Asteroid Blues

If the last rehousing was a freight cruiser, this was like plunging through an ice covered lake in reverse. Dull numbness giving way to the sharp shock of bitter cold just before shattering through thick ice into the relative warmth of the chill air. The sensation left me pumped full of adrenaline, with the persistent urge to run, but with no direction to my panic. As the feeling faded, and my full faculties returned, was disturbed to find a part of my mind reaching out, trying to hold onto it for a little longer. Everyone who used the Cube tech knew frequent rehousing came with an inherent risk of addiction the more often it was used, and thinking back on my attack on the Rui Shi, I could not think of a reason why I had taken such a risky maneuver.

It was a thought I was unable to linger on. It appears Yu Jing's incursion into the Main Strip taking a heavy tole on the Mercenary controlled areas, and the gunfights were getting dangerously close to the district known as the Japanese Bottom, a residential hab for the workers of Novyy Bangkok. Yu Jing had increased its propaganda campaign of acting as Durian Inspectors in order to give themselves some deniablilty for their actions. In the face of this assault the Mercenary companies of Novyy Bangkok issued a declaration of seizure of Yu Jing assets at the Open Pit Site due to the over reach of the Yu Jing Security forces. As they carried out this seizure the Director of Operations called for assistance from the Tohaa leadership to expel Yu Jing from the Japanese bottom, and put a stop to their disruptive raids.

Our intel indicated that Yu Jing was infiltrating agitators to cause riots within the Japanese bottom to further legitimize their assaults as simple peace keeping operations to maintain public order while they sought out their intended targets. With all the anti-alien sentiment drummed up by any of the human factions wishing to make claims against another to further their goals, our team sought to keep a low profile as we sought out the Yu Jing rabble rousers. Our infiltrators were communicating back to us on the position of a group of Empirial agents when suddenly the Hab's klaxons begain blaring announcing another of the damned duals by the Shadow Shooters. As the populace scrambled to clear the streets, one of the Yu Jing operatives spotted one of ours and took up a defensive stance. A cluster of Wu Ming with a Rocket Launcher, HMG, Grenade launcher, Chain Rifle, and Zhanying Hacker took up position behind a restaurant. On the second floor a Celestial Guard took cover under a table, and a Yudbot waited on the stairs should it need to administer aid anywhere. A Kuang Shi stood in the bar area of the restaurant, while the rest of its fireteam took cover behind some billboards nearby, their flank covered by a Rui Shi, and a Sophotect. On the other flank the Chaiyi peeked out from behind a crate the Shadow Shooter also took cover behind.

One of the Chaksa took cover behind a large building, and the other behind the vendor stall the Shadow Shooter was strolling through. The Makaul and Sukeul took positions by another of the vendor stalls that populated the area, while the Triad's Draal took cover behind a Cherry Tree planter. The Libertos set itself and its gear up in a small food court, while the Surda took cover nearby, and its handler ducked behind a table, and the Kaauri stood ready to delay anyone trying to flank the team. Overlooking them all was the Gao-Rael, backed up by the two Kealtar.

from the enemy's lines, a shimmering blur moved towards one of the control consoles, but as it approached one of the Clipsos made itself known. While it was unable to kill the it, the Clipsos proved enough of a distraction to frustrate the Ninja's attempts.

Clenching its servoed fist, the Wu Ming totting the rocket launcher formed the team around it, as it moved to get a bead on the Clipsos, shooting half a dozen rockets at the Clipsos before finally burning him to cinders in the conflagration.

Yet as the final rockets streaked towards the Clipsos, the Libertos began firing on the rest of Wu Ming. Trusting in its weapon and heavy armor, the HMG Wu Ming continued forward and made quick work of the Libertos, but in the exchange the Zhanying was hit and crumpled to the ground.

The Yubot raced from its position and was able to apply a field dressing and enough stimulants to get the Zhanying back on its feet. Not wanting to over expose themselves, the Wu Ming team moved into one of the vendor stalls, and took defensive positions. Seeing all this activity the Shadow Shooter began saturating the air with lead.

