Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men

[exsithstential]

WHO: La Resistance!
WHERE: Helix Station, Maurtia Falls and it's proximity
WHEN: 2/28-2/29
WHAT: After the fall of Lackey, members of the resistance stashed it in the Helix Station for protection. This had the added benefit of bringing down nearly every member of the Soviet occupation in that city on top of them. A reaction that was both anticipated... and exactly what Revan wanted.
WARNINGS: Violence, injury, death, etc. War. War never changes.



VREEEOOW!

For miles, the pulses of electric blue and the booming report could be seen and heard throughout downtown Maurtia Falls. Like a frighteningly clockwork lighting strike, the freshly constructed turret atop the Helix Station continues to rain blast after blast ionic energy down upon the veritable hoard of Soviet soldiers as they swarmed through the streets. Ion weapons were harmless to organic matter, but like a super focused electromagnetic pulse, they fried electronics --wrecking havoc on the enemy armored vehicles.

But it was little more than a minor setback for the hundreds of soviet soldiers as they pressed the attack on the Station walls, winding through the streets with a vengeance. Even with the number of tanks and APCs within actionable range limited, each soldier carried weapons of war and will to use them on the defenders that desperately stood their ground upon the ramparts.

Imports may be living weapons, capable of unfathomable destruction when pressed, but outnumbered nearly ten to one, if not worse... It will take everyone at their best and then some to survive the night.

But do not give up hope yet, brave warriors, for you are not alone!

While the walls surrounding the facility may leave a bit to be desired when it came to repelling a siege, the automated turrets mounted atop them may help improve their appeal. Between them and the Security Droids laying down volleys of suppressive blaster fire, the defenders will have the benefit of attrition on their side, giving the Soviet's something to consider. If only for the time being.

But Ambassador Revan's non-government sanctioned "upgrades" are not the only help you can expect: Native allies in the form of D'Artagnan's 'Musketeers' and Jesse Pinkman's... surprisingly well armed 'business associates' have rallied to your side to help swell the ranks holding the perimeter!

Before the first wave, the resident natives nearest the facility have been evacuated in preperation of what is likely to be a ferocious exchange. So there is little to worry about in the way of innocent casualities, and Revan can help rebuild a bit of collateral damage. Right now ImPorts are being called on to level the full capacity of their abilities upon the enemies without restraint.

But not all who are welcome into the station during this battle need be warriors. Healers and doctors will be just as vital to the effort, and there is a field hospital set up in one of the wings. Injured fighters not only have the benefit of skilled imports, additionally Revan has stockpiled a generous supply of his signature Bacta that is free to use --a medicine that causes wounds to regenerate at an accelerated rate! Critically injured patients might even get the pleasure of going for a dip in a fully immersive bacta tank.

But even those that wish not to partake in any aspect of the battle may also find solace in the deeper levels of the facility. It's unlikely that any ImPort, no matter how much they might conscientious object to the violence happening outside, will receive the benefit of a doubt from the Soviets on their warpath. All ImPorts are fair game to them at this junction. So keep your head down and gather your friends close as you hunker down and wait for it to be over!

Today, all ImPorts stand united against a common enemy. Do as you must to bring victory this day. Do what is necessary.

(OOC: The plotting and info post can be found here!)

Comments

hospital wing + remote interaction - open!!

[mathemagier]

Hermann made himself a fixture in the medical wing, taking up a bench in the hallway that was also sometimes a chair, came with a footstool, or was simply differently proportioned as it suited his needs at the time. His laptop rested on a make-shift slab of re-purposed wood constructed over his knees to resemble something of a desk, and glasses falling low on his nose, his eyes barely left the screen. His fingers were continuously hovering over the keyboard and typing in commands, only occasionally switching out inputs for a small remote control instead.

If not for the very real (somewhat muted) sounds of gunfire, shouting, and explosions, it could have been a game.

His laptop audio played a very low echo of the sounds of battle outside, screen split into three feeds- two visual, and the third for code input. He could type as fast as thought, and used that skill for rapid-fire interference.

Those that had been aboard Kaneda's submarine venture during the Rescue mission may very well recognize the camera he's projecting his abilities through. But perhaps not, seeing as he's attempting to keep it out of sight enough to avoid it being targeted while still providing a decent overview. Occasionally attempting a subtle relocation when something hit too close. It was a good thing he'd built more of these.

