5313/Field of Steams

Field of Steams
Date of Scene:	14 June 2017
Location:	Brimsteel Frontier
Synopsis:	The crew have to rescue Corona and her new friend from a steamy, slimy situation.
Cast of Characters:	Corona Arclite, 770, 571, Rebecca Chambers, Staren, Deelel, Silica, 750

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Corona Arclite has posed:
While the survey crew was inspecting the next length of railway through the frontier a message came up from Gaslight Gultch. It was meant as a warning of trouble so nobody was dumb enough to bring somebody as important as a Cassavhan into town. But it did spark Miss C's concern, worried it might be connected to the strange happenings she'd heard from the gas refinery owned by her family. So she sent Corona down to Gaslight on her steambike to investigate.

The thing is, Corona never reported back which is very unlike her. Knowing the vixen can usually take care of herself it took a length of no-show for Miss C to get concerned. Then just as she was calling back helpful allies from before, an emergency beacon crackled across the signalways, presumably from one of Corona's communication devices as it pinged friends and allies alike. Now what trouble could she have gotten into this time?

Regardless of one's reasons for coming, following the signal brings you here in the depths of the Gaslands. You're not far from Gaslight Gultch, but interesting enough that's not the destination. Instead you find yourselves gathering before a rather large outcropping of rock and caked mud amongst the gysers, with a rugged cave-like opening looming from one side. And there's the steambike off to the side, toppled like it was left in a hurry. Two pairs of footprints go into the cave, while several more circle around a few times in an awkward gait before shambling away again.

There's no immeadiate sign of Corona, or who the other footprints might belong to, but the signal is definately coming from within and it's stronger than ever.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    "Aw, C'rona, what'd you go'n rile up now..?" Target mutters as he's taking in all the evidence. The tracks, the bike, the -other- tracks, the cave itself, everything. Seems the Ranger got out here in a hell of a hurry. A complete 180 from the napping sight he was on the train just a week or so earlier. Seeing as the beacon went out on all channels, the kobold ranger decided to give others some time to show up. An hour or so. He expects he won't need to wait that long.

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Corona's not usually one to be radio silent for long periods of time like this. Not by choice anyway.

    This could be very, very bad, unless she's just been on a drunken bender and forgot to report back to Miss C. Maaka doesn't feel like taking that chance, mind, and she's leading the search both for Gaslight and also Corona properly.

    She's clutching her EM-GASH coilgun in her hands as she follows the footprints, her eyes switching to night-vision. "We're on the trail, C." She reports over comms, checking the bike, the cave, and heading down the cavern pathway with alertness, her futuristic battle rifle aimed down the pathway.

    Clearly, she was pretty quick to respond when Miss C mentioned how long it was taking COrona to respond to anything.

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
When someone goes missing and doesn't report back in, there's most likely trouble. Especially when their radio is silent.

Fortunately, the 'R' in S.T.A.R.S. stands for 'Rescue.' So it's a given that Rebecca would be out here trying to locate Corona. She followed the signal and arrived in the area, at which point she stopped and looked around, frowning darkly. "I've arrived, Miss C," Rebecca comments. "I don't see any sign of her, but I'll start investigating right away."

Rebecca looks around and spots the footprints. She goes wide-eyed. "Looks like she might have gone into this cave, but she might not have been alone either." Drawing her Beretta and turning on the attached flashlight, Rebecca attempts to peer further into the cave to see if she can make out anything.

Staren has posed:
    A beam of red energy hits the ground outside the cave and resolves into Staren, in his usual armor.

    "A cave? Great. Nobody follows safety regulations on cave missions. Annoys me every time." He comments to Miss C, "You get it, right? Does it bug you that they never follow safety regulations on underground missions?"

    He mutters to himself, "Corona, you better be alright..."

Deelel has posed:
Staren was not alone another ray of light joins him shortly after forming into the bouncey perky and maybe overly chipper? Deelel. She seemes to to be ready for toruble today she doesn't seem armed but that's a lie to anyone who knows her. Deelel looks around for a moment as she falls int with her friend.

"A cave? So I'm thining horrible monster with tentacle that likes to chase humanoids? You want to bet on that Staren?"

Staren has posed:
    Staren shakes his head at Deelel. "I don't see the point. Whatever it is, we'll take care of it."

