Tarsus para bellum

[joertexas]

Dzofin sniffed warily in the direction of what was obviously a war bot although not like any of the Zhodani examples he had heard of in use. Flipping his ears he gave the body of the leader a closer examination for souvenirs or loot that could replace his lucky hand grenade.

Dzofin decides the 'bot currently smells like "the insides of humans" however this variety does indeed seem to be some variety of upgrade/deluxe model.

The woman who the cultists were fighting and who was just kissing the small but fierce human called Prerna surprises Dzofin by greeting him in the Vargr style (but showing no deference) and then surprises him again by addressing him in Gvegh as she offers her hand in the human greeting. She says (in Gvegh) "I owe you thanks for fighting at my side when you surely had no need. I am indebted to you and so I will give you my name. I am Tliablzhdilatl but please call me Tlia. I am an officer with this mercenary company and it seems you have already made my wife's acquaintance".

Or, my version of her... Take your pick.

Erica East Bodysuit.jpg (180.73 KiB) Viewed 479 times

[joertexas]

The Valley of Tears

Kit, Freya, Prerna and Dzofin

T'lia locks eyes with Prerna then gives a bright smile as she reaches out to pull her wife into a kiss "I am well and unhurt. The animus has left this place - dispersed back about the veldt once more and so it can no longer be abused by the Son of the Star or any other... warlock". She smiles "I could simply continue to embrace you to cover my modesty but I fear it might eventually become a hinderance to our military duties. Oh, thank you, Roland!" The sleek gore covered warbot proffers her breastplate and helmet in held in two tentacles. It appears that "he" has now retracted both his weapons mounts and "scythes". T'lia seems to be riding a grateful wave of post combat relief as she chats "This is his real body and although he wears others I think he prefers this one. The original design template was passed to us by a race called the Hive".

Prerna hands begin to shake so badly that she has trouble safetying and holstering her pistol. She struggles to remove her helmet, fumbling for the catches. "You're, you're okay?"

[Tiglath]

The Valley of Tears

Kit, Freya, Prerna and Dzofin

T'lia locks eyes with Prerna then gives a bright smile as she reaches out to pull her wife into a kiss "I am well and unhurt. The animus has left this place - dispersed back about the veldt once more and so it can no longer be abused by the Son of the Star or any other... warlock". She smiles "I could simply continue to embrace you to cover my modesty but I fear it might eventually become a hinderance to our military duties. Oh, thank you, Roland!" The sleek gore covered warbot proffers her breastplate and helmet in held in two tentacles. It appears that "he" has now retracted both his weapons mounts and "scythes". T'lia seems to be riding a grateful wave of post combat relief as she chats "This is his real body and although he wears others I think he prefers this one. The original design template was passed to us by a race called the Hive".

Prerna hands begin to shake so badly that she has trouble safetying and holstering her pistol. She struggles to remove her helmet, fumbling for the catches. "You're, you're okay?"

T'lia helps Prerna remove her helmet and then gently lifts her hands to her wife's face "I am fine. The animus is "wild psionic energy" that is somehow caught up in or linked with the Sword World cultural influences on this world. It's just naturally spread out everywhere here" she smiles "now that I'm beginning to think I understand it the animus just makes Tarsus a "magical" place and, provided no one stores up "wild energy" like the Son of the Star did, then there's no danger. As it was the abused animus was like a whirlpool... or a gravity well. It dragged us along in its current for a while and things may have perhaps seemed a little less controlled than they were but all that pent up energy's dispersed now". She smiles fondly at her wife "Prernanayaratl, did you for moment, think that I would actually need rescuing from a morally and mentally unbalanced self taught practitioner of "hedgerow magic"?"

[helvorn]

Dzofin decides the 'bot currently smells like "the insides of humans" however this variety does indeed seem to be some variety of upgrade/deluxe model.

