Jul 05 05:16:51 108 PA - Investigating Ambushers
From Chronicles
Jul 05 05:16:51 108 PA.
SOMEWHERE IN THE WILDERNESS ALONG THE LARAMY-WHYKIN TRAIL
Erica decides after having tracked down the group that raided the CS convoy that she might need some help asking them some questions, so she goes to see the person who is better at reading people then she. She drops by to see Sage.
It doesn't take much to get to see Sage as Erica is known to the staff at her place, knowing the woman as a friend rather than a business client. For Sage's part, she'll hear Erica out about what the other woman wants. It does start with a "Hey Erica..." though.
"Hey I was wondering if I could borrow you for a few moments. Did you hear about the CS convoy that got it a little bit ago?" Erica asks sage after she smiles warmly at the other woman. "Anyways I went up there to investigate. I found a vial of a steroid named Mega. A really powerful version. Then I used my magnificent tracking skills to follow the people that attacked the CS convoy. Anyways I wanted to ask them some questions, like what is the CS up to. I was hoping you could come along and maybe help me see if they are hiding things. I hope to avoid combat. If they attack I'll just grab you and we can fly away."
Sage purses her lips before nodding faintly. "I think I heard something about it." She replies, before raising a brow faintly at the mention of a steroid. It's probably not the first odd thing that the Coalition might be up to, though. The mention of magnificent tracking skills does draw a faintly amused look. "Sounds like someone's getting more confidence." She muses softly, before taking a moment to consider the situation. "Alright, just let me grab a couple things and we can see about some questions... if these people feel like having a chat." She can't exactly lock herself away within her place the entire time until some other things are taken care of, after all.
"Can I help it if I am the best tracker in the city?" Erica asks with a smirk and a quick wink towards Sage. "I am not sure why the CS would want anything to do with such a dangerous steroid, but it is worth a look." She says while Sage goes to get her equipment.
Sage doesn't really go anywhere these days without wearing her stalker armor underneath her clothing, and she grabs a couple blinder grenades, the gun that Valeriya gave her and her vibroknife as a quick gathering. She'll forgo the full armor look, though, as she can call up psychic armor if she gets into a pinch. "Right..." She replies to the other woman's first comment with a hint of teasing in her tone, before she gives a shrug to the other comment. "I'm not sure either... but there seem to be a few things they do that don't make much sense." She offers, before having a quick word with the staff about her departure.
Erica took her armor with it and with obvious practice gets into her Triax made armor. She attaches the jet pack, and then powers everything up. "Do you mind if I just carry you over to the site of the attack and then we can follow the tracks to their camp site? That should cut down on travel time." She asks before putting on the cyclopean helmet.
With the slight amendment of actually getting into her armor, Sage nods faintly. "I guess it'll be faster that way. Just make sure not to drop me." She adds with a light tone to suggest she isn't too concerned yet about that.
Erica wraps her arms around Sage once they are outside. She is careful not to hold the woman too tight. Once she has a good grip on Sage she powers up her jet pack, and flies over to the site of the attack. Once they are there she lets go of Sage and makes sure the other woman is fine after the trip. After they are settled she goes to the tracks of the attackers, and starts leading the way to where the attackers are.
The site of the convoy attack is essentially clean. If someone didn't know that it was somewhere that something interesting had happened, it would otherwise just be another rutted, muddy location on one of the smaller paths leading from Laramy to Whykin and various points in between.
Flying isn't something she's used to, but Sage seems to take it in stride. Worst case scenario, she could probably save herself if she were dropped. She takes in the sights she's able to before settling and getting used to being on the ground. Once she's settled, she begins to look around the area before looking to Erica. "Well, where do we start, oh great tracker?" She asks, with mild humour.
Erica takes off her helmet so that she can better talk and interact with Sage. She offers the woman a wide grin as she starts going into the forest. "Well I already followed their trail once. Here I know you might be able to see the signs." She says as she gestures to the trail that the people that attacked the convoy left. Taking the lead she starts following the trail while keeping her helmet close at hand.
Sage nods faintly to the other woman, "It would be easier if it were an animal, though." She replies, before she moves to follow the other woman's lead. She seems content to remain with her helmet on as situations can change quickly unless she needs to briefly remove it to speak quietly.
