The Zermax Group is a relatively small corporate entity that focuses primarily on loaning consultants and contractors to other larger corporations.
They've only been around a few years, but have become popular for their military contractors.

Each of you has, through one set of circumstances or another, been approached by Zermax and invited to an interview day.

It is explained that consultants [you] are responsible for providing your own weaponry, equipment, armor, etc.
Transport is provided by the corporation which collects you and deposits you in Seattle at 9PM Sharp as the sun dips below the horizon.

Left standing outside a former aircraft hangar, long abandoned and left to ruin, a few low power lights flicker behind the few windows that are left intact
And the sounds of machinery inside echo’s out, accompanied by the shouted commands and jokey bravado you have experienced in the past around military compounds.

Your equipment is quickly deposited from the transport in whatever condition you left it in and are lined up in not so military fashion, much more relaxed than regimented.
As a shiny black Humvee pulls up and ejects three suited gentlemen and a sharply dressed woman with a data-pad in her arm.

“Welcome to Camp Duwamish!” She announces loudly despite her small frame
“You know why you are here, so let’s cut the chatter and get down to it.”
Pacing up and down the tarmac she catches all of you in the eye at least once with her piercing gaze
“You will be split into three teams, under the instruction of the gentlemen behind me .. Hammerson, Estevez and Ricoh, will guide you and SCORE you!”
Stopping at a central point in front she faces the line
“Not ALL of you will be here tomorrow, there are limited positions within our organisation, so I urge you to perform to the limits of your ability!”
Turning back to face the three Sergeants she instructs them
“Pick your squads, prep them and let’s get this over with, He wants me back by twenty two hundred!”
beckoning a uniformed subordinate over she hands her the data-pad and the girl heads over to you all.

She begins at one end of the line and quickly checks off a list of present and MIA persons to be interviewed.

After signing a massive amount of electronic paperwork it is time to begin an exhausting series of tests and assessments!

The three Sergeants huddle, stood in the cooling air of Seattle night discussing what must obviously be the merits of certain applicants and their inherent skills.
They call over Rodriguez the girl with the data-pad and she quickly complies, scrolling through the information until all three bow their heads, pointing inquiring fingers at areas of the tiny screen.

Eventually they straighten up and turn to the waiting faces still stood but no longer lined up, some folks have obvious past history and are swapping stories, others trying their first impressions with their opposite or in some cases same genders.
But it's all very faux and withheld, the underlying thought you all share is that approximately fourty percent of those assembled will be out of work tomorrow and for some Zerg was the last hope they had, references are a hard come by commodity and the scores gained in this exercise suddenly become common knowledge amongst other recruitment agencies.

"RIGHT, you lot, pin 'em back and listen up!"
the one called Estevez bawls out in proper military fashion and booted feet sound on the tarmac as you retake positions
"We got ourselves three teams, Three objectives and Thirty Six hours of Fun filled activities for you fresh meat!"
each phrase shouted lets out a stream of spittle, not far enough to land on anyone but the spray glistens in the headlights of the transport vehicles.
He has an angry gleam in his eye that he lands on a few recruits as they stand and stare

"Achimedes! Lorrenzo! Tanamous! Jesus! Alpha Team! with me ... MOVE IT!" he calls out his selected team and they move off,
there's a collective sigh of relief from some who think he'd be difficult to work for

Sergeant Hammerson steps front and centre now,
"Buenos noches Mi Amigos," He smiles drily at the asembly "Constantos! Hemlock! Strong! Vivendi! and Ananais! With me por favor"
The named folks look at each other bemused at the difference in personalities already, grab their items and move off at quick pace to the rear of a Hummer

"I guess you meat puppets are all mine!" Sergeant Ricoh ambles forward with a gravelly grumbling voice that drips with venom, hands dug deeply into his pockets he squints at you all closely
"Ya got five minutes to get your gear in order, sort comms and get prepped, I don't need to be out here any fraggin' longer than necessary, I'll be in the jeep!"
without waiting for anything further he steps onto the door rail and slides into the passenger side of the third humvee, leaving you to stare blankly at each other.

Around you, the other teams are buzzing around with heads down looking at their gear and asking their respective leaders about things, maps are being projected in infra red glowing AR and excited faces point and make comments
While you are only able to stand dumfounded.

