Moving Along

So although we moved forward toward we started with a backwards foray as I dealt with the 13th Hour incursion I missed last week.

After the short diversion we pickup in the trucks as Cordelia drives to Fort Worth. Things go smoothly, despite the ash rain, until the trucks weapon systems detect the military road block ahead. Braking sharply, Hou-Jin in the second truck narrowly avoids running into the back of Cordelia's truck and catapults Isocrates into the front windscreen.

Cautiosly Cordelia rolls the trucks forward until they get to within 50ft of the road block. They are then approached by 3 national guard who try to insist they turn around and go elsewhere. Cordelia manages to persuade them that that are here to collect a pre-paid for value cargo, and the Bradly M2A3 blocking the access road is moved aside allowing them access.

Hou-Jin parks up whilst Cordelia loads a cargo of rifles, before they leave Fort Worth for a destination Cordelia only has a conceptual idea of. After about 4 hours people start asking for a rest, and when pushed Hou-Jin concurs - driving for 7 hours with no real break has consequences. After a half hour or so break Cordelia wants to push on but does agree to a proper meal break in a few hours. Another 3 and a half hours brings them to a truck stop in a very alien forest clearing with 3 moons(planets) in the sky and a somewhat alien menu. Cordelia picks out the edible food an drink for people, then remembers she needs local currency to pay for it.

After an hour and a half break they hit the road again. Another 4 hours bring them to a military base, Fort Chanith according to Hou-Jin. Whilst initially challenged, as soon a Cordelia is recognised as CIC they are ushered in and accorded the hospitality of the base. As Cordelia goes to make the arrangements for the necessary tasking ahead, the others are shown to rooms. Cordelia reminds them that a 13th Hour Incursion will happen in about 13 minutes.

Not feeling tired Fane wants to go in search of the Mess Hall, and after a short commotion, Allanon who finds that the troopers speak Mandarin, translates for him and they set out in the direction of the mess, just as the 13th hour rolls in. They spend a frustrating hour stuck in a corridor before gaining the mess.

Sleep is interrupted at 05.00 by a general claxon  as the regiment swings into action to implement the plans agreed in the early hours of the morning. At 05.30 a convoy of armour vehicles rolls out for the hours drive to the black road. As the artillery trucks array themselves into a fan, Cordelia brings her truck up into line, barely 300 yards from the road.  As the regiment organise themselves she gets out an goes to talk to Hou-Jin - "What ever happens don't stop - go round me if you have to, and good luck". As she turns to return to her truck Allanon asks what the issue is. She tells him to follow her. As they approach to within 100 yards of the road, and he begins to feel it's effects he gains an inkling of what they may be up against. They return to their trucks.

Cordelia begins to build the pattern into a shield, sensed by both Allanon and Kohaku, as she slowly rolls toward the black road. At 100 yards she gives the order to fire, and the artillery open up with their first barrage. As she guns the truck the rolling barrage begins, incinerating the worst of the writhing foliage, but doing nothing to quell the actual psychological effects of the black road. 

As the pattern hits the black road and the front of the truck is engulfed in blue fire Cordelia cries out and slumps over the steering wheel. Fane moves to shake her, to check she is alright. Through gritted teeth and breathing heavily she gets him to steady the wheel whilst she recovers. As she struggles to do so the weapon systems come on line having detected hostiles closing on the trucks. Cordelia tells Fane to get to the weapons turret.

Since Cordelia has command linked both trucks, he weapons and defenses of her truck coming online trigger the same response in Hou-Jin's truck, causing not a little consternation, especially as Cordelia is not responding to comms. With bogies closing Fane takes control of the turret in teh lead truck and by a little trial and error downs the first bad guy. Meanwhile in the second truck, the supposedly tech savy mage fails to work out what's going on, even when the turret access mechanism lowers the control chair.

As Fane knocks down another target, Allanon manages to work out how to get the turret mechanism to behave by sitting in the chair!. The hud now showing 4 targets  Fane and Allanon set about knocking them down. Fane takes down 2, the second barely 25ft from the truck. Allanon gets one whilst the second slams into the truck, negating the ability of the turret to act against it, and damaging the access control mechanism as it sets about opening the truck roof to get at the snacks inside.

Isocrates tries to keep the creature out but finds neither Allanons black rod nor his own sword any use, and is then badly injured when the serpent spits on him catching him in the leg. Kohaku intervenes first getting Static to electrocute it, which does cause it injury, and then by picking up the rifle Allanon acquired at the base, and firing it at the creature. Both appear to wound it to the same degree. Taking hints from Allanon she presses the "up arrow button" on the side of the rifle and fires again. Taking more wounds the creature backs off, and Allanon downs it with the turret as it retreats.

Fane has meanwhile exited his own turret, picked up his own rifle and made his way onto the roof of the lead truck, the vehicles own fire control system preventing it from firing through it's own cargo trailer. As he does so, he feels first and then notices that they are no longer on the black road. 

Exhausted, sweating heavily, and apparently running a fever, Cordelia stops her truck about 3/4 of a mile from the road. Opening the cab door she virtually falls out, wrenchs off her helmet, and then vomits, collapsing to her hands and knees as she does so. Fane follows her out and asks if she's okay. She asks him to get her some water. He fetches his water bottle from the truck and hands it to her.

As she recovers Allanon attempts to work out what's going on and find a way out of his jammed turret. Isocrates having passed out due to the pain of his injuries, comes round somewhat grogily and hauls himself into the back of the truck. 

After about 10 minutes Cordelia hauls herself to her feet and attempts to ascertain what the situation is. As she goes to examine what's wrong with the second truck Allanon reports another group of incoming. She returns to her truck and moves them a few more miles away from the road. Stopping once more she consults the technical data readout for the trucks, then returns to the second truck, and triggers the emergency release on the turret. As she goes to open the roof hatch to let Allanon down she finds the injured Isocrates. She fetches her RMK from her pack and attaches it to Isocrates. It sedates him, administers a pain killer and sets about rebuilding the flesh of his leg where it's been burnt by the acid spit of the creature.

With Allanon now out of the turret and Isocrates being treated Cordelia heads back to her truck and they head for a  snow bound York, plough through 18" of fresh snow to reach the factory and warehouse where she's expecting to collect the Mortars. A transit with a very staved in front end, smashed roller doors, and broken windows and doors suggest the place has been ram raided.