Description: A small village in southern Thailand refuses to cave to the whims of the imposing Shadaloo regime. Defiant until the bitter end, the small community stands strong against Lord Vega's invasion. The result? Two massive tanks are rolled in to 'deal' with this little problem. Unfortunately, Shadaloo didn't really count on the Ikari Warriors showing up. But neither counted on the shocking return of its presumed-dead commander.
Thailand is often regarded as an essentially Buddhist country, with great veneration for the monarchy. Which is true, for the most part.
But Thailand isn't a monolithic state. No country is, really. In the case of the southern provinces, however, there's a clear religious, racial, and /geographical/ division. The southern provinces, the Pattani region, are populated mainly by Muslim Malays. And for the past decade, a violent rebellion has been waging in the area. Terrorist attacks. Guerilla warfare. Police and military crackdowns. Martial law. It's been a thorn in the Thai government's side for years.
And now, Vega's inherited the problem.
The people of South Thailand have refused to bow to Bangkok. They'll bow even less for a foreign caucasian - especially one who regards /himself/ as God.
So.
It is a low rumble, that shakes the air. The sun is high, hot rays beating down upon the earth. The humidity is dense, oppressive. Soil and vegetation grind beneath the weight of rolling metal - as fields and plantations are destroyed by the relentless progress of Shadaloo's forces. Tanks roll across the countryside, crushing crops and lovingly tended land as they advance upon a hapless village. Armour gleams beneath the sun.
Panic hangs like a tangible thing over the small community. There is no organized evacuation. Merely a disorderly scrabble to flee - and it is already too late. Some are taking to the streets. A woman runs, urging on her children. An old man works desperately to gather up his possessions. But others...
...a line is forming, villagers clutching battered old rifles. Some even carrying agricultural implements. There are even a few uniformed men there, raising newer weapons - the police are usually hated traitors by the people of Pattani, viewed as the enemy. Today they stand side by side. But even that...
...is nowhere near enough.
There's hell in Thailand, in all meanings of the word. Between psychotic, evil renditions of Jay Leno attempting to take over, and rebellions taking place on multiple fronts throughout the country, things have become very chaotic. But then, such is always the case during war. Chaos and bloodshed, and, of course, giant tanks.
Beyond the typical resistance to Shadaloo's regime in the form of Thailand military, there are others who fight back against the shadowy organization and their Psycho Powered dictator. Some of them come in the form of vigilantes, and some even come as the villagers and civillians of Thailand themselves. Most of these people do not stand a chance against the overwhelming power of Vega and his troops. For example, here in a small village in the Pattani region, men, women, and children -- common villagers -- all stand side-by-side against the sweeping onrush of tanks that roll in from the horizon. They don't stand a chance.
But then, that's probably why they're not the only people here to offer resistance.
Off in the distance, roughly a quarter of a mile from the village, there are others watching. Not a batallion of Shadaloo tanks, no, but rather... a group of standard, military-issue HMMWVs. Within, ranks of mercenaries belonging to an organization well-known to many countries and powerful individuals across the globe... the Ikari Warriors. The Ikari were quick to mobilize upon hearing of the Shadaloo threat to Thailand, and soon enough, reinforcements arrived to the aid of the country in the form of humvees equipped with a marvelous assortment of weaponry. At the front, a single man watches behind the wheel of his humvee. He adjusts his shades, pulls down his cap.
"We ready?" He calls back to his men. His voice is calm, controlled. For now, they play the waiting game. Stationed close to the village, they wait for the tanks to get close enough, for the perfect time to ambush. Most people would be afraid over facing such odds.
But then, Clark Steel eats tanks for breakfast.
Possibly literally.
Among the ranks of the Ikari soldiers positioned to attack stands one of the few female members the unit as well. Leona has mostly been quiet since the deployment, but it has all been silent preparation. Really that is nothing new when it comes to the young woman. She always seems to get too caught up in preparation to the point most other things are easily forgotten or ignored.
After she finishes pulling her hair back into a ponytail and adjusting some of the grenades that rest on the bandolier she just pulled on, Leona opens the door to the humvee driven by Clark and climbs in. "Everything is ready, sir." she says while not even sparing her commanding officer a glance. Her gaze is instead focused on the distance where the tanks are coming from. Tanks that are going to regret that they were assigned to attack this little village and ruin the tranquility. It is time for the Ikari Warriors to make their presence known to Vega.
It is something Wagner would write operas about, were he alive to see it.
The ground shudders with the weight of their passage. Two tanks, bearing down on the village.
The lead tank in this two-machine detachment is a massive blood-red vehicle, an oversized battle tank. It does not have the sleek lines of conventional tanks. No, this is a machine that harkens back to the venerable giants of the Second World War. Heavy and brutal. The snub-nosed main cannon points straight ahead, drawing an uncompromising line.
The four treaded drive elements tear up the soil. A gutteral roar comes from its iron-clad bulk, the sound of a beastal engine. It rolls relentlessly through the fields, heading directly towards the village. There is no attempt at subtility. There is no need for it. No, quite the opposite. Many modern militaries put certain restraints upon the use of force. To avoid atrocities, to avoid alienating the civilized world. It is so very easy to abuse power for acts of brutality. And morality - or at least public relations - demands that such tragedies be avoided at all costs.
Conversely, however, some believe...power exists to be used. To be wielded. To be shown. In the end, power is all that matters. Power. Control. Authority.
Shadaloo obviously subscribes to the latter theory.
Atop the turret, a lean man in a Shadaloo uniform looks out of the command cupola. The hatch is open, letting him peer over the terrain. He adjusts his beret as he squints at the horizon. Then he frowns.
"Lead to all units," he growls into his radio, identifying himself over the channel, "looks like these idiot villagers are planning /resistance/. Section Two, finish mopping up your targets and rendezvous with us. Leader out."
Lieutenant Samuel Mershimer flicks his headset, then addresses his wingman directly - the officer in charge of the tank besides his own. "And -you-," he barks, "I want no prisoners. No quarter. You were /sloppy/ last time."
It's a voice that oozes pure confidence, overwhelming ego.
Clearly, he hasn't noticed the Ikari yet.
The second of the two tanks in this detachment is no less fearsome than the first, a metallic melange of turrets, gatling guns, and side-mounted cannons. While there would seem to be an easy-access ramp leading up to the command unit access, a small door in the top of the center of the tank... notions of ACCESSING that entrance might be dispelled by sight of the man standing out of it. Like Lieutenant Mershimer, this man is not a sunny man. Unlike Mershimer, this man is by no means -slim-... his build is that of a professional bodybuilder, form rippling with work-hardened muscles, shoulders barely able to pass through the narrow entrance into the tank's interior.
In addition to the standard Shadaloo fatigues, he's wearing a beret, tactical field goggles, and one badass cigar stogie. He gnashes on the thing in slight irritation, while thinking about what's to come.
"Sir! No prisoners, understood! You'll see no mistakes from here! Those villagers..." A lift of the man's gristle-studded chin, and he's indicating the villagers lined up at the town's entrance. "Well... fools never deserved to live anyway. Sadashme out!"
With a short, barked laugh, and a slap of one meaty hand on the tank's roof, Private First Class Manuel Sadashme gives the order. The tank's guidance systems flicker to life, causing a cascade of electrical lighting to illuminate the various and labyrinthine wiring along the segments between armor plating along the tank's front... Manuel drops into the command unit, slams the armored door shut, and trundles onwards towards the small village.
Within moment, the first barrage of gatling gun fire sprays out from the Leviathan's front-set turrets, peppering the ground before that line of determined, hopeful, but utterly doomed villagers.
Hopeful, but utterly doomed. There something to be said about certainty, though. You can't always account for all the variables in a given situation. This, for example, was likely just a mission to oppress the villagers, to mow them down to teach a lesson. Who knows. Bringing such heavy firepower to such a small, impovershed village is like overkill. Victory, such as it is, should be guaranteed. Except, they didn't take into account all the variables. And they certainly didn't take into account one, simple phrase:
"Ikari, MOVE OUT!"
The squeal of tires against the dirt-encrusted ground issues forth plumes of dust into the air as, in sequence, all of those humvees move into action. In comparison to /tanks/ they might not seem like much, but each of those high mobility, multipurpose vehicles come heavily equipped; machine gun turrets, and more importantly, anti-tank rocket launchers welded to the backs of the vehicles. With the thrum of engines and the screech of rubber, those humvees burst across the ground, launching roughly off the hill they were situated on.
It's just about when First Class Manuel Sadashme gives his damning order and his leviathan of a machine burns with life that they might notice something off in the distance -- a large group of humvees headed straight their way, and at front and center? The distinct shades and hat of one Clark Steel, and his compatriot Leona, tearing a path towards the tanks.
"FIRE!" Clark bellows out the order, and instantly, the barrage is fired -- a volley of TOW anti-tank missiles are launched with flares of light and smoke, blazing across the ground and straight towards the bulk of those tanks. No time for fooling around, here. Only time for action.
COMBATSYS: Clark has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kraken has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: Leviathan has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kraken 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kraken has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leviathan 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Clark has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leviathan 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: Leona has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Leona 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
And so the attack begins. Even if there is a sizable amount of Ikari involved this is going to be problematic when going against giant monstrosities like these. They are certainly not little toys like the two that were dealt with in Austrailia. She also highly doubts that these tanks are being driven by complete retards that were wanting to take them for a joyride. These are trained soldiers who wish only to cause destruction. What is that old saying? The bigger they are the harder they are to cut in half?
Reaching up to the bandolier Leona tugs off one of the many grenades that she holds and then leans out the window. Her eyes squint as she looks at the large tank they are closing in on as she removes the pin to that grenade. Once in range she tosses it forward at the treads of the tank to at least try to immobolize the damn thing.
