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Six weeks have passed since the group escaped the Blackwater Oasis. The intervening time has passed
slowly for some and less so for others. While Kevor and Charles spent much of the time in bed
recovering from their wounds, the others spent their time training and, to a lesser extent, slacking off. Things were set to change, however.
The group's CO, Major Kressel, called the unit in for another briefing. He kicked off with a bit of
badmouthing the team (Once again...) and then moved onto the briefing main. The group were informed
that the TNPA had decided, based on the lack of intelligence the group managed to bring back, to
launch a raid on the Rovers. This was in part due to the fiasco that had occurred six weeks
previously. Blackwater, it seemed, was no longer accepting any kind of TNPA presence. Thus, an
operation was to be launched against the Rovers in order to damage their operation and, hopefully,
salvage information about Blackwater. While the group, along with some assistance, raided the main
Rover camp a much larger force would distract the main Rover force as it prepared to launch yet
another attack on Blackwater. The character's were happy to find that they wouldn't be going in
alone. In fact they had been assigned some pretty hefty back-up, in the form of a full squad of
Strike Troopers and a veteran Gear pilor, Alistair Yeltz.
The group then made their way to the armoury, were they were issued their custom-fitted suits of
Heavy Flak along with various other equipment for the operation. Charles, in particular, was pleased
to finally be able to take along some explosives. A few hours later and a lot more burdened down the
group made their way to the landing pad where the trans-atmospheric assault shuttle awaited them.
The operation was to be a big one, it seemed. Bill's Iguana Paratrooper and Kevor's Modified Strike
Cheetah had already been loaded into the massive shuttle, along with Senten's Dragonfly VTOL and
Alistair Yeltz's Black Mamba. Next in were the Rapid Badger APCs?, including the one Charles and Kyle
had been assigned to. A short while later and the shuttle was ready to lift-off, another 20 gears
having been loaded aboard. As the characters made their way into the bowl of the enormous shuttle it
was patently obvious that the TNPA were launching one hell of an operation.
With the shuttle in orbit all that was left to do was wait. With little idea of when exactly the
Rovers would be launching their next attack, the shuttle might have to sit in low orbit for up to a
week. Six days passed quite slowly before the go-ahead signal was given. During this time the
characters did their very best to relax, with varying results. Certain incidents would go down in
memory for some time to come, including Charles' failure to work-out how to use the Zero-G toilet
and Kyle's pathetic attempt to arm-wrestle a fairly weedy Strike Trooper into submission. When the
signal was finally given the group were more than ready to get into the action. The re-entry proved
to be a bumpy ride and the sense of velocity, even while strapped in was noticeable. Re-entry was
brief and the shuttle was soon in position to launch the first attack. Bill, Kevor and Charles were
able to catch a glimpse of the first attack being launched from the vantage of their vechicles.
While still in mid-air the loading ramp dropped and the 20 or so gears that were part of the first
force began their air-drop. A minute later the shuttle touched down and all but one of the Rapid
Badgers roared out into the noon-day heat of the desert. The shuttle then lifted off once more and
was soon skimming towards the site of the Rovers' camp, rising higher into the sky as it do so. The
moment for deployment came all too soon. First Kevor, then Bill and finally Alistair leapt from the
drop-ship. A few seconds later the Dragonfly VTOL was launched from the loading hatch in a fashion
somewhat similar to the removal of excrement. While the 3 gears dropped rapidly towards the desert
below the Dragonfly's powerful engines kicked into life and the nimble craft was soon tearing towards the now visible Rover camp. Kevor's parachute deployed automatically and Bill's soon
followed suite. Alistair, grizzled veteran that he was, maunally deployed his chute mere moments
before the window of time to do so closed.
As the shuttle overflew the camp on a landing vector the Rover defences were already swinging into
action. The two Artermis AA Tanks began firing wildly at the retreating drop-ship. A parting railgun
shot from the shuttle slightly damaged one of the AA tanks and then the shuttle was out of the
danger zone. The Hammerhead shuttle then coasted to a somewhat rough landing just out of AA range,
giving the final Badger with Charles and Kyle aboard mere seconds to exit before lifting off again.
