THE GRATTAN
CAMPAIGN
PART 10- ODIAHS RETURN
This page continues the chronological log of our Second Votoms Campaign.
7212.10.28- WIDOW'S PEAK, GRATTAN
Lieutenant Fugue and his squad push their train up
into the foothills, searching for evidence of a military base
rumored to have survived in the mountains there. As they round
a bend, columns of smoke can be seen in the distance... coming
from a small town called Widow's Peak. Pulling into the town,
there appears to be no one around, but signs of recent conflict are
everywhere, including destruction, fires, and even bodies in the
streets!
The squad disembark and spread out to search for much needed
supplies.
Even the team's pet Kizzard does some exploring, finding a new
"friend".
Searching a mostly intact strip mall, the team find some food and
equipment that should come in handy on their journey. But as
they search, they hear an approaching vehicle from the street
behind...
It's a military AT transport, with a load of 4 older model light
ATs. The team fears it might be a DEFCOM patrol, until
several men get out of the cab and spread out, likely also
scavenging for supplies. Their leader is Lieutenant
Odiah! The man responsible for sending them on that ill-fated
mission to steal gold that led to their interment in a penal
legion... His squad is a motley collection of ruffians
including Rotweil! They are likely under his control thanks to
a Leashing system as well.
Lieutenant Fugue confronts Odiah, demanding to know what became of
Major Perdas Grane and the rest of the Grattan military. Odiah
responds with an accusation that Fugue and his men must be AWOL
scavengers, and threatens to bring them in for military
judgement. But before either can act on their threats, a new
threat appears...
Three Scopedogs, under the control of DEFCOM! The pilotless,
soulless machines have returned to the town looking for
survivors. They scan the burning ruins for any hostiles that
might threaten DEFCOM's control of Grattan...
Fleeing back to their AT Carry, Odiah's men prepare to deploy their
ATL-04 "Rusty Goat" light ATs. All but one, that is, who runs
in terror before being brought down by Odiah's Leash system.
Due to its older computer system, the Rusty Goat ATs are immune to
DEFCOM control, making them serviceable if antiquated
machines. Odiah's squad mounts up and deploys, hoping to fend
off (or at least survive) the DEFCOM Scopedog's attacks.
Meanwhile, Maxim Hiflen, Mick Wansboro, and Burt Buton hide inside
the stores they were looting, hoping not to be noticed by the DEFCOM
patrol. But the soulless ATs open fire, forcing the team to
take cover inside as fire and debris fly around them.
One of Odiah's Rusty Goat ATs rushes around the corner to engage the
DEFCOM scopedogs, but is blown apart with a single volley from the
larger AT.
Climbing up onto the roof, Burt Maxim and Mick try to make their way
back to the train and their ATs without being spotted by the DEFCOM
units.
They almost make it when Maxim stumbles after the last rooftop jump,
attracting the attention of one of the Scopedogs as the other two
squad members climb into their ATs. The Kizzard and its new
rat partner take cover inside an abandoned truck.
Mick Wansboro jumps out of the train to take advantage of his
superior speed, firing a grazing shot at the Scopedog before ducking
around the corner, and giving Maxim time to get into his Rising
Tortoise AT.
Meanwhile, Burt flanks one of the other Scopedogs with his Purple
Bear, but misses it with a Grenade Launcher shot, blowing up a
nearby dumpster instead.
Another Rusty Goat joins the fight- could it be Rotweil is piloting
it? The light AT sneaks a shot through an alleyway, that
further damages one of the Scopedogs.
After weathering some heavy fire while on the train, Maxim takes his
Rising Tortoise for a stroll...
...diving down the stairs to crush the attacking Scopedog below!
The Kizzard must have found the accelerator pedal in the truck,
because it suddenly lurches forward, smashing into the damaged
Scopedog and grinding it to bits!
But DEFCOM is relentless, and more computer controlled Scopedogs
arrive from the other side of town. Odiah's Rusty Goat cowers
in the shadow of the AT Carry, hoping not to be noticed by the
menacing advance of DEFCOM units...
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Fugue and another of the Rusty Goats join
forces, using grenades and gunfire to dispatch another Scopedog at
the end of the street. At this point, Fugue's squad realizes
that they must protect the Rusty Goat units if they hope to see
Rotweil again... Because of the leash system, if Odiah is
killed, Rotweil will be terminated as well!
Mick's Octova is quick to flank the other end of the street, but
this draws the attention of one of the new wave of Scopedogs, who
unleashes an entire box of rockets. Ducking behind cover,
Mick's AT disappears in a ball of fire...
But emerges intact, if slightly shaken! Meanwhile, Rotweil's
Rusty Goat ambushes the Scopedog from the alley, destroying it
before it can do any more damage.
One of the remaining Scopedogs with a Solid Shooter charges
Rotweil's light AT, but before it can engage, the building nearby
explodes apart as Maxim's Rising Tortoise smashes through the wall!
Firing the Solid Shooter at deadly close range, there's no way
Rotweil's light AT will survive. Thinking quickly, Maxim dives
into the shot with his Heavy AT, taking the brunt of the
blast. All three ATs are damaged by the explosion, but Rotweil
survives.
Mick's Octova and Odiah's Rusty Goat team up against the damaged
Scopedog, pinning it in place and finishing it off with hand-to-hand
blows.
The final DEFCOM scopedog, after relentlessly pursuing Burt's Purple
Bear, is finally put down with a burst of GAT-22C fire.
As the fighting winds down, the team's Kizzard investigates Odiah's
military issue truck, finding something shiny under one of the seats
to steal.
The battle over, Odiah orders his surviving men (at this point, just
Rotweil) aboard the truck and flees the town. Fugue chases him
down, demanding answers, but is left in the dust.
But the Kizzard approaches Fugue with the shiny object- a map case
with the location of a military base in the mountains nearby!
Fugue and his men now have a solid lead to follow in their pursuit
of answers, survivors, and friends...
The squad reboard the train with their supplies and a new sense of
purpose, and pull out of Widow's Peak before another DEFCOM patrol
can catch up to them. Will they make it to the military
base? Will they find a way to stop DEFCOM and bring life on
planet GRATTAN back to normal? Only time will tell...
CONTINUE TO PART 11...
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