Making Battle Plans

"There!" Saya said pointing as she lowered the spyglass from her eye.

Roman held up a hand to signal a stop paddling. "Knives switch with me."

"You got it!" She said getting up from the tiller position and taking his spot. "Uh, sorry. I meant 'Aye, Cap'n!' Yarr!"

Roman chuckled handing her his oar but not before patting her head and gently tousling her hair. She was so damn cute! "Thanks!" He carefully moved forward, ducking under the small sail to the prow where Saya handed him the monocular telescope. "Thanks," he said raising it and sighting in on where she pointed. "Yup. That's it. Good eye!" He said spotting tiny puffs of smoke signals from their scout team. "Think you can take over on steering the rudder?"

Saya smirked putting her glasses back on. "Can do. Leave it to me. I am a genius!" She knew that Roman, Risty and Knives had been pulling most of the weight and doing most of the work. She wasn't as strong as they were but she was fit, able and relatively rested. She'd been carefully watching what the others did and taking mental note. She carefully moved back to occupy the spot Knives had vacated.

Roman smiled and nodded at her confidence. Knives might be a natural prodigy for picking things up but Saya's intellect was formidable when she put herself to doing something. "Alright, they can see us." He looked around catching sight of a slight glint. "There they are!" He removed his hat and waved it before lifting his spyglass back to his eye. He spotted a figure waving a cloth, probably Darlene with a bandana, and then pointing towards a spot on the coast for them to land. He waved signaling he understood and after a few moments they understood and ran off, likely to tell whoever was at the signal fire they could stop. "Hmmmm... Mental note to self. Topic. Teaching of semaphore and other signals codes and the benefits thereof."

He filed that thought away for a later date and signaled to the others to follow their lead towards shore as they'd guide them in to starboard. He kept an eye out pointing out reefs and submerged rocks to avoid and navigate around and through.

Thankfully the journey had been pleasant and mostly uneventful. Roman had half worried about the game shows developers putting in legendary sea monsters and beasts. He certainly wouldn't put it past them. He would if their positions were reversed. But if they had, none showed. They'd spotted some sharks of the smaller variety and even a pair of whales but nothing worrisome. Perhaps because they didn't venture too far into deeper waters? They could have but he didn't want to risk it and push his luck with the outriggers. "We've been lucky so far," he muttered to himself. "Maybe that luck will hold. Burt is a pretty good carpenter but maybe we'll find ourselves a boatswain or better a shipwright Character." He snorted. "And maybe a pirate galleon will just fall out of the sky and into our laps full of actual pirates. Yeah, right... fat chance of that happening. Still... the outriggers have preformed well so far," he smiled glancing up at their own patchwork sail. They'd made them out of every scrap of uneeded or discarded cloth they could. Some one with a sense of humor had even sewn an extremely rough approximation of a skull and cross and bones with a pair of blue and white striped panties for one eye, a black thong for the other and boxers for the "nose" into their small sail. Knives had laughed so hard seeing it that Roman had claimed it as theirs. It was certainly... distinctive.

They rowed and sailed into a small inlet where they found Darlene and the scouting team waiting when they came ashore. "Hey! Good to see you! Where's your canoes?"

Darlene grinned shaking his hand before jerking her thumb over her shoulder. "Over that rise there. We figured it was better to carry them inland aways and hide them."

Roman nodded. "Good thinking! We may want to consider doing that too depending. So? How's it looking?"

Darlene nodded and quickly started drawing on the beach. "It's more or less what we thought during the initial reports and meeting. It's a settlement almost as big as ours but not as many folks. They're set into the coast where the forest meets the swamp and the sea so it's marshy. Great for small boats and probably fishing but they had to built up these levees to help keep their camp from flooding and these sharpened stakes and walls as a defensive perimeter. They look somewhat imposing but they're more to keep out or discourage predators than people."

"Could we have a team damage one of the levees and flood the place as a distraction?" Burt said pointing. "Then give a signal for our guys to come up in the area here that's open to the water?"

Saya pursed her lips. "Fighting them in a pincer move from two sides is a good idea... but wouldn't it be hard for a small team to break a levee without being noticed? And then they'd be stuck with flooding hampering their movements and fighting, wouldn't they?" She looked at Roman.

Roman nodded. "Exactly my thinking too. I do like the idea of a surprise attack though drawing them away from the water so the rest of our people can come in that way for some marine action. I also would prefer we not damage the place too much..."

