Heavy Gear

4th Winter TN 1933

Colonel Fulan, commander of the Northern army regiment The Blue Angels, addressed the squad in front of him. He congratulated Wes Wittmann on his recent promotion to Ranger and introduced his new squad to him. He then told them that they were to report to Captain Latassa for a mission in one hour.

Wittmann introduced himself to Ison and Mouse the new members of the regiment and them ordered them to check that their Gears were in working order before the Squad would report to the Captain. Mouse and Ison's Gears were being unloaded for trucks as the Squad left Colonel Fulan's office. Technicians were testing the other Gears to ensure everything was fully functional.

After checking on the Gears and a little chit-chat the Squad reported to Captain Latassa for orders. They were instructed that they would be escorting a convoy to Carver's Landing which would be leaving in a few hours. Carver's Landing is a Badland's Town about a day south-east of the base. The Convoy would consist of three trucks and would be led by Captain Venice Lenhof, the regimental Doctor. On enquiring what the cargo would be Wittmann was informed that that was classified.

A few hours later the Squad were on the road heading for Carver's Landing. It gets hot in the Badlands and the cramped quaters of a Gear are not the most comfortable in the world. The road wound through the desert passing noticable landmarks like the Knives. After a few hours Mouse who was scouting ahead reported that she had detected people beyond the ridge line ahead of her. Wittmann considering the possibilty of an ambush headed forward with Juno to Mouse's postion, leaving Thex and Klun to guard the trucks.

Mouse crested the rigid line to see what the people were doing there. She spotted a three man group aiming an anti-gear mssile launcher at her. Deciding that she did not want to inflict casualties she aimed and fired at the actual weapon. The launcher flew out of the Gunner's hands and the crew scattered. Mouse retreated back over the ridge to join Wittmann and Juno who had caught up.

Wittmann ordered Mouse to flank round the ridge so they could get an idea of enemy numbers. As she proceded back towards the road from the flank she spotted two anti-gear missile crews, in prepared positons, aiming to fire at her. She dived around in order to present a difficult target and they both missed. She then fired at the gunner of one of the crews catching him in the chest, he died instanly. Wes and Juno charged up the rigid to come to Mouse's assistance. She then threw a grenade at the crew but it fell short.

Juno and Wittmann reached the battle. Juno fired at the crew nearest him but missed. They returned fire and struck his gear near its left shoulder. The strike caused a chain reaction which blew the ammo and fuel on the gear. The gear's arm fell off then it collapsed to the ground. Wittmann fired an anti-personnel grenade into the position that had just hit Juno. The resulting explosion turned the crew into chunky salsa. Mouse went to see if Juno had survived and Wittman advance to the other position firing in another grenade which dealt with the rest of the crew.

Mouse reached Juno's downed Gear and pulled off the crew compartment cover. Juno was shanken but miracuoulsy unhurt. Wittmann on examining the missile positions noticed that all three had tunnels leading from them. At that point they heard fire coming from back the road where Ison and Klun were guarding the convoy. Leaving Juno behind Mouse and Wittmann raced back to assist.

Klun and Ison were facing off against three jeeps with anti-gear missile launchers mounted on them. Fire was sprouting fro mthe cargo section of one of the trucks in the convoy. As Wittmann and Mouse approached Klun fired two missiles into one of the Jeeps totally destroying it. Ison ran forward to squish one of the other jeeps but failed to jump on it. Wittmann opened up with his autocannon blasting off the engine block of the second jeep, while Mouse joined Ison in smashing at the remaining vehicle. It fell apart and the squad took two prsioners.

Wittmann radioed back to base for a recovery team to come and pick up Juno's Gear. While they waited he questioned the prisoners. They worked for a man called the Desert Fox, who raids caravans and convoys. The Squad also noticed the the bandits weapons were all new and quite modern. The prisoners had no idea how the Fox had gotten his hands on such modern arms. Eventually 3rd squad of the 2nd Section of C company showed up to pick up Juno's Jaguar. Wittmann chatted with they're Squad Leader Lisa Keniston for a while before they both headed off.

