tesla_bot | Tesladyne: Every Formation's a Rectangular Thingy

The bunker has a pair of generators and a pile of gear in one of the corners. The whole arrangement is fenced off with yellow caution tape and blast shields. One of the downsides of making your own way to Milliways is that you have to keep making your own way. The rest of the space is full of other support gear: paramedics, radio operators, stocks of food and water and plenty of video feeds. Most of those cameras seem attached to be on balloons or something else flying given the way they look down at the woods, but a few others target larger clearings and trails.

"Sorry about the lack of space," says Robo, "This was the best place in the area to get through. You mind waiting while I give the trainees one last talk before I bring you out?"

Current Location: woods in the middle of nowhere

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

tesla_bot

Jake twitches.

"I'm not a zombie!"

"Well you're walking around a lot for someone who's been shot."

"Stop helping!"

There's the team that Hammond was shooting at coming up from a side leap frogging as they advance in teams of two. Maybe they lost one to friendly fire from the others?

From:

basic_powers

Yeah, from the looks of things, but this was one of the teams that had 4 people from the obstacle course.

Now these guys are going to be a little harder to take care of. He's going to bunker down and get a good view of the land before making his choice.

Tyler's going to arm the air cannon with one more hopper of paintballs, take the zip baggie of paint-soaked sponges, and rig the air cannon to go off behind him in a moment with a timer.

He's got to see if he can't avoid their capture for a while longer. There's still one team left that hasn't been accounted for.

And he's willing to bet someone has made a bet on him making it back to base by now.

From:

tesla_bot

Yeah, there is a bet.

There's also team four broken up into three sets of three in the woods on the way.

That's for later though. After the remains of the other three teams, now lead by a fellow with longer hair and an impression of mild exhaustion pounce on the decoy after it fires to the sounds of vigorous swearing.

From:

basic_powers

...Yeah, none of the other three teams are going to have any love for this kid by the time the sun sets.

It's just him, a pump paintball gun, and two tubes of paint now. And he's definitely taking a different route back than the way he came, more for the fun of it...

Well. Tyler just has to see if he can make that tree-to-tree jump.

From:

tesla_bot

Well none of the teams are really going to be cool with Tyler's impression of a squirrel with a manufacturing base.

Neither are the trees who've had a hard time of it these past few days. Tyler makes his jump but the branch is not taking the shock well.

From:

basic_powers

Crack

"Waugh!"

thump!

"...ooough."

From:

tesla_bot

"I heard a branch snap!"

"Get him!"

The remnant is making enough other noise as the start to come toward Tyler that they should be easy to avoid if he can just manage to move. Breathing would be nice too.

"Careful you lot. It might be a trap."

From:

basic_powers

Okay...come on...come on, MOVE, movemovemove body that's it, chest up, arms up, ROLL...breath...cough a bit and then run! Use some of the deerpaths, and keep low!

From:

tesla_bot

Yes Tyler use the deer paths. They let you travel quickly with relatively little sign given.

It also limits the number of ways back to the base.

Still more than you'd want to try and guard with only a handful of bodies through.

From:

basic_powers

They're going to give him a way to get farther away from the remnant team without being spotted, which is the main thing. Following one all the way back would just be stupid.

This doesn't mean he leaves them at any point, though a little further on different path, one going towards the base, he's got to cough a bit...little twitch left from that fall and all.

From:

tesla_bot

"Polo!" cries a close by voice.

"Marco! comes from around and further away.

...Yeah it's simple and kind of obvious. What do you want from a fast plan? If it was getting is shot at Tyler then today is your lucky day.

From:

basic_powers

Tyler says something very unrepeatable under his breath, looking up to where those two voices came from. Too close, time to run!

From:

tesla_bot

Too close by half. The whistle that comes from behind Tyler sounds like someone is trying to call a cab in a movie.

Sounds like the cavalry is being called in.

From:

basic_powers

Yup! Running now!

And it is very hard to think about how not to be seen and not activate his little cheat mode amulet. And gall darn it the deer path ends not that far up ahead!

From:

tesla_bot

Don't make them start sweeping the area with long sticks Tyler. That's just mean.

A quick scan of the surroundings shows parts of the bush moving in. Probably stuck to trainees in an effort to break up their lines, but catching branches and such now.

Looks like you might be surrounded Tyler.

From:

basic_powers

Oh there's help in the fact that he's still got his...

....pumpgun which got busted in the fall from the tree.

"Boogers!"

From:

tesla_bot

'Netted' is not an example of onomatopoeia in English so the sound is more of a flip-swish-thud than anything directly descriptive.

Someone packed better than standard issue toys for you Tyler. If that doesn't warm you deep inside, well, you can always try and splash a few with you tube of paint when they get closer.

From:

basic_powers

Well, him giving a surprised yelp probably warms them that much more as the net goes over him.

"...phffew...Alright. I think you guys have won."

"That's just to throw us off our game."

From:

tesla_bot

"He might be telling the truth."

"Well... we could drag him back at the end of a rope..."

"I'm not cool with that. I'll go in and check and if he kills me I expect to be avenged."

Barring any last minute attacks they'll lead Tyler back to the clearing with the bunker and the paint splattered 'kills' beginning what looks like a barbecue. Clarkson is missing his eyebrows, likely from starting the grill.

From:

basic_powers

"...who let Captain Clipboard play with the fire?" Tyler grins, shaking his head as he's trotted back into camp.

From:

tesla_bot

"Hey! I have a degree in setting things on fire!" announces Clarkson.

"You have a degree in plasma physics," counters Robo, "So. I was watching but how was it from ground level?"

From:

basic_powers

"I got to use my size to every single advantage. There were a couple of other spots that might be good to work with, but I think the next time I do this, I'm going to need a sturdier gun. Kind of fell on mine."

From:

tesla_bot

Robo nods. "Really? Hell. It's going to be a trick to do that and keep the weight down," says Robo, "Anybody else want to add anything?"

"Yes. I want a hot shower and the number of whoever said we could bring gear that wasn't issued."

From:

basic_powers

"No one said you couldn't bring non-issue gear onto the field. Just what you could comfortably carry onto the field." The net bringer grins. "Ebay is your FRIEND."

"...does this mean, next time, I get to use my non-issue gear in this exercise?" Tyler asks, smiling. "I'll keep to my promise about the stuff I use on the obstacle course."

Mostly about how it's not allowed out here.

From:

tesla_bot

Glances are exchanged quickly. It might be a good time to gear up.

"Does anyone remember where the plans for the walker tanks ended up?"

"No restoring Nazi projects on company time!"

"Walker tanks? Really? I mean he doesn't even come up to my belt buckle," announces one of the freshest newbies, "Here let me show you what happens if you actually get your hands on 'em."

Some of the other people around are moving in to help Tyler. The rest? They're giving him room to work.