Armsmen: What do we fight for?

So while the bossman and the king are chatting about the details of the job,Jeannie decides to do important recon on the buffet table.

So many yummies Jeannie digs into the food. Since she has super hearing it's easy to keep track of the conversation and chimes in with her thought in between bites.

they took your sun mr.king that terrible,disagreeing with your politics is one thing but bring your family is just rude.yay cake,sweets are my favorite, Jeannie gobbles down the sweets before finishing her thought on the situation Thorin huh that's a neat name,are you and your son lord of the rings fans? I love lord of the rings. But you sure lucked out getting me,I'm an expert in finding people,a retrieval specialist.we'll bring him back safe and sound in now time. She gives the king a thumbs up before turning her attention to back to the foods.

In between her snacking she hears the king mention mainframe stuff and decides to point out to Guerrero she can help with that in a round about why. hey,boss one of the voice in my heads really smart we can ask her to come out and help with thatJeannie smiles happily that one of the voices in her head might be usefully for once and then returns to snacking yay sausages she likes them and pie those are good too,She hopes Guerrero and the king take their time discussing things so she can keep trying all the yummy food.

"My son is Dane Thorin Laurent, and I am King Philip Hathor Lauren; and we have Icelandic ancestry. Your confidence is reassuring, milady." The King addressed Jeannie.

He looks to the Armsmen's leader, thinks a moment about Guerrero's comment earlier on international pressure. "...On second thought, I need this rebel leader... discredited, the death of his cause is far more important. They do not need a martyr to rally around. I will pay separately for the rebellion's death, and his demise, when his followers turn on him." He rephrased his order for Guerrero, knowing the rebels ideals were far greater threat than any one... being.

"There is to be a public execution of suspected rebels at noon today, at a corrections facility at the edge of the capital. Perhaps freeing them will help gain the rebels' trust. I hope you'll have an alibi for being in the country when you meet them. Dismissed." The king adjourns his meeting with the Armsmen, having the Courtier escort them out.

"

= = = = = =

Once The Royal courtier and Armsmen were outside, she had Olga deliver their original clothes, neatly pressed and hung in vacuum wrap, fresher than they'd ever been in their existence.

"Olga make sure your clothes smell sweet und fragrant, yes?" Olga said to Guerrero and Jeannie, happily handing them their original clothes then giving them a very strong pat on the shoulder.

"Your clothes, Lady, Gentleman. Laundered and pressed, with lemon and mint conditioner to keep it... fresh. Once you leave the palace, you will be on your own; no one outside of the palace will know who you are. An unmarked vehicle with GPS to the location is waiting for you outside. Any further questions?" She asked them.

The big man found the first opportunity to change back into his fatigues.  He then took a sniff.  He definitely did not smell like a warrior any more.  He did not like it.

Leading his small team toward the provided vehicle, a simple dark-blue pickup truck, Guerrero called a meeting.  The contract was signed, listing all the tasks and the negotiated dollar values were set in stone.  Now they just had to decide on their next course of action.

"So," came Dirk's voice via a video chat line on a small, heavy duty computer.  "Our tasks are to first find and retrieve the King's son, who is currently 'being held' by the rebels."  The blonde made a show of "quoting fingers" at the kings phrasing.

"You think he might be siding with the rebels?"  Guerrero asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Let's just say his hesitation at "...taken" could have more meaning than he would want us to believe."  Dirk paused to let that sink in.  Moving on, he said, "Our other task is to incite friction within the rebellion with the purpose of leading the organization to its inevitable downfall."

With the summary out of the way, Dirk moved into strategy.  "Both of these tasks," he explained, "require that we be within the rebellion.  So..." The nerd-merc paused, dramatically. "I think what 'His Majesty' suggested is our best bet. If we free these sympathizers, the rebels may see us as the proverbial 'gift horse.' Still, couldn't hurt to build a cover story."

