Riftgate 2 - Surlan's Holocaust 6

Scene Start
The party has gathered in the smaller of the two force domes, talking with the VIPER agents in there. While the discussion is proceeding a call comes from the agent on lookout. "Wasters! Two of them. I think it's Slim and Red."

The agent leader of the group looks to the heroes, "If you want to talk to the locals this is as good a chance as you'll get. Slim is the chief of the camp over to the west."

The agent leader goes out to the gate to wait for the locals to arrive.

Devil Dog Growls softly under his breath, then nods toward the man who spoke from where he stands in the tattered remains of his costume. "I'll talk with them." He says, speaking only for himself.

Karlie leans back in her seat, looking thoughtful. "So, limited number of hostile spider things, unknown number of David units... are there other threats?"

Devil Dog follows the leader out to wait as well, walking for once.

One of the agents still in the gatehouse nods, "There's a lot of mutated animals out there. And a lot of raiders. Most of the Wasters are sensible. But raiders are crazy. Kill crazy."

Rebound nods. "It sounds like a good idea. Let's check it out." He follows outside.

Karlie nods. "Not really worried about raiders if they haven't taken care of the David problem or the spider tanks yet."

The wasters turn out to be a man and a woman. The names are self evident. The man is painfully thin, probably a metabolic illness. The woman has fiery ginger hair. They are dressed in cured skins and rough homespun fabrics. They stop at the edge of the minefield and call ahead, "We need help. There's a new gang of raiders moved into the old industrial park and they have guns."

Devil Dog stands silent and lets the man beside him talk, along with Rebound, simply studying the two with his glowing red eyes.

Rebound looks to the agent leader. "We should go help them."

The agent leader looks to the heroes, "We help them out occasionally. But if you want to get in contact with the locals you could make a good start by giving them a hand. Raiders aren't a real problem if you have blasters and armor. But the locals are hosed when raiders come."

Karlie nods. "That we could. Might run into somethin' bigger along th'way too. You probably can use some salvage from the spider tanks. Anything in them you need in particular?"

The agent leader doesn't need to think over that one. "Electronics. We have a machine shop in the main dome but there's no way for us to manufacture electronic components. One of the other families supplies us but it takes months to get anything here and it's risky. We lose shipments and lives all too often."

Rebound looks to Karlie. "If I'm right, the machines have some kind of IFF circuit that tells them to ignore friendly targets. If we can figure out how to trick it, we might open up some serious possibilities for this world."

Karlie nods. "Give me about a half minute and I can immobilize one without breaking it. Then we can open it up and pull out everything useful. So, 'bout those raiders."

Rebound nods. "Let's roll." He waves his hand in the air to Red and Slim. "We're coming to help!" he calls over.

Karlie asks, "Those mines pressure or motion?"

Devil Dog falls into stride with Rebound, silent for now.

The agent leader points to the two locals waiting on the edge on the minefield. "They'll be able to tell you about them. The guy's Slim Wascott. He's the chief of the camp out there. The woman's called Red. Don't know if she has any other name. She's his bodyguard."

The agent leader tells Karlie, "Pressure and Magnetic. Set to 70kgs. Otherwise every rabbit running across there would set them off."

Karlie nods. "Interesting..." She turns her senses toward the mines, feeling for polarity and other factors.

Rebound bounces up high into the air and then glides over the minefield to Red and Slim. Once he's in front of them, he swoops down to a graceful, two-footed landing. "I'm Rebound. So tell me about this raider problem you're having."

Karlie floats herself above the minefield, heading for the two visitors. "Heard you got a raider problem. How many, how well organized?"

Devil Dog simply teleports across in a flash of orange and blast of heat, appearing beside Karlie and Rebound.

The two locals stumble backwards as Rebound glides over the minefield. "WHA...T" Slim exclaims. Red recovers first and steps in front of him dropping into a crouch and pulling out a rusty kitchen knife. A moment later she straightens up and the knife goes back into her belt.

Karlie watches the reaction thoughtfully, taking her time to approach rather than moving swiftly.

Slim recovers a second or so later. "You're Rad-touched. You joined up with the Domeheads?"

