WS Chpt 33

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==Chapter 33 - This is the Way the World Ends - Wolf Skinners (3024)==
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Ar-Rabigh
Astrokaszy
29th August, 3024
1200-1330 Local Time
Lunch at the fortress was much less formal than dinner had been, but a step up from breakfast. The Heir entertained the Renzis and the Wolf Skinner's officers in a side room, while the Emir invited Major Skinner to dine with him in his private office.
For his part, the Heir outlined the proposed operation to liberate slaves from Mazrea. Essentially, Rabigh would make a demonstration at the Al Seddah oasis while forces from the Wolf Skinners and Renegades raided Mazrea's fields, spiriting away as many slaves as possible. Aliyah ar-Rabigh would, of course, be along to facilitate their rescue. Retrograde from Mazrea would be to the north, and circle around to Rabigh, so the rescued slaves wouldn't be a burden on the raiding units.
For his part, Renzi demurred, saying he'd need to discuss it with his unit before committing, but he liked the idea. Captain Harris similarly declined to commit. The Heir took both responses in good humor, saying he understood the need to consult "the people".
A rather different discussion was taking place in the Emir's private office. Major Skinner was mortified by the extent of the Emir's knowledge of the Outlying Landing Field, not least when the old man noted Skinner shared a name with the last commander of the facility. The Emir also noted with some amusement that it was clear Renzi was completely in the dark. Skinner's fumbling explanation about "not wanting to put temptation in Renzi's way" drew a sympathetic smile. The most shocking revelation, however, was the Emir stating he was in possession of a certain Sabre engine, along with the extensive list of the defects that had led to its removal from the air frame and subsequent abandonment when the SLDF withdrew from Astrokaszy after the Reunification War.
Recovering himself from slack-jawed amazement, Skinner said, "So... what do you want?"
The Emir chuckled and replied, "To be Caliph, of course, but that's rather beyond the scope of our discussion. You have an air frame and a pilot. I have an engine, and knowledge of the sadly decayed orbital assets left by the Star League centuries ago. You and I both know it will take some time to do anything with our mutual assets once we agree to terms. So in the interim, my son is proposing an operation to liberate slaves from Mazrea. Young Aliyah reports many of them are my people, and I want them back. You and Captain Renzi are free to keep whatever else you can carry away."
"That... sounds reasonable enough. I'll need to talk this over with my unit, and it will take time to repair our Marauder. But I think we can agree in principle that working together will be to our mutual benefit. As I'm sure Aliyah told you, I'm rather anxious to see Commander Fury on her way."
"Yes, but her man is your pilot. And, of course, DropShips don't stop regularly here. That's one of the reasons I'd like to get a satellite repaired. And to be clear, I'm no more interested in seeing Lord Marik's troops pay a visit than you are, Skinner of Wolves. So let us defer discussion of Commander Fury."
"That's fair. I can at least tell her I tried. Now, what about Aliyah? I was hoping to leave her with you..."
"Obviously, she will need to be with you for the raid. Assuming it's successful and she survives, I will see to her training here. I will send you sufficient food to see to her needs, and it won't be more long abandoned Star League fare. I do ask that you show her the Landing Field. I've heard it's quite a sight."
"That it is. Given your extensive knowledge of it already, my only hesitation is revealing our current security arrangements."
"No need to share those with her. I would simply like an independent assessment of its remaining capabilities. I will instruct her not to mention it in front of Captain Renzi."
Other details were worked out in both meetings, and by mid-afternoon everyone was back at the laager. The Renzis made several purchases in the bazaar before the merchants packed up sometime after sunset. As before, the laager was secured by rotating patrols under the watchful eyes of the locals in the ruined control tower.
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30th August, 3024
0600-2200 Local Time 
The next morning, the Heir came out to the laager to bid farewell. Aliyah looked ready to burst with pride wearing a newly minted red sash denoting her service to Rabigh. More importantly, the Heir delivered the HF frequencies and ciphers to contact Rabigh to arrange the next meeting. The Major elected to ride back in the BMRV instead of the APC and had Warrants Cushman and Cantrell accompany him. Cantrell gave Master Truck, Sergeant Blu and Corporal Miranda (the gunner) the usual security briefing regarding the conversations to be had in the back row of seats.
Fortunately, the return journey was as uneventful as the one to Rabigh, with the Renzis bidding farewell at the usual coordinates. It was after dark when the Wolf Skinners' convoy rolled back into the bivouac.
