Plot(s) Summary
The team are currently allied with the aslan Teahleikhoi Regiment of the Iyhlua Clan led by Yūgure/Twilight and her husband Warlord Ikazuchi. Twilight is aided by her “assistant” Sazanami and XO Hibiki.
The aslan’s interests are aligned with the City cops under O’Malley and The Shore (an alliance of mercs, smugglers and pirates). They oppose The Purge a Collace city gang whose corrupt lawyer Moresby was recently killed when his firm’s building was captured by the aslan and all his assets stolen by Twilight.
At the same time the building was also seemingly raided for data by a woman identified as Erica East (a business woman/freelance merc) working for the City politician Alderman Brown.
After capturing the Purge building (and allying themselves with the Sword World merc Tourmaline) the team are put on retainer by Twilight for future operations.
The team observe a “jailbreak” as the crazy vargr who disrupted their trip to Collace is sprung from custody by their ally Tourmaline and another mercenary. Jess takes photos of both the male merc and the vargr.
The team meet back up for dinner courtesy of Gunny Ridgeway at his bar on the plaza.
1188th / Aces & Eights
Sgt Christiansen (supposedly KIA) was shot by the team (now definitively KIA) whilst apparently attempting to remove cash and drugs from the Purge lawyers’ building. He had come with reinforcements from an ex PDF base called The Bartizan. His comm included calls to a number noted as “HH”.
The team deduce that Christiansen might have been involved in a smuggling operation using Mertactor lines ships (Collace to Mertactor) to transport drugs into the Imperium.
Frank finds that the diamonds suit of Christiansen’s cards make some sort of device/larger whole.
Recon and News of "Urban Warfare"
The Purge are pushing back against the aslan with attempted drive-bys and car bombs. Burning vehicles are dealt with by Collace Fire Dept, crashed and bullet riddled ones are towed by the cops (who appear to have declared "open season" on The Purge in city wide raids). The aslan suffer only light casualties.
An infamous Purge "hit man" is spotted immediately after opening fire on an aslan foot patrol and hunted down by reinforcements on grav belts. It is alleged that he was thrown from the top of the building he used as a "roost". Collace PD state they are investigating the tragic accident.
A Purge leader is beheaded overnight in his own heavily defended HQ.
In another mystery kiling a Purge "Captain" and bodyguards are found dead at sea on the deck of his luxury "gin palace" yacht. Nothing was within two or three kilometres of the vessel at the time of death.
Purge morale takes a dent.
The Storming of The Bartizan
The team accept a sub contract from Tourmaline to seize the Bartizan an ex PDF base decommissioned and occupied by Purge forces. The Team conduct lengthy recon identifying Erica East interacting with Lt Col Havelock in the tower's penthouse suite. The team locate and identify several suitable OPs overlooking the tower's roof and identify an AA detachment emplaced there.
They contact Erica and from an alliance with her.
The Bartizan is infiltrated by flying a G carrier into the gun deck below the flight deck and cutting open sealed doors. The team move upwards through the decommissioned fortress discovering the macabre scene of hundreds of 1188th troopers murdered apparently by a bio weapon. Civilian casualties are also found having been involved in a melee with troopers which also exposed them to the agent. The team move up to the hangar deck. They find the Flight Ops Centre has been the subject of a mysterious attack whereby all the personnel were killed whilst locked inside their bunker. Going outside into the main hangar the team find it being occupied by the vargr "Patch" and his pack who have infiltrated in under the road bridge.
The mercs decline to pay Patch off and he agrees to follow in their wake. The team find his team of vargr are elite with top spec gear. The flight deck is gained and a G carrier full of Purge infantry destroyed and another fire team routed. Following up the twin bastions at the tower's base are successfully stormed. Meanwhile Prerna's team engage the rooftop in a sniper duel taking fire from 1188th SNCOs and killing one in the process.
The Purge counter attack in another G Carrier which the overwatch team shoot down. As they relocate they in turn are ambushed by SNCOs operating grav belts who abduct Prerna. They dump her in the Penthouse with Havelock whom they relieve of command.
Jess flies a captured air raft up to the roof to open a vertical envelopment of the tower reinforced by Prerna's squad. They capture Havelock.
Keve and Frank assisted by the vargr and Erica's surprisingly efficient robot storm a Purge aid post cum jail releasing Wanted and Tinkerbell (two of Prerna's Irregulars who went missing on a recon). Wanted has been shot up with truth drug by the 1188th/Purge and admits to being an Imperial asset code named Pilgrim. They discover grim scenes of 'orrible torture and an odd record of the same.
The allied force fights on up the tower capturing both drugs labs and joining the "top down" teams on the "party deck". Here two joy girls (Candii and Tiffanii) are encountered who ally with the team.
A rearguard unit disguised as SNCOs attempt to hold back the team but Jess leads the assault taking a nasty leg wound which Erica fixes showing surprisingly good trauma management skills. The rest of the team push on with the attack and encounter Staff Sergeant Berkley on the grav car pad. He attempts to make demands of the team but Prerna pulls off a hasty headshot and puts him down hard.
The team now realise that the fight has only begun as a launch packed with Imperial Marines (from a Q ship based at the downport) is about to land. The team come out to confront the Imperials under Captain Smith who press their perceived advantage too hard and expose themselves to an ambush by the vargr and 4DC merc reinforcements (including aslan from the Ihuyla clan). The Imperials are spared and grateful. Captain Smith is revealed to be an arrogant type prone to hubris. It is now disclosed that an armoured figure who flew to their launch on a grav belt is apparently "Pilgrim". It appears the recovery of Pilgrim was the entire Imperial mission and Smith orders an immediate withdrawal.
The team set to a debrief in the newly liberated bar on the party deck while the ex 1188th officers (Prerna and Frank) call in Collace PD and secure the mass murder scene.
The Plot: As it seems...
The Plot: As it seems...
Last edited by Tiglath on Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: The Plot: As it seems...
Inchin
The team are contracted as security for the Imperial delegation to Inchin. On arrival the team encounter the Baron's Guard and experience the scarcity of water and the unpopularity of the regime firsthand. The mercs pursue a hearts and minds approach to the townsfolk and Jess discovers buggy racing gaining links with the "Junge" but upon contact with Urvash Gudrun finds she has been issued with not a comm but a (very) high tech bug!
Major Smith rashly decides to force a solution to the diplomatic issue by staging a pirate raid with in system Imperial Auxiliaries/Pirates. The pirates threaten Inchin's "mirrorfield" of solar harvesters at the Fort Zinderneuf outpost. The mercs in company with the Guard cavalry unit commanded by the suspect Colonel Perron move to counter attack while supporting Prof Benson in collecting his survey data which will influence the planet's future.
The mercs win a sharp engagement against dismounted pirate grav infantry getting surprise support from "Green Force" who appear to operate a fast milspec craft. A surprise counter attack from orbit by the pirate's launch is somehow spotted by Prerna and Jess manages to down it with a well placed missile.
Meanwhile in orbit the merc cutter Grey Goose, operating as the merc's sensor picket, is shot up by a pirate's mothership - a corsair. The crew of the Goose watch helplessly as, in turn, the corsair is raked from stem to stern by a close range fusion gun pass delivered by an unknown vessel. Liv briefs senior merc officers that she believes this to be a Zhidts "S" a re-vamped and upgunned design with an Imperial powerplant. She reveals that the "S" designation is classified and denotes the organisation believed to operate the type: SORAG.
Back dirtside the pirate launch crash lands and the (elite) on board fire team are shot down by "Green Force" who make off. This proves more than helpful all round as the pirate launch is found to be a powerfully kitted out "gunship". Prof Benson recovers his data from the deep mine at the base of the ravine adjacent to Green Force's position and the mercs return to the Mansion in triumph. Smith is deemed to be unfit for command and detained pending court martial (or something less public). An "unknown event" happened here.
