MP #322: Calumet Tank Depot

The Marines have been tasked with sneaking up-to or into a Skath tank laager and setting charges. Those who want to be here early can help figure out just how to go about it.

MP #322: Calumet Tank Depot
Summary: The Marines have been tasked with sneaking up-to or into a Skath tank laager and setting charges. Those who want to be here early can help figure out just how to go about it. Like always, no battle plan ever survives the first engagement with the enemy.
Date: Saturday 24/Feb/2018 (OOC Date)
Related Logs: None
Lleufer Palermo Osiris Emily 
Calumet
The rubble and remains of what was once a shopping mall long taken over by Skath, their clerics & foot soldiers.
Tue 11/Sep/2049 (IC Date)

The Raptor had dropped them off the day before and it had been a long, hot hike across the terrain. This area is suited to tank country than the mountains where they had operating before and this group, the 1088th Armored Division, had decimated resistance in the area and made it impossible for humanity to mount any kind of fight. The Walkers in the area knew they could count on these beasts to deploy in short order and usually arrive on site anywhere in the area within a few hours from the tanks already on deployment. These tanks at the laager could be anywhere in the region with all 96 vehicles in under twelve hours.
It was a tempting target to bombard from orbit, but the General wanted a show to prove that the Colonials were back and willing to think strategically. The direction finding station said a lot, but not quite enough.
So slogging through the humidity of the local summer, sneaking up creeks and ditches to avoid being seen, the team waited until dark before moving on the mall. Getting on top of the structure was not too difficult, but getting through the parking lot was surreal. This place had been shelled in the opening minutes of the war for Calumet. There are rusted hulks of vehicles tossed around the parking lot, away from the deep craters that had been divoted into the terra. There are signs of past life everywhere, including children's car seats and shoes. Most of the clothing had long since rotted off the bodies, though skeletal remains can still be glimpsed in piles in some of the vehicles. A few stray bones around the pavement can be glimpsed in the grass.
At least the stench of death has long since passed. The parking lot is appropriately silent as a graveyard.
Ahead of them is a section of the mall that collapsed in the bombardment and the wall and building has crumbled, allowing the team to climb up to the roof.

The Raptor had dropped them off the day before and it had been a long, hot hike across the terrain. This area is suited to tank country than the mountains where they had operating before and this group, the 1088th Armored Division, had decimated resistance in the area and made it impossible for humanity to mount any kind of fight. The Walkers in the area knew they could count on these beasts to deploy in short order and usually arrive on site anywhere in the area within a few hours from the tanks already on deployment. These tanks at the laager could be anywhere in the region with all 96 vehicles in under twelve hours.

It was a tempting target to bombard from orbit, but the General wanted a show to prove that the Colonials were back and willing to think strategically. The direction finding station said a lot, but not quite enough.

So slogging through the humidity of the local summer, sneaking up creeks and ditches to avoid being seen, the team waited until dark before moving on the mall. Getting on top of the structure was not too difficult, but getting through the parking lot was surreal. This place had been shelled in the opening minutes of the war for Calumet. There are rusted hulks of vehicles tossed around the parking lot, away from the deep craters that had been divoted into the terra. There are signs of past life everywhere, including children's car seats and shoes. Most of the clothing had long since rotted off the bodies, though skeletal remains can still be glimpsed in piles in some of the vehicles. A few stray bones around the pavement can be glimpsed in the grass.

At least the stench of death has long since passed. The parking lot is appropriately silent as a graveyard.

Ahead of them is a section of the mall that collapsed in the bombardment and the wall and building has crumbled, allowing the team to climb up to the roof.