Risty whistled and grinned. "You're thinking of taking the whole place? Daring!"

Carlos nodded. "Exactly! We don't want to smash it up too badly. If we win? Then the place is ours and will make it a outpost or even a second camp. That's why doing something crazy but effective like setting it on fire or anything that damages the place too much is no bueno."

"Plus people will be sore if we just bust up all their hard work," Knives said then saw the others staring at her. "Well they will!"

Roman smiled and nodded. "There's bound to be hard feelings from any remaining survivors for awhile even if we win but Knives is right. Even if the best case scenario were to happen and they completely surrender they'd be extra sore about it if we simply destroyed everything they'd worked to build. You'd be pissed if that happened to us and someone busted down huge sections of our walls, torched our logbooks and tents and such, right?"

Everyone nodded. They certainly would be even more upset if they'd watched someone wantonly destroy and demolish everything they'd work hard to achieve and valued simply because they could. "Agreed," Burt put voice to what they were a thinking. A loss was bound to hurt these guys. The destruction of everything they'd worked for would be both unnecessary salt I the wound of losing but also unnecessarily wasteful as well as hurtful. If they were going to win, it would be best to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible as well as completely. The sooner their enemy knew it was hopeless to hold out and surrendered, the better. Preferably while minimizing their own losses. They needed a clever scheme.

Roman felt all their eyes turn towards him as he studied the map. They were expecting him to come up with a clever scheme. A strategy for victory. Something that would shock and awe their enemy opponents, draw their attention away so the main **** could mount an **** from the sea and demoralize them into surrendering.

"Fire the breastworks. They're useful but easily replaced. Just make more big wooden stakes. Not like rebuilding the levee walls or constricting new huts or tents. While they fight to control the blaze and keep it from flooding attack from two sides in two groups... I propose one group approach from overland to attack... here on the opposite side to draw enemy forces away from the area open to tge water so the rest of you can make an amphibious **** at the appropriate moment. What?" He asked seeing many of them smiling and shaking their heads.

"You said 'The rest of you'," Carlos said. "Meaning you're planning on being amongst those who are going to be running around setting fires and attacking to draw their main forces away. The most dangerous part."

Roman rolled his eyes and snorted. "Of course! It's going to be the trickiest part and it needs to be a relatively smaller **** to pull it off, so naturally it will be a bit more dangerous. I can be rather stealthy and my illusions will be handy in many different ways. Why? You think you know of someone who is better qualified than I? Name them!"

Everyone laughed. No one had missed the point that their leader had volunteered for the most dangerous and hardest part of the raid... except for Roman. Even Burt understood that quite clearly. Their leader wasn't afraid of personal risks, nor getting his hands dirty. He was going to put himself into the thick of things as often as possible and wouldn't ask someone else to do something he was unwilling to do himself (of course he was willing to do some pretty crazy stuff). Roman was definitely a tactician and strategist... but he wasn't the type to sit safely away somewhere and go sending others off into danger from a comfortable remove. No. He'd make his crazy plans and then insist on being the one to take the vanguard and lead the way whenever possible. Just because he was a thinking man didn't mean he wasn't also a man of action... and they respected him for it. Their leader.

"Illusion is good," Knives said. "But you said 'fire', too?"

"Yeah," Roman answered.

Saya nodded. "This is some fantasy sword & sorcery type shit. Fire magic would be good."

"Whoa," Roman said trying to pump the brakes on the conversion and fearing where it was going to lead. They didn't have many Characters with special powers and abilities like magic yet. Infact there was only one so far who had an affinity for fire. "Wait a minute!"

Carlos chuckled and Darlene grinned "You know who is good with fire magic?"

Roman sighed. "Don't-"

Burt grinned grabbing his "Bitch" Malty and dragging her into the huddle. "My Bitch! Face it, Boss. You're gonna need us with you! Go on! Tell him!"

Malty smiled beautifully. "Of course I'll help! With spells like my Zweite Fire and Drifa Hellfire I'm sure to be of use. I humbly ask you simply leave it to me my dear masters."