They find that the Town now seethes with resentment and the "missing" immigrants amount to a sizeable force. Kirsten Vitt seems to be a shady character and is followed into Star Town and Barter Town where she leads the team a merry dance before surrendering herself. Meanwhile, a flashpoint of discontent appears to be the water bowsers sent into town to issue water rations although Liv and Jakob find the rationing system to be entirely compromised. Nevertheless, discord amongst the population boils into public disorder and the bowsers are attacked. The Baron authorises return fire on Junge buggies. As Guard units are pursued out of town charges attached to their vehicles under cover of the disorder detonate as the retreating column comes under attack. The mercs sally forth from the Mansion to cover the extraction of the survivors. Jess encounters Sgt Gaughan and rescues him and numerous survivors and wounded although all their vehicles (a mech platoon) are lost.
Night falls but sleep is interrupted by insurgents backed by renegade Guard. They have remounted the abandoned tanks and using surveying lasers as improvised sights for the main armament destroy the Mansion's point defence and missile systems. Incensed the Guard hurl an armoured counter attack into Star Town. They loose a tank on the way in and then several other vehicles and most of their infantry in a series of brutally efficient ambushes using military grade explosives placed with ruthless precision. Once more the mercs come out supported by Prerna's snipers and Jakob encounters a new "enemy". These troops are revealed to be a force of Sword World "Einherjaren" under the command of Erica East. She proposes an immediate ceasefire and demilitarisation of Star Town which (this issue being well outside their contract) the mercs accept.
With political tensions ratcheted to near breaking point Prof Benson is under pressure to reveal his results. Doing his best to play down any indications as provisional he is, of course, ignored by those willing to speculate on Inchin's future. The results seem to indicate deep reserves of immense value locked beneath the planet's surface. A bidding war now surprises Drace Keening as SuSAG finds itself opposed by Fast Eddie of Collace. Polly avoids getting embroiled in the fallout as Keening eventually buys out Eddie who seems relieved and now rich beyond his wildest imaginings. Several "unknown events" happened here!.
After the previous sleepless night the mercs turn in only to be woken by what would have been a low tech yet brutally efficient strike delivered into the heart of the Mansion's defences. Falxmen swarm into the barracks but the mercs are very fortunately forwarned by Jakob and Liv who, joined by Erica and Prerna, fight without armour to hold off the first wave of fanatical attackers. Squads of insurgents meet grim faced mercs and learn that fanaticism takes you so far but autofire take you further. Carnage is the only term. The final assault on the merc quarters falls to a pgmp shot through the wall of 1st squad's shower room and Frank leads a rescue into the VIP quarters while Prerna attacks on a parallel course with her snipers acting as infantry.
The VIPs are grateful for their rescue although the more martially minded seem to have defended themselves... vigourously. These include Mr Solomon, Polly Ihyula and Duran and the twins. Casualties are cared for and immediate high tech meds stabilise the many wounded. The merc officers soldier on despite their numerous personal wounds.
The unit now sweeps west where it seems that unwarned of the attack the Guard have suffered terribly. In the idyllic lower pool room the mercs encounter withdrawing insurgents (now fully armoured and armed with captured ACRs). A firefight develops where training and fire discipline ensure the mercs once more wipe out the invaders. This is helped by an attack by Sgt Gaughan's bloodied Guard survivors who announce their desertion from the Guard and following a recruitment drive by Jess seek employment with the unit.
Advancing north the mercs now encounter the cadre at the heart of the insurgency and enacting a tactical approach lever apart interlocking fields of fire to assault these professional infantry and force their way behind the main waterfall to kill Urvash Gudrun, rescue the abducted Baron and seal off the access to the Mansion. All but one of the insurgents is killed.
The Baron ungratefully now seems set on a cooling of relations with the Imperium and behaves as petulantly as everyone expects heaping more and more unreasonable demands upon his new Colonel (Kit).
The final chapter of events is the arrival in orbit of a suspiciously "regular" Sword World merc unit with fighter support. These potential new opponents are carried in McClellan Factors ships hailing from Trexalon. Negotiations result in a pragmatic ceasefire being declared with Inchin now moved politically into the influence of Trexalon (and therefore arguably the Out World Alliance) and practically under the control of McClellan who are fronting for SuSAG.
However, while events unfolded around them the mercs held fast and undeterred kept the Imperial delegation safe. In addition they (apparently) destroyed a pirate corsair, captured a launch and gained valuable allies.
The team are contracted as security for the Imperial delegation to Inchin. On arrival the team encounter the Baron's Guard and experience the scarcity of water and the unpopularity of the regime firsthand. The mercs pursue a hearts and minds approach to the townsfolk and Jess discovers buggy racing gaining links with the "Junge" but upon contact with Urvash Gudrun finds she has been issued with not a comm but a (very) high tech bug!
Major Smith rashly decides to force a solution to the diplomatic issue by staging a pirate raid with in system Imperial Auxiliaries/Pirates. The pirates threaten Inchin's "mirrorfield" of solar harvesters at the Fort Zinderneuf outpost. The mercs in company with the Guard cavalry unit commanded by the suspect Colonel Perron move to counter attack while supporting Prof Benson in collecting his survey data which will influence the planet's future.
The mercs win a sharp engagement against dismounted pirate grav infantry getting surprise support from "Green Force" who appear to operate a fast milspec craft. A surprise counter attack from orbit by the pirate's launch is somehow spotted by Prerna and Jess manages to down it with a well placed missile.
Meanwhile in orbit the merc cutter Grey Goose, operating as the merc's sensor picket, is shot up by a pirate's mothership - a corsair. The crew of the Goose watch helplessly as, in turn, the corsair is raked from stem to stern by a close range fusion gun pass delivered by an unknown vessel. Liv briefs senior merc officers that she believes this to be a Zhidts "S" a re-vamped and upgunned design with an Imperial powerplant. She reveals that the "S" designation is classified and denotes the organisation believed to operate the type: SORAG.
Back dirtside the pirate launch crash lands and the (elite) on board fire team are shot down by "Green Force" who make off. This proves more than helpful all round as the pirate launch is found to be a powerfully kitted out "gunship". Prof Benson recovers his data from the deep mine at the base of the ravine adjacent to Green Force's position and the mercs return to the Mansion in triumph. Smith is deemed to be unfit for command and detained pending court martial (or something less public). An "unknown event" happened here.
They find that the Town now seethes with resentment and the "missing" immigrants amount to a sizeable force. Kirsten Vitt seems to be a shady character and is followed into Star Town and Barter Town where she leads the team a merry dance before surrendering herself. Meanwhile, a flashpoint of discontent appears to be the water bowsers sent into town to issue water rations although Liv and Jakob find the rationing system to be entirely compromised. Nevertheless, discord amongst the population boils into public disorder and the bowsers are attacked. The Baron authorises return fire on Junge buggies. As Guard units are pursued out of town charges attached to their vehicles under cover of the disorder detonate as the retreating column comes under attack. The mercs sally forth from the Mansion to cover the extraction of the survivors. Jess encounters Sgt Gaughan and rescues him and numerous survivors and wounded although all their vehicles (a mech platoon) are lost.