The window of the truck humms quietly open and a billow of acrid smoke emerges.
"open the drekkin' back up, I'll be out in sec and give you your tasks, don't worry about those others, I've got your backs for this one!"
the cough and chuckle as the window closes does very little to allay your fears, but you comply with the request and move round back, introductions being made.

Still slightly irritated by what is going on, Tatjana follows the instructions, hoping for the best.

The attractive woman of eastern european heritage is wearing a light armor suit, which nicely underlines her well-toned figure.

Her red hair is worn shoulder-long and in a ponytail, a few strands framing her pretty face with green eyes.

Over her shoulder, she carries a rather long rifle bag and a heavy-duty backpack must contain the remainder of her equipment. A helmet is also hanging from a few straps there.

The meeting was a real drag, good for nothing except giving some time and a chance for Crispy to catch up with a few of those around him. He knew some of them from before, here and there sharing stories of past wars fought and engagements won or lost (Bogota being the biggest conflict he could say he was involved in directly). He thought he would get chosen for Hammerson's team, those days in the field had been hard but the bonds they had forged were harder still. Nothing like living through hell on earth to form that team spirit. But Crispy shrugged the thought off and focused on appreciating that he was part of a team with a beautiful woman. He hadn't met her before but he knew her by reputation. Well, as long as she could pull her own weight (and by her reputation, she definitely could).

With the call to form up, he grabbed his large khaki duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder, producing a loud clunking sound. The misshapen bag contained several lumpy items that pushed out in all directions, giving the impression that it wasn't just clothing and basic gear inside. It looked heavy, but underneath his form-fitting shirt well-built muscles shone against mocha-colored skin - the merc didn't seem to have much trouble lifting the bag of gear. Crispy grinned at the contractor standing next to him and said "Never know when you're gonna need some backup. Wonder if they'll let us use it during training".

Collecting gear quickly the group gathers at the back of the Hummer and opens the rear doors.

Your faces are Illuminted in a sickly green neon glow that emanates from hidden LED's around the storage space.

In the centre a console winks into life and a holo-projection is thrown into the cabin that quickly forms into the image of a reasonably attractive female face

"Good evening team Ricoh, My name is Artemis!"

Below the AR face, another hologram is projected, it seems to be a local map, with a hand wave it spins and zooms in and out of locations in the Seattle area,
some are highlighted and seem to be places of interest or well known business centres.

"Please take your bearings from this point!" She continues and the map adjusts itself to pinpoint an area between SEA_TAC and Federated Boeing,
the location is punctuated with the crack of the sound barrier being broken as a civilian passenger plane arcs overhead into the clear sky, setting off to the north, from the airport.

"This location borders the Fed-Boeing property and has capability for light aircraft around Seattle that can avoid SEA-TAC tower control,
this information is covered by the NDA you have biometrically signed with ZERMAX Group and forms part of your contract"

Looking at your left hand, the sting of the pin-prick tingles as you recall the DNA sample taken on the data-pad.

"Before we begin, any equipment that is surplus to current requirements can be stored in the building to your front, we strenuously suggest that Military or Explosive materials Not be carried within the Seattle borders unless completely necessary, contract termination will follow for any... incidents!"

Crispy prods at the bag with his feet glumly, wondering which pieces within it he can actually get away with carrying,
not actually having heard any details on the task yet he is hesitant to make a decision, as are the remainder of the team.

"Are there any questions thus far?" Artemis arches a perfectly manicured digital eye-brow with the query and waits.

Crispy waves his hand lazily in the air in the universal gesture of getting someone's attention. He doesn't wait for acknowledgement from Artemis before asking his question.

Yeah, what kind of engagement is this gonna be? I mean, I don't wanna hump all this stuff all over the wilderness of Seattle if I don't have to. Are we gonna need the heavy stuff?

He takes this chance to elbow a nearby contractor in the ribs Other than what I carry in my pants anyway, right?

Completely ignorant of Crisby's charming nature, Tatjana nods at the question he has stated.

"Obviously, if we have to decide on what kind of equipment we are going to carry, it would be rather helpful to know the details of our assignment first. Also, is this supposed to be a training mission, or an actual mission. Will lethal force be necessary?"

Longshot curtly introduced himself to the others as Derick, but that his old company had taken to calling him long shot due to several "longshots" he had made. after pleasantries he tried to get a feel for their expertise before they are called to make their way to the back of the truck.

