Vault-Tec HQ

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The door opens onto the shadows of a half-collapsed metro tunnel. It is probably best not to ask about the stink on the wind. Outside the sunlight is enough to make Ellen squint and hold a hand in front of her eyes as she says, "I hope you all took that Rad-X. We're about a block or so from that downed Delta-IX rocket, and there were still a few mutants in the crater when I told Star Paladin Cross I thought I'd seen reinforcements in the tunnel."

She pauses at the distant sound of a lot of laser fire.

"That last part might not be so much of a problem for long."

Comments

[k_in_black]

There's a distinctive basso whine of a Korlian XT-17 plasma cannon powering up. Everyone better get used to that sound because it's Agent K's favorite weapon after his personal blaster. A Series 4 Deatomizer is slung over his shoulder, and he's brought along a few other jet-black 'toys' for variety's sake.

K would be humming a jaunty tune if he ever did such a thing.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Given the wreckage of Vernon Square laid out before them, that many guns are just a matter of practicality. And as for the jaunty tune, well, Ellen's got that covered. She flicks a switch on her Pip-Boy, and:

"So bongo, bongo, bongo, I don't wanna leave the Congo, oh no no no no no!
Bingo, bangle, bungle, I'm so happy in the jungle, I refuse to go!
Don't want no bright lights, false teeth, doorbells, landlords, I make it clear..."


.... Three Dog's got kind of a limited selection.

[k_in_black]

K would have appreciated something from the King (that would be Elvis for the hopelessly impoverished canons that never had him), but he's going to spend the day shooting things, so he's prepared to be flexible in the interest of good company.

It might be a little unsettling, though, that moment when he checked to make sure a very particular small, polished black object is where he put it, and then just chuckled to himself.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Considering that in this universe Les Paul never got involved in inventing the electric guitar, and James Hendrix was the father of the classical and jazz guitar renaissance, the chances of anyone turning up Elvis material may be on the slim side. But who knows?

Ellen takes the opportunity to glance over in K's direction as she waits for the other two to emerge from the tunnel. "Something I should know about?" she asks.

[k_in_black]

The MiB databanks haven't acquired those facts yet, and it's going to be a dark day in K's life when he discovers them.

K pats the device with a slight smile. "Oh, you'll know it when I use it. But I don't want to ruin the surprise."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Fair enough," says Ellen. "Dogmeat! No! Stay away from the rocket!"

She may be a little oversensitive. The blue heeler was on his way to the crater with the crashed rocket in it, not anywhere actually near it. Then again, this is Dogmeat, who hasn't figured out yet that biting robots isn't a great idea. one can never be too careful.

[k_in_black]

"C'mere, boy!" K calls out, holding up something that looks suspiciously like a doggy treat.

He glances at Ellen to be sure she doesn't mind. K, having been Texan back in the day, understands owners being particular.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen's fine with this, and gestures to Dogmeat to come on back. Which he does. Because while threats to his human are the most important thing EVER, food is- well, it's food. And there's not much of a threat right now. So: food.

[k_in_black]

K poises when Dogmeat is still a few yards away, and then lets the treat go in an easy toss, just to make it a little more fun.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Which the dog can live with. He darts off after the treat at surprising speed- surprising to anyone who doesn't know him, anyway. There may not be a military any more to train them but military dogs used to be considered bullets you could recall. A chase speed like Dogmeat's is a big part of why.

He's just gonna OM NOM NOM NOM the heck out of that biscuit before trotting back with his ears forward and his tail high.

[k_in_black]

"Good boy!" K says, giving Dogmeat a vigorous pat when he trots back, apparently not worried at all about losing a hand.

Possibly because MiBs can grow them back?

He looks up at Ellen. "Got a feeling he's going to earn a lot of those today."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Most likely," Ellen agrees. "That and mirelurk jerky. And, knowing his luck, probably a stimpak or two. He's very good at fighting, but he's worse at judging what he can actually fight successfully than my dad was at judging people in general."

