All at once, Zeton jumps up from his position behind Betham and moves forward up the side of the road.
Betham lets out a shout as he walks his volley into the target...mainly because Zeton is moving right into his line of fire. Betham immediately terminates his barrage, but not before one of the pulses lightly grazes Zeton's shoulder.
(It kind of tickles but otherwise doesn't phase him.)
Up ahead, the maniacal shriek can be heard to end in a gurgle.
"Target nil," says Lirassa, lowering her pistol.
"I thought I got him," says Ham.
"Midbrain shock," says Betham as he moves out from cover. "He would've gone berserk. At this range, with this...mist...he probably won't be out long. We'd better move. Bina, how in the flow is your 'friend'?"
"It'll be alright," says Bina, though not quite as calmly as she'd have everyone believe.
"Right," says Betham. "They may have info we need. Let's disarm that guy and get indoors!" He immediately starts heading up the lane at a brisk trot.
(I'm going to assume that the party follows. It's still dark, but the end of the "tunnel" through the woods can be seen clearly...together with Betham's silhouette in it. Some members [especially Mey'Luskar, who refuses to run, and Dabid, who has to be coaxed out of his hiding place] slow things down. I'm going to assume Zeton follows Betham immediately. Is anyone else going to do so?)
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Mon'Fargret coaxes the folks in the back along.
"C'mon Old Root. I've got you covered. Stay close Mey, we need to cover some ground."
He tries to look reassuringly towards them but his need to stay alert likely makes that a futile effort (that and the poor visibility).
"Pitch black...weeds everywhere," mutters Mey'Luskar caustically. "Soaking wet...shot at...that building's probably going to stink..."
"Is it worse than that Farbett tunnel, lady?" asks Pru with amusement.
"Those are su...um..." is all Mey'Luskar manages in reply.
Zeton does follow Betham and readies his first aid kit in case he needs to administer any medical assistance to the person who was shooting at them.
Betham and Zeton are the first to emerge from the "forest wall" (followed soon afterward, I assume, by Ham and Lirassa), and when they do, the glow of the city reflecting back from the clouds provides an eerie, dim illumination.
Continuing past the dark edifice of the workers' dormitory, the group arrives at the stunned shooter. Betham pulls out a pocket light and shines it down on the still form.
It's a youngish Hergoth man, maybe the equivalent of terrestrial late teens or early twains, dressed in ordinary, working-class clothes.
Clothes which are horribly filthy. He doesn't look (or smell) like he has been bathing all that often, either.
"Squatters!" says Betham as if the word has a foul taste. "I might have known! But what in flames is he doing with a gun like that?"
Indeed, the pistol seems rather out of place. It is obviously a baffler weapon (a repeater, actually), but it doesn't look like it's of Hergoth or Foldorian make.
Seeing Zeton's first aid kit, Betham says, "I think he's alright, but you might want to check him out anyway." He reaches under his parka and pulls out a pair of cuffs.
[Granite will pick up the pistol]
"Interesting. I wonder where THIS came from."
[Does Granite recognize anything else about the pistol on closer examination?]
It's a bit large for a pistol...almost big enough to be a carbine. The grip and trigger don't quite look like they were designed for a humanoid hand.
It might be a little awkward for Granite Spear, but she can hold it and use it.
The controls are about as simple and unsubtle as they can get, but Nekshi helps Granite figure them out.
Widge follows but she is keeping her senses open. She doesn't quite like the fact that Betham just showed up again. The ones with the weapons can handle what's ahead. She's more concerned with what may be sneaking up behind.
Zeton quickly, but thoroughly, checks over the Hergoth for any injuries he may have sustained, either from the stun blasts, or from falling to the ground. He pays particular attention to any chance of a concussion or other head injury. When Zeton is satisfied he's done as much as he can, he'll step aside and let Betham handcuff the shooter.
Next, Zeton fishes out medication from the first aid kit to help relieve any pain the Hergoth may feel when he gains consciousness. While he is doing that, he asks for Bina's advice, "I imagine our Gatekeeper will not be very willing to take any medications I offer him once he wakes up. Do you have any suggestions about how we can at least make him understand we wish him no harm? Maybe you might know who Gol'br'in is?"
The shooter doesn't appear to be injured in any way other than a small bruise.
As Betham cuffs him, Bina says to Zeton, "The best answer to all your questions is to take him, go inside, and talk to Gemma. She can probably reason with him and tell us what we want to know."
"Quickly!" says Betham. "He'll probably be coming around soon."
Granite grumbles to Nekshi, "Foolish humanoids, caring for one who would attack us!" She gestures at the fallen Hergoth, "He is clearly mad, and I for one am uncomfortable leaving him at our backs."
"Let me go first," says Bina, heading toward the building.
"Do you know where you're going?" asks Pru.
"There's a common area on the ground floor," replies Bina. "Gemma and one of the others are there."
"Others?" asks Pru anxiously.
"Like a whole family of 'em," puts in Betham as he hefts the shooter over his shoulder.
[I seem to have missed something: who is Gemma? I believe this is the first time her name has been mentioned...?
Also, I thought this was an abandoned plantation, and though homeless squatters make sense, how is it we (well, Betham) know so much about who is "inside"? Is this a subtle mind thing I'm missing?]
[For the record, Dewkid, Granite Spear knows as much as you do about these things. I'll email you a couple of tidbits that Granite Spear probably would understand, however.]
Zeton, seeing the quizzical look on Granite's face, (or what he imagines is confusion, it's hard to tell sometimes), Zeton adds, "My guess is Constable Betham is aware of the homeless situation and how families cope by taking shelter in unused buildings. The difference this time is, this person seems well armed and at least forewarned of our arrival."
Zeton pauses as he help everyone get inside and then continues in a slightly lowered tone, "What sort of weapon is that? Do you recognize it? I'd be curious to learn who gave it to our Gatekeeper..."
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