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

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Fetrethar snarled. He was out of one box and now into a smaller one. But he was sure that the inside of this vehicle had some nasty way of executing him should he cause trouble, and even if he could take down the guy up front, he was sure that his friends would come along and finish him.

Besides, I have no feud with him. He's just being cautious, and not as much as I'd be were our situations reversed.

After fumbling with the locker for a minute, he managed to get it open, and carefully put his gloves inside, and then gave the machine a sample from his finger to test against later. He turned back towards the driver, crouched, hands on the floor, and asked "So now what happens?"

[Lisky]

Darkshine smiled at the strange, little, wild man.  He cocked his head and said "well, for now, we wait for a few minutes, and get everyone settled.  If your hungry or thirsty, you can feel free to take a seat. there's food and water in the crew compartment and there's also a small restroom if you need it, but otherwise, go ahead, and make yourself comfortable and we'll be under way shortly."

The feline waited for the rest of the liberated prisoners to get on board, got everyone situated, then waited out by the ramp to see if he was transporting anyone else

[Tapewolf]

"What am I thinking?" Dorcan exclaimed, and went up to the lead medic in the prison transport.
"I don't like this," he began, "But I don't think we can avoid it.  We're going to have to move these guys out of the vehicle.  What do you have in the way of stretchers?"

[Ryudo Lee]

The medic looks up, as he remembered his supplies.  He pulls off the pack on his back and pulls out a couple of collapsible stretchers.
"I only have a few stretchers.  Someone help me with this, be careful moving them." He says.

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan unpacked the stretcher, and with the help of one of the medics, gently, carefully lifted their patient out.

"Darkshine," Dorcan called.  "Can you take someone in a stretcher?  If not, help us move him into Exo's van."

[Lisky]

Darkshine looked up to see the Doberman calling for him.  He took a brief moment to double check that the soldiers who had been waiting for the prisoners with him had things under control.  When everything seemed in order, he tightened his rifle's sling, then went to go help.  He looked over at the figure on the stretcher, and decided he'd be better off under constant medical watch.  Darkshine said " i think he'd be better off in one of the vans. judging by his condition, it'd probably be best for a medic to be with him, monitoring his condition the entire time.  Whatever you want to do though, it's your call."

[Tapewolf]

"We'll put him in Exo's van, then," Dorcan said.  "Help me with the door, please..."

[Lisky]

Opening the van door, darkshine stepped out of the to make sure they could load the van.  looking back at the brotherhood vehicle he said, " i think we should got moving, and soon, if anyone else is riding with me, great, if not, well...  things on my end are pretty much ready to move, i just need to power up, and roll out once you give the word."

[Tapewolf]

"I think we've got one more injury to move," the Doberman said.  "After that, we're good.  It's Exo's call, though."

He headed back to the transport for the other patient.

[Lisky]

Darkshine asked "uhh, quick question, what happened to the angry little fuzz ball?... ya know, with all the metal bits"

[Azlan]

Morgan found that he had been staring off into space, and shook his head to try and bring focus back to what he was doing.  He exited the Brotherhood transport and met Dorcan halfway on his walk back, "Wish I could be some help mate, but I don... do not think I should be doing heavy lifting.  Do you know if we have enough drivers?  I would really like to take a nap for the remainder of the drive back."

[Tapewolf]

"I don't know," Dorcan admitted.  "Exo suggested... using people who can drive but aren't licensed.  I'm not sure I like the idea, but if we have to do it, we have to do it.  The only alternative is that we have the spare vehicles on autopilot, each chasing a driven vehicle."

He glanced at Darkshine.  "Jexx?  He's..." he hesitated and his brow creased.  Jexx was doing something around the edge of the treeline that he couldn't quite make out.  The Doberman spoke over the comms.  "Furrae to Jexx... Furrae to Jexx... come in Jexx..."

