COMPLETE Chapter 19: The Lithonian Job

Scene 1, in Blackrock Base   As usual, Backdraft will summon the available party members for a new mission. He will once again have a briefing room outside of Central Command.   BD: You're all here? Good.   BD: First off, we're looking into solutions to your "Unicron" problem. But at Blackrock Base we've got plenty to worry about-- so that's for another time. Right now, we're tying loose ends.   BD: During your last mission, our spy Tyranex was able to steal some valuable files from the Panzer Soldaten. He covered his tracks fairly well, but they will no doubt be suspicious that an external party is meddling in their affairs. Your job is going to be telling them exactly who... before they figure out it was us.   BD: You're going to infiltrate another Panzer Soldaten stronghold, and steal more valuable information from them. This will benefit us two ways-- one, the intel you find is going to help us keep tabs on their operations. After the Autobots, they're our biggest threat up there. Two, it's going to look like sabotage by a rival mercenary company, not an actual military. That's right. We're encouraging you to be unprofessional.   BD: That doesn't mean you can rush in guns blazing, however. This is your target, Festung Dora. This isn't some little dinky outpost, it's a full-scale fortress situated on Wildcat Peak in Nevada. It's one of five core fortesses that act as the home bases for the Panzer Soldaten's operations. Recently, we've been seeing a lot of logistics moving in and out of the base on satellite, and we want to find out why.   BD: We also don't understand much about the PS's command structure, but decrypting their transmissions says that the commander of Festung Dora is about to be visited by some kind of inspection. This makes it the perfect time to sabotage them. The little intel we have suggests that the commander of the base is a mech by the name of Baron von Hellrot. Gathering information on him and on his superiors will help us immensely in staying one step ahead of the Panzer Soldaten.   BD: Festung Dora is going to be difficult to get into. To that end, we're supplying you with a set of construction tools, thieves' tools, a compact camera, and two packs of demolition charges. You'll also be equipped with IFF jammers, and dermal patches for obscuring your faction insignias.   BD: My recommendation would be to avoid direct conflict. You might have been able to overwhelm the small garrison of Vorposten Ludwig, but this time you'll be going up against an entire company if you're discovered. I wouldn't advise letting that happen. Your bodies are going to be telltale evidence that something is afoot-- so don't leave anything or anyone behind.   BD: So, in summary, here are your goals for the mission. Break into the fortress. Collect evidence on what's consuming all of the resources-- hard evidence would be the best. Find out exactly who this Baron is and who he answers to. Convince them that whoever did this was a rival mercenary company.   BD: All right, I'll give you a few megacycles to prepare. You know where to be once you're ready.   Scene 2, near Festung Dora   Backdraft will meet the party in the Muster and hand over their equipment. The party will follow their waypoint tracker to a safe distance, after which they can begin observation.   Not long after their arrival, they will notice PS convoys exiting NV-82 to drive up into the mountains. One convoy will contain Cabrio, on her way to examine Festung Dora. Guards at the gate will admit the convoys into the base.   Guard: Ah, Fraulein Cabrio. Wilkommen. We'll get you right inside and alert the Baron that you're ready.   C: Danke.   The party can locate run-off to the north-west of the facility, which, if followed, will lead to a sewage tunnel. The sewage tunnel is blocked by a grate that will require a DC 20 Athletics check to remove. Once removed, the party can use the sewage tunnel to enter the Machine Shop. The party can also infiltrate the base by attempting to blend into the convoy, though they will be noticed unless they hide inside one of the delivery trucks (DC 20 Stealth). Delivery truck packages will be taken to the Armory.   After Cabrio enters the base, the Baron will emerge from the officer's quarters and meet with her outside of the Drill Yard.   BH: Ah, Fraulein Cabrio-- I wasn't expecting you just yet.   C: That's your mistake, Hellrot. Feldmarschall wants these inspections candid. I intend to give her that.   BH: But of course... shall I give you the tour?   C: Oh, that's a delightful idea. But I'll be choosing the order. This base has six sectors, correct? Then I'll just roll this six-sided dice to decide where we go next.   BH: How... random.   C: Exactly. That way, you're not going to scurry ahead of me and fix your errors.   BH: Well, I won't keep you waiting. Roll your dice.   Scene 3, the tour Cabrio will roll her dice to select where she and the Baron will go next. At each location, there are clues to collect.   