Bug Hunt - Hesione - Raid on Native City WY445902-1047146

Gunnery Sgt Arnaf and Sgt Maeck sat in the USS Rogger's lounge, which, on such a small ship, doubled as the ready room.  One of the ship's engineers sat across the room, playing HoloChess with a helmsman.  Well, a helms-mouse.  This helmsman was an uplift.  Small, fast reflexes, able to crawl into the tiniest of spaces for emergency repairs.  And, at about the size of a large melon, made an attractive target for the ship's cat, Tipsy.  Although, Tipsy usually knows that the Uplift Helmsman, Monn Czbin, will fight back.

"Gunny, not sure about this new kid.  A 'specialist'?  I mean, can he read our minds?"

"HQ says he gets general 'feelings', some manipulation ability, and enhanced fighting talents.  Not a terrible thing."

"Yeah, but....."

"We didn't have a choice, since Antorn bailed on us.  It's who HQ had available.  But, you only have to worry about it if he survives."

At that, a young man walked into the room, looking around, smirking.   He was briefly taken aback by the large mouse playing HoloChess until Gunny spoke up.  "Specialist!  In the Unity Marines, you do not stand and stare at crew - you report to your Team Lead the moment you arrive.  Do you understand?"

The young man snapped to attention with an exaggerated salute.  "Sir yes sir!  Former inmate 653 Gamma Alpha 569 Lamda, registered Psion reporting for duty sir."

"Do you have a name, 'former inmate'"?

"No sir - the memory wipe is still in effect."

"Well, 'former inmate', we can't call you that.  Dude, we should give this young 'former inmate' a name."

"He's just a kid, so let's call him 'kid'".  "Can't, Dude - We've had a 'Kid' already.  Jeremiah 'Kid' Zorakk, killed in the line of duty six years ago."

The Engineer sitting at the HoloChess set spoke up.  "Kevin."

"Kevin?"

"Yeah.  I had a dog named 'Kevin' once.  Ate it's own... well, you know.  And this kid looks like he's already full of it, so I figure it fits."

Gunny and Dude laughed, while the young man stood red faced. "Excellent suggestion, Engineer?"

"Ensign Jacob Faraguay, Sir."  "Excellent suggestion, Ensign Faraguay.  And you probably don't want your chain of command finding out you called a mere Gunny 'Sir'."

"But anyway, now that Specialist 'Kevin' is named, we can get down to business.  In two hours we launch on a suborbital transport, arriving at Native City WY445902-1047146.  Some tomb raiders stirred up a nest of Spawn Brood.  Thankfully, they alerted the authorities, who are doing everything they can to find these morons and toss them in jail."

"All dreaming aside, we will be lifting with Fire Team Anaconda.  When we land, we will meet up with some colonial militia and a recon patrol, get in, and blow the place to hell.  They are sending a probe droid in to gain intel to determine the best spots for explosives."

"Once we land, we will meet with the team and make final plans. Dismissed."

Dude clapped Kevin on the shoulders as she walked by.  "Welcome to the team, kid - I mean, 'Kevin'."

"I think I prefer 'Kid'."  The smile now gone from his face, 'Kevin' left the ready room to board the suborbital shuttle.

Location:  Native City WY445902-1047146

Gunny, Dude and Kevin stood under a tent outside the native city, wearing full Trooper armor.  In front of them was Fire Team Anaconda, in Light Trooper armor, the Colonial Militia and a pair of Recon Patrol members.

The Recon Patrol was displaying the data pulled from the Probe Droid.

"Listen up" Gunny said, "The droid dropped some gear in there in prep for this mission - those drops are identified by the four-pointed stars.   The gears are our objectives.  On the right is the damaged probe droid - one of the Swarm got at it.  It may have DNA or other data it failed to transmit, so I will lead the Recon Patrol to retrieve it.  Dude, you lead the Colonial Militia up the left flank - there's a fissure there that we may be able to plant explosives in.  Kevin, you will lead Anaconda straight up the middle - there's another spot we think we can plant explosives in.  Stay sharp, stay alive, fulfil your mission, and get the hell out of there.  Unity of Purpose, Marines.  Unity of Purpose.  Let's move!"

The teams advanced into the ruin, slowly and methodologically.   While the Militia and Recon teams had lights, the Troopers were on full Vision Enhancement.

