Dark Heresy - Wisdom is the beginning of fear.

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis suppressed the urge to smash his hand on the wall in anger as Gunner rushed in, shot, and in turn, blocked -his- intended shot. It always gets annoying when you can't fire because friendlies just HAPPEN to be in front of your target...

Upon hearing about the reinforcements, Crisis' pattern of thought switched instantly;

Four? All bets were off for the rifle now--there's no real point in using a rifle with one shell left against a group of four--that's suicide. Judging from the way Gunner was looking, he needed to switch positions himself--quickly dashing around Mikolas' idiotic temper tantrum, he reoriented himself before swapping the rifle with the auto-carbine he had picked up previously--while he wasn't typically much to use something with a 'spray and pray' philosophy behind it, the crowd-control granted would be a benefit that justifies such an ammo expenditure...

[Move to N13, switch Rifle out for Autocarbine]

[Jak Snide]

Julius, face a mixture of fear and determination, gave a sharp nod to Xerxes and fell back a few meters, bringing his gun to bear on the door, the thugs raising autocarbines and taking aim. Gunner snapped off a single shot before falling back, the rest of the acolytes assuming positions and taking aim, save for Crisis and Mikolas. The former only had time to ready his recently acquired carbine, checking the clip quickly and noting that it was full. The latter simply limped away from the door, the instinctive rage replaced with a less aggressive form of self preservation. Tearing a strip off the sleeve of his long coat he quickly fashioned a tourniquet for his leg; crude, but effective.

Inside the chamber of horrors, the body snatchers lumbered forward. The lead thug caught sight of one and screamed, hammering down on the trigger of his weapon and peppering the doorway with automatic fire. One bullet hit home by luck, but it barely staggered the foremost thing. Cryvus bit down on his lip, denying the fear that was trying to rise up and seize control of him. He fired his revolver, the kickback still proving hard to handle. He missed his intended target but the bullet tore into the one behind it. The wound it left would have killed a man, but he knew these things were something far more, and far less, than human.

(Map updated. Cryvus put a big hole in the 2nd body snatchers, the manstopper rounds clearly being effective. Also, a clarification on overwatch and delaying actions: you can only go on overwatch with a weapon capable of full auto fire. With anything else you spend a half-action to delay and retain a second half action you can use any time before your next turn.)

[Kelne]

Well, at least he had hit something. Cryvus took aim once more at the lead monstrosity. Their best hope was to bring the things down before they got in among them.

(Half action aim, half action fire.)

[Justice Augustus]

"Just like the guard, now, hold the line and let the beasts feel the Emperor's wrath!"

(Half-action delay it is then!)

[Capntastic]

Mik clipped his brutal metal club onto his belt and brought the autocarbine level with the door. He waited for a better shot.

(Weapon switch to Autocarbine, half-delay!)

[NamagomiMk0]

If Crisis spoke at all, he would be launching a few curses upon noticing that he couldn't SEE anything on the other side from his angle. However, he didn't and therefore didn't.

As such, he set his sights on the door, waiting for the first of "them" to come through to a surprise hail of autocarbine shells...

[Overwatch on the door.]

[Jak Snide]

Cryvus steadied his aim once again, dimly aware of the pain from his wounds, and fired once again. This time his aim proved true; the slug caught the thing in the chest, the impact almost pitching it off it's feet. The other acolytes readied their weapons, waiting for the onslaught. Then a klaxon rang out, the room beyond suddenly bathed in red light. Arcs of electrical discharge cascaded from machine to machine accompanied by the sound of something shattering. Crisis and Cryvus couldn't help but think of a ship being scuttled.

