Asteroid Blues

“… Due to the huge losses after someone called our last engagement a MILK RUN our brass hats did provide us with us fresh reinforcements!” Emily ended her report in the briefing room accompanied by some booing followed by cheering. “But there is further good news! Well, at least for you… in order to secure the proper handling of the chain of command I’ll be your company on the next mission(s). While talking about missions: we got a call from the nomad High Council to aide them at the Cosmika HQ”
“But what about the rumour, we Mercenary troops wouldn’t be able to have an impact on our contracting entity’s dominance in a theatre?”
“Well, Sgt. Lopez” Emily replied the new Brawler Sniper’s concerns: “you might open attachment A of your info file. There you can get a grasp of our General’s opinion to this."

I put a link to my first batrep in the text. That's why "Milk Run" is blue ;)

Are there any further questions?” After a few seconds of silence Emily continued her talk: “Our main goal is to provide some countermeasures in case of any breach into the HQ. In order to do so we’re allowed to remove any non-Nomad ‘interest groups’ with all force necessary .“
“Even if these were our Haqqmuslim allies?”
“Even then”
In a sudden after the reinforced task group arrived at the Cosmika HQ a dispersed Haris of Kamau ran into the group chased by a crew of Qapu Khalqi’s trigger happy pirates opening fire at everything in front of them

QK’s first action was to land two Yuan Yuans at the right flank one of them in a blind sport for the Brawler Sniper Haris, the other further back behind the high utility shaft (= the objective room). The insanely feisty Space Pirate close to the Brawlers then charged the both on the ground with a chain rifle load just to die from the leaden return of the Brawler and the CSU dying as a consequence whilst the Haris members’ armour kept them from any harm.

Meanwhile the Pirates' NCO had the bright idea to cover a Jannissary DataTracker’s path towards the Kamau HVTs for some follow up by speculatively shooting smoke in the HMG Brigada’s LOF. Unfortunately the Missile Launcher Ghulam was in plain sight of the the Brawler Sniper and the HMG Brigada clearly regretting the NCO’s decision whilst going unconscious. Pushed by his habibi’s fate the Janissary then proceeded towards the Kamau Sniper successfully performing his follow up. Just to realize he lost any connection to his command since he got isolated by StarCo’s Al’Hawwa Hacker.

Following this the apparently infuriated Odalisque and her Haris tried to breach through the utility shaft but due to miraculous events the Brawler sniper could fend off the Odalisque’s Spirfire barrage as well as the Djanbazan’s Shock Marksman Rifle shots sending both opponents back to their creator. Only Layla Sharif was able to leave serious marks on the Brawler’s helmet thus the Sniper ducked into cover. This was enough for the well-known Husam Spec-Ops to suicidally place a D-Charge on the holoboard in front of the utility shaft. Layla died but the Najjarun was able to fulfill this act of Sabotage.

Still panting from all this reloading the Brawler Sniper stood back up and relentlessly killed the opponent’s sniper and the HMG wielding Ghulam in order to get Emily a free path into the territory occupied by Qapu Khalqi. Thus Emily started her advance only disturbed by the Janissary but as a gesture of good will she just targeted the guy - should others to do the dirty work. A few moments, including cautiously sneaking around, later Emily reached the enemy territory and was instantly able to undermine the enemys’ network.
Back in StarCo’s Deployment Zone the Jaguar lightheadedly moved towards the Brigada Fireteam totally forgetting the previously targeted Janissary. The Jaguar got his reminder in form of an AP slug knocking him unconscious. Luckily the Daktari was nearby and could treat the corregidoran Gangster with an Experimental Drug. Now pissed, the Jaguar tried to use the advantage of the Jannissary’s state but failed to hit the enemy with his light shotgun and got knocked unconscious again.

Heavily decimated the Pirates had not many options left thus the remaining Yuan Yuan started his charge against Emily but similar to his now deceased adipose comrade his Chain Rifle had no adverse effect on Emily but the Grenade he got in return knocked him over. A similar fate should overtook the Najjarun as well, despite hitting Emily only her surroundings got some marks whilst the Engineer was sent to dreamland by another grenade. Thus Qapu Khalqi had one last chance: their Al’Hawwa had to run to the left-hand Kamau and succeed in spying on the panoceanian shallow water swasher. Therefore the HMG Brigada had to be removed. Unfortunately the already isolated Janissary couldn’t even scratch the Brigada’s armour whilst getting immobilized by StarCo’s Al’Hawwa. So the other Hawwa had to rely on his Camouflage which brought him directly in the Kamau’s Zone of control where he was successful in spying on the Kamau. No surprise the other Hawwa got shot unconscious by the HMG Brigada

Seeing the immobilized Janissary and realizing that guy could be a nuisance in the future the HMG Brigada releases a heavy burst on the opponent HI which kills the Janissary in an instant. The whoe fireteam then advances towards the News Stringer and the unconcious Al'Hawwa in order to inoculate the first and to perform som nanoespionage on the spying hacker in return.
Meanwhile Emily performed the in extremis recovery on the Najjarun.

With only two Fanous remotes and two more Ghulams left the Ghulam Lieutenant decided that further actions wouldn't be fruitful thus she let her crew retreat.

"Ok, can someone explain to me why this was the second time we got attacked by our supposed allies? We might not fly the Nomad flag on our armour but can't they see we're working for the nomad cause?"
"Maybe they're just mad as hell and attack everything Ariadnan?" Alguacil Lineros replied to Pte. Gunn's thoughts. "Every time we met them we had our Irmandinho with us. Like the Bull and the red rag?"
"That would've been funny if we didn't lose so many companions in the first encounter, Lineros" Emily interupted the nosy Alguacil veteran. "let's just call it a day and hope we won't run in any haqqmuslims again on this rock"

"Erm... Ms. Handelman, does anybody know what happenend to the third Kamau? Is he still roaming the HQ?" pte. Gunn asked.

Oh for all the lovers of hard facts: the game ended 10:5 to my favour. I was able to score 5 objectives (you might've read which), Durian scored three. My only loss was the light shotgun Jaguar.