Silica has posed:
    Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's Silica flying on her yellow pixie wings. In her slipstream coasts Pina, the little Feathered Dragon. She wings over, and with a wide spiral, she lowers her altitude until she can come down to land, the winds fading away after her feet touch floor. "I'm here... um, I'll try and focus on support." she opens her menu, and deploys a second creature, then a third, having them form up around her. The first is a small boar with ice hanging from its tusks, the second is a serpent with little wings, and tiny antlers, it curls around her shoulders like a stole. "Pina, Nana and Hibiki will help too."

Corona Arclite has posed:
Almost as if for ominous effect a hiss of steam briefly ripples out, drifting across the top of the opening and into the foggy air above. For those investigating the footprints closer they might also notice dried splatters of... no wait that's not blood. It's some kind of... once sticky substance. A slime of some sort?

Fortunately the impression into the rock formation isn't very deep. No spelunking into moleman infested tunnels this time. In fact all it takes is stepping into the mouth of the outcropping and shining a bit of light around to find why the fox didn't say anything. Corona and another young lady sit in middle of the cave, gagged and bound back to back by a hardened mix of mud and some oily substance that gives it a glistening effect as flashlights reflect off of its coglagulated surface. Not far from the vixen's feet her C-PAD lies sprawled open where it landed when she managed to kick it to set off the emergency beacon. There's a yelp and squirming as the flashlight catchs eyes that have been in darkvision for much too long in the cave. It almost sounds like she's trying to same something if her muzzle was gunked shut by the dried goop. Her companion shimmies a little but seems to be rather out of it still.

Unfortunately the arrival of others draws attention from the cold shadowy depths of the small cave, and several of what can only be glowing red eyes open admist the darkness. Unseen claws scrape against rock as whatever those ominous slits belong to start to move...

The only answer Staren gets over the radio is a long lamenting sigh. Clearly Miss C knows all too well what sort of reckless shenanigans he's talking about.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    Well, seeing as the tracks headed into the cave, Target had started toward it as some of the others show up. Everyone is greeted in turn with a quiet nod and an acknowledgement of their presence. Once it seems a few folks are around, the ranger approaches the cave, disregards this hissing mist, and then catches sight of eyes with his flashlight. "... Really, C'rona, What did you do th--" pause. Something isn't right here. He knew his friend well enough to recognize a warning if all it was through was body language. That's when all the eyes start to appear. Over his shoulder, he calls to the others.

        "Hey, ya'all, we may have a problem.."

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
As soon as Rebecca sees Corona and the other young lady, she feels a slight sense of relief coming to her, until she notices they're bound and gagged. She frowns even more and shines closer, trying to get an idea of what might be in there...

"Uh oh..."

And then the eyes appear in the darkness with scraping to boot. Almost immediately, Rebecca's eyes widen. Whatever's in there knows that there's company, and they don't seem very friendly.

Turning quickly, Rebecca calls out, "Back up everyone! We've got company!"

And yeah, they really have a problem...

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka advances down the cavern, before she sees Corona and someone else up ahead. "That you? Please say yes, if it isn't I'm gonna be fucking livid." She says, with deep concern as she shines the light on Corona and the other girl as they hang in the goop.

    "Looks like this is some kind of quick-drying slime, like glue. Do we know what-" Welp, Rebecca caught that first.

    She hears the scraping and skittering, and aims her coilgun towards the sounds of skulking about in the darkness. "...we're not alone here." She says, backing up, trying to go back-to-back with Target and Rebecca.

Silica has posed:
    Pina and Hibiki both flare their wings, one chirping, the other letting out a trilling sound. Nana gweehs and scuffs a trotter against the ground. Their 'enemy sense' is going off something fierce. Silica's ears pin down, and her tail lashes after poofing out while she draws her dagger. "I... I won't lose here. Everyone's counting on me." she says, mostly to herself.

    She then holds her hands up, and begins to chant Words of Power. They lock into place around her, and after the last is spoken, a bubble forms around all her allies, before vanishing. "Th-there. That should help mitigate some damage from melee attacks... it's not very strong though, be careful!"

Staren has posed:
    At least miss C knows Staren will take precautions. Wearing a sealed environment suit on most missions means being prepared for a lot of hazards, anyway.

    As soon as Staren sees Corona illuminated by the light, he looks around for who tied her up. And there are glowing red eyes...

    "Let her go. This is your only warning." He'd shoot, but he can't see what he's shooting at. He resolves that issue by grabbing a handful of little LED lights and tossing them into the cave.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel gives Staren a sigh before she turns her attention to the matter at hand she moves forward now cautiously as she puls out a baton in one hand but doesn't turn it on just yet she's not quite sure to make of what's ahead but glowing red eyes are /never/ good.

