Gangs of Entropia installment 1

The Gangs of Entropia.
14-11-2043
After wandering Eudoria, Amethera, and the ocassional excursions to the Great Rock in the Sky I have noticed the divisions of class race and species. A division that has kept Eudoria from enjoying the peace it so desperately seeks. This all comes as an after thought through my journeys over the past year while seeking a place to call my own.

I have met a great many people on my long trip through this dark and dangerous realm. Many like myself, quiet, Peaceful.... almost to a fault it seems. I have been graced by the Ubers who have both helped and hindered my progress. I have also walked among the poor and desolate pandering amongst new arrivals not much better then themselves. Seeing much of this I learned to avoid those who would take your fortunes were you not strong minded enough to realise the falseness of their actions. To see the cunning skill in which they take the peoples hard earned equipment and armor then disappear into the etherial as quickly as they arrived to pounce on the unexpected. This brings back memories of a time long lost in my childhood.

I managed to avoid most major confrontations that you hear so much of across the plains north of Port Atlantis. Here the weak minded and the would be great ones hone their skill. Attacking each other to prove their worthiness to untold millions that will never see their deeds. This is where I met the first of the many gangs of Entropia. Here is where the Mutant gangs have reached almost Horde status. With new arrivals trying to prove themselves in this place it is easy to see how the rift has grown. This is not unlike times long past with the America's being over taken from the native Indians who for many generations lived in harmony with the land back on Earth. Long before the Robot Wars did the same to us. How blind we must be to repeat the same cycle again on this new world where we have the chance to so much better our race.

I have mapped out a trade route to support sales of the strange energy matters and wonderous ores I have come across along the way. Finding riches here does not and can not justify me staying here. I refuse to become a conqurer like days of old when our world was going through its growing pains from mans treck to rule all he finds. I can not in good concience fight off and kill these mutant beings for what will become an eternity... THIS will not become my Legacy.

After seeing the masses of these little creatures wandering the hills and plains foraging for their meals like the cromagnans on Earth did before we had evolved into the marvelous race we call Human have become, it is obvious I must move on. Altho I would like to walk amongst them and study them, maybe to find a key to our past that could one day save us from the violent end to our way of life that has sent us here to start over. I must move on, I must explore new territory before deciding where I will call home. The place for me to become a part of this world.... not just another invader from far off.


23-1-2043

I have finally made it back to the swamp camp to restock my supplies. The trip was very stressful and I was forced to move at night under cover of the nightly gases that form as the temperatures shift and the winds settle down. Three days ago I heard them. Noisy as a freight train, talking and joking as loud as children on a playground with not a care in the world. Occasionally I would hear the echo of a blp rifle burp out its familiar death growl. I shudder at the thought of what it would be like on the receiving end of that terrible weapon.

I saw them across the gorge. Definitely a hunting team. Not the explorer groups that come thru searching out the various teleporters that are supposed to be in place around the new world. I could tell it would be a very bad thing to be in their path. These were ex military types from the war back on earth. You can tell by the way they moved, spread out, separated enough to cover each other yet not close enough that an explosive devise or rocket could cripple the whole company.

The confidence they show in the wild only tells me they are elite. Armed to the teeth with the best of weapons and armor. But why are they here. Nothing in these woods are of any significant threat. Could they be passing thru or are they on a specific mission for our government. Maybe on a rescue mission for some rich Trader Baron who lost yet another spoiled brat to the reality of life out in the unknown reaches of this realm.

Ill not inquire about them as these things can be detrimental to your health. Having ANY information like this that could be used for extortion or personal gain. I think from here I will trek to the east. I heard of a place called Billy's, an old desolate boneyard for the destroyed spacecraft from the area. Maybe there I can find some better gear then I have brought on my initial excursion into the frontier. Maybe there is a mobile trading station like the ones in Port Atlantis that were placed to aid the warriors that had carved a safe place for us to start habitating this wondrous new place.

I have massed a few ped after my time in the hills around the mutants. I just need to get to an auction house to sell the ore I have found. Hopefully I will make enough to resupply for a deeper excursion to the north. I also want to see what new mining gear if any is available. I have a good feeling that there is much more to this realm then the Lysterium and Oil common to this area. I have heard of ores near Billy's called Caldorite and Blauserium. I would LOVE to find a good deposit of Gazzerdite. A Weapon smith I met back in Port Atlantis said with that he could make much more durable weapons then are available from the trade terminals.

16-2-2043

I truly didn't think I was going to make it here. I heard them two days ago. I was near the edge of the swamp washing up and getting water purified before I got too deep in the swamp that the water was not useable. I heard the clucking almost like the chickens we have brought from Earth. It was strange to hear that sound but it was more guttural, almost a growl. By the time I looked up they were on me. Four of them had come for me! These were by no means anything like the chickens we have. They Stand one and a half to two meters tall. Covered in a short bristly fur. No wings at all.

I am truly blessed because I could never have survived an aerial attack from these strange creatures. Especially with them having four long whip type arms. All four having this brightly covered hook on it. I was almost hypnotized by them the colors were so bright. They would make you focus on that and not the fact the other three were grasping you in a death clutch so it could jump up and try to shred your insides with the even larger claws and spurs on its semi armored legs.

If it were not for the new plates I had added to my Ghost armor I would have been ripped to shreds. I was lucky in a strange kind of way. I had taken off my pack and placed it and my rife under a scrub tree so it would not get to hot to carry in the afternoon sun. The lucky part was I had decided to refill my cantine and start the purifying tablets to working before I had totally stripped to cool off. I am glad my Grandfather had left me his Maddox I blp pistol with his many stories of how it had gotten him out of more then one bad situation. I now have my own tales to tell.

After binding my wounds best I could I decided to go on to Billy's. I knew there wasn't much for medical back at the swamp camp. I know a wounded creature in the wild does not normally live long with all the predators so I did my best to avoid any paths, ruts, or trails I came across that would lead them straight to me. I followed the northern edge of the swamp so I would have a little cover from the elements and any other travelers that would take advantage of my condition. I am lucky that most of the exasaurs were occupied with their mating season and were ignoring me. I only had to dodge the cornudos but that was no problem as slow and bulky as they are.

18-2-2043

About 2 days after the attack I noticed I had started to run a fever and my wounds were getting very mushy. I didn't feel any pain though which is the crazy part. Could it be the Beryclyds had some type of numbing agent or mild sedative secreted by their claws? It doesn't really matter now, I have to get to a real doctor soon before I lose a limb to infection or worse.. my life.

Late in the afternoon after stopping to check my bandages and rest a bit out of the sun I heard the sound of laser weapons off in the distance to the north. I wasn't too worried because it was definitely from small arms like maybe an opalo or a pistol of sorts. From the sounds of the constant firing I would bet that its more training then someone hunting or defending themselves.

I got myself motivated after half an hour of rest. The hills in this area are taking their toll on me with the wounds I have. I am glad to see that after climbing two smaller knolls I could see in the distance a fenced in area with many huge spaceship bodies and parts strewn all over looking like my bedroom after I emptied my toy box as a kid.

Being so close to a secure area I let my guard down like a fool. I heard the roar of the beast and its heavy foot sets closing in on me from the south east. Man that thing is fast! Time slowed to a movie like pace when they want to show something spectacular in slow motion. All sound receded to silence. Not even the weapons fire from the training arena at Billy's could be heard. I froze for what seemed an eternity after the shock of seeing this HUGE predator bearing down on me in this now dream like state I am in. All the sudden the sound rushed back into my ears. My heartbeat being the loudest thing I was hearing along with a low frequency tone like the one they play just before station shutdown on the E.N.N, at 4 am. One word came to mind so loud and clear it hurt. RUN!!!!!!!!! Thank God for the turrets placed around Billy's! The last thing I heard before everything went black was the massive cannon hidden amongst the spaceship wreckage.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 2

5-3-2043

The Doctors have finally moved me off the watched list and into the main facility with the other wounded settlers that have sought refuge here. The almost primitive setup they have as a hospital here is more like that of the old west. A skittish old lady with a paranoid look, a doctor that is more apt to drink the whiskey then use it as an anticeptic, and a few strangers acting as a clean up staff just to be able to stay in the safety of the compound.

I enquire as to how long I will have to recover here. The orderly gets a sly smile on his face and tells me that depends on how fast I can settle my bill for the stay here. I ask the stranger where my gear was and he tells me I had nothing when they brought me in except the shredded cloths that were burned since they were soaked with infection from my wounds.

I am glad that I have been through this all before. Knowing this was a good probability that I would be helpless and not able to keep track of my belonings I was smart enough to find a decent spot to hide my weapons and mining gear. Only keeping a small amount of ore on me to test the population of this camp but not so little it was obvious I had more somewhere else. I thought to my self who is laughing now you toothless decrepid shell of a man.

I learned long ago to show no pity for the people who came to this realm. Most are here for personal gains. A few may have even come here with good intentions of making this place a new and civialized world for people to have families, jobs, and maybe a few of the finer things in life many enjoyed back on Earth. Far too many of them came unprepared not even smart enough to avoid the petty thieves that hide in the shadows just meters away from the hangar they arrived at. Only the burned out damaged soldiers from the Robot Wars were prepared to survive here. Only the battle hardened ones with the 1000 meter stare will make it out here. Sure the new cities and towns that are sprouting up here and there will change that but this will take decades. With no true law on this unforgiving place it is like the wild west all over again.

For now I will rest in this little haven and learn what I can about the land. Study both the dangers and the treasures to be found in the forests and hills surrounding this remote junkyard of broken aircraft, broken people, and broken dreams. There is much to be learned from the ramblings of the old men who seem to be worn to the nub. Many have endured far more then we can ever imagine. Maybe thats why we dismiss them so easily as senile or mentally burned out so we do not have to admit that we are truely in way over our heads. That we are really just frightened and small and helpless in a very, very hostile place.

9-3-2043

They have let me wander around the encampment now. The infections are gone, the wounds all scabbed over. Now all that remains is the many crude stitches that remind me of the old Electric train set I had as a boy. I have found that I can escape prying eyes out in the wreckage to sneak in a few exercises and stretches. It wont be long before the predators start to circle. Places like this are full of them. The tougher ones of the area, the ones that are stronger then the wounded yet not so strong or brave they wander far beyond the fences and the safety of the cannons. They make the occasional excursion into the wild so they can weave tales of chaos to impress those too weak minded to see and not capable to rebuke them as just the Street Gangs they are. How fun it would be to take them on a real tour amongst the wildlife and harsh lands they so pathetically hide from.

There is one old man that I need to speak with in depth before I leave. He sits quietly in a chair out by the gates. Watching. Like he is the guardian of the realm, the one responsible for the lives of the many this place shelters. He sits there day in, day out, his meals brought to him from the one makeshift bunkhouse that none of the locals ever is allowed into.

Now that I am up and moving I see what he is doing. HE is the one that brought me into the medical area in HIS camp. This old man is Billy. Billy is responsible for EVERYONE in this encampment, everyone here owes his or her life to Billy.

The one thing that stands out about the man most is the solitude he cultures around himself. Not at all an imposing figure, he stands roughly 1.9 Meters and is barely 75 kilos, yet you know not to disturb him. You know he is a formidable opponent even though he is twice the age of most he manages to save out here. Billy has seen it all. All the horrors that await us, horrors we could never imagine, horrors that would shut your brain down in so strong a fear you would never stop shaking the rest of your days. Yet he still holds his humanity well.

Not one person has gone near and spoke to Billy since I have been able to wander. Only the spastic nurse goes near, and that is only to set his food on the little metal table next to the chair carved from the tree stump at the south entrance to the compound.

At times I can feel eyes upon me as I make my way between the hulkish shells of the spacecraft, both ours and robot. The ships are strewn across the yard like the cars in the south buried in tall grass that all the hick jokes were made for back on Earth. Billy has been keeping an eye on me for some reason. Does he know I am not what I try to project being? Does he know me from somewhere, maybe he knew my father back on Earth, or my uncles that were the first to pilot the forces that explored calypso initially. All in due time, all in its place. I can feel a change coming, the air is speaking to us now as if to announce the arrival of something.

12-3-2043 early morning

I woke to a ruckus this morning. It could not have been an attack as the cannons around the camp did not fire. It sounded almost like a fight but I am sure they would not let people go on like that here. I got dressed and ready to step outside to see when the door to my hut started to slowly open as if the wind were pushing it gently in. This is NEVER a good sign, especially after a commotion breaks out in the strange place you happened to hang your hat for a while.

Not knowing what was about to happen I grab the bed slat that I removed from under the bunk next to mine. I had used it like a cane around camp so no one will think any different if it now has to be my only weapon. The door stops its swing about halfway open and I hear a voice that has only been heard once since my arrival. It was Billy, asking for permission to enter. I pause to listen, knowing that a no answer would not be acceptable yet not sure if he was alone. I count five and answer as if still groggy from sleep, Billy slowly enters looking around for any sign of a problem.

He introduces himself even though he knows EVERYONE who comes here finds out who he is shortly after arrival. As he steps fully into the room he asks if we could talk about what has happened to me before I was found and brought here to safety. I nod and ask if he would like some coffee since I was making some for myself. Not seeming too cordial I took his grunt to mean yes and added water to the rusty cast iron frying pan that had been left in here long ago.

Sitting quietly at the makeshift table Billy kind of sizes me up as I make my way back to acknowledge him face to face. With a grin he tells me he is glad I have healed so well and that the "cane" really isn't necessary here, now. I inquire if his visit has something to do with the racket earlier since we have not spoken in the week or so I have been here. Again Billy grunts. He says one of the patrols had come back... a man short. Seems he sent them to backtrack where I came from to make sure there will be no surprise attacks due to my being here. He then looks me straight in the eye and asks who the team was that ambushed his men at the north western part of the swamp. Not batting an eye I told him I had no idea and that I had surveyed them and determined avoidance was my best option at that time. I told him I KNEW they were professionals hunting for something or someone. Strange part is where they were ambushed as I had seen them much farther to the northwest in the mutant territory above swamp camp.

Billy stared me down for a moment and then stood up and told me it was time to fetch my gear from the outskirts before that team comes across it and I have nothing to survive on out here. He then hands me the ores his orderly's took from me when I first arrived. Come to my office when you return he tells me, the guards will not bother you if you are armed. He walks out of the room leaving the door open as to suggest I go now.

12-3-2043 Late afternoon

Tired now from the injuries and lack of any real exercise for all that time I was at Billy's I knew I had to find a hiding spot soon where I could not be tracked. They were too close and I know these guys know I am here and are hunting me. I have spent the last 3 hours ducking and dodging them, leading them in a slow arc away from Billy's and farther north. I hear the sound of running water! My saving point. I can follow that for a short distance and double back to keep an eye on my hunters.

First I must throw them off my trail. I peel a short section of bandage from my leg wounds and tear it on the split of a broken branch leaving just a few threads hanging for them to see. Then I slide down the embankment making sure I leave an obvious trail, one that says I am wounded. I lead them to the stream with drops of blood from where I bit my tongue hard enough to make it bleed pretty good. Then I limp hobble my way back up the other side making another wide arch. My plan is to lead them right back to the branch where I left my first clue.

This takes about an hour to do as I had to make it look like I am hurt yet be quiet so they would not hear me if they had gotten too close. I climb the tree where I had left my bandage fragments hanging. Its the perfect spot as the trees here are very dense and close together. I make my way from tree to tree as quietly as possible. Stopping every time I move a branch to show as little motion as possible.

After I get about 50 meters from where I had started them on the goose chase I hear a crack that echo's a bit not far from me. I freeze where I am and hold my breath so I could hear any little noise that follows. One of them had stepped hard on a downed branch and broke it hard enough that the whole forest could hear.

After what seemed to be five or more minutes I saw him coming out of a stand of trees not far from where I was. He wasn't at all hard to spot as his Angel armor almost glows in the evening light. I ease myself to the far side of the tree I am in limiting my exposure to him hoping to blend well in the pine type trees in this area. As the soldier points to the east where I had left them their fist clue I see two more stepping into view about 20 meters to the south of the first one. Two more and I will have marked the team visually and confirmed my ruse is working.

I stay very still, watching my predators move away. Predator.... funny I say this. Just as that thought runs in my head I am jolted back to reality as I hear a voice yell from the top of a tree not 10 meters from me.. DAM RADIO!!!!!! Where you guys at!!? a soldier in Predator armor leans out into view. A second voice issues a command to shut the hell up and get outta the tree now that you have blown our position. The team leader emerges from between the cracks in a huge tree that looks as if it were split by lightning long ago. How did I manage to NOT get caught with them being so well concealed and so close. They must have positioned themselves JUST after the first one I saw broke the branch alerting me to his position.

14-3-2043

After telling Billy of my run in with the Hunters he decided it was time to reinforce the camp. All patrols were kept within one kilometer of camp. Guards were posted at the gates and the corner towers at all times. All ring activity was halted and a complete lights out / darkness policy strictly enforced. No one in the camp was to leave or transmit any form of radio signals and the guns were set to kill anything that moved within its range without the proper binary code transmitted on the frequency for that hour of that day. Billy knew his stuff when it came to this kind of lockdown as the robots here had gotten good enough with cybernetics in the later parts of the war and had wiped out whole startup towns by using them.

Billy and I had setup in the western part of the camp in the wreckage. Here he had setup an underground monitoring station complete with seismic monitors, heat sensing cameras, and infra red sensors that were motion activated at various points around the perimeter of camp. Remote controlled laser cannons were controlled by a few of the sensors to hit the enemy from behind should they get between the forest edge and the outer fences of the camp its self. The first night was very quiet no activity at all.

15-3-2043

The first alarm triggered off of an IR sensor shortly after 22:19. The cameras showed nothing but all guards were put to full alert. The rest of the camp was going about normal camp function except none were to be out of battle gear. The second alarm triggered fifteen minutes later same sensor opposite side of the first trigger. Exactly 15 minutes later a third alarm triggered from a different sensor. This continued around the perimeter for the next three hours. They were probing, testing, trying to find the weak spot. What was here they wanted so badly they would risk life to gain access to this compound.

Silence. No Alarms. No Motion. No Noise. Not even the seismic sensors were triggering. Had they moved on or were they playing the waiting game. They Know we are watching and can tell where they are. Soldiers like this I know could disable ANY of these outer defenses, maybe even fake them out so we don't know they are past and closing in. I think they are biding time, waiting for mistakes to be made on our part.

I was worried about the guards in the towers being sniped but Billy assured me that the tree line was well out of even the marber tangos range even with the best of todays amplifiers. He did suppose someone that had trained on that gun could get in a lucky shot but with all the sensors they would immediately divulge their position and open themselves for a retaliatory strike.

The waiting game continues.


16-3-2043

Sunrise. The tension in the air around the camp was thick, everyone on edge, no patrols today. Not to many were aware of the happenings of the night. Only a chosen few even knew that other measures were in place to protect the camp, and the rest will never know. Were they to find out then they may feel overly safe and get complaisant with their duties and need to protect themselves.

"So now what?" I asked Billy as we sat having coffee after breakfast. He said someone needs to go meet with our aggressors and find out what they are after. Not wanting to risk my life for a place or a people I have no intensions of staying with I thought hard about volunteering to be that person. Then I realized that only Billy or myself were strong willed enough let alone in any shape to face them where they would not just shoot you outright for being weak. I also felt I owe Billy that much for saving me when I first arrived here.

