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[Story Arc #4] Columbian Conflict.

Posted by RydiFor group archive 0
Rydi
GM, 695 posts
Fri 21 May 2010
at 19:01
  • msg #1

[Story Arc #4] Columbian Conflict

On the southwestern border of Columbia, out of Ecuador, a joint taskforce of American, Brazilian, and UN troops are preparing to march into Columbia.  The sky is overcast, the temperature a chill 5C; it looks like rain.  Clustered throughout the allied forces, men and women wearing brightly colored spandex uniforms huddle together in final planning sessions, their mere presence bolstering the morale of the troops around them.

On the other side of the border waits the Columbian military.  It is a respectable force, with fortified heavy weapons stations and armored vehicles to support the rank and file troops.  Air support is on standby within Columbian airspace, waiting for orders to strike.  There is no sign of novas among the Columbians.

-

The path to war was long and circuitous.  What began as an increase in illicit drug trafficking, including designer nova derived compounds, grew into a powerful movement within the Columbian government.  The War on Crime declared by Utopia destroyed the old model of the criminal cartel, and its methods of distribution, nearly eliminating organized crime and the sale of “hard” drugs such as cocaine and heroine.   The same War on Crime also created opportunities for consolidation of criminal enterprises, provided incentive for the creation of new designer drugs, and created a need for the recruitment of novas to thwart policing efforts.  One visionary leader rose from the ashes of defeat to unite the remains of the most powerful criminal organizations throughout the Americas, and with a combination of foresight and serendipity, managed to evade the notice of the world’s most powerful policing attempts, hiding behind a veneer of disorganized and isolated cells.

As the power of the organization grew, it was inevitable that they would tip their hand, but they managed to delay the process until they had near hegemony over their home country of Columbia, via a combination of bribery, legitimate improvements to the country’s infrastructure, and the promise of power beyond the wildest dreams of the Columbian government, the ability to create novas.  The involvement of the cartels with the Columbian government remained a well hidden secret, masked by nova power, diplomatic chicanery, and well-planned movements of the cartels themselves; even when connections were revealed, evidence was sparse and difficult to act upon.  Sao Paulo, and the discoveries of T2M:A, changed all that.

With the botched attempt at inducing eruption, the Medellin Cartel, and the danger they represent, was exposed to the world.  Or a part of it at least, since the real events were never revealed to the public.  The world at large was duped into believing that the Sao Paulo incident was an act of terrorism, meant to show the power of the Columbian government, which had been recruiting those novas within its borders in an effort to create a military force; Columbia was making the first moves in an attempt to become a world power.  Nova building efforts in the country, that had until recently been viewed with either admiration or at worst indifference by the world community, were re-cast as the beginnings of a nova army, a clear violation of the Nova Non-Proliferation agreement (Quantum Powers Non-Proliferation Treaty).  The truth of the matter, that novas were being engineered, and that a criminal organization rose to world power with the support of novas, was shielded from all but the UN security council… and any world governments the cartels had gone to in the process of recruiting allies.  If any outside the security council knew anything regarding the true situation in Columbia however, they remained silent and held their own council.

Despite evidence, the UN chose to attempt diplomatic agreement before forcible disarmament, and even after diplomatic means were exhausted, many countries were in opposition to the violation of the sovereignty of a nation based upon supposed nova militarization, for which there was only limited evidence.  Only the unified action of the Security Council made it possible to eventually force through an agreement.  Columbia would open itself to Utopia inspectors, who would guarantee its claims of innocence.  Columbia refused, and promised to defend its borders with full military force.   Brazil, as a means of retaliation for Sao Paulo, offered its country as a staging ground, and its troops for use in the confrontation.  After a buildup in Brazil, the troops marched moved into Ecuador with the country's blessing (thanks to promises of aid money from the US) to await the push into Columbia.  The date for inspection was set for January 1st of the coming year, setting the stage for the military conflict about to unfold.


