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Post by Dhark on Dec 6, 2010 20:47:13 GMT -5
Frak! Hawkeye curses. Too many turrets, too many targets... unless they were daisy-chained like Christmas lights, Clint knew there was no way he could feesibly hold up his end of the bargain.
It's then that he notes the approach of Carnage, and his frustration shifts to shock mingled with fear. Hawkeye couldn't help but suddenly wonder if the turrets might be the best option for the hostages at this point... let to that psycho, their deaths could surely be made far less humane!
The coldness of that thought surprises Clint a little, as he has a strange flashback of watching his first dog put to sleep as a child and his father having coldly said something similar about the cancer it had. Clint shakes his head, clearing the strange memory. It didn't seem right, that tone from his father... and now was not the time for crap like that. His partner was about to get ganked and a whole lot of people were on the verge of death.
Hawkeye readies his daggers, waiting for the last possible moment... Hoping to be able to accomplish his mission and warn Mongoose in time. It would be hair-trigger timing, it was true. Hawkeye knows in his heart where the priority is though. Disabling that transmitter was his job, and more than just Mongoose depended on him doing that job. He couldn't risk warning Mongoose until the last possible second. He'd have to trust his timing... and maybe have to live with the fact that he'd made the hard choice. That was the life of a soldier though. Hard Choices in Hard Times.
============ HEALTH: 04 ENERGY: 18
ACTION 01: 04 Stones into Black Ops. Potential modifiers from Infiltration, Covert Ops, and Survival Behind Enemy Lines specialties... judging the last possible moment to loose his dagger, allow it to fly uninterrupted (wouldn't do to have the Patriot turn at the last second, unless he accounted for such a turn) and still have time to shout a warning to Mongoose.
ACTION 02: 10 Stones plus 05 Targeting Modifier for a total of 15 stones into a Ranged Attack with his knife aiming for that 3"x3" tansmitter device.
Reflexive Dodge 04
HEALTH: 04 ENERGY: 04 RECHARGE: 10
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Post by Black Sam on Dec 7, 2010 2:31:26 GMT -5
"You would die like a lame dog, then?" Disgust is plain of Mongoose's face.
"What has brought you to this? Why would you not die in battle?" Determined to buy a little more time -- and aware of the mouth-breather approaching from behind -- Mongoose slips a short rod of metal from the folds of his costume, holding it out like a challenge. "This gesture you make, this murder, it is meaningless. At least claim some satisfaction from the last moments of your life. I myself will feel none in taking it. You know why I am here. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't send me to negotiate..."
*************************
HEALTH: 3 ENERGY: 21/21 RECOVERY: 6
Action One: 5 stones into Social Skills to goad Patriot into rethinking his intentions -- or attacking Mongoose -- instead of pulling the trigger Action Two: give no sign of noticing Carnage behind him until he strikes
Attack: none Defense: 5 (+5 RD -- see Prescience; Defense may increase to 13)
PRESCIENCE: shift all 5 stones out of SS into Ninja for defense (+3 from the fighting staff) MODIFIERS: Mental Defense 5; Prescience (Ninja); Reflexive Dodge 5
HEALTH: 3 ENERGY: 16/21 RECOVERY: 6
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 7, 2010 6:34:32 GMT -5
It was an old saying in the military... hurry up and wait. Being a SHIELD operative was often like that as well, and this was a prime example. So much preparation and training, and it all came down to this one moment.
Patriot's finger flexed... he was pulling the trigger, and Hawkeye knew he couldn't wait any longer. He left his cover and launched a throwing blade...
Three foot long hooked, razor sharp claws extended from Carnage's fingertips as he raised his hand, ready to strike Mongoose...
The blade twirled through the air, bisecting the signaling device just as Patriot's finger depressed the trigger, sending a pulse of explosive energy into his head...
Mongoose ducked low and spun out of the way, sending Carnage careening, his blades missing by a solid foot.
*****************************************************
"Hell of a job boys. Hell of a job. Shame about Remmel, but you can't be held responsible. The cleanup team will find Carnage." Colonel Fury himself had shown up with the extract team, and was walking with them toward a large hover vehicle typically used for rapid evacuations. Most of SHIELDs top officers had one of these things available, they acted as flying war rooms. Not as impressive as a Hovercarrier, but it was still more evidence of how far beyond the rest of the world SHIELD's technology was.
He climbed on, but instead of shutting the huge sliding door behind him, he gestured for them to get aboard. Once inside they could see that this thing truly was set up like a mobile office; it even had a desk that looked like it rarely got used. Nick Fury was known to avoid getting behind the desk like other men avoided going to the doctor.
