Log:Mandalore: The Great Beast
The fight to reach Tsook's mobile fortress, to begin the next steps for the taking of the Bloodfields.
OOC Date: November 9, 2022
Location: Mandalore: The Bloodfields
Participants: Sumi Kora, Terek Rosol, Valeska Kora, Hahtavi Kora, Colo Nell, Jallo Dara, Nix, and Hadrix Kora as GM Mandalorians, Clan Kora, Mandalorian Revivers
The clans fighting for Mand'alor Djarin were south east, pitched in combat with Tsook's forces on another push to claim, rather than destroy, another of her mining droids. With fuel reserves and munitions reduced in reserve as well as fuel having been depleted by strikes much of the Warlord's forces were forced to fight on foot or in much lighter cavalry vehicles than they'd first fielded.
It forced greater numbers to the attack site, where before they could rely on scrap walkers, tanks and skimmers. It also left the Warlords mobile fortress vulnerable. Hunks of Imperial and Mandalorian tech from before the purge, scavenged, repurposed, blended with metal re-cast in Tsook's forges. Eight legs, like an awkwardly ambling durasteel arachnid carried structure based around fallen AT-AT components. Thickly armored and bristling with weaponry with what almost looks like a metal keep affixed to the top of the 'headless' walker, stalking through the Bloodfields.
<<"Visual, we can't get close enough to drop on top, but we can get you close enough to charge in.">> The Ithorian, Pheegus's, translator collar spoke in dull monotone, commanding the Kyr'am ra Kote that carried four vehicles for the strike team on its drop posts. Cruising dangerously low to the surface and head directly for the The Great Beast at high speed.
<<"Copy. This is it, Verda,">> Warriors <<"We'll likely have defensive craft, but more likely point weapons. Smash vehicles en route, get to the fortress and we'll rope or fly up. The goal is getting there, the next step is finally dealing with this chakaar.">> Hadrix's voice, briefing, <<"Sumi'Alor, on your command, Pheegus puts us on the ground.
<<"Carve a path through these warriors. It is important as Mando'ade that we defend what ground we have. This their way. Conquest remains another tenet of Mandalorian culture, and one which we set out on this day. No matter what cause comes out on top, Mandalorians achieve the highest honor, to die in combat according to the principles that have guided our people for thousands of years...">> Sumi readies the turret she's in, priming it by jerking back the charging handle. It's heard over the open comms, then she continues. <<"It is our responsibility to provide them this highest honor. See it done, and do not die in the process.">>
Sumi stands up in the turret and unlatches it so it can move in its circular fashion. Targeting vectors are already filtering in through her HUD, and she grins.
Usually it's someone else in the hot seat of the walker. Not today. Today, Valeska is taking her turn at the controls of the AT-ST currently locked into place in the carrier's bay. Listening to the communication chatter as they near the battlefield, she is doing one more pass on her readouts and double checking the munitions. <"We'll be dropping in soon,"> she says to the man in her gunner's seat, fully armoured and her voice filtered through the vocoder. <"Gonna be bumpy when we start. A lot of fire coming out way. I'll do my best to dance around it, yeah?">
Her helmet turns towards Colo where he is stationed a level below her feet. The AT-ST interior is intimate, to say the least. Meaning there's little room to move one's shoulder without bumping into a boot. The rest is closed in with technology and straps encased in a metal shell and various kinds of thinsg that love to explode. <"Almost there. Keep calm, keep shooting. You'll know what the targets are by seein' 'em, yeah? Now worries.">
Jallo's settled into the now familiar seat in the AT-ST the universal interface of his armor plugged in so that he can properly manipulate the computer system and get a 'visual' on the readouts, <"Settled into position and ready to prioritize targets for you both."> He's already starting to do his work on the sensors even as they're flying in to build a small mental image of the battlefield before they drop into the fight. And then he tests his harness again no need to get thrown around.