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Wolf Skinner bivouac around WSDS Mondez's impact site
31th August, 3024
0900 Local Time
The Major climbed up on a stack of boxes in front of the Landing Craft to address most of the unit (less those at the OLF or on perimeter watch). The assembly quickly quieted down.
"Team, first I want to thank every one of you for the efforts over the last weeks. It hasn't been easy, but we're in a much better place than we were when we landed. We can all sleep easier, or at least cooler..." A low cheer interrupted him, but the Major plowed on, "...and even our crops are starting to sprout. The expedition to Rabigh was more successful than anyone could have dreamed. My brother's Marauder should be a full up round within the week. And our hosts made us a very tempting offer. Rabigh's Emir told me he has the engine for the hangar queen at the OLF."
Skinner paused and let the hubbub die down before continuing. "He said the Star League left it behind because it was a factory defect, but seemed confident it worked, at least in some ways. To get that trade on the table though, he also asked for our help with an operation to hit the bandits. He also asked Renzi's crew to take part, and I imagine he's having a similar conversation with his unit."
"The proposed op will involve Rabigh drawing most of the bandits away to an objective on the other side of their settlement while we liberate as many slaves from their fields as we can. Young Aliyah here will do all the necessary talking to get them aboard transport. We're then to deliver the freed personnel to Rabigh, as it appears most of them are former residents of that settlement. This operation carries multiple risks: combat with whatever the bandits leave behind, potentially being tracked back by the bandits when they finish with Rabigh, and others. We can mitigate the first by ensuring we take enough firepower with us. The second, by circling around wide and returning here via Rabigh."
"Now, with regard to other rewards, I'm sure those who made the trip have shared some of the candy and booze they picked up by now. Fresh food is absolutely part of the exchange, as well as longer range cooperation to eventually get us off Astrokaszy. DropShips don't stop here regularly, and the Emir hopes getting the hangar queen flying will enable some satellite maintenance that'll make it easier to detect AND communicate with ships coming to the planet. That's quite a ways down the road, but I think it's worth it. That said, I won't commit to anything this big without a majority of the unit agreeing. Talk it over amongst yourselves and cast your votes up the chain of command by sunset. I'll ask Commander Fury to come to me directly with her and Lieutenant Jackson's input, which will be advisory. Any questions before I head to the OLF to make the same pitch to those there?"
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"Major Skinner, I do have an question. Are we going to have to do an infantry assault to annex their slaves? And what are we keeping for any Ace in the Hole for Protection?" ask Smoke.
"I'm just trying to make sure we aren't going to end up in a Bad Box."
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0903 Local Time
"Good question, Smoke! From what Commander Fury and Lieutenant Jackson have told us, the 'mechs should be able to scare off most of the guards in the fields, especially if Bianchi is looking their way!" the Major replied. After the chuckling in the crowd died down, he added, "And I expect any that don't run will be quickly put down with precise weapon fire."
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"Sir, not doubting the plan, and yes guards will be bulldoze by Mechs, but we will need advance knowledge of any hard points they can fall back to. Kat loves to go hunting for them," say Smoke.
"But not sure those we are rescuing will not also be bulldoze by our mechs."
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0903 Local Time
"We don't believe there are any hard points out in the fields, and we were asked specifically to avoid going into the settlement itself." the Major said.
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SSGT Kane, or Sweep, coughs and offers a lopsided grin. 
"So, we do this operation, and it makes appreciable progress towards us gettin' off this rock?" he asks rhetorically in his lazy drawl. "That sounds like a win-win to me." He shrugs dramatically, "How much conversatin' do we really need to do about it?"
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0905 Local Time
The Major chuckled and said, "If there aren't any other questions, I'll be heading to the OLF to brief the other half of the unit and deliver the repair parts for the Marauder."
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Looking around for Lt. Ramjet and my Tech Sam Horn.
after catching up with them but
"Guys should we pitch the changes to Kat to Major Skinner", is Smoke still clutching the "Design Spec" on the scrap paper. "I promise not to mention the more interesting ideas I had."
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"Sir, are we going to rethink our security arrangements?" asks 3D.
"I believe we assumed no one on planet knew about the OLF and we've relied on that for defense. Now that we know people have been aware of it, should we harden it up?"
