Defending the Brazos (click for larger image!) |
Note about Larger Images: I've started compressing the image files, meaning that when you Click for Larger Image, the file you're asking for is now about 90k instead of 350k - meaning it'll appear in a few seconds rather than about two minutes. So you no longer need an ADSL link to see the full glorious splurge.
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As the sounds of battle died away, and the Protoss spread out to secure the starport, the Marines once more confronted the last surviving Sergeant of the IN Security force - one Sgt Joe Hanmore. Detailed questioning uncovered the facts that the eight squads of the assault force had travelled two to a lander, that there were no survivors of Squad 4 (from which the soldiers Jacques had surprised in the power plant were) among the 13 IN troops in the starport, and that Hanmore had no idea what their orders had been. It emerged that the IN troops were normally organized into squads of 10, so there were four more of Squad 4 out there somewhere. This was corrected to 3 once the body-count was in, although around a score of the slain IN troops were simply missing. Each lander had been commanded by a lieutenant, and a Captain had been in command of the overall assault. Hanmore's orders were to breach the perimeter, secure the Passenger terminal of the starport, and then support the other squads as needed.
The badly wounded Reagan and Tamara's crewmate Zip Cody had been removed to the Brazos' medical bay, where "Bloody" Morgan had them settled in the regrowth berths and out of immediate danger.
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Jacques had salvaged a scorched but working radio from the shambles in the power plant, and with Hanmore's assistance, tuned it to the missing squad's frequency. He picked up an encrypted microburst which - using the encrypt computer - he managed to unscramble to a brief "Roger - in position". |
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Judicator Aldaris |
Another of the weirdly-shaped Protoss shuttles landed, and two more Protoss disembarked, these with a definite air of authority to them. Coming up to the group of humans, the taller introduced himself - via the disconcerting telepathic Protoss speech - as Judicator Aldaris, the task force commander, and requested a meeting with the human commander to decide what to do next. |
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Lt Stalker looked around at his sadly reduced platoon. "I think we all need to be in on this," he said. Accepting this without comment, Aldaris and the other Protoss - introduced as Artanis of the Templar - accompanied the Marine platoon, Stalker, Captain MacLean and Sgt Hanmore to the relatively undamaged Observation level of the control tower, where they arranged themselves ready to discuss the situation. |
Artanis |
Aldaris requested any information the Marines might be able to give him to help them. There was a moment's silence. The Protoss raised a hand. "I know from dealing with humans in our area of space that many of you are uncomfortable with our mental abilities. Know, that only at times of great need will we intrude upon your thoughts. You may deliberate without fear of observation or influence."
Stalker gave him the data retrieved from Elbane Base.
The Protoss commander then listed the possible options open to the humans at this point.
"Our Task Force is committed to rooting out and destroying the Zerg infestations that have polluted this area of space. However, I don't relish the idea of attempting to convince the authorities of your Empire that they have insidious infestations of such a terrible creature - a creature only we Protoss can properly destroy - on planets under their control, much less that they are there because of corruption at the highest level in their organization. It might take years for us to come to grips with the problem, and by then the whole sector could be polluted - mark me well, these people cannot control the Zerg nor understand their tenacity."
"The High Council have given me authority to destroy planets if I must to cleanse them, but I would avoid bringing our peoples to war by doing such a thing. What we need are human allies; agents who can investigate this conspiracy from the inside, and identify where the Swarms have been placed. With your knowledge of human society and procedures and some technological assistance from ourselves, you should be able to hunt down the answers we need to go hunting for the other Swarms."
"Where would we start?" asked someone skeptically. "Where the reports were being sent in these torpedo things," replied Aldaris; "Bremerton."
Stalker indicated that he was inclined to take up the offer, but that each human should be allowed to choose independently. All of them voted to go along. Verral then proposed a spoken oath of alliance from the InSec troops, monitored by a Protoss, to be sure they weren't planning anything underhand. Artanis chuckled, his deep pseudovoice ruefully amused; "When I joined the glorious taskforce of the Protoss to bring battle to the demons of the Zerg, I never dreamed my role would be as a lie detector to a band of humans," he commented.
Aldaris explained in a little more detail what would have to be done. The Zerg, he revealed, built each planetary swarm around one special creature, called a Cerebrate. Projected by his mind, an image of one appeared over the table; little more than a giant pulsing brain, fifty feet long, bonded to the surface of the Creep. This creature had to be slain to end the infestation, and only a Protoss Templar, attacking at close range, was able to do the job. The Esrator had managed to detect the caverns in which this world's Cerebrate had taken root - a formation known locally as Wounded Knee Caves - and an assault force was being prepared. He invited the Marines to participate, allowing them to avenge their dead comrades.
He also confirmed that the missing population of Sirnoth had indeed gone to create and feed the Creep.
The meeting ended, and the Marines were introduced to another Protoss, the technician Drasul. Drasul explained the various equipment the Protoss could provide the platoon to assist them in their undercover mission.
Arrangements were made to install the Cloak, Battery and Commo into the Brazos. To see the resulting modified ship's stats, click here.
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The question of the availability of the PsiBlades used by Protoss Zealot troopers came up. Artanis glanced meaningfully at some of the Marines, before replying, "The blades you see are generated by the warrior's own fighting spirit, channeled by his Psi abilities. Some of you here could learn this, with proper training and a great deal of time. And, of course, a set of proper Kaydarin crystals." |
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Aldaris and Stalker agreed two days' rest, for repairs and healing, before the assault was to be made. A small force of Protoss went out to each of the four InSec landers to investigate; Stalker, Uriah, Jacques and Verral went too. At the lander used by Squad 4, they discovered a copy of that squad's orders; enter the starport by means of certain tunnels that the marines had been unaware of, secure the power plant, and blow it up; then retreat while the Tokarev bombarded the 'port into oblivion.
Stalker walked around the lander, taking a few measurements with his rifle's lasersight. "This'll do," he announced. Uriah looked at him blankly. "Our Astrin's a pile of scrap," explained the Lieutenant, "this will fit our bay - and we need a lander." Jacques was cheered - the lander mounted a 20mm autocannon, a weapon he favoured. Calling the other groups, he made sure the similar weapons and ammo were retrieved from the other landers.
Medical Treatment (click for larger image!) |
On emergence from his regrowth berth, Reagan recommenced a project he - and several of the other marines - had been working on for a while, and tried to chat up the pretty medic Marian. She remained cool and professional, though, much to his disapointment. By the way she spoke to Corporal Favager when he came to collect the sniper, perhaps rank was the answer. |
Elsewhere, Jacques was trying much the same with the lovely Tamara. She readily accepted his suggestion that they go and loot a drink together from one of the ruined starport bars, but was clearly not about to let him get any closer at this stage. As they talked, Jacques asked her what she was proposing to do next. Her answer was frank enough; having sunk all she had into the Long Shot, she was pretty much stranded and directionless. If there was a berth available on the mission, she and Zip were willing to join.
While all this interaction was going on, Uriah and Verral were getting practical. If the platoon were to operate undercover and independently, they'd need money. Taking the newly requistitioned lander, they travelled back to the glade in the forest where they'd stashed the gold bullion lifted from the bank at Marli; then for good measure they went back to Marli for the rest of it. On their return, Jacques caught the idea and went through the starport with five men, looting easily-portable goodies that could easily be sold for ready cash. Click here to see what was found!
