Collace Homecoming

[Tiglath]

All

T'lia and The Twilight talk earnestly while Frank introduces Warlord Ikazuchi to his commanders and staff. The Aslan seems to have been sufficiently impressed by the Rangers' floor show combined with his own summary execution of an assassin to be in ebullient mood. He claps Jess and several of the SEMC officers on the shoulder by way of robust greeting - it's like relatively low speed a collision with a G Carrier. This sets the recipient's mind to wandering what a melee with Ikazuchi and his retinue would be like... maybe "mercifully short" is the best descriptive...

The Warlord introduces the two members of his personal retinue: the Bannermen Hiei and Kirishima. They immediately raise their weapons in a salute to Frank and then formally greet Jess - initially in Trokh. The Bannermen are equipped with efficient Trohk/Galanglic translators but are laconic communicators at best. It seems their skills might be heavily focussed in... one other single area of expertise. The mass and proximity of the three alpha Aslan is daunting and they do nothing to reassure anyone about it. They are undiplomatic.

Fortunately Warlord Ikazuchi takes a comm call (which he reads in transcript on a forearm mounted repeater) and then promptly announces "Ah, we will conduct a meeting and formulate a stratagem! You are not employed at war Colonel Cross - maybe that can be remedied?" The sound of crushing rocks might be Aslan laughter. Ikazuchi states "A meeting place is needed". He casts his eye about the flight deck almost theatrically and then rumbles sagely "People who employ assassins will no doubt also stoop to the use of spies. We require privacy". He adds absently "I look forward to the challenges of... unrestricted warfare". This last doesn't quite fully translate from the Trokh term. It's no doubt an "Aslan" thing...

[shaidar]

Frank is nothing less than scrupulously polite during the rest of the meeting

"I look forward to the meeting Warlord Ikazuch. I'm sure we can find somewhere suitable to hold it."

[dongriffiths]

Klaus stands at attention during this exchange with the Aslan making sure he does nothing to cause any offense to this impressive warband.

[BackworldTraveller]

Freya checks with the EW room that there are no signs of covert traffic that might indicate some form of attack on the assembled visitors (or staff)

[The Bindoner]

Jess knows to brace to receive Ikazuchi's "comradely acknowledgement", and stands it well enough.


She responds to Bannermen Hiei and Kirishima in Trokh, and, while she intends to treat and be treated as equals, is similarly laconic.

Jess is keenly aware of the threat the Aslan males pose, but she also knows not to show it - and that she can kill them... given a big enough weapon, and a chance to use it first.

Ikazuchi's use of the term "unrestricted warfare" causes her to hiss, as she sucks air through her teeth. She'll have to find a chance to explain that term to Frank before he commits to supporting it.

EDITED

removed premature dialogue, to be reinstated in a more appropriate future scene.

[Tiglath]

Frank

Frank is nothing less than scrupulously polite during the rest of the meeting

"I look forward to the meeting Warlord Ikazuch. I'm sure we can find somewhere suitable to hold it."

Frank notes that Yūgure's female entourage still including T'lia respectfully approach the meeting of "military males".

The Twilight grants Frank a serene nod of acknowledgement and likewise favours Jess with recognition before she smoothly asks "Warlord Cross, is it true that you have a recently restored military canteen below your hangar deck. I understand it has recently been "swept" by Collace PD and might well be a most appropriate setting for that which we might discuss?"

T'lia stands at Yūgure's shoulder shrouded in the darkness of the cowled cloak worn over her Avastan "civvies". Only the lower half of her face is visible beneath her deep cowl she states very softly "Colonel Cross it seems that Yūgure, The Twilight herself, Kumichō of the ninkyō dantai and myself, together with an organization that I represent, have a prospect for you to consider that you might find of interest". Her lips twitch "Indeed I strongly believe that you and I share that mutual interest". Now mistress of her emotions she continues levelly "Given our... most recent history and my previous impositions upon your trust I believe I can foresee... a potential issue... I can therefore reassure both you and your officers that this enterprise is in no way affiliated with any military branch of the Zhodani Consulate. This being a much more independent but equally well funded operation".