Nix has been taking some lessons in driving and got pretty good at it. She is working over the buttons and flexes her feet, making sure she can reach everything fine. She glances around and then Hadrix is going over the plan. She nods her head and glances towards Hadrix. <<"I am going to run stuff over. If something is not good to run over, let me know a direction.">> She warns quietly to Hadrix in her metallic feminine voice.
She hears Sumi and she grins slowly and nods her head. There is a little test of some of the controls and then the doctor speaks over the comms, <<"When we all make it out of this, come to me to get patched up if you get hit.">> Her voice is soft over the comms. Still metallic though. A little whoop from the doctor and she preps for driving.
There's little more for Colo to do inside the cramped cockpit interior than to listen out, listen up, keep his eyes peeled and...stretch a bit. He works his feet in the turret pod in a nervous release of energy that keeps his legs active and his mind focused on what's ahead of him. Ditto the data readouts he's got. Targeting computer, reticles, levers, dials, heating signature, sights and more dazzle him, yet his years of fiddling datapads and readouts for a living seem to be standing him in good stead.
He's not got his helmet on just yet, but the antique plastoid armor he wears is at least comfortable enough and flexible in the gunner's position. Valeska's words summon a quick smile and he nods softly at her words, and then continues the motion to some unheard tune. "I can keep shooting." No promises on the other bits.
<<Bes'uliik copies, over.">> Orders are understood. Hahtavi Kora has never piloted an AT-ST before but there's a first time for everything and he practiced a lot to get good enough for this op. He glances to Sumi who's his walker's gunner as he drives. He waits as they are being brought in under the Gozanti, busying himself with last pilot's checks and systems prep.
Haht listens to Jallo, <"Systems checks are almost finished."> You know he ran these checks before they left but they give Haht something to focus on until they are dropped.
Probably going to have a good view too!
<<"Pheegus, release.">> Throwing the release lever to unlimber the turret, but holding it steady, Hadrix looks down towards the main cabin where Nix is at the controls and then back to his sensors. <"I'd prefer you mind driving and get us there in one piece. We're not here to showboat."> <<"Copy.">>
At the call to go, the Gozanti tilts and releases the armor to move at a run or at full repulsor thrust. Dust kicking up in their wake and adding to that already being churned into the air by the Gozanti transport that had brought them this far.
Long rang point fire from the Great Beast spatters against the light cruisers shields, answered by the multitude of turret batteries on the heavy craft now beginning to back off and from the bottom of the octo-walker several vehicles descend on repulsors or drop cables to begin moving on an intercept course. Mounted cannons charging and repeater blasters starting to spool up - transport beds loaded with warriors looking to make things personal as well.
Scattered point fire from the walker is sent the attackers way, though angles are poor for the speed they're travelling.
As soon as the clamp holding them to the cruiser releases Jallo's bracing for the thud of impact on the ground before he starts to pop up targets for folks, <"Targets will be highlighting now. Prioritizing anything with guns big enough to hurt us and anything that isn't in our way just for situational awareness.">
Sumi braces for impact as the feeling of brief weightlessness takes hold. A mouth guard is used briefly to keep her from inadvertently biting her tongue off when they land. With knees loose, she absorbed the impact with a wide gait, and lifted her helm to spit the mouthpiece out. Sub-targeting appeared thanks to the interface shared with the operators inside. <<"Good targeting, let's start with a bang.. hahaha..">>
Sumi brings the turret to life, firing at a rapid rate and proving her long-ranged marksmanship. Laser lances obliterate a carrier's prime engine output, and Sumi is heard laughing over the fire. <"HAHAHA! GET SOME! YOU BOYS ARE SLOGGING THE OLD FASHIONED WAY!! -- TIRED OF WALKING?? PISS IN YOUR BOOTS AND FLOAT!"> She doesn't sight in personnel, she's looking for other vehicles, or higher priorities as Jallo Dara called them.
Valeska offers a gentle nudge of her elbow against Colo's arm. <"You'll want that helmet on. Trust me."> She still has phantom pains from when she was in the gunner's seat and they took in heavy fire. Needlesstosay, the helmet never comes off now. There's too many sharp edges in this cramped space.
