Jag – Officer’s Dispatch 24
Heroes: Jag, Balarai Snowe, Atobe Keigo, Dust, and Pacci
Enemies: Richan, Airman, Rei Gansei, Senator Lamika and "Captain" Smith
Recent Duties: You believe that recently, you’ve had more success than any other Republic Field Commander. Trust and experience are two reasons for that, but the main one is your defeat of the so-called ‘invincible’ M1A1 Abrams tanks. Of course, as senior partner, you take full credit for the victory. You can only hope that in this case, past results really are indicative of future success.
Troop Status
-Supplies: Schmitzer SMGs, Armored Flak Vests, Deluxe Laywers’ suits, Field Medkit, Healing Syringes and briefcases full of legal documents.
-Morale: Your lawyers are having a field day putting together prosecution evidence against the evil Colonel Mustard for all his murderous activities. Apparently, they’ve been hungering for his legal blood for years. On the other hand, though, they’re not too pleased about the celebratory activities of some of their colleagues, and as it turns out, they’re not the only ones.
-Health: For once, your lawyers actually get to stay in style. Occupying an oppulent mansion like the Boddy Manor is much superior to a rugged camp on an exposed mountainside. Your men have been making good use of the manor’s spa and whirlpool.
Military Communiques
-In light of the quick Conventionals convergence on the city, Commander Kilant has dispatched reinforcements under the command of Major Xelme and Lord Brindon. You can only hope they arrive before any more Conventionals do.
Personal Notes
-Your fellow Special Forces officer, Atobe Keigo, has been acting somewhat suspicious lately (not that this is unusual). Although normally quite vocal about how she should be in command of this operation, she seems to be trying to stay inconspicuous ever since you arrived in the city. It’s almost as if she’s been avoiding someone or something. And that’s without mentioning those strange murder weapons she was carrying. Something is definitely up and you intend to find out what.
-The prim and proper Mrs. Peacock has expressed her outrage about your so-called ‘professional’ military troops and their behavior. If it’s not men in prison uniforms running around looting the place, it’s disreputable scoundrels giving alcohol to minors. She’s even threatened to call in her lawyer and file a lawsuit for such disgraceful conduct, and this is something you can’t have happen.
Mini-Objective
-Deal with Mrs. Peacock’s concerns without going to court.
-Discover who or what Atobe Keigo has been trying to avoid since arriving in Crescentia.
Balarai Snowe – Officer’s Report 23
Recent Duties:Finally, the Zebra’s men are dealt with and you can breathe a little easier once again. The M1A1 Abrams may be the pride of the Conventionals, but you don’t fear them half as much as a charging horde of Mongol riders. Unfortunately, it seems that a man in your position never has any shortage of masters that need appeasing.
Troop Status
-Supplies: Bombardier Field Artillery, 2 Remote Mines, Gortex winter parkas and snowshoes, a ‘dangerous’ dunebuggy which is not nearly as dangerous as your own employer and a life-size statue of a Denchulli ‘Brave’.
-Morale: As might be imagine, your men are even less pleased than you are about being decimated by Conventionals firepower. Of course, this is always a mixed scenario, because while they are disgruntled, there’s also less of them to revolt. And fortunately, with your new de facto Sergeant Dorn around, they don’t dare step out of line too far.
-Health: Now, you really are starting to worry about your men putting on the pounds. The Boddy kitchen seems stocked with a near limitless supply of food (especially mustard) and they’ve been there around the clock. Soon, they might not be able to carry themselves, let alone their artillery.
Military Communiques
-You informed Supreme Commander Genghis Khan of the Zebra’s treachery, and he congratulated you on taking the swift action that all traitors are due. Of course, this has also reminded you how you would never want to be branded such a ‘traitor’ yourself.
-Since establishing a communications base in the Boddy Manor, you have also received more word from the Evil Baron Waldorf. The Evil Baron has ordered that if you wish to keep your rank as field commander of ‘his’ forces, you will find him some expensive artwork and decorations plundered from this ritzy town. With your men already grumbling from their recent losses, the last thing you need is the Baron inciting them to rise against you.
Personal Notes
-Your new ‘sergeant,’ Dorn, is truly a man among men. As long as you can keep him onside, you should be able to maintain authority over your troops. Unfortunately, he’s seemed a little baffled and disgruntled about why the Electran military seems to let women onto the frontlines, where they could potentially be hurt. As a man from a very different culture, it’s something he has real trouble understanding.