The tanks approach the village.
The crimson bulk of the Kraken trails behind the Leviathan. The drive wheels sink into the soil as they roll nearer the village, the dirt streets leading up to the town not meant to support such weight. But the jagged catepillar treads do their job, sufficiently redistributing the great tank's mass. It remains stable. Its own guns begin to rotate, preparing to fire.
Then the explosions start. Not explosions caused by Shadaloo weaponry.
Mershimer's eyes widen in alarm. Reacting purely on instinct, he grabs the hatch of his tank's turret, yanking it down with a resounding CLANG, sealing his command cupola. It's definitely not safe to be riding round with your head exposed. Especially when your unit is taking fire. Mershimer is an egotistical arrogant piece of work... but he isn't stupid. Secure within his cradle of armour plate, he screams into his radio.
"TEN O'CLOCK! ENEMY ON HILL! HOSTILES CLOSING," yells Mershimer, his face redding, flecks of spittle hitting his microphone, "FIRE AT WILL!"
He raises a finger, pointing to the driver and gunner of his own tank. "Huntington, increase speed! Evasive! Waltz...FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!"
Huntington, a stocky man, grunts affirmative. At his command, the tank's engine roars, the sound ratcheting up a notch. The drive wheels dig hard into the ground. Waltz, a lithe Chinese woman, doesn't bother to respond. She simply sends the main turret turning round. The missile tubes attached to the tank begin to salvo, missiles flying into the air with white-plumed contrails - targeting the lead Humvee.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan dodges Leona's Earring Bakudan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Leona 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: Leviathan negates Large Thrown Object from Clark with Sweeping Laser.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
From within the Leviathan, Sadashme is busy analyzing technical readouts(dumbed-down, of course, for one who concerns himself with executive actions) and shrieking at his own crewmen. Goggles are lifted from his face, his beret is removed and set on the arm-rest of his command chair, while a barrage of numbers flicker across a nearby view-screen, along with a /very/ fancy virtual map of the surrounds. "Whitmer, I want you to keep firing on those villagers! Allocate the forward vulcan cannons to mowing down as many resistors as you can, I'll handle the incoming!" He's speaking while he's manning a nearby control console, swiveling in his seat to get a better look at things.
At its exterior, the tank's command module swivels while its treads continue onwards, and a particularly evil-looking gun roars to life, rotating into position directly before the incoming missiles. A red light flashes in synchrony with an ominous "beeping" noise while Sadashme tracks the incoming projectiles -- with a defiant "BWSHHHHHHP", a blue-white beam of light blasts forth from the Leviathan's bleeping turret, slicing through air and missiles alike with startling efficiency. There's a myriad of explosions, but when all's said and done, both the laser and the missiles are gone, worthless for now.
Within the tank... Areyne Baronia, the Leviathan's driver and technical specialist, notices a blip on the tank's trajectory. Knowing his immediate superior isn't the type to care for discourse while he's shooting things, the Filipino youth quickly presses a few emergency sequences on the Leviathan's driver's console.
To a chorus of disgruntled, surprised shrieks and Sadashme's own, "WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL!?", the Leviathan displays an incredible amount of maneuverablity, with retro-rockets firing at its sides and sending the behemoth into a single barrel-roll to the left, out of the way of Leona's explosive earring. Machine-gun fire is of course distracted by the movement, and in all, perhaps five or so villagers are mowed down by the assault -- not the two-dozen Sadashme was initially going for.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, BARONIA?!"
"Saving our asses, sir."
COMBATSYS: Kraken successfully hits Clark with Killing Field.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Kraken
"Main unit, deal with the grunts!" Clark declares as they approach the tanks at breakneck speed. "Leona and I will deal with the heavy hitters." And who would those be? Probably the massive tanks that look the most painful -- and, especially, the one firing off those warning shots at the villagers. Clark knows what they really are, though. Not warning shots... just preludes to a massacre.
Missiles are fired in a blaze of glory, tearing through the assortment of enemy units. Missiles from the first line come bearing down on the Leviathan, yet it seems to have its own methods of defending itself; Clark recognizes this, and he recognizes the design. "... huh." He mutters, slowly starting to pick himself up out of the the humvee. He offers an easy smile to Leona. "Guess we outta beat down that heap of junk again, huh? Feels a bit like deja vu--" He hears them before he sees them; a volley of missiles soaring through the heavens, flying STRAIGHT for his humvee.
"Ah, crap."
Leona should know what to do. As for Clark? He stands up in the humvee, letting go of the wheel as it starts to swerve out of control. The tires screech, and Clark leaps... just in time to be assaulted by a barrage of missiles. A deafening, earth-shaking BOOM of an explosion ripples out shortly afterwards, consuming the humvee in hellish fires that, like a domino effect, ignites the gasoline within the vehicle itself, setting off another plume and rupture of an explosion. Fire and smoke billow out, concealing. Any normal person would be reduced to cinders. The leader of this little resistance MUST be taken out--
--except that, puncturing through the smoke, looking charrged and damaged but certainly not DEAD, is Clark Steel. Come on. He's fought old men that can hit harder than that.
Flying through the air, Clark only has one destination: the tank firing on the civilians, the Leviathan. His shoulder jutting out, he intends to descend and SMASH straight into Sadashme's tank, intending to literally slam his entire body into the turret that so expertly demolished his missile. "HOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Even as the grenade is released Leona isn't planning on staying in the humvee much longer. "Understood." comes the words from the blue haired Ikari and she starts to pull herself out through the window of the humvee and she leaps out of it to land in a forward roll to end up several feet away from it. Looks like it was a good idea too since the humvee is soon destroyed by the tanks. She thought she recognized the tank they were attacking. Looks like the buffoons were either robbed or there was more than one of that model made.
She rises to her feet and starts to dash forward. Her movements are quick and she doesn't dash in a straight line so to make it harder to hit the Ikari woman as she eventually leaps forward intent on trying to land on the side of the tank and scramble up to a more solid surface she can stand on as she looks to bring a hand around with enough force that her hand cuts along the metal in an attempt to open it up some so she can start stuffing the thing full of explosives.
It's a clash between Ikari and Shadaloo's imposing tanks, gunfire and explosions rocking the battlefield. The arrival of the Ikari likely comes as a surprise to the resistant villagers, and perhaps to the Shadaloo soldiers. Like the cavalry of old, those humvees roar in from the horizon like angry horses, kicking up clouds of dust and earth as they blaze a clear-cut path right at those massive steel beasts of war.
The battle has just begun.
Unseen, a single, harsh blue eye watches, the other eye having long since been lost to tragedy, a constant reminder of failure. A constant reminder of a mistake the bearer of that socket will never make again. That solitary figure, clad in black, stands among the numerous, frantic natives desperately scurrying as the battle begins. He watches silently, weathered features unflinching as the first roar of explosions rocks the countryside.
The stench of gunpowder and ash carries on a swift breeze, stinging nostrils, choking. Anxiety and fear are abounds, palpable, suffocating as even grown men seem afraid of what could very well happen.
These are the sorts of situations in which this dead man finds himself thinking with the crystalline clarity. This is what he knows.
His footfalls begin as a slow, patient stride, thick boots crunching against the debris of stone and mortar against the roads. Men run past him, yelling in their native tongue and scrambling with their emotions running on high. They do not unnerve or phase the tall, one-eyed man in black. His stride continues forward, patience eternal. His path is leading him toward the edge of the village.
Rather unexpectedly, the stern-faced man jolts forward, moving with a swiftness that belies his exterior. The people around him become a blur, the frontline of village men and their pathetic weaponry rapidly closing in. It would seem this man has no intention of stopping his forward pursuit. A few men on those front lines seem confused, turning heads. They cry out at him in native tongue to stop.
The man refuses.
When he nears the man in black leaps over their very heads impressively. Sailing through the air, those long, lanky arms stretching out behind his back. He holds this posture solidly, even as he nears the earth.
He lands, a cloud of dust kicking up. Crouching low, those long arms swing out quite suddenly upon impact with impressive speed. A swath of blue chi slices through the air in the wake of his arms, an x-shaped blast of pure energy sailing right for the Kraken.
Commander Heidern of the Ikari Warriors has risen from the dead.
COMBATSYS: Heidern has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Kraken
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Heidern successfully hits Kraken with Cross Cutter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan endures Clark's Clark Tackle.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan interrupts Strong Punch from Leona with Double Vulcan Cannon.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
Soul-forged energy crashes over the armour of the crimson tank, the massive Kraken. It rocks the vehicle, jarring it. Slashing deep scars and rents over the machine's prow. But the armour holds. The engineers did their job, and did it well.
The Kraken does not stop.
It continues moving forward. Still bearing down on the village.
Inside, gloved hands grip the drive controls of the tank. The Shadaloo soldier steering the Kraken, Huntington, keeps the vehicle rolling forward. He sees Heidern. He ignores him. After all... the Ikari is only one man.
Right?
Perhaps it is a mistake. But the tank continues moving.
The woman beside him, the one named Waltz, instead concentrates her attention elsewhere. Her dark eyes betray no sign of emotion. "Assisting Leviathian," she announces, in a clipped voice, with only the slightest trace of a Hainanese accent, "clearing infantry attackers from hull."
The miniguns mounted towards the tank's rear twitch on their swivel mounts, swinging to bear. They fire, spinning rapidly, the chained barrels spitting tongues of fire. The tank actually /shoots at its companion/, raking Leviathian's outer surface with massive volumes of precision gunfire.
The armour plate of the tank is designed to take it.
Leona and Clark, clinging to the outside, aren't.
Meanwhile...