[k_in_black]

K nods, back to sober now. "Good to know. Not one to blame a mutt for trying, but I'm never a fan of sacrifice."

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle is loaded for bear Supermutant, which means the HEAP ammo is in the sniper rifle already, and she's sporting the green and white body armor acquired from the Rangers.

"He does tend to rush in where angels fear to tread," Annabelle remarks as she exits the tunnel. She glances over her shoulder to see if Connor is following along.

[leadinghome]

Connor is just behind, in his usual clothes; different from his girlfriend, he is not carrying weapons and not wearing armor. "That is a good idea, actually." He nods to K. "Lets try to do this without sacrifices. It is better when we do not die."

He pauses to survey the area, head tilted. "It is... quieter than I expected. You said it has been 200 years since the war?" The question is aimed at Ellen.

"I can feel some very angry people right that way." Super mutant minds are weirdly primitive and easy to feel, radiating their hatred of 'normals'.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"The Great War began at eight-forty-seven AM on October 23rd, 2077," says Ellen, "and ended two hours later. We're in October or November of 2277 now. So, yes. Two hundred years ago. Humans don't live in this part of the ruins, not any more."

From the vicinity of the crater the sound of gunfire is suddenly cut short by the sound Agent K already knows- automatic high powered laser fire. The makers of the Gatling laser installed sound and motion generation mechanisms to make it easier for the user to feel like they were shooting a proper gun.

"Sounds like Star Paladin Cross is getting to work on that," Ellen says. "Let's go join her."

[k_in_black]

The power up whine on the XT-17 finishes with a satisfying, and ominous, metallic ping as K falls into step behind Ellen. He's pleased to see all the rubble and debris--plenty of cover if they need it. Not that he plans to do anything more than keep shooting until whatever's in front of him is reduced to a smoking pile, but it's always good to have options.

"She on her own?"

[aeons_crackshot]

"I'd like to know that myself," Annabelle adds. "Any other allies we need to keep an eye out for?"

She glances at K's gun when it makes a metallic ping. Most things that made that noise, in her experience, were about to suffer a malfunction of some kind.

[leadinghome]

Connor just falls in step behind, letting his mind expand and keeping track of other presences in the area.

In a warzone, it is always useful to know where the enemy is.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"We're it," says Ellen. "Make a note of Cross's power armor when you see her. Any human in any other design of power armor is probably going to try to kill you."

With that she and Dogmeat dart forward, scrambling from fallen rubble to fallen rubble, heading for the scene of three well-armed greenskins attempting to open fire on a much smaller silver-clad figure.

[k_in_black]

K takes a moment to give the three greenskins a good look for future reference, and then pauses for about three beats before raising the XT-17 up to his shoulder and firing a split-second later.

The XT-17 unleashes a shriek and a glob of pure, white-hot plasma shoots out of the gun in a high, fierce arc. You'd think that one greenskin would have plenty of time to get out of the way, but you would be wrong.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle doesn't need to pause, as she's killed their cousins before.

She brings the sniper rifle up in a blur and, for a moment, there is nothing in her mind but a deadly calm.

Her gun is a quieter beast than K's, but a HEAP round between the eyes is going to hurt...

[leadinghome]

Connor could indeed do nothing and just let the others blow things to smithereens.

But he has been practicing being useful. He can 'see' which of the three Annabelle is aiming for, so he reaches out to the third mutant, and shifts rubble to make it trip and fall closer to the one K shot at.

Subtle, but effective?

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Useful enough, certainly. Before Ellen's green plasma bolt can strike the fallen mutant between the shoulders, the silver figure turns its Gatling laser against it. It's nothing like the XT-17's shriek, but the sound of that many lasers firing in rapid succession until the mutant falls to ashes... that's not something you forget.

[k_in_black]

K eyes the results and nods. "It's a start."

The XT-17 immediately starts into another power-up cycle. K taps several buttons on its control panel in quick succession and the sound dies down as it shifts to a slower cycle.

K doesn't always broadcast his position to one and all. Just when it's more fun to let them know he's coming.