"Fak this shit!" the lead thug yelled, dropping his gun and running for the stairs as the things lumbered forward. The other one, however, bit his lip and squeezed down on the trigger. Unlike his fellow degenerate, his spray of automatic fire was accurate. The lead abomination was riddled with bullets, a muted groan escaping from beneath it's metal hood as it collapsed to the floor. A shot or two caught the one behind it, though these had a far less lethal effect, and the thing kept coming. As it entered the doorway Julius snapped off a shot, striking the thing in the chest but failing to fell it. Crisis squeezed the trigger of his autocarbine, the weapon almost struggling free of his grip as it chattered away, inflicting a trio of minor wounds on the thing. Still it kept coming, stepping through the doorway, the others right behind it.

Xerxes blew the thing away, most of it's torso being reduced to a spray of blood and bone. What remained intact was flung against the wall, impacting with a wet thud before sliding to the ground.

(Map updated. A fine round of shooting this turn, though the award for best shot goes to Xerxes for scoring 2 hits due to the Scatter rule and triggering Righteous Fury on one of them. That said, the blaring alarms and haywire machines aren't a reassuring sight.)

[Kelne]

Cryvus grimly aimed and fired again. The things were going down, but two yet remained, and he didn't know if they'd be able to finish them. He couldn't help but feel that the running thug had shown the right response to the klaxons. Though his own preference was to kill everything first, then run like hell.

(Half action aim, half action shoot)

[Justice Augustus]

Xerxes clenched his teeth in grim satisfaction at the sight of two of the beasts being blown away. He knew that the fleeing coward would eventually have to answer for his crimes, either to Xerxes' maul or to the Emperor. The klaxons were not a good sign, but to run now would be to expose his back to the beasts. Hopefully, if the Emperor wills it to be so, they will be able to mop up the final two creatures, put a slug into their dark mistress, and still be able to reach the exit without a fatality.

(Delay to shoot when next beastie comes through the door)

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis' eyes went wide as he heard the alarm klaxons. Whatever this was...was bad. There was SOMETHING wrong. There HAD to be, what with that sort of alarm...just like then...just like then...

...just. like. then.


...fear bred desperation; desperation to get the hell out. Desperation, however, in turn bred determination as Crisis readjusted his grip on the rifle, visibly gritting his teeth as he prepared for the next of those ugly bastards to come through--he did a major part in killing two of them last night, he should easily be able to deal with them now. His mind was completely set on killing those things, and then -her-. When precision fails to have an effect, sheer attrition is called for...

[Continue the overwatch. Autocarbine is currently at 20/30 ammo]

[Capntastic]

Clenching his trigger finger down, Mik simply opened fire on the monstrosity, rattling off as many rounds as possible.

(Full auto~)

[Jak Snide]

Cryvus was getting the hang of his new weapon, though the recoil was causing his arms to ache dreadfully. He managed to land another hit, a glancing blow to the side of the closest monstrosity. Such was the power of these bullets that even a near-miss left a telling wound. Julius and Gunner poured las-fire into the thing, but the hits they scored were far from effective, causing light burns at best. The thug who'd stood his ground adjusted his aim and jammed down on the trigger again, a hail of bullets peppering his target but failing to bring it down. Mikolas added his own fire to the mix, his immense strength letting him handle the recoil with ease, shots being guided towards critical areas. Blood was drawn and the thing halted in it's tracks for a moment. Then it turned to face Mik and bore down on him, pallid flesh writhing violently beneath the rags it was clad in.

Crisis waited a moment before he depressed the trigger, letting the thing get within almost a meter of him. His muscled strained to control the weapon, but at this range he couldn't miss. The force of multiple impacts stopped the thing dead in it's tracks and jerked it around, one round tearing through it's neck. When the hail of fire ended the thing slumped to the ground, blood leaking from a score of wounds.

Then the last abomination charged, Xerxes shotgun blast missing it narrowly, and struck Gunner square on the chest. The man staggered back a step, gasping for air, but it seemed that his armour's chest plate had taken the brunt of the attack. Cryvus, meanwhile, looked beyond the bloody spectacle before him and into the chamber of horrors. He saw a gaunt figure, clad in black, glide through the air and past the doorway, elevated some half-meter above the floor, a nearby machine detonating in a fiery spectacle a moment after she'd passed it. It seemed that crafting horrors of flesh and steel wasn't the only talent the arch-heretic possessed.

