EVENT #03: WAR ORDER - EXTERMINATION EXECUTION LOG

[vivalamods]

EVENT #03: WAR ORDER - EXTERMINATION EXECUTION LOG

The Imperial attack strikes like a thunderclap. In the traditional sense, a Legion is comprised of 1,000 men. In the Imperial reckoning, each individual legion holds a variety of troops - while some may have their own specialties, all legions are formidable and versatile fighting forces.

The legion that sweeps over the mine is an artillery-focused legion. A flight of airships descend upon the mine and starts raining devastation upon the facility. While the mine itself is left intact, an airship with heavy shock troopers lands in front of it, the soldiers immediately entering the mine and sealing off the entrances and exits to preserve the facility and slay all within.

The legion that attacks Flotsam is an Armor Legion, and the flight darkens the skies as carrier airships and a swarm of armors descend upon the floating city. As the Corsairs launch their coordinated counterattack, they know in their hearts that successfully mounting this defense will be among the most difficult things they have ever done.

ALL CORSAIRS

Mine Defense Gunners: Corsairs will need to man the defense arsenal installed in the mines to strike back as much as they can against the Legion, before retreating to safety.
Conflict: The Legion will do their best to destroy all present artillery, characters will need to dodge the shelling.
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read MINE DEFENSE GUNNERS.
Region: Hesaeth

Mine Evacuation and Destruction: Corsairs will need to evacuate any remaining personnel to the tunnels before collapsing them, as well as ensuring that the secret of the Corsair submersibles is not given to the Empire.
Conflict: The mine is crawling with Heavy Shock Troopers with orders to kill everyone on sight. Corsairs will need to evade or fight these troopers as they evacuate the final remaining personnel and bring the mine down on their heads.
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read either MINE EVACUATION AND DESTRUCTION.
Region: Hesaeth

Defense of Flotsam: Flotsam is under heavy fire from the Legion, they must be fought back here and now. This log can take any number of permutations depending on how a character chooses to fight. All captured Armors will be made available for PC use for this fight, and can be claimed in this thread. All Flotsam airships will also be active in this fight and may be incorporated into the log. Flotsam’s sea ships are all generally armed with a hodgepodge of weaponry which will be utilized in this attack.
Conflict: A Legion is trying to destroy every last ship in the fleet and send you all to the bottom of the Eternal Ocean, and they have the firepower to back this up. The Legion consists of 7 carrier airships and 200 armors, as well as 800 general crew and landing forces. It will take all of the Corsair’s might to beat them back.
Requirements: To participate in this mission, your thread header should read DEFENSE OF FLOTSAM.
Region: Flotsam

Imperial Witch: A young girl with flowing green hair and empty, soulless eyes descends upon Flotsam. Upon her head rests an ornate bronze crown, and her Armor is like a ferocious beast. At her command, fire rises to her call - and she leaves naught but devastation and ash in her wake.
Conflict: This is a villain plot with a PC villain character - up to 4 characters may sign up for this plot on a first-come first-serve basis and the PC Villain will control the flow of the log. In general, the PC Villain will tag after all active participants, or after 24 hours have passed, whichever comes first.
Requirements: To participate in this mission, post in the sign-up thread and tag into the appropriate top level. The first 4 players to sign up may take part, and these players will receive lower priority in the next villain plot until all players have had a turn.
Region: Flotsam

Players will generally have free reign to narrate the event’s occurrences as they wish. For the Execution phase, please refer to the Conflict descriptor to get an idea of the kind of narrative difficulties you will encounter and feel free to make use of them as much or as little as you like to make the thread interesting.

Characters are free to use single large threads or multiple smaller threads to meet the character threshold at the player’s discretion.

If you wish to deploy a Gambit during your mission, in the subject line of the reply you’re using the Gambit in type GAMBIT: [NAME OF GAMBIT]. Using Gambits isn’t required for the success of a thread, but doing so will be taken into account when we factor out the successes and failures of the mission.

