Robotech - Southern Cross Adventure

[Purr]

"Oh, that hasn't changed, Ryuko. I don't think that will ever change." Gabi was willing to do a lot more than just protect humanity. In her short career in Special Forces Recon Patrol she had become trained and quite ready to spy, gather, overwatch, threaten, interrogate, steal, heal, kidnap, rescue, design, create, test, bribe, beat, feed, pay, kill, and pray to protect humanity. She was not about to let up now.

Gabi reflexively tightened her hand into a fist as she saw a hand move to touch her. No one laid a hand on Gabi De la Rosa without her permission. Then she remembered it was Ryuko's hand. Ryuko had proven herself to Gabi. She was all right. They had been through their share of fires and saved each other from enough close calls that Gabi let her fist relax. Gabi reminded herself that this was the way Ryuko showed affection to people. While it was odd for her to demonstrate it in front of the captain, Gabi knew that Ryuko didn't treat just everyone this way. So she let her teammate touch her cheek.

 

[Psychie]

Purr and Gundam Watcher 27

She turned to Capt. Parsons. "Sir? This Third Heavy Recon... what can you tell us about them? I mean, who are they really, you know?" She added, "Because after losing our unit, if they turn out to be a bunch of REMF wanna-bes, I'm quitting this job and joining the damned circus." Gabi grinned again. "I'll be the snake charmer and Ryuko here can be the fire-breather."

Capt. Parsons looks over at you, and says, "I did some digging on this squad, and can tell you a little bit. The current roster is of a five person crew, all operating the new ASC Spartas hover tanks. They are all recent graduates of an accelerated training program, and according to their training instructors, they are all top rate soldiers, and their scores are all at the top end of the scale. Also, the Third Heavy Recon is the team that located the Destroyer that was playing havoc with our air power, and they shut it down hard. Impressive work, even for a bunch of ground-pounders."

The time off to attend the various memorial services is a bit of a blur for the two of you, spending some time with the various friends and family members that are attending the funerals. Tears were shed, toasts were made, and memories shared by all that were able to attend. There is even a sorrow-filled message recorded by one of the three survivors of the Jungle Rats that is played at the memorial, telling how the fallen men and women of the squad had spent their last moments. There is even a personal message to the two pilots, telling the two of you that it is ok to grieve, but don't let the loss consume you, and he thanks you both for being there to honor the fallen.

The days of leave pass quickly, and soon enough, it is time to take your repaired Ajax choppers from Delta-67 and fly them to Anton-17. As you travel, you are going to be escorting a fairly large convoy of supplies to the BSURP, along with two Comanchero Gunship helicopters, two Defender and two Tomahawk Destroids. At the moment, your wing ordnance is a pair of MLOP missile packs loaded with HEAP Mini-Missiles each for a total of 30 of those, and two sets of Plasma Short Range Missiles for a total of 10 of the shorts. It is made quite clear that you are going into a hot zone, so stay alert.


Rykon Sherwood WlfSamurai D. Rex

Ever since your return to Anton-17, things have been quiet. Unusually so. It is like the calm before a storm. Then, one afternoon while you are sitting in the ready room and waiting for the next shipment to come with your new guns and personnel, Lt. Renner, the infantry force commander, comes into the room and in a tone of voice that brooks no argument, he says, "The five of you, with me, now."

He turns on his heel and walks out, and leads you to one the barracks and says to the soldiers in there, "Give me the room." The troops don't even take time to put away the cards or tins of boot polish that are left out; they just clear out. Lt. Renner is silent, giving no indication of just why he is interested in talking to you, instead he stands and waits until the room is clear of all but the six of you.

Once the door shuts behind the last trooper, the Lieutenant looks Deunan in the eye. "Sergeant, I have just learned from one of my contacts in La Fuente that the Malcontents have placed a price on the heads of your entire team, but it names you specifically as a target of high interest. I'm not talking pocket change, the numbers on each member of your team is over 500,000, and Sergeant Conway, you have over a million dollar price tag on you. As the man directly responsible for the day to day security of this post and every man and woman in it, I want to know why you. How did the Zentraedi learn of your identity?"

