PBEM Game?

[mikeo80]

I am hoping to find a PBEM game!!

I have played the following characters. Take your pick.

1) Book reclamation specialist
2) First Contact Specialist
3) First Aid Specialist (not a Doctor or a Nurse, just really well trained. Maybe an ER Tech?)
4) Communications
5) Farming specialist (Trained to local soil/crop information)
6) Israeli commando (Kind of an exchange between Morrow and the Israeli government.)

I can play other positions as needed.

Let me know!!!

My $0.02

Mike

[dragoon500ly]

Looking for a PBEM myself, haven't heard of one recently, and I'm getting burned out on the local face to face group, I'll keep an earlier and give us a shout if I hear of one!

[dragoon500ly]

Whelp!

Still haven't heard of any recruitment for a PBEM. So I'll start the ball rolling!!!

Give me a few days to draft a campaign and I'll see if can get or organized...

[mikeo80]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

Whelp!

Still haven't heard of any recruitment for a PBEM. So I'll start the ball rolling!!!

Give me a few days to draft a campaign and I'll see if can get or organized...

Let me know what I can do to help!!

My $0.02
Mike

[dragoon500ly]

I've opened a yahoo groups web site CSCR34@yahoogroups.com

Not yet posted any background, I'm working on this at present

[dragoon500ly]

The official plan is to try and recruit 4-6 players for a Recon Team operating in the Carolinas.

Thoughts?

[RandyT0001]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

The official plan is to try and recruit 4-6 players for a Recon Team operating in the Carolinas.

Thoughts?

Sounds good to me.

[mikeo80]

You know I am in!!!!

My $0.02

Mike

[dragoon500ly]

Well that's two!

Hoping to get two more players!!

Please try the link and see if you can get into the group site, it is restricted so don't forget to email for acceptance!

If you want to lurk, not a problem, just state your intentions and I'll get you approved.

[dragoon500ly]

Recon Team-34 will operating along the South/North Carolina border area with responsibility for operations into Gerogia and Tennessee.

It is a fourteen member team equipped with two V-150s, one equipped with a 25mm turret and one equipped with a .50 calibre/40mm turret, both will have trailers to haul mission gear.

Character creation is TM 1-1 3rd edition with a freeze date of August 15th, 1989.

I'll be posting game turns by Wednesday, with player response due by Sunday evening. If all players reply faster than that AND have no objection, I will post next turn sooner.

A word of warning, this is an adult group, harsh language and situations will arise! I plan on introducing a couple of new encounter groups as well as a new situation arising in the area.

In the player posts, please reply in character, if you want to contact the PD directly, either email me or put an attn: PD on the subject line. I will reply as quickly as possible

We are here to have a good time!!!!

[dragoon500ly]

Okay Sports Fans!!!!

Recruiting for a ReconTeam PBEM game!

The website for those interested is CSCR34@yahoogroups.com

[RandyT0001]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

Okay Sports Fans!!!!

Recruiting for a ReconTeam PBEM game!

The website for those interested is CSCR34@yahoogroups.com

Good stuff!

[dragoon500ly]

And we are up to three volunteers for the game!

So the mayhem will commence with Game Turn One on Wednesday, November 15th!

All players are strongly encouraged to get their characters prepped and submitted for PD review ASAP! I have started posting background info to assist the players.

Over the course of the next week, I will be posting team background info on their operational area and any mission objectives.

Still room for players if anyone is interested!

[RandyT0001]

There is really good background material, comprehensive and integrated by a PD who has done this before. Looks like the focus is going to be PC problem solving and interaction (role-playing) with locals, with a definitive team task for the PCs to pursue upon revival.

Kudos! Come join the fun.

[mikeo80]

The information is very well done. I am looking forward to the game.

A few questions.

Do you want the full specs of my character? Not a problem. I will have it ready tomorrow, 11/6/17

Any restrictions on weapon load out? I prefer the commando load with Uzi.

"Shoe box" of personal stuff. EG. My shoe box has three 50ml Airplane bottles of Glenfiddich Scotch, (for medicinal use only!!??!!), a .22 LR Black Widow revolver, Belt holster, 100 rounds of .22 LR, a travel spice selection from World Market, and a St. Christopher medal (patron saint of travelers.) This will easily fit into a size 12 shoe box. Is this allowed?

DO you want a specific job filled by my character? I have several in mind.

My $0.02

Mike

[dragoon500ly]

I'll post details on the web site, so go ahead and drop your character to me.

Remainder I'll post tomorrow!

[dragoon500ly]

Well, just posted GT One on the web site, lurkers are welcome as well as any late players!!

[dragoon500ly]

Recon Team-34 is one of forty-five recon teams assigned to Morrow Project Operational Region III.

All teams and installations in Operational Region III have the “Charlie” designator. Zulu Charlie is the Regional Command Base.

The full designator of R-34 is “CSCR34”.