Jeannie looks over Guerrero's shoulder confused at the man on the computer.hey what's the guy in the box talking about? Why would the king be with the rebels? He hired us to get rid of them and they took his son,not exactly things buddies do. I like your idea about a pony though the trojan horse is a classic but since it's been done our version should be even better let's get a trojan unicorn!
Jeannie daydreams flying in on the unicorn and saves the day. She then gets a look on her face like she remembered something. hey computer guy if your no to busy could you check on my cat,I didn't have time to get him situated in are new home cause them soldier guys rushed us over here as soon as I got here,hey there fluffyshe points on the screen to the large fluffy white cat behind dirk wearing a little pirate hat. The fat cat sees Jeannie on the screen and meows.

owww there my big baby,sorry about you waking up on a weird ship baby but mommy had to hurry off on a job why you was sleeping,but that guy there with you is a friend of mommy's so be good and he'll take carry of you tell I get back ok. fluffy gives Jeannie a thumbs up with his paw your such a cute,mommy will get back as soon as she can,so be a good little helper on the ship tell then,he's food and stuff is in a box on my helicopter. computer guy so if you could get that for him that be nice.she goes to give the cat a hug and kiss the screen smudging it with her lipstick. fluffy rubs up against the screen on the other side then meow at dirk  pointing to his mouth with his paw.

Jeannie  then goes back to thinking about the job hey guys I just realized something that fancy doodle of the prince didn't smell,it would be easier to find him if I knew what he smelled like,think the king would let me borrow one of his socks or something?

CAPITOL

While the team talked on how the play would go down, the Arsenal airlifted a crate of supplies in case the trio forgot to bring anything, or wanted some extra fireworks with them.

Dirk had a special gift for the very large and strong Kiva, who displayed strength beyond human limits. Inside her labelled crate was an M2 Browning machine gun, one of the stock weapons on the ship, shopped to have handgrips for Kiva's size. A special backpack carried the belt fed ammunition, meaning she didn't need to reload. Crates for Guerrero and Jeannie were also present, depending on their request.

Kiva chimed in on the opinion. "If the King's own offspring is threatened, then his people will see him weak. Still, he is not without cunning- I have seen such deception employed before. I trust you will tell us of our... story... for aiding the rebels on the way."

She also inspected the machine gun she was provided. She had witnessed its power during firing tests, and though she referred to it as primitive, she respected its capabilities. She had learned just enough gun safety to not aim it carelessly. With her abominable strength she loads her weapon into the truck, concealed.

IN TRANSIT

The GPS took the team through a route with fairly few guards. The city was divided by high walls, and the inner city near the palace was a more opulent and rich place, with wide boulevards. Even the secondary roads were clean and well maintained, though there were very few people about during the day. The inner city also had an abundance of surveillance.

CORRECTIONS FACILITY

The GPS would lead them to the corrections facility in the farther reaches of the capitol, beyond the walls of the inner city and into the more oppressive, more destitute outer walls. The corrections facility was a large, oppressive, geometric fortress of Brutalist style architecture. It stood head and shoulders above the rest of the city, a symbol of authoritarian power. Like anywhere else, statues lined the entrance, figures of of the King in his regal power armor striking a warrior pose with Thor's hammer.

The execution grounds were prepared in such a way to be easily accessible to the public. Even from the streets one could see the execution gallows, elevated like a stage for all to see. This kingdom's preferred method of capital punishment was, apparently, hanging. Two guard towers flanked the grounds, manned by black uniformed soldiers carrying more conventional arms- those wonderful laser rifles were reserved for the palace, it seemed. Still, a large machinegun was mounted on the tower.

The soldiers of the capital ensured that there would be a crowd gathered in the viewing grounds, civilians having been rounded up, put on the bus and brought there. Large screens would let the sad, quiet crowds see the faces of the prisoners up close, and speakers would let them hear the on-the-spot sentencing. The crowd of civilians were sandwiched between two lines of soldiers, standing in the catwalks above, ready to bring down the tyranny.

Time passed in silence until However, the prisoners being brought out to the grounds from the prison didn't seem like your typical hardened freedom fighters. These were young women, teens and children.

The camera zoomed in on the judge-executioner, a balding, bulky man in heavy body armor, carrying papers in a black clipboard. His voice was very clear over the speakers, as he read the sentence out loud. "Hans Schumer. Your father has been accused and convicted of rebellion against the rule of king. The punishment is clear- death to the entire family of the traitor, fitting of a traitor's death."

