AWD #357: Boom Baby!
Boom Baby!
Summary: A Marine team is sent to Crossroads on Aerilon. Two of the team are demolitions engineers and they have orders to blow up a munitions manufactury.
Date: 13/06/2016 (OOC Date)
Related Logs: TBA
Randy Kapali Krypterst 
Crossroads, Southern Coastline of Aerilon
A small bombed out port city now under Cylon control along the coast at a river's mouth. The location has an air field, manufacturing, rail road depot, and labour camp.
Thu Dec 29 20:34:49 2005 AWD #357

It's well known by now all on the Orion that Commander Carolyn Spree is working with Aerilon resistance elements to better organize the fight against the Cylons. Word has gone out that a series of targets have been proposed by Spree to Orion's Command for joint actions to aid in that effort. A specialized team is required for a particular target.

Captain Bridgeport has been sent up from Picon to brief the Marines hand picked for the job. A half a dozen of them are gathered while the Captain speaks, using a pointing stick to indicate positions on the map that comes up on the overhead. "Tonight we are sending you in by Raptor for a special assignment. This is Crossroads, a town center in the eastern coastal province of southern Aerilon." The map zooms in. "This is an airport facility and manufacturing quarter. Intelligence indicates that it is now being used as a Cylon labour camp and staging area for shipments of supplies."

The map zooms in yet again to include only a few buildings, "To the south of the airport, directly along the water is a munitions depot. -Your- assignment tonight is to get in by water craft up the coast to this point here," So indicated by the pointing stick, "And hit the munitions. Take it out. There is a heavy air presance with Raiders and other Cylon craft using the airport. Getting in undetected is absolutely vital." But wait, there's more!

Studying the map displayed on the overhead, Kapali has her hands hooked into the front pockets of her combat cargos while studying the targets that are being indicated by the pointing stick. As one of the most junior members of the team, the young EOD corporal does an awful lot of keeping her mouth zipped while the mission is being outlined, eyes narrowed just a bit as she memorizes the image, just in case.

It's customary that EOD's attach to a combat unit in groups of two or three, depending on what the mission requires, so there Randy is. She leans back against the wall, her arms folded at her chest as she squints up at the map from the overhead. As the news of what they're /not/ hitting or doing is unveiled, Randy's face hardens slightly, but she says nothing.

The Captain waits for the next 'slide' image which is the layout of a warehouse, "Your objective is to use the munitions depot to remove the /manufactury/ that is located in the same building. The equipment, the technology, and the supplies specifically that are brought in from off world to Aerilon by the Cylons to be coupled with natural resources and labour to produce the ammunition and bombing capabilities that arm the Cylon war movement. This is not a munitions warehouse filled with completed ordinance, but rather the necessary parts that can't be manufactured on Aerilon, a plant that is not rich in certain metals, rare earths, or the necessary electronic tech."

The other four Marines who are not Randy and Kapali are indicated by the Captain, "You are Special Forces personnel picked both from Spree's command. Your first objective is to get two of Orion's Marine Engineers in as quietly as possible to set charges at key points within the manufactury, do your own mission and then get both teams out. These charges must be set on timers because you /have/ to be well away before you blow the manufactury. Do we have any questions?"

Frowning at the map still, Kapali finally shares a sidelong glance with the senior EOD on this mission and blinks, startled a bit by the expression on Sgt Flynn's face. The marine corporal blinks again, thoughtfully, then seems to come to some sort of 'ah ha' moment as the expression on her face alters and she turns back toward the map. She then eyes the four marines who are their dance partners for this particular shindig, making note of names before she turns back to the map yet again. "Minimum safe distance has been calculated, Sir?"

"Probably asking for too much," Randy raises a hand charily, "but do we have any intel on Centurion patrols or any idea of security procedures? If the idea is to remain undetected, we'll need to camo our charge," which basically means, not let it be discovered by whatever means necessary, not necessarily actual camoflauge. "Our tech is going to stand out pretty quickly…" It's more meant to be a prod, as if having expected some details that were not shared yet? At Kapali's question, Randy's eyes shift towards the Corporal, but she doesn't say anything.

The Captain looks to Kapali, "That depends on on what exactly is in the manufactury and what kinds of charges you set. I will warn you that there /may/ be nuclear or other radio active material presant, but we have not been able to verify it. Also there may be a variable amount of gun powder, tilium, and other explosive substances in the location even though it is not the primary storage facility for those materials. Our informant, who has been inside of the depot, informs us that these materials vary depending on what exactly is being assembled on any given day period. You will be hitting the depot at night."

A nod is given to Randy, "There are Centurion patrols. Two units on regular intervals circle the grounds along the fence you will have to get through. They are four minutes apart so you need to get through the wire and under cover quickly, as well as undetected. Once you /are/ inside, our informant does not believe anyone will be active inside of the building until 04:00 local time. You will arrive on sight at 02:30 and have 60 minute to get in, get out, and blow the facility before risk of labourers to arrive."

