In Character

[Acromos]

Alright. The stage is set.

Inside the warehouse, Commagene has found a small office. She's also found some useful supplies. Outside, Maeve is sheltered behind the hulk of an old, burned out APC - it seems some law enforcement action long ago ended poorly in this place.

And off-screen somewhere, Zeke is doing Mechanicus stuff, talking to machines and similar mumbo-jumbo.

[Svartalf]

Maeve stay in the burned out APC, her steelburner at the ready, her special senses ready to be called up, and waits for Commagene to come out and board the exit vehicle before she breaks cover.

[solyrflair]

 

Commagene

Company Scribe

Pirates. They were the constant threat to her orbital when she grew up. Even in a research center there was this constant threat that some free-ranging pirate would decide to raid the facility. Now, she was seeing how they lived and it wasn't pretty. Perhaps these were some of the ones that were just starting, and it was now a chance for Commagene to ensure they didn't get better. 

She scooped up the grenades before looking for a way to unlock the safe so that she could plant the evidence. And if the safe wasn't something she could open, then she looked for another location that would allow her to stash the evidence and then leave.

"There are a few grenades in here. Should they take action, just call out so I can arm them," she said to Maeve.

Edited November 24, 2023 by solyrflair (see edit history)

[Svartalf]

Maeve thought of the numerical superiority of the pirates, and the fact it took only one lucky shot to kill somebody... so she answered rather thoughtfully for her usual in-your-face style.

 

What you do with them grenades is your business, but I'd rather them outlaws did not know anything was off until after we're gone...

Edited November 26, 2023 by Svartalf (see edit history)

[Acromos]

For his part, off elsewhere, Zeke moves into position. He finds a nice little nook with a clear line of fire in the right direction, but with solid cover - a nice plascrete wall denying sight to most of the bandits.

He lines up his lasgun, but keeps a grenade handy beside it, ready to throw. Then, by simply mental command, he switches on his Auspex, which immediately picks up some commercial vox signal, currently broadcasting a lively polka tune that's been gaining popularity with the lederhosen crowd. Zeke, not really inclined to pay attention to the pop culture of the masses, flinches as if in pain, and adjusts the auspex to it's intended purpose: Eavesdropping on the bandits. He picks up a conversation, which he relays over com bead to the rest of the group:

 

++ TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS, pirate gangers, grid location 22.234.12x67.14.112, 14:36 Z-time ++

[Ganger 1, authoritative] Alright, listen up! These Administratum guys have seen our operation, so we can't really let them walk out of here and talk about it. I want Gery, Andrezj, Bor and Lukan here, in the center, ready to gun down anyone who shows their face. Loryn and Bedra, you have lighter weapons, but I want you to each grab a grenade, move to either side, and be ready to toss it into any cover they find. The rest move around with me, and we'll close to melee while the guys keep them suppressed. Andrezj, hand over the grenades.

++ EMBARASSED SILENCE ++

[Ganger 2, apologetic] Boss, I'm not sure we have the grenades with us. I thought Bor was bringing them.

[Ganger 3, angry] What? No, Andrezj, you were to bring the grenades! I brought the stims.

++ ALL SHOUTING ++

Edited November 29, 2023 by Acromos (see edit history)

[Svartalf]

After a time to swallow how stupid those guys are, ready to kill administratum folk that have no interest in their operation and whose disappearance might bring unwanted attention... it's time to coordinate action.

 

OK, I like those morons, Zeke, where are you and what's your intent? Commagene, what did you want to do with those grenades? at any rate, be careful when you emerge... Should I open fire right now?

[Acromos]

Zeke returns over the com bead:

 

++ I am in position on your left flank, in good cover and able to pick off anyone moving to flank ++

 

Maeve can turn her head, and while she cannot see Zeke, she can easily spot where he must be: There's a concrete shell that may have been a public transportation stop back when such things visited this place. It has a little slot in the side that offers a near-perfect firing position - almost impossible to spot of return fire on.

[solyrflair]

 

Commagene

Company Scribe

Comagene was in a debate with herself. Pirates were horrible people and should just be eliminated as a threat. This could mean that she would rig the front door with the hand grenades and then lure them in, killing them in the process. No problem.

But as a member of the Administratum, she knew that things could go wrong. Maybe they wouldn't go through the front door and when the officials came to investigate, they would trigger the grenades and she would be responsible for killing her own. Or any number of other problems.

And all that was based off stories she had read. She had never rigged explosives to a door. She had never even toss a hand grenade, nor ever expected that to be something she would ever consider doing. She was an adept, a scribe perhaps, someone used to document the actions of others, certainly not taking actions of her own.