-

Caestus Pax, Skew, and several specially hired DeVries elites stood guard above the thousands of assembled troops.  Their job was to ensure that nothing larger than a bullet could reach the men and women below them.  Pax, hating his required roll but understanding its necessity (he was the most powerful telekinetic in the world; who else could protect the troops from missile and heavy weapons fire as well as he?) had deferred command of the field operation to Impetus, who would lead the other teams, and coordinate them.  The remainder of Pax’s team would remain behind to guard the guardians, protecting Pax, Skew, and the others while they deflected attacks.  T2M:A, T2M:E, and T2M:AP were to engage any nova hostiles, and protect the allied troops.  Due to the terms of the QPNPT, T2M was not to engage the Columbian military, though it was fully allowed to protect its own allies.

Comstock is in charge of his team, Thorn T2M:E, and Smoke leads T2M:AP.  Frostburn is in charge of the HQ team and communications between R&D, Logistics, and the field teams.  In 5 minutes allied troops will cross the Columbian border, and the world holds its breath in anticipation, waiting to see how Columbia will respond.


Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Place yourselves, set up whatever scene you want, and we’ll start the action.  You can plan over in the HQ thread, or you can “go over the plan one more time” here, your choice.  Comstock has authority over his people in the field, though Impetus is once again serving as major coordinator.  Any OOC questions should be asked over in the OOC thread, or in spoiler blocks here.  Sorry about the delay, hope this turns out to be a good time.

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:06, Fri 30 Aug 2013.
Comstock
GM, 729 posts
a.k.a. Dillon Amargosa
Man or Mineral?
Fri 21 May 2010
at 23:06
  • msg #2

Re: Columbian Conflict

Guard the troops.  For once, Comstock was not pleased with this arrangement.

Generally, Pax was the advocate of shock-and-awe combat, eager to wipe the field clear of opposition and leave cleanup to the baselines.  But today, Comstock wanted to be the spearhead.  Far ahead of anyone else and able to apply his own discretion to an uncomfortable situation.

"Sol, I've got a bad feeling about this."  He shook his head and looked away from the border.  At 5C, it far colder than should even be possible at the equator.  Localized phenomena?  Nova powers at work?  The overcast sky was equally ominous and would complicate airstrikes.  Caution was the watchword of the day.  Brazil had agreed to provide a staging area for the attack, but there were scarcely any roads worth mentioning between here and their destination.  Ecuador would provide access, but their army refused to provide aid for fear of retaliation.  Likewise, a large body of additional forces were stationed in Panama to protect the canal.  All it would take was another Sao Paolo and global commerce would be set back fifty years or more.  Everyone was nervous.  The one piece of good news was Venezuela: the country's leadership had declared themselves neutral in this one.

So it came down to this field headquarters in Tulcán.  And a real army.  No strategic bombers, no weeks of preparatory destruction to soften targets.  Just a land invasion aimed straight for Medellin and Bogota, with god only knows how many novas between here and there.

"I know I'm just a grunt, but I think this is going to be a bloodbath unless they let us take point."  He had a rifle, for all the good it would do him, and a backpack full of plastic explosives, detonators and medical supplies.  "I mean, what's the difference between the Colombian army shooting at us and shooting at the soldiers?  It's still an act of war and justifies reprisal."  He wished he could just portal into Bogota and make the fight personal, but that would probably just end with the capital in ruins and four or five million dead.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:51, Fri 21 May 2010.
Impetus
player, 822 posts
Social Tac Nuke
Sat 22 May 2010
at 02:39
  • msg #3

Re: Columbian Conflict

Imp hung in the air, midway between the defensive perimiter set by pax and team tk and the ground forces. This was going to be a bloodbath. Two huge forces of novas squaring off against each other with humans in between them, ready to be turned into chum. He hoped they could minimize losses until the two real combatants could lock horns. "Impetus to all teams, report in. Over. "
Solitaire
player, 603 posts
What if you Lose?
A game of One?
Sat 22 May 2010
at 04:03
  • msg #4

Re: Columbian Conflict

"Bad feeling?" Solitaire chuckled, "I suppose that's right, if you're given to understatement." She was seated on a big plastic weapons crate which probably had man-portable AA-missiles or somesuch thing. Nobody had complained when she appropriated two of them for her own purposes, not that she was actually planning to use them later, she just needed a flat surface to play her game. That, more than anything else, betrayed her tension to those that knew her, the lack of concentration.

