NationStates Jolt Archive

"Dammit"

He swore as the pain kicked his tired body into touch. He tried harder to remember.

"He had a mansion there a posh place, about 4 or so miles from the centre of the city in some private land he owned. It was in the North of the city surrounded by a huge private greenfield area ,some 2 miles across, he kept undeveloped to distance himself from the city authorities and corruption and to give his activites some secrecy. I don't know exactly where the place is but its the largest undevoloped area in Tiravano, just look on a map and the mansion is dead in the centre."

"Do we have a map of said city, Tom?"

"Should do somewhere... I think we've got all we need out of him, Harry. I'll get a guard to take him back to his cell"

"All right." 'Harry' stood up and walked to Johann, and as he passed behind him, he ripped the device out of the back of his neck. He cleaned the little bits of blood off, then deactivated it, tucking it into a breast pocket.

'Tom' got up as well, and opened the door, signalling to the Pretorian Guardsmen outside,"Take him back to his cell, and lock him in"

Having done this, he fell into step next to Faris,"A map of Tiravano City should be in the S.I.O.N databanks somewhere, shouldn't be too hard to find"

Faris nodded. "Then we should look to ascertain if he was telling the truth. I got at least one lie or much omission from him before I got the truth...and how can we even be certain that it was even the truth? In an organisation such as that, the top men should be able to withstand that. If he gave so much so easily, he was nothing...and that's what has me worried."

"I've got a friend on Tiravano, one of our survillence guys. I could ask him to stake out this place, and you and I could join him once we ascertain that something is actually there"

From a corridor off to the side, a voice called out.

"Commander." Faris's head turned.

F -- "Good day to you, Colonel. Col. Cougar, meet Col. Iliyakim, my second-in-command...and the finest man in Sarnor Zotreth. Col. Iliyakim, Col. Cougar is the head of the Snake Eaters equivalent of our unit."

I -- "Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro, Colonel Cougar. I wish we could have met under better circumstances."

"Gre'as'anto lu' verve dro to you as well Colonel... it is a shame the circumstances could not have been better for our units to work together... but such is the way of things"

In holding with his normal way of greeting new Drow, Cougar had used their greeting, but extended his hand also

Iliyakim shook Cougar's hand. His grip was surprisingly strong for a Drow.

He then turned to Faris and took a small cylinder from his 'shoulder plate.'

I -- "Here are the reports, Commander. Also, Rathor requests to be returned to Kaymiril...apparently, some of the local food did not quite agree with him."

Faris chuckled. "Granted. Apparently he forgot one of the more fundamental rules for when working in a foreign country."

I -- *smiling tightly* "Watch what you eat."

Iliaykim gave a nod to both of them, then turned on his heel to return to his people.

Cougar watched him walk away,"Your second in command you say? Very different to you... more closed off"

"Yes...but he was also the only one in Kaymirilian history to ace the Sarnor Zotreth entrance trials. Everyone breaks at least once...I broke twice...but he didn't. I wasn't exaggerating to call him the finest...he could have easily been a Warmancer, he's got that much innate magickal ability...but he didn't want to be."

"And not many follow the path of Haldosir these days regardless... he looks like he could compete with SHADOW guys for sheer strength as well. That's not something many Drow could do"

"That much, I doubt. He's physically the strongest of us all...but humans aren't quite as frail...our only advantages to you are our stealth and speed."

"Very true... overall, I think our units complement each other well... I'd like to have a Drow operative one day"

"Perhaps, someday, you will have one...but that is not a military decision, in all honesty."

"No, it shall be left to our nations leaders to work out the details, we are just soliders"

As they had been speaking, he had led the Commander back to SION,"COmputer, display top-view of Tiravano City"

The computer did so,"What are we looking for?"

"We look for 'undeveloped land' and 'mansions.' Computer, zoom in on center of city."

