SURVEILLANCE DATA
TRACKING RECORD
ARCHIVE CLEARANCE
81-4-B-FALCON-SIGMA-8
COVERT
SURVEILLANCE OF TARGET DESIGNATE “CHELEDISCUS,” 14-4-01
TARGET LOCATION: SPACE
RACE CAFÉ, 823 COMPLEX, SECTOR 31, EPSILON ERIDANI b I
MAN #1: Lonny!
Over here!
MAN #2: Hey,
there you are. Thought I ‘d never find you.
MAN #3: We did
pick the place because it’s small and hard to find.
MAN #2: You
didn’t say anything about sitting by a thoroughfare, though. I doubt Cadmus
would approve.
WOMAN: Well,
Cadmus doesn’t have to know. How are you, Waylon? You’ve been under for a
while.
MAN #2: I’m
alright. Had a loose end or two to string up.
MAN #3: Nothing
serious, I hope?
MAN #2: ...no,
relatively speaking.
MAN #3:
Relatively speaking? Relative to what, Waylon?
MAN #2: To what
I’m about to tell you.
WOMAN: Oooh, this
sounds exciting.
WAITRESS: Hi,
there! Can I get you anything, sir?
MAN #2: Uh, no
thanks.
WAITRESS: Okay,
would any of you like a refill, or can I get you something else?
MAN #3: Another
coffee, please.
WOMAN: And a diet
soda. Sugarcane, if you have it.
WAITRESS: We sure
do, and for you, sir?
MAN #1: I’m good,
thanks.
WAITRESS:
Okeydokey, I’ll be right back.
MAN #2: Now,
where was I?
MAN #3: You were,
ah, speaking relatively, if I remember correctly.
MAN #2: Right.
Well. I wanted to tell you about ‘constructive escalation.’
WOMAN: Okay...
MAN #2: I see. Okay,
when an entity thrives on that which lies outside its immediate reach, the laws
of nature dictate that it naturally strive to reach those things. It will seek
to have them in preference to the same things that it can get to. That’s pretty
basic, right? For example, when Terry goes to a bar and sees two girls, one he
knows he can have at any time, and another who might put up a little fight,
he’s gonna go for the fighter, am I right?
MAN #1: Yeah,
that’s me alright.
(laughs)
MAN #2: That’s
because the benefits of having the thing that’s easily obtainable are already
known, or at least easily knowable. You’ll never know how you – or your
government – can benefit from the trickier option until you’ve obtained it.
MAN #1: Sounds
about right.
MAN #2: And why
is the harder thing so hard to obtain? Because it resists, either incidentally,
or with purpose. So when the United Systems government decides that the
resources which are being monopolized by our obliging hosts here in the
Maidenhead Colonies, it’s only natural that they – and consequenty, we – work
harder to obtain them than it would the resources of its own member worlds. Now,
naturally, resistance is gonna cause conflict, and prolonged conflict will
require escalation to sustain itself. A good example of escalation would be the
Reese bunker complex. That job was very effective, and do you know why?
WOMAN: Because we
attacked infrastructure and not replaceable individuals?
MAN #2: Close.
Because it provided a constructive solution to how easy it is for the Colonials
to replace personnel. When we hit Marmary spacefield, we asked the question:
‘what’ll you do when we destroy your equipment,’ to which they answered, ‘we’ll
make more equipment.’ With the Reese bunker we asked ‘how are you going to make
new equipment when we take away the place you make that equipment.’ Their
answer is simple ‘we get our people to make new places and new equipment.’
They’ll work double-time. We are up against-
WAITRESS: Here we
go, Diet Sugarcane for you, coffee for you.
WOMAN: Thank you.
MAN #3: Thanks.
MAN #2: We are up
against a popular and well-liked institution that is based on ensuring that a
few people live in luxury, while the others slave away their lives and gain
nothing. Everyone is going to want to be part of the few, and therefore, it
becomes very easy for the Colonial government to find loyal new soldiers and
security personnel; they can simultaneously serve their own interests and those
of the government. The reason the Reese bunker hit was so succesful, is that
not only did it provide a disincentive for people to work for the government –
fear for their own safety – but it also highlighted the fact that ultimately,
anyone who signs up for public service becomes as accountable for the
government’s actions as the Maiden herself. Not only did we legitimize
everything government-related as targets, but we made people aware of it. That,
my friends, is a prime example of constructive escalation.
