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[Junk XIII] Riding North (K 4-7, S 4-6)
You rode north out of Cherry's, headed towards Salt. You're going to find Hump and then go to the Ascendant, right? Did you send anyone back to Boomtown to pick up VB?
It's late afternoon when you ride past Black Mesa: one van and a bunch of bikes. You spot some of the Black Mesa gang making their way towards the dirt road on the way to Cat. They've seen you coming, and they must think you're worth the effort of shaking down.
They've changed their tactics, evidently. You don't see the signs of their distractions to throw you off, they aren't trying to sneak up on you. You see a couple stripped-down trucks and a half dozen bikes just driving straight towards a point ahead of you. They're going to try and bowl you over, and take down what they can. Anyone who survives the attack will probably be left alone while they pick clean whoever was taken down.
As a reminder, your small gang consists of the following people:
Kiddo (bike)
Stitch and Metro (van)
Spree (bike)
Starburst (bike)
Zagnut & Svenja (bike)
Amazon (dirt bike)
Mirage (dirt bike)
Chunky (bike)
Mamba (bike)
Whopper (bike)
What do you do?
It's late afternoon when you ride past Black Mesa: one van and a bunch of bikes. You spot some of the Black Mesa gang making their way towards the dirt road on the way to Cat. They've seen you coming, and they must think you're worth the effort of shaking down.
They've changed their tactics, evidently. You don't see the signs of their distractions to throw you off, they aren't trying to sneak up on you. You see a couple stripped-down trucks and a half dozen bikes just driving straight towards a point ahead of you. They're going to try and bowl you over, and take down what they can. Anyone who survives the attack will probably be left alone while they pick clean whoever was taken down.
As a reminder, your small gang consists of the following people:
Kiddo (bike)
Stitch and Metro (van)
Spree (bike)
Starburst (bike)
Zagnut & Svenja (bike)
Amazon (dirt bike)
Mirage (dirt bike)
Chunky (bike)
Mamba (bike)
Whopper (bike)
What do you do?
Comments
I don't slow down when I spot those asshole Black Mesas up ahead. If they wanna take me down, then they're welcome to frakking try. I'm gunna shoot my way through – I'm sure the girls won't mind joining in.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 2, 5. Total: 10)
Which member of the gang took a bullet in that exchange, Kiddo?
Oh and by the way, did VB get in the van or is she riding with Spree still? Or is she riding with you, Kiddo? You know she'd rather ride with you, but you would have had to stop for the switchover.
I feel like shit... I have no idea whether my pushing Rinso to leave will get him killed, or if he left because of the baby... Is that what he does? Lies about wanting a family, then bolts? I just don't understand...
We're nearly to Cat by the time I finally look back and notice Mirage took a bullet... Frak... It's those frakking dirt bikes — they're too frakking slow. I take a deep breath, and motion for everyone to get ready to stop at Cat. If Mirage can still ride, we'll patch her up and get her moving. Otherwise, I guess we're waiting for Stitch to do her thing.
The thing is, those Black Mesas, they're still following you.
I ride up along side Metro's van, and motion for them to pull over. I'm dropping Vee with them, and telling them to bolt for Cat... "Me and the girls will take care of these frakkers... We'll catch up with you in a minute."
If there are no complaints, then I'm turning around and riding right into those frakkers.
You know the gang won't complain. They whoop and whistle as they turn their bikes around and start heading towards the Black Mesas.
What are you planning, Kiddo?
I'm planning to wipe this frakking nuisance of the face of the world, yeah? I haul the boomstick out, and make a real racket — these frakkers are dead.
This is going to be bloody, Kiddo. You know this. You look over at your green gang and they're ready to fight and die with you. Spree charges her bike to ride right alongside you. She's got a nice-looking Magnum out, fired a couple shots already, just to look badass.
Svenja has Zagnut leaning down over her bike and she's got her pulse rifle up, trying to fire over her driver's head. It's going to be tough as hell to get a good shot, so she's leaning in on Zag, using her back as a brace, waiting for the right moment...
Let's see you Seize by Force, Kiddo.
OOC: Seizing the lives of this gang by force. Roll+hard. +1XP rolling highlighted.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 4, 6. Total: 11)
• Take definite hold of it.
• Suffer little harm.