The picture blurred slightly as the computer re-focused the image. As said, there was a massive greenfield site in the middle of the city,"I know this place... it used to be a military training ground before the city expanded... was sold off to private land owners after the last Helghan War"

"Then it is here that I would place my first guess."

"Computer, display a regristry of all land-owners and building clearances granted to said land owners with the area currently being displayed."

The computer brought up a list of twelve names, none of them Marnus,"I think it's safe to assume he's using a false name"

"If I were him, I would not be broadcasting my name. Let us see how arrogant he is, though."

Faris' eyes narrowed as he looked over the names again.

"I can't see it...I would suggest bringing in Iliyakim...he's good at this."

"Agreed. Whilst we wait: Computer, cross-reference all files and attempt to discern links between occupants and SLF activities"

"Chath, contact Inthuul. Tell him to tell Iliyakim to teleport to me."

Within seconds, Iliyakim was standing to Faris's left. (C's to Faris's right.)

"Xas?"

F -- "We're trying to see which of these belongs to Marnus."

I -- "Okay...and how do you work this thing."

F -- "He worked it by saying 'computer' and giving it a command."

I -- "What in the nine hells is a computer?"

F -- "I have no idea...but it worked."

I -- "Right, so there are a dozen owners in this space, right?"

F -- "Apparently."

I -- "Computer, display property boundaries in this location."

When it did, he looked at it a moment, then reached out to guesture to one of them. "This one."

"Computer, reference files for Property Gamma Seven"

The search took less than a minute,"Search complete. Building linked to SLF activites in past... was home to Nicholas Reviera until his demise last year... property was transferred via will to Micheal Davis, known as Marnus for reasons unknown"

Cougar looked at Ilyakim,"How did you know?"

Iliyakim shrugs eloquently. "I just did. Like your device knew that it was connected to SLF activities."

"Most impressive... it could've taken a few hours to locate the right building"

"Maybe an hour. Commander Faris underestimates his own ability to guess."

"In any case, Tiravano is in the next system... and you guys can't teleport without seeing it. So, we'll have to take a civilian transport to get there

I -- Lu'oh xunus uk zhaun uss d'lil kultar d' nindel wlalth?

F -- Ukt 'ranndi zhah natha Ilythiiri. Uk telanthen l' xanalress, ichl, ji nindol zhah naut d' ssrig'luin.

Faris looks at Cougar and nods. "Won't it look fairly odd to have so many Drow headed to the same place within your nation's holdings, though?"

"How many can alter their appearance to blend in?"

F -- "Fifty."

I -- "Forty-eight that we have with us. One was killed earlier, and then --"

F -- "Oh, right. We sent one home. We don't need all of us to make a raid, though."

"I'm taking my team, and one other from SHADOW. That's twelve men already... how many can you bring?"

F -- "Up to fifty, how many do you want? I'd like to go, and I'd like to bring Col. Iliyakim along, at the least."

"If you don't mind Commander, I'd like SHADOW to hit the property first, and then Sarnor Zotreth follow up and secure the property. I don't think we'll need more than about twenty people to secure the area... and if you like, I think one of you could accompany the main strike force"

I -- "Commander, with our Thalacks, twenty is like a hundred. I suggest no more than fifteen."

Faris nods. "Then select your team, Colonel."

Iliyakim nods and teleports out.

Cougar watched him go, then turned to Faris,"I'll outline the plan to you as we go... can you take human form?"

"Not on my own, but Silth has the ability to disguise others."

"Sounds good to me. Assemble your men, and meet me in the front entrance hall in thirty minutes"

"Will do."

Faris 'ports out, gets disguised, and then he and his team (sixteen total), go to the entrance hall. They look like a group of humans.

Cougar started moving through the building, searching for his team. He found one of them, Matt Konig the sniper, in the hospital ward,"What happened man?"

M -- I got dosed with radiation after that attack

C -- Lethal?