1. The Drill Yard. Two small sheds are located on the west end of the Drill Yard. After unlocking them (a DC 10 Sleight of Hand), the players can find many supplies inside. Posted on the wall are "slipway conversion instructions," a diagram that shows the Drill Yard being cleared out by engineers, as well as multiple wooden slats.   BH: So, this is the Drill Yard. I'm certain you saw it on the way in. Our troops run their exercises here. It's all to keep them in tip-top shape.   C: Of course. Standard procedure. Do you participate?   BH: Oh, in this? No, I'm... I'm a flyer. This is really for our ground forces.   C: Or do you believe you're above it?   BH: That's preposterous.   C: You're a soldier too. Your rank may give you command, but on the field you are equal to your troops. Don't forget that.   2. The Armory. The main entrance puts visitors close to the service counter with the Quartermaster. A back door, locked (DC 10 Sleight of Hand) enters the building away from the Quartermaster, in the ammunition dump. A DC 10 Investigation will have the players discover the large-caliber wet storage.   BH: Here's the armory. Our small-arms production might seem low, but--   C: Oh, don't worry about that. The other production facilities have been making up for the slack. But you need to make sure it's worth their time.   BH: Of course, Fraulein Cabrio. We've also set up wet storage for the more... volatile ammunition.   C: Safety first. Let's take a look.   BH: It's a glycol solution. I would not advise--   C: Touching it? Please, Baron. I'm perfectly capable of cleaning myself off.   3. The Officer's' Quarters. The building has two floors. On the bottom floor is a lobby and meeting room for clients, the second floor contains guest rooms as well as the Baron's quarters. All rooms on the second floor are locked, requiring a DC 10 Sleight of Hand check to open. In the Baron's quarters (richly ornamented), players will find reports from other PS units, detailing air sorties that were destroyed in the "Dixie Valley" area, as well as photographs of a mysterious aircraft and radio transcriptions from panicked fliers as they are shot down. A DC 25 Assimilation check will reveal the aircraft as an F-15 ACTIVE.   BH: And these are the officer's quarters. Are you planning on staying?   C: Unfortunately, no. There was a break-in at Verposten Ludwig, as you may have heard. It'll be a mess to clean that up.   BH: Perhaps I could at least offer you a drink?   C: Ah, a clever tactic. Inebriate me, and I'll go easy on your evaluation?   BH: That's not what I was suggesting.   C: But you suggested it. A drink, then.   BH: I do have a Rodian scotch in reserve.   C: Perfect. But, in moderation.   BH: Excellent. I will bring it out. (He will enter his room to find the bottle, located in a bedstand)   4. The Barracks. One of the four buildings has temporary signage identifying it as "prisoners' quarters." Guards stand out front, and the windows are boarded over. Breaking into the makeshift prison (requires a DC 15 Sleight of Hand) will reveal a few Speedwagon Droogs asleep in the minimal quarters.   BH: Here are the barracks and the mess.   C: How's the food?   BH: I don't see the relevance of--   C: How is it?   BH: I wouldn't know.   C: Let me guess, it's not good enough for you?   BH: I can spend my money how I want.   C: Yes, but eating with your troops builds morale. We may not be serving Iaconian cuisine, but your soldiers need to know you don't think you're better than them.   BH: Ha! What a ridiculous notion. My family--   C: Was purged. Don't forget that.   BH: Zahnrader nonsense.   5. The Subterranean Hangar. A guard stationed at the service elevator has the keycard needed to control the lift. The lift exits into a series of underground tunnels, all of which lead into the hangar. A large ramp leads upwards from the hangar to the surface. Brunhilde is contained within a large metal "dome" and is not visible from the ground. Technicians feed large Cybertronium bars into a machine which grinds them into a powder, this powder is then sealed in canisters. The canisters are then placed in a feed mechanism which sends the particles through the life support tubes into the dome. Numerous gantries crisscross the hangar. Dr. Sprocket can be seen patrolling this area. On the second-floor catwalk, there are multiple monitors showing life-support readouts, and a diagram of a very large Cybertronian. A file can be found here titled "Reformatting Report 16/7/2022." The report reads:   DS: Subject continues to make progress, though the material cost is still higher than expected. Our calculations were made with the square-cube law in mind, but we did not take into account the density of the armor being replicated. The transformat data was largely incomplete, and as a result, the subject is subconsciously filling in the "missing details." The exact performance the reformat will give is unclear, but considering the increases found in most of our standardized transformats, the benefits should be noticeable. Still, the project continues to run behind schedule. Stimulants are not advised. When the Baron and Cabrio enter, Dr. Sprocket will meet with them.   BH: This is our medical officer, herr Sprocket.   DS: A pleasure, mein fraulein.   C: Likewise. So, this is Brunhilde?   BH: Yes. Still a work in progress.   