In the picture below, Cass' squad failed it's Morale Check for taking a pair of Flamers to the face. [Well, one was a Combi-Flamer] Cass isn't required to fall back with her squad, she's completely under Hal's control, but her squad fell back and since she's exhibited concerns about the Marines in the past, I've moved her with them. If Hal wants, Cass can still be inside the fiery mess to the left of the Rhino.
The Ambrasians now control the objectives in B-2, C-2, D-1, and E-4. They control all of the “Door” terminals, which allows them to direct the blast through the worker compartments, killing nearly all of the workers, but saving the refinery... if they choose to do that.
The “Hydra” team has control of one “Train” terminal, and they're trying to crash the train beneath the refinery. That would destroy the supplies that would otherwise be delivered to the Capital [Under
The Will's control, but it would also destroy the refinery.
The “Will” team has control of one “Train” terminal, and they're trying to have the train pass safely through, to be delivered to
The Will.
Right now, the Ambrasians have the tie-breaker vote in what happens to the Train. If they could gain greater control over the trains...
Acer and his command squad ducked behind the wall as the mechanical beast was ineffectively trying to extricate itself from the opening.
[Difficult terrain check: 2 inches] The daemon engine emitted deafening squeals and growls, sounding much like an ancient facts-machine communicating through telepathy lines. It began bringing it's cannon about for another shot.
“Squad, take out those Glory Hogs to the South.” Acer commanded. Flames spurted out, licking the ground beneath the Storm Troopers, but the heavy armour they wore kept the worst of the harm at bay. Then the Krak rounds landed, tearing men apart with deadly efficiency. Padia and Acer cracked off a pair of shots, and Padia managed to down a third trooper as they returned fire.
Quircious felt a tug, deep within himself. He'd seen so many glimpses of the future. So many pasts that he could hardly keep track of his present reality anymore. Somehow he'd slipped through time, and this was his chance to escape his destiny. The one where the other surfaced, and killed his friend. The destiny where he wasn't strong enough to stop it. The other desired revenge, but somehow, Quirk had found a way to beat him. The other didn't know it yet, but it would soon. The other was divided between his two incarnations within this time line. “It's been good serving you, Ace.” Quirk yelled to his friend. “Trust me, this is for the best.” Quirk jumped over the wall, and landed on his feet on the other side.
“Quirk, what are you doing!?!” Acer yelled, preparing to leap over the barrier but sensing that he was already too late. Padia snagged his uniform and pulled him back, just as a Hot-shot blast caught him in his left arm. It cauterized instantly, but the swelling and pain also began instantly.
An ear splitting explosion rocked the barrier, and part of it gave way before the fury of the blast, taking a grenadier with it.
“QUIRK!” Acer shouted, as he struggled in the tangled mess of his remarkably competent bodyguard's clutches. Padia hissed,
”Fool Colonel! You are needed alive! Quit...” Acer brought his knee up sharply into her stomach, knocking the wind from her and loosening her grip.
“He's my... ” Acer protested as he tried to get free. His mechanical hand gripped the upper edge of the barrier as hot-shot blasts flashed overhead. Padia felt there was no other choice.
Taking two fingers, she hooked into Acer's most recent wound, and pulled down on him. He bellowed, but came to the ground.
”He's gone! You are not, and I'll be sent to the Warp before you are. Do you hear me, Colonel? Do you hear me well?” She twisted her fingers inside the wound. She wasn't sure that he'd forgive her, and at the moment she didn't care.
”You know he saw things, and they were driving him mad. He must have had his reasons! It's all for nothing if you are killed, now stay down!” Padia reached for her meagre med-kit. She wasn't sure how she'd handle this newest shame. It already threatened to overwhelm her. Not only was her officer shot, but she'd used it against him. She was truly adrift, her home and now her vows tossed like chaff to the wind.
Focusing on the present, she applied med-gel to Acer's wound...
Sergeant Nicolas realized the situation was beyond salvage. His squad fired ineffectually at the enemy command squad, but without notable damage. Orpheon's Plasma gun had lost containment during his volley of fire, and blew off directly into the poor bastard's face. He suppressed a momentary sensation of superiority. Yes, he had told Orpheon he'd shoot his eye out one day if he didn't wear the standard issue face mask, but he'd never really meant it.
And truth told, he had nothing to feel superior about. The Demolisher would turn it's turret on them next, and they'd be annihilated. “Public broadcast be damned. This is Nicolas. Operation aborted. Too much resistance, falling back to regroup, Commander.”
Static replied, then a wheezing voice spoke. “You will secure the objective, Nicolas *wheeze* or I will secure your head *wheeze* in a jar!”
His men managed to put the ruins of the bunker between themselves and the Demolisher, and now looked to him for his orders...Rodriguez traded shots with the last soldier inside the bunker, before charging into the room. The soldier was a bloody mess, and fired a pair of wildly inaccurate shots before switching to bayonet stance, but he never stood a chance.
Rodriguez had been a trained killer
before his stint on Cerberus. War had done nothing but hone his skills to a monomolecular edge. The Lieutenant's chainsword parried the rifle up and away. The down stroke took the man's right arm off above the elbow, spraying blood. The soldier still held the stock of the gun in his left hand, as Rodriguez buried the sword in his guts. Still the soldier was trying to bring the bayonet down to make an attack on him.
Face a mask of pure rage, Rodriguez brought his pistol up beneath the man's jaw. “Just die, you stupid
gringo!” He pulled the trigger, and the soldier slumped to the floor. Rodriguez dropped his sword, and ran to secure the entrance. Wiping the blood off on the soldier's uniform, he then went to the computer terminal and gained control of it.
“Those Techies are hard mother beslubberers.” he breathed, shaking his head. They'd found the bombs that the Hydra soldiers had placed, and then selectively opened the blast doors to direct the explosion through the workers' compartments, rather than through the refinery itself. “Impressive. It might just work.” He added, to no one in particular. Rodriguez sat down in a chair, and put his feet up on a corpse, watched the various pict-feeds. It looked like a giant train was traveling at great speed, on 4 of 8 screens adjacent screens, while on others various parts of the battlefield were visible.
Without taking his eyes from the screens, Rodriguez started patting down the nearby corpses. He was sure that at least one of them would have a Lho stick on them.
”Ambrasians, this is Crovax. *wheeze* Cease your interference. *wheeze* The Will must be stopped, and destroying this *wheeze* refinery, and the supply tram, is key to that victory! *wheeze, cough!*
I can tell you about him, if you'll let me. *wheeze* You can help us stop him. I know how *wheeze* he has become so powerful. *wheeze* You'll never defeat him, without my help.”
