning it around. "ha! You can't even get into..." started Jarna. Then she gaped as Wandafar scooped up a rock, brought it down on the transmitter and started poking about inside with a piece of wire he pulled from the innards.

"Done." said Wandafar, throwing it to Lionheart.

"You...?" gaped Jarna...

Wandafar chuckled "Now I just need to see if I can reprogram ze computers to get Eastenders..."

Jarna was about to ask but Lionheart waved her quiet.

=========

"Well, we got the attention you wanted." whispered the Great Old Cat, Rarghan.

The jungle was thick here but some dragged wreckage and a smouldering fire had made it look like some kind of crash site. Overhead a shuttle like ship hovered and three small hoverboard type vehicles with soldiers on board were heading down to the crash site. The Shuttle had a door hatch open with a large mounted gun manned on the area below.

Only three other cats had come with the old chief, much to their consternation. He'd picked the three who'd doubted Lionheart most, and turned to the hero. "The enemy approaches. Our normal tactic would be to attack those on the boards. Once they were dead we would run - that gun on the shuttle will slice the jungle up in moments, and anyone in it!"

Lionheart turned. The Shuttle was around 100m up, too high for the cats to attack. That gun would be a problem unless he did something about it. However if the soldiers found out the crash site was a ruse they'd soon raise the alarm...

Jarna held her small pistol up, training it on where she expected the first of the soldiers would come through the jungle canopy. "Well, they want a demonstration of your power! Convince those three and you just might get more of them on board..."

Admin wrote:Only three other cats had come with the old chief, much to their consternation. He'd picked the three who'd doubted Lionheart most, and turned to the hero. "The enemy approaches. Our normal tactic would be to attack those on the boards. Once they were dead we would run - that gun on the shuttle will slice the jungle up in moments, and anyone in it!"

Lionheart turned. The Shuttle was around 100m up, too high for the cats to attack. That gun would be a problem unless he did something about it. However, if the soldiers found out the crash site was a ruse they'd soon raise the alarm...

Jarna held her small pistol up, training it on where she expected the first of the soldiers would come through the jungle canopy. "Well, they want a demonstration of your power! Convince those three and you just might get more of them on board..."

Lionheart directed the jungle cats to draw attention from the craft and then scatter so that the flyers would come low to attack them. He instructed Jarna to go with the cats, to act as if she is the one responsible for the distress beacon. Lionheart meanwhile intended to jump one of the flyers as soon as they got close, and then fly up to the shuttle craft. If the Cat's stayed together hopefully it would delay the guns being unleashed on them, and instead aim at him, as he flew to the ship.

At that point, Lionheart had to hope that even in his depowered state his mastery of vehicles of all sorts like an unfamiliar hover board, came naturally to him that he could make the ascent to the ship and get aboard it before things got much worse.

"Nothing like a healthy bit of danger, but stay low, stay together that gun isn't subtle hopefully having come out they aren't about to cut loose and kill an officer till they can be sure. That buys me time to draw their attention if I can get that hover board and get to the ship. You want to see what I can do, well let's hope you and I get what we wish for today."

OOC:Ok so get the others to draw the hovers boards down, leap atop the nearest tree to make the distance and kick off the occupant and grab the board to get to the ship above. Hopefully without making myself look like a complete novice. I am going to be using my vehicle skill to try and get to the ship in on piece and then get above them to come in from where they are least able to get at me. And then take out the crew asap if I can.

Sj

OOC Gutted. Had just about finished posting and Chrome decided to play silly sods. Aside from making the cursor dance about to different points on the screen it also clicked itself back a page to lose what I'd typed. Running out of time but will give a shortened version of the page full I'd typed. It's rather fresh in the memory (2 minutes ago ) so I remember the dice rolls...

Lionheart watched as the cats and Jarna raced off, her shooting and the Cats throwing rocks at the hoverboard soldiers to draw their attention.

It worked. Lionheart waited till the last of hoverboards sped past, leapt and landed on it. The soldier span and pulled a pistol... only for Lionheart to point behind him! The soldier span and screamed - the looming tree presented an instant, final demise! He jumped off, but not before Lionheart had grabbed a wrist band and put it on his own wrist! Instantly the hoverboard slowed as he took over, and willed it to steer left with his body weight. It turned out his mind was also in use - the wristband acted as an interface between mind and vehicle!