I will go I tell Billy. Again only a grunt was his reply.

When I was ready to go meet our new friends Billy shut down a few of the battlements so I could safely traverse the open perimeter to summon our new acquaintances. I went out in full armor after I swapped plates so I might withstand one maybe two rounds from a laser or plasma rifle. Grandfathers Maddox on my side, in holster, unstrapped for quick removal if the need arises. My Justifier MKII draped over my right arm like I was casually walking though the woods hunting rabbits back home on Earth. Weird how I was not nervous to face these strangers, after seeing them work as a team and watching them I almost feel comfortable that they will not attack me straight off. That is, NOT until we have met and they state what they have come for.

Twenty five meters from the tree line the front of my armor lit up like a Christmas tree from my childhood with ten lasers all on critical organs. Not one waivered from its intended target. I was instructed to set my weapons down and move forward past them. I laughed as loud as I could. Five of you and one of me, you give me far more credit then I deserve I'm afraid. I yelled to them what chance do I stand against you even were I to get a clean shot off?. Kind of a moot point I believe I add.

What is your business here I yelled. A voice behind me says we are looking for someone. Impressive was the only word that filled my mind as I realized one had gotten past ALL the sensors thru the night and KNEW where we would send someone to meet them at. Their scout had dug in and stayed in a hole all night while we were occupied tracking the others as they went systematically sensor to sensor as a distraction for their man to get in place.

Who then I ask are you looking for and for what are you searching I say in a very quiet voice as I hear his footsteps stealthily approaching from behind. As I turn to face this soldier it dawns on me... I only ever saw five in their team, who and where did this one come from. As he got within arms reach he held his hand out with some papers with the official seal of the Planetary Defense Forces of United Earth. This was not the standard issue soldiers from robot wars. The man I am looking at wears no armor, no insignia's, nothing to even show he is, was, or could ever be military other then the way he holds himself.

The name on the papers was mine.

After reading the documents I decided it was time to fill Billy in.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 3

17-3-2043

As I turned to head back to the encampment I saw that Billy was also standing not far from where I was, and that the other soldiers were making their way toword us from where they stationed. Billy seemed to look past me to the soldier I remember giving orders to the team while I was trying to avoid them. He looked as if waiting for an answer to an unasked question.

When the team had regrouped where Billy, the Scout, and I had merged the leader addressed Billy as Sir and commenced giving him a sit rep (situation report for you non military personel reading this) on what had occured in the last 4 days. He apollogised for the loss of his man on patrol as his team had tried to save the man from rogue Atrox Gaurdian that had been hunting the area along with the female that the cannons killed the day I was rescued.

The Team was dismissed and only the Leader, Billy and myself went into Billy's personal building. It was interesting to see the layers of security leading to the inner confines of the structure. Magnetic locks, computer controlled using Biometrics as keys. Some used iris scanners others finger printing and voice prints. Each section having a different security measure of protection to stop ANY intrussion from non human intruders. Plasma guns mounted in walls, gas diffusion valves, Halon systems, even an RFI caged room where Robots could not transmit or recieve signals from anything outside that room.

Once inside and completely past the security Billy directed us to an elevator that was completely hidden behind movable sections of a wall. As we entered the elevator a warning to remove ANY electronic or EMP sensitive materials and put them where instructed by the person escorting us further on. The soldier handed Billy a small black case from inside his armor. He also removed the power system to the armor he wore and suggested I do the same as to not damage functionality of my gear. Once we had done this Billy stuck his finger in a small hole in the wall, a few seconds later a small panel slid out from the side wall of the elevator and a compartment opened just under that where Billy put the items we had given him and closed that with the press of a button.

A vibration formed in the elevator along with a hum that sounded like the huge transformers used back on Earth to distribute massive amounts of electtricity. A loud clunk was heard as the huge breakers engaged and fired the capacitors used to create a localized emp pulse within the elevator. A last defense against ANY robot or cybornetic intrussion Billy told us.

As the Elevator started to move Billy began to explain to me why the team had tracked me down and again why all the security was needed. It seems we were all mislead that Eudoria was clear of robot threats that the corporations and the EBN had told us. In fact it was quite the opposite. The robots were NEVER rooted here. They had stumbled on this world AFTER Earth was taken on their way to another system where other robots had already subdued. They hadnt known we came here to escape them during their conquest of Earth. Only few of the old soldiers and loyal technicians that remain here have this knowlege and are working hard to prevent that information leaving this planet. Billy went on through most of the night filling me in on what had, and was happening here to control the whole mess.

19-3-2043

Two full days of debriefing, man my head is spinning from all this. After a few short hours to catch up on sleep and to let this all sink in Billy and the teams Leader told me it was time for me to decide what if anything I was prepared to do to help them to resolve this problem. They knew my fathers and uncles had raised me to be strong, smart, and know how to adapt and survive almost anywhere as they all served in the same unit that first reconned Eudoria for habitation.

There was no thinking to be done. It was time for me to step into the roll I had trained for most of my life. I gave them my decision to help and asked where we stand in the battle, how many are there here able to truly make a difference, and how widespread is the threat to our survival.

The answer was bleak. They told me they know Earth had been decimated and that all the propaganda spewing from the EBN was all controlled by the huge corporations that had manipulated societies on Earth long before the wars. They don't want a panic among the settlers here so they feed them false news of Earth. They could not prove it but there was talk the corporations are working with robot factions here on Eudoria to broker a deal for their survival and the enslavement of the human race in exchange for this very deal.

Billy explains the next evolution in the process was to recon the robots to find weakness or any technology we could use against them. He told me the way to do it was to get on one of the control ships that orbit this planet. I inquired on how they plan to do this...

The team leader walked to what seemed to be a storage room and retrieved this devise that looked more like a robotic armadillo then anything I have ever seen. He told me they had retrieved several of these from local miners. They say the miners have found that the gear they use also homes in on drone ships that are within the distance of the gears range. They say there are ALWAYS two drones near and that a small spacecraft is also somewhere in the area. The miners say the drones don't seem to be on active patrol, that they are more like explorer bots collecting planetary specimens.

The drones will attack if they come across you or if you attack first. These pods for lack of a better term have been discovered by surviving miners. They say each one they have gotten literally handed to them by the ship. The say when trying to gain access they find a red button that flashes somewhere on the ship. If that button is pressed these pods are slid out of the ship and a timer is started. The timers last approximately 2 minutes and the ship explodes at that time. No one has figured how to get into a ship yet but we have miners working for us to recover one.

I ask if I can study the pod to see what I can figure out and both the team leader and Billy Enthusiastically let me have a go at it. They show me to a lab where they have been trying to crack the use of the pod in and leave me to my task.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 4

4-4-2043

After many many hours of studying these pods and other robot technolgy Billy has collected I have determined it was some sort of transmitter. The tests I have run showed the devise to be inactive and not transmitting ANY signals from it. At first I thought it was broken until last night. I was putting some robot remains back in their containers and moving them back to the secure storage when out of the blue the pod whirred and clicked and split open. It then flipped a third of its casing and raised up a view screen. Next to the screen there were only two buttons. One on each side of the screen.

The box I had gotten near the pod had several items in it. After sorting thru and moving each item closer to the pod I determined it was a robotic hand, and at closer inspection the thumb as it were that had a RFI tag on it. This tag powered its self up when it got within half a meter of the pod. This in turn sent a signal from the tag which opened the pod.

I rooted thru several more boxes looking for more RFI tags. I had found five total in that small storage area. I tried all of the tags to see if they worked the pod as the first one did. No Dice. Only two of the six tags had made the devise come to life. There was one more of these pods in the storage area and I brought it out to match tags to it. Only one of the remaining four tags made the second pod operate. That only confirmed my thought that each pod was matched for the team of drones that were assigned its ship.

5-4-2043

Progress!!! Billy was like a kid on Chritmas morning. During breakfast I had told him and the Team Leader what I had learned the night before. Billy stated he has tried for weeks to pry that dam pod open but never thought it was linked to the drones only to the destroyed ship was his premis. He was so excited he had to go see for himself without even finishing his food.

I told Billy I had a strong feeling that was a transmitter of sorts and I suspected it to call either a rescue team for the drones or a transport vehicle to get them back to the main ship. I told him I still had not figured how it works and had not touched the buttons fearing I would summon a ship right to us. Billy knows his security system well and was right when he told me the RFI cage would block ANY transmission from leaving that room and suggested I try the buttons in there.

Billy and the Leader went up to the security control room to watch for any incoming vehicles to be on the safe side in case robot technology figured a way to circumvent the shielding. I opened one of the pods prior to entering the RFI cage so the shielding would not prohibit the RFI tags operation. Once inside the cage I let Billy know I was ready to test the pod since we were keeping in contact thru a hard wired intercom system. I took a deep breath and pressed the button to the right. The unit folded its self up and shut down. With a chuckle I hear Billy on the intercom say "Well alrighty then.. that worked well" feeling quite foolishall I could do was laugh with him.

Again I was right. The cage did interfere with the tag reopening the unit so I walked clear of the cage and popped it back open. After a few more half hearted laughs I went back to the cage and pressed the left button. I saw on the screen what looked like a radar ping starting from the center of the screen and tracing to the outter edge. I watched the screen rescale its self three times and go blank. I asked Billy if any signal had been detected and he said not by his equipment. I was perplexed by the screen having been blank. It did not make sense to me why this would have a screen to begin with if it was only to summon a ship. Going by this assumption I told Billy I wanted to try it out side and my reasoning for that request. After a brief consult with the Team Leader I was told that was ok but only after the team was assembled and prepared to repell any possible attack.

6-4-2043

04:00 It was decided that we make the test under a blanket of darkness that we might have some cover and maybe some warning of impending attack if this goes wrong. I was positioned just outside the tree line for the test and all the camps battlements were turned on as a safety precaution.

When all the security of the camp had been set and the team in position outside the perimeter with me we were now ready for the test. As I pulled the RFI tag out from a lead lined box the Pod came to life. So much for hiding in the night. The screen light up bright as day with no way for me to even try to contain the light from giving away my position. I heard a groan from the woods as one of the soldiers voiced the same feeling I had at that very moment. Having no way hide at this point I pressed the left button again to get this over with. The sooner the results the sooner we resolve this problem.

Again the radar like ping was seen with the exception that it rescaled only once and now there was a topographical map with a mark to the northwest and some type of symbols that I can only think relate to the map coordinates of where we are in relaton to the dot. I radioed Billy and gave him a sit rep on what had just happened. We decided to try the other pod as well to compare results.

The other pod and tag were brought out to me and again all were in the ready position. I opened the pod just as I did the other and pressed the left button. Ths time the screen did not resize and again showed a new location with a dot. This was obviously much closer in relation to where we are so I decided to follow the arrow on the screen. At this point Billy was going crazy and the entire team was right on my heals trying to get me to wait so we could assess our next move. The dot had moved to the inner ring at this point so I knew we were close. I continued on. When we reached a point close to where I thought the dot was leading us the screen went dark and both buttons on the pod now lit up. I moved back in the direction I came and the screen again came to life after another ping and a rescale of the screen. I now know exactly how these work. All thats left now is to decide the team that will go to further this investigation. I am positive that these pods mark a predetermined area for a recovery ship. They map the land surrounding the pickup point and give directional and distance information to that point. Once there both buttons are pressed and the ship is summoned. Next question is what security comes with it and how access to that ship is gained. Hopefully the robots are not as threatened by us as we are them and do not set as many precautions.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 5

10-4-2043

After many nights of debate, the ideas we had come up with were many. Some were good and solid logicly, others... well not so much. The main thing we had agreed on was we needed serious gear if we were to try taking on much more then a few drones. Which since none of us had gone to a Mother ship/ Hive ship what ever and where ever they were we had no idea what was in store. The Team was fairly well geared up for the mission. Im not sure what Billy had but he stated he was set. I was the weak link. I looked at what I could get selling my ore and energy matters I had mined, along with parting out my existing Ghost armor and plates. I was able to part out a full set of Bear armor less the shin gaurds which were unavaiable and according to my research almost non existent.I Knew the Gremlin armor gave better protection against laser fire but I was not sure that everything we faced up there was going to be that type of damage. One of the Teams members had a complete set of 6a plates as back ups incase they could not get their used plates repaired so they were passed on to me for the mission. The last thing I got my hands on was a a103 amplifier for my Justifier MkII, that would at least give me a little more umph in a fire fight.

The only thing left to do was to decide when we were going to make the run. We were still not even sure we could summon much less gain access to a robot spacecraft. A last minute thought I had was, who was going to fly it if it needs a pilot once it gets to the pick up zone. Oh yeah, that and where the hell was the main ship it came from. We decided that the 15th was the day we were going to see what happened. The Team Leader had been in contact with his superiors since thay had arrived here keeping them aprised of what we have accomplished. They were sending a second team to Billys to cover our absence and to make a second away team had we met with success on the mission.

12-4-2043

The Team was unsure of taking an old man and a non military person into battle so we went thru many practice runs among the craft in the bone yard. We learned close quarter tactics and how to move and work as a team. They wanted us to know intuitively what each member would do in any given situation. Kind of hard for that short a time but we pulled together into a useable team in the few days we had to ready ourselves.

The scout would have the most dangerous position over all. He would be the teams eyes up front and would have to be able to identify security systems, gun emplacements, and troup movements. This all seemed a tad much to me as this pod to me was only to recover two working drones collecting samples of the planet. But.. as I was informed, that recovery ship had to go somewhere be it another ship or all the way back to a space station or maybe even a homeworld for the robots.

15-4-2043 Early morning

I woke up just before sunrise, not sure what got me up or why. As I lay there wondering why I am just awake my mind started to wander, and I started to remember when I was 12 and my father would have to leave on a mission. He would get up hours before he really needed to and go out to the porch off the back of our house and just quietly stare like he was not living that moment in time but projecting himself forward to what he had to go off to do. I got up and felt the need to do the very same thing.

I threw water in the skillet and headed outside to see what kind of day I would be leaving behind later once we started our mission. It was a typical Eudorian morning, warm air with a slight breeze, the overwhelming scent of the tall grasses and wierd vegitation that is native to this planet. I try to picture in my head what we are about to go thru but nothing seems to come into focus. I I start to wonder if I can gather my focus well enough to survive a mission like this. Yes I have fought bots out on the frontier, I have even taken a Warrior Generation 02 after being surprised byit when drilling up an oil deposit I found. I had always thought of hunting bots to make a profit as most do from the technology they can leave us after we sift through its wreckage, but in the back of my mind Im sure thats not what I am meant to do here.

I go back in to make some coffee in hopes it clears my head and all the sudden the ground starts shaking like a minor earth quake is happening. As the shaking gets more violent the sound of thunder starts getting stronger and the pan even vibrates clean off the makeshift stove. I know this is one of the old Earth shuttles that had been modified as troop landers before Eudoria was settled, my father used them many times. It seems our second team has arrived.

15-4-2043

Whew the air is electric, the two teams designated Alpha and Bravo are now in position and we are minutes from lighting up the pod and seeing what happens. Alpha team is positioned on the perimeter of the hill where the pod changes to summon whatever will come. Bravo team is spread out 500 meters from the hill as a containment team to secure the hill in both directions from any type of intrussion. Nothing left but to push the buttons.

After a confirmation from both teams I was passed the word to proceed with the mission. I took a deep breath and pressed both of the lit up buttons. With this done an intense bluish beam (I can only assume laser) extended from the front of the pod completely thru the clouds and into space. The display screen went dark with only a few symbols left visible and the beam started to pulse. Not knowing what was to happen next I released the two buttons to stop the beam, when I did that the beam went steady again and a small slot opened below the screen. It seemed to be about the size of the RFI tag so I pulled it from the bag and slid it into the slot. As I did this the beam dropped, the pod again went out and closed its self.

Having been busy with the pod I was not looking skyward when one of the perimeter team called out INCOMMING 11 o'clock bearing 260 degrees! I snapped to attention, faced to my left and readied my Justifier on my shoulder, while my left hand wiggled the pod back in the makeshift pouch one of the team members had made to carry it. A craft with only a minimal amount of marker lights was appraoching fast and silent, my heart started that quick pace and the adrenalin was beginning to flow. The craft stopped and began to hover about 25 meters above us. I could hear a noise like a mechanical metalic mechanism being used get louder and the the door started to fold out towords me. After it was completely open a strange beam of flat light extended from the door edge all the way to the ground not 10 meters from where I stood.

All eyes are now on the entrance to the craft waiting to see what if anything happened next. One minute... two...three full minutes passed and nothing. I heard the team leader bark out an order and the team scout scrambled out of the woods to where the beam met the ground. He looked it over, picked up a rock from the ground and tossed it on the beam. To both our surprise it rolled back down the beam after a few bounces and across the ground a few centimeters. He then quickly tested the beam with a foot and felt resistance. He then put his full weight on the beam and began a slow asscent up it towords the entrance. The rest of the team and I regrouped at the bottom and set up in a semi circle all poised with weapons faceing the soldier making his way up the light bridge.

Upon clearing the edge of the ramp and up the fold out door the scout gave an all clear and the signal to follow. We scrambled up the beam to catch up with the scout, man what a strange feeling that was running into the air like nothing was under our feet. It was like one of the amusement rides where you get that feeling of falling but are not even moving in a downward direction.

When I broke the plane of the door the only thing I saw was a single room two thirds the size of the whole ship all lit up with a simple podium in the center. No doors, no seating, and best of all no visible security or gaurd robots. It was just as I expected, a simple ride home for the drones.

As I approached the podium there was a hollowed out spot there that was obviously made to carry one of the pods in a sort of cradle. I looked at Billy and the Team leader, both gave the nod so I removed the pod and set it in the cradle. As I did this the lights dimmed to half luminence and door began to close.

Billy looked around at us, said "I hope you all went to the bathroom as this may be a long ride". No one laughed, Billy just grunted like before as the ship gave a minor shudder and away we went.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 6

15-4-2043 Mid afternoon

"Put yer big girl panties on ladies the partys about to start!" "Alpha two Port side door!" "Alpha five Starboard!" "Rest of you Man up Front and Center NOW!" I felt the cradle grab the ship and lock it in. Billy slides in front of me and says keep your eyes forward and your head low. If I move I wanna feel your breath on my neck. Now keep up and do nothing utill I do. Follow My lead.

Now the real Billy comes out. Confident, very much in control, more so then even the Team leader himself. He is geared up in a full set of Salamander that is riddled with many laser burns that tell the story of experiance with out a word. Not one split second of hesitation in his movements and he is at the door right next to the teams scout quickly scanning the interior of the place we have docked.

Just like this scenereo was written in a script somewhere Billy snatches the scout by the chin of his helmet and spins him three hundred sixty degrees and rolls him off to his left as his right arm brings the AS-147 to his shoulder. Billy returns fire in the direction the laser beam that just flashed thru the place where the scouts head was not half a second before. A huge flash emits from about 30 meters in the direction Billy shot. He points to the right and up towrds the ceiling of the small room we are in. The Team leader barks an order and two members split to the right to take out the turret by the bay doors. Another finger points out a group of three drones advancing as Billy begins putting rounds into the breast plate of the lead bot. I immediately bring my Justy to the ready and squeeze off four rounds into the same drone. It drops in a display of sparks and flames that would rival any small town Fourth of July celebration.