He picks up a duffel much like that of the man who introduced himself as Crispy, along with a slightly smaller bag that seemed to be able to actually contain its contents. Longshot takes a look at the guy that just elbowed his ribs and made the lewd comment, he could already tell he was gonna like working with this guy. This might actually be more fun than I thought he wondered to himself

Yeah I second this guys question I don't wanna carry this stuff around if I won't be needing it. he takes the chance to mutter back specially since well, the "heavier" stuff is always clumsy for use ain't it trying to make a joke, jokes never were his strong point though.

"Query recognised, please wait ...compiling... " the hologram seems to fade into a 3D snowfall, reminiscent of old Trid technology "white noise" on the screen
then reforming as fast as it dissolved Artemis returns
"You will be given time for dissemination of task objectives and equipment selection ...
use of lethal force is left to individual discretion, Team Point scores will be affected by this choice accordingly"
She pauses, face frozen as if caught in a digital loop for a milisecond, you get the impression some of the questions are expected and responses scripted
"Please be advised, this is not a training exercise!
This is Real Time squad selection for a contracted work sheet, "
The hologram flickers again sending a strobe effect around the standing group
" if you feel burdened by this choice I am authorised to provide transport to the destination of your choice!

....Incoming transmission of mission metrics....received! ... are you ready to continue? "

Brian looks at Crispy's bag, his own and nods.

Good question, that last remark though... must resist... ah what the...

Taking a step away from Crsipy, Brian looks him over and says...

Dude, you got a heavy load in your pants? Good thing I can skip breathing for a while. Definitely TMI, though.

He ostentatiously waves the air in front of him, grinning widely.

Crispy continues the banter, for the moment ignoring the words of Artemis.

Compadre, it's never clumsy with me. I put things right where I want them to go, everytime. I'm used to handling heavy equipment, been doing it my whole life.

A huge grin dawns on Crispy's face, not one ounce of embarrassment or anger at the joke put on at his expense showing in his features. This was the kind of back-and-forth that he was used to, the building of that team bond that kept you alive when you were down to your last magazine and were taking fire from all directions and had to depend on your squad mate to cover your movement as you scrambled for a position where you could line up a shot and avoid those trees...

Hell yeah! Everything I do's heavy. Not a damn thing small in these trunks.

Turning back to the glowing display, the merc finally replied You know you can count me in.

Longshot turns away after the banter between what he surmised were at least past associates and responded to Artemis
yeah, I'm ready, seems like it could be fun. sides I didn't come all the way out here to just make small talk even as interesting as this bit is.

"Continue, already!" is all Tatjana has to say about this needless question. She feels like talking to one of those phone answering machines already.

"Response recorded, Thank you for your compliance"

The Holo goes snowy once more as Artemis fades from view, looking closer you see that each flake in the storm is a unique alpha numeric digit
Obviously an advanced cryptographic program running real time, and then she returns
"Mission parameters transmitted to individual comm channels, you are all now subscribed to secure communications via ZERG-SAT-5"
You look at your commlinks and each have a matching indicator of an encrypted message:

Finishing reading the output, you vaguely hear the front door of the hummer closing and the booted feet of SGT Ricoh bring him around into view.
"Frag that useless drek! listen here, this piss poor excuse for an operation is simple, just trust me and we'll have it sorted in no time! ... I'm goin' fer a piss then we can have a chat about this..
you've got thirty three hours to get it done, we can get some jars in before ya even get yer feet wet !"
He shrugs his shoulders non-commitally, one has a much more pronounced range of movement under his jacket, then plunging his hands back into his pockets he wanders into the brush alongside the runway leaving you to talk amongst your selves

Longshot speaks to the team around himIt seems we won't be needing any of the big stuff, though I may keep my rifle handy. By the way I'm new round these parts just how public is this place we heading to? anyone know? I wonder, if we find this VTOL intact think we can "remove" it by just flying it out. now that would be a nice bonus hehheh. I know how to move quietly but my expertise in that area is the forests and jungles and the like though I imagine most of it would be much the same. what about yall? got any thoughts on this? seems simple enough that "team" fragged it all up and we gotta go in an' fix it.

Mother-fraggers got caught out on a clothing run? And we gotta clean up their mess? Man, this just gets better and better! Crispy shakes his head in wry disbelief as he hears the mission parameters. Don't supoose that anybody knows anything about Vashon Island? Tatja..Tijan...hey chummer, you know about thing about corp? is directed in Tatjana's direction.