(BdSn3 goes down to a hail of fire, soaking up near 20 hits before finally being put down. The last remaining one is unharmed and, thankfully, hasn't managed to punch anyone's head off yet. Cryvus is the only one to have seen Her flight to the North of the room. Map updated.)

[Kelne]

Cryvus was not going to allow the cursed woman to escape. Not after all this. Not pausing to consider the possible consequences of his actions, he charged into the room after her, taking shelter behind the exploded machinery. The others would just have to deal with the horror without him. As he might have to deal with Her without them.

(Double move to K16)

[Justice Augustus]

As Cryvus runs forward he sees Xerxes going the other way, drawing his maul as he charges the beast with a cry of "Emperor take you!" as he drives his weapon onto the beast's flesh as hard as he can.

(Charge while swapping weapons to melee attack)

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis, on the other hand, looked angry upon seeing, once again, a teammate charge into melee. Sure, things were blowing up all around, but at the same time, his squadmate, less armored than the idiot at that, was charging into melee with ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

...what an act of idiotic zeal. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped.

In response, he once again swapped guns, this time back to the rifle, taking aim as to make his last shell count...that thing's built to absorb recoil a hell of a lot better anyway, unlike himself...

[Switch to rifle, half-action aim]

[Capntastic]

Mik just swiveled, noting the horrible thing so near his comrades. He raised his gun and... no, so near his comrades, he couldn't afford to let fly with the bullets.

So, he tried to line up a proper shot.

(Full aim)

[Jak Snide]

Cryvus dashed into the room, a las bolt whizzing past him as he entered the chamber. Looking towards where he'd seen Her moving, the old man caught sight of the heretek standing in mid air at the top of a small elevator shaft, mechandrites writhing in annoyance at his appearance. Then she was gone, dropping down the shaft and out of sight.

Gunner staggered back a few steps, defending himself as he tried to catch his breath. The rest of the acolytes took aim, save for one. Xerxes charged in, swinging his maul low in an attempt to shatter the kneecap of the thing. A resounding clang of metal reminded him that these things had been augmented with more than just vile organic implants. Julius, backed up against the wall, had nowhere to retreat to. He raised his lasgun and shot, the blast fizzling out against the thickened skin of the thing. He managed to duck the swing of a meaty arm, metal claws scoring the stonework above his head, as the thing turned to Xerxes and punched at him. The arbitrator remembered all to well what had happened last time one of those had connected with him and flung himself aside just in time to avoid the blow. The remaining thug stood nearby, at a loss for what to do.

(Cryvus has seen Her move into a small, open elevator at D15 and drop out of sight. The rest of the acolytes seem to have failed to inflict any considerable damage on the remaining horror, though Crisis has a 1/2 aim prepared and Mikolas has a full one. Map updated, turn 8 comes around.)

[Kelne]

Having just vowed that She was not going to escape so easily, Cryvus continued to give chase. "NAOGEDDON IS A DEAD WORLD!" he howled, hurling himself into the elevator shaft with his staff leading.

(Double move to D15, alas technically no action left for attacking.)

[Capntastic]

When the time came, Mik pulled the trigger on the thing.

(Single shot)

[NamagomiMk0]

Damn his allies for being so quick to engage in close combat like this. Damn this...thing...for fighting in close combat. Damn -her- for being so resilient that she could take a rifle shell without any real harm.


...and damn them for not stocking anti-armor shells.


Regardless, with or without his frustrations, that -thing- was still there. Crisis did the only sensible thing he could, and fired his last (in-clip) rifle shell at the abomination, before switching to that las-pistol he had found earlier, hoping it had some extra power of some sort...

