Mission Log 001 - Terror in Tokyo
A few weeks into their first assignment out of the Academy, the new recruits of the 474th ATAC Squadron are gradually getting used to the monotonous missions they routinely perform. On the morning of September 19, 2028 the squad is out on hoverbike patrol of the mega-city of Tokyo. The squadron splits into two squads, one heading north and the other south, intending to run the shore of Tokyo Bay and use the kilometers-long span of the new Tokyo Bay bridge to cross over the bay. The squads pass each other on the eastern shore of the bay, in Chiba, and continue on their respective paths to rendezvous at the point where they initially split up on the western shore.
The northern patrol squad (now heading south towards the eastern end of the Tokyo Bay bridge) begins to encounter traffice congestion, much heavier than normal even for the morning rush hour. Using the hoverbikes to skirt the traffic the squad sees that the Civil Defense Unit has sealed off the bridge in response to a bomb threat. The 474th volunteers to assist with traffic control while two CDU Basilisk heavy battloids venture onto the bridge to investigate an abandoned car that may contain an explosive device.
While the rest of the squad keeps an eye on traffic one of the new recruits, communications specialist Pvt. Fox Maje, begins scanning radio frequencies for anything unusual. During his scan he does pick up a strange tone being broadcast on one of the upper frequencies. Shortly after Pvt. Maje reports his finding a massive explosion goes off in the middle of the span. Within seconds the center of the bridge where the abandoned car had been plunges into the bay, taking the two CDU battloids and their pilots to their doom.
Mission Log 002 - Jumping at Shadows
In the aftermath of the bombing of the Tokyo Bay bridge there has yet to be any credible claim of responsibility for the attack. The day after the attack, however, Tokyo television news programs begin airing what they claim is amateur home video of the explosion. Detailed examination of the video shows the silhouette of a jet aircraft, one that appears to be launching a pair of missiles at the bridge just prior to the explosion. Military experts called in by the television station claim that the aircraft silhouette on the video is that of a Soviet Su-37 fighter jet.
The revelation that the destruction of the bridge was an apparent attack by an EBSIS fighter sends the nation of Japan into a panic. Was it really an EBSIS fighter? Is it the prelude to an invasion? How was the fighter able to get within missile range of one of the most heavily defended cities on the planet without being detected? The whole affair has created tensions between the civilian government and the Army of the Southern Cross as the government's confidence in their protectors has been greatly shaken. For its part the Eastern Bloc Soviet Independent State denies any involvement in the incident, though few in the Southern Cross are willing to accept this answer. With the new information, the members of the 474th who were present at the bridge are taken in for detailed questioning by members of the Global Military Police.
In response to the threat of a possible invasion the Army of the Southern Cross puts all of its bases in Japan on alert. Increased patrols are ordered and the 474th, along with a second ATAC squadron, is assigned to guard the Pacific coast of Japan near Tokyo. Near the end of their patrol the squadrons pick up what appears to be a flight of aircraft approaching from the Pacific. Their computers identify the incoming aircraft as Soviet fighters and the Southern Cross scambles its own fighters to intercept. When contact is lost with these fighters another group are sent to intercept. When these fighters reach the Soviet fighters they cannot make visual contact. Pvt. Jack Burns, a engineering specialist with the 474th examines his own instruments and realizes the Southern Cross combat computers are being fed false information. Just then the Soviet fighters vanish from all their instruments and the "missing" Southern Cross fighters reappear and are able to make contact again.
Further examination of the incident reveals a major computer security breach in the Southern Cross network. An intruder was apparently able to hack into the system and feed false data in real-time to all the deployed combat units. The revelation of the vulnerability of Japan's defense network further heightens the panic in the populace and increases tensions between the civilian government and the Southern Cross. Meanwhile Pvt. Burns, on his own initiative, begins developing a computer defense for he and his squads' hovertanks to prevent such and attack from affecting them again.
Mission Log 003 - Hints and Allegations
The Global Military Police manage to trace the source of the computer attack against the defense network to a suspected black market operation in Osaka. Time is of the essence and a mission is laid out quickly to take down the operation. Since the 474th squadron's mecha are immune to the computer attack thanks to Pvt. Burns' efforts they are selected to provide heavy fire support for the GMP and Tactical Corps troops leading the raid on Osaka.
