Tarsus para bellum

[Tiglath]

All

The SEMC make shift and load into the cavernous flat hold of the massive trader. Without event the merchant ship and its very professional and majority Sword Worlder crew coordinate with Deliverance and transit to Tarsus.

On exiting jump Deliverance drops back to loiter in the outer reaches of the system while the trader boosts insystem headed dirtside.

Shortly after exit from jump space the merchant officer appointed as SEMC liaison slams to attention, expertly avoids the cue to salute Frank and then hands over a transcription of a system wide transmission:
Advisory / Caution: All vessels in system. Suspected pirate activity out system. Message ends.

Attached is a Tarsus News Digest:
Pending an emergency resolution put forward by Governor Quisling of Nob Plain search and seizure operations may be immediately conducted by the Tarsan Sheriff's Department. In a most robust measure the Governor stated he would "deputise any and all assets available" and “put everything on alert to defeat piracy wherever it may be found”.

Appended is also an extract from the SuSAG “Lifestyle” Channel featuring one of SuSAG's “primary reactors” Mindy Lou. Sitting precariously on a mount and wearing pristine “outdoor” clothing against a possibly real background of Nob Plain: “Oh hey, you caught me but gosh if the Governor can deputise the Corporation to help look out for bad guys why shouldn't he?” She hastily crams in a smile and adds “Of course we're always happy to help at SuSAG but our legal guys are no doubt going to look into that and see just for how long we can be “all in” to help you al out! Meanwhile...” she pins on a Tarsan Deputy Sherriff's badge and hits her cued smile "...I'm your new Deputy!"

She carries off absolutely none of the necessary intonation but does pull off “look nice”.

Meanwhile T'lia diplomatically waits for an audience with Frank. Post jump she seems to have shifted into what could be described as "business mode". She simply delivers “Four Nine. K Kill. No survivors. No transmissions pre or post event. She is maybe "overdue" but they have no more than that as yet but still they're twitching”.

[shaidar]

Frank nods

"With a search and siezure operation in place I'll ensure our recon teams aren't carrying anything too eye-raising."

[BackworldTraveller]

Frank nods

"With a search and siezure operation in place I'll ensure our recon teams aren't carrying anything too eye-raising."

I wonder if our host can arrange for any of our side to be deputised? Nothing like having an officially issued access to a system if you want to hack it!

[Tiglath]

Freya

I wonder if our host can arrange for any of our side to be deputised? Nothing like having an officially issued access to a system if you want to hack it!

Freya is able to determine that the Deputies are all owned by the ranches to the south.

(OOC: Slightly "timeslipped" forward but answered! )

[Tiglath]

All

All get their first view of Tarsus as the big trader shoulders its way through the atmosphere from orbit. The planet's habitable equatorial margin is starkly lush against the ice caps one shrouded in the dark of a long polar night.

Landfall on the big farm gives a clue to the success of scale in industrialised faming. Fields are tended by tireless bots and cultivated with the aid of drones which also monitor the movements of domestic stock as well as monitoring the Nob herds.

An extendable fabric covered weather shield reaches out to shade the trader as it is expertly marshalled into a landing spot adjacent to a cyclopean "vehicle shed" twice its size. The SEMC vehicles, logistics and personnel disembark and take up residence in their new "barracks".

When the dust has settled and at least a start has been made on organisation post disembarkation the farm owner makes himself known to Frank and is introduced by T'lia whom he seems to hold in some platonic affection. Switching accents like coats she says "Colonel Cross please meet my dear friend and our host Meneer Kruger".

“I am Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, this is my farm and you and... your people are most welcome here. I support what you do for I have seen first-hand the corruption you fight. Colonel.. ach... Meneer Cross you are my guests and I will feed you as is proper. Please come to the house with your group leaders and eat with my family tonight. However, I must be blunt farming is hard and there is so much work to do. The fanatics to the north attack and scare off my workers and to the south those in with the Governor simply bulldoze fence lines and just expand their claims onto my land. If you could spare any of your men to help us we would be grateful. With a lot of the young farmers away with the militia we have only the volunteers to help and by all rights they also need protection – if you people could go that far? The local forces do what they can but I know that farms near the river have been attacked and... most terrible things have been done. These were decent families tending to their land and supporting their people... it's just not right”.

Frank (and others) can hear the distinct Sword World lilt to his accent but also picks up on the harsher tones of what must be the local blend of the Tarsan/Swordy accents.

(OOC: Have we guessed (which distillation of) which war(s) we're in yet? )

[shaidar]

Frank gives a warm smile and let's just a little hint of his Tarsan accent slip into his voice.

"Maneer Kruger, thank you for your warm welcome. I am a son of Tarsus, I grew up on a farm like this so I understand they certainly don't run themselves. I will see about making some of the men available to help, although we will need to be careful we don't raise any suspicions with their presence." he pauses a second before continuing " Sir, I need to call on your hospitality just a little more. My family still live here on Tarsus and I fear that if our enemy realises I am here then they will be in danger, so I was hoping I could bring them here to keep them safe. I hope that would be acceptable? "

[Tiglath]

Kruger grins "So, you're a boer, Meneer Kross? Then welcome home boetie! Your people will be welcome here".*

Frank notes that the trader is laying over for a day or so for crew rest and loading meat and other farm produce for export. He is informed that the ship will then lift into high orbit awaiting speculative opportunities in the meat markets.