Dropdown is quiet literally that. The AT-ST is released and both armored feet hit the ground with a thunderous shake throughout the vehicle. <<"Got visual on their science project, yeah? How many legs do you think we gotta take out before it topples?">> An experiment she's more than willing to take part in. Just need to clear the field of the new troubles now being unleashed. <<"Company. Always company.">>
Reaching above her head, she flicks on her targetting and finds a nice, meaty gun truck heading their way. <"Cannons could be a problem. Let's say hello."> A double blast from the AT-ST's fixed turrets are swiftly yet narrowly swerved around, specking the Mandalorian soil with explosions of dirt. She curses under her breath. In Mon Cal today.
There is a little smile that plays behind her visor. She nods her head and speaks back to Hadrix while her eyes are in front of her. <"I can barely drive. I am not going to showboat."> She presses a few buttons and takes a deep breath. She pushes the repulsors a head full speed and shoots out of the Gozanti. She's trying her best to watch the readouts and what's in front of them.
She pushes them forward quickly. It takes all the willpower in her body to not drive around to cause damage. She knows where they need to go and she takes off as fast as the tank will go straight there. She grumbles quietly to Hadrix, <"Can I at least drive over someone if they get in my way?"> She asks the Hadgun.
"Right. Helmet on!" Colo obediently chirps with a small, lingering look at Valeska's own headwear as he seals himself in. "" He complains, more to himself than the driver at his side. But as the enemies loom ahead, Colo focuses with a firm gulp and a steady flex of his digits about the controls.
<"Are cannons ever -not- a problem?"> He questions, rather rhetorically, just as the gun trucks hover into range. Val tries her best with the cannon, so Colo thinks quickly to spread the heat around with explosives. A few launches pock-mark the oncoming trucks but he joins the other Mandos in blasting the wasteland soil with more than he'd intended. "<Adjusting aim,"> He comments in update. <"Second burst, same as the first.">
And here they go! The drop - that's actually a fun part, that moment of weightlessness! It heaves Hahtavi's stomach up but he's strapped into his pilot's seat and stays relaxed for the impact, boots maglocked and gauntlets gripping until they are down, then he releases his maglocks.
Hands on the controls, Hahtavi starts them moving as soon as they are down. Sumi's already firing and the AT-ST's canons send out their red bolts. <<"Great shot, Sumi! Direct me at anything you want us lined up for a shot at.">> Otherwise he's pushing them towards their objective ahead and opens up with the chin guns to fire at the other transport that Sumi didn't yet blow! Haht's shots race away and start chewing up the other vehicle though he almost misses it!
Lucky for him, the other driver turns right into his brief spat of fire!
The sensation of the drop is always one that never quite gets old. Gravity still works, as Terek feels that tug as the AT-AR drops, landing with a heavy thump and settling for a moment, <"All systems online. Moving into position.">
The Raider moves forward, stomping onward, immediately locking onto a gun truck that is starting to bring weapons to bear on the pack. He squeezes the trigger on the controls, the single laser on the chin lancing out a shot that strikes the truck's weapon down the barrel, disabling it immediately.
A shot rings out in response to Terek's shot, as he turns the controls and steps the whole mech to the side, turning to bear that laser gun on the buggy that just shot at him.
<"If there's infantry in the way, they're in the way. Just don't swing us off course and leave the others exposed."> Turret seat swiveling, rocking him back with a targeting viewer pressed to his visor, Hadrix opens up with the blaster cannon. Hurling plasma down range at one of the harrier vehicles headed for them, peeling off armor and forcing the vehicle to swerve and miss its shots when the quad-barrel repeater begins spinning and spraying.
From the disabled carrier trucks, Mandalorians with jetpacks begin to lift off - one half dozen lagging behind the others with their carriers engine gone. Taking flight and drawing weapons with intent to close distance and attempt to 'board' the Mand'Alor's warriors... albeit at disadvantage with the distance being further than originally intended.