The woman who the cultists were fighting and who was just kissing the small but fierce human called Prerna surprises Dzofin by greeting him in the Vargr style (but showing no deference) and then surprises him again by addressing him in Gvegh as she offers her hand in the human greeting. She says (in Gvegh) "I owe you thanks for fighting at my side when you surely had no need. I am indebted to you and so I will give you my name. I am Tliablzhdilatl but please call me Tlia. I am an officer with this mercenary company and it seems you have already made my wife's acquaintance".

Dzofin wrinkles his nose as he decides that he does not like the smell of human insides. There were fringe cults amongst the Vargr supremacist groups that believed humans were good to eat. Those maniacs were strongly discouraged by the Imperium and Zhodani as well as all right-thinking Vargr. Certainly Vargr were the superior race but that didn't mean you had carte blanche to go chowing down on another sophont. When the other human greeted him in the proper fashion Dzofin's ears twitched a bit in surprise before he bobbed his head quickly in response. He was not surprised when her Gvegh carried a flat Zhodani accent with the name she gave him. Dzofin's mind was working quickly as he realized he had two Zhodani nobles and him without a psionic shield. He had nothing to hide from them so there was little worry of mind reading.

Replying in Gvegh as well Dzofin assumed a neutral dominance position as well. Now was not the time or place to stake out his position. "I am pleased to aid you. My mercenary pack is not as impressive as yours but we were contracted to aid the evacuation and protection of some of the local farmers. My involvement began with what I believe the term the Imperial humans use is 'enemy of my enemy'. Of course their insults could not stand. It was a good conflict and your pack mates provided excellent support for me while I charged the line of the enemy armor." His tail was wagging and his posture was erect as he spoke. "I am honored to fight beside you, your mate and your pack. It is my pleasure to meet you Tliablzhdilatl known as Tlia." He shook her hand in the human fashion. "I am called Dzofin. Now that you have won a great victory what are your intentions?"

[joertexas]

T'lia helps Prerna remove her helmet and then gently lifts her hands to her wife's face "I am fine. The animus is "wild psionic energy" that is somehow caught up in or linked with the Sword World cultural influences on this world. It's just naturally spread out everywhere here" she smiles "now that I'm beginning to think I understand it the animus just makes Tarsus a "magical" place and, provided no one stores up "wild energy" like the Son of the Star did, then there's no danger. As it was the abused animus was like a whirlpool... or a gravity well. It dragged us along in its current for a while and things may have perhaps seemed a little less controlled than they were but all that pent up energy's dispersed now". She smiles fondly at her wife "Prernanayaratl, did you for moment, think that I would actually need rescuing from a morally and mentally unbalanced self taught practitioner of "hedgerow magic"?"

Prerna is still trembling from the worst case of post combat shakes she's ever experienced. She closes her eyes and nods as her wife speaks with their new ally. She tries to not think about the carnage around her, a fair bit of which was by her own hand. Somehow, she manages to keep from retching.

[Tiglath]

T'lia helps Prerna remove her helmet and then gently lifts her hands to her wife's face "I am fine. The animus is "wild psionic energy" that is somehow caught up in or linked with the Sword World cultural influences on this world. It's just naturally spread out everywhere here" she smiles "now that I'm beginning to think I understand it the animus just makes Tarsus a "magical" place and, provided no one stores up "wild energy" like the Son of the Star did, then there's no danger. As it was the abused animus was like a whirlpool... or a gravity well. It dragged us along in its current for a while and things may have perhaps seemed a little less controlled than they were but all that pent up energy's dispersed now". She smiles fondly at her wife "Prernanayaratl, did you for moment, think that I would actually need rescuing from a morally and mentally unbalanced self taught practitioner of "hedgerow magic"?"

Prerna is still trembling from the worst case of post combat shakes she's ever experienced. She closes her eyes and nods as her wife speaks with their new ally. She tries to not think about the carnage around her, a fair bit of which was by her own hand. Somehow, she manages to keep from retching.

T'lia drops what might have sounded like a haughty tone and appearing concerned steps close to Prerna removing her helmet and putting both hands to her wife's face. The two seem to be sharing something.