Another of the team's Clipsos moved to the console near the Wu Ming and pressed was able to reveal that the vendor near the Wu Ming was not a resident of Novyy Bangkok, and likely a Yu Jing plant. The Kerail rushed forwards, throwing smoke to cover its passage, and coaxed his 'bomb to release a static discharge that was able to fry the comm circuits of one of the Wu Ming.

Sending his Surda to attack the rest of the team, the Kerail trained his sites on the Wu Ming HMG, but was distracted by the uncanny screech of the fruit vendor as it ducked for cover, and was gunned down by the hail of fire the Shadow Shooter directed towards him.

The Shadow shooter, apparently responding to the sound of gunfire, raced forwards shooting twice at the Ninja, but was unable to cause a wound, and then began firing on the Kuan Shi, killing two of them before retreating back to take cover behind a console.

The last Kuang Shi, ran towards the Shadow Shooter, but its shots went wide as it was gunned down by the automaton. The Zhanying moved to a console under the cover of the Wu Ming, and was successful at uncovering their primary target. Not wanting to expose their position to the Gao-Rael, the Wu Ming grenadier rained a barrage of grenades down on the target, killing her. You would think this type indiscriminate fire would not be attempted when the human organization known as the O-12 had assumed control of an operation, but Yu Jing already new what I was just beginning to realize, it would take an agent of the O-12 getting personally hit in the face by one of the banned weapons for any action to be taken. But then, (as long as all eight complaint forms were filled out in triplicate), the offending nation had better brace itself for the sternly written letter it was sure to receive.

The Wu Ming HMG engaged the Clipsos, and Gao-Rael in a firefight, managing to kill the Clipsos, and the Gao-Rael's 'Mate. With the Gao-Rael down, the Ninja uncovered another of the teams target's before retreating around the corner and reactivating its camouflage. With another target uncovered, the Wu Ming began firing grenades on her position but failed to kill her.

Realizing that the Wu Ming had to be dealt with, the Draal's Triad moved forwards, and the Makaul covered their position with smoke before attacking one of the Wu Ming in close combat, but was unable to bring this penal soldier down.

The Sukeul rounded the console and attempted to take down the HMG, but was only able to wound the brute. Seeing no better opportunity the Draal, used the cover of smoke to place a dazer in an attempt to restrict the Wu Ming's movement. The Shadow Shooter lurched forwards and attpemted to outshoot the Chaiyi, but the distance, and the Chaiyis countermeasures saw that it was the victor of the dual, as the Shadow Shooter's optics were dazzled. Drawn by some unknown compulsion, like a moth to the candle flame, I infiltrated to engage the Rui Shi, and like a moth when it hits the flame, I went down.

Dashing from hiding place the Ninja was spotted by the Gao-Rael before it could engage the Makaul. Seeing the Ninja enter combat, the Makaul deftly swung its glaive, parried the Ninja's blows and delivered a killing strike.

The Wu Ming broke their team, and the Grenade Launcher broke lobbed a grenade onto the Dazer, killing the Draal's 'mate as well. The HMG managed to wound the Sukeul, again, but was unable to bring her down. The Rocket Launcher raced off on her own, and wall wounded by the Draal, before killing his Symbiont Armor, then moving on to kill their other recently exposed target. The Rui Shi rounded on the Shadow Shooter and impaired the machine with a solid hit, but was unable to bring it down.

The Makaul, locked in combat, moved in to kill the Wu Ming, but his combatant knew how to handle a knife, and taking the brunt of the strike on his forearm, sunk it deep into the Makaul's chest. With chances of exposing the Yu Jing plot dwindling, the last Clipsos sprang from its hiding place, and moved forward to reveal the identity of the main agitator.

Recognizing the chance at turning the situation around, the Sukeul sacrificed herself to take down the Wu Ming rocket launcher.

Moving in unison with the Draal, the Clipsos ran to the last of the consoles, and was able to reveal the last of the agitators. Malfunctioning due to the shots it has suffered, the Shadow Shooter lurched around and killed the Yu Jing agent before being destroyed by the Rui Shi. Racing from cover the Draal placed two rounds into the lead agitator, and brought it down as the Chaiyi blinded him.

At first it appeared to be a equal exchange, but the intel gathered from the consoles would prove to be of vital importance.