Surreal or not, the Gunnery Sergeant leads his team through the parking lot, sticking to what cover they can and moving from one piece to another to try and stay as hidden as they can upon approach. Once they reach the wreckage of that side of the mall, Ynyr motions for people to start up. He eyes the way they had come, listening carefully with his Arpay hearing, before Lleufer also turns to start making his way up. His gloved hands steady and pull him carefully over debris and towards the roof, choosing a path carefully that shouldn't require rope. The LMG he carries is secured to his harness with two satchel charges and a couple of grenades. It's a heavier kit for him to carry than they are usually encumbered with on their steathier ops so the Gunny moves with care and patience.

Emily has not had to deal with this sort of heat and hump before. She's learned to deal with a lot, but this has not been her cup of tea and the sour expression she wears when she thinks nobody is looking? Yeah, just confirms it. Carrying her three day patrol pack, plus two charges, plus the 40mm grenades and the extra weight of all the ammo and the underslung launcher? She wants room service and a shower. When they stopped for the evening to wait for dark, she sat down and once cleared to do so, fell asleep in a sprawl like she had been shot and fallen that way. Once up and moving, the parking lot shook her back awake with a fierce mental and emotional jostle. She didn't really understand the concept of a car seat, but the shoes unnerved her. People were probably wearing them when they died, and there are a lot of shoes. Climbing up the scrabble of rubble is tough going for her but she manages.

Making her way along in the Gunny's wake, Palermo is a few paces behind Emily and doing her level best to move as quiet and equally as fast as she can. The graveyard rubble ruins of the mall is grimly observed and the rusting hulks of the destroyed vehicles are marked, just in case, and when it's her turn to start to scramble up the building she takes one last minute to check that everything is secured in place. She wipes her forehead with the back of one hand, takes a single mouth full of water from the canteen at her side, dusts her hands off, and she's on her way up. Climbing while wearing gear, fun that is, is usually accompanied by rather a lot of muttering - usually - but not this time. Quiet is as quiet does.

The trek through summer heat, steams, and ditches that must be leapt had not exactly been fun for Osiris, but as he had been out of commission for the last few months, the big man was not about to start complaining. He had willingly volunteered to bring up the rear of the group, and as they make their way along the path that leads toward their target. His eyes frequently look forward to mark the Gunnery Sergeant, ensuring that he stays on course, and every so often Osiris glances behind in the direction they came, making sure that rotten luck didn't have them being followed. He tries to move as silently as he can, avoiding any big sticks or other dangers that might alert any enemies of their presence.

The climbing is more difficult than initially anticipated. The chunks of structural concrete have settled over the last 40 years since the invasion and dirt has helped fill in some of the cracks, but there is rusted rebar everywhere and some of those edges are like razors. If they have to leave in a hurry, this could get painful. However, once onto the roof, things look surprisingly clear. The whole roof looks like it has been stripped of structures or mechanical housing. Photo recon of the site noted an odd number of exposed stairwells, but had not commented on the lack of cover. Intel wouldn't think about that, anyway. What they are looking at is a completely clear field of fire across the pea gravel and asphalt roof. Its 100 meters of open clearing towards the side where the tank laager is at. Its hard to miss. With no other settlements for miles, the whole tank park is lit up with massive light panels that flood the place with visible light. Thankfully the lights are below the sight line until the Marines are at the edge, but the light reflects off the humidity in the air, creating an eerie pall.

Once gaining the edge of the roof, Palermo wipes the back of one hand against her forehead again before taking out a can of aerosol spray and shares a look with Ynyr. "Just in case, right?" she says in a low voice, settles her gear again with a tug of her free hand then takes the lead forward, moving cautiously and making sure her steps are in a clear linear fashion, crouching before the first stride away from the edge and mists the aerosol in a sweep forward, waits for it to settle, and only then does she advance. A single stride, crouch, aerosol mist, waits a beat, then again. And repeat.

Private Benning looks across the roof and doesn't seem to understand what she is looking at since she was about all of a year old when the Skath landed on Picon. What Palermo is doing with aerosol spray is completely out of her thought process and she mostly just waits for the Sergeant to do whatever it is that she needs to do. Thankfully she is smart enough to refrain from peeking over the side of the mall roof. So she just keeps her eyes on the stairwells.