"Executing the mate and offspring of the rebels... a waste of resources. Better to enslave the children and have the females birth offspring for the king's warriors. Are all surfacer kingdoms like this? Wasteful?" Kiva voiced her disapproval, though her alternative was not much better, at least by any human standards.

"Any last words?" The judge-executioner asked the teenage boy.

"...Papa... papa isn't a rebel... he loves the king... he loves the country... we love the fatherland... please... papa is just working across the border in Russia... he will be back tomorrow I swear!" The young boy was in tears as he pleaded, sobbing and wailing in fear by the end, as a black sack cloth was put over his head and he was lead to the noose by his sentencer.

Kiva looked at Guerrero. She was now ready to spring the attack, ready to deploy her rocket launcher. "The towers go first." she said, taking aim at the guard towers.

At the shark girl's musings, Guerrero shrugged.  Clear eyes remaining fixed on the morbid spectacle, he said, "Slavery is illegal up here.  But I agree, killing kids is...wasteful."  Though "wasteful" was not the word he'd use.  The large man was not completely heartless, though he tried to hide it most days.

Dressed in solid black combat attire, the large mercenary pulled down his balaclava.  It was hardly incognito but dressed as he was, with enough firepower on his person to arm a platoon, incognito was not a valid tactic.

His first action was much the same as Kiva's; using another rocket launcher, the pair would take down the towers in unison.  Quickly dropping the RPG, Guerrero pulled his rifle from his back, sighted in on the "executioner-judge" and squeezed off another shot. That would definitely slow the execution...

Earlier, Guerrero had sent Jeannie to retrieve the bus they had seen earlier. They could use it to transport the prisoners part of the way to freedom. At least, that was the idea. Returning his oversized weapon to his back. Pulling out his Vector, the large man rushed the grounds, ready to lay waste to the guards, who even now were beginning to reorganize...

Get the bus get the bus, no one asked if Jeannie knew how to drive a bus but she's a pro at grand theft auto so she can figure it out. So she putts along in her little bus going to save the day.

Hey, no fair she wanted do that coming up to the blow-up guard towers.
Well,  she has very little self-control so big guy probably didn't want her blowing up the wrong stuff,besides saving the prisoners is an important job so she's happy he trust her with that.

So big guy and fishy lady are blowing everything when something odd for a war zone shows up. A pink school bus with a unicorn  comes barreling in with the wheels on the bus song playing loudly on the radio.

The bus skids to a stop smashing into the gallows a mp5 poke out of one of the windows and opens fire on the-the guards in the area before shooting the noose freeing the would be hanged man.

The gun then returns back through the window and then Jeannie  in bus drivers costume comes out through the door. She makes a funny grossed out face as she steps over the executor Guerrero  disposed of picking up the papers he dropped and taking the microphone to talk over the speakers

hello everybody I'm here to inform you that the executions for today have been canceled. So if you pensioners would  board the bus here I'll see about getting you out of here,and as for you, meanies will your, unfortunately,  going to die painful deaths at the hands of my large scary friends with the guns. Sucks to be you as for everyone else all aboard the trojan unicorn to freedom!

After her odd public services announcement, she goes to help the man that was about to be executed freeing him and  getting him and his son to the bus then starts herding the rest of the prisoners to the bus to get them out.

The prisoners sentenced to death watched as a projectile smashed into a guard tower, then another, at once depriving them of heavy guns and destroying the fence. The towers were ablaze and crumbling, and chaos erupted. People caught in the crossfire only wanted to flee. The guards began to open fire, but they were disorganized and had only small-caliber arms- weapons to suppress unarmored civilians with.

"We are under attack! call central for reinforce-" A bullet found itself perforating a hole through the judge's head, sending him sprawling to the ground dead.

The guards meanwhile, were blasted apart by heavy caliber machine gun fire, as Kiva monstrously wielded a mounted weapon with her bare hands. Wordlessly she strode into the crowd of fleeing prisoners, having only contempt for the weak guards, their small arms hardly affecting her.

