Obsidio
Page 25
MALIKOVA, Ella: Hey there, Blondie.
DONNELLY, Hanna: Hey hey.
GRANT, Kady: You call me Pinky, you start a blood feud.
MALIKOVA, Ella: :P
ZHUANG, Yulin has logged in.
MALIKOVA, Ella: Heyyyy, it’s Yuuuuulin Zhuang! Lord of Engineering, Slayer of Funny Noises in Engines, first of his name!
ZHUANG, Yulin: What?
MALIKOV, Nik: Try and ignore her. It’s what I do.
MASON, Ezra has logged in.
GRANT, Isaac has logged in.
McCALL, Winifred has logged in.
McCALL, Winifred: Everybody here?
GRANT, Isaac: All present and accounted for.
MALIKOV, Nik: And in some cases, a little bit punchy.
McCALL, Winifred: Well, keep a lid on it for five minutes. I’ve got assignments for you.
McCALL, Winifred: Kady will be working with AIDAN to get on top of our weapons system. It’s vital we have it in order before we reach Kerenza. Ella, I want you to help her. I’ve asked the doctors to review your treatment. I know the support you’re getting is far from optimal. We’ll do what we can to give you more stamina.
MALIKOVA, Ella: So many jokes, so little time.
GRANT, Isaac: I’m going to come over and take a look at your support machinery, Ella. I have some ideas.
GRANT, Kady: Dad, are you sure you should be moving around?
GRANT, Isaac: I have medical clearance.
MALIKOVA, Ella: So long as he’s careful, they said. He’s in here for checkups twice a day. Looks like ****. I will keep an eye on his tired, sorry *** for you.
GRANT, Isaac: Watch your language, young lady.
MALIKOVA, Ella: >_>
McCALL, Winifred: Hanna will be working with me on refining tactics, so the more you can all tell her about your capabilities, the better.
DONNELLY, Hanna: I will know all, I will see all.
McCALL, Winifred: Yulin, I want you to get properly acquainted with the main drives and the secondaries. Run your data past Isaac. BeiTech outnumbers and outguns us. The way I figure it, our only real chance is the element of surprise. To that end, the Mao will be running silent all the way into Kerenza. Without a drive signature or active transponder, they might not detect us until it’s too late. But when we reengage the engines on arrival, we’re going to need to maneuver fast and hard.
ZHUANG, Yulin: You’ll be surprised what we can get out of her.
McCALL, Winifred: We’re going to have to calculate our trajectory perfectly, since we run a risk of detection if we adjust course. Yuki’s working on the math now. Isaac, I know it’s not your forte, but if you can look over her calcs, that’d be appreciated.
GRANT, Isaac: Yes, ma’am.
McCALL, Winifred: Ezra, your goal is to get our pilots on the same page. We need you fighting as a unit, not fighting each other. Nik, Ezra has convinced me, against my better judgment, to allow you to fly as his gunner.
MALIKOV, Nik: Guess I can’t be worse than the last bunch, right?
DONNELLY, Hanna: Nik, waaaayyyy too soon.
MALIKOVA, Ella: He’s not with me. I don’t know who that guy is.
MASON, Ezra: With McCubbin and the others locked up, we’re going to be short on pilots no matter what. But I’d rather be short and know we can trust who we have.
McCALL, Winifred: Okay, here’s where we’re at, people: We’re less than a day away from Kerenza. We don’t know what we’re facing. But we know that taking the Magellan is the only chance for us and the WUC survivors on the ground.
McCALL, Winifred: You are my choices. We get one shot, and we’re not throwing it away. I’m not interested in seniority or rank, I’m just interested in finding the best people we have to get the job done. Recruit whoever you need to help you. Make this happen.
GRANT, Kady: Whooaaaa, hold on a sec.
GRANT, Kady: Captain?
McCALL, Winifred: Yes?
GRANT, Kady: Comms just intercepted a tightwave band out of the Kerenza Sector.
McCALL, Winifred: Status update from BeiTech? Do they mention the Magellan?
McCALL, Winifred: Grant?
GRANT, Kady: Sec, patching it through.
GRANT, Kady: Um.
GRANT, Kady: Holy ****.
GRANT, Kady: HOLY ****ING ****????
Mayday. Mayday.
Attention, Wallace Ulyanov Consortium.
Attention, Wallace Ulyanov Consortium.
The is Kerenza IV colony, designation WUC-C198(h), calling mayday on all WUC channels. Colony under hostile occupation by BeiTech Industries. Still WUC personnel alive down here. Families. Children. Need help, and need it now.
Mayday. Mayday.
Please respond with channel ident and instructions, WUC.
Anyone, please respond.
MAO ONLINE MEETING SPACE
Proudly hosted by Wallace Ulyanov Consortium VirtuMeet™ Software
MEETING ROOM created
PASSWORD PROTECTED
INCEPT: 10:12, 09/04/75
McCALL, Winifred: ****!!