Piles of basalt rock stuck through the floor, which at one time was well paved.  The tall ceiling was in darkness, and the odd stone walls seemed to focus on a central pillar.  "Careful guys - pings ahead"  "We all see them, Kevin."  "Yeah, but there's something very odd about them."

"Cut the chatter" Gunny broke in. "Do your jobs.  Now move!"

Scanners indicated that the contacts were moving around - the one on the right flank charged towards Gunny, sensors indicating three Swarm Brood.  Recon Patrol opened fire, with Gunny moving up and opening up with his hand cannon, dropping all three.

Kevin and Fire Team Anaconda moved straight up the center, trying to stay in cover, while Dude and her Militia moved up and secured the first supply drop.  "Sergeant," one of the Militia said "This is a high-freq sonic alarm.  Should stun pretty much anything, cept us, for a little bit"  "Roger that - leave two of your team here, ready to activate it if needed.  The rest will continue forward."

The teams continued to move up towards their objectives, a few scattered Swarm Brood popping out of the darkness.

Kevin and Anaconda reached their objective first.  "Gunny - no-go.  Too solid here to plant explosives."  "Roger that, Kevin.  Hold position and provide support for Dude."

More Swarm launched themselves at Gunny on the right flank, slowing him from his objective.

"Do you need assistance, Gunny?"  "Negative, Kevin.  Keep yourself ready."  "We have company! We have company!" Dude shouted, shots ringing out.

"Cleared them, Gunny - these guys are good for locals."

"We cleared our side.  Kevin - how's it looking?"  "Gunny - we have more pings coming.  More coming."

"Karabast!" Dude shouted "Got some pinging  right by us!"

"Same here, Dude.   Frosty is over.  Time for fire."

The pings near Dude were apparently a feint, as a swarm burst out of the far side, charging Kevin's position.  The team engaged, killing one and stunning another.

"We got this - plant those explosives." Kevin said, his service pistol barking.  However, Dude fired her incinerator at the Swarm Brood near Kevin, killing it, but Kevin shouted in pain.  "Argh! Dude! My ass is cooked!  These damn suits don't have air conditioning!"

"If we live, I'll buy you a beer as an apology.  My team has planted the bombs.  We're good to go."

The Recon team reached the Drone, picking it up as Gunny moved to engage a Swarm Brood.

Gunny cut through the Swarm Brood, ordering an overall retreat.  "Teams! Fall back.  Radio for evac!"

The teams started to retreat, but the cavern blocked their radio signals.  Precious time was spent fighting their way back before finally the pickup arrived.

"More pings! More pings!" Kevin shouted.  "Anaconda covering retreat!"

Some of the militia and the Recon team member carrying the drone are picked up, but Kevin's team is overrun.  Kevin leaps at one, punching a hole in its carapace, killing it, but others swarm him, taking him down.

Dude starts firing, doing what she can to drive the Swarm from Team Anaconda so they can evac, while fighting off aliens bearing down on her.  "Dude! Get out of there!  That's an order!"

Gunny moves up, with his position covered by one Recon Patrol member, stunning the alien that dropped Kidd.  More troopers have gone down, and more pings - a lot more pings - are incoming.

Dude screamed as she was overrun, her incinerator blazing away, but she also went down.

The evac ship had to depart, circling around once until it could return, firing its light machine guns, and driving the encroaching Swarm back, allowing Gunny to retrieve the bodies of Dude and Kevin before they left.

"Blow the damn place up."  "Yes Gunny - just have to get clear", the pilot said.

The small tacnuke blew as soon as the shuttle reached save distance.  The city was sealed.

Back at base, med teams were able to patch Kevin and Dude up - no lasting injuries.  Kevin approached Gunny.  "Gunny - I know you don't trust my 'talent', but something was wrong.  Those things we fought - they weren't aliens.  Well, they were, and they weren't.  Their minds.... Their minds were almost human.  Just..... tainted."

"Have you told anyone else this?"

"No, Gunny."

"Then don't."  Gunny pulled up a briefing.  "I'll get sent to your old home if anyone finds I showed you this."  Kevin looked at the briefing.  Some DNA was retrieved on the Probe Droid.  Human DNA, but altered.

"Shit."

"We are taking this information to HQ, and getting our next orders.  This isn't the only planet with Swarm problems.  Something is up.  Something big.  Stay alert, and if your magic is good for more than pulling rabbits out of hats, let me know."

