Mei Must Die Part 1

Mei Must Die Part 2 is the seventh session for The March of Profits, making it the seventh session of Ad Astra overall.

## Plot

After escaping Tango, the group flees back to The Hive, where they find Nero waiting for them. Nero has heard of their actions, and asks the Party if there's anything they need. Maius Wiks asks him to look into Mei Zhao and the Zhao Dynasty for them, and Nero agrees before heading out to meet with his Caders.

A few hours later, the Party heads to AMP to see if Mei needs anything. She replies that she will continue to help them, but they must continue to help her; she needs a package delivered. The Party agrees, and is informed Mei needs the package taken to Chor's Compass, and delivered to several Helix Force representatives at a discreet warehouse.

The group heads to the Compass, and takes the package (a large box) to the proper location, to find several Helix mercs waiting for them, along with a handful of Mei Zhao's people. Just as the delivery is about to be complete, Terran Federation police raid the warehouse, resulting in a four-way shootout: The Party vs. Helix Force vs. The Zhao Dynasty vs. the Federation. In the end, Mei's men are taken out by the Party, and Helix Force is taken out by the Federation. The Party promptly surrenders to the Federation, not particularly wanting to die.

The Party is arrested and brought to the same customs stations where they met Shan, and locked in the brig for about an hour, before they are approached by Lieutenant Dexton Hamad. Lt. Hamad informs the Party that they didn't actually do anything truly illegal, since there is no evidence they fired on Federation police (thus their actions could be written as self defense). He does fine them for weapons violations, then releases them.

Of course, they all have numerous questions for Mei regarding the Federation raid, but Mei assures them that it was not her who tipped off the Federation - there was a traitor in her ranks, no doubt; one who will be dealt with (assuming they weren't killed in the raid). Without giving much more time to ask questions, she gives them another task: delivering another crate to a apartment in The Southern Wards. The Party is hesitant, but Mei agrees to to answer all their questions and five them what they need to "get back" at Santiago if they comply.

The Party reluctantly heads to the destination, Wiks commenting that if Mei doesn't pay up, he'll personally put a bullet in her head. When they arrive, they find the apartment's occupants dead, and are ambushed by a team of Zhao Dynasty assassins.

The Party manages to fight off the assassins, then get a prerecorded message from Mei informing them they are no longer useful to her. Subsequently, a man in Battle Dress enters the apartment and attempts to kill the Party, but they manage to fight him off by lodging a grenade in his armour and shooting it.

Taking the damaged Battle Dress frame, the group heads to AMP, ready to kill Mei Zhao. However, they find it closed. They furthermore find Vi-Ka's drones across the street, "cleaning up" after a shootout at Tango. Finally, Nero approaches the Party, informing them his Caders have been tracking Mei as she attempts to flee to The Compass, lest her assassination attempt on the Party fail. Out of options, Wiks, Zavis, and Klux agree they need to speak with Santiago.