(OOC: ...and I think your version of Erica/T'lia is the better of the two images! ).

[Tiglath]

Replying in Gvegh as well Dzofin assumed a neutral dominance position as well. Now was not the time or place to stake out his position. "I am pleased to aid you. My mercenary pack is not as impressive as yours but we were contracted to aid the evacuation and protection of some of the local farmers. My involvement began with what I believe the term the Imperial humans use is 'enemy of my enemy'. Of course their insults could not stand. It was a good conflict and your pack mates provided excellent support for me while I charged the line of the enemy armor." His tail was wagging and his posture was erect as he spoke. "I am honored to fight beside you, your mate and your pack. It is my pleasure to meet you Tliablzhdilatl known as Tlia." He shook her hand in the human fashion. "I am called Dzofin. Now that you have won a great victory what are your intentions?"

T'lia replies to Dzofin "The intentions of our company are in the hands of the officer commanding this action". Helmetless she checks a forearm display in her evidently high tech but, by appearance, mid tech Imperial armour. Her accent shifts "Lieutenant Ankit Ghosal is on his way".

Clearly entering on someone else's cue the big Marine Dzofin saw wearing the impressive hat bursts between two trailers of the land train at the head of a small knot of mercs armed with an ecclectic mix of short range weapons of extreme violence. One wearing Corporal's tabs and looking very confident with his suppressed sniper variant ACR comments "Fffffekkkk me!!! They've only ruddy done it again - this is worse than that trader at Avastan starport!" Another trooper responds "Cor the ruddy Red Death strikes again. They just can't 'elp 'emselves... Lay you odds every fekker 'ere is 'ovis an' no mistake!" No one seems to want to take the bet. (OOC: Collace ryhming slang trans service (oh, yes ): Hovis - a variety of brown bread. Brown bread = dead).

The cutlass armed Marine sheathes his blade and swaps out the clip on his autosnub as he approaches Prena to state "Ma'am. Enemy force destroyed. We'll set a perimeter. Ma'am". He nods at T'lia and says "Ma'am. Colonel, ma'am" (she has the rank tabs of a Flight Lt - these people must just inhabit some alternate mental reality...).

Now on cue an ACR armed mid tech armoured mercenary with tactical officer rank tabs enters the area walking north up the valley from Spion Kop. He is accompanied by a big sergeant armed with a LAG and some kind of sword carried in a back scabbard who greets Dzofin cheerfully "I'm Gaughan of the Rangers - you're a difficult man to provide covering fire for! Howsaboutcha?" He at least hasn't got a Collace accent. He adds "You're wounded man's in our field ambulance on route to the Kruger ranch - he'll be fine".

Turning to the "new" officer Gaughan says "Mister Ghosal, sir, what are your orders?"

[joertexas]

The cutlass armed Marine sheathes his blade and swaps out the clip on his autosnub as he approaches Prena to state "Ma'am. Enemy force destroyed. We'll set a perimeter. Ma'am". He nods at T'lia and says "Ma'am. Colonel, ma'am" (she has the rank tabs of a Flight Lt - these people must just inhabit some alternate mental reality...).

"Thank you, Gaughn. Carry on," Prerna manages before turning her attention back to T'Lia. Her shoulders square and she takes a breath while she stares into T'Lia's face.

[gurusql]

Ankit "Kit" Ghoshal

Image

MajorAnkitGhoshal.png (898.8 KiB) Viewed 434 times

Kit tactically comes down the hill holding his rifle which unlike most others still looks like it was cleaned very recently. His eyes are still scanning the battle field. He looks and replies to Sgt Gaughan, "Just because the enemy is in full retreat we still need to maintain our lines - watching the perimeter to make sure they are not making a counter-attack. I want to get intel from what is left of the HQ units, we need to watch for jugaad er traps and find out what they left. Then we need to get back to base and re-supply."

He turns his head to Dzofin, "You are one lucky Vargr. By all rights you should be dead right now at my hand, do not let me regret saving you."