[shaidar]

Frank bows to The Twilight and inclines his head to T'lia.

"We do indeed have an area below decks that will more than adequate for a private discussion. I am certainly very interested to hear your proposal. Of course, as business partners Mayor Nayer and Sargent-Major Henker should be present. Sargent-Major, I don't suppose you could arrange for someone to clean up the...mess...before you join us. I don't want to upset the customers or the locals."

[The Bindoner]

Yessir

Jess turns a cold glare on Tartar:

You gave our prisoner away, without orders, and lost us the asset. Police up what's left, and disinfect.

[Tiglath]

Jess turns a cold glare on Tartar:

You gave our prisoner away, without orders, and lost us the asset. Police up what's left, and disinfect.

Tartar respectfully replies "Благородная дама говорит, что теперь она знает все, что нам нужно знать, и что в результате убийца умирал". He adds awkwardly "Это имело больше смысла, когда она объяснила это".

[The Bindoner]

Неважно, что она говорит, она не входит в цепочку командования.

Softening a little: You've got to keep your wits 'round you with Joes, they screw with your thinkin'. They've got Woo, ain't they? Stick to orders, you won't get blamed. Just tidy up, give me a full report, and don't listen to anyone, 'cludin' "noble ladies", who ain't SEMC command again.

[Tiglath]

All

In short order all parties and the Aslan are relocated to mess deck of the fortress below the spire.

T'lia stands at Yūgure's shoulder shrouded in the darkness of the cowled cloak worn over her Avastan "civvies". Only the lower half of her face is visible beneath her deep cowl she states very softly "Colonel Cross it seems that Yūgure, The Twilight herself, Kumichō of the ninkyō dantai and myself and an organisation that I respresent have a prospect for you to consider". Her lips twitch "Indeed I strongly believe that in this case you and I share a common interest". Now Mistress of her emotions once more she continues levelly “Colonel Cros, we wish to sponsor a Pathfinder mission the execution of which we believe to be within the capacity of your unit's specialised skill set. The mission will be both well paid and the benefits of success entirely lucrative. The initial phase of the mission requires Infiltration and Recon work to identify enemy assets dispersed across an entire planet and defended by a company of TL 14 infantry with orbital support assets. You should not contact these troops in your covert Recon role. However, you are more likely to encounter mid tech indigenous or mercenary forces in the course of your operations. Once all enemy assets are identified and the Intel picture is complete the mission will enter its Strike phase. You will then seize and hold ground until relieved by the principal assault elements of the operation arriving from orbit”.

She adds “If you agree in principle to accepting the mission then we will be at liberty to reveal more details. I will give you a moment to discuss the matter privately with your senior staff”.

Frank notes that when she stops addressing him T'lia switches her attention to Prerna (despite the apparent obstruction her cowl) and gives the Major a warm smile.

At the same juncture Jess finds herself meeting Yūgure's gaze. The female Aslan makes one affirmatory nod.

Frank gets that "Yūgure feeling" again... somehow this time it's exponentially worse...



(OOC: Spot of travelling for me and so a few days to mull the proposal over. I'll be back Sunday but no rush! ).

[shaidar]

Frank

"Before I discuss this proposition with my officers I have a question. The information gathered from vehicle they arrived in leads me to believe that they originated from Tarsus. This concerns me for personal reasons, it being the place of my birth, and may mean that I have to consider following this concern up before I can involve myself in further contracts. So my question is does this action involve the planet Tarsus? "

[Tiglath]

T'lia smiles at Frank and answers simply "Yes"

[shaidar]

Frank

"Thank you. I'll talk to my officers."