The boy on the noose found himself freed when Jeannie smashed a pink bus into the gallows, giving him and the people present a ticket out. Well, they were already condemned criminals, so they'd have nothing to lose.

"Everyone on the bus!" The boy demonstrated uncommon courage and herded all the other prisoners onto the bus. Children rushed in while the elderly slowly hobbled in.

"Thank you for this." He said in some vague European language and would give Jeannie a big, quick hug and get on the bus.

Kiva followed onto the bus, providing firepower. "Is everyone here? Let's go then" She telepathically messaged Guerrero and Jeannie, the first part of their role in this rebellion nearly complete.

Guerrero was in complete agreement with Kiva.  Switching on the safety of his Vector, he quickly leapt into the bus as it peeled away.  The trio had planned the getaway but at this point, the large man offered to take the wheel.  He seemed to have the most experience with larger vehicles.

"Everyone, stay calm," he announced to his passengers.  "We'll get you to safety."  He continued to speed off down the city streets...
---
Prior to the rescue, the trio had ironed out their story.  Guerrero's suggestion had been that they were American Special Forces.  He could claim that they were representing US interests in the region, particularly leveraging a possible debt to keep close tabs on Russia and other regional powers.

The plan obviously had its flaws but it did not require naive trust.  Instead, it relied on a pragmatic leader expecting foreigners to interfere for selfish reasons.  Plus, Guerrero still had his green beret tucked into his jacket...

OoC Notes:

So the teams all back together and their jailbreak was a success. Once about Guerrero  offered to take the wheel which came as a relief to Jeannie who much preferred her smaller motorcycle to the large bus lucky for everybody she managed to drive it good enough to get in and out of there.

She'll have to ask the big guy for some pointers when they got some free time he seems a lot more adept at handling bigger vehicles. Well with all that out of the way she thinks she's earned a snack. She   digs around in her backpack and finds her stash of cookies and candy bars she brought along as when you have an overactive metabolism you should have snacks ready. She shares some with the kids hoping to cheer them up as she feels just awfully about them being in such a terrible situation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
flashback time!
So the teams meeting the big guy is talking about their plan.Jeannie is somewhat paying but she looks at her watch and notices it's tea time!
She takes a hello kitty tea set from her backpack and starts making tea.

She may be in the middle of nowhere in some country she has trouble pronouncing the name of but that's not excuse for missing tea time.
So she makes her tea and munchies on some cupcakes while listening to Guerrero's plan

oh right how rude of me.you guys want some? it's really good I'm in a tea of the month club,Chinese green tea this month a sweet one to those are the best,goes well with cupcakes in a club for them to,got Cookie Dough, this time, it's a cupcake and cookie  at the sam time. I just love snacks one of the best parts of traveling is the yummies  every place has different ones. She hands Guerrero and kiva a cup of tea and a cupcake.

what kinda stuff do they got where you from kiva? beat your sea foods super great cause it couldn't be any fresher right,you'll have to take us some time. never been to an underwater city before sounds neat

about the plan boss you fit the us marine guy model.But I'm quite British and kiva is a fish person...Atlantean?  not sure how we'd not stick out I could try being American I'm  good at acting,or could say I'm mi6 doing a joint operation thingy. Do you have to be American to be in the American army?Not sure about kiva maybe say she's part of some super soldier thingy the navy is doing. But besides them parts, I think your plans good,what you think kiva?

FLASHBACK

Kiva simply stares at her fellows without moving her mouth, vocalizing with a helmet full of sea water understandably making speech difficult. "There is little of my story to change. I am a warrior of the Azlant come to seek aid against the Others. You are my Battlesworn, I have come to fight your battles... that one day you would fight mine."

Curious of earth customs Kiva tries the tea and cupcake, taking the tea via an emergency induction port (really just a straw) and pops morsels of the cupcake into her wet helmet. She has no facial reactions, but there was a tinge of enjoyment felt over her telepathic bond.

NOW

The battle bus manages to flee before the city guard muster a counter-offensive, to the relief of the prisoners. Kiva remained at the rear with her machine gun aimed at the road, intimidating most of the prisoners with her fearsome countenance. Except for a very old looking lady. Kiva exchanged glances with her.