The trail leading from the larger road stretches for a good half mile through moderate- to thick-forest, though easily followed by one who can do such things. Various woodland creatures, from squirrels to deer roam the area, and seem to be happily living out their little animal lives. It begins to open gradually as trees fade out, but there is no clearing as of yet.
Erica puts on her helmet as they get deeper into the forest. She keeps following the trail, leading Sage and herself through the forest. Her head turns from time to time to keep track of the various animals, in case there is a threat. "I am better at tracking people and vehicles. I really should learn how to track animals some time." She mentions to Sage as she leads on.
"Sure." Sage replies, before she gets herself ready for potential trouble as she gets the gun she brought with her ready for action. It does have a stun option, after all.
Erica stops all of a sudden and holds up a hand. She switches to radio so she can talk to Sage unheard. "There are three people ahead of us. With energy rifles, and they are in armor. Do you think we should greet them from here?" She asks Sage as she makes no move to her weapons.
Sage seems to let her attention drift as she begins to sense the wildlife around her. It has been one thing that she hasn't indulged in as much recently. She pauses as the other woman speaks, before looking further along. "Suppose it can't hurt if we're just hear to talk..." She offers.
Erica switches to her radio loudspeaker as she takes a step closer to Sage, in case they need to flee quickly. "Hello?" She calls out with her hands plainly visible. "I am not here to attack you, and I would appreciate it if you didn't attack us. We are here to speak with you."
One of the three armored forms rises and begins to slowly move toward the tracking duo. Its rifle's muzzle is pointed just barely toward the ground, but at least it isn't direct. The other two remain where they are, crouched into a firing position that allowed their raised rifles to continue to point at the two women. The armored lead stops after a few steps. The Gladiator helmet sweeps over them for a moment before a female voice comes over the speakers. "What are you doing here and who are you?" Brief and to the point. Confrontational, yes. Sounding like someone who wants to actually start a fight? No.
As the situation could be dangerous, Sage begins by opening herself to empathic impressions. It may also allow her to tell if there are other people around that they aren't currently aware of, but she holds back on trying to read minds for the time being as they are still in the initial stages. She decides to keep her own weapon at a neutral position.
Erica keeps her hands plainly visible, but within reach of Sage in case things turn bad. "My name is Erica. This here is my friend." She says while gesturing towards Sage. "I'm here to talk to the people that grabbed a bunch of drugs lately. Some super charged Mega. I have reason to believe that the Coalition States are doing something with this steroid. I was hoping that these people might have a little bit more information. I wouldn't want the CS to be doing something that was crazy or dangerous without at least trying to find out what is going on." She says using the loudspeakers on her armor.
The woman remains still and silent for a while, head moving in the occasional short movement - a military person would recognize it as someone listening to an internal radio. The other two sentries rise, their weapons still on Erica and Sage as they move forward. "Hand over your weapons, remove your helmets, and you can come with us. If those terms aren't agreeable to you, then turn around and forget you were ever here. If neither of those options are acceptable, well then I guess there's going to be some dying pretty soon." Again, confrontational but without that complete edge of, "Please just give me a reason."
As things start to move towards a head and the feelings shift, Sage picks out the speaker to see if there's anything that can be gleaned from his surface thoughts. "Not quite sure I see the point of removing helmets unless they're afraid of headbutts." She comments simply over her radio. "But, your call." She advises Erica.
Erica frowns inside her helmet, and then looks back at Sage to see what the other woman has to say. Without any firm indication from her psionic friend she shrugs her shoulders, and starts handing over her weapons. "Alright we will see where this goes." She says with a bit of reluctance as she takes off her helmet.
The armored woman on point politely takes a moment to explain, "Helmets off means less radio contact. Helmets off means more vulnerable, but not so much as telling you to strip down and expect to come with us happily. It seems like a fair trade for what you're asking, assuming that your own intentions aren't any more than what you've said." As Erica's helmet comes off, she offers a, "Thank you." One of the other sentries slings its rifle over its shoulder and collects weapons and armor, while the remaining sentry continues to keep her muzzle in the appropriate direction.
Sage shrugs faintly to the explanation, not really caring too much about the tactical point about all of this. "As long as I get it all back later." She comments as she begins to prepares to concede her items over.
Erica hands over all her various weapons, and then she hands over the helmet. Once that is done she gestures with her hand. "Alright then lead on."
