Gilded Sands 03 — Count Down

COUNT DOWN was the third session of Gilded Sands, played on 10 September 2020. It was Dodeka Graft's second mission in the Gilded Sands campaign.

## Cast

* Iskra Garomedon, a brutal soldier. (she/her)
* Skoryy Feldspar, a struggling former mobster. (she/her)
* Zoya Gabbro, a smuggler in disguise. (she/her)
* Kladi Demos, an acquiescing commander. (they/them)
* TT, a quiet mechanic. (she/her)
* Zelenyy "Doc" Rust, an anxious foreman. (she/her)
* Biryuzovyy "Biryu" Rust, an impassive officer. (they/them)
* Zheltyy "Yeller" Rust, a braggart security aide. (they/them)
* Malinovyy "Hack" Rust, a cruel bully. (he/him)
* Dunyasha Sand, an appreciative benefactor. (she/her)
* Toporik Jet, a dispassionate mobster. (he/him)

## Mission Summary

### Briefing

The squad—sans Nandi—are called to another meeting, this time with Kladi Demos and TT. After a brief reminder of Dodeka Graft's technical status as contractors from Demos, TT takes over for a briefing on a job from Dunyasha Sand: steal a rocket from the scavengers Stervat Services that they are allegedly intending to launch into orbit. Due to Nadezhdan code of honour, she cannot directly engage them, and instructs Dodeka Graft to cause no non-combatant casualties, and to minimise damage to the facility if possible, and to absolutely not let themselves be traced back to Pesok Line.

### Legwork

Skoryy hits the streets in Pesok Station, and finds out that Stervat Services are associated with the Toporik Syndicate. Iskra and TT study some photos of the base they're about to infiltrate, and identify the specific use of each building on the map. Similarly, Zoya works with TT to figure out the purpose of their large satellite, fearing it might undermine a stealthy approach.

### Rising Action

Once Iskra, Skoryy, and Zoya are prepared, the three head off to Stervat Services' mountaintop headquarters with a plan: pose as freelance scavengers come to deliver the "broken down" One-Winged Hussar (with Iskra in it), and simply drive out of there with a truck when they're inside, using the Hussar as cover. They arrive to somewhat tense circumstances, being stopped by Biryu, accompanied by Yeller in an Alexei unit. Zoya and Skoryy (in a trucker getup and a full-body disguise, respectively) use some forged papers and leverage Zoya's experience as a smuggler, along with extra scrap and gifts as a bribe, to make it in the gate.

However, with some suspicion, Yeller keeps watch over them as they unload scrap for a while. Eventually, Skoryy and Zoya seize a good moment to dip inside the storage building. Zoya uses some high-grade lockpicking tools to get them through a door to the garage, where they find the truck with the scrap rocket on its bed, surrounded by engineers and workers.

Zoya produces an SMG and fires off some warning shots, while Skoryy lets the crew know Toporik Jet sends his regards, dispersing them in a panic and clearing the way to the truck.

### Climax

Skoryy and Zoya's disappearing act only works for so long, however; Yeller begins to grow suspicious at their absence. Just as they start to radio it in, Iskra pops out from the cockpit of the Hussar and fires a rocket launcher directly into their cockpit, killing them and destroying the Alexei.

Making good use of the distraction, Skoryy floors it in the truck and it comes crashing out of the gates to the garage, setting off some explosives she placed in the storage building to further ramp up the chaos. Meanwhile, Hack approaches the Hussar in a Boris unit—a deforestation mech refitted for cutting through metal—and delivers a glancing blow to the Hussar's legs as Iskra dodges out of the way using the Hussar's leg jets, and strikes back with her lance. Biryu's infantry team scramble to intercept the escapees, and Skoryy takes a bad wound in the ensuing gunfire.

Zoya leans out the window to return fire at the infantry team, only for an explosion from the Hussar's missiles to wipe them out of existence before she can even pull the trigger, and is hit with a load of shrapnel. Skoryy—in addition to being wounded—falls into a traumatic flashback, panicking as she remembers her escape from the Toporik Syndicate and the death of Ushel Indium. Zoya has to take the wheel as Skoryy can do nothing but floor the gas.

Iskra, meanwhile, decides to make her escape rather than stay and fight the Boris. She throws herself and the Hussar off the cliff, sliding down with its lance as leverage, and limping her way to the rendezvous point.

### Comedown

As the truck hurtles down the mountain road, and Zoya realises they're not going to be pursued, she takes Skoryy's place in the driver's seat, and drives the cargo safely to the rendezvous point. There they meet Dunyasha Sand in person, cheerful and happy to see them—although Zoya, fueled by adrenaline and concern for Skoryy, rushes to get her to safety before greeting her. While Skoryy is taken care of by a medical team, Zoya—still sprinkled with shrapnel—is taken aside by Dunyasha, who recognises her from her days in Peschinka Logistics. She tells her about her plans to make Aureate a better place for the people, and that the rocket they just stole is part of her plan to get the Toporik Syndicate out of the way so they can make that happen. Finally, Dunyasha hands Zoya an envelope with information to help point her towards whoever sold her out so many years ago.

### Post-Credits

Doc, head of Stervat Services, chews out Toporik Jet for not saving them in the skirmish. With the wave of a hand, Toporik has her killed, before offering Hack—the last remaining leader of Stervat Services—a job.

## Mechanical Notes

* Stervat Services is eliminated.
* Skoryy gains the scar *reckless*.
* Dunyasha Sand gifts Dodeka Graft a *Workshop* FOB upgrade.
* Dunyasha Sand gifts Iskra, Skoryy, and Zoya with clues regarding their individual drives, and they all tick their drive clocks.