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RP [Bounty Hunter Series] Mission 1: Housekeeping

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Wardroom

"Thanks or the info Frank, stay on the line though so we can talk strat," Duncan said as he turned and looked around the room. It was an eclectic group and Duncan wanted to ensure he answered everyone's questions, "No, sorry Shasta no Raider armors. As for the security what you see is what you get, from Frank's description it sounds fairly run down. I would assume just physical security. Though criminals on these backwater planets tend to be tricky fuckers so maybe they will surprise us. Frank was hired by our contractor, as I said they hired us but we weren't all. Phage was a present from them as well so lucky us," he said as a half statement, half question.

He gave Phage a nod and a one handed finger gun, "That's right, Malaise are known for their xenophobia so the faster we are the better, though between you and I I wouldn't mind fucking up some property for their ignorance." He grabbed a folded paper from a side table, opened it and stuck it to the wall. It was a crudely created map of the burough they were headed to, a large X in red was dabed on a building.

"In response to your question Phage, yes it is a habitation block but they chose to go up rather than out, from my previous intel it seems like the family we are up against owns the whole building. I had considered dropping onto the roof via our Corona but then we gamble with a shaky escape if things go south. I am all for hearing ideas but I had thought to just bust in the front entrance with the Outrider, shake the tree and see what falls out."

He crossed his arms and waited to hear from the others.
 
Wardroom

Kira wrinkled her nose in disapproval at Duncan's inelegant suggestion. Her eyes moved to the map he'd stuck on the wall as she slowly chewed another tiny bite of pancake, narrowing slightly as she analyzed the bird's-eye view of the surrounding areas. She examined the massive building spanning the size of a city block, looking over the cracked and broken pavement of the streets framing it on all sides. Similar monolithic habitation blocks surrounded their target building, giving the satellite image the appearance of a soulless patchwork quilt of concrete and rubble. It vaguely reminded her of home, but while she could put a human face and vibrant color on Wilco City in her mind's eye, the desolate, impersonal aerial photograph of this frozen wasteland was nothing short of depressing. A pang of guilt hit her as she caught herself pitying the residents in those brutish blocs for an instant; for all she knew, someone looking at a similar photograph of Wilco City would have the same sentiments about her.

"I'm sorry," she said, swallowing the flake of pancake she'd now chewed far beyond the necessary amount in her musing, focusing on Duncan, "but isn't a full frontal assault unnecessarily risky, too?" She rose to her feet, assisting herself slightly with palms on the table, and walked up next to the map, eyeing the building critically. "Do we know precisely where in the building our girl is? That might give us better entry options," she continued, turning her steely eyes to the big man again, clasping one of her hands in the other in front of her. "Not to mention minimize the risk to ourselves and innocents, of course," she added with a soft smile.
 
frank would send pictures to their ship of the tall ass building however it would be snowing a lot then he took a picture of himself and sent that as well
"I hope those help I encluded a picture of myself so your team has a face to match the voice don't need friendly fire to break out from not knowing what I look like"

frank continued pulling recon just incase things would change up.
 
Wardroom

"Kira is right, a full frontal assault would be a bit too much, especially with our numbers. Knowing where precise, or even the approximate location of our package should help immensely." Salem spoke as he finished jotting down some bits of info. A full frontal assault would be fine, if they had the entire block cordoned off and more bodies to send in. He thought briefly about the insertion via rooftop, which to Salem didn't seem as bad of an idea as Duncan seems to think it is.

"If we don't have a location of the package, a rooftop doesn't sound as bad as you think it does. We would be able to clear from top to bottom. If we go through the front, we run the risk of being sandwiched by reinforcing goons, because they can always just run through the front door and up towards whatever floor we're on and boom, we're fighting whoever is left on the higher floors and whoever just showed up on the lower floors. I doubt they'll be able to cut us off from extraction if we go top down, unless they have rooftop insertion capabilities too."

"But," Salem waved his pen around in the air in a short swirl "we do run the risk of the OpFor taking our package and gunning for the exit through the bottom if we insert through the roof. If we had more bodies, I'd suggest we have an established cordon around the building but seeing as we don't, you get the idea."

