Jess reckons the armour will be an “Imperial” built import: most likely from a mid tech world supplying (non Imperial Armed Forces standard) tanks and APCs for local armies or PDFs or for export (in this case).
The team scopes out the Baronial Guard and the protestors while Prerna (and others) record images for later analysis.
None of the protestors seem to be paying the mercs any more attention than they are to the Baronial Guard. However, Jakob sees the immediate issue with attempting to identify protestors or gauge their demeanour or intent. All are universally masked and wearing dust/glare goggles with the deep peaked hoods favoured by the workers. Even with the hoods down there’s not a great deal of face left exposed for recognition. However, imagery might well be useful as the actual arrangement of outer clothing and its details may be recorded and used to identify an individual.
The protest gains some momentum and one of two more missiles are thrown as the security detail discourage the protestors with the odd deterrent blow against the head high fence.
The fence sections seem to be doing their job when one section of the crowd seem to collectively stoop while others attack the ties securing one fence section to another. Industrial bolt cutters make short work of the ties and the crowd collectively lift the fence section free of the solid blocks which form its feet. The now unsupported fence topples forwards with the impetus of the crowd scattering the security element in its path. With a triumphal cheer the crowd bursts through the gap and surges forwards towards the landed launch and unloading shuttle (now to the team’s rear).
Due to his taking a “general view” of the crowd at large Frank notes an oversize earthmover working slowly behind the protestors. Skip notices one of the crew carefully watching the protest and, as the fence section drops, he dumps a large amount of desert sand from the vehicle’s rear. Venting from the vehicle the fine dust billows forth in a great cloud soon obscuring the protestors and security detail alike as it is carried along by the desert breeze.
The Baronial Guard seem uncertain of any particular course of action but the tankers and APC crews instinctively mount up. The APCs (two - one each on each side of the parade) start their engines and while the infantry support weapon crews mount up the riflemen load and cock their weapons.
Absolutely!