MALIKOVA, Ella: MIGHTY ****ING ********S
MALIKOV, Nik: HOLY ****ING **** **** ****
MASON, Ezra: ****ING HELL???
DONNELLY, Hanna: OMI****INGGOD
ZHUANG, Yulin: ***********!?!??
GRANT, Isaac: People! LANGUAGE!
KERENZA DAILY MEMO
INSURGENCY CRACKDOWN
Be advised that at or around 23:00 on 09/01/75 a 21.7kg supply of Thermex was stolen from BeiTech stores. The instigators may have used the simultaneous attack on the wind turbines at the power plant as a planned distraction.
Apprehension of local insurgents is now our second priority, behind restoring full capabilities to the Magellan’s jump drive, which will allow us to resume travel to and from this sector and, more important, reinforce the current beachhead.
Report all information and suspicions to your superiors immediately, no matter how trivial they may appear. Make it known to any local contacts you may have cultivated that a reward will be considered for information leading to apprehension.
As repairs on the Magellan approach completion, it is vital that we maintain vigilance. We are not off this planet yet, and we cannot afford to relax our guard until we are all back in the Jia system. As such, I will be personally overseeing this investigation.
In Aeternum Invicti.
Sūn Huojin
Admiral, BeiTech Industries Orbital Corps
Commander, BT013-TN Churchill, Assault Fleet Kerenza
KERENZA DAILY MEMO
KENYATTA TO BE SCUTTLED
[CLICK HERE TO EXPAND]
Hermium mine quotas have been exceeded for the fourth straight month, and repair crews are almost finished rebuilding the jump gate generator aboard the Magellan.
In preparation for departure, the derelict Kenyatta, which is caught in a decaying orbit around Kerenza IV, is scheduled to be scuttled at…
KERENZA DAILY MEMO
PROMOTIONS
[CLICK HERE TO EXPAND]
Congratulations to the following recipients of field promotions:
Ward, Casey: Squad Leader
Finger, Lissa: Sergeant
Breakey, Aneka: Corporal
KERENZA DAILY MEMO
COMMENDATIONS
Charlie Squad is commended for beating projections on hermium production by 6 percent over the last two weeks.
Charlie Squad will receive first access to a collection of sims recently located during a search of ruins in Delta Sector. These sims include several action series, as well as an extensive Elizabeth Andretti collection.
To place your squad on the waiting list for the new sims, click here.
Attention, Kerenza IV colony.
This is a WUC/UTA vessel.
We are transmitting channel ident details and latest security codes.
Also transmitting list of 50 Kerenza surv
ivors rescued by our fleet. Provide questions for 1 of these people so we can verify our identities.
When confident we’re allies, provide IDs in return + list of available assets.
Attached:
Attention, WUC/UTA.
This is Kerenza IV colony.
We have selected Kady Grant from ur list. Pls answer the following:
What was above Kady’s bed?
How did Kady spend 3rd Saturday of every month?
Name of Kady’s sister?
Attention, Kerenza IV colony.
This is WUC/UTA.
1. Autographed poster 4 Super Turbo Awesome Team vs. Awesome Turbo Super Team.
2. Dbl feature movie nite.
3. Don’t have a sister.
Only 1 person who knew about movie night.
The person who went with me.
God, almost afraid 2 ask.
Asha, r u there?
Attention, WUC/UTA.
This is Kerenza IV colony.
OMG, KADY?
Attention, Kerenza IV colony.
This is WUC/UTA.
Can’t believe this! Here w dad & Ezra & HOLY **** UR ALIVE.
SO ****ING HAPPY.
Okay. Reunion has 2 wait. 0 time. Bad news: There’s no cavalry, just us. Heimdall wormhole permanently down. Have 2 seize Magellan 2 get back 2 Core.
Send us list of ur resources.
We’ll come back 2 u with plan.
Love u.
Attention, WUC/UTA.
This is Kerenza IV colony.
Love u back. Can’t believe u & E alive.
More than I hoped 4.
We v short on time here. Hope u not far away.
Attached list of resources.
Also list of insurgency members.
We also have 1 sympathizer inside BT.
Only reason we have comms to u.
BTW, if u have Martha or Stan Kowalska aboard, pls tell them I have their daughter Katya. Keeping her safe. Nothing gonna happen 2 her, I promise.
Attached:
Attention, Kerenza IV colony.
This is WUC/UTA.
Action plan attached.
OMG, tracked down Martha K and she lost her ****!
Used 2 share counseling sessions together. Thought she had 0 family left.
Okay, our tactician been burning on this 4 12 hrs. Attached is best chance at seizing Magellan and getting u ppl off surface alive.
Long shot. But only 1 we’ve got.
Attached:
Attention, WUC/UTA.
This is Kerenza IV colony.
Long shot? Always had a talent for understatement, K.
