Firefly Airsoft LARP
POSTED BY: Duelist
UPDATED: Thursday, August 9, 2007 14:51
VIEWED: 12854
PAGE 3 of 3
Alliance Status Report
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Alliance Federal Task Group 7
Entry Log 7582
MISSION:
Quell hostilities in the Freefall area by separating the violent striking miners called the Browncoat Resisters from the forces of the Magistrate of Ataraxia.
STATUS:
MISSION SUCCESSFUL. Most of the browncoats are dead, left planet, or have been working with Federation troops on planet. The magistrate’s authority has crumbled and his jurisdiction replaced by Task Group 7. Both sides may cause more trouble in the future, but for now have been reduced in strength and fighting power.
MISSION:
Control traffic into and out of the mine head area to prevent tampering with the investigation site.
STATUS:
MISSION SUCCESSFUL. Although delayed due to forces trying to stop us, all three sensors were successfully completed and the automatic excavator was created and ran smoothly without interruption.
MISSION:
Cooperate with local authorities in re-establishing order in the community. Provide needed services to locals as the situation warrants. The Freefall Safe Area is the jurisdiction of the Sheriff, while the Free-fire Area is within the Magistrate of Ataraxia's jurisdiction. Your Commanding Officer is authorized to override these jurisdictions in the event of a breakdown in order.
STATUS:
MISSION IN PROGRESS. Worked with locals to provide bolster to economy, medical supplies to the doctor, and help when needed. Due to corruption and anti-Federation activities, the Magistrate's authority over the mines was removed during the second day. The magistrate was also going to be brought in for questioning but chaos ensued and people revolted against the magistrate. If the Magistrate is still on world, he will be apprehended and formally questioned. Proof of the magistrate's wife's murder was found and documented, pointing all information back to the local crime boss. Local Sheriff and Deputy aware of this information. Currently working with local law enforcement, the Sheriff, on restoring order to Freefall. Crime boss’s removal deemed critical in establishing order on planet; probably more-so than the Magistrate.
MISSION:
Monitor all air traffic in the environs, and call in intercepts of any unauthorized vessels entering or leaving the airspace of the Freefall investigation site.
MISSION IN PROGRESS. One unidentified vessel landed but no information available. Transport ship, Waxwing, was allowed to take off under my command. Some local trade goods, a few local passengers, an ambassador friendly to the indentured miners, a local doctor, and a Shepherd were all allowed to leave the planet of Ataraxia. Mercenaries attempting to take over the ship were delayed by Alliance troopers long enough for the Waxwing to take off.
MISSION:
Enforce the judgment of the Federal Terraforming Investigator, should she require that any person or persons in the Freefall area be voluntarily interrogated, and/or Bound by Law.
MISSION SUCCESSFUL. Any and all information requested by the investigator was obtained, analyzed, and properly reported. Inspector survived the battle, Ataraxite gems were collected in bulk quantities and stored for safekeeping, and topographical sensors mapping the mines were successful in revealing the un-safe nature of the mines. Proper documentation of the condition of the mines sent to command. Automatic excavation of the site was also successful.
MISSION:
After learning of the nature of the mines and the importance of the Ataraxite gem, Federal Task Group 7 is to no longer concern themselves with the populace of Ataraxia. You now have a high priority mission to secure mine head #2 and set up automatic excavating equipment that will mine the gem slowly over time. Do everything necessary to protect the operable excavator and maintain control over the mine. You have been cleared to use any means reasonably necessary to do so and funds have been wired to you on planet.
STATUS:
MISSION SUCCESSFUL:
Task Group 7 continued to maintain relati
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A Smuggler's Life For Me, part 1
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It’s never easy, is it? My business partner – a former geologist name of Christopher Dennett – and I take an excursion out to our trash heap of a ship, intending nothing more than to stash a certain piece of less-than-legal artillery onboard and come straight back. Easy, right?
Wrong. And the real galling thing about it? It weren’t even the Alliance that nabbed us on the way back. Apparently, that young gun longshoreman had made a bid for the position of Crime Lord and subsequently decided that holding his sometime-coworker at gunpoint would be a good idea. We end up getting frog-marched the rest of the way into Freefall by a trio of brainless thugs. They’re lucky they weren’t stupid enough to try and loot me (not that I had anything but medipacks, a year on this rock had used up every penny we had on our persons, but it’s a matter of principal) or I’d have taken a special care to shoot them on some later date.
