Log Title: Pirates! - Torpedo's POV
Characters: Beachhead, Black Major, Chance, Gung-Ho, Mara, Red Shadows troopers, Red Wolf, Stalker, Torpedo
Location: The Aden Explorer, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa
Date: May 05, 2016
TP: Red Shadows TP
Summary: G.I. Joe attempts to rescue the crew of the Aden Explorer.
As logged by Torpedo - Thursday, May 05, 2016, 10:04 PM
Indian Ocean - Indian Ocean[]
The third largest ocean on the planet, its borders are defined by Africa in the west, India to the north and Australia and the Philippines to the east. Moving south towards Antarctica you could find your way around Africa and into the Atlantic, but most would prefer to tour through the strings of tropical islands that separate the Indian from the Pacific.
Aden Explorer> Chance stands to the opening side of the door, flash bomb in one side. And then in his usual fashion... He knocks.
And the moment the door was open, he merely flipped the bomb through the gap, at knee-level so as to roll it between anyone's legs who was standing there.
In the water, Torpedo pulls Beachhead to the surface, and starts pulling him towards the Aden. "We're going to have to kick hard to catch up to the ship. You up for it, Beachhead?"
"You set the pace, Torpedo," Beachhead replies stoically. "I'll be right with you."
Inside the crew's mess, one of the pirates asks, "What's taking Ahmed so long?" Another replies, "I'll bring him back in. He can use a bucket for all I--" He frowns as there's a knock on the door. "What's Ahmed's problem?" he asks, and opens the door, eyes widening to see Chance... *FLASHOOM!* *AIEE!* The pirates nearest the door are blinded, as captive crewmen crouch in the mess, trying to stay out of the line of fire.
One of the pirates who was shielded from the flashbang stands and aims his rifle at Stalker in the doorway.
Aden Explorer> Chance had looked away, and then back once more and used his foot to kick the door the rest of the way open, allowing it to swing out now as far as possible. He doesn't step INTO the doorway just yet though, but looks through at an angle, his own rifle now at the ready for the nearest knee-takeout.
From above the cloud cover descends what can only be described as a large red flying skull with TIE Fighter-like flight planes on either side of the grizzly main cockpit. As it drops from the heavens it makes a beeline for the Aden Explorer its many weapons whirring to life.
Stalker raises his silenced pistol and *PHUT* silently kills the last pirate guard standing, while the rest moan in pain from the results of the flashbang. "Resistance taken care of," he says calmly.
The American crew look at these new arrivals in fear.
Aden Explorer> Chance nods and moves in with the others, dripping water everywhere, to restrain and ensure no surprises later.
In the crew's mess, the phone rings. "Don't answer that!" Stalker yells.
"Not answering will alert the bad guys jus' the same," Gung-Ho replies. "No win all-around!"
Aden Explorer> Chance looks at the phone, and then over at stalker, and then at the awake men "Cant' trust them to fake it either. Bridge or look for the hostages?" he asks Stalker.
Stalker looks at the American crew that were held at gunpoint by the Kalingi. "OK. I need you all to keep calm and stay here in the mess until we finish what we have to do. Do you know how many other pirates there are? And were they have Dr. Burkhart?"
Roboskull swoops down buzzing the Aden Explorer and scanning for targets. Since most of the Joes are either in the mess hall or in the water the Roboskull's pilot sees nothing for now. Still he banks around for another pass.
Aden Explorer> Chance moves to untie any of the crew that need it while Stalker gets information and questions. The phone continues to ring and he looks at it annoyingly.
Aden Explorer> Three troopers dressed in red, their faces hidden by helmets adorned with a skull and crossbones, emerge from belowdecks and advance on the Joes. "Blood for the Baron!" they screech in unison, firing their weapons.
While Chance and Stalker see to the crew, Gung-Ho guards the door. He spots the Roboskull flying overhead and announces, "We've got company, and it's weird." He ducks back to remain unseen by the Red Shadow air support, only to nearly sprayed with fire by newly arriving troopers. "Who are these para-militaries?" Gung-Ho yells, firing back. "Cobras?"
"What difference does it make?" Stalker yells, taking a knee and firing back from the doorway.
Aden Explorer> Chance is not one to wait around to negotiate... at least, not on some days. He joins Gung-Ho with his rifle, moving to guesture the civilians to take cover. Dropping to a knee, he fires, low and dirty for the Red ones' knees and legs. A blink "... Baron? I thought feudalism was so sixteenth century!"
As the remaining pirates on deck run for cover and hide, Gung-Ho and Stalker unload on the Red Shadow troopers. "The Baron?" Stalker asks, "I wonder if they work for Baron Ironblood. But he's a European terrorist - what would he be doing mixed up with pirates on the high seas?" Not waiting for answers, Gung-Ho and Stalker crouch in the doorway to the crew's mess and fire short bursts at the Red Shadows from cover.
