Martin's Fault - Turn 2

"You did good out there Lt", said Genesis to the police lieutenant, who had carefully lain down her weapons and was sitting in the alley, knees pulled up her chest.

"For all the good it did me", she replied.  "I'm done for now.  There isn't a law enforcer on this planet who isn't on the take, but it is not every day we are smeared all over a courtroom".

"Wanna break the law instead of enforcing it ?"  Jen asked.  The Lt looked up; saw the outstretched glove.  Took it.

"The danger far outweighs the pay and the food is lousy", Jen told her.  "We do however have each others' backs.  What do I call you ?".

The newest member of the crew thought about for it a bit.  "L.T.", she replied.  "I like that".

A chance meeting turns into a new ally....

 

Which is how everyone discovered what an asshole Max Apocalypse was.  Misericordia, who got on surprisingly well with someone who would have put a bullet through her if it wasn't for her force field, decided it was time for a make-over, and ditched Max right in his bail bonds shack.  The longing way his eyes followed her suggested it wasn't over for him...

Weapon Licensing is in effect, all weapons are purchased at +1 Cr. 

Upkeep eats into two credits, and the crew decide to pay off another 6 Cr on their loan.  They now owe but 14 credits, so things are looking fairly rosy on that front.

"Hey, Dart is fighting Jenesis !" comes the call, and everyone scrambles up to the holo-deck to see that.  Two completely different fighting styles, one very poised and deadly, the other a scramble of fists, shins, forehead and whatever else is to hand.  Very entertaining and a few cred-wads exchanged hands.

Xoey missed out on the excitement, busy out in town taking care of her ship, stocking up on fuel.

Divinia went to see the After Eden Fan Club to tell them that their mission would go down within a couple of days as planned.  She found them conversing with a particularly sinister looking fellow, that they rather dramatically called "Mr H".  They talked a while, then Mr H flashed Divinia his most winning smile.  "Give me a call if you are ready to move to a new level.  I'll send you my own private transport.  You'll be decently paid (+2 Cr).  You don't have to answer now, but don't take too long about it, got it ?" (campaign turn 2 or 3).

 

"Seems like a lovely fellow", Divinia said to his retreating back.

"If you meant what you said during After Eden, Mr H. can give you a serious leg up", one of her fans said.  "If you box in his category, however, you don't want to mess up.  You won't be able to, and come out alive". (Conditions : Vengeful; on a mission failure, the Patron becomes a Rival).

"Do you know what we are to expect, if we get into that limousine ?" asked Divinia.

"Hell, yeah, Trinity.  Mr H. is causing the local government a lot of trouble, and they are pushing back and they ain't pulling punches.  Roid-Gangers infesting the jungle near his home, all jacked up with the very best, government issue I guess".  He snickered at his own joke (Bitter Struggle).

"Them keep picking off his people, and not sudden, oh no, real nasty things happen to them and real slow.  Mr H. is cool-headed about it, but he must reckon time has come to teach them a little lesson" (Mission Objective : Secure).

"We'll think about it", said Divinia.

"Do that.  Really, please, don't mess it up.  Mr H. is the kind of guy that gets so mad, he'll probably come here and burn this place down, just because we accidentally introduced you".

Accidentally ? thought Divinia.  Right. Jeez, what exactly have I started out here in the Fringe ?

 

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What she has started is that an After Eden Fan Club like that on Martin's Fault, is all riled up about freedom and cultural liberty and auto-determination, and about blowing up government buildings.  Divinia walked out of their meeting place with a bag full of explosives and detailed references to various episodes of After Eden to help her figure out how to use them, and what punchline would be the most appropriate as the building was blown sky high.

"Sounds good to me", shrugged Jenesis.  "We came here to make money, not peace.  As long as we're not blowing up anybody who ever said something nice about me".

"Your friends, sorry fans, are a little over dramatic", mused Dart. "This amount of explosives will blow a nice big hole in the wall, but it isn't going to bring down an office block.  Who are we going after ?"

"Karak Korp's local headquarters", Divinia replied.  "Apparently they are a bunch of blood-sucking government hangers-on".

 

"It's written on their business cards", said L.T.  "Pity we'll only be making a hole in the wall".

"Not with these, we won't" said Xoey, brandishing two small round objects.

"Plasma bombs" said Jen, amazed, then a sudden annoyance crossed her face.

 

"Sorry, boss", said Xoey sheepishly.  "I didn't think it would completely discharge your rifle, messed up a bit on my calculations.  What comes from skipping the lecture on advanced plasma transfer mechanics, I guess".

