Asteroid Blues

Novyy Bangkok
September 23, 2196
Personal Log: SSgt Gabriella Cardoza

The fighting on Novyy Cimmeria had been hell. We fought ourselves into the ground to protect our home. After the injuries I sustained there I would've thought I had earned a break, but no. Instead, I've been posted to yet another "beautiful" location. Apparently it's a "reward" for my combat record. The Pogue handing me my orders even had the nerve to say I was lucky and should enjoy the posting since it came with a promotion. He even said it with a STRAIGHT FACE! I was damned close to knocking his ass to the ground. That's how I found myself out here, on Novyy Bangkok and yet another shit assignment, lucky me.

We were conducting another routine patrol of our assigned section of the Xaraks Battery. Relations with Haqqislam had deteriorated to the point of open conflict. So much for being friends. They were throwing around wild accusations of CA infiltration or possibly even collaboration. Unfortunately, our ALEPH "friends" were taken in by this line of BS and assaulted us! What is their damned problem? We're only here becuase O-12 asked us to be! We soon found ourselves having to defend our remote sensing platforms.

We watched them deploy their Dakini team on our right flank, supported by a mixed team of an Asura, Shakti and Yadu NCO. Their left flank was covered by a camouflaged Naga and the center was covered by a Sophotect who cowered behind cover. I took up position behind an AFV to cover the center. PFC Connor attempted to infiltrate in front of the Dakini. Sadly for him, he's a damned clutz and tripped over his own two feet. He joined Operative Christine Anders and Marauders SSgt Ramirez and Cpl Reid on our right. Devil Dog Cpl "Savage" Muehler and a Hardcase, "Chuck". In front of me was Foxtrot Sgt Nelson and on the left flank was Foxtrot Sgt Rogers and Blackjack Cpl Collins. Lt. Chambers was overseeing the operation from the rear while a stupid warcor was on top of a building to watch everything. In reserve was the Airborne Ranger SSgt Sarah Johnson.

ALEPH kicked off the assault by moving their Dakini link forward under cover. Next game the Yadu HMG who moved up and managed to draw a bead on both Operative Anders and Cpl Muehler. Muehler attempted to blind the enemy by popping a smoke grenade but was shot before he could thrown the pin. Fortunately, he's a tough beast and shrugged off the shot. Anders was less lucky. Her chest was shredded as three rounds tore into her, the blood from a severed artery coating Reid who had the misfortune of standing next to her. Then a Dakini came up with a light grenade launcher and fired on Muehler, who again was too slow. The blast caught the entire flank but fortunately no casualties were sustained. The Yadu then engaged poor PFC Connor. He had tried to get into cover after the grenade blast but was too far and he couldn't stand up to the concentrated fire of the HMG. The firefight was only a minute old and we had already lost two troopers. Now that the area was clear, the Asura advanced. "Chuck", knowing his position was already compromised, took a chance and fired his bow at her. Amazingly, he got his shot off first and the Asura stumbled as the impact of the arrow drove home. Being the inhuman construct she is, she simply snapped off the arrow shaft and resumed firing on the Hardcase. An unlucky shot hit him square in the head, popping it like a watermelon. The Asura's team advanced to fortify their position, with the Yadu opening fire on Muehler and his pup. Muehler took a hit to the shoulder but he shrugged it off while his poor pup took a shot through the throat and lay writhing on the ground as it bled out. A Naga then revealed himself as he stole the sensor data from one of the platforms.

Our blood was up after our losses and we moved to counterattack. First up was Cpl. "Savage" Muehler. He was in a rage after the loss of his comrades and the horrible way his pup died. He charged up the field, throwing smoke to cover his movements but he wasn't fast enough to beat the Asura, the f-ing robot put a tight group through Muehler's armor and he went down hard. I couldn't tell if he was did or not but it didn't matter. The plans for the right flank collapsed with him. SSgt Johnson took advantage of the unguarded right flank of ALEPH to join the fight. From my position I couldn't see her but I did hear her communications with command which were as follows:

"Wagonwheel this is Raider, insertion successful, moving to engage"

*silence*

*heavy breathing* "enemy neutralized, package secured, mapping mission failed"

I can only imagine that she slit the throat of the unsuspecting Naga. Meanwhile, Cpl. Collins, operating his Blackjack, engaged the Asura and brought her down, decapitating the ALEPH squad. He then proceeded to engage the Yadu and Shakti. Luck continued to favor the thrice damned robots and Cpl Collins' Blackjack was crippled, taking him out of the fight.

With their command structure in disarray, the ALEPH forces were forced to improvise. The Dakinis moved up to secure another remote sensing platform. The Yadu than advanced to take over the position of the eliminated Asura. The cowering Sophotect then engaged the exposed SSgt Johnson and took her out of the fight. I'm hopeful she'll recover from her wounds but her injuries were severe. The Sophotect then advanced toward the center remote sensing platform and into my line of sight. I smiled as my crosshairs settled on his head and squeezed the trigger. His head snapped back as sparks arced out of the hole that appeared in his forehead and he crumpled to the ground. Vengeance for SSgt Johnson.

Greater vengeance was soon to come as we charged them. Sgt. Nelson maneuvered himself behind the Dakini positions and began mining the area. This distracted them and provided and opportunity for the Uragan to come into play. It opened fire on the clustered Dakini, forcing them to react and detonating Nelson's mine, destroying one of them. The firefight between the Dakini and Uragan was intense. HMG rounds spattered off the buildings while the rocket explosions ripped through the air. As the dust settled, three Dakinis were down and Sgt. Nelson had planted further mines.

ALEPH's forces grew desperate as the Yadu charged Sgt. Nelson, determined to kill him no matter the cost. His mission failed as Nelson's mine blew up in his face, throwing him backwards and leaving the body a pockmarked, broken mess. Sgt. Nelson's relief at this was short lived as Shakti opened fire, the heavy rounds throwing his body back like a ragdoll. I watched his crumpled form slide down the wall, blood oozing from multiple punctures. I have seen too many comrades die. The surviving Dakini took advantage of the confusion and retreated with our captured remote sensor data.

I was determined to eliminate Shakti for having killed another comrade. I moved out of cover and lined my sights up for the second time that day. I steadied my breathing, in, out, in, out and squeezed the trigger. My rounds tore through her armor, more sparks flying as the electrical circuits failed, the artificial muscles, suddenly without power, failed and the body fell. I would sleep better tonight for having avenged my fallen comrades. Sgt. Rogers, another Novyy Cimmeria veteran, took advantage of the reduced ALEPH presence to recover the sensor data from SSgt. Johnson. He also completed her failed mapping mission and captured an ALEPH civilian that had come along for some strange reason. I don't think I'll ever understand the AI. As Sgt. Rogers performed his mission, SSgt. Ramirez and Cpl. Reid advanced to recover the stolen sensor data. Cpl. Reid charged around the corner and bathed the Dakini in flames, shrugging off the return fire. SSgt. Ramirez used the cover of the flame wall to seure our data.

The AI forces paid dearly for their failed assault. The sole survivor was a heavily scorched Dakini. We too suffered heavy casualties, with four KIA and four more seriously wounded. If they want to take the Battery Field, they'll have to walk over our corpses to do it. We do not sell ourselves cheaply so they had best be willing to pay the reaper.

Gabriella Cardoza signing off.

We played supplies using the terrain rules for the Xaraks Battery field. This game was crazy and bloody, which we seem to do a lot. My opponent's dice were kind to him. He scored 7 crits to my 1. Pretty sure what saved me is lots of orders and taking out the Lt. in turn 1.

A Pogue is a "person other than grunt"