The Great Beast itself begins to shift heading, trying to turn its broadside at the oncoming vehicles, pintle mounted side cannons trying to rotate for a proper shot.
<<"Watch those airborne or we'll be in a situation.">>
<"MARKING TARGET,"> Sumi calls back down below, where she had heard Hahtavi mention calling targets. The uplink achieved by the feline ear antennae on her helmet allowed the operators inside to 'pick up what she was putting down.' The target also aligned with what Jallo Dara was marking! Aligning the turret to open fire, Sumi took just a moment for some Tatooine windage, then initiated the discharge, releasing a controlled burst to obliterate the other gun truck's means of offense. It's more than obvious it's taken out of commission.
<<"Got some people in the air. If they become a problem, I'm going to disembark and go head hunting.">>
It turns out -- you'll be surprised to learn -- that people don't really like it when you fire at them. Repeatedly. Even when you miss. Who'd have thought? Joke's on them. They got de-gunned by some of her kin and all's well.
Their AT-ST takes some hits, rattling the entire machine but the damage is minimal if not fully reduced to nill. Valeska's eyes flick to the schematics that are scrolling inside her helmet, hrming to herself. Stomp stomp stomp goes the walker as they make their way across the field of battle towards the mishmashed spider creation.
A buggy takes a single, solid hit and veers to the right; effectively avoiding the other cannon shot but not without leaving a plume of smoke in their wake.
Jallo continues working the sensors adjusting targets as they become lesser threats and then he gets irritated at the flies in the air and puts locks on them, <"Adjusting targets. Getting sensors locked onto those pesky infantry and setting up firing solutions to assist with aiming. Bring 'em down.">
Colo doesn't need much more direction than following along with Valeska's aim. His stomach's roiling at the decidedly unpleasant rocking to either side. From one angle, it's the mere rattle of the AT-ST. On the other side are the incoming shots that he just has to hope the walker's armor can handle. <"Adjusting fire,"> He offers with only a mild uptick of emotion as he swivels the guns around.
The Corellian spies the second target that Valeska paints with the AT-ST's hardware. His adjustment doesn't take terribly-longer. Fleet with his hands, if not necessarily with his voice, he reorients the cannon into position and pauses just a moment longer for the firing computer to fetch a solution before triggering again. It doesn't work out quite so well even so, though the rattle of the cannon -is- at least impressive. He growls at something, betraying some glint of emotion before muttering. <"Did we calibrate these things before leaving?">
The mini-mando lets the repulsors take off and she gracefully lets the tank fly through the air. A little button is pressed and the tiny woman leans forward and speaks into the PA to the outside. Her metallic voice rings out loudly, <"Beep beep, Shabuir."> She doesn't help the tank fly too gracefully but when it lands, mannn was that smooth like dark chocolate. An evil little hehe escapes the woman.
Hahtavi listens for input from Jallo and Sumi on targets they need him to bring the AT-ST around to fire at but most of his own attention is engaged on keeping moving, evading fire as much as he can, and getting off a few shots of his own in between. <<"Targeting incoming jetpacks.">>
The chin guns suddenly get tilted upwards, the entire 'head' of the walker briefly tilting slightly back as the pilot brings is targetting recticle into line on the Mandalorians trying to reach their AT-ST. Hahtavi a few bursts at them, hitting two in the lead. Then the craft settles and resumes moving forward, doging around obsticles as they advance.
It's a lot to be tracking. Vehicles blowing up, the sound of many cannons and small arms firing, the rev of engines, smoke rising up into the sky from scuttled hits. The AT-ST walker sways with it's movement, sometimes pausing and turning to aid Sumi to take her own shots on Jallo's target locks. Haht keeps tabs on the other assault walkers as the distance closes... <<"Roger, roger.">> That to Sumi and Jallo. Incoming fire causes him to jink the walker suddenly, jostling them in their seats - but they manage to evade and keep moving! Then they all hear the thumps of boarders hitting the walker's side.