As the 3 gears dropped the last few tens of meters towards the camp the Dragonfly slid into position a few meters above the desert floor, locking one of the Artermis tanks in its targeting computer. As
it whipped upwards once more, nimbly avoiding fire from the other Artemis a single missile arced
from the VTOL, striking the targeted Artermis directly on the turret. The tank exploded in a pillar
of flame as the Dragonfly whipped back towards the other AA tank. The rovers' defences had been
caught by completely by surprise. While the remaining Artermis began power its engines the two
patrolling gears, a Hunter and a Jager, were still trying to locate the incoming attackers. Setting
down almost under the Jagers nose, Bill quickly loosed a burst of fire from his autocannon. The
Jager was caught completely by surprise and the rapid-firing cannon quickly tore into the light
gear's ammo bins, detonating them and blowing the entire vehicle to smithereens. Alistair began
circling towards were Kevor had landed. Upon landing Kevor had been confronted by the other gear,
a lightweight Hunter. As the Hunter approached Kevor began circling to the right while bringing his
particle cannon up to target the oncoming gear. The lights in his cockpit dimmed for a moment as the
powerful cannon spat forth a bolt of crackling green plasma. The Hunter, still coming fast, was
caught directly in the blast. It came to a shuddring halt, its cockpit completely vapourised by the
energy weapons' blast, before keeling over in the sand in a smoking pile.
As the Rapid Badger came zooming into the camp from over a hill the Dragonfly blasted into range of
the remaining Artermis. Locking the tank in its sights the Dragonfly easily avoided the tank's
return fire. Once again a missile streaked forth from the little VTOL, striking the AA tank and
detonating its fuel tanks.
The Dragonfly then turned its attention to the Seeker ECM/ECCM vehicle nearby. As it locked the
small vehicle in its targeting computer the Seeker loosed a volley of missiles. The VOTL danced
crazily in the air as missiles streaked all around it, some only narrowly missing the attack craft,
before pulling back and loosing yet another guided missile. The Seeker exploded in a cloud of flame
as the missile struck, scattering debris all over the nearby area.
Meanwhile a Rover Badger APC tore off towards Bill's Iguana while another one made a bee-line for
Kevor's Cheetah. The incoming Rapid Badger carrying Charles and Kyle skidded to a halt near the
Rovers' Murdock Command Vehicle just in time to see the first Rover APC moving up the nearby slope
towards Bill. While Charles and the squad of Strike Troopers disembarked Kyle, who was manning the
controls of the Rapid Badger's turret mounted Anti-Gear Missile Launcher brought the dangerous
launcher to bear on the retreating APC. Carefully lining up the sights, Kyle squeezed the trigger in
quick succession, releasing a pair of deadly missiles after the APC. The first whistled past the
light vehicle, detonating a few meters ahead of it. Mere seconds later the second missile struck the
APC in the rear hatch. The resulting explosion brought the vehicle to a grinding halt. Telescoping
in with his prosthetic eye, Kyle was able to discern the charred remains of the crew.
While the Strike Troopers surged through the camp, the second Rover APC came tearing around one of
the Behemoth transports near Kevor. In the blink of an eye Kevor had the APC lined up and his
particle cannon surged once again. In the suddenly dim cockpit Kevor was able to discern the blast
of energy sear the front end of the APC into oblivion. A few moments later a surprised Rover
ducked his head out and then quickly bolted back into the remainder of the vehicle.
Charles and the Strike Troopers has encountered a fair bit of resistance but with the defeat of the
remaining Rover armoured assets this largely dissolved. Those Rovers who hadn't been killed melted
away into the desert. While Charles began setting charges Bill, Kevor and Alistair patrolled the
perimeter of the base. Senten took the Dragonfly out to fly a deep recon and Kyle quickly set to
work breaking the Rover security systems in the Murdock Command Vehicle. With only minutes to spare
and with the returning Rover forces soon to arrive Kyle was able to make two copies of the Rovers'
data. Hiding one in his arm, he quickly placed the other in a secure container and returned to the
Rapid Badger.
As the APC and the rest of the vehicles made their way to the pick-up point the shuttle came roaring
down. A few minutes later and the entire team was safely tucked away in the bowels of the enormous
shuttle as it lifted of into the safety of the upper atmosphere once more...
Comment: And my explosions? (by Klepht? on 2005-05-03 12:24:02)
Addition:
Thanks to Charles' expertly places explosives (expertly placed everywhere:-p) the returning Rover army met with an untimely BOOM!
Charles was mightly happy :-D
Comment: You'll get a run-down... (by OOPMan on 2005-05-04 09:38:21)
...of the explosions next session :-)
