SOLO Campaign-Dean Team Part 4
Current Adventure: Infiltrate
Date: 110 - 1120
Subsector/Sector Location: Tri-Empire/Glimmerdrift Reaches
Cast of Characters (Dean Team):
Dean Halvaard (Force Commander)
Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Considers Keter an enemy.
Striker Anderson (Major)
Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Considers Dean a rival.
Jansen Trueblood (First Lieutenant)
Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Admires Kilgar.
Keter Lancel (Lance Sergeant)
Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Friendship with Dean through guilt.
Kilgar Plenson (Lance Sergeant)
Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Knows about Striker's gambling problem.
Kyle Rheimer (Lance Sergeant)
Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Likes to ridicule Jansen.
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Negotiations begin with the Ginlenchy Concordance (GinC) for contracted mercenary services provided by the Golden Company for any interested systems within the GinC. The group meets with Verenson Kull, a diplomat for the GinC.
Verenson Kull is a staunch ally of the Imperium. Most systems within the GinC are extremely nervous with the rise of the 3 Fists Triumvirate within the Republic of Krax. Verenson believes the independence of the entire GinC is at risk. He has known Dean Halvaard for many years and fully trusts him. Verenson assures the Golden Company representatives (Dean Team) this meeting is a mere formality. The GinC is more than ready to sign the agreement with the Golden Company.
117-1120 The Deal is Done!
The contract is signed with great enthusiasm by all participants. The official meeting ends on the first day, but the rest of the week was filled with relaxation and entertainment, courtesy of the Ginlenchy Concordance. The team is refreshed, and ready to start its next mission.
Verenson Kull meets with the Dean Team in their private quarters at a villa near the Bakcyon startport. He provides the group with documents for their new identities. The first set of IDs has the Dean Team serving in the Ginlenchy Scout Service (GSS) They will be serving as scouts aboard the GSS Hawk. The second set of IDs has the Dean Team serving as crew members aboard a merchant ship. The crew is scheduled to join the Far Trader, Free Enterprise, at Jeffer-Scott/Williamsburg/Glimmerdrift Reaches. The Free Enterprise is scheduled to depart Jeffer-Scott on 229-1120, so the crew should have plenty of time to reach their destination. Merchant ships often keep their regular schedules, but delays do occur. The team will need to carefully monitor their progress to avoid any delays. The Free Enterprise will not delay their departure for long, since free traders need to keep moving in order to make money. Any extended delay by the Free Enterprise, apart from mechanical issues, will rouse suspicion. Jeffer-Scott and Spadling are known to be infested with 3FT spies.
118-1120 The Mission Threatened
Dean decides to rid himself of an enemy by sending Keter Lancel back to Golden Company Headquarters with the newly-signed agreement. The Dean Team meets to discuss the next phase of the mission, and Dean breaks the news to Keter. Keter becomes enraged and demands someone else should do it. "You don't need me to be a delivery boy. Send it the way documents like this are sent...THROUGH A COURIER!" Keter began to visibly shake from his rage. Dean quickly retorted, "You will do as you are ordered, Lance Sergeant! I want this contract HAND DELIVERED, and it WILL NOT BE DELIVERED BY A COURIER! The information in this agreement will NOT fall into the hands of spies because of some errand boy's failure to properly guard its contents." "Get someone else," Keter replied. Dean's response was quick, "NO, I ORDER YOU TO DO IT AND THAT'S FINAL!" Keter stormed out of the room and headed back to his quarters. Striker began to follow Keter, but Jansen replied, "Let him cool off for awhile." Striker agreed. The rest of the team members concured, and began discussing their plans for infiltrating the Krax Republic.
After about twenty minutes, Keter returned to the meeting room holding a metal trash receptacle which contained the dying embers of a small fire. Keter sat the receptacle down before the rest of the team and with an evil grin replied, "I just torched all of my original identity papers. I'm not going anywhere!" The entire team was speechless for a moment, then Striker responded, "What have you done?!" At this point, the room erupted into a shouting match of curses, accusations, and insults. After several minutes, the team members began to compose themselves. "If you don't like it, too bad. Maybe I'll report this whole mission to the media. I am going back to my villa. Later, losers" was Keter's response to the rest of the team members. The team stood there dumbfounded, as they silently contemplated the ramifications of Keter's threat.
The heat of the moment soon passed, and cooler heads prevailed. Dean contacted Verenson Kull to see if it was possible to have Keter arrested and secure him until Golden Company forces arrived and placed him into custody. Verenson's secretary informed Dean that he had just departed Bakcyon for a long-planned vacation to Aldrus (Tri-Empire/Glimmerdrift Reaches). The team resumed its discussion on what to do. Jansen and Kyle insisted Keter cannot remain a part of the team. Striker and Kilgar were not as resistant to Keter remaining as Jansen and Kyle were, but both Striker and Kilgar believed something must be done. After about an hour of discussion, the team reached a solution. Dean will have to fire Keter. Kilgar volunteered to return to Imperium space and deliver the contract to Golden Company Headquarters. He would return to Bakcyon with the first contingent of mercenaries as soon as possible.
The group sent for Keter, and informed him of their decision. Surprisingly, Keter had already resigned himself to this outcome and agreed to abide by their decision. He turned to Dean and replied, "I agree with the team's decision, Commander. I will honor it as well as my oath to the 4518th. I will remain on Bakcyon for the foreseeable future and contemplate my future." Keter saluted Dean, turned, and left the room. The entire Dean Team believed Keter would not betray them as he had threatened to do earlier.
119-1120 to 173-1120 Preparations for Next Mission
The Dean Team rests for a few more days, then begins training for the next leg of their journey. The preparation is intense and requires training in scout ship duties as well as merchant duties. The team feels confident their training will help them to pass as scout/merchant ship crew members. The team hears and sees nothing of Keter. Kilgar salutes his team members as he boards a transfer ship. This starship will take him back to Simulacrim where he will wait to board the Illustrious Star as it makes its way to Simulacrim , following its regular travel route. It may be a long time before the team sees Kilgar again. It is also possible they may never meet with him again. Only time and good fortune will tell.
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