Continuing his slight ramble, Hell, it'd be nice if someone could pilot on of those. Me, I'm better at getting eyes on the target and trying to make sure the enemy doesn't have any tactical advantages when it comes to our comm channels. And shooting things, yeah of course I can do that. This drek-hot assignment was so last minute though, I didn't have the time to get much less-lethal ordinance for my guns. If things go south, hope these Zermax guys are ok with a body count.

I got some gel rounds I can spare ya, uh Crispy, was it? They are left overs from some past stuff, I'm guessing you can handle an AR or a pistol at least other than the heavy stuff I mean? though if all goes well I'm hoping we wont need it. We could see about grabbing a cheap agent with a pilot program just in case ya know? I actually know a matrix gal that might could hook us up on that. that is, if we ain't got a pilot

Any gel rounds for a heavy pistol? I've got my fraggin scar for normal engagements, but I could use some ammo for close encounters. Crispy rummages around in his duffel bag for a moment and then produces a holstered Ares Predator, looking well-maintained and cared for. He shows this to Longshot for a moment before returning the gun to the bag. He continues to rummage in the bag, mumbling to himself. Guess I won't be bringing Bertha...or Stormy...Baller's gonna help out though...

yep, I do, though you would have to see if you can fit the rounds in your clip. I use this as my side arm, not my preferred weapon but it does its work well. Longshot pulls out a Ruger super warhawk from a holster on his back its modded nicely and seems to fit his hand perfectly although it looks somewhat used its clean, maintained and in great shape. and Bertha? I am guessing that's one of your heavier pieces. I ain't big in on the heavy weapons but I got one that's got me an' my old group outa more than our share of trouble. unfortunately I don't have her with me, I don't like lugging that heavy thing around unless I know I may need it. Longshot reaches into a side pocket on his duffel and pulls out some ammo. He tosses some of the pistols ammo to Crispy see if you can do anything with it. If you can that's about enough for two clips I would reckon. also we need to get some info on this island, and stat. I will see if my friend can find some stuff on it. he sends a message to Mia on his comm. then turns to regard the rest of the team.

<hey Babette, how ya doing, hey I need some info on this place, called Vashon Island whats the place do, how public is it, who owns it. the works. dig a lil for it and call it a favor for a friend eh babe? by the way, if ya see the old coot tell him I said he needs to retire already.>

Either this sergeant is as pro as he thinks, or he is a complete idiot and will get us all killed... I'll better keep my eyes open...

"No training in flying aircraft, sorry. All I know about Vashon Island is, that they are a company making fancy, trés chic clothes. Not really into that stuff myself. I have some nonlethal stuff, though my guns are both of the rather lethal kind. I agree, that we should not use lethal force unless absolutely necessary here. There are civilians after all. The runners might be more of a problem, but my rifle will stay behind. It's a little big to lug around, anyways."

Tatjana gives a slight wink as for that last comment. The rifle in her bag is really big, easily 1.5m in length.

The ammunition is snatched out of the air and brought in front of Crispy's appraising gaze all in one smooth motion. Thanks, lemme see if I can get this to work and the merc again bends to his duffel bag, stirring the contents around with his arm all the way inside until he stops and pulls out a small toolkit. As he tinkers he laughs at Tatjana's joke yeah, if what I've heard is true, you're carrying stuff that makes all the rest of us look small in the pants. And I don't just mean guns...

The sun sets in a blaze of orange light on the few clouds overhead, making the aircraft vapor trail hanging over you seem like a brilliant orange carriageway into the heavens.

Back at ground level the small strip is a buzz of excitement and activity,
the hammering and welding noises and shouting continue to echo out from the hangar with flashes of an arc weld occasionally making you blink away.

Crispy drops to a cross legged seat on the still sun baked and warm tarmac and begins measuring up ammo sizes, carefully shaving the wadded explosive from the case-less ammo so that it's a perfect fit for the Predator mag.
From your vantage point sat on the floor you can't see a lot going on, but in trying to look around and adjust a misshapen round you accidentally scrape a bit hard and the friction alights a piece of cordite as it arcs towards the open rear of the hummer.