The second feed was layered over by a variety of filters and run primarily by numbers, cataloguing precise distances and coordinates, lighting up objects and people of interest with an array of exact measurements, and at times, even calculating speed, trajectory, velocity and gravity-- essentially everything a mathematician could possibly use to alter reality.

Outside, Soviet weapons fold in on themselves or simply break entirely, and enemy vehicles spontaneously collapse and come apart at the seams in neatly sectioned scraps of metal. Metal that was occasionally folded and repurposed to offer defense for vulnerable imPorts. Unfortunately, as larger masses took longer to manipulate and teleport into position, and given he's much more efficient at dismantling weapons, Hermann didn't manage that as much as he'd like.

He could likely affect the Soviet armor if he tried, considered it for a half second, then dismissed it. Being directly responsible for any death would not sit well. Bad enough that he was already witness to such a terrible battle and one he'd rather have avoided entirely. But there are some battles that simply must be fought, and this was certainly one of them.

With no flashy movements or flare to his running calculations however, he could just as easily be recording the battle and taking notes rather than indirectly participating. The only things more important were caffeine and the bathroom, both of which he was already strategically close to. Even then, coming out of the mindset of the battle left him disoriented and a little dazed.

How long would it last? Were there any average lengths of time for these things he could extrapolate and project an approximate end for? But then, which end? They were outnumbered- he could see that without even attempting a count. Would it be enough? Sleep wasn't an option with the odds so heavily stacked against them. They were holding for now, but for how long? Who would run out of reinforcements first? The Soviets had three other cities under control. Even with LACKEY dismantled..

No, he needed to focus on what he could do here. Focus, and attempt to avoid getting violently ill. He needed coffee and a sandwich he may or may not actually wind up eating at some point. Then it was back to... well, 'work'.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

The main drawback of Jacob's biotic powers is that they burn a lot of calories. After four or five hours of unending combat, it's a choice between taking a break to eat or fainting in the middle of the battle, which is why Jacob staggers into Helix in search of a sandwich at about the same time Hermann does.

The physicist may not have been getting shot at outside, but he looks every bit as exhausted as Jacob does, and the soldier isn't drained enough to not notice. He nods a greeting as he reaches for the nearest ration. "How are you holding up?"

medical areas

[driftsintobuffetline]

Newt isn't a healer, nor a medic, but he can assist with the basics of medicine (having researched it now for himself and attended some of the lessons a while back), so he's around the medical wing to patch people up, to be 'part of the action' without putting himself in a situation Hermann is likely to freak out about too much, and because he's promised himself to not stray too far from Hermann either.

Occasionally, when there's a lull in the medical action, he'll wander away from the areas for treating the injured to check on his mathematician, but eventually, Newt ends up more and more distracted by the bacta. His own healing ability is one thing, but here is a salve that heals...anyone. It's not even bio-engineered specifically to a person's dna; it is universal, and if he can nab a sample to examine (and possibly replicate) back at the lab, he's eager to do so. How might this help (or be modified to help) Miles? Even temporarily? Or Hermann, hopefully permanently? Will he find something of similar makeup produced in himself, perhaps a cause of his power? Until he has a chance to examine it further, he's happy to observe its scientific magic on the injured here bustling about, monitoring their rate of recovery.

If you're his patient and you feel a little like a test subject or specimen? Sorry. But don't expect an apology from him. He has terrible bedside and talks too much, but he's otherwise not a bad doctor.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Need a medic!"

Jacob Taylor enters the field hospital with a man slung over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. The man in question is ashen-pale, and judging by the amount of red smeared over Jacob's combat armour, has lost a lot of blood. Jacob crouches carefully to lay him down on the nearest available bed or stretcher.

"He took a shot to the neck," he says. "I did what I could, but he's hurt bad."

There's a field dressing on the wound, and Jacob puts pressure on it as he talks. He doesn't know it, but the person he's trying to save is one of Jesse Pinkman's 'volunteers'- a hardened criminal who, not long ago, Jacob would have risked his own life to fight against. Right now though, Jacob wouldn't care much if he did know it: their backs are against the wall, and everyone is in this together.

[lightandglory]

L'Arachel has been busy in the medical wing. Very, very busy. With her Mend staff she can heal mild to moderate injuries within seconds, and greatly improve the state of severe ones, but the battle just keeps going and the injured just keep coming. She's been darting from one to another to the next for hours, and as much as she enjoys saving people, if she keeps doing so at this rate she's going to start to drain her magic.

