World Tree MUSH

    Heading deeper into the mine, having to take the long way, as true to what the Vagrants said, the elevator down is locked at the bottom, likely due to influence from Svarog's robots.

    A commotion comes from around a bend, and as the group rounds it, a group of Vagrants are threateningly pointing their shovel/scissor/pickaxe weapons at a trio of Wildfire affiliates, led by a woman with a VERY deep and booming voice and a no-nonsense attitude.

    "Cowards and bullies. I don't remember you guys acting this tough around Svarog's minions. Did your parents never yeach you what a backbone was?" she asks, hands on her hips as she squares up to the Vagrant leader.

    "We ain't stupid! Why'd we risk our lives against the robots? Besides, you don't have the high ground here. You were gonna keep that giant chunk of Geomarrow to yourselves!" the Vagrant spits back with clear venom, despite his face being obscured by his mask.

    The woman doesn't even flinch. "This mine, is our territory - The mining team is labouring day in, and day out. You guys don't even pretend to help us!" She spits to one side. "You're lazy! All you do is profit off of our sweat and tears and you have the gall to not even try hiding it! Disgraceful."

    "And where does disgrace come in when we're starving to death huh? You're just waiting for us to die so there's more for your vaunted 'mining team'."

    The woman in the beret sighs. "It's a waste of time trying to reason with you. While you've been kickin' up a fuss, the whole damn vein's been seized by robots. Now we're all in the same boat."

    "Right... right. But we brought loaded guns to this party."

    "Wildfire are in the area, y'know. You try anything and--"

    "Wildfire, are stuck dealing with the robots. How're they gonna help you? Unless you're planning on taking a bullet, hand over your supplies and equipment. NOW!"

    Bronya's eyes widen. "They're getting read to attack. Those miners are unarmed!" This seems to rankle the woman, and she pulls her gun out of whatever storage this world uses and takes aim with it. "Stop right there!" Seele's anger boils over. "Shameless scoundrels."

    Stelle, summons her bat. "Lets get in there!"

    Talia has the good sense to bring a flashlight. You can't accidentally hit someone with a flashlight and cut them into pieces. The /glowrod/ (Thank you EU) lights up the darkness as Talia advances down the mine when she hears voices ahead. The acoustics make it very easy to pick up, and Talia nods to the others. "No arguments here. Come on."

    She rushes after Bronya and calls out, "Please, everyone stand down! There's no need to attack unarmed people!" She draws her lightsaber hilt, but doesn't activate it just yet. There's no need for bloodshed just yet.

    Into the mines it is, then! And Rebecca still has her usual duffel bag full of funs-- yes funs because guns are fun- as she follows the crew deeper in. Right up until the party encounters a sticky situation.
    The pending altercation between the miners and the vagrants is a thing and Rebecca stands to the back of her party with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her rocker jacket.
    Then there's a sudden, loud, menacing POP...
    Becce blew a bubble, and after popping it she casually resumes chewing her chewing gum as she strides forward and pulls a pistol from her duffel bag.
    "So like. If this was a fair and even fight I'd say have at it. But if you're gonne wave guns at a bunch of unarmed people and threaten them... That's kind of lame, broham. So here's the deal..." Rebecca starts some MENACING NEGOTIATION as she waves her pistol about in a blase manner.
    "Everyone can put their weapons down, chill and just walk away. That's right. I will *let you* walk away unharmed." She says smiling sweetly to the vagrants.
    Before she scowls, a wild gleam flickering in her pink-green cybernetic eyes.
    "OR I can fucking zero you and all your friends faster than a trauma team en route to a platinum client." She says, just flat out threatening murder while tapping the pistol's iron sights to her temple.
    "Now think about your options here, buds."

>> SUMMARY[Rebecca] >> I roll to intimidate. 8D

    Jessica, despite trying very hard to keep up with all the stuff going on, is pretty lost. She has definitely caught some details though, and pieced together enough to realize, at least in her mind, that this whole situation is happening because 'Wildfire' is busy so unlikely to step in here!

    Time for the kitty to try to represent Blacksteel decently.

    She too draws her weapon, moving up beside Talia and Rebecca. "Wildfire may have its hands full, but we're here. And we're armed. Are you sure you'd like to risk that? My um, friend here is a little trigger happy, please don't tempt her."

    Well. Bi De sees this is... in hand. Or wing, as the case may be for him. The chicken hmms, not necessarily agreeing with the sudden threats of violence on either side, but it seems reasonable and he does know that his own voice would probably result in more confusion than intimidation. He struts up behind Talia, deciding to just watch, to make sure they aren't missing something, whilst the others take care of the 'diplomacy' here.