Juno got in one of the trucks and not squad, now a gear down, headed off for Carver's Landing. The rest of the journey was uneventful. The convoy reached the town shortly after night fell. When the convoy was about 500 metres from the town the Doc had every one stop. He then ordered the squad to find a suitable area to camp away from the town. Also the town was to be held in strict under quarantine, now one was to come in or out. Since most Gears are not totally sealed none of the squads Gears were to get too close either. The town was not very big, looked like it might only house 50 to 70 people. Wittmann aranged for two Gears to be patroling the town at all times. Juno would occasionally borrow Ison's Gear to help with the patrols. Also the squad were told to collect lots of would for a huge fire. Someone in the town was communicating over a simple radio set, Mouse used the advanced electronics warfare kit of her Gear to cut them off.

The Doc and the orderlies set up a chemical cleaning station on the road 500 metres from the town. At the campsite Mouse found they set up a M.A.S.H. The Doc, Wittmann and Juno then put on protection suits and headed into the town. People had gathered in the centre curious as to what was going on. The Doc explained the the town was suffering from Terranovan Influenza. The towns priest was dead set against people co-operating but after some persussion the Doc and Wittmann convinced them to go up to the M.A.S.H. to be checked out.

The Doc then ordered Wittmann to do a house to house search for sick and dead. The sick would have to go to the M.A.S.H. the dead would have to be burnt. Also any recently buried corpses would have to be exumed and burnt. Juno and Wittmann went from house to house sending those able to wake to the MASH, ordering strecher bears to collect the very ill and carrying the dead to the pile by the fire. The sick and the dead were covered with horrible blisters and swellings, the sickness did not look much like Terranovan Influeza. One crusty old timer chased them from his house with a shotgun. They retreated not wishing their protection suits to be damaged. Resolving to deal with him at a later date they headed off to deal with the graves.

Wittmann got into his gear and accompanied by Juno, Klun and Mouse all carrying shovels headed for the graveyard. Using the large arms of his gear Wittmann scooped must of the earth out of all of the recent graves. He then headed out on patrol leaving the others to dig up the remains of the corpses. The towns priest was really upset about the prospect of former members of his congregation being burnt, but eventually gave up, his pleas having fallen on deaf ears.

The six adult and one baby corpses from the graveyard were brought to the fire joining the four that had been found in the house to house search. The fire was set ablaze, diesel poured on the corpses and the cremation began. A crowd form the MASH tent curious about the fire headed down to see what was going on. Klun chased them off by shouting and waving his pistol about.

Juno, Thex and Klun then headed down to try and presuade the old man to let them in. He stubbornly refused threatening to blast whoever tried to come in. Thex being a bit of a tinkerer rigged a knockout device, using the spare chemical shower and some drugs fro mthe Doctor. Juno threw his through the old fellas back window. He got off a wild shot before he collapsed unconcious. He was then disarmed and carried off to the MASH for treatment. His dead wife was removed from the house and burnt. His house was full of all sorts of junk, broken machines, wiring, lots of general techy bric-a-brac.

5th Winter

The squad spent the day on patrol. A few people from the MASH died and had to be cleansed through fire, apart from that the day past quietly. That evening Wittmann and Mouse were on patrol. Mouse picked up two human signatures moving towards the town. Signaling to Wittmann they both moved to intercept. The signals turned out to be two people running towards the town wearing stealth suits, one of them was carrying a large case. Wittmann ordered them to identify themselves, they said nothing, even after he threatened to shout. He eventually shot a few rounds over their heads, but all they did was turn and run away. Unsure how to react Wittmann and Mouse followed them. This resulted in a bizare game of chasing as the humans tried to escape from the faster Gears. In an attempt to learn something about why they were there, Mouse picked up the man carrying the case. Wittmann then, unable to unlock it, just ripped off the cover. It appeared to be filled with medical equipment. Meranwhile the man wriggled out of Mouses grasp and fled. Wittmann radioed back to wake the Doc, ordered Mouse to follow the humans then headed back to base with the equipment.

When he reached the base the exhuasted Doc concluded that the equipment would be used to take medical samples. Wittmann reckoned that the people had been there to collect samples from a horrible test desease. He ran back to join Mouse who was stilling following the hapless humans. Then then grabbed the unfortunate pair, ripped off their holstered pistols and shook them to remove any hidden weapons. He pair were then carried back to base, none too gently, stripped and tied up. Wittmann radioed back to Captain Latassa at HQ to inform her of their capture. She said that she would send someone to pick up the prisoners ASAP. The rest of the night past quietly.

