TOWN OF MILBRAIE, CONTESTED LAND
TAPANI SECTOR, CANTI SYSTEM, CANTI

Sixty men, and four tanks, and still the town didn't seem any safer. Most of the people had been forced out of their houses by the continuing battle between House Calipsa and House Reena; now they knew how the Freeworlds felt. Still, Malcolm kept the repeaterrifle aimed down the street. Since the InterGalactic Mining Core had assumed responsibility for the manufacturing of Dantooine weapons for their militia in terms of keeping them up-to-date, they had also taken the liberty of equipping some of those weapons to their own troops via the same manufacturing facilities. Now that the Outlying Shipping Corporation was beginning to crumble, and they were selling off their facilities, Malcolm couldn't help but think that this meant new contracts for the Shocktroops of the InterGalactic Mining Core.

Something ran across the street fast enough that it caught him by surprise. His men fanned out, pressing themselves against the walls as they tried to avoid detection; yet it was foolish for forty-eight men to try and hide. Foolish and nearly impossible. Malcolm stopped, dropping to one knee as he aimed the barrel down the street. Silence filled the street, the only sound audible being that of wind blowing between the buildings as it was funneled to the downtown core.

Added (21 Feb 2009, 1:05 Am)
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Malcolm's hand went up, closed fist as he indicated the two groups behind him and then jutted two fingers for the move-forward command. His own squad of four remained around him, each eying the street carefully for any sign of whomever had just ran across. Slowly, the procession of InterGalactic troops continued until they rounded the corner into the alley that the person had disappeared to. Then the next squad moved, until forty men were piled in the alley, the other twenty waiting in the street. The silence stretched on until his commlink was suddenly active; a voice speaking quickly.

"We have a problem lieutenant!"

Something exploded, the men flooded out of the alley and around the corners as they began to take cover, lancing shows of laser bolts flying out from the alley. Someone from Cassiopeia was unlucky enough to get hit by a stray bolt before rounding the corner, he fell to the ground dead with a burn mark in his chest, right through the plasteel armour he had been wearing. Malcolm cursed, his men moving behind speeders and walls to take cover, allowing for a tactical retreat.

The first group (Cassiopeia) made it back to the entrenched Belerephone with no problem, quickly taking positions behind the Belerephone group. It was when Carina tried to make their retreat that Malcolm caught a glimpse of what the enemy was. From within the alley a 1-H Imperial-class Repulsortank; far superior to the Calipsa RepulsorTanks that were currently being employed by the InterGalactic Mining Core. Carina managed to get ten men behind the barricade before the cannonade of fire from the tank began punishing the entrenched soldiers. Ten men died.

"Get on the comm and get McKale here now!" Why was it that he could never get through a shift without problems? If it wasn't a ration problem, it was a kit problem; if it wasn't a kit problem, it was a problem with orders. Malcolm aimed the rifle over the barricade he had taken for refuge and unleashed a swarm of blasterfire, knowing that it would do little to no harm to the massive juggernaut of a tank. As expected, the tank was unaffected; and closing. "It's going to force us back and away from our entrenchments; I want Cassiopeia to move back towards those houses," he pointed to a small grocery store two blocks back. The rounded portion of the grocery store would allow for easy firing placements for Cassiopeia as Belerephone and the remnants of Carina retreated. "and take up defensive positions. Carina is to follow. Afterwards, Belerephone[i] squad 4 is to move, then 3, then 2; squad 1 is going to draw the tanks attention down that alley," Malcolm pointed to an alley across the street, "while you mine the road to the grocery store understood? [i]Carina work with Pisces to make sure they don't roll over our mines." The Minefield that Malcolm was talking about was a carefully crafted mine that sensed pressure put on it by the Repulsors from the tank. When the variable shifted, the mine would shoot upwards into the often unprotected underside of the tank and explode.

Once again he leaned over the barricade, unleashing a stream of blasterfire; this time directed at the viewport of the tank. It was his hope to blind the driver momentarily as Cassiopeia made their retreat. In throngs of five the squads began to move off, leaving Belerephone alone to defend the tank as it approached unhindered.

When at last Belerephone squad 2 had left, the four men remaining with Malcolm broke into a run across the street; following of course by their leader. A lancing shot from the powerful cannon took out a portion of the wall, the resulting shock wave tossing Malcolm into the parallel building and knocking him off his feet for a moment. He could hear the powerful repulsors pushing down on the speeders as the tank made an ascent down the street. Running a bloody hand over his bloody face, Malcolm pushed himself to his knees, then slowly to his feet.

