Description: After receiving his marching orders from Hiretsu, Aranha performs a sweep of the upper decks first coming across Katelynn and then Soma. After encountering some Soldiers, the three punch kick, stab and blast their way through to reunite with the other agents of Jinchuu.
Aranha now had his marching orders and after making his way back to the ship the Dancing Spider had to take in the situation. He was outmanned and outgunned literally. He couldn't risk direct confrontation since it would pretty much mean end of the operation. Or atleast his leg of the operation.
Aranha quietly made his way along the main deck keeping to the shadows keeping away from the uniformed soldiers, people he knew to be part of Blackjack, and people he knew to be with "R", The people he didn't know about that was a different matter entirely.
Aranha continued to skulk around until he noticed someone not wearing the uniform nor anybody he knew to be of the other two catagories. There seemed to be a gap in the security and so he could get away with saying this even though he couldn't make out complete details about who he was speaking to. "Are you 'R' or an Agent?"
"I'm an Agent," Katelynn replies in a calm and right-to-the-point voice. She's not here for conversation, so she's keeping it plain and simple, getting to the facts and the facts alone. She's wearing her standard karate outfit because it helps keep her fighting spirit alive. Not exactly discreet but oh well...
Aranha moves closer as he looks down at Katelynn's leg, the one in particular that she injured during their fight against Rugal "I hope your leg is better, we'll need to move fast." He pulls out a trio of small manila envelopes out of his pouch.
"We need to find as many of the remaining agents not fighting for Rugal as we can and get them down to lower decks."
Aranha begins running at what he'd consider a jog, his movements silent and efficient as he moves further through the ship. After a few moments Aranha sees a guard detail posted near the door. He halts holding up a hand for Katelynn to stop and then he whispers, "We'll need to hit them hard and fast and not let them get an opportunity to radio for help." He glances at Katelynn and then gives the signal. "Now!"
Katelynn resists the urge to make a remark at the bit about her leg, but Aranha does have a point. She needs to make sure her legs are in good shape. Fortunately, after carefully examining it and exercising it carefully, she's got two good legs again. She looks at the envelopes and then follows Aranha, moving silently as well. Going barefoot has its advantages. She waits for Aranha to give the signal, and when he does, she's moving toward that guard faster than she thought she could, attempting to deliver a swift chop to the side of the neck.
Aranha's approach to dispatching his guard is somewhat different but not without similarities to Katelynn's approach. First there's a couple of quick but still silent footsteps before a sudden leap as he flies for the guard's legs as he plants one hand and scissors his legs about the guard's own leg and twists violently sending the soldier on his back and slamming his head onto the ground. If that doesn't finish him off, Aranha does so by slipping a leg free of the soldier and then driving said heel right down upon the soldier's throat.
Soon Aranha is back on his feet and heading further along the ship looking around and seeing if he can spot anything or anyone else of importance as the two fighters move further.
The guard goes down with the chop hitting him hard and not even giving him time to think about what just happened. He's out in a matter of seconds. Without wasting a beat, Katelynn follows after Aranha, the adrenaline flowing through her like a waterfall right now. She keeps her eyes peeled as well, not wanting to be taken by surprise
What a long, strange trip it's been.
While most of the 'agents of Jinchuu' have been running around like chickens with their heads cut off, Soma Travedi was safely below decks getting... well, work done. Long and exhaustive and, by conventional standards, practically impossible. Only some highly useful gadgets -- a satphone and a laptop -- and drawing on a few unique pools of human resources enabled him to get anything done at all. But when all was said and done, well... things are about to get interesting on this here boat.
Of course, then he gets to catch up on goings on of the past few hours... and realizes that while he was doing a little fishing, all sorts of nonsense was going on between the Ryouhara ninja and their erstwhile and technosaavy 'R' foes. And while Soma is not exactly a big fan of his ninja hosts, he's fully aware that Rugal is going to blow the damn Suiryuu out of the water if he can't have it... and thus the ICPO detective has every motivation to get the Black Noah away from here ASAP. Thus his intrusion into the EMP-darkened halls of the Suiryuu, stealthily slipping through hallways with expert intrusion skills... and as luck would have it, he must surely be closing on Aranha and Katelynn's position, just coming from a different angle.
Aranha begins to move further and further until all of a sudden he comes to a dead halt and face to face with the ICPO agent Soma. Needless to say he's a bit surprised to see him moving as quietly as he was. Needless to say Soma was another that didn't quite fit in the catagories of known "R" agents but he still has to ask, "Agent or 'R'?" Aranha clutches those envelopes menacingly which doesn't look so threatening unless you've seen how he uses them.
Katelynn pauses almost abruptly as soon as she sees Aranha come to a stop. When she hears him ask that same question he asked earlier, she bites her lip. There's someone else here who Aranha doesn't recognize, and that's what makes Katelynn uneasy. Is this another ally, or someone sent to sabotage their efforts...
Rule #1: Don't surprise someone who's armed. Perhaps it's because he's absorbed in his own thoughts -- his 'fishing' turned up quite a big catch indeed -- or perhaps Aranha's expertise at sneaking and Katelynn's lack of shoes on metal deck plates means he doesn't hear the duo coming. Either way, the arrival of the two young fighters catches the detective by surprise as he rounds a corner... and thus Aranha, with his menacing envelopes, finds the Indian training a handgun on him, both fists around the grip; he's not some amateur with a gun, but a trained professional.