But 0 choice & 0 time. Will talk 2 my ppl and c what they say.
Love u.
INCEPT: 09/04/75 18:34
Joran KARALIS: all here?
Bruno WAY: ya
Joran KARALIS: …
Joran KARALIS: anyone else?
Joran KARALIS: where the hell is everyone?
Bruno WAY: I dunno. I’m pinging Ash and she’s showing busy?
Joran KARALIS: what about Steph?
Bruno WAY: no idea. Not like her to miss a meet?
Joran KARALIS: you hear about this thermex going missing?
Bruno WAY: Yeah. Troops everywhere up here. Breaking down doors and stuff. Between that and Steph’s bombs at the power plant, they’re really ****ed.
Joran KARALIS: Ash got the device planted in the array ok?
Bruno WAY: yeah
Bruno WAY: but she told me the fuel dump didn’t blow up like it was supposed to
Bruno WAY: She almost got cuaght
Bruno WAY: Where were u Joran
Joran KARALIS: I got held up.
Joran KARALIS: Couldn’t get ther ein time. too many patrols
Bruno WAY: really
Joran KARALIS: What the **** are you implying
Bruno WAY: I’m not implying anything, J.
Bruno WAY: Just saying Ash was in danger. If u couldn’t handle it, one of us could’ve done it
Joran KARALIS: listen, kid, I know you miss Jenn. I know it must be hard knowing she’s out there and you can’t get to her.
Joran KARALIS: but NOBODY wants off this rock more than me
Joran KARALIS: your girlfriend already got out. My family is still right here.
Joran KARALIS: I’m wrangling almost 300 resistance members down this ****ing hole
Joran KARALIS: and you’re wrangling your little plumber’s cart
Joran KARALIS: so do me a favor and don’t ****ing question me again, all right?
Bruno WAY: sure Joran
Bruno WAY: sorry
Joran KARALIS: ****, break is almost over
Joran KARALIS: where the **** is Steph
Bruno WAY: i dunno
Bruno WAY: Hope she’s ok?
Joran KARALIS: …
Joran KARALIS: I gotta go. we’re close to hitting quota, they riding us like *** mules
Joran KARALIS: hope someone hears that transmission. We don’t have much time left
Joran KARALIS: plan B is looking more likely by the minute
Bruno WAY: kinda scary, huh? feels like the end is close
Joran KARALIS: hope it doesn’t come to that. we’ll meet back here next break ok?
Bruno WAY: ok
Bruno WAY: keep your head down J
Footage commences at 19:37, taken from a security camera mounted outside the Kerenza geeball field. The night is freezing, snow blowing in from the north. But equipment is still being broken down and loaded onto shuttles; the mine is close to filling the refuel quota, and Magellan’s departure is imminent. The crews are jumpy, and everyone seems on high alert—after living through seven months of hell, nobody wants to buy it just a few days from withdrawal, and with the resistance now armed with a ****load of high explosives, the odds of cashing in right before the final bell have skyrocketed.
Lieutenant Jake Christie towers over the landing crews and soldiers around him, broad-shouldered, almost ready to muscle his way out of his own armor. His ident and rank is stenciled across the breastplate, along with his own personal declaration in neat letters:
I AM YOUR GOD NOW.
Steph Park’s half his size, her feet barely touching the ground as two hulking figures in full tac armor half lift, half drag her in front of him. She crumples to the icy ground, an involuntary gasp escaping her at the impact. She and her late husband, Hans Tarstad, used to come to the field to watch Gladiators and Renegades games. The high school teams put on a decent show.
Now she kneels, bruised and bloodied, where she once stood. Shivering uncontrollably. Her breath hanging white in the freezing night air. Her eyes are two dark shadows, dried blood crusted around her nose. Every movement is pained.
They found some of the stolen Thermex stashed under her workstation.
Some, but far from all.
Exactly where the rest can be found has been a topic of conversation between Park and a couple of BeiTech “arbitration specialists” these last few hours. She has failed to provide the answers they seek.
She looks up as Christie slowly drags off his helmet and stows it at the small of his back. Despite the cold, he wants her to see his eyes while he does this. Park takes it all in: the grim line of his mouth, the short salt-and-pepper hair, the tā-moko tattooed down the side of his face, framing his dark stare.
Christie shakes his head slow, like she�
�s disappointed him. “You want me to start shooting civilians till you tell me where the Thermex is? Is that the way we have to play?”
Her voice is a rasping ruin of what it once was, and she has to brace her knuckles against the ground to keep herself upright. “However many you kill,” she whispers, “we can kill more of you with the explosives. I’ll take the trade.”
He looks at her, and she stares back, each measuring the other. He scowls at what he finds. She didn’t crack under hours of torture, and she’s not going to crack now. This is a waste of time. Time he doesn’t have to spare. Troops are due to start pulling out tomorrow. If fireworks kick off between now and then…