Turning to the "new" officer Gaughan says "Mister Ghosal, sir, what are your orders?"

The destruction of their HQ breaks the last remnants of military discipline and cohesion in the insurgent force. What is now simply a mob of fugitives run for the border harried by The Greys light horsemen even as the "Fireforce" Light Infantry replenish ammo from the heavy lift trader prior to performing yet another vertical envelopment of the routers.

[BackworldTraveller]

Freya's gauss rifle is good to a couple of km range - and from the roof structure she has a long view. She takes careful observation of the fleeing elements, looking for those still carrying weapons, or looking to rally anyone. Her drone, safe over the compound, looks out for lurkers who haven't yet surrendered. Contacting her team..

Guys - pull in the copter-drones and service them. And see if you can find any more radio transmissions that aren't ours with the expensive EW kit of ours.
Freddy: Can you get one of the grav vehicles and get me off this roof?

[Tiglath]

Freya

Freddy responds guiding his drone down to retrieve Freya from her eyrie "Ma'am, I would have come down earlier but I couldn't. It wasn't that I was scared - I just couldn't go down".

As Regimental Recon assets each in their own right the pair of Essor drones provide sensor cover for units in the valley and also assist those local units with their pursuit. However, SEMC id free to disengage.

Once things are less frantic Freya is approached by Erica (or is it T'lia?) "Thank you for helping. Sometimes a duty finds us even though we would prefer to hide our talents. You have a significant gift Freya Ingridsdottir. If you wish to expand your talent I count myself as owing you a boon and will help you as I may" she gives a tired smile "with no strings attached".

[Tiglath]

Frank and Klaus

Voss reports "Sir, the locals have taken up the pursuit of the routers from the valley and the destruction of the flank attack neutralised by our cavalry troop. All SEMC units to the north are free to disengage for replenishment and retasking".

Sir, our "guest" is suggesting my team could enter through the launch tubes. She has overrides to grant us access.

We are ready to deploy if authorised. I believe she intends to accompany us if we deploy.

Ref: viewtopic.php?p=726496#p726496

[shaidar]

Frank

Frank visibly relaxes as the enemy is routed.

"Thank you Mr Voss."

Frank goes and finds Klaus, and speaks to him far away from Ms Pestis.

"You have permission to deploy. Your secondary mission is to try and recover information on SuSAG activities on Tarsus, including their attempts to buy a controlling number of votes. Other information on their activities in the sector would also be useful. This secondary mission should not be shared with Ms Pestis. "

See continued, below...

[BackworldTraveller]

Freya

Freddy responds guiding his drone down to retrieve Freya from her eyrie "Ma'am, I would have come down earlier but I couldn't. It wasn't that I was scared - I just couldn't go down".

As Regimental Recon assets each in their own right the pair of Essor drones provide sensor cover for units in the valley and also assist those local units with their pursuit. However, SEMC id free to disengage.

Once things are less frantic Freya is approached by Erica (or is it T'lia?) "Thank you for helping. Sometimes a duty finds us even though we would prefer to hide our talents. You have a significant gift Freya Ingridsdottir. If you wish to expand your talent I count myself as owing you a boon and will help you as I may" she gives a tired smile "with no strings attached".

Answering quickly,
Freddy. You? You are irrepressible! And alive. When you have a moment, I'm told that the cow-roasts here are incredible. Perhaps with the SEMC joining in we might manage a whole one. Do you think you could organise one as a wind-down for the company?

And to Tliablzhdilatl's offer...
Perhaps a meeting of minds would be good - it would be good to have some control over my head. The Droyne, at home, can't teach what they just are, and the Imperials are...Imperial. The lack of strings sounds tempting though probably illusory - I'm not sure that power doesn't bring responsibility - though discretion would be nice.

[shaidar]

Frank (continued)

Frank pauses for a second before continuing.

