{"id":418,"date":"2022-07-19T00:09:45","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T22:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/?p=418"},"modified":"2022-07-19T00:09:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T22:09:45","slug":"durgama-takeover-un-rp-sgangherato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/?p=418","title":{"rendered":"Durgama Takeover – Un RP sgangherato"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Insomma c’\u00e8 la solita campagna online annuale di infinity e questa volta mi sono fatto prendere un po’ di pi\u00f9 dalla parte RP. metto qui sia per dare accesso al di fuori dal forum nomad, sia come archivio. A voi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI mean until they chose to shoot on the Corregidor, what did the Combined Army ever did to us?\u201d
\u201cShut up Voltage, you dumb alien apologist, not this again\u2026\u201d
\u201cNo, for real, listen to this\u2013\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two pilots of the Nomads frigate Hatsune Miku were, as usual, engaged in banter. The captain let them enjoy themselves, knowing that this could very well be one of their last missions. Voltage was always a contrarian, but no one doubted his loyalty to the nomad nation. He had family on Sat\u00e8lite. Hell, most of the ship\u2019s crew had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The familiar beeps and boops of the console (Highlight, their resident technician, actually rigged the bridge console to clearly say \u201cBEEP BOOP\u201d when an alert popped up) meant that they were almost arrived at Raveneye and soon the boarding procedure would start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOk, listen up People!\u201d the captain shouted in his mic, waiting for a couple of second to be sure to have the attention of the crew throughout the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re almost at the station. Now, I don\u2019t appreciate these Aleph motherfuckers more than any of you but we\u2019re here for one reason: to teach these aliens that you will not attack the nomads and go unpunished. I won\u2019t repeat what we already know, so just remember what we lost, remember that aleph is always watching and remember to kick some furry monkey ass for the glory of Corregidor, the nomad nation and, why not, for personal fun. Boarding operations will commence momentarily so whoever of you sorry bastards is on the first drop, get ready sooner rather than later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The captain flipped the mic off and turned to his bridge. the two pilots, as well as the navigator, the weapon official and various specific ship engineers were waiting for the second, private part of the briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cok guys, this is going to be an interesting operation\u201d, he started. \u201cDoes anyone have questions before we get to the meatgrinder?\u201d
A bunch of hands shot up.
\u201cSir! where do babies come from, sir?\u201d
The captain sighed.
\u201cQuestions about this specific operation?\u201d
A couple of hands got back down, with a few sniggers. Morale was still high, at least.
\u201cCaptain! Is it true that Ariadnan troops are moving to engage us? Also, how the hell do ariadnan into space?\u201d
\u201cit\u2019s an old meme, but it checks out, lol\u201d
The captain, again, sighed.
\u201cYou heard the same briefing I did, guys. Personally, I would hope to avoid fighting ariadnan troops since they are the only other people smart enough to not trust aleph. But then again, they apparently graduated from fucking dogs to fucking bears, so what do I know? let\u2019s hope it won\u2019t come to that\u201d
\u201cYou mean that as in \u201coh those fucking dogs\u201d or as in they are actually engaging in the act of buggery with dogs, captain?\u201d
\u201cUm actually I come from Bakunin and that\u2019s offensive to my people since\u2013\u201d the Scientific Officer interceded, \u201cUm AcTuAlLy i CoMe FrOm BaKuNiN- shut up Krugerrand, we know you come from Bakunin you furry freak\u201d said the other pilot, Blizzard.
\u201cThat\u2019s not\u2013 It\u2019s not- It\u2019s called interspecies eroticism and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The captain waited for a bit for the crewmen to settle down. When it became obvious they wouldn\u2019t, he opted to sit back down in the captain\u2019s chair to finish up some paperwork
\u201cUhm, captain, sir?\u201d a voice chimed up. It was Pharma, the navigator.
\u201cYes? what?\u201d
\u201cDo we\u2026 should we be wary of sabotage? is aleph going to be an issue this time?\u201d
The chatter subsided a bit the captain took a beat to think up an answer.
\u201cLook, people \u2013 we\u2019re part of a defensive effort against the worst enemy humanity has ever faced. People from all nations are setting apart decades old feuds to form a united front against the aliens\u201d
He looked around the bridge as he spoke, scanning his crew.
\u201cOf course we have to be wary of Aleph sabotage. Fucking AI won\u2019t think twice about fucking us over. She hates us, because what are we?\u201d
\u201cNomads!\u201d shouted the crew in response.