Night falls but sleep is interrupted by insurgents backed by renegade Guard. They have remounted the abandoned tanks and using surveying lasers as improvised sights for the main armament destroy the Mansion's point defence and missile systems. Incensed the Guard hurl an armoured counter attack into Star Town. They loose a tank on the way in and then several other vehicles and most of their infantry in a series of brutally efficient ambushes using military grade explosives placed with ruthless precision. Once more the mercs come out supported by Prerna's snipers and Jakob encounters a new "enemy". These troops are revealed to be a force of Sword World "Einherjaren" under the command of Erica East. She proposes an immediate ceasefire and demilitarisation of Star Town which (this issue being well outside their contract) the mercs accept.
With political tensions ratcheted to near breaking point Prof Benson is under pressure to reveal his results. Doing his best to play down any indications as provisional he is, of course, ignored by those willing to speculate on Inchin's future. The results seem to indicate deep reserves of immense value locked beneath the planet's surface. A bidding war now surprises Drace Keening as SuSAG finds itself opposed by Fast Eddie of Collace. Polly avoids getting embroiled in the fallout as Keening eventually buys out Eddie who seems relieved and now rich beyond his wildest imaginings. Several "unknown events" happened here!.
After the previous sleepless night the mercs turn in only to be woken by what would have been a low tech yet brutally efficient strike delivered into the heart of the Mansion's defences. Falxmen swarm into the barracks but the mercs are very fortunately forwarned by Jakob and Liv who, joined by Erica and Prerna, fight without armour to hold off the first wave of fanatical attackers. Squads of insurgents meet grim faced mercs and learn that fanaticism takes you so far but autofire take you further. Carnage is the only term. The final assault on the merc quarters falls to a pgmp shot through the wall of 1st squad's shower room and Frank leads a rescue into the VIP quarters while Prerna attacks on a parallel course with her snipers acting as infantry.
The VIPs are grateful for their rescue although the more martially minded seem to have defended themselves... vigourously. These include Mr Solomon, Polly Ihyula and Duran and the twins. Casualties are cared for and immediate high tech meds stabilise the many wounded. The merc officers soldier on despite their numerous personal wounds.
The unit now sweeps west where it seems that unwarned of the attack the Guard have suffered terribly. In the idyllic lower pool room the mercs encounter withdrawing insurgents (now fully armoured and armed with captured ACRs). A firefight develops where training and fire discipline ensure the mercs once more wipe out the invaders. This is helped by an attack by Sgt Gaughan's bloodied Guard survivors who announce their desertion from the Guard and following a recruitment drive by Jess seek employment with the unit.
Advancing north the mercs now encounter the cadre at the heart of the insurgency and enacting a tactical approach lever apart interlocking fields of fire to assault these professional infantry and force their way behind the main waterfall to kill Urvash Gudrun, rescue the abducted Baron and seal off the access to the Mansion. All but one of the insurgents is killed.
The Baron ungratefully now seems set on a cooling of relations with the Imperium and behaves as petulantly as everyone expects heaping more and more unreasonable demands upon his new Colonel (Kit).
The final chapter of events is the arrival in orbit of a suspiciously "regular" Sword World merc unit with fighter support. These potential new opponents are carried in McClellan Factors ships hailing from Trexalon. Negotiations result in a pragmatic ceasefire being declared with Inchin now moved politically into the influence of Trexalon (and therefore arguably the Out World Alliance) and practically under the control of McClellan who are fronting for SuSAG.
However, while events unfolded around them the mercs held fast and undeterred kept the Imperial delegation safe. In addition they (apparently) destroyed a pirate corsair, captured a launch and gained valuable allies.
Re: The Plot: As it seems...
Avastan
Tasked with removing the Pirate Scourge emanating from Avastan the mercs set themselves against the crimelords of the Bratva that control Avastan Portways Inc and their garrison at the downport. Strategically supported by SuSAG and with interstellar transport provided by their local subsidiary MCClellan Factors (based on Trexalon) the unit, together with a fireteam of their Aslan allies (travelling in "coldsleds"), jumps for Avastan where MCClellan claim they can pull off something of a "Trojan Horse" for insertion.
The trader jumps in and is indeed able to land unopposed and after the usual bribe remains on the downport apron unmolested by the prying eyes of any local law enforcement types. The team sets to gathering Intel and discover from local news sources that there is trouble between the farmers outside the port and city. Indeed it seems that something of an insurgency has broken out in the surrounding mountains. The rebels appear to have access to MANPADS sufficient to down a pair of the local Stag grav boosted helos. Freya works up a ELINT "map" of the downport noting the locations of four defended berms that seem central to the (assumed) pirate base. She also notes and maps the dispersed Pivot interceptors (capable of lofting anti starship missiles and a major obstacle to any raid) and also Stag ground attack helos (just as deadly to any troops who made it to the ground). Meanwhile Jess prepares to mount a local recon in mufti. A new signing "Esfor" Sugar causes a stir when parading in civvies - it turns out her other job is in the Collace adult holo flik industry. Further knowledge is gleaned about the quiks of the downport. Port security appears to have been sub contracted to an Auxiliary Police Unit of Vargr who appear as per prejudice. The Scout base is also "odd". It has alert mercs (ISS SecFor) guarding it rather than Imperial personnel yet they appear as an Imperial PMC. Intermingled with these two units the API gate guards seem indifferent at best and incompetent at worst. Observation also reveals another hazard to any invading force - Flak Towers. These rockcrete bastions rise about the base mounting anti starship missile batteries, anti-air missile launchers and local defence HMGs.
During these Int gathering operations the unit gets full benefit from Freya and her crew of Techs who are keen to demonstrate their nerdy worth to the assembled jock soldiery. Freya herself comes up trumps and identifies the Vargr Aux Police vessel as a 400ton Aeogz class corsair/trader. Curiouser and curiouser said someone - as did Freya when she noted that McClelland's "Four Nine" trader had been scanning for physically small sources of neutrinos/radiation on approach... Odd again...
Florence's translator can't translate the Vargr "in clear" radio comms because it's "not quite Gvegh" but in fact another dialect. Meanwhile as a distinct pattern of suspected pirate crew traffic is detected going into Avastan City the mercs are astounded to see a full spec Imperial liveried patrol corvette land inside the nearest berm. This is revealed to be the pirate vessel "Deliverance"!!! Kit (being an ex Marine rates the local defences as "slack" and the patrol corvette's presence as "irregular" at best! Liv reveals that of the local political leaders Vladimir Mikhailov is an ex Imperial spook and that his unpleasant bodyguard is Viktor Solonik “The Gravedigger” (a proficient assassin).
During a briefing to compile all the Intel findings SEMC command are interrupted as the "Four Nine" crew appear to be getting "tuned up" by a jeepload of Vargr Auxiliary Police. Florence tries her best but can only get broken translation amongst demands to see the shadow soldiers she can not idenitify either Hffranhk or, although "senior sergeant" translated, Yhressica. Jess leads a scratch team to repel potential borders while the trader crew run back aboard. Frank cracks the "code" and realises that the mispronunciation of his and Jess' names (as well as fangs and longer jaws) explains all. The Vargr turn out to not only be friendly but turn out to be the Fuernuzorg (Special Forces) of their ally the Kforuzeng corsair "Patch". Their leader hands over a chip which appears to be an ecrpytion key for local comms.
Plugging in the "key" the mercs get a call from Erica East (in fetching snow camo). It appears she has been here ahead of the team and is embracing her coordination role and is also stirring up the trouble in the mountains. She states SEMC should liaise with the Vargr and destroy the air assets at the downport while she draws a company of the API garrison away. She also states that she needs to locate and liberate a trader named Hawkwind captured by the pirates. She forwards details of the pirate flotilla which is guarded in the berms by a competent company sized unit of the API garrison. The SEMC begin to get a handle on the military task in hand.
Deciding that more Intel would help they form a covert away team to head to where the pirate crews seem to hang out Club Zoo in Avastan City. as they set off Avastan delivers its famous "dirty snow" which disrupts laser comms and hampers radio.
