WCGW Chpt 105

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==Chapter 105 - What Could Go Wrong==
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12 September 3042
Inner End (Federated Commonwealth)
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Their "new" Star Lord Class Jumpship arrived at the Nadir Jump Point carrying four Seeker Troop Carrier Dropships that each carried four Battlemechs. While the Star Lord was over 180 years old, she had just completed a major refit at Universal Air's shipyards and was for all intents and purpose, new. Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Campbell and Chief Warrant Officer Vincent Zuniga took possession of the ships gladly. The four Seeker Dropships were brand new, fresh from Layover where they had been built by Salvatore Incorporated. Also carried by the Star Lord was a AFFC Mammoth Cargo Dropship carrying special recovery equipment to lift the Lion Dropship that was still laying on it's side at the Space Port. 
Aboard the Intrusive, Intruder Assault Dropship, First Lieutenant Nathan Davis, S2 Intel, was briefing Colonel David Mitchell and the units primary commanders on what he had discovered after hours studying the navigation records of the Merchant Jumpships seized from the pirates.
"For that General pirate group, examining their Merchant Class Jumpship records revealed he was mainly telling the truth. I also compared his ships main jump records with those from the other Merchant. I think I have pinned down where that big pirate group is calling home. Most of the jump records indicate an average of 1-2 weeks between jumps, using the coordinates, which I entered into our own Star Map, I know exactly where both ships have been going and for how long. General guy was based on Onverwacht, we got the name during interrogation, so that matches the records. I can tell from the coordinates what we can consider raids on inhabited systems. With lengthy stays in Onverwacht between raids. But every 2 years or so, they would make a trip to this system, Wokha, and stay for 3-4 months before returning to Onverwacht.
That second pirate group did the same thing, a 3-4 month stay at Wokha. We know that big pirate group has a functional Olympus Recharge Station, and they told us that that is where they go for maintenance. I verified the time frame with Colonel Campbell and Chief Zuniga and they confirm that the time frames are about right for a maintenance run. Plus, Wokha also fits the reported jump distances from both pirate groups. I am 95% sure that we have their main base of operations pin pointed. Going by both groups debrief on their reported size, they have more firepower than we have. I have only rough numbers for them anyway, nothing concrete and it is all in the briefing folders you each have. But the best news is Wokha is on our list of high value targets to search, we just have to defeat the pirates first." First Lieutenant Nathan Davis said.
"Excellent work, Davis. Chief Caldwell, where are we in regards to supply?" Colonel Mitchell asked
"We are fully stocked for a multi month deployment. Roughly 300 tons of various ammunition for those vehicles that use them. Repair parts and replacement armor is fully stocked and ready to load into shipping containers. All requested equipment has arrived and can be loaded on your orders. Instead of 12 Drillsons we requested, that damned Mammoth had 37 of them. Some are banged up pretty good. We do not have enough crews for all of them anyway." Chief Warrant Officer Harry Caldwell replied
"Very good. Colonel Dortman are you comfortable with a deployment yet?" Colonel Mitchell asked
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Dortman, S3 Operations, replied "We can always use extra training time, I would like at least one more run at the Kilbourne DMM with our new equipment before setting off. Those Drillsons are brand new to the Armor troops and those new Phoenix Hawks are totally different than what the Mech pilots are used to. If we are going to head right out and butt heads with that large pirate group, we need to make sure everyone is comfortable with their new equipment. If we are going to hit the bases of those previous pirate groups first, I am comfortable with a deployment on your orders."
"I was promised some serious help with that large pirate group, so I plan to ask for it. If that help wants to handle the pirate group on their own, all the better. We will depart October 15, targets will be both already identified pirate bases. Those slaves have waited long enough for their freedom. Colonel Dortman, run two more exercises with the Kilbourne DMM. First one, we run with the new equipment as the previous exercises. The second one, we are going to try it with the adjusted formations we have been working on. We shall see how that works out. We have a ton of work to complete before we depart. I want everything rechecked. Start packing what is going that we do not need immediate access to and get it loaded aboard the Mule Cargo Dropship. The Mammoth is for what we find, minimum gets loaded there. I want both exercises completed by 1 October, that will give us about 2 weeks of maintenance before we do the final load up and depart. So lets get to it." Colonel Mitchell said
When everyone had left, he sat down and wrote out a message slip before walking to the next converted Infantry bay, which had been given to the MI3 folks and their uber secret communication device. After verifying who was at the always locked door, it opened and he was allowed inside. "I need this sent to the First Prince."
Taking the message slip, the MI3 operator pulled out a small keyboard and started typing out the message. It did not take long and he hit send. "Message away. Going to be a few days before we get a reply."
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To: First Prince Hanse Davion
From: Colonel Mitchell, SaRI
Location of special place 95% sure. Coordinates 751.776:167.106, system name is Wokha. Expect your help removing the vermin occupying as promised. Departing 15 October for next operation. Hitting first pirate closest to our location. Send help ETA at destination and we will link up using our routing method.
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105