Robotech - Tales of the RDF

[Kaerri]

Eadric Braidwood, Field Scientist


Earlier...

CSM Wilcher swivels in his chair to point to a large map of the area on the wall.  "There were two different armories that got attacked.  They were supposedly secret, and only had a skeleton crew there to maintain the equipment, depending on the secrecy and some robotic defenses that were deactivated by remote by using a coded signal.  How the insurgents were able to get ahold of the codes to shut down the guns is still being investigated.  Once past the outer defense line, they made a beeline straight to the armory to 'liberate' as many guns and tanks as they could cart off.  So far, we have a few leads, but there is no solid evidence as to the source of the leak."  It looks like the man is quite ready and willing to take the person or persons responsible and tear them apart with his own bare hands. 

Eadric listens intently.  "I'm assuming the codes have been changed since then, yes?  And the new ones limited to fewer people?  Better some offended egos now than more stolen equipment later.  And are there any more such armories?  If the codes haven't been changed, or if the leak still has access to the new ones, they will be at risk still."


Now...


Eadric turns towards the door reflexively, pauses, and looks to Taniya for confirmation before making any further move to leave.  "Getting some is better than none," he agrees with Wilcher.  "And perhaps there will be some evidence in the mecha or the tanks to reveal our leak."

 

[Sherwood]

Eadric listens intently.  "I'm assuming the codes have been changed since then, yes?  And the new ones limited to fewer people?  Better some offended egos now than more stolen equipment later.  And are there any more such armories?  If the codes haven't been changed, or if the leak still has access to the new ones, they will be at risk still."

Before the deployment order...


Wilcher nods at Eadric's question.  "Of course.  I had the codes changed immediately, but it is still the case of closing the barn door after the horses have gotten out.  And, just as you said, I have limited the number of people that have access to the new codes down to the bare bones number of 'need to know'.  I still feel responsible for letting someone into the inner circle that was capable of betraying us like this.  How could I have missed the warning signs?"  He shakes his head in disgust.  "When I find the asshole that leaked the data, I have a number of hard questions for him."  He gives Eadric a level look across the desk as he says this, and you are quite certain that Wilcher will be getting his answers, one way or another.  "While the RDF does not have any other equipment caches in the area, the newly formed ASC is currently brining in materials to build a second base of operations in the region, so there is a supply cache that is not under my jurisdiction.  I have already contacted my counterpart at Fort Hope about my concerns of the African Peoples Republic, and I have even gone as far as contacting the EBSIS Aswan Base, thinking that they might also be under the gun of the APR soon enough.  In both cases, I have been politely told that they are aware of the potential threats posed by the various local governments, and that while they wish to thank me for my concern, their security is more than sufficient for the task."


Barbara leans forward and asks, "SarMajor, do you know where the ASC supply base is at?  It seems to me that they are the next logical target to hit, and if we could use that location to lure out the insurgents, we could slam the door shut on them once and for all."


He shakes his head in the negative.  "You would have to discuss that possibility with the current administrator of Fort Hope, a woman named Martina Henish, a Colonel in the ASC, and her second in command, Major Lucio Navarrete.  Fort Hope is still under construction, so there are plenty of supplies being stored in the ASC temporary base.  I do not know what security is currently in place there at all, and my queries have been rebuffed.  Perhaps your team will be able to get through to them where my lack of tact has not."

 

[Epiphany]

Corporal Zaile Alencar


"Well, let's go check it out!"  


The Zentraedi woman clears her throat and adds, more respectfully, "Sir, we have an opportunity to prevent a probable attack and wreck justified ruin upon those who've illegally seized RDF property for their own nefarious ends.  These insurgents think they're the law.  They're nothing but common criminals!  We're the law!"


Clearing her throat once more, she takes a step back.  And if anyone gives her an inquiring look, she shrugs and says "Elyana had me watch Judge Dredd the other week" as if that explains everything.

 

[Sherwood]

Barbara stifles a chuckle.  "Whatever gets you through the night.  Well, lets get a move-on and intercept these guys in our gear.  Lets show them the proper way to use the mecha, and clean them up!  Just so long as we keep getting the data feeds from the UAV, we'll know exactly where they are at all times, and can set up where we want to hit them well in advance of them showing up.  SarMajor, will we have support from any other assets in the area?"