6th Winter

The following day was filled with more patroling in the hot desert. Nothing of interest occured until the evening when Lisa Keniston's squad showed up with an Order of Dorothea Paddy Wagon. They had been sent to collect the prisoners. Wittmann had made a few attempts to get them to talk but all they had said was that people would be coming for them. After night fell, Mouse who was on patrol reported that 5 Gears were approching the town. Wittmann ordered everyone to Gear up and join him between the approaching Gears and the town. Lisa's squad also headed over in support.

Tension mounted as the unidentifed Gear squad approached the town. mouse used her electronic warfare tech to block their communications. Juno being Gearless stayed back at the town and radioed Captain Latassa, she ordered Wittmann not to open fire unless fired apon first. As the Gears got closer Wittmann ordered them to identify themselves. They refused and ordered Wittmann to give way. Due to Mouse's effective block on their communications the conversation was happening over loadspeekers. The unidentifed Gears, while continuing to approach, said that they were there to retrieve two of their men who they believed were being held prisoner in the town. Wittmann denied all knownledge of the prisoners and ordered them to stand off.

Since they continued to approch and were nearing noraml weapons range, Wittmann ordered Mouse to paint their leader up. Mouse's Gear has a laser targeter that can relay targets to Klun's heavy motor, inorder to increase its accuracy. Wittmann hoped this would let them know that he meant business. However it only seemed to stiffen their resolve and they rush into close range, opening fire.

The battle that resulted was fast and furious. Intially neither side cause much damage as everyone was firing at moving targets. Thex charged into Gear to Gear combat with their leading Gear but failed to damage it. Wittmann then blew it to pieces with a nicley placed rocket. Mouse also got a kill brewing up another Gear. Seeing things turning against them, one of the enemy charged straight at Wittmann. Lisa shot it in the back, the round penetrated the crew compartment killing the pilot instantly. The remaining two enemy Gears fled and were briefly pursued by Thex and Mouse while Klun fired his heavy motar at them.

The enemy Gear's had been Paxton Arm's warrior 4s. Paxton's arms are the planets largest weapons manufacture, who normally remain neutral in all conflicts and control a large area in the Badlands known as Peace River. Wittmann's and Lisa's squad went back to the town all keyed up on adrenaline. No further incident occured during the night.

7th Winter

At first light Lisa's squad escorted the Order of Dorothea with the prisoners away from the town. The Doc informed Wittmann that the Cantankerous Old Man with the shotgun's wife had been the first to contract the desease. Juno and Wittmann went down to talk to the old man. The was in his house drowning his grief. He tried to get them to go away but Wittmann knocked the bottle out of this hand and stuck a gun in his mouth until he agreed to talk.

Supposedly the only unusual thing to happen to him in the last while was the discovery of an old CEF drop pod. When the CEF attacked Terranova they used to use orbital drop pods for resupply. The man had found one uncovered by a recent storm out in the desert. The had taken food and odds and ends form the pod. The Doc had him get all the items from the pod out of his house for clean disposal.

In order to eliminate the source of the illness the Doc took the old man and Juno in a truck to check out the drop pod. Wittmann and Thex escorted them in their gears. The site was about 6 hours out of the town. on reaching the huge pod the Doc confirmed that it was the source of the contamination. Radioing in to Captain Latassa, she diverted a Landship to the pods location to cleanse it. Landships are the equivalent of battleships on a world with no water. Two hours later the Corvet Landship arrived, and unloaded flame throwing Gears to cleanse the pod. Wittmann and the others headed back to the town.

10th Winter

The previous days had pasted without incident. A company of the 9th infanty along with medical staff finally arrived to relieve the squad and the Doc. They arrived back a HQ on the evening of the tenth, tired, filthy and needing a few days leave. During their debreifing Captain Latassa congratulated Mouse for receiving two combat kills and Wittmann for receiving one. She then instructed them that the mission remined classified in particular the combat with the Peace River Gears. That could only be discussed with herself and Colonel Fulan. She then sent them on two days leave.

After taking their first showers, after a week of working in the desert the squad changed and prepared to hit the town. For some bizare reason Mouse seemed to object to Wittmann's suggestion that herself and Thex get the regimental tatoo...