Head for the system have 4 men from one of my infantry regiments gear up to accompany me and have 4 drop ships full on stand by as well as any bombers and light air to ground cannons in the fleet.
[7] The cannons train on the capital of Isaeyr, the orbit to ground cannons locked and loaded. Your men slip on heavy kevlar armor stolen from Federal fleets, slipping magazines into their guns as they watch you. You load yourself and four other men into a shuttle, the infantry regiment waiting.
[3 vs 1] The native population doesn't seem to have noticed your fleet in orbit just yet, giving you a bit of an advantage.
Observation posts are to be constructed inside the cavern in preparation of further operations there. Mining operations are to start expanding across the planet.
Systemwide surveying of all available planets is to begin. Just note climage, biological diversity (If applicable) and mineral wealth.
Request another meeting with Hayes...
[1] The observational posts are destroyed shortly after they're built by the Golden Drone, the missiles exploding the structures before they can even be fully built.
[10] The mining operation goes well, a number of new veins and lodes discovered in the cracked, rubbly ground. ((+1 to resources, this fall.))
[2+1]
[Resources][Fertility][Atmosphere][Parcels][Population; higher = more]
[3][5][6][7][2] This large planet has a minor mining community, a single large city, the space port, stretching up with small skyscrapers. It's a jungle-world, with a heavily pollinated atmosphere. The pollen is well known for it's effects on one's body, usually causing people to pass out, before they slowly stop breathing altogether.
[6][6][6][10][1] This massive, storm-blown planet is rich in resources. Across the wind-swept plains is a number of forests, standing short and alien, against the mass of storm. It's atmosphere is chaotic, fluctuating with massive storms that blow across terrain. It's uninhabited, a colony having disappeared there years ago. Folk even go so far as to say it's haunted.
Take back the money. A con man is still a con man. Go find one of the targets, have the mercs trail.
[3] The money isn't much, and one of your mercs surreptitiously pockets the rest of his earnings for the day, before following you, greatcoat billowing out behind him.
[10] And that's when you see him, Ol' Ironarms. Two greatswords are strapped to his massive back, his arms cybernetic, wiry with thick bolts on the knuckles. His dark skin is tanned by the sun, a diamond piercing glimmering above one of his eyes.
He's currently ordering a burger and some fries from some kiosk, haggling over the mustard.
"Disagreeing with searching. Great damage, being inconvenience searching. Paying one and half aCredit I."
[~]
"You're in quarantined space. It's this or destruction. Not even Hayes' presidential order can talk me out of blowing your ships to fuck if I don't search yo-"Avens draws her personal sidearm and shoots it. If no sidearm, try and dodge.
[9][~] You draw your pistol, taking aim, before you fire a round into the Desert-Cow's skull, putting it out of it's misery. Blood pools around the rebar impaled in it's body.
Draw Revolver, take aim, fire at Cow if it is still attacking anyone. If not, inspect animal for signs of the Consumption or...anything suspicious.
[9] It's just a panicky cow, that got trapped in some rubble and broke free when Emm broke it free. It's still small, which explains why Emm isn't dead or gored, it's little horns too nubby for such damage.
If the cow is down, just go after medical help.
[4] The medics looks your wound over for a second, before she acts, quite simply, pointing over there, "Is that High President Hayes?"
You look, and she snaps your arm back into place painfully, making you yelp. Then she draws a tub of blue-ish stuff out from her satchel, rubbing it over your shoulder and upper arm, before swaddling it in some bandages.
"You'll heal in a few weeks. NEXT!"
"Mr President, I need to know the specifics of the engagement against that empire. You sent me out to conquer a bloody backwater.Is this really a strategic location for them?"
Fleet is to engage the dreadnought and the ships accompanying him.
A survey team is sent ot New rheat o scan it for colonial purposes. an emiisary is sent ot he mining community, inviting them to become citizens of republic.
[1 fleet w/ Dreadnought(Npc)[3 str, 3 health] vs. [5 fed-fleets(Ardas)[5 str, 5 health]][5+3] vs [9+5] You ships strike first, with surprising aim, all things considered, blowing a chunk out of the Dreadnought, and reducing the other fleet to wreckage with your first volley of concentrated fire.
[10+2] vs [8+5] Then your fleet concentrates it's fire on the
Atlas, trying to blow it away, but only succeeding in removing a large, visible chunk of docking gear, it's missiles fire on your ships, but most miss or do superficial damage.
[2+2 vs 9+5] That's when one of your ship springs, it's sudden flare of the rotating railgun ripping holes in the engine of the other's ship. There's a moment of silence, before a orbular explosion overtakes the rear of the ship, the engines exploding violently.
Then a white flag transmission is sent out. Your men cease fire and circle the ship a safe distance away, guns still locked on it.
[9] The planet is harsh, rugged, but some minor work; straightening the hills of gravel, bringing in soil, and adding thick ceramic stilts to the foundations of houses, and you have a perfectly fine, albeit warm, colony.
[6-
5] The miners set their jaws at your offer. Before the broad, large leader rams his drill into the scouting leader's chest, switching it on and ripping through the armor like butter.
"No."
"The planet is the Grain-Basket for the entire Empire. It has a number of docks we can use, not located in said military bases. And besides, the people deserve to form their own government, after so long under the heel of the empire."He places a hand on his suited chest, rolling his eyes.
"I am Junior under-minister of the Entertainment industry. Former actor on the Interfeed...the person who actually does all the work around this dump!" he finishes with a slicking back of greasy hair.
"Former actor, hmm?"
Magnus frowned, but did not comment any further upon that.
"Well, let's go right down to business. When were the last polls to evaluate the population's happiness, what were the results looking like, and what actions did you take during the last Minister's time in the office?"
With a turn of his heels, he begins to head inside, pausing at the door to look over his shoulder, making sure you're following.
"Mostly all of the paper-work...and well, not to brag, all of the work. He usually just lazed about on some beach somewhere, while I ran things."DEVOUR.
A psionic blast lashes out across the system, the pain returning for a brief, very painful flash.
The prison ship with the cocoon in it explodes, suddenly, filling the orbit of the planet with rubble. A single claw can be seen reaching out into space, the fire lasting too long to be normal.
The General swears, training his guns on you for a moment. [8] Before he turns, speeding out of the hangar in a flash of light, towards the white, desert planet below.
"All mech pilots report to the landing bay! We've got a huge problem."
"So, what was all that, then?" The hologram of Hayes asks, a little puzzled.