 

[Sherwood]

Deunan is silent for a moment, her mind shocked into a whirlwind of thoughts. "There is just one way that they could have. When we had just finished placing the explosive charges around the Fold Engine and were on our way out, we ran into a trio of Female Powered Armor suits and a dozen heavy infantry. I told them that we had placed the charges, and if they didn't let us go, I would give the order to blow the ship up with us right there inside it and damn them all to hell. The threat seemed to sink in to the lead FPA pilot, and before she ordered the infantry to step aside and let us pass, she asked me for my name. I would have to guess that one of those Malcontents had to have survived the explosion and all the bombings that was delivered upon the ship and communicated that to their High Lord."

Deunan shakes her head in surprise. Someone is taking a grudge to a whole new level.

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

The days of leave pass quickly, and soon enough, it is time to take your repaired Ajax choppers from Delta-67 and fly them to Anton-17. As you travel, you are going to be escorting a fairly large convoy of supplies to the BSURP, along with two Comanchero Gunship helicopters, two Defender and two Tomahawk Destroids. At the moment, your wing ordnance is a pair of MLOP missile packs loaded with HEAP Mini-Missiles each for a total of 30 of those, and two sets of Plasma Short Range Missiles for a total of 10 of the shorts. It is made quite clear that you are going into a hot zone, so stay alert.

Before their departure, Ryuko had a small amount of time to pack her things together, which was quite challenging considering she had to get her notebooks and pencils together. Believe it or not, Ryuko secretly had a hobby of writing down her ideas for making her Veritech stand out from the others. Her Crimson colored Ajax? That was something that she requested, along with two arm cannons instead of one.

She would pick up her last book, this one open to a page showing a non transformable type, a Battloid to be exact. It listed what armaments would be ideal for her machine to be equipped with as well, retractable Vulcans on the back, beam cannons for each arm, and missile pods on the shoulders, waist, and lower legs. She closed the book, before leaving to the hangar.

After getting into her crimson Ajax, it took off as she patched cross communication with Gabi, her machine not far behind. "Can I ask you a question?" She would say to her friend, while looking ahead to watch for danger.

Purr

 

[Rykon]

Alan shrugged, his mind still halfway absent from his recent studies but he tried not to behave too informally in front of the lieutenant. "I thought this was on the Spartas's camera recordings that leadership reviewed. I am sorry if this came as a surprise, sir. As for the rest of us, I don't think they caught our names. Could this be another data leak?"

 

[Purr]

Third Heavy Recon. The captain made them out to sound like a decent bunch. Highly-qualified, piloting brand-new Spartas tanks, just scored a major victory for humanity in the region. It sounded good, but she wouldn't know until they were face-to-face.

There is even a personal message to the two pilots, telling the two of you that it is ok to grieve, but don't let the loss consume you, and he thanks you both for being there to honor the fallen.

"Love me but let me go," Gabi with her genius-level intellect paraphrased. She got the message and it was a good one, but it was one thing to say it; it was quite another to do it.

Gabi was her father's daughter; if she loved you, she loved you like the very planet you walked on. She loved the Jungle Rats, her very first squad. Only time would tell when, or if, she would get over this. She resolved to take it one day at a time. She figured what else could she do?

Back at base, Gabi cleaned up her work bench at the mecha hanger until it shined. It took time for her to put away all her tools, drones, upgrade schematics, and computer designs for transport. She knew she would miss this mecha hangar and its people. If you couldn't find Gabi at the gym, this is where she was - taking on the challenges of tinkering, exploring, innovating.

Perhaps at Anton-17, she told herself, she would be able to pick up where she left off, and thereby put more into this Army than she was taking.

Before she left her post, she made certain to say her farewells and buy some kind of gift (usually food or some tool she knew they would use) for every person at the base who had touched her heart, Captain Parsons included. "You don't get to be good to me without getting something good in return," she told them with a grin. It was one of her beloved and charismatic father's many sayings.

After getting into her crimson Ajax, it took off as she patched cross communication with Gabi, her machine not far behind. "Can I ask you a question?" She would say to her friend, while looking ahead to watch for danger.