And that would be unacceptable. A healer must never allow herself to be rendered out of commission, or there's no telling how many lives may be forfeit.

So she's allowing herself a quick breather, helping with things like bandages and salves while she lets her power recover itself. In spite of the situation and the threatening onset of exhaustion, her spirits remain uncannily high, and she smiles and chats with everyone she encounters. It's in doing so that she comes across a man who appears to be very interested in one of the salves in particular.

She leans in for a better look.

"Oh, is this that bacta that everyone's going on about?" She doesn't pause to allow for an answer. "Frankly, I don't see what all the fuss is. It does nothing an elixir can't do, and those are available at any half-decent shop in Magvel."

OPEN // all areas within the station

[hostage]

[Jesse's various duties require him to make the rounds, despite the range of his power now that it's restored to full capability. He can't just stay in one place and devote himself to assisting one person. He's in communication with his men on the ground, keeping himself inside the station but close enough that he can heal them as needed. His damage transferal works at a distance - he can do it through intent alone, even shielded from the battlefield itself - and anyone stupid enough to shoot one of his men will find themselves suffering those wounds instead. The same deal goes for imPorts. Anyone who asks to be healed will recover instantly... because some Russian outside will suffer for them, instead.

The man himself doesn't appear to be wounded, but his clothes are splattered in blood from the previous fight. It's been a long day. A fucking long day. Jesse doesn't really get tired, but he's weary. At this point, it's become mechanical: follow orders, give orders, shoot, heal, kill.

For anyone who remembers (they should remember, since he made a network post about it not long ago) and requests a power augmentation that will double their strength, Jesse will stop in his tracks to assist them. Finishing this battle as quickly as possible is his priority. The mess and all those injuries can be cleaned up later.]

[morethan084]

[Skye's been all over the place as well, with so many things happening it was a frantic attempt to keep all the imPorts involved while taking out the enemies. She's not afraid to use her hands though, and neither were the enemies considering the state of her body right now. With May's training, however, she was able to push the pain out of her mind for now.

When she had a moment, Skye hurried off to get some cover and get in contact with Jesse.]

Where are you? I need more ammo.

OPEN - behind the walls

[112ounces]

[ Carl's been waiting for this moment. To free Dad, but also this: to kill the people who have been tormenting Carl for practically a month.

Even with one eye, Carl's going to be brutal and merciless. ]

Shoot-out

[ With one eye, Carl lost the one main advantage that made him so deadly in combat, even though he went to the (empty) firing range in Heropa. However, he can still do it . . . in a less precise manner.

Grabbing an automatic rifle, Carl takes cover. When the hail of bullets stopped, he immediately gets up and sprays his own bullets. When he empties a magazine, he picks up another one and starts firing back. ]

Zombie plan!

[ He grabs someone. Anyone. He thinks he has a way to sow discord among the ranks, but he needs help to get it to work.

So he grabs them by the arm as they rush pass him. ]

I need your help on something.

Metal Corrosion

[ Carl's been hard at work. Every empty table with metal legs, every scrap of metal he can find, he's been collecting it in a huge pile and immediately corroding it.

Rust bombs, he called them. Basically by adding his own corrosion, Carl has a better chance at remotely corrode all the weapons and all the cars that are within three hundred feet of Carl. A short range, sure, but it'll be nice sight to see when the Soviets will discover the weapons and supplies will be wasting away within a second's time, before someone kills them. ]

You!

[ He points to a random passerby, and then points to his pile of rusting, corroded metal parts that he took apart from the various rooms of the Station. ]

Take some of these scrap metals and throw them to the Soviets. Throw them as close to us as you can, but far enough so they are within Soviet lines.

Zombie plan

[morethan084]

[Skye's instinct is to rip her arm out of the persons grip, but as soon as she sees its someone from their side, Skye stops herself. Slightly out of breath, Skye lowers her gun back to her side.]

What's up?

OPEN

[exsithstential]

A - A Hope Atop the Walls

[Any good leader leads from the front. And even if they didn't, there's no place he'd rather be.

It might be a bit of a handicap, but from the ramparts Revan challenges the seemingly endless wave of soviet troops with a suit of form fitting ballistic armor and a pair of blaster pistols. But surprisingly for a Jedi (if anyone knew he was a Jedi) he wields those akimbo blasters like a veteran gunslinger.

His time in Republic Fleet was not spent idly after all. And while it was not his preferred style, Revan had indulged in many different weapons, training competence in each before moving on.