Roman facepalmed to avoid looking at the treacherous beauty as she pandered to the crowd. She did have fans. "Great. Just what I wanted." But he mentally did the calculations. It was dangerous. He trusted Malty "Bitch" Melromarc not one little bit. In his opinion she wasn't for the streets, she was for the sewers. **** collared and sealed to prevent lying or not. Just because she was prevented from lying through **** of pain meant nothing. There were other ways to be deceptive and deceitful and pain could be learned to endured if one had enough fortitude and will.

She was practically the definition of an untrustworthy ally and he hadn't wanted her on the trip as it was... But most people had brought along some of their Characters if they were useful of course, just like he had... but would he rather have her by his side where he could keep an eye on her for treachery... or off with the others doing gods knew what?

"Fine," Roman said looking up and nodding coming to a decision. He hated to admit it but Malty was possibly the most powerful Character they currently had at their disposal for now. Especially from a magical standpoint. She might be a double edged sword but he'd use her nonetheless... and make damn sure they didn't get used by her. "You two are in. It'll be Darlene and the scouts, me and my Characters, Burt and 'Bitch'- no, wait. Right now we're 'adventuring' right? She has a different 'adventurer name', doesn't she? What was it-"

He didn't even have to finish the question as several people in the crowd chimed in at once helpfully with her adventurer name. "Whore!" Was cried out along with catcalls and whistles.

Roman watched her mask slip and her face twitch. She obviously hated the names bestowed upon her in lieu of execution in her original setting... but she really was a whore now. Burts cheap ass whore. She had aspired to greatness and even becoming queen in her setting... fitting that she was now queen of the whores with so many admirers. Admired for being an actual whore pimped out by Burt.

He didn't feel sorry for her at all. She was a much reviled Character from her setting. A true conniving, backstabbing, manipulative vain villain. He could have picked her out for himself when he had the chance for power or any number of uses... He didn't. He couldn't stand her type. Not that he had anything against manipulation and underhanded treachery. Those were useful things in the right place and the right time. No he couldn't stand her arrogance and ineptitude. She could have been successful in her setting... but she wasn't. She was a loser. Plain and simple. Sure the sheild heroes party in her setting had brought her down, exposed her and brought her to face justice and retribution... but it was also accurate to say she also wasn't very good at being a conniving bitch. Her plans were often short-sighted with gapping holes in their logic and execution. She was a seriously flawed Character, through and through. In Roman's estimation she should have had the punishment name her father had earned instead of Bitch and Whore. 'Trash'. She was trash in his eyes.

Roman wouldn't, couldn't and didn't trust her at all. He wouldn't be taken in by her amateurish scheming. She may have found some fans from Burts whoring her out but he certainly wasn't one of them. He wouldn't be fooled by her.

"Right. And 'Whore'... that'll be the team for the initial opening **** on the opposite side of their village. We'll draw aggro and get as many of them to come after us as possible while we sow chaos the rest have to deal with. That's when the rest of you will come in." Roman looked at Carlos. "Sorry but that means you'll have to lead the main **** in the secondary **** on your own. Can you handle that?"

Carlos nodded smiling. "I got it. Count on us, Jeffe. We'll hit 'em hard and pull them off of your backs!"

Roman nodded. "Alright. We'll set them up and you all will knock them down. That's the plan then if everything goes well... but everything could still go to shit. That's reality. We've never taken a target like this before. It's a big prize if we pull it off but... If the retreat is sounded, don't hesitate. Regroup to your leaders and cover each other's retreat back to the boats. We don't know what type of Characters they have. We're assuming similar power and strength levels to ours... but they could have magic using characters of their own or worse 'supers'. Find and target them and their owners first. Watch each other's backs and work together. Don't get greedy in the heat of the moment. Everyone will get their just and earned shares of the spoils later after victory has been secured. It's not worth getting blinded by momentary temptation. Better to maintain cohesion, win together through teamwork and enjoy victory and go nuts after. Understood?"

He looked around as everyone assented. He was glad to see they were excited but tempered it with reasonable expectations and resolve. They weren't a bunch of professionals. They were still a motley band, but they had learned to work together with one another and even trust one another in their united purpose of profit and gain in taking calculated risk. That was huge. In time they'd only become more and more seasoned with experience than they already were. They were stronger together and they'd only keep getting stronger that way.

He smiled and nodded, clapping his hands. "Alright. Good luck to you all... Now let's get to work!"

"Everybody a part of the main **** follow me," Carlos said. "Check your weapons and don any armor and then we're getting back in the boats," He said leading the way. Most of the band following after him after wishing their companions and friends good luck.

