Category: Operation 5 – 21/06/2519

The Witch – Part 2 – Electric Boogaloo

With the first attempt to capture the dangerous Psionic designated as “The Witch,” failing and the target fleeing into the wasteland, we needed to be able to track her movements if we wanted to apprehend her. Reports were coming in of a woman in a white lab coat controlling savages and shooting down air drones and it became impossible for us to track her down. Continue reading “The Witch – Part 2 – Electric Boogaloo”

Keep Out!

Got me a new home. Couldn’t be arsed going back to the Bunker after being relieved of duty at Fort Leon last time. So yeah. Found a nice little defendable area in some woods.

Got a good tarp for a roof, not too many holes. Stacked up some old bricks and board for walls, ripped out some car seats – made for the best bed I’ve ever owned. Only bed I’ve ever owned. Continue reading “Keep Out!”

After Action Report – Vasili Komaroff EN:4 21/06 – 23/06

Friday Night

Ivan and I where a little late in arriving due to having to secure C7 supplies for the Railguns. On arrival Fort Leon had been under assault from Fortitude forces using their Tribal Levy and they had damaged the transmission relay significantly. Laker was already undertaking repairs so we headed into the Fort. Met the usual FEF members, along with a new Engineer called Mari. Fresh from the bunker she seemed a little overwhelmed, so I spent some time giving her the low down on the surface, what had happened recently and what we where doing now.

Ivan had been working on a Psi-Scanner that should allow us to identify psions and track them. We needed to do some field calibration of the device to finish the job. We gathered a small team, Ivan grabbed a radio and we went out into the dark to do the work. Pretty much straight away we where under attack by Fortitude forces, Ivan struggled to control the team, do Science and maintain contact with other teams, I doubt he will lead a mission like that again! He leaned some lessons I learned back when I led my first mission in the field. However he completed the work, although prolonged high level processing was a strain on the device and it shut down, no doubt I would be repairing it later.

On returning to the Fort, we discovered that we where receiving injured Tribals, caused by fighting with Fortitude forces. Angel was doing a decent job of patching them up, but I was concerned with the fact we where just allowing them straight in the Fort. Sometimes I think I might be psychic myself….

One Tribal was brought in by a Soldier I hadn’t met before (seemed to have gone a bit native himself), Angel started to take a look at him, within minutes Vlad comes over to tell me that he has some kind of device strapped to his chest under a bandage! I order an immediate evac of the Fort while we examine him, it looks like a bomb for sure. We then convince the Tribal to leave the building, once outside Angel puts him to sleep so we can examine the device more closely. It was indeed a bomb, Ivan scanned the compounds and it had enough Explosive to cause catastrophic (fatal) damage within 1 meter and massive trauma within 5 meters. As usually happens, I was once again facing down death with nothing but a torch, my Padd and some wire cutters. I spend sometime examining the device and make a decision to cut (after clearing the area of other personnel), bomb disarms, Maverick owes Ivan 100 creds and we go back to planning Saturday.

Saturday

Ivan has been requested to investigate an area on the edge of the Rad Zone, apparently some interesting flora/fauna and atmospheric readings have been recorded. It also happens that Gideon has been detected in the rough area heading for the same location. So we gather a large group, make sure everyone has masks, and head out.

We encountered some of Gideons forces trying to prevent us from getting access to our target location, they where using current Bunker Ascendant level technology. We overcome them and proceeded into a valley near some water sources. We found a living creature, similar to a rabbit, Ivan captured it for study.

         

At the edge of the radzone, Ivan identified some interesting Science stuff, including some items coated in a strange black nanite substance, despite warnings 2 people touched these with unprotected hands, Ivan rightly chastised them and bagged the items saftely. We where taking sustained attacks from Gideons forces when Inferno identified Gideons transmission was moving closer. We engaged a larger well equiped group, Inferno said he was detecting a large 2 way data transmit into the Bunker, Elizabeth was able to get people to the location and shut down the power. We where under great threat of an incoming rad storm, at this time we still viewed Gideon as a threat to the Bunker and with Inferno unable to make it completely safe, the decision was made to destroy the box transmitting the signal.

We then returned to the Fort.

While another team went out to fight some Fortitude troops, I stayed back to assist Ivan with Science research. We discovered some interesting stuff about the nanite substance (I will leave Ivan and Lexi to explain that) along with a voice recording from a research team, detailing the release of an experiment (we believe the nanites), and the division/demise of the research team. I also fixed the overloading issue with Ivan’s Scanner.

It was during this time that Elizabeth discovered the content of Dictate 24 and that it had not been enacted by the Council. This information was shared with a few key members of the FEF command structure, it was around this time we learned that ASCII news also had this information and planned on releasing it that evening. The ranking members of the FEF onsite agreed that this was going to get messy and we needed a plan to stop mass panic/rioting as much as possible, assuming the current Council members would back down and initiate elections. Quinn decided that we should force the issue and took point telling the other FEF members and challenging the ASCII News reporter to assist us with getting the right message out to the people living in the Bunker.

