Frontier 13 - A weekend off?
From the completely off-the-record and unofficial notes of Sergeant Staff-Sergeant Arius Numitor
Bastion Eos, 29th to 31st of May 240
It has been an odd day already. The gate had spooled down in the afternoon, while messages from the ICC came in. Some kind of emergency, travel restrictions, and all that. Nothing major, more an annoyance. Luckily all new arrivals planned for the day had arrived already, and Arius was helping some find their room assignments so they could settle in. Then came the Priority One message from Forward Operation Base Unicorn, situated to the east of Bastion Eos. They were under attack, and needed help.
The Quick Response Forces were activated, and shuttles made ready. The weather advisory suggested an ion storm, which would make flying... adventurous, but this was just the sort of thing that you had combat-trained pilots for. Normally Arius would be scrambling, but currently the Legio Rapax was on QRF so he could best help running pre-flight checks on the two armoured shuttles with the rest of the engineers who'd be staying put on the Bastion. Minutes later everybody was assembled including a whole slew of volunteers, and they piled into the readied shuttles. Altum was flashing his new tricked-out Molitor-pattern primary rifle "Hinc Versus Hostem", and Vitus gave him the thumbs up as Arius slid closed the armoured door.
As the shuttles roared off Arius had a twinge of 'I should be on there', but there was an advantage to rotating the units between various duties, to keep them fresh and alert. Besides, they'd ridden rescue to FOB's before, he trusted the others to handle this one. And he had plenty to do on the Bastion.
---------------------
"A weekend off? What am I supposed to do with that!?" Estella sounds incredulous, but rules were rules within the Departemento. It clearly stated that Legionairs with in excess of 300 days of outstanding leave had to take one mandatory weekend off per year. The policy had been introduced in 212, to much bemoaning among the work-a-holic veterans of the Legions, and amended in 214 that full units should not be all be given this weekend off at the same time. Something about the collateral damage that a bored group of Venators could inflict when not allowed to work.
She made the best of it, in her inimitable style. Only mildly violating the rules by occasionally 'just holding on' to weapons, and 'just happening to take a forest walk' on missions. That promised much for the mandatory team-building outing.
---------------------
Arius carefully put the battered combat shotguns into long term storage, honouring every scrape and dent upon them. Lira and Quintus had both been running the older Primitus-pattern Mk. VI as primary armaments, with some of Arius' modifications. Both weapons had served exceptionally well, registering the first Stalker kill and the first Juggernaut kill, having fought in the Battle for Eos, surviving the exodus from the Castellum and seeing action in clearing the Bastion. But both had been utterly worn out due to the sheer volume of shots fired, and even venerable weapons such as these would have to be retired. Still, Arius felt that these might actually end up in a museum some day so packed them up proper.
The search for a replacement had been long, especially with the supply lines to the Periphery being pretty strained, but then Arius had found a local foundry who was producing the new Spectrum-pattern assault rifles under license. Arius had modified these into what was known as the 'Scourge'-pattern, with shortened barrel, lightened frame and a folding stock - little less range but a lot less weight and a lot more stopping power. Venatores in general, and Lira in particular, favoured an aggressive up-close method of combat, so this would definitively serve in that capacity. Quintus' face lit up with a smile as Arius handed him his - he approved. And Lira would have hers as soon as she was back from engineering duties on board the Madayag.
Just as he finishes packing up, he hears approving harrumphs from Estella and Victus on seeing Quintus' new gun. He might need to order and modify a few more 'Scourge'-pattern assault rifles...
---------------------
About damned time. Sergeant-Major Tiberius Quartus had finally gotten promoted to the rank whose responsibilities he had been faithfully executing for nearly a year. A Captain. A Venator Officer. He'd earned it.
The surprise was that he had gotten a promotion, too. Staff-Sergeant Numitor now, and formal command of the 991st Legio Venatores. He’d expected neither anytime soon - not that they were unwelcome.
The Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department had shipped out approximately Twenty (20) Standard Celebratory Packs With Drinks & Snacks in order to commemorate this joyous occasion. Probably vintage from the Dugo Wars, almost 80 years earlier. Aged well, and still mostly tasty.
But during the party he is also starting to get his own ideas. He’d been doubtful about the path that CMXCI had been on for a while. With a new CO they could start considering questions such as heraldry, honorifica and - most importantly - renewed purpose. Something to discuss with the rest, as this is a decision to make as a group.
---------------------
“That is exactly what Mikhyl said.” Kat remarks, sitting back. Mikhyl and Arius exchange a fistbump across the table. She is trying to solve a thorny issue, and asking various people around her for advice. The small solid core of colonists still share a bond of trust that has helped them through more than one crisis. Hopefully this one, too.
And then it is on to the next issue. It is clear FoB Unicorn is being attacked by some kind of psychic entity, sent through a waygate. They are trying to use that waygate to frack with the primary gate at Bastion Eos, too, which explains why psychic phenomena are happening near both sites at the same time, and why it is bleeding through the psychic shield that normally protects the Bastion.
The tactic is not new. And the solution we used back then is still in storage...
A quick chat with Medea to make sure the idea is not utter shit, and then an hour to pull up the mission report, dig the three positioning nodes out of storage and pitch Lt. Stornikos the idea. He thanks Arius, and says he will take it from there. The CiC plans a series of operations and briefs the people on the FoB. Arius has one more part to play as he drops the nodes off at the FoB. Later that evening he hears that the plan is working, and they are locking down the location of the waygate.
Information is ammunition.
---------------------
AI. The reason Arius stocks a lot of EMP grenades. Using it in war is, to quote a wise man: “like beating mice to death with a rattlesnake”. The gathering of colonists, led by Governor-pro-tempore Zahra Faizan, is solumn and respectful, but resolute. No more.
IT is tasked to do its best to find out if the thing is really Natasha, the colonist we all thought had died a few weeks before. Others are going after the company that stole the tech responsible for this. And an arrest warrant for a certain Aquilan doctor that performed the procedure is already on its way to Accipiter.
Later, Arius rigs up a det-charge so the remnants can be destroyed if they are shown to be dangerous. Not a fun task, but a necessary one. Later, Arius learns that what was left of Natasha de-activated herself to prevent damage to the colony. He can only respect that. May be all have that resolve when faced with our end.
And now to finish the treat that AI’s pose so the focus can shift to the conflict with the aliens.
---------------------
It is Saturday night, and most things are winding down at the Bastion. In an hour, most will probably be relaxing and drinking in the common area or the plaza. And then Beacon flashes up with a Red-Con 1 - Readiness Condition One, suspected attack. Within minutes everybody is armed, alert and radioing to get confirmation. It turns out to be a comms-mishap. The ion storm interfered at a dramatic moment, and ‘beacon’ sounded like ‘ bastion’. The FoB is defending one of the locator beacons, and the enemy is not coming for the Bastion. Exemplary response, though. Clear that the regiment of firearms drills has had its effect on Bastion readiness.
Arius puts everything away again. He hurts. He has flown several shuttles and scout missions through the storm, and each and every one of them came home safe but he got jostled around good. Honestly, those safety harnesses and his ribs are not friends. Terentia and Pavel were already giving him the 'you again?' glance...
But that was the last of it, and they settle down for a game of cards. It is not a particularly sophisticated game. But it is good. Many join in, fun is had. Later that night it comes through that the enemy way gate was located and destroyed. They tried to capture it but the aliens left little time for a salvage op. Still, the problem is solved. Well done, FoB Unicorn!
---------------------
The new Voltium enhanced sensors seem to be working properly.
Out in the field, an enemy facility is detected, looking unfinished. Arius is part of the team that checks it out, landing safely now that the ion storm is dissipating. It appears unguarded, perhaps even abandoned. There are salvageable parts, so the engineers have at it. Afterwards, the rest is rigged up to detonate, and they all exfiltration safely. Mission well done.
