Marcus Goldstein - Convoy escort
“I’ll keep it in mind after I get enough time and resources for a proper overhaul. I have a design ready on paper, but that necessitates an entirely new hull. Prior to enrollment I was happy just getting her to run properly. The original Atlesian design was never meant to carry anything bigger than an eighty-eight mill so I had to overhaul the entire chassis to fit the current one-oh-five mill. This turret? Built completely from scratch, that’s two years of work right there. Don’t even get me started on the nightmare that was automating every single system so I could drive solo.” Marcus replied to Diamond’s comment about a cab. It was a good idea to bump it up the priority list though now that for once he had access to a proper workshop. The situation also helped him get a grip on his urge to swear. He still had no idea where that came from, but it happened whenever he mentally merged with the Unsubtle.
“As for the mission, one second. Our representative should have the very latest intel for us.” Marcus added and popped open the hatch. Just in case he pulled up his own findings on his scroll as well. Once out of Vale they were headed for the south-east, about where the Great Plains starts to run into the Canth Hills. As their guide informed them, the biggest concealment they could expect was tall grass and some old Quartz mesas. Ideal tank country: Anything that could get through the armor would be spotted from miles away. While in return he could vaporise said big things at his leisure. His grin faded and was replaced by a more thoughtful stare once he listened to the recovered radio message. The tidbit about eating hinted towards a Ratatosk swarm, but those could not hope to stop a convoy on that sort of terrain.
On top of that came Diamond’s concerns. She was right in that Grimm tended to leave marks. On top of that, the Grimm of the Great Plains had a tendency to roam about rather than stay in a given place. Vale kept a large number of different of roads open across the plains on purpose: With traffic not forced to go through any fixed place, it was an immediate catastrophe if the Grimm blocked any one route. As a consequence the beasts preferred to wander about in huge swarms, devouring whoever was unlucky enough to cross their path.
It was when she accused Rice of treason that he looked up sharply, though he let her finish.
“Do you have proof that Rice is not to be trusted?” he asked. To leave one’s fellow man to the Grimm was one of the few crimes that still allowed for capital punishment in the field, one that even novice hunters could enact at their own discretion. Though it meant a shitton of paperwork for him as team leader.
“As for the positioning, this was actually planned out. Oswald and Aurellius, you get to go and hitch a ride on the first truck with Rice, while Diamond and I are the rear guard. Oswald has local command up front. Once we’re out of the city we’ll go into the standard open convoy formation.” he explained. That meant at least a good one hundred meters between each truck and finally his own Unsubtle. It prevented the vehicles from all being caught in one go once the ambush started.
“Once the ambush happens the trucks that can will go around and keep moving while we engage. Oswald and Aurellius screen for Diamond and me. I provide long range cover while you Diamond get the most important task: There are two tow cables with grappling hooks on a quick-release latch on the rear of the tank. Hook those onto anything left of the ambushed trucks. Once I’m hooked up I tow it out of the ambush zone while we bail out as a group. Aurellius that includes you.” he said this with a pointed stare. While Marcus was not creeped out by his bloodthirsty teammate, he could not let it get to Aurellius' head.
“Remember, we are not sticking around to kill whatever it is that is doing this. Our priority is to get that town supplied first. Should anyone get separated and unable to get back to the main convoy, you get back to Vale, tell them what happened and get help. Questions and comments?” he outlined his plans. Meanwhile the truck drivers started their engines. Rice was in a hurry it would seem.
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