Voss pings Frank the duty roster and he notes that squads (or half squads) need assigned to the following tasks:
Travel to Regiment to extract the Cross family from their farm
Patrol North
Patrol South
ELINT / Sensor Ops
Security Duties at the Farm Compound (main gate and several square kilometers of immediate sheds, barns, etc)
Work detail on the farm (labouring, mending fences, etc)
Protecting the Volunteer Workers

The last two are as per Kruger's request to Frank.

(OOC: * Trans "So, you're a farmer, Meneer Kross? Then welcome home brother!")

[Tiglath]

Any/All

As the sun sets three figures don their new range coats against the drop in temperature.

The coats' light brown hides have already been given distinctions in broad marker pen. The owner of the coat with "Nonce" across the shoulders sidles up to the senior pair "Awright Corp. Baker's up on the roof on stag wiv 'is bird... Er... won't that put 'em off?" The coat labelled "Prevert" (sic) replies "No, 'cos not everyone's a ruddy disklectric sexcase like you". Coat "Nonce" whines "I'm not dicklectic..." then "'Ere, whassat? Comin' in free 'undred yards aht..." "A ruddy tractor you Jodrell! Remember when we learned all the words for farm stuff???" "Nah, there's Bristols in the trailer!" The third coat (decorated with a pair of cartoon male genitalia on each bicep) immediately adjusts his vision aids and states "Fekkit, where? Kingy's never wrong about that!"

All three coats' undivided attention focusses on the trailer now entering the farm complex "Well now, they all look very friendly!" "Bouncy..." "Ruddy 'ell if she waves any more they'll fall out!" "Phwoar, all sweaty and grubby like... I might just 'ave to..." "Kingy, if you scare 'em off by wavin' back wiv anyfin' but yer 'and - I'll ruddy shoot you!"

"'Ere Able do you fink we should tell the Boss abaht this cartload of treacles?"

"Why wot could possibly go wrong?"

"Seven P's... 'ere we ruddy go... " 'Ow to Pull on Tarsus" phrasebook - page eight. Proper local accent "Hurdy hurr, love. Kan ek jou onderbroek sien?" Kushti!"

(OOC: Will anyone step (wade?) in to avoid the erosion of proper military discipline? Is there actually any threat? Are the lower ranks armoured by the enormity of their own ignorance or will an outbreak of moral turpitude undermine the SEMC?
If it did would anyone notice?
Collace Trans Service: on stag (Collace military slang) = sentry duty. Bristol a Collace City causing a rhyming slang translation in the plural of objects that fascinate (and on occasion hypnotize) soldiery (see lumpy jumpers). Jodrell = Jodrell Bank a significant bank of radio antennae on the Collace arcology = slang for a dexterous merchant... hedge fund manager. Also treacle = treacle tart = sweetheart (see crumpet).

[Tiglath]

Frank/Klaus

As Frank organises his away team with Klaus he is approached by T'lia. "Colonel would you have room for two more on your Carrier? Myself and Major Nayar feel we could be useful. I am assured that your Scout/Snipers will function perfectly well as a Recon assets defending the farm without our presence. We wouldn't ask if there was no valid reason".

[Tiglath]

Jess

Mission: Observations North beyond Kruger farm boundary towards the "militarised" border on the Groot Rivier

"OP1 OP2"

"OP2 go ahead over"

The distinct sound of "gastric wind" followed immediately by a panicked "Fekkit, ruddy biltong!"

Sugar's throat mike keys the comm from her gunner's position. She purrs "OP2 from Ironside repeat message. Your signal strength R2 with heavy follow through, over".

This is answered with a curt but strangled "OP2. No change".

Charlie in OP1 inserts "Of keks".

Jess is mulling over the necessity of any "knowledge" of the last transmissions when Kingy (manning OP2 on the other high ground some 30km from Charlie's fire team in OP1) reports "Ironside, all units. Movement front. One klik out. Column of... clippety ridin' fings..."
"Farmyard!"
"... Equusses... er... 'orses! Staggered column one out ahead. Recce element of one out on foot... fek movin' like a ruddy long dog. Column movin' casual. Eight men, ten 'orses, local FN ACRs, some scoped, one sniper rifle, no support weapons. One wounded bloke. Looks like they're draggin' two prisoners wiv 'em".

[Tiglath]

Kit

Mission: HumInt observations South from the Kruger farm boundary towards friendly/allied territory

Kilometers to the south of the Kruger farm Kit (in his forward CP set back from the border) gets a report from his squad deployed unarmed (but with weapons in reserve) as "recon in mufti" among the farm workers.

Able reports "Guv'nor, Able, we 'ave a group of about twenty canutes of fighting age approaching the farm boundary fence. Most of 'em are tooled up but a few are armed with handguns or shotguns They are escorting a civilian engineering vehicle with dozer blade. They are moving wiv purpose towards the Kruger farm fence".