Now that little encounter led me to believe that a change of employer was in order. Not that I hadn’t been thinking it before, but this time we managed to be overheard by a slightly strange fellow with no shoes. Apparently, he’s the pilot (named Crash – I do hope that isn’t any sort of indication of his flying skills) for the Waxwing and considers my fondness for irritating the Feds to be a job qualification worth hiring. Got us onto his ship faster than you could blink, I was almost a bit concerned that it was a trap. But optimism paid off this time – turns out he was just an exuberant sort.
Captain wasn’t quite so enthusiastic, though. Something about wanting to stay off the Alliance radar. His mind started to change a bit when I told him about that stash of ataraxite the crime boss owed me, and how I’d be willing to steal it to pay my way off this rock.
Jao dao mei, when we raid the former boss’ warehouse there ain’t nothing there but a couple of black market guns and the three brainless thugs sitting shot and bleeding just outside the door. Now there’s all manner of ways those gems could have left their theoretical home, but they don’t really matter as things were starting to heat up in a projectile-laden way right quick.
I manage to get through the back airlock just fine, but Dennett got himself shot (the boy’s got a bit of a talent for that, I’m afraid). Feel a bit guilty for just leaving him outside the ship, but there weren’t no way I could see if the coast was clear or not and I wasn’t too sure that the Captain would trust me to leave the ship again quite so soon.
Now, it does appear that I was underestimating him, as before too long me and Dennett (who’d gotten himself patched up by a good Samaritan of some sort) were practically crew.
We laid low for much of the rest of the day, but that did put us in a position of awareness for more shady deals than a bookie in a basement. The sunniest one of these deals involved a companion (might I say, a refreshing touch of civilization that I ain’t seen since I left Sihnon), her apprentice, and their bodyguard all seeking to go the same place I was headed – Anywhere But Here. I say all, but the apprentice (that’s the Magistrate’s daughter) was convinced that her momma’s death wasn’t an accident and intended to stick around long enough to eviscerate whomever was responsible.
The other, more dimly-lit deal was one we had on with the Browncoats. Some wanted to buy their way out of indenture, some wanted just to get off-planet, and all of them wanted to sell the ataraxite they’d broke their backs for down in the mines to do it. Trouble was, there wasn’t near enough cash on the Waxwing to pay for more than a handful of the gems, and the Captain had a powerful need to stay on planet instead of taking off to deal with his fence.
Never one to despair (grumble, curse, and shoot things for amusement, but not despair), he called the crew together and told us all that we needed to look for the pilot of the little two-man planet-ho
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An exerpt from Christopher Dennett's private log, 7/30 Ataraxia
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We came to that out of way moon because of the promises of a large quantity of Ataraxite gems. By we, I should say my partner Margaret Blake and I. She is a good skiff pilot, and really enjoys blowing things up with her rpg launcher when she gets a chance. The gems are hugely valuable on our home world of Shinon; about 400 or 500 alliance credits for gold ataraxite, around 1200 for the green, and 2000 or more for the white. The crime lord who set up shop near the free port of Freefall promised us almost a chest full of the gems. However, that was almost a year ago already. She kept asking us to do odd jobs, and promising us that we'd earn the gems after the next one, and the one after that. Until it came to a few nights ago, when the Freighter Waxwing landed. It's appearance didn't really affect us until the next day, when the alliance dropship landed. The two-man ship we came to Ataraxia in, was tagged for some crime or another over by Persephone, and if we launched off the ground our ship would trip the dropship's sensors. Then, the alliance would, very politely, blow us out of the sky. So even if we got the gems, we would be stuck on that gorram moon.
After Margaret placed her one true love and some party favors in our ship, we came back to town, we got “pinched” by the crime boss thugs. Apparently the Crime Boss wasn't around at that moment. After explaining who we were, and why we were there at least three times, they finally escort us to town. Now, I don't know much about escorting, but they hardly looked away from us, and didn't check their surroundings. It was basically an open invitation to get shot in the back, and I'm glad there weren't any other mercs around dumb enough to try it.
Well we got back to town and a man wearing yellow goggles, and no shoes, came up to us and asked us if we were friends with the alliance. Margaret never really has been a supporter of the Alliance, and normally I'm apathetic towards them, but since they have an embargo on our profit line, I wouldn't mind causing some disruptions. As long as Margaret and I were able to get off world with the gems.
The man turned out to be called Crash, and he was the pilot of the Waxwing, and I am hoping his name is just a sad attempt at irony. However, his captain seemed to think that pestering the Alliance wouldn't bring his crew any good. I'd say I'd have to agree. It would be easier to get off world without the Alliance prods on our backs. Margaret, on the other hand, looked deflated at the thought. I'm sure she was hoping to be able to cause mayhem, and get paid for it.