He paused for a moment, thinking about any ways to mitigate the lack of bodies. Salem worked plenty more jobs after his initial one with Duncan way back when, and in some of those jobs he cooperated with drone operators. He found it to be very useful when he had an eye in the sky, providing valuable information. It snapped to him that if they could, a drone could be set to orbit the location and watch for any escapees.

"If we have drone capabilities, we could potentially have one orbit the AO. If something leaves the building that catches our eye, perhaps the package, then we can have the drone loiter the target and follow."
 
"Me are drone! Put me on roof!" Phage stood up on the couch and buzzed out adamantly, in that nasally insectoid voice. "Not doing big siege! Not enough mens!"

Frustrated that they weren't being understood and not willing to participate in a frontal assault, they then just made a pouty face whilst figuring out how to get their point across. The globe was fogging up again. Rolling up towards the flank of Kira, they tried to look big enough to have their opinions heard, but barely cleared the tabletop. Claws on the surface would have to be enough.

"Distraction what we need!... Gas! Weird package! Poison dinner! Fast-dry plastic! Drones that do a music! Something!" Didn't understand these humans, but they had picked up enough to know what throws them off their guard. Really, in their line of work, they would have been dead by now if they didn't. "We need advantage!"

"...They... They naughty men, right?..." Suddenly frozen from their mad gyration, with an intense look of concentration. "Does they even know we gonna be after young female? Or they gonna be busy burnin' they drugs?..."
 
Wardroom

"Drones?" An ear perking up at a relative topic got the wiry mutants attention, The battery clicking into place and causing the hastily assembled drone to beep into a ready state, Pieces whirring and shifting and clicking before the diagnostic ended and the flight capable grenade shut itself down to preserve energy. "Yeah we can go through the front! I've got a whole bunch!"

She patted the drone rather proudly, Ignoring the fact it contained enough sensitive explosives to kill everyone gathered around. Everyone was using a lot of fancy tactical talk that just reinforced her theories, And it became obvious when it shifted to the topic at hand that she was being vetted for her skills for the mission at hand.

"I've got some like Raijju here that can explode and blind and, Um... And some that can maybe, Yeah, That can do surveillance stuff too! And maybe if you give me a few days i can make other stuff too if i get the right mats."

she shifted her attention to twobee describing themselves as a drone on treads and tracks and the thought of an armored assault...

"Like a tank, I can make one of those too!" She smiled proudly to herself, The design already forming in her head before she tilted hers to its side. "Oh! And whose Frank and why's he sound so funny?"
 
Duncan had initially frowned when Kira spoke up so vehemently against his initial plan. As each of the group voiced similar concerns he allowed himself to realize that yes, perhaps a frontal attack was ill advised. He nodded as first Salem, then Phage and Shasta gave their input. He considered each of their suggestions and a plan sprang to mind.

"First off, thanks for being our eyes out there Frank. It has been a big help and it was not all in vain," Duncan started as he began to slowly pace around in front of the assembled group.

"As far as package placement I can only assume about half way up the building, from what these photos show it looks to be about a ten story building. They don't know we are coming but I will agree that perhaps I overlooked the advantage of a rooftop assault. We will use the Corona and drop on to the roof, Shasta could you assign a drone to watch the front?

"Also Frank, while we are enroute I would really like you to clear up any outside patrols, they would be the first to see us coming and having them incapacitated would only help our breach. After that head up to a nearby roof for pick up and insertion to our position. Remember everyone we have the initial push but they will probably bring the heat once they ralize what is going on. I don't think it will be anything we can't handle though."

Duncan had stopped pacing and faced the group, as if encouraging any further questions. Very slowly and almost comically he lifted a solitary pancake devoid of syrup and took a hearty bite, chewing slowly.

Target Hab

While the weather had not much improved Frank had done an excellent job at not being noticed. The swirling light snow had laid enough cover that he could not really be picked out as a potential hostile not make it obvious he was watching the tall building. He still saw, every now and then, movement through the dirty windows and more specifically the occasional two man patrols walking lazily around the building.

In total he had counted three such patrols and until now they had mostly been spread out. While it might not yet be time, it allowed the mercenary time to evaluate and plan ahead of things were to start going as planned.
 