"Lieutenant, you are going to need Freya's help with the computers, and if I don't give the major and T'lia the option to come then my very short life won't we worth living. I will be accompanying you as well, I want to be there when Keening gets what he deserves. Your team will remain the tactical lead."

On the command channel:

"Excellent work everyone, please pass on my thanks to the troops. Now, Ms Ingrisdottir, major, T'lia, Lieutenant Ghostal. Lieutenant Arnholdt and his team are prepping the shuttle to leave for Rond as soon as possible. If you wish to join us in a visit to Mr Keening, then please make haste back to HQ."

[Tiglath]

Ankit "Kit" Ghoshal

Kit tactically comes down the hill holding his rifle which unlike most others still looks like it was cleaned very recently. His eyes are still scanning the battle field. He looks and replies to Sgt Gaughan, "Just because the enemy is in full retreat we still need to maintain our lines - watching the perimeter to make sure they are not making a counter-attack. I want to get intel from what is left of the HQ units, we need to watch for jugaad er traps and find out what they left. Then we need to get back to base and re-supply."

Gaughan replies "Yes, sir. There's a comms truck over there - we'll fillet it. If we get an idea of their comms net we can be sure we've smashed every unit they put in the field. I'll pass what we find direct to Mister Voss myself, sir. We're always careful but I don't think they had time for very much but running away. There's plenty of these all over the valley" he hoists an AK "one not too careful owner, never fired, dropped once - some are new. There's ammo galore too but we trashed nearly all the vehicles. In fairness the AFVs that're left are more use to the local lads than us. If you want to leave my lads or Abel's squad here with the mortarmen we'll police up what we can and give the local boys a share. I'll ask the cavalry troop for some cover".

(OOC: Looting the battlefield will recover all the unit's small arms and ammo expenses. As per Gaughan tracked AFVs aren't much use to a a grav/lift unit like SEMC but will no doubt be well received by the locals. Likewise any Intel/SigInt garnered may serve them better than you since all local military threats have been eliminated.

It will become evident that for the forthcoming Rond strike SEMC has transport capability for the officer cadre, two full units (one being Klaus' Zero g Team) and a few techs. You can therefore take the Rangers or Abel's squad back to HQ with you and loot the battlefield.

See also Frank below).

[Tiglath]

Freya

Answering quickly,
Freddy. You? You are irrepressible! And alive. When you have a moment, I'm told that the cow-roasts here are incredible. Perhaps with the SEMC joining in we might manage a whole one. Do you think you could organise one as a wind-down for the company?

And to Tliablzhdilatl's offer...
Perhaps a meeting of minds would be good - it would be good to have some control over my head. The Droyne, at home, can't teach what they just are, and the Imperials are...Imperial. The lack of strings sounds tempting though probably illusory - I'm not sure that power doesn't bring responsibility - though discretion would be nice.

Freddy smiles "I'll sort it".

T'lia replies "Any "strings" will be those you apply yourself. Sometimes duty finds us and we were the only people here both capable and obliged to deal with this... blasphemous lack of balance and morality".

[Tiglath]

Frank / All

On the command channel:

"Excellent work everyone, please pass on my thanks to the troops. Now, Ms Ingrisdottir, major, T'lia, Lieutenant Ghostal. Lieutenant Arnholdt and his team are prepping the shuttle to leave for Rond as soon as possible. If you wish to join us in a visit to Mr Keening, then please make haste back to HQ."

The Corporate shuttle has cargo/seating so you can carry two units (one being Klaus' assault team).

So if Frank designates who the other unit you're all off to Rond.

The choices being: Gaughan's Rangers, Abel's line infantry, Prerna's scout/snipers or the cavalry troop (as infantry).

[joertexas]

Freya

Freddy responds guiding his drone down to retrieve Freya from her eyrie "Ma'am, I would have come down earlier but I couldn't. It wasn't that I was scared - I just couldn't go down".

As Regimental Recon assets each in their own right the pair of Essor drones provide sensor cover for units in the valley and also assist those local units with their pursuit. However, SEMC id free to disengage.