Lleufer feels the sweat trickling down his back as he moves, even though it's night now. Humid. All of them have been warned to stay hydrated, drinking water often. The wide open 100 meters of roof do cause Ynyr to pause. Yeah, he wasn't counting on that and not liking it one bit. He glances at the others and starts to move forward, being cautious of the exposed stairwells that may have motion sensors or other alarms. Lleu motions for the others to stay clear of them stairs as well, giving them a careful, wide berth as he moves quietly. The Gunny stays hunched low as he moves, his head quietly on a swivel. Palermo moving on ahead to check for lazer trip beams makes them go slowly. The LMG is in his gloved hands now, senses alert and his ears sharp. The closer they get to that far edge, the more Ynyr will want them to get down and belly crawl that last bit before daring a look. Assuming they can get that far. An eye is kept on Benning from time to time but Emily seems to be doing all right. A glance back to Osiris bringing up their rear.

Osiris is the last to make the roof, and he grunts softly as he throws his leg up over the edge and hauls himself up. There's no time to take a breather, so the man just swipes a hand over his face to clear the moisture away and then readjusts his pack. He meets Lleufer's gaze, giving the man an all clear nod of his head before he begins to creep along the wide open roof as well. He stays away from the stairwells, but given the frequent looks he sends their way, he clearly isn't too happy about the suspicion that someone might pop up through one and take a shot at them.

<FS3> Emily rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Osiris rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Lleufer rolls Alertness: Great Success.
<FS3> Palermo rolls Alertness: Good Success.

It's sweltering and Lleu's deoderant is going to die. He moves slowly, cautiously as Palermo tediously clears a path ahead for the small team of Marines. The Gunnery Sergeant isn't far behind her, all of his senses as alert as Lleu can be. In the dimness, all lit up further ahead past the edge of the roof, something catches his eye. Lleufer suddenly takes a quicker step forward to put out a hand and stop Palermo. He motions for all of them to stop, then carefully points to the slightly raised rim along the edge of the roof. He raises a hand to his own face and makes goggle eyes to indicate his having spotted optics, then slowly moves his hand around with fingers walking to try and indicate motion. Can the others spot them too? Damn. Where's your ECO's with jamming equiptment when you need them?

Slow and cautious was already the rule of the day, and at the Gunny's signal Palermo freezes in place, not even lowering the boot that's just about to touch down on the roof until she reads the signals that the Gunny is making. She stows the aerosol can as she sets that boot down finally, centering her balance and waits with perfect confidence that the Gunny has a Plan. She turns, careful to not move her boots or make any noise, and sweeps a look slowly around the roof to fix the position of Emily and Osiris before turning back.

Emily gets what a camera is, but Emily was (as a point of fact) raised in a drawer. She understands what the camera is, but thats where her logic leaps end. Employment of technology, beyond bullets and exploding things, is probably never going to be her forte. Thankfully she has also come to terms with that, so it keeps the angst and frustration low. What she does properly is follow orders and she isn't going to move a muscle until Lleu or Pal or Ozzy tell her to.

Osiris marks Lleufer's signal, and he also halts in his advance across the roof. His eyes sweep around the rest of the surface for other optic devices, but sadly he just is not too gifted in the ocular area. He looks toward the others and offers up a silent shrug, shaking his head and waiting for orders.

There is no telling if they have already set off the motion trips and the cameras have already passed on the alert that someone's on the roof. All Ynyr can do is his best. So he takes the lead and moves over to the low wall, staying low himself, but moves forward carefully and demonstrates stepping over the optics. Lleu looks back at the others to make sure they get the idea and can follow his lead. Simple, right? As long as no obvious alarm seems to be raised and no Skath Walkers are coming after or shooting at them yet, the Gunny's going to keep pressing on towards their goal.