Various people reached out to relevant contacts to attempt to minimise the potential for mayhem should the Council not back down. Then the news broke, we made our position clear, the current council should stand down as per Dictate 24 and allow an election to take place, with 5 members of the FEF being nominated (myself included), Pip would lead the discussion as an impartial member of the FEF. Instead Quinn took the opportunity to get in front of the camera and all but threaten the current council. The transmission was cut short, but the message got out. We immediately received orders from Bunker Command to arrest and detain the reporter and her team, we should have responded with diplomacy, unfortunately the person with a radio on the surface instead refused in a pretty aggressive way, and the bunker shut down our external comms.

We received communications from the Bunker that they where dispatching Enforcers to bring the “Rogue FEF and Press” into custody and that we should not resist. We also learned that the Council had locked down access & communications between levels of the bunker.

Another team had agreed to help the Tribal’s solve a murder, Ivan and Vlad joined Pip, Mari, Hook, Sledge and Collateral. They went out to a village, did some investigation work, identified the killer and did some trading. While they went out I stayed back to defend the Fort, we had 4 engineers and 2 soldiers, we received a communication from 2 people from Bunker Fortitude, stating they where on their way to us and wanted to defect, sadly Fortitude troops where in pursuit. They clearly did not want these 2 to meet us, they sent several hard hitting strike teams with snipers and power armour support, it was touch and go for about 20 minutes with several times where 5 people had taken fatal wounds from firearms, but with some grit (backed by serious fire power of Hard-on and Maverick) we prevailed.

The 2 defectors where very keen to tell us all about Fortitude (which will be documented elsewhere), they are currently held in secure facility, and once it is determined they are not a threat they will be released to either the FEF or general Bunker (their choice).

Sunday

We received information that Lucas Price had been captured by Fortitude forces, we decided to attempt a rescue, Quinn put together a large team and they headed out to track the Fortitude team down. Unfortunately the Fortitude forces proved tougher than anticipated and they executed Lucas before the team could break them fully.

Ivan and I assembled a team to track and disable the “Witch”, we headed out using the newly created Scanner to identify people with Psychic abilities or that where being influenced by such abilities.

As before the “Witch” had taken control of various people she had encountered to defend herself. She became aware of the plan and started to target Ivan and talking to him in his head, we told her that we wanted to help her, that we understood she had been tortured and it wasn’t her fault, but the madness was too deeply set and she responded with force. We eventually found her and after a brief firefight with her and her guards we disabled her and where able to put “Kalebs Cool Hat” to use, forcing her into an induced coma. We then returned her to the Fort for Angel/Lexi/Ivan to further examine. I still hold out hope we can help her, no one deserves that fate.

As we where returning we received news that the Enforcers had arrived, but with large scale dissent in the Bunker, forces where attempting to breach the Surface Control Centre and force the Council to step down. Shortly after we had confirmation that the Council had stepped down and Elections would take place over the next 2 weeks.

Bunker Fortitude Intel

By M. Dashwood as reported after #Op5

Fortitude

On the 2nd night of the operation 2 residents of Fortitude were discovered and captured. The tale they told was very grim. The details here are as was told to the bureaucracy but the Fortitude citizen had only old notes and rumours quietly learned from a very careful, small underground rebellious faction.

Around 70 years ago Fortitude was led like Ascendant, with the 5 council members and an AI overseeing the bunker. Strangers visited the bunker, and with them they brought the idea of change. That Bureaucrats and Scientist were unnecessary, that democracy was detrimental to the running of a bunker, that only strength mattered. After a short conflict of around a week, the council had been removed, and instead the Military Councillor stood as lone leader of Fortitude. This has continued, with the appointment being held for life, and the successor being a solider. Science and bureaucracy have been banned, the only professions allowed are Military, Engineering or Medic. People who can not work are evicted. A citizen has 5 days to recover from an illness or injury. If they can not return to work after this they are put onto reduced rations. If they cannot work after an additional short period then they are evicted on to the surface with no assistance. Residents are not paid. They work or they are left outside to die.

There is a small, cautious group of dissenters who have heard that Ascendant do things differently, that feed, care for and pay their workers. The aim for this particular escape was to reach the FEF and to hopefully send back word that the rumours were true.

An additional story was that the visitors had been from another vault, where the Military led, and that they had visited other vaults and changed their government structures too.

Surface report by M. Dashwood, Bureaucrat

Report M.Dashwood

Upon arrival at Fort Leon, a team was dispatched to scout the area. The team encountered tribes-people wearing bomb collars, which were found to be controlled by Bunker Fortitude. Recons also found potential bedded in enemies, and learned of a force headed towards some of the farmland used to feed the 500.