• Scatter dismay or frighten your enemy.
- Kiddo's gang:
3-harm, small, 1-armor, vulnerable: reprisals
- Black Mesas gang
2-harm gang, small, savage 1-armor
1. Kiddo's gang does 2-Harm to the Black Mesa gang
(2-harm: many injuries, several serious, a couple of fatalities
If it has no leader, it’ll hold together if it suffers 1-harm, but no more)
2. The Black Mesa gang does 0-Harm to Kiddo's gang
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 3, 4. Total: 7)
But Svenja squeezed off several bursts of fire, dialing them in. She sprayed across the driver and passenger before the truck was close enough for small arms fire. The truck careened off the road , driving a biker off the road with him, the two slamming into the rough dirt and rocks.
Then it was bike on bike because the Black Mesas had moved their other pickup behind, a clean-up crew. black Mesas and Northern Candies playing chicken. You heard Spree doing some ululating call, and as the Black Mesas were coming closer, Mirage and Amazon were pushing their dirt bikes as hard as they could to catch up, to be part of the first strike.
Then both gangs crashed together. Most bikers avoided actually hitting their opponent. Well, not Whopper. That bitch actually jumped off her bike into one of the Black Mesas, a skinny guy with a football helmet on with no faceguard. The two of them went flying over both bikes to the ground and she bit his frakking nose off, then proceeded to beat him to death with her crap-ass katana, breaking the damn thing at the end of her blows.
Spree fired an entire clip into three bikers, took a couple down. Mamba clubbed one down, while Chunky missed everything with every shot. The Prospects went in together and Mirage threw a pipe into the spokes of one bike, sent the bastard flying.
Starburst blew through the first clash and on towards the second truck. Svenja took out their tires as Starburst went right by them. The driver and other gangers took off running away from it as she sped past, she turned around and dropped a grenade just perfectly under it, blowing it to hell. The charred remains of that truck will be stuck on the road for a long, long time.
How did you kill those two guys in the front, Kiddo?
You routed these guys, Kiddo. Maybe three or four Black Mesas dead for sure, twice as many lying and bleeding, a few playing dead. Three bikes just kept going, past your assault, on to Cat.
Looks like your gang wants to double-tap these frakkers, put them down for good. A few are hopping off bikes and beating down any Black Mesa, just in case.
What do you do?
I don't think his buddy was expecting it. He fell ass-over-head onto the ground behind me, and I rode back for him. I pinned him under my front tire, looked down on him with a numb expression, put the boomstick to his temple and pulled the trigger.
When the "carnage" is over, and it's just the Candies beating on folks, I ride up alongside Spree and lean over my handlebars. "C'mon sweetie, round up the girls. Let these frakkers stew in their own shit — they ain't gunna mount up again."
Spree looks at you Kiddo, "Give us a mo, Kiddo. They won't have much, but we likes our trophies. Best for telling stories and drek, yeah?"
Over at the first truck, Amazon yells, "These guys don't have hardly drek!" She's pulled out all the crap in the glove compartment, pulled up a seat, nothing but junk. Whopper is looking for a new weapon since her crap-ass katana broke. What did she find, Kiddo?
Mirage is standing over one body, says quiet, but loud enough for you to hear, "These frakkers were starving. Look at their faces. I can see this kid's ribs...."
I slip my riding glasses on, shake my head, and rev my engine before turning back to Spree, "Be quick about it. I'm gunna go make sure our friends up there weren't after the van."
I rode by Whopper on the way out... Seems she found a matching set!
Zagnut and Svenja aren't pulling trophies, just waiting for you. They follow you on.
You catch the dust left by those four. They're most definitely heading to Cat. They don't have too much of a lead on you and they've got crap bikes.
What do you do?
OOC: Going Aggro on the group to frak off. Roll+Cool* (Ice Cold).
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 3, 4. Total: 10)
Hell, maybe the Wendys are recruiting, yeah?
So, you head on to Cat, or wait for the girls to catch up? Metro's driving on to park, probably get a room.
If folks are getting a room, I'm going to do the same... I could use a drink, but I'll settle for some sleep. Where's Vee?
