Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

The Second Devil Dawgs Campaign. The Marines find themselves marooned on an uninhabited jungle planet, but find something they did not expect.
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Corporal Hicks
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Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by Corporal Hicks » Sat Mar 07, 2020 7:46 pm

“Wait, he’s not an android?!” exclaimed Rai Navarro, the tall black scientist. The Marines looked at Gibson. Those who hadn’t noticed at first saw it now, the androids had the same face as Gibson. “He must have built the androids! He must be the boss they’re always talking about!” shouted Navarro. The purple bruise where Morse had struck him made it evident that Gibson was human (biologically at least.)

“Don’t listen to him, don’t believe his lies! They kidnapped us all! We are slaves here, I have been here for six years, and Oksana was here before me. They are researching these goddamn creatures, this ‘Species Z.’ They took me when I was driving to work six years ago. They have held us here, forcing us to research. If anyone tried to resist, they were beaten or raped or just disappeared! We all knew they weren’t set free; they were killed by these damn guards!” He pointed a shaking finger at Terry. “These guards change out every year or two. At first there was more, but I guess the androids made them unnecessary. The guards are always cruel, sociopathic…” Rai sputtered with rage, trying to find some word for what he was thinking. “I thought we would all die here…” The scientist burst into tears.
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taimdala
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by taimdala » Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:01 pm

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Katie had subsided a little when Oksana pulled her off the administrator. When Morse delivered the slap on the heels of a shouted obscenity, Oksana felt Katie flinch and shiver. Frowning, Oksana glared at Morse--a wasted effort, as the volitle Marine had his back to her. She hugged Katie to calm the other woman, who had started to shake.

"It's okay," Oksana said. "He's a Marine. He's violent but he won't hurt you. It's okay. We're safe." Apparently, she should have tried calming Navarro down as well. When the man cut loose with his outburst, Oksana couldn't blame him for snapping. They'd all endured abuse and horrors beyond counting. Had it been up to her, however, she would have put off the debriefing that Navarro was effectively giving for a slightly better time and place. "Stay here," she whispered to Katie and wearily got to her feet.

"Rai," she said, laying a hand on Navarro's arm. "We're not dying today, all right? At least, not if we get to a more secure location, instead of lingering here."



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In the aftermath of the short but furious battle, Dmitri stood aside and got out of the way. Quinn had his hands full tending the wounded, skivvies or not. Paulson was going through the dead squid's effects for anything useful--a bit rude but necessary, given their situation. Morse was interrogating the de facto admin-turned-intel-asset. Quinn gave his icy assessment of the admin's prospects in his typical fashion, delivered so dispassionately even Dmitri admired it.

Aside from Quinn standing in his underwear, things seemed pretty much par for the course ...

... Until Navarro burst out with his own impromptu report about his treatment as a prisoner. That got Dmitri to shift to a more active stance: rifle at ready to shoot the sniveling bastard Morse had on the deck. When Navarro mentioned "rape", however, Dmitri stiffened and turned without thinking to Oksana, the expression on his face damned obvious: Did they--?



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Oksana saw her husband jerk and pivot, saw the unspoken question on his face. She met his eyes and with just the briefest lowering of her lashes she asnwered him: Yes. And the next instant, her gaze hardened and she gave Dmitri a minute shake of her head. Don't, that headshake said. She and Dmitri had been together long enough that they'd devised a silent shorthand to do the talking for them ... but she knew that sometimes Dmitri was a little hard of hearing.

Would he stand down? Quite frankly, Oksana reckoned it was a coin toss either way. After seven years of not knowing what happened to his wife only to be reunited in this fashion, any red-blooded man would want to exact punishment of her torturers and Dmitri, she knew, could carry a grudge and sharpen it over years if necessary.

So Oksana very quietly and quickly moved to the other side of Navarro, putting her in good position to head Dmitri off should he decide to go apeshit and attack the administrator. As for how she, considerably down in weight and height when stacked against her husband in the best of times and now even more frail after years of captivity, could hope to restrain an outraged and fully armed Marine, well ... Oksana didn't make it this far by thinking small.
ImageCpl. Dmitri Mikhailovich Barayev
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by maxvale76 » Sun Mar 08, 2020 3:07 pm

Samantha had been a bit busy trying to follow along with the rapidly changing course of events....from poor Singh getting killed and the retaliation to the former prisoners turning on their captor to Morse's hitting the smug Corporate to Rai's outburst and revelations....

Physically interposing herself between Rai, Katie, Oksana and the others she herded them away from Gibson and her eyes grew large and then her face got really hard when she heard about the beatings, possible/probable killings and rape. Very quietly and politely, she told the group of former prisoners; "You are all safe now.....but I need you all to step back and away from dis piece of sh-.....dis person. I can ASSURE you all, he will be gettin' what he deserves.....I PROMISE", she says the last as she looks directly at her old friend Oksana.