BOOM!!!! a loud explosion and blinding flash fills the room when the gun turret explodes taking a HUGE pile of ordanace stacked not far away with it. By now the remaining members of the team along with Billy and myself have dropped the last of the initial attacking drones. After 30 seconds of leap frogging along the wall it is determined the room is clear. For how long we have no idea.

In the rear of this room is a glowing sphere that I can only assume is a teleporter since it is almost identicle of the new televators in the malls around Eudoria. Four huge crates are lined up side by side giving perfect cover for us to secure the televator from. As Billy and the Team leader confer about our next move the other soldiers are checking each other over for obvious damage and to make sure there are no exposed areas in their armor to leave them vulnerable to attack. After that they reload new clips and check amplifiers to make sure enough power is availabale for an extended fire fight.

The decission is made that we all pass through the televator at the same time so all available offense is in the same spot. Each team member is assigned a direction to move and a position to take once at the place the televator puts us. The nice thing about a televator is multiple objects can be moved at once not like the old portals when the technology fist developed.

As I materialize I move to the right two meters and set in a crouched postion gun ready, scanning the area, and awaiting the next order. A hallway 30 meters long is straight ahead of me no signs of movement. The team splits and each half works its way along the wall moving in unison so we do not get far enough apart we can not cover each other. At the end of this hallway it opens into a huge circular room. From where i am I can see one passgaway leading off to the right almost at the exact ninety degree mark of the circle. Two drones are moving in our direction pushing another of those big boxes on a hovering container lifting devise. They have not seen us yet so we pull back a little to let them get closer so it might be possible to disable them quietly.

Just before they make their turn up the hallway we are in Billy points to the left of the crate and signals for me to crouch along side and let it pass before attacking the drone on my side. I drop low and did not really have to move as the crate glides past me. As I see the end of the box the Justifier automaticly settles into my shoulder, I stand up putting the barrel to the bots head and squeeze off a round. Sparks fly all over as an acidic smell fills the air as the drone drops. Immediately after that I focus on the other drone just as Billy lets loose a single blp round. The bots head literally vaporizes before my eyes.

As my sight slowly readjusts after the blinding flashes I feel two of the soldiers push past me knocking me into the crate. This forces it in a new direction towords the wall. Upon impact the crate rolls over and off the carrier. When it hits the ground on its side the lid pops open and several strange weapons and what looks to be a harness I have never seen before. By the time my eyes fully focus on it a purplish vapor begins to pour out of the box and the weapons and armor immediately start to melt.

Surprisingly those were the only resistance we encountered on this level. Only two small rooms off either side of the circle, one containing five of the crates we have seen, and the other a third televator. Again the decission is made to group port with the same position assignments.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 7

15-4-2043 2 hours into mission

As we take up positions around the teleporter we are immediately fired upon. Laser snipers are positioned on raiseable pedistals 150 meters from the televator. I could hear Alpha-3 laughing and shouting at the bot that just tagged him "Is that all you got?".."My grandmother shoots better then that!".. "you couldnt hit the broad side of an ateroid you blind uselss tin can!"

The Team leader barks to take cover on the right hand wall so the snipers (as there are now three fireing on us) have less angle to hit. Alpha-2 calmly reaches to his shoulder and slides the Marber Tango from around his back into shooting position on top of the box he is using for cover. His only Words were "what odds are on the board for this turkey shoot?" The Team leader shouts "five to one" and Alpha 3 immediately responds "in the bots favor".

I cant help think.. what have I gotten into here, are these guys suicidal? to see this happening is almost like watching a comedy drama on television that was made back in the twentieth century. As the first shot blazes from the tango the long blueish beam finds its mark and the bot drops from the pedistal.. a critcal hit taking its head clean off. Now I fully realise the caliber of the team I am with. I hear Billy yell to me "move out soildier!" and that snaps me back to focus on what is happening in front of us.

As we come to the corner where the scout has already done his assessment we find there are four bots down in a low spot along the closest wall waiting for us. One of them is not a drone like the other three. I have never seen this type of robot before. Evidently this bot controls the others strategicly after assessing the battlefront and enemy troup movements and armament. Another crack from the tango as the hallway illuminates blue once again. Two for two as the second sniper drops.

With a nod from the leader the scout drops low and moves to the right around the corner and quickly to the far end of the opening where the remaining bots can easily see him. He is going to try and draw the controller bot off the wall below us and out into the opening so we can take it out. No dice. Only the drones go after him. As we round the corner to fire on the drones the third and final round from the tango again lights up the passage. All clear is signalled and we are given the order for a direct assault on the drones going for our scout. As we open fire the drones turn their attention to us. Now we have them in cross fire between us and the scout. As we begin to pick them off I hear Alpha-2 yell "bansai!" as I see from the corner of my eye him flying over the edge to go after the controller bot solo.

Only one remaining drone is left so Billy pushes me back to where Alpha-2 went over the wall to get us moving to aid him with the controller. As I get to the edge to do a quick assessment I see Alpha-2 with an Embra-6 laser sword dancing around the bot of which he has already cleanly sliced one of its arms completely off and is swinging at the knee area trying to disable it but not destroy it. Picking up on this I have a clean shot from the side and put a round from my Justy into the hip area of the bot dropping it. As the bot writhes around and spins on the ground pushing its self with the good leg it has left Alpha-2 walks up to it and pops open a plate in the back of the drone to power down the unit. I ask Billy why this bot was spared and he explains to me the importance of this bots componants. They can be used to confuse bots on a limited basis if the need arises. He tells me this trick was used many times during the robot wars to slow down the waves of bots sent into towns to totally eradicate the humans in them.

15-4-2043 3 hours into mission

After a fast recon of the floor and a half ass inventory by me we regroup to check armor, amps, consolodate half used clips of ammo, and plan for next round as we have found yet another televator at the far corner of this area. These boxes are starting to intrigue me after seeing what dropped from the first one that was knocked off the antigrav unit. I explained my observations to Billy and Alpha-1 and they decided they were not priority at this moment.

We take a very short break to grab a drink and an energy bar to replace calories we have burned off along with rehydrating ourselves then move to the televator. Halfway talking to myself half wondering outloud I say " I dont get why they are not actively attacking us as I am sure they know we are hear by now" to which Alpha-1 states "because they dont see us as a threat" " this is their domain and we couldnt possibly defeat them here" "the robots we face all have specific tasks and will only fight when that task is interupted" "they are not very evolved and can not yet think for themselves, hense the need for controller bots like we have just seen".

On to the next level we go. As we all take up positions assigned us we find no bots in the immediate area and can assess the next move under less stressful conditions. The scout immediately moves off in the only direction available and disappears around a corner. Several minutes pass before the scout gives a quick sit rep over the l.a.s.h. radio system. His report states the positions of five drones but that is not the main issue. This level seems to be a maze with many turns and dead ends. He even stated walking past a drone that seemed to be stuck inside a wall since all he could see were the arms moving as if the bot was walking somewhere. That had to be a teleport gone bad I thought.

We all move in the direction the scout gave us clearing each bot as we encountered it with no real resistance to be concerned about. In fact I have not fired my gun once on this level. Nine bots total have been destroyed on this floor before we found another televator. Again I noticed many more of those storage boxes in various areas along the way. I am beginning to wonder how big this ship is we are on as all the areas have been insanely larger in relation to the size of the bots we have come across.

15-4-2043 4.5 hours into mission

FLUMP!. I hit the floor with a huge thud as soon as I materialised. I am glad I didnt have far to fall because I got teleported half onto one of the storage boxes. I look up to check where I am and if there were any bots and sure enough there were. I had ported where two drones were moving boxes to the televator. Immediately I went for Grandfathers Madddox as there was no way to get the rifle out from under me fast enough to protect myself. It was almost like an old western shoot out.

The bot was about as prepared for this as I was. I got off the first two rounds, one hitting the drone directly under its chin and the other glancing off the front of it not really doing any damage. The bot got the next round off and hit me right in the thigh where that Beryclyd had spurred me a few weeks ago. Not fully healed yet the pain shot straight to my head making me see stars. Knowing kind of where the bot was and that I was already aimed in that direction I let a few more rounds go. I know I hit it as I could feel the hot hydrolic fluid as it coated the soft non plated areas of my armor. Then it hit me. Man these things are heavy. The drone was damaged enough it could no longer stay upright and fell down on top of me. Not able to do much else I grabbed its head and twisted as hard as I could. After it came off in my hands I tried to crawl out from under its weight.

Now that I was done my skirmish I could hear the sounds from the others battling something else. By the time I had wiggled free of the drone and retrieved my weapons the fight was over. I limped over to where Billy was and started to remove my thigh gaurds to check my leg for any major injury. Billy called for Alpha-4 to check me out as he was the teams medic. Alpha-1 sent the scout on to recon the area, and Alpha-2 and Billy set up to gaurd the perimiter from further aggression.

After a routine treatment for infection and a field dressing I got my thigh gaurds back on and was ready to move out. The scout had already returned and told us there was a trough with two small bridges to cross then a short wall. Just passed the wall on either side were single drones loading more boxes on antigrav units. At the far end of the huge open area was a Warrior Gen 04 walking a patrol infront of a bank of what looked to be navigation instruments controlled by a tiny
maintanence droid.

This was the heart of the ship. We knew the maintanence droid was not a threat nor were the two drones moving the boxes. It was decided that the four of us with various marbers were to engage the Warrior and take it out from range where we were safe. Then we would take the two drones and move up to the navigation area and see what we could find there. The four snipers made our way to the wall dead center as best we could. The two drones were out of sight so once we determined they were not going to attack we took positions on the wall. We had one Tango and three Bravos which meant we had to get a little closer so all of us could hit at the same time. This meant going over the wall and exposing ourselves to the Warriors Twin Cannons mounted on its arms. If we didnt drop this at range out of reach of those cannons it means one or more of us will not return from this mission. Billy informed us of weak spots on the Warriors on their sides under the arms. There were no plates at all there due to the heavier arm movements needed to support those cannons. The Tango was to aim for the head and try to disable its targetting sensors while the marbers concentrated on one side to disable one gun as fast as possible. The go to shoot was on the first Tango round to give the best chance of success to blind the Bot.

The familair hiss of a plasma rifle goes off and the blue flash that accompanies it streaks towords the Warrior bot. Immediately three smaller hisses follow. The order back over the wall is given and we move out fast as possible. Once over the wall I instantly turn and take up position and begin to scan for the Warrior through the haze of smoke where all four rounds found thier marks. The definitive buzz and the reassuring click tells me the marber is ready to fire the next round. Again, the sound of the tango goes off so I follow the beam to its target. Another hit, sparks fly and more smoke emmits from the bots head. It staggers now as if its gyro sysytems have been comprimised. I find my mark on the same side we hit initially when the other two Bravos fire almost simultaneously. A flash followed by a huge explosion drops the cannons wreckage from the bot. As it leans to one side and starts to fall over with the severe weight imbalance I take a shot into the head area where major damage from the tango has all but drilled a hole completely thru. Whoosh, the plamsa boils and sends its pain hurtling towords the falling Bot. When the beam finds it mark a gaping hole opens in the bots head where its main sensors used to be and the bot hits the floor with a huge grinding crash.

As we stand to regroup with the others a beacon starts to flash and strangely enough a human voice fills the open hall stating that a self destruct sequence has been activated. We all look at each other in bewilderment and start to double time it back to the rest of the team. The voice is now giving instructions to abandon the craft using the pods located in the central areas of each level. As we meet up with the team Billy tells the Leader to have the team take whatever they can grab from the now open boxes and head down to the maze area to do the same before taking a life pod off the ship. He then tells me to follow him as we need to retrive the Controller bot from the third floor and get off the ship from there. "Three Minutes to self destruct" the womans voice relays through out the ship.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 8

15-4-2043 Late evening.

WOW my lungs are on fire and my muscles are stretched tight with the stress of moving in this very high gravity on this ship. I did not feel this earlier as we took our time clearing and exploring each level on this ship. Now that we HAVE to hurry it is all taking its toll. Even Billy is breathing hard and has slowed a bit . "Two Minutes to self destruct" Those words ring in your helmet like the shock of going to light speed on the Orion we came to Eudoria in.

As we finally get to the level where the controller bot is Billy slows to a walk. I give a look as to say why stop here we need to go now! Just as Billy starts to point I pick up on what he is observing. ALL of the boxes are now starting to fill with that greenish haze I saw melt the gear that fell from the dumped storage box earlier. He says "We need to get that controller torso and get out as quickly as possible"! He tells me to head for the pod on the port side of the area we are in and figure how it operates as fast as I can and that he will retrieve the torso.

As I round the hatch to enter the escape pod I slide to a halt as I feel like I am about to run right out into space. The pods are made of a totally clear material that show NO reflection as glass or plastics we have would. "One Minute to self destruct". I look around the inside of it from where I am in its doorway before stepping into it. There are no controls , seat, harnesses, cabinets , or gear in them at all. I guess robots would not need any of these things so it becomes obvious to me that there would be no amenities for comfort. From the size of it I would guess each one was made for two drone size robots. Seeing no controls inside the pod I begin to look around by the entrance. What is it with robots and flashing red buttons? That is the only obvious control that I can see to activate these escape pods.

I now hear Billy's heavy footsteps approaching. I see him comming with the torso of the controller bot slung over his back weighing him down even more in the heavy gravity. I tell him what we have to deal with here and he laughs at me and says "Die here or maybe live in there" as he steps in the pod, drops the torso and immediately sits down on it like it was Art Deco furniture from the early 1970's history books. I step halfway into the pod, reach back, smack the ominus red blinky lighted button and collapse next to Billy in the pod. A sound like the doors in "Star trek" (long running space based tv series for you non nerd types) emmits as the pod seals and ejects from the side of the ship.

After a few minutes of drifting we begin to see the other pods that have ejected from the ship lazily making their way to yet another blinking red beacon. Billy sees a pod with the Team Leader and Scout in it and trys to contact them by L.A.S.h. radio. No Answer, I tell Billy that I could not recieve his singnal and I was right next to him. Another pod with Aplha-3 comes into view, then another with Alpha-2 and -4, the only one I dont see is Alpha-5. Alpha Leader and the Scout are the first to get near the Beacon and with much surprise they instantly vanish as soon as it looked as though the pod they were in would collide with the beacon. Not a flash, not a sound, just gone. Calmly Billy looks to me and says "Hold on Im guessing we are next" as he stretches out both arms to the sides of the pod for support. As the feeling of acceleration builds everything gets really bright and I can only assume we lost conciousness.

16-4-2043

I wake to Alpha 3 kicking my boot and asking if I were gonna sleep all day. I open my eyes to see we are in a forrest and the Team has built a makeshift camp. I can see the pods lined up in a perfect line not far from us with various gear stacked neatly in front of several of the pods. I ask Alpha 3 where everyone was and he said scouting the area and clearing a few wandering molusk from the immediate vacinity. Just as he started to fill me in on where we were the Scout comes into view dragging a small Atrax and says "Honey Im home! I brought Breakfast!"

As every one of the team wanders back to the camp and regroups I find out we are a long way from Billys. Nothing to worry about I am told as the Team knows our exact coordiantes and puts Camp Chimera 23 kilometers to the south west of us. As "breakfast" is cooking each member gives a detailed report of what happened after we split up to finish our task on the spaceship. No one reports anything spectacular and the most braggable parts were what they found in the boxes. Most of what they found was basicly robot suvineers of armors or weapons taken from what I only assume humans they had killed in thier travels. Only two boxes held specimens from this planet and the rest were mainly ores and energy matters readily found sitting on the surface.

All of the armors were Pixie and Goblin which makes sense as those are basicly the only two common armors that couldnt take at least two to five hits from a small drones armament. Same goes for the weapons, a few Jester D-1's, a couple of small Emik pistols, and a huge pile of odd robot parts that needed to be sorted through. At least Alha-5 was smart enough to grab one of those antigravity movers. That will make dragging this junk through the woods a bit easier.

After an uneventful trip to Chimera we arrive to see the local people cleaning up the area. It seems they have survived another Feffoid attack. One of the people there noticed the old governments seal on Alpha-4's uniform and immediately began grilling him on when they were going to send support out here to help clear out those dangerous mutants. I could see the wheels in his head start to turn as the smirk on his face got even bigger then it normally was. As he glanced over to Alpha-1 his smile got bigger as he loudly says "What makes you think you have been forgotten" "We didnt drag all this gear through these woods for the fun of it" "we cant afford spare troops right now but all the best wishes were sent along with all this fabulous gear"

Mean while as he is doing this the rest of the team has quietly made way to the teleporter with the crate of robot parts and begins to port back to Billy's.

23-4-2043

Nothing much going on since we got back. A lot of communcation between the Team Leader and who ever directs them regarding the trip and what they have found in the junk piles since we have returned. I have spoken to Billy who has taught me a great deal through the stories he loves to tell about his time of service during the robot wars. I tried to get him to tell me why the media would hide the fact Earth is no longer ours let alone the truth of why the corporations are planning on selling the rest of us out. He tells me not to worry about any of that as there are many forces gathering to stop such a plan. He also asked if my help was needed would I be willing to step up just as I did with the last mission and the spaceships.

After many days of nothing, along with alot of thought, I decided it was time for now to go back to exploring and mapping, and hopefully makeing a few ped in the process. I was given a decent share of ped from the sales of the junk armor and guns that were not left at Chimera and the non essential robot parts. They also threw in a one thousand ped bonus for assisting on the mission more then just helping figure out the pods.

After many hours scanning the auctions I was able to find two rare 5-b plates in decent condition to use in my armor for added protection against those nasty Atrox and Atrax that bite so hard. I was also able to get a hold of a OF-103 ore finder, that will give me a far better search depth to work with then the trade terminal finder. Now maybe I can find that big vein of Gazzurdite for that Weapon Smith in Port Atlantis.

All thats left now was to inform Billy and the Team it was time for me to move on. I figured lunch time was a good time since everyone woud be in the same place and that would better my chances at a few extra good-bye drinks to send me on my way. I repacked my gear to make it a little more managable since I would be taking close to two hundred and fifty more mining probes then I normally would this trip.

As we all meandered into the dining hall Billy walked up to me and said that some mail for me had actually caught up with me here while we were out mining by the river yesterday and he was not given it till this morning. I pulled Billy aside while we had a little privacy and told him I would be leaving that afternoon to continue my original buisness. I opened up the one letter in the pile that grabbed my attention. It was from my friend Doc. We used to hang out alot in my early days of being in Port Atlantis. He had left for a while to track down another friend that had been lost in the north for a long long time. As Billy was stating how he was glad to have met me, and thanks for the help, and that he would like me to stay longer but understood.... I read that Doc had a little problem up at Fort Argus and asked me to get there as soon as I could.

By now the whole Team was here and ready to eat. Billy informed them I was leaving while I finished reading Doc's letter. Alpha-1 stood and made the "If there is anything you ever need just ask" speech I looked at him and said that I would.. as the rest of the team began to laugh at this I said "now". The room got silent as they knew I was not kidding around. I asked if the shuttle Bravo team arrived in was still here and available for a detour to Fort Argus. Alpha-3 yells out "Ill have to ask Dad for the keys but I dont see why not" again the room burst out in laughter as Alpha-1 said " I guess its a go".