Radio Call Sign is CDZR34 or Charlie Delta Zulu Romeo Three Four.

R-34 is part of Combined Group 3 which is comprised of the following:
Command Team CC-30 Charlie Delta Zulu Charlie Tango Three Zero
MARS Team M-31 Charlie Delta Zulu Mike Three One
Communications Team C-32 Charlie Delta Zulu Charlie Three Two
Recon Team R-34 Charlie Delta Zulu Romeo Three Four
Recon Team R-35 Charlie Delta Zulu Romeo Three Five
Recon Team R-36 Charlie Delta Zulu Romeo Three Six
Recon Team R-37 Charlie Delta Zulu Romeo Three Seven
Medical Team H-38 Charlie Delta Zulu Hotel Three Eight
Engineering Team E-39 Charlie Delta Zulu Echo Three Nine

Combined Group 3 receives long term support from a supply base which is the core of a support group.

Logistics & Support Base L-03 Charlie Zulu Lima Zero Three
MARS Team M-04 Charlie Zulu Mike Zero Four
MARS Team M-05 Charlie Zulu Mike Zero Five
Recon Team R-06 Charlie Zulu Romeo Zero Six
Recon Team R-07 Charlie Zulu Romeo Zero Seven
Recon Team R-08 Charlie Zulu Romeo Zero Eight
Aviation Team A-09 Charlie Zulu Alpha Zero Nine

A Communications Encoding and Operating Instructions booklet has been issued to the Team Leader, the Assistant Team Leader and the Senior Communications Specialist.

Per your CEOI, broadcast times for Delta Zulu are 0600, 1200, 1800, 2400 hours daily. Your standard instructions are to monitor your frequency at these times for contact information, mission orders and any special instructions.

All Project teams are to monitor Prime Base Command Frequency at 1400 hours, daily.

R-34 has been placed at a bolthole facility located 7 miles west of the town of Landrum, South Carolina.

As members of a Reconnaissance Team, it is your mission to survey your primary operational area, which consists of western South Carolina, Western North Carolina, northeastern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, to determine the extent of damage, the status of any natural and man-made resources that might aid the rebuilding effort and the location and current status of any surviving population. You have been directed to conduct a reconnaissance of Charlotte, North Carolina and determine the extent of damage at that city and any surviving population.

As part of a combined team, R-34 is an Operational Region III element and has a secondary operational area covering the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana (east of the Mississippi River).

You are to contact other Project teams and work together in assisting the survivors in rebuilding their lives and with protecting them from those who would destroy that effort.

Finally, you are asked to survive.

Your team has state of the art weapons, equipment and vehicles to assist you in this undertaking. But your resources are finite. You are not expected to hand out everything to anyone, but rather to use this material to assist the local survivors to the best of your ability.

To assist you, R-34 has been assigned eight team resupply caches, two emergency resupply caches and three refugee assistance caches.

The locations of these caches are as follows:
Team Resupply Cache One: Reese Mountain, five miles north, Alexis, North Carolina
Team Resupply Cache Two: Two miles east, Oak Grove, Tennessee
Team Resupply Cache Three: Starlight, North Carolina
Team Resupply Cache Four: Five miles west, Hertford, North Carolina
Team Resupply Cache Five: Two miles east, Fortsonia, Georgia
Team Resupply Cache Six: Hickory Tavern, South Carolina
Team Resupply Cache Seven: Four miles north, Windom Corner, South Carolina
Team Resupply Cache Eight: Three miles northwest, Savannah/Hilton Head International
Airport, Georgia
Emergency Resupply Cache One: Fairview Airport, South Carolina
Emergency Resupply Cache Two: New Life, North Carolina
Refugee Assistance Cache One: Three miles south Tyron Country Club, Tyron, North Carolina
Refugee Assistance Cache Two: Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, South Carolina
Refugee Assistance Cache Three: Unicoi, Tennessee

Please remember that once these caches have been opened, while they can be resealed, their status generators cannot be restarted. The materials will be subject to the normal wear and tear of time. Plan the use of these caches wisely. It is expected that as many as 50% of these caches will be destroyed, looted or otherwise rendered inaccessible during the course of your sleeping period. It is for this reason that so many caches have been assigned.

Recon Team-34 was frozen on March 12, 1989. Current plans are for the team to be awakened approximately five years after the war has ended. In order to prevent any security leaks in the event of capture, the team is only aware of its own bolthole and the team’s resupply caches.

No further specific orders have been issued. Any details are to be given to you via satellite communications after you are awakened and the situation is better known.

You are now awakening from your slumber and the first thing you see is the top of your individual cryogenic tube opening………

Finally, in each team member’s equipment locker, there is an envelope containing a short, handwritten note:

MY FELLOW PROJECT MEMBERS!

As you read this note, an age is dying. All of you have realized the utter finality of your commitment to the Morrow Project. There is no past now, all friends and family and indeed the entire old order of things has been incinerated in the heat of humanity’s seeming hatred of itself.