"Sir," Kapali starts then pauses, exhales quietly, starts up again, "sorry sir," saddling her gumption up. "Proximity of the labor camp in relation to this munitions factory slash depot; are they within the minimum safe distance radius or outside of the safe zone, downwind as it were or might be? If there are nuclear material within the target are we still green light to blow it?"

"You said this was a labor camp sir? I'm hoping the laborers don't sleep too close? Uncontrollable amounts of chained explosive material and all," Randy shuts up when she realizes Kapali is asking the same questions Randy wants the answers to.

"The orientation of the labour camp does not concern you for your mission. Distances and risks are deemed acceptable." How's that for an answer? "Special Forces mission members will get you inserted and get you out, but the actual depot is your only concern. They have their own assignement while you are engaged and will not be available for backup until they exfiltrate with you." Evidently those four have already been briefed separately. Ranks are not visible on their combat blacks.

Randy takes a deep breath and nods, forcing herself to keep her eyes on the Captain so she doesn't look Kapali's way. Sometimes, being the senior rank just means sucking it up and Randy doesn't look like she's about to break anytime soon. "Understood sir." She's her father's daughter for sure, always a soldier underneath.

It is enough of an answer for Kapali and she breathes a remark to Randy, "Acceptable margin of error," in a very very very low voice as she begins to check over their gear one more time. She doesn't ask any further questions, however, just goes over the checklist and does her best to finagle or cajole any extra bits of gear that they might find useful on this mission out of who ever their supply sergeant is for this disco. Better safe than sorry, who knows when an extra twenty feet of rope might come in handy. Or a pack of chewing gum. Some extra clips.

As soon as the briefing is concluded, and kept brief, all six Marines are loaded up into a Raptor and head out for the jump to Aerilon. Once they land it is after midnight. The SF Marines see to heading to the water to what appears to be a small fishing boat with a reed thatched cover. Only in reality it is a rubber raft with a tiny outboard engine that is silent. They clamber up and once everyone's on board, they head up the coast at a very sedate speed. Both Randy and Kapali have been warned that they will be required to have all of their necessary charges water tight.

It takes them more than an hour to go up the coast before the SF Team Leader speaks up, his voice very low, "You two are going to go over the side and make for dry ground up ahead. Should be shallow enough you don't even have to swim. We'll be in the edge of a reedbed south of the river mouth where we'll take down the craft. Two of us will take you to the fence and get you in. When you are finished, slip back through the fence and return to the reed bed. Remember to watch for the patrols and time it both coming and going. If we aren't back yet, you wait. Do not useradio communications except in emergency. They would pick up our signals." After a moment he adds as they cut the tiny engine, "If all hell breaks loose, get back to the raft and lay low. Understood?"

Very quietly one of the SF Marines slips over the side and down into the water to hold the craft steady for Kapali and Flynn to disembark. It is night and the water is chilly cold. A few night sounds are natural but mostly the sky is light up with the airport facility and the regular flux of Cylon air traffic.

Today she's outfitted herself differently. It's uncommon for them to not go out without earpieces, but as per the mission spec, Randy made sure they weren't grabbed. She's rigged one of the packs to have cell-like storage after being zipped into water tight sacks so she can keep components safely, but compactly packed (as compact as it's going to be). Her tool bag belt thing she's got rolled up and stuffed in the top of the pack so she can have her hands free. Fingerless gloves for grip, a sidearm (she has so lovingly packed in a sack), and the knife she'll keep in her boot forever more, the one that saved her life. She's smeared her face with some shoe polish to blend in more with the darkness. She's done checking things when they've gotten into the little rubber duck of a boat and keeping her eyes peeled the entire way. As soon as they come to their disembarkment point, Randy nearly doesn't wait for the SF Marine to hold the boat. She simply peels off into the water as quietly as possible and plants her feet down into the mushy bottom. Filled with little pockets of inadvertent air, Randy ends up pulling her pack up over her shoulders. Her mouth opens at the coldness of the water but she says nothing, waiting for the Corporal to join her.

Idly wondering whether or not the water hosts such critters as alligators or crocodiles, or water snakes or other such local hazards, Kapali rolls over the side of the raft and eases into the water as quietly as possible. Sinking into the muck far enough that she feels is squish under her boots, Kapali shares a nod with the SF marine, "Radio silence, copy that. If this goes sideways, we'll set the charges to go in the areas that will do the most damage and fall back to the raft and wait." This said, she proves that she's the more chatty of the two EOD right off the bat. She tightens the straps, unnecessarily, on the pack that she's carrying, everything within the pack wrapped in multiple layers of water tight packages, just in case. A trifle OCD is the young marine. Similarly garbed as the Sergeant, though she carries a knife webbed in a sheath along her right leg, easier reach, Kapali's expression is one of fierce intensity as she shares a nod with Randy and begins moving.