A sudden grin forms on Palermo's face, and mercifully she can't make what ever remark it is that's leapt to her twisted marine mind. With equal care she steps over the cameras that are ranged around the roof, moving to the low wall as she does and scans the area again once she's made those careful few steps. She takes a moment to study the nearest camera once she's in place, her head tipped subtly as she eyes it, a curious if not actually pensive look on her face.

At the edge, able to look down at the laager, it looks like the last place they want to be. Of all 96 tanks in the Division, it would seem that at least 72 of them are parked below in the lot. Shut off, they sit in silence with their crew hatches left open, ready for a moments notice to board. The floodlights ensure that nothing down there is going to hide easily unless crawling under the tanks. Then to the left, they can look down on the large repair building. Welding and heavy chains moving can be heard to haul and lift items into the air. A truck idling out front is labeled with a simple barcode on the side so its impossible to tell what is in the large tank on the rear. Up near the gate, the two story command post is set up with a glass superstructure on the second floor like a control tower. Large radio masts lift off the roof and trail long cables to the fence to catch ELF transmissions world-wide.

This is not just a laager, this is their primary command post.

<FS3> Palermo rolls Alertness: Success.
<FS3> Osiris rolls Alertness: Great Success.
<FS3> Lleufer rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Emily rolls Alertness: Success.

Lleufer gets a careful look, then backs off the edge a little so he can speak very low to the others. "I think we need to take down that control tower. Emily, I think you might be our best bet to deal with the tower with the 40 mm. Pal, Osiris and I need to get down and set as many charges as fast as we can, then Palermo is going to try to get into a tank and start it up. If she's able to do that, she can start loading to fire and we can run for it to join her. The plan is she's going to blow a hole to get us out, but she'll need two others to help her use the gun while she drives. I'll stay on the ground, using what cover I can because all four of us won't fit in the tank." Ynyr looks at the others, "If any of you have a better idea, now's the time to speak up."

Emily is looking around at the landscape below and does not seem terribly impressed with the intent to drop down there. It looks like about as much fun as sticking her finger into a garbage disposal. But when Lleu mentions using the 40mm to blow up the control tower, she quirks a brow. "I would certainly love to try, Sergeant," she prims out happily. "I would like to employ one of those ones that throws all of the pretty white smoke with the explosion." White phosphorous. "Mister William Pete." Gauranteed to start fires of anyone and anything within 25 meters.

Osiris slips forward enough that he can talk to the rest of the group without having to fear that he'll be overheard and give their position away, not taking his eyes off of the tower as he moves. He listens to what Lleufer says and then says, "Sounds good to me, but whatever we do to bring it down probably needs to be pretty big." He points with a finger up toward the tower and says, "Look up there. See the Lines there? Looks like there is a Six, Seven, even a One. They're all camo'd out."

"That truck that's idling?" Palermo says in a low voice as she nods slowly along with the Gunny's outline. "If you can get into that, then we have a second set of wheels, and more room to work with. Plus," and she carefully leans toward the edge to eye the lot and the super structure itself. "There's a generator right there," she indicates it with a gesture, "what ever it's powering it needs a hell of a lot of juice to keep running. We need to take that out too. Blow it with a charge or hit it with enough rounds to put it out of service permanently." She runs the back of one hand across her forehead again, "Emily is training to use a Howitzer," she shares a quick gleam of a serious smile with Emily, "but Osiris has more experience in heavy weapons and gunnery," she turns toward Osiris with a sudden start of surprise and twists to look up at the tower. "There's a One up there? frak it all." Back around to glance at Leu, "If there's lines here, maybe that generator is powering up a rez facility underground."