Private discussion:

"So, what do you all think? Although it's difficult to agree to anything in principle when you've been told almost nothing. I'm starting to think that ever since we took the Bartizan we've been unknowingly herded in a certain direction. I'm also concerned with what we are, and are not, being told. I'm still not happy that the Aslan The Twilight provided for the Avastan mission had their own orders and we were only nominally under our control. I'm also not happy that T'lia gave up our prisoner to the Aslan for public execution, in our HQ and in front of our customers, without even the courtesy of talking to us first." he looks at Prerna " Feel free to tell your wife that, Major." he looks around at everyone " So, if we are going to do this we are doing this fully informed, I'm not having our people put in danger due to lack of information...With that all said, we've not done a recon mission before, so it would be good experience for the company, and I suspect the targets are SuSAG agents and anything to piss of Keening is good with me. I'd like to hear your honest thoughts."

[joertexas]

Frank

Private discussion:

"So, what do you all think? Although it's difficult to agree to anything in principle when you've been told almost nothing. I'm starting to think that ever since we took the Bartizan we've been unknowingly herded in a certain direction. I'm also concerned with what we are, and are not, being told. I'm still not happy that the Aslan The Twilight provided for the Avastan mission had their own orders and we were only nominally under our control. I'm also not happy that T'lia gave up our prisoner to the Aslan for public execution, in our HQ and in front of our customers, without even the courtesy of talking to us first." he looks at Prerna " Feel free to tell your wife that, Major." he looks around at everyone " So, if we are going to do this we are doing this fully informed, I'm not having our people put in danger due to lack of information...With that all said, we've not done a recon mission before, so it would be good experience for the company, and I suspect the targets are SuSAG agents and anything to piss of Keening is good with me. I'd like to hear your honest thoughts."

"Yes, Sir," Prerna nods as her cheeks color. "Whomever is steering all of this won't deliberately set us up to fail," the Sword Worlder shrugs, "or, at least I don't think they would."

[shaidar]

Frank

"How do you know this for sure Major, unless you know who they are? We've also lost any information the prisoner may have told us concerning the attacks on our people, on our HQ." his voice softens slightly "As commanding officer the members of this company are my responsibility, and I just don't like operating in the dark or being given partial information. I'm no longer sure that I trust the intentions of the groups that want to hire us, and what their plans are for district 268. It's clear that they are hiding their real intentions from us. I need to know what these are before I'm comfortable getting the SEMC involved this time."

[gurusql]

Kit

Kit replies to Frank, "I very much like not operating in the dark of course, but getting people to reveal all of there true intentions is not likely either. All we can expect of you is to make the best decisions that you can with the available information. Just my take, but the recon part of the last mission felt the slushiest part - it seems to require random chance to go our way in order to have some of the crews away from their ships not to mention the secret "elven" aid we received. The two specific questions I have on this mission are (1) how do we do Recon around a planet and (2) I am also concerned about engaging against TL 14 troops which will not be a small feat - especially if in recon mode without armor. All of this without knowing the why. What is the 'unit's specialised skill set' that we are using in this case? Colonel, I think I have sadly given you more questions than answers."

[BackworldTraveller]

Recon of a world policed at TL-14 where they hold orbit has to be a battle amongst the people. Anything else will stand out a mile. And, as far as I can see, we aren't set up to do that at all. Some (e.g. Liv) might be able to magically fade into a society, but I'm fairly sure the rest of us wouldn't be so good at that. Camp Freddie might manage it by being totally unbelievable in any role - but he'd tell anyone who asked him where he was from.

How well loved are the troops we are trying to displace by the locals? Have they got Zhodani-quality counter-insurgency teams? I can't believe they won't expect something in return after they have come and hit us like this. Their attack on us was poorly planned: unexpected I'll grant but ill researched. That doesn't man they don't have images of all our members taken as we have come and gone from the base here.

On that note, what are we going to do to identify their observation of us? It could have been entirely isolated from the attackers and still be in place to evaluate effect should their team be lost? Could it be that they were sent as agent-provocateurs by our allies? We don't know and haven't ascertained through our own sources.

[shaidar]

Frank

"This is Tarsus we are talking about. Combat amongst the resident population or with the local LEO's would be unacceptable to me."

[BackworldTraveller]

Frank

"This is Tarsus we are talking about. Combat amongst the resident population or with the local LEO's would be unacceptable to me."

Didn't someone mention that stage 1 is covert operations: Recon not Combat?