\u201cAnd what are Nomads?\u201d asked the captain, knowing the answer already.
\u201cFree!\u201d shouted the crew, in elation.
\u201cDamn right we are. So let\u2019s keep our eyes peeled, let\u2019s do the job we\u2019re here to do, never trust Aleph and maybe \u2013 just maybe \u2013 we\u2019ll all get to go back home to Corregidor\u2013 or Bakunin, yes, Krugerrand, thank you very much. We\u2019re nearing the stations and the morat-controlled defenses. Please make sure we don\u2019t get shot down before the fun begins, shall we?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The captain reached the ship\u2019s hangar. Highlight, the Head Engineer, was checking on the final details before boarding. His military attach\u00e9, under the command of an Intruder, was finishing loading weapons and supplies in the landing modules.
\u201cCrates. not landing modules, those are fucking crates I\u2019m sending my people in. sweet mother of God.\u201d the captain thought.
That was the plan, though; Morat defenses proved to be deadly efficient in shooting down even the smallest crafts, but smaller supplies drop got through. Not all, though. There was always the possibility to get shot down even before setting foot on the station. He knew it, and the soldiers before him knew it.
He scanned \u201chis troops\u201d. It was a ragtag bunch, in the greatest nomad tradition. There was a bunch of fresh faced alguacile, no doubt joining up after the attack on the mothership, and a greater number of veterans. A couple of EVAders looked already ready for the slaughter, any slaughter, and that did warm his hearth.
\u201cCommander Delios, how are we doing? ready for the drop?\u201d the captain asked. The Intruder turned to face him, scarred face and all. He did look the part of the grizzled veteran, that was for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCaptn’\u201d he grumbled. \u201cWe\u2019re ready as we\u2019re going to be. You want to address the troops?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The captain nodded and turned towards the troops. The Intruder barked an order, and the soldiers gave the captain their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, soldiers, this is it. We\u2019re as near as we could be and soon we\u2019re going to, let me be frank, stuff you guys and girls in crates and shoot you at the station. We\u2019re going to shoot supplies, too, and several decoy crates in the hope that the morat defenses shoot down those and not you. But you\u2019re Corregidor; you knew the risks, you signed up all the same and I\u2019m sure you would swim through the vacuum of space to get your vengeance. Hell, some of you are equipped to do so!\u201d
That warranted a chuckle and an \u201chell yeah!\u201d from the Evaders. They, as all the other soldiers, sported the \u201cCorregidor does not forget\u201d motto on their weapons.
\u201cThere is not much more to say. I hope you guys reach Raveneye and show these monkeys what does it mean to pick a fight with the nomads. For Corregidor!\u201d
\u201cFOR CORREGIDOR!\u201d answered the troops, getting finally ready and entering the landing modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The familiar hiss of the door \u2013 this one, also, was modified by Highlight to say \u201cHISSSS\u201d when opened \u2013 alerted the bridge crew of the captain\u2019s return.
\u201cJust answer the questions, Voltage \u2013 how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?\u201d
\u201cFor the last time, Kruger, what the FUCK is a woodchuck\u2014captain on bridge!\u201d
\u201clol? At ease, I guess\u201d said the captain. Was the crew fucking with him?
\u201cAre we ready to launch? No last minutes issues? No smugglers sleeping in the launch tubes?\u201d
\u201cYes Sir! No Sir! I mean, we\u2019re ready to launch and we have no smugglers sleeping in the tubes. Can\u2019t guarantee the soldiers aren\u2019t smuggling stuff, though\u201d answered Boomer, the weapons expert.
\u201cVery well.\u201d The captain answered, looking at the Raveneye Station through the bridges screen-windows. \u201cLet\u2019s hope this goes well. Launch the landing crates, and fuck the Combined Army.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCaptain, I realize the gravitas of the situation but maybe language?\u201d a voice called out from one of the bridge speakers. The face of some high-ranking member of the Yu-Jing army appeared on the main screen, along with an Haqqislamite character and an unmistakably Tohaa Navy member.
\u201coh shit- I mean, hello people- salutations\u2026\u201d the captain floundered for a bit, the bridge crew sniggering. They would pay for this; he\u2019d make sure of it.
\u201cExcuse me gentlemen, the moment was indeed, as you said, filled with gravitas. I may have just sent my compatriots to their death.\u201d
\u201cWe know, captain, do not overly worry about formalities\u201d interceded the Haqqislamite officer \u201cwe just wanted to receive an update. I gather the troops are en route?\u201d, he asked.