Once things are less frantic Freya is approached by Erica (or is it T'lia?) "Thank you for helping. Sometimes a duty finds us even though we would prefer to hide our talents. You have a significant gift Freya Ingridsdottir. If you wish to expand your talent I count myself as owing you a boon and will help you as I may" she gives a tired smile "with no strings attached".

Prerna gathers T'Lia's armor and, after refastening her body sleeve, buttons her up again. "There. All ready to go. Do we have a ride, or are we using grav belts?"

[helvorn]

T'lia replies to Dzofin "The intentions of our company are in the hands of the officer commanding this action". Helmetless she checks a forearm display in her evidently high tech but, by appearance, mid tech Imperial armour. Her accent shifts "Lieutenant Ankit Ghosal is on his way".

Clearly entering on someone else's cue the big Marine Dzofin saw wearing the impressive hat bursts between two trailers of the land train at the head of a small knot of mercs armed with an ecclectic mix of short range weapons of extreme violence. One wearing Corporal's tabs and looking very confident with his suppressed sniper variant ACR comments "Fffffekkkk me!!! They've only ruddy done it again - this is worse than that trader at Avastan starport!" Another trooper responds "Cor the ruddy Red Death strikes again. They just can't 'elp 'emselves... Lay you odds every fekker 'ere is 'ovis an' no mistake!" No one seems to want to take the bet. (OOC: Collace ryhming slang trans service (oh, yes ): Hovis - a variety of brown bread. Brown bread = dead).

The cutlass armed Marine sheathes his blade and swaps out the clip on his autosnub as he approaches Prena to state "Ma'am. Enemy force destroyed. We'll set a perimeter. Ma'am". He nods at T'lia and says "Ma'am. Colonel, ma'am" (she has the rank tabs of a Flight Lt - these people must just inhabit some alternate mental reality...).

Now on cue an ACR armed mid tech armoured mercenary with tactical officer rank tabs enters the area walking north up the valley from Spion Kop. He is accompanied by a big sergeant armed with a LAG and some kind of sword carried in a back scabbard who greets Dzofin cheerfully "I'm Gaughan of the Rangers - you're a difficult man to provide covering fire for! Howsaboutcha?" He at least hasn't got a Collace accent. He adds "You're wounded man's in our field ambulance on route to the Kruger ranch - he'll be fine".

Turning to the "new" officer Gaughan says "Mister Ghosal, sir, what are your orders?"

Dzofin snaps his jaw in a Vargr equivalent of a human nod in response to T'lia. He steps away as she seems to console her mate the one called Prena. Dzofin keeps himself busy by picking out a nice example of an unowned ACR and a half-dozen magazines. The shiny suit from the leader and whatever else he can find of interest or value is stowed away in his bulging backpack. Otherwise he is dressed in cloth armor camouflaged in a garish but effective geometric pattern. He wears the Vargr equivalent of excellent but well-worn combat boots. Overall this is a leather flight jacket emblazoned in yellow and black with a prominent badge bearing a black wolfs head on a yellow background. Otherwise he has tawny orange brown fur and green eyes with active ears and a prominent, feathered tail that is more orange than brown.

He looks admiringly upon the approach of the new troops. Dzofin wags his tail vigorously as the big sergeant approach him. "I am called Dzofin. I owe you a keg of beer for your assistance in my counterattack and your aid to my pack mates. Your accuracy is most impressive and deadly. I was protecting my men and our farmer refugee charges by distracting the enemy from their shelter. It was the only sensible thing to do at the time."

When the human Lieutenant Ghosal confronts him Dzofin's ears lay back a bit and his tail raises. He sniffs and gives his head and neck a shake as if throwing off something on his fur. Dzofin's green eyes locked with those of the Lieutenant. "One makes one's own luck by skill and daring. But every battle needs those with luck as much as skill and leadership. I thank you for seeing fit not to kill me and the aid your snipers provided me. Who knows what the outcome of this final confrontation would have been without my contribution."