Log Title: Satellite Assault
Characters: Destro, General Flagg, Hawk, Duke, Zarana
Location: Secure Silo - Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Date: March 22, 2022
TP: MASS Device TP
Summary: NASA is about to unveil their new spy satellite, and due to Baroness's undercover work, Cobra knows the launch date and location! Will the Joes be able to keep the terrorist group from getting hands on technology that will vastly increase the reach and scale of Destro's MASS Device?
As logged by Flagg - Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 1:04 PM
[]
- This secure silo is the most heavily guarded place on the Space Force Station. No one can get in or out without multiple levels of biometric security. Inside, the silo is large enough to conceal a spaceplane - or, in this case, the massive Relay Star spy satellite. Aside from some heavy equipment to move the satellite tomorrow, the room is largely empty - even most of the guards aren't allowed to enter the facility.
- General Flagg
- Major General James Flagg III is currently dressed in an Army Blue Service Uniform, including a midnight blue coat worn with matching blue trousers with gold braid. Several medals pinned to his chest speak of a lifetime of brave, active service. His blue service uniform is worn with a white shirt, a black four-in-hand necktie, and black leather shoes. His head is currently bare, exposing thick hair, dyed black. While still handsome for his age, General Flagg seems to be well past retirement age, and using the G.I. Joe special exemption to stay active.
- Relay Star
- Though satellites are often presumed to be small devices floating around in space, the Relay Star is extremely large. It's the size of the Hubble Space Telescope, measuring 65 feet long and 10 feet wide and weighing approximately 40,000 pounds.
General Flagg gives the Joe internal security a tour of the satellite storage silo. The old officer smiles as he shows off the thick walls and biometric security. "I know you said the Baroness has infiltrated NASA, but it's going to take a lot more than a rubber mask and a fake accent to get through our security. This is the Relay Star," he says, gesturing to the large satellite. "It's 65 feet long and 10 feet wide. I don't think Cobra's just going to stroll off with it," he laughs.
Arriving with a few Greenshirts, Duke is on site. He has a metal briefcase with him and what looks like a bag from the local coffee place. He looks for a table to set up where he needs to be. He looks around for Flagg as he has his coffee and bagel as well. He takes out his cup of coffee. "Good, black. No sugars. No milk. That barista can follow orders pretty well. Might need to recruit her."
General Flagg looks over from where he was carefully inspecting the silo's security. "Careful," he laughs. "She could be the Baroness in disguise!" he laughs. The old officer smiles as he glances at the thick walls and biometric security. "I know you said she's infiltrated NASA, but it's going to take a lot more than a wig and a fake lanyard to get through our security.
"This is the Relay Star," Flagg says, gesturing to the large satellite. "It weighs over 40,000 pounds. I don't think Cobra's just going to carry it off," he laughs. He accepts his coffee and bagel from Duke and joins him at the small table. He holds up the bagel. "You know how to schmooze, Duke. How is it you never became an officer?"
Duke nods slightly as he looks around, "If it was Baroness, I'm sure she'd have screwed up the order just enough to make me not suspect it was her. Probably would have added sugar and dairy." He looks around before he looks at the table, "Sir, I don't think I'd be that great of an officer. I like being in the field. I can't give orders to my crew if I am not in the thick of it with them." He smiles slightly, "Besides, too much paperwork. I'd rather leave the paperwork for Flint to handle. If he complains, I'll just tell him I trust him to do it more environmentally friendly than I can." Did Duke just try to make a joke?
"So, this is the issue? A giant chunk of metal and tech? Considering how Cobra managed to portal into the Pit a month ago and we still have no answers, I'm not sure that we should assume Cobra isn't going to just take it." Duke frowns slightly, "Even Sci-Fi and the Geek Squad haven't been able to give a solid answer on that one yet." He then shrugs, "Speaking of which, he's been yammering about some new idea for a base. I guess we should entertain him later. Maybe we'll have Flint and Hawk do it as they're too busy watching 'Murder She Wrote' or getting to Denny's for the senior special. They aren't as young as we are." Duke slightly winks to show he's attempting a joke.