Among the away team Sugar reveals herself (very nearly!) as good at being dressed for nightclubs. This causes much "eyepopping distress" to corporals Able and Baker (especially Baker as his "bird" Easy is also on the team).
Meanwhile, demonstrating phenomenal sensor skills Freya detects and decrypts some "Imperial Standard" radio chatter that seems to reveal a grav mobile team shadowing the SEMC "clubbers". After much anxiety these "contacts" identify themselves to Prerna as her escort for the evening: Recon One an elite Deep Recon fireteam (plus their EW Officer callsign Hawkeye). The battledress equipped team are members of 4DC mercs - another ally is revealed. Unnoticed Sazanami slips out of the transport to scout the rear exit.
The team enter Club Zoo after a gauntlet of pawing by the leering bouncers. The exception to this are the blonde and brunette pairing of Liv and Polly who rate as such top gangster "tottie" as to have doors opened and lesser folk thrown out of seats on their behalf. The first bar "Science" is gained but there appears to be a pay point to the "better bar" called "Art" which is where API officers and the more glamorous party girls gravitate. Entry here is restricted to a pay point and vetting by bouncers. However some Imperial Marshals also bar the way (incredibly) claiming to be on the lookout for Imperial deserters. These are known mercs for hire. One Whitfield has a run in with a feisty Prerna but a third (Quiet Jones) appears and states they have bigger fish to fry. The mercs are given entry.
The next bar is an upgrade but in turn there is the VIP area beyond. Jess catches a pirate looking type who invites her (well Sugar) to party. Jess and Kit posing as Sugar's manager are allowed in too. They find the space beyond has a burlesque null grav stage surrounded by private dining/party booths apparently occupied by various pirate crews. Prerna takes a vacant one and chats up the booth escort who provides info as to which crews are in and who is where. Liv leaves the team to attempt a meeting with Secretary Vladimir Mikhailov (the ex-spy) who is in a booth with his bodyguard Viktor Solonik. Meanwhile Jess finds herself a guest of the Abyss crew. Intel is gained - especially as to the provenance of the Type T. The Imperial Navy really just doesn't "misplace" them...
However in an unrelated series of events it all comes on top. A gang of (clearly deluded) street hoodlums attempt a stick up which ends badly fatally. Prerna sees Mikhailov and Solonik leave and determines Liv's meeting has gone awry. She walks into a gunfight between Liv and the Marshals. Jebbediah Slow denounces the gunshot Liv as a "Zho". Prerna and her sidekick (merc XRay) engage in a firefight Slow goes down early and Quiet Jones is severely wounded in the arm dropping his pistol and evades while XRay falls to an exotic Tranq weapon fired by Whitfield. Liv blows a chunk out of Quiet Jones' thigh but then succumbs to an overdose of Tranq rounds as Whitfield is unable to shoot Prerna as his wrist dislocates. Prerna puts a round clean through his vest and he goes down.
All seems well with the Abyss crew until they are ambushed by the psychotic crew of Red Angel (or Mr. Angelus Sanguinis as they were booked in). The new waitress suddenly garottes the pirate Jess is talking to (after delivering a "Black Spot" in fresh blood) just as what might be the "jacked" and clearly "enhanced" Captain Sergei Valha himself enters the booth from upstairs carrying a pair of bloody meat cleavers - as you do. Jess, Sugar and Kit quite wisely bail.
Kit goes to the bar to help Polly who struggles with a Viper's Nest pilot until the clasp and chain strap on her bag are revealed to be some kind of combo weapon. Kit brawls with gusto grabbing the guy as he wields a broken bottle while Polly hits him in the skull with the blade of her kusarigama. In an inspired move Kit hurls the dead bloke at his pistol wielding mate who then gets cut down from behind by Polly's wickedly sharp translucent blade.
Jess trailed by Sugar encounter a pistol armed robber shooting random folk. He sizes up Jess and then notices she is armed with an AK liberated from the Abyss dinner table - she gives him the good news. She directs Baker and Easy to seize the pay point to give an escape route. The pair of recon snipers out brawl the bouncers in a fine(?) display of Collace gutter fighting (and rob them blind for good measure).
Back at the ranch the female Aslan rearranges the paper screens they are so fond of around the coldsleds. Frank and Freya go about their duties until the hunting roar of a male Aslan dominates the troop deck. It would appear that Yugure has ensured that her troops will be used in any forthcoming action. While coolly managing the situation and engaging diplomacy Frank realizes that the Ihatei males now have to be managed successfully until they must be committed to combat as he has no means of calming or distracting them indefinitely. Try as she might Freya just can't unsee her vision of the terrified and naked McClellan Purser. Effective communication teeters on the survival of the alpha male's forearm mounted translator - which he is none too gentle or competent with. The revived Aslan now assemble an eye watering array of 15mm HMGs - to which they fit shoulder stocks. Apparently these support weapons are Aslan "battle rifles" - their actual squad support is an electric action rotary cannon...
Having (he knows only temporarily) calmed the Aslan Frank releases Gaughan's Rangers as QRF in response to the "off" at Club Zoo.
Racing to Prerna's aid Jess and Kit find Jones none the worse for being covered in blood from serious wounds and squaring off against Prerna. Everyone else in the booth is down. Jones rants at Prerna even claiming to be an Imperial agent but "the cavalry" are unmoved by his nonsense. Jess hoses him with her AK, Kit shatters his right femur and maybe it's Sugar who neatly summarizes the group sympathy: "Fekkin' Cadburys!" ...as she blows a chunk out of Jones' left arm. Her reference here is to a Collace snack filled with fruit and nut - these being a derogative slang term for poor life choices/mental health. [For more detailed/flashback memory: https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 89#p584289]. While Prerna gives Jones a coup de grace per swede Jess finds that Liv has attempted to overcome Tranq shots with industrial amounts of the recreational drug "Velocity". Fortunately being sponsored by SuSAG pays off and a dose of Universal Anti Toxin stabilizes Liv. The two wounded Marshals still in their distinctive "dusters" are ironically cuffed with their own restraints and hoisted on shoulders to allow an escape. The team like all the pirates adopt a cautious "Exfil" blending in among the exiting clubbers. It is overheard that the pirate crews refuse the VIP back entrance as apparently all their transport drivers and cover there are "just sat there dead".
The "away team" exit the club successfully but now encounter a ISS Sec For G Carrier and a "filter cordon" of foot troops screening the refugees from Club Zoo. The team realize that the Marshals' distinctive beige dusters are very visible to those on the lookout for them and indeed this seems to be the case. While Jess and Sugar pass without issue the (Imperial) mercs home in on Prerna and Kit hoisting the wounded prisoners (Marshalls).
To be Continued...
While Jess and Sugar pass through the cordon without any bother Prerna and Kit (both carrying Marshals) are challenged. The crowd, already skittery from previous events, gives the confrontation a wide birth. Prerna squares up to an ISS Sec For merc and seems about to get herself arrested when Freya overhears more of "Recon One" as active local jamming blocks comms and further intercepts. The two troopers adjacent to Prerna and Kit are killed by high tech laser fire while their G Carrier hovering over the plaza is catastrophically demolished by FGMP and RAM Grenade hits. By complete coincidence Frank gets a call (likely from out system) from Col Skeet of 4DC Mercs declaring the existence of a recon asset in the vicinity of SEMC elements in Avastan City. A second round of shooting has the newly armed Jess and Sugar take out the last two "Sec For" mercs as both are simultaneously victim to more (invisible) high tech laser fire. Only slightly late to the party Gaughan and Lannigan burst on the scene to report that the SEMC "cavalry" has arrived!