Ynyr listens, then shifts his own gaze towards the tower to see if he can pick out the skinjobs and other details about the structure and it's contents. "All the more reason I want that tower destroyed. Our assigned op is to destroy a few tanks but I'll bet my rank that tower may be even more important." Lleu looks back to the others, "If you can bring it down, do so, Benning. You need wait only long enough for us to drop. if you can't bring it down, Pal will use the tank to help you. If need be, we'll let the satchel charges take out what we can and then make a run for it. This place will go up like a hornet's nest so we have to high tail out ASAP, soon as we've unloaded what we can, fast." He subtly turns his head to look for the truck Palermo draws his attention to. "Good idea about the truck. I can make for it as my own exfil while the rest of you go out in the tank. What I don't want is for any of us to come back over this roof if we can help it. That or we have to do what we came to do from up here and not go down at all." Ynyr looks back to Emily, "You think you can hit the generator /first/ and then try for the tower if there's still time? Soon as the shit hits the fan, people in the building below will be coming up those stairwells."

Firmly quelling the slightly rabid instinct to go barking mad at the thought of a One within striking distance and not doing anything pointed about it - like a boot to the face - Palermo exhales a breath and nods slowly. "Aye, Gunny, Wil-Co," and as she's speaking she's getting her line and safety harness in place, testing the hook that's set over the edge of the roof itself then clips a fast release line through the clips on her harness. She leans against the hook, testing it again for stability and is the first over the roof, stepping back off the edge with a calmness that's a little insane and, from there, she's stepping her way down the wall as silently as possible, landing with knees bent to absorb the shock of impact. Once there she unclips from the line, takes a knee and sweeps the surrounding area with a swift look, rifle held ready, eyeing the nearest Tank and the tower, signals with one hand that she's safely arrived and starts creeping her way along the tanks, slapping explosives on the tanks that she moves back, trusting that the charges have been shaped and set up accordingly.

Emily nods twice to Lleufer, "I can try it, Gunny." She fiddles with the grenade pouches in front of her and then digs for a HEDP grenade and shoves it into the tube. She then takes up a firing position on the roof and waits. Is she going to get left up there alone, exposed? If that thought should make her nervous, she isn't showing it. She just eases the barrel over the wall and rests it there, squinting past the light and aiming towards the generator.

It may not be the best plan ever and he's a little worried this could all go to Hades in a hand basket fast, Lleufer hears no better ideas. He grins and gives Palermo a thumbs up, "Let's do it. Remember, go fast, people. And Benning, don't get your ass trapped up on this roof by staying too long up here. Make your shots as soon as we get down, and then run for Pal's tank to help her inside." Eye contact is made with Osiris to make sure his fellow MP is ready to go down and set charges, fast as they can. "Keep an eye on Benning in case she needs help." They have radios and once the shit opens up, they don't have to worry about maintaining radio silence after it starts. Ynyr sets up his line and clips on - it's a short drop. After a second he follows Palermo, committed to raising hell on behalf of the Calumet Resistance whether his team can get out a live or not.

<Emily spends 1 luck points on LOOK MA, IM RESISTIN!.>
<FS3> Emily rolls Gunnery: Failure.

Osiris had suited up as well, fitting a harness to himself and then stepping out over the optic tech that had been spotted earlier. Once clear, he follows Palermo off into empty space as he slides down to the ground. He unclips once he makes the ground, then performs a wary inspection for any sort of enemies. As Palermo starts slapping explosives to one row of tanks, Osiris begins creeping along and getting the ones Palermo passes by.

Placing the charges over the fuel tanks as she moves along the row after row of waiting tanks, Palermo has already selected the tank she's aiming for and is moving toward it as swiftly as this bit of mischief vandalism property damage destruction game plan allows for. That she's planning to blow up a bunch of tanks and steal one is really just making this marine's day. She signals to Osiris which tank she's heading for and, after setting the last of her explosives in place, she waits a beat - listening intently - then books it, best speed, for the tank at the very head of the row she's been rigging. The marine crouches subtly at the last second then leaps for it, hands catching hold of the frame of the tank before climbing up and boosting herself over the top hatch and dropping down inside, hole in one!