"I've told some of the crew to get up on Delta and be on standby. Hope they are ready if we need them to be."
General Flagg listens carefully, nodding in agreement with many of Duke's points. "I loved it in the field, but yeah, the higher you get kicked upstairs, the more time you spend in Washington trying to defend your budget. I might stick around to try to get you that new base --- ideally another one named after my dad," he smiles. "Then that might be enough for me. The politics of it all is getting to me after all these years."
Flagg glances back at the Relay Star. "Yeah, that's it. I still think it's secure, but after Cobra got into the Pit - AND back out again - I couldn't be too careful. That's why I asked Hawk to lend me some of your boys to keep an eye on it 'til we launch tomorrow. Can never be too careful."
"And, hey - I'm probably older than Flint and Hawk together. At least, that's how it feels some days," Flagg chuckles.
"Retirement? What's that? What's all this talk about? You're only as old as you want to be, Sir." says Duke as he rolls his shoulders and cracks his elbows while stretching. "The field is where it is at. None of the social and mental chess of trying to figure out which hand you need to shake just to get a new lightbulb order in." There's the shrug, of Duke trying to not say anything too eager. "I know I would not mind doing some more missions with you. Always enjoyed working with the best."
"That base could be a perfect namesake. I'll just make sure our guy doesn't add too many lasers and such. He's known for that." That's when Duke takes a bite of the bagel and sips his coffee. "I just hope we have enough of us for whatever they have planned. All we need is a few 'Noks riding through and we could have to be concerned about getting the civvies out of here."
General Flagg sits at a small metal table with Duke, enjoying some coffee and a bagel with the Joes' Command Sergeant Major. He chuckles. "I think I'm too old for fieldwork... I'm not sure how Hawk does it. Some of that age-juice, I guess. The older I get, the more I'm tempted," he laughs. He looks around again. "I'm sure we're safe. Nothing is getting through these walls, and outside we have an entire military base of defenses," he grins, taking another bite of bagel.
General Hawk enters the room carrying his own cup of GI Approved coffee, which is about one step above engine oil. Grabbing a bagel from a nearby tray, he moves to join the duo at the table. "Good evening, gentlemen. So, what problems of the world have we solved so far?"
Private Harry Llama, the greenshirt, looks as Hawk swipes his bagel that Duke got for the Greenshirts. He's about to say something when another greenshirt, Ryan B. Kelly nods to him, "You can have mine. I'm lactose intolerant. They went heavy on the cream cheese."
Duke is seated with Flagg talking, "I'm thinking of having a full dose of that magic juice but eventually, I'll be too old of a model anyway." He chuckles slightly and finishes his bagel and sips his gourmet coffee from one of those fancy places nearby. He has a cup for Flagg and even one for Hawk. There's a bagel in the bag on the table for Hawk should he want one.
"So, question. What could Cobra really want with this? I mean, Netflix and cable scramblers are pretty cheap these days. Why bother to take all this?"
General Hawk shakes his head. "I wouldn't put it past them. They tried this before, a few years ago, and the resulting blast ended up sending us and Cobra, along with a couple Cybertronians, back to 1848, before the Gold Rush. It's one reason why we have such upgraded security."
Duke nods to Hawk. "Understood. I just still am trying to figure out what crazy plot Cobra Commander could have planned though." He shrugs, "Oh, I got you a toasted everything bagel. With cream cheese. I think that's what I remember you getting?" Duke notions to the bag. "How are things with the new recruits?"
"The usual. Some good, some great, some not so great. We'll get them whipped into shape." Hawk says, taking a sip of his coffee.
Quick Rep: Flagg, Hawk, and Duke are snacking on bagels while talking about what might happen with the Cobra trying to take these device. They are armed and ready for almost anything.
