Join the new world

Our Discor😛 https://discord.gg/DNnyCuk
Last Episode: Comm-Link #011







Notes by Prof Johannes Hannes le Roux: At least it’s something different from another boring scientific mission. This time I’m off to scenic “Northern Macedonia”. Bored out of my mind with these things, should never have put my scientific credentials down when I joined Goshawk. Still though, the double salary is alright. I get sent to check out every damn “breakthrough” that has been made. Usually nothing but I got to go and listen to their bullsh*t and nod and smile while I sit there, quietly wanting to slit their throats. At least they let JP and Muis come along with me as “bodyguards”. We hit the bars and brothels hard after all the long and boring meetings, facility checks, prisoner “updates” etc.

We were about to board our Helicopter back to base, when this guy came zooming past us. Soon after some F.Y.R.O.M regulars came running too, hot on his heels. JP jumped out of the Helicopter, ran past the soldiers and tackled the mysterious fugitive hard to the ground. He was a small, skinny bloke carrying a very hi-tech looking sniper’s rifle. He fought back pretty impressively for a little guy but he was no match for JP. After checking the ID he had on him we found out he was Rasa Blank. We’d stumbled upon a very rare and very valuable asset. The F.Y.R.O.M regulars tried to claim him but a quick Comm-Link to the boss man, Dr Fogarthy put a stop to that and we headed back to base with him, bound and gagged on the floor with Muis keeping watch over him. He struggled at first but a few keen kicks stopped him from squirming around too much.

Dr Fogarthy now thinks it will be a reward for us to do this exchange for Petrov, what the hell have we done for him to make him think we’re his f*ckin’ skivvies! I don't believe in the least that they have Petrov but I suppose orders are orders. So JP, Muis and I are off to Scotland, to negotiate for Petrov’s release. Goshawk lent us some grunts and a sniper team to support us. We were to hold on to Quigley, until we got to talk with Rasa Blank’s negotiators. Can't shake the feeling we're being used as bait to find out if they have him. But orders are orders.

---

Cockenzie, East Lothain, Scotland
Day 4169, 12:00 eRT

Took us three f*cking hours to find this place from the F.Y.R.O.M held airstrip in Northeast England. Damn Goshawk techies can’t even manage to give us proper co-ordinates. The boss man Fogarthy has assured us that Goshawks finest snipers were all in place. We left our armoured transit with Quigley kept close to us, his head bagged and his arms cuffed. We were to be guarded by a few green soldiers parked a few hundred metres up from the farmhouse where we were to meet Rasa Blank’s “negotiators”. I felt an itch between my shoulderblades the whole way and by JP and Muis’s expressions, they felt the same.

We arrived at the farmhouse, just in time as the rain started pouring. Inside there was an old oak table with five chairs set up neatly around it and two Rasa soldiers seated at the head of it, with their backs to the wall waiting for us. I took my time scanning the area for anything strange before pulling up a chair and sitting down. JP sat down next to me but Muis chose to pace behind us restlessly. We were all feeling exposed here and that itch wouldn’t go away. I’d clocked at least three possible sniper positions heading in. I leaned back and studied the two men in front of me, trying not to look as nervous as I felt. Something just didn’t feel right, they were smiling.

After a few minutes they offered us their ID’s and we passed across ours. After studying them briefly we all put them away and continued to just stare at each other, sizing each other up. We easily could tell they were soldiers, these guys were definitely not the Civs Rasa had promised to send to do the negotiations. They looked like hungry wolves.

After a while the ginger one named Murphy leaned forward “We need proof Quigley’s alive or it ends now!” He slammed his fist on the table.

I eyed him steadily for a few minutes before activating my Comm-Link and telling the soldiers to put Quigley on. His voice crackled from my responder and said “Quigley, status clear.” I then cut the link and l stood up, knuckles to the table. “You have your proof now where’s Captain Petrov?” I tried to be square with them, honest. They just looked disinterestedly at me.