"You just did," she quipped. By this time in their relationship, Ryuko very likely knew that Gabi only teased people she liked, like now. If Ryuko, being an absolutely gorgeous bisexual, ever tested Gabi's waters, Gabi probably chuckled and grinned back with, "Naaaah, you're too ugly."

For now, she replied with seriousness. "What's on your mind, amiga?"

Gabi made a mental note of offering to the Convoy Commander to take point after she and Ryuko spoke. Sure, it was the most dangerous position in a squad or convoy, but It ultimately was where Gabi liked to be - protecting something she believed in while keeping her skills sharp.

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

"You just did," she quipped. By this time in their relationship, Ryuko very likely knew that Gabi only teased people she liked, like now. If Ryuko, being an absolutely gorgeous bisexual, ever tested Gabi's waters, Gabi probably chuckled and grinned back with, "Naaaah, you're too ugly."

For now, she replied with seriousness. "What's on your mind, amiga?"

"I honestly would like to know the identity of whoever's idea it was to make Veritech without any concern about the possibility of engaging in CQC. It wouldn't be a bad idea if we at least had some form of melee weapon if the situation required would it?" That question was a confusing one. Why would anyone be wanting a melee Weapon if it's a firefight?

"I know, a Melee Weapon would not likely be of any use, but if anything, I feel that if I don't fight the enemy up close, it will end up killing more people that I care about."

 

[Purr]

Gabi kept her Ajax in Battloid mode, flying along as close to the ground as possible. The rotor wash from the Army Commancheros was making enough noise to tell everyone they were out here; the sound of her own rotors would only further announce their position while reducing her ability to hear whatever the jungle was trying to tell them. She kept her eyes and ears wide open.

"Face it, amiga," she replied. "The days of swords and lances were numbered when the bow was first invented, no? Now we have mega-damage machine guns, computer-guided missiles, and beam weapons that can fry you at the speed of light. Plus, you don't see any of the Zentraedi marching around with cutlasses on their hips, right?

"'The dear old age of chivalry died a long time ago and the world hasn't been the same since.' That's the line they always gave us in my Engineering classes. Still, I would love some kind of retractable machete to help quietly cut through the jungles or take out a Zentraedi sentry without having to blast away and tell the whole world, you know?"

Gabi's intellectual side kicked on in her mental background. With practiced ease, she began to go through all of the different practical functions, drawbacks, and requirements behind such a tool. If there was one thing she liked about fiery Ryuko, she always gave you something to think about whether you were on patrol or not.

 

[Purr]

Hovering and listening in her Ajax painted sensor-to-thruster in digital jungle camouflage, Gabi had a thought that just would not leave her.

"Okay, now it's my turn to ask you something. Chica, you paint your Ajax all deep red, you fly into combat like a mad woman, and you like close quarter combat. I know Air Cav jockeys live to blow stuff to kingdom come, but if you like it close, why is a desperada loca ("crazy female desperado") like you in Ajax and not a tank? At least in a tank, you get to run things over! You see? I mean, if these people in this Third Heavy Recon like to go after and blow up Zentraedi destroyers, they are just going to love you!"

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Hovering and listening in her Ajax painted sensor-to-thruster in digital jungle camouflage, Gabi had a thought that just would not leave her.

"Okay, now it's my turn to ask you something. Chica, you paint your Ajax all deep red, you fly into combat like a mad woman, and you like close quarter combat. I know Air Cav jockeys live to blow stuff to kingdom come, but if you like it close, why is a desperada loca ("crazy female desperado") like you in Ajax and not a tank? At least in a tank, you get to run things over! You see? I mean, if these people in this Third Heavy Recon like to go after and blow up Zentraedi destroyers, they are just going to love you!"

"I prefer speed over power. A tank just doesn't feel right for me, even with the training I had for trying one out. And the reason I paint my Ajax red is to give the enemy the chance to etch into their minds of what killed them." She the laughed to herself. "Although that does sound a little cruel of me, these Zentraedi deserve it. One of the reasons I actually joined the military to begin with was to get back at them for killing my parents years back." She then sighed. "But it's hard when there's so many of them, and only one of me. Sometimes I wonder if someone out there, who suffered the same problem as me, is fighting to defeat them too."