Wardroom

"We can do that!" Shasta was happy to be included as she bobbed somewhat on her seat before settling down. "But we dont have much range on none of em', Maybe three hundred meters, Maybe a bit more. And they cant keep up with a fast ship!"

She pondered critically for a moment, Her expression one of uncharacteristic concentration and her fingers casually rapping against the flight capable explosive she was cradling in her lap before resting an elbow on it and leaning her cheek into her hand. "Maybe we could be ground side with frankie? Or we could loiter of the roof while you guys do the cool door kicker stuffs until you can find us a server room or something good we can work on!"

Even though Shasta had managed to hold her ground and still stay standing most of the time during the fight at the marlin, Her side still ached where the clever had dug deep enough to have left an agitated pink scar on her hip and she could still trace some of the defensive wounds that hadn't quite faded on her arms. She held her own against her own majority but it left the lesson that she wasn't quite the fighter that most of the groups members where and she wasn't quite eager to cqc her way through an unknown building anywhere but the back of the group where she could be at least some help...
 
Frank thought for a moment "actually sir I could cause a big enough distraction bursting threw the front door, allowing you all to get to the roof and get the target" Frank checks his ammo before talking into comms "I'll stand fast waiting for your response sir"
 
Wardroom

Salem was satisfied with the way planning has gone so far. Everyone had put in their two cents and it seems to be molding everything for the better. He did have one question left however.

"What happens when everything goes south and say, we lose a couple people or even lose the package. What's plan Z?" Things never go according to plan, at least not entirely. In his experience, something always goes sideways, sometimes enough to blow the entire job. He just wanted to be sure something was in place in case something happens.

"Also, I don't suppose this job comes with life insurance, does it?"
 
Wardroom

Kira, still standing next to the projected photo opposite Duncan, folded her hands behind her back as she listened to everyone's contributions, and nodded at Salem's prudent, if someone cynical reminder with an approving look on her face, then turned her eyes back to Duncan.

"I think stealth and surprise should be our priority," she chimed in, her tone staying in that all-business timbre. "We don't know for certain how many of them are inside, or what kind of a reaction they could organize if we're discovered. If I may, I suggest that Frank keep the patrols neutralized as you said, but refrain from causing too much of a stir downstairs unless we need it." She glanced at Shasta. "Your drones would be invaluable in keeping an eye on as many exits as possible as well while we make a push from upstairs to locate our hostage, sweep room by room until we find her. Of course we would try to stay undetected as long as possible, but as Salem said, things could take a turn for the worse. It couldn't hurt to have a few contingency plans."
 
Wardroom

"Nothing in life is insured." Phage sounded like they were waxing lyrical, but they were actually just taking what Salem said much too literally. "Nothing get you guarantee."

Organic life. Short, they had been told. Fortunately quite recyclable.

Eyes closed. The small machine-thing looked like they were deep in thought, but some little green blinking lights on the input sockets of their neck spoke otherwise. Accessing the polysentience, going through hundreds of city organisational files at once.

When their red peepers met those of the other's again, it was with an oddly new resolve, but not something they quite knew how to put into words.

A quick dash to the table, retrieving Shasta's Awesomecorp Datajocket tablet. A couple of wires shot out of their rear right arm and interfaced with the bottom of it, quickly pulling up a host of websites, schematics and files. The predominant pictures were... Those automated garbage trucks every city had now?

"This new plan." It beeped. The voice came through the speakers of the little computer too, which was kinda weird. "I'm doing a hacking of this trucks. Do a big dump front of building, yeah?... They go 'ava look, but it just automatic, huh?"

"So then we go around back and bop 'us in, while they aren't doing a look?"
 
Wardroom

"Hey!" Shasta tissed, Not at all upset and more surprised, Leaning over to watch the spacers activities. "How'd you do that, Two-bee?"

She snatched the jokey back, Turning it around and around and studying the wired breach of her personal firewalls, It hadn't even taken but a moment. And remotely accessing foreign data almost as fast...

"Never mind that! Was that using the poly-sent-y-nce?!" She slapped her hands on the giant face obscuring fishbowl, and pulling herself just millimeters from it. "You can hack garbage trucks with it?!"