"I can give you a pair of Comanchero assault helicopters as air support.  I'll make the call now to have them spin up.  I don't want to deplete any more of our defenders here; you'll just have to make due with the set of your Destroids and the two choppers.  Now, if you don't move out, you'll lose them, so get out there!"

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya


Taniya saluted CSM Wilcher and headed for the door at a brisk pace.  "You heard him, Red Panda Squadron!  Into the fray!"


During the conversation, she had noticed a gap of information in her learning that required filling.  As she ran along, she could not help but ask: "Would one or more of you tell me...  who or what is E.B.S.I.S.?"

 

[Soviet Panda]

((Making me look up what E.B.S.I.S. *grumble grumble*))


Connor casually looked over his shoulder when he heard the door open and said "Hi ,Zaile," and turned back around. But then his head whipped around again for a double take and he added "Where the hell have you been?" That said, he quietly listens to the rest of what was said and hurries out of the building to get into his good ol' fashioned Defender. As he was climbing into the cockpit, he answered Taniya. "The short version is they're Russia. You'll have to talk to someone else for the long version."

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya

"The short version is they're Russia. You'll have to talk to someone else for the long version."

"Russia, Russia..." the Zentraedi ace fought to remember.  "Which country are they?  I take it E.B.S.I.S. is not part of the United Earth Government?  All right, 'someone else,' what is your definition?  Do enlighten the alien who was created nowhere near this planet we fight for."

 

[Sherwood]

Barbara says, "It stands for Eastern Block of Soviet Independent States. They are a world power that pays only lip service to the United Earth Government, but acts on their own most of the time. The members were involved in a Cold War with the Western powers in the eighties before the crash of the SDF-1." She fires a fairly good job of giving a brief civics lesson that I won't post here for brevity sake, since the players know the material already. 


The Red Pandas manage to hitch a ride with a passing Hummer to their destroids.  As you power up, Barbara works her radio. "I have the signal from the UAV, coming in clear. I see the four Spartans escorting a small convoy of light tanks and APCs. The Spartans are not armed with any hand held weapons, so that is good news. There are a total of three APCs and six tanks, and they are heading out towards the savanna."

 

[Epiphany]

Corporal Zaile Alencar


She gives Connor a perky smile at his greeting and then sticks out her tongue at his accusing question.  "I had to arrange quarters for my wife!  I don't know what the obligations for unmarried RDF personnel are, as I've been married the entire time I've been enlisted, but with Elyana coming on a different transport, it falls to me to ensure she has quarters when she arrives and that our luggage has somewhere to go.  If we decide to have children some day, I expect the setup time at a new base will be even longer."  That last thought drew Zaile up as she finished talking and she looks contemplative for a change.  Introspection's not an expression that remains for long on the excitable Zentraedi woman's face, though.  


"I'll never understand why Micronians have more than one government.  You're all the same species.  Why do you need more than one chain of command?"  She shrugs and makes a face, as if it's literally beyond comprehension.  


Once they're finally on mission, though, Zaile looks as eager as ever.  Tucked into her cockpit, she thumbs her squad radio and says "I don't suppose we have any useful terrain to work with?  It seems pretty flat out here.  They're going to see us coming unless our mechs are airdropped or we get to the savanna first and find a useful ambush spot, perhaps in a river.  If there are any rivers."


"...These are Micronians, not insurgent Zentraedi.  Do we destroy them?  Try to get them to surrender?"

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya


"Surrender..."  For the second time in her RDF career, Taniya was faced with this word.  She found the very concept just as alien and repugnant to her as the idea of eating Limburger cheese or practicing pacifism.  


Yet again, she tried to be open-minded.  It showed as she asked her teammates, though her question was phrased in a way that only a Zentraedi could ask: "Is there any reason our enemies should not be utterly destroyed?"


