ASH: Cael & Dahlia Thread

[Laraqua]

Cael was moving with slow, self-assured steps, his eyes flicking around in all directions, his head turning this way and that to help his ears capture every sound. There was a rubbish bag rolling across the floor in the walled rooftop. Seems trash could get everywhere. There was light coming from the bird's mounted searchlights but no light on the inside.

[Andrew]

OOC: How far is Cael from the chopper anyway?

Cael stopped and took in his surroundings, he sure didn't like this, this wasn't something he could shoot and be done with, this was much more deadly. If he could get to the chopper and start the pre-flight, turn the lights on and get to the supplies inside, he'd feel better about this situation. However that doesn't account for what happened to Stephen and Adrian. He hoped Stephen was alright, after all he and his wife just had a baby and he'd hate to see the kid go fatherless... if mother and baby were still alive that is.



Now that's a gunship!

[Andrew]

Here's Cael before all the craziness and sanity loss



And here's Cael after:

[trixie]

Dahlia inches forward, feeling her heart in her throat.

OC How far is she from the helicopter, and Cael? Does he know she's behind him]

[Laraqua]

Cael is about twelve feet from the helicopter. Dahlia five feet behind. Dahlia tries to move quietly but Cael can hear her small foot steps not too far behind him. The wind seems to whistle through the cracks in the walls or perhaps there was something else, something other, near the walls that was making that sound. In this place where the ash flows like mist, it was impossible to tell. There was no blood in sight. The helicopter windows were clouded and dark - it was impossible to tell what the fate of the two men had been or even if they were still inside.

[trixie]

"Cael! Stop!" Dahlia whispers it, hoping he'll hear. She continues to tiptoe after him.

OCSneak (50) rolled 56

[Andrew]

Cael stops and drops to a knee. He doesn't look back but let's Dahlia move forward. He was angry as hell with her for coming out here but now was not the time to yell. "Private Flower... thought I ordered you to stay back and guard the civvies? You'd best have a good reason for disobeying a direct order." He whispered once she caught up and said in a lower tone, 'Sarah had best have a good reason for letting her come out here.' His eyes never left the chopper and the surrounding area. People he knew how to deal with, no matter what level of combat expertise they had. This... this was completely different, even more so than the zombie things they encountered.

[Laraqua]

There were a half dozen feet away now. There was an acrid smell to the air and the shadows within the helicopter windows were more obvious. It moved thickly, like smoke drifting in a breeze, yet the doors and windows were each shut so there could be no draught inside there. The hairs on their skin rise up and there's a sense of static charge.

[trixie]

Dahlia catches up to Cael and whispers, "You're too big. It'll hear you coming. It's hiding....waiting....under the chopper." She inches forward again, then her voice takes on an edge of irritation from his reprimand, "Daniel told me. Just....just trust me ok?"

OC Sneak 50, rolled 27

[Andrew]

"I do trust you actually. I've been waiting for something to come for me but I didn't know where it was exactly. I need to get into that chopper, there's a lot of supplies in there we'll need. Food, arms and ammo, first aid and even change of clothes. I have the powder dusted on me and a sack on my back. For the betterment of us all I have to take the chance kiddo." Cael said and then added with a big genuine smile, "Flower, I can't tell you how proud I am of you though. This is probably the scariest place I've ever seen and you're out here to tell me about this "thing", whatever it is. When this is over how would you feel about living with me if we don't find your family? I think you're the bravest and coolest kid I've ever met and I'd be honored to teach you just about everything I know from flying a helicopter to shooting a sniper rifle."

[Laraqua]

The helicopter looms large shortly above them. Tendrils of ... smoke ... seem to flow from the cracks and crevasses as though sweeping the air. They move toward Cael as he approaches, pointing somewhat in his direction, the edges of the tendrils diffusing smoke into the air. Cael sees none of this though Dahlia does.

[trixie]

Dahlia puts her hand on Cael's arm, trying to stop him from going any further.

"Shhh! You're too big! It'll hear you! Just.....just stay here alright?"

She squelches that rising sick feeling in her stomach and tiptoes forward.

OC Gah! Just rolled sneak on dark and moody but i was logged in as chad. Made the roll....logged him out and rerolled under my name and failed. You choose! Sordid death or successful tiptoeing....my fate is in the hands of our not-so-gentle keeper.

[Andrew]

Cael grits his teeth and watches helplessly as Dahlia went forward. If something happened to her there would be a killing rampage and these things and best watch out for his wrath.

[Laraqua]

Dahlia begins to creep beneath the helicopter. So far the black tendrils had not drifted in her direction though they seem drawn still to Cael. She peeks up at the underside and can see that there is something there ... something dark crimson, shaped like a tear, or a seed, that throbs gently as it sends out more of the tendrils to pulse about the helicopter.

[trixie]

OC How close is she to the door of the helicopter, and is it open or closed? Is it Mash style, with the doors always being open?

Dahlia continues to sneak up, finding the door, attempts to jump in if she sees it open.

OC Rolls sneak (50) rolled 10
jump (45)rolled 26

[Laraqua]

Would you leave the doors open in this place? They're quite closed. Dahlia can jump up, grab the handle and slide it open.

[trixie]

OC Do I need any additional rolls then? If not, I'll edit to say she jumps up and opens the door. Is jumping up one round, then opening the door the next? I'm not the expert on rounds and the amount of action allowed in each....lmk ok?

[Laraqua]

Dahlia hops up onto the step and balances on the toes of one foot as she reaches for the helicopter handle and draws it open, revealing the darkness within. Cael can see that the helicopter tendrils seem to be paying a little more attention to the area she's in from the vibrations of the door and are drawing nearer to it and ignoring him now that he stands still.

[trixie]

OC Shoot I never put down what supplies Dahlia carries. I know she has a backpack on her back with a few different clothes, and assorted things inside it. Looking for a flashlight but I can't recall if she'd ever snagged anything. I know she came across a bunsen burner at one point....don't know if she took it.

Dahlia closes the door as gently as she can, then starts to look around in the helicopter. Where is everyone? Was there anyone here? Sarah said they were waiting in the helicopter....

[Andrew]

Seeing that the noise was what deverted the attention of the tentacles, Cael ran for the chopper, leveled his gun and shot three times at the landing skid. The sound and vibration of the bullets bouncing off the hollow steel skids would surely draw the tentacles away from Dahlia and allow him to get into the chopper himself. He had other planes to get the others into the chopper safely.