There are just a few rooms open. The little brothers, Cat's security, watch you by the fire as Cat greets you. She's selling Scope and Crest's brew, plus some of her own. VB gets the same room as before. The North Candies come up a half hour later, Svenja, Zag, Metro and Stitch have all sorted out things.
She comes up to ask, "C'mon, Kiddo. Let's go to the room, I'll bring you some ginger ale, you can take the first shower." She's close without being too clingy, but you can tell, she really needs to be close to you.
Then I give her a kiss on the forehead and let her go before stripping down and showering.
Stitch and Metro have gotten some food, went to their room. And VB has some warm soup ready for you when you come out of the shower. She says, "Metro told me I need to get you to lay off the beer and stuff, Kiddo. I got you some water, ok?"
She leaves the soup on the side table with you water, along with her half-finished beer, strips down, including "the leg" and shuffle hops to take the next shower, leaving you with your thoughts.
What do you do?
Wait, What? Metro said that? ... Did Stitch tell him? Man... I hope he can keep a secret... I give Vee a kiss, and take the water from her, "thanks Hon. I left you a bunch of hot water — take your time." Then I sit and quietly eat my dinner... Well, Ok, I stared at it for a while... I'm not really hungry...
Why did Rinso have to leave me? I told him we would get through this together. I need him here with me, I thought he would want to be with me for this...
What if he never comes back?
What if I need to go through this alone?
Why does everyone I love have to go away?
"Come here, Kiddo. I need to cuddle," she says, holding out her arms. She isn't smiling, it isn't a game now. You see she needs it as much as you do.
I assume you don't refuse. The question is, do you want to cry? To just be held and be sad? To sleep? It feels like VB is trying really hard to be there for you, even though she's lost him, too.
Back when Rinso took off to train with Cherry, four years ago, do you remember how it affected VB? He waited until she got "the leg", then not one junkfall later, he left. It was just you and her, and Hump and your parents. But VB took it pretty hard. What did you tell her then? How did you help her cope?
I slide under the covers with Vee, and hold her close. Vee's the only person who — after all this time — has not left me. I may be squeezing her a little tighter tonight than I have in the past. Last time he left, I told her he'd come back — because that wasn't the kind of person he was... Now? I'm not so sure...
The images I had holding that letter flash through my head... Sapphire... The explosion at Walmart... Those gangers riding from Oasis like bats out of hell... I have no idea where he'll go next... I have no idea what I would do if I found him... I'm sure he doesn't want to be found.
I run my fingers through Vee's hair, and whisper, "I don't know what to do..."
Gods I wish I knew what to do... I wish my Ma' was here... She'd know.
A few moments pass, and with some urgency, VB slides down a bit, while pulling your head up close, to look right into her eyes. She gives you this deadly serious look and says, "I am still here. I am all yours and I will never ever leave you. Rinnie will come back when he's done. He wants your baby to be safe. We both want you to be safe and happy." She leans in to give you a warm kiss, a profession of love, not a provocation to passion.
She pulls back and gives you her patented toothy smile, "Besides... what good is taking care of his stupid list if it gets you hurt in the process? Right? That would be kinda dumb. It's good that you've got me around to talk sense into you, Kiddo."
I want so badly to believe she's right — but the only thing that comes out of my mouth is, "Cherry has a kid, Vee... She... I think she thinks it's Rinso's..."
She spends a few moments smoothing your cheek with her fingertips, looking deep into your eyes, trying to keep your focus on her, nothing else. Then, she adds, "It might be true, it prolly aint. She was vat grown, like me. Only one in ten of us can pop out kids. Rest of us just frak for fun or jingle."
I think on it a minute, but Vee's certainty is a relief... I let out a sigh, get comfortable on the pillow, and give Vee a little contented smile. "I'm so lucky I have you Hon..."
... See? I told you the tears would come. I wipe my eyes, and giggle nervously, "gods, no wonder Metro said I needed water... This kid keeps making me cry it out!" I sniffle, and kiss Vee's nose. "Let's get some sleep, yeah? I wanna get an early start tomorrow."
At some point, she blows out the small oil lamp and it's completely dark. A little chilly, too, so you two snuggle for warmth. Before you lose yourself to sleep, she whispers, "Thanks for asking me to come. Thanks for being my girl, Kiddo. I promise to be a good auntie, okay? I promise."
I mean it too.