2011-01-10 - Escape From Maganac Island

When we last left out 'heroes', they were in an underground New York base. The entire Maganac troops had thrown a party, and a good few of them were currently asleep. Of course, the night crew was still quite awake, and babysitting the prisoner, standing at a distance from the prison room with the open door. After all, they are not stupid enough to stand right around the corner. They've seen enough movies.

Quatre too is quite asleep, where-as Rashid is somehow managing to stay awake. This may or may not have to do with the presence of the large cup of coffee in his hand. Black, and rather stinky. He's talking to a nearby medic, discussing something of importance.

But there is something strange. Something hanging in the air. A sense of danger. People like Remille, who are trained for war, may have come to recognize this 'gut feeling'. No need to be a NewType to feel this. It is the kind of feeling that sets one on edge. A feeling that sets one to start listening to strange sounds. But there are very few sounds that sound out of place... or perhaps if there were, there are few that can be heard properly over the sound of work on Mobile Suits in the distance.

Remille was asleep, or seemed asleep. She was mostly cat-napping; In and out of sleep; Waiting for the moment she could use to escape once again. Yes, the Dear Quatre had shown her wonderful 'hospitality', but she knew there had to be a catch in here somewhere. Something he'd throw up eventually.

No one just captures a prisoner, tries to make them feel at 'home, because they want to change their minds for some 'greater' good cause of peace, love, and whatever other crap.

The female solider then slowly opens her eyes once again, then glares out the open door at the two guardsmen. She looks around the room gently, plotting, thinking yet again. There was no vent here, so that wasn't a form of escape. Maybe she could make them think she somehow snuck out?

Haha.. right.. wall to ceiling hold. Yeah, like they wouldn't see that one most likely.

Quatre was tired. He'd spent a long time up and it had finally gotten to him. However, when that 'feeling' of dread and danger becomes apparently, he stirs, opening his eyes and looks around in his dark room. "What's going on?" He whispers? It's instinct, how do you explain something like that? Of course, there is no response. He quickly puts on some of his more casual clothes and heads out into the complex to see if something is going on.

There seems to be a slight bit of unrest amongst the men who are awake, and Rashid too has noticed it now. There is a very subtle 'thumping' in the distance. Thump. Thump. Thump. Its rhythm is stable, but not caused by a single source. The blonde Arab continues along the mess hall towards the large doors that give access to the hangar, and presses a big red button to open them.

Nothing. The hangar looks just fine. But the thumping has gotten louder. A few of the guardsmen are getting distracted by whatever it is that is going on. But the large man Vadiv arrives to seemingly quell any thoughts of escape for miss Remille, standing there in the door opening. Or... is he there for something else. "Pssst? Miss Divine Crusader lady? Are you awake?"

Remille raises an eyebrow as the sounds come to hear ears at last. How long has she been here? Not seventy hours already, was it? Yes, the uneasy feeling was there, it is probably what kept her cat-napping instead of falling to her bodies want of sleep.

However as the guards move, she can only smirk faintly, but no sooner then they move, a large man blocks her way.

Then he speaks to her?

She looks at him directly with her sapphire blue eyes, though she remains silent and just stares at him. Though it takes her a moment to realize something is amiss about this, she then slowly sits up; still remaining silent.

Then suddenly... a loud whistle fills the sky. After which... BOOOM! The entire underground complex shakes, a 'hot' feeling suddenly originates from behind the hangar doors and loud noise filles the air. People are suddenly screaming, some of them in pain. "Little lady better stay here, where it is safe." Then somewhere in the distance. "Master Quatre! Are you alright?" Followed by a "Yeah, I'm fine Rashid."

It would appear that the complex is under attack! That dread had been the killing instinct of some of the troops coming for these brave men. Another explosion suddenly follows further into the hangar. "Get to the units! Run! We have to strike back!" Shouts begins to fill the area once more, but this time not of pain, but of anger. Pride even, when there is a call out; "Protect master Quatre!"

She could probably see, besides the large hulking form of Vadiv, what was going on - as well as the fact that Quatre was running into the hangar himself, to get into his Gundam. Was it her people? Had they come early? Had the frightners already arrived?

Remille does indeed wonder this, but she also narrows her eyes slightly, before her attention turns to the large man in front of her. "What is going on? Who is attacking?" She asks calmly and directly.

Why not ask? Katharon were not the most loved faction by not only the DC but by also the EFA and A-Laws. It could be a number of factors in play right now. "...and shouldn't you be out there assisting them?"

"I don't fit in the units." The slow man mutters. "I fly freighter ship." Poor Vadiv. But he's loved either way. The slow guy then moves away from the opening as he gets a signal, which he caught from the corner of his eye. "Huh?" He mutters in that same slow manner he'd always spoken. He moves so he's now standing sideways in the opening, just as another large explosion can be heard in the distance. "Ahhh. Master is telling me to let you go. It's dangerous." He pauses for a moment, then turns about to add; "I'll protect you."