    The Vagrants seem to be either terminally stupid, or so aggressively confident that they actually change targets to engage the incoming group. There's about twenty of them, more emerging from further down the trackway, likely running from Wildfire, or the Robots. The see their friends being attacked and rush to join in, lifting their makeshift weapons, be they melee, or 'pipe gun'-style rifles. There's a few robots with them too, these are apparently not in the robot network and are likely being operated by a local version of a 'Netrunner' or some such. Their frames are as easily broken as any other tech though. "Just whose territory do you think this is, pipsqueak?" goads the leader, pulling a rather new looking pistol from his belt and taking aim at the Smolo. "Just for that, I think you'll be this guns first blood." he snarls, pulling the trigger.

    Bronya starts snapping orders, though it's likely on reflex than anything. "Maintain formation. Melee fighters to the frontline, ranged units hang back with me. Block them off in the choke point and their numbers will mean nothing." her rifle sings, firing precision shots to disable or disarm... she then seems to summon up some kind of power from within, and clicks her boot on the ground. "To Guard and Defend. CRUSH THEM!" A swirl of power radiates out, enhancing her allies strength and speed.

    Bi De's appearance doesn't really earn much attention, by his own design.

>> SUMMARY[Stelle] >> Intimidate: Critical Fail-Trigger retaliation shot. Reinforcements! Enemy Morale has been bolstered.

>> SUMMARY[Stelle] >> Oh also Bronya uses her Buff.

    This guy.
    THIS FUCKIN' GUY.
    The cojones he must have to think Becca will be the first blood to his new gun.
    He draws iron.
    Becca is faster and already has her gun *in hand* when he pulls that new piece.
    There's a loud POP.
    This time it's not Becca chewing gum. It is an actual gunshot as she shoots the gun out of the vagrant's hand.
    She also shoots his hand clean off in the process but that's a sidenote as she uh.
    Well she kind of ignores Bronya's orders and wades forward into the oncoming guys and draws a second gun. The two guns go off in a riotous cacaphony as she puts bullets into approaching goons left and right while she storms for the vagrant leader.
    There's another two loud BANGS as she pops out both his kneecaps to make him kneel... Shoves her gun in his face and stares him down for just a beat.
    "You could have walked away." She points out, before she splatters his skull onto the cave floor.

    Talia sighs. They NEVER decide to see reason. So when the Vagrants attack, Talia thumbs the switch on her lightsaber, the green blade lighting up the dark. "So be it. I will do what I must." She rushes to the front swiftly, feeling the rush of Bronya's buff. Surging forth, Talia is like lightning and smoke in the darkness.

    She winces at Becca's brutal dispatching of that thug. But he made his choice. There's no time to really be spent whinging about what to do with him.

    She isn't fairly intimidating by the weapons of the Vagrants, severing hand-made rifles and crude pipe clubs and other implements with her lightsaber. A hand or two will likely be joining them, as Talia's lightsaber leaves hideous burned stumps.

    Rebecca was right. These people could've just walked away.

    Jessica is actually... slightly surprised. It isn't unheard of for people to refuse to back down, but then again they hadn't seen Rebecca fight so... maybe they're just dumb? Jessica winces, but otherwise doesn't seem all that put out by the level of violence, just one of the little details that hint at her harder life.

    "I was really hoping we could maintain a low profile," Jessica says without a hint of self-awareness, but at least she is shooting to disable when she snaps off a shot or two while heading for cover.

    Sigh. Bi De is not very pleased with this, of course, but maybe he can minimize casualties. The rooster clucks, then darts forward, shuddering at the sound of guns that is most unpleasant to him! But the fox-furred chicken is in no hurry to kill, himself. While no stranger to shattering bones with his kicks, he prefers not to, especially when fighting those who aren't cultivators.

    Like Talia and Jessica he will focus on disabling blows. It is saying something that the chicken's Qi-powered kicks that can shatter bone and tear flesh with his claws, and the buffetting wing strikes, are still somehow gentler than his companions.

    The fight is short, bloody and brutal. Melee fighters have no answer to Talia's light saber, they can't match Dan Heng's agility, or Stelles brutal physicality. Seele moves like a glitching video track, slicing through weapons with her scythe.

    Bronya sees the Thug taken down with a bloody efficiency. She shakes her head. "May you rest easily in The Preservation's warmth." she says softly, before resuming her covering fire alongside Jessica.

    Bi De's kicks and claws disarm more Vagrants, and soon enough, the remaining ones on their feet drop their weapons and back up quickly, many shouting as they raise their hands. "We surrender, don't kill us!"

    After the fighting dies down, the miner leader peeks out from behind some rock debris. "Oh, Seele... that was close, any longer and we'd be... heh..." she trails off, looking a bit green at the bloodshed. Seele shakes her head. "Nothing but a few knuckleheads and morons. I'm glad you're okay... Antonia, have you seen Chief Oleg?"

    "Oleg? He took a group deeper in to clear out the robots... but he's been gone for a while."