That buggy that fired on Terek got the attention from the cathar, who turned his attention back towards it. He locked on with his laser cannon on the chin of the walker and fires, sending out a shot direct into the buggy. He sees the guys with jetpacks, but he can't get a good shot on them with the only gun this thing has. It's more armored than a standard AT-ST, but it gives up weapons like concussion launchers.
So instead Terek looks the buggies that still have guns, trying to find more targets that are still posing a threat and fire into them. Not letting any of them get away.
The heavy clatter of armored forms landing and attaching maglock grapples to the hull of the AT-ST containing Jallo, Hahtavi and Sumi is added to the sounds of cannon fire outside and the thunderous steps of The Great Beast continuing it's heavy lumber. The very ground shaking with each impact, fissures in the Bloodfields shifting and lava bursting to the surface from the pressure.
Rocking in his seat with the impacts against the tank, Hadrix's expression is thunderous, "Oh you didn't shoot that wasteland trash at me..." swinging around and raking fire that threatens past the sturdy plates of the harrier buggy, but not quite disabling or destroying the vehicle that is peppering fire from its rotary cannon.
The Gozanti cruiser continues to circle, keeping its distance from the walker, watching for potential pick-up needs and teasing the mobile fortress with its presence.
Vibro-blades scrape and spark against the hull of the AT-ST, trying to find purchase, to start sawing through, and one of the fortresses main guns suddenly lets loose with a blast that goes wide of the Kyr'am Ra Kote, a repurposed turbolaser that turns the dusky air to blazing viridian.
Boarders clang against the exterior of their ride, and Sumi is already undoing the safety straps to breach the top and climb out. <"We have people on board, gonna take care of this. I'll catch up, gents."> The hatch closed behind her.
Outside, the general motion of movement lifted her cape back, revealing that the elder soldier was unhooking a baton that suddenly extended with a loud snap. Spinning the weapon to generate an electric pulse, she activated her jetpack and moved around their ride. Hahtavi and Jallo may be aware that she was hard at work when her first victim created a small, cratered dent against the armor plating. What wasn't transformed into an organic mural on the exterior hull plopped down below in the sand.
Two others were removed from the vehicle and made to plummet, Sumi was certain to smash their rocketpacks so there would not be another visit by the same.. uhh.. suitors.
The walker dances around the incoming fire with unexpected quickness. Unexpected because the woman in the driver's seat is not battle-tested. So this is a first for everyone on board. Valeska manages to maneuver them so that they don't get blown away. <"Calibrate?"> That's one of those big words Colo likes to throw around to knock Val off her guard when they're having an argument. It just so happens she knows that that one means. <"Yeah, they're calibrated. Damn targets won't stop moving out of the way, though!">
So it is prophesized, so it shall be. Another volley of fire isn't even narrowly avoided. Valeska completely misses the mark; her buggie target having gotten quite wise to her genius tactics of aiming but not quite smart enough to shoot /ahead/ of her target instead of where they currently are. <"Gotta be some kind of mind reader to hit those damn things, but we need to make a path so we can take on the arachnamech."> Colo isn't the only one that knows big words!
The driving starts up again but first one hit, then a second. Nix starts to go over her readouts as another hits her. She nods her head slowly and grumbles. <<"Minor hull damage.">> She reports back to Hadrix. <<"We are good for now.">> She flicks a few things and spins around to move quickly towards thee goal. She lifts her eyes up and her eyes narrow a little as those buggies come into sight.
A quick little flick and she goes towards them rather quickly. She engages thrusts and heads towards them. She growls under her helm as she thinks she hears something. She checks the read outs and frowns. <<"Missed...">> She grumbles quietly.
Jallo's helmet looks upwards for a moment as he hears the infantry alight upon the walker and as Sumi moves to handle that he releases the clasp on his blaster but goes back to the computer focusing on getting Haht the best firing solutions possible... <"Got some coming in for ramming. I'm putting the lock on the biggest of the threats."
