CAMPAIGN
RECORD
PART 10- PURSUIT
Links to other parts here: 123456789101112
This page continues the chronological log of our Votoms
Campaign.
7214.02.19 -FAR ORBIT, PLANET SUNSA
(Game 12)
The Red Shoulder team have returned to space, and are picked up by
two waiting Telga class AT Lighters. They could very well
have Chet Gilcut prisoner, and are only getting farther from
planet Sunsa...
Fortunately for team Gilcut, the recently bribed Balarant Captain
Zotan is true to his word, and manages to get the team aboard a
Balarant Lance Cruiser in pursuit of the Red Shoulder Lighters.
Because his Berserga is not space capable, Goug borrows a B-ATL-03
"Cheeky" light AT from the Balarant ship. Although designed
more for repair work than combat, the Cheeky's small size allows
Goug to sneak up on the Gilgamesh AT lighters without being noticed.
Pent also launches in his spaceworthy Strike Dog, taking a Solid
Shooter ideal for attacking enemy ships. The Balarant
Cruiser trains its main guns on the enemy ship, waiting for the
right moment to fire...
Quey's Barking Tortoise deploys behind some asteroids, and initiates
combat with a deadly barrage designed to distract the enemy ships
while Goug and Pent sneak up on them. The tactic works all too
well, as the ship's guns return fire!
Goug manages to hack into one of the Telga ships, and discovers that
Chet has indeed been taken prisoner but can't locate where in the
ship he might be.
Now aware of the threat facing them, the Telga class Lighters deploy
Red Shoulder ATs!
Quey manages to fire mortars INTO one of the Telga's AT hangars,
damaging the Red Shoulders in the process. But it is not
enough to stop them, and one of the Red Shoulders makes it to the
Balarant cruiser, putting the main gun out of commision.
But the Balarant ship is not totally defenseless, and deploys ATs of
its own. Zotan himself takes on the Red Shoulder, driving him
off with a fierce attack. But the Balarant ship isn't taking
any more chances, and pulls away from the escalating battle.
More Red Shoulders put the pressure on Team Gilcut, combining with
the ship's guns to do some serious damage.
The Red Shoulder Commander even manages to fell Quey's sturdy
Barking Tortoise! Moving quickly and with brute strength, Quey
manages to break his way inside the enemy ship, avoiding certain
death at the hands of the Red Shoulders.
Pent meanwhile searches desperately for his brother. From one
of the enemy ships, a Shadowflare AT deploys, and the two engage in
a deadly standoff. Pent grapples the Shadowflare and demands
to know who the pilot is. Chet's voice answers angrily, and
screams incoherently before kicking Pent away. Pent can't fire
on the Shadowflare for fear of killing his brother, but what could
ever drive Chet to work with the Red Shoulders? The
Shadowflare destroys Pent's Solid Shooter, and Pent retreats in
shock- there's nothing he can do for now... He and Goug
retreat inside the damaged hangar of the other AT Lighter.
Maybe they can take the ship- it is almost too late to retreat to
the fleeing Balarant cruiser anyway...
Meanwhile, Quey battles his way through the hostile crew members of
the other enemy ship, and is shocked to recognize the captain- it's
captain Mayfield, their Commanding Officer from Corza Base back on
Melkia! Strange black cables protrude from the back of
Mayfield's neck... Quey realizes Mayfield is being controlled
somehow, and when Quey rips the cables out, Mayfield slumps to the
deck, thanking Quey for freeing him. Mayfield explains that
Major Wyvern, the infamous Red Shoulder commander, is using
something called "blackwire" to control anyone that disobeys orders
or fails to serve the military... and the first subject of
Blackwiring was Chet, back when he was first captured by the Red
Shoulders! It would appear Chet is once again under the
control of Major Wyvern.
Mayfield's ship is still crawling with Red Shoulder crew members, so
he broadcasts a false warning that the ship is dangerously unstable
from battle damage and could explode any minute! Several of
the crew evacuate to the other Lighter. But some crew stay
aboard, suspicious of the order. When they storm the hangar,
the Red Shoulder crew come face to face with Pent and Goug's ATs!
they manage to cripple Goug's borrowed light AT, but Goug
climbs out and charges into them with brute strength. Gunfire
from Pent's Strikedog, and an ambush attack by Quey from above, make
short work of the remaining crew.
Although team Gilcut have managed to take the badly damaged ship,
and are reunited with a liberated Captain Mayfield, the other Telga
class Lighter steals away, with the Shadowflare and Pent's captive
brother sequestered inside. Pursuit at this point
would be too risky- but Mayfield knows where they are
going. They plan to return to Wyvern's new base of
operations on planet Darkstar.
Can Team Gilcut make it to Darkstar and find Chet again? Will
Pent find a way to rescue Chet from Wyvern's horrible blackwire
control? Will they be able to stop the Major and his Red
Shoulders from taking control of the galaxy?