The raid takes place in the early morning hours and the black market operation is intially taken by surprise. A major battle breaks out when the black marketeers reveal they have several fully armed EBSIS Recond Destroyer battloids. The 474th manage to take out the Soviet mecha but not before most of the black marketeers' base of operations is destroyed by one of their own. The GMP do manage to identify two of the bodies they find as known Soviet operatives.
En route back to Tokyo, Pvt. Indira Watanabe is startled when a message scrolls across her mecha's computer screen. The strange message reads:
All is not as it seems. Find the witness on the bridge.
Indira does not mention the message until she gets back to base, then she confides in fellow new recruits Jack Burns and Geoff Richards. Jack takes a look at her hovertank's computer systems but can find no trace of the message. Still, her fellow soldiers believe her and they try and figure out what the message meant. Remembering that the only people on the Tokyo Bay bridge when it exploded were the two CDU battloid pilots and their mecha, Jack contacts friends of his working at the Civil Defense headquarters in Tokyo to find out what happened to the wreckage of the battloids. Jack learns that what was left of the battloids was scrapped and sent to the large high-tech dumping grounds west of Tokyo, in the artificial chasm called the Scar. Jack and Indira head to the Scar and manage to recover one of the computer cores of the destroyed battloids.
Back at the base Jack begins work on recovering data from the salvaged computer core. By this time he, Indira and Geoff have attracted the attention of several of their fellow new recruits, including communications specialist Fox Maje, pilot Yossef von Varenburg, and weapons specialist Mark Andrews. Jack recovers the battloid's video feed from just before the bridge explosion and gives it to Fox, who is able to clear up the damaged footage. When the six soldiers take a look at the restored footage they see the image of the incoming jet fighter as shown on the Tokyo news, except the silhouette of the fighter in the battloid footage is not the same as the one shown on television! Jack and Fox double check the data from the battloid and cannot find any evidence it was tampered with so the televised footage must have been altered to make the plane look like an EBSIS fighter. None of them recognize the make of the fighter in the footage, but it is obvious now that someone is deliberately trying to increase tensions between the Southern Cross as the EBSIS.
The six soldiers debate what to do with the information they have uncovered. The doctored footage, coupled with the mysterious message Indira received that led them to the real footage, indicates a possible conspiracy and the group does not know who to trust. In the end they reveal what they have learned to their squadron sergeant, Sgt. Garret Allen. Sgt. Allen tells the six to hold tight and not discuss what they have learned, that he will see if his contacts can tell him anything. Unknown to the rest of the 474th squadron, however, weapons specialist Mark Andrews is not a real hovertank pilot but an undercover agent working for the Global Military Police. Mark reports the discovery of the unaltered footage to his superiors in the GMP.
Mission Log 004 - Strike Force
The troopers of the 474th keep quiet about what they learned about the attack on the bridge, but start doing their own investigating. All efforts to identify the make of the fighter they found in the battloid footage fail, but Yossef does learn that the increased tensions between the Southern Cross and the EBSIS is not limited to the Far East sector. Accusations are flying from both sides about alleged incidents which both deny.
Several days after their discovery the members of the 474th are shocked to learn that their squadron is being reassigned to Indochina Quadrant. Indochina is one of the most dangerous assignments available for the Southern Cross and not the sort of place a squadron like the 474th would ever be sent. The troopers wonder if someone knows or suspects what they have uncovered and are transferring the squadron away from Tokyo to get them out of the way, or worse. Undercover GMP officer Mark Andrews wonders what this means for him and goes to meet his GMP contact to learn if he will be pulled out of his assignment to the 474th. When Mark's contact does not make the meeting he is suspicious, then afraid when he sees a television news broadcast about a man killed in a hit and run traffic accident, and the man was his contact! Fearing for his safety, and unsure of who to trust, Mark decides to stick with the 474th figuring that getting out of Tokyo would be the safest bet for him at this juncture.