The other SF Marines also slip out of the raft and two of them remain with it to conceal it amid the reeds with more reeds. The two going ashore take point, rifles held slightly above the water but they really don't care if they get wet since water won't hurt them at all. Very quietly they too start heading for shore, the water about chest deep. The water is salty and the bottom less muddy than sandy. Not a word is said. One of the SF team, a woman, is silent and motions for them to hunker down in the dunes while she goes ahead to make sure everything is clear. She doesn't go far before she carefully scrambles up a shallow bank to a grassier area and starts slipping quietly through a few short, stubby trees before she is gone from sight. When she reappears in the night's gloom, she motions them forward. Everyone is maintaining silence.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Alertness: Success.

At Kapali's nod, Randy turns, locking eyes with the SF marine that held the boat for them only the moment or two he's within her view before she's facing the shore. She falls in behind their escorts. Once they're hunkered down in the dunes, Randy takes the moment to retrieve her plastic wrapped sidearm. The seal makes it quiet enough for where they are at. She checks the chamber as quietly as possible.

<FS3> Randy rolls Alertness: Good Success.

Midchest on the SF's is, for the not terribly tall EOD's is more like shoulder deep for the Sgt and slightly lower for the Corporal, but Kapali is no stranger to this feeling and she moves as swiftly as the footing allows before making for the grassy knoll, er grassier area, and calmly pulling a harmless snake of some sort out of one sleeve and easing it back into the water so that it can get on with it's mission in life. She retrieves her sidearm as well, though the sidearm is followed by a compass mounted on a wrist band work on her left wrist with a simple water proof wrist watch worn on the right. Redundancy, thy name is Kapali.

The second SF Marine comes up behind Randy and Kapali and squats down very quietly in the shadows of the limited tree cover. He leans in real close to speak very low, "Now we wait for the patrol. Once it passes, Rivoli here will go forward to cut the wire. Stay put. It's charged. You go forward only when she's ready for you. Good luck."

And so they wait. Two Centurions come around the corner of the building and ponderously make their way slowly down the side between the building and the fenceline. THere is easily another 30 feet to cross to get from the fence to the building and from there, further on to get up the side where the loading docks and doors are located.

When the second SF Marine comes up behind her, Randy doesn't startle or turn, but sinks back lower onto her haunches so she can hear him. She holds herself steady with some fingers perched in the sand. She keeps her eyes on the fenceline, tracking the movements of the Centurion patrol and looking for natural tufts of tall grass or stark shadows she can take advantage of beyond the fence. But she waits, her free hand opening and closing in silent dogged anticipation.

With one knee resting on the grass, the other bent so that the toe of one boot is bent, ready to spring board forward like a sprinter in a one hundred meter dash, Kapali is angled subtly forward as well, all wiry anticipation and contained energy bottled into the next forward movement. Her right wrist is angled just so, timing the pace of the centurions, eyes narrowed and head angled so that as little of the light can ruin her night vision as possible.

Once the two Centurions turn the corner and move out of sight, Rivoli leaves the shadows of the trees and runs up low and quietly to the fenceline to a spot where it's erroded and almost a gully, but not quite. She hunkers down and carefully starts to clip a heavy wire to the fence and then unwind it a bit to clip to the other side, wearing heavy rubber gloves. Working quickly with well practiced focus, she ignores the fact that she might be seen and minimizes her movements as she works to start cutting. It takes her about two minutes to cut a hole large enough to move through, but then she takes a little more time to attach additional clips to keep the cut wire netting in place. It is unlikely the Centurions will notice the wire has been cut. As soon as she is done, Rivoli heads on back just as quietly as before, staying well low in the somewhat tall grass until she's back to the cover of the trees. There she draws a breath before she speaks very low.

"Don't knock loose the wire strung across. Remove the clips only on the cut edge and slip through, then replace the clips. Otherwise the patrol will notice a gaping hole in the mesh." Now they have to wait until the patrol comes back around and passes by again. She checks her chronometer, "We'll meet you back at the raft at 03:30, if not sooner."

They all go quiet and wait. The second Centurion patrol shows up coming from a different direction and from further down along the line of warehouses. It has not /quite/ been four minutes since the last patrol and that makes Rivoli frown. These two Centurions take longer to go past but within a minute they too are rounding a corner to proceed out of sight up along the loading docks. It looks like the 4 minute mark may be somewhat more variable than hoped. Rivoli touches Randy's shoulder to indicate that it's all their's now. The two SF Marines turn to head back to the beach.

<FS3> Randy rolls Stealth: Success.