Quatre in the meantime has gotten in the mostly repaired Sandrock Gundam, and along with his troops is marching out of the large small-crater side entrance to meet a large group of Leos. Though Vadiv didn't know yet. In fact, nobody inside knew yet. It was OZ. OZ was committing to an assault on the Maganac Corporation.

Remille narrows her eyes and hrms, "I do not require protection, just a general direction out of here-- and a vehicle. Jeep or something of that nature." She explains calmly before standing up and walking toward the doors. "Taking a machine unit would only draw attention if the combat is of a large sort, easier to get out of danger with something smaller and not expected."

"Small vehicles were parked in front..." Vadiv mutters. "And only very few of them. We don't use them much." Vadiv wanders out of the prison area and follows her as she wanders to the doors that give access to the hangar... which is looking like a giant mess. There seems to be one freighter nearby that is still working, and there's the husk she'd seen before that gets used for repairs. Most of the 'entrance' of the underground complex is burning. The Maganac trooper units are laying a covering fire from within, whilst another series makes it to the front, trying to make it out. It's daylight - if she had not gotten a good sense of time yet. Quatre himself, though very far in the distance, and likely not able to be seen, is leading the charge agains the large squad of Leos that had made it here.

Near one of the freighters though. Look right there! It's a jeep! And it's empty. This was her lucky day? Perhaps she could get out of here without being noticed after all. There are also a few Maganac units still unoccupied along the wall. Fez wearing arabs running to nearby ones to get them started. She could probably steal one of those if she tried.

Remille took note of the jeep, also the stare of the entrance. She narrowed her eyes slightly. There was a chance this could fail.. there was a chance this could work.

She raced for the jeep and jumping in to attempt to start up it, if she could get it going. Dead bodies or not, fire or not, she was getting out of here.

Yes, it turned on. "Wait, missy! It's not safe to go like that!" Vadiv calls after her, but cannot manage to catch up with her, and is left standing near the gate to the mess hall as she drives into the distance. As she drives through the hangar, random things around her explode. It's almost like an action movie. Beams of metal fall just behind her, and a Mobile suit nearby explode as a stray Bazooka-shot hits its core, flinging Maganac folk around. There are some cries like 'Noooo! Migueeeel!' Which really isn't an Arab name. And there are at least three people calling out for a man named Mohammed. But who knows if it's the same person.

As she gets further, she starts meeting with the lines of WMS-03 Maganac troops, which seem to not be aware of her presence as they shoot with their rifles at a nearby Leo which had broken formation and had gotten near enough to get singled out. Yet, somehow, they are managing to shoot its legs and arms to pieces, but leaving the torso alone. A lucky OZ pilot... who'd likely get himself blown up soon enough anyhow. There is a broken ramp that leads a bit 'up' into the waste around New York. Does she push through? Or will she decide to turn back and try and make it to a mobile suit after all? For now that she is that far along... she can see that the Leo units far outnumber the Maganac Corps.

Remille continues to drive like a bat from hell. Ignoring the activities around her that could distract her from what she had to do. However there sheer outnumbering doesn't go un-noticed, she can only hope they continue to place up the good fight. They need to if they wanted to survive.

If they even survive..

As she noticed the downed ramp, she narrows her eyes and then punches the gas. The question is if this jeep can actually get her across or will she crash?

There's an explosion! The ramp buckles! She is still hitting the gas and...

There's a moment of weightlessness and...

Wham! It takes all of her force to keep the steering wheel from slipping out of her hands, but she's made it onto the dirt. She can hear on the radio of her jeep that there's immediately some chatter. "Master Quatre! The prisoner is in the jeep!" Followed by "Protect her at all cost! She was, and is our guest!" Followed by a whole group of "Yeeah!". What's this? A corporation that is barely succeeding at staying alive with this manner of unfair numbers... is willing to concentrate on keeping the girl alive?

One Maganac unit suddenly runs forwards along with the jeep and catches up easily, and stays on the side aimed at the enemies and begins firing a large MS rifle at an oncoming Leo. The Sandrock can be seen in the distance, lashing through a series of Leos, after which it takes a severe hit to its shoulder, causing the Heat Shotel to arc out of its hand and stab itself in the scorched earth. She can make it! She just has to get out of this small crater. There is an opening! Explosions of course, keep going around her. Then suddenly! Right in front of her, a virgo comes up from behind a large formation of trashed buildings, and aims its rifle and rocket pods right at her.

Is this... the end of Remille Fortner?

Remille hears over the radio, she wants to reach for it and tell them to back off. That they draw attention to her, but by the time she goes for such a move, they are already trying to follow her in. She then grumbles softly and keeps going. Even with the near death experience back there.