She tried to make herself comfortable in the Hummer, but failed.  Just being comfortable in a vehicle meant for battle was an odd idea.  "When CSM Wilcher dispatched us, he said that he had found "just the team of people" to perform this action.  He has met us; he knows the Red Panda Squadron is led by a Zentraedi warrior, not a diplomat.  Therefore, is CSM Wilcher expecting anything less than the absolute destruction of those beings that have dared dishonor him?  If not, then why give us the order to move out without specific instructions to..." Taniya paused as she found the very use of the word distasteful, "...capture them?"


Then another thought entered her mind; it was one she decided to express.  "CSM Wilcher also sent two Comanchero helicopters to help us deal with these scum.  Comancheros are two-person assault helicopters.  He did not state he was sending any kind of prisoner-carrying vehicle with them.  Is there evidence I am missing?"  As usual, her tone was not sarcastic; the Zentraedi ace wanted to know the facts.

 

[Sherwood]

Barbara slowly nods.  "I can't argue with you, ma'am.  Those guys have already proven themselves capable of killing; they wiped out the small support staff at the two supply bases that were attacked, and SarMajor Wilcher does have to know about our history in the Zentraedi Control Zone and what we are capable of.  He never said that he wanted to have any effort made to capture them, but he also never said to wipe them out.  But, if any try to surrender, we must honor that and bring them in with us."

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya

But, if any try to surrender, we must honor that and bring them in with us."

"Hmm, you raise an interesting point, Tolson, especially given that across the entire span of my life of fighting and war, the number of opponents I have taken prisoner is...." she mused, "...zero."  


This train of thought caused all kinds of imaginative sparks to fire inside Taniya's brain.  Just what words does one use to get an opponent to do as you will?  This assumes, of course, that the surrender is not some attempt at espionage, escape, or a feint prior a counter-attack...  There had to be lines of psychology that worked well to nearly guarantee obedience from most humans, but what?  Taniya created a mental picture.  She imagined a human prisoner surrendering before her.  It was male.  What to say?  


"Honorless coward!  You will perform exactly as I command or I will begin melting body parts off of your body...  starting with the one between your legs!"


Hmmm.   That would probably do...

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric Braidwood, Field Scientist

"I'll never understand why Micronians have more than one government.  You're all the same species.  Why do you need more than one chain of command?"  She shrugs and makes a face, as if it's literally beyond comprehension.

Eadric smiles a little sadly.  "We may be all one species, but we have many different cultures.  Before the SDF-1 appeared, it was very difficult to get any of them to agree on anything, much less form a unified government.  You see, most of human history is the result of small groups seeing the world in terms of 'us' and 'them' - and 'them' all too often meant 'too different to be anything but an enemy.'  Well, look at how many humans still see Zentraedi, even the ones on your side.  That's how, historically, most humans saw anyone that wasn't part of their own village, or nation, or race, or however they defined 'us.' "  He paused.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to give a lecture.  I can go into more detail later if you like, but I should probably focus on the mission at hand for now."


Letting that subject drop, he listened in on the others' conversation while strapping into his Spartan.

"Hmm, you raise an interesting point, Tolson, especially given that across the entire span of my life of fighting and war, the number of opponents I have taken prisoner is...." she mused, "...zero."  

"Not quite true, ma'am, if you'll forgive the correction."  Eadric's tone was properly deferential, but firm.  "We did manage one in the fight against Serena.  And I agree that we should take anyone prisoner who wants to be.  Besides it being the honorable thing to do, it could also give us a source of information toward finding the person or persons who leaked those security codes.  As far as logistics goes..."  He sighed.  "I don't expect many of them to surrender.  Those few who do, I expect I can carry back in the Spartan's hands."

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya

"Not quite true, ma'am, if you'll forgive the correction."  Eadric's tone was properly deferential, but firm.  "We did manage one in the fight against Serena.

Taniya grinned again and made an attempt at humor.  "That one does not count, Braidwood; seeing as that fight concerned Serena, taking anyone prisoner after what she pulled was anything but intentional...  Call it a slip up if you will."  

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric Braidwood, Field Scientist


He chuckled.  "As you wish, ma'am.  Zero, barring slip-ups, it is."