Randy waits and watches, shifting quietly to make sure she doesn't get a cramp in her leg. As soon as Rivoli is back, Randy looks at the time, making a reference in her head. "Right," is all the affirmation she gives Rivoli and then it's waiting time. Randy checks the time at the four minute mark, noticing the variation, but she doesn't have time to ponder it, only nod to Rivoli just before she falls back towards the beach. Randy springs up from her position into a nearly squatting position and takes off as fast as possible, taking the path she'd seen Rivoli take. Once she gets to the fence, she does a quick eye sweep for red lights before moving to clip open their makeshift fence door. Then she shrugs her pack from off of her back, over her head and through the gap before she slithers through to scramble back into a squatted position, surveying the route between the fence and their target.

<FS3> Randy rolls Alertness: Failure.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Stealth: Success.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Alertness: Good Success.

Kapali's fingertips dimple the moist soil as she leans intently forward, not quite holding her breath as the Sergeant makes for the fenceline, but it's a near thing. She searches every damn where, eyes sweeping left, right, back again, that sweep upward and back on point to watch as Randy makes the fenceline, shimmies her pack off then goes through the fence at flank speed. Kapali is off like a shot as soon as Flynn is through, pouring on every ounce of speed and pounding each foot step as quietly as possible, breath coming in muted puffs of sound until she skids to a stop at the fence line. Wary of the clips she has her pack off, handing it through with care before she does this contortionist-spring-board-shimmy through the fence to emerge on the other side like a cork popping from a bottle. She pivots immediately to check the clips in place on the fence, searching each placement out with quiet intensity to determine if any have come free.

Not real great on the stealth but nobody makes a big racket, no fence rattling, no breaking the wire connection. And then they are both through the wire. Kapali's attention to detail sets the clips back just so - they are barely able to be seen even up close. No gap. No sign of Centurions either.

When Randy pulls through the fence, apparently she powered through a snag bad enough to make a tear in the rear of her pants, but whether her underwear is showing or not seems to be the last thing on her mind. Her lips move with no sound, counting their window so she can keep the split second decision to retreat an option. She waits until Kapali is finished securing the fence, then pats her arm to get her attention. A series of quick but clear hand motions occur. First, she slaps her wrist as if tapping the face of a watch, then holds up two numbers, separated by a fist. This indicates their time left. It's too short to be the mission time, so it must be for the patrol. Second, she motions them forward, pointing in the direction of the back corner of the building. It's quickest route to cut off a hole quadrant of their surroundings to cover, growing to half coverage once they reach the bays, and the loading detritus makes for better than nothing cover. She continues on point, getting out of there as fast as possible and not waiting around for any acknowledgement from the Corporal. In the same odd posture as before, Randy crouch-runs towards the edge of the building to take refuge in the shadow of the dumpster, hoping there's just enough shadow to make it harder for both of them to be spotted before making a mental note of how much time they have left.

Shouldering her pack again, gear secured with a variety of velcro and webbing points to keep everything precisely where she's positioned it, within a fraction of an inch either way no matter whether she's running, crouched or wiggling through a maze. She follows Randy like a shadow, moving when she moves, pausing when she pauses, focusing on being as silent as still when they're lurking in the shadows. She shares a nod with Randy when she indicates the time elapsed and pans a slowly look around while keeping her eyes peeled for any patrol that might come at a spontaneous point in time. Seeing the path that Randy indicates to shorten their time, she shares another of those silent nods before doing that some sort of knee-bent hustle that looks awkward but really does cover ground at a rapid pace.

Randy strafes towards to the nearest door and checks it real quick, just in case someone by chance was dumb enough to leave it open. Her shoulders drop and then she releases the door to swing her kit to her front as she kneels down. She pulls out a black canvas roll and traces her fingers to the pick and tools she needs. It's easier to practice these things in the dark, relying on the truest senses to feel the clicks of pins. Randy chews on her lower lip a she works, zoning in hard as she visualizes the interior and her gentle movements.

<FS3> Randy rolls Mechanical Engineering-1: Good Success.

While Randy works on the door, Kapali remains on point, scanning the surround and casting a glance at her wrist watch while doing so. As the clock ticks, she gives Randy timed updates every thirty seconds, knowing that the Sgt doesn't actually need the timed intervals to make her work faster but keeps her updated anyway. Her weapon remains carefully snugged against her right shoulder, panning left then right again. The moment that the Sgt has the door open she is covering the Sgt while she repacks the NOT EVEN REMOTELY ILLEGAL lock picking kit, testing the door with her free hand before easing it open one single inch, listening to determine if the hinges will squeak. Or if a trap is about to be sprung.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Alertness: Good Success.

<FS3> Randy rolls Alertness: Good Success.

All is still quiet in the immediate area, though a fuel sled powers on past the far end of the building and is gone again almost as soon as it's heard. There are sounds coming from the airport area as a craft comes or goes but there isn't a lot of activity at this hour. Dawn is a few hours away yet as the clock slowly ticks, inching it's way to 2:45 am. So far they are right on schedule for the mission and presumably the SF Marines are off doing their thing elsewhere, whatever they are up to.