[Fire at abomination, switch to laspistol-dealie]

[Justice Augustus]

Xerxes was satisfied. He had managed to surround the beast allowing Gunner to back away safely. As for Julius, pinned against the wall the man had no escape. Then again, to die for the Emperor was the greatest thing a man could achieve. Xerxes waited for the beast's attention to flicker back to Julius, then hopped away, reloading his shotgun as he went.

(Withdraw as far as possible as a half-action, then reload)

[Jak Snide]

Crisis fired and stowed his rifle a Xerxes beat a hasty retreat, sliding two shells into his weapon as he did. The shot embedded itself in the beast's back, drawing blood and evoking a soft groan. Mikolas squeezed down on the trigger, only to be denied; the autocarbine had jammed on him, the machine spirit within displeased by some small slight. Gunner fired and missed, the remaining thug steadying his aim and trying to line up a shot. Julius, meanwhile, dropped his lasgun and drew his sword, desperately fending away an attack with it, yelling "Do something!" as the abomination's fist put a crack in the wall behind him. Then he was swept off his feet, head bouncing off the stone as he clattered to the ground. The thing turned and bore down on Crisis.

Cryvus flung himself into elevator shaft as one of the empty canisters to his right detonated, bearing down on Her rapidly thanks to the aid of the Emperor's blessed gravity. She turned her head, any shock she might have felt at the yelling man hidden behind a mask of flesh and steel, and was knocked into free fall by the impact of the staff and the weight behind it. The two plummeted for a second before she impacted on the floor below with an audible clang, Cryvus slamming into her a moment later, only adding to her injuries. His hands shot out, searching for loose wires and tubes to yank free. Then the ballistic mechandrite snaked out from beneath her robes and shot him in the head.

His vision went white and he felt his limbs spasm as his nervous system was frazzled. He was, however, still alive somehow, the bolt of energy seemingly having only grazed his temple, leaving him momentarily disorientated. He was in a dark place, though, with a heretic pinned beneath him and no backup in sight.

(Crisis inflicts some damage while Mikolas' autocarbine jams on him. Xerxes has reloaded 2 shells as a reaction action, having 6 in his shotgun now, and Julius has been knocked prone. Cryvus, meanwhile, took 2 damage. This dropped him to 0 wounds, putting him back in the Critical Injury range. He's taking an additional -10 to all rolls next round, but is otherwise fine. He's also at the bottom of a dark elevator shaft and hasn't had time to spot any doors into it yet. Map updated, declare actions for Turn 9.)

[NamagomiMk0]

The voidborn would have cursed--this was the LAST thing he needed as of now. Were he to survive this, it would be obvious that he needed to find a weapon pattern or some ammunition better capable of taking things down before they got within reach of him like this...

Quickly jumping back, he refused to give the thing an opening to strike...

[Disengage to O8.]

[Kelne]

With all the writhing mechanical bits, it was impossible for Cryvus to figure out where the weapon was connected to Her and yank it loose. Instead, he went into a frenzy of ripping and tearing, trying to dislodge anything even remotely loose or, should the opportunity arise, going for the eyes.

(All-out attack)

[Justice Augustus]

Xerxes took a side-step towards the beast, gaining a slightly better angle, and one where only the minimum of shot might strike an ally. Without so much as a yell, he looked along his sights for a moment, then fired directly at the creature.

(Half-action aim then fire, also, if I can, first take a step to M13 or M14)

[Capntastic]

Mik snarled with a deep fury; there was a reason he preferred lasweaponry.

But he also preferred to get things done himself. He switched out his carbine for his gruesome bat again, and made to stove in the skull of the fiend.

[Jak Snide]

Cryvus struggled in the darkness, his blind frenzy matched against the augmented strength of Her. Reinforced arms blocked his attempts to tear loose wires and bits of exposed bionics, but such was his fury that she was unable to force him off her. Another las bolt impact illuminated them for a moment, this one flying wide and impacting against the wall of the shaft.