"Oh Mac me..."

There's a monster and it looking like she was right.

"I'm suggesting we move towars the mouth of the cave while we have time! Kite what ever is in here into the open."

Corona Arclite has posed:
Out of the cavern shadows shamble four large lizardly creatures. One could almost mistake them for giant reptiles, until the LED lights shine off the oozing slimy mud coating smooth amphibious skin rather than rough scales. They don't have tentacles but those tails are pretty long and flexible. The gunk is visciously bubbling as it ripples along their forms, but once it drips off and splatters to the ground it dries into the same hardened substance binding the two girls.

Two more of the creatures emerge, these ones using the slimey sludge to crawl along the upper wall of the cave. As the four on the ground bare their clawed forelimbs and slither towards the group, its the two on the walls that open their mouths and spew out a blast of steaming hot vapors at the intruders.

Now you know why they're called Scaldamanders.

Staren has posed:
    "Careful with melee weapons. They'll probably stick." Staren comments. When suddenly two lizards spit something at him, he switches the forcefield to full, his arms making a protective gesture as the amber sphere is visible around him. The intense heat of the steam turns a patch of it white and cracked, clearly some damage but not as severe as that done by bullets. Staren is... surprised. He was expecting goo. "Someone else take the steamers." He turns and fires beams at the sticky-ooze lizards.

    He starts to ask Corona something, then realizes it's pointless.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    It only takes a good look at one of the creatures to get Target to hop back, "Back back back!" he insists, "Awwww, C'mon! I HATE THESE THINGS! Blasted Scalders, don't let'em spit on ya and don't stand on their stuff either! We should really lure'm outside!" he suggests before drawing his revolvers and very quickly swapping in some very blue bullets. "Freeze'm if you can!" And then he starts firing. A lot.

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
As soon as Rebecca sees the strange creatures coming out, she gasps and backs away quickly while steadying her aim at them with her Beretta. Unfortunately, they don't seem to care that they're likely to be shot if they continue upon her. "I hope these things don't bleed acid!" Rebecca comments as she fires at the nearest Scaldamander. She fires two shots, one to test the efficiency and another for good measure!

Looking to Target, Rebecca says, "I don't think I'm gonna like them either!"

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka looks disgusted as the goop is flung towards the group. She makes a face, trying to keep her boots away from the sticky goop. She knows that stuff is gonna be hell on her footwear, to say the least. The creatures show their faces, and Maaka opens fire upon them. Short single-shots, double-taps if necessary. There isn't much that this gun can't kill, that's for sure. Hopefully these things die quick.

Silica has posed:
    Silica winces as the heat washes from those two spitters on the ceiling. She points at one and calls out. "Three way combination. Ice Bubble Spike!" The three pets shift positions, and form up. Pina rears back and spits a stream of bubbles, which Nana then freezes with a huff of ice breath. The frozen bubbles are then skewered and accelerated with wind spikes spat from Hibiki's mouth. They aim to pepper the target with freezing, stunning windspikes that continue to deal a small amount of damage until the spikes disperse.

Rebound (750) has posed:
    Thump. Thump. Where is that coming from? It's coming from inside of the house! Oh wait, no. It's coming from the outside of the cave. Specifically the area above the captive Corona. Another loud thumping sound, and then light bursts through from above, "Here's Rebound!" The kangaroo woman drops down through the hole she just created with the Impact Drivers, since they are basically repourposed construction equipment anyway.

She aims towards one of those big slimy monsters, intending to crash down on top of it with a full force of her weight, so she can give it the full impact of her falling down, kicking out with her feet as she nears her target, sort of a falling dropkick.

Corona Arclite has posed:
Silica takes Target's advice and it pays off as the icy spikes pin one of the scald spewers onto the wall, immobilizing it as the cold causes it's otherwise protective slime-coat to start freezing over. One on the floor staggers backwards as Target lays into it with his special ammo. Lasers and bullets punch holes in their slime-coated bodies, but other than the splattering of gunk they're not slowing down like getting iced did.

A Scaldamander rears and starts to lunge towards the Littlest Ranger, only to be stopped by part of the cave roof and a mutant kangaroo crashing down on top of it.

Slime oozes out from between the chunks of rock.. and then ooze back up into reforming an abiet smaller Scaldamander.

That would explain why Target said freezing them is the best method now wouldn't it?