\u201cThat they are. ETA is in a few minutes. If you want, you can stay on call and discover with me how many letters I must write grieving families today\u201d said the captain, mirthless. He always tried to be upbeat, if not for himself, for his crew at least. But now, watching the tiny dots representing the \u201clanding pods\u201d on the main screen, he didn\u2019t feel particularly prone to jesting.
\u201cSpecialist Boomer, we have a status report?\u201d he asked to the towering weapon specialist. Boomer shook, as if woken from a stupor, and answered: \u201cYes Sir! Pods are halfway there. Morat defenses have destroyed the initial pods but those where expected losses, so they were mostly decoys and just one had actual equipment. Troop pods will proceed protected by the debris and hopefully will be unaffected by the artillery, Sir!\u201d
\u201cHopefully\u2026\u201d murmured the captain.
________________________________________
Despite the overall situation, the morale was high inside Drop Pod \u201cSpirit of Corregidor\u201d. The name wasn\u2019t official \u2013 there was no reason to name glorified space container after all \u2013 but the soldiers in the pod decided to give it a name for good luck. It stood to reason, they said, to name a spacefaring vessel to avoid bad luck, no matter how short the voyage. Neither the captain nor their commander prohibited it so they went with it and chose a fitting name.
All the troops in the pod were, of course, Corregidor born and raised. There were a couple of Jaguars, covered in scars and tattoos, trying to light a cigarette while strapped to their seat. The EVAder next to them stopped fiddling with his tinbot to look at them for a long minute, before asking: \u201cReally? In a closed container, with little to no air, hurtling through space toward almost certain monkey death?\u201d.
\u201cWell, if not now, when, bro?\u201d asked one jaguar, sending a small nervous laughter through the pod. The other soldiers were alguaciles: young, the EVAder thought, maybe too young. Did they lose someone in the attack? Almost everyone did.
They looked sick with worry and, probably, motion sickness.
\u201cTry not to be afraid, lads\u201d he told them \u201cit won\u2019t do you any good. If we land, we fight; if we\u2019re shot down, we probably die before noticing it\u201d
\u201cWell said!\u201d said one of the jaguar \u201cwant one?\u201d he added, offering a cigarette.
\u201cIs that a, uh, tobacco cigarette?\u201d asked one of the alguacile.
\u201cI am offended at the very question.\u201d answered the jaguar, putting the rolled cigarette in the boy\u2019s hand. The EVAder sighed and offered a lighter to the Jaguars first, and the alguaciles after.
\u201cWell,\u201d he said, waving away an offered joint from the Jaguar \u201cdoes any of you know any songs?\u201d
\u201cAh, uhm\u201d said one of the Alguacile \u201can old classic maybe?\u201d
________________________________________
\u201cOk captain, sixty second to impact for the first pods.\u201d said Boomer, now looking transfixed at his console. \u201cWe\u2019ve lost some more equipment crates but no troops\u2014 oh shit\u201d
________________________________________
\u201cY alora el pueblo, que se alza en la lucha, con voz de gigante, gritanto: \u00a1adelante!\u201d shouted the Alguacile. The rest of the pod shouted in response \u201cEl pueblo! unido! jam\u00e1s ser\u00e1 vencido\u201d, to follow with the song and to try and drown out their fear.
________________________________________<\/kbd>
\u201cSitrep, Boomer! What is going on out there?\u201d barked the captain, leaving his spot at the center of the bridge to go and check the specialist\u2019s console.
\u201cWe lost two troop pods, sir. ten soldiers and some REMs. Other pods are making contacts\u201d said Boomer.
\u201cShit, that\u2019s a good twenty percent of the drop gone. fucking monkeys\u201d muttered the captain, gripping the sides of the console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The proximity sensors started beeping onboard of the Spirit of Corregidor. That would mean one of two things: either they were approaching the Station or a torpedo was approaching them. Either way, the EVAders thought, it would be over soon.
\u201cStrap in boys, here we go!\u201d he shouted \u201cEl pueblo! Unido!\u201d
\u201cJam\u00e1s ser\u00e1 vencido!\u201d joined in the rest of the pod. Then the crash came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cLaunch is over captain. We lost the two troop pods and a bunch of equipment- five crates I think.\u201d
The captain sighed in relief. Ten corregidorian gone, just like that, before even having the chance to fight. The combined army would pay, no- the Morat would pay for this, and for every life lost on Corregidor.