That done, she walks over to where Gibson and Morse are and says; "If what dey are saying is true......you ain't got to worry 'bout no Company lawyer"; she says quietly but with fire in her voice and pure, cold rage in her eyes as she stares at the man.
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by pants » Mon Mar 09, 2020 8:44 am

Ignoring the pain from his face Gibson turned his eyes on the marine that punched him and the female marine that had just made the threat.

"How utterly unsurprising. Violence is the only thing you people know. What are you going to do? Kill me? Go ahead and explain your murder of a civilian to the court martial they draw up for you. I will be dead but you will be the one rotting in a prison for what remains of your life."

Touching his hand to his bruised face Gibson winced at the pain before continuing.

"I dont give a damn what they say either take me into custody and get me to a court or execute me. I'm done talking," said Gibson his voice defiant, they could see the fear in his eyes but he held himself upright waiting for his fate to be decided.

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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by taimdala » Mon Mar 09, 2020 8:41 pm

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Dmitri saw his wife's silent affirmation of his worst fear and he also saw her immediate order to stand down. Did she think that it would be that easy for him?

Seriousy? Yebani v'ot! Not together for five minutes and she's already driving me fucking crazy.

Watching her move between him and that other scientist, Dmitri recognized her demeanor from the old days when she ran her lab: Back off. Don't fuck with me or my people. Dmitri had been privileged to see what happened to some stupid corporate officer who'd once tried to pull a fast one on Oksana over her rightful funding and materiel allocations. The mook had had the bad luck of trying this in full view of her lab crew, thinking to embarrass Oksana into acquiescing to his bullshit conditions. That poor bastard never had a chance. Oksana tore into him with the thoroughness of someone who came prepared for battle, one who fought to win, and who came backed up with documents and official signatures from entities too lofty to ignore--or defy. Dmitri liked to think he could still see the stain on the floor tiles that unctuous bean counter had left behind.

So with that memory warming him, Dmitri took the time to take a breath ... then two ... and his blood cooled down long enough to allow him to think properly. Absent orders to waste the currrent corporate fuck, Dmitri had the safety of the group to secure. When Sam stepped in and corralled the civilians (Oksana among them) a little farther back toward safety, Dmitir settled into standing watch as he had been .... but not beforre he sent a look Oksana's way:

All right. You win. For now.

And there was that in his gaze that said that she and he would definitely have a *talk* about everything that had happened to her. He'd stand down for now on the unspoken matter between them ... but there was no way was he going to let it slide.



TAG: Oksana, Sam Hall




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When her old friend, Samantha Hall, herded them back from the minor fray, Oksana didn't resist. In truth, it was a relief not to have to deal with the testosterone-fueled male posturing that they currently swam in. This wasn't to say that Oksana felt Sam to be one whit less hard than her fellow Marines. On the contrary, Oksana knew that in many ways Sam was actually harder.

A woman had to be, especially in situations like these.

And though Oksana had spent the last seven years being as hard as she had to be for the sake of her own and her people's survival; though she'd witnessed and endured the unspeakable without losing her dignity or resolve; though she'd become innured to much of the horror that had become her life ... despite having pragmatically set aside outside rescue as a false hope, despite having learned to go without many human comforts during her captivity, despite everything, the fire in Sam's eyes and the promise from her lips damned near broke Oksana.

God, she wanted to weep from the sheer decency of that vow.

Oksana bit her lips and dug her nails in her fists to stay composed but she couldn't help the waver in her voice or the tremble in her chin was she whispered at Sam's back, as the other woman turned away: "Spaciba tebya, Sestra. Spaciba."



TAG: Sam Hall, Rai Navarro, Katie Whitehead, Morse, Everybody
ImageCpl. Dmitri Mikhailovich Barayev
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by Corporal Hicks » Tue Mar 10, 2020 4:13 am

Seaman Stark started daggers at the two men. “I say we grease these mother fuckers. Nobody’s gonna say nothing, we’ll all swear they died in combat.” The other Navy guy nodded emphatically in agreement. “Or we could just give ‘em to that lot. I’m sure they’ve been waiting for this.” He said, nodding to the scientists.
<Tag Morse, Hall, Perez, or anyone>
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by Morse » Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:06 am

The man had shuddered at the strike. He clearly felt the pain, and was not in even the slightest position to stand up to Morse. Yet here he was, in his dismal, misguided, immoral glory attempting to hold his ground and babble about laws that almost no one had any concept of anymore. The galaxy was not a small place anymore. There was corporate law, territorial law, national law, international law, trade law, and military law... and any one of them could claim or deny authority in the matter at hand.
Marines on the edge of space, derelict and hurting... adhered to an older law, and Morse was all too well versed in that school of thought.