 

[Sherwood]

The five mecha; two Defenders, two Officer Battle Pods, and one Spartan, all make their way out across the African countryside.  It is not long before your air tracking radar picks up the two Commanchero helicopters rising up from the Port Carson, and soon Barbara has them tied into a tactical squad net with the Red Pandas.  At this time of day, visibility is good but going down as the sun slides towards the horizon.  If you move quickly, you'll be engaging in the semi-dark twilight of the African sunset. 


With the help of the UAV, you advance on the slow moving convoy.  It is up to you how you wish to engage.  Do you try to get in front of them and let them advance into you, or do you come up from behind?  Or split up and have some mecha in front or some come up the rear?

 

[Epiphany]

Corporal Zaile Alencar


As the unit ships out, Zaile muses thoughtfully in her cockpit before responding to Eadric Braidwood via radio.  "I still don't see how it's possible for a Micronian to be too different.  Is it an issue with language?  My Bela Flor speaks Portuguese...what's the word.  Natively?  Speaks English as a second language?  So it doesn't seem likely that's the case.  And culturally, she's not American like many of the RDF enlisted I trained with but she seems to have little issue with Americans, or they with her.  Micronians who see my race as the enemy make sense to me.  We were their enemies.  As we saw you.  This leaves me in a state of some confusion, though.  Neither my indoctrination nor my experience tells me how to treat hostile Micronians.  I look forward to learning more!"


Once the mission's underway, though, Zaile becomes a wholly professional (if enthusiastic) soldier.  She notes the various factors applying to the prospective battlefield, taps her fingers on a console in the cockpit and thumbs open the squad radio once more.  "Sir, suggest we approach from their 9 o'clock?  With the sun going down, they'll have to look right into it to return fire.  Some of them might have compensation but some might not.  It may also give us more time to close the range and attack from surprise."

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya


Taniya's tone was firm without being harsh.  "Zaile, we treat everyone trying to kill us or our human allies in the way we were born to - we annihilate them.  Unless it benefits our superiors to do otherwise, we act on the strong and successful heritage the universe knows us for.  To do any less for those we serve is to be less than Meltrandi."


Taniya tapped her console in the same spot Zaile had.  "Today, our enemies will face destruction with Earth's star behind us."  She nodded to Zaile.  "We will form a simple L-shaped ambush.  Everyone will fire on my target - we will burn them down as quickly as possible, one at a time, in the way of the Invid.  Whenever possible, use their lack of RDF mecha training against them.  Is this understood?"


"This assumes they do not surrender."  Taniya turned once again to her human teammates.  "Our targets are foreign thieves who have the blood of our RDF allies on their hands.  Should we give them the chance of surrender and risk losing our element of surprise?  Or do we give them the same chance to live as they have our slain allies?"

 

[Sherwood]

Barbara muses, "Even in the hands of an amateur, the missile load in those Spartans are deadly.  We must be prepared to eliminate them, but be ready for their counter attack.  Hmmm.  With the Defender firing in air burst mode, Connor and I can help sweep the sky clear of incoming missiles and leave the job of disabling the destroids to the three of you.  Alternatively, Connor and I can hit them from well out of range of their missiles; pepper away at them, but they will probably make a run at us to try and get in range.  At that point, they will be fair game for the rest of you to hammer at them.  Either way will get the job done."


edited for number of mecha

 

[Soviet Panda]

"I got tungsten rounds loaded. If I can land some solid hits I can maybe drop a Spartan, two if we're lucky, before they get close enough to launch those missiles. How confident are you in keeping the sky free of missiles, Barbara? And I say we shoot first, let them surrender second. If they don't have a weapon in their hands, they're coming back with us so they can tell us where all their friends are hiding." Connor said to them as he moved his Defender into position and set his sights on the closest Spartan. Oh he'd change targets if he was told to do so, but for the time being he was worried about the thing that could make the biggest boom.