With the Death of an Age, comes the opportunity to build a new one. This is our purpose! We have the unique opportunity to learn from the final errors of post-roman civilization, our civilization and to build a new and durable society, from the rubble and ashes of the old one.

The survivors of this cataclysm will desperately need your aid, knowledge and your compassion in this dark period following the holocaust. However, there will be no one to watch over your actions. Your heart will be your only guide, as our instincts were in selecting you for this epic task.

I sincerely wish each of you the very best of luck, and I extend my heartfelt thanks and deep admiration for the sacrifices you have made, and will make, in the name of the Morrow Project and humanity itself.

May God bless you and keep you safe,

Bruce Edward Morrow

[dragoon500ly]

March 15, 1988
Morrow Industries Pajaro Lake Training Center

Pajaro Lake Utah, is a dry, hot deserted salt lake bed. In the summer, the temperatures could reach 120o in the shade, if there was any shade. As for rain….it last rained here back in 1954, a glorious three-quarters of an inch that rapidly evaporated and left a fleeting memory.

Back in World War Two, the Army Air Corps had built a short concrete runway and established a refueling base to be used if the Japanese ever invaded the West Coast. Like lots of other such bases, it had spent its time in obscurity, seeing the occasional in-flight emergency landing or lost trainer to break up the utter uselessness of its existence.

After the war, the Army Air Forces stripped the barracks, cook shack, Flight Ops building and its sole hanger of anything useful and slapped a shiny new lock on its gate and abandoned Pajaro Lake to its slow, roasting existence.
In 1957, a new defense contractor, Morrow Industries, purchased the abandoned air strip and built another dozen buildings to house a “test and development” center. Exactly what they were testing and developing was a mystery to the dozen or so locals who made a rough living herding sheep and goats in the nearby mountains. All they ever say over the years were the semi-trucks and buses that rumbled in and rumbled out every couple of months.

The years passed.

The same pattern played out as well, as a handful of trucks and buses rumbled in every couple of months and then rumbled out. Occasionally a handful of people could be seen, but they always stayed in the confines of the old base.

Area Administrator Kathleen Drummond sat at her desk, typing away on her keyboard, completing another report. Region III Recon Team 34 had finished its training and had arrived at Pajaro Lake for their final step. Cryogenic Freeze.

One last briefing and then they would enter their freeze tubes.

Drummond finished typing and sent the day’s reports to Headquarters. After a moment, she reached over to her intercom and pressed a button…

“Yes Ma’am?”

“Jerry, pass the word for Recon Team 34 to meet me in building seven for final mission brief.”

“Yes Ma’am!”

[dragoon500ly]

Like most of the government’s “temporary” structures, building seven had the typical worn-down look, of too much use and two little maintenance. In the back of the building an old swamp cooler grumbled as its fans passed slightly cool air into the building, a half dozen, slightly more modern fans swept the hot desert air around trying to keep the inside temperature tolerable.

A couple of dozen old wooden chairs are scattered around in clumps of two to five. At the front of the building an old wooden desk sits, one leg missing and supported by a couple of bricks.

As Recon Team 34 enters the building, Kathleen Drummond leaned against the desk with a clipboard clutched in her hands.

“Okay people! Take a briefing packet and grab a seat!”

After a few moments, the team is seated.

“Your briefing packets will give this briefing complete with color graphs, pretty pictures and lots and lots of flowing language. Big freaking deal! I’m going to give you the quick and dirty brief and then answer your questions! So, listen up people!”

“Your officially assigned to Operational Region Three, covering the south-eastern United States. You will be part of Combined Group Three one of four Recon Teams that will be working the western North Carolina, western South Carolina, eastern Tennessee and northeastern Georgia region. You will be operating in some rough terrain! The Smokie Mountains and Appalachia.”

“The team bolthole will be located some seventeen miles west of the town of Landrum, South Carolina. But your first mission is to conduct a reconnaissance of Charlotte, North Carolina. There is a Morrow Industries facility located in the suburb of Shopton, just south of the airport, it is a transshipment point for supplies being moved to two supply bases in the area. You are to ascertain damage to the facility, any remaining vehicles and supplies and notify Prime Base. You are not being asked to secure the facility, just determine what remains in useable condition.”

“Try to avoid movement on the Interstates at this time, try to remain as covert as possible. After you have determined the status of the facility, you are then clear to inspect the area between Gastonia, NC and north east to Triangle. Determine the status of Lake Norman as to its contamination level.”
“Don’t forget to file regular reports with your command team and with Prime Base! It is essential that you determine the extent of damage, the status of any natural and man-made resources that might aid the rebuilding effort and the location and status of any surviving population.”

“You will be assigned eight team resupply caches, two emergency resupply caches and three refugee assistance caches. Remember! Your resources are finite. You are not expected to hand out everything to anyone, but rather to use this material to assist the local survivors to the best of your ability!”

