DEPLOYMENT 19: Mech Warrior

[walking_nuke]

[ACTION - A JUNE 8 (847 Goldberg, Morning, OPEN TO ALL)]

[On the morning right before the Blackwing Project virus is unleashed, Balin gets his own package in the mail, sitting right by the mailbox. He picks it up to take a look at it, realizing quickly just how heavy it is, and setting it back down again just a few steps onto the driveway.]

[If it's this heavy, it's got to be some kind of hardware he had back on the front lines ... but the town's already given him back his Series 3 shotgun, which means—]

[Balin promptly starts opening the package right then and there, tearing it open almost like a kid on Christmas. Then he puts on what's inside—pieces of armored plate and underlayers, fitting right over his usual PT uniform. Boots excepted, of course—he swaps those out with the armored ones in the package.]


[Neighbors or passerby on the street might see him putting it on—and of course, so will the housemates, since he'll be going back inside the house to take care of a few last things before heading off to work.]

[ACTION - B JUNE 8 (Anywhere in Mayfield, Late Morning to Evening, OPEN TO ALL)]

[Balin's feeling a lot more like his usual self now that he has his Mech Armor suit back, and it shows. He's wearing it everywhere he goes today, whether it's working at the construction yard or on his daily physical training regimen. For anyone who's met him before—especially back during the memory corruption—Balin carries himself in a more confident way as he goes about his business.]

[ACTION - C JUNE 9 (Anywhere in Mayfield, Morning to Evening, OPEN TO ALL)]

[When the Blackwing virus shows itself, though, it's back to business.]

[He'd heard Ciel's phone call about it, but this time, he's not going to trust Caesar to the battle nun's care. With more of his hardware and Logos Abilities in his possession than last year, Balin's a lot more confident in his ability to hold ground against something so infectious. This kind of thing is, after all, exactly why he spent so much time trying to make homebrew Claymore mines.]

[But while he does have a number of usable prototypes on hand, neither he nor Quinn have had the time to work out a control system for selectively detonating the mines from a single location. He also doesn't have the blasting supplies on hand, which means ...]

[Balin's decided to take a risk while the outbreak is in its relatively early stages to try and get blasting caps and supplies from the construction yard for rigging up to the makeshift mines he'd built at the house. He's almost certain that the town's going to turn into a war zone very quickly, which is why he's armed, armored, and dangerous. Care to prove him right?]

[ACTION - D JUNE 10-11 (Goldberg Street, Morning to Evening, OPEN TO ALL)]

[The Blackwing zombies may retain enough tactical skill to set up ambushes and traps, but Balin's not about to be shown up by the undead. For the infected, Goldberg Street is a deathtrap—Balin's set up the house with the rough homebrew claymore designs he'd been building and experimenting with for the past few weeks.]

[Whether you're a survivor or an infected, you might occasionally hear the sound of a Claymore detonating every now and then if you're in the area. Or you might spot Balin using his Logos Abilities and firearms to clean up the streets. And he's probably not alone in fighting them.]

[PHONE JUNE 12 (Afternoon)]

[Once it's clear that the virus has burned itself out, Balin's going to see Quinn about finishing up the perimeter defense project properly. This time though, he's going to phone ahead.]

Yo, Quinn? I gotta speak with you on somethin'. You free?

Comments

[answerer_sword]

Bit me...unawares. Many...bites. Ciel...stopped...infection.

[Had she had her usual focus and coordination, such a thing might never have happened.]

Killing...as many as I can...since. Do not...have...to worry...about bites anymore.

[walking_nuke]

... Ciel can stop'is?

[He knows she has healing magic, but wasn't this whole undeath thing unstoppable the last time it happened? Then again, Ciel's town phone call said this wasn't outbreak wasn't behaving the same way ...]

Does'at mean you're ... actually okay? Or are you still infected?

[Because he's warily eyeing that gray skin, man.]

[answerer_sword]

Not really...stop. Stopped...pain. Slowed...decay. Still...infected. That is why...no fear...of bites.

[There was no way to contaminate someone already contaminated.

[walking_nuke]

So that's how it is.

[Balin's lips tense into a grim expression. He takes that moment to glance around, reminded of the fact that the other, fully converted zombies that spot him won't wait around while he has a chat with Bazett.]

... You're gonna seek help if you can't fight it anymore, yeah?

[answerer_sword]

Of...course. Will...go to Church.