Other members of the 474th have varying opinions of their new assignment. For Lt. Crawford, his initial shock gives way to a certain naive optimism that this will be his opportunity to prove to the high command that he is a competent officer. Sgt. Allen, aware of what the newer members of the squadron have discovered, is suspicious of why a squadron like the 474th is being assigned to a dangerous region. PFC Brody takes it the worst and begins trying to get himself transferred out, but to no avail. Privates Maje and Burns both decide to take advantage of a bad situation and proceed to stock their mechas' storage bins with anything they think would make good trade items for soldiers and natives in the remote jungles of Indochina. After being given a few days to prepare for the transfer the 474th board a transport plane and are taken to Overwatch Base.
Upon arrival the 474th sees that Overwatch Base is indeed one of the most remote and dangerous assignments in the Southern Cross. The runway is pocked with small craters, indicating that the base does come under periodic attack. The weather is hot and humid and the base's structures are all prefab concrete buildings with little in the way of comfort. Discipline among the troops stationed there seems lax, a side-effect of the stress and isolation the soldiers are subject to. Several members of the 474th again begin to question just who in the high command decided to send them to Indochina and why. Only Pvt. von Varrenburg seems to see some benefit to the new assignment as he has learned that supposedly there are still rogue Zentraedi at large in the jungles of the region and he is hoping for an opportunity to battle the alien giants.
Shortly after getting settled into quarters several members of the squadron find the base's unofficial bar, a rough shack set up on the outer perimeter. Inside Yossef starts asking if any of the soldiers there have fought Zentraedi. Several people point to a scruffy looking Tactical Corps trooper drinking by himself in the corner and Yossef goes to talk to him. The soldier's name is Andrew "General" Washington and he seems to have little interest in Yossef's questions. Yossef tries to impress Washington by ordering the same drink the older trooper is having. The drink turns out to be a potent concoction called a Zentraedi Buster and Yossef barely manages to drink it. It is enough to impress Washington, who tells Yossef about encounters with deadly Zentraedi Quadrano power armor. Meanwhile, Indira has arrived at the bar and also tries a Zentraedi Buster, fairing little better than Yossef. In the end the two decide to find a way to trick Lt. Crawford into drinking one. The plan works and the squadron manages to get a few laughs at their C. O.'s expense.
The 474th squadron are not at Overwatch Base for long before they get their first assignment. Barely settled, the squadron now learns they will be moving out on an extended mission. Due to the increased global tensions and risk of war with the EBSIS the Southern Cross wants to reactivate a series of forward observation RDF bases built in the Indochina Quadrant during the Malcontent Uprisings. These Outpost Bases are ideal for early warning posts in case of a land invasion from the Soviets targetting India and the South Pacific. An attempt at an aerial insertion of reconstruction and combat teams to the bases failed when all the aircraft vanished. A follow-up patrol was attacked and only one fighter made it back. Reactivation of the bases was paramount so a new plan was devised. Engineering and combat teams would be deployed to the Outpost Bases over land, inserted via the Mekong River. The teams, one for each of the four bases, would be escorted by a full Veritech Hovertank squadron to deal with any hostiles in the area. The 474th would be that squadron.
Mission Log 005 - Into the Darkness
On Monday, October 2nd, 2028 the 474th is taken via helicopter to the Prometheus class submersible carrier CVS Hyperion, where their mecha are waiting for them. Three days later they arrive at the mouth of the Mekong River and move out, escorting a pair of barges each of which carries two APT Tank Carriers. The four APTs are carrying the combat and engineering teams tasked with reactivating and manning the Outpost Bases. The 474th's mission is to accompany the APTs to each Outpost Base in turn. Once a base is secured one APT will remain behind and its crew will see to the repair and manning of the base. The 474th will then proceed on to the next base and repeat the process until all four bases are secured and manned. At this point it should be safe enough to send in airlifts to further outfit the bases and to evac the 474th.
Less than a dozen kilometers up the river the mission hits its first snag. An unknown group has saturated this segment of the Mekong with anti-mecha mines. After both Yossef and Indira's mecha are damaged by mines the lieutenant realizes it is too dangerous to proceed along the river. At Pvt. Richards' suggestion the squad off-loads the APT Carriers from the barges and they and the 474th proceed overland through the jungle to the first Outpost Base.