    "The core of this problem is Svarog's Robots then." Stelle frowns, "But, who is Svarog?"

    Seele shrugs. "The boss, he appeared suddenly after the Guard got pulled out of the Underground... he quickly became a major player down here. He claims to be a Guardian of humanity, and all the Ownerless robots obey his commands. They've occupied the Furnace Core hub and aren't letting anyone get close... save for the shipments of material for supplies."

    Talia dodges and evades crude attacks thrown her way. It's like these people fight in slow motion. Their guns are slightly more annoying, slugthrowers are faster than blaster bolts, it's just physics, and blocking them means you need to actually melt them entirely before they can be superheated and hit you in the face.

    So Talia dodges and uses the Force to stop slugs in midflight before flicking them back at their shooters.

    The fighting is almost too easy. Talia storms toward the remaining Vagrants and considers if they're trying to fake it.

    No. That's not the way of the Jedi. She takes a breath. Talia Kyras may be a soldier, but she is still a Jedi Knight. One who obeys the code. She will not slaughter these surrendering people.

    "You will not trouble these miners again, nor will not organize. If I see you do either of these things, I will not be as merciful. My friends and I will not hesitate to put you down." Her words are cold as ice, and clear as crystal.

    Now, the miners. Talia listens to them and stows her saber. "We'll deal with them if they attack you again." She promises.

    She wishes there were robots. Robots are a bit less morally complex to cut up.

    Rebecca... Is not kind. Rebecca is not gentle. Not to these guys.
    It will be left at that as she pants for breath once the fighting is done, guns smoking.
    "... We were supposed to keep a low profile?" She asks Jessica. "... Oops?"
    Oops.
    Anyway.
    "Sooooooo. Uh. Who's up for wrecking some robots?"

    Bi De has seen some tough fighters since arriving here, but these thugs really don't seem to qualify. Especially not with the companions he has right now! He clicks and flicks his talons where he broke the skin on one, trying to make sure he didn't get more than bruises this time.

    "I know little of robots," he admits. "But from I do understand, they may make for a more difficult foe. I am used to fighting either organics, or immaterial beings." He pauses. "Well, I suppose there was the Temple Dog, but it was senile so not nearly as difficult..."

    Jessica frowns, "Well... it may be hard to find more ammunition," she points out, holstering her gun. That was thankfully not as hard as she'd feared, but it was still unpleasant! "We should save our firepower for the things that are going to be difficult," she says, forgetting that the surrendered thugs can hear her unintentional insult. Whoops. She's normally nice, really!

    "That's the weird thing, he normally stays in the Furnace Core and doesn't interfere unless something breaks the peace of the Underworld..." remarks Seele, frowning.

    Bronya steps up. "Wait, a 'Guardian of humanity', that can command robots? I've never heard of anything like that before."

    "Looks like your mighty Architects aren't as all-knowing as you thought." quips Seele in return.

    March gets frustrated. "Can't you do anything without bickering about it? This isn't the time!" she sighs. "Sounds like the road ahead is dangerous... can we still make it through?"

    Stelle ponders. "I want to meet this Svarog, and his minions. Sounds like a good fight to me."
    Seele shakes her head. "Don't forget about Chief Oleg and the other Wildfire members. They're important too. Lets get moving. Antonia, can you make it back to the entrance? Natasha's set up a triage camp."

    Antonia nods. "Sure thing, but be careful, there's a whole heap of robots up ahead."

    Not only do the poor surrendered vagrants have to listen to Jessica unintentionally insulting them. ... There's also the fact that Rebecca is some kind of tiny force of terror as she siiiiidles up to the Blacksteel mercenary.
    "Aw! Jess, are you running low on ammo, choomba? You know I always got your back, fam." She says rummmaging through her duffel bag full of heavy ordinance.
    "What's your pleasure? Pistols? Shotguns? Assault rifles, SMGs? -- It's pistols right? But like if you WANTED to branch out what would you pick?" She asks holding out a spare gun to Jessica as casually as she'd loan a friend $20 Eurodollars.

    Talia glares at Stelle and Bronya. "Now isn't the time for sniping at one another. We can do that when there isn't more important things at hand." She chides sharply before focusing back at the miner leader. "Can you get your people out of here until the robots are neutralized?" She asks him.

    "I'm qualified with rifles, too," Jessica points out, "But the ammunition my pistol uses is a lot different, I think. Nobody else seems to use originium in their weapons, so they work a little different. I guess it'd be a good backup..." She frowns, tail swishing a few times. "Let's just work with what I have for now, I don't want to be going into a more dangerous situation with an unfamiliar firearm."

    Bi De shudders, and then tsks softly. "Very well. We should move with care, though. If we are going within 'mines' of some sort, that tends to... impair my ability to function as well in battle. I will not be helpless by any means, but would be in your debt most likely."