The SEMC realise that the various and scattered pirate crews are likely making their way independently back to the downport and decide to "seek and destroy" as they may and while the mostly non-combatant ships' crews are vulnerable. Able has quite a "turn" when, on opening the back doors of the bus, he discovers Sazanami again seated inside. After a whispered conversation Polly volunteers that six more Viper's Nest crew have been accounted for.
Frank speaks with Erica East who confirms that the 4DC element is friendly and is intrigued as to how SEMC knew of their whereabouts. Dubs reports that is appears she is "busy" / actually in a firefight. Meanwhile Corporal Able (left outside with the transport) has already stolen himself a new coat and appears to suddenly know the whereabouts of an insecure large luxury SUV. This addition brings the SEMC vehicle fleet to a small hired ground car, a panel van and the "new" SUV. The van is sent direct back to the downport with Polly, Sazanami plus the wounded XRay and Liv. The Marshals are also loaded aboard. Some snappy comm and drone work identifies at least nine groups who could be the liveried pirate crews bent on evasion.
Gaughan's team identify one team "hunting" in the plaza as very likely to be Red angel's crew and is directed to leave them be. He is then tasked to another while the pursuit elements of the SEMC away team mount their vehicles and chase the fleeing pirates back towards the downport. Jess finds her SUV has some poke while in the "Gopnik cab" Able and Baker pull on ski masks and propel themselves and Kit through traffic by avoiding use of the highway code and the brakes. Both vehicles close in the first target: a pair of hijacked local cabs.
Meanwhile Frank finds out that in the Four Nine's hold the Aslan are gearing up! He gets a close up view of their brutally effective gear and also pulls off sufficient diplomacy to stop them either immediately attacking the starport or fighting with each other.
Back on the road while the pirates seem out of their element the Collace blaggers and mercs seem entirely at home. While Prerna kills the pirate driving one vehicle Easy takes the car apart with HE rounds. It crashes and is "brassed up" for good measure by Kit's vehicle. The second cab fares no better as the pirates are first outshot and then outdriven. With their vehicle and crew badly shot up Jess nudges the pirate ride into a bridge support. None can survive the resultant explosion. From their livery these pirates are identified as from the Aux Carrier / 400t Trader Viper's Nest. Back at the downport Jakob now spots a tactical opportunity granted by the snow storm to storm the Viper's Nest now it has suffered such staggering crew losses. A plan to seize the trader and its berm and then leverage that to facilitate assaulting the neighboring berm (Deliverance, Hawkwind and Saxon) is forged. Frank plans to put an anti-vehicle ambush on the downport approach road using the SEMCs few grav belts to position the team.
Having hired a grav limo Polly gets the wounded and prisoners back in quick time. Wearing only a camo parka Liv gives a distracting real time Intel update on the Viper's Nest disposition and an estimate that the crew has already taken 80% casualties. The resourceful agent has also fabricated a pair of suppressors for Jakob's squad and furnishes an anagun and her own gauss pistol as additional silent weapons. She then retires back to the medbay.
With Frank geared up and leading the road ambush team while Jakob leads the HQ squad and his own team plus Freya (as flight crew) and Freddie (as her "minder") the G Carrier with the registered Collace ID Code UR FKD slides out of the darkened trader and into the snow driven Avastan night.
The "road warriors" now identify an air/raft apparently escorting a ground car as "of interest" and close in. The excited Techs inform them of a grav police unit heading their way. It seems to not be either the Highway Patrol or local cops.
Having slipped off the crawling G Carrier in the snow storm Jakob's team take out the sentries posted at the berm entrance in a brutally short and one sided firefight. The Carrier trundles on to drop off Frank's grav belt team (Cpl Charlie and the cavalry troop) ready to hop over the extrality fence and move through the low-rise buildings of startown to establish their ambush. He places his ambush covering the approach road to the downport from Avastan City. Franks receives news from Erica that a company of regulars from the downport and the same of irregular mercs/guns for hire is now committed in the mountains making his job at least a third easier. He then contacts the Vargr to negotiate. He speaks to "Patch" - a "carve up" of the berms ensues...
Back on the road Jess spots a panel van that also looks to have pirate crew. The SEMC coordinate their attack Kit's car goes wide and Kit himself shoots the grav car pilot while Baker takes out another pirate with a masterful headshot using Jess' carbine. Meanwhile Jess SUV noses beneath the grav car and her crew hose it from beneath. DS rounds penetrate the soft skinned vehicle and cause havoc inside. With a grav module out and everyone aboard wounded or worse the bullet riddled grav car coasts to a stop.
The two remaining pirate vehicles retaliate. To no one's surprise the back doors of the van burst open and pirates spray fire wildly and ineffectively. What might be a HEAP round does something bad to the front quarter of Kit's ride but having deftly avoided a ramming attempt Able holds position as best he can.
Meanwhile... Jakob directs Caxton to set up his HMG and splits his team into two pairs to recce the Viper's Nest. He finds two ways in: a service ladder leading up into the landing gear bay and the main airlock with a set of mobile stairs. He and Love share a "meeting engagement" with the sentry who appeared to be entertaining a lady guest on the staircase itself (romantic bar steward). Jakob and Love shoot the sentry and Tranq his bird (who, rather than a pilot, is found to be an itinerant lady of negotiable virtue). Jakob and Beau coordinate their entry to the trader. Swarming(?) aboard the two SEMC tactical pairs secure engineering and Jakob and Love (silently) win an anagun assisted firefight with the two bridge crew. The Viper's Nest is under new ownership! Freya is brought up to assess the viability of the new acquisition while Freddy does his bodyguard thing.
Frank gives the command and Charlie's squad launch four LAW into the approaching G Carrier which appears to be a mid tech military model. The vehicle is destroyed in a terrifying conflagration (two K Kill catastrophic hits and change!) Frank and his ambushers successfully exfiltrate and regain the Trader. Gaughan likewise moves to bring his G Carrier back in.
In mixed fortunes Jess and Kit's crews make short work of the available pirate targets dropping nearly all but the damage to Kit's vehicle seems to get ever worse and the vehicle drops back just as the grav cop car begins to close in. It pulls in behind Kit's dying ride and puts on its lights including an illuminated plaque bearing the legend of the "Department of Tranquility and Decency" - the secret police. Jess flags the two escaping pirate rides up for Gaughan to ambush and drops back to help Kit. As the mercs wonder whether to square up to the (much better equipped than usual) cops their amazonian female leader oddly speaks Sagamaal to Prerna. She removes her mask for a smoke and to eye up Sugar. In doing so she reveals herself as yet another historic ally: Kirsten Vitt.
pg 31
The “Roadcrew” retires to the “Four nine” for planning and debrief. The local air assets are deemed to be the greatest threat to the SEMC operation and those of their allies in the hills operating with Erica East. Jakob secures the Viper's Nest and makes up demolition charges sufficient to take out both the armour helos and interceptor aircraft parked about the Down port.
The team calculate that the pirate vessels are now significantly reduced in crew strength and Frank negotiates with the Vargr who will storm the Abyss and Nazareth berms. Aided by Frank, Polly and Jess Kit meets the Aslan who will be under his command. At Polly's suggestion Frank offers the Aslan (Ryōma and his comrades Junko, Tone and Hoga) possession of the berm while SEMC takes the ships inside. The Aslan agree. Frank liaises with Colonel Skeet of 4DC who will take out the High Port and then reinforce the SEMC effort at the Down Port.