"Yes Gunny"

"And check in on Dude.  She's avoiding me."

Kevin head to the so-called lounge.  Dude was there, drunk.  "Hey Dude!  Whassup?"

Dude looked around, and saw Kevin  "Oh, shit.  I owe you two beers.  You look like crap."  "Uh, Dude... They fixed me up - no scarring or anything."  "Zat so?  Well, that's something."

"What's up, Dude?"  "This whole thing is shit, Kevin.  Going in, getting our rear handed to us, for what?  What's the end game?"

"Dunno, Dude, but I just hope we'll be alive to see it."

Turn 3:  

Gunny Arnaf "Gunny"

Sgt Maeck "Dude"

Kidd "Kevin"

Priority [3] mission

Obj Markers 3, 4, 5

3 Scout - see if explosives can be set there (answer is no, but we don't know that)

4 Retrieve - probe droid was smashed here.

5 Beacon (set explosives here, then get out - 3 turns to blow, sealing the city - any left in the city at that time are casualties)

Difficulty - Hey not too crazy -1 contact marker

Base priority 3 

Support rolls:

Weapons Support - incinerator

Colonial Militia

Recon patrol

 

Swarm Brood!  1d3d+1 per contact

start with 4 Contact markers (1 on each objective, plus 2 in center)

Swarm:  Numbers 1d3+1; Move 6"; Combat Skill 2; Toughness 4; Damage 3

Teams:  Gunny + Recon Patrol

Dude + Colonial Militia

Kevin + Fire Team

Turn 1

Q n/a

A Contact markers move.  The one to the right flank moves close enough to pop, revealing 3 Swarm Brood.  Recon patrol and Arnaf open fire, taking them out.

S Other teams advance.  Militia reach Tac Obj - "Distract"

Turn 2

Q Arnaf moves up

A Contact marker moves, pops 3, one goes down

S Teams continue their advance.  Two militiamen stay by TO 1 ready to engage it.

Turn 3

No new contacts

Q Arnaf & team take out one and stun another.  

A Brood charges but as it is stunned, can not brawl

S Kevin complete objective 3 - Scout - unable to plant explosives

Turn 4

2 new contacts, one by Arnaf and one by Dude.  Both pop.  Militia open fire, taking one out, Dude flames one with incinerator, Arnaf brawls one and drives it back; recon snuffs it.

Q Arnaf & team clear their swarm

A Contacts move.  No combats of note

S Troops move

Turn 5

Another contact pops "We have movement all over the place"

Q Kidd kills one

A Alien charges Arnaf and dies. Trooper gets killed.  Recon patrol retrieves objective - the drone.

S Dude kills one, but the area effect hits Kidd, wounding him.  objective 2 met - Beacon - explosives planted.  Time to retreat.  Militiamen call for evac - no response.

Turn 6

No contacts

Q Recon patrol retreats.  Arnaf kills brood member

A Swarm overtakes kidd's position

S Overall retreat starts, trooper kills one.

Call for evac fails again

Turn 7 - Two pings - one right by militiamen - 3 pop.

Q Militiamen use Distract!

A - no actions

S - Kidd stuns one in brawl, trooper kills it, Dude flames two, killing one.

Call for evac fails again

Turn 8 - no new contacts

Q Gunny & recon patrol take one out

A Dude is charged

S Kidd's ping pops; Troopers take out one

Evac successful

Turn 9 - No new contacts

Q - Recon & Dude fire.  Dude stuns one. Patrol misses.

A - Kidd goes down.

S - Fighting retreats

Turn 10 

Contacts at far end.  So many of them

Q - 

A - Trooper goes down

S - Militia and 1 recon (with drone) get picked up.  Retreat continues

Turn 11

Q Dude gets one

A

S continued retreat

Turn 12

Q Dude burns another

A Dude goes down

S More maneuvering - Arnaf tries to cover his remaining teams

Turn 13

Meandering

Evac called again

Turn 14 

Movement all over the place.

Gunny gets picked up

Game over man

Arnaf 3 XP

Dude 1 XP

Kidd 1 XP

MVP - Dude +1 XP

Operational Progress - Vital Information (Kidd) +3XP

Military life - Dude feeling unmotivated.  Loses 2 XP