MAN #1: So now we
up the ante.
MAN #2:
Precisely. Care to guess how?
WOMAN: Target a
military installation.
MAN #2: No, the
military already knows it’s a target. Remember, just whittling away at them
isn’t what we’re here for.
MAN #3: Target a
facility staffed by higher-ups in the chain, people who aren’t so easily
replaced. They’re essential, and when they realize their danger, they’ll be in
a position to demand higher wages or benefits, and the Colonies will have two
choices: meet the demands, which eats at their coffers and sets a dangerous
standard, or don’t, meaning forcing them to work anyway, which lowers morale,
or allowing them to leave the Colonies, meaning they come to our side or the
Allied Rimworlds.
MAN #2: Not bad,
except we’ve already initiated such a dilemma with the Reese bunker thing, and
the target I have in mind would confound it even further, as well as serving a
more important primary purpose. I think we struck gold when we decided to let the
Maiden and the Quinquevirate know that they can’t protect the lowest rung of
the ladder. The mid-levels are already patriots; we’re never going to convert
patriots by proving their government right.
MAN #1: So we...
hit a... bigger government building?
MAN #2: No, we
hit a smaller one. They’ve already diverted security personnel from smaller,
secondary support buildings to guard places like the Tweentown Labs, the
Vogelsetze and the Bridgehead embassies. I want us to show the Maiden and those
five punks at her table that there’s an even lower rung on the ladder, and that
even those people aren’t safe.
WOMAN: One thing,
though... I don’t get how this is escalation. I mean, it’s constructive, sure,
but didn’t you say that whittling isn’t enough? What good is one more destroyed
building?
MAN #2:
Precisely. It’s useless. That’s why our escalation is going to be a lateral one
rather than a literal one.
MAN #3: ...oh,
no.
MAN #1: What?
WOMAN: Oh my God,
Waylon, you can’t be serious.
MAN #1: What?
What is it?
MAN #3: He’s
talking about killing people.
MAN #1: What?
MAN #2: Listen to
me. It’s the only way to let these people know we’re serious, that there is
something basically and inherently wrong with the way they live, and that their
safety cannot hold out indefinitely. It’s the only way.
WOMAN: But in the
entire history of civilization, terrorism has never once been effective in
toppling a sitting government, or even forced capitulation of any kind! It’s
counter-productive, and it’s not the reason we’re here. Cadmus would not
approve.
MAN #2: I spent
an hour talking to Cadmus about this, and he agrees wholeheartedly. He doesn’t
like it, but it’s the only logical next step here. And besides, we never came
here with an express mandate. Flexibility is a necessity here. If the Colonies
want to place their civilian employees in harm’s way, we’re gonna have to harm
them, plain and simple. We are in the unique position of not having to adhere
to any rules of engagement, because there aren’t any.
MAN #3: What
target did you have in mind?
WOMAN: We’re
discussing this? I can’t believe we’re discussing this!
MAN #3: Let’s at
least hear him out.
MAN #2: My first
choice probably wouldn’t go over too well with this crowd, so I’m gonna skip
straight to my second one: the Verrity-Tangiers Auction House in Canfrey Sector.
MAN #1: An
auction house?
MAN #2: Since the
Bridgehead Treaty, all captured enemy armor is sold at open auctions, with the
proceeds going directly into military funding. Most of the armor ends up in the
hands of private border militias on the Luyten Seven-Two-Six-Eight worlds, the
same private militias who continuously make quote-unquote “unsanctioned” raids
to Lacaille. Now, in the last five months alone,
Verrity-Tangiers have sold more than six thousand tons of armor to these
cowboys, and I think we can all agree that throwing a wrench into these
particular works would be in all our best interests.
MAN #3: If
they’re an auction house, why not just bid for the stuff and smuggle it home?
We might benefit from keeping these people in business.
MAN #2: Lack of
funding.
WOMAN: Simple as
that?
MAN #2: Simple as
that. Come on, Margie, we’ve got a population of close to sixty billion people
to feed. We’re running on fumes as it is. You think Cadmus is gonna go running
to Ross Two-Forty-Eight, begging the Quartermaster-General to allocate millions
into our budget so we can give it to the Colonial government in exchange for
our own third-hand equipment?