Crisis slipped away with typical ease, footsteps still silenced by the arcane device he wore at his waist. A moment later a blast of buckshot clipped the abomination in the leg, staggering it for a moment. Gunner took the opportunity to plant a shot into it's right shoulder. burning away hide and flesh to expose the bone below. Mikolas, club in hand, slammed his weapon into the creature's back, the razorwire wrapped around the length of the bludgeon lacerating the skin where it connected. A bullet whizzed past the melee and Julius got to his feet, taking a moment to collect himself. The monster turned on Mik, it's good arm backhanding him across the chest. He heard something snap and felt the air leave his lungs, the man only remaining upright by virtue of his massive structure.

(Three hits landed with visible damage done, but Mikolas was hit for 2 wounds, dropping him to 0. He's only been winded for one round with only a half action available to him next turn, but another blow like that may very well be the end of him. Map updated, the tenth turn comes about.)

[Kelne]

For want of better options, Cryvus kept up his assault. Rage was his best ally now. The consequences if She got the upper hand didn't bear thinking about.

(Another all-out attack)

(Edit: Also, I request a perception check to spot his fallen pistol by the flash of las-fire.)

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis looked at the melee. Thank the Emperor that thing had found a different target--he could postulate right now that those creatures were particularly simple-minded, albeit strong. Sort of like Mikolas taken to an extreme.

Which made it oddly the prospect of shooting this thing without any form of repercussions--in fact, being obliged to shoot it--even MORE exciting to him. And so, he took aim at the abomination with his salvaged laspistol, hoping that there was something special about it aside from just being in a locked desk...

[Half-action aim, fire at the body snatcher]

[Justice Augustus]

Another glance down the barrel, another shot. Xerxes was all business now.

(Half action aim and fire)

[Capntastic]

Desperate and having trouble breathing well enough to bellow fiercely, Mik raised up the bat and brought it down with what force he could muster- the best defense is rendering the horrible fiend attacking you down to slurry.

[Jak Snide]

Crisis took aim and fired, the sharp crack of the energy discharge almost inaudible. The shot missed it's mark, the assassin unused to dealing with recoilless las-technology unless he was left no other option. Xerxes, however, was well versed in the applications of his pump-action shotgun. Deciding that the risk to Mikolas was an acceptable one he aimed right at the centre of the abomination and fired. Metal pellets perforated it's face and chest, splattering the guardsman it had winded with blood, and the creature groaned from beneath it's metal hood as it swayed on it's feet. Mik brought his weapon down on it's head and sent it tumbling to the ground.

Giving it a quick look to make sure it was dead, Gunner turned to the others. "Where'd Cryvus go?"

"Into...the lab." Julius wheezed, still catching his breath. Another detonation resounded within the chamber of horrors, augmented by the screams of the open-chested man still splayed across the operating table.

"We should get the fak outta here!" the remaining thug exclaimed, his voice strained and high pitched.

-----

Down in the darkness Cryvus scrabbled and flailed at his nemesis, bony fingers clasping a tube and yanking it loose, spraying his front with some strange smelling liquid. A grating metal voice growled a response, demanding that he unhand Her. The heretek's request was reinforced as pain surged up his right arm, the ballistic mechandrite inflicting another burn that was, thankfully, mostly absorbed by the long coat he'd been given.

Wait, there! In the split second the elevator shaft was illuminated Cryvus spied the revolver he'd been gifted, lying no more than two feet away from where he and Her struggled.

(The final body snatcher goes down, leaving the acolytes to wonder what has become of Cryvus, the old man having taken 4 damage this round. Only the Emperor knows how he's still going. There's no doubt that the chamber of horrors has been set to self destruct now, though what form it will take and when is up in the air. Map updated, with the conclusion drawing ever closer.)

[Capntastic]

Mik coughed, nodded, and peered into the lab, before loping in to follow Cryvus.

(Double move as far as he can get!)

[Kelne]

Now was the time to take a couple of risks. Namely, releasing his hold on Her for long enough to grab the pistol. There were only a couple of bullets left in it, but with the Emperor's Grace, they would be enough.