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 9

24-4-2043

I have reread the letter Doc has sent me a few times. Something in it does not fit with his persona. Doc has many friends all over this new world that are involved in MANY different organizations, professions, new societies. Thats IT! The key to the letter. Doc NEVER talks about anyone and not use their name. I reread the letter one more time. It Finally clicks. its not the letter that has me off about this. Its the paper its written on. Its too heavy for what he normally uses. I hold it up to the light searching for something unordinary but do not see anything of interest.

Still pondering this I ask Billy what is at Fort Argus, things like what the structure is. Is it a start up city?, a glorified outpost?, is it industrial based, mining based, military? Billy informs me that Argus is a spin off of Hadeshaim, it was supposed to become a sister city. The people that invested and started to make Fort Argus wanted to redo a city like Hadeshaim but alot less industrial in nature. They wanted it to be THE place to go for merchants and shops, they were even the ones that first thought of developing huge malls all over the world and selling franchises for ownership.

Billy remembers one of his old team had inherited a huge amount of ped from an uncle that had been a designer for Omegaton. He said his friend was one of the original six investors that bought Fort Argus from the military sector after the area was deemed habitable. Billy seemed to remember they had formed a holding company to purchase the old fort and make it a corporation.

I looked at Billy point blank and said "Ex military, worked for a big corporation, and is now part of his own corporation" "What part of this doesn't scream conspiracy"? I think one + one still makes two on Eudoria. Doc's friend somehow got involved with your friend or someone in that whole organization. Billy says he is now extremely interested in what is happening and thinks maybe we will need help or at least someone to watch our backs. He says he will ask Alpha-1 what the teams plans are for the next few days or so.

26-4-2043 02:30 hours

Alpha-4 found a hangar still owned by the old government that was not sold to the private sector to the west of Argus. The decision was made to fly in under darkness that way it would be hard for someone to see exactly what hangar the shuttle landed in and get suspicious when it landed in a hangar thats been vacant for months.

A house was secured for our stay here through a local real estate agency that allows rentals of properties prior to purchace to make sure the home and location suit the potential owners for long term dwelling. Alpha-2 has set up on the roof of the hangar with a night scope and is scanning the area for activity before we leave the hangar. We get the all clear from him and all head out to the north away from the hangars, away from Argus, and away from prying eyes that may be lurking. As Alpha-2 makes his exit he covers all evidence that anyone was near by making it look as though a few kids had been playing around the hangar recently.

We make it to the house by 04:00 and secure our gear and hit the sack for a short rest before we begin to recon Argus later in the day.

26-4-2043 13:30 hours

Wanting not to stir up to much interest it was decided I would be the first to hit Argus since I was the least military looking of the bunch. Alpha-2 has wired me with a L.A.S.H. harness he designed himself for covert ops. The induction sensors were mounted in a skinlike polymer that sticks very well to skin with no need for any type of glue. It also was very good at taking powder based make up to match the wearers skin tones. He also gave me a modified version of Linestripe shades that had a camera and a small H.U.D. built in for covert surveillance.

I went straight to the shopping area when I had arrived at Argus. I looked for any type of surveylence cameras, any listing devises, and anyone of the general public that looked a tad too interested in people in the area. I did not see any obvious monitoring devises but I did pick up on three men and one woman that were very interested in one of the food service areas. I moved in front of each of the people and picked up on the old style ear pieces and cuff mikes used by the old governments agents for covert ops.

After getting video of the watchers and other tactical info Alpha-1 told me Billy was also heading to the area I was in as back up if needed. He instructed me to go into the food service area and scout what they were so intently watching. As I entered the food area it was obvious what they were watching but so intently trying NOT to be seen. I recognised the armor and the markings it had because I was the one who put them there. The man in the seemingly beat up Ghost Armor was Doc. He was having a chat with someone I have never seen before.

Not wanting to be exposed I moved causiously through the food line and to a table not far from Doc and his guest. Doc and I had arranged signals long ago between each other so we could hunt silently but still work well as a team. It took over fifteen minutes for Doc to pick up I was there and to realise I was using our signals to inform him of his watchers and their locations. He acknowleged my signals and gave me the signal to move out and where to go. I told him be ready to move out on the distraction that was about to happen. Billy was still outside keeping an eye on the watchers and was instructed by Alpha-1 to distract them so we could get out unnoticed and not followed.

Billy walked up to the one farthest from our location and began talking to the watcher like he was running one of those clothing upgrade scams common to high fasion areas. Billy got him to turn and face the opposite direction we were in relation to them. The watcher tried to be polite and quiet and dispatch Billy with minimal attention. Billy persisted and got a little louder to try and divert everyones attention in his direction. Soon the female watcher approached them and got involved in the conversation. Again Billy got a little louder. Now the small crowd was paying attention to the three of them. I signaled Doc it was time to move out and where. I guess Doc never told the person he was with what was happening because he never moved from the table they had their meeting at. As soon as Doc and I were clear of the building and a fair distance away Alpha-1 gave Billy the ok to disengage the targets. As soon as Billy disengaged the two watchers immediately tried to locate Doc and his friend. They didnt leave, panic, or anything obvious so that tells us Doc is not the one they were watching.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 10

26-4-2043 15:30 hours

Doc and I head out past the shopping district making a bunch of unnecessary detours down side alleys and through shops where we could to make sure we were not being followed before I even said hello to him. When we finally got a chance to talk I explained to him I got his letter and I have a team here with me to help if needed. I didnt explain to him the possibility for a side mission for Billy. I told him we had a house as a base and we would head there after I gave the team an all clear and a thank you.

26-4-2043 1800 hours.

As we approached the house Doc picked up on Alpha-2 on the roof watching us through a spotting scope and asked why so obvious? I told him probably because we were picked up by Alpha-5 over two thousand meters ago and that info was passed on we were on our way. Told him that Alpha-5 probably wasnt more then fifty meters behind us at this moment and we would not know. Doc turns quickly as if startled when Alpha-5 says "Dam was I THAT obvious" and begins walking faster to catch up to us. I tell him "No Im just used to how good you are and have become acustomed to thinking like you". We all laugh and I introduce Doc and yell to Alpha-2 to come down to meet him as well.

When we step through the door Alpha-1 and Billy were looking over a map at the dining room table. Aplha-3 was in the kitchen as we could hear his off key singing, cooking food. (I wont say dinner as his cooking is field quality at best) I start to do introductions just as Billy looks up and says "Been a while Doc how ya been?" Alpha-1 gives a nod and says "Hey Doc long time". After a half stutter to halt my intro I state the obvious and say "You guys have met?" Doc says "Yeah I met these psycho bums a year before I met you" "we have been working on "THINGS" on and off for a while now".

I look around at them and again state the obvious "Then us meeting and the "official" papers you showed me were all a rouse?". Billy says "Umm...Yeah, we had to test you and make sure you had not been compromised since Doc last saw you". I say "So the spaceship mission was planned?" Alpha-1 "No that just happened to be the way our test flowed" "Gave us great intell and a chance to work on a way to counter the Bots to maybe weaken them a bit". Alpha-2 and Alpha-5 chime in "Welcome to the Team!!". Then off to the kitchen they head laughing with each other. Doc and I approach the table where the map is and wait for Billy or Alpha-1 to fill us in.

27-4-2043

Doc and I get up at the crack of dawn to go on a short hunt in the hills where we killed our first Argonaught Hunter together. I ask Doc if he still uses the shogun thigh gaurds and the Frean Alpha we looted from it. Doc responds that he sold those long ago to upgrade his gear a bit. He says "Adapt and grow or stagnate away like the rest of the masses..". He kinda lets that trail off like there was more to what he was going to say. Just that quick I see his hand go for his pistol as he ducks familuarly to his left. I extinctively slide to the right as I spin and bring Justy to bear on the three Argos charging us from the tree line. "WAHOO!!!! Game on!" he shouts as he starts marching towords the argos to get them in range faster. I pick the largest one and start putting rounds center mass. The Argo vears off more in my direction and steps up his charge as now like most Argonaught's he is pissed. Usually the initial rounds dont do much damage at range and makes their adrenaline flow more freely, but thats the fun of hunting them. The excitement that ensues makes me start to remember back in the days Doc and I hunted the gangs of Argo's on a regular basis. I think to myself was the friendship real or was this all a TEST for this point in hisory we are about to embark on?

The rest of the morning was less eventful as we only found a small herds of Snables and the odd Exasaur. We both sumised with the population growth at Argus naturally the population of aggressive mobs would be down more, after all it has been over a year since we last hunted these hills. I made it a point to study Doc a bit, maybe see what I hope was friendship from long ago and not just a soldier on a recruiting mission. I think he picked up on that because he stopped me before we got back to camp and told me he had answers to give me if I wanted them. I let it go for now because I wasnt sure I wanted to know just yet.

3-5-2043

Over a week has passed since we arrived. Nothing spectacular has happened at all, in fact I am really quite bored and ready to go back out on my own journeys mining again. Several of the team have been in and out on information recon missions but no real happenings to make my ears perk up. Again being the newest and in least need to know of what is going on I am the last to find out the missions were into corporate buildings to wire them for more indepth surveillance.

Tonight was my post to monitor the video and audio in an Omegaton Engineering recruitment firms mangers office that Alpha-5 did a job interview in and was able to place several devices. Seems that polymer works well with paint also and can stick to almost anything indefinitely.

For most of the night it was standard after hours office B.S. The manager had a heavy petting session with some woman that came in half an hour after the offices were closed. They had both decided they were more hungry then horny and left to go for dinner. So much for the show. The cleaners came thru a few hours later. Nothing interesting untill one of them started rummaging through drawers and filing cabinets while the other went to clean the office bathroom. A little zoom of the camera, a quick refocus, then a click of the screen capture button several times. This got a few pics of the cleaners face and one very nice one of the tatoo on the side of her neck. It was the woman from the food service area that was watching Doc's friend.

Nothing else interesting happened till around 05:00 when I heard an order given to sweep Recruiters room for bugs as there were Video and Audio plants found earlier in the V.P.'s office. Crap! Not having anytime to alert anyone from the team I did the only thing I thought would work. Shut down the feeds and pray they were not found. The voice I heard was a younger male with an oriental accent, not gonna guess specifics cause I REALLy have no idea. Its all on tape anyway so
Im not to worried.

A LOUD squeel emits from one of the audio sensors and nearly blows my eardrums out. Then one of the monitors flash and a few seconds later the second monitor flashes for a split second. Now I KNOW why soundmen and DJ's never actually wear the headphones. That hurts like hell when the system feeds back. Anyway I hear a deep voice on the audiofeed from outside the office say the room is clear that no buggs were found. Whew! Shutting them down has saved us from being caught. Now lets hope I can get them back up and that they actually works after whatever they used to scan the room pulsed them so hard.

As I scramble to get the bugs back up and functional Alph-4 walks into the room and asks whats going on that he heard all the hacking on the keyboard as he was headed to the kitchen for breakfast. I give him a short run down and he says he will get Alpha-1 and Billy here immediately. It wasnt long before I had one of the video cameras back and was working on audio that Billy made it to the observation room and was next to me working on the second camera. I tell him about the scan and how it effected the audio and I doubted it was operational. He acknowleged I was probably right but to keep at it. I told him I would try AFTER I tweeked the one in the secretarys area so we might get lucky with that. He agreed just as the second terminal lit up with the other vid feed. Several footsteps could be heard appraoching the office on the tile floor just as Alpha-1 entered the room. Billy gave him a rundown on what was happening as I continued to reaquire the sound in the Recruiters office. Billy did not say a word but pointed to someone in the office next to the window as Alpha-1 gave a small nod to acknowlege. The audio streamed someone down the hall whispering instructions to not do ANYTHING untill after the documents were proven authentic. They would know this buy their bosses nod and him getting up to open a window and light a cigar.

Billy asked if Alpha-1 had caught that and Alpha-1 said yes. They both asked urgently if all the feeds were being recorded and were definately getting the signals. I reassurded them that I had checked that after the scan made that huge squeel that took out the recruiters office audio. By now the man at the window was sitting at the desk and the two others that scanned the room were in different tactical places not far from him.

The first monitor shows the office door opening and two men step through it. They are immediately searched by one of the men already in the office and let by into the room. One man carrying a briefcase sat down across from the man behind the desk the other between him and the man at the door. Next a woman came in and was searched as well. She was wearing a flowing dark dress with brightly colored fish that seemed to wrap around her legs as she walked. As the two men talked she wandered around the room freely looking EVERYWHERE but the desk where the two men were looking over a bunch of papers. Im pretty sure she was looking for bugs herself.

After twenty or so minutes the man with the briefcase nodded and reached in his pocket and produced two cigars. He snipped the ends of both and reached to hand the man behind the desk one. As he lit his own cigar he stood and handed the man behind the desk the lighter and pointed to the window. The man at the desk nodded as he took the lighter and lit his cigar. As the man with the briefcase made it to the window the woman reached above her head pulling two long hair sticks out. As she did this the man at the door kicked the man who searched them into the filing cabinet which in turn made the man by the desk run to assist in the fray. As soon as the second man left his position the woman stepped behind the man at the desk and jammed both hair sticks into his neck and pulled him down and to the floor behind the desk. When the man at the window turned to the desk the window he was standing at shattered as half of his face disappeared in a mist of red and grey.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 11

7-5-2043

Still nothing on the news about the assasinations at the buisness deal gone wrong we have witnessed. We still have no idea who was in that room and what was said. Nothing else suspicious has happened there since that night, and nothing probably will. We assume there is a scramble in Eudorias corrupt and scandelous corporate Elite to replace or take over those two spots held by the two men that were killed that morning.

I STILL do not know how this ties into us, Doc, or the person Doc was with the day we found him in the food service area. I think its time I got more direct with Billy and Alpha-1 about what is really going on if I will continue to be involved in all of this. I know this is important work that is being done here but by what ends will the resuts serve is my biggest question.

I think I will go on a mining run today to clear my head and think this through more before I approach them over this whole situation.

9-5-2043

After a day and a half in the hills far north and east of Argus I return to the house to stow my gear before I head to town to put the ores I have found on the auction. As I approach the house I see a nicely dressed woman on the porch talking to a cleaning crew. I hear her tell them to make sure the house is spotless that new tenants will be comming in two days and to repair the damage in the back yard near the flower beds the previous tennats did before they left.

Trying not to look suspicious or nosey I trudge by looking as tired and pathetic as I could, only giving a half hearted wave in any acknowlegment they were there. After a few more paces I hear footsteps comming up behind me, it is the agent at the door. As she approaches I could smell expensive perfume she wore and hear the heals of the two thousand ped shoes sink into the soft sand path between the few houses that were here. She says in a high pitch very non threatening way "Excuse me!" "Could I ask you a few questions?". I stop and sigh heavily to make it look as though she had just interupted the most important moment of my life, and slowly turn to face her. "May I ask where you are comming from"

I just give her a blank stare for a few seconds and blatently look past her in the direction I came from to emphasise the point. "Did you happen to see ..She describes Alpha-4 exactly..and his friend anywhere in your travels?" I tell her I was up north mining and didnt notice two love birds frolicing in the woods. She then says "Well they may not have been alone" "Judging by the damage in the back I think they may have been kidnapped" I asked her if she had notified the authorities to that possibility and she half laughs "Authorities".

I say to her "Wait" "Come to think of it I did HEAR a large group of people up in the hills" "I couldnt hear what they were talking about over my extractor" as I point to my pack to a large bag of minerals I had found. "I think they were following the shoreline north and east maybe" She gets a big smile on her face and quickly walks back to the house and up the stairs disappearing without so much as a thank you for the information. Serves her right that I made it all up. I know she is looking for the team, and I also know they did not go the direction I pointed her in.

Now I need to track down where they really went and why. Heading into town is my best option as I can sell these ores and get some suppies to live on since all my other gear WAS in that house. Having only limited resourses on me I take a room at the only non corporate lodging available in Argus and clean up a little before I head to the auction to sell this new ore I have found. I think more about what to do and I remember the hangar. I will go there before I hit the auction. I know its plain site in daylight hours but I can always tell anyone that asks why Im nosing around I am a writer doing a story on the old time soldiers that made this area safe for us all to be here. Besides the auction is open twentyfour hours a day and I can go there at any time.

9-5-2043 Late afternoon

As I approach the hangar I see that there are many foot prints in the area like a search party went through looking awefully hard for something. I do a quick look around for anyone hanging around but do not see anyone. I think its ok to get a closer look so I head for the door. I reach for Grandfathers maddox when I see the door is open just past the latch. Sticking close to the wall I approach the door listening as best I can past the noise of my own heartbeat. I can hear someone inside but can not determine what is being said or if I recognise the voices.

With a deep breath I decide to go in loud and proud. Just as I reach my foot out to push the door open it whips open and Alpha-2 turns right into the barrel of my gun. I drop to one knee as I see a clothsline comming at my face from his right arm. As he spins off balance I push off his left thigh and roll backwards away from the kick he followed up with. I come to my feet, reset my stance, and draw down on him again asking what his intentions are. He puts his hands up to say hold on and states he didnt expect anyone at the door. It only takes a short minute to confirm and believe him.

I ask what was happening because the house was vacant and there was some real estate lady thinking there was a kidnapping there. After He got done laughing he said everyone was in the shuttle stowing gear and getting ready to move out. I get a look on my face that asks the question and Alpha-2 tells me go see the Boss he will fill me in.

As soon as I enter the hangar Billy calls me over to the control room and he doesnt look too happy. "Who Authorized you to leave for two days in the middle of a mission"! "What were you thinking to make you up and leave without so much as a peep to anyone"! "Your Dam lucky we haven't left yet, another hour and your ass would be staying here"! Not being one to be talked down to I stand tall and snap back at him "Number one My parents are dead so dont EVER adress me like that I am not your kid" "Number two I dont believe I have been inducted in the Planetary Defence Forces" "And third I dont remember me agreeing to any "MISSION" I only asked for a ride and maybe cover in finding an old friend".

With all this covert spy type operations and what I have found out about Doc being involved with the team I guess tensions are a bit tight. Barring what I saw go down in that office building I am STILL clueless as to what is happening and where I fit into all this. I hope some light will be shed on this all before we leave here or shortly after we have left because Im not sure I want to go on and NOT be a full part of this and not just another grunt in a battle for someone else's cause.

10-5-2043

It is now 01:18 as we again take off under cover of darkness. It seems we have an extended trip which will take us to an undisclosed place in space to meet a frieghter comming in from what is called the Rock. The Rock is an old converted asteroid that was used as a moble military base back when the PDF were securing Eudoria and setting up fortifications on the planets surface. It seems that this installation has been bought by a private investment firm for a very rich person whom to this day has not been named on paper. This installation has been rehabbed over the past two years and now has two huge apartment complexes a mall to supply the inhabitants with necessities and an Elite dance club for the super rich.

