Heavy Gear

Evening 10th Winter

After so many days spent inside their gears the squad enjoyed the oppurtunity to relax and stretch their legs on the way into Massada. Wittmann reminded them all that all events at Carver's Landing were strictly classified and not to be mentioned. He then gave out to Thex for being so eager to enage in hand to hand combat. Soon the two Oasis towers that form the gates to Massada came into view. Oasis towers are massive structures that are frequently used when colonising hostile enviorments. They can be completely self-suficent when required. Over the years Massada town grew up behind the two huge buildings.

Wittmann lead the squad into the left hand tower heading for the Brass Knuckle Bar. Since most people in the town are Massadn Revionists, pacifists, soldiers are only welcome in certain areas. Also a festival, celebrating Mamoud Khodaverdi's annocement that total pacifism is the true way, would be held on the 12th so soldiers were particularily unwanted. However the Brass Knuclke is run by an War of the Alliance Vet called Wally Huppenbuar and he welcomes soldiers in his place.

As the squad entered the bar Wally greeted Wittmann by name. There then followed an awkward moment as Wally congratulated Wittmann on being promoted to Ranger again. Neither Mouse nor Ison knew that Wittmann had ever been demoted, but he did not seem eager to talk about and the subject was dropped.

The squad settled in at Wittmann's usual table, next to a window. The drank a few beers while the sun set over the town. After awhile Lisa Keniston showed up. She joined them, ordering a Cascade Beer. After another half hour or so of small talk Lisa left to make a call. While she was gone alarms suddenly began to sound. The quarantine doors and shutters then started to drop. Wittmann led the squad out of the bar at a run, just before the door shut. Over the PA system so nut case was rambling on about the time of vengence being at hand. From the corridor the squad could see Lisa running back towards the bar past a gift shop. As she past the shop it erupted in a ball of flame. The explosion scatter people and debris along the length of the corridor.

As the dust settled the squad ran forward to deal with wounded and the spreading fires. Everyone else on the corridor seemed to panic and were running all over the place. While other squad members dealt with the wounded and put out fires, Wittmann found Lisa Keniston. The explosion had ruined the left hand side of her body. It looked like she had died instanly. Ison found part of what looked like mine while he was in the back of the shop, he handed it to Wittmann who put it away to examine later. Wittmann found a public phone and called the duty officer at base. She ordered him to try to get people to congegrate in the Main Lobby and then to secure the Towers Command Center. Eventually some of the Order of Dorethea showed up and started to deal explosion victims. The squad briefly worked at crwod control and then headed towords the stairs to get to command level.

After climbing several flights of stairs Ison showed his lack of fitness by being totally out of breath. Reaching the command level the squad found the doors required a Id card to open. However even the card reader seemed to be broken. Ison being skilled at such things spent about 10 minutes fiddling with the electronics then the doors slid open. The command level seemed deserted. Heading towords the centre they found the control room. Both doors to the room had had their locks shut out. Again Ison's fiddling was required to unlock them. However this time they only slid open a few inches. After peering inside and not spotting anything dangerous the squad forced the doors open. Mouse then slid a chair in between them to keep them apart.

The command room contained communication, surveillance and computer equipment. There were also two unconcious Techs on the floor. Wittmann concentrated on contacting base, Klun searched for the quarantine controls, Ison tried to call up a schematic of the tower, Mouse checked out the Techs and Juno tried to shut off the infernal preaching on the PA. Juno Managed to shut down the preaching while Wittmann talked to base. Wittmann was told to defer to civilian authorities but if possible to delay the lifting of quarantine, so that the bomber might be trapped in the building.

While Wittmann nattered away Klun found the quarantine controls. Ison got a holo of the buildings structure up and Juno tapped into the security cameras. Using the survaillence footage he found who had attacked the techs in the control room. Then working back he found that the same person planted the bomb in the gift shop. Wittmann contacted to local police and sent them a picture of the suspect that Juno got form the surveillence. The bomber was a man about 65 cycles, 175 cm, 65 kilos with black hair. Juno then confirmed that the man had left the building. The police said they would send up a dectective to the command room. Before the dectective arrived Juno downloaded the camera footage and got a copy of the preachings to hand in to military HQ. The Klun released the quarantine. The police arrived soon after to take control. Wittmann called base once more to have a jeep come pick up the squad. He also informed them of Ranger's Keniston's death. Back at base the squad handed in reports to Captain Latassa. She was very pleased with the extras that Juno hand managed to secure.

11th Winter

First full day of leave awarded to squad for work at Carver's Landing. Unfortunately because of Ranger's Keniston's death nobody was really in the mood for it. At the morning prayer service Chaplin Hikoro said some fine things about Keniston's army service.

12th Winter

Second day of leave. Squad went out for battle simulation to take there minds off things. They one a total victory. Only damage received was the destruction of Juno's hand grenades while they brewed up three Gears and destroyed anothers sensors leaving it crippled. This was partly due to very aggressive use of Mouse in the Cheetah. Using her speed to get right in to the enemy then designating them as targets for Klun's Heavy Guided Mortor worked extremely well. That evening Juno practiced his dueling against the drill Sargent and scored another victory for the squad.

13th Winter

Squad back in the saddle. Spent whole day patrolling the badlands. Nothing to report. That evening Captain Latassa called them in to her office. She had finished reviewing the sensor logs of the battle at Carver's Landing. She congratulated Mouse on her first combat kills. Then Ison again got a dressing down for excessive enthusiasm. She then told them to go clean up that they had an appointment with the Colonel at 30:00.

After showers, a change of clothes and Barneby Steaks in the mess hall the squad reported to Colonel Fulan's office. the Colonel and Captain Latassa presented the squad with Ebon Stones, the medals awarded for combat kills. Mouse and Klun received two each and Wittmann received eight. They were instructed not to wear the medals as officially the battle had never happened.

14th Winter

The squad's daily patrol was cut short so they could attend Ranger Keniston's Funeral. Two thirds of the base personnel showed up. Lisa had been well liked. The flag and coffin were presented to her parents to be taken back to Valeria for burial.