01 February, 2140
0710 LIMA
4C, Light Rain
Maryville, North of Seattle

Dawn was not yet breaking. It was a miserable Washington in February morning. A light but cold rain was falling.

The Maryville Gas & Garage was a lot busier since the Morrow Project had set up an outpost there just before the winter. The fortified perimeter had been expanded to include not just the garage, restaurant and still, but a sub-compound with new buildings as well. There was now a school, larger and better equipped garage facilities that included parts fabrication, and Project headquarters with a radio station. Mortar pits had been dug and bunkers had been added, along with new watch towers, just in case. All buildings new and old were of sturdy concrete construction. There was a fusion generator both in the main buildings and the Project compound.

In the walled lot behind the HQ several Project vehicles were parked under bright lights. There was also a highly-modified, armour-plated '88 Ford 350 parked next to a Commando Scout and a Honda 3-wheeled electric ATV with equipment racks and a 2-wheeled utility trailer. All were painted OD Green with MP markings/American flags.

Near the vehicles stood Daniel Black Feather, the local Project Liaison, and Dylan Sinclair of SCIENCE S-6.  Filat Volkov (aka "Filipovich "), Jenna Tallfeather and Captain Ly Cong Kim (aka "Captain Kim") stood nearby. They were all dressed warmly, some holding hot drinks, but it was still wet and miserable in the falling rain.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:29, Wed 18 May 2016.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 1):

Hands in pockets of his wool-lined denim jacket he threw over his coveralls, Daniel began. His breath misted in the cold predawn air.

"Ok. Great of you all to volunteer. Considering the weather, that means a lot!

"As you all know, Mount Rainier is an active volcano. It occasionally erupts on us, every generation or so starting just after the War. This caused a lot of deaths then, and since that time has made life very difficult. For the last few weeks you all have seen the steam plume that's been venting from the crater at the summit. We've been pretty busy around here and a week ago finally the SCIENCE guys and gals managed to plant some seismic sensors in and around the crater. Well guess what? They show that the mountain is definitely working up to another eruption. We haven't been able to estimate the size yet. We don't think it'll be like the big one just after the War but we don't want to take any chances.

"Right now, most Project assets plus volunteers from the Rebels and the Soviets are combing the area around Mt. Rainier, trying to alert people and evacuate them. There isn't much chance of lava flows but the real danger of an eruption of Mt. Rainier is that it has extensive glaciers that will melt and form fast, slushy, mudslides called "lahars". These will travel down stream and riverbeds at a 30-35 kilometres and hour and possibly start at a hundred metres deep, or more! Coincidentally these waterways are the most likely areas for communities and homesteads. Lots of people could die. If the breaks are just right we could see lahars hit Puget Sound, right through the ruins of Tacoma and the middle of Soviet territory. It has happened historically, although not for hundreds of years before the War.

"But enough history and all that. It's all hands on deck around here. You're all we can spare right now to go collect a RECON team up around Bellingham and the old border. Uh, it's RECON KR-44, part of Regional RECON Group K. Prime managed to ping their bolthole with the help of the COMMO Kilo Alpha relay station but there were technical issues that prevented them from sending a recall code until today. Their wakeup cycle should be fully complete by noon. That is, they'll be out of their bolthole then, if everything goes according to plan."

He gave a short laugh as if to underscore how likely he thought that would be! Then continued,

"your instructions from Prime are to form an ad hoc detachment, KZ-167, under Dylan's command. Not me, I'm just the local Project Liaison. You're to take the Commando Scout here, travel north and RV with KR-44, assist with their deployment as necessary. Once you RV, Prime will advise you on your further mission. I will accompany you until this is completed, then I'll be returning to assist with the ongoing evacuation around Mt. Rainier.

"It's 88 klicks to Bellingham, 3 hours if we take it easy. Then we go offroad heading east through the woods to a spot near Lake Whatcom that used to be called "Sudden Valley". That's another 2 hours. That will leave us at 12-1300 hours, plenty of daylight left.