Rendezvous with the frieghter is not scheduled untill 07:48 so pilot shifts are set along with a watch for all the electronic monitoring equipment. This gives me a little time to pull Billy and Alpha-1 aside and sort out where I stand with the team and what ever they are trying to accomplish.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 12

10-5-2043 05:30

Most of the Team is catching up on rest before the next phase of the mission what ever that may be. I have been up the whole night thinking through the events of the past few weeks. I still wonder if I want to know what in the back of my head has been driving me since the night before the mission into space from Billy's. Yes it would be easy to go back to Eudoria and wander the rest of my days mining and trying to survive only to be eradicated at some point by the waves of robots that will eventually come if what the Team and Billy have told me is true. Billy is on watch in the Com room so I grab two cups of coffee and head there for a question and answer session to help make up my mind on what my future holds.

No sooner am I through the door and Billy says he was expecting me at some point of the trip. Before I could answer he starts to fill me in on what has happened and is happening on Eudoria from two years ago to the present. He starts with the obvious about the robot wars back on Earth. He tells me the robots that decimated Earth were made by us as far back as the 1960's when robotics first became a practiced science. All was fine as huge hulking robotic arms were designed to make our vehicles and do the work that was deemed not healthy in the manufacturing and science fields.

As time passed and the field broadened robots were designed to make home life more enjoyable. Yes it was neat to see the automated vacuum cleaners roving the floors, or even the computer controlled toy animals for the kids to play with. Billy tells me that's where the line was drawn.

What we got to see and what the technology held was separated by big corporations doing works of more unethical natures. Some of the corps were designing and producing robots to mimic human nature, others to advance science, and at the heart of the most devious.. military robots of war.

Right around the millennia, space exploration was starting to grow in leaps and bounds with progress in technology in computing. Robots were getting smarter and able to do more because of this. Companies in the field that were designing robots in a humanoid manner were contracted to make them to take the place of humans for deep space and planetary expeditions so all the existing space craft did not have to be scraped or reworked for a different cargo. This in turn brought a resurgence in religious and doom saying communities regarding man playing God and trying to create life. With this happening the sciences in bio genetics, bio organism, and cybernetics came under heavy pressure to be more strongly regulated by a global governmental structure to limit what the science could do on a moral level.

The more devious of the corporate entities joined forces and began circumventing this regulation by building a huge space station in Earths orbit under the guise of international unity for the advancement of space exploration. Having no real laws to abide by in space these corporations carried out many heinous experiments with genetic mutation all the way into biological warfare. Some time early in the first decade one of these scientists on that space station lost his mental capacity for what was real and what was not due to a brain tumor that went undetected for six months of his one year stay on the station. In his madness he had exposed the space station to an airborne strain of a virus that promoted mutation in sub tropic botanicals. By accident his mislabeling of controlled test samples with that of completed non mutinous strains bound for Earth were sent planet side to help battle the need for much larger crop yields.

As we all know, what happens in a controlled lab is not necessarily what happens when science is released into an ever changing and non structural environment. This virus was undetected for three years on Earth as it mutated again and again as crops grown with it were treated with chemicals to enhance crop yields even further. Eventually as all viruses do, it again mutated, this time into a strain that would carry over into biological organisms. Millions of people were affected by this but it was found in its early form and science again worked to cure the masses. Not wanting to spread mass panic both the big corporations and the governments covered up the problem and isolated whole countries with a no travel policy due to what they called Bird flu. The news media was fed what to tell in regards to this and any form that was not cooperative was bought or totally shut down immediately. As time went by the virus mutated again and again, both the corporations and the governmental division of disease control were unable to stop its rampant spread.

At some point it was decided that no further human contact with these countries could be made. The science of robots was called on to be the saving entity that would fix this problem. Cybernetic robots were programmed with a new form of artificial intelligence like no other to be seen in history. This new AI would let these cyborgs function on their own in a medical capacity to help distribute medicines and treat the people affected safely with no further human exposure. Over the next four years the role these robots played was stepped up into a higher level of intelligence that let them logically preform experiments to keep up with the ever changing strains of this virus. Their main function was to find and eliminate any and all strains possible to ensure the survival of Earth.

2012 was the year all prophecies told to be the last year of the human race. How freakishly accurate this was because in the year 2013 a flesh eating strain of this virus broke lose in a small mountain community where robots were carrying out research to stop this very thing. This strain was so evolved it had started to eat the cybernetic skin and organs of the robots that were designed to save the world. As these robots began to die off they went into a self proclaimed survival mode. They had issued orders that the only way to truely stop the virus was eradication of any and all organisms carrying it including the old cybernetic robots themselves. Having full access to whatever resources was needed they began to produce a warrior strain of robot to begin elimination of the diseased beings that inhabited Earth. Some of these were also made to take over the old military installations that were locked down and abandoned when governments and corporations pulled out of these countries that had the viruses.

This new Gang of Robots had evolved themselves into what they are today. A very task oriented efficient race of robots with one goal to motivate and rule them. Survival. In their final strike to rid Earth and themselves of the virus the space station was actually shot out of orbit by missiles from sites that were taken over and reactivated by these new stronger and more intelligent robots. Next came the destruction of the cybernetic species of robots on Earth. The robots knew these were limited to a small area in the mountains of China and in the colder reaches of the Antarctic. Tactical nukes were used by the robots to destroy any form of contamination to their own species prior to turning the cleansing on to the rest of Earths population.

Once the robots began this tactical destruction certain corporations and the government had initiated a failsafe program conceived at the time the virus was found on the planet for the survival of the human race. An asteroid that passed Earth once in a thousand or so years was to be the vehicle on which this plan was to be executed to ensure the human race lived on. Science and Military personnel were sent to this rock to develop a habitat to support life on its surface while probes were sent from it to find a suitable new world for the human race to continue.

Bio domes were built to provide food to feed the lucky few that were allowed to escape the devastation happening on Earth. Housing and Science labs were setup to restart synthetic manufacturing to supply troops and the general population with its needs to go on. Twenty seven Earth years had passed before Calypso was found and deemed a suitable planet to habitate and restart the human race. The Asteroid we were heading to was the one that brought us from Earth and let us go on with life. We were here to meet with a few of the original descendants of the scientists who were developing new ways to fight the robotic rebellion should it make its way off Earth and follow us here to Calypso.

We are interrupted by an incoming coded transmission announcing the arrival of the freighter we are meeting. Billy turns to the task of scheduling the meeting leaving the story to hang out, unfinished and my dilemma unresolved.

10-5-2043 11:37 hours

The freighter is now next to us and the airlock is being setup to allow us to move between the ships without the use of spacesuits. Alpha-3 and 4 are suited up to do the first walk to make sure the airlock is in fact safe and to do a quick security sweep of the freighter to ensure no ambush or other unexpected problems arise. Alpha-1 asks Billy if the quarantine was setup for the dna samples and the portable data storage has been formatted. Billy says Alph-2 took care of that and he was set to met our friends from the asteroid.

The all clear is given and Billy calls for Alpha-2 to meet him at the airlock to go make the transfer of data and samples that were brought for us. As Billy and Alpha-2 meet at the air lock the woman that killed the man at that meeting in Argus emerges from what I thought was a storage area for our gear and goes directly to the other ship without even a glance to anyone here watching.

Alpha-2 returns to the ship and tells Alpha-1 the mission is a go and that we can head for the asteroid resort as planned. Billy did not come back with him. I am told to man the Com room for the next six hour shift and to make sure ANY signals received be it sub space to a local radar ping is to be relayed to Alpha-1 immediately.


10-5-2043 15:00 hours

Alpha-1 enters the Com room and quietly sits at a terminal behind me and looks over the status and position of the ship in regards to the asteroid. He says Billy told him he had started to fill me in on what was really happening and that he would continue where he left off if I was interested to know. I have been hanging around Billy far to much lately as my only answer was HIS typical grunt and nod.

Alpha-1 begins to fill me in on the asteroid. The asteroid he says was a secret mission started before the robots were used back on Earth so the world had a failsafe were any new ways to battle the viruses unsuccessful. Only two governments and five of the worlds largest most predominant corporations knew and invested in this effort. Many secret space shuttle missions were made to a second space station that was built to stay on the far side of the moon. This was all covered up by manipulation of the public through the news media dismissing the many launches as the popular phenomenon U.F.O.'s.

Over the course of five years ALL the technology science had produced in regards to terra-forming was sent to this station. Five thousand people were selected from the military, any major science field, and corporate and governmental entities. NONE that were selected had any ties to Earth and most had been for lack of a better term killed off on paper according to officials back on Earth.

One year before the asteroid actually passed Earth, missions were launched to begin building suitable habitation on the rock. Housing and atmospheric producing machines were set up first. Then plastic tunnels to several areas of the rock were made. Next was a geothermal power station and two bio domes to start producing food and oxygen so the station was not fully reliant on power draining machinery to produce it using chemo mechanics. Finely as the asteroid passed Earth the main bulk of people to populate the rock would be moved in mass by teleporter technology that had been developed in the last century in an effort to reduce global pollution issues exaggerated by mass transit. Once the rest of the materials and personnel were on the asteroid more construction and research began. After a year of unstable robot behavior on Earth it was determined they would not be as heavily relied upon for this mission to save the human race. In its finished design the asteroid project had two huge housing complexes separated by many kilometers in case one got wiped out by some form of disaster. It had a massive research complex that was both above ground for normal research and below the surface for many of the newer technologies so containment could be guaranteed unlike what had happened on the first space station. Four huge medical complexes were set up in key areas but only two were ever active at any given time. All four were maintained and stocked equally. Finally twenty massive bio-domes were set up to provide food, a breathable atmosphere, and a place to start cloning some of the more important animal species required for human survival.

For twelve Earth years this asteroid drifted through space and was a growing and efficient base of operations for many science fields. The main one being terraforming and the search for a suitable planet to habitate and ensure the survival of the human race. Nothing significant had crossed the asteroids path within a reachable distance to begin development. In the later part of that year it was discovered that a HUGE planet was right in the path of the asteroid. It was feared we would become the planet killer we were so afraid would strike Earth and wipe out any form of life on it. How fittingly ironic to come to an end in this manor.

As the frantic race to find a solution to this now inevitable demise a small space station was quickly designed and built in a matter of two months. Again this would be mankind's only way of survival. Only five hundred people would be able to go should the need arise and a solution to the asteroids destruction not be found. It was determined that the last minute launch place of this space station would be in an orbit around one of the three moons around this planet in our path.

At least they would be close enough to a planet capable of being habitated with minimal terraforming after the atmosphere cleared in several years from the asteroids crashing into it.

On the day of the space stations launch scientists had measured a significant shift in the asteroids trajectory as it passed the first of the three moons. This peeked the whole science communities interest as the possibility of being pushed away from the main planet grew larger by the hour. The launch window for the space station was halfway between the first and second moons and was fast approaching. A decision had to be made to launch or take the huge risk we will be pushed out far enough no impact with the planet would occur. The launch was a go. All plans would be followed by the letter, no mistakes or second guesses could be a luxury we could afford.

When they hit the location to launch the space station it was again noted the asteroid was obviously being influenced by the moons and the planets gravity. Again its trajectory was changed. The launch was made with no significant problems and the habitants were beginning to teleport to their new home. Only a short window to get all the people to the station was available as the third moon was fast approaching and the teleporters only worked line of sight at this point in time.

When the asteroid had transitioned to the exiting phase for the second moons gravity another big change was monitored. In fact the change was so big it had affected the whole structure that housed them on the asteroid. Several tunnels had cracked and imploded due to the huge pressure change. One of medical facilities had completely broke free and was lifting off the asteroids surface in the direction of the second moon. It was near impossible for anyone on the asteroid to move or do anything because they were light enough the change in gravity literally pinned them to the walls and ceilings of the structures they were in. Only automated containment doors and structures had saved them from losing the entire facility to lack of a breathable atmosphere.

10-5-2043 15:43 hours

The outer landing approach beacon started to sound through the communications channel left open to hear landing procedures for the asteroids facility. Alpha-1 gave me a frequency to tune to and identify ourselves as a private hunting outfitter with passengers for a weeks hunting excursion.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 13

11-5-2043

Docking went smoothy and not a person even looked at us twice. So many things happening in the spaceport that we looked almost normal with all the hunters geared up for the kill, and their fans that were there to cheer them on. Evidently there is a huge competition happening this evening and many of Calypso's famous were here to compete. As we were lead to the televator that would bounce us to the housing area we were to stay at I got a glimpse of someone off by the wall watching us a tad more intently then I would like. I have never seen the armor he had on first hand but EVERYONE knows
that burgandy color since it is one of the most prestigious armor made.

Right before we flashed to the housing area I tapped Alpha-1 and nodded in the direction of the person watching us. He almost seemed like he wanted to go after that person on sight. I tried to initiate a response to his reaction by asking why someone would need Protector of the Empire armor for a simple hunting competition. His response was "So someone like me can't kill him out right on sight". I respond "close personal friend" and get back "you could say that" "We served together on a security detail at Jason Center that failed because he sold us out" "Thats probably how he earned that
fancy armor he is wearing".

I inquire if that is or is part of the reason we are here. Alpha-1 responds he is not sure but we will probably find he ties in somehow to something not right up here. I ask him now that we are secure and in a private place why Billy has seperated from us and if his mission is tied to ours and what happened in that office back on Eudoria. He tells me he can not say at this time. The rest of the day is spent setting up the apartment we have rented with security and all the surveylance equipment. It was now time to go join the festivities happening that evening so we did not draw suspicion in our direction. Aplha-3 and Alpha-5 had joined the actual competition while Alpha-1 went out to take on some of the bigger creatures in a few of the domes not used in the contest that evening. I decided to get dressed and go wander amongst the crowd to get a feel for the less frantic parts of our mission.

Most of the non competitive activities were happening at the dance club and shopping areas of resort. The owner of the resort does commentary live during his competitions and that streams through out the complex so everyone can keep track of their favorite hunter. Betting on these events is not a formal afair but is highly encouraged and there are people on every corner and in every room taking bets on anything from number of kills to who wins the fassion show afterwards.

It is amazing how I can picture this spacestation as it was long ago from the detail that Billy and Alpha-1 have described it in. I can see each of the shops as busy, highly secure labs with people themselves closed in there like animals on exibit. The only difference is the huge statue of the old universe that rotates in the main room where the main televators and emergency stairs were leading down to the corporate and military private labs. Not wanting to draw too much attention by looking around on my own I decided it best to take one of the guided tours of the facility along with twenty or so other people up here for a vacation. The rest of my night was spent in the club doing normal tourist stuff and observing who was who in this world away from worlds and not trying to get into trouble my first night here.

12-5-2043

It got boring with all the fawning over the hunters and the repetative chatter over who was best and did or did not do well that night. The only conversation that held my interest was one regarding the run of good mining happening lately in the mid level domes. I had gone to bed early in hopes of a quiet mining run in one of the lesser domes with more docile creatures less apt to eat you for breakfast. This run was delayed by a short team meeting that designated the days activities for each team member in regards to our over all mission here.

Alpha-3 and 5 were to keep up their cover as hunters and to get involved in as many competitions as were offered, not to mention try to gain invites to any teams involving people on our list of objectives. Alpha-2 is our eyes and ears on the surveylance detail while Alpha-1 will go after the main target as a buisnessman. I was to make contact with Billy and his new friend and infiltrate that part of the operation to keep eyes off Billy's doings as much as possible.

Billy's cover gave him good movement within the domes, and even favor amongst the scientific community on this asteroid. He and the woman that was at the office meeting were posing as palio-botanists researching some of the natural plantlife on Calypso and how human contact with it would effect both the environment and us as a new species here. There was a meeting between Billy and Omegatons sceince team in dome four around 10:00 to go over the sedative effects of a certain plant to one of Calypso's most aggressive creatures called the Atrox. Many places on Calypso are heavily populated with them and too many people were getting killed trying to go about daily life in these areas.

A small security team was assigned to the experiment as dome four has been set up as a breeding facility for Atrox. I got into dome four just before 9:30 hours to do a quick assessment of the layout and what possible places for securing a live team if things went wrong there were. I even tested the waters so to speak to see how aggressive these little critters were. As my uncles would say "WHOA DOGGIE!" "That was like kickin a bees nest after the bear had raided it". Aggressive was an understatement. If i didnt know better I would say these nasty buggers acted like the packs of Wild Wolves back on Earth. They definately have a higher understanding for what is called "Pack Law" or 'Pack Mentality" it was amazing to see how several did a frontal assault while others peeled off to swing in from the sides, and how they called others to join in to protect the young and females feeding in the safety of a lower area in the dome. I am so glad I had gotten the A103 amplifier for my Justifier, the knock down power it added is what probably saved me by letting me cut a path through the line of Atrox attcking me. I was able to manuver to a small hill by the dome wall that cut off the Atrox from totally surrounding me. It was a tough battle but non the less the MOST fun I have had on a hunt in a long time. Twelve Atrox dropped in that battle alone. I am glad for the experiance as I know now how they function and what to expect should an attack like this happen again.

After a short rest I started to skin the atrox I had killed as the hides have good value to the fasion community for custom tailored clothing. I heard them getting closer as they followed the wall to avoid being attacked themselves. The team Billy was with had come into the dome and were now approaching my position. I stand up and give them a greeting to show I was not hostile to them. I even issued a warning to where the main herd was and what it had done to defend its cast. The Science team I guess was feeling quite proud and sure of their accomplishments. They gave me a few small viles of what they had made to "save me from a major attack" as the product was suposed to repress that long line of aggressive behavior by chemicly supressing the urge to hunt. It was an aerosol type agent so it kind of made sense it would work on a small pack if they got too close or too aggressive.

Shortly before that team moved on we had all heard the sounds of blp weapons to the east on the far side of the dome. Someone else was here hunting so that would mean the Atrox would be especially alert with all the noise going on so close. The team got all excited and ready to test the product in an even less controlled more hostile condition then planned. Even the wanna be security detail became more warry because they knew what could potentially happen. I voluntiered my services to the expedition should the need arise. I told them to come to here if they needed extra fire power if things went bad. I knew I would be here a while skinning all these animals.

12-5-2043 Late afternoon

I had stopped the skinning as soon as the team had gotten far enough away and immediately began to follow their trail to keep an eye on things. I watched for a few hours as the security team picked off a few smaller Atrox and isolated a smaller herd and began to move them away from the main herd for their test. I was not close enough to hear any of the Conversations but recognised some of the hand signals used that they were about to start the test. I can only assume the plan was to release the aerosol within the herd and then have the security team approach it while the scientists observed and documented the behavior.

It was a small herd of maybe twenty five Atrox of various ages and sexes. A herd that small should be easily containable with five members on the security force that were well armed and had decent armor. Since the domes were fully enclosed not to mention out in space there was no wind to speak of to move the aerosol to the herd. The Sceince team had brought compressed air tanks that had dispersion nozzels desigened to feed the chemicles into a forced air stream in a highly directional manor.

The ok was given to start the test. The aerosol was loaded into the nozzels and sprayed in the direction of the isolated herd. Having no idea how long it would take for the chemicles to reach the herd, or what effect it would have, a ten minute wait was issued before the team was to approach the herd. Not expecting an adverse reaction the security team had let their gaurd down since they had a few minutes before they were to move out. I learned this lesson the hard way with the Atrox female at Billy's that attacked me. I was about to approach the team just to get closer incase something went wrong when the whole herd turned at once and began a full frontal attack on the expedition. I crashed through a few bushes to get to where they were headed and warn the people, unfortunately my voice was not heard over the roaring of the approaching atrox.

