toddi

...*pant*... *pant*...

...*huff*... *huff*...

Left!

Ugh!

Oi, Phidia—

Me and the Raging Ironhide ARE on your left!

I meant, fortcrackers dropping on your left—

You're in my artillery's way.

Phidia, you still alive?

...*cough* *cough*...

Seriously, I've never had a fight this difficult before.

You're a real sturdy rotter, aren't you? Yeah, okay, I think it's the explosion just touched you. Not much real damages I can tell.

Maybe I should up my fortcracker charges, 20%-some?

Then I'm never going on a mission with you again.

Hmm... joint #3's hydraulic systems aren't stable anymore. You're paying for maintenance.

You can't blame me—your mech's horrible for visibility. Honestly, it's only fair I let the siege-ballista do it in one of these days.

Should try if we get the chance, really. Ought to blast straight through, I think?

On my pride as a Tiacauh, next intra-department meeting, I'm voting down your budget.

Well, that's a bloody joke! Do you understand the importance of siege weapons?!

My master says Rhodes Island isn't installing siege weapons of any kind. It's not in accordance with our founding principles.

But honestly? This giant bow of yours doesn't even count as siege weaponry.

Wha...?! A man-portable siege ballista's still a siege ballista!

It's a bow that doesn't even have an engine.

Bows never HAD engines! And it's a BALLISTA!

Sorry, my tribe's bows had engines.

You want to go, Phidia?

My name's Zumama.

Hey, we're right here, you know?!

Shut up!

Aaargh!

Then let's see if your heaping pile of scrap can take a fortcracker shot for real!

Bring it on!

Um... excuse me?

Are you soft? We're busy here.

You two are Rhodes Islanders?

And you are...?

Ah, just to warn you by the way, I think that ballista had its right-side torsion hookup worn out in combat just now. Your accuracy's going to suffer if you keep making it work.

Tch!

The... um... yellow tractor there?

You can call her the Raging Ironhide.

You'd better take a look at the state of her cooling systems. Put that off any longer, and you'll get funny sounds from the engine.

You're right! Thanks, uh...

Call me Rickety Joe. Nice to meet you, Rhodes Islanders.

I commissioned this here mission.

Is your op unit... just the two of you?

Don't trust our professional ability?

Of course I do. Sesa recommended you, after all. Rhodes Island's name... is plenty well-known among wastelanders.

But, uh, I have to say, you two are...

Haha... There's definitely been some mishaps...

Keep traveling for about an hour, and you'll be at the point where intel says the abandoned plate is.

Toddifons, Eunectes, how's your equipment checks?

Phew. Just finished loading everything into the truck.

The Raging Ironhide's in fine condition. I gave her a total upgrade with my master earlier, and the driver's seat is a lot more comfortable now.

Oh, yeah, I haven't seen that weird little Liberi around for this mission...

The High Priest said I can't always count on him to drive. It's my mech, after all.

Well, no complaints here, I'll take you driving any day... Everything okay with the siege ballista, Toddifons?

Ugh, classic. The Doctor said there was an abandoned plate I could go hit, so I rock up.

And this turns out to be a rescue mission?!

You only just now realized?

Hah—I spent three nights in a row up for this mission, rushing a batch of superheavy-duty fortcracker arrows! And you're telling me I'm rescuing the barreners on that stupid plate?!

Toddifons... next time, make sure to read the mission brief beforehand?

There's a chance hostiles encamped the plate, in which case they've got defenses to counter with. You're good for assaulting fortified positions. That's why I asked the Doc to send you, just in case.

Even if we're taking on an abandoned plate, it still used to be a part of a nomadic city. It's always good to bring heavy arms.

*sigh* Would've gone out to town if I knew. Bloody end me—

Apparently these wastelanders have been moving with the nomadic city for a long while, just gritting their teeth waiting for a plate to get scrapped. They were hoping they could breathe easy for a few days with it, and find some supplies in there.

Turned out 'Mama John's' and the local pasha had a reclamation contract signed already.

Heh. They like to do their business direct. Nothing's changed.

We'll rendezvous at the Canning intersection. We're coming from southwest...

'Scuse me, Blaze. Doesn't visibility seem a little low to you?

Wind's funny...

Abnormal weather up ahead!

We see the sandstorm from our vehicle too!

Tha... That's gathering fast! Get in the truck!

Message from the landship, desert thunderstorm forming rapidly ahead! They'll navigate for us!

Move move move! We're distancing! Toddifons, Eunectes, find us, stat!

Pedal's to the metal already!

Dammit, you're still not gonna make it! Dump your equipment!

There's no time! Dump it!

I'll be real here, I've got no faith in prying a second siege ballista out of Closure's pockets.

We tuned the Raging Ironhide just last week.

Can... *zzzt* respond... *zzzt* ...ditch... landship *zzzt*...

Adjusting the guidance system was a pain in the neck.

Engineering's operators put so much blood and sweat into this model revision.

...ship...

Tch. The line cut out.

There's a cave in the mountains ahead to the left!

Want to gamble, Phidia?

Will it work?

Gauging how wide the truck is? Should be fine.

What about everything else?

That's what makes it a gamble—

Hold on tight!

So that's what you guys call lucky?

We're luckier the storm was small.

We came back out, we bumped into whoever they were—the Agama Gang. Didn't like the process of beating 'em up, if I'm honest. Might've gone smoother if it was just me, actually.

Hey! It was your fault for shooting your arrows everywhere!

I did point out where they were landing. Your fault for dodging too slow.

Why you...

We're here.

Could've been a moment sooner.