She had other questions and concerns about what else she could do, A foreign concept like the polysentience of the free folk and just how powerful two-bee was, And just how many garbage trucks they could control.

But before any of it came to voice something else equally important caught up to her train of thought...

"We have a corona?! Can i fly?!"
 
Wardroom

"Poly-sen-t'yunce." Phage affirmed, feeling a little gribbly about having the dog-girl touch their protective globe so closely, but also glad to be listened to. Actually using the network, on the other hand, was such a reflex-based and built-in function of the small spacer, that they found explaining it to a socket-less organic rather difficult. "Neps good friends to Spacers.... This means their sewers and their bins are full of junkers... codes and schematics, all of it available on poly', it be..."

The four-armed little person wasn't the best hacker, not compared to the Guild of Cyberempathy or terrifying things like the planet-sized Cinereal computer. But most civilian Nep things were third party, and more focused on physical defence, as well as having quite sizeable homebrew forums to abuse due to the poverty-stricken nature of some areas of their society. Looking it up wasn't exactly hard for a being that spent half of their life swimming in code.

Phage realised there were security programs in place on the pad, of course. But to them, it was no different than simply turning a handle before opening a door.
 
Wardroom

Salem was amused, yet lost while listening to the tiny Freespacer and the canine-like Nepleslian converse. He had not the slightest clue of what this 'poly-sen-t'yunce' but was under the impression that it was a bit beyond his comprehension. Technology is a neat thing, but he was indifferent to learning more about it. Salem was satisfied with his current understanding, it was enough to carry him through the swing of things without seeming like a senile old man with a computer. If a job involved dealing with a high-tech gizmo, he would try to find any information on it and read up to know more about what he was working with but that would be the extent of his forays into technology.

Sitting there, Salem toyed with his cap and found there was more time to examine the others and make little mental notes on their appearances and personalities. His eyes moved from one person to the other, starting with Phage since he was already listening to her. Small, manic, like a small overly excited puppy that also happened to be a cyborg. She displayed an air of curiosity to her and it seemed her attention span is a little more short-lived. He didn't doubt the technological inclinations of the Freespacer and was glad she was on the team. Though he had never really interacted with many Freespacers before, he was interested to see how it working alongside one would turn out.

He turned his eyes towards the other conversationalist, Shasta. A canine mutant Nepleslian drawn to drones, nice. He glossed over her facial features, only to find himself admiring her long ears. 'Reminds me of good ol' Brownie. I should get another dog in the future when I stop dropping people for a living.' His eyes saddened slightly as his thoughts drifted to his childhood best friend of which he still missed dearly. He forced himself away from the images of his old dog however, no need to be nostalgic at the moment. His mind moved on to her capabilities, and it was obvious she's an asset with her natural affinity for drones, something that was almost indispensable to operations in terms of today's modern workplace.

'Tech obviously isn't going to be a problem for this team.'

Moving on, his attention fell onto the presumably strong willed Nepleslian female, Kira. She looked like the average Nepleslian, albeit without the numerous cybernetics that he sometimes sees. Could mean she either knows how to handle herself without losing a limb or two, or she's just lucky. Though something about her personality gives way to the impression that she is more than capable of handling herself. Professional and proficient it seems, like she's been a part of an organized outfit, though what she was a part of exactly eluded him for the time being. Admittedly Salem was excited to see how she would operate in the field, he has the feeling her style of work was closer to his.

Finally he gazed up to the giant of the hour, Duncan. A relatively large man of caring nature. While he only worked with Duncan once, Salem already knows well the way Duncan works. He holds much respect for the man as a capable mercenary and a reliable teammate. Upon being reached out to by Duncan with the prospect of a job, Salem was eager to work with him once more knowing that any job with him is as good as accomplished. Not much could be speculated as he already worked with Duncan before.

Not much could be speculated about Frank either but for different reasons, seeming that for now all he is to Salem is a disembodied voice and another merc under payroll. Within due time however, Salem is sure he'll meet the man firsthand later on.
 
