Strangers in the night, exchanging glances

[simplestgift]

Who: Anyone working at Cloud Nine, well-intended rescuers, etc.
What: A raid.
When: August 29th, 11:31 PM.
Where: Cloud Nine
Summary: The night club turned homeless shelter does house quite a bit of food and booze, and a few Kin'corans have decided to take control of the situation.
Rating: R for violence.

It's not just people inside the club that begin it. After the club is locked for the night, someone begins pounding on the door. Despite the owner's instructions to the contrary, several people sleeping on the floor scramble up and open the door to let in a small swarm of men armed with knives and blunt weapons.

"Sorry you had to find out this way, but your posh night club is under new management now. If you have a problem with that? Get in the kitchen."

Comments

[daisy023]

That is all she needs to hear. It's chaos. No organization in any of the movements. They have to go in.

The hold on her blade tenses. Her visor quickly turns back to those near her.

"Archie and Adelle are still there. But we must not give them any exit, either. We'll need to use different entries."

[thedicearecast]

The dangerous and chaotic sounds that go with Archie's broadcast for help have Amelia and Wolfwood racing to Cloud Nine. Someone else is already there when they arrive, and Amelia doesn't realize it's Daisy until she hears the voice.

"Do they have another way in here?" Amelia doesn't think so, but it's not like she goes to Cloud Nine either. Regardless, she's got her gun out and ready, although she doesn't intend to kill anyone. In truth she's hoping just the show of arms will be enough, but with shots already fired, it's hard to count on that.

[notabluesbro]

Wolfwood has the Punisher for once, and for good reason; lately things have been so hectic, he knew it was only a matter of time before shit got overboard. The way he saw it, Luceti was a greener, more magical version of Gunsmoke right now. Can't stop violence in a group so clearly hardened by their lives and selfishly jumping at a chance for some sort of sad control over anything, everything.

He knew it wasn't true of all the refugees, but that couldn't be said for the other ones. The ones trying to raid a goddamn bar, anyway.

"Worse comes to worse, I can force an entry, get 'em where it hurts most. Either way, just lemme know where you need me."

[daisy023]

SPARTAN-023 analyzes the situation, clearing her mind from the fact two friends were in danger. She can't transmit a floorplan of the building to her current companions. Their familiarity will have to do for now... not to mention one of them can mousehole into the building if need be.

"Three entries. One through the door, second through the windows, third from the kitchen's."

"Wolfwood, you blow an entry from the opposite side of me. Amelia, you enter through the kitchen and secure Archie and Adelle. I'll go through the main door. The less sides they have to escape, the better. On my mark."

[nocorsetsplease]

Elizabeth had needed no prompting aside from that SOS call to do two things: grab every weapon within her quarters and run for Cloud Nine. Looking toward her fellow Marine, she nodded at the suggestions of the armoured woman.

"I need to be inside. I will go with Amelia."

Ever since things had begun to look bad, Elizabeth had taken to wearing her Chinese armour. Now, as she grew anxious and more worried, she was glad she had done so.

[thedicearecast]

Amelia's not going to argue with Elizabeth when there's no point. The sooner they get in and get this thing resolved, the better. So she just nods when the orders are given and modified, then waits for Daisy's mark to act with the rest.

Everything happens fast then, the chaos they heard from the outside errupting when Daisy takes out the door and Wolfwood a wall. Amelia ducks inside, trying to clear a path to the kitchen where Archie and Adele are. Even with the distraction of their entry, however, some of the Kin'corans are quick to recover, and they only make it so far into the main room before Amelia has to start fighting. She uses her gun sparingly, however, and aims for non-lethal spots even when she shoots.

[notabluesbro]

He waits for the signal--any sooner and this can get too messy too fast. Wolfwood waits on his mark and then moves, firing a clear line into the room; his Punisher is strong, and he's precise as usual even with the lack of fighting he's done in Luceti compared to his world. The focus is the two in need of help. He knows both faintly, well enough to at least fly to aid 'em if they needed it. Once he's in the room he aims the arm of the cross and fires again. Amelia's got the same idea, and he implements: exact and nonthreatening. If you'd caught him a little over two years ago, he would have shot many of them dead without hesitation.

That was then, this is now.