An accomplished mentalist, Lionheart could tell it represented no danger to his own mind and swiftly figured (OOC Successful check) how to fly the thing. It was fairly simple in concept - think left and you veer left, faster and you speed up, slower to slow down, right, up, down, hover, shoot...

Shoot. The gun looked fairly substantial mounted under the board. Not enough to pierce Lionhearts force field probably but enough to smash the hoverboards chasing the cats. He looked through the trees and saw a commotion about half a mile ahead through the thick jungle. Overhead the shuttle hovered. Lionheart was practically 300' below it!

OOC Sorry about the delay. Been all sorts of drama this week on top of the training and swatting for a make or break exam next week. Girlfriend lost her job, kids off school... You get the score. Now one of the laptops is playing up. Never rains... Anyway, help the cats or go for the ship? Update tomorrow night all being well.

Admin wrote:Shoot. The gun looked fairly substantial mounted under the board. Not enough to pierce Lionhearts force field probably but enough to smash the hoverboards chasing the cats. He looked through the trees and saw a commotion about half a mile ahead through the thick jungle. Overhead the shuttle hovered. Lionheart was practically 300' below it!

OOC Sorry about the delay. Been all sorts of drama this week on top of the training and swatting for a make or break exam next week. Girlfriend lost her job, kids off school... You get the score. Now one of the laptops is playing up. Never rains... Anyway, help the cats or go for the ship? Update tomorrow night all being well.

OOC: Hey mate no worries, life has been significantly more difficult for me recently - you've probably noticed by the response rate from me. Anyway, I'm not worried as always I struggle to know what is the best option to choose. So more time gives me the chance to think about things at least.

Lionheart realised that if he was to go after the other hoverboards, he could quickly dispatch them, but it ran the risk of losing the very ship they had come for. Which would make the whole plan, thus far null and void. Besides which he very much doubted the Empire would allow the rest of the cat people to live, knowing they'd entered into an understanding with himself a known and valuable fugitive. No, as much as it pained him to see others putting their lives on the line, he couldn't make their sacrifice meaningless by throwing away the opportunity to grab the ship, they'd come for.

Turning his focus on the ship hovering above he sped up the hoverboard and moved as quickly as it could mindful of the ships defences and tried as much as possible to position himself so as to take advantage of any blind spots or weaknesses he could see the ship might have in this situation.

Sj

Lionheart had to ignore the rapid fire blasts that shot at his new allies as he veered towards the underside of the hovering ship taking advantage of its blindside!

Just then a hatch opened in the lower side of the ship and another hoverboard soldier looked ready to disembark... until Lionheart launched upwards and slammed into him!

Superhuman speed and strength against trained human level abilities was only going to go one way. And so it proved in heartbeats as Lionheart delivered a jarring shot to the armoured head and dropped the soldier without effort!

Another moment later and he was in the cockpit, snatching a pistol from the hand of the pilot who spun to confront him. Another woman, but professional and determined! Disarmed, she thrust the controls down, forcing the ship down towards the jungle!

Lionhearts strength and agility allowed him to yank the pilot free of her chair and pull the controls up. Beaten, the pilot snarled but stayed where she lay on the floor. "This planet will be reduced to ash!" she spat.

The earthman was more concerned with his allies - the hoverboard soldiers were out of sight now under the canopy of the forest! He'd captured the ship... but at what cost?

OOC Pointless rolling when the stats of the soldiers are at best, 5 or 6. Heck, rolled anyway...

Roll(2d10)+0:
10,1,+0
Total:11 on the hoverboard soldier

And the pilot...

Roll(2d10)+0:
1,10,+0
Total:11

Heh, same roll different order. Lionheart wins easily against both opponents.

Admin wrote:The earthman was more concerned with his allies - the hoverboard soldiers were out of sight now under the canopy of the forest! He'd captured the ship... but at what cost?

Lionheart took a moment to familiarise himself with the controls as he did, he spoke to the female pilot, "Hi I'm Lionheart your pilot today. Refreshments are not being served on this ship, but if you'd like to strap yourself in that would be good because if there is any trouble back there we have a strict zero tolerance policy of kicking crewm...er people off the ship by the nearest exit. Comprende? We hope you enjoy this flight with Lionheart seat of your pants airtours."