Dodging and weaving behind cover as bullets chewed at the raised bulwark, Revan was fluid. Always moving. Popping out of cover in place only to dive and come up another. Always launching a stream of blaster pulses down upon the Soviets.

With the ion canon above firing over them, and the hail of blaster shots and bullets the battle was quite the epic scene.]

We can't let them breach the walls! Innocents have taken refuge within and we must not fail their trust in us!

B - The Darth Strikes Back

[The walls would not hold. Not for long. Their ranks of the Soviets seemed endless. Even with the additional support from the natives and every precaution that could be taken, it was only a matter of time before they were overrun.

And likely dead.

Simply cutting a heroic figure and exchanging a few shots wasn't enough to turn the tide. And as much as he hated having his hand forced, it was necessary.

At some point, Ambassador Revan will take a hit. A minor, grazing wound he will let slip past his guard. Enough to excuse himself from the wall without scrutiny.

But once he's safely out of view, he'll retrieve his Jedi attire and slip out and over a section of the walls manned primarily of his own droids. Emerging later as the Jedi Reborn and stalking down the street in brazen defiance of the troops on both sides of the wall.

Someone had finally gotten wise and positioned the Soviet armor just outside of the firing capabilities of the ion turret. Some behind cover of rubble, others just plain to far away. Under those conditions their accuracy may be atrocious, but if allowed to fire without restrain, eventually the Imports would lose their field advantage.

Someone had to take those weapons out.

And that someone strode calmly towards a group of Soviet Soldiers, cloak sailing behind him like a shadow that had unpinned itself from the earth.

It took a moment for them to register the strange masked figure stalking towards them without reservation before they leveled their weapons on him. But in that moment Revan withdrew his lightsaber in a reverse grip common to the Shien combat style. A style best suited to deal with ranged combatants.

As the first shot was fired, the first of many, Revan dove into action, twirling the purple blade of light around him in a figure-eight slash that caught several bullets that would have struck true in a dazzling display of sparks and light. Each bullet evaporating in a shower of super heated metal fragments.

And in the span of a few seconds, Revan continues the motion, striding through the ranks as his saber did it's graceful dance until he at last stopped a pace behind the last soldier.

For a breath's length there was silence.. before the trio of soldiers collapse into a pile. In more pieces than they started that day.

B

[hypnotherapy]

[ Magicman is strolling through the battlefield, and relatively unscathed for someone who doesn't appear to be wearing any type of armour. It's a cocky move, he knows, but it's as much for the intimidation factor as anything else.

He's already moving when Revan picks his targets; anything electronic within his 30-feet range stops working abruptly and in some cases, just explodes. He blows out the on-board systems of several armored vehicles on the move, causing them to veer wildly or plow into their own soldiers.

There's a lot of screaming. He simply smiles.

Shots are deflected by something moving too fast to be caught with the human eye; strings of some strange material darting out from his clothing. He leaps over the rubble and neatly decapitates a soldier attempting to fire on him before taking care of his companions with slashes that almost split them in half.

He looks over at Revan and raises his eyebrows. Those soldiers certainly weren't getting up again. ]

Well, that's some taken care of.

I'll assume there's no damage on your part?

Rescue operation!

[kendo_taisho]

[Heiji hadn't been prepared for what the day would bring. He's saved lives, fought for his own, and stopped people more than willing to kill to get what they want, but war is a different beast altogether.

They had ample warning that they were going to be attacked, and Heiji did everything he could to make sure there wouldn't be any civilians near the Helix station. He was the only cop left in Maurtia Falls, a symbol he made sure to wear while he made assurances and convinced people to leave their homes and head for shelter.

He worked tirelessly, staying up all night to make sure they didn't miss anyone, but exhaustion was the furthest thing from his mind as the battle began.

Hiding in a thin alley as Russian soldiers marched through the streets, Heiji held his breath as the marks on his skin deepen to fool the eyes of anyone that glances his way that this shadow was empty.]

[eastdetective]

[Conan slips into the alley just in time to avoid another group of soldiers. Casting a quick glance around, he nods at Hattori as he steps into the shadows behind a piece of wall. ]

[exsithstential]

[The battle was fully underway when Revan sallied forth to take the fight to the Soviets. Garbed in his Jedi robes and mask, he made his way out into the jungle of steel and glass --a predator on the hunt.

