Going Ballistic

[lord_it_over]

There is a clear field some distance from any of the main routes of Nexus traffic, one without enough grass to attract inter-dimensional picnickers or, for that matter, much of anyone else. Lord Gromgard finds it reminds him of home, except bizarrely flat and eerily lacking in angry monsters.

Not that it’s too quiet, by any means. A pack of Brown

Comments

[onemorebounty]

((Do you mind if vicioussweetie joins the fun?))

*Samus has been waiting for something like this, lounging on a hover-pallet piled with crates and a barrel, all of which are plastered with stencil-painted warnings of danger and, in some cases, flammability.*

[lord_it_over]

((Not at all!))

It's not long before the minions find where she is. They patter to a stop in front of her, blinking big yellow eyes at the crates.

"You follow," rasps the blue one to Samus.

His slightly bigger brown cousin appears to be cos-playing as a dwarf, from the horned helmet and armour to his slightly lop-sided beard. He's bouncing on his feet as he echoes, "Follow, follow!"

[vicioussweetie]

((Yay! I feel loved again. :D))

The minions are given a long look, Ali's hand twitching to fix that beard, before she turns to Samus. "He's playing dress-up with them," she comments, leaning over the pallet to offer Samus some of her popcorn (because today's all about popcorn and snide comments from the sidelines, dontcha know). "Should we be worried, or sorry we didn't dress for the occasion?"

[onemorebounty]

*She accepts a handful, munching thoughtfully as she gets the pallet in motion.*

Why not start with amused, and change as the situation warrants?

*Assuming the minions don't take any detours, it shouldn't take the little group long to reach the range the Overlord has set up.*

[lord_it_over]

The minions detour for nothing they can scamper over or through. They stop once or twice to check the women are still following, but otherwise don't waste time in leading them back to the master.

The Overlord's waiting with his axe resting on the ground beside him. He's privately a little relieved when the right person arrives - though he looks at her companion in surprise. Maybe Ali and Samus have a closer connection than he thought. That's interesting.

And so are all those crates Samus has brought. Which are also getting eyed hopefully by the few idle Browns in case they turn out to be smashable.

[vicioussweetie]

"Well, they are efficient," Ali remarks to Samus, on the subject of minions and their paths.

She then waves cheerfully in greeting when she feels herself being scrutinized, and once close enough would hold the popcorn out to Gromgard, too. "You should have told us it's a costume party."

[onemorebounty]

Yes. I'm glad I sprang for the hover model--though I suppose I could have made them carry it.

*When they arrive, she takes a moment to look around the range that's been set up. Gromgard gets a nod when she's done, although the minions get a look of askance.*

Were you expecting someone else?

[lord_it_over]

The targets run the gamut of shapes, sizes, and distances. A few minions are still scuttling around putting the finishing touches to them. One stops to scratch his head at a target, then whips the helmet off his own head and fixes it on top.

Only you, the Overlord replies to Samus, which he assumes explains whatever it needs to. Then his subtly confused attention shifts back to Ali and the popcorn, which he considers dubiously before motioning a pass on that. Costume party?

[vicioussweetie]

Well if that's how he's going to be about it, no popcorn for him. Or his minions.

"They're playing dress-up," which she illustrates by pointing to the bearded minion, "and I do always adore a chance to wear an awesome hat."

[onemorebounty]

*Her question seems answered. Not, mind, that she seems at all abashed about bringing along an audience.*

And looking more curious than is healthy. Gromgard, you should know that I've made arrangements. If anyone other than myself or Ali takes something from the pallet, tampers with anything on it, or moves it, all it will gain you is a moment's noise, some molten slag, and my ill will. I'd prefer this went smoothly.

[lord_it_over]

Ah. That. He looks up from frowning at his minions to give Samus a steady look for a minute. Then he nods.

I understand. They will not do anything without my order. Except trying to put things on their heads, he adds, glancing at Ali. They just sort of do that. Indeed, there's quite a few with beards, swiped armour, bits of vines, a desiccated green thing with a stalk eye on the top...

[vicioussweetie]

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

[onemorebounty]

*She nods at Gromgard's accession, before casting a bit of speculation Ali's way.*

Perhaps they're related to the Jagers.

*Taking a long, cloth-wrapped bundle from the pallet, she unwraps it to reveal a polearm topped with a fat iron tube, a short fuse protruding from its base. Class is in session.*

The gun, in its most basic form. It's only accurate at close range, but there was a time that was all it needed.

*She levels the weapon at the nearest target, bracing the pole against the ground. A lighter ignites the fuse, the tube gives a fiery bark, and a fist-sized dent--centered around a jagged hole--appears in one of the pieces of armor on the target.*

Armor light enough to wear was no defense, and armor heavy enough to stop the bullet tended to immobilize the wearer. Not that it wasn't tried.

[lord_it_over]

You don’t notice after a while, the Overlord explains to Ali simply.

Samus has his full attention once she picks up the weapon. He watches her demonstration intently, eyes lingering on the hole punched through that armor before he nods for her to continue. They did warn him, but it's something to see for himself.

[vicioussweetie]

"The costumes," Ali wonders aloud after giving him a sufficient amount of time to be impressed, "or the minions?"

[onemorebounty]

Or the smell?

*Wrapping the gonne and replacing it on the pallet, she opens one of the crates. From it, she takes a musket, a horn, and a pouch. In a trice, she upends the weapon, pouring something from the horn into its muzzle, followed by what looks like a dull metal marble, before tamping both carefully down with a rod.*

Effective against armor, yes, but the early models lack accuracy over range. While improvements are made...

*She shoulders the weapon, taking aim at a more distant target, and fires. Lowering it, she repeats the loading dance quickly--all told, it takes perhaps ten seconds to squeeze off a second shot.*

...the longer barrel is far from a perfect solution. Even so, the decline of armor makes other concerns more relevant; volleys after the first, for example.