The woman in the armor is nice enough. As soon as all of the demanded weapons and helmets have been collected and well secured, she makes a gentle motion toward the other two, who lower their weapons into more of a muzzle-down carry position. Her own helmet is then removed, revealing a generally attractive woman with long hair tied up in a military bun. "My name is Lilya Litvak. We saw you -" pointing to Erica "- or at least, someone in this kind of armor, poking around the ambush site a few weeks back. Since you didn't come back with an armed troop, we let you come in this far. I'll assume that your friend is of equal temperament. We'll find out. Please, follow me." Lilya then turns and moves north, obviously expecting to be followed, with the two other sentries obviously waiting to bring up the rear.
The idea of her being one likely to call in armed troops is a little amusing but Sage doesn't really let it show. She considers the woman that seems to be in the lead. Her psychic attention remaining on the woman for the time being as there doesn't seem to be anyone truly in charge to get a read off of. She nods simply in response, "Lead on." She comments simply, content to be the anonymous friend for the time being.
Erica follows Lilya as she starts moving to the north. "Yes I was scouting out what happened to the convoy. I decided to come back and find out what you all had to say after I found a vial of the steroid. Very nasty stuff, and I wanted to know what the CS is doing with it." She says like she is just having idle conversation.
Lilya leads on, mostly in silence. The sentries follow up, but continue to be essentially non-threatening. The nearly invisible trail itself continues for another mile, and eventually opens gradually into a relatively large and open meadow. Not completely open to the sky and with the occasional canopy trees dotting the area, making it perhaps an ideal location to set up a camp that would easily be passed over without serious inspection from the air. The woman stops at the break only long enough to turn and announce, "This is where the road ends." The clearing is currently home to about forty men and women in various stages of dress and armor (a significant number of Coalition-issue suits), of various human and closely-humanoid D-Bee species. Tents have been erected as has camouflage netting over the areas not covered by nature's supplied concealment. A number of armed hover-cycles are parked in one area, with a mechanic and possibly armorer going over them. Another location is obviously an arms locker and equipment cache. From first impressions, whoever these guys are, they're not your ordinary shoot-shit-scoot mercenaries who often harass travelers along the various large and small trails connecting the cities and towns of southern Missouri, both Coalition-controlled and momentarily independent. Visibly, there are another four armed and armored sentries carrying large energy rifles, patrolling in an obviously precise and practiced drill. A command area may be assumed off to the side, where a larger tent of more structural material has been erected, including a small sensor suite. Further away, not really even hidden in the trees are a number of crates, large and small that seem to have been carefully cataloged.
Sage notes the lack of response to the questions before she looks around area as they arrive. "So, what now?" She asks simply as there are a number of people around and no clear leader on first glance.
Erica looks around the camp with an expert eye. She nods her head in approval at the set up before she turns her head back to Lilya. "Ok so who do we talk to?" She asks offers a quick smile. "I am guessing we go to that tent over there." She says with a gesture towards the command tent.
Lilya puts two fingers in her mouth and blows a loud whistle. The camp instantly takes notice, but she gives up what is obviously a hand signal to communicate, at the very least, "Stand down." Over near the command area, a sentry outside the tent - armed and armored, but without a helmet - sticks his head in through the flap. About twenty seconds later, a man comes out, dressed in comfortable fatigues save for the breastplate of what looks to be a suit of Coalition-issue armor of some type. He walks gently over toward Lilya and her guests, dictating notes to a woman following next to him. The two sentries that had followed the little group into the clearing have departed, taking their temporary trophies with them. Lilya stands aside as the man looks Erica and Sage up and down. "You're known as Erica. You are..." he's looking to Sage. The rest of the people continue to go about what it looked like they were already doing.
Sage makes a faint face at the loud whistle, but seems more interesting in seeing how the situation will play out. The stand down note seems comforting at least. Her gaze takes a moment to pick out the leader as he seems to become obvious. Her attentions shifting to the man to see if she can begin to gain impressions from him. A faint curl comes to her lips at the desire for introductions. "Sage." She replies simply, "Believe it or not." She adds.
Erica's attention also shifts to the man with the personal assistant. She regards him for a moment trying to gain a sense of his bearings. Nodding her head at him she offers a quick smile. "And you are?" She asks in a pleasant voice, the smile still on her lips.
The man, whose face says that he's seen a lot of life and yet is only in his upper twenties nods toward Erica. "Roger de Flor. ex-Major, Coalition Ground Forces. I'm in charge of the soldiers you see here." He looks between both women and offers, "We're the Condottieri. Lilya is my number one. What brings you here to our promised land, Erica and Sage believe it or not?" Roger really seems pleasant enough, but also in complete control.