Tatjana is restless, the eagerness to get started is making her nerves itch, and the abrasive sergeant you have fallen in with does nothing to ease her agitated nature.
Squinting out into the shadowy distance she anoints him with a glare that would melt polar icecaps, then notices something strange:

Brian meanwhile is feeling nervous, he's toting the same large duffel filled with military hardware, but still kinda feels out of place amongst the combat veterans dotted around the place
Then suddenly it hits him:

Derick looks at the AR feed from his comm, the message received icon blinks excitedly and he pulls up the reply from Babette, cursing lightly he reads it
As he gesticulates in the aether at his AR display, his eyes refocus through the image and on the hangar about 200 yards ahead.


inside the vehicle, the Holo of Artemis is reforming, and behind you it seems Sgt Ricoh has finished his ablutions and is making his way back over, still currently out of earshot though

<yeah, sorry bout that Babette, you know how work can be.Look, when I get a chance I'll take ya to a place of your choosing, my treat, no strings attached whadya say? yea I'm sorry about the abruptness babe but it was almost as abrupt for me too, but it shouldn't take someone of your skill to long to scoop up the goods since you're one o' the best I know. I like the knew accent by the way Babette, Jamaican? Real nice for ya . you know I'm always there to help ya out when ya need it. Also, we may need an agent with a pilot program willing to pay ya for this one, I will get back to ya asap on it.> now what on earth you guys suppose is going on over there?.. Longshot gestures towards the hanger.

Crispy blew on his singed fingers, cupping his hands in front of his face and using the opportunity to surreptitiously glance around at those around him. The others seeme occupied, one was apparently playing around in AR and gesticulating wildly, the sniper was gazing out into the distance and away from everything else. Seemed safe enough. The merc went back to his task with the ammunition, but not before slipping his iBall drone out of the duffel bag at his feet and leaving it on the ground. That vehicle chassis was interesting, and Crispy had played this game long enough to know that sometimes what they told you the job was wasn't the real job. Baller could find out what, if anything, was being supported by that reinforced chassis. The little drone rolled out into the darkness towards the truck, sensors sending back detailed data to Crispy's commlink. The data he was most interested in was the ghostly black-and-white overlay created by the drone's UWB radar. He should be able to see inside that compartment with this.

The i-ball comes straight to Crispy's hand in the bag and he rushes the configuration so as not to be seen by anyone paying more than a cursory glance.
His fingers gently slide over the haptic sensor array and though he feels the touch through the raw flesh of his fingers, the blisters give him a false sensation.

Dropping the drone, it accelerates under the vehicle with its full array working overtime scanning the chassis.
It beeps erratically and excitedly as it moves, to the point that Crispy's new team members look around in shock to see what is going on.

Having set the volume to it's highest possible setting with his numb fingers it begins a full rundown of the vehicle, broadcasting for all in the vicinity to hear.

"Model - HUMVEE
- Designation LIMA-NINER-SEVEN-ZERO
- Specification - Full Military Order
MODIFICATIONS - Adaptive Plate, Smart Wheels, Downgraded offroad modifications
- NONE SPEC MODS- Concealed Storage bay
-Vehicle Loadout - Device, unknown, .. SCANNING ... "

All around, blank faces stare over, SGT Ricoh begins sprinting back towards you

what the hell is that?! is it coming from the HUMVEE? Longshot asks looks down rather surprised.

Tatjana doesn't quite know what to make of it. Did the sergeant lie to them? If so, what was the reason. And who was he talking to over there...

Anyways, there was little she could do about it at that moment, so she reminds herself to keep an eye on him, just in case.

When the loud voice suddenly lists the specifics of the car they are sitting in, her look is obviously confused and she turns around to see if anyone seems to have a better idea, what is going on.

Crispy tries to act casual, while internally he's not nearly so cool. He sets the speaker volume to 0 with a quick wireless command sent to the drone through his PAN. The damage is done though. He racks his brain for a way to salvage the situation in the few moments remaining before the drek hits the turboprop.

Puffing and panting like a man very out of shape, Sgt. Ricoh arrives back at the group
"What in all that is holy is goin' on?!" He demands, not knowing which of you to look at his head jerks around trying to spot a guilty face.
Then all eyes slowly turn and face down at Crispy as the i-ball trundles out from under the truck, its scan complete, and bumps against his thigh dropping into standby mode.

"Jeebus H Mother of Mary ! I can't leave you fraggers alone for five seconds.. Fraaag me!... " "
He takes a deep breath and settles himself before continuing
"Right! on your feet son lets see what's in here got you so interested, but for Frags sake keep yer voice down!"
Around you the other teams have settled back into their own discussions.

