VOTOMS
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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