Sunday, January 22, 2023

Five Parsecs from Home Turn 2: Isolationists!

Grateful for the prompt intervention, the starport pays out six credits! As the crew celebrate their first successful contract, word gets around, and Mireille is contacted by a regional administrator who needs some quiet, outside help. 

It seems that a small group of anti-Unity Isolationists, led by an ex-naval officer, have occupied a government environmental support center as a sign of their determination. The administrator wants the crew of the Zouave to move in, assess the extent of the Isolationists' defenses, and if possible drive them away. 

Unit9 stls, except far right: Authorized Bounty Hunter, Corvus Belli

Mireille accepts gladly, and sends the crew off to explore the shanties around the launch pads, while she logs some time in with an expert AI. 

A few hours later, the crew return, buzzing with stories to tell: 

-Hob managed to trade some scrap for a Med Patch, just in case; 

-Yodel found a Swift pub, hoping to find rumors of her former gang, but just ended up having a good time; 

-Anja, also carousing, started talking to a bartender who eventually asked her to deliver a package to a friend. She figured that Mireille would get a kick out of using the old Type S Scout/Courier for its intended purpose. 

-Ulf found himself at a boxing gym, where he got in a vigorous session of Krav Maga with a local expert. 

Sally, however, was nowhere to be found, until starport security called. She had gotten mixed up with some chavs - possibly friends of the ones the crew had tangled with earlier - and had gotten injured and robbed (2 turns Sick Bay, lose Colony Rifle with Assault Blade attachment). After a brief commiseration, Mireille sends Sally up to the sick bay to recover, while the team prepares for their assault. 

Terrain: Hlokk Scenery Pack, Corvus Belli 

Sending Ulf alone to check out the small outbuilding, the rest of the team prepare to investigate the two larger ones. Ulf checks windows, determining that the building is empty, but sees a team of three militia approaching! Taking up a firing position at the base of the stairs, he blasts away with his Plasma gun - but misses. 


The militia trooper returns fire inexpertly - and a round connects, sending Ulf tumbling down the stairs! Meanwhile, on the right, autogun fire erupts, as a specialist opens fire on Anja, missing. Hob returns the favor with his own auto rifle, and scores a lucky shot, downing the hapless gunner. 

Yodel, hearing the exchange of fire to her left, repositions, finding a narrow firing lane from cover. Taking careful aim she shoots - and drops the trooper who shot Ulf. 

A third trooper, seeing his friend felled right in front of him, turns and runs. 


The leader, a seasoned navy vet, is not so easily deterred, however. She moves up under cover to try and get enfilade shots on the team. Repositioning, Yodel fires again - and again her shot hits, punching a neat hole under the leader's left eye. 


The remaining pair of Isolationists back off and hunker down, back to back, giving the crew time to catch them in a pincer. Anja closes and blasts away with her shotgun, driving one from cover; Yodel fires at her but her shot fails to injure the militia woman. 


Finally, Hob appears, and the weight of numbers bring down the remaining Isolationists. 

Mireille, closest to Ulf, runs to check on him. Miraculously, he is completely unhurt! (00 injury roll - the first in this game!). Yodel, despite her battlefield success, seems troubled by the lives she has taken, and is overcome by a deep feeling of melancholy. 

Meanwhile, a quick rifle through the bodies finds a few Dazzle grenades, and also a comlink on a particularly well-equipped Isolationist, who turns out to be a Bounty Hunter, with some very interesting data on his person... 

The Administrator pays the crew 5 credits, under the table. 

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