Day 1 EA-LA Patrol

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Try as she might, Catherine can't really see all that much inside the wreck.

"We have to go in to learn more." She announces. "Since you want to wait outside, it looks like it'll be Ostrich and me. Let's go."

Skilfully manoeuvring her Wolverine into a good position, the young Sergeant disembarks. After checking that her laser pistol is securely strapped to her hip, just in case, she climbs down. Together with her lancemate Ostrich, she carefully takes a closer up and personal look at the downed plane.

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Investigation [perception] TN15: 4d10o10k3 14
Trollokos ... Again.

[GM Yuusha]

The autocannon holes were much more noticeable from up close. It had definitely been shot down.



Moving along the bodywork Cat would notice a logo. Unfortunately, the text beneath it was written in a language she didn't know. Certainly, it was a military vehicle. It was much too drab and the logo much too aggressive, being crossed spears and swords over some ancient helmet. Further inspection of the snowy impact site and the fading smoke suggested the plane had crashed some time ago, but the heat signature had been much more recent.

It was a mystery.

They'd need to look inside to figure out the contents. In the air, Cat and Ostrich would be able to pick up a faint burnt smell along with the lingering smoke. There was also probably another third of the plane further in the distance somewhere.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

That logo might be important, so Catherine shoots a quick picture of it with her comm kit and sends it up to her patrolling partner.

"Looks like this plane belonged to some sort of planetary militia." She telly Mary. "No idea what 'Andra' means. Could be some place. Or is Andra a planet name? They'd be on the wrong planet then though. And we have no idea what shot them down. Please keep an eye out for the heat source, Headshot."

The young Mechwarrior hums softly to herself, as she considers their options and after a quick discussion with Ostrich, she contacts Mary again. "We smell something burnt in the air. Also, part of the plane is missing, a good third I'd say. It should be around somewhere here. Into the breach we go."

One quick hand signal later, Ostrich and Catherine carefully enter the wreckage.

[Mary Macharu]

Mary, for her part, was keeping an eye on the displays watching for well...anything. Approaching troops, a sudden change in the heat source. Hellcat was definitely taking the more dangerous part of this job, but Mary would do her best to keep her safe.

[GM Yuusha]

One quick hand signal later, Ostrich and Catherine carefully enter the wreckage.

Bodies. Bodies, some blood, smashed luggage and hanging masks. The inside was a mess.

There were a good dozen or so bodies, most thankfully intact, inside the main body. They'd need to count to be sure. Most were still in their seats, but a few had been knocked around. There were likely a few more in the cockpit. The military fatigues, guns and utilitarian cases they could see all confirmed it was a military vehicle. However, the dead were young. Cat's age or younger.

What next?

Outside the view was remarkably clear. Mary and Righty could see well in all directions. There was nothing on their scanners. It almost felt peaceful.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Trying not to balk at the grisly sight and fighting down her rising bile, Catherine takes more pictures and reports over her comm kit what she has found.

The small Sergeant then decides to take a more careful look around.

"I'll try and see if can find any documents. Going to take a look at the cockpit too." Giving Ostrich a quick glance and nod, she carefully proceeds further forward.

Feeling a little paranoid, she does watch the bodies for any sign of movement as well.

This is so creepy ...

[GM Yuusha]

There was no movement. Judging from the paleness, they'd been dead for at least a few hours.

Heading to the cockpit Catherine finds two more bodies. These were much the same, albeit both were in now dirty looking white uniforms. One man and one woman. Both older. Much of the electronic equipment was damaged and there was some damage to the cockpit ferroglass that wasn't from the crash. Light autocannon fire. It hadn't actually broken through the ferroglass, but it had hit.

(Investigation [perception] TN15 to search for documents and other bits)

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

After another quick report, Catherine and Ostrich search through the cockpit for documents and items of interest.
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Cockpit Search (Catherine) - Investigation [perception] TN15: 4k3: 19 = success
Cockpit Search (Ostrich) - Investigation [perception] TN15: 2ku2: 3 = nope

[GM Yuusha]

While Ostrich was less than helpful, Cat has a good rummage. Checking the cockpit carefully, she finds some weapon controls, so she reasons the plane probably had a few weapons on it that could be salvaged. Aside from this, there was a clipboard with Swedish text on it. Any loose pieces of paper probably flew out the hole of the back of the plane. Of more use is the drawer in the cockpit where she finds a set of keys. This seems to give her access to everything else, including storage spaces. Every lock opened after finding the right key. It helped they each had IDs. However, she doesn't find anything especially noteworthy. Rations, some ammunition, whistles, spare parachutes and such. No bag of C-Bills, lostech mechwarrior outfit or strategic map of the enemy's forces.

There was a comms room, but it was practically empty. A laminated map on the wall had a few lines drawn on it and two dots. One in southern Akos and one on central Akos. Going back into the passenger area, with plenty of seats perpendicular to the plane's length, she figures out it must be some kind of troop transport vehicle. Maybe for paratroopers? Rummaging around this further, checking under seats, doesn't reveal anything either.

It was still a mystery.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Taking pictures of everything, especially the clipboard and the map, Catherine hurries to conclude her search. Mysterious heat source still in mind, she tries to watch for signs that somebody else has gone through this wreck before them. Might be a good idea to avoid leaving such traces themselves. Close and lock all the storage spaces again. She will keep the keys though.