As soon as everyone is down, there's the recognizable 'Thoomp' of a 40mm grenade launcher that announces their presence. The high explosive dual-purpose round doesn't precisely hit dead center on the generator, but its also a large target. The grenade penetrates just a smidge then explodes, blowing apart the crankcase. The generator immediately makes the most gut-wrenching sound to any diesel user. The death throes of machinery as the engine chews itself to pieces. The lights immediately cut out across the whole facility. Emily sits up on her knees with a big dumb grin on her face. "I did thaaat," she singsongs to herself as she removes a white phos round and shoves it into the tube. She can't tell if there's anymore people IN the tower, but she's betting there might be at lease one or six. Or seven. "Knock knock. Your fire is ready, m'Lord." Thoomp!

<Emily spends 1 luck points on Love is a burnin thing, and it makes a firey ring…>
<FS3> Emily rolls Gunnery: Success.

Here's paying to Mithras that they can pull this off and get back out alive. Lleufer's boots hit the ground and he unclips and starts at once, fast and low to run for a tank. No creeping, no slow stealthy advance. Soon as Emily's first 40mm grenade is launched, the fireworks have started! There's a quick look to track Palermo and /see/ where and how she slaps her satchel charge and which direction she's heading before he sets his first one. Then the lights go out all over the compound. Bingo! That is exactly what the Gunny was hoping for, but there may be backups so they have got to keep moving. next up, Tower. Meanwhile, Lleu runs down the line and sets his next satchel charge.

Osiris catches that signal from Palermo and he looks toward the indicated tank, filing it away. He still has a few charges to place, and he moves around his own line placing them in a similar location to that of Palermo's setup. When he's out, he begins to hustle it toward the marked get-away tank and waits as Palermo makes her jump. Osiris' ascent is…. less graceful. The newly minted MP hopping up and pushing himself over the rim like he's climbing out of a swimming pool. There is a little bit of grunting, and a whole lot of butt, but he finally makes it up and rolls over into the hatch.

As soon as Palermo is over the lip of the hatch into the tank there's the distinctive THOOMP! of sound as the grenade launcher begins to rain down door knockers that serve in lieu of Marine Scout cookies. Knowing that it's Emily that's doing the firing brings a huge grin to Palermo's face as she sets to work sorting out the standard controls in the tank and the firing mechanism that will bring the 2nd act of this particular show to the stage. Engines, check. Fuel status, check. Comm set up, check. Keys? no keys needed, booyah. No hot wiring needed. Munitions? there's another silent - intently focused - search as she sorts out that display and grins again, Oh yeah. Loaded for bear. Or in this case, Skath vs Skath. As soon as Osiris reaches the tank and is up over the edge and down into the vehicle with her, she quietly points out the fire control commands before reaches for her comm, giving it a double click to confirm she's in position, then eases the tank forward. While it doesn't have stealth mode, she's rolling as quietly as possible anyway.

The alarm at the tank base starts and manages to finish the first angry, buzzing klaxon sound just as the second grenade fires. There's the sound of breaking glass and then an instant later, a whoofing sound and the whole control tower's glass enclosure is suddenly filled with smoke and backlit by people flailing and on fire. A few pieces of burning phos travel back out the broken window and land on the roof of the command post below it, setting it on fire also. With the power out and the tower suddenly being engulfed in flames, things are suddenly dramatic for the Skath and Emily. Her eyes lock on the fire and the smile on her face becomes more fierce and sadistic, then disappearing altogether for a deep, almost challenging stare. Without a much humor a little giggle leaves her and she moves quickly for the rope.

Meanwhile the alarm is blaring and there are Walkers coming out of the repair shop, looking around in confusion — which might seem weird for a machine. Then the doors to the mall open and a mixture of Line crews are pulling on helmets and clothes, getting dressed while Skath run with them, heading for the tanks to try and get them crewed up. The scene with the control tower causes some confusion and some of them even stop, staring at the weird strobe effect in the smoky interior.

