Brotherhood of the Machine (IC Thread) [PG/14] {03}

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Nothing seemed wrong with any of their departure vehicles, and standing out in the open where more Brotherhood forces could intercept them seemed to be a poor choice. Still, those diggers would be done when they were done. Fetrethar didn't quite keep his weapons out, but he scanned the horizon for any approaching forces.

[Lisky]

Once down from the rock face, Darkshine collected what gear he could find, then loaded himself into his own vehicle.  He waited at the rear-hatch on the air-cushioned vehicle, waving both soldiers and scientists inside.  "Let's get moving, get your gear stowed, grab a seat, and lets move!"

He opened a locker, securing his own gear inside, he kept the carbine clipped to his harness.  While he was fairly sure he could hold his own, he didn't want to take the risk of someone else thinking they were in charge while in his vehicle. Particularly a scientist.

[Azlan]

Morgan retreived the box of grenades where Dorcan had indicated he had left them.  He performed a quick once over of the location and silently wished he had a demolitions team to collapse the entrance at least.

Padding over to "his" vehicle, the one he drove here in, he called out loud, "everyone stow their gear, keep weapons close and mount up.  We need to be out of hear an hour ago."

He hit the seat of the van started it up and glared at their charges to make sure they all buckled up.  When everyone was ready he lead the pack out and back towards their destination.

[Ryudo Lee]

Everyone settled in for the long drive back to Rebellion HQ.  The archeologists settled down, getting over the attack.  Most of them mention that they had never been on such a dangerous rig before... but they'd do it again!  How exciting!  Thankfully, there would be no more excitement today, as there was no pursuit.

Dr. Woodworth still clutched onto the box he was carrying.  He looks over at Jexx as soon as they get moving.
"To answer your question, what I have in this box could be an incredible link to our past.  Inside of this box is a crystal, it glows but gives off no heat or radiation.  I believe that our ancient ancestors created them for reasons I have yet to decipher.  But it is a certain thing that these crystals were created prior to the great magical devestation." He says.

[Inumo]

As the vans went along, a figure became visible going towards the dig site. As they approached, the figure started waving his arms trying to flag them down. Upon closer inspection, it would be found that the figure was a man, around college age, with a rather messy head of brown hair. Wearing a gray t-shirt and loose-fitting pants, his arms, face, and neck were tanned to a light brown, while on his back was a faded backpack, obviously carrying some items, but not so many as to appear stuffed. "Hey!" He shouted when the vans got close. "You guys coming from the dig in the mountains?"

[Tapewolf]

At the shout, Dorcan arose from his dozing and snapped to attention... someone was trying to flag down the vehicles!
Listening intently, his ears raised slightly as they mentioned the dig.
"He knows too much," he muttered, "We'll have to kill him."

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Although enclosed in Darkshine's vehicle, and not having a view to the outside, some odd working of these people's vehicles allowed for chatter between different members of the convoy. It was..... Dorcan, he thought, the dog-man. No proper introduction with any of them, hard to keep faces and voices straight. Still, killing was permanent, and Fetrethar was always a curious one.

"We shouldn't kill him, at least not immediately. I thought this dig itself was supposed to be secret. We should probably interrogate him first, before giving him the knife. This whole operation has seemed way too easy to me, and I don't like being in the dark."

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan blinked and his ears drooped.  Is he being serious?

[Lisky]

Darkshine flicked the control toggle, "Ranger, circle the bogey... do not identify as bandit, yet.  I'm going out for a closer look.  20KPH should be slow enough."

He held the carbine's grip in one hand, thumb resting on the safety.  "If you don't have military experience, Stay in your seat.  If you're going to back me up, stay on the skirt."

Clicking his comm-set, he replied, "Moving in to intercept, attempting live apprehension if possible, approaching with extreme caution unless otherwise ordered."

He flicked a locker open, grabbed several sets of zip-ties, then headed towards the hatch.  Stepping out onto the armored skirt of the air-cushioned vehicle, the feline leveled the weapon at about the area the new-comer would come into view.  If orders didn't come, Ranger would start circling this person, whoever they were, and Darkshine would be in a position to either gun him down, or step off the still moving vehicle and move in closer.

[Azlan]

Morgan considered this newcomer carefully.  Training would dictate a simple resolution, quick and permanent silence.  However, that would make him seem too much like the Brotherhood for his liking, "no I'm not like the Brotherhood, we have to be better than that.  I am no Duke Togo either."

Swallowing his tactical training, Morgan spoke into the comm, "Darkshine, do not terminate target, apprehend and restrain.  If the target resists, do not inflict any permanent damage, and make it fast.  Grab, restrain and search for locators, transmitters, or tracking devices."

