Bridge of the RAIV Myrmidon,
Zenith Jump Point,
Outreach System,
29th February, 3063, 08:00 Hours.
Vantas waited patiently as the bridge's crew went through their preparation for the imminent Jump. He had always found it the most interesting time to watch the crew of a Jumpship, even more than combat. Every role is scripted, practiced and experienced a thousand times...but no one ever broke character. As soon as the ten minute alarm went off, every crew member went to some other place, became some other person. Naval personnel put their game faces on for combat true, a Jump they seemed to deem more serious.
Curious.
Eventually the alarms finished their countdown, the crew having completed their task under Vantas' bemused gaze, and his stomach promptly attempted to fit through at least three times as many dimensions as they were actually passing through. He calmly undid his restraints, floating out of his seat and turning to face Thomas Sukhanov, still clasped into place.
"Jump complete, Captain Strider."
"Thank you Star Commodore Sukhanov. Would you be so kind as to send one of the buses for the Terrors? I am afraid once again I shall have to go vomit."
Sukhanov rolled his eyes. "Aff Captain Strider. I shall have a room cleared for your briefing and all required materials present. If nothing has changed, go void your stomach, Vantas."
"Indeed I shall my friend." Replied the dark skinned Mechwarrior, as he pulled himself one handed across the ceiling, "Fear not, I shall go back to using magboots and traversing in a more dignified manner when I can afford to slow down!"
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On the RAIV Myrmidon,
Deep Space,
30 Ly from Outreach,
29th February, 3063, 09:00 Hours. (changed time, hope you don't mind)
Thom was still feeling the affects of the jump as his Terrors and himself strode into the briefing room of the Myrmidon, but he kept reminding himself that it was his duty to always look in control and level headed in front of his troops and comrades. Something silly like jump sickness was something he couldn't allow to cloud his judgement or be even hinted, after all he was Thom 'Louder than an Atom-bomb' Frankfurt.
Louder than an Atom-bomb... He smiled at the ring to the name as it reminded him of one of his fave Judas Priest songs, Painkiller, which made him reminded him of his Akuma who shared the same name.
Vantas was deep in conversation with Lt. Cotto and the members of TOG lance when Thom's Terrors finally arrived. Waving the mechwarrior still known as 'Bacon' and his lance back to their seats, he beamed broadly at his old friend as he led his warriors into the room. "Welcome Thom, welcome. How do you like our Pintos? I don't think you were ever aboard them, even when Rear Admiral Cochra- You remember Captain Edward Cochrane? He used to command an Invader class for us? We promoted him when we acquired Star Commodore Sukhanov here and put him in charge of Operation Can Town. Which we also finished by the way, so just to knock your socks off, Can Town was-"
Vantas' gleeful diatribe was cut off by Sukhanov clearing his throat loudly. "Captain, might I suggest you do not share secrets of both your unit and my..." He paused for a moment and then shrugged coldly, "Clan to everyone here? Bad enough that you have revealed my origins to these str-arbitrary mercs without further needless slips."
Vantas coughed uncomfortably. "Ha ha, yes, of course. My apologies."
"Damn Strider, you never were good at keeping secrets when you finally get a chance to talk about them." Jeered Cotto, sending a ripple of laughter round the gathered Irregulars Mechwarriors.
"I's was awondering wat evera happen to Ole' Ed. Good guy. As to da Pintos, dey's astill shiny an smell new, I'lls await till afta a couples of battles to ad my's two cents." Thom waved off the Clanners comments and Vantas' apologies. "Yo, we's all friends or at least playing on da same team anow right qui-aff?" Thom butchered the Clan-speak but tried none-the-less, if for no other reason than to relax the Vat-Brat. Thom really wouldn't mind Vantas spilling the beans on everything, which after a few drink he may very well do so... He then chuckled at the open looks of confusion and snickering from the assembled warriors at the confused people, his accent had a way of doing that.
"Quiet my Angels, quiet." Vantas did a 'shoosh' motion with both hands, "We should at least try to appear organized to our honoured guests. My apologies, we need not get into such matters. It would be wiser I think to simply proceed to your mission." He paused, grinning slightly, "My friends, you have joined us for a wonderful opportunity. We will be conducting a raid in strength against Clan Jade Falcon on the planet Waldorff, where we will destroy their reserve naval and ground forces from orbit, deploy to the planet where Angelus Company shall, with the aid of the First and Second companies of the Green Hearts and air cover from the aerospace fighters on the Valorous and Myrmidon, destroy their remaining combat effective ground forces while Thom's Terror's with the Green Hearts Third company raid a former Steel Viper and current Jade Falcon science and manufacturing facility we believe to be focussed on military assets, steal everything of use, and destroy what remains of it before returning to the dropships for pick up." He grinned at the shocked faces of the hired units and deadpan faces of his own Angels, who had known this had been coming for nearly a month. "Questions?"
There was a moment of silence, with troubled expressions scattered across the more unfamiliar faces in the group, though Vantas noticed that Thom looked bizarrely satisfied with the announcement. Before the merc commander could say anything though, several of his warriors broke in with questions.