However, a split second later his empathic abilities kick in, and Aranha's confusion and Katelynn's nervousness don't suggest that they're Bernstein's goons. The gun is lowered, and once Soma gets a look at the Spider's face, holstered back on his hip. Being called an 'agent' without Jinchuu after it... a little unnerving. "I'm not one of Rugal's flunkies, if that's your question," he responds smoothly. "How about you?"
Aranha's definitely a crazy mofo who has no problem bringing mini envelopes of thermite to a gun fight. Aranha stares down the barrel of the gun for a moment as the moment of awkward silence passes between the three fighters. The stance, bearing are all filed away as he studies Soma. He does get a clear look at his face. "Ahhh it's you, Soma. If you're not with Rugal I hope you're in good condition. We and whoever else we can grab need to get down to the lower decks, pronto." Aranha pauses for a moment. "As for me, my hobby other than fighting is pissing Rugal off."
The meeting between the fighters is cut short as an exploratory party of 'R' Soldiers get to the hallway. "Shit!! We have company!"
The nervousness is replaced by calmness as Katelynn realizes it's just Soma. She's a bit calmer now, but nonetheless still on high alert, as there's no telling who else could be waiting onboard the ship. And that alertness turns out to be a blessing, since when she hears the R soldiers coming, she gets back into her fighting stance. "Bring it on!" She says.
The whip-tense pair of fighters seems a little unusual to Soma, as do the envelopes... but apparently there's not much time for pleasantries, as the presence of 'R' goons on the march makes the area a little more dangerous to be in than any of the current occupants would like. "Oh, it's you," Soma says to Aranha, finally recognizing the capoeirista from their long-ago battle. Katelynn he only vaguely knows from her participation in public fights, but since she seems so enthusiastic... probably an 'agent of Jinchuu' too.
Spinning around, the ICPO agent turns his attention to the hallway and the approaching group of soldiers. "So what exactly is it that brings you out at this hour?" he asks conversationally, hands held just above all three weapons attached to his belt. Depending on the scenario... any or none could be useful. "I'm assuming you didn't have an itch for a late night turkey sandwich or something."
The soldiers see the three fighters and at first they level their guns at them. As Soma makes his approach they don't make any quick motions as the stand off begins. The tension is palpable. One of the soldiers makes a motion for the radio on his shoulder. Sensing the danger, Aranha jumps into action. "Pardon me, Soma. I'm gonna need some extra height!"
Aranha's free hand pulls out a lighter and sets the three manila envelopes ablaze. After that he jumps up on Soma's shoulder using it to boost his jump a bit more as he throws the fiery envelopes at the soldiers one of them directed particularly at the one who was about to radio for help. The envelopes go off with a bang scattering and disorienting the soldiers. Aranha divided them it's up to the rest to conquer.
One of the soldiers goes down with a palm-strike to the stomach that's enhanced by Katelynn's chi, known as her Palm Blaster. Another goes down with a swift roundhouse kick. And then another tries to get her from behind, but she breaks free and administers a one-armed throw.
So that's what's in the envelopes. While the ICPO detective might otherwise object to being used as a springboard, he can smell the contents of those envelopes as the PK-capoeira fighter gets nearby... and then sets them on fire. Certainly wishing for the envelopes to be *anywhere* but where he is, Soma obliges and ducks his left shoulder down, letting Aranha get some additional air and put the hurt on the opponents enough so that radioing for help is a distant memory, at least.
"You know, this situation is far too familiar for my liking," the detective growls, as Katelynn rockets past him. After all, didn't he just dance these steps with Riko not that long ago, and against a similar number of goons? Well, maybe similar tactics will work, then. The Indian's right arm flicks out at snakebite speed, the wire-dagger in his palm wrapping around the throat of one of the soldiers and spinning to a tight fit as Soma grunts with the effort, then heaves his entire torso to the right. The captured solider, gasping for air as-is, is totally unresisting as he cannons into the guard right *next* to him, both slamming into the metal walls of the Suiryuu with a definitive *CLANG* before collapsing to the floor, the wire of the unique dagger snapping back into Soma's waiting hand with a second flick of the wrist. "I guess old dogs don't learn new tricks."
Aranha when he lands he immediately moves into a group of soldiers driving his foot into the stomach of one of the soldiers before whipping himself around to slam his foot into the head of the soldier causing him to drop helplessly to the ground.
He moves to the next grunt and rams his head into the soldier's chest, whips it up into his chin and then brings an elbow across which seems unnecessary since he was already unconscious before the motion began. Both Katelynn and especially so with Soma, will notice a difference in Aranha as he fights, more focused more brutal. The playfulness he displayed in his fights against both of them non-existant.
Eventually the Dancing Spider is able to clear enough room that he has enough time to pull out a mini canister of hair spray and use it as a make-shift blow torch which in turn allows him to clear out a path for them. "Everybody! Here's our chance lets get moving to the lower decks, NOW!"
Log created on 23:21:14 10/22/2007 by Aranha, and last modified on 22:17:32 10/23/2007.