Lieutenant Mershimer is angry, his face is a picture of twisted rage. Mershimer thumbs the switch controlling the tank's loudspeakers. His amplified voice booms across the landscape:
"SURRENDER OR DIE!"
"...Looks like Kraken is living up to his reputation... let's get busy, people!"
Within the Leviathan, Sadashme is busily studying guidance reports, delivering a skeptical, hateful glare to Baronia(who made him look stupid, see), and forcing Whitmer to keep the assault up on the villagers. "Keep firing, you damn fool! I don'-"
"Sir, I caught a flicker of something by the villagers! Gone now, but it's moving far too fast for a native!"
"KEEP FIRING, OR I'LL HAVE YOUR ASS!" Sadashme was never a good commander. Something about his impulsive nature, perhaps. "Baronia, I wa-"
It's at this point that Clark slams into the Leviathan, just about to bring its machine-guns to bear on those poor villagers again. Fortunately for them, the approaching Ikari have forced a shift of tactics -- again, electricity crackles along the Leviathan's internal circuitry as defensive algorithms are called. Clark's attack sets the tank to rocking, and more than likely gives a few of them a headache, but it's not quite as jarring as he might have hoped.
"Sir, I've strengthened the mesh of the Leviathan's armor plating in preparation for the coming assault --" Baronia speaks in muted tones while observing the readouts detailing Leona's climb along the tank's side.
"And am preparing for the incoming. Don't worry about these two, please."
Leona, moving in to open up some of the Leviathan's armor-plating, will find herself met by the swiveling profiles of two chain-gun turrets nearby her target. With no warning, no -remorse-, they open fire on her, forceful enough to send a normal woman of her size and weight flying backwards. For now, while Sadashme is making a dent in the Ikari's offense, they're certainly halting /HIS/ attacks... the Leviathan stands still for now, distracted by its attackers.
Rushing head-on into a tank is, for most people, not an exceptionally bright idea. Most people aren't Clark Steel, though. And most people aren't quite as tough as Leona Heidern, either. Besides; Clark has a plan.
Slamming into the tank is an act that would leave most people with broken shoulders at best, potentially dead at worst. For Clark, the end result is a denting of the metal; perhaps not as damaging as he'd like, but no doubt something to give the people inside something of a shock. People shouldn't be able to fight on even ground with tanks, but here the Ikari lieutenant is, gripping onto the dented-in metal of the thing as soon as he lands, looking no worse for wear. He has a plan. No tank, after all, is anything special without the people inside to operate it. And this idea in mind... Clark begins to scale the tank itself.
Moving up the length of the tank, Steel finds himself at the top just as it opens fire on Leona. The man winces, but knows well enough that she can take a hit just as well as he; he can't afford to be distracted by worries at this point. Moving up towards the hatch with a careful, silent stride, he takes a second look towards Leona to ensure that she is doing alright--
-- and /that/ is when sunglass-covered eyes widen.
What he sees first is a flare of blue power carved through the air, slicing into the hull of the thick, powerful Kraken. He knows that assault, and knows just who it belongs to. And, with a sudden twist of his head, he looks straight towards the source to see him. And even expecting it, it's still a surprise to see just who it is.
"... /Commander/?!"
Clark can't help but stare agape for a few long, silent moments. Heidern is /alive/? Alive and here. That fact alone is enough to send a large grin across Clark's lips as he looks down to the tank beneath him. The man's presence is a distinct morale boost for all the Ikari as they fire upon the troops. For Clark? It's a heaven sent blessing. And so, bringing his focus back on the task at hand, he begins to think of a strategy to best kick the crap out of this giant tank with a newfound clarity.
COMBATSYS: Clark focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Leona blocks Kraken's Strong Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
Guns aren't going to be effective against something like this. And if anything having people jumping about is going to distract a tank to give the villagers time to get the hell out of here and let the professionals handle things. She ends up getting too distracted by opening up the tank that she notices the gun aiming her way a bit too late. She twists about and attempts to get out of the way, but she takes a few hits in the process, but at least they are grazes than full on hits.
The fire from Kraken is also pretty hard to avoid given she is being caught in a crossfire. Bloodied, but far from being down she eventually gets free of the firing at least momentarily and gets a moment to catch her breath. It is a moment that passes quickly and the Ikari woman is on the attack again as she takes a deep breath and her hands thrust downwards while releasing a green orb that pulses as if it is electrically charged right at Leviathan. As for Heidern? Well she can celebrate that he is alive later when she isn't be shot to hell.
Surrender or die.
The problem with this is these are both options Commander Heidern finds himself unhappy with. Ikari Warriors do not surrender. Ikari Warriors refuse to die. So then, what option have they?
To fight.
Heidern's attack slices against the side of the Kraken, but the tank continues on regardless. Has he underestimated the strength of these massive beasts? Likely so. But it does not hinder his advance. He will not stop until these tanks are felled. That is clear in that single blue eye of his.
The twitch and motion atop the tank is noted by the elderly soldier, but he does not stir. There is no worry or concern on his face as those miniguns swivel around and aim right for Leona. She is no mere woman. She's made of tougher stuff than that. Briefly, that single eye turns to Clark, and for a fleeting moment both soldiers make eye contact. But the man's face remains cold and deadly.
Then he sports the faintest of smirks. It's fleeting at best.
Pushing forward off his back foot, Heidern again lunges into action, his eye on the red tank. Closing in, the soldier rushes right for it, and, in a show of sheer improvisation, leaps up and attempts to stand ON the tank before slamming his shoulder against the hull, following the hefty shoulder slam with a sudden thrust of his hand. Those long, gloved digits seem intent on piercing the very exterior of the tank and ripping it apart. With his bare hands.
A more direct approach may be necessary, if they refuse to take him or any other Ikari seriously.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan blocks Leona's Baltic Launcher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kraken fails to interrupt Lead Belcher from Heidern with Point-Blank Fire.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
It's like being bounced around like marbles in a tin-can.
The Shadaloo soldiers inside the Kraken are /jarred/, rocked badly, as the Ikari commander leaps /onto/ their vehicle and SLAMS it with an earth-shattering impact. The entire tank's frame actually sinks into the earth, the treads and underbelly pounding into the soil. Forming a crater. The vibration carries through the tank's frame, shaking the crew hither and yon.
The driver, Huntington, yelps, slamming on the brakes. "The HELL?!"
The gunner, Waltz, grips her console tightly. She doesn't speak.
The tank commander, Mershimer, growls. He seizes control of the main cannon, attempts to swivel the barrel and BLAST the gnat from his machine's hull. The main gun discharges, a thunderous muzzle flare, a defiant gesture. Someone DARES challenge him? Challenge Shadaloo's forces?%R
Also ultimately pointless.
Mershimer growls. The external circuit is still active, his amplified words booming through the tank's outside speakers. R
"THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING! SURRENDER OR DIE!"
"Sir, sir! Who the hell is that third soldier?! It couldn't be..."
"Sir," remarks Baronia, boredly fixing the defensive protocols once more. "There's no mistaking the fighting style, or the manipulation of chi energy. You can just s-"
"Baronia, speak when spoken to, and not until! I /swear/ I'll have your rank for this!" Sadashme shouts out that last bit, and makes it even more obvious that yeah... perhaps he's not the best at this. But results are results, and one thing's for certain.
"Alright," says the muscular officer, readjusting himself in his seat and re-affixing those goggles to his face. Again, readouts spill across his eyes. "We've got some time! Whitmer, I want those poor fools shelled immediately! Let Kraken deal with the soldiers, we've got some time again!"
"SIR, ONE OF THEM'S COMING BACK! INTENSE ENERGY PATTERNS RECOGNIZED:: THAT BLUE HAIRED WOMAN, AGAIN!" Baronia's rarely driven to shouting, and his fingers already fly across the keyboards while Sadashme shouts for offensive actions to be taken. "Can't do it, sir, re-routing all available power towards our defensive grids!" Sadashme doesn't respond. With a grunt, he removes the straps to his command chair, forcibly opens the top-hatch of the command unit, and goes top-side.
"You meddling little bitch! If you know what's good for you, you'll stop this immediately and wander off to die in some sad little hovel of a village! There's nothing left for you to try to save, here! WHITMER! MORTAR!"
While Sadashme leans forward, half-out of the tank's top, he throws one haymayker of a punch squarely at Leona's face, even as her Baltic Launcher meets the Leviathan's meager(but effective) defensive shieldings. Meanwhile, perhaps a half-dozen mortar rounds leave the tank's backmost turrets with a characteristic *POOMP* noise.
The troops all seem to have their spirits lifted at the arrival of their supposedly dead commanding officer. Even through the chaos and the rain of missiles and fire, they work efficiently and effectively against the ranks of Shadaloo forces, armor-piercing rounds of bulletfire screaming through the air. Yet-- yet, the real battle wages between two immensely large, heavily-armored tanks and three much smaller human beings. Human beings firing off bolts of power and ripping off chunks of metal from the tanks without relent.
And where is Clark amidst all this? Silently, unassumingly on top of the Leviathan itself, the wind whipping at his blue combat vest as he pulls his hat down over his head. Seemingly forgotten or largely ignored by the massive tank he now is seated upon. He watches the crackling strike of power against the Leviathan's surface. He looks to Leona now, and grins. And, just as he does...
... the hatch to the tank opens up before him.
Clark blinks. It seems the first part of his plan is accomplished, at least. But it also means that /someone/ is coming out. And that someone... is a large, unpleasant looking man. Likely their commander. Situated behind the hatch as he is, Clark likely goes unnoticed as the commander seeks to level a haymaker square into Leona. And, just as he does...
... Clark's left hand snaps out, to grab the man by the collar in an attempt to forcibly lift him ENTIRELY out of the tank just after he delivers that brutal punch.. He'll pluck the man up, turn him around to face Clark... and then, wave.