Aden Explorer> >> Stalker strikes Red Shadows troopers with Carbine <Medium>. <<
Aden Explorer> Two of the red-suited troopers manage to avoid the incoming fire, but the third is caught in first one and then a second burst from the Joes' weapons and goes down in a heap. The remaining pair open fire on the ranger.
Aden Explorer> >> Red Shadows troopers misses Stalker with Smg <Low>. <<
Aden Explorer> Chance has fog on his lenses it seems as his shots go wide. He mutters again in french under his breath and moves closer to the door, trying to catch them in the crossfire, although the door made it an awkward bottleneck for the Joes. He taps his radio, then rolls something out the door towards them.
[G.I. Joe] Chance says, "Flashing them in three two one..."
Aden Explorer> >> Chance strikes Red Shadows troopers with Flashbang. << Aden Explorer> >> Red Shadows troopers temporarily loses motor functions from the attack! <<
The pirates flee the gunfire, and head for the lifeboats.
Gung-Ho and Stalker are given just enough warning to cover their eyes and duck back into the mess while Chance tosses his flashbang. As soon as they hear it go off, however, they step right back onto the deck, Gung-Ho crossing over to duck behind some crates to give Chance and Stalker more room in the doorway. Before the Red Shadows can recover, however, the Joes unleash another heavy assault.
Aden Explorer> >> Stalker strikes Red Shadows troopers with M16A1 <Medium>. <<
Aden Explorer> The troopers throw their arms up to shield their eyes, but too late, as the flash-bang explodes at their feet. Their helmeted heads turn to and fro, their weapons firing uselessly while the Joes retaliatory fire is right on target. Both troopers are struck. One takes a few rounds to the neck and flops to the deck, gurgling. The other is struck in the shoulder and thigh and goes down to one knee, unable to see his attackers.
Beachhead and Torpedo finally reach the side of the Aden Explorer, and grab the grappling lines to join their Joe teammates above. "How do we know what's waiting up there, Torpedo?" Beachhead asks, pulling himself up the line.
"You don't need to know. You just have to shoot," Torpedo replies.
Aden Explorer> Chance nods in satisfaction as he opens his eyes again. Time was of the essence, and he dares to move through the door and crouch to one side while firing, making his way towards the front of the ship, slowly. "Who knows? The entire world is interconnected at this time." he replies to Stalker. As only one was left, crouching helplessly, Chance bolts towards him to smack him on the side of the head with his rifle and knock him out.
Roboskull> Red Wolf sends a radio transmission.
Roboskull meanwhile continues to circle overhead trying to line up for a clean shot at the Joes.
Stalker sees the Red Shadows go down, and straightens up slightly, looking up as the Roboskull moves into attack position. "Gung-Ho! Get below - we need to stay off the deck. We'll make our way to the bridge below-decks and catch them unaware." He moves quickly towards Chance, seeing him attempt to knock out the Red Shadow on the slippery deck. "Get below, Chance," he orders, and aims his pistol at the trooper's head, attempting to just finish him off with one shot.
Aden Explorer> >> Stalker strikes Red Shadows troopers with Pistol <High>. <<
Aden Explorer> Red Shadows troopers is overcome by injuries, losing consciousness.
Roboskull> Red Wolf sends a radio transmission.
[G.I. Joe] Chance says, "Watch yourselves. Probably more of them around."
Aden Explorer> Chance slips on the tilting deck, mossing entirely as he crashes to the floor. He doesnt hesitate though, picking himself up fast and nodding to Stalker. Puffing heavily he looks about and finds the stairwell or hatch, checking carefully before descending down.
Aden Explorer> Roboskull zeroes in on the Joes and opens fire strafing the deck and stepping bullets right towards them as they rush for the hatch...
Aden Explorer> The remaining trooper doesn't even see the shot coming. The round shatters his helmet and the organic material inside with equal ease, and he crumples, bleeding out onto the deck.
Stalker stays behind until the last moment, firing up at the flying skull to give Chance and Gung-Ho the chance to get below.
Aden Explorer> Roboskull zeroes in on Stalker and opens fire.
Aden Explorer> Roboskull targets Stalker with its weapons.
Aden Explorer> Roboskull> The computer beeps. "Target acquired."
Aden Explorer> >> Roboskull strikes Stalker with Light Machine-Gun <Medium>. <<
Aden Explorer> CHance nearly dives down the hatch as the skull opens fire. He remains there though, not wanting to leave his friends behind TOO far, and fires from that general safety on the skull "One thing after another." he grumbles.