C: Still? Hasn't she been reformatting since Dora's construction?   DS: She's a fine specimen of Destron genetics, fraulein Cabrio. But such perfection takes time. We estimate she's 98% complete, but progress has slowed, and she's needed more and more cybertronium. Growing pains, you could say.   C: That's all well and good, herr doctor, but it's eating through our budget.   BH: Die Feldmarschall wants a landkreuzer, and we're going to deliver.   C: No, you're going to deliver on budget. Treadbolt will allocate no additional funding for Brunhilde.   DS: Then how do you expect us to complete her reformatting? We can't leave her like this, you know!   C: The Baron can cover this from his own pay. That should cover the difference.   BH: And why exactly is this my responsibility? I cannot control how fast Brunhilde changes!   C: This is your command. Everything here is your responsibility. You are not going to put our company in the red because you're washing your hands of your own little project.   BH: I didn't ask for this command. When I signed on, I specified--   C: That you wanted the air wing? Yes, I reviewed your application. I reviewed everyone's application. You were not qualified.   BH: Like hell! I spent two years at a flight academy.   C: Paid for by your family, yes. There was a reason it was dissolved.   BH: Because Zahnraders like you have no respect for the old ways!   C: Because Zahnraders like me know better ways. Everyone is a cog in the machine, Hellrot. Everyone has a purpose to serve. I approved your application because you kept your family's accounts balanced even when they lost everything in the purge. That's why you have this command. But perhaps that was a fluke.   BH: You think you can walk in here and talk to me like that?   C: Yes. I outrank you. Now, are you going to finish your tour?   6. The Machine Shop. In the assembly line area, captured Speedwagon Droogs work on assembling firearms and other materiel. PS volunteers are working on what looks like very large track segments and large shells. BH: Here is our manufactory. Preparations for Brunhilde are on schedule.   C: But not Brunhilde herself?   BH: We've been able to increase productivity with these, eh, volunteers.   C: Speedwagons?   BH: They launched an attack during a field exercise. Needless to say, they were decimated. We took the remainder prisoner.   C: I'm sure the Autobots wouldn't be happy about us holding their outlaws captive.   BH: The Autobots don't have to know.   C: A fair point.   Once all locations have been reviewed, Cabrio and the Baron will head for the main gate.   C: You pass this inspection, but only just.   BH: Do you really think you can dangle this over me?   C: Absolutely. By all accounts your base runs as it should. But I do question your philosophy. Your title means nothing on this planet, so stop acting like it.   BH: You may spit on me now, but you'll think twice once I've been promoted.   C: What makes you think you'll be promoted?   BH: Contrary to your party nepotism, Treadbolt issues promotions on merit. And I've found a jackpot. Ulchtar is on Earth.   C: Oh?   BH: That's right. He's hiding in the Dixie Valley. I'm going to shoot him down-- it's the last kill I'll need for Ace.   C: Ah yes, you and your academy training.   BH: Just you watch, Cabrio.   C: I'm going to watch you leave your post to go on some snipe hunt. Then we'll see if you pass inspection. Good day, von Hellrot.   When the party attempts to leave, they will walk directly into an ambush planned by Cabrio, who will be joined by the Baron as well as six stormtroopers and four karabiners.   BH: No, no!   C: See? I was right. In all of your noble posing you've neglected observing your base's function. It's dulled you. Of course, that implies you were sharp to begin with.   BH: The Speedwagons, of course! Surrender yourselves now, or my forces will gun you down where you stand!   C: "Your forces?" Von Hellrot, I think you're missing the point. As your superior officer, I'm commanding you to take part in this. Cut them down yourself, and maybe I'll reconsider my evaluation of your command.   BH: I'm not letting you take this from me, Zahnrader scum. Panzer Soldaten, attack!   When the party defeats the PS forces and the baron, Cabrio will laugh in smug satisfaction.   C: Thus always to the decadent members of the "ruling class." I thank you sincerely, my interlopers, for having done your part to drive the gears of progress forwards.   Cabrio crosses to the baron.   BH: Cabrio, wait-- I can do better. I'll give up my rank.   C: Your contract has just been cancelled. You are no longer a member of the Panzer Soldaten. You are a trespasser on company property.   BH: You bastard.   C: Auf weidersehen.   She shoots him.   C: Now, on to business. You managed to infiltrate this fortress, no small feat. Certainly not one within the capability of Speedwagon thugs. If you were Lithonians, I'd hire you on the spot. But you aren't. Against my better judgement, I'll let you go. You've done enough good today to earn a grain of mercy, but nothing more. The next time I see you will be through my crosshairs, understood?   C: Then leave.