There's about to be a lot of busted elbows and hands in this place. He's already got a few guys trying to use hand-to-hand weapons, which really... doesn't pan out well for their arms. Or their kneecaps. He'll keep an eye out to make sure everyone else is fairing well, of course.

[daisy023]

She gives the signal. Her boot breaks the door in.

Time crawls and races -- but nowhere near the speed she wishes. It all still moves with a blur around her. Her HUD marks the more immediate threats which she neutralizes with select hits, kicks, and smashes with the broad side of her claymore within only a handful of seconds -- acting in synchrony with Wolfwood's marked shots as if she was a part of him.

A Spartan's trademark ruthlessness. But no kills. Not for this Op.

As most of their leaders remain in pain on the floor and everyone panics, the Spartan readies her blade, and yells out an order.

"Everyone on the floor! Now!"

[nocorsetsplease]

As soon as they burst into the kitchen, Elizabeth's primary concern was her fiancée. One hand on the pommel of the jian at her hip, her first action--and priority--was seeing to Archie. The racket is ungodly as she and Amelia burst inside, behind everyone.

Once inside, the state of things were worse than she had expected. The jian was drawn, her stance one of someone who stood ready to burst forward, not engage in swordplay. They had to reach the kitchen. It would do good for no one if her blades crossed with the rioters inside before she reached the side of the person who she needed to see. He had sounded hurt...

[thedicearecast]

The key is to not let anyone get too close, and failing that, to take down the attackers in quick succession to avoid dealing with a group. Some of the people inside drop when Daisy yells, but many of them are unarmed anyway. Others flinch, and Amelia takes advantage of one's hesitation to slam the butt of her rifle in his face.

Equally concerning is Elizabeth, who seems more focused on moving than fighting. It's all well and good, but Amelia personally would feel better if the other woman actually used the sword she had in her hand. Whether or not she wants to get engaged, the fact is they're going to have to make a path.

"Elizabeth!" Another shot fired, and Amelia pushes forward again, trying to make a break for the kitchen doors.

[notabluesbro]

Wolfwood's basically storming passed a few people, stepping on 'em where necessary--hey man, short cuts are important, and he's not very nice right now. In fact, he's annoyed as hell that they've been helping a bunch of whiners and thugs around here. He slams the end of his crucifix down on an arm moving toward a dagger, huffing. He'll pull his handgun to down a guy at Amelia's right.

"Cover her, Amelia! We've got it under control in here."

Seriously, these guys aren't the most majestic fighters he's seen.

[daisy023]

Her blade is used at one point -- with the flat end, only using her edge against the tendons of anyone with metallic weapons they intended to hurt. The Spartan's tactic has to be intimidation over killing. She could easily kill them all in a few moves -even at ten percent, she's still covered in powered armor and with a lot of range-, but she knows her real objective.

Many of them are still civilians.

She acts decisively against the main threats, setting the blade near anyone thinking of rising as an implied threat. But in truth, caution.

"Everyone down." She repeats. "Where is Adelle."

[fleurdesel]

"Here."

There's a moment when they first burst in when Adele honestly thinks she's going to lose her grip on her blade, on her gun, and be overwhelmed entirely. The chaos that follows gives her time to recover. Brace herself once again and finish cutting down the last belligerent Kin'Coran that had locked a knife with her rapier. A slice across his knee had him down, a foot to his chest knocked him back. The rest seemed to have gotten the message from the others and for how long she'd been on her own, she was relatively unharmed. The worst of her bruises and cuts were along one side, a scrape against her ribs. Shallow and bloody.

"Daisy."

[daisy023]

She nods to Wolfwood to keep the rest in check, while her own blade keeps itself high as she marches towards Adelle. One hand still gets to keep the over five-feet long claymore, intimidating the threat closest to them to crawl itself towards the rest of the group -- clearly a different thing, a seven feet tall warrior in armor.

Her other hand tries channeling Nala's gift to heal Adelle. At a tenth of her power, she quickly feels the lack of it with filial magic.

"Damn it." She curses. She only hopes she may at least reduce her pain. "How steady is your link with Nala? ... I think we're going to need you here, too. I've seen some of them before."

A few of them twitch when they hear it.

[fleurdesel]

"Strong enough." Adele murmurs and looks out over the huddled Kin'corans. "Archie will need it more than I."