“Make contact with any other Morrow teams in the area, coordinate your efforts to assist the maximum number of people possible.”

“Above all else, Survive! You are of no use to us dead.”

For a moment Drummond stares at each one of you…

“You have been carefully selected and recruited for membership in this Project. We’ve given you the best training possible and you have excellent equipment, you are essential to the project. Use what you have and, if you have to make any sacrifice, make sure it’s for the right reasons.”

“Any questions?”

Zack Overstreet, Team Leader for Recon Team 34, leaned forward in his seat.

“Any idea on when the rest of the combined group be recalled?”

“At this time, no. Assume you will operating solo for at least some time. Prime Base will contact you with rendezvous info if necessary.”

“I’ve put in a request for additional surveillance equipment, any word on if that has been approved and when we will get this additional gear.”

“Logistics took your request and they have secured two spotting scopes for your team, they will be loaded with the vehicles in your bolthole.”
After a few moments,

“Any other questions?”

While other question were being asked, Zack looked over his notebook, noting for the thousandth time the team members and their assignments…

V-150 Fire Support Vehicle “Romeo Three Five Six”
Vehicle Commander/Team Leader: Zackery P. Overstreet Recon-Scout Specialist
Gunner: Sarah Leslie Sheppard: MARS Combat Operations/Contact Specialist
Driver: Daniel Raymond Chin: Recon-Vehicle Specialist/Engineering Specialist
Electronic Systems Operator: Clara Andrea Howe: Recon-Vehicle Specialist/Commo Specialist
Dismount: Doug Holloway: Recon Branch-Scout/Political Specialist

V-150 Team Support Vehicle “Romeo Three Five Five”
Driver: Ramon Jaime Valdez: Recon-Vehicle Specialist/Computer Specialist

Electronics Systems Operator: Rene Ursula Novak: Recon-Vehicle Specialist/Commo Specialist

Gunner: Quinn Vowles: Recon- Scout Specialist/Veterinary Medicine Specialist
Dismount: Amanda Charlotte Wesley: MARS-Combat Operations Specialist/Political Specialist
Dismount/Vehicle Commander: Victor Gabriel Rios: Recon-Scout Specialist/Asst Team Leader/
Agricultural Specialist

V-150 Team Support Vehicle “Romeo Three Five Four”
Vehicle Commander/ Electronics Systems Operator: Sean Malcolm Tatham: MARS-Security Specialist/Engineering Specialist
Driver: Philip Dumont: Recon-Vehicle Specialist/Economic Specialist
Gunner: Michel-Andre Duvivier: MARS-Combat Operations Specialist/Zoology Specialist
Team Medic: Peter Thomas: Science Branch, Medical Specialist
Dismount: Roger Todd Owens: Recon Branch-Scout Specialist/Communications Specialist

[dragoon500ly]

March 16, 1988
Morrow Industries Pajaro Lake Training Center

Recon Team 34 was awakened at 0600 hours and enjoyed a nice breakfast in the mess hall. Several other members of Cohort 60 and base staff, stopped by and gave handshakes, hugs and best wishes. For today would be the day that Recon 34 would report to Building 17 and prepare for cryogenic freeze,
After breakfast, the team cleared its barracks and loaded their gear onto a couple of pickups that would transfer their gear to Building 17. Project tradition had the team walk after the trucks.

As the team files through the personnel door, they see Kathleen Drummond and Doctor Felix Canfield, the Project’s leading expert on the freezing process. Under their oversight, the attending medics direct the team members to their freezer tubes, where they are directed to remove their clothing and stow their personal equipment in the locker at the foot of the tube. Using their Morrow Project ID Card, each member secured their locker and then donned the paper underwear that waited for them.

As each person finishes, the medic starts taping monitor pads to their head and arms, shock pads to their chests and prep IV stints into each arm.
When the last of the team finishes, Doctor Canfield steps forward.

“You have each been briefed on the cryogenic process and each you have undergone one week in freeze to give you an idea of the side effects of the process. But please allow me to recap for you.”

“When you recline in your chamber, the medics will complete the hooking up of the electrical and IV lines. You will don the face mask and you will then commence breathing a mix of oxygen and the preserver gas. When your body has achieved the proper blood/gas chemistry, you will close your eyes and the chamber lids will be lowered.”

“Once the lids have been locked down, your chamber will be flooded with bio-gel, this material will insulate your bodies from the electro-magnetic field that preserves the bolthole. During this process, you will simply go to sleep.”

“You will remain in this facility for the next twenty-four hours as final system checks are completed. Once you have passed these checks, your freeze chambers will be transported to your bolthole location and you will be locked into place until the recall signal has been received from Prime Base.”

After Doctor Canfield steps back, Kathleen Drummond steps forward.