"Hey 'Los!" Roman called out stopping Carlos momentarily.

"Yeah, Jefe?" Carlos asked.

Roman had been thinking about friendship and offered his hand in a bro shake. He was fond of them... his friends. "Pilot my boat."

Carlos grinned and accepted both offers and even clapped Roman's shoulder in a bro hug. "Gracias! I promise, I'll take good care of it. Take care and luck in battle, Roman!"

Roman grinned returning the gesture. "You too, Carlos! I'll meet you on the battlefield!"

"Scouts! Listen up!" Darlene said addressing the scouts and hunters under her command. They were basically filling a ranged skirmisher support role to Roman's raid team in the coming battle. "Check your arms and then help the others carry their supplies and lead them. We'll hide them the same place we hid ours inland!"

They hiked a little ways to where Darlene and the scouts had made their temporary hidden camp in a low depression. "Okay everyone rest up for a little bit then prepare yourselves. We'll be moving out about two hours to sunset."

"Hey Roman?" Darlene said walking his way with her William Turner.

"Yeah? What's up?" He asked.

Darlene motioned to Will who held out something. "We made this for you, Captain."

Roman blinked. "What? Really?"

Knives nudged him, grinning. "Isn't that nice? Go on! Take it!"

Roman did and unfolded the thick leather type garment. It was a vest of sorts made of a thick, somewhat heavy but supple hide. "Whoa... thank you!

Darlene sniffed self-consciously, looking away and waving a hand dismissively. "It wasn't anything. Your stuff got beat up by the bear and it had a lot of tough hide so we made you a replacement is all."

William Turner smiled a bit teasingly "Miss worked on it in every spare moment she had over the last several days. Even carried her tools out here to work on it for you so it'd be ready for the battle."

Knives giggled and Risty laughed as Darlene flushed in embarrassment. "Dammit Will you didn't have to tell them that!"

William Turner however wasn't done and continued pointing out the craftsmanship. "It's adjustable via these laces and panels so it will fit you well. Double sided and reinforced with plates of metal sandwiched in-between like a Jack of Plate. It should give you some protection without encumbering your mobility too much."

"Impressive. The design looks familiar," Saya said looking at it closely then at Darlene and the vest she wore. "Isn't that...?"

"Good eye, Miss Takagi," William said nodding and smiling. "She based the cut on the Captains vest but the design on her own. Mistress Darlene is quite a skilled leather worker on top of being hunter and designs her own gear."

"Shut up, Will!" Darlene snapped running her fingers through her long blond undercut hair self-consciously.

Roman smiled and passed the garment to Knives to hold for him and offered her a hug. "Thanks, Dee. I appreciate it very much!"

Darlene smiled and hugged him quickly. "It was nothing much so let's not make a big deal of it. You're welcome... and I'm glad you like it."

"Where did you get the metal?" Saya said interested as well as giving an out from the awkward teasing.

Darlene smiled and took it. "Salvaged scrap mostly. We've been trying to gather materials for Will to work with."

"It hasn't been easy," Will Turner said. "And as we don't have a proper forge yet it's easier to simply work with and repurpose the scrap we've collected. Also I'm not familiar with making armor. Black and blade smithing are my forte. But making Jack of Plate was relatively simple enough process to do."

Roman nodded. "Jack of Plate is a very good idea for armor with our limited resources so far. Brilliant even as often times that's what it was historically made of, recycled armor! We should definitely look into producing this and similar items later!" He took off his coat and battered vest. "Help me suit up?"

Risty took the armored vest from Saya as she was closer to his size and familiar with how to don light armor, "Here. Allow me."

"I'll pay you back for this somehow," Roman promised his arms spread out as Risty fitted it to him.

"Nah," Darlene smiled. "I owe you anyway. It's a gift." She grabbed Will Turner by the arm. "C'mon. Let's get some rest while we can. Gonna be a long night," she said dragging him away.

Knives smiled up at Roman. "That was thoughtful. It's nice to have friends!"

Roman nodded making a mental note to find away to gift her back in the future just like he should find a suitable reward for Godo's help back home. After all if she did good work while they were gone it should be rewarded. "Yeah... it is!"

[Roman Stark - Knives Chau - Saya Takagi and Risty

Will Return In

Setting Things In Motion (Working title)

Coming Soon]