SEMC's plan crystallises and soon marshalled by Voss the merc vehicles ghost out of the trader's cargo doors and into the darkness of a night blanketed with an Avastan dirty snowstorm. On route to the Viper's Nest berm kit finds his vehicles overtaken by a local military ground car which cheerfully ignores the merc IFVs!!! In an equally bizarre turn Jess encounters the Vargr doing something chaotic with yet another ground car... They appear to be fitting the ground car with a crash test dummy in a fur hat and an amount of deadfall ordnance. Meanwhile Jakob's team scale the stair inside their berm to put themselves atop the trapdoor accessing the defensive infantry positions which form the external berm defences...
Jess cautiously trundles on mimicking the speed of the wheeled service vehicles. She puts out a foot unit to mine the pair of helos nearest the enemy HQ. Because Collace Cpl Charlie's demo tasking is achieved with success and also the “rescue” of a party girl and a now unconscious Avastan pilot. Escorting Gaughan's G Carrier Jess's IFV crosses the runway and sprints to insert into the helo and jet dispersal berm. Gaughan takes out the watchman with a LAG as the merc vehicles soar over the berm's top and settle silently within. Demo teams are despatched into the “courts” sheltering the aircraft. They carefully plant timed charges as the vehicles crawl the circumference of the berm.
Meanwhile Freya's Techs provide vital drone overwatch and Frank has to manage the Four Nine bridge crew's horror as the Vargr trader at the far end of the runway powers up its plant and reveals itself to be an Aeogz class corsair! Kit finds his hands are full with restraining the very enthusiastic Aslan Ihatei. Meanwhile Jakob does a “bad thing” and pumps CO into the pillbox having connected up some handy piping to the exhaust of a hydrocarbon burning loader. He has also slapped some explosives onto a fuel drum. Meanwhile Love and George track the enemy sentries with the (improvised) suppressors fitted to their ACRs.
Everybody waits.
Tasked with removing the Pirate Scourge emanating from Avastan the mercs set themselves against the crimelords of the Bratva that control Avastan Portways Inc and their garrison at the downport. Strategically supported by SuSAG and with interstellar transport provided by their local subsidiary MCClellan Factors (based on Trexalon) the unit, together with a fireteam of their Aslan allies (travelling in "coldsleds"), jumps for Avastan where MCClellan claim they can pull off something of a "Trojan Horse" for insertion.
The trader jumps in and is indeed able to land unopposed and after the usual bribe remains on the downport apron unmolested by the prying eyes of any local law enforcement types. The team sets to gathering Intel and discover from local news sources that there is trouble between the farmers outside the port and city. Indeed it seems that something of an insurgency has broken out in the surrounding mountains. The rebels appear to have access to MANPADS sufficient to down a pair of the local Stag grav boosted helos. Freya works up a ELINT "map" of the downport noting the locations of four defended berms that seem central to the (assumed) pirate base. She also notes and maps the dispersed Pivot interceptors (capable of lofting anti starship missiles and a major obstacle to any raid) and also Stag ground attack helos (just as deadly to any troops who made it to the ground). Meanwhile Jess prepares to mount a local recon in mufti. A new signing "Esfor" Sugar causes a stir when parading in civvies - it turns out her other job is in the Collace adult holo flik industry. Further knowledge is gleaned about the quiks of the downport. Port security appears to have been sub contracted to an Auxiliary Police Unit of Vargr who appear as per prejudice. The Scout base is also "odd". It has alert mercs (ISS SecFor) guarding it rather than Imperial personnel yet they appear as an Imperial PMC. Intermingled with these two units the API gate guards seem indifferent at best and incompetent at worst. Observation also reveals another hazard to any invading force - Flak Towers. These rockcrete bastions rise about the base mounting anti starship missile batteries, anti-air missile launchers and local defence HMGs.
During these Int gathering operations the unit gets full benefit from Freya and her crew of Techs who are keen to demonstrate their nerdy worth to the assembled jock soldiery. Freya herself comes up trumps and identifies the Vargr Aux Police vessel as a 400ton Aeogz class corsair/trader. Curiouser and curiouser said someone - as did Freya when she noted that McClelland's "Four Nine" trader had been scanning for physically small sources of neutrinos/radiation on approach... Odd again...
Florence's translator can't translate the Vargr "in clear" radio comms because it's "not quite Gvegh" but in fact another dialect. Meanwhile as a distinct pattern of suspected pirate crew traffic is detected going into Avastan City the mercs are astounded to see a full spec Imperial liveried patrol corvette land inside the nearest berm. This is revealed to be the pirate vessel "Deliverance"!!! Kit (being an ex Marine rates the local defences as "slack" and the patrol corvette's presence as "irregular" at best! Liv reveals that of the local political leaders Vladimir Mikhailov is an ex Imperial spook and that his unpleasant bodyguard is Viktor Solonik “The Gravedigger” (a proficient assassin).
During a briefing to compile all the Intel findings SEMC command are interrupted as the "Four Nine" crew appear to be getting "tuned up" by a jeepload of Vargr Auxiliary Police. Florence tries her best but can only get broken translation amongst demands to see the shadow soldiers she can not idenitify either Hffranhk or, although "senior sergeant" translated, Yhressica. Jess leads a scratch team to repel potential borders while the trader crew run back aboard. Frank cracks the "code" and realises that the mispronunciation of his and Jess' names (as well as fangs and longer jaws) explains all. The Vargr turn out to not only be friendly but turn out to be the Fuernuzorg (Special Forces) of their ally the Kforuzeng corsair "Patch". Their leader hands over a chip which appears to be an ecrpytion key for local comms.
Plugging in the "key" the mercs get a call from Erica East (in fetching snow camo). It appears she has been here ahead of the team and is embracing her coordination role and is also stirring up the trouble in the mountains. She states SEMC should liaise with the Vargr and destroy the air assets at the downport while she draws a company of the API garrison away. She also states that she needs to locate and liberate a trader named Hawkwind captured by the pirates. She forwards details of the pirate flotilla which is guarded in the berms by a competent company sized unit of the API garrison. The SEMC begin to get a handle on the military task in hand.
Deciding that more Intel would help they form a covert away team to head to where the pirate crews seem to hang out Club Zoo in Avastan City. as they set off Avastan delivers its famous "dirty snow" which disrupts laser comms and hampers radio.
Among the away team Sugar reveals herself (very nearly!) as good at being dressed for nightclubs. This causes much "eyepopping distress" to corporals Able and Baker (especially Baker as his "bird" Easy is also on the team).
Meanwhile, demonstrating phenomenal sensor skills Freya detects and decrypts some "Imperial Standard" radio chatter that seems to reveal a grav mobile team shadowing the SEMC "clubbers". After much anxiety these "contacts" identify themselves to Prerna as her escort for the evening: Recon One an elite Deep Recon fireteam (plus their EW Officer callsign Hawkeye). The battledress equipped team are members of 4DC mercs - another ally is revealed. Unnoticed Sazanami slips out of the transport to scout the rear exit.
The team enter Club Zoo after a gauntlet of pawing by the leering bouncers. The exception to this are the blonde and brunette pairing of Liv and Polly who rate as such top gangster "tottie" as to have doors opened and lesser folk thrown out of seats on their behalf. The first bar "Science" is gained but there appears to be a pay point to the "better bar" called "Art" which is where API officers and the more glamorous party girls gravitate. Entry here is restricted to a pay point and vetting by bouncers. However some Imperial Marshals also bar the way (incredibly) claiming to be on the lookout for Imperial deserters. These are known mercs for hire. One Whitfield has a run in with a feisty Prerna but a third (Quiet Jones) appears and states they have bigger fish to fry. The mercs are given entry.