Sage gives a slight look to the man, "Just call me Sage." She offers before offering a faint smile and a shake of her head. She'll have a little sense of humour about it. Then she glances towards Erica. "Well, you might as well ask." She defers, content to wait to see what she can pick up from the man if anything.
"Well I'll be frank. We are here to see what that raid on the convoy was all about. Also I am pretty curious about what the CS is doing with a bunch of high powered steroids? Is this part of some juicer program or something?" Erica says to the major. "We just have a few questions about what is going on. I guess we are a curious bunch."
Roger makes a motion as of to fall in next to him as he starts to roam around the compound. "We raided a convoy for two reasons, in no particular order. First, because we like to raid the CS troops. Second, because you can sell high powered steroids. The Condottieri aren't a bunch of mercenaries, we're soldiers. This was a two-in-one. Follow me inside, I don't have a lot of information, but I can give you some." As his secretary holds the tent flap open, he pauses to ask, "Exactly what is your interest in this issue, anyway, Erica?" He looks to Sage, but as she hasn't asked any questions, he apparently feels no reason to enter. They'll soon be inside.
"The reasons seem to be straight-forward enough." Sage replies, "Not sure that anyone in a similar situation wouldn't do the same thing." She doesn't go into whether it'd be something she would do, however. There doesn't seem to be anything to give her pause about the tent as she wanders in.
Erica follows Roger's lead into the command tent. "Alright well that seems pretty straight forward, but it doesn't seem to answer the question of what the CS is doing with those steroids. And super versions of them. Mega is dangerous enough. Causes lots of heart attacks, but why are they making it even worse?" Erica asks as she looks around the command tent once she is inside.
The interior of the tent is impressively outfitted to run what is essentially (at least by numbers) an understrength infantry platoon. Computers, sensors and communications equipment, it's all there. There are four people inside going about various tasks, and everyone has a polite chuckle at Erica's question. Even Roger laughs a bit as Lilya closes the tent flap and departs. He shrugs and holds his hands to the sides. "Why would the Coalition be dealing with drugs like that? I have no idea! Thing is, I don't think that they are. From what we can tell - not perfect, but we think a fairly good guess at this point - it's a network dealing in all sorts of contraband. Drugs. Weapons. Pleasure items. Even slaves. But it's not the organized CGF doing it." He stops, then adds with a short bow the qualifier, "We believe."
Sage takes a moment to consider the surroundings, but technology really isn't her thing. "Then do you have any idea who might be involved?"
Erica looks around the tent, and gnaws on her lower lip for a moment. She listens to what Roger has to say, and she nods her head. "Well if this group is selling that sort of stuff I am sure the CS would be pretty pissed if they found out. Do you have any idea of who might be involved? I wouldn't want the more suffering to be caused by the CS if I can help it. If you could give me a few leads on who these guys are I could look into it."
"You remember, months back, the CS and Laramy agreed to establish joint patrols? Well, some troops moved in to secure a place to figure out what they needed. More recently, you must have heard that Whykin itself has had a huge influx." Roger pauses for questions, then continues anyway. "It's not an outside entity bringing these things in. It's an entity within the CS itself. All started when Bradford's 23rd Battalion moved in. Little things at first, real small. In fact, sometimes nothing moved. Couple of months ago, someone within C Company - that's Captain Woodson - took shipment of a bunch of drugs from someone in Laramy. We don't know any further details on either side, civilian or military. But we do know that they're being run to Whykin - and snuck in under the noses of the keepers." He points off to another man. "Jack thinks that it's just for fun, but it's more than the drugs. I think that they're actually funneling the stuff up to Tolkeen. Still though, how C Company gets the stuff, specifically? We don't really know. We just take it out when we can."
Sage purses her lips as she considers the further comments offered by the man before she pauses a little at the mention of C Company. She glances between the former major and Erica. "Huh..." She comments, "Were there any slaves in the shipment you stopped?" She asks simply.
Erica frowns as she listens to what Roger is saying. "So this Captain Woodson, or someone under him might be involved? If they are shipping slaves that is even worse then these nasty steroids. If a major smuggling ring is moving between Laramy and Whykin then that could cause a lot more violence around. The black market wouldn't like that. Assuming they aren't involved." She gnaws on her lower lip for a moment. "Seems like it should be stopped before it gets bigger."
