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08:57, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Cry havoc: Mission briefing.

Posted by The CorporationFor group 0
The Corporation
GM, 12 posts
Wed 26 Jul 2017
at 21:41
  • msg #1

Cry havoc: Mission briefing

It’s approaching the first day of winter when your plane touches down in Johannesburg and the walk to the terminal under a clear blue sky is bracing in the thin air of the mile-high city. Immediately you notice the police presence – officers in light blue blouses and dark blue pants and peaked caps with H&K MP-5s in hand seem to be everywhere, heads swiveling as they scan the crowd.

Inside the terminal, more officers with German shepherds are given a wide berth by the passengers moving between ticket counters, gates, and baggage carousels. Passing a newsstand, the Sunday Times bears images of smoke and flames from what appears to be an oil refinery, perhaps more than one, results of an African National Congress (ANC) terrorist attack overnight.

Retrieving your bags, you find a Holiday Inn shuttle bus conveniently parked outside the arrival concourse, and you are whisked to your hotel. A polite clerk takes your name, issues you a room key and an envelope. The accommodations are comfortable if utilitarian and after setting down your bags, you open the envelope.

Inside is a hand-written note: ‘Kitchener’s, Braamfontein, 2 June 19:30.’


OOC: You have roughly 18 hours to spend in or around Joburg before arriving at Kitchener's Carvery in the Braamfontein suburb. Let me know how you spend your day and we'll move on to meeting your employer.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:57, Wed 26 July 2017.
Andy Wilson
player, 4 posts
Wed 26 Jul 2017
at 22:48
  • msg #2

Cry havoc: Mission briefing

I spend some of the day doing a little shopping. Want to get some anti-malaria & anti-dysentery tablets/medicine, water purification tablets, insect repellent.
Plus, I better pick up a few tools appropriate for what a demolitions expert might need.
Steve Heron
player, 4 posts
Thu 27 Jul 2017
at 00:47
  • msg #3

Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Steve will spend a bit of time shopping for more first aid/medical equipment (appropriate for a field medic kit), then spend a little time at the hotel bar afterward (perhaps meeting some of the other PCs?) The rest of the time after he'll spend in the hotel bed, trying to sleep (though having a difficult time of it, due to excitement over his imminent return to being back in the shit, with its accompanying adrenaline rush).
Cameron Salizar
player, 7 posts
Thu 27 Jul 2017
at 05:37
  • msg #4

Cry havoc: Mission briefing

In reply to The Corporation (msg # 1):

Cameron starts the day grabbing a local newspaper and looking for headlines that might indicate what conflicts in the area might require mercenary solutions.  He asks the concierge where he might find a safari outfitting store and somewhere that might have topographical maps of the region.  Assuming he finds answers to the stores and regions in conflict he'll go to the outfitting store to purchase field medical kit, various camouflage necessities, bug netting and repellent, water purification tablets and maps of interesting areas.  Following that he'll hit a larger supermarket and pick up a collection of pain relievers, anti histamines,anti-dysentery and gum.
Andy Wilson
player, 8 posts
Thu 27 Jul 2017
at 11:28
  • msg #5

Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Also while shopping I buy a transistor radio, camera + film, and batteries, and some bars of chocolate.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:31, Thu 27 July 2017.
The Corporation
GM, 15 posts
Thu 27 Jul 2017
at 14:57
  • msg #6

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Cameron Salizar:
In reply to The Corporation (msg # 1):

Cameron starts the day grabbing a local newspaper and looking for headlines that might indicate what conflicts in the area might require mercenary solutions.  He asks the concierge where he might find a safari outfitting store and somewhere that might have topographical maps of the region.  Assuming he finds answers to the stores and regions in conflict he'll go to the outfitting store to purchase field medical kit, various camouflage necessities, bug netting and repellent, water purification tablets and maps of interesting areas.  Following that he'll hit a larger supermarket and pick up a collection of pain relievers, anti histamines,anti-dysentery and gum.

The Times goes into greater depth regarding the ANC attack on the three refineries - fortunately there were no fatalities though a guard was injured in one of the attacks, but the damage is extensive and expected to run into the tens of millions. The police have made no arrests at this time, and there is considerable discussion about the intensifying threat posed by the border with the new nation of Zimbabwe - formerly Rhodesia - and the continuing presence of ANC camps in Mozambique, which are tacitly supported by the government of President Somora Machel and his ruling FRELIMO party. Politicians call for more direct aid of RENAMO, the rebels currently fighting against the ruling FRELIMO regime while praising Prime Minister Botha's decision to put the South African Defense Force in charge of all security operations in Northern Natal, along the border with Mozambique.

The paper discusses continuing operations against SWAPO rebels in southern Angola and the weeks-old school strike by black students across the country.