“There is not much to say, expect thank you for being part of the Project. Until we meet again, Good Luck!”

Each team member is assisted into the pad inside the freeze chamber, the medical assistant completes the hooking up of the various leads and IV points. Then each member inserts their MPID into the slot on the side of the chamber. The medical assistant then runs a diagnostic and then steps back as each chamber signals green.

Doctor Canfield then moves towards the first chamber, and personally double-checks each monitor and IV feed, then he checks the diagnostic one last time and activates the start up sequence.

As the lid of each freeze chamber slowly lowers and as the drugs start to check, each member of Recon 34 hears the old man mutter, “Go With God My Children.”

[dragoon500ly]

March 20, 1988
Recon Team 34 Bolthole

Sam Londale steps back as the bulldozer pushes another load of gravel and clay into position. With this last load of backfill, another eight hours to finish camouflage the dig will see this job done, he thought. Another four months of this then he will join his training cohort and a year later, it will be his turn to be buried, waiting for the nuclear war…..

September 1st , 1996
For eight years, the seasons have passed, only wild animals and the occasional hunter or camper has disturbed this forest glade.
The bolthole slumbers on.

Then one fine afternoon, the bolthole sensors report the ground shocks of repeated nuclear weapon strikes, but nothing threatens the bolthole integrity. Messages from Prime Base are received via the ELF receiver ordering a continuation of the cyrogenic freeze.

The bolthole computer continues to monitor its sleeping guests.
Outside, the skies turned blood red with the firestorms that repeated nuclear strikes had unleashed. Millions were killed in the hellfire. But to add to the misery of the survivors, it was soon discovered that dozens of warheads were loaded with biological warheads that contained virulent man-made diseases that decimated the population while leaving buildings and material intact.

As the days rolled on, the lingering radiation and lethal diseases took their brutal toll. As the dead piled up, civilization collapsed. With the destruction of the transportation systems, food and medicine became scarce. Famine stalked the land, slaying millions more. Within six months, some 90% of the world’s population was dead.

And still the bolthole waited for its orders, guarding its sleepers.

Years passed and the land slowly started to regrow.

Decades passed.

Over the years, the bolthole’s computer has run diagnostic check after check, all reporting normal operations. Until, finally, one check reports an problem. The computer runs additional checks and confirms that a freeze chamber is operating very near the failure level. The computer’s decision is to start the recall process.

You are now awakening from your slumber and the first thing you see is the top of your individual cryogenic tube opening………

Victor took a deep breath as his cryogenic tube fully opened. For a brief moment, he was unsure where he was, but that passed when he looked to his left and right and saw the other cryogenic tubes. "Morrow... si," he thought to himself as his wits returned to him.

Rios took a moment in the tube to stretch his arms above him, before trying to sit up. Getting the blood moving a bit seemed wise. Satisfied that his arms worked, he sat up, paused briefly, then turned, letting his legs swing out and off the cryobed he'd been resting in.

"Everyone up? Everyone good?" he asked the room.

Peter wakes from his sleep. The top of the tube is up, and light strikes his eyes for the first time in….how long??

It is time to get to work. Peter removes the electrodes from his skin, gets out of the cryo tube.

The first thing Peter gets is his medical kit. He pushes the scan button and looks at his own physical readout. Not TOO bad. 112 over 68. A little high on that bottom number, but time, food, liquids and general activity will bring every thing back to normal.

“Ok ladies and gents, it is sick call. Does any one have any problems right now. I will check every one as soon as I can, but I need to know if there are any immediate issues that need my attention.”

Daniel Chin pulls off the face mask and leans over the side of the freeze chamber, he spits a mouthful of blue fluid out onto the floor and with a trembling hand, wipes blue gel off his face…

“Jeez, I don’t remember feeling this bad after the test freeze!”

“Don’t you remember the lecture? Doctor Canfield was quite specific that extended lengths of freeze do cause dehydration, muscle aches as well as nausea, you really must do your homework!” quipped Amanda Wesley, the auburn haired Anglo-Canadian as she used a pack of wipes to clean off most of the gel residue.

Danny’s response was a heartfelt upraised middle-finger.

Amanda smirked as she used her MPID to unlock the locker at the end of the chamber. She pulled out shrink-wrapped underwear and tore the packet open and started slipping the contents on. She then pulled out her BDUs and pulls on her pants, socks and tee-shirt and then dons her combat boots. She pauses as she sees a folded piece of paper, she opens it and reads…

[dragoon500ly]

“Bloody Hell!”

Zack Overstreet looks up from his letter at the sound of Amanda’s curse. He nodded, Bloody Hell indeed!

“Okay People! We need to get geared up and exit this chamber, and see what gear has been left to us! Peter, get a quick medical check anybody feeling unusual, tell the Doc! Let’s get a move on!!”

It takes roughly thirty minutes for Peter to finish his quick medical check, he reports to Zack.

