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

[walking_nuke]

[Balin's attention snaps to Utsuho when she squawks and jerks in mid-air. He recognizes immediately what's going on.]

Who the fuck's shooting at us—?!

[Now there's more popping noises ... and that telltale shrill scream of the Blackwing zombies, almost like a group of baby barn owls all screeching in tandem to scare off an unwanted guest.]

[One bullet pings off of Balin's Mech Armor. Another zips uncomfortably close to his head, sounding almost as if it were an angry hornet that tried to divebomb him.]

Aw shit.

[idkmybfforin]

[Mention bees, and they will arrive. Or so Utsuho thinks--those bullets felt startlingly like a swarm of stinging bees of the probably hellish variety and fucking ow. Particularly when one whistles too close and smacks into her ribcage.

Okuu shouts something unintelligible--and promptly makes a decision akin to FUCK THIS SHIT. And she spins around and gains altitude rapidly and otherwise starts backpedaling really damn fast.

Even hellbeasts are seen off by bees.]

[walking_nuke]

[CONFOUNDED BEES!]

Which street is'at? That ain't near Goldberg is it?

[His voice sounds a little clipped and stressed, because if the infection's spread that far, and the zombies can use weapons, then Virginia's going to need backup and air support]

[idkmybfforin]

[Okuu is more concerned at the fact that she's now sporting a rough half-dozen lead projectiles for ornamentation.]

Why are you asking me?

[I'M JUST THE DRIVER

...who may also be bleeding on Balin. A little, but still.]

[walking_nuke]

I can't see it from here!

[He sputters a bit from having near-black and uncomfortably warm blood dribbling on his face. He can't really wipe it off though, lest he drop his box.]

[idkmybfforin]

This hurts.

[But at least it doesn't last too long. Her feet thump down on the side of the garage roof and she sets Balin down from a sane height this time: ten inches, rather than ten feet.]

[walking_nuke]

Guess these zombies're smarter than'a last ones ...

[Much better landing this time, though. Once he's down on the ground, he sets the box of blasting supplies aside and looks up at her.]

Where'd you get hit?

[idkmybfforin]

[Here, Balin, she'll dig a bullet out of her ribcage as a demonstration! It hadn't gone very far, but it was still a mess and close to where Balin's head had been.

See what happens when you stare at the eye, Balin. SEE.

There are a few more in her wings, the biggest target, but they've mostly gone cleanly through and just itch. Terribly.

Though now Okuu's starting at the slightest strange noise--"strange" being even more subjective than usual.]

[walking_nuke]

[Balin can't help but grimace just a little. As used to gore as he is, he does not like the idea of relying on regenerative power just to get through a firefight.]

[As if reminded of that fact, he glances down and checks where his suit of Mech Armor took a bullet. Not only did the shot make much of a dent in the armor, but (as Utsuho ought to be able to see) that dent is visibly smoothing back out as if the shot had never landed.]

[Balin looks back up to Utsuho.]

See? That's why I wear body armor.

[idkmybfforin]

[It's only a flesh wound!

...but yes, she does notice that.]

Can you swim in it?

[walking_nuke]

Yeah, fully loaded, too.

[idkmybfforin]

[JEALOUS RAGE DEFLATED. Now she's just confused again.]

...how?

[walking_nuke]

It's designed for'at. What, did I seem really heavy to you?

[idkmybfforin]

No.

[But then again she benches cars, so her opinion might be skewed a little bit.]

[walking_nuke]

Well there you go then.

[Looking back out toward the rest of town as he picks up the box again.]

I'm gonna start hookin' up my mines to this. You mind watchin' a perimeter for me?

[idkmybfforin]

[Without another word, Utsuho scratches at one of the regenerating spots on her wing, then hops up onto the roof of the house proper with a heavy snap of her wings.

Sorry Caesar she's standing on the roof anyway.]

[walking_nuke]

[Caesar doesn't get a say in homeland security!]

[Over the next fifteen minutes to half hour, Balin makes constant trips indoors and out, bringing back mines of various size—some as large as bricks like the real Claymores, others thinner or smaller. Each time he sets one down and stakes it into the ground, he also hooks it up to a detonator and a switch that are no closer than a dozen meters away.]

[Well, that's not all he's doing. It looks like he's got some sandbags he filled up as well, which he's placing behind, around, and on top of the faux Claymores. Though ... they seemed to be standing up just fine on their own, so why would he bother doing that?]

I might have broken the irony gauge

[idkmybfforin]

[Utsuho was actually keeping watch for the most part. Simple commands like this were part of her obedience training!

But she's distracted after awhile because Balin what are you doing.]

...why are you building nests? And why there?

[That's a terrible place for them, out in the open like that. Someone's going to break them open and eat all the eggs inside!]

[walking_nuke]

[Balin turns to look back up at Utsuho.]

These look like nests to you?

[Balin is not a killdeer, Okuu!]

[idkmybfforin]

You're not using rocks, but the structure is still the same!

[STOP KILLING DEER SO MUCH BALIN GEEZ]

[walking_nuke]

[Just. Staring.]

... What kinda bird builds a nest outta rocks?

[idkmybfforin]

[Penguins.]

We do!

[Okuu crosses her arms and puffs her wing feathers out again.

Hell isn't the most foliage-friendly place, after all.]

[walking_nuke]

[But Okuu, you're so cute when you fluff up like that!]

[It takes Balin a few moments to work that out, seeing as Satori told him explicitly that Hell, including what was once part of it, had little in the way of vegetation. All the while he's just looking over at Utsuho with a series of subtle changes in expression.]

'Kay, so you build your nests outta rocks. That don't mean I'm makin' a nest, though.

[Seriously Utsuho, do you think it's humans laying those eggs you like eating? Come onn now!]

[idkmybfforin]

[There are some things you just don't ask about, okay]

Then what are you doing?

[walking_nuke]

[Gesturing to the blasting equipment he'd been hooking up to each "nest."]

Ain't it obvious? I'm settin' up those mines!