"I'm not overjoyed about it either, but I don't think they can cut us loose on the country. The bigwigs aren't capable of it. Just the nine of us on America could probably topple the whole place, quickly too. Then every world leader would be forced to take off their sunglasses and look us full in the face, in all our terrible glory. They'd think, 'A dozen of them took out a nation' what if they wanted the world" Solitaire shook her head, her eyes were sad. "We'd be a threat, no, the threat. Underlined, capital letters, italics. And there are only two things to do with threats, control them, or remove them. None of us would stand for that." She leaned back, looking up at the sky and closed her eyes. "I'm afraid it will come to that anyway, sometime soon. Despite all we've done, I still don't they can truly conceive of our potential, and that will be a rude awakening when they do."

"Still," Solitaire said, fixing her usual grin back in place, gathering up her cards and standing, "Just now all we have to do is kick some ass, right?" She thumped him affectionately on the shoulder, then reached up to key her comm unit.

"Solitaire here, whatcha need Imp?"
Gale
player, 117 posts
Hope is the thing
with feathers...
Sat 22 May 2010
at 05:35
  • msg #5

Re: Columbian Conflict

Gale stood leaning against the other side of the weapons crate Solitaire was playing on, listening to the conversation.  She'd been quiet since the previous night.  It was understandable; this was her first warlike combat.  Mexico had been just a raid, they knew they were going to win.  Here, there were too many unknowns.  Did the other side have novas?  How many?  With what powers?

She tilted her head skyward, feeling the wind blowing over the troops.  There was another weather manipulator here; the conditions all spoke to it.  But since they had baseline troops with them, she wasn't going to pull out her own tricks yet.  At this point, they would probably cause more harm than good.
Comstock
GM, 731 posts
a.k.a. Dillon Amargosa
Man or Mineral?
Sat 22 May 2010
at 13:30
  • msg #6

Re: Columbian Conflict

"Just kick some ass."  He let Solitaire handle the check in with Imp and checked the digital map on his cell phone.  Great little tools these.

"Flare?  Gale?  How are you two holdin' up?"
Impetus
player, 823 posts
Social Tac Nuke
Sun 23 May 2010
at 12:44
  • msg #7

Re: Columbian Conflict

"Just making sure everyone's ears are working.  Novas are to report or their Team Leaders, I am here to assist the teams in coordinating on the field of battle, not to usurp contol.  This mission is standard protocol, do not engage unfriendlies 1 on 1, under any circumstances, and two, three, or four on one is preferred.  Ten on one is, of course, the ideal.  We accept any and all surrenders, and anyone involved in this conflict is, according to the UN charter, to be granted full legal rights as prisoners of war.  Utopia is in charge of policing novas that are captured.  And that at least one or two novas are to escort or watch captured novas until they can be placed in Utopian custody, use your mox injectors as you deem necessary.  Notify myself or Frostburn when you take down an enemy combatant and we will send assistance as soon as possible.
Also, be aware that many of the novas we will be fighting may be under duress or coerced into fighting.  No fatalities unless there is absolutely no other option.  Novas who seek to hide in urban centers are to be engaged and neutralized.  We will try to minimize civilian casualties but we will not allow the precedence to be set that hiding behind civilians will work.
Also, novas will not engage baseline combatants using deadly force unless they present a reasonable threat to our well-being.  I don't know what that would be for Comstock or Pax, but for many of us this means that small arms fire directed at us by soldiers is to be met with either capture or to be ignored.   If anyone has a problem with these orders, speak up now.
"
Phantasm
player, 324 posts
Happy Shiney Person
Sun 23 May 2010
at 20:44
  • msg #8