-The fact that, according to the upstanding Mr. Green, Arch Hall Sr. is a major player in this city has you a little worried. Given his connection with Lorinda, you wouldn’t be surprised if he were to get involved in this affair. That just makes finding the Senators quickly all the more imperative.
Mini-Objective
-Obtain some classy décor on behalf of the Evil Baron Waldorf.
-Find a way to explain to Dorn why women are allowed to pretend to fight in the Electran Military.
Atobe Keigo – Officer’s Report 23
Recent Duties: As yesterday’s battle proved, the Conventionals can throw all the pride they want at you and it isn’t going to matter. Of course, Smith, Jag and Snowe have all tried to take the credit for killing those tanks, but you know who was really responsible, and so will they after you ‘remind’ them.
Troop Status
-Supplies: FLAME-THROWERS, crimson uniforms, kamikaze headbands, LUBOSH, your personal tennis trainer (sadly, seemingly indefinitely), and Crimson Armor of the Republic.
-Morale: Perhaps it’s his infectious roguish dialect, or maybe just his copious quantities of rum, but whatever the reason, Seigaku has taken quite a liking to ‘Captain’ Smith. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you have to be sure that they know it’s you who gives the orders around here.
-Health: Even you are a little concerned with how your boys are all red-faced and bleary eyed, presumably from last night’s bout of rum-drinking. After all, it is indeed a vile drink that makes even the most respectable tennis-playing boys into absolute scoundrels. They had better be ready to get down to business when the time comes.
Military Communiques
-In light of the quick Conventionals convergence on the city, Commander Kilant has dispatched reinforcements under the command of Major Xelme and Lord Brindon.
Personal Notes
-Now that the city has been cleared of Conventional snipers, for the most part, you’ve been thinking more and more about your old family estate. You know it was sold fifty years ago after your father’s death, but even so, it was once yours and whoever’s living there now had better be worthy of your legacy. The only problem is, being quite young at the time, you’re not quite sure how to get there from where you are now. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and you intend to find it.
-You remember from your childhood rumors of the city of Crescentia being haunted, or at least parts of it, and with so many old, creepy aristocratic mansions around, it’s not hard to see why. What’s more, it seems these rumors persist to this day – several of your men claim to have heard ghostly howling at the moon coming from inside the city late last night, and Echizen even claims to have barely escaped from a ghost. Needless to say, all of this has Seishuen Gakuen enormously excited.
-That grimy Dust really needs to get a hold over his own men! That Sergeant of his, Dijon, has been charging around demanding duels from everyone, including your poor boys. Why, Momoshiro has even managed to get himself stabbed in such a duel! You certainly wouldn’t tolerate such behavior from any subordinate of yours.
Mini-Objective
-Discover what has become of the Atobe manor, and take appropriate ‘cleansing’ action should it not be acceptable.
Dust – Officer’s Report 22
Recent Duties: Fighting off the villainous Colonel Mustard is one thing, but engaging in battle against old friends like Varin has you questioning exactly where your loyalties lie, and you are certainly not alone in this predicament. However, for now, you don’t have much time to think about this matter – you’ve got an old ‘friend’ in town and a score that needs settling with all haste…
Troop Status
-Supplies: SIR Rifles, Camouflage Scout Uniforms, Sniper Scopes, and Climbing Spikes. Unfortunately, all your remaining hops of Charlie Mops’ appear to have been used up in the big party Unsurprisingly, they were more popular than Steveweiser.
-Morale: Morale in the Boyos is an absolute disaster at the moment. Not only has Sgt. Dijon all but gone berzerk, but this morning one of your men was found dead near a window of the Boddy manor, shot through the heart (subtract 1 Boyo from your Unit strength). While there’s been no shortage of Conventionals snipers around, you only know of one besides yourself with the skill to pull off that kind of shot, and you intend to see that he pays dearly.
-Health: Your men are suffering from an extreme muscle stiffness that seems to all but prevent them from moving, let alone leaving the Boddy manor. Clearly, this situation just has to be dealt with.
Military Communiques
-None.
Personal Notes
-Your fundraising campaign for the Fredo Foundation is going well. At this rate, it won’t be long until the whole army is dining on fried parrot. Of course, being a vegetarian, you’ll likely be sticking to the all-you-can-eat coleslaw side orders.