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka's starting to wish she invested in cryo-tech weaponry now. That's gonna be a mistake she's paying dearly for now. Regardless, she's opening fire still, tagging the scaldmanders left and right. "Shiiiiiiit. Silica, you may wanna freeze 'em faster!" She says, as they reform out of slimy goop.

Silica has posed:
    Silica nods a bit, then lifts her hands again. Since the others are making good on keeping them off of her, she incants another spell, forming spears of ice, which she launches at the other ceiling crawler, before she surges forwards, running flat out using her Light Body speed to get to Corona and the other woman. She skids to a halt beside them, then starts trying to chip away at the hardened sludge with her dagger. "Just hold still, don't struggle or I might hit you." Her pets form up around her defensively, but she's in a really exposed position.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    A number of shots ring out, one of the Scalders is put in it's place, the others? Not so much, "Rebound?!" Her entry was certainly unexpected, especially from above, "That isn't gonna stop it for too long!" he calls as the slimy creature starts to reform. "Get C'rona and her friend!" he calls out, reloading as he tries to get some space between himself and the other slimers.

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
There's still more coming, and some of them just regenerate. It shows that Rebecca's got quite a bit of work to do here. But then Rebound appears. "Just what we need! Backup!"

Rebecca looks toward Silica and says, "Just do what you can! We'll cover you!" She continues firing upon the Scaldamanders. "And as for you ugly beings, you've got nothing on Umbrella's freaks!"

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has beeen holding back as she is wiating to get an idea she looks to Target for a oment.

"Wait you know these things? Freeze them?"

Away goes the baton and out comes the keyblade. Deelel takes a moment to focus chants something softly and lanches bold of freezing force from her weapon at the lizard for all the good it will do. She's not a mage by birth after all or even her species does not even have the talent normally.

Rebound (750) has posed:
"You got it." Rebound replies, as she moves to grab Corona. She is one of the few who can jump high enough to grab the stranded fox, after all. She just hopes this goo on her feet doesn't get tracked out with her. She hops up and grabs hold of Corona, "Going down!" She punches the rock above Corona to shatter it and free her..Mostly, and then drops down to catch her before she hits the ground.

"Cover me!" She yells out to the others, as she sets Corona down and then moves to do the samne with the other captive, hopping up to grab hold of them and free them the same way she did Corona.

Staren has posed:
    Oh. They all have steam breath AND sticky slime.

    And they can reform. Great.

    Staren stops using the beam cannons and draws... his laser pistol? He backs away, keeping his distance and firing... blue, ice-elemental-aspected lasers? He can do that?

    He has no idea if it's the same as freezing things, but it's worth a shot, right?

Corona Arclite has posed:
With the two steamers on the walls frozen it takes some of the pressure off the gang. Ha ha ha, I'm so witty. Seriously though, without them spewing their scalding vapors the remaining Scaldamanders don't have the additional protection. It doesn't stop them from rushing at the group, but trying only gets them so far when there's a near constant suppression fire from various members. Even if it doesn't harm them as much as being frozen would, guns hit hard enough to stagger and knock them back enough to keep them from just charging and overwhelming the party.

It's long enough for Deelel and Staren to switch weapons at least. Bolts of ice and freeze-lasers fling through the cave, farther detering the creatures from advancing closes. One of them swings around to whip some of the slime off it's tail in a vain attempt to trap someone but it's irratic as they're trying to avoid being frozen stiff.

With the beasts being kept back in the cave Rebound has clear room to jump up and break the dried pods down. Once she's got them to the floor Silica can dig in with her dagger, chiseling cracks into the hardened material. A few good jabs and enough of it crumbles away for Corona to start breaking out. A moment later the other girl also is freed, a large black and white tail spilling out behind her as she tumbles free. But considering we've got foxes and kangaroos and kobolds and the rest of you crazy people a skunk isn't even an odd thing. She shrugs off some remaining bits of dried gunk, then claws off what was covering her mouth. "Can we please not do that again?"

Corona makes a face after sputtering a few times and rubbing her muzzle off with the back of an arm. "Agreed, that stuff tastes like shit." Pause. ".. not that Ah'd know wha--oh lets just get outta here!"

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka hears Corona sputter, and she's quick to go check on her and her friend. "You two alright?" She hands Corona a Kimber .45 after checking for it to be chambered. "Want that back, by the way." She says, before wisely beginning to cover the group's exit, firing at the features more, holding them at bay best she can during the escape.