The security team scrambled to get weapons to the ready as the first atrox flew over a bush and landed squarely on the teams leader. As fast as it appeared it had taken one swift slash at its targets throat and completely severed his head in one clean shot. Realising to run there would be to late to help I pulled up my marber and scoped a larger one headed straight for Billy. As I squeezed of the first round the atrox dropped just in front of Billy who had grabbed the woman and was dragging her away from where the attack was happening.

Three sceintists had been killed already as they froze in panic. The fourth had made his way to the dispersal unit and was spraying the aerosol in every direction in hopes it would stop the attack. Billy saw it was me that shot from the side and turned to my direction dragging the woman as best he could. I switched to my Justifier for a faster rate of fire as six of the atrox were now headed in my direction. I had dropped three before Billy had reached my position. The whole time I was shooting I had automaticly been backing my way to the wall like I did for the first attack earlier. I felt a tug on my side as Billy snatched the Maddox from its holster and passed it to the woman. As I took down the fouth atrox they had made it to our position. With two left I was splitting my rounds between the two to keep their attention on me since I was the only one with Armor. Billy ripped the fast aid pack from my shoulder pouch and started back to the area where the attack started, picking up my marber on the way.

Between the woman and myself we dropped the two atrox fast and were free to aid the others. By now only two security members were left standing and only the head sceintist remained as Billy arrived back there to help the wounded. I could smell the blood as I got into the clearing where bodies were tossed after being shreaded by the Atrox's claws and teeth. Knowing the predatory nature of Atrox I suggested we move out away from this area before we did anything else as more were sure to come. We were almost dead center along the east wall in the dome so I gave the order to head south along the wall to get away from that area. Billy grabbed the last sceintist by the arm and started to patch his wounds as we walked away from the camp. The girl and I took point as the remaining two security gaurds covered our backs.

I saw movement ahead of us but wasnt sure what direction it was headed so I gave the hand signal to stop and look in that direction. I saw two small Atrox headed for us noses in the air, I saw at least six others peel off and run to the west across the dome looking exactly like the ones that had attacked, uninhibated and very angry. I raised my Justifier and scoped the smaller of the two as I knew I could drop it in four rounds. The woman brought the maddox to the ready as the first one dropped, a look of worry vanished from her face as the second turned off to follow the others that crossed the dome. In the distance to the north we heard the farmiliar sound of blp weapons firing in what seemed like one steady stream.

By now we all realsied the experiment was a failure and in fact had the complete opposite effect on the Atrox as was thought. The last sceintist made the statement that it could not have been what they were working on in the labs down below because it was tested in controlled environment on single Atrox for each test.

Silence. No noise was heard, no Atrox shrieks, no weapons fireing, not even smaller animals scurrying throught the underbrush. In my experience this is NEVER a good thing as it usually means a larger predator is close. I look at Billy as soon as I pick up on this awkward silence and see he has the exact same thought. Without a sound he grabs the woman by the hand and ducks low and close to the wall as he can possibly get moving fast in the direction of the nearest telepad out of here.

I follow just as swiftly as he begins to move, only the sceintist was dumb enough to make a sound. As I hit the wall and made the turn south again part of a human leg hit the wall above me splattering blood on the wall as if it was a paintball shot from an air gun. The Atrox roared with triumph and gave that gutteral grunting noise to let the others know the hunt was on and where to go.

Two rounds from a laser rifle then a scream follows shortly after the alert was sounded. Staying as low as possible I could move fairly well under the folliage along the wall like a rabbit running from a wolf. I saw the end wall of the dome above the scrub and yelled to Billy to cut across the open area to the cannons by the telepad. Billy runs a little further down the wall before he stands verticle to begin his sprint for the safety of the cannons. Billy drags the woman passed the cannon closer to the telepad and gives her a shove in that direction. As she moves off Billy raises the marber to his shoulder and squeezes off a round right in my direction. As the weapon sizzles and releses that familiar blue beam of plasma over my head I hear an Atrox scream in pain as the round finds its mark. Unfortunately not before it had snatched the last of the guards and chewed him in half right through his armor. The two cannons at the end of the dome begin a long steady burst as Billy disappears into the Telepad I am fast approaching.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 14

12-5-2043 17:55 hours

As we enter the hangar area we ported to so no one would pick up on anything wrong in the control area I catch a glimpse of the burgandy armor rounding a corner heading away from us. I look to Billy and the woman to make sure they are not injured and give Billy our signal to split up. Billy leads the woman to a tunnel and heads off to the housing area. I turn to follow the strange man in the Protector of the Empire armor.

I got to the main passage just in time to again see him turn into one of the docking bays. It was third from the end so I could walk past and try to assess what to do next and not look suspicious by not entering a different hangar. As I got near to that hangar I could hear a mans voice sternly instructing someone else to make sure dome four was shut down and a walk through was made for surviving team members. They were to be questioned on events that happened and then silenced so no trail could be directed back to that facility. Any gear was to be destroyed at the sight and the area made to look like a fire had started from a hunters laserfire into the dry brush.

No one was visible or obviously gaurding the door to that hangar so I stepped just inside the small foyer area between the passageway and the hanger itself. I was able to see the back of the man in the P.o.E. armor waving his hands starting the trance needed to teleport. A younger man in a lab coat was closing a metalic case used for biomedical material transportation, and a man in a flight suit heading into the ship that was in the hangar. I scratched the name of the ship into the paint of my armor so I would not forget it along with the Space Commissions licenceing number. Whoosh, the familiar sound of the air pressure change when a person teleports way.

Something strikes me wierd but I do not pick up on what. I am intently watching what is happening in that hangar. The man in the flight suit emerges from the craft with a smaller case like the one on the table. He gives instructions to the lab coated man to switch the viles in the lab with the ones in that case and to bring the others back to him by 19:00 for his departing flight.

I quickly duck out of the foyer and run to the next hangar door and step through. A quick scan tells me it is empty and I head straight for the pilots locker room there to use the com terminal to contact Alpha-1. I inform him of the events in the hangar I just witnessed and he asks for more info of what transpired in the dome earlier. I tell him I will debrief later that he needs to check on Billy and friend if possible and to recon dome four fast before that team can clean it of any evidence.

I wait for twenty or so minutes then leave the hangar I am in to head for the lab area to see what I can learn there. As I move through the passages I see Alpha-3 and 5 heading to the control room. I can only assume they have been assigned to dome four. On the way to teleport to the lab areas I see Alpha-1 in full combat gear headed for the telepad in the control room. All is in motion whatever that maybe as I am not fully aware of what has transpired today other then it was not a good thing. Being too much in my thoughts and not my surroundings I run smack into the pilot from the hangar as I round a corner a little too fast for one not paying attention. We bounce off of each other into others in the passageway and that makes the pilot lose his balance for a split second. As he hops around trying to regain his balance the case he is carrying hits the wall and pops open spilling documents all over the floor.

Acting like this was all an accident I immediately start appologising to him while stating I should probably wear my glasses so I dont bump into people like that. I reach for the linestripe shades we used earlier and bend down on hands and knees helping to pick up the mess I had created. In his panic the pilot started to shove the documents into the case crumbling and folding handfulls of paper. I grab him by the wrist and calmly tell him to slow down as he didnt want those papers ruined or he would have to reprint them all. Not looking up from the documents because I was busy snapping digital images of as many of these as I could and to make sure he didnt see my face I got him to slow down and be more careful of what he was doing.

After all the commotion died down I made my way to the lab areas to have a look around. Not much was going on and I didnt see ANY activity in any of the labs above the shops in the main complex. That only meant one thing to me. The labs below were still in use and there was some way down to them not in public view. As soon as I returned to the appartment to wait for the rest of the team to return, I went to our designated com room to make sure Alpha-2 recieved all of what I captured for the last hour.

The next few hours were spent reviewing the events in dome four and going over all the pictures of the documents I was able to photograph.

13-5-2043

It was late morning before the whole team was at the apartment and able to debrief the events of the last 24 hours. It seems the man in the P.o.E. armor was someone of power here as it took less then thirty minutes for dome four to be closed due to a fire. I hope our guys got something of use before the "Accidental fire" did its work.

Everyone was in the debriefing room except Alpha-1 at 11:30 hours. Billy had organised the meeting so his absence does not seem out of place.... yet. Billy starts this meeting by introducing the woman he has been with since we met up with the freighter. It seems she is playing double agent at the moment. She has been working with Doc for over a year bouncing back and forth from Fort Argus to the asteroid gathering as much intel as possible on three of the huge corporations that are rooted in Fort Argus. She has also been giving intel to the fourth of the companies that make up the holding company that bought Argus from the government regarding the team and what they are doing.

Alpha-2 debriefs us on the Data files and the DNA samples he brought back from the freighter and the roll they may play later on. It seems that one of the potential plans to force Calypsos population into voluntary slavery is to use a few of the special breeds of creatures here on the asteroid for attacks on cities and heavily populated areas to cut down the population able to revolt. From what they have learned the few strange creatures being bred and raised in the larger domes are all just simple lab experiments on a larger scale. They are not testing the creatures but testing our adaptability to finding ways to eraddicate the monstrosities and how long in between until thatmethod becomes efficient.

Alpha-3 and 5 give their report on the happenings in the dome after we were able to get out. They had made it to the exact spot where the experiment failed to find every Atrox in the dome totally in an irrational state nothing near their normal behavior. The level of aggression throughout the dome was very intense which made it hard to accomplish the mission. They were able to download the video gear there that recorded much of the experiment. They said they were also able to pull body parts from other areas where unaware hunters had been decimated and leave them among the teams victims. They also placed fake ID's of Billys cover persona and erased our escape path before the dome was closed by the "Fire team" there to put out the fires that happened in the dome.

Billy gave a detailed rundown of the failed experiment which accounted for my roll there and began the debate over the outcome. The conclusion we arrived at was this. Obviously someone wanted the experiment to look like a failure. They also wanted ANY person involved with it dead so some form of chemical had replaced the real ones to attract and aggrivate the Atrox to atack. This being said we also determined the true experiment to be a success otherwise whoever was responsible would not have to do such an elaborate coverup. Now the question remains who is controlling all this, what is the need for such a coverup, and finally what is the real experiments product to be used for.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 15

15-5-2043 10:00 hours

Omegaton Industries
Defense Department
Bureau of Planetary Affairs.

10-5-2043

To: Marco Brenaman Logisitics and Support MACorp LLC
CC: Grady Heineman Lead Sceintist RDI Defense Contractors, Traci Hammond Rockwell Field
Service Manager Omegaton West Developement corp, Harry Tambouros, Larry Sinclair, Harold
J. Westinghouse Tamburos, Sinclair and Westinghouse LLP for Trinity Holding Corp LLC

Dear Mr Brenaman,
We are pleased to inform your company that the final tests for the product Contract # 165-34458-02 will be completed on 12-5-2043. Should all go as planned the results will be passed forward to Major General Heinrich Shultz of the Planetary Defense council for review and acceptance according to the above mentioned contract. Should the testing fail a detailed report on the project will be issued within one week to be reviewed for further disposition per contract term 134.6 section 24 paragraph 3. We wish you and your companies many successes with this project and your continued support for the security and habitation of Calypso.

Best Regards,
Simone DeBorg'
Senior Administrator
Trinity Arms Research and Manufacturing.

15-5-2043 10:15 hours


Omegaton Industries
Defense Department
Bureau of Planetary Affairs.

10-5-2043

To: Marco Brenaman Logisitics and Support MACorp LLC
CC: Grady Heineman Lead Sceintist RDI Defense Contractors, Traci Hammond Rockwell Field
Service Manager Omegaton West Developement corp, Harry Tambouros, Larry Sinclair, Harold
J. Westinghouse Tamburos, Sinclair and Westinghouse LLP for Trinity Holding Corp LLC

Dear Mr Brenaman,
We are pleased to inform your company that the final tests for the product Contract # 165-34458-02 were completed on 12-5-2043 with satisfactory results. All of the tests data along with the materials and specification sheets will be forwarded to MAjor General Shultz's offices by end of this business day.

Our condolances to the families of the emplyees that were lost in that tragic accident following that days success. We here at Omegaton offer any cooperation necessary in the investigation regarding the incompetence of the security team hired to keep our people safe from just such a terrible incedent. A memorial for those lost will be held here on Amethera on 17-5-2043 while a scholarship fund in honor of Dr.Ping will be established in his memory.



Best Regards,
Simone DeBorg'
Senior Administrator
Trinity Arms Research and Manufacturing.

15-5-2043 10:30 hours

Alpha-2 had salvaged these two documents intact from the pictures I had taken after the run in with that pilot. Billy took a minute to look them over then passed it on to Alpha-1 who had finally returned to the apartment after being gone for three full days with no contact. Billy suggested we get a hold of Doc for this and pass this info on. It seems the person he was meeting with at Argus is the same person who signed these two letters.

Billy and Alpha-2 were busy rationalising the second letter calling the experiment a success when a whole team was lost. I reread both letters several times before it clicked in my head. BOTH letters were written or at least typed up on the same day. How could they know what the results were two days before the test was run. It was a nicely planned cover up to blame a security team for being careless with laser weapons in an area where chemical testing was happening. Thus the fake fire in the dome to make it look like one of the security team discharged his weapon and started a massive fire after it ignited the chemicals used during the test.

I told them both the documents were in the pilots posession who was in that same hangar with the man in the P.o.E. armor Alpha-1 had gone after. This confirms Alpha-1's suspicion and comment earlier that we would find he was involved in something bad up here. I asked Alpha-1 if he had in fact caught up to or met the man in P.o.E. and he said "No" "Marco must have some new teleport technology that allows him to safely teleport around this facility" "No one else has that technolgy so I am guessing that is how people are getting in and out of the labs below the surface"

Billy grunts and looks around the room as if there were more then the three of us there. A slight smile comes across his face as he utters three words... "Remember the A.L.A.M.O." The only response to that was "Ill make the call" from Alpha-1. Billy tells me he will tell me what that is once we get the clearence to obtain it for use. All I can do is grunt back at him and make a face to show my disapproval.

15-5-2043 19:30 hours

Alpha-2 interupts dinner as he came crashing into the dining room waving paper he was able to reproduce from my pictures. He tells Alpha-1 there may be a problem with us going back to Argus in the near future. He hands Alpha-1 this page from the photos.



5-5-2043

To: MarBren068@LaSMACLLC.org
CC:

Subject: FYEO Meeting 5-3-2043

Marco, the following attachment is coded for your eyes only. There was a hit the other night in one of our offices. It seems we have a huge problem on our hands now.

Elise.

Attachment sacnned no viruses found. For virus information go to HTTP://CWW.Ziplex_avlabs.gov

Attachment:

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Alpha-2 says he is working with a friend in Crypto to decode the message but he says any Intel from it will be a little too late to act on. Billy and Alpha-1 approve of his progress and tell him to keep them up on any more that is found no matter how trivial it looks.

Billy asks what we thought tied the meeting where the assasinations took place to the experiment in dome four that went bad. Alpha-1 states immediatly Marco's involvement along with Doc's contact in Omegaton not to mention several other government backed military contracting corporations. I inquire about what we know regarding this holding company and this new name I have never heard before MACorp LLC. I tell them I think we need to get more intell back at Argus to follow these events backwards to their origin. My suggestion would be to start with Billys double agent girlfriend. Billy says he has a late dinner appointment with her after she finishes with a meeting arranged days ago with the people she works with as a cover. He will debrief at the morning meeting.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 16

16-5-2043

The scheduled morning meeting was a waste of time since Billy did not show with the information nor the person he was to bring for it. Alpha-1 had no news from him and Alpha-2 stated he had sent the document copies to Doc in Argus. The only thing left not completed that needed work was to find a way to the lower labs or at least get more info on how Marco was teleporting around up here when the technology should not work.

Alpha-3 and 5 had another tournament that afternoon but had managed to get an invite to a hunt with a team consisting of the asteroids owner and various members of Omegatons Owners and Legal Department managers that morning. It was more like a tour to show investors the workings of the resort but an important meeting none the less. Alpha-4 and myself were left to go snoop around the shops and private offices and labs to learn what we could.


16-5-2043 Fort Argus mid afternoon

Doc recieved the messages that Alpha-2 had gotten from the pictures I took. He was on his way to meet with a contact of his that works for Fire Forge and Action Arms as a networking consultant. His job when he worked for the Planetary Defense Force Intellegence Department was to encrypt messages in various codes to keep the robots from desciphering troup movements or strategic plans. He also as a hobby went thru all the encrypted documents from both WWI and WWII... Japanese, German, American, French, and English then wrote his Doctorate thesis on those findings.

As usual Doc was always keeping an eye out for followers or things not ordinary to everyday life since he got involved with all the spy vs spy happenings. He spotted the normal men in dark suits with the old surveylance gear that had become his normal ontourage. He even spotted the Street Gangs that had started watching them to see why Government personnel were infringing on their turf. The thing that was way out of place was the man walking around in the P.o.E. Armor. He had an idea of who it was but it really did not make sense that Marco could be planet side already after being spotted less then twenty four hours ago on the asteroid. It is blatantly obvious this person wants to be seen because it is rare for a person to need armor in Fort Argus anymore. Only hunters who are just returning or are heading out again wear it let alone a serious set like that. This man obviously wants to be noticed.

Doc decides to make a side stop and grab some coffee while he observes the happenings of the square this morning. While he is at a counter fixing his coffee someone brushes ever so lightly against him making the cup in his hand rock slightly. Knowing the documents were in the briefcase in front of him he knows he was not pick pocketed so he wasnt worried. However he got the strange feeling he was just tagged with something, a bug maybe, a gps chip, something out of the ordinary. He grabs a second spoon with his left hand and angles it to get a look at whoever was walking away from him so he knew who to keep an eye on. Easy target. The person who bumped into him was wearing a light blue dress worth a lot more then the average citizen wears or can buy in Argus.

He heads out to the plaza area where outdoor tables are set in various prime people watching locations and picks one mid way between where the blue dress and the burgandy armor have parked themselves this morning. It wasnt long before another person made his way past Doc for a seemingly strange reason. It was one of the gang members watching the Government people. He asked Doc if he wanted to buy some jewelry for a very low price. Doc looked at him like he was nuts and was about to send him on his way when the person handed him a small piece of paper saying a little louder then needed "here is a list of the prices for the fine items I am selling today". By now Doc's suspicions were peaked and he started to look around for movement in his direction because this feels too much like a sting.

Not seeing an immediate threat he tries to hand the paper back to the guy in front of him. The guy flatly refuses and reiterates Doc REALLY needed to see those prices. So Doc unfolds the page then drops his right hand closer to the pistol on his hip. The paper was not a price list but a warning that Doc was being followed and now has a gps devise somewhere on him that is transmitting as he sits there.

Reading further there were instructions to go to the mens bathroom middle stall in the same place he got his coffee from. The last line states to crumble the paper and throw it at the guy if he will do that. Feeling he was comprimised no matter what he did he opted for this way out. He crumbled the paper and threw it back at the guy telling him to get lost he was in no need of hot items from a street thug. As he tossed the paper in the guys face he intentionally spilled his coffee making the need to go to the bathroom valid. Loudly yelling vulgarities at the guy for making him spill the coffee Doc makes his way to the lavatory.