He'd run into a few imports while out here, fighting their individual fights. For the most part he'd been content to leave them be, not wanting to risk exposure or his own plans. And when he spied Heiji dodge into an alley to evade a patrol, he was ready to do so again. But when a few of the soldiers broke off and started heading to follow, Revan hesitated. Perhaps the young office would hide successfully. Or even be able to defeat those soldiers himself. But what if more come upon hearing the confrontation? Or suppose he's over estimating the boy's abilities altogether?

Blowing a heated sigh through clenched teeth, Revan slips around the patrol and slides into the alley behind the soldiers like their shadow.]

OTA - battlefield

[hypnotherapy]

[ Magicman is out and about, wandering here and there to forcibly break up clusters of armored vehicles or other electronics. In his wake, enemy electronics break down or explode (unfortunate if someone happens to be holding or otherwise trying to use it, but for him it's a happy bonus). Defenseless soldiers meet a swift death by decapitation at the point of his sword.

And there are other things here, too. Giant snakes knock down enemy soldiers to crush them by sheer weight, or simply snap them in half with their jaws. Strange creatures swarm armored vehicles and those carrying heavier weaponry, shocking them en masse until something gives way (it's highly unlikely to be them). As the battle drags on, shelled beasts can be seen lumbering throughout the battlefield, crushing soldiers and enemy technology alike with precise swings of their shields or protecting allied combatants from harm. And those are just a few - there are more, being distracting or helpful or just deadly.

And yet, Magicman only shows concern when it's another imPort getting hurt, or the occasional civilian. The rest of the time, he's quite casual, as if all of this is just another day for him. Mostly, he's quite cheerful, too.

He's past the point of caring. And more to the point - he's having fun. ]

Re: OTA - battlefield

[bindsthedead]

[Even with dulling her senses down, even with- intellectually- knowing that their opponents want them dead or enslaved- the amount of death wears on Sabriel's nerves.

Still, she's doing her part, shooting lightning at vehicles and fighting off any Russians that try to stop her, her magic rendering any technology near her nonfunctional or unreliable to the point of uselessness.

She runs into Magicman near a cluster of vehicles that probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon- particularly once Sabriel sets off a spell that destroys one vehicle's front axle.]

Magicman!

OTA- Battlefield

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel had torn off her mask and was fighting barefaced, raining down fire and lightning on the Russians, making sure that even those who were out of range of the ion cannons couldn't rely on their vehicles- and the sheer amount of magic in the air affected not just their vehicles, but their guns- to the surprise of several soldiers who tried to shoot her.

Then one came at her with a combat knife, and Sabriel moved without thinking- she lunged forward, her sword piercing his chest, and she felt him die even as she wrenched her sword free, bringing it up to guard from an attack by another soldier, swatting away the rifle he was trying to use as a club and working furiously to keep her mind on what was happening around her, rather than what had just happened.

If she didn't, she was afraid she'd start throwing up.]

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[Suddenly the soldier trying to club Sabriel glows blue and flies into the air, flailing as Jacob uses his biotics to levitate him up and away. He doesn't drop his weapon though, which means he's still a threat, and Jacob finishes him off without pity, shooting him twice through the chest with his pistol.

Jacob is a veteran soldier, no stranger to killing. But he sees the look on Sabriel's face after skewering the other Soviet, and he remembers how young she is. He calls over to her:]

You okay?

[exsithstential]

[As Sabriel furiously defends herself, another soldier takes the opportunity to try and strike at her undefended back. But moments before he's able to reach her he suddenly convulses and clutches at his throat. His assault is stopped dead as his feet are slowly lifted from the ground, kicking feebly as the wreath of invisible dark energy wrapped around his throat tightens mercilessly.

The pained and desperate wrenching sounds the suspended soldier made were enough to distract the nearest of them, including the one Sabriel was fighting. The source of the dark energy emerged soon there after, as Revan, masked and robed in a way that concealed his identity, strode calmly around a wrecked APC, one gloved hand extended in the air towards the floating soldier.

The source of the attack revealed, another soldiers quickly reacts by charging the Jedi with a bayonet. To which Revan simply gestures, releasing a wave of Force energy that launches him with such force you'd think a truck had just hit him dead on.

Through out this, his masked gaze never left Sabriel, and now that he was momentarily free of distractions, he withdrew a small silver hilt from his belt and pressed a button on it. The inactive lightsaber sparked purple for a moment but nothing more.]

...I assume this is your doing?