He adds "Civvy fekkers versus a Collace firm? We'll fekkin' shit 'em even at odds two to one!"

[BackworldTraveller]

Freya
Freya and Florence are out placing sensors. Freddie is in charge of Dougal in the sensor suite. Dylan is off-watch.
Freddy: Get two of the drones ready, one to support each of the two contacts. You may think you need Dylan but let him sleep for now as we're going to need a night-watch later.
She also checks her map to see if she's in a position to help either team directly. If nothing else, the sensor's she's already placed will help locate any transmitters controlling or updating the infiltrating teams - and may locate any third prong if its foolish enough to transmit.

[shaidar]

Frank/Klaus

As Frank organises his away team with Klaus he is approached by T'lia. "Colonel would you have room for two more on your Carrier? Myself and Major Nayar feel we could be useful. I am assured that your Scout/Snipers will function perfectly well as a Recon assets defending the farm without our presence. We wouldn't ask if there was no valid reason".

Frank

"T'lia, if you have a specific reason for believing your precense is necessary to help rescue my family then I'd like to know what the threat is. We can speak in private if necessary."

[Tiglath]

Frank

"T'lia, if you have a specific reason for believing your precense is necessary to help rescue my family then I'd like to know what the threat is. We can speak in private if necessary."

T'lia loads two grav belts and artic gear aboard as she replies "If I can help your family I gladly will but I believe you have sufficient assets in hand. Prerna and I discovered... well "experienced" is closer... a psionic anomaly or possibly just an "psi echo" from orbit. As we investigate we may need to make enquiries in Regiment and then possibly travel North into the Icewald but for now we seem to be going in the same direction as your party".

[shaidar]

Frank

"A psi-echo? How peculiar. Sure, we can give you a ride. Stay in touch if you can."

[joertexas]

Frank

"A psi-echo? How peculiar. Sure, we can give you a ride. Stay in touch if you can."

Beside her, Prerna touches her hidden comm. "We have our comms."

[shaidar]

Frank preps the g-carrier, finding a hiding spot for their good weapons* and providing a standard pistol for each of them and a pair of shotguns and plain assault rifles for the carriers gun rack.

"If we get stopped for a search it would be odd if we didn't have some kind of weapons, but nothing out of the ordinary for around here. If we are asked what we're doing then we're heading to new employment in Regiment. Unless you or your team have any suggestions Lieutenant? "

Frank will get some local info on potential enemy movements to plot what is likely the safest course.

"* discussed with Tiglath, the following are hidden with a - 3 search penalty, but will take 2 combat rounds to extract from hiding:

Klaus's teams snub SMGs
Frank's dualling pistols (with knock-out gas mini-grenade fitted), plus the clip of knock-out needles
2 clips of HE rounds for the assault rifles.
2 clips of AP rounds for the assault rifles.

I'm open to other suggestions from Klaus.

[gurusql]

Kit

Mission: HumInt observations South from the Kruger farm boundary towards friendly/allied territory

Kilometers to the south of the Kruger farm Kit (in his forward CP set back from the border) gets a report from his squad deployed unarmed (but with weapons in reserve) as "recon in mufti" among the farm workers.

Able reports "Guv'nor, Able, we 'ave a group of about twenty canutes of fighting age approaching the farm boundary fence. Most of 'em are tooled up but a few are armed with handguns or shotguns They are escorting a civilian engineering vehicle with dozer blade. They are moving wiv purpose towards the Kruger farm fence".

He adds "Civvy fekkers versus a Collace firm? We'll fekkin' shit 'em even at odds two to one!"

Kit

"I am on my way, but remember that luck can beat skill some of the time (or they would not call it luck). Get the non-coms away from the fence and get set-up in a defensive formation with cover - weapons down until they breach or fire. If they breach or fire take out the big guns first and ground vehicle's tires/treads second."

[dongriffiths]

Frank preps the g-carrier, finding a hiding spot for their good weapons* and providing a standard pistol for each of them and a pair of shotguns and plain assault rifles for the carriers gun rack.

"If we get stopped for a search it would be odd if we didn't have some kind of weapons, but nothing out of the ordinary for around here. If we are asked what we're doing then we're heading to new employment in Regiment. Unless you or your team have any suggestions Lieutenant? "

Frank will get some local info on potential enemy movements to plot what is likely the safest course.

"* discussed with Tiglath, the following are hidden with a - 3 search penalty, but will take 2 combat rounds to extract from hiding:

Klaus's teams snub SMGs
Frank's dualling pistols (with knock-out gas mini-grenade fitted), plus the clip of knock-out needles
2 clips of HE rounds for the assault rifles.
2 clips of AP rounds for the assault rifles.

I'm open to other suggestions from Klaus.

Klaus

Sounds good to me sir.

Perhaps add a few concussion grenades in case someone has made it close to the house and some smoke to cover the initial withdrawal if we're under fire

[shaidar]

Frank

"Good call lieutenant."

Let's say 4 each of concussion and smoke grenades.