As the Terrors spouted out rapid fire questions and concerns at Vantas like an ultra classed auto cannon, Thom sat back in his chair with a bemused smile, taking a small knife out of his pocket and proceeded to scrape the dirt out from under his fingernails. The Falcons... a longtime foe who like all the Clans, Thom got a kick out of shooting up. He had a grudge with the Falcons though, they shot his first mech out from underneath him and captured his cousin, Markus. But, from what he heard from some Clan prisioners he talked to over the years, now labored away as a memeber of their technician caste. Perhaps he'd finally get his chance to free him from the talons of Kerensky's children.
"One at a time please!" He called over the voices, "Miss Delfino, you first please my dear."
All business, the slim, raven haired (Pun intended, giggled Vantas to himself) beauty brusquely repeated her question through a frown. "What IP regulations will you have in place to cover the tech we steal?"
The question confused him. "I'm sorry?"
"Intellectual property. I have other clients who would like to get data about how the Clans develop their equipment."
"Oh, salvage rights are as discussed with Thom. Anything on the base is ours, anything you kill and manage to bring out without abandoning anything we need is yours to do with as you please. If you can take it out, you may keep it or sell it as you wish, but I'd be careful about much else or even the sale. If the Falcons, and some of the other clans find out your involvement in this raid, you could get yourself and your corp in trouble."
Adrianna nodded, apparently satisfied. A tall man with brown hair coughed loudly and stood. "Yes Mr. Wheeler?"
Wheeler piped up from the background..
"What kind of opposing forces can we reasonably expect to face? Also, if we get into trouble, what kind of support can we expect?"
Vantas' face grew grim. "Questions I cannot fully answer. We do not have a full strength estimation of the units on planet, but we expect somewhere in the region of a cluster of primarily mech and elemental forces, with possible light warship and aerospace support. For the latter, our warships and their aerospace units, 3 squads of Vulcans and a mixed squadron of Chippewa and Ironside Aerospace fighters should suffice. If they cannot, we will leave without engaging. Once the naval elements have been taken care of and the primary ground base destroyed, the Achille's Pride and Rorke's Drift will detach and burn for the surface. They will set down between the research facility which we have designated 'Ice' and our planned engagement area for Angelus Company, designated 'Samar'. The Rorke's Drift will be able to provide artillery support to one or other zone with it's Long Tom, and in a pinch either company should be able to support the other. Angelus may be able to divert one or both of our Thumper Chameleons, but that will be unlikely. We will have persistent air support from surviving aerospace elements and the Myrmidon and Valorous will be pounding any large ground formations. We are here to destroy the clans and remove their ability to fight back. Put the fear of the Sphere into them, and force them to redirect a great application of troops and material to repair and defend this world against an attack that will never come again. The fact my dear friend Thomas and his fellow Snow Ravens are the ones who require this is simply a delicious irony. It should be mentioned, and I do apologize Star Commodore, that there are two philosophies with the clans. The crusaders, who are the fools who seek to subjugate us, and the Wardens, who are smarter. Do not think I didn't hear that commentary, Mr. Henderson-McCoy. Does that answer your questions suitably, Mr. Wheeler?"
Wheeler muttered something as he sat, but nodded at Vantas. Strider waited for a moment, but when no further comment came, he shook his head slightly and resumed. "I believe there was a comment about bloodnamed warriors?" He saw the troubled spectre of Juri nod emphatically, "This should largely be a reserve cluster, solahma units, but there will inevitably be bloodnames amongst them. Most notably no doubt, their leaders. Nevertheless, there will be some frontline units and advanced machines and weaponry present - whether or not it survives to face us is quite simply another matter entirely. The majority however, should be damaged, disorientated, and equal at best to our own tech if not less advanced. Your C3 network will give you a most decisive edge." He frowned to himself. "I really do need to get those for us. Perhaps with the masters on the dropship or some sort of trailer to save weight on the..." He trailed off. "Sorry, sorry," He said again, to more quiet laughter from the Irregulars. "Any further questions?"
"We just gonna walk off world, Gringo?"
Vantas locked eyes with the surly mechwarrior, speaking slowly as he tried to establish the confusion on possible exit options. "Nooo...you will fly off in the dropship. Just like you did when you left Outreach. Unless you know of some sort of pedestrian accessway back to the 'Sphere?"
"That's fine and dandy, but if things go south and the Mudheads don't just roll over for us when we come'a'knockin...do we have secondary exfil sites?"
Vantas shrugged. "Both dropships should be within reach of both points, if need be, and I do mean critical need, they could redeploy as needed, but we do not plan to do so."
The sharp faced, Mediterranean skinned Captain Packard of the Green Hearts second company stirred in her seat, "Right, so we should be facing a small number of second line troops, who hopefully, if the Spacers do their job...have all been sent to Kingdom Come. However, what out about reinforcements? Surely, the Jade Falcon's will not be relying solely on this one group to protect something valuable of theirs? I don't exactly relish the thought of ending up on the recieving end of a fresh company of clanners."