“Boss, looks like everyone is suffering from extended cyrogenic sickness, we all need to rehydration and energy bars as quickly as we can. Nobody is reporting anything unusual, but I’d like time to do a more detailed check once we access to the rest of our gear. You’ll note the blue tinge to everybody’s skin, that’s after effects from the thermo-gel, we will need to heat some water and take a bath to get the rest of it off.”

“Thanks Peter, better grab your web gear, I’m opening the hatch to the main chamber.”

As Peter grabs his web gear, Zack turns to Doug Holloway.

“Doug, grab one of the shotguns, Amanda you get the other and load up. I’ll open the hatch when you two are ready.”

The two teammates grab one of the SPAS-12 shotguns and a box of shells and quickly slip eight rounds of buckshot and pump the action. A quick nod to Zack and he swipes his MPID card through the door lock and hits the ‘Open’ button.

With a groan of hydraulics, the hatch swings open to the left and Doug peers around the jam, sweeping the chamber with the muzzle of his shotgun.

“Clear!”

Amanda steps lightly past Doug and moves up to the table resting a few feet from the hatch and sweeps the right side of the chamber.

“Clear Right!”

Doug trots behind her and moves up to the bulk of one of the team’s support vehicles, he glances inside the open side door and notes that all hatches are open, then slips to the far side and peers around.

“Clear Left!”

Zack steps out, holstering his Hi-Power and calls over his shoulder.

“Alright people, let’s get moving! We need the ammo stores opened up and start loading the gear as soon as the drivers get their vehicles started. Move! Victor! Your with me.”

With that Zack turns to the bolthole computer and swipes his MPID and activates the display…

As Zack activates the display, his eye catches the date/time display on the bottom left of the screen.

<0237 October 28, 2148>
“What the hell?”

Victor stares at the date and then meets Zack’s eyes. He then reaches down to the keyboard and brings up the communications log.

<0945 March 23, 1988: System on line.>

There then follows a series of system checks with a check message from Prime Base every six months. Then…

<1325 September 1st, 1996: ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! Shockwave detected on sensors. Possible nuclear strike.>

<1345 September 1st, 1996: Incoming message from Prime Base, ID confirmed. ALERT! Multiple nuclear strikes detected within US. President has ordered nuclear attacks against USSR, PRC and PRNK. Project Protocol 15 in effect. All MP bases into lockdown, and wait further orders. God Speed.>

There then follows a further chain of system checks and the six month check from Prime Base. Until…

<0140 July 17 2003: Incoming message from Prime Base, ID confirmed. ALERT! Prime Base under attack by unk group with bio weapons. Prime Base has Fallen, repeat, Prime Base has fallen. Project Protocol 23 in effect. Sigma Base to be recalled accordingly, all other MP bases to remain in freeze.>

From that date there are only the normal system checks until…

<0043 October 28, 2148: Incoming message received from Prime Base, ID confirmed. Recall signal for CSCR34. Recall protocol initiated. Assume assigned mission.>

Zack nods, “So roughly two hours to run the recall process and here we are. About 150 years after we are supposed to be awakened.”

Victor replies, “But we have a Prime base has fallen message from 2003, and then a recall from Prime in 2148, what gives?”

“I don’t know,” Zack replied, “Sigma Base should be using its own protocols, Protocol 23 should have wiped the computers at Prime Base completely. And the combined group hasn’t been recalled either.”

Victor shakes his head as he looks at the computer. He studied the screen for a moment, then turned away from it for a second. Rios never had much affinity with technology, but thankfully the Project had provided them someone who did.

"Ramón, ven aquí hermano. ¿Esto está roto o qué?" he said in Spanish to Romeo 355's driver/computer expert. [Translation: Ramon, come here brother. Is this thing broken or what?]

While Valdez checked the system, Victor discussed the situation with Overstreet and the others.

"Doug's right. We've got to be extra careful. For all we know, Prime Base never got to scrub their computers and someone else sent the recall. Or maybe another team from Sigma or something finally Prime Base back online... after more than a century..." Victor gulped a bit after saying the last part.

"Anyway, whatever's happened, it's not according to plan, and El Hefe didn't see it coming." El Hefe was how Rios referred to Bruce Edwin Morrow. Victor then looked toward Overstreet.

"Concur with helping locals and making our way to north. If it's really late October, we won't be able to help much with planting at this point, but we can help a few communities ride out the winter." Victor quickly realized that he was still thinking in terms of waking up 5-10 years after the nuclear war.
"Of course that assumes people are still struggling. Maybe they all have jet cars now. After 150 years, who knows?"

Ramon taps Victor on the his shoulder, “The computer checks out okay.” He turns back to the display, “My God! One hundred and fifty years!”

Zack turns and looks over the main chamber, already crates of ammo and gear are being stored on the V-150s…”Listen up people! Team meeting at the table in ten minutes!”