 

[Psychie]

Alan shrugged, his mind still halfway absent from his recent studies but he tried not to behave too informally in front of the lieutenant. "I thought this was on the Spartas's camera recordings that leadership reviewed. I am sorry if this came as a surprise, sir. As for the rest of us, I don't think they caught our names. Could this be another data leak?"

The Lieutenant rubs his chin, then says, "I have not personally reviewed the tapes. I've only heard the talk about the base about how well all of you did out there. There may very well be a leak. It could also be someone accessing records on line, but in any case, the Zeeks have a burr up their butts for this team, so I want all of you to utilize caution out there, be it in the field or out in La Fuente. The price on your heads will go a long way in the poorer parts of the region, so watch your backs. Make sure you stick together, and always carry a sidearm."

Lt. Renner finally nods. "Very well. My warning has been delivered, so you may be dismissed."

Once the LT lets you go, Neo pipes up with, "Well, damn. I had expected to be risking my life in the military, but I never thought that it would lead to someone placing a bounty on me! Sounds like we are doing something right."


Purr and Gundam Watcher 27

It is mid-morning as the supply shipment is traveling down the road to Anton-17. Out on the highway, the convoy is moving down the road at a brisk pace of fifty miles per hour, near the top speed of the two Tomahawk Destroids. The two Comanchero Gunships are scouting out ahead, checking for any signs of Zentraedi. You are nearly at the BSURP when one of the Comanchero helicopters call out, "Heads up, everyone. We have eyes on a glint of metal on the north side of the highway. We are calling it into the base."

A moment goes by, then you can hear the chopper pilot call out, "Anton-17, Anton-17, this is Comanchero flight on escort duty of your beans and bullets. We are approximately five miles south of your position, and have spotted movement off to the side of the highway. Do you have anyone out of the walls in our area? We don't want to have a friendly fire situation."

The reply is quick. "Negative, Comanchero flight, negative. We have zero personnel out in your area. Your convoy is the only friendlies out and about. We are going to sound the alert and prepare our mecha teams for possible contact. Please, use caution, but if you can get eyes on the potential target and identify it, we would be appreciative."

"Copy that, Anton-17. Moving out to investigate. Stand by."

What do the two of you do?


Sherwood Rykon D. Rex WlfSamurai

Back at the BSURP, there is the distinctive sound of a alert going off, calling all combat troops to their ready stations.

 

[Purr]

Gabi "Chrome Shaman" De la Rosa
Tac Corp Special Forces Recon Patrol​

Spoiler: Payload and Combat Details

VHT-10A Ajax mode: Battloid.

Missile Payload:
30/30 HEAP Mini-missiles: 1D4x10 M.D., 1 mile range, 3 foot radius, 2 M.D.C.
10/10 Plasma/Napalm (medium) Short-range missiles: 2D6x10 M.D., 3 mile range, 15 foot radius, 5 M.D.C.

Immediately moving to cover and cutting the hovering engines to her Battloid form, Gabi came over the line. Unsure of what call sign to use as she and Ryuko were between units, she went by the name she earned for her engineering wizardry and drone-related adventures. "Convoy commander, this is Croma Chamán of Tac Corp Special Forces Recon Patrol in the camouflaged Ajax. I volunteer to take a look-see."

Image credit: www.limetown.com.br

STATUS

Location: En route to Anton-17.
Statblock: VHT-10A Ajax (400/400 M.D.). CBR Mk 2E Armor (105/105 M.D.). Heavy Shield (55/55 M.D.).
Effects Active: None.

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Psychie Purr

An possible enemy engagement after discussing about fighting them? This was truly a case of "Say the devil's name and he shall appear". That being said, Ryuko had decided to contact Gabi. "I'm moving in to investigate! I should be fine with what I'm armed with, but if it's something I can't handle, I'll get back here ASAP!"