---------------------
All clear. FoB Unicorn is secure, and everybody is coming back home safe. Not a bad weekend off.
Bastion Eos, 29th to 31st of May 240
It has been an odd day already. The gate had spooled down in the afternoon, while messages from the ICC came in. Some kind of emergency, travel restrictions, and all that. Nothing major, more an annoyance. Luckily all new arrivals planned for the day had arrived already, and Arius was helping some find their room assignments so they could settle in. Then came the Priority One message from Forward Operation Base Unicorn, situated to the east of Bastion Eos. They were under attack, and needed help.
The Quick Response Forces were activated, and shuttles made ready. The weather advisory suggested an ion storm, which would make flying... adventurous, but this was just the sort of thing that you had combat-trained pilots for. Normally Arius would be scrambling, but currently the Legio Rapax was on QRF so he could best help running pre-flight checks on the two armoured shuttles with the rest of the engineers who'd be staying put on the Bastion. Minutes later everybody was assembled including a whole slew of volunteers, and they piled into the readied shuttles. Altum was flashing his new tricked-out Molitor-pattern primary rifle "Hinc Versus Hostem", and Vitus gave him the thumbs up as Arius slid closed the armoured door.
As the shuttles roared off Arius had a twinge of 'I should be on there', but there was an advantage to rotating the units between various duties, to keep them fresh and alert. Besides, they'd ridden rescue to FOB's before, he trusted the others to handle this one. And he had plenty to do on the Bastion.
---------------------
"A weekend off? What am I supposed to do with that!?" Estella sounds incredulous, but rules were rules within the Departemento. It clearly stated that Legionairs with in excess of 300 days of outstanding leave had to take one mandatory weekend off per year. The policy had been introduced in 212, to much bemoaning among the work-a-holic veterans of the Legions, and amended in 214 that full units should not be all be given this weekend off at the same time. Something about the collateral damage that a bored group of Venators could inflict when not allowed to work.
She made the best of it, in her inimitable style. Only mildly violating the rules by occasionally 'just holding on' to weapons, and 'just happening to take a forest walk' on missions. That promised much for the mandatory team-building outing.
---------------------
Arius carefully put the battered combat shotguns into long term storage, honouring every scrape and dent upon them. Lira and Quintus had both been running the older Primitus-pattern Mk. VI as primary armaments, with some of Arius' modifications. Both weapons had served exceptionally well, registering the first Stalker kill and the first Juggernaut kill, having fought in the Battle for Eos, surviving the exodus from the Castellum and seeing action in clearing the Bastion. But both had been utterly worn out due to the sheer volume of shots fired, and even venerable weapons such as these would have to be retired. Still, Arius felt that these might actually end up in a museum some day so packed them up proper.
The search for a replacement had been long, especially with the supply lines to the Periphery being pretty strained, but then Arius had found a local foundry who was producing the new Spectrum-pattern assault rifles under license. Arius had modified these into what was known as the 'Scourge'-pattern, with shortened barrel, lightened frame and a folding stock - little less range but a lot less weight and a lot more stopping power. Venatores in general, and Lira in particular, favoured an aggressive up-close method of combat, so this would definitively serve in that capacity. Quintus' face lit up with a smile as Arius handed him his - he approved. And Lira would have hers as soon as she was back from engineering duties on board the Madayag.
Just as he finishes packing up, he hears approving harrumphs from Estella and Victus on seeing Quintus' new gun. He might need to order and modify a few more 'Scourge'-pattern assault rifles...
---------------------
About damned time. Sergeant-Major Tiberius Quartus had finally gotten promoted to the rank whose responsibilities he had been faithfully executing for nearly a year. A Captain. A Venator Officer. He'd earned it.
The surprise was that he had gotten a promotion, too. Staff-Sergeant Numitor now, and formal command of the 991st Legio Venatores. He’d expected neither anytime soon - not that they were unwelcome.
The Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department had shipped out approximately Twenty (20) Standard Celebratory Packs With Drinks & Snacks in order to commemorate this joyous occasion. Probably vintage from the Dugo Wars, almost 80 years earlier. Aged well, and still mostly tasty.