Taking the page from the clipboard along with the keys, she folds and stores both in one of her uniform pockets.

All the while she reports her findings to Mary and concludes over her comm kit: "That's all we found here. Don't see any hidden compartments and wouldn't know where to start looking. We'll return to our mechs."

Climbing back out, the both of them proceed to do just that.

[Mary Macharu]

Trying not to balk at the grisly sight and fighting down her rising bile, Catherine takes more pictures and reports over her comm kit what she has found.

The small Sergeant then decides to take a more careful look around.

"I'll try and see if can find any documents. Going to take a look at the cockpit too." Giving Ostrich a quick glance and nod, she carefully proceeds further forward.

Feeling a little paranoid, she does watch the bodies for any sign of movement as well.

This is so creepy ...

Mary, for her part, communicated what Hellcat found back to base.

"located a shot down military transport aircraft. no rescue beacon, no survivors located as of yet. hellcat is gathering intel, establishing any salvage potential, though the location of the crash may make that infeasible." she reported back.

[GM Yuusha]

It was snowy and quiet still outside. They'd looked over the external wreckage of the main part of the plane and they'd checked the insides.

HQ responded to acknowledge the information.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Catherine and Ostrich both climb back into their cockpits, then take a look around.

"Okay ..." The young Sergeant shudders. That was too disturbing and disgusting and will not make her Nightmares any easier.

"We are stilling missing a third of this thing. Let's try and see if we can find it. That mysterious heat source is really bugging me."

Are there any caves around and a survivor maybe made a fire to keep warm? Was there someone else in a vehicle or mech, who found and examined this wreck?

[GM Yuusha]

It'd be relatively easy to follow the damage back from the crash site. If they looked they likely could find the other chunk of plane.

[Mary Macharu]

Catherine and Ostrich both climb back into their cockpits, then take a look around.

"Okay ..." The young Sergeant shudders. That was too disturbing and disgusting and will not make her Nightmares any easier.

"We are stilling missing a third of this thing. Let's try and see if we can find it. That mysterious heat source is really bugging me."

Are there any caves around and a survivor maybe made a fire to keep warm? Was there someone else in a vehicle or mech, who found and examined this wreck?

"understood. there's no sign of anyone else around or incoming, so we should be safe to finish this up." Mary radioed back.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

"Roger that, Headshot. Let's find the missing piece to this puzzle and see if we find more." Catherine radios and gets her Wolverine moving.

"And let's not forget to watch out for that heat source. Could be anything, like a another visitor here before us, or a survivor making fire in a nearby cave or other hidey hole."

[GM Yuusha]

The four mechs advance carefully. On their way they find pieces of the wing and a bits of debris. This sadly includes some of the passengers that much have been ripped out of the hole. Moving past this, the lance spots what must be the rear section thanks to the tail being noticeable from afar.

It takes a few minutes to get to it. As you come closer you can see the damage to it and the shape of the back section of the plane. It looked like something had ripped its way out of it. The snow was melted and the ground underneath, whether dead grass or rocks, was black. Something had exploded here. Your thermal scanners can still detect the heat and there are some embers still within the plane's frame, but everything flammable had been completely consumed in an instant.

If you wanted to look inside then caution would be necessary. A visual and sensor check from outside would be safer.

(Investigation [perception] TN20 to learn more)

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Catherine examines the wreckage with the sensor suite of her Wolverine and moves to get good visuals too.

"What do you make of this, Headshot?" She asks over the radio.
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Rear section Search (Catherine) - Investigation [perception] TN15: 4k3 22

[Mary Macharu]

The four mechs advance carefully. On their way they find pieces of the wing and a bits of debris. This sadly includes some of the passengers that much have been ripped out of the hole. Moving past this, the lance spots what must be the rear section thanks to the tail being noticeable from afar.

It takes a few minutes to get to it. As you come closer you can see the damage to it and the shape of the back section of the plane. It looked like something had ripped its way out of it. The snow was melted and the ground underneath, whether dead grass or rocks, was black. Something had exploded here. Your thermal scanners can still detect the heat and there are some embers still within the plane's frame, but everything flammable had been completely consumed in an instant.

If you wanted to look inside then caution would be necessary. A visual and sensor check from outside would be safer.

(Investigation [perception] TN20 to learn more)

Per/Investigation 33

"i can't see anything surviving that" she offered peering over the data.

[GM Yuusha]

If there was anyone in the rear of the plane when it hit the ground, and they had survived, they were certainly dead now. There was no sign of any footprints or tracks in the snow. Aside from where there was debris or damage, it was untouched.

Catherine and Mary both check the wreckage from the outside. Upon closer inspection the damage wasn't dissimilar to that of a mech exploding apart from its ammunition being hit. If ammunition was stored in the rear, or there was a reactor or some such, it must have exploded.

Mary had the keener eye still as she noticed a melted wheel and a charred piece of front armour. Perhaps a scout car of some kind? Likely the ammunition from a machine gun had been set off due to a fire. Certainly the heat from the blast would have triggered the mechs' scanners from a long way away and ripped apart the rear third of the plane. It must have happened after the plane crashed. It was possibly weapons fire, but there were no signs of vehicles in the air or on the ground as she'd approached.

There might be something to salvage on the main body, but there wasn't going to be anything here.