We discuss payment for getting off world. The Captain said it was 400 or 500 credits depending on how many people were already on board, and if we help defend the ship, or do other work for the crew, the prices drop. About this time, Margaret and I realized we should tell the captain about the stash of gems that the Crime Lord has. Well, really Margaret realized, and I just stood back and watched, adding some details about how valuable the gems could be.
This peaked the Captain's interest, but about this time we hear yells coming form outside the ship. Turns out our brilliant thug friends are trying to scream down some mercs coming from the town. Eventually someone shoots, and a whole firefight erupts. To our luck, we see that all the thugs got themselves shot.
Around that time, we realized we no longer needed the crime boss, and decided to look around the, now deserted, warehouse for the gems. The gems were naturally not there, but after checking around, we found three illegal firearms just waiting to be taken.
On our way back to the Waxwing, Margaret gets inside the secondary entrance, but I'm still stuck outside when a few “shoot first, ask questions later” types come around the north side of the ship. I'm hiding next to the entrance, and one is creeping along the ship, while one is in the bushes nearby. I
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Crash's Private Log
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I can’t say I was pleased with the Captain’s decision to land us on Ataraxia. I mean, I’m all for doing work in the Core – things there are lawful, and there’s always someplace worthwhile to spend your credits when you earn ‘em. Work on the rim just makes me nervous – everyone out there is looking out for nobody but themselves. Not nice places to be.
I was pretty jumpy after we landed. To tell the truth, I didn’t want to leave the Waxwing, and felt like it was in our best interest to just land, dump or cargo, get our credits, and get flying again. But everything went downhill real fast.
In the first place, there wasn’t going to be a clean exchange of goods. With the local Magistrate and the crime boss both showing a keen interest in our business, we had little choice but to hire one of the local mercs to help us move goods. Since every one of them seemed less trustworthy than the last, it fell to me and my people skills to find one that would work. And I felt none too good about my choice.
We sent him off to do an exchange, and waited, tense, in the Waxwing. It was a long while before he returned, bearing a small gem and telling us some story about getting it exchanged for soft currency.
Surprisingly, he was good to his word, and he stayed with the ship for the next two days, serving exceptionally as a guard at the door and making occasional runs, as well as serving as escort when we had to trek out to the mines or go talk to the Alliance.
The Alliance folk sure surprised me. I was used to their slightly abusive practices in the Core, but here, among this untidy mess of desperate and ill-kept humanity, they proved themselves much like the old warriors of ancient times – honor before personal concerns. I was especially impressed by the commander, who more than once got us out of scrapes that would probably have landed us all in the grave. It’s my greatest regret that I betrayed that trust and if I’m ever found out, I’ll likely be running from the Alliance until I’m an old man.
It wasn’t the firefight. That was an accident. We were trying to reach the larger of the two mineheads, and when we got near, my companions sent me ahead to see if there were friendlies or mercs up there (like I said, I can usually talk my way out of bad situations). Well, I heard the people coming down out of the woods, so I put my hands above my head and waited. Out they came, far down the trail but with a clean line of sight. As soon as they saw me they got real aggressive, shouting at me to get my hands up (they already were!) I wasn’t too nervous, because I knew all my friends were hiding behind me – including Mirage, the sniper we had hired on. But these people were advancing rapidly, guns leveled, and I my calm started to leave me, because they were still yelling at me to get my hands up!
It was too much. They were still shouting at me, and I was just standing there, and I just knew they were going to shoot me. So I turned, ducked, and ran.
That’s when I noticed that they weren’t yelling at me. They were yelling at my companions, who weren’t hiding after all, but were just standing next to the small transport ship at the head of the trail. Great.
A moment later I was hunkered down, returning fire as that poor ship took all the damage for us.
We had little choice but to run. We made it about thirty yards into the woods before we found the relative shelter of a fallen tree and decided to make our stand.
Everything after that is a blur. Bullets whizzing everywhere. Mirage taking a hit and me taking over his sniper rifle. The sharp searing pain as a bullet grazed the edge of my ear, taking out a good chunk of flesh. And our relief as we discovered we had surrendered to the Alliance commander and his men.
There were much apologies for the misunderstanding, and he was good enough to escort us all back to the Waxwing where the doctor told me I could get a real nice piece of jewelry for my new piercing.
Yes, we got off Ataraxia.
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Freedom, such a thing.
Ruled only by the law, and I'll probably incriminate myself right here.
Last thing I want to do is go back through that "Social re-insertion" program.. Didn't help.
Hell, after I got back I headed up a strike, shot four, slashed two necks, and helped smuggle heaps of contraband? What more proof to do you need? (Speaking of proof, you don't have any on the above!)
