What's With Research?
Needed: ??? Rolled: 1d100+20 (Synergy)+10 (Twigged)+5 (Kikkizit Helps)= 72
Grubs in the Muck
Needed: 40? Rolled: 1d100+20 (Synergy)=88
The cybernetics feel a little itchy still, oddly enough, on Vorzhan. Even though they no longer are warned by the itching of their legs, they still feel it, feel it as they walk down the street, heading from a meeting with an irate shopkeeper who swore they were being pushed out of business. However, a long talk later, and he was finally starting to see the logic, and admitted that he'd expected to just be pushed aside, verbally. Instead, well, instead he was very grateful and there had been connotations in some of the whistles, in the low way his voice went down and clicked and the loud way they let out some of the sounds...well, it was hard to mistake a proposition, and it was perhaps quite tempting. He had magnificent head-wings, bluish-green, darker at the edges, and their chitin was very well maintained. However, Vorzhan had been abstaining from such things all year thus far, and so they politely ignored the hints.
And now, as the sun began to dip over the edge of the architecture, a birds squaking in the sky, they walked onwards, reviewing all that had been done today. Distracted, moving down the sidewalk. It was relatively empty, only perhaps a hundred Xvorzit within sight, almost nobody by the standards of the species, and the town seemed rather as if it was taking a breath. Something was up, perhaps? There was a lot to take in, and a lot to think about, even now, just a week out from the diplomatic mission. But one thing at a time. Their senses didn't go far enough to see anything obviously out of place, but they tapped the waves and moved, eyes scanning, all four legs shifting.
Look UP. Needed: ??? Rolled: 1d100+31=74
There, on the roof. Vorzhan moved, knowing at once what it was. The color, blue on gold. No wonder the activity had died down a little, no wonder: they were preparing. And that meant...yes, yes that's exactly what it meant--Vorzhan had little time to connect the dots, drawing their weapon as a shot rang, hit near where they'd been. Basic civilian-grade gun, it seemed, a superfast bullet buried into the wall. They raised their gun and fired, a single clean, smooth, two-handed action. Five targets.
Snipers, We got Snipers! Needed: 40/60/80, Rolled: 1d100+20=53.
Vorzhan fired, hitting one in the arm, blowing it half off. No armor there, no shields, just a quick attack. Just a distraction. With a thought they got in contact with the main command. Attacks all over, dozens. People screaming and running--here and elsewhere--thousands boiling out of nowhere, criminals striking at the defense-forces headquarters, the forces paralyzed, not wanting to open up, not wanting a slaughter, and ships moving, moving to...where you expect. Criminals coming from the places that had been monitored. All of it expected in a sense. And yet startling.
A second shot, this one more in control, it hit the figure on the right in the middle of the chest at the sort of speed (measurable as a small fraction of the speed of light) that can't truly be dodged--dodge the gun, not the bullet, that's the rule--punching straight through. There is a whistling scream and the others recoil, briefly, giving Vorzhan the time for another shot, this one a little less clean, straight through the belly, weakly protected compared to the rest. Blood sprayed everywhere on that little rooftop platform as the others, nervously, uncertainly opened fire, another three or four shots raining out. One hit the leader, clipping his arm, agony, burning pain that they struggled through to fire another shot, finishing off the first assailant, who had just picked up their gun again. Then dive towards the alley, as the people around they continued screaming and running away.
Around the world, people did the same in many cases, yes, but in others the workers stormed the 'secret' hideouts of the gangs involved. From the identifying marks, from the data coming in, it wasn't all of the gangs, all of the organized groups. A few big players hadn't acted.
And up above...that's what they'd found. A trade of drugs and influence and power, the corruption evident and running deep. And it all went back to the moon.
*****
Medical research was certainly valuable and seeing as for the most part Gazinitah was playing catch-up with the rest of the galaxy, research into Xvorzit specific technology, like custom combat medication and the like, only made sense. But tapping into the lines of communication, looking--as Kikkizit had--at the patents filed, it became obvious that it wasn't medical drugs the research was aimed with. And it had undeniable ties and links to the criminal underworld, to the dark-nets being monitored, to the deep-hive activity, to any number of things.