"Yo."
Without much more word, Clark slings his right hand forward, burning with blue-white chi, with the single, simple intent to SMACK the man across the jaw with burning chi and launch him straight off the tank.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan successfully hits Leona with Fierce Punch.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Leona 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
Just too many weapons everywhere. Even when Leona thinks she has a good position she is met with fire from somewhere. Trying to avoid it only leads her right into the path of something else and finally it seems like it becomes too much and as she tries to avoid one shot of mortar she ends up right in the path of another that flings her away from the tank and sends her tumbling across the ground to end up in a heap. While most people may be put down or even killed by such a thing, the orochi blooded fighter is quite resilient. Slowly she rises back to her feat, her breathing heavy as her eyes narrow on Leviathan.
Her assault is halted for now. Instead her attention is brought to the tank itself as she observes and tries to find a weak spot in its defenses. Head on attacks just isn't going to help so she is going to have to figure out a better way to go against it.
COMBATSYS: Leona gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
Commander Heidern acts without so much as flinching; slamming into that prone hull, the man follows the onslaught with a thrust of razor-like fingers. Piercing the outer armor, Heidern rips a portion of the hull free and tosses it carelessly aside, like the husk of an onion. Weathered features are still as calm as ever. That solitary blue eye sees only this tank, his foe.
That same eye only twitches as the tank moves, attempting to turn offensive in the midst of this. Heidern is forced to pause mid-strike as he attempts to rip another chunk of the thick hull off, his forearm crashing against the incoming hull. It stops the blast from firing off in his face. Still, Heidern remains patient and calm.
And just as deadly.
He spares a glance only briefly, toward the other tank, the Leviathan. Sadashme becomes visible, out of the hatch as he addresses Leona. This man also speaks to Leona in a fashion that is...well, a tone that should not be taken with a young woman. For the briefest of moments, the soldier's eye grows dark. But his thoughts are disrupted by the external speakers.
Again, that familiar, clearly angry voice. Another warning. Surrender or die.
Heidern lifts his chin, that single eye hooding dangerously.
"Negative," he states clearly. "Ikari do not know the meaning of either."
With that, Heidern coils his arm close to his chest as he lunges for the barrel of the main cannon, attempting to slice it in HALF with his bare hand as it lashes out at the last second.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan fails to interrupt Vulcan Punch from Clark with Abrupt Explosion.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kraken endures Heidern's Fierce Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
Another punch, from the lone man standing atop the crimson-armoured Kraken. It seems almost impossible that a single individual could do so much damage to the massive machine. But that's exactly what's happening. The punch -crashes- into the bulbous turret and snub-nosed main cannon of the Kraken, badly denting the metal. It doesn't knock the cannon entirely out of commission, but it comes dangerously close. Shrill alarms begin to sound in the vehicle's interior.
At the edge of his awareness, Lieutenant Mershimer notes the battle waging between the attacking soldiers and the regular Shadaloo vehicles and troops. A battle his side is losing. He also notes the difficulties the Leviathian is undergoing - being swarmed by the other two fighters. He is a soldier, after all. And situational awareness is everything in a fight. He sees the readouts, the images playing across his screens. He recognises the enemy, now. Their appearances, and the verbal response, made it clear. Ikari Warriors. Clark Steele, Leona Heidern...
...but the one assaulting his /own/ vehicle is something of a surprise. The legendary Heidern himself. The intelligence reports said the man was dead.
Obviously intelligence was wrong.
After all, the man is standing on Mershimer's tank, punching the crap out of it.
Mershimer's hands tighten round the controls in his command cupola, a white-knuckled grip.
"Lead to all units," Mershimer announces, switching off the external speakers, speaking only into the radio channel, "tighten formation."
They'd better start fighting more /efficiently/.
To his own crew, Mershimer delivers a curt order.
"Go," Mershimer says, flatly.
The tank driver, Huntington, makes a soft sound of acknowledgement. He acts in tandem with the gunner - the two coordinating their actions with practiced ease. In a low voice, he announces his intent, speaking simply. A few cryptic syllables, communicating what must be done. His hands move the controls, directing the massive powerplants linked to the tank's treads.
The woman named Waltz compensates for it, plying the weapons console like a virtuoso pianist, slender fingers operating the bewildering array of electronics with graceful precision. Buttons, switches, all flicker beneath her touch.
And suddenly, abruptly, the Kraken LURCHES. Soil churns beneath the tank, drive elements kicking up a cloud of dust and debris... the tank almost JUMPS, a violent and explosive movement. Just as an electrical current erupts over every inch of exposed hull plating, the power plant slamming raw voltage into active defence.
'Yo.', he says.
Caught mid-victory chortle, Sadashma's reaction to the turnaround and appearance of Clark is not a pleasant one. His face contorts, eyebrows rising violently enough to be visible from behind the large tactical goggles he's wearing. Before Clark's able to hit him, Sadashma grates out one disbelieving, "...You?! How did yo-", but it's TOO LATE. The Leviathan's technical officer, Baronia, attempts to initiate a knockback effect by backloading the energy dumped into the lasers. It doesn't work nearly as well - or quickly - as he might have wanted it to, and Sadashma's left to a fate of being slapped across the battlefield by Clark's chi-enhanced punch. He shrieks while he's soaring through the sky, but it's not long at all before the large, unhappy man is out of the picture -- at least for now.
The Leviathan's top quickly closes and locks, thanks to crew work from within.
"Lieutenant Marshimer, we've lost Officer Sadashma again," says Baronia, fingers flying across the input of his own station, screens bleeping red and blue at him -- technical readouts. Whitmer, manning the guns, announces: "But we did manage to hit a few of the buildings in the village! That'll show 'em, the uppity bastards!"
Baronia shoots the other man an annoyed glance, and taps a certain pattern of keys out. Immediately, the Leviathan diverts course, angling towards the Kraken and moving across soil, ruined crops... and the stray corpse yhere and there. Within, Baronia places a hand on his headseat, makes a grim face, and announces to Marshimer. "This is Baronia. We're approaching your location, down our leading officer, and it would seem Clark Steel is still on top of us. If you don't mind, Sir... I'll take over things until Sadashma can find his way back here."
A polite greeting before Sadashma gets a face-full of explosive fist, knocked through the sky in a most inglorious way just as the hatch shuts. Clark looks down, furrows his brows. He then looks back towards the sky and the descending commanding officer that he just struck. "Huh. Easier than I thought it was gonna be." He notes, before his gaze shifts downward... toward Leona. "You okay?" He questions, rubbing the back of his head. Apparently, he's intent on taking a little break this time around. He needs to figure out how to reopen the hatch, after all.
Backpedalling a little, Clark takes a look back towards the Kraken as Heidern single-handedly begins to beat on the monstrosity. "Good to know he's back," He comments, before crouching low and staring at the hatch silently. He scratches his head. He could probably tear the thing open with his bare hands, but who knows how long /that/ would take. Instead, he looks back towards Leona... and smiles.
"Mind popping this thing open?" He gestures pointedly to the hatch, backing away to make room. For now, he catches his breath, prepares for the next part of his plan. He just needs a SMALL breather before he can get back into the heat of things.
COMBATSYS: Clark gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
A curt nod in reply is all that is given in Clark's direction when Leona is asked how she is. She is sore and bleeding in a few places still, but at least the cobwebs don't feel so thick right now and she can focus a bit better. It looks like Clark did well at keeping the tank distracted as well so Leona can get a better idea of how to go about with her next assault. There really aren't many openings to be seen so she might just have to do like Clark is doing and that is to just keep pounding away.
She starts to move once again towards Leviathan while reaching into her jacket. Quickly she glances over the side facing her at the moment and she pulls out a few throwing knives. She shifts on her movements and she starts to strafe around the tank as she quickly starts flinging the blades at various holes in the armor, each blade flashing blue with energy as it seeks to sink into the thick armor of the tank.
COMBATSYS: Heidern endures Kraken's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/-----==|
The reemergence of Command Heidern of the Ikari Warriors seems a big surprise to not only his teammates, but the Shadaloo operatives as well. Clearly, numerous peoples' intelligence were wrong, but that seems the least of Heidern's concerns. If anything, this 'surprise visit' earns him the advantage of surprise. He seeks to capitalize on this.
Heidern's bare, albeit gloved, hand cuts into the turret of the Kraken, very nearly taking the cannon out. It doesn't quite work, but likely the pilots won't risk using such a damaged piece. Or is he giving the soldiers inside too much credit? Possibly.
Holding his ground quite well atop the bulky Kraken, Heidern's feet shift beneath him, black boots grinding against the red steel. Planting his feet, he seems to be readying himself for yet another strike against the hull of the tank, only...the sudden JERK of the monstrous machine is cause for alarm. Surprising is its movement, the machine jolting to life and catching the man off guard.
Or so it would seem.
Throw off like a rider off a wild bull, Heidern crashes against the soil, rolling thrice before he plants his hands into the soil. Pulling himself free of the ground, the soldier does not hesitate - he charges straight for the battle again. Only, this time, the Kraken is not his target.
Heidern leaps at the other tank, intent on landing atop it. Only then does he thrust those deadly fingertips toward the hull, his hand aglow with an odd, red chi energy, even as Leona chucks blades at whatever of the Leviathan's defenses are prone.
COMBATSYS: Leona successfully hits Leviathan with I-Slasher.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/-----==|
Inside the Kraken, Lieutenant Mershimer growls. "Alright," he states, "let's---"
And when he gets the report from the other tank. A report saying, essentially, that Sadashma has once again royally screwed the metaphorical pooch.
Mershimer breathes a deep and long suffering sigh.