Red laughs, "Slim. We're here to ask for help. Maybe not the best time to go insulting them."

Karlie replies, "Off-world visitors. No. Tell me about the raiders."

Rebound raises his hand as if to show he's not a threat. He backs off a step. "Sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to spook you. Sometimes -- I show off." He sighs. "Good news is that we'll probably have the same effect on the raiders."

Devil Dog folds his arms over his chest, studying the people with his glowing red eyes. Again he makes no move to speak, but folds his arms over his chest, one sleeve covered and one not sleeve covered anymore. There is the feeling he might be about to go for someone's throat, but, that's normal.

Slim nods, "A whole gang of them. They've moved into the industrial park to the north of the ruins. They's got guns. Hell, they've even been shooting them off at night. How the hell they have enough ammo to do that beats me."

Karlie shrugs. "Sounds like they're not from around here. Or they're kids. Either way. If it's just powder-based guns, I could clear the problem out personally. Are they organized?"

Red adds, "They got Coldnose. One of the herders. Staked him down in the sun and skinned him. Nuh. Raiders aren't organized."

Rebound blinks. o O ( Jeesus )

Karlie nods. "one less priority about reason then. Bring us there."

Red says, "I'll guide them to the park. Meet you back at the camp, Slim, if we make it out alive."

Karlie says, "If they can take me down, they got much bigger weapons than guns."

Devil Dog adds, his hoarse, raspy voice amused, "If they take me down, all of you are in trouble." He doesn't illaborate for Red, but instead waits to follow her.

Rebound nods to Red. "Lead on."

Red says, "Follow me." and starts moving off, keeping to cover and checking to make sure you're not getting lost.

Half an hour walking and Red leads you to a ruined building. "You can see the area of the park where the raiders are from the top of this building." She tells you.

Devil Dog hangs back once they reaches the building and simply waits, glancing aside at karlie.

Rebound nods. "Ok. I'll take a quick look topside..."

Rebound stretches his hands up to the ledge of the rough. Slowly and quietly, he pulls himself up.

Rebound uses his skills to crouch and keep low behind cover. He takes time to look over at the raider hide out, trying to case their headquarters.

The area of the park where the raiders are is gruesomely obvious. Dismembered human corpses are hung up from lampposts, overhanging ledges, etc. The raiders look like extras from the worst kind of cheap Aftermath movie, straight out of Mad Max. There's a couple of dozen of them. They are drinking, smoking, and eating. The meat has a suspicious look to it. Parked near a blazing central fire is a truck, plastered with gang colors but originally US Army. The raiders are armed; assault rifles, SMGs, rocket launchers, grenades..."

Karlie just feels for the weapons and other things concealed behind stonework or within other metals, getting a feel for each item, reaching out with her command over metal to engage the safety of each thing that has one.

Rebound comes back down from the roof to relay what he's seen to the others.

Rebound says, "They're sitting on a US Army surplus stockpile."

Devil Dog asks, arms still folded, "Want me to go say hi?"

Rebound shakes his head, "It would be too much to ask for there to be an IFF transponder in there, but if there's a chance...!"

Karlie shrugs. "If they aren't attracting spider bots then they probably got something."

Rebound says, "We need to make sure we get the gear intact."

Karlie nods. "Safety's on for most of the stuff. Might take 'em a sec to figure out what's going on when it doesn't fire."

Devil Dog simply waits for the go ahead. Arms folded over his chest he glances at the surrounding ruins.

Rebound says, "There's an awful lot of them. Any ideas on how to take them?"

Devil Dog says, "I could just go and try talkin."

Karlie shrugs. "Talkin's one option but I get the idea they won't be open to it. No harm tryin'."

Karlie adds, "If Devil Dog goes, I mean. He's not really liable to get killed for it."

Devil Dog nods and with that, he casually walks toward a hole in the damaged building, and out of it. Staying in plain sight he starts to walk toward the raiders, unaggressively.

Rebound shakes his head. "Normally I talk first, but it will be a waste of time in this case."

Karlie meanwhile begins to engage locks on ammo boxes.