Ricoh steps up the the rear door of the Hummer in the trunk bay where Artemis hovers, a look of disinterest frozen on her face
"Mission Briefing is complete, are there further services required?" She inquires monotonously
"Blow me!" Ricoh responds matter of factly and reaches into the side of the bay, a switch kills the holo display
but not the ghastly green glow, this gets brighter as the bottom shelf rolls back and folds neatly away
to reveal ..... a candy shop assortment of ammunition, all neatly arranged by type and subtype and by weapon size.

"Welcome to the mini-bar, what's your poison?!" He spreads his arms wide to encompass the view before him
"The bitch won't let me tell you to go lethal or not, that's for the scoreboard, but if ya REALLY Wanna, then this right here is for you !" He pulls out a cartridge case labelled ex-ex™ and another SnS™ beneath the holes now open in the array you see another layer of the same selections,
it probably goes all the way down into that compartment underneath, no wonder the drone listed enhanced suspension in it's spec rundown.
"I'm not sayin this is for free, before ya get yer grubby mits all over my shinies, anythin you take is subtracted from your pay at the end,
if you don't make it, well you got some stuff I can see that'll .'compensate' me for my trouble!"
He Shrugs and replaces the carts in his hand into the available slots then spins back to face you all.

"We got ourselves off on the wrong feet here din't we, I'll make it clear for ya, I don't like you, and frag me, I picked some o them others out there that gots 'poh-ten-shul' but that pointy eared bastard over there says he gots history and conflicts of fraggin interest! .. so here we are"
his accent slips into a southern, redneck like drawl, "but I'm fragged either way, if you don't pull through on this then I gets mah record marked, so I'm in this to make sure you street pizza wannabes get the job done and win!" Hunching his shoulders against the night chill he drops his hands deep into his pockets again, looking for all, like a sulky teenager, allbeit one with facial scars a grey stubble beard and obvious second hand oxidised and tarnished cybernetics.

"So, lets get this happy clappy all friends together group hug thing goin' on like dem others over there, you got questions? I got answers!"

Longshots comm blicks in his AR peripheral vision, indicating a received a voice message

Everything's frosty. I got all the ammo I need, thanks Sarge is said while Crispy looks around his new team to see who's there.

So we gonna have some tactical planning or what? Looks like the other squads're ready to hump it outta here, they got their drek together while we're just standing here with it swingin' in the wind. We need a plan. Let's sound off, since we don't know each other. I'll cover the EW side of the operation, make sure we have battlefield visibility and make sure the enemy doesn't deny that to us. And I'll shoot things while I'm doing it. Anybody else wanna chip in or am I gonna hafta pull this whole mother-fraggin operation off all by myself?

Longshot checks his comm message, *a contract?. could, nahhh. maybe, bah. If it was, why wouldnt they just tell us.* I can provide either sniper cover or go in quiet like. not many people are a better shot than me. a lot of my skills are for less urban stuff, but I can drive most things on the ground. I have some first aid training, but I ain't the best at that. also, if we need them I got some explosives an' I'm fairly good with em'.

thanks, but I am good on ammo at the moment sarge. just want to ask if theirs anything you think we would like to know before we do this mission. I am gonna be honest, I don't mean to sound disrespectful but a lot of times it seems the head honcho decides we don't need to know everything, a lot of the time it doesn't matter, that don't mean we don't like not knowing. Is there anything we don't know about this, that you do and, in our position, would like to have known? .

<thanks babe, knew you could do it no problemo. when I'm done here I will pick ya up, make a note to figure out where ya wanna go but gimme around two days for it.>

"Look son, I'm just here to get Big ole tick the box that says I did what I need ta, ta keep ZERG signing my paychecks and NOT sending me to Bogotá!"
The exasperation in his voice begins showing his age, you don't think this guy would actually last very long in a real HotZone with his outdated and ill-maintaned ware.

"I'm gonna do what it takes ta get you in there and do the job, scan! the rest ? well that's on you! "

He closes the trunk and re-activates the holo map and Artemis re-appears
"Mission Parameters have been adjusted, further data is available for download" she drones out immediately

"Awww Drek, here we go!" Ricoh sounds not pleased

"Team Ricoh, You are designated backstop and covering fire duties
in favour of a preferable plan of action from Team Estevez, assisted by team Hammer for main insurgency force,
...
Team Scoreboards have been updated
...
acknowledge compliance!"

"Well, I'm a magician, so I will cover the astral side. Other than that, I'm a pretty good shot, too."

When the lovely voice of Artemis interrupts them again, Tatjana wonders...