OTA - Battlefield, ammo drop + Musketeer NPCs

[mousquetaire]

[ D'Artagnan keeps his men fighting. They're all recruits, men local to De Chima. This is the first time they've seen real battle, the moment when all their training over the last few months has to count for something. D'Artagnan is already proud of them. They hold their form, they engage with aggression, and they help each other when one is injured. They're good men, good soldiers.

And they're fighting for their country. That's the most important thing. They'll fight the occupiers here, and after this is done, they'll fight them in De Chima too. And he will be with them all the way.

He cuts a swathe through the Russians. D'Artagnan takes one down with a shotgun, and then turns to slash his sword across the chest of another. His nose is bleeding for the second time, and the back of his neck is sticky with blood; he has a head wound, somewhere. He'll worry about that later. It feels good to be fighting again, to be doing what he's good at. He's as focused as his men.

If he finds you in the fight, he'll either fight by your side until you have a moment of calm, or he'll protect you, if you're unable to fight. Through it all, both of his powers are active; one, which other imports may feel, when he projects his anger and determination outwards. His empathic inducement will let you share that passion.

But he's also channelling that energy into his other power. Swords, knives, staffs, guns of all sizes and ammunition can be created by his power. If he sees you without a weapon, he'll put one in your hands. Come find him, if you need the help. ]

[excessivehubris]

[ For the most part, Charles kept himself out of trouble. He recognized just how tenuous his position was and without someone like Hank or the others at his back, he had to watch his own back. That meant anticipating Soviet movement and keeping his own position as out of the way as possible.

Though it felt like a losing proposition, given the determined way the Soviets were hitting the station, Charles still tried to use illusion to distract and redirect where and as he could. Anything to help lower the body count on both sides of the equation. Illusions to protect civilians were also a priority and he was so far caught up in his projections (and reading the odd Soviet mind) that he could only barely maintain awareness of his own position.

He felt, more than recognized, someone attempting to hand him a weapon and gave his head a shake, fingers still pressed to his temple. ]

No, thank you. I'd rather reduce the bloodshed, than contribute to it.

[ His voice was grim when he spoke, if only because he had to recognize that despite his efforts, there was plenty of bloodshed to go around. ]

OTA – EVERYONE GET IN HERE

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

A: Arrival

[Jacob comes out of Kanaya's portal on the inside of Helix, shortly after Revan's announcement. He looks like he's ready for Armageddon, which this might as well be for the imPort community and the cities they live in. He's wearing the armour, helmet, and utility belt Kanaya crafted for him last year for superhero work, and carrying a futuristic heavy pistol designed by Revan, with a more mundane sidearm clipped to his back. And the first thing he does upon arrival is arm up further, grabbing a blaster rifle from the nearest arms rack. He calls out as he does to whoever is nearby:]

What's the situation, and where do they need me?


B: On the Walls, Dodging Snipers

[Jacob soon finds himself on the outer perimeter of Helix, crouching behind cover as the Soviets rake the facility with machine-gun fire. It's Hell out here: all screams and smoke and gunshots and flying shrapnel. He has swapped out Revan's blaster for one of the Musketeer's assault rifles, preferring the familiarity of recoil and bullets in his arms. He is also glowing purple, having wrapped himself in a protective biotic barrier.

That barrier is valuable, since Jacob is immediately hit by a sniper round when he stands up to shoot. Jacob shrugs off the hit, but the Helix security droid next to him doesn't have the same protection, and takes a second bullet straight in the optic sensor. The droid goes down, sparks sizzling from its ruined head.

Jacob returns fire, his rifle loaded with tracer rounds for added firepower. The incendiary bullets do nasty things to people, and the enemy sniper screams as Jacob finds his mark. Jacob has little sympathy right now, and ducks back down to reload as more enemy firepower peppers his position.]

Keep your head down- they've got damn good aim.


C: Bombardment and Fires

[At one point in the siege, the Russians stop rushing Helix and start hanging back to bombard the place with tanks and mortars, out of range of the defensive guns. Even with the sabotage inflicted by Kitty Jones and her allies reducing the amount of usable munitions on hand, the Soviets still have enough firepower to make life very difficult for Helix. As the bombs rain down, all Jacob can do is try to survive, and keep his allies alive.]

Get down!