The raiders are slow spotting Devil Dog making his way towards them. Finally one of them does glance up, "Looky! I got first dibs. Fresh meat!" Every raider in sight stands and starts rushing at Devil Dog, trying to shoot at him while running. Lots of nothing firing as safeties are on.

Devil Dog unfolds his arms, lifts one palm, and says calmly as he watches them run closer, his red eyes glowing a bit brighter and expression impassive, "I suggest, you stop." His tone is clearly full of menace, and he lets his evil aura wash out, unhindered.

Rebound sneaks around to a flanking position.

There's no reaction at all from the raiders to Devil Dog's unearthy evil aura. Not so much as a blink.

Devil Dog waits to get a reaction, gets none, and then growls, "Your problem then." With the roar only hellfire can make, a huge cone of flames erupts from his hand and rushes toward the oncoming people who thought it would be a good idea to charge him, heat rolling off of it as it rushes towards them, and their powder-using guns. Through the whole ordeal he doesn't stop walking forward.

The wave of flame encompasses all but three of the raiders. Those in the flame are burnt horridly, blackened skin sloughing off, faces charred to ruin. The rocket launcher users have loose reloads on them and these explode, blowing bits of raider all over the area. Horrifically, those still more or less in one piece continue their charge at Devil Dog.

"Damnit," Rebound says and he stretches forward to protect a case of the gear from Devil Dog's hellfire. "We may need this gear!"

Karlie looks thoughtful. "Sounds like they're pretty nuts." She starts to float upward, "If you can't dodge or take a bullet, stay down. Gonna do what I can here." She moves to get a line of fire on a pile of ammo crates and uses a bunch of loose metal in the area to lock and protect it from outside tampering.

All but three of the raiders were blown off their feet by Devil Dog's flame wave. The ones that were in the flame stand up again, those that can, and try to fire weapons, hands gripping barrels that are visibly red hot, most of the guns no longer work. The uninjured raiders are laughing, "I'm coming for you!..." "Fresh Meat!" "You can't hide from me!" shouting as they run up to Devil Dog firing their weapons.

One burst of fire finds it's mark and hit's Devil Dog. Another misses him and the last who's lagging behind a little accidentally fires a SMG burst into the back of the leading raider.

Devil Dog is hit square in the chest, blood flying from where the bullets hit. His back contacting hard with the ground he jerks his bare feet up and backflips back to them, snarling in rage, "Bad move." even as the holes start to knit closed.

Karlie has managed to protect one cluster of crates beneath a shield of metal, also preventing access to them.

Flyne takes it upon itself to try leaping INTO the gunner which hit Devil Dog, ramming into him with quite some force.

Flyne flails the raider's chest when he hits him, breaking all his ribs and slamming him back into the truck.

Hurled back into the truck the raider impacts head first. There's a slamming crunching sound as his skull is crushed and split open.

Devil Dog growls out, his face contorted in rage and teeth bared as he stalks intently toward the last berserker, "Walking, Talking, Animals. You don't deserve the respect for life I give my fellow man." His right hand flares up in blazing red and black flames clear to the elbow, and completely ignoring the Raider's gun he steps right up to him and attempts to slam his fist Through the man's chest. Internally these people have lost the thing that fuels compassion inside him. Auto pilot kicking him is telling him to destroy everything, starting with these men...

Rebound stretches to put his torso between Devil Dog and the current target of his malice.

Rebound grunts as his chest craters with the force of Devil Dog's blow. "Enough! There's been enough killing here!"

Flyne taking note of the damage that it's done to the previous enemy, and Rebound's intervention, Flyne decides to simply punch the other guy as it leaps.

Karlie simply sends a large amount of metal at the still standing raiders, applying blunt trauma to them as a group.

Flyne seems to miss its target and land somewhere it didn't WANT to hit.

Karlie sends a large amount of metal into the general vicinity of several of the raiders who receive enough blunt trauma to meet their end. Karlie does not appear mortified about the result.

The burnt raider charges at Flyne, swinging the red hot rifle like a club. The other raider on his feet sprays an automatic burst of fire over Devil Dog and Rebound.