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric Braidwood, Field Scientist

Taniya tapped her console in the same spot Zaile had.  "Today, our enemies will face destruction with Earth's star behind us."  She nodded to Zaile.  "We will form a simple L-shaped ambush.  Everyone will fire on my target - we will burn them down as quickly as possible, one at a time, in the way of the Invid.  Whenever possible, use their lack of RDF mecha training against them.  Is this understood?"

"Understood, ma'am."  Eadric studied his own console to make sure he had his positioning right, then took note of Taniya's target (if she's making it obvious at this point) to aim his own weapons at it.

"This assumes they do not surrender."  Taniya turned once again to her human teammates.  "Our targets are foreign thieves who have the blood of our RDF allies on their hands.  Should we give them the chance of surrender and risk losing our element of surprise?  Or do we give them the same chance to live as they have our slain allies?"

Eadric shook his head.  "I don't think we can accept the risk.  If they choose to surrender during combat, that's one thing, but I don't think we should give up any advantage against them."  He frowned at his radio, not liking what he'd just said, but accepting its truth.  He didn't like killing humans any more (or less) than he did killing Zentraedi like the Malcontents, but these had chosen their own path of violence, and it had led to this.  Whatever it took to prevent them from harming innocents -- or anyone, really -- that's what he signed up for, and that's what he would do.

 

[Sherwood]

Barbara says, "Well, boss lady, it is your call.  Do you want me an' Connor to use our long range attacks to hit this bunch?  Or should I focus on missile defense with my air-burst rounds?  Either way, we are burning daylight."


From the video feed from the UAV, you can see the convoy heading towards a ravine a few miles away.  If they make it into there, it will limit your line of sight for direct fire weapons.

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya


Taniya listened to her teammates and decided.  "All right.  We give them no warning of us."


Taniya narrowed her eyes.  "Allow me to repeat my orders as they apply to our entire team:"

"We will form a simple L-shaped ambush.  Everyone will fire on my target - we will burn them down as quickly as possible, one at a time, in the way of the Invid.  Whenever possible, use their lack of RDF mecha training against them.  Is this understood?"

Here, she paused to let this sink in.  Once again, she was reminded that these humans were military volunteers.  They had decided to enter the human military (which also had the option of leaving, if one so chose).  These were alien concepts to the alien leader of the Red Panda Squadron.  But as such, they did not respond to command as her aces or other Zentraedi would have.  Taniya realized she had more to learn, but in times like these, some of the learning would fall on those who were under her command.


Assuming they had a visual ,Taniya zoomed in and examined the mecha as closely as she could.  She looked for signs of battle, damage and weak points, limping and the like.  She also kept an eye out for any markings that told of leadership.  Paint, kill markers, and the like.  If she could find her or him, she chose the leader as target.  Otherwise, she chose the most damaged of the mecha, if any were damaged.  Only if she could not find a leader or a weak target among the mecha did she choose the closest (who would likely be the most alert of the bunch).  


(OOC for Sherwood)

Spoiler

Do any of the enemy mecha fit the above criteria, please?

"Tolson and McKinley will both attack my target.  You will attack it until it is destroyed.  Then you will move to my next target and repeat.  When the enemies get within missile range, use your chaff, flares, and your reflexes to shoot down any incoming missiles.  Zaile, Braidwood.  Use missile fire on the tanks if you desire but use your particle beam cannons on my target.  Once all Spartans are down, then you may attack the other non-mecha at your leisure."


Then she asked pointedly, "Is this understood?"

 

[Purr]

Staff Sergeant Taniya


Taniya continued to carefully scan the convoy.  "Dorsey, the particle beam cannons on your Tomahawk have even further reach than that of our Defenders.  Fire with them on my target that these killers and thieves of your people will have reason to be sorry for their actions."

 

[Sherwood]

From your visual inspection, along with what you have been told about the equipment taken in the raids, all four Spartans are in mint condition, along with the various tanks and APCs. 


Both Tolson and Dorsey crisply reply, "Copy that!" in unison.  Barbara picks out the target that Taniya is locked onto, and shares that data with the rest of the team, highlighting it on your head's up display.  From his position at the end of the line of Destroids, Dorsey trains his twin particle beam cannons on the unsuspecting Spartan.  "Ready to fire when you give the order."