"We are all on the same target? Oh, didn't realize that... covering fire, however, sounds like something we can definitely provide."

With that she looks over to Longshot and Crispy.

Longshot chuckles "well they picked the right bastard for the job, won't find much better cover than from me and my sniper rifle. on another note, I hear from some friends this place has a mobile radar installation at the place, that, could be a problem. hm, crispy"?

Crispy takes a moment to access the Team Scoreboards and set it as a small AR window in his peripheral vision. This game was gonna be played, he was gonna keep an eye on the score.

Covering fire? Wish they'd make up their minds.

With that he grumblingly begins rooting around in his duffel bag. He withdraws what looks like a child's mylar balloon attached to a small electronics package. A small canister is also found in the bag, which Crispy attaches to a nozzle on the balloon. A short hissing noise is emitted from the canister, and the balloon quickly fills out, floating aloft as the electronics spring to life. Last can of pop - hope we get some use out of Stormy. A quick mental command sends the balloon skyward, the drone fading from view as the polished surfaces darken and seamlessly blend into the backdrop of the sky. Crispy eyes it for a second thoughtfully, waiting for the feed of data to wash over him. It doesn't take long before he's receiving torrents of visual data beamed to him from the airborne drone.

Yeah, a mobile radar installation could be a problem. If we can find it, neutralize it...I'll be on guard to make sure it doesn't frack with our comms

Pondering the latest announcements from Artemis, Crispy turns to the Sarge with a drek-eating grin on his face.

If we're being demoted to covering fire, we're gonna need to hump heavier gear into the area of operations. Any chance you could arrange some kind of transport for us instead?

He thinks for a moment.

And if we're providing "backstop and covering fire duties" is said with audible quotes, we're probably gonna need to contact with the other teams on where they are gonna want us positioned. Hey Hammer, get your sorry butt over here for a second!

"FRAG THIS! We're all on the SAME damn OP ?" Ricoh explodes in rage at the holo "Yeah Hammer, come over here a sec!"
He stomps off towards the other team gesticulating in a manner that actually makes some of the crew round here blush.

Moments later he is wandering back with a sly grin on his face that almost matches Crispy's
"Right .. apparently here's the deal ...." Seeing the drone being unpacked and about to be inflated ".. What the ? put that thing away, you can get your toys out when we get over the island, the flightpath of every suborbital jet passes through here, you wanna just stick a neon sign in the air and scream out ZERMAX WOZ 'ERE ?!"

He clusters you together and herds you toward Artemis Holo and the map.

"Look here!" He pans the map over to the south of the island.
Artemis gives a run down of Geographic data as it passes over
"40 percent of the island is given over to synth fields and greenhouses
45 percent is worker accommodation, owned by the corporation as are all local businesses and franchises.
the remaining 15% is freehold or corporation offices"

Ricoh continues
"We got to cover their asses while they go in deep, BUT we got the chance to score BIG ..
we drive in and scan the last area the Runners were seen, if we locate them? JACKPOT! "
looking at you all for some sparks of intellect

"and the data and anythin else that's on that list...
let Hammer and Estevez bust their balls against security and we can cover them from the southern approach... it's as simple as pie!"




"You can take my Hummer, I'll co-ordinate comms via the Zerg Sat you are subscribed to from here, only reason Hammer gets to play is ... well.. that's not my place to say"

sooo, your saying we need to get to the teams last known spot first while providing covering fire? like, the other teams are the decoys for us? that what ya mean? longshot's expression is a tad strained as he mulls over his thoughts.

The look on Crispy's face is a mix of annoyance and embarrassment as he stops in the process of inflating the drone's balloon. With a mutter of disgust he crams everything back in the duffel bag at his feet and takes the moment to replay the mission briefing in his AR field of vision to hide his emotions.


Hold on a mother-fraggin' second! "Quarantine"? "Disinfect"? "Tainted"? I don't like the sounds of those words. I hope that's just fancy-corp-speak coming from the holo-cube slitch, because otherwise I didn't bring enough firepower for THAT kind of op.

I'm gonna bring my big gun, I need to get it from my area, its A panther, hehe. also, I think we should try to take the ferry, that way we can move up and search the last known area of the runners before hitting out position for the covering fire. if we can get that info and that VTOL out of there while providing the covering fire ain't no way we will lose.

Crispy's gaze is unfocused and far-away. This could be because he's poring over the AR map, trying to figure things out.