Stabbed and she still doesn't know how bad. Now that the situation is handled she's tempted to go back into the kitchen to check, but there'd been voices from there. Vaguely familiar voices. Sounds of surprised and relief.

"Normally I'm not one to treat people that were trying to kill me moments ago but...In this situation I think it for the better, yes?"

[daisy023]

She nods, and raises her sword as she advances towards the rest. Some of the injuries she had made, even without the intent to kill, would all have to be treated. Right now, though, if they dare to attack Adelle... she'd have to stab to kill.

The Spartan understands Adelle - she was not used to ever heal her enemies... but they were civilians. Mendez' distinction of superior officers, squadmates, and threats, is never as clear as she once imagined.

"I'm sorry, ma'am... but I think we'll have to keep them here until you and Archie healed and we're all in full fighting force. We'll need to move them all to the tunnels once it's over."

Her visor turns to the rest.

"That... And if you can identify the ones that hurt you and Archie, we'll make it easier."

[fleurdesel]

It's almost uncomfortable, looking over the crowd. Fear. Pain. Hunger and anxiety and for a moment it is all too terribly familiar in the worst way. Older faces, different faces but the expressions are the same. She's seen this before, in the compound.

Adele shakes herself free of it and offers a nod to Daisy, one hand pressing against her side. Just a scrape. She'll live. She's endured worse.

"The man with a knife in the corner, there. Stabbed him." One cut along the shoulder from...she can't even remember when. Face purpled with a black eye. "The rest...scrambled. They are either unconscious in the kitchen or hiding behind the bar. They left when I pulled out my gun."

She doesn't mention the dead girl. Doesn't think about it. Does her best to breathe evenly and not vomit on the nightclub's floor at the memory.

[notabluesbro]

"Should I kick his ass??" Wolfwood hollers from across the room.

...

He can do that and even enjoy it, no problem. Just sayin'.

Though it was mostly for the sake of making Adele feel better in the middle of crazy shit... and of course, no one on the floor bothers to retaliate from his words, because he's got a huge metal gun aimed and ready.

[daisy023]

"--We'll get him to the caves." Her visor turns... towards the person that stabbed him. "And that's that."

It meant two things: To her companions, that she would avoid more combat for now. Her obligation, is to end conflict, not lengthen it. And even for all the harm they did to Adele and the Lieutenant, many of them were still civilians, and even the UNSC stressed its' soldiers to only use force against them whenever truly necessary.

To the one that stabbed Kennedy, it meant that she would cut him in half if he did anything else.

"He assaulted someone over at the farm. I saw him in the past raid."

The man's face pales. The armor thumps around pointing at the guilty figures she recorded. With more of them exposed, fear begins to run among many of them.

"Along with him, her, him, and him. We'll keep those in the caves with people on tight security. Some more of them were involved."

There's a tactic in this that she remembered from the field manuals: By exposing the crimes committed by specific individuals, the sense of unity and the mob mentality was immediately lost. The strength of group and morale vanished... and order returned.

The less chances they would try pulling something like this again.

[fleurdesel]

She was tempted to tell Wolfwood to go ahead. After what he'd done? Recompense was well deserved, doubly so when she hears about the farm. One raid in a day was circumstance. Two? A targeted assault. But why?

At the moment she's too tired to sort it out, and with things settled here there's Archie to consider.

"Is the kitchen clear?"

If it was, she could work. If it wasn't- there was another sort of work entirely to be done.

[daisy023]

"I don't hear combat inside, nor shuffling. I think it's safe, but warn the others before you go in."

Caution. The Spartan and Wolfwood would be necessary to keep the prisoners in line. But now, Kennedy needed Adele's help.

[notabluesbro]

"Wouldn't want friendly fire," he adds, before looking back to the crowds. Psht. They're not so high and mighty when they're bested by a few people with guns, it seems. "I can cover this room if you wanna check it out, Daisy. I've had worse babysitting gigs than this."

[daisy023]

"Understood."

She slowly walks towards Adele to cover her, then towards the door. Very slowly, not to incite a threat, and trying to listen to more, she knocks the door.

It seems the skirmish has finally ended.

"It's Daisy. Coming in with Adele."

One casualty. She will still have to evade more from happening.