M -- Obviously not, jackass

C -- Shut up, Major. So you're not coming with us to Tiravano?

M -- Doesn't look like it... shame, I was looking forward to it

C -- Damn! Who can replace you?

M -- ONly one close is Carlos Ferien

C -- That jackass Captain?! No fecking way

M -- You've got no choice, you can't operate with a five man team

C -- *swears*Alright... I'll take him, and Norm is coming with us

M -- Hooten knows his stuff, he's good at it

C -- Get well soon man

M -- Above all Others, Colonel

Cougar patted his friend on the shoulder, and went to find Ferien. After ten minutes of arguing, he was convicned to join the team on a temporary basis, until Konig was fit for duty. Ferien wasn't happy about it, but he grudingly accepted the assignement, secretly eager to prove his worth.

**********************************************************
Alpha and Delta Teams assembled in the main entrance hall with Sarnor Zotreth, and Cougar went looking for Faris

There were fourteen men and two women waiting in the entrance hall, and all were either checking their weapons or talking. There were two men who were merely standing, looking over their people. One had his arms crossed and was standing statue still. The other was flipping a coin.

"Still flipping that coin, Commander?"

Cougar had changed out of his military gear, and was now dressed in casual attire, a case by his feet. It contained his military kit, and weapons

F -- "It's something to do, Colonel. Never could sit still in my life."

Cougar laughed,"I know the feeling from time to time. In my case, it's being in hospital"

He's so much like Phish... possible relation... the red class aren't exactly a national secret

Faris chuckles. "Hospitals are awful. I mean, the Gray Class is great and all, and they're generally pretty good about getting you out quick, but...it's not pleasant."

"I've never liked them... true about the Grey Class though. Time to go I think

Faris nods at Iliyakim, who goes and speaks to the team briefly. They stand, ready to go.

"We'll split up*hands Faris a stack of maps*These show our current location, and the destination. Be there in three hours, I will be waiting"

Faris hands out the maps, and each team member looks over them with their gliders. They then tuck the maps away.

F -- "We'll head out in groups of two and three. Stagger your exits."

"See you in three hours. Don't be late, we're flying commercial, so we have to stick to their timetable"

Cougar put his Oakley sunglasses on his face, and grinned,"See you later"

He, Watt, and Wolf all left together, making their way in a roundabout way to a bar from where they could watch the spaceport

F -- We won't be.

*They all exit, going through the city without looking at their maps. Their gliders have taken different forms to go with their outfits, or they've been put away. A couple of groups get there early, and pick a place to be, while some arrive just before on time.*

Cougar was already at the gate, and had spoken with the flight attendent before hand. He saw Faris coming towards him, and beckoned him over,"Commander, get your people through the gate and onto the transport"

F -- "Okay."

He pulls out a little book, and seems to consult it for fifteen seconds, then closes it.

In the same groups they'd arrived in, the Sarnor Zotreth group went in and onto the transport.

SHADOW weren't far behind them, having stowed their luggage in the hold. Cougar sat next to Faris,"This flight is the last of the day, so it shouldn't be too bad"

"That's a good thing...most of them have a good grasp of Common...but there are a couple that are only starting to learn."

"It's only an hour to Tiravano at low warp, so it's not that bad a flight. On the way, I'll outline my idea to you... and I've also got a few questions of my own"

Faris nods.

The transport juddered as it lifted off the pad, before the impulse engines kicked in, and it soared majestically into the sky, breaking through the atmosphere with ease,"Welcome to Flight Cobra 254, from Snake Eater Prime to Tiravano, we should be in transit for about an hour, no warp storms in the region so it should be plain sailing. My name is Captain Smith, and I am your pilot this evening. Please, sit back, and enjoy this Snake Airlines flight"

Cougar grimaced,"So up their own asses these airline pilots"

"We don't have anything similar. The closest we have are carpets, for family transport."