Apparently wanton animal abuse is something of a habit for the man. Judging from Mershimer's reaction, it must happen quite frequently.
"AGAIN?"
The lieutenant shakes his head. But he recovers quickly. There are more important matters to attend to. No time to dwell on the incompetence of his subordinates. "Roger," he says into the radio, "we need to regroup. They're splitting us apart."
He turns to his own crew, then.
"Missiles," Mershimer orders, designating a target with his console, "guns. Cover our troops."
"Aye," Waltz replies, executing the command.
The tank's launch tubes fire, rockets streaking into the air. They arc round on a precisely calculated trajectory. Explosions cross the terrain, bisecting the position occupied by the conventional Ikari forces engaged with the Shadaloo regulars. The guns mounted on the rear of the tank's hull pivot, powerful servos whining. Barrels spit round after round, supplementing the missile bombardment with old-fashioned direct fire.
The true effectiveness of the Kraken-class vehicle. Not merely a chunk of metal hardened enough to take blows from fighters. Not merely a single big gun. But a full weapons platform, able to support a full company.
"Cannon," Mershimer continues, "support Leviathian."
But the big gun shouldn't be ignored. It is, after all, a very big gun. It's that gun which turns, now. The immense muzzle bellowing like a wounded beast, spewing forth a massive shell. It flies straight and true.
Directly at Heidern's turned back.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan dodges Heidern's Storm Bringer.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/----===|
Somewhere, deep in the Thai foliage, Sadashma is attempting to relocate himself. 'Shit,' he thinks. 'Mershimer is going to /kill/ me.' Regardless, we're not concerned about him right now. We're concerned about the Ikari attack on the Leviathan - one that has /all of the soldiers/ marauding the heavy machinery with their chi-blasts and epic feats of fightery. It's an image that would do Heidern proud, if but he could watch from without. It's an image that would give Sadashma an aneurysm, if he were able to see it. It's certainly giving the crew of the Leviathan a collective headache.
"Baronia, we've got Ikari all over the damn thing."
"I know, I know, just keep putting power into the engine! We don't have time to bother with this sort of thing, but we can hold out if we re-inforce the shielding! Think they'll cut through our hull like that, huh?!" Baronia's in his element now -- Sadashma's gone, he's got free reign over the crew. Nobody's going to tell HIM what to do, now.
And it's actually a clever move. For a moment, the Leviathan does nothing -- it actually stops in its tracks, beleaguered by Clark atop it, Heidern next to him, and Leona flinging her I-Slasher at the exposed portions of its hull. However... and unfortunately for our heroes, the tank is quickly surrounded by an intense field of concentrated energy, one that intercepts Heidern's attempted chi-punch with a heavy, abrasive *CRACKLE*. There's no damage done to the senior Ikari, but it /does/ do a nice job of negating the attack entirely. Leona's more focused attack shows a bit more success -- while not all of the energy from the blades gets through, the shield does very little against the physical weapons themselves -- circuitry is sliced through, but not a significant amount.
Within the Leviathan, warning lights go off. "Shit! Shit!! We've got to charge it up... get the main guns ready! Whitmer, stop shooting at the damn village and give me everything you've got!"
"Aye, aye, sir!"
Both men furiously work to power up the Leviathan's main engines, and for the moment the behemoth simply sits there, stoic in the face of Ikari offenses. While it does nothing for now... there's a definite air of build-up around the silent monstrosity.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/----===|
It's never a good thing when such a mammoth of a machine is so... immobile. Clark views the crackling shield of energy with a thoughtful expression as he finishes off his breather, standing up tall in the face of both tanks -- now that they're in such close proximity, they look even more intimidated. But Clark isn't swayed. He has a plan, after all; and that plan involves getting /inside/ this tank.
Upon seeing Heidern enter the fray -- even if his attack goes by the wayside of the monstrosity's rather unique abilities -- he gives an easy smile. "Sir." He begins with a salute of greeting as Heidern lands. "Let's get this thing down." And just about as soon as Clark says this, the other tank... launches a big freaking shell at his Commander. Eyes snap wide behind his shades, "Look out, commander!" He warns; but he's sure Heidern saw it coming even before he did. But, Clark has to carry through with his plan, and even as those blades of Leona's score against the hull, Clark leans forward... and grips against the hatch.
"Hmmmm..." He begins, fingertips digging into the hard steel of the latched top. Leviathan may be prone, but that only means Bad Things in their future. As such, Clark goes about doing what he can NOW. And what he does... is strain against the hatch of the tank, veins bulging against the muscles of his arm as his teeth grit. His intention is pretty simple; he's going to try and /rip off/ that hatch with all his strength, and fling it STRAIGHT into the air as he falls to his knee. Usually, this is followed by someone landing back-first on his knee. This time, though, Clark is fairly certain that the hatch does not have a back to break, and so, he just intends to try to CHUCK it straight upwards with a loud GRUNT of effort.
Not quite the result she was hoping, but it is at least a start. Slowly they are weaking at least one of the tanks down and now even Heidern has joined the fray to help down at least one of these beasts. It is actually the first she has seen of Heidern though this battle since her attention had been drawn in trying to eliminate Leviathan. Nevermind the fact that he has a missile coming right at him from behind. He is the leader of the Ikari. He can handle that sort of thing on his own.
Right now she just has to help down Leviathan by helping both Clark and Heidern. She starts running forward at high speed as she then crouches low and leaps forward, throwing her full body forward as she flips about and pushes both feet outwards to slam into the tank with all her strength.
COMBATSYS: Heidern blocks Kraken's Power Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
When Heidern's dangerous, chi-empowered hand drives at the hull of the Leviathan, he expects it to connect. The only problem is, a field of energy prevents his attack completely. The chi negated, those fingers stopped short, Heidern offers the faintest look of thoughtfulness. Then his features drop completely, that same, expressionless appearance returning to aging features. No matter.
He only stirs when he hears the other Ikari respond to him, the man's expression still stern. For the moment, that single blue eye looks to Clark before he spares a glance toward the blue-haired Leona. Then, with a ghost of a grin, he tips his head in a brief nod. It's a short greeting, but it will suffice. They're in the throes of battle; there is no time for pleasantries. Those are best saved for after.
The warning blurted by his fellow Ikari causes the elder soldier to swiftly pivot on his heels, the lanky man turning to face the incoming shell. He's already been shot in the back once before; frankly, the man doesn't really want to put up with it again. So what does he do?
At the last possible second Heidern's body suddenly twists atop the incoming shell. At the same time the man's arm lifts and swiftly descends, his forearm coming down - hard - atop the shell, to simply knock it out of the air. It stings his forearm a bit, but it's little to concern himself with. Right now, the three Ikari have this particular tank to handle. From his perch the man swiftly turns and lifts his leg high before he brings it crashing down atop the hull of the Leviathan. As hard as he can.
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Leviathan with Arabian Burglary Backbreaker.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan blocks Heidern's Strong Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan fails to interrupt Heavy Kick from Leona with Runaway Train v2.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
Mershimer scans the battlefield. In his cupola, surrounded by sensor output, he can see everything. He can see the Ikari ravaging the other advanced tank of his command, the Levitathan. He can see his more conventional forces being routed by Ikari soldiers - the Shadaloo regulars proving no match for the superior training and discipline of the mercenary army.
But that's just the fortunes of war.
That's not what angers him. Or rather, not what angers him the most.
No, the biggest part of his rage comes from what he can see on the other screens. The villagers. Some are firing on the Shadaloo soldiers, helping their Ikari saviours. But many more are simply /cheering/. Voices crying in support of the heroes.
Mershimer grits his teeth, a growl escaping his throat.
They dare. They DARE.
"Waltz," Mershimer says, in a level voice, "Huntington. Abort fire. Our forces...and Leviathan...can fend for themselves."
He ignores the fact that the Shadaloo soldiers are being defeated. He ignores the fact the other tank is dying. His driver and gunner exchange glances, but do not question the order.
Mershimer's eyes narrow, as he taps his console.
"New heading. Alpha strike."
The red tank seems far less stable than the low-slung Leviathian, towering above the ground on thinner drive wheels. And the Kraken isn't as fast, isn't as agile. It lacks the Leviathian's futuristic propulsion systems. No jets, no rocket boosters. Just engines and four sets of catepillar treads.
But that doesn't mean it can't move when it needs to.
The Kraken spins around.
The Kraken turns so fast...it actually rises on one side, half of its treads leaving the ground. For a moment, the entire tank is at a /forty-five/ degree angle to the earth. Before all four treads crash back down.
The tank's new orientation lets it bring /all/ its weapons to bear. The rear-mounted chainguns now pointing forward. All missile tubes aligned. The turret drawing a straight unyielding line.
And then, in a massive display of artillery power, the kind of power that gives new meaning to the phrase 'scorched earth'...
It discharges every single weapon.
Towards the village.
The explosive force shakes the earth.
COMBATSYS: Kraken takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
A lot of bad things are happening right now. This is something the Leviathan's crew are immediately aware of. Warning lights flicker on in the cabin, tinting the entire interior of the Leviathan a sickly shade of brown, highlighting concerned faces, the beads of sweat trickling down the faces of its beleaguered crew. Nothing but the dull roar of impact against the tank's hull, the tock-tock-tock of fingers striking keys, the fun little dings of an entirely too-polite navigation and guidance system affirming that it's gotten the orders.
"Shit, shit, shit! Shit!" Baronia's voice is entirely unheard from anywhere outside of the Leviathan, but Whitmer's able to hear it.
"This is no good, sir... looks like the Kraken's abandoned us in favor of the objective, now. Can't blame 'em... but we're on our own." Whitmer's voice quavers, a little bit, and actually trails off into a startled gasp the second Leona's feet strike the tank's hull at a particularly important point for the machine's guidance systems.