Finally, the rugby season started and Northern Transvaal, behind breakout star Naas Botha, and Western Province are predicted to repeat their matchup in the Currie Cup finals this year.
Andy Wilson
player, 9 posts
Thu 27 Jul 2017
at 16:00
  • msg #7

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Is there any further news on the radio or television that might be relevant?
Janco van Apeldoorn
player, 7 posts
Thu 27 Jul 2017
at 17:03
  • msg #8

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Janco hangs about poolside and relaxes whilst reading about yet another ANC action and laughs about the incompetence of the SA gov't to deal with terrorism and its failure to recognize demographic realities. Can't wait to get out of Johannesburg. Hopes for a good war in Zimbabwe or Mozambique. Switches over to the comics page.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Thu 27 July 2017.
The Corporation
GM, 17 posts
Fri 28 Jul 2017
at 17:57
  • msg #9

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Andy Wilson:
Is there any further news on the radio or television that might be relevant?

The SASOL refinery attacks lead the news, of course - it appears that magnetic explosives were attached to the tanks by the ANC terrorists, who cut fences to access the facilities. One police official describes the attacks as extremely well-coordinated, though at one of the refineries one of the explosives failed to detonate, giving investigators important evidence. Discussion of attempts to catch the terrorists is backed by footage of SADF and police units patrolling the border with Mozambique.

There's footage of SADF artillery shelling SWAPO positions in southern Angola, along with what appear to be fairly generic shots of helicopters leaving on a mission and armored vehicles rolling down a dusty road.

The other major story is the school strike,  and both protests and an increase in criminal activity by truants are straining police resources - a school superintendent is interviewed, who says blacks are only hurting themselves by leaving school.

Rugby and cricket dominate sports news, and the recent recommendation of the British Commission on Sport's report to the IOOC to allow South African athletes to participate in international competition again is discussed.
The Corporation
GM, 18 posts
Fri 28 Jul 2017
at 19:42
  • msg #10

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

It's roughly a forty minute cab ride from the Holiday Inn - and a short jaunt from the Carlton for Janco - to Kitchener's Carvery. It appears to have been a hotel at one time, with an attached stable, whitewashed walls and ornate Victorian iron work - broekie lace to Janco - on the first floor balcony.

Inside, a curved wooden bar stretches along the left-most wall, with a dozen-plus tables scattered around two connected taprooms. It's a Monday night crowd, a few business-suited men and well-dressed women from downtown downing Gordon's Dry and water or sipping glühwein, some locals with their pints of Castle Lager. All of the guests are white,  the only black face a boy carrying glasses to the kitchen to wash.

Sitting in the corner to the right is a long man in grey suit that looks like he slept in it, or perhaps didn't change after a long flight. Heavy set, short grey hair trimming a round, bluff face, he looks to be in his late forties or early fifties but still a tough customer as he sizes each of you up in turn, then calls you over by name - the picture you were asked to send with your resume now makes sense - the words drenched in an Irish brogue. "I'm Paddy Curran," he says, shaking hands with a hard grip. "Push on upstairs, private room, first doorway on the right."

Up the creaking wooden staircase to the first floor landing, the old guest rooms have become private lounges, and through the first doorway on the right a long dark wooden table surrounded by high-backed chairs comes into a view. Another man is already seated here, tall and spare with a shock of blond hair combed straight back from a widow's peak. "Piet Coetzee," he introduces himself with an Afrikaner lilt, rising as you come in. "Welcome to South Africa."

As the last of you ascends the stairs, Paddy Curran follows with a word to the barkeep and as the six of you settle around the table, a frumpy bar maid with a hairstyle ten years out of date arrives and sets a pint of golden Castle in front of each man.

OOC: Please use a color to highlight dialog - it makes it easier for me to locate in long posts. I'm reserving dark green for non-player characters and for my out-of-character notes.
Steve Heron
player, 7 posts
Sat 29 Jul 2017
at 06:10
  • msg #11

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

Steve's not gonna say anything, yet. He just sits there, hands folded in front of him on the table, trying not to let on how excited he is. He figures THEY contacted HIM; there must be a reason they did so. He's waiting to hear what that reason is.
Andy Wilson
player, 10 posts
Sat 29 Jul 2017
at 11:33
  • msg #12

Re: Cry havoc: Mission briefing

After quickly sizing up everyone in the room. I raise my glass, say, “Cheers!” and take a drink.

 “Now, it’s nice to be here in South Africa, but as my colleagues are either playing it cool, or are too shy to ask, perhaps you gentlemen could explain why we are here.”

And after taking another swig of beer, add, “And what our financial remuneration will be.”
This message was last edited by the player at 11:44, Sat 29 July 2017.
Janco van Apeldoorn
player, 9 posts
Sat 29 Jul 2017
at 23:34
  • msg #13

Cry havoc: Mission briefing

After polite greetings, Janco remains mum, waiting to find out what the job is and who he may be working with, and whose hands his life may be in.
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