Re: Columbian Conflict

Phantasm sits nearby, listening to the conversation.  Her eufiber is tuned to a garish neon pink camouflage with skulls covering it; the outfit does absolutely nothing to hide her, but it does make her an exceptionally easy target for snipers and small arms fire, hopefully drawing a bit of it away from the soft, baseline targets around her.
http://www.vistalatina.com/ima..._skull_camo_pink.jpg


"It sucks, but Sol pretty much nailed it.  We can't show how powerful we are, not on this scale, or we'd have have the whole world against us.  It's one thing to see it on paper, or see us take out some criminals, but most people just don't get how powerful we really are. Even when they see us fighting other novas, it's just mostly surreal for them.  If they saw us fighting human armies though, then they'd finally understand, and that would be a bad, bad thing.

They may see it anyway though, depending on how the day goes.  Where do you think the novas are?  You think they'll hit us on the border, or wait until we move through their troops on the border?"

Dr. Zero
player, 415 posts
Puppets!Puppets!Puppets!
Worst.Doctor.Ever.
Mon 24 May 2010
at 16:36
  • msg #9

Re: Columbian Conflict

Phantasm:
"Even when they see us fighting other novas, it's just mostly surreal for them.  If they saw us fighting human armies though, then they'd finally understand, and that would be a bad, bad thing."


"Huh."  Zero pipes up from behind, possibly teleporting in for dramatic effect. "I never thought of it that way. Man, I wanted to go all Terminator on fleshy little people who can't Q-Bolt my butt. And now you are all making all this... logical, well thought out arguments against me punching stuff."

Phantasm:
"They may see it anyway though, depending on how the day goes.  Where do you think the novas are?  You think they'll hit us on the border, or wait until we move through their troops on the border?"


"If they are smart and rotten, the latter. If honorable or arrogant, the former. Do we know what their 'style' is?"
Comstock
GM, 732 posts
a.k.a. Dillon Amargosa
Man or Mineral?
Mon 24 May 2010
at 16:52
  • msg #10

Re: Columbian Conflict

"I'm no Patton ... but if I wanted to slow down a big old force like this, I'd set traps, destroy the road, and hit the column at the border after the head of the column was a few miles in."  Comstock looked up at the sky again.  "I'd also make a lot of bolt-holes, SAM-sites, and have a few fliers around to trash those big expensive planes modern countries use to control the field.  For the most part, the only way to threaten planes in the last thirty years has been with other planes.  I hope someone sent the USAF guy the memo on that, because even someone like Zero or Gale here could destroy whole squadrons on short notice."  Gale could just confound the navigation sensors or smash them to the ground.  Zero was unpredictable, but Comstock imagined him teleporting from cockpit to cockpit incapacitating pilots or leaving grenades behind.  He reflected, then, that he was the only one on the team that couldn't really do anything about aircraft.

He ran a hand over his head.  "Tell Imp ... T2M:A is clear for op."
Suzukaze
player, 165 posts
The steel wind
Mon 24 May 2010
at 19:46
  • msg #11

Re: Columbian Conflict

Suzukaze sits crosslegged meditating near her teamates. She listens to the conversation of how this battle is going to be a bloodbath. She starts speaking to no one in particular. "A bloodbath is an understatment. These guys  were trying to make their own nova's, and whatever drugs. Do we even know how successful they were? What if their whole army is made up of their created nova's or are suped up on whatever drugs?" She stands drawing her blades she stares out across the battlefield. "Worst case scenario. Our human allies get slaughtered, and we are possibly outnumbered. We have the experience though. We work together. This day will be ours."
Rydi
GM, 701 posts
Tue 25 May 2010
at 19:23
  • msg #12

Re: Columbian Conflict

At 0700, the order goes out to move.  The restless troops, already in position for the last hour, are more than happy to actually be doing something, and anxiously start forward.  Engines hum to life as troop transports prepare to roll over the border into Columbia.  Across the border, Nova eyes can make out a great many enemy troops, but not even half of the full Columbian military force is accounted for.