As soon as Doc steps into the middle stall as instructed a panel slides open above the toilet and a voice immediately tells him to climb through. Doc isnt even all the way in when a handheld scanning devise begins a quick search of his body. By the time he is in the small room behind the toilet and the wall is closed a hand rubs his back near the lower edge of his coat and a slight tug is felt. The hand crosses infront of Doc's face holding a small gps tracking tag and hands it to the man who closed the door behind him. That man immediately leaves the room while the remaining person instructs Doc to head in that same direction.

While he is lead into a long passageway the person now infront of him starts explaining that his people have been watching the Agents following Doc for a while now. He says they were there for close to six weeks before Doc first showed up. The lady in the blue dress is a common face in the crowd and the man in the P.o.E. shows up about every two weeks. Doc is lead out the back of the building and told someone from their gang will contact him in three days at the apartment he is renting to talk more indepth about what is happening in Argus in the last ten months. Doc makes a few fast turns to make sure he is not followed and finds a vidphone to let the contact he was to meet know of the problems and to cancel their meeting.

16-5-2043 Asteroid private meeting room 15:30 hours

"Trinity Arms is going to be the next biggest corporation to set fire to Calypso with new technology currently in developement along with new weapons and a few surprises with advancement in the Mind Forces". "I would like to start in two months by unvailing some of the upgrades to implant technology by holding a huge release to the public party held right here in this club" "Of course there will be full media coverage by all the news networks owned by Trinty Holding including a simulcast on the Calypso Wide Web".

"That would be great Ms DeBorg' once rumors of Omegatons failed experiment disapate as right now attendance for my events here have stiffeled due to safety concerns for our customers" "Even the most steadfast fighters from Champions League have raised concerns over the higher power weapons available already pushing the limits of the domes themselves".

"Yes but that lot are not exactly known for their incredible minds". "A few pretty pictures along with a few big words will have them back in lines to sign up for your events". " Im betting if we use that Blond news anchor from the E.B.N. in a live interview with these brutes we could even persuede them into inadvertantly promoting the resort". "Take these two oafs that escorted us today, Im betting if we gave them free gear to use that noone else has they would crawl all over the domes dung heaps to get that chance"

Catching that snide comment Alpha-3 goes into his country bumpkin persona and states quite loudly "Hell yeah!! Id crawl through dung to get my hands on a new set of armor or a gun..." "Why hell, Id even settle for a teleport chip that worked up here just so I can sneak up on people in the last segments of Champion League events" Alpha-5 Chimes in "Id clean all them domes if I knew I could get a set of that pretty red armor.. whats it called? Poh? Poo? aww hell you know what I mean".

"Hang around up here the next two months and keep us safe and you just might get your wish"

16-5-2043 Com Room 16:00 hours

Billy finally got back to the apartment and immediately took Alpha-1 into the debriefing room for a private run down of the nights events. After an hour they emerged. Billy told Alpha-4 to find everyone and muster for a debriefing immediately. Alpha-1 went directly to the com room with several high security messages to be sent via scrambled channels.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 17

17-5-2043

Billy starts the morning meeting by telling the Team the woman he has been with up here has been murdered. He tells them it was made to look like an obvious murder as if to send a message. He also said he was able to retrieve her personal items including the laptop she used for various jobs she had as cover.

Alpha-2 was to begin immediate data retrieval as soon as we hit space after break down of all gear here. Alpha-3 and 5 give a detailed report of that meeting they had last night and it was determined they would stay and follow through on that part of the mission. Alpha-4 was to assist Alpha-2 on the way back to Calypso. Alpha-1, Billy, and myself were going to go over all the intel we have to date and see what we can piece together for our next move once we get back to Calypso. Hopefully Doc's crypto contact would have some information on what that document was warning Marco about.

By noon we had all the gear packed and down to the hangar for departure from the asteroid. Another piece of the puzzle was found by Alpha-4 when he and Alpha-3 had begun to stow the gear in the room where Billy's double agent friend stayed for the trip up here. He had found a small steel box stowed between one of the I-beam hull supports and a power conduit running between decks. The box had a big label for R.D.I. on the lid. After closer inspection it revieled another logo etched into the box on the under side with some sort of electronic chip embedded in the box itself. There were no visible handles, no obvious seperation line between the box and its lid, and most obviously no lock or mechanism externally to open it.This was one of those new Governmental high security boxes they use for secure documents and items to be delivered by secure courier companies.

The ship we have been using is one of the older ones that had been converted from one of Earths old space shuttles so it would take us a full day and a half to get back to Calypso. This gave Alpha-2 and Alpha-4 time to hack the dead agents computer and sort through some of the data it held. One of the first files they started to go over contained hiring data and a bunch of forms for legal obligations and several non disclosure forms. There were also current governmental security clearence forms and a file for items and things like identification badges, a list of areas that were secured and normal employees were to go no where near, a detailed layout of the lower labs on the asteroid, and finally some documentation regarding saftey proceedures incase of contamination in any of the lab areas.

None of the documents looked particularly out of place, just standard corporate forms and the normal documents promising not to release any company secrets. However, the last document on evacuation procedures in the event of a lab contamination had one line that really stood out. "In the event of any type lab contamination an alarm will sound stating what level contamination and the need to teleport to your assigned decontamination station". "The coordinates for your personal decontamination pod is 13989-12556-215". "Enter these coordinates into your Personal Transport and Control chip along with confirming your correct checksum EF4148B563E1 for secure personal information pre programmed on your chip. This will ensure proper security regarding your employment while working for Trinty Arms Research and Manufacturing Corp".

19-5-2043

The rest of the trip back to Calypso was uneventful and we arrived back at the hangar in Fort Argus at 22:38 hours after waiting for the cover of darkness again. Doc was there when we arrived along with a man who looked more like a homeless person then anyone we would work with let alone allow knowlege of our using this hangar. As we disembarked from the spacecraft Doc immediately signaled for Billy and Alpha-1 to come to the hangars control room for a short debriefing.

Doc informed them of the happenings the day the meeting was supposed to happen with his cryptology friend. He introduced the man he was with as a representative for a group of Lotek's based in Argus. He had that man explain what they knew about certain happeneings in and around Fort Argus regarding several of the larger corporations there including a little intel on Trinty Holding Corp and several of its employees. He also let them know a little about why they are working the underground aspects of Fort Argus and what they have done to disrupt certain aspects of the buisnesss dealings of these corporations. It sounds so much like a game played back on Earth in the late 1900's called Cyberpunk. Huge corrupt Corporations, Street Gangs, Techies, Cyborg implants and all sorts of Corporate and Government covert operations.

As usual the team humped the gear from the hangar to another secure location. This one was supplied by our new found fiends since we did not have time to prepare for our quick retreat from the asteroid. Once all was stowed into designated rooms a watch was set along with a few extra security measures and the rest went to the living quarters for food and sleep shortly after.

23-5-2043

Shortly after the morning briefing on the days duties Billy got a call from Doc on his vidphone and was told get ready for an encrypted data transmission from an outside source using a specific secure IPA. Billy took the Vidphone to the com room and handed the phone to Alpha-2 for the dowload. It took maybe five minutes to establish the link and retrieve the information.

Over all four image files and one text file were sent. Two of the images were of Billy and the woman agent. One was from a surveylance camera at the dock entry to the asteroid. Evidentally EVERYONE gets imaged and put on file as they arrive. The second was a still from the vidography of the experiment in the dome. The third is one showing Alpha-1, Alpha-4, and part of Alpha-5 in the corridor near dome four minutes before the fire. All three had circles around them with question marks and the word "viable" written above them. The best thing about that is they were in full armor so faces were not visible. Only certain distinguishing marks on the armor its self could be used for identification. The final image was one of the woman agent slumped down between some crates in what looks to be the same hangar I saw the pilot, sceintist and the man in the burgandy armor in the night of the fire. The text file was the deciphered code from the message Alpha-2 retrieved from the images I got from the incident with that pilot.

Attachment:

Marco we have confirmed through sources in Fort Argus the woman is definately working with the man in the photos from security. It took some digging but we know for sure it is retired Major General Billy "Scrap Heap" Fergusen of the United Earth Special Forces 14-2-2009 to 8-11-2028. The order has been passed to deprogram the woman and retrieve her PTaC, laptop, and any stored data in the two implants she was wired with at inception.

An assault team is gearing up for operations to recover the Major General from Calypso. Sources say he is the owner of Billy's Spaceship Afterworld located northeast of Port Atlantis. Our people have been briefed to keep an eye out for him in all areas we have operations working. It is unconfirmed if he has alliances with three unidentified soldiers in the image from security or not. Investigative services are working on identifing them and outside security has been hired for Ms. DeBorg' for her stay at the resort.

As far as we know no one at Trinity is aware of any thing we have setup and worked for over the past six months. I suggest we keep it that way. If MACorp is in anyway linked with these experiments the whole operation could collapse and we could completely lose Calypso.

I will keep things moving with Ms. DeBorg' and Trinity Arms so we wont lose ground on the research. You make sure that equipment is retrieved at all costs. If any of that Data, Technology, or Proprietary information goes public we could have a huge problem as all our people are not inplace within Global Governments yet. We have only eighty percent of Local Governments in our control. Failure to contain this now will be the end of MA.

24-5-2043 Morning breifing

Alpha-1 informs the team an ambush on the MACorp assult team has been set at Billy's place on Eudoria. If all goes well that assult will be broadcast over a pirated network television station under our control. That should divert enough attention away from our activities for a short time. Billy will be leaving the team and going underground until we can take most of the heat off him for his help with our plan to bring down the corporate conglamorate behind the scenes on Calypso.

Alpha-2 says the examination of the DNA samples have been completed and there is not good news on that front. The DNA samples we aquired were from a similar experiment on the asteroid several months before the one Billy was involved in. The DNA was from a more recent breeding of Atrox on the asteroid. The sequencing chains have been geneticly enhanced to produce a larger more agressive Atrox. Alpha-2 states "but thats not the bad part". There were remains from a new version of nano bots introduced into DNA structure itself. Up until now the nano technology has only let us manipulate existing cellular level tissue and structures. So far what we have learned these new nano bots are able to restructure the DNA strands by removing or reintroducing naturaly produced Stem cells contained and produced right in the body of the Atrox and needs no further introduction from outside artificially grown cells.

This introduction of the nano bots was not done at this DNA level but somehow introduced in the previous generation where the natural production of new nano bots is made using the higher iron and naturally occuring heavy metal content in the Atrox cellular makeup. Luckily these nanobots were not able to reproduce in their normal evolution because of the fine line between raw material use between reproduction for themselves AND the manipulation on the cellular level. They basicly ran out of parts and worked themselves to death.

24-5-2043 Asteroid Ms. Deborg's room

"Gentlemen, today you will not be with me". "You have a job to do for me while I take care of some personal business". "Our nice sceintists tell us we need a blood sample from a few of the Atrox left in dome four".

Before she could finish Alpha-3 goes into his Jethro routine and says " That aint no problem". "Ole Bessie here been dying for a taste of some Atrox blood". "She can bring one down long before it can get to us"

Ms. DeBorg' begins to laugh a little "My dear warrior". "If only it were that easy". "No.. the blood that is needed can not be tainted with Adrenaline". "You get the honor of being the first hunter to take it from a live Atrox, un-harmed , at rest, and completely un-agitated". "We cant use tranquilizers as that would completely ruin the samples taken" "No my brave friend, YOU will have to find a way to just walk up and stick one with a needle without it even knowing you were there".

After a pause Ms. Deborg' says to them "Oh I just wish I had a camera". "The look on your faces right now is priceless". "Its as if I can see you de-evolving back to infancy from contemplating this dilema" "Just PRICELESS".

Once she clears the room and Alpha-3 and 5 are able to speak again they look at each other and say simultainiously " IS SHE F#$%ING NUTS!!!!!"

Within 3 minutes two men come into the appartment with a fairly good size case. They tell Alpha-3 and 5 to have a seat and pay attention to what they are about to be taught. The gentlemen asks if they have current implants in use or loaded and dormant. They are instructed to remove them immediately and insert the pair already loaded in the inserter tools in front of them. while they are completeing this task they are instructed they can not wear powered armor while these implants are installed. The power systems interfere with the phase alignment for the coupling of the two implants and this has caused accuracy problems when teleporting. There have even been reports of users stuck in walls alive and unretrievable due to power surges completely frying the couping circuits.

Once they had inserteted the new implants and regained conciousness they were each handed two unmarked chips with the only identifying marks being matched serial numbers. They were told under no circumstances do these chips get mixed with any others we are able and trained to use. Next they are handed four canisters that look similar to the old style military smoke bombs used as markers for aircraft retrieval of insertion teams in jungle environments. They are told these will essentially shut down the Atrox sensory recepters that make their sense of smell so strong.

Next they are fitted with a harness containg several pouches. In one pouch a set of goggles that have a H.U.D. built into them connected to a mini computer sewn into the harness. In another pouch a small forarm mounted keyboard also hard wired to the sewn in computer. In the last section is a holster custom fitted to carry a pneumatic syringe shaped like a pistol along with a pouch holding several high pressure casisters to operate the syringe and a protective case holding five empty viles that inserted onto the syringe.

Now they are set up with the equipment for the mission instructions were then given on the teleport systems abilities and use. They are instructed the teleports can be as close as one meter with 95% success at hitting the EXACT cordinates entered to a 80% succes rate within ten meters of inter planetary teleportation providing you are sure of the area you program to hit is obstruction free within that ten meters error coeffficiant. The power use or decay rate of the implants is minmal for distances under one kilometer but begin to get larger the farther distance traveled. Maximum proven distance of twenty one thousand kilometers has been achieved using the current power source for the implants. New technology has already broken that distance by a factor of ten but is not available for this level of security clearance.

They were instructed on the programming for the chips and use of the targeting system and were left to practice one to five meter teleports within the apartment for thirty minutes to make sure the procedure is commited to memory. Always the comedian Alpha-3 thought it would be funny to tp from the living room to the bathroom to relieve himself. Shortly after he ported and began to use the facilities he was auto ported to the Labs below the resort. He looked up to see himself standing next to Alpha-5 is the middle of a laboratory with the two men from earlier, a woman behind a computer control panel, and three others in lab coats. Standing there stunned in front of every one in this position all he managed to say was "Id wave but it seems my social hand is on a previous engagement" as he put his buisness away trying to look tough and un-affected by what just happened.

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 18

24-5-2043 Late afternoon at the labs on asteriod

"Very good!!!" "Thats what I like to see, a true soldier always walking around with his gun in his hand" "Enough playing around with your toys its time to go to work" Two of the lab technicians step forward and begin to take measurements of Alpha-3 and Alpha-5's body as if they were getting new suits tailored. Strange thing is the lab techs were even measureing their finger sizes and doing a laser scan of their inner ears. Next they were lead over to one of those eye machines usually found at the eye doctors. Only this one was fully computer controlled and measured size and shapes of the optic nerves and mapped the locations for later use.

"Now that our buisness is complete it is time for you two to go play with the Atrox" Then quickly both soldiers found themselves in dome four with only the gear they were given earlier.

27-5-2043

Four of the lotek gang members were volunteered to go to Billys in place of the team to help facilitate the initiation for Bravo Team to take out the assasination squad that was watching Billy's and waiting to ambush him. Word was radioed ahead to Bravo Team to dig in and prepare a counter attack on the invading death squad. The plan was for two of the four lotek's to teleport to Billy's just short of the gate to get the atttention of the visitors. Next the one in Billy's armor will port in and finally the last in Alpha-1's gear. It is assumed that the timeing we dictated the loteks to arrive would force a night attack by the assaulting forces thus giving the camp the advantage in battle.

All of the camps security measures were brought online except the main route into camp just as was done when Alpha Team first came to Billy's. Bravo Team was dug in at the treeline set to take out any retreating forces the main defenses did not get. It was shortly after lights out that the assault started. No one was expecting what was to happen but luckily the security systems do not have to make decisions on what to attack. Shortly after 22:00 hours an extremely large herd of Cornucuada's stampeded right thru the security perimiter. This set off every automated defense mechanism from the northwest side of camp straight line through to the south and out into the open plains to the east.

It was not certain this was planned or not but either way people on duty were sent to reload the gun turrets and reset security sensors that were tripped. With people in various areas completeing these tasks a second wave of attacks were started. It seems the stampede was NOT part of the attack to take Billy out but just a very strange coincedence as a whole clan of Feffoid Warriors came hot on the heals of the Cornucuada's complete with a Clan Warlord. Naturally they set off the camps defenses which made them turn their focus on attacking what was attacking them. Needless to say any of the personnel that were in the process of reloading the turrets turned and high tailed it back within the confines of the camps fences for protection.

Bravo Team was holding position through all this as they did not want to give away their positions to the assassins sent for Billy. The only problem was several turrets were now down for lack of ammo and the perimeter fencing would not hold up to an all out assault by a whole clan of Feffoids on a rampage. Shortly after the Feffoids began their attack at the fences two men walked out of the woods up to one of the disabled gun turrets set up a camera and retreated back into the woods. Things just got really really strange after that s if this whole evening wasnt incredibly off kilter already.

The people inside the camp in the towers and all along the fence line now with those not actually on duty had begun to slow the Feffoid attack and whittle the numbers to a controlable few. Bravo Team radioed in to be on alert as the main assault would obviously come next because of the heavy beating the camp has already with stood not to mention the men setting up that camera a few minutes ago. Several of the old school military inhabitants at Billys had brought reload drums of ammo to the two working turrets inside the gates keeping them fed and were also smart enough to have water hoses spraying the barrels to cool them as best they could to keep them from jamming and stopping the guns.

Then the Atrox came!


Fort Argus: Tamburos, Sinclair and Westinghouse LLP offices 22:30 hours

"Having the Cornucuada herd run through their defenses was shear genious Marco" "I had figured the Feffoid would make a big enough mess to attract the main event" "How long ago was the new Aggragate Aerosol deployed?"

"The Aerosol was set off an hour ago." "I can only assume it has effectected the Cornucuada as well as the Feffoid because one could not plan such a perfect attack as we are watching in such uncontrolled conditions" " This Video will make the Perfect promotion for both our products when they are ready for the market" "I rather like the Feffoids attacking in complete clans like that as opposed to a rogue Atrox" "It seems like a more believeable natural act of aggression doesnt it".

Billy's Camp 22:35

The order is given to move out to take out the Atrox before they over run the camp. As Bravo Team breaks cover to join the fight several Atrox Old Alphas Crash through the treeline behind them on their way to the excitement at the fences. Bravo four is snatched instantly by one of the big Atrox and is literaly sawed in two by the massive beast. As his dying scream fades into the noise of heavy weapons fire the whole of Bravo Team turns to fire on the monster. It wasnt clear at that exact moment but something was very different about this particular Atrox. Even with five remaining members concentrating as much fire power on it as they had it took an aweful long time to drop this old Alpha. It was almost like it was feeding off the energy that was being shot into it.

As soon as the first Old Alpha dropped the Team turned to focus on the others attacking at the fence line. Only two of the smaller ones were left along with three more larger Atrox. Bravo leader gave the order to focus fire on the closest of the larger beasts. As they began the shift to attack, the Old Alpha that was directly at the gate snatched one of the smaller Atrox and swallowed it whole. One could only assume the smaller one inside had begun to dig its way out because the larger leaned its head back and gave a roar so deafening it drowned out the sound of the cannons inside the main camp.