When Kapali opens the door, both she and Randy take their careful look around and listen before stepping inside - and that his how they spot the motion detector. A tiny red light sends an invisible beam across the floor just inside of the door at about knee height. They can open the door fully out without breaking the beam inside but they'll have to step over it or disarm it to enter.

<FS3> Randy rolls Reaction+Reaction: Failure.

<FS3> Randy rolls Electrical Engineering-2: Good Success.

No not remotely illegal at all, cough cough. Randy slides the stray picks in as Kapali rolls up the kit and slides it away. She scoots around the woman to listen as well. She gently taps the marine and points to the detector whether Kapali spotted it or not. This could be life or death, so Randy's not taking chances. They have to function as partners in this environment. Randy tugs on one of Kapali's webbings. "I'm going to jump it and disarm it." As Randy opens the door to where she has the clearance, she hops over the sensor range, but when she goes into a squat, pivoting towards the sensor, her pack doesn't have enough clearance. She immediately grabs her pliers and heaves down on them to cut through some shielding. Then she snips the power line to the alarm, hoping to have gotten it clipped before the accident recovery expired. Who knows how long Centurions need to enter the password robochocolate?

<FS3> Krypter rolls 4: Success.

The spike of adrenaline that sings along Kapali's nerves makes the whole moment seem to both last forever in a sudden sharp eternity while also speeding along at breakneck pace as though she had all the time in the world to snag Tiny's pack and keep it from tripping the alarm. Even as she's making those proto-movements to BEGIN to intercede, it's already to late and Randy is snipping the power line to the alarm. Bracing for the sound of blaring alarms to shatter the quiet, Kapali pans left, right, back again, UP and around then shares a look with Randy. "If I get gray hair from this mission, I'm blaming you," she breathes in a voice barely loud enough to carry.

Once they are inside, it's dark in the warehouse. There are a couple of security lights so it's not pitch black, but it's not well lit up either. Inside of the loading bays the floors are marked with refelective safety tape to designate areas to keep clear. Tall racks of steel rise up in ranks stacked with pallets of various materials, much of it crated or pallet wrapped in plastic. Everything is neatly marked but with number and letter disignations that tell the two Marines nothing.

On the end closest to the fenceline and furtherst from the airport is an open section filled with various machinery. Benches, tables, work spaces for manufacturing. There are hand carts and pallet jacks, as well as dollies neatly stowed. The far end of the warhouse towards the air port facility is too dimly lit and too far to their right to be visible.

"Oh get over it," Randy says as she watches the other EOD slap the jam with a little bit of tape to keep it from re-latching. She slides the wrench back and immediately sweeps the warehouse with her eyes, noting the designations that mean nothing and looking for a clear in the racks to indicate some place where they might be assembling. "How do machines make bombs? Machines. Over there, you take point. Let's find our target first."

<FS3> Kapali rolls Construction: Failure.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Engineering: Good Success.

"Where there's machines, and an assembly line, is all manner of material that can be used as shrapnel," Kapali notes in a low voice as she moves. "We should rig any or all of that to go up as well, create as much secondary and Tertiary explosive damage as well to further destabilize the interior of this structure." She pans a look around, searching for the load bearing beams within the structure, indicating them as she moves. "We rig the beams to collapse as well, further damaging the equipment and machinery in here. We rig the machines to go up as well, destroying their capability to make more," she taps one fingertip against the weapon that she's carrying, "we need to find where they're storing the munitions that they're using, rig that as well. We could make one hell of a boom if we rig it all accordingly."

<FS3> Randy rolls Alertness: Good Success.

Kapali has pointed out where she thinks the charges should best be laid, but it's Randy who begins to find other things stowed up in the steel. One pallet partly opened and resealed is stenciled on the boxes as being detonators. Another section is hard to difficult to make out but seems to be tillium infused explosive plastics. That one is set in a special area that is outlined on the floor with a big, broad red reflective paint on the floor with lots of NO SMOKING signs posted. The entire building has those but in this far area closer to the airport loading bays seems to be where the flambles are stowed. Brought in only one pallet of each kind at a time from some other storage facility for this manufacturing point.

Meanwhile, Kapali finds all kinds of machinery on the south end of the building to entice her to set her charges.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Search: Success.

"We need a chain reaction. We don't have time to do so many charges so position yours well, you take the South side," Randy grins as she points out, putting a hand on Kapali's shoulder. "Plastiques, I premaid some daisy chain wiring you could use with those detonators," to create a smaller cluster with a larger payload. "In the outer pocket. Go. Meet back hear and remember to spread out the timing of your first ones," so they aren't blown to high heaven in the latter ones.

<FS3> Randy rolls Demolitions: Good Success.

<FS3> Randy rolls Demolitions: Great Success.

<FS3> Randy rolls Demolitions: Good Success.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Demolitions: Great Success.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Demolitions: Good Success.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Demolitions: Good Success.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Demolitions: Good Success.