Taking a moment to compose himself he went back to his own station, facing the officers of the Haqqislam, Yu-Jing and Tohaa fleet.
\u201cWe\u2019re also a combined army of sort today\u201d he thought \u201cpoor monkey bastards, you have no idea what you brought on yourselves\u201d
\u201cWell, officers,\u201d he addressed his guests \u201cas you have seen the launch was somewhat of a success. We have more troops on the ground than yesterday, at least, and they are sure as hell more motivated than anyone in the sphere. If that\u2019s all, I have a ship to command, so\u2026\u201d
\u201cYes, very good\u201d said the Yu-Jing captain \u201ca very successful operation. I commend your men captain. Captain Fa Yulong out\u201d he said, closing the connection.
\u201cVery well. We will do our part as agreed. Inshallah, Captain\u201d said the Haqqislamite commander, closing out his connection.
The captain was left alone with the Tohaa delegate.
\u201cCaptain,\u201d they said \u201cI am grateful for the sacrifice of your people. Such things are unavoidable when fighting the Evolved Intelligence but they should never be minimized. I hope we will able to offer whatever support you might need. Jeem-Ka Out, and\u2026 godspeed? yes, godspeed, captain.\u201d the screen went black, and then showed the familiar port view.
\u201cDid\u2026 did the tohaa empathize with us? what the\u2026 wait\u201d shouted the captain \u201cwhy the fuck did no one tell me the whole Defense Coalition was online? whose brilliant idea was it?\u201d the bridge fell silent, but there was no tension now.
\u201cWell, Sir\u201d said Blizzard \u201cit\u2019s just that you came in like a veritable wrecking ball and we had no time to alert you before you started swearing like a drunken sailor, sir\u201d.
The rest of the bridge was laughing now, while the captain fell into his chair,
\u201cyeah, right, for sure\u201d he said \u201cI hate all of you motherfuckers. Let\u2019s put some distance from this fucking station and get ready for the next drop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Spirit of Corregidor, somehow, reached the Raveneye Station. It was not a delicate affair; the container tumbled inside one of the barely opened hangar bay ports, skidding around the floor of the wide room before reaching a stop, crashing against one of the walls. Noises from outside confirmed that they were not alone, which was good, and there were no gunshot, which was either also good or very bad.
The EVAder unbuckled his straps and stood up in the container, finding his balance. He helped one of the Alguacile boys before turning his attention to the door. the mechanism was, of course, busted during their so-called landing, but tha wasn\u2019t a problem for an EVAder. He cut the right cables and with the help of the two Jaguar the trio forced the door open, finally jumping out of the pod and into the Raveneye Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Da qui in poi, resoconti RP delle due partite giocate davvero in Fase Uno<\/p>-t. Me stesso<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook, what I\u2019m saying is that the air here smell strange, that\u2019s all\u201d said the Alguacile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cyeah, no shit, the oxygen filters are probably new and on their first cycle. And, actually, there\u2019s probably no shit in the air.\u201d answered the the EVAder, while checking the metric on his multitool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSmells strange. no character. no *taste*\u201d the Alguacile continued, \u201con Corregidor you can tell where you are by smell. Here\u2019s impossible\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, maybe it\u2019s impossible because we haven\u2019t left this godforsaken section in three days\u201d interceded a TAG Pilot, leaning on the leg of her battered GECKO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho knows,\u201d she continued \u201cmaybe somewhere the smell is different. Probably in the habitation modules it smells like meat buns, or, like, high class weed, like on bakunin\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cdon\u2019t you have anything more interesting to do? or maybe more productive?\u201d said a WILDcat, sporting officer insignias, from behind a crate used as a makeshift desk where he was cleaning a spitfire, \u201cYou should know better than to waste time, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, chill out, man\u201d said the first Alguacile \u201cit\u2019s just some bantz. We\u2019ve done our rounds and there\u2019s not to do, no?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The WILDcat seemed to be contemplating the words of the Alguacile and was about to answer, when both their personal comms blared an alert sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, shit\u201d said the Alguacile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cwhat\u2019s going on?\u201d asked the EVAder, perking up from his tools, \u201ctrouble?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026trouble indeed, boys\u201d, said the WILDcat, adding \u201cand girls, of course\u201d after he felt the penetrating gaze of the GECKO Pilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLooks like we have uninvited guests in one of the outer hangars. Someone\u2019s trying to breach the perimeter and their eta is\u2026 ah fuck, their ETA is grab your fucking weapon and let\u2019s go RIGHT NOW\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without a moment to spare, the four Nomads quickly left behind whatever they were working for, grabbing their weapons and, in the case of a WILDcat, a fresh spitfire from a crate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou, you, and you! With me!\u201d shouted the Alguacile to a couple more soldiers. \u201cYou!\u201d he said, pointing at the WILDcat, \u201cmuster up some close combat support, monkeys love to get close and personal. I\u2019ll meet you at the door in three minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He raised his voice while simultaneously opening his personal comms to the communal group for off duty personnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is Lieutenant Santiago\u201d he shouted, \u201cwe have monkeys inbound! Whoever wants a piece of the action, we\u2019re going to meet them NOW! this is not a drill so lay down whatever it is you\u2019re smoking, drinking, or fucking and meet up by the door to Dock 12 \u2013 we leave in three minutes!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cshit, shit, SHIT\u201d Santiago muttered under his breath. Thing have being going\u2026 poorly, to say the least. The day started bad, with an alert for a monkey incursion, but it turned way worse when an urgent request for help came from a Corregidor VIP.