He smiled,"I didn't think you would"

As the flight drew on, Cougar had to ask a question,"Do you have a brother, Commander?"

"I have two older brothers and one younger. And a sister, but I don't think she counts in this question. Why?"

"Any of them mages?"

"Yeah, two. One Red class, one Brown class."

Cougar smiled,"One of them Phish?"

"Yeah, oddly enough...how did you guess?"

well, this is a cool thread; sorry for interupting the story.....just haven't read it all yet!

"Yeah, oddly enough...how did you guess?"

OOC: Kool. Thanks man

IC: "You two have the same mannerisms... both always on the go, easy-going as a rule, etc, etc. That's how I guessed"

"He was Phish before I was born, so I've never even seen his face. Met him once."

"Neither have I... he's cool though, I get on with him more than most of the other heads"

"I don't really understand the magick stuff. I'm the oddball of the family...while there are only two who are officially mages, my younger brother is a Warmancer, and my sister uses her abilities in her job, whatever that is. I only got enough magickal ability to teleport and cast a few minor spells. I don't envy my siblings, though. There are different rules they must follow, as mages."

"I doubt anyone who's not a mage understands the magick idea really. I have a vague idea, as Phish put me through some training when I first arrived in your nation... that was interesting to say the very least"

"Probably. Anyway, what's your plan?"

Cougar pulled up a map of the place,"I drew up the schematics before we left... this place is big, but only has two real entrances. One is here, at the back of the house. It's set in a large garden area. The other is a side door, normally used for delieveries and such. The front door is rarely used, for reasons unknown. I plan to hit both doors at the same time. After the intial entrance and clearance have been completed, you guys can send in a team to secure the rooftop, where we can see he had a helipad. We can't let them escape, so eliminating that possiblity allows us to focus more on the front door. They may try to use cars. Eliminate them if you can, but if not, Razgriz Squadron is ready to move on them from above with UGB's"

"We should be able to handle anything."

"Sounds good. The raid has to be quick, and precise. Once they know we're there, they could put up a defence very rapidly"

"If the plan should fall apart, I can have the rest of Sarnor Zotreth there within minutes."

"Minutes is likely to be all we have. My teams have the required gear, so we're all set. Door charges and flahsbangs to breach in, then submachine guns to clear the rooms. In, clear, out. Slick"

"Okay, sounds good."

OOC: Wow, i go off an' have a few exams and come back to find 5-6 extra pages to read! :)

IC: Johann was lead stoically, silently back to his bleak cell, he walked past rows of political and criminal prisoners but didn't look up to meet the helpless faces that followed his down the corridor. Shoved roughly into his grey cell he watched calmly as the door was shut on him for another night.
His fate was now with the powers that be, he could do no more but sit and comtemplate the choices he had made.
He painfully sat his frame down and rested his head against the stone wall gently and thought. He hoped the co-operation he showed would give him leniancy but he knew deep down his crime was inexcusable.

A tear of grief threatened to roll down his wearied, aged face but he brushed it away, and put his hands together. He was never a religious guy but nevertheless in his moment of judgement took a moment to hope and ask forgiveness from the families of his victims. . . .

******************************************************

Marnus looked out the window of his mansion and peered into middle distance. He knew the inevitable was coming after the failure of his terror attacks and a subsequent aire of inexorability slunk over the mansion and its occupants. Now swollen by volunteers and the Saara'xiin the mansion now housed 298 armed inhabitants and 124 civilians.
Shielded by the law of a foreign nation, he had stocked enough weapons and supplies for a fight to the end, and waited, periodically moving from room to room trying to decipher fragmented reports from his broken spy ring.

OOC: Hmmm... 300 armed men against 12 SHADOW men and 15 Sarnor Zotreth... man, your going down like nothing else

OOC: Now I get to really use the Thalacks. Been looking for a reason. ^_^ *Is happy now*

As the assaulting forces assembled, the fighting men inside the mansion set up positions on the roof and barricades at the entrances.
In the bowels of the complex Marnus set up his headquarters where he would resist the forces threatening to destroy his dreams. A strange mood now fell over the area where the assault was alleged, after all it was difficult to prepare for an assault you weren't sure was coming . . . .