After a while the tanned one, I can’t say his name, said “He’s in the farmhouse under medical surveillance.”

”So we can speak to him?” I queried.

“No. He’s sedated. He’s still recovering from his wounds” was the answer.

“Very convenient that isn’t it!? We need proof or no exchange!” I said evenly, trying to keep a hold on my temper. The urge to swallow some pills was high but I needed a clear head for this.

They just looked at us. “We have been informed to wait until he’s fully conscience. When he’s awake, you’ll have the opportunity to talk to your Captain.” the ginger one said.

“That’s no problem then, one of us can at least make a visual confirmation.” I said, my arms outstretched. My sense of unease was rising, there was definitely something wrong here.

I spoke to Muis behind me, “Check the farmhouse and see if he’s in here.” I saw something flicker across the faces of the men in front of me. “He’s not here, is he!?” I yelled. By the look on their faces I knew I was right. We had been ordered to arrive unarmed so our only weapons were the knives in our boots that we never go anywhere without. The itch between my shoulder blades intensified as I slumped into my seat and scratched my right ear. That was the signal to the sniper team to kill the Rasa negotiators and take their man Quigley back to base. There was no response. I did it again and again but still, no response.

JP slowly got to his feet keeping an eye on the men in front of us. Muis had stopped pacing and I didn’t have to turn around to know he was checking on the transit. “Dis weg Ratel” he said quietly. I slowly turned around to look in the direction we had left it, knowing JP would be keeping an eye on the men in front of us. It was no longer there. I keyed my Comm-Link and tried to raise the soldiers, but still there was no response.

I heard one the Rasa Men’s Comm-Links buzz, obviously a signal of some kind. They both grinned while looking at us. “Hand over your weapons and you won’t be harmed.” The ginger one named Murphy said with a malicious grin. The tanned one, Ezbo-whatever leaned back on his chair, looking around casually, as if he was at a bus stop, the arrogant son of a-

I drew in a deep breath and gave in to my pill popping urges, these cursed f*ckin’ things. I swallowed 6 of them in one go. Soon I felt the high, the adrenaline rush. It pushed any nervousness away from me. For once we had actually obeyed orders about weapons and it had now landed us in hot water. But this mission was important to the Goshawk top brass and to the boss man Fogarthy, we couldn’t turn it down. Now they’d left us naked, in parlance with two psycho Rasa boys. We’d only the knives in our boots. I scanned the area quickly, trying to spot how we could get out of this hot mess. My Comm-Link finally buzzed with a voice “I’ve got you covered go!” I’d no idea who it was but I didn’t think twice. I shoved the table hard against the Rasa boys and took off running. I heard the sound of laughter from the Farmhouse then JP and Muis behind me, bucking it as hard as they could. Then I heard the sound of a shot and JP cried out. Muis just kept running. I jumped to the side of the road to find cover before turning around to see if JP was still running. The Rasa boys were bent over JP tying a tourniquet around his leg which was gushing blood. They were laughing, daai blerrie bliksems!

I kept low until they’d left. I took my knife from my boot and stabbed it into the ground. I’d be back for their heads. I waited until it was dark, managing to avoid the local U.K regulars until I reached our backup transit. Muis was there waiting for me. He must have taken the shorter route, more dangerous route. He cried out “And JP? Waars hy?!” Muis seemed desperate, I’d never seen him like this. I simply shook my head. He was devastated but he held it together. “He’s alive. We’ll be back Muis, we’ll get the bastards.” We climbed into our transit and drove quickly to where we had left our Helicopter then flew back to base via a F.Y.R.O.M airstrip outside of Newcastle. I’m left with a burning anger for the “boss man” Fogarthy who sent us into this trap. JP has been captured by these Rasa savages thanks to his scheming. He’ll get his soon. His command has been very loose since Petrov’s disappearance. Signing off,


Professor Johannes Hannes le Roux
Medical Technician, Nano-Biotics
Medic, Chance Unit
Goshawk General Ops.

---

Created by Cat Sith and Sethesin