However here comes another one. Her eyes go wide before she cranks the wheel; and hard.

The Jeep nearly tips over, but she manages to two wheel it around before dropping it back down on two wheels. She glances back just for that split moment to see how close she got. Perhaps even amazed she pulled such a stunt off.

She was soon to be scott free and out of here, at which she reaches for the radio and contacts the group, "Your idiots if you keep protecting me. Focus on your own people, you will only just draw attention to me if you continue to follow."

"We can handle ourselves! But master Quatre would never forgive himself if an innocent person got dragged into /our/ problems!" The Virgo sprays a series of rockets, which impact behind her in the sand and almost send the jeep out of control... but still Remille manages to keep it under control.

Then suddenly. RATATATATATATATA! RATATATATATATA! Two machineguns bark at her. Followed by the sound of the bullet ramming into metal. But... she's alive. She's fine! If she'd look behind her, a large freighter is in the way of the Virgo and had just absorbed the bullets for her. Vadiv, the slow guy, waves from the window before he sweeps the freighter around. She probably knew that he was a sitting duck.

But then bullets fly at the virgo from the Maganac trooper which had gone along with her and soon is blasted from the air - which sends it spinning down towards the sands. Now, if she would somehow also take her time to pay attention to the battle. She'd notice that somehow...

Even though there was such a large difference in numbers.

Somehow, the Maganac were winning. Though there were definitely casualties. They were somehow holding out. Although this base was surely lost. And they'd need to move away from here. And with currently there being only one freighter still working... this was going to be trouble. Then suddenly, over the radio, Quatre. "I am awfully sorry about all of this, miss Fortner. But still, I thank you for gracing us with your kindness last day." What kindness?

Remille continued to drive. Such numbers were impressive. They were fighting against impossible odds, but something she had drilled into her - Impossible is not impossible. Anything is possible when someone has the will.

Only you can say can't, not the world...

The female pilot focuses her eyes on what she is doing, even after the missile near hit, the machine guns, everything. It was all in a strange way placing her training for so many years to the test. It was different being exposed like this, then behind her mech. Even though she was warned she have days like this, she had yet to fully experience them on this level. Somehow though, somehow by the great fate, she was getting out of this mostly untouched.

As she continued to drive, she heard Quatre's voice. She raised a brow at the 'kindness' part, before she picked up the radio once more. Her black hair moving in the open breeze of the jeep, "Kindness? I showed none. I am only doing what is needed as a soldier."

"You may not think of it as such. But you still gave us a warning that my men would fall under attack if you were not returned. You could just as well not have said anything, and just waited for us to be annihilated. But you didn't. That's kindness to me." Quatre responds, whilst dragging his Sandrock Gundam through a series of Leos - cutting off their heads and disabling them with the single Heat Shotel he still had left.

She'd now made it out of the crater. It would appear she is safe now. Vadiv's freighter lands near to where she is driving, not proceeding to go after her. Instead, the slow man just waves at her through the window. He'd saved her life. Maybe this realization had not quite gotten through to her. But... in a way, her life had been saved that day.

Remille raises a brow and just cants her head to the side. She doesn't even touch the radio, just gives it a odd look of slight confusion. She could radio him and say, 'Umm, this wasn't the attack I spoke of, but alright'. However she just remains silent and just shakes her head.

She does spot the tall man waving to her, at which she just plays along and gives a friendly salute before reving the engine and taking off across the open land. She then starts to play with the radio signals, attempting to see if she can find the right frequency with the radio, or if it could even reach out far enough.

She does give one more small glance back, just to make sure she isn't being followed or someone wasn't going to show up and snatch her away.

Then as she hits the right frequency, she inhales deeply before she radios out to maybe a familiar voice.

 Tightbeam to Frightner Radio: You say, "This is hawk.. I'm out. Right on time I believe."

 Tightbeam from Frightener Radio Operator transmits, "Affirmative, Hawk. Pr--" A beat, as he's cut off.

 Tightbeam from Leos Klein transmits, "You had no trouble, I expect."

 Tightbeam to Leos Klein: You say, "Negative. They are combat pacifists. Affraid to even shoot a man in the eye. Though they still have my fragged core. Don't know what good it would do them. They seem to had been attacked by some group, thought I 'saved' them by telling them of the attack."

 Tightbeam from Leos Klein transmits a grunt which might be construed as a chuckle, or a disapproving noise, depending on the individual hearing it. "Regrettable. Disappointing... Predictable."

 Tightbeam from Leos Klein transmits, "Your Armored Core will be waiting for you at the Terran Raven's Nest. Submit a report on the incident on schedule. We will be in the area for a short time. There is business to be done while we are here."

 Tightbeam to Leos Klein: You say, "Understood.." beat pause, "..is /he/ with you as well, sir?"

 Tightbeam from Leos Klein transmits, "He is. Your Core's assembly is being overseen by him."