OOC: Oh PW... um, what foreign nation? Tiravano is a SE colony

Cougar stepped off the transport, knowing full well that Marnus would've anticipated this, and that the mansion would be on full alert. He'd anticipated himself, and decided to hold the assualt for a peroid of four days. More than enough time for accurate plans to be made, and for the mansion to relax it's guard. The man he had contact in the area was an insider for SHADOW, keeping tabs on the SLF. He'd told Cougar what they could expect.

He turned to Faris and Illiyakim (sorry if I spelled that wrong Kay),"We have a safe-house where everyone can stay until further notice. You'll be able to resume normal form as well once we arrive there"

Faris nods. "So be it, then."

OOC:
OOC: Oh PW... um, what foreign nation? Tiravano is a SE colony

Oh sorry, my bad! I got mixed up when it remembered it was on a different country. Btw, my exams are done so i'll be online more from now on.

IC: The defenders were now ready with many of the civilians pressed into service delivering ammo and supplies to the barricades expected to be assaulted first in the main halls, roof and back door.

Upon arrival, Iliyakim had set loose a few Velxunai, which went toward Marnus's fortress. If they were noticed at all, they would merely be seen as sparrows poking around the grass, or occasionally perching on a doorstep or windowsill, as birds will do sometimes.

Now, they flew off to return to him.

The Drow, newly returned to their natural forms, were lounging in one of the rooms (with or without the SHADOW gusy, SE). Like soldiers will, they spoke of home.

F -- Iliyakim, your wife's due pretty soon, isn't she?

I -- At the end of the month.

"Are you told it's a son or a daughter?"

I -- A son. I love my daughter dearly, but I will be glad for a son.

Cougar had been walking through the room at this point. Hearing the Drow talk of home made him miss his home all the more. He grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen, and then stood there, looking out the window. Wolf came up behind him,"You alright?"

C -- Yeah... just thinking

W -- I heard.

She slipped an arm round his shoulders, and shook him slightly,"Come on, we've got a job to do"

He smiled,"Yeah... once we get the intel on this place, then we can move

I -- And Faris, I heard your son wasn't adapting to school well at all.

F -- Come on, cut him some slack. He's only been going for a month. He'll get used to it.

At this point, the Velxunai arrived through the window. The Drow listenedd to the reports, then Faris called out.

"Cougar, what's your take on civilians?"

Cougar looked over at Faris, and then came into the room,"Why? We looking at some?"

"About a hundred of them. And the Velxunai estimate that the non-civilians number somewhere between 250-300."

Cougar mused slightly, the glass in his hand wavering,"Looks like this could be slightly tougher than we thought... and I doubt they don't know we're coming"

I -- "They're either expecting us or preparing to have a fairly large hunting trip."

He guestured at one of the tiny devices, and it projected an image of the battle preparations. It lasted only a few seconds, but it was there.

I -- "Civilians are tricky...but most often, they won't fight. They don't know how."

F -- "Aside from that, we should take as many of the people in there as we can alive."

"Hopefully, if we can get in undetected, then the rest should fall... the moment we start using anything unsilenced, or flashbangs, we're screwed"

Cougar had seen how heavy the defences were... but they were by no means impentrable. The first wave couldn't handle heavy firepower though... maybe Razgriz Squadronwould have to take a more central role

F -- "Would you rather send in a Drow team first?"

Cougar shook his head,"Not alone... I'd much prefer to take in my unit... and take a Drow team as well. The second SHADOW team could make up the support wave... and then we could bring them down... we need Marnus"

Faris nods.