He rapidly split his already scarce platoon in two. Firepower had to go against the Morat; he\u2019d make do with whatever else he managed to scramble.
\u201cok baby, let\u2019s go!\u201d he said, mounting on the back of a Tsyklon \u201cgiddy up!\u201d
\u201cyou realize this is not a robot, but a semiautonomous vehicle piloted remotely by a person, right?\u201d said a voice coming from a speaker within the Sputnik\u2019s body.
\u201cyeah yeah, just go as fast as you can, ok?\u201d said Lieutenant Santiago, grabbing on the chassis of the REM.
\u201cIf I go as fast as I can you\u2019ll became a smear on the floor in under five seconds. I\u2019ll go as fast as you can instead\u201d said the REM Pilot.
\u2014
The sound of gunshots revealed that they were rapidly approaching their destination. Santiago managed to find a Moran busy with some Zond maintenance, so he conscripted them. The Tsyklon pilot said something he too late heard as \u201chold on\u201d while running at breakneck speed toward a small structure within what it seemed to be a cargo hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santiago managed to jump off the REM and tumble to cover just in time to avoid becoming a puddle of blood, fat and regrets.
He looked around to see where the gunshots were coming from and saw the unmistakable, terrifying silhouette of Corregidor\u2019s finest, el Senor Massacre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201coh, fucking great\u201d he said under his breath. He sit up, still behind cover, and shouted over the noise of the gun.
\u201cMassacre! what\u2019s the situation! what are you shooting at?\u201d he asked, dreading the answer.
\u201cAh, ese,\u201d massacre said \u201cI saw a shadow moving, see, in a way shadows aren\u2019t supposed to move. I know of such things, see, having seen a number of shadows in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s useless, he\u2019s sure he saw something and we\u2019re stuck here until he\u2019s satisfied\u201d said a warm, female voice somewhere behind the Lieutenant. He turned around to see another notorious figure: Jazm\u00edn Caticovas, known by the wider Nomad nation as \u201cJazz\u201d.
\u201coh, fucking, amazing\u201d he moaned \u201cthere\u2019s two of you now? one VIP wasn\u2019t enough?\u201d
\u201cOh go choke on a shotgun, little sheriff boy\u201d snapped Jazz, \u201cwe didn\u2019t need any help. Any second now Massacre will get tired of shooting at shadows and\u2014\u201d
\u201cContact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The voice that came from the comm was that of the Moran Santiago picked up en-route to the battle; as Moran often do, this one went ahead of the team scouting the battlefield. It was a single word, but Santiago, Jazz, Massacre and two jaguars pals of his fell immediately behind cover. It wasn\u2019t a word you uttered lightly.
\u201cSituation?\u201d asked Santiago.
A number of gunshot echoed in the now silent hold.
\u201cOne Alien. Not monkey. Caliban? Shasvastii for sure. Engaging now\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh that\u2019s great, shasvastii \u2013 of course it\u2019s fucking shavastii. Why wouldn\u2019t it be shasvastii\u201d he thought. He gave a couple of orders, positioning the REMs he brought with him in the rear, Massacre on his right and Jazz, her personal remote and the Moran on the left. The Tsyklon was on higher ground, having climbed a small box-office building and was scanning the area with his feuerbach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cwait\u201d thought Santiago \u201cdidn\u2019t the Moran went ahead? who the fuck is that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santiago checked his comms and opened a private channel.