"Good job but bad methods, kid", replied Jen.  "For that, you'll sit the next mission out".

"That is what stands for punishment round here", smiled L.T.

-------------------

The scene is another part of the same run-down town.  At one end of it is Karak Korp's somewhat unimposing headquarters, a simple low building.  It is nonetheless surprisingly well-guarded, which is why Jen has chosen to go in under cover of night.  

Two crew members must be chosen to carry the plasma bombs.  To Achieve the Objective, they must reach the building and, acting as a team, succeed two actions to place each bomb.  If a crew member carrying a bomb is put out of action, another can pick it up from the same location by simply ending a move there.

;Karak Korps
Lieutenant;72;4;2;false;-Blade,-Military Rifle,Fireteam,Move M,Resilience 4;;
Trooper 1;53;4;1;false;-Hand Laser,Fireteam,Move M,Panic 1,Resilience 4;;
Trooper 2;45;4;2;false;-Hand Laser,Move M,Panic 1,Resilience 4;;
Trooper 3;53;4;2;false;-Military Rifle,Move M,Panic 1,Resilience 4;;
Trooper 4;48;5;2;false;-Plasma Rifle,Move M,Panic 1,Resilience 4;;
Callous Merc;90;4;3;false;-Blade,-Infantry Laser,Body Armour 1,Luck 1,Move M,Resilience 3;;

 

Visibility is reduced to 9", unless firing at someone who has just fired their weapon.

Local yokels, especially the night owls, might shed some light on why such a low grade building is so well guarded (place a Data Point 2D6+2" in a random direction from centre; if a character moves up to it, gain a Rumour).  Interrogating the top brass Dart-style might also help (if the enemy lieutenant or Unique Character is put out of action, roll 2D6+1.  On 9+, gain a Rumour).

The planet is Overgrown so vegetation must be added to the battlefield of any encounter (p.73) 

The crew can attempt to Seize the Initiative but at -1 (Hired Muscle).

Battle Events (p.116) will occur on the 8th and 12th turnovers.

10 Story Points are available and can be used during battle to reroll a die (p.66).

All Stars of the Story options (p.67) are still available, should things get hairy.

If Achieved Objective, the enemy may Give Up (p.114) allowing the crew to also Hold the Field.

This is going to one pretty tough mission...keep to the shadows and only shoot when shot at....

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Or shoot at anything that moves...The Callous Merc on the enemy team was out on the town, no doubt spending his cash on something dodgy, and it seemed the perfect occasion to ambush him, especially as the crew of The Uncertain Precedent managed to sieze the initiative and infiltrate the shanty area.

A hail of fire hit and seriously rattled the Merc, who ran for it when Dart's beam pistol left him with third degree burns across his ribcage, only his combat training and inherent toughness saving him.  His fellow squaddie was the next target.

Misericordia flanked the cowering Merc's position and kept shooting at him with her hand laser, but his body armour deflected no less than three consecutive hits !

With Jen popping off at long range at the location of any incoming tracer, Lt. had moved up, and shot the Merc at point blank range.  This was too much for him and he skedaddled.

The crew kept up the pressure, with Dart finally putting the squaddie out of the fight.

Karak Korp's plasma rifle had swung into action and chewed enormous holes out of two buildings, whose hard cover left however the crew unscathed.  On the opposite side of the combat zone, Divinia, after impressing the locals with her stardom and getting some useful information, had put in an appearance and her rattle gun swept the platform.  The eerie noises of the night being broken by return fire unnerved her, however, and she took no further active part in events.  A shame, as she had been working her way behind the enemy plasma gunner.

Misericordia had pushed forward, although she was now facing an enemy fireteam that were laying suppression [overwatch] down on her position.  Prax was basically lost, stumbling around in the dark and getting nowhere.

The Merc now pulled himself together and decided to earn his pay, and enemy fire intensified, taking out Dart and finally shattering the Lt's usual stoicism.  Jen realised that they had stirred up a hornet's nest and that it was time to bug out, despite Xoey having turned up against orders to reinforce the team, and she called it.  Thankful for the night, the crew managed to slip away.

The crew picked up a Rumour, but neither Achieved the Objective nor Held the Field.  At least the After Eden Fan Club remained faithful, considering the mission a success due to the contact made with "local resistance".  They weren't gullible enough to hand over more than 3 creds, though, for the trouble.

Dart made it out under cover of darkness, with her Machine Pistol all beaten up and damaged.

There is a lot to be learned even from failure, and it made Dart tougher, gave Divinia a better feel for the combat zone and improved her reactions to it, and made Prax quicker.