Peter steps up to Zack and Victor, ““TL, Number One. As I reported, I am seeing symptoms of long term cryogenic suspension. The computer logs confirm this. We all need water, electrolytes, food and a good bath to get rid of the blue ooze.”

“We need to do a couple of things.”

“First, with your permission, I will run the external environment checks. We REALLY need to know what we might be dealing with out there.”

"Second, I suggest that we need to exit the bolt hole, and find a place to set up a temporary camp. Hopefully, there is water nearby that we can purify and use. That will let us eat, drink and other wise repair the damage we have all been exposed to.”

“Third, If any one start feeling woozy, or disoriented, they must SIT DOWN! That is a medical order.”

“Then get someone to find me ASAP. I read the reports of the first cryo volunteers that reported these symptoms. I NEED to know this so that I can help you.”

Zach, shakes his head. “One more thing! Thanks Peter, Don’t forget that the external sensors are keyed to the periscope, lets hold for a couple of hours and get settled into the vehicles, that will give every a chance to eat something other than a protein bar! As far as the camp goes, we need to do a security check of the area before we can take a break, but according to the maps, the Pacolet River is about a mile and a half north, we can stop there for an early morning break and catch a bath. That’s the best we can do for know.”

Doug replies:

"Zach did you want Amanda and me to get into our contact kits, go through the personal exit, do a "Married Couple"'s recon out to 300-500 meters in each cardinal point to get an initial assessment of the area?"

“Let’s hold for the team meeting, then I’ll want you and Roger to conduct the reconnaissance with Amanda on overwatch with her sniper rifle. Its 0240 hours, we need to finish prepping and loading the vehicles and get ready to exit the bolthole, according to the almanac, this time of year, daylight is about 0520 or so, so you three will exit at 0430 and get set up. No further out than 500 meters and make your sweep counter-clockwise, Ok?” Zach replies.

After being told of the computer logs and the present time, Doug contributes this to the conversation:

"Between 1996 and 2003 PB might have activated teams in their area, in 2001, and were engaged with hostile forces intent on capturing or destroying PB. We don't know how much of the project was destroyed or how much intel from PB the hostile forces could acquire after it fell.”

“We need to be very cautious, especially in meeting other MP teams. After 150 years the distribution base outside Charolette really isn't important anymore. The pre-war norms that we were used to seeing might not apply anymore. For all we know there might be some sort of government dictator in control of what used to be the US.”

“Because of the unknown situation, the potential that forces hostile to the Project could still be around I do not think we should get on the radio and blast a signal to PB asking questions or confirming our wakeup call. Let them try to raise us on the radio, come and explain it to us. With the proper codes and prefixes to assure us that the Project is in control of PB. Until then I say we follow basic MP directives of helping locals and work our way to Asheville, the closest large city in the area, in order to assess the situation.”

“Now, everybody here should remember that Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrain were the first two people to walk on the moon. Everybody here should know that it was the Challenger shuttle that blew up minutes off the pad. As an team inside cue to distress or falsehood in a social situation that we might encounter we mis-state our known facts to notify other members without being explicit. The one man that was a Mercury astronaut and landed on the Moon was Alan Sheppard. We can use his name a sentry challenge and answer.”

“Zach, all I'm saying is that we be damn careful because we might be all that remains of the Morrow Project."

Zach leans forward on the bench,

“All good points Doug, but that facility held equipment and supplies that were preloaded for the supply bases, we will need to ascertain if anything is still usable at some point. We will need at least an eyeball into Charlotte and then check the area between there and Lake Norman. Since the lake was the primary source of water for the city, there is a good chance that refugees may have moved into the area.”

“Moving towards Asheville will take us across the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which means we better hope the Interstates and State Road networks are passable, or we do a lot of secondary road travelling, and after 150 years, I’m expecting that the major roads are going to be in poor shape, and the secondary roads in even worse condition. Still, the idea has merit. Comments?”

Amanda flips over the map, “From our current location, the closest towns are Mountain Page, Saluda and Melrose, North Carolina. Let’s hold off on the long term plans for now and check out those three towns for information or we can head towards Landrum, South Carolina, these are all small cities or towns with a max of 3,200 population according the census info we have. We stand a greater chance of running into survivors in these smaller towns.”

Zach taps his fingers in a slow rhythm on the table,

“For now, I believe the best course of action is to check out the smaller towns in our area first. If we make contact with any people, depending on the information we gather, then we can make the decision to head for Asheville or Charlotte. My own thoughts are to head for Charlotte, that will place us roughly in the center of our resupply caches. Moving towards the smaller towns will also take us over Melrose Mountain, at 2,640 feet it’s the second highest peak in the area and it will overlook a good route into Melrose. I want to drop a radio relay station there as the first part of a
commo network. It will also give us a fair overview of the Pacolet River Valley between Melrose and Tryon and let us get a look into Columbus. Seems to give us the most bang for our buck.”