Cougar motioned to the blueprint he'd found, and had pinned it to the wall,"Looks like they've fortified these areas most heavily... the roof as well... It's going to be a fierce firefight to get in... ah, heres something"

F -- "Iliyakim coul take one other in a strafing run of the roof. I doubt they could take that sort of firepower, or hit us, especially in a night time assault."

I -- "After that, why not just blow a hole in the roof for a few more to go in?"

"It would have to be quick... if we coordinate the assualt to a tee, then they won't be able to figure out exactly who to engage first"

F -- "Well then, Colonel, coordinate away."

Cougar raised an eyebrow at Faris,"It'll be a while before we move... I suggest you all just relax and chill out"

Iliyakim chuckled. "I would advise, Colonel, you coordinate with our commander. Besieging a city or such object with infinitely numerically superior forces and firepower is his specialty."

Faris chucked whatever came to hand at his second-in-command, who ducked.

Cougar suspected that there was something else to the comment, but chuckled... there were the same in truth. Different races, but still the same type of people

OOC: I will make a post later, honest! :(

OOC: I'm not sure if I'm supposed to keep posting things like 'the building up of defences continued . . . . ' because I'm just waiting for the whole shabang to kick off.

Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound moany, I was just wondering :)

OOC: Well, you've got a four-day time period to have Marnus stress. Or get cocky. *Isn't really here*

OOC: SE has control of Sarnor Zotreth for the next two weeks until I return.

OOC:Ok. :)

*sits down and waits*

OOC: PW, you were meant to post IC

OOC: Okeday!

IC: Time marched on even if the SE forces didn't. Either they were making him sweat, hoping he would make a mistake, or they were up to something sinister. Pacing round the large cellar that served as a control room and final ring of defence Marnus summoned his security advisor and honorary defence chief, the Saara'xiin know as K'Tarl.
The creature paced in and bowed low before his employer.

"You summoned me, my master?"

Marnus nodded. "I want you to assemble a scout party of 10. They will need to be armed accordingly with concealable, light weapons. I suggest you instruct them to visit the stores room to organise fake ID's and the like in order to pose as a civilian workmen team.
It is highly important that the scout party are humans so as not to arouse suspicion. Finally, crucially, their mission is to patrol around the mansion grounds and report back on enemy strength if any. They are not to get into a firefight unless provoked first, understand?"

The Saara'xiin nodded and bowed again before pacing out the way he came and heading to the roof where the majority of humans were stationed.
Before long a motley crew (OOC:As apposed to a Mötley Crüe!) of ragged looking fighters were assembled for the task being briefed for the objectives ahead.

OOC: Something to pass the time :)

OOC: I would like you to bear in mind that we are not in the grounds yet... oh no, give it time. Anyway, IC statement coming later

OOC: OOC: I would like you to bear in mind that we are not in the grounds yet... oh no, give it time. Anyway, IC statement coming later

Okay, I was thinking of that when I posted, I'm figuring that Marnus is just sending out a patrol to check out the local situation because he's a bit cut off in his mansion. :)

It was time. Three days had passed, and the troops had moved into position....

*0145 hours*
Cougar lay there, his weapon in his hands, ready to fight. Around him lay his team, a total of six men and women, armed and ready to go. He looked across at them all, and saw the same expression on their faces as his own - a mixture of fear, trepidation and eagerness. Their faces were painted black, just like his, and in their hands they carried respirators for when the time actually came.
The cold metal and plastic of the weapon bit into his flesh, and the rain lashed down at them in a one of the storms that Tiravano was famous for. He silently thanked Leviathan for the moonless night and the heavy rain. It would make it that much harder for the enemy to see them. He checked all his equipment again, making sure it was all tied securely in the the right places and the right way to prevent slippage. His USP Tactical, chambered in .45, sat in a holster at around mid-thigh. In his hands he carried an MP5A4, similar to the A2 but with the addition of a three-shot burst function. He wouldn't be using that, having the weapon on single-shot function. Most of his team carried similar weapons, the large majority were chambered in the 9mm most commonly sub-machine ammunition used in ballistics in Snake Eaters. Sure, pulse weapons had replaced bullets in the mainstream, but SHADOW always preferred hot lead. There were four SMG's in total - 2 MP5's, a P-90 and an AKS-74u. There were also two shotguns, both Remington 870MCS', with the 14'' barrel. They all carried flashbangs, fragmentation grenades, pistols, combat knives, and a horde of other kit that is too extensive to mention.