<"Cal-i-brate!"> Colo repeats, enunciating each syllable with progressively more annoyance as the walker vibrates around him. Valeska's dancing-driving has him shifting in the seat-straps and making him wish he'd eaten a lighter meal prior to this, but he keeps it together long enough to get his bead on another of the buggies. His exasperation, on the other hand, isn't held back at all.
<"It's just math! You have to lead them. If the guns are calibrated, then--!" His fingers have long-since depressed the cannon he's responsible for open up again, this time at one of the buggie swarm that insist on trying to tangle them up. The resulting shower of sparks, blaster-fire, and explosions have him whooping briefly and pointing out the view-ports at his co-pilot. <"Then you hit every time!"> Math. That easy.
And there goes SUMI! Up, up and away through the hatch like a hummingbird going to crack some skullz! And she does! Hahtavi can't see what she's doing out there but he can hear the sounds of it and it makes him bare his teeth ferally behind his helmet's T-visor. <"I love it when she does that."> Must be sexy.
<"Wilco, Jallo. See if I can hit it."> And keep driving and dodging incoming fire at the same time. Not quite as easy as flying a ship in combat for this pilot. The whole walker adjusts position slightly as it keeps moving forward. Hahtavi lines up the shot and fires off the concussion grenade .... it punts through the air but it's a miss.
<"We really need to do this more often."> Is he enjoying himself? Why yes, yes he is.
Terek's walker continues to stomp around, he's trying to keep an eye out for those guys with the jetpacks. Last thing he needs is someone trying to board him. Since none seem to be coming his way, he turn's the turret around and locks onto the buggy that appears to be trailing smoke.
Leading his shot a little bit more than before, he fires again, the laser shot lancing into the engine block, causing the buggy to stall out for a moment, before it detonates, shrapnel flying in multiple directions.
It does not appear as if the driver was able to bail out in time.
The colossus of The Great Beast is so close that details can be made out in the plating, the paint, the chains that hang from the sides above the hip actuators of the walkers. Garlands hung with the skeletons of foes hung there too rot on display for would be enemies to Warlord Tsook.
<<"We're in position. Abandon vehicles and make for the underside. No time to clean up these ground defenses">> Hadrix's growl through comms, looking down at Nix inside the tank and holding out a hand, and disengaging his seat harness with the push of a button after their tank stops rocking from the fire from one of the harrier buggies. Should she need a ride out and up towards their target.
The remaining airborne boarding crew landing, two on the tank an two on Valeska's walker even as Hadrix alerts all to the situation at hand. Hacking away with vibro weapons, attempting to get inside to the pilots and gunners.
One of the legs of Tsook's fortress sweeps past the 'nose' of Hahtavi's AT-ST, close enough to make the entire vehicle lean precariously from the drag behind it. The belly exposed to those below.
Nix slides the tank to a stop and looks behind her. She reaches her hand up and grabs Hadrix's hand and then grabs her gun from beside her. She is still learning her rocketeering but she glances at him. <<"Let me try and if my pack pulls a stupid, grab me.">> The stubborn woman feels a blast hit the tank. She quickly gets out of the tank.
There is a little growls and she takes a few short steps before bending her knees and just leaping up. She leaps up into the air and her pack helps the mini-mando take flight. She smiles happily since really this is the first time in combat her jetpack hasn't failed her. She'd be hollering a war cry but her eyes turn to Valeska and Colo.
Sumi is still outside the vessel containing her companions, Hahtavi and Jallo Dara. She passes briefly in front of the viewport when one of the Mando'ade boarding appear in the view port. The hit she smashes against their head kills them instantly, and the tumble off the edge of the ride.
Sumi swings at another, missing, but her jetpack allows for an aerial adjustment, and she smashes them off the edge with another loud CLANG.
Looking up, she sees the path they need to take, but she waits to ensure all helmets make the climb before following. No one gets left behind, it was their creed.
The Mandalorian helmet is notoriously expressionless. Its visor reflective and masking the full identity of the fighter looming within. Who's to say how they are feeling. What they are capable of. As stone cold as the permafrost of Hoth.