Irrelevant. Still, I'd rather commit another 100 crimes than go back to those mines. Rocks ain't my cup of tea. Even if those rocks are worth a small fortune. We never saw a penny of it, anyway. Until recently.
Let me tell you, that revolt wasn't a spur-of-the-moment deal. That had been planned out.. but plans almost never go over perfectly. Ours sure didn't.
The arrival of the Alliance was a mishap. Apparently we were not the only ones aware of the Magistrate's crooked deals. Truth be, those Alliance boys wern't too bad. Even helped us out in a pinch!
The words are the same, but we don't speak the same language. Total of four firefights over mis-communication.
I got another battle scar because of it. Add to the collection.
Anyway, The mine heads were given up almost as soon as we took them. We didn't need them.. it was a red-herring. We had already been taking a cut of what we mined, and reporting that the mines were getting dangerous. An excuse for our low-productivity.
You have to watch what you say, though. No sooner as that was enscribed on the mining-report, it became the scapegoat for an "Industrial accident". Meh.
I'll have to take a short break here.. Weapons don't clean themselves.
This next planet? Yeah, even I'm worried about it. (Infact, I'm going to start cleaning 'em right now.)
Finish later,
-Mirage
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To: General Li Zhaolin, Ariel High Command, Union of Allied Planets
From: Victor Draken, Magistrate of Ataraxia
Re: Recent Discovery of Ataraxite
Dear General Li:
It is my pleasure to inform you of the recent discovery of a very rich vein of Ataraxite which will bring much income to the already wealthy and powerful Alliance . None could be more pleased than I when one of your scientists was able to overcome many adversities and locate this rich deposit on my humble and distant moon.
I regret that not all of my news is of such a cheerful mood. There are many small issues which have surfaced to cast a pall over the exuberance that this discovery would otherwise cause in me.
First of all, there is the location of this very rich deposit. It is, unfortunately, located near a remote region which is not legally within my jurisdiction. The town of Freefall is technically a free port of call and as such, I am legally limited in what I am allowed to do to ensure that the mining of the Ataraxite is conducted safely and without trouble. To be sure, the area of the mines is clearly within my jurisdiction but, with this free port operating outside of my guiding hand, certain rogue elements have taken the opportunity to try and interfere with the lawful operations of both myself and the Alliance .
Secondly, there is the issue of the mine itself, for which there have been concerns brought to light about their safety. I, myself, have a personal stake in this since it was the untimely death of my wife inside of one of these mines that alerted me to the seriousness of the concerns. (Thank you for the condolences that were sent over by your secretary, I had hoped to hear from you, but I am sure that you are very busy)
I attempted to investigate the concerns over the safety of the mines, but found that the local miners had become impossible to reason with, or even to safely approach. I sent out representatives to speak with them, but could not secure a peaceful meeting with their leader. I attempted to go to them myself at one point and found that the lawlessness of the Freefall port had spread out from that town to threaten my escorts, my shuttle and myself. All of which brings me to my third issue, which is that of the Alliance Commander with Task Group 7 in the area.
When I arrived in Freefall, I had concerns about what I could do with these lawless and backwards people, but upon seeing the arrival of an Alliance dropship, I felt my hopes rise. I felt sure that with the Alliance present and with my own considerable authority, all things would be straightened out quickly. I would be able to speak with the miners peacefully and perhaps show these folk how civilized people conduct themselves. At the very least, I felt confident that myself and my beloved daughter would be as safe here as on Ariel itself.
Alas, how wrong I was! The Commander refused to take my advice and heed my knowledge of the miners resorting to violence. I graciously offered the use of my own hired help to strengthen his numbers so that any wayward miscreants would quickly realize that a peaceful meeting was the only real solution. But, he refused me flatly. He marched off with his brave (but few) soldiers and foolishly (in my opinion) and succeeded in only encouraging the rebels elements to attack them. Had he listened to me, I think things would have gotten better, not worse. As I understand it, the Commander believes that he has done a good thing by defeating the ‘brown coats’, but what this young man fails to understand is that they were the workforce for the mines (which will now have to be replaced) and that I held contracts with all these miners who have now either been killed, driven off or are working for the Alliance directly (in violation of their lawful duties to me).
Furthermore, as things progressed, the Commander was forced to deploy forces outside of the port of Freefall which resulted in a rise of criminal activity and general confusion within the town. I refer to a daylight robbery in the town, I refer to myself being arrested by the local
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I so wish we had something like that here - Canada
Does anyone know how I can start one?
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Kerrick and I are working on that right now, a way that people can use the website to sanction, organize, and host their own Freefall-style games. Keep an eye on www.freefallgame.com over the next couple of months....
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