 

[Rykon]

When combat alert sounds, Alan leaps up from his desk putting his training on pause again to sprint toward the mecha hangar. Upon arrival, he quickly scanned the room for the rest of the third heavy before heading over toward his Spartas. "What's our status boss?"

 

[Purr]

Gabi "Chrome Shaman" De la Rosa
Tac Corp Special Forces Recon Patrol​

Spoiler: Payload and Combat Details

VHT-10A Ajax mode: Battloid.

Missile Payload:
30/30 HEAP Mini-missiles: 1D4x10 M.D., 1 mile range, 3 foot radius, 2 M.D.C.
10/10 Plasma/Napalm (medium) Short-range missiles: 2D6x10 M.D., 3 mile range, 15 foot radius, 5 M.D.C.

Gabi chuckled. Ryuko never changed; she was such a shotgun. "Desperada, your fat ass is staying right where you are, amiga. You're the Air Cav, I'm the Recon Patrol, remember? If something needs blowing up or if I need backup, you'll be the first person I call, I swear. So don't worry. Now keep the convoy safe in case this is a decoy, comprende?" She had called her fat just to tease her. By now, Ryuko very likely knew Gabi teased people she liked (and like many in the military, she enjoyed being given a 'tough time' in return; it was an age-old form of affection).

With that, unless the convoy commander or someone higher ranking told her otherwise, Gabi moved off toward the metallic object. Using the VHT-10A's ground-radar while switching between thermal imaging and normal-sight magnification, Gabi used the relative silence of the Battloid (compared to the helicopter or jet modes) and headed out to the north side of the highway where the Comanchero had made the sighting. She moved low and slow, using as much cover and concealment in the jungle that she could find. Seeking safety and silence first, she crept and searched the area around the glint of metal before moving in to get a good look at it.

Image credit: www.limetown.com.br

STATUS

Location: En route to Anton-17.
Statblock: VHT-10A Ajax (400/400 M.D.). CBR Mk 2E Armor (105/105 M.D.). Heavy Shield (55/55 M.D.).
Effects Active: None.

 

[Sherwood]

When combat alert sounds, Alan leaps up from his desk putting his training on pause again to sprint toward the mecha hangar. Upon arrival, he quickly scanned the room for the rest of the third heavy before heading over toward his Spartas. "What's our status boss?"

Deunan moves quickly, but not frantically. She jumps up into her tank and begins to run through the power up sequence. "No idea yet. Neo! Get on the horn to the Command Post and see what our orders are. Is this a drill, or are we getting into a scrap?"

Spoiler

On Foot:
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +10
Parry: +13 - +17 with Heavy Combat Shield
Dodge: +14
Roll: +6
Perception: +12
Initiative: +1
Damage: +2 from Ps

In the Hover Tank:
Number of Attacks: 8 - +1 attack per melee round at levels 1, 3, 6, 10, and 14
Strike: +12 with Cannons, +13 to HtH, +14 with EU-11 (+2)
Parry: +17 (+1)
Dodge: +17 (+1)
Roll: +9
Perception: +12
Initiative: +3 (+2)

Ammo Payload
APFSDS - 3d6x10: 30
MPAT - 2d6x10: 10
Plasma - 2d8x10: 5
Smoke: 3

Main Body: 475
Left Shield: 500
Right Shield: 500

 

[Psychie]

While Gabi begins to throttle forward, the convoy leader orders the two Defenders and the transports to hang back while the pair of Tomahawks take the point on the highway. As you close in on the area that the Comanchero called out, your radar and radio is being actively jammed!

Purr , please give me a Perception roll, and a Systems Operation roll to try and burn through the jamming.


Inside the vehicle hangar, Neo is busy with calling in. Soon enough, she reports, "Incoming convoy escorts are reporting visual contact with something roughly four miles down the road to our south, and they are moving to investigate. HQ says that there are no allied forces in that area besides us and the convoy, so if there is something there, it is not friendly."

 

[Sherwood]

Deunan nods. "Understood. All right, Third Heavy, stand by for action. Command, should we move out to intercept, or hold tight here?"