But during the party he is also starting to get his own ideas. He’d been doubtful about the path that CMXCI had been on for a while. With a new CO they could start considering questions such as heraldry, honorifica and - most importantly - renewed purpose. Something to discuss with the rest, as this is a decision to make as a group.
---------------------
“That is exactly what Mikhyl said.” Kat remarks, sitting back. Mikhyl and Arius exchange a fistbump across the table. She is trying to solve a thorny issue, and asking various people around her for advice. The small solid core of colonists still share a bond of trust that has helped them through more than one crisis. Hopefully this one, too.
And then it is on to the next issue. It is clear FoB Unicorn is being attacked by some kind of psychic entity, sent through a waygate. They are trying to use that waygate to frack with the primary gate at Bastion Eos, too, which explains why psychic phenomena are happening near both sites at the same time, and why it is bleeding through the psychic shield that normally protects the Bastion.
The tactic is not new. And the solution we used back then is still in storage...
A quick chat with Medea to make sure the idea is not utter shit, and then an hour to pull up the mission report, dig the three positioning nodes out of storage and pitch Lt. Stornikos the idea. He thanks Arius, and says he will take it from there. The CiC plans a series of operations and briefs the people on the FoB. Arius has one more part to play as he drops the nodes off at the FoB. Later that evening he hears that the plan is working, and they are locking down the location of the waygate.
Information is ammunition.
---------------------
AI. The reason Arius stocks a lot of EMP grenades. Using it in war is, to quote a wise man: “like beating mice to death with a rattlesnake”. The gathering of colonists, led by Governor-pro-tempore Zahra Faizan, is solumn and respectful, but resolute. No more.
IT is tasked to do its best to find out if the thing is really Natasha, the colonist we all thought had died a few weeks before. Others are going after the company that stole the tech responsible for this. And an arrest warrant for a certain Aquilan doctor that performed the procedure is already on its way to Accipiter.
Later, Arius rigs up a det-charge so the remnants can be destroyed if they are shown to be dangerous. Not a fun task, but a necessary one. Later, Arius learns that what was left of Natasha de-activated herself to prevent damage to the colony. He can only respect that. May be all have that resolve when faced with our end.
And now to finish the treat that AI’s pose so the focus can shift to the conflict with the aliens.
---------------------
It is Saturday night, and most things are winding down at the Bastion. In an hour, most will probably be relaxing and drinking in the common area or the plaza. And then Beacon flashes up with a Red-Con 1 - Readiness Condition One, suspected attack. Within minutes everybody is armed, alert and radioing to get confirmation. It turns out to be a comms-mishap. The ion storm interfered at a dramatic moment, and ‘beacon’ sounded like ‘ bastion’. The FoB is defending one of the locator beacons, and the enemy is not coming for the Bastion. Exemplary response, though. Clear that the regiment of firearms drills has had its effect on Bastion readiness.
Arius puts everything away again. He hurts. He has flown several shuttles and scout missions through the storm, and each and every one of them came home safe but he got jostled around good. Honestly, those safety harnesses and his ribs are not friends. Terentia and Pavel were already giving him the 'you again?' glance...
But that was the last of it, and they settle down for a game of cards. It is not a particularly sophisticated game. But it is good. Many join in, fun is had. Later that night it comes through that the enemy way gate was located and destroyed. They tried to capture it but the aliens left little time for a salvage op. Still, the problem is solved. Well done, FoB Unicorn!
---------------------
The new Voltium enhanced sensors seem to be working properly.
Out in the field, an enemy facility is detected, looking unfinished. Arius is part of the team that checks it out, landing safely now that the ion storm is dissipating. It appears unguarded, perhaps even abandoned. There are salvageable parts, so the engineers have at it. Afterwards, the rest is rigged up to detonate, and they all exfiltration safely. Mission well done.
---------------------
All clear. FoB Unicorn is secure, and everybody is coming back home safe. Not a bad weekend off.