"Any questions?"

Mt Rainier, slumbering but deadly:

Jenna couldn't believe how warm her Project clothes were. She smoothed her hands over the cloth, pinching the finely woven fabric. A lifetime of wearing homespun, and now this stuff.

She perked up when Daniel addressed them. She couldn't help but feel frightened by the mountain preparing to belch fire and brimstone on this whole area.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 08:21, Wed 18 May 2016.

In reply to Jenna Tallfeather (msg # 3):

"Ok, Dylan. This show is yours. I have my tow truck parked in the other compound, it seats 2, plus a third crammed in back. They can only spare a 2-person Commando Scout, all other larger Project vehicles are needed for the evacuation. There's also an ATV that Jenna's been qualified on."

He gestured towards his own personal vehicle, the Scout and the ATV.

"You and Kim are qualified to run the Scout's autocannon. Jenna is your best driver but Kim can drive a little as well. We can run with the 2 big vehicles, using the ATV to scout, or else leave the ATV behind."







-Windigo is like this, but up-armoured.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:30, Wed 18 May 2016.

In reply to Daniel Black Feather (msg # 4):

" Ahhh... I believe old saying of snooze you lose, MR Daniel" Says Capt'n Kim.

"My choice to be man on the auto-cannon. And may I add that the families on the Sound been given notice of the mountain making a rumble soon. "

Capt'n Kim grins "And thank you SO much, for the chance to make a difference."

In reply to Captain Ly Cong Kim (msg # 5):

Daniel paused, then replied, "you are welcome. If anyone wants, you can still join the rest of the teams beating the bush around Mt. Rainier, looking for loners, trappers, loggers and isolated farms that will probably take a pot-shot at you for coming on their land.

"Normal vehicle assignment would be to put Dylan in the vehicle commander's seat as he's the team commander, and qualified to boot. Kim, I know you received extra driver's ed compared to most recruits."

Dylan takes a deep breath and looks at his team... Daniel Blackfeather, Filat Volkov, Jenna Tallfeather and Captain Ly Cong Kim...

He thinks to himself, in the SeaBees I hated the arse hat honchos that have no clue, now I am that arse hat. How in satchmo's wail did I get here? He closes his eyes, hearing "Suck it up cupcake, you have this!" And he blows out his breath.

"Ok, this is what we are doing. Mr Blachfeather I will not take your vehicle from you, you will drive and Mr Volkov will have shotgun. Mr Kim, you will drive the scout and I will take command/guns.  Miss tallfeathers, you have scout on the threewheeler." Dylan plays with a bright yellow rad-counter, "I want us wheels rolling in 30 minutes so lets do final gear check, vehicle checks, hook-up, and go people."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:10, Thu 19 May 2016.

"Da." He headed off to get his kit and tell Olga and the kids that he'd be gone for a few days on the mission.

Little Olov, the youngest didn't take it well and pouted. Olga told him "Don't do anything stupid."

Filat hugged each of them and said, "I love all of you. I will be back soon. Listen to your mother."

He reported back to his shotgun seat. Muttered to himself: "If all goes according to plan. Da. Like that will happen!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:48, Thu 19 May 2016.

In reply to Daniel Black Feather (msg # 6):

"Yes... Yes... I am a very good driver" (grins, knowing something of the feelings toward Asian drivers. )

"Me grab Project kit, vest and helmet. (taps his machete) and thumper and me baby 74. Be right back." bows and salutes to Daniel
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:46, Thu 19 May 2016.

Jenna whooped with glee at being assigned the ATV.  She had her own RIDE!  Well, it wasn't exactly hers, it still belonged to the Project. But she could RIDE!  Then she caught herself, glanced around to check the other's reactions, and blushed.  She was not, however, so mortified by her over-reaction that she didn't immediately go to the ATV, pack her gear, and get ready to depart.