General Flagg stands as Hawk enters the room with his coffee and steals a bagel. "General Hawk," he says respectfully, only sitting back down when Hawk does. "I'm not sure what Cobra wants with this satellite, but it can do more than pass along communications, and it's more than a simple spy satellite as well," he replies vaguely. "If the Baroness chose this time to infiltrate NASA, I can almost guarantee this is the target," he says, gesturing to the Relay Star with his coffee.
There is a glow of energy, and Cobra operatives suddenly appear right in amidst the Joes, weapons drawn and ready for combat. "Zarana. Tag the Relay Star," Destro orders, and turns on the Joe leaders as they drink their coffee. "Don't mind us, gentlemen," Destro says. For those who haven't seen Destro in a few years, his accent has gotten heavier, and he's dressed much more... provocatively. "We'll just take what we want and leave."
General Hawk spits out his coffee as the Cobras suddenly appear in the room. "What in the HELL!?" he shouts, raising from his chair and pulling his sidearm. "Sound the alarm!"
She looked different. A small vocoder was on her throat to give her a deeper voice, hair replaced by a carefully put on wig that gave it a greyer shade. Glasses up over nose. Wrinkles carefully smudged on using makeup. Her movements a little slower. Long labcoat on with a dangling ID chain showing that of a 'Technician Roberts' on it. 'His' voice smug and arrogant in the style of soemone trying to sound upper class Bostonian. The type of man that had big goals for his life, and had never quite gotten to them. So now instead of reaching for the stars as middle age would be past he would inflict his irritation on everyone around him.
Hidden underneath the labcoat and variuos prosthetics Zarana wore to complete her masquerade were a variety of weapons and transmission devices. And just as tricky was the adhesion and protection for the sensitive devices. The sensitive device given to her one that would have to be carefully put on; even in the midst o fhte melee and chaos.
She had spent her time in uniform grousing about, smelling of stale coffee and constant irritability as if a regular amongst the crew working and monitring things, enough jargon memorized to not stand out of place.
Teleporting in with Destro, Zarana would give off a cocky grin and then move tos cramble along to the ground, hopefully using all of the chaos to manage to extricate 'himself' from the group to move to get to access for the satellite, in the midst of the engineers doing last minute prep and monitoring. Hopefully being able to dart away in the midst of the chaos of the teelport in tog o towards her mission goal. And of course three separate quick-change masks and outfits that could be wholly torn off if she had someone chasing her. The name of the game was escape and evade.
Duke calmly places his cup of coffee down and tosses a bagel in the direction of the Cobra operatives that appeared. Poor Zarana might be the target of an everything bagel. "That grinds my gears. I thought Starbucks charging that much was a crime but now they just pop in out of nowhere?" Conrad readies his weapons.
"Sorry, but the gift shop is closed. You're going to have to come back another day."
[G.I. Joe] CSM Duke says, "We have incoming. Cobra is present at NASA."
[G.I. Joe] CSM Duke says, "Also, when did Destro become Freddie Mercury?"
"Protect the Relay Star!" General Flagg yells, drawing his sidearm and running towards Destro. "I don't know how you got in here, but you won't be leaving," the old general swears, firing his pistol rapidly while closing the distance on Destro. Flagg may be old, but he apparently still has some fight in him. He moves quickly for a septuagenarian in a dress uniform. "I'm so glad you're here, General," he admits to Hawk.
>> General Flagg strikes Destro with Pistol <High>. <<
Destro staggers back a few steps as his leather and Kevlar armour absorb the bullets but not all the force. "You should have stayed out of it, Auld cheil," Destro replies, raising his arm and aiming a load of wrist missiles at the old general. "Today didn't have to be your day to die." Coldly, he fires several small rockets right at the center of General Flagg's chest before turning to see who's next.