As the first of the transports moves over the border and no fighting occurs, the younger, less experienced soldiers release the breath they'd been holding, anticipating an attack right after the crossing.  The more experienced soldier know better however, and maintain a wary vigilance, as do the novas guarding them.  A fortunate thing for the troops, as ranged artillery from further inland begins to pepper the task force, but is deflected by Pax's crew.  Several mines slip by the scanners and anti-mine vehicles, heavily damaging one transport, but the rest are countered by the various T2Mers gaurding the front.

Baseline enemy troops make no efforts to engage, though snipers begin shooting at novas and baselines alike, using high caliber rounds, as the allied troops move by.  Oddly enough, the snipers present more difficulty to the nova defenders than the artillery or traps, simply because they are harder to detect, and more random in their targeting, and several troops are hit.


Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
If I could get soak scores from peoples with their next post that would be dandy.  I want DV's too, but I just remembered that there was some rewrite required on how DV's actually work, which we never resolved.  I'll try and get something on that posted soonish.  As far as responses to this, feel free to post any special tactics or powers uses, as well as any specific actions you are taking besides just moving forward.

Gravitas
player, 450 posts
Behold Gravitas!
Master of Gravity
Tue 25 May 2010
at 20:54
  • msg #13

Re: Columbian Conflict

Quentin had remained silent as the team had waited. He'd been typing madly on a small laser-projected keyboard1, optimizing the team's software, updating and finalizing the battle maps and redirecting a few satellites to be over the area with higher frequency. When the order was given to move out, he flipped the keyboard off and joined the others in their advance.

Lacking the ability to wear Eufiber, he'd adopted the same camouflage outfit used by the US Army. Since he didn't need many of the features provided by standard battle dress (canteens, compasses, ammunition and the like) he was loaded out with mox injectors and a series of other anti-nova cocktails along with a small supply of medical aids. He had opted to carry a standard-issue officer's sidearm with a single clip for the event that he ran out of juice and needed to protect himself.

None of this was obvious after the first gunshot was heard, though, as he brought his shielding up. It was impossible to tell what the inky black humanoid shape surrounded by light-distorting ripples was wearing. "Well," he said with a wry tone in the voice, "at least we know they care."

1http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/
[Private to GM: Current soak vs bullets is 46B/43L. Subtract 4 successes from accuracy before determining if it is a hit (from Gravitic Shield), and I get a 3 success counterattack (Ripple Shield), hit or miss. My soak is different for different conditions, so let me know if you need it for other situations.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:55, Tue 25 May 2010.
Impetus
player, 824 posts
Social Tac Nuke
Wed 26 May 2010
at 02:46
  • msg #14

Re: Columbian Conflict

As the first colunm of troops moves across the boarder a large hologram of Imp sprang to life, hovering above the troops, loudspeakers booming out his message, "My friends, I understand why you are doing what you are doing, that you've been told that your way of life, your families, your country will be destroyed by the invaders.  You have been lied to.  Your government has been bought by men who traffic in misery and death, parasites that drain the blood from men and women like you.  you know Utopia's reputation.  You know that we build, not destroy.  You know we create jobs, schools, hospitals, and better lives.  My friends, do not fight us, lay down your arms and return home, or come and talk with any of the Utopian personnel that you see here.  We can make Columbia strong again.  Make her the jewel of South America, help us to help you."*  The troops below the eidolon moved with determination, knowing that they were serving to bring peace, stability and aid to a ravaged country.  Behind Imp shook his head, what made him any different from people like Goebbels?  Brainwashing the opponents, even if it was for the best of reasons, still felt dirty.


Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
using almost live and most of my other mega social enhancements to kick auto sux up to around 20 or so.  With the roll we're looking at 25+- for anyone who can see/hear the broadcast and speaks Spanish.
Init: 18
DV: 9
Soak: 11/8


This message was last edited by the player at 11:02, Fri 28 May 2010.
Gale
player, 118 posts
Hope is the thing
with feathers...
Wed 26 May 2010
at 03:16
  • msg #15

Re: Columbian Conflict

Gale stayed close to Flare and Solitaire.  She'd partnered up with the other fliers at various points during this campaign, and so she felt the most comfortable being near them.  Just before she crossed the border, she remembered to create the swirling vortex of air that protected her.  Once the snipers started shooting, she was thankful for that.  Unlike some of the others, a bullet could kill her very easily.


Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Spent 3Q to activate wind shield.
Current Quantum: 25/28
Soaks: 14B/12L


Comstock
GM, 733 posts
a.k.a. Dillon Amargosa
Man or Mineral?
Thu 27 May 2010
at 03:28
  • msg #16

Re: Columbian Conflict

"Team: no rule says we can't track down those snipers and tell the troops where they are.  Locations.  Fliers, make it happen.  Over."  Comstock marched defiantly onward.  Bullets and missiles did not scare him anymore.  Impetus looming presence above gave the march a sense of righteous purpose.  Voice of God, huh.  Gun propped against his shoulder, he sauntered on, unable to shield anyone with his powers except by providing an obvious target.

"Hey Flare: I don't care what they said in your orders and I don't care if we're on the edge of a national park or ecological reserve.  If the fighting starts in earnest, I want that jungle aflame like napalm in 'nam.  Antaeus will fix anything we break anyway.  Over."  He trusted Solitaire, Quentin and Zero to do their jobs and do them well, but some nagging sense of seniority or responsibility kept him nagging to newer team members.

And then there was Phantasm.  He clicked over to a private channel.  "Hey P: save your juice for when the shooting starts.  I don't want to see any ghosts calling out coordinates.  We'll need you to make a mess when the bad guys play their hand."  'Big brother' was a distant and dictatorial presence, sending tons of mixed signals her way, singling her out.  [Private to Phantasm: Phantasm knows Comstock well enough to recognize that he's not acting normal.  Could be interpreted a few ways: he's passive aggressive toward P, obviously coming to hate her because of the Teragen philosophy; he's planning something out of the ordinary, maybe something illegal; he's too worried about her, treating her like a little girl; he's becoming an image-hound, too concerned about appearances and public image to tolerate her anymore.  Take it as you like it.]


Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
DV: ~2

Soak
Stamina [4B/2L]
Mega-Stamina (Resiliency) [+8B/+4L]
Armor 4 [+12B/+12L]
Eufiber Suit [+3B/+3L]  (assuming three points of quantum charge)
Persistent Total Soak: [27B/ 21L]

Comstock won't waste his juice trying to stay fully buffed the whole way, partly because he doesn't want to weigh two-thousand pounds while he traipses across a wet jungle.  Once a major battle starts up, though, he'll turn on:

Density Control (Increase) [+7B/+7L] (total 6 quantum spent) 7X weight!
Molec. Manip. (Second Skin) [+6B/+6L] (1 quantum)
Total Buffed Soak: [40B/34L]; will spend more on Density Control as appropriate.


Flare
player, 209 posts
Cogito ergo flamma sum.
Fri 28 May 2010
at 22:55
  • msg #17

Re: Columbian Conflict

Flare didn't want to do this. Didn't want to be here. War wasn't anything she'd ever wanted to join.  A skirmish to do good, or just to cut loose, she could handle, but no matter what happened today, things would change, the world would likely change.  War, blood bath, battle, these were the short-term. Painful and frightening, yes, but temporary. It was what came after that had her pale and drawn.  Nothing could take back what they would do today, and the eyes of the world were upon them.

She pulled out of her musings at Comstocks okay to light up the rainforest.  Shaking her head and cracking a smile she preps for battle.

"You got it boss-man, though I'll let you deal with the environmentalists screaming that I'm the eco-antichrist."

She could delay destroying the ecosystem for just a bit, however, and stays off the ground and out of the main treeline while lighting up.


Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
19B, 17L for soak

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