Due to the coordinated nature of the attack, characters may only participate in logs in a single select region for this mission as they are occurring simultaneously.

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[purplexing]

Meanwhile Donnie is firing another volley. He wishes he could say it's actually doing anything but he can't really tell between the haze of smoke in the air and the continual fire from the Empire's ships.

"At least that's some good news," he mutters, stumbling towards one of the freshly loaded cannons as another shot from the Imperials rocks their position. He grabs onto it to steady himself. "This would have been easier if we'd managed to automate things but there just hasn't been enough time..!"

He sends off another blast, punctuating his frustration. Stupid Empire!

[upupatomway]

"Could you automate any of them if we bought some time?"

It wouldn't be outlandish in Atom's world, with reprogramming options galore, but he's not sure if it's realistic at all in this one. They're not exactly standing in a pile of obvious parts and tools, but maybe Donnie knows better.

[purplexing]

The turtlekin shakes his head. "Too complicated and we don't have the tools for it, not to mention the materials. And rewiring weapons while under fire is not advisable," Donnie says. He gasps, ducking his head as another shower of debris is thrown across the cannon line.

[upupatomway]

So it's the two of them with the cannons against the troops. Atom considers again whether or not he can fire the cannons and what it would cost. He could test his programming with an internal simulation while reloading at the same time, but if he overlooked something in creating the simulation he might freeze up or worse when actually shooting. He's not sure if the risk is worth it.

Better consider all their options. He chances another look at the troops from behind the cover area. Donnie will know better what the cannons are capable of.

"Are these cannons powerful enough to break loose rock?" he suggests.

[purplexing]

The list of things he wishes he'd had time to accomplish just keeps growing after the fact, and Donnie tries to push away from those thoughts, little good as they do now.

"Should be, especially if it's closer. Double the charge will definitely put more force into a shorter ranged shot," he says as he fumbles with a primer.

[upupatomway]

"I can scan the rock for weak points and aim at those. Cover me!"

Granted he makes a small target for the distance they still have from the troops, and all he needs is to poke his head out to get a better look at the mine ceiling between them and the enemy, but for all he knows there are some sharpshooters with magic weapons in the ranks who could take a robot's head.

It turns out not to be the troopers, but rather the debris that causes trouble. Atom stands in place to visually scan the ceiling and remains steady despite another overhead explosion, but another wave of debris showers down. A larger piece of which falls right towards the small robot's head.

[purplexing]

"Wh-"

Donnie looks back up as Atom shouts, anxiety ratcheting up several notches. "What are you doing-" he hisses, nearly choking on a gasp when another strike lands.

He throws out his hand, a flare of violet light shimmering in some rough semblance of a shield. It's not nearly as formed as his constructs tend to be, but he isn't focusing- things are happening too fast and really, he just needs it to keep Atom from getting his head smashed in long enough for Donnie to hurl himself at the robot child to tackle him to safety.

...which isn't really the greatest thing for a softshell to be doing when it's still raining down rocks everywhere but he hadn't been thinking about that.

[upupatomway]

Atom completes his scan just in time to realize Donnie shielded him from something with magic. Before he can move or say something Donnie tackles him. Atom stumbles backwards and he nearly falls over. He almost miscalculates his steps leaping back towards Donnie in an attempt to reach him before more of the debris falls on him next. To close the gap in time he resorts to firing his feet blasters for a split second to give him the momentum and height needed to clear Donnie's head. He makes contact with the debris before it can hit him, flinging it aside. Atom tumbles aside as well, and lands on his stomach.

Not his most graceful landing ever. It would have scratched up and bruised an organic person, but he rises to his feet quickly and runs to the closest cannon as if this is ordinary.