The first charge Randy uses some of her own plastics on her back to set. This one scoots under the assembly table to set a ring of found plastiques with the detonators, rigging it with an extra remote trigger and a clock. No it does not have a display. Then she fixes one in one of the large crates of tylium plastics, though this one is simply set on the timing mechanism. Lastly, Randy decides that she ought to place a special little present just above the office door as a parting gift, putting a remote receiver on it to trigger the detonation early if need be. Then she hustles her way back to their meeting point, searching for Kapali and looking at her watch to see if she can compute where they likely are in the Centurion patrol.

A quick sweep of those pallets has Kapali hustling forward at almost a sprint, checking out each pallet for any shipping label that might've survived the most recent process of being pressed into service. Her knowledge with years of loading, unloading, hauling these things around, driving a forklift and the essential grunt work on any job site allows her to know where to look. Any surviving shipping manifest is ripped free of it's shipping pouch and folded before being stuffed into one of the water tight pouches and securing it. This done she spots, at the north end, one of those signs that points to where the office is. Dividing the pallets into the most explosive of compounds between herself and Randy, Kapali begins rigging explosives in shaped charges to make each explosion kick off the container next to it, thereby increasing the explosive radius and intensity, also meaning that less explosive is required with each subsequent domino. She rigs the charges with a series of timers and remote frequencies, ensuring that there's a primary explosion set followed by secondary and so on, moving as fast and as sure as time allows.

Charges are set and as Kapali finishes and is ready to head forward to go towards the office, and Randy is just then checking her watch, there is the sound of someone unlocking a door up at the north end of the building next to that office. The two Marines have /seconds/ at most to hide or get out fast. What do they do?

Randy's ears prick at the sound of the unlocking disturbing the peace and she quickly remembers the office, where likely some dumbass sits and watches the assembly process, which is only made possible by cameras, which means…Bad news. Randy's mind hops from one logic hotspot to the next faster than she can track. "Psst," she motions for Kapali to hide as she does, pulling her boot knife. She wonders briefly what amount of charge over the door. She shrugs, "Too much."

In the middle of rigging charges to take out the load bearing beams, concealing the charges as she goes, Kapali's head snaps up at the sound of the door unlocking at the north end of the building. She shares a single eye lock with Randy, her mind calmly ticking through the options, hide, flee, etc. She finds the nearest vantage spot from which to conceal herself and still have eyes on the room and hopefully who ever or what ever is about to stroll into the room. She readies the rifle, snugging it in position again, exhaling a single silent breath then going utterly quiet and still.

The /outside/ door next to the office opens, spilling in light from the air field behind. What stands in the doorway is a tall metal Centurion with it's red lighted eye scanning as it looks into the warehouse. It stands silent for a few seconds and then begins to step into the building. Behind it comes a second Centurion, both of them with their tripod arm up and armed. Perhaps now Randy is cursing having having triggered that motion sensor.

<FS3> Randy rolls Stealth: Good Success.

The mission is to blow this place to high heaven without getting detected, but now the two EODs are in a state where communication is difficult without a direct line of sight behind cover and that's assuming they have each other's attention and should. Randy moves with ease through the darkened spots where sensors are more difficultly deployed, making her way towards the South exit from where they came. She's pretty close already, so pretty soon she's ready to look for an opening. She takes this moment to swing her pack back and keep her det ready in case something should happen.

Kapali spends 1 luck points on Stealth Mode ENABLE.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Stealth: Good Success.

Mouthing the words 'holy frak', not actually putting breath to the words, but the sentiment stands all the same. Holy frak. She counts one, then the second, watching as that little laser beam of red light does the scanny thing while consciously checking the wrist watch to eyeball the time. She promptly changes her mind about lurking around to get a better look at who the fleshy minions might be. Scratch that, not fleshy minions at all. She secures her backpack an inch more into the range of almost cutting off circulation and begins to sneak her way back toward the door that they used to infiltration this giant kaboom to be. Exfil, commence!

The two Marines manage to slip away without being detected as they had a few seconds warning before the Centurions entered. Now the Toasters are beginning to search the warehouse, going slowly, and passing their red glowing eye beams over the aisles. First the office for one, while the other begins to check the first row of steel and the aisle there. There is no shooting.

<FS3> Randy rolls Stealth: Good Success.

<FS3> Randy rolls Alertness: Good Success.

<FS3> Randy rolls Stealth: Good Success.

<FS3> Kapali rolls Stealth: Failure.

Randy springs quietly from her hiding spot as Kapali approaches, slowly pulling the door back to listen and then check for any signs of a Centurion patrol on the other side. A mental 'Frak' is given, but she has no time to warn Kapali that they will be sneaking behind these lovely Centurion patrols investigating the dumpster. Randy slips through and takes the tape off the jam as she passes, then she leads the way on point with her pistol away to keep it from impeding her movement. Her rifle she brings down on its sling so she can access it quickly as she makes her way to the fence.

