To kill an idea
[X]Preparation: Transport
[X]Execution: A bullet to kill an idea
The ease of hiring transportation is inversely proportional to the legality of the transportation. The easiest is just doing it over the table. You've never actually done that, and you won't start today. The next option is doing it under the table, the gray market. Illegal, but tolerated by the Powers. Couldn't have their disposable tools without gear. If it doubles as cheap testing? All the better.
It says a lot about the typical runner that they never realise this.
Finally, there's the true underground, a web of acquaintances held together by favours, pride and spite. It functions more like a spy network than a market, but it's the only way to get your hands on something the Corps won't find out about.
You've hired a pilot, and bought an old Blacksun assault transport. It's a good plane, even if most of your experiences involve shooting them down. The US army has been replacing them with the new model, and started selling off the remaining stock after the peace treaty, so they've become rather cheap. Good thing, because it won't be returning with you.
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You look out through the bay windows, into the chaos of swirling flakes. You do your best to move with the jerking of the plane as it fights the wind. The weather and low flight path should prevent early detection, so long as you don't crash. You personally wouldn't be able to do that reliably, but that's why you hired a professional. He does his job, and you do yours.
"Right lady, where on station. As close as it gets, in this weather."
You hit the bay release and rappel down while the pilot switches to hover mode. In calm weather, you'd shoot straight from the plane. As it is, you have to get down for a stable firing position. But that's all right, the Blacksun was designed for this, and lets you deploy your gear quickly.
You pull out the rifle and sight the complex. There's utility buildings, administration, barracks, turrets. The usual for a research base. The most import part for now is the communications building. That will buy time.
The main target is the fortified research building. It's why you brought the big gun. It needs to go to full-fill the contract. The secondary targets are the scientists and the admin building, to erase as much data as possible. There's also the buried nuclear reactor. Without the your siege rifle, you'd have hit the cooling controls to initiate a meltdown to eliminate the base. That model's safety systems are rather lacking.
But since you do have your siege rifle, you get to avoid irradiation. That's always nice.
You take a few minutes to consider the best place to hit the research building, since you won't have time for that later. There, the corner. That should give you a good line at the central hall, which will funnel the pressure wave where you need it to go.
All right. First shell, on the utility quarter. Coms down. The parts still standing are on fire. No worries there.
Second shell, research building. Half a second later you hear a dull thump, and see part of the pressure wave escape through the entry hole. No other visible damage. Perfect. There's no better pressure cooker than a closed down bunker.
An automated artillery turret swivels and barks out a shell. No trouble there.
You line up a shot at the admin building. You have another shot before the artillery turret will fire again, enough to put a shell in the barracks, and then extract. You'll put a final shell into the research building on the escape.
"Incoming!"
Then you're jerked to the side as the pilot tries to dodge the incoming shell. Your gear is dragged along by the extraction cable, and it all tumbles through the snow. Blan softens the impacts a little, but it's still very unpleasant.
This is why you prefer war veterans, the impact zone was at least seventy meters off.
You grab a shell form the moving container and reload. A second later, you push off and use the second of air time to snap a quick shot at the artillery turret. Even if it doesn't go down from that, the accuracy will be ruined.
What a waste of a shell.
You can stop now, Mister Pilot.
He does, and things settle down. You hit the admin building and barracks, one after the other, as quickly as you can. The dispersal shells do a good job of flattening whole regions at a time.
You hope the extra time wasn't enough for a missile lock, but frankly, that's his problem now. He caused it in the first place.
You signal for extraction, and the plane starts lifting while the cable is reeled in. There's a moment of weightlessness as he dips beneath a ridge to lose the target lock, then you crash down again. You hastily close the doors, before even more snow ends up inside.
"So lady, where to now?"
You send him the flight plan. Then you go prepare your things for the exit.
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"Why? Really, why?"
So you can't get tracked.
"And that means letting a beauty drop into the ocean?"
Of course. No traces from the plane, and no idea where along the flight path we left.
"Left. Left! I hate parachuting. And letting a plane drop from fuel deprivation is a crime against aviation."
…
"And if you want to erase your trace so badly, why didn't you leave your cannon thing behind? It's not exactly subtle, and jumping strapped to that thing was terrible."
It's a collector's piece, and worth more than you make in ten years.
"So is that plane, and that didn't stop you! Why is your dumb rifle any different?"
I'm paying.
"Ugh."
You enjoy the silence while it lasts, and debate ignoring him when he starts up again. The boat should be here soon.
Rewards: 4 Evilness, 2 Sniperness, Contact: Pilot Thomas
You have 6 Evilness points, and 5 Sniperness points.
Choose two actions for the next week.
Private actions:
[]Kick puppies some more
Fiona invited you, and it's a great idea. Except it doesn't feel all that Evil if the authorities tell you to. Maybe you should keep her waiting some more. That would be evil, right?
Rewards: +1 Evilness. Play with kick puppies again.
[]Spend time with your best (only) friend
Blan isn't very demanding, so long as he gets to steal your food, but that doesn't mean you should abuse it. He's been a bit more cling since the trip to the Arctic, cold weather always does that to him.
Rewards: Marathon Shell of a Ghost.
[]Go to school
Maybe you should do that at some point. There's just so many people, and you can't shoot any of them when they say mean things.
Rewards: Education. Social anxiety.
[]Spent vast amounts of money for... professional reasons
Buying another rifle is something you totally need. For your work.
Rewards: Inner emptiness filled. For a moment.
[]Visit Marmuk's
Better equipment is always good. Even if, technically speaking, you don't actually need it. You've heard about buying happiness, and you really want to try it out.
Rewards: Better equipment. Living the capitalist dream.
Contract actions:
Holding on to a Hero
The Crusaders of Light are trying to free their leader Alexander Reichenbach from Australia's legendary cyber prison Tartarus. They're willing to pay a lot for help in freeing him. Others are willing to pay even more to see him dead. Since crusaders should be good guys, killing them should be Evil. And double crossing them even more so.
Time limit: 2 weeks
[]Preparation: How to kill a Hero
Alexander isn't easy to kill. It's been tried before. Didn't stick. The Australians haven't figure it out yet. But then, you are better at this than Australia.
Rewards: He stays dead. Contract rewards +3 Sniperness
[]Preparation: Planned Betrayal
Pulling the whole thing off properly will be complex, and the timing tight, but that's what separates the amateur and the professional.
Rewards: The whole thing is just neater. Contract rewards +1 Sniperness
[]Execution: Holding on to a Hero
You've ensure that you can shoot him in a moment of surprise. Even if he survives it, that won't be your problem.
Rewards: 6 Evilness, 1 Sniperness