Unless one knew the Mandalorian in question. Knew their body language. Their tells. That sloooooow turn of her helmet in Colo's direction as he picks now of all times to lecture her about math. And numbers. And probability. And statistics. <"I'll be sure to remember that the next time I'm staring down the barrel of a blaster, yeah? I bet they will appreciate a lesson on calculating trajectory and the velocity of super-heated ions."> Deadpan. The most dangerous of Valeska's settings.
It is a battle of brains and brawn within one walker's cockpit and surprisingly, they still manage to blow up one of the buggies while not getting blown up themselves. <"Good rekkin' shot, Colo, but don't distract me with numbers!">
BANG! A truck runs right into the chicken legs of their carriage causing it to pitch hard to the opposite side. Sparks are flying, the inside reeks of burning wires. And then the order comes down the pipeline. <<"Copy that. Disengaging.">> She is already unfastening herself and kicking the release that sends the cockpit door flying off. An arm tuck around Colo's waist and she gives him a solid three seconds to prepare himself. <"One. Two.">
No three. She jumps out of the walker as the invaders fire against their retreat. But in the chaos of abandoning an near-toppling walker, Valeska's jetpack sputters a bit... then fails to ignite. Rather than flying, they're falling.
Jallo pats the sensor console, "It's been fun" And then he unhooks himself from the harness and checks to make sure the JT-12 is properly secured to his back before he climbs up out of the AT-ST and fires up the jetpack glancing once towards the walker he just vacated before his attention goes back to the flight ahead focusing on the next objective.
Still elated by his direct hit on one of the buggies, Colo is a bit thicker-helmeted than most. Valeska's admonition-via-deadpan and filtered through the vocoder doesn't quite sink in. He's not quite looking at her, so fails to catch the irritation as he orients the cannon a different direction. <"Val, the math on point-blanks is way simpler than--Nh!"> He chirps, protesting in his own, inimitable way as the buggie collides and jars his ride so much he bites into his cheek.
The taste of copper floods his senses faster than the inbound comms, but he gets the hint. Valeska's grip ensures he's not going to miss the ride. One arm slings about her waist and he rotates, facing her again for the first time in what seems like hours. His own helmet conceals what is surely a question or two, but at least he agrees. <"On three.">
It's only the helmet that prevents him from exhibiting a look of shocked betrayal as she jolts them into action on -two- instead of the agreed-upon number. Terrible math, that. He'll have to give her a lesson later. But Colo's quick wits on more than just mathmatical wizardy end up modestly useful.
Through his helmet's diminutive HUD, he peeks down and flails with his spare hand at the problem: the abrupt exit from the cockpit's plainly thrown one of the safety catches on his partner's jetpack. A simple fix, really. Just a reach of his gloved hand and...
Click. Whoosh. The full power of the rockets sends his guts churning and his voice whining. <"Iiiiiii haaaaaaaaate thiiiiiiiiis!">
Oh this is a dumb idea. Which means it'll probably work. Dumb ideas always seem to work well. Terek unhooks his straps from his harness and hops up, opening the hatch and firing his jetpack, launching himself out of the cockpit and towards the rest of the group.
Time for the hard part.
Up and out, watching the others go but waiting for the others to be sighted going up, Val and Colo's momentary equipment failure making him leap onto the tank, left arm swinging around casually to put a wrist mounted plasma bolt into the neck of a marauding warrior and watching them take off.
Jallo, Hahtavi, Terek.
<<"Al'Verde, rear guard. All out, Sumi'Alor.">> his jets engaging and casting Hadrix into the air on wings of fire, cape blowing out behind him and wrist blaster retracting en route. Rising up to chase after his fellows.
Down below the speeders and warriors begin looking upwards, jetpacks growling and preparing to fire to chase after the invaders, calling out angrily in their lagging pursuit. Watching the strike team ger to the underbelly of The Great Beast and to their chance to get to Warlord Tsook and bring this part of the war to a close.