[He tackles someone to the ground upon hearing the scream of an incoming shell- maybe it's your character, maybe it's an NPC Musketeer. Either way, the explosion blows apart the nearest Helix anti-personnel turret, spattering the area with flaming bits of metal and charred circuitry. A second shell slams into the building itself, beyond the walls, leaving fire and smoke spreading in its wake. Jacob swears as he gets back up.]

We need to get people fighting that fire. And someone has to go out there to take care of the guns.

[Unknown to Jacob, someone is already on that.]


D: Inside for Healing

[Jacob's luck can't hold out forever. During the night of the 28th he staggers into the medical portion of the base, clutching his bleeding right side where a grenade splinter has lodged.]

Could use some of that bacta. If we've got any left. Just something to get me back out there.


E: Victory

[There are times when it seems the night will never end, when the Russians just keep coming and coming, the station and its defenders take more and more punishment, and the ammunition gets lower and lower. Jacob hasn't been completely unaffected by the Seminar- while he hasn't turned, he has been instilled with an elevated regard for the power and prowess of the Soviet Union, a regard entirely justified by the courage and firepower brought to bear on Helix Station during repeated assaults. A lot of Heroes of the Soviet Union have earned the title over the last 24 hours- most of them posthumously.

But things change as February 29th drags on. The United States finally counterattacks, and one of the military’s objectives is lifting the siege of Helix. Outnumbered, the Soviets withdraw or surrender as US helicopters drop in reinforcements and badly-needed supplies.

After it’s over, Jacob walks the outside perimeter with his rifle slung on his shoulder, surveying the carnage. Bodies are littered all around Helix amidst disabled or burned-out vehicles, some of them dead, some unconscious or wounded. Helix itself shows the scars and damage of a fierce onslaught, and so do many of its defenders.

Jacob comes across two dead American soldiers, killed in the last moments of the battle while driving away the Soviet siege. He looks down at them, his expression unreadable.]

We held. It sure cost enough, but- we did it.

B? C? Kind of a wildcard?

[exsithstential]

[There were soldiers and there were heroes. From the moment he'd met Jacob, Revan knew he had potential to be great. And it was no surprise when he'd answered the call to arms in defense of his fellow import and those natives seeking shelter inside.

The course of the battle had Revan shifting positions, reinforcing and encouraging places where the defenses were flagging. Eventually the tide took him to Jacob's side, where he slid down next to him behind cover to escape the concentrated fire. Jacob had just slid back down after dispatching the sniper with his assault rifle.

Despite the very real threat of the hailstorm of bullets chipping away at the wall, Revan spared a moment to give a good humored look of disapproval at the rifle, evolving to incredulous as he raised it Jacob.]

A little barbaric, don't you think?

open!

[enustari]

on the streets

[With the turret lighting up the skyline, it's hard to miss where the action is and, right now, there's nowhere Elsa would rather be. She skirts the edges of the Soviet forces, using fire escapes and rooftops to keep her distance as she harasses them with quick and dirty battlefield mu. In her black hoodie and jeans, with no weapon in sight, she doesn't look like much of a fighter...

But something about the way she mutters to herself just before someone's gun explodes in their hand marks it as more than a convenient coincidence, and the look on her face as a soldier spontaneously goes up in a pillar of flame, crashing into two of his pals before collapsing, is an unmistakable mix of pride and glee. ]

inside helix station

[Later, after drawing an unhealthy amount of notice (and gunfire), Elsa teleports to the comparative safety of the station. Having never been inside it before, she has no destination in mind other than 'not halfway through a wall,' and winds up in a random corridor wild-eyed and out of breath. She takes a moment to collect herself before jogging off to join the defenders.

Quiet as a cat and offering no explanation unless pressed, she inserts herself into their ranks. For the remainder of the battle, she spends most of her time on the walls, alternating between popping up to get a look at the enemy and ducking out of sight while she casts, chanting in a singsong cadence. With more blood to draw on as the battle goes on and no need for subtlety, her attacks get bigger and flashier—wider explosions, lightning strikes, and the occasional soldier who just keels over dead for seemingly no reason (usually because their aim was too good, though if anyone identifies a target they want eliminated she'll take requests).]

Helix Station

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[There's a new person on the wall, chanting words Jacob doesn't recognize. There is also lightning falling from the sky and blasting apart Soviet vehicles and squads. Jacob guesses these things are related. Crouched behind the wall's cover, he scooches over to where Elsa is doing her thing and shouts over the din of the battle.]

Hey! The lightning. Are you doing that?

[If she is, he's got a few requests for her.]