>> Destro misses General Flagg with Rocket-Pistol <High>. <<
Who's next is Hawk. "Wrong place, wrong time, metal head, and you're checking out." he snarls, opening fire on Destro as he raises his missile arm. "Crawl back into your damn hole where you belong!"
>> General Hawk misses Destro with Pistol <Medium>. <<
The thrown bagel bounces off of 'Technician Roberts' who goes to grin and speak in a high pitched himbo accent, "You'll never get me alive, coppers!" Then she's going to bend down and move to run along! If at all possible trying to dart past the command room, and then from there to try and get to the more central areas of the base to try and get herslf some room to get on inside! She had to get it on the ship after all, and that meant she needed some room. She would race along if possible down yelling, voice back in the 'prim and proper' "WHAT IS GOING ON!? THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US! RUN! RUN!"
'Technician Robert's' voice booming through the corridors, echoing along to make it somewhat harder hopefully to track where it was coming from to add more to the panic. And the horde of scrambling bodies likewise going for cover making it difficult if she was lucky for anyone pursuing her to keep up..
"Coppers? Only --" Duke grimaces, "Zarana's here. We need a lead on her." He watches as Hawk, Flagg, and Destro take shots at each other. Flagg seems to be the only good shot between them all. Conrad begins to chase after where Zarana went and tries to locat her. Unfortunately, she is probably a hard target to track given how many people are in the area. "Stop her! Stop 'er!" He shouts to the Greenshirts, MPs, and anyone who can potentially help with this.
General Flagg dodges to the side, hoping to God Destro's missiles don't hit someone important behind him. He falls to the ground, grunting in pain as he rolls. Firing from a prone position, he keeps the pressure on Destro. Destro may be tough, but against Flagg, Hawk, AND Duke? Surely, he has a better plan than this. Destro's never been stupid. But what's the angle? When Duke starts shouting, however, Flagg gets it. "They're here for the Star! Keep them away from the satellite!"
>> General Flagg strikes Destro with Pistol <Low>. <<
Destro dodges Hawk's pistol, only to be shot again by Flagg. "Dammit, old man. You're really doing my nut in. Don't make me kill you." Muttering into his mask's radio, he takes several long strides, and lashes a kick out at Flagg's exposed head. "... know you're... Get moving..." he says, and then twists to target Hawk next.
>> Destro misses General Flagg with Kick. <<
General Hawk is already in motion, being a bit more spry, he's leapt into the air Bruce Lee style and has a foot aimed fight for Destro's solar plexus. "Duke, we'll handle this guy, protect the satellite at all costs!" he shouts.
>> General Hawk strikes Destro with Leap-Kick. <<
Okay, they're all after her now. Lost in the crowd, Zarana goes to dart along to the side and then goes to make quick change #1. Coat ripped off and twisted around, turning into executive style blouse. Bottom of labcoat torn off and smoothed down to a cheap looking skirt. Wig tugged off and prosthetics switched to give her a fading looking braid. Quick tug of separate mask down giving her a dark skinned appearance. Gloves rolled down and stockings to make the rest of her visible skin take on the same dark flesh tone. Now looking like a terrified secretary. A small little recording device taken out, and Zarana is darting over towards the nearest intercomm, a quick hotwire to hook up the recording device.. Then a wide shriek of pre-recorded gunfire playing out over it echoing from every single intercom that was on in the base.
- ~Chaos spreaddinnnggg farrr and wiiideee~ Then the -shriek- of high pitched static, nails on chalkboard about five seconds after.
Trying to track Zarana is definitely not an easy task! Fortunately for Duke, years of traning and experience are there for him. He tries to keep up as she weaves and changes her directions. Her tactics almost get the best of him. Finally, convinced he has her, Duke tosses office supplies at her. "Zarana, I know you're here! And I have you in my sights!" He quickly draws his gun at her. "We can do this easy or the hard way. Don't make me file the paperwork on having to ID you. After all, I heard Scarlett did a number on you."