WOMAN: So
instead, we’re just going to blow the place up?
MAN #2: That’s
right.
WOMAN: With
people inside?
MAN #2: That’s
right. Desperate times, the needs of the many, and all the rest of it, Margie.
WOMAN: ...well, I
don’t like this.
MAN #2: I’m
getting that.
MAN #3: Casualty
projections?
MAN #2: Two,
maybe three, if we do it right.
MAN #1: That’s
all?
MAN #3: He means
two or three hundred, Terry.
MAN #1: Oh right.
MAN #3: (sighs)
Okay. How do we get started?
UNITED SYSTEMS
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE, CLASSIFIED CODE ORANGE TOP SECRET
HIPPARCOS 114110 AGRICULTURAL SUMMIT WIRETAP
DAY 4, TRANSCRIPT
BEGINS AT 27:32 LOCAL TIME
AMBASSADOR SU:
Mister Foreman-Elect. Congratulations on your victory, and, may I say, as one
former military man to another, that your tactics in the election were not only
sound, but most gentlemanly in their conduct.
FOREMAN-ELECT
WIED: Thank you, Ambassador, though I assure you, little military thought was
applied. It’s all math now; kiss this many babies will get you this amount of
votes, and so forth.
SU: Ah, but are
not negative attack advertisements, leveled at your opponent, part of such
math? And yet I did not see any... I profess that you are a gentleman, despite
your insistence on the contrary.
WIED: Well, I
never said I wasn’t a gentleman.
(laughs)
WIED: I just
haven’t thought of myself as a soldier since before the Cannon. I haven’t so
much as stepped into a kay-suit since, well, since Dione.
SU: Ah yes. Those
were troublesome times... if it means anything to you, please allow me to
apologize for the actions of the Murasaki Corporation’s military commander. He
was... a disgrace to his employers.
WIED: Hardly your
fault. It was a long time ago.
SU: You are most
gracious. Also, if you would be so kind as to convey my most heartfelt condolences
to the families of the victims of the Epsilon Eridani bombing. Horrendous,
simply horrendous.
WIED: Thank you,
Ambassador. It’s... good to know that the Board of Directors would condemn such
a heinous act, no matter who turns out to be responsible.
SU: Oh, but I am
not simply relaying the feelings of the Board. My sympathies-
PENDLETON:
Ambassador, hi. Hello, Foreman. I’m Shariyar Pendleton, we met about a year
ago at the Bridgehead ceremony...
WIED: Yes, I
remember... actually, it’s only Foreman-Elect. I don’t take the oath for
another month.
PENDLETON: Right,
sorry... listen, Ambassador, I was wondering if I could steal the...
foreman-elect for just a second.
SU: Of course.
Perhaps when you’re done, Mr. Pendleton, we could discuss the upcoming
tri-power summit, the Board of Directors have some last-minute changes they’d
like to make to the schedule...
PENDLETON: Of
course. I’ll be at the bar.
SU: Very well. Foreman-Elect.
WIED: Mr. Ambassador.
PENDLETON:
Fruitful conversation?
WIED: Fairly.
What did you want to speak to me about?
PENDLETON: Oh,
you know damn well what I want to speak to you about. Is that room empty?
WIED: I think so.
It’s a smoking room, but nobody smokes anymore. I thought you people owned this
planet.
PENDLETON: The
people own it, not the military. And besides, this party wasn’t my idea, so I’m
hardly responsible for the layout of the rooms. Let’s go inside.
WIED: Let’s. You
seem anxious to get right to the point.
(door opens,
closes)
WIED: First of
all, let me say that you’re looking well, and it saddens me to hear that you
don’t approve of this summit.
PENDLETON: Ah,
can it, Foreman. I’m not some snot-nosed junior politico trying to kiss up to
a foreign dignitary, and I never said I didn’t want you here; it’s those
Murasaki snakes I don’t like, slithering about on our planets when they should
be facing a war crime trib on Earth.
(sound of
cigarette being lit)
WIED: So they are
your planets now.
PENDLETON: (inhales,
exhales) Listen, what’s this I hear about Bridgehead getting the Quinque to
greenlight a stepped-up defense plan for Luyten Seven-Two-Six-Eight?