Trying to give Her the absolute minimum time to take advantage of her freedom, Cryvus brought it to bear and fired. "Mechanism, in His name, I revoke thy gift of life," he snarled.

(Assuming a half-action to grab the pistol, and a half-action to attack. Spending that last lonely fate point for a re-roll if need be. If he still has that fate point at the end of it, it will be spent on healing.)

[Justice Augustus]

Reloading his shotgun as he went, Xerxes cautiously peers around the door to the lab. We gotta put that sucker out of his misery before we go.

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis looks at the others heading in. This was insane, really. There was some sort of bomb or other self-destruct set to go off. Things like that are meant to take out not only any evidence, but anyone near the room. And yet that idiot charges in there like some idiotic ganger. If SHE was still in there, she'd probably be dead by it or by the time it went off...

There was only one rational option to do--get the hell away from there--and if SHE is outside...well, he'd deal with that when it came to it. Offering a nod to everyone else, he then started on his way out of the building. This wasn't cowardice. This was just plain common sense. This was knowing that there was no fucking point in fighting in a room set to blow.

[Yeah. Running the hell out.]

[Jak Snide]

Xerxes had taken one step towards the doorway when the devices at the center of the room detonated, a huge fireball blossoming outwards. The blast knocked the arbitrator backwards into Mikolas, the latter barely staggered by the collision. Crisis had already turned to flee, the other acolytes and the thug following his example a moment later, Julius cursing loudly as he did. The chamber of horrors was aflame, the operating table at the center of the room a twisted wreck. None of the acolytes fancied their chances getting through those flames. Cryvus would have to fend for himself, wherever he was.

---

The old man propelled himself off of the heretek, a sharp pang of pain coursing through his chest as he landed and picked up the revolver. As he rose and turned to face Her the woman rose to her full height, towering over the diminutive man. The ballistic mechandrite snaked around and sharp, metal objects at the ends of her fingers gleamed in the darkness. A buzz of static and jargon emanated from behind the mask of flesh and iron, a cacophony of noise that stung his ears. He spoke his words and pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit high in her thigh, ripping flesh apart and tearing the leg away. Blood sprayed out in every direction as she toppled over, wailing in her grating, mechanical voice as barbed hands desperately tried to halt the flow of vital fluid that was already pooling around her. A blast of static almost deafened Cryvus, forcing him to cover his ears. When he next looked at Her she was motionless and silent, save for the odd gurgle of fluid passing through some concealed tube. The silence was momentary. The roar of something exploding alerting him to a wave of fire which blossomed into the empty space at the top of shaft, illuminating the old man's surroundings.

(Combat is over. The chamber of horrors is aflame and impassable to anyone not immune to immolation. Crisis, Julius, Gunner and the remaining thug have already begun to start running. Cryvus, meanwhile, is trapped in the elevator shaft but, thanks to the flames above, can now see around him)

[Kelne]

Cryvus put the last bullet into Her chest, just to be sure, then retrieved his staff from where it had fallen and began looking for a way out. Dying in His service, with his duty accomplished, would not be so terrible a fate. On the other hand, the Emperor had preserved his life against terrible odds, and with the worst over, escape was surely not beyond his grasp.

[Jak Snide]

The last manstopper left Cryvus with no doubt that she was on her way to explain herself to the Emperor. Looking around he noted how the shaft had been stripped of any machines that would usually have been present. The other thing he noticed was a pair of elevator doors, barely half a meter across together, about a meter above him. They were shut, but he could just make out a tiny crack of light between them.

[Kelne]

Fighting past the pain of his various injuries, Cryvus caught the lip of the doors and hauled himself up. This certainly brought back memories of traversing cramped accessways back on the Lux Imperialis. Although he was a lot older now than he was then. Once up, he set about prising the doors open, inserting his staff into the gap for leverage as soon as he could.