>> Duke strikes Zarana with Throw. <<
General Flagg twists, avoiding Destro's kick. Glancing up, he sees Hawk leap-kick the arms dealer, and decides to let the younger, spryer general handle the muscle-bound Scotsman. Crawling painfully to his feet, he makes his way to the side of the Relay Star, shakily reloading his pistol. If anyone tries to get to the satellite, they're going to have to get through him. His dad died a hero in the Pit... James is prepared to do the same.
Destro OOFS as he's leap-kicked backwards, falling over a small worktable and onto the floor. Scottish curses foul enough the scar the concrete walls escape his mask, and he stares up at Hawk with pure hatred in his eyes. "No Dunediner in their right mind would dare attack me so. And yet you dare? I don't know who you think you are, Bampot, but you just signed your own death warrant." He aims one of his wrist-rockets up at Hawk and fires.
>> Destro strikes General Hawk with Rocket. <<
General Hawk stumbles backwards as the missile explodes, but fortunately his kevlar blunts some of the damage. It's still enough to knock the wind out of him. He may not be a Scotsman, but he gets pissed all the same, with a flash in his eyes, he charges towards Destro. "If you won't leave voluntarily, then I guess I'll just have to throw you out!" he snarls, reaching for Destro to try to throw him into a nearby wall.
>> General Hawk misses Destro with Throw. <<
Ewww. She has old people on her. Zarana's not quite fast enough to evade the charging Duke, being picked up and flung through the air. Bouncing from Duke going to bonk her! Now with Flagg in front of her Zarana would quip, "Heard you were dead. Guess I heard wrong. But I hate being wrong!" Then she's moving to try and grab the man over by his too-starched military collar, moving to try and yank him by it to hurl him over at Duke. "Cleanup, isle twelve! Get that new hip replacement in old man!" Intent on trying to use the dreaded KUNG FU GRIP ACTION!
>> Zarana succeeds with her generic combat roll on General Flagg. <<
>> General Flagg rams Duke! <<
With Flagg flying straight at Duke, all Duke can do is try to catch him. "She's--" Oof! Flagg has taken Duke down. His gun is on the floor and probably closer to Zarana than himself. "Sir, I'm going to need you to get off me so we can..." He groans as he looks at Zarana, "Finish what needs to be done."
General Flagg tries to stand his ground, but the old man is picked up and THROWN at Duke, colliding with him, and mostly bouncing off the mountain of muscle that is the Joe field commander and yet still landing on top of him. He does keep his pistol, at least. "Sorry," he mutters as Duke as he rolls onto his back, firing at Zarana from the ground. "You and that satellite aren't going anywhere!" he declares.
>> General Flagg misses Zarana with Pistol <Low>. <<
Destro twists as Hawk charges him, trying to use the general's own momentum to continue his charge into the wall that Hawk had intended for Alexander. "Ole'," he says sarcastically as he gives the general a shove, and then turns his attention to Duke. "I'll do what I can, Boot, but we haven't got all day. You have the ease job. Just tag the satellite so I can MASS us out of here." Obviously, counterintelligence isn't this Destro's forte.
>> Destro misses General Hawk with Blow. <<
General Hawk manages to keep his balance as Destro shoves him, and he manages to get himself stopped. Hawk for a fleeting moment considers an uppercut, but remembers he's rather fond of his knuckles. Instead, he charges forward to send a fist right into Destro's chest.
>> General Hawk strikes Destro with Blow. <<
Ordinarily Zarana would love to finish off an opponent while they were down. Duke doesn't have his gun. She could gut him like a fish. The shot from the old man zings past her, missing by inches, a testament that his age and time out of the field hasn't slowed down Flagg. Zarana goes to break into a full run, her hands going to take out the tracking beacon. Flipping down panels to pop down the adhesive clamps on it that would lock it into place when thrown. Panels pulled down to give her a clear place to grip on it and a solid hold. And she's running towards the satellite's nearest leg, moving to try and just brace it up and run past to slam it on, make sure it was secure..