The plan was there it just had a few stray threads, nothing he didn't think they could handle. Duncan watched the group discuss this or that and stepped in, "As in all things mercenary there is in fact no life insurance. As for a Corona, yes we have one, brand new too. If you know how to fly one then I don't see why not but alternatively Maxine could do it, she has downloaded the manual for it."

He once again turned to the overlay of the area and building they would be hitting. "We will be landing on the roof, Shasta you will stay with the Corona and provide automated support via your toys. In particular I would like the exits covered and at least one offensive with us in the building. Salem, Kira and I will enter the building and begin clearing the floors from top to bottom. Frank, if you could begin clearing any outside hazards and patrols, also be in position to keep them locked down if they try and flee. Phage, I like the garbage truck idea but I would like to keep them on standby in case they do try and run and we need a little more reinforcement at the front door. Which brings me to my only question Phage, I don't know enough of your skill set to place you. The contractor that referred you to me only specified that you were a Freespacer with a mind for guerrilla tactics. I would prefer you to be with the strike squad but I figured you could tell me what you feel would work with best."

So there it was, Duncan had made his first leadership decisions. He was still new at this whole thing and stood awkwardly as he awaited feedback.
 
"Sabotage." Phage replied simply, worked though about ten explanations in her head, and ended up just signing with disgruntlement. "Jus' gimme all you grenades. I'll hide behind you 'n lob 'em."

The look on their face said they didn't really like the idea of a frontal assault, though that could more than likely have been because they were used to working alone.

"Gimme drone too. Keep you doggu-girl in loop."
 
Iron Ferret Hangar.

Shasta didnt even listen to duncan or phages reply. Instead simply bounding out of the room with a distant call of "Cmon, Twobee!" as she bound through bulkheads and hallways, Satchel and equipment bouncing off her hips while she struggled to see over the massive heap of jackets and strata she hugged to her chest.

She practically threw herself through its side hatch, And shoved most of her belongings into a wedge under one of the benches before crawling through the small hatch and into the cockpit just above the gunners seat and terminal.

Everything was off...

Of course it was! She pulled out her datajockey and slid it between two panels to hold it in place while she looked up the manual for the corona straight from the star-armies leaked records that compiled every year, Greedily downloaded by people like her.

She could fly a zatch, A hammerhead, An H1, And a couple other common craft, In simulation... Landing had always been hit or miss, Often times too impatient to land in anything other than a double-wide airfield or massive open and level field, Never a rooftop or street. Regardless she began the process of cold-starting the craft, Displays and readings scrolled through the startup screens and hud as engines and thrusters idled safely.

So far so good... But now what?

She cycled through the radios channels Looking for the nice spacer lady in the ferrets cockpit, Some long since programmed and for preset channels on far off worlds, Others bookmarked for more personal channels and private frequencies. The Ferrets being the later.

"Ano, Oba-san?" She admitted her loss when the overwhelming interface and amount of buttons proved beyond a the capability of someone with only flight-sim training...
 
Wardroom

"Well I suppose Shasta agrees, judging by her hasty egress." Salem stood and stretched lightly, stuffing away his pocket book and pen.

"If there isn't much else besides Phage's place in the team composition, I'll be on my way to gear up. Any major changes, post me up on it." He slid the worn NPF hat and grabbed his backpack, slinging one strap over his left shoulder and picking up the dufflebag with his other arm after. Salem pushed himself out of the wardroom and walked down the hallway to the crew cabins.
 
Wardroom

As Duncan laid out the initial plan, Kira opened her mouth to voice her consent just as Shasta bounded out of the room. She remained standing where she was for a second, mouth still hanging open as she shot Duncan a look that could only be muted incredulity at the apparent lack of decorum, then pursed her lips together tightly. Lowering her face and closing her eyes, she unclasped her hands and pinched the bridge of her nose as she quietly sighed through it. When she looked up again, her face was once again pure professionalism, although the faint ghost of a smirk haunted the expression that was somewhere between silent amusement and nonplussed bemusement.

"It seems we're dismissed, then?" she half-asked, half-told Duncan as her eyes moved to Salem, lingering on the NPF insignia on his cap. "I'll come with you," she said, glancing once more at Duncan as if for confirmation as she started across the room behind Salem.
 
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