"Thank you for what you and your friend have done miss. My late husband fought in the great war, a long time ago... he did something similar as you are doing now, against evil men." She spoke in her native tongue, speaking in German.

She touches Kiva's hand and kissed it in thanks, and for a moment the Azlant glimpsed the woman's particular memories of this Great War. The elder's long life and memories felt like a colossal weight to Kiva, so she gently pulled back.

She again turns to Guerrero and Jeannie, not understanding the 'surfacer's ways'. Telepathically she relayed her cold sentiments of putting weak elders out of their misery. "Why is this elderly surfacer still kept alive? She is decrepit, a liability to your resources... And she is in constant pain and aches."

The drive stretched to a few hours, with a few stops in between for the prisoners to walk and rest. Eventually the rebel held town was in sight and the welcoming committee saw fit to meet them just as they entered the small hamlet. When the bus came, the townsfolk boarded up  their homes and vacated the streets.

Three of them they were, one from the front and two from the flanks. The one on the street was some large armored figure, taller and wider than any human could be. He looked like a medival black knight, but circuitry in the armor would make him out to be very high tech. His armor greatly resembled the palace guards, but rather than a cloak of red, he wore a cloak of sky blue. In one hand he carried a warhammer taller than Guerrero. "Halt and go no further, laymen." He called out over his armor's speakers.

The prisoners gasped in fear and surprise as on the bus's right, a frightful boy dressed in a scarecrow's loose rags latched onto the windows. He wore a disturbing sack-cloth mask... and he had four arms. He licked the window beside Jeannie, and cackled like a maniac, eyeing the bounty hunter with heterochromic eyes. One eye was green and the other golden. "Oooh pretty girl!"

Lastly, on the driver's side, seven high tech rapiers gracefully flew from the rooftop and descended. They stopped by the driver's side and remained levitating just outside of the window. Each of the rapiers carried a laser edge, contributing immense cutting power.  "State your business. Be you friend or foe?" A woman in a formal gown-armor-dress stood on the roof near Guerrero, asking him to state his intentions.

The cover story is sound: the thing about citizenship was that it could change.  And foreigners could serve in the US Army.  The plan would work, so long as neither woman denied it...hopefully.
---
As they drove away from the city, Guerrero tries to think of a response to Kiva's enquiry.  Nothing comes to mind.

On approaching the hamlet, he has to hit the breaks; an armor-clad warrior stands, barring the way forward.  Something tells the mercenary that in a fight between the knight and the bus, the knight would be the victor...

A mechanical hum draws Guerrero's attention.  Laser swords, floating, poised to run the large man through.  As durable as he was, the Warrior doubted his skin could stand up to that...nor could the bus for that matter.  These must be the rebels...no wonder the king was having trouble.

With one hand held up, Guerrero slid open the driver's window.  "We have women and children seeking safe harbor", he shouted.  "They were political prisoners awaiting execution by the king's men."

Huh never seen a walking roadblock before but that's what they seem to come across. There was a robot knight of some sort that looked like ones of her action figures but life sized. Jeannie looks at the tinman amused then odd sound and lightsabers cut through the roof of the bus. Ok apparently there under attack from darth vader?

She looks hears a sound on the window beside her turning to see what it is she finds an equally odd sight a little boy dressed as a scarecrow. ok tin man,scarecrow they just need a lion and she'll be sure they an't in Kansas anymore. Huh, he has four arms and funny eyes,most be some kinda mutant. Pretty girl will his nice whatever he is calling her pretty,thank you,you're a nice whatever it is you are,spider,scarecrow man thing.if you don't mind could stop creep crawling you are scaring the kiddies. please then we can talk about whatever it is you want,oh and if your friend would take his swords from my boss's head I'd be gratefullyshe smiles hoping he can understand her trying to be friendly she doesn't want to startle him for the kids safety not knowing what the odd little boy might do.

Meanwhile, she hears the sword lady and Guerrero talking she most be the leader of the group hopefully the big guy can get to the bottom of what the odd group wants so they can get back to getting their passengers to safety .