Spoiler

On Foot:
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +10
Parry: +13 - +17 with Heavy Combat Shield
Dodge: +14
Roll: +6
Perception: +12
Initiative: +1
Damage: +2 from Ps

In the Hover Tank:
Number of Attacks: 8 - +1 attack per melee round at levels 1, 3, 6, 10, and 14
Strike: +12 with Cannons, +13 to HtH, +14 with EU-11 (+2)
Parry: +17 (+1)
Dodge: +17 (+1)
Roll: +9
Perception: +12
Initiative: +3 (+2)

Ammo Payload
APFSDS - 3d6x10: 30
MPAT - 2d6x10: 10
Plasma - 2d8x10: 5
Smoke: 3

Main Body: 475
Left Shield: 500
Right Shield: 500

 

[Purr]

Gabi paused in her Ajax and raised its left hand up into a fist. Anyone watching her would probably know the sign used in infantry combat for "danger." Meanwhile, she tried to fight the electronic warfare from the unseen hostiles while keeping her eyes open.

 

[Psychie]

As Gabi works the radar, you are able to clear up the signals to be able to pick up not just one or two targets, but a large force of mecha targets moving through the trees towards Anton-17! At the moment, you are reading upwards of forty or fifty mecha, all moving at speeds over 150 mph. As close as you are to the targets, you can see glints of green and white through the trees.

They are about three and a half miles from the BSURP.

 

[Purr]

"Madre Dios!" ("Mother of God!") Gabi's green eyes widened and her mouth dropped. An enemy force larger than a mecha company was hauling tail straight at Anton-17! How she was glad she had taken Ryuko's place - she might have been killed!

With all the speed and stealth she could muster, Gabi reversed course to get out of the jamming field all the while shouting over her radio in an effort to get her message through. Then again, if Gabi thought that they would spot her, she hid as best she could and didn't move a single mechanical muscle. She knew one wrong move and they would kick her ass.

Gabi tried to use a channel everyone including the convoy could hear. "Anton-17! Red alert! 40-50 hostile mecha sighted 3.5 miles from your position and closing with radar and radio jamming!" She gave a bearing, location, and a brief description of whatever mecha she saw (Battle Pods, Officers Pods, power armor, etc.). She repeated this unceasingly until she received a reply from Anton-17.

For the sakes all of the people in Anton-17, she prayed to God she would get one.

 

[Psychie]

Gabi's call to arms goes out, and even as far away as you are from the BSURP, you can hear the loud siren going off, signalling a general alert. Then, you get a reply from Anton-17. "The alert has been sounded. Reinforcements are being deployed. Stand by."


Inside the mecha hangar, the loud blaring of the alert goes off loud enough to wake the dead. The radio operators in the Command Bunker begin to give out deployment orders. "All units! All units! Hostile Zentraedi force has been detected. Estimated battalion strength, 3.5 miles south. Coordinates to follow. Allied air power is in the area, along with our resupply convoy. Engage at will, fire when ready."

With that order being given, the base defense forces are on the move.

 

[Sherwood]

With the full alarm going off, Deunan immediately throttles forward. "Third Heavy moving out and getting ready to engage! Lets go! Open the outer door."

Spoiler

They are within range of our Sabot rounds; can we start shelling them with Gabi acting as a forward spotter? Or can we see the targets ourselves?

On Foot:
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +10
Parry: +13 - +17 with Heavy Combat Shield
Dodge: +14
Roll: +6
Perception: +12
Initiative: +1
Damage: +2 from Ps

In the Hover Tank:
Number of Attacks: 8 - +1 attack per melee round at levels 1, 3, 6, 10, and 14
Strike: +12 with Cannons, +13 to HtH, +14 with EU-11 (+2)
Parry: +17 (+1)
Dodge: +17 (+1)
Roll: +9
Perception: +12
Initiative: +3 (+2)

Ammo Payload
APFSDS - 3d6x10: 30
MPAT - 2d6x10: 10
Plasma - 2d8x10: 5
Smoke: 3

Main Body: 475
Left Shield: 500
Right Shield: 500

 

[Psychie]

Everyone, time for Initiative rolls!

 

[Sherwood]

Initiative roll for Deunan.

Total of 10.