Rebound (750) has posed:
The kangaroo, upon freeing her friends, or at least a friend and then a stranger, she moves away to help the two of kick a few of the smaller creatures, "Folks we need to get the hell out of here, the sooner the better!"

She moves away from the creature again, backing towards the exit.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    "I'm jes gonna agree with everyone sayin' we should be gettin' on outta here!" Target yells before pulling something out of his trench. A grenade! "Get goin'!" he yells before throwing it at the ground. Smoke goes -everywhere-. "NOW!"

Staren has posed:
    Corona's free! And the skunk too. When she says to leave, he nods, throwing a smoke grenade into the cave. "Come on!" He'll wait until the others are safe before backing off himself. Ready with the ice lasers until then. Orr... he'll run, now that he sees that explosive being thrown!

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
Meanwhile, Rebecca's taken a moment to reload her gun so she can continue to support her allies. It seems Deelel and Staren have the right idea, using ice to freeze those things. That leaves their defenses down as she continues firing. Then Target Sparktail throws a grenade. Rebecca goes wide-eyed. "Clear out! Now!" Rebecca yells as she pulls back quickly, not wanting to be caught in the impending explosion.

After a few backwards steps, Rebecca spins on her heels and runs instead, wanting to give herself extra distance before the smoke comes out.

Silica has posed:
    Silica nods to the two, sheathing her dagger and turning to leave. "Come on, everyone!" she says, moving as quickly as she's able, while her pets keep pace. "Go! I'll try and slow them down!" And then Target tosses a smoke grenade. "That works too..." she does start chanting anyway. "Seá, Sula, Doru, Maas. Biatu, Súm, Ógu, Suverendo!" (Seal them in a deep fog and blind their eyes!) The spell spits out an orb or condensed mist, which explodes much like the smoke grenade, adding more blinding vapor to the mix!

    Silica then turns and runs for it. "Everyone, Heel!" she calls to her pets,, which fall in behind her quickly.

Corona Arclite has posed:
Corona Arclite snatchs up her device to shut off the beacon and stuffs it back in her toolbelt. "Trust me, these varmits are least of our worries 'round here. Explain later." She takes the Kimber in one hand, grabs her companion with the other, and hotfoots it for the cave mouth. "Run girl run!"

"For all the good running did us before." Retorts the skunk as she's half-dragged after the fox.

"Now is -not- the time!" At the entrance Corona stops, pushing the skunkette past her, and turns to grip the gun Alexis loaned her in both hands. Once everyone else is out while the scaldamanders are disoriented by the smoke grenades and magic mist she aims up and fires. The shot hits the apex of the entrance and knocks out a rock there, dropping several more to partially close off the entrance. "That'll stop anyone else from trying to hide in there."

The skunkgirl slumps down and huffs to catch her breath. "I'd almost be dealing with the demonic tincans and furballs we left behind the first time."

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka nods, before running like hell. She moves fast, throwing grenades behind the group to cover their retreat as she takes off in a sprint, just as Corona collapses the mouth of the cave. She skids to a stop, panting hard as she stares at the collapse. "Shit, what the hell was that about?" She asks Corona, as she catches her breath as well. "And who's this?" She jerks a thumb towards the skunk pointedly.

Corona Arclite has posed:
"She found out what's causing the weirdness in town." Corona grabs her bike and pulls it back upright. "Let's get back to the survey train an Ah can explain proper-like." She revs up the bike. "Com'n Windrose."

The skunkgirl snorts a bit as she climbs on behind the fox, pulling an old-fashioned pilot's cap out of her jacket and strapping it on. "It's not a plane but I suppose it'll do for getting around."

Rebound (750) has posed:
Rebound, now that she's done what she can to help, hops off into the distance, back towards where they have been running these sorties out of. She'll get more info from Windrose and Corona later, when they get back to the base.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    "Glad yer alright, C'rona. We'll catch up later, then. Just don't run inta anything else, a'ight? If I get another beacon and yer havin a run-in with some Deathscales or somethin we're gonna have a long talk over'at the station," Hard to tell if he's serious or not.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel helpe makes the things chill out with staren and seems pretty pleased with it she chose ot pick up the pace and keep at bay she doesnot argue about these things.

"IT this standared for this world?" She calls out as she pulls back trying to join the others. She's going to keep moving and she ponders as the caqve is blocked off for the moment.

"I think I can live with that, but this is the problem with this level of existance there's so many purposless /things/ that really should not be allowed to progaate..."

Staren has posed:
    "Something's /causing/ it? I thought this world was just /like/ that." Staren comments.