Feeling that adrenaline spiking along her nerves and leaving her hands alternately cold or hot, without a real warning in between, she waits - pulse speeding along - while Randy eases the door open and begins to slip out into the night. She waits half a beat, a moment that feels like eternity, and then eases through the door as well, carefully easing the door closed behind her as well before getting a good look at the number of centurions roaming around in the dimly lit area outside the warehouse. She mouths another series of swear words before she bolts toward the fence, promptly placing one foot on some loose gravel and skidding several feet, causing rocks to slide and several stones to go pinging in random directions. stealth mode NOT enabled.

Kapali slips on the gravel /and/ the door behind her closes with a loud click of the latch, now the tape had been removed when it closed. The two Centurions inside are indeed left -inside- of the warehouse. But out here, the two checking out the dumpster immeadiately begin to look for the source of the noises. They don't notice Randy, but they do spot Kapali and start firing upon her as the pair of Marines make it to the fence!

<COMBAT> Toaster2 attacks Kapali with Lmg Tripod and MISSES!

<COMBAT> Toaster1 attacks Kapali with Lmg Tripod - Moderate wound to Right Hand.

Randy does not stop until she hits the fence, she does not turn around. If Kapali is dead she's already dead, if she's wounded, Randy can't help her till they have a way through this fence. She tells herself these things as she works on undoing the fence to expose the gap. In her mind she says a prayer to that unknown power and tacks on, "and you too buddy," in a whisper to Hermes.

If she'd needed inspiration to run faster, getting shot at would have done the trick rather neatly. Not that she'd needed the inspiration. This said, the pepper of bullets aimed at her by the chrome dome bullet head minions zip around her like angry, nasty, PMS'sing wasps, one of which rips through the back of the hand cradling the rifle against her chest as she runs. The hiss of pain the she makes is lost in the sound of the weapons fire, the first rush of pain is further inspiration to haul ass and she makes it to the fence line a few steps behind Randy. She isn't, on her part, praying, so much as swearing. Not entirely the same sentiment.

Both Marines are slowed down at the fence but only for a moment. Randy gets the hole opened up and they are pushing through even as they come under fire! The two Centurions are advancing around the dumpster and starting to come towards the fence, but they aren't very fast. If Randy and Kapali can get through, they can make a dash for the trees and the bank further on where they can get out of sight - and have some cover for what is about to go up in a big boom. If they can make it.

<COMBAT> Toaster2 attacks Randy with Lmg Tripod - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Toaster1 attacks Randy with Lmg Tripod and MISSES!

ZIP! A bullet from one of the Centurions hits her in the chest, but the armor stops the slower moving round and keeps it from doing any serious harm. She looks back at Kapali, her heart nearly pounding through her chest, blood in her ears. She shimmies her pack off and slides it through, then herself. Then she reaches to help pull Kapali through after slinging her pack over one shoulder. "Trees then bank! Time!" she hisses in a crouched position. They need to get there NOW, but Randy's not ditching the Corporal, nope!

Acutely conscious of the movement of time, their proximity to the warehouse and the minimum safe distance required to ensure that they aren't caught up in the explosions that are going to light up the night sky like a fireworks display that might actually be visible from space, Kapali is right on Randy's heels as she goes through the fence. "Must go faster, must go faster," she breathes this remark rather urgently as she divests herself of her vest, shoves it through, then wiggles through the fence as well. With Randy's help she gears up again and nods, hearing the distinctive sound of a round hitting body armor and realizing that it's the sgt that's hit and not her before gives a single nod. One last glance at the time and then she exhales, "Run for it!" and makes for the tree line like tree hugger finally invited to make herself one with nature.

From the direction of the air port is the sound of a Raider's engine reving to take off. Over that growing rumble the door Randy and Kapali just ran out of opens up. The origional two Centurions who had come into the warehouse on the north end by the office are now coming out to join their two companions in the back. One might say that the hornet's nest has been roused.

The two Marines run their hearts out over that 30 foot grassy area for the trees, and beyound that the bank that will let them down onto the beach. But before they can make it, the now four Centurions are firing at their retreating backs! Indeed, there isn't much time left.

<COMBAT> Toaster4 attacks Kapali with Lmg Tripod and MISSES!

<COMBAT> Toaster2 attacks Randy with Lmg Tripod but MISSES!

<COMBAT> Toaster3 attacks Randy with Lmg Tripod - Moderate wound to Head (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Toaster1 attacks Kapali with Lmg Tripod and MISSES!

Randy takes off as soon as Kapali is ready, but a DING! and a stumble to the ground is the sound of a bullet hitting a helmet. All marines with field experience know this sound. Luckily, it's not long before the Randy body is jolting back up to her feet and running in the direction they were going. The blood, the pain, some kind of ringing. Dive over the bank? She sort of purposefully stumble falls over the edge of the bank instead.