The next bar is an upgrade but in turn there is the VIP area beyond. Jess catches a pirate looking type who invites her (well Sugar) to party. Jess and Kit posing as Sugar's manager are allowed in too. They find the space beyond has a burlesque null grav stage surrounded by private dining/party booths apparently occupied by various pirate crews. Prerna takes a vacant one and chats up the booth escort who provides info as to which crews are in and who is where. Liv leaves the team to attempt a meeting with Secretary Vladimir Mikhailov (the ex-spy) who is in a booth with his bodyguard Viktor Solonik. Meanwhile Jess finds herself a guest of the Abyss crew. Intel is gained - especially as to the provenance of the Type T. The Imperial Navy really just doesn't "misplace" them...
However in an unrelated series of events it all comes on top. A gang of (clearly deluded) street hoodlums attempt a stick up which ends badly fatally. Prerna sees Mikhailov and Solonik leave and determines Liv's meeting has gone awry. She walks into a gunfight between Liv and the Marshals. Jebbediah Slow denounces the gunshot Liv as a "Zho". Prerna and her sidekick (merc XRay) engage in a firefight Slow goes down early and Quiet Jones is severely wounded in the arm dropping his pistol and evades while XRay falls to an exotic Tranq weapon fired by Whitfield. Liv blows a chunk out of Quiet Jones' thigh but then succumbs to an overdose of Tranq rounds as Whitfield is unable to shoot Prerna as his wrist dislocates. Prerna puts a round clean through his vest and he goes down.
All seems well with the Abyss crew until they are ambushed by the psychotic crew of Red Angel (or Mr. Angelus Sanguinis as they were booked in). The new waitress suddenly garottes the pirate Jess is talking to (after delivering a "Black Spot" in fresh blood) just as what might be the "jacked" and clearly "enhanced" Captain Sergei Valha himself enters the booth from upstairs carrying a pair of bloody meat cleavers - as you do. Jess, Sugar and Kit quite wisely bail.
Kit goes to the bar to help Polly who struggles with a Viper's Nest pilot until the clasp and chain strap on her bag are revealed to be some kind of combo weapon. Kit brawls with gusto grabbing the guy as he wields a broken bottle while Polly hits him in the skull with the blade of her kusarigama. In an inspired move Kit hurls the dead bloke at his pistol wielding mate who then gets cut down from behind by Polly's wickedly sharp translucent blade.
Jess trailed by Sugar encounter a pistol armed robber shooting random folk. He sizes up Jess and then notices she is armed with an AK liberated from the Abyss dinner table - she gives him the good news. She directs Baker and Easy to seize the pay point to give an escape route. The pair of recon snipers out brawl the bouncers in a fine(?) display of Collace gutter fighting (and rob them blind for good measure).
Back at the ranch the female Aslan rearranges the paper screens they are so fond of around the coldsleds. Frank and Freya go about their duties until the hunting roar of a male Aslan dominates the troop deck. It would appear that Yugure has ensured that her troops will be used in any forthcoming action. While coolly managing the situation and engaging diplomacy Frank realizes that the Ihatei males now have to be managed successfully until they must be committed to combat as he has no means of calming or distracting them indefinitely. Try as she might Freya just can't unsee her vision of the terrified and naked McClellan Purser. Effective communication teeters on the survival of the alpha male's forearm mounted translator - which he is none too gentle or competent with. The revived Aslan now assemble an eye watering array of 15mm HMGs - to which they fit shoulder stocks. Apparently these support weapons are Aslan "battle rifles" - their actual squad support is an electric action rotary cannon...
Having (he knows only temporarily) calmed the Aslan Frank releases Gaughan's Rangers as QRF in response to the "off" at Club Zoo.
Racing to Prerna's aid Jess and Kit find Jones none the worse for being covered in blood from serious wounds and squaring off against Prerna. Everyone else in the booth is down. Jones rants at Prerna even claiming to be an Imperial agent but "the cavalry" are unmoved by his nonsense. Jess hoses him with her AK, Kit shatters his right femur and maybe it's Sugar who neatly summarizes the group sympathy: "Fekkin' Cadburys!" ...as she blows a chunk out of Jones' left arm. Her reference here is to a Collace snack filled with fruit and nut - these being a derogative slang term for poor life choices/mental health. [For more detailed/flashback memory: https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 89#p584289]. While Prerna gives Jones a coup de grace per swede Jess finds that Liv has attempted to overcome Tranq shots with industrial amounts of the recreational drug "Velocity". Fortunately being sponsored by SuSAG pays off and a dose of Universal Anti Toxin stabilizes Liv. The two wounded Marshals still in their distinctive "dusters" are ironically cuffed with their own restraints and hoisted on shoulders to allow an escape. The team like all the pirates adopt a cautious "Exfil" blending in among the exiting clubbers. It is overheard that the pirate crews refuse the VIP back entrance as apparently all their transport drivers and cover there are "just sat there dead".
The "away team" exit the club successfully but now encounter a ISS Sec For G Carrier and a "filter cordon" of foot troops screening the refugees from Club Zoo. The team realize that the Marshals' distinctive beige dusters are very visible to those on the lookout for them and indeed this seems to be the case. While Jess and Sugar pass without issue the (Imperial) mercs home in on Prerna and Kit hoisting the wounded prisoners (Marshalls).
To be Continued...
While Jess and Sugar pass through the cordon without any bother Prerna and Kit (both carrying Marshals) are challenged. The crowd, already skittery from previous events, gives the confrontation a wide birth. Prerna squares up to an ISS Sec For merc and seems about to get herself arrested when Freya overhears more of "Recon One" as active local jamming blocks comms and further intercepts. The two troopers adjacent to Prerna and Kit are killed by high tech laser fire while their G Carrier hovering over the plaza is catastrophically demolished by FGMP and RAM Grenade hits. By complete coincidence Frank gets a call (likely from out system) from Col Skeet of 4DC Mercs declaring the existence of a recon asset in the vicinity of SEMC elements in Avastan City. A second round of shooting has the newly armed Jess and Sugar take out the last two "Sec For" mercs as both are simultaneously victim to more (invisible) high tech laser fire. Only slightly late to the party Gaughan and Lannigan burst on the scene to report that the SEMC "cavalry" has arrived!
The SEMC realise that the various and scattered pirate crews are likely making their way independently back to the downport and decide to "seek and destroy" as they may and while the mostly non-combatant ships' crews are vulnerable. Able has quite a "turn" when, on opening the back doors of the bus, he discovers Sazanami again seated inside. After a whispered conversation Polly volunteers that six more Viper's Nest crew have been accounted for.
Frank speaks with Erica East who confirms that the 4DC element is friendly and is intrigued as to how SEMC knew of their whereabouts. Dubs reports that is appears she is "busy" / actually in a firefight. Meanwhile Corporal Able (left outside with the transport) has already stolen himself a new coat and appears to suddenly know the whereabouts of an insecure large luxury SUV. This addition brings the SEMC vehicle fleet to a small hired ground car, a panel van and the "new" SUV. The van is sent direct back to the downport with Polly, Sazanami plus the wounded XRay and Liv. The Marshals are also loaded aboard. Some snappy comm and drone work identifies at least nine groups who could be the liveried pirate crews bent on evasion.
Gaughan's team identify one team "hunting" in the plaza as very likely to be Red angel's crew and is directed to leave them be. He is then tasked to another while the pursuit elements of the SEMC away team mount their vehicles and chase the fleeing pirates back towards the downport. Jess finds her SUV has some poke while in the "Gopnik cab" Able and Baker pull on ski masks and propel themselves and Kit through traffic by avoiding use of the highway code and the brakes. Both vehicles close in the first target: a pair of hijacked local cabs.
Meanwhile Frank finds out that in the Four Nine's hold the Aslan are gearing up! He gets a close up view of their brutally effective gear and also pulls off sufficient diplomacy to stop them either immediately attacking the starport or fighting with each other.