At Sage's question, Roger shoots a glance at his secretary and gives a sharp nod. The woman hurries to stick her head out the tent's entry flap and calls out a name, "Gwendyellan!" The secretary returns to de Flor's side, and seconds later, a tall elf woman sticks her head in, her body following shortly thereafter. She comes neatly to attention and snaps a salute. "Sir!" The man nods to her. "At ease, corporal. When'd you join up with us?" She says, "Six weeks, two days ago, sir!" Nod. "Circumstances?" "Rescued from Coalition hands, sir!" "Others with you?" "Yes sir!" "Their fate?" "Dead, sir! Coalition killed them, sir!" "Very well. Back to your post." Wow. Yes, they're quite military, and Gwendyellan runs off. He says then to Sage, "Yes, we've found slaves. But most of them end up dead. You never know which convey has them, either." He swishes his mouth about for a few seconds and says, "We've heard about a 4th Platoon with C Company being involved somehow very specifically, as if they actually run the convoys. But we've hit enough of them that a platoon would have been decimated by now. But it's much bigger than drugs, guns, slaves.. whatever and whyever, it's eventually connected to Tolkeen, even if all it is, is for more guns and drugs. Black Market? I don't know. I'm sure we all would have heard about it by now if they were doing something about it."
Sage considers the reaction her question draws, although the whole calling out of a member in the troop to be questioned like this is a little odd. Yet, it is informative as well. She makes a faint face as she realizes the fate of most of the slaves. Her gaze shifts towards Erica, briefly taking her telepathic attention away from the man to shift it to Erica. << There seems to be a connection to this network within Kingsdale... >> She mentally notes, unsure of whether to reveal as much in front of the seemingly helpful military people here.
Erica frowns deeply looking upset at the death of slaves. She watches what the corporal says with a grave look. "Slavers, and throwing away innocent life like that is a very great concern. We for certain need to look into this and stop them." She says with a slight nod to Sage in response to her message. "I guess 4th Platoon is where to start. Also we need to see if they have any other bases, or contacts within Kingsdale as well."
"You can bet that if they're getting slaves, they aren't coming from Kingsdale. I've been around here long enough to know that that trick would be really damn hard. But the drugs coming in for the KEC and the Black Market? The weapons?" Roger shrugs. "Hell, just about any weapon you want, you can buy legally. Then the remaining one percent that you can't, you can buy in a dark alley. No, no. If you two want to help? Leave the slave problem to other people operating out of other places. Stick to drugs and guns." He calls his secretary forward and glances at her notepad before saying, "We don't take any chances at getting into Whykin. Everything we hear is from payoffs and snitches. For you? Two people? Laramy would be the place to look, I'd say. Find the receiver. Find the receiver, find the supplier." He shoots a glance at the guard by the door, who hurries out. "Private Hann is going to get your things. If you'd like to leave and forget about us, that's fine by me. Go our separate ways, neither is the wiser about the other. But if you want - you can give me your comm frequency, and maybe we can stay in touch."
Sage purses her lips before nodding to the man's comments, "There are likely some things we can find out." She replies, before glancing over towards Erica. "It might be best for you to handle the contact if you want to keep in touch... way things are going for me lately, I need to be a little careful about taking on too much." She decides to remain vague about the why of it, though. "Either way, I'm glad I came to hear this."
"I would like to keep in contact with you. We can compare information. I can assure you that we will be on top of this." Erica says with a slight smile then a nod towards Sage. "Thank you. I'll handle the radio stuff. But if you could help out when you can I would appreciate it." Her smile is warmer for Sage. "Thank you for all the info. We'll be on our way."
Roger lets out a loud whistle and waves toward the tent flap. "Your gear will be returned to you. It was nice to meet two concerned citizens, Erica. Sage, it's a lovely name and I'm sorry to have mocked you, but you left it wide open." The man allows his first wide smile of the day. "Safe journey, and remember. People who deal in these things. On these scales. They do not fuck around, and they don't like to be fucked with. Be careful who you talk to, you who trust, and where you choose to stick your nose." That said, he returns to the business of running a unit, which at the moment has to do with something on a distant computer screen. Everything will indeed be returned, and guards will escort the two women back through the trail to where it meets the road, just to make sure that to their satisfaction, no one has been seen.