By nightfall the squadron and the APTs reach Outpost Base One. An initial survey shows the base much as it had been when it was abandoned near the end of the Malcontent Uprisings. Remains of mecha, and the decayed bodies of their pilots still litter the base and the buildings still show the marks of war. The exception seems to be the anti-aircraft bunker. The AA system still seems to be active, and the security door refuses to open to the access codes. Pvt. Jack Burns attempts to bypass the system but only manages to trigger an unknown response. Jack and the technicians back away from the bunker and Yossef brings his hovertank into position to try and blow the security door off with the main cannon. He fires and destroys the door, but a booby trap is triggered that detonates the remaining ordnance in the bunker, completely destroying it and damaging Yossef and Geoff Richards' hovertanks in the process. A more cautious survey reveals no other threats, and the team secures the base over the next few days. Eventually the lieutenant decides to proceed to Outpost Base Two. Unfortunately the damage to Yossef, Indira, and Geoff's hovertanks require that they stay behind for a few more days while their mecha are repaired. The remaining members of the 474th head overland with the three other APT Carriers to Outpost Base Two.
It only takes about half a day to reach Outpost Base Two. After what happened at OPB-1 the squadron is more cautious. Initially OPB-2 seems to be in the same shape as OPB-1, and the AA bunker looks like it is active, the same as the one at OPB-1 was. Jack and the other technicians take a more cautious approach and do not try and tamper with the bunker itself. Instead they find the base's control tower and discover that its main computer has been refit. While they attempt to break the security on the computer the rest of the squad continues to explore the base. When they approach the base's mecha repair facility the squad are ambushed by several mecha. Inside the repair center are three refitted RDF Destroids: two Gladiators and an Excalibur. These three mecha are accompanied by a military jeep equipped with a rocket launcher. PFC Brody gets a pair of lucky attacks in and takes out two of the mecha, then assists Mark Andrews in destroying the third. Sgt. Allen meanwhile tries to take out the fast moving jeep but suddenly finds himself under fire from a trio of EBSIS mecha: two Enforcer battloids and a Recon Destroyer. By now Lt. Crawford, Cpl. Takashi, and Pvt. Maje have joined the battle. A fierce firefight ensues and the EBSIS mecha and the jeep are destroyed, but so is Takashi's hovertank, though the Corporal manages to eject, and the arms of Fox's hovertank are badly damaged. Elsewhere on the base some of the Tactical Corps soldiers kill a group of mercenaries holding Tactical Air Force Lieutenant Anna Mitchels hostage. Lt. Mitchels is the only survivor of the original airlift attempt to man the bases but she can offer little information. Sgt. Allen on the other hand does find something of interest. After examining the wreckage of the destroyed mecha he notices that they all bear the insignia of a mercenary group called the Black Legionnaires.
Meanwhile, Jack and the technicians have managed to access the computer system, but realize that shutting it down will not deactivate the AA system. It seems that OPB-2's AA system has a back-up link to one or both of the remaining bases. The only way to deactivate the AA system and allow safe airlifts to come in will be to take control of the two remaining bases. The 474th and the Tactical Corps troopers proceed to secure the rest of the base. While waiting for the three squadron members whose mecha were being repaired at OPB-1, Jack and the technicians manage to salvage the arms from Takashi's hovertank and use them to replace the damaged arms on Fox's. Unfortunately, with his mech gone Takashi will not be able to accompany the squadron on to Outpost Base Three and will have to remain behind at OPB-2 until the squadron gets evac'd.
Mission Log 006 - The Black Legionnaires
Repairs to the squadron's mecha take a couple of days so it is Wednesday before the group can make their way to Outpost Base 3. En route they encounter some locals who tell the squadron of recent mercenary and salvage activity in the area. Outpost Base Three proves to be the most heavily defended one so far. Unlike the previous two bases, this one has a fully armed and operational RDF Raidar X manning one of the defense towers. Additionally the squadron come under fire from a patrol consisting of an RDF Excalibur and Gladiator. All three mecha are part of the Black Legionnaires mercenary group. As the fighting escalates, these mercenaries are joined by two more of their allies, both piloting refurbished VF-1A Veritech Fighter mecha (stuck in their battloid configuration and unable to transform to other modes).