Cougar looked at his watch again. Ten minutes to go till the attack. 0200 was the agreed time between SHADOW and Sarnor Zotreth. Cougar had made the last moment decison to allow Colonel Iliyakim to join Alpha Team, at the expense of Captain Ferien, whose role as a sniper was far diminished in this style of combat. He was waiting, overlooking the main road with his Dragunov rifle, ready to open fire at a seconds notice.

Five minutes to go

Cougar sent out the call to Bravo Team,"Alpha Zero to Bravo Zero, Chalky, you guys ready?"

"Bravo Zero, roger that"

"Alpha Zero, we go in four minutes"

He thought back to his last call to his wife, only three hours ago...

*************************************************************

C -- "We're going tonight"

Rn -- "Thank you for telling me... news has been coming of the attacks"

C -- "How?"

Rn -- "Anna likes to be kept informed, remember? She did approve the deployment of Sarnor Zotreth"

C -- "Listen, Rhenna..."

Rn -- "Don't say it, James. I already know... I've been so worried about you"

C -- "You're not the only one... the intel shows that this is a very tough one. Almost three hundred people in there"

Rn -- "You've never failed before, so theres not reason to think you will this time"

C -- "I know, it's just..."

Rn -- "*Puts fingers to screen*Shhhssh... don't worry about it. I'll be waiting for your call"

C -- "I'll ring you when I can"

Rn -- "I know you will, James... I love you"

C -- "I love you too*Blows her a kiss, and shuts off the channel*...

*************************************************************

Thirty seconds

"Stand by, Stand by"

Twenty seconds

"Safeties off, masks on"

The team raised their eyebrows, but he cut them off. It was procedure, and they had to follow something. They said nothing, and hurried to put their masks on correctly. A necessery precaution... this wasn't like in the field. Gas was a serious threat here

Ten seconds

Five

Four

Three

Two

One

"Go"

The word was whispered across the comm-net, but it gave that instant buzz. This is it. The SHADOW teams, along with another two Sarnor Zotreth squads on the other side of the mansion, began to sneak towards the building in extended line formation, their weapons raised and primed, their sense attuned...

OOC: Just have to assume that they get there unseen

It had taken five minutes to cross the open ground, but they had done so unseen. The team was pressed against the wall, the weapons in their hands covering all angles. Captain Wolf, with the shotgun in her shoulder, was by the door. Cougar was on the other side, a flashbang in his hand. He looked at her, and nodded. She spun, squeezing the trigger as she did so, the hinge-shot blasting the hinges off the doors. He already had the pin out, and threw the grenade into the room. There was an ear-splitting bang, a brilliant flash of light, and a searing wave of heat, however brief it was. Then, they moved into the room, scanning the rooms, dropping the man with the rifle pointed at them ((I know it's a GM, but it's got to be done PW, sorry)). All around the complex, the same thing was happening...


*************************************************************

Commander Faris heard the bangs, and used his Thalack to talk to his cut-off groups, who began moving to their positions. It was 0205, and this promised to be a good night. His troops were not only aiding in the intial assualt, but also staging other attacks on areas such as the heliport and vehicle pool. Working in cohorts with the SHADOW snipers, they were laying down suppressing fire on the visible, and seemingly invisible, enemy sentries. He absently mindedly spun the coin off his hand, and caught it in the torrential downpour. He looked down at it, and smiled,"Heads. We win"

In the moments before they burst in, Col. Iliyakim guestured to his Thalack, Inthuul.

