Carpathia IV: Episode 288 - Water and Fire
Blood Agony
Amenaru: Hiss!
Joust bolted around the corner first, gun raised, just in time to see blasts of water rip the doors from the shower rooms and knock all the vashtari, including Quenya and Sylvar, off their feet. Joust didn't want to shoot into the chaos, but he didn't have to with everyone splattered all over the floor. This gave him time, just a few seconds, to survey the scene while the rest of the rescue team joined him. They did not shoot either, noticing that Joust was not and awaited his command. Then, Joust noticed at least one vashtari reaching for her gun.
Joust: Quenya, Sylvar, stay down!
Joust fired first, hitting the gun-reaching vashtari in the chest, sending her tumbling backward. The rest followed suit, and they would have made quick work of the scattered vashtari, but fear of friendly fire stayed their hands. Instead, they closed in, picking up dropped guns along the way.
Elara: How...
Joust answered with his gun, not really answering the question, but it ended the conversation. Shep and Trex followed suit, taking care of the rest of the vashtari who were still moving or breathing. One vashtari escaped the notice of all but Teek when she reached for her gun. Without thinking, Teek reacted by delivering a deep gash to the vashtari's chest with his scythe. Trex helped Quenya to her feet while Shep tended to Sylvar, who was having more difficulty standing.
Quenya: I didn't think you'd be able to come.
Trex: You have Sylvar to thank for that. He's the reason we knew where you are.
Sylvar gave a woozy smile and pointed to his earpiece.
Sylvar: I put in a tracker.
A metal object hit the floor with a thunk and Quenya spread her arms wide, shaking her hands out.
Quenya: So much better!
Trex: I was going to say we should get these handcuffs off you, but it looks like you managed.
Quenya: I used the water to short out the electronic lock. Give me a minute and I can get Sylvar's too.
Joust: As soon as that's done, we're going back to the shuttle car as fast as we can run. No stealth. Blast anyone you see.
Mikado gave his scythe a swing as though bleeding off excess energy from his body.
Mikado: Ready, Commander!
Another thunk as Sylvar's handcuffs fell from his wrists.
Tamati: I'll carry him. You focus on helping get us out of here.
Shep: Agreed.
Shep passed Sylvar to Tamati, who effortlessly hoisted him up onto his back while Joust tapped his communicator.
Joust: Both packages secure. Making haste to the shuttle car.
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Aire and the rest of the bridge crew watched in silence as the rescue team avatars began to converge on Sylvar and then clustered together just around the corner. Though they knew little of what happened, they could see that, suddenly, the vashtari dots scattered all over the corridor and their lights winked out one by one. Aire hoped this was good news and a terse communication from Joust confirmed.
Baal: Communication from Joust. They have Quenya and Sylvar and they're making for the shuttle car.
Indeed, the rescue team avatars began to move rapidly through the corridors, much faster than before. Any vashtari dots that appeared disappeared quickly. It was time to move.
Aire: Estimated time to the shuttle car?
Nalma: At their current speed, about 20 minutes, and another ten to get the car out through the vent.
Aire: Phobos, edge us out of the gas giant, just enough that we can go to quantum immediately.
Phobos: Yes, Captain.
As the Shadowdancer began to creep out of the gas giant, Aire looked up at the rescue team screen just as they stopped in front of a contingent of at least 40 vashtari. Aire's chest tightened as he watched the standoff begin.
With Joust in the lead and Shep covering the rear, the rescue team charged with reckless abandon back through the corridors, shooting every vashtari they saw. Halfway back to the shuttle car, Joust and the team rounded a corner and came to a screeching halt. Before them, the corridor was filled with vashtari, red scythes brightly lit, including one he recognized. It was The Hand.
The Hand: That's enough. I do not know how you got here, but...
Before Joust could even consider what to do, Tuomas burst through the middle of the pack with arms outstretched and malice burning in his eyes. In front of him, a wall of flame exploded through the corridor, mowing down all of the vashtari in its path. All, except for The Hand, who deflected the fire wall around her with some sort of shield. Tuomas continued his barrage, focused entirely on The Hand while the other vashtari staggered to their feet.
With Tuomas keeping The Hand occupied, Joust pulled his gun and leaped to the ceiling, firing into the crowd of dazed vashtari. The rest of the team followed suit, with Tamati sitting Sylvar along a wall so that he could join.
The Hand: You're in league with the Wishmaster!
Tuomas: We already killed him!
The fight raged, with many of the vashtari going down quickly before they could recover from the fire blast. Once they did, they put up a strong fight. As much as each wanted to help Tuomas with the gravest threat, they only had enough time to take occasional shots at her before they had to dodge a scythe swing or some other vashtari attack.
Tuomas did well enough on his own, his lightning speed, a reflection of all his dragon training, the awe of everyone who witnessed it, helped by the occasional distraction from a disruptor blast aimed in The Hand's way.
Joust: Keep them away from Tuomas!
Joust aimed a shot at The Hand's head, which she deflected with another shield just in time. Spinning away from the fray for a moment, she thrust a concussive blast in his direction, hurtling him into a wall. Tamati rushed to his aid, taking a swipe from a vashtari scythe to his shoulder on his way. He picked up Joust's gun and shot the vashtari dead and stood sentry over the injured Joust, blood trickling down his shoulder.
Chaos reigned. Vashtari swung their scythes. Quenya threw water blasts all around. Amenaru and Kit kept the vashtari off balance with bites and scratches. Tamati pounded the top of one vashtari's head hard enough to drop her head straight into her shoulders. Both Mikado and Teek found that Sylvar's scythe training was effective as they were able to engage scythe fights directly. The vashtari crowd started to thin and though none of the rescue team were mortally wounded, most had cuts of varying severity. Though the vashtari fought with skill, none of them were remotely prepared to deal with such an eclectic onslaught.
As the number of vashtari whittled down, the rescue team focused more on assisting Tuomas and both he and The Hand showed signs of fatigue. Instead of dodging the occasional gunfire and scythe swings, she now had to contend with many, a near constant barrage, on top of Tuomas's attacks. Finally, Tuomas found an opening, only a split second while her shield was focused elsewhere, and he sent a fire jet directly at The Hand's chest, setting her alight. For all her abilities, putting out a fire appeared not to be one of them and she fled, shrieking through the corridors. For her part, Quenya stood by and watched, aggressively disinclined to put her out.
Joust: We... have to... get moving...
Trex took note of the injured Joust and took charge.
Trex: Alrighty, I'm taking command. Is Joust okay?
Tamati: Probably a concussion. He'll be fine when we get him back to the ship.
Trex: Tamati, you carry Joust. Shep, you have Sylvar. Anyone else need assistance?
Shep: Got him!
While Trex barked orders, Amenaru and Kit changed back to their normal selves, knowing they could not rely on Tamati to carry them up the ladder now. Tamati tossed their underwear at them before hoisting Joust onto his back. Shep did the same with Sylvar. Trex spun around, giving the team a quick survey. Nobody was undamaged and Mikado's left ear looked particularly gnarly, cut so deep that it looked like it might fall off. Mikado didn't seem fussed about it, possibly from adrenaline, but she did not say anything for fear of slowing everyone down. She reached to her belt and pulled two sunstone grenades.
Trex: Ready? Good.
Trex tossed both grenades down the corridor, the direction they just came from and waved her arms.
Trex: Move it!
Nobody had to be told twice, already in a sprint as soon as Trex tossed the grenades. They met little resistance the rest of the way to the storage room where they entered.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