This is at roughly the same time Clark's torn off the warmech's top-hatch -- the Ikari would be able to look within and see flashing red lights, two determined-looking soldiers within. "SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!", screams one. The other: "WHITMER, HOLD ON!"
While Leona's hit slapped the Leviathan roughly, Heidern's not quite as lucky. The Shadaloo operatives within the Leviathan decide to activate a thoroughly destroyed movement system, desperate to get their tank freed from Clark Steel's pervasive strength. Without effective guidance, the monolith rears back at a 45-degree angle, runs its treads quickly enough to send dirt flying about the Ikari surrounding it at a velocity /just short/ of painful, and effectively reduce the damage Heidern's kick does by sheer distribution of force.
However, Leona's kick was more successful than she might have thought. Malfunctions galore grace the Leviathan's treads, and the tank's charge stops before it might have even started... it falls to the ground, spent. There was no real movement, so Leona shouldn't have to worry about diving out of the way, but hopefully... /HOPEFULLY/ Clark has been tossed off of it. Our poor Shadaloo boys within might be up for a rude awakening if he's not.
Well that is an unexpected turn. The fact that the Leviathan seems capable of whipping itself about like a raging bull is /not/ something that Clark Steel has exactly anticipated. The fact that he's just /flung off/ the entire top-hatch of the massive tank leaves him a little bit too slow to respond in time to the sudden, jolting twist that the Leviathan takes. His footing still a little uneven, the sudden shake of metal as it roughly rears /backwards/ is just too much.
Without much say in the matter and without much wasted time, Clark Steel is just hurled off the back of the Leviathan like a drunk off the back of a mechanical bull.
Except -- that means that his landing is just a /little/ bit rougher than he'd like it to be. He lands shoulder-first into the dirt, skidding once with a bounce. However, he's still quick to recover, landing in a crouch as his feet drag across the ground and build enough traction for him to come to a stop. The ground shakes. Clark blinks, looks over... and sees the resultant chaos.
"Holy hell," It's breathed out by the Ikari mercenary. But /he/ can't stop an assault that massive. All he can do is try to put the other tank out of commission before it can do the same. And so, hoping that the thing is still unsettled from it's sudden backwards reel, Clark runs, building up momentum before he simply LEAPS at the thing headfirst. His intention? A single, mighty headbutt right into the hull of the massive thing, putting forth as much force and speed possible to puncture the thing. And maybe, if it's unsettled enough and the force is great enough... just tip the entire damn thing over. An act which he hopes will put this tank out of commission -- long enough for Clark to help to take down the Kraken that's just unloaded all of it's firepower in a horrific display.
All at once the Ikari attack, and it seems to do a fantastic job of catching the Leviathan off its guard. Tensing his leg, the man lifts it particularly high before he drops it, heel-first, atop the thick plating of the mech. It does little, but likely impact alone causes the tank to jar lightly, leaving a small dent. No matter; withdrawing his leg swiftly, Heidern sets it down atop the machine.
He spares a glance, however, that one good eye of his glancing toward the damage Clark alone has wrought. Blinking once, the commander seems mildly impressed - which is a lot, considering their commander. Regardless, the man remains composed and calm. And good thing, too; quite suddenly the Leviathan is rearing back at an odd angle, and in response Heidern swiftly crouches and leaps off, landing a short distance away on the ground. Lifting that eye, he looks from Clark to Leona.
"Good work," he states. "Dismantle this machine a-sap. Let none of the soldiers within escape!" He pauses briefly, letting himself collect his thoughts. His mouth opens once more, and where there ought to be words...instead the whistle and roaring blast of demolitions erupt. Almost immediately does Heidern swiftly turn his attentions toward the scene of destruction...before it shifts to the red tank. The Kraken.
That solitary blue eye hoods. His face is dark with what could likely be disgust. How dare they do this to innocent people. How dare they seek to raze their crops and level their village. He's seen this before; it never gets any easier.
Leona and Clark likely realize what Heidern has planned as he charges away. He will let them handle the remains of the Leviathan. The commander instead returns to his initial target; as he nears the man crouches once more, leaping high, his arc angled to land him atop the Kraken. He lands in a crouch, but it is brief; with his arm outstretched behind him he suddenly rises and in one smooth, circular motion afire with chi he attempts to slice through the hull.
Neither Leviathan nor Kraken will escape this battlefield.
COMBATSYS: Heidern successfully hits Kraken with Moon Slasher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan blocks Clark's Combo Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
The village burns. It's too far away for one to be sure... but from the sensor readouts surrounding him, Lieutenant Mershimer is sure the barrage scored sufficiently telling hits. Buildings lie ruined, fields ablaze...the destruction widespread enough that it is nearly certain some of the villagers must lie dying.
But it is not enough. He will see it razed to the ground. Mershimer's eyes glint with single-minded monomania. A part of him is aware of the pounding his forces are taking. Of the fact the Leviathian is on its last legs. Of the fact the Shadaloo forces he led are now being routed. But if it is to be defeat, he will see this village /burn/.
He opens his mouth, starts to order his crew to continue the bombardment...but he never gets to finish the sentence. He's cut off. Cut off, as Heidern's massive arc of spiritual energy -slices- into the tank's armour, cleaving through the hull. Slamming all the way through the cabin, tearing through consoles...
Huntington, the driver, hisses in pain - his shoulder catching the very edge of the crescent wave, his uniform beginning to well with blood. Waltz, the gunner, stares for a moment...
And then the tank ROCKS again, as one of the side-mounted cannons -explodes-, the ammunition feed penetrated by the chi blast. The whole tank skews badly to one side, almost flipping over.
Alarms sound, a horrible cacophony of klaxons.
"FIRE," Mershimer yells, "FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!"
The remaining chaingun opens up, spitting bullets wildly.
There's a sort of calm after the storm, within the confines of the Leviathan's command cabin. Its two operators sit within the thing, utterly winded. Baronia seems to have suffered a laceration to his forehead, while Whitmer, a lesser man than the technical officer, has simply fallen unconscious. The former looks over at his fellow driver, frowns in a friendly, accepting way, but is quickly back to work on his own front. After all -- while they're not going to be leaving this battlefield in one piece, they're not out of the picture quite YET. There's still work to be done.
Baronia wipes some blood out of his eyes with the back of his free hand, and mutters to himself - even as Clark's head hits the Leviathan's armored hull in a less-than-effective manner - "Think they've got us licked, do they? The Leviathan's still got a shot or three in her! Screw off, Ikari, and just accept it! This place is done for!" Baronia finishes his last few keystrokes, and -- with an air of finality, presses the initiation button.
Clark, likely finishing his last, heavy assault on the Leviathan, would be less-than-pleased to see the tank's guns swivel around to focus solely on him. Every single one of them. Dozens of preparation lights, whirring, ominous noises, and lord-knows-how-many-other harbingers of pain activate, and without really any heed to the proximity of its own attack, the Leviathan re-engages its protective shielding. The very last bit of the stuff it has.
There's no fanfare, past that little glimmer. Every single one of the Leviathan's cannons unloads on Clark Steel in a concussive blast that sends the Shadaloo warmech THUNDERING backwards, and into the cushion of the nearby foliage... one it promptly breaks, shattering trees and bushes beneath its collossal weight. Somehow, the machine's fall is broken to the point where it's able to land on its treads, side smoking from the proximity of the fires and explosions it'd just released... but it's not like it matters, at this point. Burning, crackling with wasted energy, and thoroughly beaten, it's a good bet that the Leviathan is on its very, very last legs.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan successfully hits Clark with Heavy Artillery eXecution.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Clark 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/---====|
On it's last legs. Unfortunately for the crew of the Leviathan, though, Clark still has a good bit of staying power in him to take this thing down. He's faced it before without wincing away, and he sure as he'll isn't going to do so now.
Not even when those guns all swivel to point directly at him. There's a look of knowing in his eyes, realizing just what kind of pain awaits him. Bulletfire might not be the most effective strategy against Steel, but that doesn't mean that in heavy quantities it's not going to hurt like a sonuvabitch. Teeth gritting, and eyes narrowing in steadfast determination, Clark braces himself. His legs tense. His fingers twitch. And as those precursors to agony start to activate...
... Clark Steel leaps straight at the Leviathan.
He's overloaded with gunfire. Cannonblasts all converging into one MASSIVE burst of power slams into the man, and he struggles through it. It doesn't exactly go as he planned; initially, he planned to puncture THROUGH the burst and rise to the very top of the tank. Instead... the artillery bursts slam into him, start to break down his momentum. He's lost within the explosive bursts of concealing cannon fire. And when they part, as the dust settles... Clark is no longer there. Dead, maybe. Possibly just burnt into ash.
Or, more likely, clinging to the side of the Leviathan.
His skin smoking, vest charred and ruined and the visor of his hat ripped to shreds, Clark grips hard onto the side of the massive tank as it goes /reeling/ backwards in the wake of the strike. It's not where he wants to be. Being here means he has to climb, which takes a bit of time for him to perform, rising up the side of the tank. Fortunately, though, the main part of his plan succeeded a long time ago. Protective shielding or not... there's an opening inside the tank, directly to where he needs to be. And, ascending, Clark makes a single, mighty leap.
It's as the Leviathan comes to a full stop that Baronia might feel the heavy /thud/ of someone landing into their control room. Might feel it... and might /see/ the smoldering, massive form of Clark Steel as he lifts up from a crouch.
"Mind if I borrow this thing?"
Without pomp or glamor, Clark intends to take a firm grip onto Baronia, and flip him STRAIGHT into the nearby controls, to both knock him out... and rupture the massive weapon's control panel. "HUP!"