Aden Explorer> >> Chance strikes Roboskull with Rifle <Medium>. <<
Stalker cries out as machine gun fire from the flying skull cut into him, bypassing his armor and coloring his wet uniform with blood. He struggles to the hatch, waiting for Chance and Gung-Ho to get below before dropping down himself.
Aden Explorer> >> Stalker retreats from the area, leaving himself open to Chance. <<
[G.I. Joe] Stalker says, "We've got highly-motivated yahoos with no compunctions about suicidal attacks coming on strong! We need air cover! Open season on anything wearing red!"
Aden Explorer> Chance reaches out to drag Stalker yet again to safety, despite any risks to his own person.
[G.I. Joe] Mara says, "Acknowledged, almost into range..."
Aden Explorer> Roboskull pulls up and buzzes the Aden again as the Joes disappear belowdecks
Torpedo and Beachhead sneak aboard, and head for the bridge using their own route, staying out of sight.
Outside> Roboskull soars around the Aden tracking the Joes on deck.
Outside> Roboskull seems to spot Beachhead and Torpedo and moves in to cut them down with machine gun fire!
Outside> SHARC #1290 becomes visible on the horizon finally, as it fkies to where the emergency is, pulling up just slightly in the air to be ready to engage targets once it gets into range.
Outside> Roboskull locks in on Torpedo and opens fire with the machine guns mounted on its TIE-Fighter-like flight plains.
>> Roboskull strikes Torpedo with Light Machine-Gun <Medium>. <<
Torpedo looks up as he's moving from one cover to the next, and his dark eyes widen behind his mask as the flying skull opens up at him. Torpedo runs for cover, but doesn't make it in time as one of the machine gun slugs tears through his right shin, making him stumble and fall just out of sight.
Outside> Roboskull skims the deck to fire upon Torpedo and then pulls up looping around for another shot.
Outside> Tomahawk #505 takes 'er down and lines up to fire at the Roboskull. "Fire at my buddy will ya well take that!" Wild Bill snaps "Whoo-wee!"
Outside> Tomahawk #505 targets Roboskull with its weapons.
Outside> Tomahawk #505> The computer beeps. "Target acquired."
Outside> >> Tomahawk #505 strikes Roboskull with Stinger Missile. <<
Outside> SHARC #1290 adjusts trajectory slightly as the firefight breaks out, the cannons armed and ready as the little ship streaks in with the intent of making a strafing pass of the enemy craft.
Outside> >> SHARC #1290 strikes Roboskull with Cannons <Medium>. <<
Outside> Roboskull lurches as *BOOM* Wild Bill blows off a chunk of the Roboskull's flight plain. The ship suddenly lists to one side smoke billowing from the damaged wing. The flying skull turns in midair bring its weapons up and targeting the Joe chopper. Its armor is then raked by the SHARC's cannons but that doesn't seem to be enough to distract the pilot's attention as it locks its missiles on the Tomahawk and opens fire.
Outside> >> Roboskull strikes Tomahawk #505 with Missile. <<
Outside> Tomahawk #505 wobbles a bit after the missile return strike. "Consarn it!" Wild Bill exclaims "Well two can play at that game you bushwhackers!" He manages to keep the craft steady so it doesn't immediately drop out of the sky and returns fire.
Outside> >> Tomahawk #505 misses Roboskull with Missile. <<
Outside> SHARC #1290 pulls around after the initial pass, Mara scowling from the cockpit as she sees the Tomahawk gone after again. She sights her bearings down better this time, trying to dive in for a longer, more precise hit if she can achieve it this time.
Outside> >> SHARC #1290 strikes Roboskull with Cannons <High>. <<
Outside> Roboskull> Red Wolf sends a radio transmission.
Outside> Roboskull slides starboard with surprising agility for a damaged craft and neatly evades the Tomahawk's missile. "Soon you'-" the pilot starts to say when the SHARC's cannons severely damage the ship. Its pilot takes it down doing everything he can to keep from simply crashing onto the Aden's deck.
Red Wolf lands the Roboskull and gets out, running to try to put out the flames and make it flightworthy enough to escape.
>> Red Wolf finishes the repairs on Roboskull. <<
The Black Major wastes no time escaping to the deck. He runs over to the heavily-damaged Roboskull. "This fight is lost," he tells Red Wolf. "Get us out of here."
Red Wolf nods, finishing some hasty field repairs that will just get them home. "Weapon systems are totally degraded," he warns the Major, climbing into the pilot seat and waiting for the Major to take one of the gunners' seats, "but I can still keep the Roboskull flying!" The Red Wolf prepares for takeoff.
The Black Major climbs into the Roboskull, takes a gunner's seat, and straps in.
Roboskull rises jerkily hovers a moment and then takes off.
Outside> Roboskull rises off the ship and takes off leaving a trail of smoke in its wake.
[G.I. Joe] Chance says, "Team Alpha, I think its' done."