Part 13: ...But Hate the Traitor

...But Hate the Traitor

Watch the briefing here / Mirror (7790KB)
Or listen to it here / Mirror (1139KB)



Jack Niven? What?
We've got a new squadron commander. Apparently, Snipes has been "reassigned." Uh oh.

Our mission's a pretty simple one - there's a GTVA cargo depot floating around and we're going to hammer it to dust. Curiously, the brief makes special note that the equipment is all of Terran origin instead of Vasudan.

And not like the NTF don't trust me, but I can't alter anyone's loadout except my own.

The mission starts, and here's my reccomendation: Hit 0 throttle right away. Let your scrubby wingmen suck up the damage (admittedly there won't be much) attacking that cargo depot:


Its sole protection is twelve Alastor gun turrets, which are, er, weak:


These things are basically immobile Subach HL-7 turrets - the guns we're using these days - one on top and one on the bottom for a full spherical field of fire, but it has practically no throw weight.

Now if you sit back and let your wingmen hit the depot, you'll actually end up ahead. Sometimes (rarely, but it happened my first time today) it'll take out three fighters, the entirety of Beta wing in my case. Usually, the sentry guns will knock out one, damage another, or maybe get 2-3 below 50% hull strength. Still, why take damage when you can let your scrubby wingmen take it?


A transport jumps in. Terran Elysium-class, with a cargo that reads "Civilians."

Alpha 2 (Commander Niven): Hostile target inbound. It's a troop transport, Elysium-class.
This one's all yours, Alpha 1. We'll cover you while you destroy the transport.


GTT Omega: Hold your fire! No military personnel are on board this transport! We are evacuating civilians to Alpha Centauri. An attack on this vessel is a violation of the Beta Aquilae Convention!
Alpha 2: Show them what you think of the Beta Aquilae Convention, Pilot.
























































Suck it, Niven. You're an obnoxious dong anyway.


Okay, so I skipped ahead a bit. If you waffle here, Niven gives you some shit.
Alpha 2: So whose side are you on, Alpha 1? Whose orders are you gonna to follow? Make your decision now, Pilot.

If you don't shoot the transport, Niven and the rest of your wingmen (see why I told you to let them soak up the damage) turn hostile.
Alpha 2: Time's up, Pilot. We know all about you. You set us up in Polaris, and you destroyed the Sunder. Now you'll face the firing squad. Sorry you won't live to get your medal, Pilot.

Now unless you got horribly lucky with the sentry guns (or you cheated and blew up Beta when nobody was looking, you scoundrel) you'll be in the middle of a pretty nasty 5v1 when your favorite voice in the world comes on the radio:

Command: Alpha 1, this is Allied Command. We are deploying reinforcements now. Hang in there. Help is on the way.

...Of course, the NTF isn't inclined to let you go - take out your wingmen and they spit eight more Myrmidons and an Aeolus-class cruiser at you.

Of course, when Command cares to send help, they send the very best:


Eight Erinyes from the 99th Skulls. Or should I say, eight Destructowagons? The Myrmidons fall in about five seconds, and then they turn their attention to the cruiser which has been busy trying to lance your ass with its beams like a bad boil:


pew pew pew




This kinda reminds me of Macross.




As soon as the cruiser goes up, the Skulls jump out. Have to maintain that aura of secrecy, you know.

Command: Sorry, you've outlived your usefulness as a deep-cover operative, Pilot. Return to base for reassignment.


Oh, and look who survived:







By the way, if you kill the transport, you get busted anyway. Niven just tells you You're a cold-blooded killer, Alpha 1, but we know all about you. You set us up in Polaris and you destroyed the Sunder. You are hereby stripped of your wings and all priviledges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Neo-Terran front.

And then Command tells you in the debrief you're a war criminal and will be facing trial for murdering innocent civilians. Way to go!


So don't shoot it. REALLY.


If you aren't a mass-murderer, collect $200 and go to Mission Success:


And:



NEXT!
Please Insert CD 3...