Mission Log 024 - Cleanup
The GMP take the prisoners Kessler and Erlich away leaving the 21st time to examine the rest of the NWO base. Soon word comes that an EBSIS patrol is approaching, no doubt hoping to claim a share of the base's secrets for the Soviets. The imminent arrival of the EBSIS mecha also raises the question of what to do about Major Krueger. Despite the fact he was being mind controlled the Soviets would no doubt treat him as a traitor and possibly execute him. His fate in the hands of the GMP is not much better as they would simply interrogate him at length to learn all they can about the NWO and Krueger's former masters, the EBSIS.
The Captain comes up with a risky plan, one he only lets other members of the squad in on: Brains, Punchout and Copycat. Brains rigs one of the captured NWO mecha with a pyrotechnic incendiary charge. Krueger joins Punchout, Copycat and several other Southern Cross mecha out on patrol, piloting the rigged NWO battloid. The patrol comes across an EBSIS patrol and with tensions running high Krueger make it appear he has lost control. A well-placed shot from Punchout triggers the incendiary at the same time as Krueger secretly evacuates the mecha. To everyone else present it appears that the mech was destroyed with Krueger aboard. Punchout, Copycat and the Captain then assist Krueger in fleeing the area.
Once the squadron is back at Dundee Base for what they know will be a while, Brains manages to finish one of his pet projects: a Protoculture detector. The detector is a combination of sensors and sophisticated analysis software that scans an area for a set of sensor readings that match parameters that identify the multiple different kinds of signatures that an active Protoculture reactor gives off. The key is the analysis software that is able to eliminate 98% of false positive readings and give an accurate bearing and range to the target. The idea was to use the detector in combat against the Protoculture-powered NWO mecha, so despite the reduced threat of the NWO Brains still hands over the plans to the Robotech Research Facility in Tokyo. Also during this time Tank Girl begins extra combat training sessions with Lt. Myers.
The squadron also bids farewell to Deadman, who has been given command of his own squadron, the 57th ATAC based in New Albuquerque.
Mission Log 025 - Tribunal
After intense negotiations with the EBSIS over the disposition of the VIP NWO prisoners taken by the UEG at the end of the war it is decided to put Dr. Erlich on trial for war crimes. With a high risk of attempts to free the Doctor from custody or possibly assassinate him to prevent his knowledge being used the UEG decides to hold the trial in Perth, where they can minimize the threat. Because the trial is being held in Australia, and because the 21st was responsible for his capture, the Blackjacks are among the squadrons selected to help provide security for the trial.
One of the security duties of the 21st is guarding the convoy that takes Dr. Erlich from his cell in the Southern Cross military base outside of the city to the UEG courthouse in Perth. On their first day on escort duty the squadron have to fend off a group of micronized Zentraedi activists intent on killing Erlich for the gruesome experiments he had been performing on Zentraedi prisoners taken by the NWO. The attack ends with an attempted suicide bombing that only succeeds in killing the bomber.
After the attack on the convoy it is decided to use a more secure route to move Erich to the courthouse. While half the squadron escorts a decoy, the remainder of the 21st are transporting Erlich using hovercycles, with the Doctor disguised as a soldier in Southern Cross body armor on one of the cycles. As an extra precaution part of the trip is made underground, via the sewers. Even this fails to deter attackers, as a pair of assailants using old prototype RDF power suits attacks the groups. The fight moves from the sewers to the streets above and Brains is able to take down one of the assailants. The other is destroyed by Shark and Tank Girl in an insane maneuver involving Shark flipping a hovercycle over the head of the flying power suit while Tanks Girl, seated behind him, fires an RPG at the enemy from point blank range at the apex of the flip.
After this incident it is decided that Dr. Erlich will remain in his cell on base and attend the trial via video link. After a trial lasting weeks Erlich is found guilty and sentenced to multiple life sentences, to be served in a UEG prison in Scandinavia Quadrant. Meanwhile, intelligence has traced the RDF power suits and their pilots to Fort Gibson, a small RDF outpost in western Australia, not far from the 21st's HQ at Dundee Base. This leads the questions as to whether anyone at that base can be trusted.
Mission Log 026 - Spoils of War
Back at Dundee Base after the trial, the members of the 21st are thrilled when von Varenburg returns to the squadron, newly promoted to Corporal, after having spent the last part of the NWO war on a secret mission for the GMP which he is reluctant to talk about. Tank Girl is double thrilled when a friend from the Academy arrives on base for a visit before he transfers to space duty as part of the Liberty Observer Group.
Later the 21st are enjoying some downtime at the Highwayman bar in the town of Gibson when RDF personnel from the Fort start making trouble because of the accusations of treason that have been flying in the wake of the Perth incident. Luckily a group of veteran RDF Destroid pilots, the Boomers, steps in and chastise the troublemakers before the fight gets out of hand. Meanwhile, Cavalier has recruited Pvt. Andrews and 8-Ball to help him in a scheme to recover his inheritance from his siblings who stole it from him. The trio travel to Zimbabwe, where the siblings have hidden, and manage to recover the money (killing Cavalier's brother in the process). Cavalier splits the money with Andrews and 8-Ball and they return to Perth to launder it. Cavalier uses some of his money to bribe Southern Cross officials into restoring his commission, making him a 2nd Lieutenant. With Deadman having transferred out this makes Cavalier the new second-in-command of the 21st ATAC.
Near the end of the year, as Brains finishes work on another of his projects, he learns that the Robotech Research Facility has announced the Protoculture Sensor he invented but that the head of the facility, Dr. Lazlo Zand, has claimed the device as his own creation! An irate Brains files a formal complaint but because of Zand's connections to the office of the Supreme Commander little happens.
Next: Second Robotech War