They had been building up a case, preparing to let fall the full force of justice, and then they'd been pre-empted. But, well, they knew their hideouts, and now a bunch of criminals were in direct war against the army. Say what one will about the efficacy of the army, it was better than a bunch of criminals can get to. Lured out into an all-out attack? Pathetic, but unexpected.
*****
Shoot them down! Needed: 30/60, rolled: 1d100+20=40
Vorzhan popped around the corner, firing again, this time hitting the shoulder of one of them, a dark-chitin'd figure whose scream was particularly high, legs all but tripping over themselves as the last enemy grabbed them and pulled them down towards the door, before they could fire again. Before Vorzhan could finish them. In the nearest door and after them was a trap, there were two or three figures waiting, maybe with guns, they didn't have the vision that could pick up heat signatures. But, well...
Walls? Ha! Needed: 20/40/60, Rolled: 1d100+20+15 (Weapon Bonus)=71
Civilian walls can't stop a military-grade pistol. Three shots, quick but carefully aimed, blasted through the wall, burying themselves in the targets. One went down, the others stumbled back, just out of range, but Vorzhan didn't follow, instead looking around as a vehicle dove towards them, silver and red, landing fast and hard as their body-guards piled out, rather better armed and armored, shield generators active. Big, buff Jeskrin sprints over, saying, "R...uh, Sir, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Jeskrin, the building over there needs to be secured," he said, waving a hand, his wings shifting into a complex pattern of thoughtfulness, "And then I'll need in the ship. There are attacks going on right now, I need to give orders--"
"Your arm," Uazani whistled, leaning forward, gun raised towards the building.
"Will be fine. One moment." Vorzhan opened the door and pulled themselves in. It was not a luxury aircraft, and the hard metal seats were rather unwelcome to recline down upon but, taking a breath, they subvocalized into space, towards the Gazinitah and Admiral Nizerin. 'What's the situation?'
The voice was fast, panicked, word tumbling past word, 'Two of the ships of the fleet are heading towards the moon, they don't respond to calls. A corvette, the GZ 203-C, and a frigate, the Star, each moved towards the moon. They won't respond...what! What are you doing here?'
Hazitean spoke over the line, 'This you, boss? I have a strike force ready, just have them aim the battleships at the moon and the traitor-ships'll run, leaving the base for us to launch down on.'
'How did you,' Vorzhan said, but Hazitean made a hum whose meaning was something like 'Talk about this later.' Vorzhan had guesses, none of them pretty, but no real clue. The ships couldn't be allowed to escape with the criminals on the moon, especially since two ships, even the smallest, were vital for the small fleet, that much they knew. There weren't that many to go around. But firing on them was likely to end poorly.
And more problems presented themselves on the surface: whether to focus on relieving the bases under-attack across the planet, or to focus their forces on the enemy's bases, attacking their higher-ups. Taking them from their homes, their gambling dens, cutting them off at the head. Whether to allow the defense-forces to use lethal force or not, and what exactly Vorzhan wanted to do with themselves.
Vorzhan Will Go…
[] Broadcast a message to the people, reassuring them of their safety and that things are under control and allowing questions and the like.
[] Direct the battles overhead, keeping in the lower-atmosphere and making sure to keep abreast of the situation.
[] Find a base: Head to a major military base not under siege and set up a stationary, and thus better defended, place to give orders from.
Fresh Troops will Focus On…
[] Relieving the besieged garrisons first, going after other high-priority targets afterwards.
[] Arresting the ring-leaders and busting up the organization before only then targeting the forces attacking the various bases.
Permission to use lethal force?
[] Yes, weapons free.
[] No, stick to nonlethal firepower. Or less-lethal at least.
In Space!
[] Order the Battleships to fire on the spaceships, ultimately they've made the risk, they need to be taken out now.
[] Attempt to communication with them, order them to stand down, etc.
[] Fly the Battleships in close, and threaten them to stop under the guns and then launch an assault upon the base from up above, led by Hazitean.
A/N: Surprise!
. Only written by someone less awesome of a writer than he.