Kapali has her left hand hooked in one of the carrying straps of Randy's backpack as she sees the sgt stumble and jolt like, frak it all, not like, but BECAUSE she just got shot in the head. She can see the divot left by the bullet and when Randy runs, she runs. When Tiny dives over the bank, she jumps too. "Can you swim," she isn't so much asking as breathing the words, "the falls' probably gonna kill you anyway," old movie quotes stumbling from her as she dives over the edge of the bank as well, to hell with gymnastic grace.

The two Marines go over the bank in the dark and fall … how far they can't tell until they HIT the sand! THUD! It make or may not knock the air out of them but as they start to scramble to their feet, they both realize they are NOT alone.

Rough hands reach out to help them up! At least two of the SF Marines are there. Rivoli whispers harshly, "Come on!" She and the other start helping Kapali and Randy towards the water. All hell seems to be breaking loose up above. The Centurions are firing away at the trees where the Marines were last seen, still on the inside of the fence. A Raider comes up from the air field on the far side of the warehouses and starts to circle.

Hard to see in the dark, the raft is out there in the reeds, now camoflaged by more loose reeds. The last two Marines are there. They aren't getting /into/ the raft however. It is turned upside down! So they duck down into the water and disappear beneath it.

Can she swim? Yes. Did they get some training for combat diving? Maybe a smidgeon and way more for simply disarming underwater ordnance…did they have to do so in /this/ state? Nope. It doesn't seem to matter as Randy slams down into the sand, quite small enough for the wind to be smacked out of her but also small enough to be grabbed and tugged up to her feet like a doll. She bites her lower lip, the feeling of blood, strange things, running. She runs because the adrenaline tells her to, and that voice. Her breathing is ragged as she tries to recover from playing bouncy ball with her body on the sand and she starts to mumble.

The brief moment of panic that had flared through Kapali fades as she realizes that these are the SF marines escorting them in this particular dance and hustles toward the water with all due haste. She twitches a little at the sound of continuing gunfire and heads into the water and the improvised shelter of the upside down boat, emerging from the quick duck through the water into the underside of the raft where the other marines are waiting. Once they're within the confines of the raft bowl shelter, she slicks one hand over her face, "Status?" asking this in a general 'someone please tell us the status' tone of voice while doing her best to keep her wounded hand out of the water. She turns, also, immediately rounding on the sarge. "Did that round puncture your armor or your helmet, Sarge?"

It's lucky that the salt water here is close to the river's mouth. The delta area lets out mud. Reeds and salt marsh grasses are spotty along the beach for some distance before they thin out to the south. All six of them duck down through the water and come up under the raft where there is not only a good sized air pocket, but a very tiny silent pump to keep fresh air coming in. Rivoli and the others help Randy, both to get under the raft and to make sure she comes up breathing. Hands below her arms, they begin to gently push off and drift southwards.

"Hold onto the raft grips. You can float with it. The curent will help push us south but we need to go slowly." Rivoli keeps her voice a whisper. She starts to say something more very low but she is interrupted.

The sound of an explosion thunders loud enough that they can hear it through the layers of the rubber above their heads. Rivoli hisses, "Hold on!" Grips on the raft tighten as the explosions keep coming up there in the warehouse, flashes of bright light starting to show through the water around them with the thundering booms.

Then there is a HUGE DEAFENING NOISE that makes everyone's ears pop and the shockwave of it nearly rips the raft out of their hands! Thank goodness for the bank above.

The water ebbs the kinetic energy from Randy as she all but droops. "Shhhh," broken up with vocality like someone trying to say the beginning of a word. How's that for an answer Kapali. She doesn't try to speak. She's shaking and trying to do what the SF Marines tell her to do, but she does still need help. Her hands are ripped from the grips first, not providing much help with keeping the thing down or retaining the raft. The shockwave and sound just pounds down on unprotected eardrums with only the shade of the helmet lid to keep off the direct impact. Her hands thrash for something to hang onto when the raft is pulled away, unaware if she's beeing held in the confusion.

Stowing the rifle in the sling that's angled across her chest, Kapali grips one of the hand holds with her left hand and realizes that it doesn't take much effort to float, as her feet easily do not touch the murky muddy bottom with almost no effort when she bends her knees. The drag on her boots is really noticeable, and every single swimming lesson that ended with being tossed in the deep end of the pool wearing full kit and gear comes back in a flash. The sudden explosion sparks a fierce grin from the marine even as she reaches out her free hand to snag onto the pack that the Sgt is carrying and lends a hand keeping her stable under the raft, "Steady, Sarge," sounding a lot calmer than she ought to as she tightens her grip on the pack and keeps herself in place and lends that extra hand as well keep the sarge moving in the right direction under the dome of the raft. "Minimum safe zone achieved," she breathes these words with a huff of breath that is almost a laugh. Almost.

If Randy can keep from freaking out, the raft is pulled back over them and not lost. They float quietly down the coastline. Eventually the team flips the raft back over and head to the Raptor landing zone for extraction. Mission success!

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