marie@nmtvax.UUCP (11/01/83)
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE TRAVELLER CAMPAIGN REPORT: REPORT #3 While waiting for our ships to be built on Maq, we had our armor repaired, because it was somewhat charred from our reentry on Ruqq, and the ablative reentry equipment needed replacement. When we were traveling through the city on our way to pick up our repaired armor, we had a run in with a group of eight escaped convicts. The law level on this planet required that we carry no weapons what so ever, but these convicts had procured pistols from guards in their escape. They also outnumbered us, we had seven men and they had eight. We ran into the nearest building, which happened to be a drinking establishment. The convicts came after us and immediately shot down two of us and the rest of us grabbed the nearest weapon; chairs, bottles, or some poor scum who looked like he'd make a good club. The convicts had pistols, but we were stronger and it was close in fighting. There were three of us standing when it was over, and all of us had to spend some time in a hospital. We killed the convicts. After we got out of the hospital, we were hanging out in a local bar when we were approached by a very large and muscular man in armor. He said he was interested in getting us to go back to Jud to continue our previous mission. When we refused, he told us that he had a 3000 ton cruiser at the starport and asked us to go there so we could talk in private. My leading sergeant didn't like this person and was growling and making obscene gestures. The man showed us two concealed pistols and asked the sergeant to shut up. The sergeant continued this action and I had the other marines drag him off before we had any major trouble. The man tried to convince me to go back to Jud, but I didn't feel like revisiting the ruins of our 600 million credit investment. At this point, approximately 50 marines entered the establishment and escorted me to their ship. When we got to his cruiser, he told me he wanted me to attempt to get the ancient books in the religious complex alone, but equipped with an advanced set of battle dress, which I would be allowed to keep. Not being quite as insane as my leading sergeant, I refused. He then let me leave. As I left the ship, I was followed by several armed men. I started to run for my life, and they took a few pot shots at me. After I had eluded these people, I ran into a group of nine others who were also armed and armored. They captured me, but I had screamed enough to attract about twenty four policemen. In the ensuing firefight, I crawled down a sewer and escaped. I later discovered that none of the cops survived. I was making my way to the starport security building, because they were better equipped than the local police, and I might find some facsimile of safety with them. On the way, I eluded five other enemy groups, but the sixth caught me. This time, the starport cops showed up and chewed up my assailants while I crawled under a trash bin. By this time I was beginning to feel picked on, not to mention paranoid. The starport police dragged me out and gave me protection. I told my leading sergeant about the developments over my suit radio, and told him to try to make it to the starport police before somebody found him. He and the five remaining marines made their way through the city and were able to elude most enemy groups. Halfway there, I had a starport squad escort them in. We found out that the man with the 3000 ton cruiser was known as Lord Almric, the ruler of Jud. After the cruiser left the planet, we told the starport police that we were ready to leave, but the cocky paper-pusher in charge of such things demanded several thousand Credits for services rendered. Not wishing to have problems with the starport authorities, we paid the man and left. We had no trouble on our way back to our apartments, but were all very paranoid. We didn't leave our rooms unless necessary and all carried weapons when possible. About a week later, the man who took our money came to give it back, with interest. It appeared that his superiors had found out about his little scam. Apparently, they had modified his rank, wallet, and face. Soon after the man left, we heard a thud on our door, which we slowly opened. On the outside of our door was a hemispherical object with stenciling on it that said, CLAYMORE MARK V NUCLEAR MINE This side toward enemy We closed the door very carefully and opened the window, we were on the twentieth story, too bad. I called a local Air/Raft dealer and asked him to deliver one to our window. He thought I was joking so I offered to pay double. He laughed at that, and I told him about the mine and he could have one too if he didn't send that air/raft soon. This time he hung up, forget the window. Again we opened the door. My leading sergeant had a little electronics training and attempted to defuse the mine. He played with it for a while and all that happened was that is started making strange noises and all the little green lights turned red. This looked grim, so he hit it once or twice with the butt of his rifle. His great skill successfully knocked out the mine. He quickly took it to a local police station while the rest of us cringed under our beds. When the cops saw what he had, they immediately arrested him for possession of it and sent the mine off to the bomb squad. He tried to explain, but nobody would listen, so he started growling and making obscene gestures again. After several hours of