WIED: Well, first
of all, I’m not part of Bridgehead; in case those fancy schools on Praedium aren't teaching you proper astrography, I’m from Tau
Ceti, which is not the same as being from U-Vee or Bee-El Ceti. Second, I’m not on the Quinquevirate
yet, remember? I’m only foreman-elect.
PENDLETON: Come
on. You have to have gotten some wind of this, from Bahadur or somebody.
WIED: Can we
speak candidly here?
PENDLETON: My
lips are sealed.
WIED: (sighs)
Foreman Bahadur is not as well-informed as he once was. The mines have
become overwrought with regulatory policies from Epsilon Eridani, as part of
the Unified Front Initiative. When I take office, I stand to inherit a...
bureaucratic nightmare that consumes most of the Foreman’s waking hours. If
you’re hoping to negotiate some sort of arms reduction plan, I’m all for it,
but I’m really not the man to speak to about it.
PENDLETON: But
you can at least back-channel it to Bridgehead through somebody. And don’t
bullshit a bullshitter, Foreman-Elect. I know you know something; what’s
Bridgehead up to?
WIED: Honestly? I
don’t know. But-
PENDLETON:
Bullshit.
WIED: But, if I
had to make an educated guess, I’d say it had something to do with the Epsilon
Eridani bombing. I heard a rumor that the bomb was traced to foreign nationals,
unregistereds with fake passports.
PENDLETON: Who
could have come from anywhere. Epsilon is five parsecs away from Lacaille, twice as far as it is from Allied space. You
don’t think its possible the bomb might have come from the Allies?
WIED: Bridgehead
in Hip One-Five-Six-Eight-Nine is wound tighter than the proverbial drum,
whereas their sister agency in Luyten Seven-Two-Six-Eight leaks like the proverbial sieve. And
besides, the Allied worlds subsist and profit greatly from trade with us,
especially now that they seem to be at war with the Empire again, whereas your
military commanders have made their animosity towards us very well known on numerous occasions. We’re not idiots,
Mister Pendleton.
PENDLETON: But
all you’ve heard is rumors, right? If Bridgehead somehow mistakenly
traced the bomb to us-
WIED: Actually,
Mister Pendleton, I’d heard it wasn’t being investigated by Bridgehead.
As soon as the terrorists were confirmed to be foreigners, the matter was
outsourced to Stellar Patrol.
PENDLETON:
Stellar Patrol?! They couldn’t find their own assholes if you put both their
hands in their back pockets! Why would you do that?
WIED: Because
that’s interstellar law. According to the Proxima Treaty, all criminal cases
that intersect demarcated treaty boundaries must be investigated by Stellar
Patrol to preserve the objectivity of the findings.
PENDLETON: Oh,
come on! If you really wanted to solve this, you’d put your own people on it,
and not wait for some douchebag from Gliese Twelve-Forty-Five to send a
commission over.
WIED: Again, I am
not empowered to make such a call, Mister Pendleton. I am a miner, elected
by miners to serve their needs. If Bridgehead calls for increased security
in the Luyten Seven-Two-Six-Eight system, that is not my concern.
PENDLETON: What!
We’ll see how much it concerns you when Bridgehead’s warmongering brings the
United Systems Military knocking on your door. Your miners might have to
beat some mining drills into swords pretty soon.
WIED: If such a
conflict were to take place, Pendleton, it will be the product of your
government’s policies, not mine. What you have is a federal union; you’re the
one who should pulling strings back in Ross Two-Four-Eight, trying to
avert this. What happens on Tau Ceti has no bearing on-
PENDLETON: Wied,
you know damn well who you’re in bed with; if you thought any different, you’d
be somewhere in the Rim right now, or kicking it back on some Murasaki
purseworld.
WIED: I remained
loyal to the only government I considered worth following-
PENDLETON: I
know, and I’m trying to help you preserve what you have on Tau! And thinking I
have any say in what goes in U-Ess military policy... that’s naïve in the
extreme. Come on, Foreman, you know what these army sluggerheads are like.
You can’t stop the ball rolling on these things.
WIED: You’re
seriously suggesting your Admiral wouldn’t roll in and snatch all our worlds
away from us if given the chance?
