Raice was surprised, and yet not so; he had been flanking the monstrosities' entrance, but when it managed a swing behind, he frantically aborted a swing for its throat, and instead brought the chain about its arm to parry the blow; backing away as fast as he could, the blade and chain, he realized, were not wrapped tight enough to hold the limb, and instead, the Kukri on the end slipped back in three or four good spirals trailing the chain it was hooked to, and spirally shredding the arm and off-hand that had nearly drilled into him.  He landed flat on his ass a few yards back, spattered in blood not his own.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>Arget held his breath and moved for the air handler, to get around...  this was no time for indecision.