this, he was noticed. The police called in a psychologist for the poor man. The psychologist was intrigued by the sergeants behavior and took him off to a nut house for a couple months of a new experimental therapy. The rest of us had a nice quiet couple months, while our friend sampled strange drugs. After one of the ships was completed, we moved onto it. After a couple weeks a certain 3000 ton cruiser landed at the starport. We received a visit from Lord Almric, who we referred to as Lord Armpit. When he was inside the air lock, we had the computer check him for weapons, but he was unarmed, so we let him inside. He agreed to tell us what his real motivations were if we sent all the marines out and cut off all communications. We did so, but both the sergeant and I kept rifles pointing in his general direction. He told us that it was his ambition to gain control of this subsector, and that he was responsible for the missile base on Waliya, and for the destruction of the merchant ship that we took from Jud to Ruqq, which cause the almost total annihilation of our mercenary unit. He said that he wanted us to work for him and that he would equip our new ships with type seven computers (the best available) if we would do so. Out of greed, we agreed. He went on to say that he wanted us to go back to Jud, and that our ships were to be used only in his service. About this time, the other marines notified us that the Lords men were attaching an object to the hull of the ship. Not liking these new developments, I aimed my rifle at Lord Armpit and told our men on the bridge to roast the Lords men with the ships weaponry. Over the PA to the outside, I told everybody to stay at least 100 meters away from the ship or they would suffer the fate of the men playing with our hull. The Lord backed down on a few points and said we could use the ships for our own purposes until needed. He also said that his ship would turn ours to slag if anything happened to him. My sergeant started to growl again, but we had to let Lord Armpit go anyway. Lord Armpit came through with the computers and when the ships were finished, he let us go off trading until he let us know otherwise. When we left Maq, we worked our way to Ito, then to Rewm, which was at the edge of a large starcluster. We traded along the jump routes through Rewm, Hwik, Ezo, Popyd, Iazeji, Vae, Cur, and Uor. We made large profits through speculation and trade and were able to commission the building of another 200 ton trader. As we finished our trading in the starcluster, we had a little trouble with a 100 ton Pirate Scout ship. We didn't think he would be any trouble because we out-gunned him four to one, but it came out differently. The first hit the scout scored on our second ship destroyed the computer and effectively crippled the ship. Our missiles did minor damage to the enemy ship, but the scout proceeded to knock out all weapons on our remaining ship. This ship proceeded to run away while screaming for help. The scout called in another trader and both ships matched vectors with our crippled ship and boarded it. Three crewmen were killed and the rest were captured. The starport sent out a 400 ton Patrol Cruiser to help us, but it got there a little late. The cruiser stopped the enemy trader but the scout ship was fast enough to get away. Two more crewmen were killed by the pirates before the cruisers marines could take over, but our cargo was saved, and we could always hire another crew. We docked at the starport and had the ships repaired while we waited for our third ship to be built. We now had enough money to pay off our 600 million credit debt on the ex-mercenary cruiser, and we still had over 200 million credits for operating money. We now intend to recruit another mercenary unit and take another shot at the merc business. To be Continued....... David Spicer (Lord of the Holy Quadrangle) Richard Wade, James Watson, Petr Bastar (Victims of the Quadrangle) P.S. Any questions, criticisms or comments will be appreciated and welcome.
rigney@uokvax.UUCP (11/03/83)
#R:nmtvax:-51200:uokvax:2400010:000:735 uokvax!rigney Nov 1 09:15:00 1983 Were the Lizards Intelligent? Genocide for Hire!!! You seemed awfully uncaring about the deaths of all those people in the city, but then, I suppose a mercenary's life is a hard lot. I hope you got payed in advance, though, because otherwise it's going to be hard to collect. Actually, since the 15 megacredits were for success, and mining is no longer able to be done on that world, I guess you wouldn't get payed anyway. Don't be afraid to personalize these adventures if there are really names and personalities attached to these bloodthirsty warmongers:-) My condolences on the death of your comrade, and my expressed best wishes on your attempts to forge ownership records of the scoutship. Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!rigney
rigney@uokvax.UUCP (11/03/83)
#R:nmtvax:-51300:uokvax:2400012:000:502 uokvax!rigney Nov 1 09:23:00 1983 I very much enjoyed these reports as well; very reminiscent of Space Vikings. I'm surprised you didn't take over the trader that was carrying you, even if most of your crew (and I assume your weapons) were locked away. Why didn't the fanatics on the planet finish you off after you were stranded at the spaceport; had you killed them all off? (at this rate its only a matter of weeks before the sector is lifeless, but at least you'll be rich!) Keep up the good work. Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!rigney