-Great, just what you needed. Not only are your Boyos scared stiff of the recent sniping activity, but there is even hearsay that parts of the town of Crescentia are haunted. These rumors range from werewolves to ghosts to even blood-sucking vampires. Of course, some of these rumors have originated from Seigaku, which throws their validity into question, but O’Malley swears by Mike that he was almost eaten by a spectral cat on the streets last night. If there’s one thing you need less than wild animals, it’s wild ghost animals!
-Sgt. Dijon seems to have flown off the handle at the defeat of his father, and has been running around duelling anyone who so much as looks at him twice. He’s convinced that all of you are ‘traitors’ to the Republic, especially Jag, Keigo and the Special Forces. You’ve got to find a way to calm him down and convince him that all of this is necessary.
Mini-Objective
-Find a way to pacify Sgt. Dijon.
-Defeat Richan in a sniper’s war.
Pacci – Officer’s Report 15
Recent Duties: Pac-pac-pac!! Despite misgivings expressed by Dust, the Pac had no trouble firing on their fellow Conventional soldiers, most likely because they’re never particularly sure what’s going on and whose side they’re on anyway. Now, that Colonel Mustard was another matter: who would have suspected that anyone wearing yellow was in fact an evil murderer?
Troop Status
-Supplies: PK-33 Handguns, SIR Rifles, Bright Yellow Deluxe Uniforms, and a fashionable European carry-all which now contains several Energeon Cubes, a Verizon wireless cell-phone, and an amazing vintage Pacman arcade machine.
-Morale: Contrary to his name (which is not particularly uncommon), Stone Cold is red hot with rage over being gunned down by those Conventional snipers. He wants to lead the Pac in an all-out charge to take care of those wussy geriatrics once and for all.
-Health: Your Pacmen are ecstatic to have discovered a near inifinite amount of food in the Kitchen of Boddy Manor. There’s only one problem, and that is that they’ve already been beat up a couple of times for trying to ‘take’ this food from Fats Dynamo. This has resulted in a few bruises and minor injuries, which of course has done nothing to deter the Pac’s voracious appetite.
Military Communiques
-None.
Personal Notes
-Frankly, you’re a little concerned. Your ‘leader,’ Jag, seems all worried about the Senators, Colonel Mustard, General Motors or whoever – pretty much everyone except for the REAL threat in this city, who is of course the evil Dr. Wily. You don’t know what happened to those other robots of his, but they still have to be in the city somewhere, and you intend to find them.
-You have been hearing rumors that the city of Crescentia is in fact haunted. Of course, with so many old creepy houses around, it would almost have to be. Some of your Pacmen even claim to have been chased around the streets by ghosts late at night. A vampire is said to be haunting one old mansion, and terrifying creepy music was heard emanating from another. Naturally, this has you very excited, and you plan to track down these ghosts – as soon as you deal with Dr. Wily’s robots, of course.
Mini-Objective
-Defeat another of Dr. Wily’s evil robots.
-Concoct some form of compromise that will give your men access to the kitchen without being beat up by Fats and the Avalanche.
So it was that the lieutenants loyal to Kilant defeated the dastardly Colonel Mustard as well as General Motors' M1A1 Abrams division, the pride of the Electran military. But all was not well. Several men had been killed by precise shots to the heart, and order was far from restored in the city of Crescentia. In the master bedroom of the Boddy manor (on the second floor and thus free from potential murders), a meeting of all junior officers was held late in the evening.
Each officer had a different view on what to do. Snowe's men had set up camp in the kitchen, and were guarding the sandwich supplies with their lives. Snowe seemed interested in "acquiring inventory", attempting to find the right words which didn't immediately call to mind looting. Pacci, however, was far more concerned with downing more of Dr. Wily's robots. Dr. Wily, he asserted, was the gravest threat facing the Electran military at the current time. Dust had dissent within his ranks; Sgt. Dijon was furious at the faction fighting his own father, as well as Varin and other members of his very own division. The Denchuli had also lost Pvt. O'Henry to the sniper's bullet, and he was pretty sure as to who was behind the gun. He wanted revenge.
Keigo was oddly quiet, and most would agree that, under most circumstances, that was not a good sign.
Despite all this, they agreed that their basic mission had not yet been fulfilled: the Senators were still at large, and their time was winding down. They agreed that at the next evening, they would launch a raid on whichever location they thought would probably be the Senators' location. Until then, they were free to do as they wished.
Snowe and Kupp headed over towards Mrs. Peacock's house, and began loading up French linens into the dune buggy, much to her chagrins. Birdman seemed concerned as well, too, until Snowe reassured him that his men were cold, and they needed "blankets". Peacock, however, was not amused, and placed a phone call.