The raider's charred hands shake loose as the raider tries to swing the glowing red hot rifle.The rifle goes flying away, the raider's dislodged hands still stuck to it.

The burst of fire aimed at Devil Dog and Rebound goes wild.

Devil Dog jerks his hand back from Rebound and plants his feet, as if about to start raging on him. With a gasping breath, however, he turns his back on Rebound and the raider and growls, "Take care of him, Before I lose it completely." He takes a single staggering step away, hands, now both flaming, coming up to his head. "

Rebound sighs, seeing that Devil Dog has come back to his senses. He smacks the remaining raider with a giant back-handed slap.

The raider takes the back-handed punch without any visible reaction despite a cracking sound as his collarbone is fractured.

Red has moved up to watch. She yells, "Finish them. They won't stop until they're dead."

Rebound frowns and hesitates. "I..."

Flyne decides to not do anything crazy this time; it decides just to try to punch the guy out rather than anything else. The raider is knocked down as Flyne slams a punch into his chest breaking more ribs.

Landing on his back, frothy blood tinting his lips as he breaths with a punctured lung, the raider is still laughing, "Going to get you!"

Rebound grabs a piece of rebar and tries twisting it around the remaining raider.

Rebound grunts as he flexes the metal bar around the raider, pinning his arms to his sides.

With resistance at a end, Red comes over, knife in hand, clearly intending to finish off the two survivors of the raider band.

"I didn't spare his life," Rebound begins, as he puts himself between the raider and Red, "Just so you could end it."

Karlie asks, "Why did you take such great pains to spare his life? I'm not sure he cares about it anywhere near as much as you do."

Red looks at Rebound, "So," she says in a perfectly reasonable sounding tone, "What are you going to do? Leave him like that? Set him free? They'll only stop killing and torturing when they're dead."

Rebound says, "Let's pack up the gear. Once we've got a head start, I'll let him go."

Karlie shrugs. "'kay." She starts to move the supplies, all of them, from where they are to where the group is.

Flyne isn't sure how to react to this. Flyne...seems to be unsure of itself in this matter...Flyne seems indifferent, and nods to Karlie.

Red shake her head. "Then you're killing somebody else. The next wastelander he runs across. If you'd too squeamish I'll do it."

Karlie returns with the truck's contents. "So uh, wastelanders, ever cracked one of these guys' heads open?"

Rebound says, "I'm not budging on this argument. If you want to sneak back after I've left and hunt him down, I don't suppose that I can stop you. But I can't just let you kill him. I can't."

Red nods, "Yeah. It's full of slime mold."

Karlie nods. "Just checking. I don't think they can recover. Looks like it's taken most of the brain with it. But if you wanna have a look, Rebound, you're welcome to. Guy with his head cracked open's over there with the truck. I'm not touching the body. Suggest you get yourself decontaminated later."

Red looks back at Rebound. "They're already dead. They just haven't stopped walking. But what's in there ain't remotely human."

Karlie says, "Like, complete shutdown of vitals?"

Flyne finds itself dumbfounded in something... Flyne mutters something to itself, "Flyne comes from a world where killing is a part of everyday life, not optional. But here, no one likes to kill what so ever. Flyne hasn't met a human that actually likes killing. And now Flyne can't seem to make up its own mind whether its right or wrong about killing. Flyne thought it was so sure that it'd be fine with it, yet now, it isn't. Flyne is changing...whether Flyne wants to or not..."

Karlie frowns slightly. "Problem with that. They're using speech, forming phrases. That's not instinct. Something in there's calling the shots, if it's not them then it's the mold."

Red shakes her head again, "Nuh. They can be stopped. But they don't feel pain. Only way to stop them is kill them. All they do is kill and mutilate."

Rebound turns at what Karlie says. "Really...?" . o O ( Jeezus... ) "Are... are they contagious?" he asks of Red.

Karlie resumes gathering all of the supplies.

Red shrugs, "Don't think so. But can't be sure about that. If there's a raider you run or kill them. Not like you'd last long enough to get infected if they get their hands on you."

Karlie nods. "only question I got is how they got that way."