From the seat of her ride, she addressed Dylan.  "TL, if'n it's all the same to you, I'd like to take point, sir.  I know the local roads and people, so I could stand a better chance of birddogging trouble."

In reply to Dylan Richard Sinclar (msg # 7):

Daniel nodded at Dylan.

"Good thinking. I wouldn't a-thought you'd take Windigo away from me, the Scout seemed like a better choice for your command vehicle.

"Jenna's a good rider. She'll know the Open Road from here to just short of the old border. City they used to call "Bellingham". We go off-road there, follow some old trails east into the woods as far as we can. Bolthole location is some place that don't have a name any more, called "Sudden Valley" on Autonav. It's on Lake Whatcom by a seaplane base and landing strip."

The former ranch known as Sudden Valley had been a resort area for workers in the logging industry since the 70's. In the 80's it became a golf resort. Dylan might be able to puzzle that out by looking at the topographical map and aerial photographs that were available in the Project database but Daniel didn't have the foggiest clue what he was looking at.

"I'm all ready to roll. I'll do a comms check, make sure all my gear is working."

Windigo was lareasy prepped and ready to go, so he turned and

It was a pretty quick turnaround.

The tow truck was ready to go immediately. When Filat got inside, it was fairly impressive although he'd have been more impressed if he hadn't already seen other Morrow Project vehicles. Still, it was almost like a spaceship. The old prewar vehicle had been retrofitted by prewar electronics from the CRT computer monitor in the dashboard, to the autonav underneath it alongside an AN/PRC-70 radio. A roof rack held a CP-7 laser rangefinder, two pairs of AN/PRC-5 NVGs and two pairs of gas masks dangled behind the front bucket seats. There were several weapons within reach as well: the rear of the cab had a weapons rack holding an AA-12 automatic shotgun and M21 sniper rifle, both the passenger and driver's doors mounted brackets that each held an Uzi, and there was a 40mm M79 grenade launcher in a dashboard bracket with a 36-round grenadier's vest behind the passenger seat. 4 M72A1 LAWs in a bracket behind the front bucket seat completed the arsenal. The whole tow truck was heavily armoured with front and side Lexan viewports and gunports allowing for fairly good field of view to the front and sides.

As well, the Scout was also squared away. It only held 2 crew and the supplies were limited compared to even the XR311, mainly due to cramped space around the driver and in the 1-man turret. Still, it held quite a bit and everything seemed to be in working order. Daniel punched in their course to Sudden Valley according to the old prewar maps.

The ATV was a Honda 3-wheeler, a utility model with front cargo and rear cargo racks. The front rack would usually hold a backpack and shotgun, the rear rack would carry the AN/PRC-70 backpack radio, Large Medical Kit, Ration Pack and camo net. There was also a small trailer, empty for now.

They coordinated the radios (Dylan conducting a radio check). After, they were ready to leave with some time remaining.

https://goo.gl/maps/PReVWtdgHfQ2
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:58, Fri 20 May 2016.

In reply to Project Director (msg # 12):

With some time to kill, Daniel went into the Project HQ. It was an old prewar 1-story concrete building that had once been a fast food restaurant. The golden arches that adorned its roof were long gone. Now there sprouted antennas. Out front was an American flag, a Project flag and the state of Washington's flag.

He came out and handed Jenna a rugged green rounded plastic case marked "RANGEFINDERS, LASER, 7x42 MAGNIFICATION". "Binoculars. For you."

Daniel then motioned for Dylan to come over and look at the Autonav mounted in his truck.

"Standard convoy formation would be ATV in front, then the Scout, then the tow truck. 45m separation unless we lose line of sight. Which we will because it's all forest up there. The only thing I know about Bellingham is that it used to be a city before the war. I heard there's a few fisher families that live on the waterfront because they come here to trade a few times a year, but I've never visited. Just passed by on the way to New West. I don't know of any trails or shortcuts to where we're going. I suggest we follow the Open Road (I-5) north to the ruins, then track east."