1/2

[walking_nuke]

[All Balin can do to that is nod—]

2/2

[walking_nuke]

[—but suddenly his expression deadens. He spins about, raising his pistol and opening fire on a zombie that's roaring and shambling toward him, having snick around one of the parked vehicles on the street in an attempt to flank him. Although the stopping power of a .50 cal is considerable for pistols, it's not enough to drop the zombie entirely. Balin's already backpedaling toward Bazett.]

[He might need some help with this one.]

Re: 2/2

[answerer_sword]

[Balin's burst of gunfire alerts her to the zombie's presence. She charges toward the undead, swinging a wobbling fist at its face.]

[walking_nuke]

[Balin holds fire as Bazett runs past him as he tries to give them a wide berth. Bazett's punch is enough to stop the zombie's advance entirely, though it's not down for the count yet—it's still stumbling, the virus trying to regain control over its host's motor functions so that it can continue hunting down its prey—but for now it's at her mercy.]

[Balin glances behind him to find two more zombies hopping over a vehicle, preparing to try and pounce on him. Gritting his teeth, Balin manifests his Tabula and unleashes a bolt of Lightning II: Arc at the zombie preparing to jump first. The bolt is enough to scramble the zombie's nervous system greatly, preventing it from following through with the jump to instead flop onto the asphalt like a fish out of water. The other zombie is struck, too—by a weaker bolt of lightning arcing off of the first. That one, while visibly smoking and twitching, still attempts to leap on to Balin, who ducks and tumbles forward to keep from getting caught.]

[answerer_sword]

[Stumbling will have to be good enough. In the moment that it loses its balance, she kicks at its legs, breaking its bones and sending it toppling. She then uses the ansuz rune to set it on fire.]

[During that moment, the zombie that Balin avoided latches onto her back. Perhaps it is her dulled nerves, but she does not become aware of it until it starts to bite her shoulder.]

[She does not even wince. Instead, she grabs its skull and begins to crush it.]

...Pathetic.

[walking_nuke]

[Balin stands up as he sees Bazett finishing off the one zombie that tried to pounce him—sighing in relief as he does. If she's capable of burning the corpses, she should be able to dispose of that one in a moment, so—]

[Balin turns to the other zombie that took the full brunt of the Lightning II strike, and manifests his Tabula again. With a downward swatting gesture as if he were some conductor of an orchestra, he blasts the twitching body with another Lightning strike—a basic Discharge, but it should be enough to finish off its already-fried nervous system and render the zombie inert.]

[answerer_sword]

[Some more fire destroys the zombie with the crushed skull. Bazett throws the burning remains aside.]

Do you think that is all within this area?

[walking_nuke]

[Balin looks over to Bazett with a sour look on his face.]

Hope so. But'ey've been on'a move. I've been seein' packs of 'em comin' through here.

Not that I let any of 'em get away.

[answerer_sword]

I would rather follow them than wait for them to find me.

[walking_nuke]

Maybe.

[Balin jerks his head in the direction of his house.]

But Caesar ain't a fighter, an' he needs Virginia an' me to watch his back. Between'a two of us—[—and possibly a certain hell raven that's become protective of Virginia—]—we got'is place locked down pretty good.

[Though with the way these zombies are freely using any weapons they can get their hands on, he's had more close calls than he's willing to admit.]

[answerer_sword]

I believe JK is secure with his friend. Anyway, in this form, I cannot possibly return to him or Sazh.

[walking_nuke]

[Balin blinks.]

Who're'ose guys?

[answerer_sword]

...Housemates.

[walking_nuke]

Oh—right. Got it.

[Balin feels a little stupid there. Utsuho is rubbing off on him.]

Well even if you can't you can prolly patrol where they're keepin' safe every now'an'en, yeah? Unless they got somebody on guard who'll kill anybody lookin' dead on sight.

[answerer_sword]

Yes, I have stopped by for patrols. They were okay when I last saw them.

[walking_nuke]

Good'a hear.

[He offers Bazett a small smile—an attempt at reassurance ... but it's kind of hollow given the condition Bazett is currently in, and he knows it.]

[answerer_sword]

This...will be over soon.

[Her reply is every bit as hollow. She knows what she will have to do soon.]

[walking_nuke]

[Balin turns away to look down at the other side of the street.]

Hope so. Can't last more'n a week ... an'a last time'is happened it was only four days I think.

[answerer_sword]

The dead...regenerated...right?

[walking_nuke]

[And then he looks back to Bazett.]

Y'mean after it was over? I guess. Nobody said anything about people dyin' permanently.