\u201cThis is Lieutenant Santiago to Massacre\u201d \u2013 he whispered \u2013 \u201cMassacre, check the identity of the unit on our left. Acknowledge.\u201d
\u201cWhat? What?\u201d said Massacre \u201cI am trying to find out if someone is making a fool out of me here, ese! That\u2019s a Moran, clear as day-cycle!\u201d.
Massacre kept creeping forward, searching for something no one could see.
\u201cShit,\u201d thought Santiago, \u201cthat guy always does what he wants, doesn\u2019t he?\u201d he switched channel to the Zond Pilot.
\u201cTransductor, I need you to check the status for the moran on my left flank. Fast, please.\u201d he said.
\u201cAcknowledged. Sure, let\u2019s waste my time checking on a\u2014\u201d
The reply of the Pilot was cut short by the sound of an explosion. Santiago saw a flash and a spray of debris hit the Transductor, which seemed unaffected by it except for a few scratches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWas that a mine? what the hell was a mine doing here?\u201d came the frantic voice of the Pilot from the comms. \u201cThat was most definitely not supposed to\u2014\u201d
\u201cyeas, thank you, pilot\u201d said Santiago, cutting him off \u201cyou still have your order, yes? move, goddamnit!\u201d
The pilot silently moved the Zond behind the Moran.
\u201cSir,\u201d the pilot said \u201cI think there might be something wrong \u2013 heat signatures are compatible with human profiles but\u2026 I think my optics got fucked by the mine because\u2014 oh shit, shit!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santiago was about to ask what was happening, when he heard the unmistakable \u201cfoomp\u201d of a panzerfaust coming form above him.
\u201dContact, engaging\u201d said the Tsyklon Pilot, \u201cthere\u2019s some kind of shasvastii on that roof over there\u201d
A ping on the situation map showed exactly where \u201cthere\u201d was. Massacre shouted, \u201csee? I told you there was something over there. I\u2019m going to kill it!\u201d
\u201cMassacre, no! wait for\u2014\u201d the lieutenant was cut off by the zond pilot, who shouted in the comms channel.
\u201cContact! It\u2019s a Speculo, shit!\u201d he cried out.
\u201cputa madre\u201d spat out Jazmina, moving away from the assassin \u201cwhat the hell is going on\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A garbled response was the last thing that came from the zond, its head cleanly cut off by the shasvastii monofilament weapon.
\u201cSir, the Caliban is on the\u2014\u201d came the voice of the Moran, but it was abruptly cut off. A glance on the Squad Status Screen showed the Moran as deceased. Santiago, however, didn\u2019t have time to mourn: Jazmina was opening fire on the speculo, ineffectively, and immediately he heard Massacre shouting over comms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVamanos, hijodeputas, we hunt shadows!\u201d, the merc yelled. The situation map showed him and the jaguars advancing, but he didn\u2019t need that; he could see the plums of the smoke grenades covering their advance, and he could hear the loud noises of his rifle shooting seemingly in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOy tenente! We killed an alien, yes? I was right! Also did you know there\u2019s weapons boxes here?\u201d came the voice of Massacre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santiago was still looking at Jazmina; from where she was, she could fire on the Speculo, but he couldn\u2019t see it yet. Just a bit more, though\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His train of thought was cut short. He sensed movement behind him, and turned around just in time to se a small four legged monster jumping at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThaiga\u201d he had time to think \u201cof course it\u2019s a fucking Thaiga\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last thing Santiago saw was the creature mouth, closing on his face, and then nothing.
\u2014
\u201coy, what are you doing? you crazy?\u201d asked Massacre to one of his Jaguars. The guy just lobbed a couple of grenades, fresh from the supply box, over the roof of the central structure of the module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cnothing, boss, I thought I saw a shadow\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cshadow? I shot the shadow, we\u2019re done here. Lieutenant, we\u2019re done, I said!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No answer came from the comms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, pendejo\u201d massacre said \u201cthey probably went back to base. Ok chicos, let\u2019s do another patrol round and then it\u2019s beers and fried chicken back to base!\u201d
An enthusiastic cheer erupted from the jaguars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cAyy chicos, I told you this was the right way, see?\u201d said Massacre, motioning to the small detachment of Alguacile in front of him, in the distance.