He, like Cougar, had attempted to call his wife before they left, but perhaps the distance was too great for his family's unit. He was mildly disturbed that he could not contact his family when Faris had been able to...especially since his son was to be born in less than three weeks' time.

He pulled out a gun with his right hand, and Inthuul formed a small shield on his left forearm.

Then they were in, wreaking havoc. It is always trouble to meddle in human affairs...Kaymiril VII, Daughter d' Maril...you have started us on two ages...that of Discovery and that of Trouble. May the former outshadow the latter.

OOC: Never thought i'd be away for this long lol! Lets get this show back on the road :)

IC: The guards were caught unawares as carefully prepared SE sniper positions and flashbangs took there toll. Enclosed now in his concrete bunker deep below the action up above, Marnus had no way of telling what was going on - he could only hope.

On the roof, the second-rate mercenaries were being picked off one-by-one and the remainder were now returning fire as best they could at their unseen foe while trying to regroup around the railed balcony and a large chimney pot. The mansion was now penetrated in several places but the fire was now intensifying from the defenders as they regained their bearings and picked up their weapons.

Marnus had kept in reserve the best troops available to him, those of K'Tarls band, and now sent them to the front entrance to cut off the troops running across open ground to re-inforce the attack.

All across the site the surprise was complete but wearing off. Scores of defenders had been killed and some civilians hit, the decisive moments were approaching as the battle raged on.

OOC: Not the best post true, but it was a short one in the interests of moving the story onwards now after such a break.

"COVERING FIRE!"

Cougar rolled across the hallway, a difficult task when laden with the assualt kit. His chest burned, sweat dripped off his nose within the gas mask, but he still kept going. The intial assualt had gone well, with many of the terrorists being shot dead or incapacitated in the first moments. As he pressed his back to the wall, he released the magazine on his MP5, quickly inserting a new one and recocking the weapon. He'd lost count of how many rounds he had fired already. His assualt vest did feel considerbly lighter though. Behind him, Wolf and Tyler checked their weapons as well. He gestured to Tyler for a flashbang, who tossed him one. One of the newer models, it also emitted a thick cloud of smoke, to blind opponents. As he pulled the pin, the lights flickered, and died, followed seconds later by a clam voice on the radio,"Bravo Zero has destroyed the back-up generators. Proceeding with clearance of west wing, over"

"Alpha Zero, roger that, wait out"

Another voice,"Delta Two here, Delta One is down, I say again, Delta One is down. over"

"Alpha Zero, is he K.I.A? Over"

"Delta Zero, negative, over"

"Alpha Zero, roger that, wait out"

He threw the grenade down the corridor, and then caused his gas mask to polarise the lense and turn on the thermal imaging, allowing him to see the enemy. They mostly seemed to be armed with AK-esque weapons, very easily obtained... nothing he could really use. The team moved in groups of two, clearing the rooms, declaring each one,"Room Clear" before moving onto the next one. The sounds of unsuppressed gunfire was deafening... they would have some trouble hearing for a few days after this

Faris watched, waiting for the time that he and his group would take the field.

He saw the lizard creatures coming out across the field, to attack the other few members of Sarnor Zotreth. Two were killed, while the rest fought back.

F -- "You two, with me...the rest of you, wait for it."

He flipped and caught his coin, and commanded his Thalack into what would be known as the 'Warhorse' form. It was a slender quadruped that looked rather like a horse, save that it was much smaller, and had a horn growing out from its nose. The other two members of his designated group did the same, and mounted.
Readying their weapons, they charged the beasts, firing when they drew near.

This would be better if we all just had swords.

*******************************************************
Iliyakim, meanwhile, was with Cougar, attacking whatever armed resistence they met up with. He shot to kill...otherwise, why bother?

I would not be surprised if this is why humans are half deaf.