This larger Atrox lost its ballance from the pain and holding its head so high during that roar it fell over into the main gate pushing a section of the perimeter fence down that was over twenty five meters long. With all the noise of the fight and that Old Alphas roar the Team did not hear the next wave of large Atrox join the battle until one of them had grabbed Bravo Leader and carried him off through the gate. With the fence down and most of the people in camp either dead or barracaded in the buildings it was obvious the camp would be over run at this point.


Fort Argus: Tamburos, Sinclair and Westinghouse LLP offices 23:22

"It should not be long before we start to see the true results of our experimets with the Aggrigate."

As they all sat watching the carnage played out before the camera several people whos job is to study video intently watch for signs of change. One points out that the battle seems to be slowing and several of the Atrox have backed away from flesh bearing things and have begun to ingest metal from fencing, weapons on the ground, even the shell casings from the huge cannons that are now dormant.

"Good! Good! it is starting." "Enhance the feed on one of the smaller ones that have begun ingesting the metal.""They will show the first signs"

The smaller monster that was chosen had fallen next to the large one now dead that ate the younger Atrox earlier. Only its back feet were moving in a kicking motion as if it were trying to slice open the larger Atrox. It had a strange shine on its skin and under the enhancement it was hard to see but it almost looks as if there is an electrical charge over the entire body of the animal. The claws on its feet looked shiny like they were polished to reflect the light as it passed in and out of the shadow of the larger Atrox. Then the strangest sight happened as the small Atrox kicked the skin of the dead Alpha. Sparks flew as if someone had drug an arc welding rod across metal to start the process of melting metal to join it.

Before the light had subsided from the sparks the stomach of the big Atrox exploded in a bath of red meaty blobs that instantly covered the Atrox lying next to it. Emerging from the now gaping hole the Atrox that had been swallowed crawls thru slipping on the flesh and sliding on the liquid oozing from the hole it had created to free itsself. Before it was completely through the opening it ducked its head down and ripped the throat from the remaing smaller Atrox that had made the sparks not five seconds before.

Billy's Camp 23:40

Now down to two men living and one severely injured Bravo team is ordered to retreat to the Bunker where Billy normally lives. As they dodge their way through the Atrox that are either not paying attention to them or are busy fighting other Atrox Bravo Two ducks just in time to avoid the Atrox comming at him from the top of one of the dead Old Alphas. The beast did what was natural to it and went straight for the wounded soldier. As soon as it had passed him Bravo Two started dumping blp rounds into the back of the creature. Much to his surprise the creature was not even flinching. Several of his rounds seemed to simply reflect off thick hide of the beast.

After seeing this and realising there was no way to save his comrade, he turned to make his way to the bunker. As he and the last remaing man of the Team reached the door he turned to fire a few laser rounds at the Atrox that was eating his friend. That was when he saw the reason his blp rounds bounced. The Atrox had turned enough that his complete side was visible. Including the metal jaws it was using to shread what was left of his Team mate.

Billys Bunker 23:58

Among the screaming and confussion all who saw what was left up there had agreed on two things. First, there was now way to win this battle face to face with what ever these beast had or were becomming. Especially the larger ones. Fear was spreading that they may even be able to penetrate the bunker. Second, they knew there was no way they could let those monsters leave the camp like that. The dilema was what to do to stop them.

Several of Billys most trusted people at the camp knew all the security functions of the camp AND had authorization to use and control them. The decission was made to set the self destruct for the entire camp and the area outside that fell within its protective layers.

Fort Argus: Tamburos, Sinclair and Westinghouse LLP offices 00:00

"There!" OOH you see it!!!" "The experiment works!!!"

Just as a bright flash of light floods the room and the video terminal goes dark

 

Gangs of Entropia Installment 19

28-5-2043 00:03 hours

A loud call from the com room erupts as Alpha-2 starts to realise what was being sent to them. In all his years as a soldier NOTHING sent icy shivers up his spine into his brain like what he is witnessing. Still stunned as EVERYONE in the apartment scrambles into the room Alpha-2 is flat out speechless and can only point to a monitor that has begun replaying the data stream in full size and full motion. Taking into account the time it takes to upload this through a pirated satelite without being intercepted all in the room know that what they are watching has already happened with not a thing they can do to stop it. At first all was unalarming as they watched the wave of Cornucuada's get shread by the turrets. It really wasnt too bad when Feffoid started to enter the screen... until the first shot and they turned on the camp that was unprepared for a second assault so soon after what seemed to be a fluke attack.

It wasn't until the fences came down and the first Atrox showed signs of what was to come did the full realization hit of what we are up against. By now six of the high security scrambled and encoded channels had lit up with high expectations that all ten would soon be screaming too. It was a simple call in Alpha-1's mind, all were put on hold until communication with the bunker at Billy's was contacted and confirmation of the attack along with a Sit Rep of what is left can be analyzed.

00:18 hours

Amongst the now massive amounts of communication looping through the pirated satelite a transmission from Omegaton Defense Contractors offices and MACorp Headquarters had been intercepted by another sleeper team roused to step in to take Bravo Teams place.


Omegaton Industries
Defense Department
Bureau of Planetary Affairs.


To: Marco Brenaman Logisitics and Support MACorp LLC.
CC: Traci Hammond Rockwell Field Service Manager Omegaton West Developement corp.


It seems the product developed under contract # 165-34458-18 showed more then acceptable performance during the field trials this evening at the testing grounds. All video has been aquired and is being analyzed for further directives in its deployment. Preliminary discoveries have lead to a possible alternative deployment tactic and will be held for review at a later date.

All primary objectives were met during the course of the field test with success and several secondary objectives met or at least partially satisfied. Sanitization of the testing area is unnecessary at this time and has been effectively completed by an unforseen happenstance. It seems some sort of fuel dump / storage area was detonated during the final stage of testing resulting in a complete burn off of any viable resourses we had hoped to recover.

Again congratulations to you and your team as success in this matter is of the utmost importance in the fight against the robot invasions back on Earth.


Best Regards,
Simone DeBorg'
Senior Administrator
Trinity Arms Research and Manufacturing.

Fort Argus 06:30 hours

Alpha-1 steps from the com room and begins to fill the remaining team members on what the new orders are. Bravo Team and the remaining forces at Billys will stay secure in the bunkers for now but will be monitoring all satelite and C.W.W. transmissions regarding the assault on Billy's. We will be stealing transmission time during peak viewing hours from E.B.N. to transmit the whole attack to jam up whatever future plans for this new bioweapon is. Hopefully this will draw enough of a public uprising to force local governments to respond at least in the public eye. With all that pressure whoever is behind this will have to pause for a short period at minimum we hope so we can regroup and figure what our options are and what our next move will be. Alpha-3 and 5 are to complete what they were doing before stealing the technology given them and returning to Fort Argus.

Dome four 06:43

After spending half the night dragging the smaller Atrox to the turrets at the end of the dome Alpha-3 and 5 finally get one of the larger Atrox isolated where they think they have a shot at obtaining their objective. Having had much practice now with using the new teleport chips to move the Atrox where they wanted the brave soliders were now standing less then one hundred meters away from a lone Atrox Provider arguing which one was going to stick it with the gun. Finally using one of the vial lids as a coin it was determined who would port in and deploy the chemicals to lessen the Atrox's sense of smell and who would stick it to get the blood.

It was Alpha-5 who won the prize. He gave his last Chemical bomb to Alpha-3 to set off along with his last one to ensure it was effective. Alpha-3 programmed coordinates fifteen meters farther then the Atrox was from them simply because it was now nosing the air in thier direction looking for its herd.

Alpha-5 was to count twenty seconds and port right next to it with a preprogrammed port away five seconds after the first port. All that was left was to press the keys to make the jump.

Knowing that this Atrox was large enough to eat either one of them in one bite there was a slight hesitation in starting the attempt. Finally Alpha-3 looks at 5 and says "If I dont make it tell Mom I love her" " Oh and YOU can have my Ex's pussy........cat" With a stupid grin on his face he hits the button to activate the port and away he goes. The gas deployment went off without a hitch. The port out however did not. It seems his stubby fingers had added a digit in the out going port coordinates resulting in an error. After he realised he let the words "Aww Shit" leave his mouth vocally he realised he now had an Atrox Provider staring at him through the haze of the chemicals with the strangest look in its eye. Seeing the confussion of the predator gave him just enough time to delete a number from the coordinates he entered.

Then the familiar Whoosh of a teleport completeing as Alpha-5 ports in. As soon as Alpha-5 materialized he looked for the position of the nearest of the four little arms the Atrox has on its upper body to get the sample from. As he sticks the Atrox he see's Alpha-3 still standing there. Seeing this Alpha-5 also vocalizes "Aww Shit" as he pulls the needle from the Atrox's arm. The gas most certinly worked to confuse the Atrox olfactory senses, however it did NOTHING to confuse its hearing nor its sense of feeling. As Alpha-5's porter started the auto second port the Atrox lashes out in his direction giving Alpha-3 the chance to start his escape.

Eudoria 10:00 hours E.B.N. broadcast.

At 12:20 Eudoria standard time the national news broadcast will be interupted and the COMPLETE recording of the attack on Billys will be run. It will be a hijacked feed so we are not sure how long it could be before the E.B.N. over rides it or shuts it down completely. IF it gets to run full length a statement that has been written will accompany the video telling who is responsable for the attack and why this new threat is so important to survival on Calypso. At the same time five sites on the C.W.W. will launch the video along with the narration and the report afterwards for as long as they can before they are shut down.

E.B.N. 12:37 hours live news

This just in from the Planetary Defense forces! There has been an attack on Billy's Spaceship After world late last night. This footage was shot from security cameras at the facilities storage area. The video that was streamed earlier was edited to make it look like the conspiracy they described had actually taken place. The Department for Planetary Safety and Defense has decided to stop any panic and potential for disruptive and malicious attacks on local governments by showing the COMPLETE video footage of the attack that took place last night to show what really happened not an edited version used during the hijaking of E.B.N.'s transmission satellite.

It looks to be that a small detachment of robots has been stationed in the contaminated area for months. This attack is the first major assault to any established Eudorian community since we arrived here from Earth. Planetary Defense Council member Jan Whelper states the Defense forces have been searching the zone and have even set up detection equipment in space to aid in finding this threat. Unfortunately these measures have not produced much in the way of finding where this threat stems from. He also states that a very important military figure from the robot wars back on Earth has died in the attack. Major General Billy "Scrap Heap" Fergusen who also lead the first expeditionary missions to Calypso may have been the one to sacrifice himself by blowing up the fuel dump to prevent these new mutated Atrox from leaving his compound. Memorial services and full miltary honor gaurd will hold posthumus award of the Planetary Defense Ministries Platinum Star for Military Excellence in the line of duty for the Major General. The cerimony will be Thursday starting at 13:30 hours at Moon Lake south of Nymphtown.

The video is Extremely graphic and not recommended for viewers under 17 years old. The video will run in its entirety as the event took place and be rerun with commentary by surveylance experts to point out significant parts of this video pertaining to the new threat we now face from our robotic invaders.

Fort Argus Alpha detachment HQ

As the video plays through for the first time everyone on the team watching sees what has been added and what was taken out to make this attack look like something other then it really was. The people we are fighting against have added footage some how to make it look like a small contingant of drones lead the attack from the woods where the two men came out to set that video camera up.

Alpha-2 states that our video experts say the drones used in the new version of the attack were real robots but the area they were showed to be in has been edited by C.G.I. techniques to match the surrounding area outside of Billy's. Alpha-1 adds that this video confirms our suspicions that our Government is controlling and experimenting with robot technology here on Eudoria. Now all we have to do is connect the robots at large on Eudoria with whomever is behind this terrible plan.

 

Gnags of Entropia Installment 20

1-6-2043 E.B.N. news flash

In the wake of the attack on Billys Spaceship Afterworld last week many Calypsonians have come to the area seeking suvineers, fame, trophies, and even scientific evidence from the attack. Although the entire area has been severely burned out by that vicious explosion several discoveries have been made. Some of the more relevant finds have been the mechanical parts that seemed to have grown onto the Atrox before our very eyes. Those unfortunately have been seized by the Planetary Defense Forces for further study.

However there is one discovery that has not been thought to be a threat and has been let through the net of security tightly holding the attack site in its grasp. A large green egg has been found several hundred kilometers from Billy's and has been deemed not anything pertinant to the investigation. The local explorer who found the egg wishes not to be identified at this time but was quoted to say "Making an omelet is most certainly out of the question but I am open to sugestions as to what to do with this egg". More on this story on the evening transmission of E.B.N. news or a station interuption on any breaking news regarding the now famous Eudorian Egg.

2-6-2043 Ateroid main complex private office 09:00

"Mr. Jacobs, Chancellor Whelper is on the secure line for you".

"Thank you Elise you can tranfer the call to the board room please".

2-6-2043 Asteroid laboratory meeting room. 09:00

Alpha-3 is standing outside the meeting room bored out of his skull waiting to be summoned like the menial servant this mission dictates him to be. Alpha-5 is bored out of his skull sitting in the tiny apartment they have been assigned to by MACorp for their employees. He is watching a talk show while waiting for the nurse to come and change the bandages on the wounds he suffered getting the blood sample from that Atrox.

Six hundred and eighty four stitches were required during a four and a half hour surgery to reconstruct the arm that was nearly chewed from his body as payment for the missions success. He is told that the doctors have used a new proceedure along with the nano technology being researched here to repair his arm. At best guess they tell him it will be fully functional within the next two weeks or so due to the accelerated restructuring the nanobots will contribute during that time. Normally the arm would have been lost, or at best case only usable with computer controlled electro-mechanical prosthetics. This being one of the "Percs" of working for MACorp research and developement securities and aquisition division.

2-6-2043 Alpha detachment HQ 09:00

As the team assembles for the morning sit rep to get the days assignments Alpha-1 pulls Alpha-4 aside and asks him if a meeting can be arranged between Alpha team and Doc with our new found friends in Argus some time before the days end. Alpha-4 heads off to make the arrangements.

Leaving three of the team available for other duties we are informed that a liason from Charlie and Delta teams will be joining us in Argus to coordinate a larger effort to find and stop what happened at Billy's from becomming all of Eudoria's fate. Alpha-1 tells us things on the Asteroid have become.... Complicated.. and that our two team mates up there are going to be staying for longer then initially expected. News of Alpha-5's injuries have gotten back here leaving us all a little worried and anxious to end this without suffering any further losses.

Further into the meeting it is brought up that our guys on the asteroid have been able to get us a bit more information on the teleporting devises currently used up there and of the stronger ones used by other more authorized players in that game. The intel suggests that the technology is vulnerable to many outside interferences which may be used to our advantage at a later time. More news on the new mind forces experiments they are doing would be benificial also but access there is extremely limited at this point in time.

2-6-2043 Fort Argus Lotek's HQ 18:48

A discussion held during this meeting has revieled the identity of the woman in the bluedress that bugged Doc. She was the female double agents contact that works for the not yet corrupted investigative services who are also looking into the happenings in and around Fort Argus. This includes several of the local officials who have been looking the other way when it comes to the operations of the larger corporations now rooted in Argus. It is decided that she will be "detained" at some point during the following day by our friends.

2-6-2043 Alpha detachment HQ Fort Argus 21:30

Alpha two got his nightly transmissions of orders from our leaders. One of the messages contained the data key needed to open the courier box found on our ship after we had to leave the asteroid. It seems the company that required the secure delivery does not truely exist and the recieving corporation is only existent on paper. The delivery address is to one of the vacant houses on the north side of Treasure Island. The package was lost along with its courier on the way back to the asteroid after a missed delivery.

My assignment was to get that box open and determine what the contents are and what relevence does it have to what the double agent was working on. Maybe it will hold a key to figuring out what had been used on or done to those monsters that attacked Billy's. I head off to the storage room in the apartment to retrieve the box. While on my way down the hall I pick up part of an audio transmission from within the communications room where no one seems to be at this particular moment. I run and try to get the recording gear set to that particular audio stream but only manage to record the last parts. The only thing that made the file was "That package is of EXTREME importance to the success of the last phase of this project" "It must be aquired very soon and very quietly" "If they figure out that was part of our experiment then this whole facility could be lost to them" The only reply was "Yes Mr Jacobs we fully understsand" "Please let the chancellor know we will not fail".

Not two minutes after I got that downloaded to a file our contact from Bravo surveylance contacted us and informed Alpha-1 that the package they refer to was that Atrox Egg that was found west of Billys after the attack. Bravo team has dipatched two members of Delta Team to intercept that aquisition if possible. It was asked to what level the mission was to be enforced. Alpha-1 told them if we could not aquire the Egg to track it and whoever takes possession should we not get there in time. I let all this happening return to Alpha-2's responsabilities and continue on with my duties and the box.

3-6-2043 05:18

It was getting to be that time of night where you cant focus fully on what you are doing but are not yet totally drained or bored enough to lose interest in what you are working on so I headed out to the kitchen area to grab some coffee and to step outside to assess the coming day. Through the night I had managed to open the package without setting off the security devises used on those currier boxes and retrieve the contents. It was probably NOT the best of my ideas but I had gone ahead and loaded the unmarked mindforce chip the box held into my own neural implant. At first I was not sure if there was an incompatability between the two devises or if the chip was somehow damaged. My implant seemed to get very warm even thru my skins surface near the area it was inserted in the base of my skull. It almost seemed that the chip itself had added power to the implant that now held it. I accessed the subprocessor thru the optical H.U.D. that is standard on all implants. The only new directory was named "Mythos". Seeing this was going to be easy to decipher with no further security imbedded I navigated and opened the directory which immediately expanded into five sub directories all having ancient Greek and Norse mythological names. Thor, Loki, Hermes, Thanatos, and Orion were the names for the directories. Having no further instructions or obvious paths to follow I started at the top directory and tried opening each in that order. "Thor" was locked and required an encrypted security key to open per the screen that expanded upon accessing that subdirectory. "Loki" denied access requiring me to add a second chip to initiate the operating system.

"Hermes" went directly to a three dimentional spacial mapping system with input areas for what was labeld the X,Y,Z coordinate system need for navigation and a required power field. It also had a H.u.d. overlay that showed current coordinates, available power, maximum AND minimum distances able to be used along with a ping command. Obviously I enabled the ping, what was going to happen I wake up a few days later with a bad headache and a hole burned through my neck?. All that happened was exactly what it sounded like, an expanding sphere radiated 1.5 km from where it showed me to be out to 68.7km before the ring changed color and went another 46km further before fading out. A few calculations flashed down a scrolling window on the lower left of the H.U.D. and the results gave me power rateings avialable at present, power usage for minmum distance, maximum distance currently available and power consumtion for a maximum possible transport. The cursor now flashed in the X coordinate box waiting to be filled in. I was almost positive that this chip was not a multi-functional devise as this was tried many years ago and found to be to unstable to combine useage of various chip combinations. I thought about it and remembered I still had my teleport chip loaded in my implant. The only thing was that my chip and skill levels only allowed me safe teleportation within 1.6km from point of origin. This had to be an amplifier of sorts was the only viable answer. I will experiment more at a later time after I dig through the other subdirectories I have yet to explore.