And with that Lionheart didn't bother to look back trusting his danger sense would warn him if the pilot tried anything before diving down to see if he could pick off any of the air-boarders before seeing to return the ship and its valuable contents to Wandafar.

OOC:Ok so take the tub for a spin, see if we can't get some of these guys of the other guy's backs and then get back to Wandafar. It seems too cruel to drop the pilot in the jungle where she'll likely be some predators lunch snack, so she can stay if she behaves. If not I'll knock her out for a nap.

Sj

Lionheart shook his head. Turning back to the controls he considered the second or so it had taken to disarm the pilot of the heavy wrench she'd found, truss her up with some cabling and gag her with a rag.

Well, he'd not had to hit her, and he was a gentleman. Sort of. The future held that everyone was equal therefore outdated notions of chivalry and treating a woman differently - for better or worse - were outlawed.

He steered through the trees and chased the flashes of laser light in the darkness. Soon enough he came across two crashed hover speeders and the others flashing about like birds of prey, firing into the undergrowth. The shuttle took them by surprise at first but they assumed it'd come to help. How wrong they were. A combination of blasts and ramming the speeders from the sky soon put paid to that, as did a torrent of rocks from slings used by the Cat People!

Jarna stood up from the bushes, weapon slowly lowering. The cats were less trusting, but Lionheart could see them with the heat sensors on the ship. Eventually the Cats stood and Lionheart greeted them from the rear hatch with a wave.

=========

"Ach! Took you long enough! Ze process zet shrunk us down has clearly robbed you of much of your power! A Cless five superhuman vud hef hed no bother viz zese buffoons..." muttered Wandafar as he limped painfully into the shuttle.

"Zet said, good vork. Now leave me to it. Und votch fur more of ze buffoons. If zey come beck und decide to flatten zis place from ze sky I don't think a few sling shots vill do jeck."

Lionheart saw the diminutive genius setting to work.

Jarna dusted off her hands and turned to Lionheart. "You were amazing, but ... you're just one man! How can we stand against an Empire?"

"Just one man? Perhaps. We are not men, but we stand with him. I swear this!" shouted Rarghan! Lionheart turned to see the gathered tribe stood around their leader. More than that, Cats of other tribes were starting to move closer to the capture ship, running hands over it, admiring the technology they could neither build nor understand.

The old cat placed a paw on Lionhearts shoulder. "They can be beaten. You have shown us the way. More than that. I will speak to the other peoples. Creatures we have warred with, preyed on. It will be hard but I believe they can be convinced to join us, in return for promises and assurances that age old feuds are forgotten. Some of them, we ... preyed on. It will not be easy. We may have to swallow our pride, but in order to survive it is the only path. All others lead to oblivion."

And so it began. Here, on this alien world. A spark, a seed, now it just needed fanning.

Somewhere, distant, miles away, a crack of thunder of a vessel entering the atmosphere echoed from the mountain ranges. Lionheart knew this fight had just begun, and to turn it into a war, it would take more than one minor victory!

OOC Finish off post from you Dave if you will please then we'll move things along with a new issue!

Admin wrote:And so it began. Here, on this alien world. A spark, a seed, now it just needed fanning.

Somewhere, distant, miles away, a crack of thunder of a vessel entering the atmosphere echoed from the mountain ranges. Lionheart knew this fight had just begun, and to turn it into a war, it would take more than one minor victory!

Lionheart moved away from the others when politeness allowed to ponder the situation. Frostbite was the soldier, he was the policeman. But in a war, the normal laws don't count. More than that the cost involved was something greater than he'd considered before. It was all very well himself being thrown in the line of fire, more often than not it couldn't touch him in any case. But this was a whole different responsibility. It wasn't just the thought of the fight ahead, it was that the ruthlessness of his enemy which might reduce this whole world to ash, just to get at him. That, the weight of an entire world, and who knew how many other worlds weighed on him tonight.

Tomorrow he'd be brave like his namesake, but for now, he felt small diminutive in more than just stature as the task ahead weighed on him.

Sj