"I agree," says Ithrorn. "This man mighty be trying to distract us. You know your targets to apprehend; I don't. I'll shut off the drugs from, Tranquil Repose- don't get drawn away from where you should be. There is only one way out for these people, and that is their landing platform.
"And with respect, Andro should stay with you. If there is going to be a major fight it will be at the point of departure."
"If you insist," Gallagher replies. "Our main targets are Doctor Mirani, Varm, and Kathya. If you see Deel Twain anywhere, I suspect his involvement, but have no proof."
As soon as Andro meets up with us, Gallagher hands him his lightsaber.
"Let's follow Varm," Gallagher says to Andro and Zaland. "May the Force be with you, Ithrorn."
Andro listens as Gallagher talks with Ithrorn. When he hears Gallagher try to send him after the drugs, he begins to protest, but Ithrorn beats him to it. Good. No way I'm letting anyone else deal with Varm and Mirani. he thinks to himself.
He gladly retrieves his lightsaber from Gallagher, and once he has it, he feels whole again. He belts his custom holster on and takes out the smooth hilt.
"May the Force be with us all. Shall we go?" He nods with respect to Ithrorn and the others, and heads out the door.
(Well, Andro was about to just charge headlong into battle, but maybe I should check with Gallagher first, see if he has any specific ideas. We are heading to the landing platform, right? Do we want to charge in like Obi-wan and Anakin did to Dooku on Geonosis? Or should we try to sneak a peak at what's going on first, in case there may be a surprise waiting for us? Andro votes rushing in, sabers blazing, but is open to something saner. Either way, we're heading there now, so as not to lose time.)
Then we shall wait on Gallagher!
-
I am assuming Roan is heading in towards the 'Vault', looking for Volun. You are ascending along the same way you came along with Jelena earlier, dashing past groups of defenders firing at you, Most are heading to the walls, now, though it is difficult to see all that is going on through the plumes of smoke caused by burning books. Not just books either- buildings.
Your adrenaline rush is still on a high, Roan, and all you can feel is aggravation at how terribly, terribly stupid this all is.
Blazing fire tears into the bikes up close, Jelena. The sheer walls loom up ahead of you, and the cover of using the valley is running out.
Anaz steers his bike once more up the left side of the Valley, using his momentum from the right, and his targetting computer clicks into place, with a series of beeps.
"Let's," Gallagher says. "Be prepared for anything, keep your senses open, and if I say something, listen. This could be dangerous."
Charging in blindly actually sounds like a lot of fun, actually. We will use Blur to chase after them, and Zaland can catch up with us at his own speed. What matters is that we manage to get to them quickly, not that we are all there when we reach them.
Odd, Jelena, you can't see a firing programme loaded into the banks.
Wait a moment., He's not targetting a weapon. He's targetting with... the bike?
The lurch up the left side of the Valley is so violent that you almost fall off. The bike is actually at a 90 degree sideways angle from the ground for a few moments at the cusp. Another manoeuvre like that and the bike will simply turn. But Anaz actually increases the angle for the final swoop, and the hundreds of bikes behind him follow suit.
Your insides try to vacate your body as the bike plunges down the valley wall at high speed and then races up the other. If Anaz tries to steer back sharply, you will flip over. If he doesn't steer enough, you are simply going to crash.
He's not steering enough. He's not steering enough. He's not...
And then you have cleared the top. In fact, you have cleared the top at such ferocious speed that you have become airborne.
In a graceful arc, Anaz's bike swoops over the circular Valley that separates the walls from the ground around. For a few moments there is a breathtaking sight as the snake trail of hundreds of bikes on the horizon suddenly becomes a living flow of metal and engine exhaust, plunging through the air in a disciplined channel over the defences of the Sanctuary.
There is a harsh jolt as Anaz's bike lands on the walls, but he doesn't stop there, and nor do the others; the momentum carries him clean off the walls and down again to the Courtyard below with another vigorous impact.
Anaz sideslips his bike to a halt; his pistol is already in his hand and he has opened fire on the defenders.
Battle is joined.
-
Music (for BOTH storylines): The Arena
-
Andro and Gallagher, you guys race down the corridors towards the landing area. You sense that time is running extremely short; this is the crucial moment.
You round the corner near the entrance to the loading bay, that looks much the same as the other bay Andro snuck into earlier. Outside it, a dozen members of the Sundo are manhandling two large crates. Upon seeing you, they drop the crates and draw blaster rifles...
You're still feeling a bit giddy, Jelena, it must be said.
There are angry defenders everywhere. They are exchanging fire right now, but more are coming behind, armed with agricultural tools; they plan to take the fight to Anaz's men up close.
More and more bikes swoop over, and men quickly dismount in good order. The Charnellians are forming lines, and creating a cordon around the fortress doors.
-
He's near, Gallagher.
They open fire. They don't even hesitate.