"If they start moving, let me know so I can get some cover. I just need to ditch this evidence where it won't be immediately visible," she said to Maeve. She tried the safe seeing if it was perhaps open enough to allow her to shove the package into it. And if that wasn't useful, she was smart enough and a trained valet, she could find a place where people wouldn't look immediately.

She opened the window to allow air into the room, but also to draw the attention of the pirates. She had already packed up the supplies from the office, some it might prove useful, such as the adhesive compound. She attached two grenades to the steam pipes, one above, and the other below the valve and activated the devices, letting them tick down.

"I'm coming out. Ignore the bangs from inside," she announced to her friends as she scampered quickly to the side exit and out of the building. It was possible that some of the pirates were coming to flank on the left, but if any engaged her there, she hoped Zeke could clear her path. And if not, she still had one more grenade in hand.

[Svartalf]

Seeing what the situation is, Maeve decides it's time to attack Choosing a place where she sees gun barrels sticking out the facing ruin, she activates her mind sense to aim more precisely, then fires her steel burner.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Svartalf
completing (see edit history)

[Svartalf]

Maeve will open the supernatural senses and shoot

[solyrflair]

 

Commagene

Company Scribe

Gunfire was probably as good of notice that things were starting up as a verbal warning that people were incoming. She was pretty certain that those grades taped to the steam pipes were only seconds away from detonating and filling the room with scalding steam. To prevent further incursions or pursuit, she activated the grenade and tossed it to the front door, expecting several of the pirates to try that entry point.

Emerging from the side exit, she drew her short sword, the antique weapon heavy in her hand. She made a quick scan of the alleyway as she emerged, not wanting to wait for the place to fill with steam and burn her skin. She moved quickly with as much grace as a subversive scribe could, trying to make her way back to her allies.

[Acromos]

A lot of things happen all at once.

From the perspective of the pirates, one group moves to flank, one group stays in the middle to provide covering fire, and one group moves forward to engage in melee.

From the perspective of the ... 'heroes', let's go with that ... Commagene rigges the rear entrance with two grenades, then moved out of the building to the opposite side. Maeve was in cover in the burnt-out hulk of a riot control vehicle, shooting at the pirates as they emerged to engage in melee, and Zeke was on the left flank, doing the same.

On the right flank, the grenades go off just as the pirates enter the building. In the center, the melee group are caught in crossfire - and to everyone's complete surprise, on the left flank a tech priest walks around a corner and right into the battle. Seeing this, Zeke is quick to send a burst of machine chatter to the newcomer, asking for aid, or at least making sure he doesn't help the wrong side.

 

++ BY THE OMNISSIAH, GREETINGS COG-BROTHER - TAKE COVER, QUICKLY, AND AID US IF THE MACHINE SPIRITS WILL IT SO ++

 

That done, Zeke opens up with his las rifle, showering the pirates in hot laser fire.

Lexent, please roll initiative - and any attacks and damage rolls you deem reasonable =)

 

-------------------------- Results --------------------------

Commagene's grenades go off, right at the most opportune moment. She doesn't stick around to see the results, but just as the rear entrance opens and the pirates charge in, the grenades go off right beside them. She tosses another one into the warehouse as a parting gift. It seems unlikely anyone remains alive in there.

Between them, Maeve and Zeke open up a crossfire of las bursts, making short work of the lead ganger and severely wounding another.

The final group of gangers open fire on Maeve, but only one of them has any appreciable succes, doing cosmetic damage to her cover. One of the others mutters in frustration as his gun jams, and he fiddles with it to make it fire once more.

Edited January 8 by Acromos (see edit history)

[Svartalf]

Having hit a pirate, Maeve admires her work for a second befor continuing

 

steelburner damage

Edited January 9 by Svartalf (see edit history)

[Mahasamatman]

By the Omnissiah's teeth, Lexent what did you get yourself into this time?

One group was talking to him, and the other was not, so the choice of who to shoot was made. For now. Lexent dove into cover, poked his lasgun out, and started blasting.

---

Lasgun shot vs BS of 37+10

Edited January 9 by Mahasamatman (see edit history)

[Acromos]

Lexent throws himself into cover, and get's to blasting. His precise aim takes down another pirate, leaving only the leader - who was the least obvious target, despite looking substantially more dangerous than his goons (he being in actual armor, and toting a chain sword).

OOC: However, why not fire a semi-auto burst for another +10. And, not sure what the +10 you included is for, but you have a red dot, no? Also, you're in short range. And while it's understandable that you didn't notice, I also wrote somewhere that the pirates are surprised (because, this is their surprise attack, but they're charging right into readied fire).