[Lisky]

Darkshine had been following Dorcan back for the second stretcher, when he mentioned the possibility of autopilot, he figured he should add another option "well, i don't really like the idea of leaving the banshee in the hands of total strangers, but if it sticks to roads, and easy terrain, Ranger is a rather capable driver... and with Ranger in control of the banshee, i could take up the wheel of another vehicle.  That, i think, would be preferable to a convoy of unmarked vans.  Some of which are driverless... "

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx still hadn't gotten a new microcomm reciever, but Dorcan calling out his name was just enough to get his attention. Jexx's head snapped up as he started looking around. When he spotted Dorcan, he headed over.
   "We leavin' yet? There's nothin' left ta kill. Again." Surprisingly, Dorcan should notice that Jexx actually has two new burn marks, one oh his neck and one on his left upper leg. They both looked like the time when he was shot by the autoturrent in the tunnels under the city where there the mind-control scheme was going on, and Jexx had cauterized himself with his own handcannon.

[Tapewolf]

"I believe we used the autopilot feature on a previous mission," Dorcan said, having deposited his injured charge carefully in one of the vans.  "We have tinted windows and even if we didn't we don't have to leave the driver's seat empty....  Oh yeah, and I'm not suggesting we link the whole lot together... pairs of vehicles shouldn't attract quite so much attention, though."

He turned as Jexx came over.  That he was looking a little worse-for-wear wasn't entirely surprising to the Doberman.  "Ah, there you are.  What happened to your comms link?"

"Anyway... we're going to head out now, so decide which vehicle you're going to ride in.  If you're feeling adventurous, Exo is planning to use the Brotherhood's 'box' as a decoy, to distract them from the rest of the convoy."

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx scratched his head for a moment. "Uh...I threw it away when I was mad at the big bot back in that half-built Tower, remember? You were there."
   At Dorcan explaining what Exo was going to be getting up to, Jexx started grinning, his usual psychotic-happy grin. "Yeah...I think I am feelin' alittle adventurous today..."

[Lisky]

Darkshine just ignored jexx and dorcan, he used the few minutes to go check on Morgan.  Walking up to the redhead, Darkshine asked "how are you holding up? i'm ready to go whenever i get the word."

[Tapewolf]

"Right, people..." Dorcan said over the comms.  He sounded slightly irritable.  "Last call for boarding!"
"Now, I'm still down two drivers.  If I don't get any volunteers, we're going to have to do something very risky and desperate which will likely jeopardise the mission."  And I'll be taking names when/if we get back to base, he added mentally.
"Either way, staying put is not an option.  I want us out of here in three minutes.  Right, Exo?"

[Arcalane]

[Right. Heinrich, Holtz, take the wheels of the unmanned trucks.] The two soldiers grudgingly accept, and take up driving positions in the unmanned vehicles. "Keep yer shirt on, princess. we'll be away soon." mutters one of them.

Meanwhile, the 'bot squeezes into the driver's seat of the prison vehicle and revs the engine experimentally. [Am I to be transporting any as-yet unannounced personnel or passengers?] he queries over the comms.

[Tapewolf]

"I believe Jexx was interested in accompanying you," Dorcan said over the comms.  "Aside from him, we're all set I think."

He waited for Jexx to get into position.  When his internal chronometer hit three minutes from his previous announcement he clapped his hands.

"Right, ladies and gentlemen, let's hit the road!"

[Azlan]

Morgan returned to the Banshee, it was the easiest vehicle for him to ride in, as he did not feel like bouncing around in the vans.

He eyed the recently released prisoners with suspicion and headed up to the driver's area.  Depositing himself "shotgun", he sat wordlessly waiting to get moving.

[Lisky]

Darkshine strolled up and into the banshee, did a quick check as he walked through the crew compartment that everyone was seated, and doing alright.  once set, he set the carbine between the chair and then wall, then hopped into the drivers seat and powered up the engines as well as the some of the other systems.  The armored skirt filled, and a faint whir could be heard through the light plating.  The vehicle lifted slightly

Darkshine had Ranger resume the previous course that Morgan had originally planned before the detour.  Once everything was setup, much like Morgan, Darkshine figured taking a bit of a nap wouldn't be too much of an issue.  If anyone approached the cockpit, ranger would alert him, and if the external sensors picked up anything mildly hazardous, Ranger would let him know.