The Mecha-Knight ran a quick scan of the bus, walking all around it as a scanning laser projected from his helmet's eyes. He kept his warhammer over his shoulder.

"I sense neither explosives nor tracking signals, milady. They speak true. Medics! Tend to the prisoners!" The mecha-knight powers down his giant hammer, speaking in a strong German accent. Up close it was clear he dwarfed even Kiva's own suit, Standing a head taller than the bus itself. A group of buddhist looking monks in their orange robes helped the prisoners get off the bus. Interestingly, these "monks" were machines. Androids dressed up as buddhist monk, but they were gentle, kind, and spoke with concern for all of the prisoners.

The prisoners themselves didn't seem too shocked at the robot medics. In fact, the robots start calling the prisoners by name and recognizing their specific medical conditions. They even got the old lady a wheelchair.

The sight of the intelligent androids caused a deep rooted bias in Kiva, something palpable and felt by her comrades. "Abominable intelligences..." Was her sentiment.

Satisfied with Guerrero's sincerity, the seven flying laser swords powered down and returned to the well dressed knight. With the help of some unseen device, she floats down gently like Mary Poppins.

"I see... you are either very foolish, or very brave. But I thank you for what you've done. No doubt these people were to be made examples of, rather than be guilty of true crimes." Hilde said, looking at the people getting off the bus.

She curtsies the mercenaries, out of respect for their deeds. "I am The White Knight of Belgium, Hildeguarde Von Ravencroft... and strangely enough, the large one is the Blackguard. Our four armed friend is Trayzn... or so he calls himself. " Hilde introduced her fellows for the convenience.

"Well met! Trayzn, be a good lad and see to our new guests's shackles." Black said boisterously, and the Warlock complied.

"Sure sure sure! Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!" The scarecrow boy snaps his four arms' fingers and some strange entropic energies caused all of the prisoners' manacles and collars to fly off, and their orange prison jumpsuits to transform into regular civilian clothing, suited to the climate. The show of magic wowed the crowd, especially the children, who had more garishly colorful outfits. Kiva looked at the abberant creature with guarded curiosity. She also noted that none of these three were the leader called Axiom. "The White Knight, and a Warlock. No Axiom, no prince." Kiva remarked.

Guerrero tensed, inadvertently mimicing Kiva's prejudice.  Dirk replied to the shark girl's relayed thoughts.  "Calm down.  They're just robots.  No need to flip out yet."

Careful with your thoughts, Kiva.  We can't afford to let our emotions rule us here.  Guerrero thought-spoke the comment, hopefully keeping it out of the heads of the others present.

Leading his team off the bus, Guerrero found his way before the White Knight.  "Hello ma'am," he greeted her.  "I am Sergeant Antonio Ramirez; U.S. Special Forces.  This is my team."  The large man turned, indicating the two women with him.  "Jeannie Rose, former British national.  And Kiva of House Nara, warrior of Azlant..." Glancing at the shark girl, clad in her inhuman suit, Guerrero added, "It's a long story."

Dirk voiced a question that Guerrero elected to repeat. Seeming somewhat untrusting, he asked, "Forgive me asking but what brings a Belgian to fight in a civil war all the way out here?"

So Guerrero and the knight lady are talking boss stuff Jeannie smiles and waves when he introduces her before turning her attention to the scarecrow wizard and robo giant who she finds both very interesting and waste no time letting them know it giving them the usual splurge of random questions she has when something peaks her curiosity . She was quite amused with the scarecrows magic tricks.

How'd you do that,more please I love magic tricks. that,can I see your magic wand,since you gots four can you use four wands at once,you'd be super strong then,Where you always a scarecrow or did a rival wizard turn you into on?

Are you related to the guy from mortal kombat with four arms,did you always have four arms of did you make then with magic so you can make potions faster.
Did you make the robot man with your magic?

Robot man is it fun being big I'm tiny so I always wondered must be nice to reach the top shelf and be able to see over crowds. are you all robot or a german guy stuck in a robo body?

Are this little robos your family? Is your hammer magic bets it's great for wack a mole. You must be the strongest guy ever to pick that thing up. think I can have a piggy back ride? It would be fun to sit on your shoulders and see what being a giant like.