Soon as his charges are set, Lleu starts making his way not to towards the truck yet but back to where they left Benning. The LMG is back in his hands and the Gunny lets the LMG rip at people and Skath start spilling out of mall doors! Ynyr is intent to try and make them pull back for cover and think twice before they spill out too far and try to go for the tanks. Give Benning a chance to get down and head for Pal's tank before he'll try for the truck.

<Lleufer spends 1 luck points on A good time not to frak up, dice..>
<FS3> Lleufer rolls Firearms: Success.
<FS3> Osiris rolls Gunnery: Good Success.

Osiris nods his head toward Palermo, grunting as he tries to make himself small enough to slip over to the weapons array. He takes a moment to orient himself with the targeting system, looking first to that Tower that is doing such a good job of serving as a distraction, then pivoting his aim to target the command post. When he has his target acquired, Osiris fires, sending out a round directly for the post.

"Like ants boiling out of a hill," Palermo mutters as she watches the Skath and the lines and crew come spilling out of the doors from what used to be the great Mall of something-or-other. "NICE," she doesn't have to keep her voice down now and shoulder-slugs Osiris in victory as his first round hits the command post. She revs the engine, using the sound to signal to Emily which tank to run for as she's watching the clock tick down on the timers. She calls out the time warnings in ten second increments until getting to the last ten and hears the det cords on the tanks closest to the wall (furthest from the tank she and Osiris are inside) beginning to cook off.

Emily is little and therefore it is easier to move fast and stay unseen in smaller spaces. The engine Rev is appreciated and she tries to climb up the side and falls into the dirt when the tank fires. Thankfully it was on the other side of the tank, though. Covered on dirt, she scrambles up the side and then dives head-first into the hatch, legs flailing as she gets caught on her rifle, then tumbles inside. Meanwhile outside the command post takes the high explosive round about as well as could be expected from an object traveling at those speeds. The entire rear of the CP blows outward in a mass of dust and a flash of flame. Moments later the control tower begins to groan, having lost structural support beneath it. Nobody can tell which way it might end up going. However Lleufer's firing manages to surprise the mostly unarmed Lines and the Skath turn to see Lleufer. A few of them even manage to fire just as tanks start detonating. That 'distracts' a good portion of their ability to target. For the moment.

Nice as it would be to nail as many of the Skath and the Lines as he possibly can, there's not enough Marines nor enough time. The Skath aren't to know that Colonials are present, aiding the Resistance and he can't risk being caught alive. So Lleufer stops firing and turns to run for the pickup truck as soon as he's seen Emily hit the ground and run for Pal's tank. If anybody is in the pickup truck, here comes a man running full tilt with a LMG ready to shoot and yank them out of the cab so Ynyr can get his ass in there and drive! If he can make it to the truck. Over his Marine coms, Lleu shouts, "Time to Get the Frak Out!"

As soon as the shot is fired toward the Command Post, and a line of fire is opened toward the gate, Osiris redirects targeting toward the gate and fires off a round toward the object that is barring their escape to freedom. He watches as that round heads toward it's destination, willing it to connect. "How're we looking back there?" he calls out, not willing to take his eyes off of the gate.

Head tipping back, Palermo looks up in time to see Emily diving through the hatch of the tank and uses one hand to help guide her down so that the three of them can be sardines for the time being. "Did you see the gunny - -" is as far as she needs to get with her question when Lleu's voice over the Comm is the signal that she needs. She guns the engine again as Osiris targets the gate and is rolling forward, top speed, almost at the same time. They are going through that gate, one way or another, accompanied by the sound of the tanks exploding around them. "Everyone hold on tight," she warns as the tank picks up speed and barrels forward, muttering "yehaw" under her breath.