Added (21 Feb 2009, 1:05 Am)
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Pain mixed with adrenaline coursed through his body. He felt tired at the same time as angry, ready to fight an army while at the same time wanting to faint. He struggled on his feet, swaying from the force of the impact as he regained his balance. Then he was off at a run, running slower than he had been before as the pain throbbed in his head. His vision was already burring, making it difficult for him to see.

Once around the corner, Lieutenant Grey slumped against the wall, letting his body sag to the ground as he exhaled a sigh of relief. He could hear the lumbering tank trying to turn down the alley; a stupid move for something so big.

"Sir, I have a concussion missile launcher," one of his squad mates called, but Malcolm ignored the sentiment. The 1-H was a heavily armored vehicle, capable of withstanding the strongest of shots that infantry could throw at it. Still, if he could get a shot off on the underside, he might very well damage the craft enough to make it retreat.

"Try it soldier," Malcolm accepted, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to ignore the pain that was filling his head. He adjusted himself on the ground, ignoring the feeling of his spine as it cracked. The man peered around the corner, ducking back quick enough to avoid being detected by the gunner, then loaded his weapon. "Everyone clear away."

Malcolm scooted down the wall, far enough away that he was out of range of the sonic boom from the missile launcher. He glanced at his squad mate; watched as he peered around the corner for the last time. The gunner noticed him the second time, and that same powerful cannon took out the entirety of the wall where the soldier had been standing. He was incinerated almost instantly, his launcher falling to the ground in a heap of melted metal, useless now. Malcolm grunted, shards of durasteel flying at his head from the impact.

"Kriff kriff kriff," one of the other soldiers shouted, examining the gun with a sense of dread. Another soldier was throwing Malcolms arm around his neck, trying to get the Lieutenant to his feet and move him away.

"Time to move, time to move!"

The group moved off down the street, but with Malcolm in as bad a condition as he was, the four men hadn't made it very far by the time the tank emerged from the alley. It took a moment, but finally those powerful double cannons were aimed at the retreating soldiers; ready to destroy them. Malcolm looked over his shoulder, denoting the positioning of the cannons and closing his eyes to welcome death...

McKales tanks rounded the bend behind the tank; all five of the lighter RepulsorTanks simultaneously opening up on the heavier 1-H. The first two shots glanced off the heavy armour, but as the beating continued the 1-H was suddenly trapped between a target and an attacker began to cede to damage. She tried to maneuver enough to get a shot off against the smaller tanks, but the combined fire ripped through her before she could even adequately turn. The soldier who had been carrying Malcolm set him down, examining his wounds. For his part, Malcolm watched the fire fight as it ensued. He watched as debris flew from the 1-H tank as she was torn to pieces by repeated cannon fire from five smaller RepulsorTanks; watched as the fires consumed whomever was inside. The street itself had been devestated by the attack. Chunks of the roadway had been pulverized and the majority of the civilian craft along the road had been blown to smithereens.

~ This is McKale, did someone Order saving extra rare with a side order of nerf-bacon? ~

Malcolm smiled.

Added (04 Mar 2009, 11:48 Pm)
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TEMPORARY COMMAND BASE
MILBRAE, TOWN, CONTESTED LAND
TAPANI SECTOR, CANTI SYSTEM, CANTI

“Alright, well we have information that there is a large group of rebels moving through warehouse district alpha, in zone 4. We have been ordered to zone 3 for a temporary break and seize operation to try and find the plants for the 1-H tank that attacked us four days ago. Word has it that some of the rebels are holed up in the residences around the thirteenth and fourteenth floor. Because of this, the IMC has issued a statement that we are to use non-lethal force and assist the Calipsan authorities with tracking down the dissidents and arresting them. The plans in particular are what we are after here, is that understood? I don’t want another tank on these streets, and since we don’t really know whether they are operating from Aidensfield, Blackbury, Holby, or Upper Radstowe we can’t send in any seizure teams. I don’t have to tell you guys that we are going to be saving lives.” Malcolm glanced at the back of the room, frowning at the snoring figure of McKale. He glanced at a security officer in the front row, nodding his head for the man to speak.

“Why doesn’t the IMC just send forces to those towns and seize the production facilities?”