The short, burly figure of Captain Vasiliev of the 1st's thick slavic accent joined her. "As much as I like a treasure hunt, what exactly are we looking to steal here? I don't really think you send us half away across galaxy only with the hopes of finding something profitable on this planet...no, you know...I think you know percisely what it is you are hoping to find here."
Vantas nodded with a grin. "Actually my dear Captain Packard, that's exactly what they're relying on, and more. This force is a Falcon reaction force. It's supposed to deal with anything that attacks them. But they won't be expecting an attack right on top of them, where they're sitting pretty. So we're going to crush it wholesale. We'll be jumping in at one of three transient pirate points that will take us in about four to twelve hours from the planet. The Falcons, if they scramble any reinforcements will be nearly three days out at a 4G burn, unless they can find a pirate point closer. Even still, we should have at least six hours of safe operations, more likely up to a day. As for what we're here to steal, advanced clan tech. Specifically in terms of things we don't have at least some access to, laser reflective armour and miniaturized clan laser weaponry, as well as a few new omnimech configs and designs. We also believe some of their genetics research may be there, which will be of interest to the biomedical eggheads and whizzkids around the 'Sphere."
Finally Thom broke his silence, fixing Vantas with a fierce gaze as he twiddled with the knife in hand. "Vantas. Dis Falcon unit, dez guys da same ones dat we's a faced off wit back's on Barcelona?"
Vantas felt his voice catch, somewhere in the back of his throat. He knew Thom was thinking of his cousin, whether or not they'd be able to rescue him. "I don't know Thom. They could be. Or they could be any of the groups we fought during the invasion. We don't know. All we know is what the Ravens managed to find out: That there is at least one cluster as a response force there at all times. Who's in the cluster..." He shrugged. "But if we find your cousin is there and-"
Alexi, who had remained silent throughout the briefing and pretty much the entire trip since the 25th, looked around at her fellow Terrors "And what about us? What if we break apart? or get into trouble down there, are we to be left behind as well?" She stiffened he face trying to hold back the tears that came daily since that fate filled night. "I mean lets say one of us falls.." She looked at her sisters and then the others "Do we leave them behind if we are in full retreat with our tails between our legs? Or do we stand and fight to the last? Or Gods forbid sacrifice ourselves to buy one another more time? What's the plan then huh? Do you have a contingency for that? Will there be assets available for a rescue or to clear us an escape path? Or are we too, to become bondsmen of the Falcons?"
She was noticeably shaking now, though rather from worry or hate it was hard to tell. She took a deep breath and exhaled, "And if we do find Uncle there, Paw Paw, What then? Do we risk the mission for him? Or are we going to split and continue the mission while a few of us go after him? Cause I for one don't care about any of it except of course getting back all of our loved ones alive safe. Come HELL or what may if he's there I'll get him for you Paw Paw, I won't abandon anyone that you care for or I care about for that matter!" She stared out across all the gathered faces, though there was a coldness and distance this time, like a blizzard about to break upon the plains, it's cold chill proceeding the coming disaster.
Vantas leaned heavily over the table, arms locked rigidly straight, staring into the glassed steel finish that turned the edge into a mirror. The gathered Angels had gone silent and grim faced, someone drumming their fingers impatiently on the table. "There will be no one taken as bondsman." He spoke into the table. "That is the end of it. This operation holds the fate of this unit and the world it defends and all those we have saved, rescued and taken responsibility for. It is a huge risk, and if the Falcons find out about it then we are right up sh*t creek." There was a sharp intake of breath from the Angels at the curse. Vantas did not swear lightly. "That's why we have the Green Hearts. If someone ejects, the Green Hearts pick them up. If we cannot rescue someone who falls behind..."
He ground his teeth briefly before looking up at the gathered warriors. "Anyone in this room who cannot be rescued, who will fall into the Falcon's talons, will not be allowed to do so. They will be killed, quickly and easily, the second it is clear their fate is unavoidable and
never before. We're playing for keeps people. Thom, if Markus is there, we'll get him if it doesn't jeopardize the mission. If it does, I'm sorry but I can't give an answer now. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Dismissed." He shoved himself to his feet, the Angels hurriedly standing to attention and saluting as he stormed from the room.
"Alright Irregulars, briefing's over. Let's go." Cotto's voice boomed hard and clear through the room. Muttering and shooting glances at the Terrors, they filed out, leaving their hires alone.
Edited by RogueSpear, 28 October 2012 - 03:26 AM.
5
please.. I'm not sure Father would approve of me playing with gun, or grabbing people off the street either, regardless of how cute they are [batting eyelashes] Soooo.. If you don't mind could you maybe leave.. Umm that part out, pretty please 
Oh and before I forget." Alexi grabbed the man close and then jumped up to kiss him and hold it for a second on his cheek. "Thank you sooo MUCH!!!.. for saving Juri!! regardless of what you decide, I'll never ever ever forget what you did for her and us all for that matter... You're just one of the greatest guys ever..." 
So what say I show you our bridge? It's nothing special but it's got the best view of the stars and the surrounding spaceport." 