These five mecha are eventually defeated, but the base holds one last surprise. Another Black Legionnaire, former RDF pilot Sonada Kinichi, ambushes the squadron from a submerged hiding place in one of the base's incomplete building foundations. She is piloting a Super-VF1A with a full missile complement. PFC Brody and Pvt. Von Varenburg's mecha are destroyed, but they both are able to eject safely. Cpl. Cirjanic's hovertank also takes a barrage of missiles but he is able to block the attack with his arm shields, at the cost of both his mecha's arms. The Legionnaire Veritech threatens the entire squadron until a lucky shot from Sgt. Allen strikes one of the mecha's wing missiles, detonating it and causing a chain reaction that destroys the Veritech and kills its pilot.
With the mecha gone the squadron and the TC soldiers secure the base, capturing three technicians who were manning the control center. Pvt. Andrews questions the technicians and they reveal they are high-tech bandits working on a large scale salvage operation. They have been part of the operation for only a couple of months and know little detail other than the Black Legionnaires were hired to provide security. Elsewhere on the base, Pvt. Burns and the other Southern Cross technicians discover the central computer that was controlling the anti-aircraft systems of all four bases. With this deactivated it is finally safe to bring in air transports from the CVS Hyperion stationed off the shore of the Mekong Delta; a full two weeks after the squadron and their charges embarked upon their mission.
It takes another four days to fully secure and reinforce the base. Cpl. Takashi comes forward from OPB-2 to rejoin the squadron while repairs are undertaken. The arms from Pvt. Von Varenburg's hovertank are salvaged and used to repair Cpl. Cirjanic's. In order to provide air support for the attack on Outpost Base Four two aircraft are deployed from the Hyperion. The first is a VF-8 Veritech Logan Fighter, which Pvt. Von Varenburg is qualified to fly. The second is a Commanchero attack helicopter, which PFC Brody is able to pilot, with Cpl. Takashi acting as gunner. With the repairs and resupply finished, the 474th proceeds to the last of the Outpost Bases, unsure of what they will find. Pvt. Andrews remains behind to help protect the base in case of a reprisal attack.
Upon arriving at Outpost Base Four the 474th immediately comes under directed fire from a pair of mercenary Gladiator destroids. Pvt. Von Varenburg in the Logan and PFC Brody and Cpl. Takashi in the Commanchero locate the destroids and engage them. Both Gladiators are eventually destroyed, but not before the Commanchero is shot down and Cpl. Takashi is killed. Back at OPB-4 the squadron discovers that the base's Mecha Repair Facility appears to have been completely refit into a state-of-the-art mecha design and production facility. Though evidence of extensive activity is everywhere, there is no sign of any mecha that may have been built there. Lt. Crawford, Pvt. Burns and Pvt. Maje examine the facility while Pvt. Watanabe and the Tactical Corps troopers attempt to locate the base command center.
While this is going on, Sgt. Allen takes Pvt. Richards down the facility's mecha elevator to the underground mecha storage bay. Before the elevator even reaches the bottom a barrage of missiles is fired at the two mecha. Pvt. Richards is able to dodge out of the way, taking only secondary damage, but Sgt. Allen is unable to move in time. Already damaged by the directed missile fire from the Gladiators earlier, Sgt. Allen's hovertank is completely destroyed and the Sergeant is killed instantly. Pvt. Richards attempts to engage the attacking mecha but it flees down the rapid launch tube and out onto the surface. On the surface Pvt. Burns identifies the mecha as a fully equipped Armored VF-1S Veritech Fighter, a dangerous mech, especially in hands of a skilled pilot. The VF-1S flees into the jungle with Privates Burns, Richards, and Watanabe in pursuit.
Out in the jungle, Pvt. Von Varenburg has recovered PFC Brody, who had successfully ejected from the Commanchero before it was destroyed. The two discover what appears to be a well travelled trail leading west into the jungles and east back to OPB-4. The trail is large enough to accommodate mecha and large transport vehicles and is concealed from aerial observation by the jungle canopy. The two have little time to ponder the trail before the VF-1S approaches on its flight away from the base. Von Varenburg deposits Brody on the ground and switches the Logan from Battloid mode to the faster and more maneuverable Fighter mode as the mercenary Veritech approaches.