[Tapewolf]

"I was just thinking aloud," Dorcan protested.  "I wouldn't seriously suggest murdering hikers on principle.  If we kill too many innocents by mistake - or as a precaution - that's going to have a negative impact on our organisation from a public-relations point.  People aren't exactly going to welcome us as liberators if we leave a trail of dead citizens in our wake.

"That said, I would very much like to know just how much he knows, and how he came to know it.  There may be a perfectly simple explanation for it."

Dorcan looked out at the hiker - not for the first time, he regretting being unable to read thoughts.

[Lisky]

Clicking his comm-set, Darkshine replied: "Apprehending now, will proceed with caution... over and out."

He braced himself on the outer hull as the vehicle pitched upward slightly burning off a good deal of it's forward velocity.  As the front started to tilt down, Darkshine stepped off the craft with a hop.  He landed on 2 feet, letting his armor's strength enhancements take the majority of the force as he moved in.  The carbine's muzzle had moved from being leveled at chest level, to something more around the guts. 

His masked appearance, all-black armor, and assault weapon were all very visible, Darkshine's movements were meant to be intimidating.  He overdid the graceful movements, flowing with each step he took.  He barked at the excitable fellow, "Hands behind your head, and no sudden moves.  This is for your own protection as well as ours!"

[Inumo]

"Holy crap!" Sean shouted, flinching as the armored feline approached. Slowly putting his hands behind his head, he mumbled under his breath, "Who'd've thought that tip I got from the crazy hobo would be this sensitive?" He covered the small port at the base of his skull, just in case the people that were apprehending him decided to design a virus to upload into his brain... He shuddered at the thought of never being able to stop thinking about something horrific enough to be deemed virus-worthy. "So... Anything else you need me to do?" Even though he hadn't managed to complete high school thanks to his own research into some apparently rather sensitive matters, his mother had always told him to be nice, helpful, and appreciative of people with guns telling you to do things. Except when the people with guns want you dead for no solid reason, Sean mentally appended to the teaching.

[Lisky]

Darkshine approached slowly, cautiously.  He walked carefully around the new-comer.  He watched him carefully, while slipping the zip-ties out of a pouch.  "Look, just remain calm, and i'm sure we'll get this sorted out quickly... but... if my line of work has taught me anything, its' that you can never be too careful around the unexpected."

He hoped the man would cooperate as he made his move to pull his arms down, and tie them behind his  back with the pieces of plastic.

[Inumo]

Sean let out a bark of laughter at the dark cat's comment. "No kidding... I've had to deal with that considering my own relations with certain parties." Namely, the Brotherhood, Sean thought silently.

Then, the feline started pulling his arms towards his lower back.

Aw, crud, Sean thought as his hands were pulled away from covering the port at the base of the skull. Please don't upload a virus into my head, please don't upload a virus into my head, please don't upload a virus into my head! He started preparing to send a blast of magic into the armored feline if he felt it even get too close to the shiny metal socket.

[Lisky]

As the prisoner cooperated, Darkshine very gingerly started patting down the individual, running a quick scan over his body, sniffing for explosives, or anything that could possibly be weaponized.  He clicked his comm-piece "Bogey detained... does not appear to be hostile, however, extreme caution should be exercised."

He lowered his voice a bit hoping to keep the new-comer from hearing.  "Suggest we move all scientists to other vehicles, and detain this one with military personnel only.  Awaiting further orders."

[Tapewolf]

"If he was trying to hitch a ride, he's just got one," Dorcan said, and grinned toothily.  "Probably more than he bargained for, though.
"Darkshine, your plan sounds sensible, though it does remind me of my first encounter with the Brotherhood.  Ah well, I suppose it is better to beg forgiveness if he is harmless than to regret it later if he's some kind of agent."

[Azlan]

Morgan was in agreement, "Aye, I think that is a good idea.  All vehicles pull over and let's switch out quickly now.  Have all team members relocate to the vehicle Darkshine is in, we can have the dig personnel take over the secondary vehicle and follow us."

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx had seemed to latch on to every word Dr. Woodsworth was saying about his find...but it seemed even Jexx could crash. Before Dr. Woodsworth was done, Jexx's head was rolled back, and he was snoring lightly.
   He slept through the entire stop due to the hitchhiker, even with the comms in his ear, and was even still asleep.

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Fetrethar, hearing the chatter from the backwash in Darkshine's vehicle, chimed in, "We should probably have someone shepherding the diggers though, inside the vehicle, that is. I am not certain I would want to leave them on their own like that." Or out of our sight, for that matter.

[Tapewolf]

"If it helps, I'd be happy to go with the dig team," Dorcan offered.  I'd rather like to know more about what we've rescued from the dig, he added mentally.

[Ryudo Lee]

When Jexx fell asleep, Dr. Woodworth stopped talking and shook his head.
"You did it again doctor." Ms. Clay remarked.
"I am well aware of that." Dr. Woodworth retorted firmly.  "Are we to be moved?" He asked aloud.