PENDLETON: I know
he’d much rather be fighting the Murasaks or those assholes in the Directorate.
We don’t have to be at war. We shouldn’t be.
WIED: And since
we ‘can’t stop the ball rolling,’ what would you suggest we do?
PENDLETON: Raise
a shitstorm. You’re still coasting on the election; make some speeches, leak
what’s going on to your press. Turn public opinion against militarization, show
them what’s going on in the Rim, remind them what happened after the Cannon.
WIED: You know I
can’t come out publicly against Bridgehead. That’s political suicide.
PENDLETON: Well,
you’re a politician, aren’t you? You don’t have to even mention them; be vague.
Say that we, uh, “we have to show unity and a firm belief that peace with our
neighbors can be achieved in our lifetimes, and that we must be vigilant
against those would bring war to our worlds,” or something like that. You have
speechwriters, right? Don’t try to tell me you came up with that victory speech
yourself? “The fractured soul of humanity can be...” what’d you say...
“reconstructed with hope?”
WIED: It was... a collaborative effort.
But what you’re saying... it’s all make-believe. It is not how things are done
in the Colonies. I do not presume to tell Magistrate de Caus or Marshall Tjallingii
how to run their planets, and they would not presume to tell me how to run
mine. I can champion peace in Tau Ceti all I like, and the Maiden will applaud
me for it, and maybe even some of the other heads-of-state, but it will not
have the slightest effect on your confrontation with Bridgehead. Now, if you’ll
excuse me, I have other people to trade pleasantries with.
PENDLETON: ...of
course. Thank you for your time, Foreman-Elect.
(door opens,
shuts)
CAPTAIN MATHESON:
Hey, Pendleton... how’s it going? You bored yet? You don’t look so good, are
you okay? What’s wrong?
PENDLETON: ...I
think we’re going to war with the Maidenhead Colonies, Diego.
USM COMBAT
ARCHIVE
COMBAT LOG –
OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT
IDENT#
3850027845-2359
MISSION DESIGNATE
“82 ALPHA” – OPERATION WILDFIRE
THEATER: LUYTEN
726-8 c
MISSION TIME
04:06:10
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Wilco, Echo-Bravo, Banshee is on point.
CPL HIROSHI
WIEDEMAN, M-29854 MCC “GRABBER”: Relay four confirmed as receiving. Stay on
point and proceed on a zero-eight-niner from current heading, Banshee One.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Zero-eight-niner, confirmed. Turning right, over.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Banshee One, Tripper Four, over.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Go ahead, Tripper.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Have sighted Em-Fifty west of Position Six Grid
Two-Zero-Seven, uploading imms to TacNet. Should we proceed?
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Proceed with caution, and stay on course for
ar-vee-one-eight.
CPL HERBERT
SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: Man, these Colonials are spread pretty thin. This’ll
go down same as Obex, no sweat.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Advise to trim it, Gator Two. We’re pretty thin
ourselves out here. Just because nabbing one planet in this system was easy, doesn't mean the other one has to be, too... and besides, we lost people on Obex, too.
CPL HERBERT SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: Roger, Tripper Four. Foom! What was that?
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: That's Campy, lighting up one of the Em-Fifties. Nice shootin', Camp.
PFC ZOLTÁN CAMPBELL, M-37 "TRIPPER 4": Thanks, ma'am.
CPL FRANCIS KAKIZAKI, M-165 “SPACY 1”: Tripper Four, Second Column.
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Go ahead, Second.
CPL FRANCIS KAKIZAKI, M-165 “SPACY 1”: Are you meeting any resistance out there?
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Negative, over.
CPL HERBERT SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: Why the hell would they build all these em-ees and not even protect 'em?
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: They must have been built by the local militias, then left behind when they skipped town after the One-Tenth took Obex.
L/CPN KURT TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Most likely, Tripper Four. A lot of the 'fifties we're seeing down here look well-maintained, but we've yet to make a visual on a single sapper... they can't have been left out here for more than a week or so.
CPL HERBERT SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: How'd you figure, Cap?
L/CPN KURT TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: In an atmo this toxic, the Em-Fifties would need to be coated every month or lathed every couple of days to keep functioning.
PFC MATUS HEGEDÜS, M-106 “GATOR 3”: Imagine running around in this muck, sweating your balls off lathing a bunch of metal extractors so some trade guild bigwig on Epsilon can buy cheap metal.