What follows is a fast-paced duel between the VF-1S and the four members of the 474th (the Logan and three Hovertanks) that have chosen to pursue him. The mercenary pilot appears to be more than a match for all four pilots, but Pvt. Watanabe scores a pair of direct hits on the VF-1S' cockpit. Despite the superior armor and firepower of his mecha, the mercenary pilot is in danger as many of his key systems, as well as his own life, are hanging by a thread due to the critical damage the mecha has sustained. Launching his remaining missiles for cover, the pilot jettisons the extra armor and transforms the Veritech into Jet mode. Easily faster than even the Logan, the mercenary is able to escape, though Pvt. Von Varenburg is able to pursue him in the Logan long enough to get a bearing on his destination.
The lieutenant orders the four squad members to stay in place as he and Pvt. Maje head to rendezvous with them. They are then joined by the remaining two squad members; Pvt. Andrews (called forward from OPB-3) and Cpl. Cirjanic, whose hovertank had been damaged but has been given a series of quick jury-rigged repairs so he can continue with the rest of the squadron. En route Cpl. Cirjanic also retrieves Cpl. Brody who rides with him as a passenger in the hovertank. While waiting for the rest of the squadron Pvt. Burns is able to do some jury-rigging of his own and get Pvt. Richards' hovertank's tri-cannon working again after a bad malfunction during the battle with the VF-1S. Once the squadron is assembled Lieutenant Crawford then leads them down the mysterious trail in pursuit of the mercenary pilot, the man responsible for the death of Sgt. Allen.
Mission Log 007 - Last Call
The 474th squadron heads into the jungle, hoping to earn some payback for the deaths of their squadmates. Following the camouflaged jungle trail leads the squadron west, over 100km deeper into the Indonesian rain forest until they come to a microwave security fence forming a perimeter around large mound. Bypassing the fence, the squadron finds a base camp set up on top if the mound, but it appears deserted. In the middle of the camp is a large elevator platform that seems to lead down into the mound itself.
Recalling how Sgt. Allen was killed, the squadron cautiously examines the platform before opening it. Determining the height of the drop into the mound, it is decided that half the squadron will jump down in battloid mode rather than take the slow-moving platform. Lt. Crawford and Cpl. Cirjanic (with PFC Brody) stay up top, along with Pvt. von Varenburg in the Logan fighter, while the rest of the squadron swiftly drop down. Once at the bottom the squadron realize that they are inside the wreckage of a Zentraedi battleship. Whoever the Black Legionnaires were working for must have been running a salvage operation on the wreck, and a successful one as the hangar bay the group finds themselves in is completely empty. There is still no sign of the mercenary Veritech the squadron was pursuing, but a closer look in the hangar bay reveals dozens of spent shell casings from a mecha gun pod, and they appear to have been fired recently.
Too late the squadron realizes something is wrong as a blast from an energy weapon destroys Lieutenant Crawford's hovertank, killing the squadron's CO. Cpl. Cirjanic and PFC Brody are killed moments later when a barrage of missiles destroys Goran's hovertank as well. Yossef manages to eject from the Logan moments before it too is destroyed as the young private gets a look at the squadron's attackers: a group of six Zentraedi female Quadrano power armors. The Quadrano's take the fight inside of the crashed ship, where the other surviving members of the 474th quickly find themselves outmatched and out-gunned. Each of the remaining hovertank pilots manages to eject before their mecha are destroyed, though Fox suffers a bruised rib in the process.
Trapped inside the massive hangar bay with the Quadranos, the young Privates' height proves to be an advantage, making it difficult for the giant aliens to locate them. The five ATAC soldiers manage to find an access hatch that takes them into a large corridor. Inside they discover lights, ropes and scaffolding, part of the salvage operation. Following the lights the group discover the original excavation hole made by the salvagers and are able to escape from the ship.
Outside and reunited with Pvt. von Varenburg, the survivors of the 474th are still trapped a hundred kilometers from help and surrounded by hostile alien forces. All seems lost until a sudden communication; another hovertank squadron is inbound to help. The 474th warns the newcomers about the Zentraedi forces and the hovertanks arrive with guns blazing. While one group from the new squadron takes the 474th survivors aboard their hovertanks the rest provide cover fire. A running gunfight begins as the tanks race back down the jungle trail, until incoming air support finally forces the Quadranos to retreat.
Next: The 21st ATAC