The door slid shut behind them, and immediately a dozen or more holographic displays opened up, showing the status of hot spots around the globe. With a wave of his hand, Fury dismissed them all.
"You kids ever hear of Steve Rogers? World War II guy, big time hero. They called him Captain America. Kinda fell into obscurity after the big no supers agreement Roosevelt made with Stalin."
"VISION, show me Captain America, run some stock footage or something, no volume" A screen popped up, showing some classic World War II news reels, highlighting the heroics of Captain America and Bucky.
"My Granddad served with this guy. He was a real hero. I want him back."
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Post by Dhark on Dec 7, 2010 16:22:09 GMT -5
The flash and echo of Remmel's gun was still a fresh memory in Hawkeye's mind. He was good with the choice he'd had to make, but regretted the loss of The Patriot... and the small part fate had forced him to play in the mans end.
"The Captain? Hell yeah. I saw the man in action... Saved my entire squads life once, single handed."[/color] Hawkeye answers, going silent as the images of Captain America begin playing. A grin rises unseen beneath Hawkeye's mask, watching Rogers with the nostalgic joy one might experience watching a favorite childhood cartoon. Clint's memories of the event he referenced were as murky as any, but they still inspired him on some level. It was seeing The Captain in action that had awoken his own drive and motivation to be all that he could be... and then some. Behind red tinted goggles, his eyes crunch suddenly confused. "Back? You mean he's still alive?"[/color] Clint asks, awe in his voice. It was odd enough that Clint was so agile and healthy and... well... young... given his age (or rather the age he thought he was). For Rogers to not only be alive, but be in a condition to return to active service must mean that his Super Soldier treatments must have been WAY more potent than those administered to the young Clint he'd been when he first enlisted with SHIELD.
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Post by Black Sam on Dec 7, 2010 16:51:57 GMT -5
Mongoose arches an eyebrow at Hawkeye.
And how old are you, old man?
The thought doesn't bother him. He's been training as a covert operative since shortly after his earliest memories -- being the youngest hitman on the team was nothing new for Mongoose.
"I'm sure he's getting to that part, aren't you Colonel?"
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 7, 2010 17:17:50 GMT -5
"This," Fury gestured and the screen changed to images of the current Avengers fighting in some strange-looking high-tech building, "is vid captured during one of the Avenger's recent missions to Kang's Crosstime Fortress. VISION, forward to index 32.74, and freeze."
The image zipped forward, and then froze to a blurred shot, highly obscured by an energy beam. It was hard to tell whether the beam was being fired by Iron Man, or was striking him.
"Expand from Mark 16, and enhance to maximum clarity."
The image shifted, pulling the background forward. Pixels began to shift and move, until a large chunk of ice was clearly visible, and within, a shadow. The shadow began to resolve itself, until it clearly showed a man in a tattered old uniform, and a very familiar shield.
"Kang has had him all this time. Banner and Pym are both absolutely certain that he's alive in there, in some form of suspended animation. All we need to do is thaw him out and get him out of that fortress. An all-out assault on that place would be crazy, particularly now that the Avengers are out of commission. That's where you two come in."
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Post by Dhark on Dec 7, 2010 17:29:08 GMT -5
Hawkeye casts a sidelong glance at Mongoose before speaking up again to Fury. "I'm in."[/color] The answer is simple, and it was heartfelt. Clint was from the era where 'No Man Left Behind' was something lived and breathed by every soldier... and to see such an iconic figure in enemy hands... He would risk his life on the chance they MIGHT manage to rescue him. No hesitations, no qualms, no doubts. He didn't even care if Intel was sketchy, support was negligable, or if they were going in as were at that very moment on the tail end of their previous mission. For 'The Captain'... he was ready and willing.
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Post by Black Sam on Dec 7, 2010 18:24:04 GMT -5
Mongoose stands with his arms crossed during the briefing, taking in the details.
One would think that life outside a ninja clan would be dull by comparison...not so, on the payroll of S.H.I.E.L.D....
"Mr. Hawkeye here is as able a companion as I've ever seen, but this assignment seems...well, absurd...," he says to Furry, with a nod towards Hawkeye. "I admit, I too am looking forward to it -- when do we leave?"
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 7, 2010 18:39:13 GMT -5
"Now comes the bad news. Getting into Crosstime requires the use of a special piece of equipment. We've captured a number of these over the years from Kangs soldiers, but we're not really sure how they work. What we do know is that once you use them, they're out of energy, and we don't know how to recharge 'em. And we've only got the one. This means that once you're in that fortress, you're going to have to capture another of these suckers, or find some other way to get back home."