[Azlan]

Morgan spoke into the comm, "Okay, Dorcan.  Make it so.  Everyone else, let us consolidate and Darkshine, let us see your interrogations skills."

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan switched over to the vehicle holding the dig team.  "No need for alarm," he told them.  "Someone hailed us down and they know a little bit too much for comfort.  The others are going to question him and figure out if he's friend or foe.

"So, professor... what exactly is this thing that you've unearthed?  Why is it so special?"

[Ryudo Lee]

Dr. Woodworth looked up and smiled.  Perhaps this one would listen without falling asleep!
"Ah, what I have here is a crystalline structure of pre-apocalypse origin.  Our precursors created these objects, of that I am certain.  But for what purpose, I have yet to discern.  I believe they may be an energy source, perhaps even the source of all magic.  I wrote a paper on the subject, which is why I suppose the Brotherhood has suddenly taken an interest in my work.  The writings we found with the crystals indicates that there are several of them, and that they need to be brought together at a specific location, but that location is as of yet unknown." He says.  "I do not know what will happen when they're all brought together.  They don't seem to react to each other, and they don't react to any of my instruments back at the laboratory."
He then continues on, jabbering about the other artifacts that they had found in the ruins, mostly jars, writings, paintings, everything that you'd expect to find in such ruins.  None of it would seem to be particularly interesting to anyone else except the archaeologists.  The good doctor would continue in this fashion until interrupted with a question.

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan did not fall asleep, having a somewhat unusual attention span as a result of his condition.  Not all of what was said was of interest to him, but he made a note to look up the good doctor's publications when he got back to base.
One thing in particular made his ears prick up:   "You have some of these crystals already...?" Dorcan asked.  "How many?  And do you know how many there are in total?"

At this point Dorcan became almost eager with suggestions.  "Have you tried laser diffraction?  Different wavelengths?   X-ray?  How much do they weigh, and does it change if they're turned upside-down, or brought closer together?"

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Fetrethar was getting better with their names, The overfriendly dog-man was Dorcan, no surname given as yet. Good choice to watch the diggers, he'd probably not frighten them overmuch.

Still, they were only of a secondary concern. This whole mission had left a pit in his stomach. These...... brothers seemed to have near unlimited resources to draw upon. People didn't strike from hidden culverts out of choice, and defending a site that to him seemed uncloaked from watchers..... Their foes should have been able to bring to bear enough force to make any defense unfeasible, or at the very least ring them with lead and iron, make it almost impossible to escape with the trophies.

He didn't mind having his hide intact, but it was troubling.

Creeping up in the vehicle, and addressing the driver..... Darkshine, that was his name, he started without preamble. "You are more familiar with what can and cannot be done with machines than I.  Is it possible one of the digboys has some sort of device that would tell the Brotherhood where we are? It seemed far, far too easy to get away from that mountain, and I suspect some sort of trick, but I have no eyes to see what sort of form it might take.

[Lisky]

Keeping his tone cold, and level, Darkshine turned his attention back to his prisoner.  "How did you discover the location of this place?  Why did you come here?  How did you get here?  What are your intentions?"

He circled around while waiting for the transfer of scientists, and for ranger to drive the vehicle up to him.  He shifted over and sent over the comms channel, "Prisoner detained, awaiting confirmation of VIP exchange, then bringing him in.  Going open channel to allow everything his says to be heard and analyzed."

The black-clad feline turned his attention back to his prisoner, awaiting contact from the team.

[Azlan]

Morgan was far from being so particular to worry about timing, but there was a bit of a limited window.  The Brotherhood underestimated the assistance the scientists could request, but such mistakes only happen once during this type of operation.  Any relief that will be inbound, shall be significant.

The agent made special note to check all available spectrums for errant transmissions, leakage, or downright enemy transmissions to or from any vehicle in their convoy.

"Alright let us get moving.  I would prefer to get back to the relative safety of base before we delve too deep into everything."

[Inumo]

Sean, standing still as he could while the humanoid cat circled him, flinched slightly as the questions were fired off at him. Can't say anything about how I stand with the Brotherhood, don't want to give myself away... How to respond, though? His few seconds to start answering were running out. "I walked here," he replied first, just to get something out. "Took me a few days to find the road, but I followed it after that." He paused as he decided on how to answer the rest of the questions, covering it with a hard swallow. "Some hobo I met a while ago was raving about some horror over this way. I'm a bit too curious for my own good, y'see, so I figured I'd come over to check it out." When the feline kept circling, he continued, "Honest! I just wanted to see if there actually was something here that would be interesting. S'not like I have a job to work or home to--" Sean bit off the end of the sentence, expecting it to be a pointless effort. Whelp, I'm screwed.