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Gettin' some moving blips on-screen. Grabber, what is em-e-you at... oh-two-two-four by four-six-seven-oh or thereabouts, over?
CPL HERBERT SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: Roger, Tripper Four. Foom! What was that?
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: That's Campy, lighting up one of the Em-Fifties. Nice shootin', Camp.
PFC ZOLTÁN CAMPBELL, M-37 "TRIPPER 4": Thanks, ma'am.
CPL FRANCIS KAKIZAKI, M-165 “SPACY 1”: Tripper Four, Second Column.
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Go ahead, Second.
CPL FRANCIS KAKIZAKI, M-165 “SPACY 1”: Are you meeting any resistance out there?
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Negative, over.
CPL HERBERT SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: Why the hell would they build all these em-ees and not even protect 'em?
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: They must have been built by the local militias, then left behind when they skipped town after the One-Tenth took Obex.
L/CPN KURT TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Most likely, Tripper Four. A lot of the 'fifties we're seeing down here look well-maintained, but we've yet to make a visual on a single sapper... they can't have been left out here for more than a week or so.
CPL HERBERT SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: How'd you figure, Cap?
L/CPN KURT TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: In an atmo this toxic, the Em-Fifties would need to be coated every month or lathed every couple of days to keep functioning.
PFC MATUS HEGEDÜS, M-106 “GATOR 3”: Imagine running around in this muck, sweating your balls off lathing a bunch of metal extractors so some trade guild bigwig on Epsilon can buy cheap metal.
L/CPL CHRISTINE MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Gettin' some moving blips on-screen. Grabber, what is em-e-you at... oh-two-two-four by four-six-seven-oh or thereabouts, over?
CPL HIROSHI
WIEDEMAN, M-29854 MCC “GRABBER”: Uh, sensor relay reads as... “unidentified
object,” over.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Figures.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: E-you pegged. Blip shift consistent with holding
pattern for see-ay in mind-nano, most-like an Em-One-Oh-Five, over.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Got it. Yeah, I see him... wait, I got another...
nuts, it’s an em-see-see!
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Confirmed. Stay on-site and wait for the heavies,
over.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Copy, Banshee One... gah. Taking fire, over.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Well, don’t ping him too hard, Tripper, or he’ll go
cold-fusion on your ass.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Son-of-a...
CPL FRANCIS
KAKIZAKI, M-165 “SPACY 1”: Tripper Four, this is Second Column, we are inbound,
over.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: Negative, Second, we are in tight with an
em-see-see, and... goddamnit, Gator, hold your fire! That’s a mini-nuke on its
back!
CPL HERBERT
SHISHKIN, M-106 “GATOR 2”: What? What was that, Tripper Four, I didn’t copy.
L/CPL CHRISTINE
MAZIBUKO, M-37 “TRIPPER 4”: I said-
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Grabber, Banshee One. What the hell was that?
CPL HIROSHI
WIEDEMAN, M-29854 MCC “GRABBER”: Tee-en-ee, Banshee One. That was an em-see-see
going up.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Holy cow. What’s our board?
CPL HIROSHI
WIEDEMAN, M-29854 MCC “GRABBER”: I count six, that’s zero-six friendlies east
of Grid Two-Zero-Seven. Looks like you’re on your own, Banshee One. Over.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Orders?
CMDR MARION YANG,
M-29854 MCC “GRABBER”: Banshee One, this is Grabber actual.
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Copy, Grabber actual.
CMDR MARION YANG,
M-29854 MCC “GRABBER”: You are to proceed north to the blast site and clear all
enemy contacts off our board, with the Em-One-Oh-Five you eye-deed
earlier considered the high-priority target. Is that understood?
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Roger that, Grabber. Proceeding.
CPL PHIL KAUF, M-119
“BANSHEE 1”: Sir?
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: Corporal?
CPL PHIL KAUF, M-119
“BANSHEE 1”: We’re to proceed north without backup?
L/CPN KURT
TRÄSCH, M-119 “BANSHEE 1”: We won’t be needing no backup. That was the
em-see-see going up, taking the factories with it; you might as well crack open
the bubbly. This solar system belongs to the United Systems Military now.