[purplexing]

If only he had more time to finish that armor...! Further spiraling thoughts along that line are promptly lost the moment he impacts with a much more solid Atom than he'd been anticipating. Momentarily stunned, he only barely catches what happens next, even as his body tenses in preparation for the threat of falling debris from above.

Nothing hits him.

He whips around to track Atom, who's somehow had fire coming out of his feet enough to fly?? But the kid's already moving again despite the awkward landing, and at least it's the cannon that Donnie had been priming that Atom reaches.

[upupatomway]

"We'll disrupt them by dropping debris in their direction! Double the charges like you said," he commands as he doubles the charge for the cannon he's working with. "Not sure I'll aim this right for a direct hit the first few times. But I should calculate it right with a test shot or two."

He pushes the cannon forward again and takes aim at the ceiling of the cavern, lowering his head to look at the alignment. Then he fires. The blast hits the ceiling and a round of debris falls, but Atom doesn't look pleased yet. He's trying for something that will truly distract the troopers.

[purplexing]

"R-right," Donnie acknowledges, hurrying to finish reloading another cannon. It helps him get his mind back on track, having something to do, occupying his hands with familiar tasks until he smooths out the ripples in the wake of that emotional confusion.

"This one's ready!" he says as he moves on to start prepping another.

[upupatomway]

Some part of Atom's electronic brain realizes how odd it is that he refused to fire the cannons at first but is now so determined to do it. Explaining his limitations goes on his to do list. For that matter, a better explanation of robots and his capabilities in more detail needs to happen to keep from baffling others.

Atom aims the second cannon and takes the shot. "Almost! I think the next shot!"

They might not need to worry about a perfect shot, however. The second shot had knocked things loose. A large piece of stone had gone tumbling down immediately after, alarming some of the troopers. Then more debris, and more, as the shots above ground made the cave shake and cracks grow and spread. There's shouting from the troopers; hesitation to walk forward where most of the debris is falling.

Atom turns to look at Donnie with an optimistic half smile. "I think you can see where to aim too now."

[purplexing]

Donnie hadn't given it much thought at the time, mostly because he'd figured not everyone was familiar with how to operate a cannon. He doesn't give it much thought now what with everything else, and certainly it's not too difficult to figure out after watching someone. Aiming is still a lot of trial and error, something he finds annoying about using cannons, but that's something to consider when they're not being under fire.

By the time Atom's addressing him directly again, Donnie's got the next loaded up, his eyes out across the field, narrowing. He nods, giving the cannon a few adjustments before he jams in the primer, touching it off with the flick of a finger and a spark of magenta light.

[upupatomway]

While Atom loads another cannon, Donnie's shot lands. Atom can't help turning his head at the sound of another avalanche raining down from the roof in the path of the troopers. The impact almost looks as if the same cannon shot twice in a row because the shower of stone grows even heavier. The Imperial bombing overhead had added another slam to the roof of the cave at nearly the same time. Troopers scramble; the farthest ones back up and clog the passages they had been pouring in through.

"The Imperials really want to keep bombing above ground after sending their soldiers underground?" Atom realizes. It was obvious it was happening, but the carelessness of it wasn't part of his initial consideration of how to best delay the soldiers. If Donnie hadn't fired up the cannons, the soldiers would have been even further inside and even more likely crushed with the Corsairs. "Why would they sacrifice their forces when the Corsairs are the ones at a disadvantage?"

He still moves as he talks, but his expression is more disturbed at this thought than anything that had happened in the battle thus far.

[purplexing]

Donnie purposely avoids looking anywhere but where the incoming troops are.

"They don't care. They just want their property back, and they know they have the resources to do it," he says coldly. "They're here to teach us a lesson, and they won't give us any chances." The rumbling above further punctuates his words.

His expression twists as he thinks about Flotsam, and he swallows. "...I hope the others are okay..."

[upupatomway]

"Maybe I shouldn't be surprised," Atom says, "I guess I hoped that at least they cared about the soldiers enough not to throw them away."