“Good question,” he tossed his datapad at the man, who managed to duck in time, “because we aren’t tyrants. The IMC is here in a peacekeeping mission at the behest and sponsorship of House Calipsa. Aidensfield and Blackbury are significantly larger than Milbrae, we lack sufficient resources to patrol and police the cities. Holby is a residential town, so the chances of them being there is low, and Upper Radstowe is on the waterfront, and as far as we know the main base of the insurgents. The point is, we lack significant resources and justification to take those towns.”

“Sorry I asked...”

Malcolm chuckled.

RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS
MILBRAE, TOWN, CONTESTED LAND
TAPANI SECTOR, CANTI SYSTEM, CANTI

~ I don’t have to tell you guys how dangerous this is ~

The comm. was silent for a little bit, then chuckles rang out from next to him. There were ten people with him today, which was half of Belerephone group, the other ten were providing sniper and scouting reports; feeding as much intelligence to the other men as they could.

~ Hacking door ~

Malcolm lined up on the right side of the door, pressing his back against the wall as one of his squad mates approached the door and knelt, carefully connecting his datapad to the terminal and beginning the program. Malcolm glanced down the street, signalling the other five men to move around to the front of the building and enter. It was probably being watched, but with only two exists, it was easy for someone to be foolish enough to attempt to run. A chirp interrupted his thought and he glanced at the door as it swung aside.

~ Red team entering ~ Malcolm pushed off from the wall, said “cut the lights,” and was inside the building. The hallway suddenly faded to black, and the HUD display began to feed night vision data to his visuals. He could faintly make out figures at the entrance, five of them in total.

~ Green team moving to stairs ~
~ Red team moving to rear stairs ~

The two teams broke off, one moving right the other going left, heading for the opposing stairs and clear the first floor. The secretary was already on her hands and knees, knowing that this was standard procedure from when Calipsan police officers came.

Added (04 Mar 2009, 11:48 Pm)
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They ascended the stairs, making their way to the third floor. Malcolm paused outside the hallway door, listening to the movement in the hallway while his comm. went off again.

~ Green team securing floor two ~

He reached for the door when a sudden blinding light flashed in his HUD display. Grunting with agony he quickly switched off night vision, the HUD displaying regular lighting which had returned to the building.

“Kriff, every single time they are one step ahead!” One of his soldiers hissed, but Malcolm ignored him and burst through the door into the hallway. Someone was stepping out from their room and became the accidental victim of the stun setting of his gun. The second man to come out was holding a blaster pistol; he too fell. Then the gun fight ensued.

~ Red team encountering hostiles ~
~ Green team enroute ~

Red bolts laced through the air as Malcolm booted in a door with a solid kick and too cover behind the frame. He leaned out enough to get off two shots from his rifle before having to take cover again. The stun setting had a limited range, and not surprisingly they weren’t having an effect on the moving assailants.

“Switch to bolts, low setting.” They would hurt, probably damage tissue, but careful precision would allow the person who was shot to survive. Malcolm leaned out, catching a rebel in the leg with his shot before several move beams forced him to take cover again, “nine hells, I can’t get a shot off!” One of his men ducked just as the red bolts flew past his head, his eyes wide in surprise. “Careful you fool!”

~ Green team engaging... enemies down, area clear! ~

Red team sprang forward, closing the distance to the apartment almost immediately. Four men piled into the room, quickly disarming one woman and another man before they could point their blasters. Calipsan soldiers were already marching up the stairs as the IMC soldiers quickly looked for the schematics. Nothing.

“We’ll take it from here.”

“Green and Red teams clear out,” Malcolm ordered, feeling less than happy that they hadn’t retrieved the plans. He moved out of the room, glancing over his shoulder as the Calipsan officer shoved the woman roughly to her feet. Then something dawned on him. The first man had come out without a gun... he thought. That meant the man was going somewhere, going straight... straight into...

Malcolms eyes shot to the door across the hallway and he booted it in. The oaken doors splintered and came apart, crumbling. He entered just in time to catch sight of a man putting his foot out the window; but a quick shot to his leg crippled him and he fell back into the apartment crying out in pain.

~ Red leader to Green leader, come around back and prepare for evac. I’m sending this one out the window before the Calipsans can get him ~

~ Copy ~

Malcolm seized the man roughly by his head and tossed him out the window; he screamed again, but fell into the safety net of the Green team that had already been positioned outside. He turned in time to catch the Calipsa officer staring at him.

“What was that?”

“I thought I saw a threat in this room. Turned out to be someone leaving through the window, my units are pursuing...”

“Negative, we have the assailants; others are not necessary. Thank you for your support soldier.” The two saluted, then the officer left.

“Some times... days just go right,” Malcolm smiled.