Back at the Boddy manor, Jag got a phone call. "Hello, Jag? This is Jackie Chiles. I can't believe how your 'military' is treating my client. It's prepostrous. Pretentious. Reprehensible. And outrageous."
After hearing from the easily-irritable Chiles, Jag set out to corner Snowe and return Peacock's stolen property. The Shark Pack bore down on Snowe, and demanded that he return the linens. Snowe, however, had other ideas. He drew his thunder sabre and Republic sabre. Jag was taken aback, and ordered his men to draw their Schmitzers, and told Birdman to ready his Solar Beams. Jag himself pulled out his Schmitzer and PK-33, and ordered Snowe to step down. When he instead charged, Jag had no choice but to order his men to open fire.
Kupp asked Snowe if he should join him, but Snowe just shook his head and charged on.
Snowe seemed quite able to weather the assault. Few of the Schmitzer-blasts seemed to have any effect. But Snowe seemed to have difficulties with Jag, too, as the lawyer deemed many of his attacks as contrary to the Geneva Convention. In the end, the battle was a stalemate, with Snowe turning and fleeing. Jag, bound by countless international laws, would not allow himself or the men under his command to fire at a fleeing enemy.
Just as he came back, Keigo headed out, very noncommital as to where she was headed. When she arrived back half an hour later, plumes of smoke could be seen from a building in the distance. With his superior University education, Jag attempted to put two and two together, but Keigo insisted that it was the work of the dastardly "heatomon", a little robot who liked to burn. Pacci found this perfectly plausible, and headed out to the building, ready to do battle with another of Dr. Wily's creation.
What he found instead was the horrible mug of Arch Hall, Jr. Standing in his bathrobe, Hall was furious, insisting that someone had set fire to his estate. Pacci nodded, saying that "heatomon" was behind it, but Hall insisted that it was "Vicky". Pacci was confused; he didn't know any "Vicky". He had an idea, though, and after equipping himself with Bubble Lead, he put out the fire, managing to salvage the bottom floor, though the upper floors were completely gutted. He asked Hall if he could look inside for the culprit; the ugly little toad agreed to this.
Inside, Pacci didn't find "heatomon", but he did find some nice suits of samurai-ish armour that he thought he might barter with the Avalanche for some sandwiches. Fending off protests from Arch Hall, Jr., Pacci explained that the armour had to be relocated to the Boddy manor, as that was the only safe place in the chaotic city. Hall didn't really agree, but Pacci left, anyway.
Arriving back at the Boddy manor, Pacci managed to barter with the Avalanche for quite a few sandwiches. As he did this, he had a revelation: Professor Plum was a research associate of Dr. Wily's! With barely enough time for even a "wakka wakka!", Pacci headed over to the University, and specifically, to Plum's office. Getting there, though, he found that he couldn't find Wily's lab anywhere. Radioing the Boddy manor, Pacci managed to get ahold of Professor Plum, and from there get the location of Wily's lab. Letting himself in, Pacci saw much potential evil afoot, as the lab was covered in candles and skulls, as well as a bounty of bubbling beakers barely balanced on bunsen burners. Tugging at one of the skulls on the desk, Pacci found a secret passage. But instead of leading underground, or to a secret room, it in fact led to a rooftop, where a strange robot with a fan for a mouth stood. The passageway snapped shut, and Pacci began to do battle with the nefarious Air Man.
It was a short battle. Pacci spent most of his time leaping through the air, pounding Air Man with his shield when he came back down. In contrast, Air Man's Air Shooter seemed almost unable to penetrate Pacci's defenses. Soon, the blue robot fell, and Pacci was equipped with Air Shooter. Content, he headed back.
With this done, Dust had more pressing matters to attend to. Changing into a camouflage uniform from his usual dust-brown khaki fatigues, Denchuli rifle in hand, Dust went out to hunt the sniper terrorizing the city.
Wandering through the broken buildings and ruined roadways, Dust saw a cluster of buildings ahead. Taking up position in the first, he found a position and set up, but was hit in the shoulder by a bullet that came shrieking through a broken window. He cursed, and reached into a pocket, pulling out a pouch, which he threw in front of him. A cloud of dust exploded in the air, and when it had settled, the Denchuli was gone.
The game was on. Dust and the sniper exchanged fire, shifting positions and hiding deep within the broken landscape. After two Deadeye shots, and having taken no more from his opponent, Dust felled the man whom he recognized instantly as Lt. Richan dor Tortalus of the Conventionals. He dragged the unconscious man back to the Boddy manor for interrogating.