His two Jaguar bodyguards exchanged a look. They\u2019ve been trudging through maintenance tunnels for a while now, their leader refusing to check the station maps because of, as he put, his \u201cstaggeringly precise sense of direction\u201d.
\u201cThis is Lieutenant Torres\u201d, a voice came from Massacre\u2019s comm, \u201cplease identify yourself, and be advised we have guns trained on you\u201d
\u201cOh, wow that\u2019s quite the welcome!\u201d answered Massacre, \u201cit is none than I! Senor Massacre, the best, most famous, most prolific and loved mercenary who ever hailed from Corregidor!\u201d
\u201cYeah, sure\u201d answered the Lieutenant \u201cjust stay put for a sec, will you?\u201d
After a couple minutes of idling, where the two jaguar started rolling cigarettes, the voice of the lieutenant came back.
\u201cOk Senor Massacre and escort, you\u2019re clear to approach. Sorry about the hassle but there\u2019s shasvastii activity in the area and that usually means speculos. Apparently, a team lost a number of people to one \u2013 Jazmina Covacs seems to also be MIA\u201d, he said.
\u201cAh, those speculos are bastard, that\u2019s what they are\u201d answered Massacre, while approaching the Alguacile team with his jaguars in tow.
\u201cSo, what\u2019s going on here?\u201d he asked.
\u201cWe\u2019re not sure. Central command expects a Morat attack on the area any minute now, but so far, nothing. I hope, they come, though; that\u2019s why we have her\u201d said the lieutenant, nodding toward a GECKO Pilot lounging against the leg of her TAG, intent in checking something on her datapad.
\u201cWe also have a Moran keeping watch in an advance position. We\u2019re just waiting for some monkey to show up and get killed, really\u201d added an EVAder absentmindedly. He was trying to remove dirt from the visor of his helmet, his expression focused.
\u201cI see, I see\u201d said Massacre \u201cit\u2019s your regular ambush job. Very nice! where do you want me?\u201d
\u201cRight flank, to reinforce the GECKO position\u201d said the lieutenant \u201cand let\u2019s hope this is over soon. I\u2019ve been awake for the last eighteen hours, on duty for the last fourteen and I am not an happy camper right now.\u201d
________________________________________
Torres was even unhappier two hours later. He was hidden under cover with his team, while the rest of the squad kept to their position. You can\u2019t very well hide a TAG, so the Gecko was simply running dark, kept in standby, in the hope that it looked abandoned or left in storage.
He was musing if it would be worth to ask for relief, when the voice of the Moran came through comms, as a whisper.
\u201cContact. ContactS, actually\u201d he said \u201cthere\u2019s several, uh, creatures wrangled by a female monkey. And, boss, I think they brought a TAG of their own\u2026\u201d he trailed off.
Torres took great care to peek carefully over the box that was offering him and his team cover. He didn\u2019t know how, but somehow the Morat managed to bring in a TAG \u2013 not a small thing like a GECKO, but an actual, factual, regular-ass sized TAG. And it was moving silently.
\u201cLeave it to the combined fucking army to make a bad situation worse\u201d he spat, \u201cnow there\u2019s a fucking TAG. And why the hell is it covered in fur? shit, I miss when we used to just shoot at PanO. Crosses are weird but that thing it\u2019s way weirder\u201d he said.
\u201cNo worries, bossman\u201d said the EVAder, \u201cI got an idea. You said there\u2019s supplies and weapons in those crates?\u201d
________________________________________
The EVAder guided the team in a slow crawl toward one of the supply crates. The Morat TAG was scanning the area \u2013 they were probably a forward team, clearing the way for a bigger combat force. Not if Torres and his men had anything to say about it.
\u201cok, let me see what we have here\u201d said the EVAder, rummaging in the crate.
\u201cMy oh my\u201d he said after a while, \u201cdo my eyes deceive me? well I guess that\u2019s what this was made for, right boss?\u201d he showed the rest of the team a sort of shimmering, distorting fabric.
\u201cWhat is that? wait is it\u2014\u201d started Torres, but the EVA cut him off.