COMBATSYS: Kraken successfully hits Heidern with Power Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Clark 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/--=====|
Whatever the twisted ambition of the commander of Kraken, Heidern seems hell-bent on seeing that this red tank is thoroughly taken out. There is no mercy for the machine or the inhabitants within; if they are so willing to carry out such gruesome orders, they deserve none. In the nearby distance the village is afire, casting an eerie, unearthly orange glow across the countryside. The heat can be felt against Heidern's face, even from here.
Again, this is nothing new to Heidern. But he does not turn a blind eye to it.
Landing on the Kraken, Commander Heidern lets loose a blast of pure chi. It's potent and deadly, and clearly the tank and its inhabitants are off their guard. That circular slash cuts cleanly through the hull, damaging in the wake of its power. Heidern's jaw tightens, neck bulging as he slowly rises to full height.
Even the roaring blast of the Leviathan is not enough to stir Heidern's attentions. No; the soldier is focused entirely on the Kraken now. He knows well Clark can handle the rest. There is good reason he, much like Ralf, Leona and Whip, are his most prized Ikari. The command from within is simple: fire. Fire. Fire at the Ikari Warrior.
The guns ready, and Heidern's eye hoods. Though his weathered features are of picture-perfect calm and timeless patience, his solitary blue eye is afire, passionate about seeing this fight come to an end. The guns ready, but Heidern is not swift enough to avoid it entirely; leaping back and off the Kraken he he avoids being outright ventilated, by stray bullets find purchase in his flesh, sprays of red littering the air before his very eyes. His land is a bit less-than graceful, but he recovers swiftly.
He's not the least bit phased.
Instead, that singular eye hoods again, his gaze deadly as he glares at the red tank. Perhaps uncharacteristic of the soldier is the slow lift of a gloved hand and the curl of his long digits. Come, he beckons to whoever commands the tank.
COMBATSYS: Heidern gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Clark 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Leviathan with Fast Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Clark 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 1/-----==/=======|
"A challenge, is it?"
The voice comes from the Kraken, emerging from the external speakers. It is a flat hiss, distorted by the damage to the tank's electronics, shot through with static. Mershimer's voice.
The Kraken rights itself, the drive wheels moving, reorientating themselves. The entire vehicle regains its balance.
Inside the command cupola, Lieutenant Mershimer clutches his radio headset with one hand. His other hand flips a plastic cover on his console, exposing a red-marked switch beneath. He triggers this. The alarms within the tank cabin spike up another notch.
Below him, in the main body of the Kraken's interior, the driver Huntington is all but unconscious - upright only because he's strapped into his chair. Waltz, the gunner, works feverishly as she slaves the driver's controls to her own console, doing both jobs.
Not that the Kraken is going anywhere.
"Initiate," Mershimer says, his voice a whisper.
Steam hisses from vents in the tank's hull, a superheated cloud of vapourised coolant blasting into the air, wreathing the crimson machine in ghostly scalding smoke. Through the haze, the outer shell of the vehicle visibly reconfigures, plates shifting, metal grinding upon metal.
The catepillar treads of the four massive drive wheels fan outward, punching into the ground. Ramming like piledrivers, anchoring the entire tank solidly to the earth's surface. A necessary precaution.
The tank wouldn't be stable, otherwise.
You see...
...there's about to be a whole lot of recoil.
A ear-shattering sound, a blast. The cannon muzzle flares, a bright and thunderous light.
A single explosive shell slashes through the air. Trailing smoke, trailing flame, trailing a hideously retina-searing corona of meteoric energy.
Bang Bang.
Oh, Clark. The insides of the Leviathan are even messier than they had been beforehand. Whitmer's not just out of commision - the guy's been thrown across a console entirely unrelated to his position, either seriously unconscious or seriously -dead-, while Baronia is amazed that he's even still breathing, much less in his chair, safe and sound. A tree-branch has shot through one already-weakened segment of the Leviathan's outer paneling, and Clark Steel will find his entry into the Leviathan's insides one that goes totally unmolested.
It does, however, prompt a good deal of whining from the lone conscious Shadaloo operative. "Wh-what do you want!? We're dead! Dead! The tank can't even move anymore, look at the th-aughn!" Baronia makes a sound that his commanding officer would detest, and attempts to kick out at Clark even while the Ikari's grabbing at his collar. "Ngh... h-hey..."
-WHAM-
"OW, GOD!"
There's a crackle as Baronia slams into the weapons interface panel, splitting his skull open(not THAT bad), and destroying any hopes of firing on the hapless Thai village. "I've got a wife and kids! I've got a wife and kids! I just want out, god, god, god!!!" Blood's streaming down the poor man's face, matting his short-cut hair to his forehead, and generally obscuring his vision... but it's not enough for him to be unable to reach towards his thigh, where a particularly shady-looking holster is strapped to his belt. Quickly, (surprisingly so) Baronia removes his service weapon from its container, thumbs off the safety, and fires it, point-blank, at Steel.
"JUST GET OUT OF HERE!"
COMBATSYS: Clark blocks Leviathan's Medium Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Clark 1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 1/-----==/=======|
Clark might be inclined to feel bad about the wreckage, about the shape one of the men is clearly in... if he was some kind of bleeding-heart pansy. As it is, he's here to do a job and stop psychopaths from further ruining a poor village. The Ikari soldiers have all but routed the Shadaloo troops. All that remains is to take out these two tanks, and take the men within prisoner. Hardass he may be, Clark isn't a merciless killer.
That doesn't, however, mean that he is not going to lay the smackdown on Baronia's punk ass. Flipping the man over into the interface consol, Clark wipes his brow free of sweat. "That was for all the innocent people you've killed." He states bluntly as Baronia whines and pleads. Clark doesn't listen; and sadly for Baronia, he sees the other man as he attempts to draw his gun on the Ikari mercenary. Clark frowns. With a /bang/ the gun in the wake of a muzzle flare. It might have been effective--
--had Clark not intercepted the bullet with his hand.
A small trail of blood dribbles down his palm, but that's it; the bullet falls harmlessly as Clark reaches out to grab Baronia by the shirt. His intent is pretty simple, here: he's going to headbutt the other man. Hard.
"And that's for my hat."
COMBATSYS: Heidern endures Kraken's Big F--king Gun.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Clark 1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 1/--=====/=======|
Although Heidern's silent encouragement receives a verbal reply, the Ikari Commander says nothing. Instead, that single blue eye just narrows all the more, the fire in those depths far greater than ever. Yes, he is issuing a challenge to the Kraken. He is a man of his word, and refuses to back down.
Not until this tank is in pieces.
Even as the red behemoth hisses and roars, an imposing sight against a backdrop of roaring flame and razed, scorched earth, Heidern remains impassive for the most part. All the motion and fearsome groaning does not cause him alarm. The corners of his mouth twitch, as if Heidern were trying to offer a smirk. It never comes into being.
Not even as the muzzle of that cannon flares with an unholy light. The Ikari Commander just stands there, biding his time. Again, he is a man of his word, and refuses to back down. Ever.
So when the shot is fired off. ..the Ikari Commander does not move. Only his muscles tense, legs parting only slightly beneath his feet. His movements, while discreet, are clear; he is bracing himself for the incoming blast. That light sails viciously through the air. Heidern does not move. Some would call him crazy.
Others would call him insane.
Some might respect his last stand.
Impact is brilliant. A glorious display of energy erupts upon striking the commander in the chest, erupting every which way. For a moment, the air is filled with blinding light. Is Heidern even ALIVE after that?
The sudden lurch of black from within that sphere of energy should be clue enough. The man moves like a blur, right at the tank. He drives himself with fearsome speed and perseverance, covering the ground between himself and the Kraken in mere seconds. Only near does he swiftly crouch, a blur of motion as he leaps up and, with a burst of blood red chi around his hand, does he LODGE his fist through the hull and in one, dreadfully harsh motion, attempts to rip the entire thing clean off the tank, to expose...everyone inside.
COMBATSYS: Heidern successfully hits Kraken with Final Bringer.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Clark 1/---====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Leviathan with Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Leviathan
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Clark 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
Baronia is not a trained fighter. He is, however, a Trained Evil Organization Foot Soldier. If you asked him what the thing most emphasized during his basic training was, he'd have to answer: "Where the self-destruct button is, and how to maintain consciousiness long enough to stagger or at least slump onto it." It's exactly this that Baronia hearkens back to even while Clark Steel headbutts him harshly enough to send the Filipino staggering back onto the control panels.
The wrong control panels.
"...Dammit... where'd they go... page 36, section b, there was even a fucking diagram... guh..." Baronia, bloodied, bruised, and wholly out of the fight, is barely conscious enough to stagger to his feet. He fumbles around the confines of the Leviathan's control room before locating his goal -- on the other side of the area, about seven feet away. It's a large, ominous-looking screen and keyboard, inches away from Whitmer's presumably lifeless hand.
"...'Scuse me... fuck... /ow/..." Baronia spends the next few seconds limping across the complicated room, using consoles and hand-rails as supports for his weight (his legs had long ago stopped functioning as such). "And... there! Ha-HA, Ikari! TAKE THIS, AND GO TO HELL!"
At long last, Baronia has stumbled across the inner-cabin and managed to slap one bloodied hand onto a large, dastardly-looking red-button. Immediately, the interior of the tank turns a frightening shade of red. "SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ARMED: T-MINUS FIVE SECONDS TO DETONATION.", chimes out a pleasant female voice. The way the Leviathan's bucking and shaking, and the triumphant look on the dead/unconscious/about to be blown up Baronia's face... well, they're both indicators that things are SERIOUS.
COMBATSYS: Leviathan can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/---====/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
It is a terrible, terrible sound.