They then went and questioned Arch Hall, who revealed the location of the Lee Manor in the north sector of Crescentia. One of the Senators, Lamika, was still there, he told them. Nodding, the group assembled their units (minus the Avalanche), and headed to the Lee Manor.
They were greeted outside the front gates by a host of strange creatures. A cackling witch-head lead a group of spectral cats, and there were also a group of spider-throwing guys in scary costumes; some "stone giants" wearing bomb-blast armor and helms, carrying grenade launchers and demolition charges; and a group of flying gargoyle-like creatures.
The battle was fierce, with the heroes realizing quickly that the cats could not be harmed by anything but psychics. Pacci and Jag kept to the forested regions, firing at the stone giants, spider-throwers, and gargoyles; Keigo attacked the spider throwers ferociously with flame-throwers, and Dust fired mortars upon the giants. The cover of night proved to be troublesome, with the range of attacks being reduced.
They entered to find a rather gothic manor, complete with gargoyles and chandeliers. The "host" was the green-haired senator, Lamika, accompanied by a spiked-boomerang wielding companion, and they made it clear that they would not go gentle into that good night. In the end, though, with several of the heroes down, the Senator and her bodyguard were taken hostage, and the group left the manor.
Outside, though, was a scene different from the one they remembered. Tanks had them surrounded, and the way out was cut off. The tank-drivers ordered them to surrender the Senator, and that if they did so, the leaders and their units would be unharmed and treated according to military protocol. While the idea of proper treatment pleased Jag, the situation did not. But he wasn't alone. Storming up was Mjr. Xelme, LAW rocket on her shoulder. With her also was Lord Brindon of the Special Forces. Xelme looked pissed off. Firing the rocket at a tank, she hit the fuel tank, and turned the machinery into little more than a burning husk. She barked at them to follow her and to bring the Senator, which they did. The group headed back to their base of operations, the Boddy manor.
When they got there, they started to interrogate the Senator, who wasn't particularly helpful. Xelme headed upstairs to the master bedroom, and there was suddenly a crash. Leaving Pacci, badly injured from the last fight, to watch over the Senator, the rest bolted upstairs to see what had happened.
To their surprise, Xelme lay bloodied and battered on the floor. Standing over her body was none other than Captain Smithie.
"Exavur!" exclaimed Lord Brindon to the junior officers. "Balderdash! He's dead! Don't just stand there! Capture him!"
Dust attempted to get a shot off at the window, but was entangled in the curtains as "Smithie" jumped out, using this Adventure's title and the opportune moment to make his exit. But one thing was for certain: Exavur, disgraced former commander of the Special Forces during the Strasveck rebellion, had revealed himself. To him, at least, the time was right for the revelation; what that meant was yet to be seen.
Richan
Race: Tortalian
Rank: Lieutenant
Affiliation: Republic Military, Conventionals Division
Short, quiet and slender like most of his race, Richan was a lieutenant in the Republic Conventionals. He was also an ace sniper, and the chief rival of Lt. Dust's during the latter's bout in sniper school. He had previously lost out on the Top Marksmen medal to Dust and was gunning for revenge. Dust, for his part, was more than happy to give him the chance, and prove once again just who the best sniper in these parts was.
Lamika Lee
Race: Electran
Rank: Senator
Affiliation: Republic of Electra Senate
Lamika was a young aristocrat with long braided green hair, a black cloak, and a sharp and icy complexion. As well as being a true blue-blooded noblelady and a member of the Senate, she also seemed convinced that she was some kind of vampire. She fled to the city of Crescentia, but was captured by Jag and our heroes
Rei Gansei
Race: Chalchakian
Rank: Bodyguard
Affiliation: The House of Lee
A bizarre, grey-haired man with a bladed boomerang, Rei Gansei was the hired bodyguard of the Senator Lamika. He was said to be a mutant with the ability to twist space around him and reflect attacks back on his attackers. In combat, he could be a formidable force so long as he figured out how to light his own stupid mystic candle.
Exavur
Race: Electran
Rank: Former Special Forces Commander
Affiliation: ??
Formerly known under the pseudonym of "Captain" Smith, Exavur is Commander Kilant's predecessor and the one who led the Special Forces in the bloody Strasveck Rebellion 50 years previous. A cunning and unconventional tactical genius, he was thought long dead, but has returned for a point and purpose that remain unknown...