With Flagg now off of him, Duke launches himself into the air and aims himself straight at Zarana. He takes off into a mad dash at her. "Zarana, stop! You're not doing this." He seems like he's angered. "They're trying to use the MASS? We need to stop them!" He exhales heavily as nears her. His fists are clenched and he attempts to make contact with her leg.
>> Duke misses Zarana with Smash. <<
General Flagg sees Zarana tag the Relay Star and realizes immediately what's happening. "No! Stop her! Kill her if you must!" Not fuckin' around, Flagg empties the last of his clip at Zarana, trying to stop her and hoping that Hawk can stop Destro. "If they get the Relay Star, there will be no place on Earth their teleporter can't reach!" Thank you, General Exposition. Information that might have been useful YESTERDAY!
>> General Flagg strikes Zarana with Pistol <High>. <<
Destro staggers and chokes as Hawk's fist SLAMs into his chest, right in the medallion! He coughs and pulls back his fist to strike back... but then sees Zarana apply the chip, and realizes that if they hurry, they've won. Activating his mask radio, he quickly calls in to Scrap-Iron. << Transmitter in place. Cuir fòn thugainn dhachaigh. >> Moments later, both Destro and Zarana start to glow....
General Hawk grits his teeth as they begin to glow, and Hawk does his best to do a flying leap to catch Destro, but ends up sailing through where he was standing, slamming face first into the floor.
Zarana leaps up, drops it on and lands, yelling, "GOOOAAAALLL" like the proper football hooligan she is. Right in time to barely avoid Duke smashing into her and the shot from Flagg to hit her over reinforced kevlar plates that prevent the worst of the shot. Then Zarana is hitting the ground, arms pulled up underneath her as she would let them attest her drop, cackling madly. "Tag you're it!" Spoken over in a lunatic fashion to something not there at all. Vanishing into air along with the rest.
Duke catches himself in time to prevent himself from running into nothing. "That's not---" He kicks a chair. "We were prepared. We were ready for this. We had the best of us here. We had me, Flagg... and Hawk!" He exhales from his nostrils and tries to catch his breath now. "Please tell me we can shut that satellite down remotely. Like a killswitch." He grumbles, "How did we screw this up so badly?"
[G.I. Joe] CSM Duke says, "...How did we lose?"
General Flagg shakes his head. "My own hubris. I thought this place impenetrable. I read the reports on this... what did they call it? A 'MASS' device? But I didn't fully consider the implications. I couldn't believe they could just waltz in here and steal a 40,000-pound satellite. But that's what they did." He shakes his head again. "Maybe it is time to retire after all." He climbs painfully to his feet.
- The glow fades, and Destro, Zarana, and the Relay Star are just gone.
Rubbig his chin, kind of defeated, and injured now, Duke dusts himself off and gathers his weapons. "Sir, you did all you could do. Things have changed. Flint, Hawk, and myself couldn't have done better agains the MASS." He looks at Hawk, "We need to figure out how to stop them from ever doing that again. That's twice now!"
General Flagg shakily stands, moving to lean against something stable. "I'll go to Washington," he promises. "Try to get you... that new base. Something mobile. Something Cobra can't track. Just, uh.... name it after my dad, will ya?" The old man grins, and then limps away, trying to find a base medic before he full face-plants.
Watching Flagg limp away, Duke chases after him, "I'll help get you. Leave no one behind, right soldier?" He seems to try to hide his anger as he doesn't want Flagg to feel like a failure for his last 'mission' so to speak. He tries to smile. "You did great, Sir!"
General Flagg turns and smiles at Duke. "You're a good man, Duke. I see why Hawk likes ya." Accepting Duke's help, Flagg makes his way to medical.
"I help Hawk with his..." Duke shrugs, "Depends. Most of the time it depends on what he asks me because sometimes Flint is better at the tasks."