The sound of metal, rent asunder. As armour plate is simply torn apart, the entire upper hull of the Kraken destroyed in one single motion. Heidern's hand crashes through the crimson tank. And it does not stop. The chassis strains - and then it snaps, structural components simply coming apart under the immense stress, inevitable forces. Heidern's hand coming down like a sword the size of the world.
The Kraken shudders, lurching, treads slipping from the drive wheels. The underbelly of the tank smashing into the churned-up soil of the field. The ground is soft, once tilled and planted with crops. Now it is a burial ground.
The entire body of the tank just ripped apart, exposing the cabin to the light.
And now, Heidern is face to face with the crew of the Kraken. The driver, Huntington, slumped in his seat, bleeding profusely, already unconscious. The gunner, Waltz, gaping at Heidern, her features a mask of pure mindless fear.
Then there is their commander. A man dressed in a once-pristine Shadaloo uniform, now stained with blood. One Lieutenant Mershimer.
His gaze, however, does not show fear. He is calm. Almost too calm. His eyes are clear. He draws a ragged breath, his chest heaving. Sweat slicks his skin, running down his face. His heart pounds in his chest, but his control does not falter.
In a hoarse whisper, he speaks one word:
"No surrender."
Then his hand comes down, palm smashing a button on his command chair. Ramming it home.
And just like the Leviathan?
The Kraken explodes.
No warning. No countdown.
Just a single massive fireball, consuming the tank, its commander, its crew, incinerating them instantly.
Madness?
This is Shadaloo.
COMBATSYS: Kraken successfully hits Kraken with Mass Grave.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/---====/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Leviathan successfully hits Clark with Abrupt Explosion.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kraken successfully hits Kraken with Long Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > / ]
Leona 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Kraken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kraken takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leona 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kraken can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leona 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
There's a satisfying /crack/ as Clark's head strikes against the Filipino man's. The intent is to knock him out. It doesn't seem to do quite that. Covered eyes watch as Baronia stumbles, frowning a little as his right hand clenches in preparation. "You know, you should really just surrender..." He begins slowly, blond brows knitting behind his shades. But still, Baronia moves, but to /where/...
Well, soon enough, Clark can make a decent guess. Especially when Baronia lands on the control keyboard.
"... Oh, come on."
Self-destructing is a predictable answer, but nonetheless dismays Clark. He watches as Baronia stumbles and slaps against that tell-tale, clasically huge and red button. Everything is painted in hues of flashing red as Clark looks about him, eyes narrowing. He makes a dead rush towards Baronia, in an attempt to grab him. "FOUR..." The pleasantly artificial voice chimes. Another step. "THREE... TWO..." Clark is just about to reach the Filipino, hand outstretched. Like hell he's going to let the other man get off so easily--
"ONE... ZERO."
A second too late. Which doesn't amount to much when you're being blown up.
Clark makes a single leap as soon as the 'ZERO' sing-songs out from the intercom of the tank. Plumes of orange and yellow, burning fire explode from all around him, consuming him as they spread outward in a hellstorm of incredibly unpleasant pain. Flesh being burned even MORE, black shirt churned to nothing but ash in the wake of the large explosion, Clark is chucked through the air like nothing but a ragdoll, landing with a thump and a roll, left to stare upward at the sky as plumes of gray smoke rise from his body. He smells burning hair.
"... That ALWAYS happens."
COMBATSYS: Clark takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leona 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Heidern interrupts Mass Grave from Kraken with Jab Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leona 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/----===|
Steel and metal joints scream painfully under the fearsome grasp of Heidern. His fingers pierce through the hull, past that thick armor, his entire arm flaring up with that wild, deep red chi energy. But it doesn't end there. With a vicious twist of his hand the man lets his razor-like fingers lodge against the insides of the beast before he exerts himself. With the faintest of grunts the entire piece is removed, cast aside carelessly.
The tank looks like a god awful mess.
Heidern looms, that cold face seized in an expressionless look, a look of muted rage, only noted by the fires of disgust and anger in that single blue eye. All around him the world has gone dead; he sees one thing: Lieutenant Mershimer.
For the first time these two men meet one another's gaze, and the look therein Heidern's eye is wholly unpleasant. He has never met this man, but already he utterly despises him. Now he can put a face to the disgust that burns in the Ikari Commander's throat. This Lieutenant makes him sick.
Even as Mershimer speaks, Heidern offers no sympathies. There is no shred of remorse in that man's eye. The only thing there is anger. Anger that he has done this to innocent people. Anger that he has dared to harm his fellow Ikari. Just...anger, wrapped in a visage of impeccable calm and cool.
'No surrender,' Mershimer whispers.
"No mercy," the man replies coldly. A cursory glance is spared toward the button, then the remaining crew. Then Mershimer again. "I would kill you with my very hands," he coldly replies.
"Rot in hell."
The hand swiftly descends, but Heidern does not care. Instead, the commander lunges forward with that same frightening speed, his lone blue eye fixed on the tiny gunner. It would likely disarm and scare her. Like a hawk he wraps his arms around the frail woman and crouches briefly, leaping up. Behind him, the Kraken suddenly explodes, a fiery, vicious display of fire and metal burning and cutting into his backside. The force alone propels the elder soldier forward, higher and higher.
He does not seem to care; his only concern in the world seems to be shielding the frightened gunner from the flying debris.
What feels like forever suddenly ends, and quite abruptly. Landing in a crouch, the soldier is ragged now, breathing heavily as he holds onto the woman with an embrace that is dispassionate; if anything, it's like the furious clutching of a child onto its most treasured possession. He refuses to let go.
Slowly and shakily, Heidern rises to his full height, slowly turning to eye the destruction behind him. Where are his Ikari?
Shocked. Stunned. The woman named Waltz makes no attempt to resist the Ikari commander. She does not struggle. She does not fight. She does not so much as move. Limp in Heidern's arms, muscles slack, her uniform stained and flecked with fresh blood.
She is conscious, her eyes open. But they are blank, unseeing. If there is any emotion at all, it is only a rictus of fear...
COMBATSYS: Heidern has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Leona 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Clark 1/=======/=======|
His Ikari are smoking like barbequed mercenary. Well, one at least. Clark stares aimlessly upwards for a long time; he knows the Kraken is down too, and it seems that the Ikari have all but trounced the remainder of the Shadaloo forces. Those who surrender have been taken and rounded up onto the humvees as prisoners. It's largely successful... save for the damage done to the village.
Thankfully, the tanks were stopped before the town could be completely razed. Clark thinks of this only as he slowly stands up, dusting off his pants thoughtfully. He looks towards the village with an almost sad frown, but it quickly fades; no time for such things now, there's work to be done. But first...
Clark turns abruptly on the largely melted heel of his boot, walking with a slight limp towards where Heidern stands. Offering his commander a brief, silent nod, Clark elects to peel off his largely burnt and destroyed hat, letting it fall to the ground. Silently, he looks towards the wreckage of the two tanks. The pause in words and actions is only momentary, however; soon enough, Clark offers up an acknowledgment of his commander in words. "They always choose to blow themselves up." Silence again. Clark's hands shove into his pockets, and he looks towards Heidern with an easy-going smile.
"Good to have you back, sir."
With the shell-shocked Waltz in his embrace, Heidern only relaxes upon touching the earth again with his thick-soled boots. Though his outward demeanor is still that same, damnably persistent calm, his body screams in grief. His back is stinging, and there's likely bits of shrapnel lodged in there in dire need of removal. But he remains ever the imposing figure.
The buzz of movement becomes apparent to the commander as the smoldering remains of the Kraken begins to fade away. Through the smoke figures can be seen, scurrying back and forth. It's enough to bring the faintest of smirks to the old man's face. He's missed all of this. He has sorely missed his Ikari.
A very familiar face reveals itself as Heidern begins to move beyond the destruction. Shifting the scrawny woman in his arms, he keeps a firm hold as he moves forward. Yet he pauses only as Clark draws near. Eyeing his compatriot, the man's thin lips pull into a line across his face.
Then he smiles. "It's good to be back," he states.
A beat.
"I apologize."
They're simple words, but they speak volumes. He's sorry he worried his unit. He's sorry he went missing. He's sorry they thought him dead and gone. He's sorry he hadn't gotten in touch with anyone. Likely, Clark knows all of this.
He cranes his neck slightly, eyeing the destruction behind him, before he turns his gaze toward the fallen remains of the Leviathan. Again, thin lips purse tightly across his weathered features. For a moment, Heidern seems thoughtful. Then he simply draws that single eye shut.
"What else do you expect of crazy people?"
A nod is given, toward the humvees in the near distance. He's asking Clark to follow him. Leona is likely with the crew, getting patched up after their scuffle. The two Ikari are in need of the same treatment. And same with the newfound POW. As they walk, Heidern speaks not only to Clark, but to all Ikari in earshot:
"We're going to stay here in Thailand until this Shadaloo problem has been dealt with. I want full Ikari support on this front. For now, let us concern ourselves with regrouping and tending to the wounded. Scout the remains of the village and find survivors - they are our number one priority right now." Pausing, that single eye shifts to the woman in his arms.
"I presume this is our sole survivor. I want her taken to a secure location a-sap. I want any wounds of hers to be treated and her to be as comfortable as possible." Is he showing mercy to the shell-shocked Kraken gunner? "When she has recovered as much as possible, make her talk. I want to know what she knows."
Perhaps not.
With that, he hands her over to a grunt, who takes the woman carefully in his arms and runs her to the nearest medics. Relieved of his burden, Heidern turns his eye toward the destruction, before he looks back. While they did not save the village, they did well. He is proud.
It's good to be back.
Log created on 18:59:17 06/05/2007 by Heidern, and last modified on 09:33:19 06/07/2007.