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx headed over to the brotherhood transport, and swung himself up into the passenger side of the cab. "So, what exactly we be doing, big bot?" Jexx enthusiastically inquired.

[Arcalane]

"A simple distraction, really. The Brotherhood will no doubt attempt to recover this vehicle, perhaps seeking to get the prisoners back. It's too late for them, but that doesn't prevent us from leading them on a wild goose chase to keep them away from our own vehicles." Exo revs the engine again, waiting for Heinrich to maneuver the 'blockade' van out of the way. "Bonus if we manage to get it back to HQ in as few pieces as possible." The engine revs again, picks up as the transport lurches slightly, then the transport starts rolling down the road at a leisurely pace. "In the mean time, enjoy the ride and keep an eye out for the Brotherhood goons."

[Ryudo Lee]

The drive back to base would take the better part of a day.  The medics busied themselves looking after the injured, and radioed ahead to the medical staff to prepare for incoming patients.  The rescued Rebellion solider looked as though he had been sent through the wringer, but he would survive.

Once the vehicles arrived back at the base, the now familiar Lt. Armstrong greeted them with his usual gruff attitude, along with a team of medics who immediately began moving the injured liberated prisoners, including Fet.  Some soldiers approached Darkshine, weapons drawn, and proceeded to disarm him and move him to the base to be checked out.
"Good work.  I couldn't've done it better myself.  Let's get to the debriefing.  You should know the drill by now." He says.

[Tapewolf]

Once more, Dorcan felt a little let down by the reception.  Part of it was just a contrast to the tension of the mission itself, but there was also a brief moment of regret that Darkshine was being led off at gunpoint yet again.  That it closely resembled his own original reception by the Brotherhood was still a sore point with him.

"Sir," the Doberman said, acknowledging his orders.  He turned, heading towards the armoury when a thought struck him.

"Sir... as you may be aware, Exo and Jexx were taking a more roundabout route to try and distract the Brothers.  Have they returned yet?" he asked.

[Ryudo Lee]

Armstrong looked around and shook his head.
"No, they're not here yet.  I suppose we will wait for them to arrive before the debriefing starts.  Drop off your hardware with the quartermaster and report to the debriefing room.  When the others arrive, we'll start the debriefing." He says.

[Tapewolf]

"Thank you Sir," Dorcan said and made his way to the armoury.  There he surrendered his crossbow, rifle, ammunition and body armour.  He hesitated for a moment as he felt a bump in his jacket... the wide-gauge handgun and rounds that Darkshine had given him.

"These were given to me as a gift by a prisoner we released," he told the quartermaster.  "What's the procedure for something like that?  While I hope I never have to use them, I'd rather not lose them either.  Do we have weapons lockers for such things?"

[Lisky]

Darkshine smirked at the reception he received, the fact that it was at gunpoint was mildly amusing to the feline. He slightly regretted the promise to co-operate, but he wasn't about to go back on his word. Removing his armor and weapons, he donned civilian clothing and followed his escorts.  Keeping himself silent, he observed the rebel compound and started drawing a mental layout.
Boredom soon set in, and Darkshine asked the nearest soldiers "any chance you guys know who your escorting?"

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

He remained crouched and scuttling in the back of that vehicle for the better part of a day, moving only to relieve cramps that were growing in his legs. Eventually, the vehicle decelerated, and when the hatch poppoed open, Fetrethar went to his locker, opened it, and donned his gloves again.

Perhaps a minute later, more white coats flooded into the vehicle, taking out the more greviously injured. Two, female, approached Fetrethar. He held up his left palm and said "Peace, I require no aid. I am fine, a healer's energies might be better spent on others. Instead, would you be able to say what is to be done to me? I am among strangers here."