Morse listened to his mewling and whimpering, hoping some piece of it would lend an answer. It did not. Just that he was some mid level suit that looked on people in uniformed service like violent animals.

Morse was certainly violent, but not an animal. When he dictated he was finished Morse in an earlier day would have been all to happy to grant his request for execution, drawing his pistol, and emptying his brain pan onto the dirt of the unknown world upon which they stood. Those days were done though. He was much more sober, much more experienced, and had the needs of many to live further in his mind then his own desire to make people die.

"Sam, take charge a the prisoner... his ass does any shit you don' like, give him a lesson or two in proper courtesy." Morse directed to the long serving marine who he could see was upset. Even if the corporate was spitting in her face, Morse knew he'd be safest in Sam's care. She was the most moral of them all without doubt.
<Tag Sam

Morse heard the sneering of the Navy men, and Morse could hear himself in those words, just years earlier. In that moment though, he would need to reinforce his authority.

”You two.” Morse directed. ”Take two more and tend to our fallen. We aint leavin’ em here.” Morse presumed an act of compassion would keep their minds occupied otherwise. If need be he could offer them more direct incentives to keep otherwise occupied.
<Tag Navy guys

”Everyone else, take stock of what we can keep. We came here for supplies, see what’s there to get. Keep security and don’t get caught unaware by any of this corporate shit show.”
<Tag Anyone
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by taimdala » Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:25 am

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Finally, something that didn't have anything to do with death or destruction, experiments or treachery. It was also something constructive she could actally do.

"I know where some of the supplies are kept." Oksana sent a daggered look Gibson's way. "I was ... introduced... to a storeroom by one of our ... bodyguards. While I was there, I got a good look at the inventory. It should still be about two-thirds full, even after all this time."

Oksana stepped up to Morse and gave him a businesslike nod.

"I can take you there. I'm sure you've got someone who can rig a bypass on the lock?"



TAG: Morse, Cpl Hicks, Anyone




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Dmitris ears caught the pauses in his wife's speech and he followed her gaze to the prisoner. It didn't take a genius to read between the lines, not that there was much left unread by this point. Maybe when things were settled and they had a secure base from which to catch their breath, get their bearings, and plan, Dmitri and the corporate piece of shit might have a little ... introduction of their own.

Dmitri knew that Sam wouldn't allow it, but still ... it made for an entertaining thought exercise.


TAG: Morse, Anyone
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by Quinn » Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:53 am

Sixtus leaned away from the man with mild irritation at having been ignored. But considering the situation (Morse’s savage backhand included), what really could be said? When the scientists revealed what had been done to coerce them, Sixtus immediately throttled the urge to put a bullet in the man where he stood. He would be delivered to the courts, and everyone would see him for the monster he was.

Hearing Morse’s order snapped him out of his own head, looking sideways at him and nodding. ”Aye Staff Sarnt.” he reflexively said, turning to the scientists to do what he could to untuck the problem.

”Barayev, Sokolova, get the civilians and move to the medbay.” Quinn flicked his head, indicating that they should get moving now.
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by taimdala » Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:35 am

Quinn wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:53 am Sixtus leaned away from the man with mild irritation at having been ignored. But considering the situation (Morse’s savage backhand included), what really could be said? When the scientists revealed what had been done to coerce them, Sixtus immediately throttled the urge to put a bullet in the man where he stood. He would be delivered to the courts, and everyone would see him for the monster he was.

Hearing Morse’s order snapped him out of his own head, looking sideways at him and nodding. ”Aye Staff Sarnt.” he reflexively said, turning to the scientists to do what he could to untuck the problem.

”Barayev, Sokolova, get the civilians and move to the medbay.” Quinn flicked his head, indicating that they should get moving now.

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Oksana suppressed a sigh and resigned herself to being herded like some bothersome puppy. Before she turned to go, she shot Morse a solemn look and said, "My offer stands, whenever you're ready to take me up on it."

And with that, she turned to gather what was left of her lab crew. Morse and Quinn might be calling the shots amongst the Marines but she was still the Director of her Lab and Lead Researcher. It was her job to take care of her people and, if necessary, intercede for them with the Marines.
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Re: Mission 3 Turn 14: The Truth Unveiled

Post by BarbarianMathematics » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:04 pm

Having heard the directives from Quinn, Sokolova helps gather the rest of the civilians, making sure to keep them all in a row. "You heard him. Let us get a move on. The sooner we go, the sooner we can leave this place," she called out. Gathering her things and avoiding the bodies in the hall, she led them off.
She was relieved they might actually have a comms tower in this place and perhaps have some semblance of civilization come back to them.
《Tag anyone》
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