Fury tossed a small metallic cube to Hawkeye. "It's all set, just push the button and go. Oh, and fellas... you're gonna wanna use your stealth abilities here. Going in loud means getting Kang's attention, and... well, you two are good, but Kang doesn't call himself The Conqueror without good reason."
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Post by Dhark on Dec 7, 2010 18:45:00 GMT -5
Hawkeye catches the cube with one hand, with the practiced ease of a professional baseball player. His eyes scan the bulkhead of the room quickly, searching for a First Aid kit... or anything that might serve as one. "Question, that looked like ice. Any suggestions for thawing him out on site? Or do we need to find a way back that includes carrying a man-sized slab of solid ice?"[/color]
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Post by Black Sam on Dec 7, 2010 18:55:00 GMT -5
"This sounds like a mission for Avengers, Colonel, but under present circumstances, I guess a pair of shadow op's will have to do."
He turns to Hawkeye, stretching his limbs, before pulling his mask over his head.
"I'm ready whenever you are, partner," he says. "If we make it out of this alive, I say we make Cap' buy us a round..."
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 7, 2010 19:21:48 GMT -5
"If you've got a device, all you've got to do is make sure you're touching that slab of ice and it'll come back with you. If not... I guess you're going to have to improvise on getting Rogers out of there, and he might be comatose, so that'll have it's own set of problems."
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Post by Dhark on Dec 7, 2010 19:36:15 GMT -5
Hawkeye frowns at the response, he'd been afraid of that. Despite the setback, he nods his acceptance and his readiness. From another pouch his free hand pulls four throwing spikes (each positioned between a finger of his clenched fist). "Don't worry sir. The Captain makes it back, or none of us do."[/color] Clint states, solidifying the primary goal in his mind.
He was a soldier, and he'd make the hard choices. The Captain was the one that was needed more than either of them to his mind... and he'd do whatever was necessary to ensure he made it back to the Here and Now. A world in need of an inspirational hero like him.
With that thought in mind, Hawkeye moves to stand beside Mongoose. "Do you have a communicator built into that cowl? Or shall we rely soley on hand sign?"[/color]
Once both are within the devices range, he activates it accordingly... sending them both into the dangerous world of Crosstime...
=============
HEALTH: 04 ENERGY: 18
ACTION 01: 04 Stones into Black Ops. Potential modifiers from Infiltration, Covert Ops, and Survival Behind Enemy Lines specialties... Immediately acting to ensure their arrival attracts as little attention as possible (and moving as quickly as possible in whatever given direction leads to the closest cover) ACTION 02: 05 Stones into Hunting/Tracking. Looking for either similar terrain/background to where the ice was... or a guard/native to interrogate.
Reflexive Dodge 04
HEALTH: 04 ENERGY: 09 RECHARGE: 10
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Post by Black Sam on Dec 7, 2010 21:15:51 GMT -5
Mongoose gestures to his throat in response to Hawkeye's question.
"Tac-comm. Let's do it."
*************************
HEALTH: 3 ENERGY: 21/21 RECOVERY: 6
Action One: Put a hand on Hawkeye's shoulder when he activates the gizmo Action Two: 7 stones into Ninja to find concealment once they arrive at their destination (Spec: Stealth)
Attack: none Defense: 5 (+5 RD -- see Prescience)
PRESCIENCE: change all stones in Ninja Action from stealth to defense if they arrive at an ambush MODIFIERS: Mental Defense 5; Prescience (Ninja); Reflexive Dodge 5
HEALTH: 3 ENERGY: 14/21 RECOVERY: 6
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Post by WildKnight on Dec 8, 2010 8:26:14 GMT -5
There were many different methods of teleportation known, but all of them had one thing in common; they were all highly unpleasant experiences. Being sent across time as well as space was no exception, and it left a burning sensation in the joints as an after-effect.
The operatives found themselves on a wide, arcing bridge in the middle of what appeared to be some kind of Grand Concourse. SHIELD files said that the Crosstime Fortress existed at the very end of time, perpetually suspended in a sort of timeless half-existence. It was occupied only by Kang and his bodyguards, rumored to include some of the greatest warriors from across time. They were, thankfully, alone.
Kang's personal museum was located a short distance from their current location, so it should be a relatively quick trip, but they could hear the sounds of someone approaching, and the bridge they were standing on offered precious little in the way of places to hide.
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