Back on the road while the pirates seem out of their element the Collace blaggers and mercs seem entirely at home. While Prerna kills the pirate driving one vehicle Easy takes the car apart with HE rounds. It crashes and is "brassed up" for good measure by Kit's vehicle. The second cab fares no better as the pirates are first outshot and then outdriven. With their vehicle and crew badly shot up Jess nudges the pirate ride into a bridge support. None can survive the resultant explosion. From their livery these pirates are identified as from the Aux Carrier / 400t Trader Viper's Nest. Back at the downport Jakob now spots a tactical opportunity granted by the snow storm to storm the Viper's Nest now it has suffered such staggering crew losses. A plan to seize the trader and its berm and then leverage that to facilitate assaulting the neighboring berm (Deliverance, Hawkwind and Saxon) is forged. Frank plans to put an anti-vehicle ambush on the downport approach road using the SEMCs few grav belts to position the team.
Having hired a grav limo Polly gets the wounded and prisoners back in quick time. Wearing only a camo parka Liv gives a distracting real time Intel update on the Viper's Nest disposition and an estimate that the crew has already taken 80% casualties. The resourceful agent has also fabricated a pair of suppressors for Jakob's squad and furnishes an anagun and her own gauss pistol as additional silent weapons. She then retires back to the medbay.
With Frank geared up and leading the road ambush team while Jakob leads the HQ squad and his own team plus Freya (as flight crew) and Freddie (as her "minder") the G Carrier with the registered Collace ID Code UR FKD slides out of the darkened trader and into the snow driven Avastan night.
The "road warriors" now identify an air/raft apparently escorting a ground car as "of interest" and close in. The excited Techs inform them of a grav police unit heading their way. It seems to not be either the Highway Patrol or local cops.
Having slipped off the crawling G Carrier in the snow storm Jakob's team take out the sentries posted at the berm entrance in a brutally short and one sided firefight. The Carrier trundles on to drop off Frank's grav belt team (Cpl Charlie and the cavalry troop) ready to hop over the extrality fence and move through the low-rise buildings of startown to establish their ambush. He places his ambush covering the approach road to the downport from Avastan City. Franks receives news from Erica that a company of regulars from the downport and the same of irregular mercs/guns for hire is now committed in the mountains making his job at least a third easier. He then contacts the Vargr to negotiate. He speaks to "Patch" - a "carve up" of the berms ensues...
Back on the road Jess spots a panel van that also looks to have pirate crew. The SEMC coordinate their attack Kit's car goes wide and Kit himself shoots the grav car pilot while Baker takes out another pirate with a masterful headshot using Jess' carbine. Meanwhile Jess SUV noses beneath the grav car and her crew hose it from beneath. DS rounds penetrate the soft skinned vehicle and cause havoc inside. With a grav module out and everyone aboard wounded or worse the bullet riddled grav car coasts to a stop.
The two remaining pirate vehicles retaliate. To no one's surprise the back doors of the van burst open and pirates spray fire wildly and ineffectively. What might be a HEAP round does something bad to the front quarter of Kit's ride but having deftly avoided a ramming attempt Able holds position as best he can.
Meanwhile... Jakob directs Caxton to set up his HMG and splits his team into two pairs to recce the Viper's Nest. He finds two ways in: a service ladder leading up into the landing gear bay and the main airlock with a set of mobile stairs. He and Love share a "meeting engagement" with the sentry who appeared to be entertaining a lady guest on the staircase itself (romantic bar steward). Jakob and Love shoot the sentry and Tranq his bird (who, rather than a pilot, is found to be an itinerant lady of negotiable virtue). Jakob and Beau coordinate their entry to the trader. Swarming(?) aboard the two SEMC tactical pairs secure engineering and Jakob and Love (silently) win an anagun assisted firefight with the two bridge crew. The Viper's Nest is under new ownership! Freya is brought up to assess the viability of the new acquisition while Freddy does his bodyguard thing.
Frank gives the command and Charlie's squad launch four LAW into the approaching G Carrier which appears to be a mid tech military model. The vehicle is destroyed in a terrifying conflagration (two K Kill catastrophic hits and change!) Frank and his ambushers successfully exfiltrate and regain the Trader. Gaughan likewise moves to bring his G Carrier back in.
In mixed fortunes Jess and Kit's crews make short work of the available pirate targets dropping nearly all but the damage to Kit's vehicle seems to get ever worse and the vehicle drops back just as the grav cop car begins to close in. It pulls in behind Kit's dying ride and puts on its lights including an illuminated plaque bearing the legend of the "Department of Tranquility and Decency" - the secret police. Jess flags the two escaping pirate rides up for Gaughan to ambush and drops back to help Kit. As the mercs wonder whether to square up to the (much better equipped than usual) cops their amazonian female leader oddly speaks Sagamaal to Prerna. She removes her mask for a smoke and to eye up Sugar. In doing so she reveals herself as yet another historic ally: Kirsten Vitt.
pg 31
The “Roadcrew” retires to the “Four nine” for planning and debrief. The local air assets are deemed to be the greatest threat to the SEMC operation and those of their allies in the hills operating with Erica East. Jakob secures the Viper's Nest and makes up demolition charges sufficient to take out both the armour helos and interceptor aircraft parked about the Down port.
The team calculate that the pirate vessels are now significantly reduced in crew strength and Frank negotiates with the Vargr who will storm the Abyss and Nazareth berms. Aided by Frank, Polly and Jess Kit meets the Aslan who will be under his command. At Polly's suggestion Frank offers the Aslan (Ryōma and his comrades Junko, Tone and Hoga) possession of the berm while SEMC takes the ships inside. The Aslan agree. Frank liaises with Colonel Skeet of 4DC who will take out the High Port and then reinforce the SEMC effort at the Down Port.
SEMC's plan crystallises and soon marshalled by Voss the merc vehicles ghost out of the trader's cargo doors and into the darkness of a night blanketed with an Avastan dirty snowstorm. On route to the Viper's Nest berm kit finds his vehicles overtaken by a local military ground car which cheerfully ignores the merc IFVs!!! In an equally bizarre turn Jess encounters the Vargr doing something chaotic with yet another ground car... They appear to be fitting the ground car with a crash test dummy in a fur hat and an amount of deadfall ordnance. Meanwhile Jakob's team scale the stair inside their berm to put themselves atop the trapdoor accessing the defensive infantry positions which form the external berm defences...
Jess cautiously trundles on mimicking the speed of the wheeled service vehicles. She puts out a foot unit to mine the pair of helos nearest the enemy HQ. Because Collace Cpl Charlie's demo tasking is achieved with success and also the “rescue” of a party girl and a now unconscious Avastan pilot. Escorting Gaughan's G Carrier Jess's IFV crosses the runway and sprints to insert into the helo and jet dispersal berm. Gaughan takes out the watchman with a LAG as the merc vehicles soar over the berm's top and settle silently within. Demo teams are despatched into the “courts” sheltering the aircraft. They carefully plant timed charges as the vehicles crawl the circumference of the berm.
Meanwhile Freya's Techs provide vital drone overwatch and Frank has to manage the Four Nine bridge crew's horror as the Vargr trader at the far end of the runway powers up its plant and reveals itself to be an Aeogz class corsair! Kit finds his hands are full with restraining the very enthusiastic Aslan Ihatei. Meanwhile Jakob does a “bad thing” and pumps CO into the pillbox having connected up some handy piping to the exhaust of a hydrocarbon burning loader. He has also slapped some explosives onto a fuel drum. Meanwhile Love and George track the enemy sentries with the (improvised) suppressors fitted to their ACRs.
Everybody waits.