So the plan as I see it - we take Sarge's humvee south to the ferry, take the ferry across to the southern tip of the island, then bust-ass heading north to set up our covering position for the other teams. Along the way we can take a quick detour to check out the last known position of the previous runner team. If we can find them or their aircraft and score some points on the leaderboard, all the better. Nova and Longshot carry the heavy ordinance for long-range support, Brian and I'll have more medium and short-range capabilities.

The merc looks pointedly at Ricoh.

If we're covering for the other teams, it sure as drek would help to know what their plans are - insertion points, tactical objectives, the whole mess. Say, does that ferry have the capability to take the hummer across as well?

"I still don't really get this... is this some sort of trial run? It looks real enough, but I still get the vibe that there is competition between our teams here... and I don't think this is a good thing at all. If this is a dangerous operation, we should be working together!"

"Anyways, looks like we are packing the heavy stuff. I got everything I need in that case and am good to go."

Sarge, point me where to stow my extra gear and then I'll be ready to go

He pauses for a moment, thinking.

Guess we got enough bang-bang to destroy that VTOL craft if we have to. Panther oughta do it. Just in case tho, maybe you can bring those explosives you were talking about earlier. is said to Longshot. Then Crispy turns to the 4th member of the team. How about you Brian?

Artemis Holo activates on the hour and begins a rundown for whoever is present
"Time is now 22:00 Saturday - We have until 06:00 Monday - to confirm Mission completion,

@ 07:00 Monday, the workforce returns from the on-site domiciles to their workstations.

HAMMER & ESTEVEZ will begin insertion at 04:00 Sunday, giving you six hours to prep and get onto the island

Your main objective is to get to these co-ordinates and cover the main approach from the south to the complex from cover.
intercept and deal with any occurrences as deemed necessary."

HAMMER TEAM will cover the NORTH and ESTEVEZ will go silent to follow the runner teams projected path into the complex to assess mission status and locate them if possible.

RICOH TEAM – Do Not Deviate from these timings


Ricoh watches and nods, then turning off the display looks at the team
"That seems easier than I thought! Take the Hummer, the ferry to the southern tip runs hourly and has minimal security offered by KE Patrols
You'll need a way to avoid that attention.

Once on Vashon, head to these co-ords and look for the aircraft and the team, there was no may-day so I presume them to be parked safely and enjoying tea and cakes with the locals

Keep eyes open for that Radar platform you mentioned, if the Drek hits the fan you'll want an airlift!

keep intouch on secured comms, Don't kill any civilians ... bring me some local beer, they got them a few micro-breweries on there that grows REAL Ale!

I'll be in the radio room in the hangar, have fun, don't get dead!"

Ok, we've got a few hours to kill. Since we're on the clock...hey Hammer! Estevez! We're supposed to be covering your sorry butts. You wanna help us plan how we're gonna do that? Like, tell us what you plan to do once you've achieved your objectives...how the frak do you plan to get off the island? You need us to bring an extra Humvee or two for your teams? Plus you might have found the lost runner team, so that's even more heads needing evac. We'd be lucky to find that VTOL and be able to operate it, but I wouldn't count on it.

Hammer wanders over and shakes your arm enthusiastically

"Buenos noches Amigo! .. Glad to see you made it back alive..." He guides you a few feet away and asks "What VTOL?"

Behind you there's a few worried looks at each other as if the teams haven't been given the full information and the minor amount of trust they had in, vanishes.

Longshot over hearing the conversation uhh, the one, that. Wait, you don't know about that? just what exactly are you guys supposed to be doing? he asks Hammerson (I assume I have everyone in the teams comm-link address) longshot sends out a message, < guys, I wasn't sure what to make of it but my contact got some info, said somthing about this place actually hiring out some people to check their security measures, try to find any holes and the like. I figure I should at least let yall know at this point. Doesn't matter much to me, I am gonna do what I am paid to do.>

"Are we actually going to take the ferry? With the gear we are carrying?" Tatjana wonders openly.

Then she sends a message to her contact Trish, hoping to gain some information from the experienced smuggler.

<< @Trish [Nova] Hey Trish! It's me, Nova. How's tricks? I need to make a little trip from Seattle to Vashon Island, and while I'm quite aware that this is not your usual playground, maybe you can still help me out there? Of course, it's to be non-official and we will be carrying some things that the patrols out there better don't see. Any idea, what we should be looking out for? Or maybe you even happen to know a colleague who could help us out? >>