Throw away might be an odd way to say it for organic people but Atom uses the expression out of habit. He's used to hearing about soldiers getting sacrificed but in his world they were robots. Witnessing it happen to organics instead feels extra disturbing.

"I'm worried too. I understand the plan to hide some of the ships, but doesn't that mean there are less Corsairs standing together at the battle?" He hadn't been acquainted with many of the Flotsam forces yet but he was concerned nonetheless, especially for those who had taken down the transport ship and saved him just a few days before.

[purplexing]

"They only care about results and how it'll add to their power. Otherwise they wouldn't be importing people from other worlds just to work for them. Their soldiers probably think they're doing some great thing for their Empire."

Donnie mechanically loads up another cannon, trying not to think too hard about whatever might be going on in Flotsam.

"Most of them should be there, I think, but..." He shakes his head. "I know they want to protect what's theirs but I don't know if keeping everything together to make a stand is worth it. They should have broken up the fleet instead of an all or nothing maneuver..."

[upupatomway]

He is all too familiar with the approach of assembling more people purely for results, without a thought to their livelihoods or what would happen to them after their initial purpose. Maybe this world was all organics, but he could already see so many parallels. This was why he volunteered to join.

Atom reminds himself to keep moving, loading, and shooting. It's hard not to get distracted by the difficult reality that people will definitely be lost in the course of the battle. He has seen it before, in post-war cities and ruined crop fields, but that doesn't make it easier to face again.

"Some people from Flotsam were the ones to save me from the Imperials. I want to see them again. I guess... This is the kind of situation where humans back home would pray for someone's safety."

[purplexing]

"...there's good, capable people out on Flotsam. They won't give up easily," Donnie says, pausing to line up his next shot. He can trust the people even if he doesn't trust the plan.

His next shot seems like it backfires for the almost simultaneous retribution as the airships' cannons pummel the rocks above them, sending larger chunks down and taking out more of their artillery. "-can't stay much longer," the turtlekin grunts, trying to keep his footing even as he dances back from the debris.

[upupatomway]

The cracks in the roof have been helped in a certain direction with their fire, but the cracks naturally spread in both directions. The debris falling on their heads is still mostly small pebbles, but there's an unmistakable increase in the rate.

"You're right. We might not have cannons to shoot for much longer. I can only calculate based on the average of the bombing overhead- but we shouldn't stay longer than a few more minutes!"

[purplexing]

"Better make these count then," Donnie says. Any way they can slow down the Imperial progression will make all the difference for their thorough escape.

"Start loading the remaining cannons! This'll be our last round," he says, already readjusting the tilt on the one he's nearest to. No point in helping things collapse faster, not when it'll also impede them, so he's going to try spreading out the forces below.

[upupatomway]

"On it!" Atom rushes to load the cannons and then wheel them back into place to be aimed and fired. "Last one!" he says as he reaches the final one in the line. As he finishes loading and goes to push it into position, he alerts Donnie. "It's ready!"

Now that he's helped set up the final round, he focuses on watching out for larger chunks of debris falling over their heads.

[purplexing]

Donnie moves methodically down the line to fire each reloaded cannon. He doesn't look over when Atom finishes up, but he nods.

"Fire 'em! We're running as soon as the last one's done because I'm not sticking around for the retaliation!"

[upupatomway]

Atom starts firing the cannons off from the other end of the line, then waves at Donnie to go ahead of him towards the exit. "Go! Go!"

It will be easier to knock the debris out of the way from behind him, and he's less worried about getting hit by a rock himself than seeing an organic person take on a boulder.

winding off ?

[purplexing]

He doesn't hesitate to do so once he finishes lighting off the last one he's manned. His softshell is not made for taking brunt force from anything and he knows he'll be useless if he ends up being hurt too badly.

Donnie throws his hands over his head as he makes a run for it, larger chunks of rock already starting to crumble from above with the next report from the Imperial's cannons.