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Chapter 34 - This is the Way the World Ends - Wolf Skinners (3024)[]
Wolf Skinner bivouac around WSDS Mondez's impact site
Astrokaszy
31st August, 3024
0920 Local Time
"Ah, the familiar rotgut! Nice as always boss, but hopefully I'll get to try that local hooch soon," Sam said, smiling as he gulped down the last of his promised drink.
While the pair were finishing up that business, Warrant Cushman had set things moving, mobilizing almost a full platoon for the manpower to get the necessary work done in the two days the Major had allotted. More than one dirty look was shot Sam's way as troopers packed tools and equipment aboard the BMRV. At that level of the organization, it was simply assumed the officers and MechWarriors would make work for the "grunts", but for middle management to actively participate in making that work... well...
Among the MechWarriors, Captain Harris was hammering out the watch rotation at the bivouac. Smoke had already managed to dodge participating by getting his modifications approved, so that threw a wrench into the good Captain's plans. If any of the other MechWarriors wanted to make a play for piloting the Marauder from the OLF back to the bivouac, now was their chance to make a play. Captain Harris himself was set to command the bivouac in the Major's absence, so he wasn't going to volunteer himself. Lieutenant Stevenson was STILL in the doghouse and certainly wasn't going to pull rank either. Lieutenant Haitao was slated to pilot the Marauder for the mission, but was still the newest pilot in the unit, so his chances were even at best.
Kane sidled up to Captain Harris, wearing a smile.
"Heya, Captain Harris!" His smile makes it quite obvious what he's about to ask. "I'd like to throw my name in the hat for Marauder duty. I think I'd be an asset in that 'Mech, and I've been itching to pilot something a bit heavier than the Blackjack."
He paused for a moment. "What do ya say?"
0930-1000 Local Time
"Back from the OLF to here? I don't see why not, Sweep. Lieutenant Haitao will pilot your Blackjack on perimeter duty until you get back," the Captain said. The Lieutenant had been swapping in to pilot various 'mechs for the last couple of weeks, so security protocols were already taken care of. He'd just been glad to get behind the controls of a 'mech again.
Preparations were complete by 1000, and the convoy rolled out for the OLF with Smoke on overwatch. The APC was more crowded than usual for one of these trips, and even the BMRV had a full cab. Orders had already been passed to move the hangar queen out of its cubicle, so both were empty when the convoy arrived. Warrant Cushman put the tech teams to work quickly while the Major convened the troops at the OLF for another round of briefing.
Smoke will stay around and try to be helpful with Sam. Helpful or Pest will depend on your POV as he will ask questions about can we do this while we are here. You know the kinda when you have to ask the Rule Lawyer in your group how can we tweak this system within the rules as written to do what I want. Then he has to sit down with the books and look for 4 or 6 hours before laying out the solution.
Once Sam suggest that isn't there something more important he could be doing he will wander around the QLF base, look for the base armory look for any slug ammo reloading hardware
OLF Skinner
1315-2030 Local Time
Smoke wandered the base after being firmly asked to leave the techs alone. Warrant Cushman himself had booted the MechWarrior from the bay where his Panther was being modified. Turning right out of the hangar Kat was parked in, he passed the stripped Sabre where it had been temporarily parked, the towing bar still attached to its nose gear. He wasn't surprised to find the door to the water processing machinery locked down tight. Across the cavernous passage, the storage area's door was open. The huge space was easily 100 meters across, and the small collection of materiel obtained from Renzi's crew neatly piled within looked forlorn and tiny.
Making his way up to the second level, he found the second storage space rather more full than the first. Neat rows of pallets with the various Star League leftovers and cast offs were arranged neatly in the huge space, but they still nowhere near filled it. Across the way, the mess facility was quiet, lunch long over. A neat stack of Star League rations was arranged on a table near the microwaves. The coffee pot was in operation, and some of the vehicle crews were playing a game of cards. They had wasted no time in getting out from underfoot down in the hangars.
The medical wing was quiet, the three patients all resting in their rooms and the duty Medic behind the ward desk. The living areas were similarly quiet, the lights dimmed for the night crew who were sleeping. The heads were clean, the Sergeant Major having arranged a rotation for that duty too.
When Smoke tried to take the elevator up to the third level, it refused. An insistent cursor blinked on the control panel, demanding an access code. Similarly, the door to the stairs leading down was unlocked, but the one to the flight going up had a security panel just like the elevator.
Sweep wanders the base, looking for something to do. He thinks about going outside and doing some target practice, but that feels like too much work. So, he ends up just wandering.
OLF Skinner
2030 Local Time
In his wanderings, Sweep saw much the same as Smoke, though he also found out the door to the outside had been closed. By 2030, he found Smoke staring at a control panel outside another staircase up.
"So whats your thinking Sweep?" says Smoke. "You stumble over any small arms ranges or reloading gear?"
Sweep sighs, picking at the seam of his pants absently. "No, I have not. I found that the door to outside is closed, but no reloading gear, no small arms ranges."
He pauses then glances to Smoke. "I'm getting a little antsy. Excited for the mission, I suppose. It's..." He takes in a big breath and lets it out slow. "It could be our ticket out of here, right?"
"Yep we are locked in," says Smoke. "could be, but remember Murphy."
Chapter Notes[]
Primary chapters and narration are by main Author/GM, Daryk
Section spoken by Smoke was written by DOC_Agren
Section spoken by Lieutenant Ranjeet was written by SANSd20
Section spoken by Blu was written by truetanker
Section spoken by SSGT Demetrius "3D" Drakos was written by Deathstalker
Section spoken by Drew Kane, call sign "Sweep" was written by Shark_bone
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