\u201cHell yes, boss, it\u2019s an old ODD shroud. With a bit of luck this will make me almost invisible to that monster, and my spitfire will bring it down\u201d
\u201cI still think we should bring our TAG in, but I\u2019m willing to try your way. Try and be careful, ok?\u201d
\u201cNo worries, boss,\u201d said the EVAder, donning the shroud, \u201cI\u2019m a professional\u201d
Without adding a word, he started creeping along the wall separating them from the TAG. Once he reached the end of the wall, he took two deep breaths and nodded toward the rest of the team. He turned the corner and opened fire on the Morat TAG.
Two things happened almost at the same time; a torrent of fire, the flame white-hot, ran over the EVAder, leaving just charred remains on its trail; then the sound of bullets hitting true was followed by an explosion, then the noise of metal creaking and falling.
\u201cLieutenant,\u201d came the voice of the Moran scout \u201cI\u2019m sorry to report that the TAG was clearly waiting for our brother to emerge but didn\u2019t expect the firepower he brought. Enemy TAG down.\u201d
\u201cWell, the time for subterfuge is over, chicos. GECKO squadron, advance! Massacre and jaguars, secure the midfield!\u201d
The nomads soldiers executed their orders as received, but their advantage was short lived.
\u201cSuryat!\u201d shouted the Moran, \u201cSuryat on the roof of the office!\u201d the ping appeared on the team\u2019s situation map. The lieutenant managed to peek once more out of cover, in time to see the massive alien ape training his huge weapon toward the GECKO.
\u201cGECKO Squadron, watch out!\u201d he shouted, but his voice was silenced by the sound of the alien gun shooting. What he didn\u2019t hear was the soft, almost inaudible \u201cfoomp\u201d of a panzerfaust rocket shooting from the Gecko\u2019s offhand weapon. He could see it, though, traveling to the air with grace, as if in slow motion, avoiding the monkey\u2019s fire, and hitting it square in the chest, exploding and leaving nothing left of the big ape.
\u201cSo yeah, that\u2019s how the GECKOs usually do stuff, boss\u201d came the voice of the pilot \u201cI think we\u2019re out of the woods now yes? wait, something\u2019s dropping smoke grenades here. Turning on high visibility beams\u2026 oh what the fuck are th\u2014\u201d.
A metallic screech came from the comms. The next sound that came was the vorried voice of the Moran; \u201cBoss, uuh, the GECKO sort of fell down? I hear some terrible noises but I can\u2019t see anything.\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s something in the smoke.\u201d
On cue, a spray of shrapnel came out of the smoke cloud, hitting Massacre and his two Jaguars.
\u201cputa madre, massacre is down!\u201d came the voice of the first jaguar \u201cwho the fuck do they think they are? hijodeputas!\u201d he shouted, unloading his shotgun in the now dissipating smoke cloud.
\u201cUh, boss, the Jaguars are, uhm, doing their jaguar things\u201d the Moran said, while screams and imprecations came from the comms.
\u201cThe smoke is clearing though, and\u2026 what the fuck is that? standby!\u201d
The Lieutenant and his team kept scanning their area, while waiting for an update from the Moran. Torres was frustrated by his inability to act, but to move aimlessly on the battlefield was to invite certain death. He waited, checking his real time situation map for updates.
\u201cI\u2019m not sure what these beasts brought with them, but whatever those things were, they\u2019re dead now\u201d the voice of the Moran came back over comms. \u201cBut one of them slipped through me, coming over on your side. Pincer maneuver?\u201d
\u201cAcknowledged,\u201d said the Lieutenant, \u201clook alive, people!\u201d
Torres and his team were ready when the female Morat turned over the corner of the container she was using for cover; she, unfortunately, was not. A rain of bullets awaited her, and it was the last thing she saw.
\u201cAny more contacts?\u201d asked Torres over comms \u201cAnyone?\u201d
\u201cThe coast is clear, boss\u201d came back the voice of the Moran \u201clooks like we managed to repel their assault\u201d.
\u201cGood\u201d said Torres \u201clet\u2019s pick up whatever\u2019s left of the gecko and Massacre and let\u2019s get back to base. I need a shower, something to eat and to sleep for three days straight\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Insomma c’\u00e8 la solita campagna online annuale di infinity e questa volta mi sono fatto prendere un po’ di pi\u00f9 dalla parte RP. metto qui sia per dare accesso al di fuori dal forum nomad, sia come archivio. A voi. \u201cI mean until they chose to shoot on the Corregidor, what did the Combined Army…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":420,"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions\/420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pito.l00maca.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}