Emily yelps in surprise when the tank fires again. There are acceptable levels of surprising noises and their associated volumes. Certain things take time to get used to, like the nighttime farting in the Marine berths that sound like whales trying to sound to each other. While the firing of the tank is (slightly) louder, it does elicit surprise. Emily tucks herself into a corner to get her kit sorted before she jumps into the tank commander chair and then peeks her head out the hatch, looking back. "I see him. Oh my. So the rumors are true. Attractive men do not look at explosions. He is running.. quite fast." Meanwhile Osiris' round hit one of the massive gates and swung the heavy steel thing just a little open. Not nearly enough to drive though. He might have time for the autoloader to sling him one more round before they hit the gate. Emily is paying no attention to what is in front of the tank, mostly she is watching things go boom.

<FS3> Osiris rolls Gunnery: Good Success.

Osiris grits his teeth as the gate is knocked enough to make a gap, but not enough to let them drive through. He slaps his hand against the controls, as if by doing so it will make the reloader work in double time. Hearing the clank of a new round falling into place, Osiris lines up and fires as quickly as he can. "Come on!" he growls at that gate.

"He's in the pick up then, good," Palermo remarks then turns a look of almost blank incomprehension at Emily only to suddenly grin. "Yeah, I'm sure the gunny is, but lets not ever have that conversation - ever - for any reason, ever," she pauses to reiterate, "EVER," just in case it wasn't clear. "Nice shot," she says with a sidelong grin aimed at Osiris as the gate is hit again and hard enough this time that it creaks open and hangs ajar. The forward edge of the tank slams into and then through the gate a few seconds later, clearing the way for Lleu in his equally-boosted-ride to barrel through a few moments later. "Keep your eyes peeled, both of you, for walkers or other vehicles. Last thing we need is to have a flight of Skath-raiders using us for target practice."

"Sergeant Palermo, I will forever remember how much that image makes you uncomfortable. I promise I shall never, EVER remind you." Right. Emily looks placidly happy, the explosions reflected on her face with the booming echoing through the tank. The mention of Raiders has her turn around in the turret and look at the gun in front of her. She's actually shot one of these before. A gloved hand goes forward and pulls the heavy wooden charging handle on the fifty cal and then swings it around to aim over the rear of the tank. "He is in the truck but there are some Clerics who are none too pleased with him. PARDON! I MUST INTERRUPT!" The tank bangs throug hthe gate, shoving it out of the way and denting a huge scar across the plate armor as it forces its way out. Then the fifty cal starts booming and Emily is firing back towards the mall opening where all the Lines and Skath came from. If Palermo looks up, she's probably never seen someone sitting at a .50, being shot at, and sitting with posture like that, smiling politely as if hearing a mildly offensive joke over tea.

<FS3> Emily rolls Gunnery: Success.
<FS3> Palermo rolls Driving: Great Success.

Osiris glances sideways at Palermo and nods his head, offering her a half grin before he peers over his shoulder at Emily. "What the hell am I supposed to be? Chopped liver? You didn't see /me/ watching the explosion," he says with indignation that COULD be joking…. maybe. He looks toward Palermo, pointing a finger at her and saying, "I'm hot as hell." Apparently he feels that if no one else is going to say it, he might as well say it about himself.

"The Gunny is old enough to be my dad," Palermo notes then side-long eyes Emily, "he's old enough to be your dad," she helpfully points out, because awkward can only get worse by adding more awkward to it. Yep. That's how it works. She hears Emily preparing to fire the .50 cal and takes a more serious tone, "Conserve your ammo, as we may need it before we get to the ex-fil. Take out as many of the Clerics as you can," which is a grim order but one she has to make anyway. A sidelong glance is aimed at Emily once the gun begins to boom, a quick glimpse of a grin forms on the marine's face at how proper and poised Benning is before she glances to her other side, this time to Osiris and the glimpse of a grin grows as she pretends to consider it. "Well," drawing the word out as the tank jostles over the uneven terrain, "you do have a point there."

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