Mission 4: Present and Unaccounted For

"Exact number? No," Omega replies, "But reports have given anywhere from one dozen to as many as three times that number overall. I'll direct you to the nearest report."

As the trio makes their way through the mostly-empty walkways - laid with well-worn stone, rather than composed of metal - and across small grassy areas, it's not long before they reach the indicated location, in a more crowded area between some buildings. And also not long before they see what seems to be causing the immediate ruckus. There's a trio of large black dogs, snarling and sniffing around, as if hunting for people, followed by four smaller, but similar, ones.

They've seemed to have spotted the group, too, but seem to be taking their time with moving. If the Technicians move forwards, they could probably face the pack amongst the more cramped space of between the buildings, or they could let the dogs come to them in the more open area where they now stand.

Thoron notices something odd - it looks like there's something tied around one of the large dogs' neck, with something, perhaps a casing of some kind, hanging below.

That was certainly a few Pokemon in front of them. Not quite as many as there had been in the lab but still. That didn't stop them from looking vicious. "Yea, bottling them up would probably be for the best," Blake agrees hastily. He's perhaps a little eager to move in closer. They needed to deal with these dogs before they could hurt anyone that lived up here. "Anything else?"

With all agreed on a course of action, the Technicians close the gap. The dogs begin growling even more, hackles rising as the humans advance in what's probably taken to be an aggressive move. Which it is.

Map

Plan decided, Blake moves ahead lightly. Releasing Radiant closer to the pack. Nothing to worry about. They'd been outnumbered more than this before.

Blake to 25L

Radiant to 21L

The dogs seem a little taken aback at the sudden wall of Pokémon against their opening, but they regain their composure and begin to snarl and growl at the intruders.

Without breaking formation, Lowe began building up a charge, as eager as he was to put these dogs in their place. Thoron, meanwhile, kept an eye out for openings in the pack.

Blake winces as the trio of terrible canines unleash a devastating attack on their pokemon. So much for bottling them up in the alley. Moving up a little bit, hesitating for a moment before stopping short of the gap. Faking a laugh and yelling at the larger dogs, and the one in the center in particular, "You mangy mutts are a nuisance! We're groin to put you down! No matter your bark."

Radiant was looking less than stellar after the flurry of attacks. She still held on but any more attacks like the that black energy would leave her dissipating as well. Yet she still held on. She couldn't do much with the small dog nipping at her ankles. A solid smack on the mutt with a flipper leaves her invigorated. Perhaps she could just avoid the blows...if she was lucky.

Lowe crumpled, if only for a moment before dispersing, and Thoron stiffened in much the opposite manner. That had been... Unexpected, but his teammates were holding the line. He wasted no time sending out his next and final Pokemon, ordering Aias to go straight for the biggest dog.

And for his part, Aias barreled into the top dog with all the force of a bulky Honchkrow. Before shuffling back with a hostile caw.

1d20+2·2d8+35