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0907 Local Time
"That's a good point, 3D, but I don't believe Rabigh is a threat to us. If they were, I think they would have already hit us. And in a way, we ARE beefing up security... getting the Marauder back on line will be a significant boost on that score." the Major replied.
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"I'm only mildly concerned with Rabigh, as he wants something from us. But if Rabigh knows about the OLF, then there are others who know and may just be waiting for a chance to cause us trouble. It's 30 odd minutes for our fastest mechs to get from here to the OLF, 45 minutes or so for everything else. It maybe even longer if the whole command goes on a mission."
"Just wanted to point it out, sir, thank you."
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0908 Local Time
"It's a fair point, 3D. Most importantly, it seems the bandits don't know, and neither do the neighbors. Keeping the bandits off balance and the neighbors on side is all the more important. We'll certainly be leaving a guard force here and the door to the OLF shut. Captain Harris will work out the details while I'm at the OLF," the Major replied. As he was speaking, a trooper emerged from the Doc's hover beast with data pad in hand and made her way to the front of the crowd. The Major nodded as he accepted the pad and read it quickly.
"The neighbors are in on the mission!" he announced. Scrolling through the pad, he continued, "The good Captain will be bringing himself, his wife, their Partyback and their Packrat to help with the rescues."
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"Major Skinner", says Smoke, "could I have a moment of your time. I know we are going to be rebuilding the Marauder back at the OLF. We", pointing to my Tech Sam Horn and hopefully Lt. Ramjet, "have worked out some Mods to Kat and I am wondering if you could take a few minutes to look them over, and see if you are willing to let us try?"
And then start out by showing my design drawings.
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0910 Local Time
Sighing, the Major took Smoke's notes and motioned Warrant Cushman to join the small circle. Handing off the notes, he asked, "Harry, what do you think?"
The Warrant glanced at the papers and replied, "Sam ran this by me yesterday, sir. Lieutenant did some solid engineering, so we could make it happen in a couple of days if we throw enough manpower at it, three if only one team. It would simplify our logistics and free up the launcher and ammo as something to trade for things we need more. I recommend we do it."
Nodding, the Major said, "All right, load up the parts you need and bring two extra teams with us to the OLF." Turning to Smoke, he added, "You owe your Tech a drink, Smoke."
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"See Sam, they liked the idea." said Smoke. "I guess I owe you a drink, maybe we should have tried some of my other ideas"
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0912 Local Time
Grinning, Sam replied, "Did you pick up any of that date brandy or whatever they call it in, Rabigh? I keep hearing about how good it is..."
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Sweep heads for the 'Mech bay, his hand involuntarily clenching and unclenching as he makes his way there. His mind wanders to his machine, and he mentally runs through the checklist of what it needs to be mission ready. He's no longer a tech, but he'll never forget those skills.
A grin steals across his face as he completes the mental checklist and then starts to consider the ramifications of this mission. This could be a step towards home! he thinks, and the grin grows into a full smile. Yes, if they pull this off, things will start to look up!Written by Shark_bone
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0915 Local Time
Sweep arrived at the parking area for the unit's 'mechs at the bivouac. If one squinted, the parachutes rigged up as sunshades could almost be called a "bay"...
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"Don't worry Sam I got some good stuff," said Smoke.
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0913 Local Time
"Should I get my own cup, boss, or have you got one of those too?" Sam asked with a grin.
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Sweep ignores the ramshackle-ness of it all, seeing in his mind's eye a shrinking planet behind the rocket plume of their dropship lifting them back up into orbit, to get out of here.
He moves toward his 'Mech, intent on being as ready as he can be when the mission kicks off.
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"Okay Sam, I don't have any of the local stuff, didn't want to trust Kat unguard or what it might have in it," said Smoke. "But I do still have some of the good stuff we been saving, grab that cup of yours."
Breaks out the last bottle of Dragon Rage, he still has in Kat, and pours Sam and shot with a strong taste and a distinctive smell of smoky sweet potatoes.
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"Good Burn huh Sam" said Smoke.
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==Chapter Notes==
Primary chapters and narration are by main Author/GM, Daryk
Section spoken by Smoke was written by DOC_Agren
Section spoken by Lieutenant Ranjeet was written by SANSd20
Section spoken by Blu was written by truetanker
Section spoken by SSGT Demetrius "3D" Drakos was written by Deathstalker
Section spoken by Drew Kane, call sign "Sweep" was written by Shark_bone 
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