"Though Flyne's mind is made up of this, that whatever they are they should be destroyed." Flyne states, "Such creatures remind Flyne of something from its homeworld. Creatures that probably still are regularly destroyed by Flyne's species."

Karlie looks at Red. "Guessing you never had anyone become a raider?"

Red says, "No idea. They wander in from elsewhere. Never met one that's local.

Karlie nods. "Probably some kinda radiation-changed thing that infected a region. Ever been a time where they weren't a problem?"

Red nods, "My father says there weren't any untill a couple of decades after the War. Always been around as far back as I can recall, although there weren't as many when I was younger."

Rebound sighs. He's quiet for a moment. "I... I should see to the gear..." he mumbles, as he steps over to the stuff that Karlie has accumulated.

Karlie nods again. "I can carry it all on the way back," she says. "Gonna take it careful to avoid attracting problems of incoming fire though."

Red looks at Rebound, and then back to Karlie, "Look, we owe you for this. Those raiders could have wiped us out with all those weapons. If you want to leave this one alive I guess we owe you that. But I really think he needs to be finished."

Rebound nods. He goes to double check an make sure Karlie didn't miss any gear. He doesn't seem to be protecting the raider anymore.

Karlie shrugs. "To me, they're better dead than someone's problem. But I'm not th'one who might want to study them and figure out a way to halt the problem." She wraps the raider in a good sized hunk of metal, immobilizing him. "What I am is muscle. So how d'you wastelanders deal with the spiders?"

Red shrugs, "You mean the mechs? They ignore us."

Karlie hms. "You just keep quiet or they ignore you 'cause of deliberate reason?"

Red says, "My father says they hunt radio transmissions and high energy power sources. Well we don't don't have either. Dad used to work on them. He was a tech in the army before the war."

Rebound returns from his search. "He worked on them? Does he know anything about the IFF transponder?"

Red nods, "You mean the ignore me I'm friendly badge? Yeah. He's got one at home. It doesn't work any more though."

Karlie nods. "So why don't they constantly try for the domes? What makes them learn not to?"

Red looks thoughtful. "Huh. Never thought of that. Dad might know. I haven't any idea."

Karlie nods. "Dad's still alive? Great. Can ask him plenty. So if you don't mind, I can bring half this stuff to where you need it and the other half's for the domes. Got all the weapons and ammo. Can't say if there's anything medical or food."

Rebound nods. "Let's get moving then. I think we're done here."

Red's eyes light up. Not literally. "We can have half of this stuff? Damn, I don't know how we can ever repay you all. We can use it to fight off any other raiders and rad-animals."

Karlie replies, "Repaying's not on the menu. Number of my companions are pretty selfless."

Red adds, "The Domehea... uh." She grins, "The agents from the dome help sometimes. But being able to defend ourselves. That's great."

Karlie adds, "Flyne, you got a good nose for biological stuff? Check for anything that's food or sanitized for medical use?"

Karlie says, "Apart from what I gathered, I mean."

Rebound says, "Only thing I ask for in return is any gear relating to the IFF gear. Think your Dad would be willing to part with his one?"

Flyne nods at Karlie when she states the repaying part, then shakes its head at the checking for things, "Flyne's smell lets it detect how healthy someone is, and whether they are magic or not. Flyne can't detect anything else but smell itself apart from that. But Flyne can try." Flyne states, trying to use it.

Red nods to Rebound, "Yeah. Like I said, he says it doesn't work any longer. Sure, he'll give it to you."

Karlie nods. "kay. Then we move." She surrounds the supplies in a thick layer of scrap around, for protection and ease of transport, which lifts with her.

Rebound will head out, leaving Red to take care of business with the last raider.

"Flyne smells food, but it smells a lot like the ones from the raider's camp..." Flyne states, "Flyne isn't sure if humans like eating each other, but Morphoids don't."

Karlie includes the raider with the stuff. "labs might find him useful. But I'm not bringing him back through without making sure he's not a contaminant. Gonna suggest you get checked too, anyone who touched them."

Karlie has the raider on the outside. Not too worried if he gets blasted by something.

Flyne also follows along with the group.