During the evening the relay dish was attacked and temporarily disabled. The enemy forces were dealt with and the dish repaired. Engineers have noted that the relay dish equipment was old and in need of updating.

The situations were discussed and it was decided to send two missions out the next day, one in the morning, there was an area that the scientists wished to recover samples from, and the second would meet the incoming enemy force, which was on course to arrive in the afternoon.

The team left in the morning and headed towards map reference M9, in an irradiated area. The sample retrieval was successful. During the mission FEF operatives encountered enemies found to be using 10 year old bunker tech, which it was discovered had been provided by the individual known as Gideon.

A machine was also discovered which was sending date from the outside, into the bunker on an unofficial channel. It seemed that Gideon had been in contact with someone on the inside, which we believed to be traitors. The FEF forces were able to ascertain where the signal was being sent to, and the co-ordinates were sent to the bunker, who dispatched security to the location and dealt with the matter internally.

It was learned that Gideon was an AI, possibly created by AICE. With what we learned about Dictate 24, which will be described later in this report, Gideon would have been created to counter the council’s decision to suppress the Dictate.

A reporter had been sent to the surface with the FEF to document surface activities. On Saturday the reporter, Sophie Jones, divulged the real reason for her presence, dictate 24.

Dictate 24 declared that a council member could only hold office for 18 months. This was in order to prevent councillors from using their positions to further their own interests. This dictate had been suppressed, and the FEF, learning the truth, agreed to assist the ASCII reporter in divulging this information to the bunker. In order to offer some stability after the disruption this revelation would cause, a timeline for council elections was proposed and the FEF also put operatives forward for the council positions.

The FEF also learned that Lucas Miller, the Medic Council Member had been kidnapped by Fortitude. On Sunday a large team was dispatched to rescue Surgeon Miller. Whilst this operation was underway Fort Leon was able to listen in to the bunker’s internal security radio, and discover that troops were being dispatched to that location. Some of the rebellion was also witnessed through this channel.
The FEF were ultimately unsuccessful with the rescue attempt of Surgeon Miller, with Fortitude willing to murder him rather than risk losing their captive.

The rest of the FEF forces were allocated to deal with what they called a Witch. This mission was successful and the Witch was effectively dealt with.

Addendums

Fortitude

On the 2nd night of the operation 2 residents of Fortitude were discovered and captured. The tale they told was very grim. The details here are as was told to the bureaucracy but the Fortitude citizen had only old notes and rumours quietly learned from a very careful, small underground rebellious faction.

Around 70 years ago Fortitude was led like Ascendant, with the 5 council members and an AI overseeing the bunker. Strangers visited the bunker, and with them they brought the idea of change. That Bureaucrats and Scientist were unnecessary, that democracy was detrimental to the running of a bunker, that only strength mattered. After a short conflict of around a week, the council had been removed, and instead the Military Councillor stood as lone leader of Fortitude. This has continued, with the appointment being held for life, and the successor being a solider. Science and bureaucracy have been banned, the only professions allowed are Military, Engineering or Medic. People who can not work are evicted. A citizen has 5 days to recover from an illness or injury. If they can not return to work after this they are put onto reduced rations. If they cannot work after an additional short period then they are evicted on to the surface with no assistance. Residents are not paid. They work or they are left outside to die.

There is a small, cautious group of dissenters who have heard that Ascendant do things differently, that feed, care for and pay their workers. The aim for this particular escape was to reach the FEF and to hopefully send back word that the rumours were true.

An additional story was that the visitors had been from another vault, where the Military led, and that they had visited other vaults and changed their government structures too.

 

Operation 5, nothing to see here. politics man fucking politics.

Fort Leon, Shit I am still in Fort Leon,  Every time I think I’m gonna wake up back in the Field. When I was home after my first Mission, it was worse. I’d wake up and there’d be nothing. I hardly said a word to my friends, until I said goodbye. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back onto the surface I’m here a week now, waiting for a mission, getting softer. Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Fortitude squats in the bush, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around the walls moved in a little tighter.

There were no orders, no bunker directives, I arrived after the comms dish had been fucked up by Fortitude bad asses and their tribal levy, the bomb collar squads.

Quinn and I addressed the soldiers, we had Pinner, Hawk, Hardon, Tower all seasoned guys and 3 new recruits, Fox Treaty and Park. Hotpot Snake and Dashwood, turned up day 2 and even Maverick came out of the barn on the 3rd Day. We Discussed the lack of orders and Quinn asked what ranks we all were and what we thought of Major Valton and wanted to know if anyone would stand as council member for the military, I thought about it, people looked at me and I thought hard, but said nothing…Its politics man fucking politics.

