John

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The door opens from Milliways onto the tumbletown ruins of what used to be an industrial area on the fringes of Arlington. The temperature is summertime-warm, the air dry; the last rains to pass through here are long since gone. Overhead, a scavenger bird or two circles, visible only to people who know what they're looking for. A breeze listlessly

Comments

Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen's generally pretty good at patience, but she's never had to lay low like this and wait for an opportunity to launch an attack before. It's a little different from any other waiting she's done. Especially since there's Dogmeat to consider- the heeler isn't clear on what's going on, but he wants to start moving again, and Ellen keeps stopping him.

"I suppose we'll know it's time to move when the screaming starts," she murmurs.

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

"That's generally a good, clear sign," Annabelle says with a nod.

"The waiting is always hard for me too," she adds with a knowing smile.

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Wish we didn't have to do this," Ellen mutters. "Even if wishing isn't going to make any kind of difference."

She checks over her belt pouches to count her supply of microfusion cells, the same as she's done a dozen times already.

"Dad always said you had to stand up to bullies, though."

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

"So do I," Annabelle agrees. That may be a bit surprising, but it's true. She doesn't like killing, even though she doesn't flinch when it's necessary.

"That's very true," she agrees. "If you let people bully you, they'll keep on doing it."

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen nods. "They started it," she says, "and they escalated it. I would have left them alone if they hadn't kept coming back. This is almost as much their fault as it is mine."

She looks down at her hands and grimaces. Kind of hard to rub your face when you're in power armor and wearing gauntlets.

"Well, they won't be doing this to anyone else, that's for sure."

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

"It's not your fault at all, Ellen," Annabelle says quietly.

"No, they won't be," she says solemnly. "Remember that." Today is likely to get very, very ugly. Ellen may need that knowledge to deal with whatever happens today.

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"It's the first time I've ever actually deliberately hunted somebody down with the intention of killing them when I find them," Ellen says. "Even Andale was just reacting." She shakes her head. "Anyway. Is it just me or do you hear gunfire?"

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle nods in understanding. It's not the first time she's done it, not by a long stretch, but she remembers how it felt the first time.

"No, I hear it too."

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Sounds like our cue, then," says Ellen. "I'm going to be using the Shishkebab without the flames until we're inside- I don't want my plasma bolts to give away our position."

She starts off towards a spot about fifty yards down the perimeter fence where loose, crumbly soil's fallen away and left a gap between fence and ground big enough to squirm through.

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

"Do you think it will be safe enough for me to use my guns, or should I stick to the knife?" Annabelle asks as she follows Ellen.

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Just until we're inside. After that it won't matter," Ellen murmurs. And: "Dogmeat. No growling."

She's taken the step of turning off her armor's danger alarms, too. Useful as it is to hear the enemy coming, she doesn't need the yelling to start while they're still trying to creep in... especially not if the Talons are going to be on alert thanks to Moon Shadow and Joh.

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

"I can do that," Annabelle says with a nod. She's capable of moving very quietly, even with the armor on.

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen nods and continues forward. It's darker than she strictly likes, but there is at least some light from various Talon sources that lets her pick out the fence and where to work at it. Doing so quietly and carefully is slow going, although the sound of gunfire and other unpleasant things going on masks the worst of it, at least enough to let her crawl through the gap and turn to let Annabelle through.

It should be noted here that Talon Company participates in one of the great military traditions of history, namely: if it smells bad, make the guy below you do it instead. The youngest and least experienced Talons have the duty of securing the Brahmin and the kennels, among other forms of scutwork. They do their job- the punishment for dereliction of duty is pretty severe- but they aren't always as diligent as older Talons might be. Sometimes animals escape, even if they're supposed to be held in reserve until a senior Talon comes to pick one up.

Which is why a faint sound of growling is drawing closer, unaccompanied by human feet.

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle hears the growling and gestures for Ellen to halt.

Hopefully, Annabelle can handle the dog without having to kill it.

Re: Team Delta

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen freezes. Dogmeat, not so much.

Now there are two sets of growling noises.

... yeah, this is gonna end well.

Re: Team Delta

[aeons_crackshot]

"Ellen," Annabelle hisses. "Keep Dogmeat back, I'll handle the other dog."

She searches for the dog, trying to get close to it.