I got out into the field on a light escort mission Ivan wanted to scan some flowers in the dark, something to do with The witch, anyway there were some of the Fortitude guys hanging round and I saw them off with the team, more radio issues though Tower and I worked out he had been issued with the wrong frequencies, he had spent the evening talking to thin air.

The morning of Day 2 we moved out in force again to the rad zone supporting the science and engineering teams because they wanted to go, mission selection was easy, got a gas mask you are in, no gas mask and you can head off the fortitude column heading to the farmlands.
The new territory and the new recruits made for slow going and we were all getting familiar with each other and operating in full masks, we initially took heavy fire and the going was slow past the fortitude cordon.

Ivan scanned more flowers and collected another Rabbit, h e later gave this to Lexi and she stated she would not honour the customary 500 people price tag for this.

The engineers were keen to be on the mission as Gideon had been broadcasting from this area sure enough we were attacked by bad guys pinning us into the rad zone with near fatal radiation levels looking to increase.

I had stayed back as point man on the ridge and thus stopped them wiping us out with my solid resistance but outnumbered 6-1 I was soon injured and limped down the hill to be sorted out, charging back up I ran into a group of 5 of them and engaged at super close range, by ability to withstand fire for longer and to rapid fire my DMR saw me win this fight, the foe began shouting for medics, I did the only thing possible, leapt the bush and took my knife and then I began 1-2-3 another, tower rushed to my aid and we made sure they were not getting up. Soap shouted something about prisoners, but there were none alive.

We recovered a transmitter Inferno and Soap nearly wet themselves this was so important, however the radiation levels were increasing, and they decided the transmitter needed to be destroyed and with that they killed Gideon, for he was an AI program that lived in that box, unfortunately turns out he was a potential ally as he was working to original bunker protocols.

Oh well never mind, lets not talk about it.

Science then happened and I was on hand to ‘assist’ with recording I had all the correct gear:

 

The full recordings have been made available to the science teams as needed.

Later that day another team defeated a fortitude attempt to destroy farmland, good action from Payne and his team, honest soldiering with no complications.

Raize of the wolf clan and leader of the free peoples asked the FEF to solve a murder for him Pip and Vlad needed help, so Fox and I went to recon the area and follow tracks, we took Wayne and Vlad  to look at a dead body and the new engineer marri came to provide tech thinking. (technically Fox wanted to be recon so I was there as thug really)

My gods investigation is a tricky business and this 7 person team was efficient and we all did the thinking and head scratching and we uncovered some terrible secrets about the death of the mournival  member hacker and traced the culprit down, where he was identified and a confession taken, it was discussed in team scooby do that we need adopt a nothing to see here approach as the truth hurts and would kill people, so we tided  up a crime for raize, I made contact with Parker a local trader and traded a load of good salvage from him. It looked like we were about to need it.

REVOLUTION CITIZENS, absolutely not a coup!

Sophie Jones ASCII reporter was breaking the news about mandate 24, a ‘forgotten’ order that made Council members resign after 18 months that the council members seemed to have forgotten. Quinn took the floor and announced he was going to support this news and then put himself forward together with Soap, Angel, Lexi and Elizabeth so all FEF groups were present  and represented – with Quinn and Elizabeth representing independents, I asked for us to wait as we were badly under supplied and we should requisition more ammo and medical support, but no it had to be done exactly then, apparently no one thinks about Supply.

A number rushed to support this video myself and a few others decided not to support this openly and this allowed us to be semi neutral and facilitate other lines of communication to the bunker command centre. I was approached asking why I had not stood? politics man fucking politics.

The council responded with demands Quinn responded with abuse it seemed to work.

Day 3 the medical council member that was detained by fortitude the previous day was a sufficient target for us to try and snatch back, we conducted a number of operations against fortitude soldiers and camps all successfully, however starting the revolution the previous night saw us dither in the final assault as we had reports of attacks on fort leon, and a costly bloody uprising. Faced with go over to the defence or press on we pressed on.

The final assault was conducted over a too wide frontage, the mission was ultimately a failure with insufficient medical supplies and we stood over the dying body of the councillor forlornly waiting for our medic, all because we were unable to resupply medical patches the previous evening and no one had been able to afford auto stabs from angel, indeed Payne and I had at points lain bleeding for a considerable time due to lack of supplies, it was only the med refills that I had available that meant we were supplied at all for our mission. The fact the council member was not saved resulted in more nothing to see here I tell you  Its politics man fucking politics.

On a positive note I did collect more salvage for the fund, we would need this if we were going it alone.

Following the mission a detention squad sent by Surface command made contact, I was tipped off they would not fight us though the  volume of radio traffic made some of the detail go missing,  and so we made contact with them and discussed the future, the rebellion, not a coup appeared successful, I believe there are to be elections soon….. politics man fucking politics.

The flower scanning paid off though and Ivan’s witch detector, apparently detected the shit out of her and then with extreme prejudice the other team terminated her command, well done Whitechapel.