Zach looks over at Danny Chin,

“Danny what’s the status on the vehicles?”

Danny looks up from his laptop,

“All three V-150s are generating power, we’ve got them greased up and the crew-served mounted. We’re still loading ammunition and gear, call it another forty minutes or so and they will be ready!”

Zach stands up,

“All Right! Everybody make sure you are drinking these energy drinks and that you’ve eaten at least one protein bar. Order of march will be Romeo Five Five, then Five Six with Five Four as trail. Victor I want you as lead for now, because your armament is better suited for forested terrain. We will not crack the vehicle hatch until the recon patrol gives an all-clear. Doug, as far as passwords go, let’s keep it simple, we’ll go with eleven for now.”

"Let's finish loading the gear people!"

[dragoon500ly]

0400 hours, October 28, 2148
R34 Bolthole, South Carolina

After almost two hours of frantic effort, the team’s gear has been loaded on board the three V-150s. Anything that could be salvaged from the bolthole has been loaded into one of the trailers. The empty crates, cases and cans have been neatly stowed away in the ammo magazine. The team has even found a bit of time to enjoy a hasty breakfast. So far, no one is showing any extreme side effects of the cyrogenic process.

Finally….

Zach turns and slowly looks over his assembled team. Over by the Personal Exit, Doug, Roger and Amanda stood ready to open the inner door. They were wearing their battle vests and were camouflaged up. Everyone else stood around him and the periscope package, waiting for their first look at the outside.

Zach flipped the raise switch and watched as the bulky package slowly pushed its way up. After almost two minutes, the scope was fully raised.

“First things first,” Zach quipped as he activated the Geiger counter. “Got an elevated rad-count, about 15% above normal, looks like we got dusted with a bit of fallout, but nothing major.” Next he activated the chemical sensor. “Chem is showing all clear. Air seems to be a little fresher than we are used to.”

Looking over to Peter, “To bad we can’t run a check for bio-weapons.” Peter shrugged back.

Finally, Zach lowers the handles and peers through the scope, “We’ve got a three-quarter moon, temperature is fifty-six degrees, humidity is thirty-one percent and it looks like a pressure of 30.08 inches and…..rising so I’m betting on a clear morning.” Twisting the angle of the lenses, Zach peers upwards, “Very little cloud cover, but a lot of foliage and tall trees.”

Stepping back from the scope, Zach allows the rest of the team to take a turn. He turns towards Doug, “Go ahead and crack the hatch!”

Doug gives a thumbs up and spins the inner handle and then steps back as the hatch is pushed inwards by the light, dry sand that packs the cylinder. Roger and Amanda spend a few moments, spreading the sand further into the main chamber of the bolthole, Then Doug peers into the cylinder, “Upper hatch sealed, no signs of leakage.” He then slings his rifle and climbs the short ladder and opens the next hatch. “Chamber is clear, I’m entering.” He then climbs onto the next ladder.

Amanda slings her ghillie suit and the padded case holding her M-21 and climbs up after Doug. Pausing at the upper chamber, she then passes a shovel up to Doug.

Doug reaches up and opens and lowers the outer hatch, some dirt cascades down, but it looks like a good root structure, “Go ahead and close the lower hatch.” With the darkness broken only by the red-filtered flashlight that Amanda holds, Doug works for a few moments and then he reaches up and pulls a handful of grass down, “Broken thru!” Amanda turns off the flashlight as Doug works for a few more minutes, cutting a hole in the ground cover. He then pulls himself up and swings his rifle into a ready stance.

The air is cool and crisp, and heavy with the smell of vegetation. As Doug listens, he can hear the sound of silence then, slowly, crickets start to chirp and the cry of an owl rings through the forest. Over his microphone, Doug calls “Ok Mandy!, all clear, come on up!”

Amanda pulls herself over the hatch lip and quickly dons her ghillie suit and then removes her rifle from its padded case, as she activates its starlight scope, she hisses over the radio, “Oh! Mate! Last b*****d who called me Mandy is still looking for his balls!” Below them, Roger chuckles over the radio and mutters “Amanda’s Rule #1, Don’t call me Mandy! Amanda’s Rule #2, Don’t Touch My Bloody Rifle!” Then Roger is outside the hatch, he quickly preps his SAW and covers the back of the mound.

Amanda slowly scans the forest, shifting position as she needs to, finally, over the radio…”Doug. I’ve completed a three sixty and the only life I’ve seen are two deer to our southwest, about two hundred meters out. Some movement of birds but that’s it!”

Doug slowly looks around, the bolthole has some brush and small trees covering its sides, brush only on the top, to the north is a small clearing, roughly fifty or so yards across and maybe eighty yards long, with the same pattern of small trees and brush, The other three sides have larger trees, a mix of maple, and pine, reaching up to perhaps thirty or so feet. Looking towards the northeast, he can see a faint gap in the trees, most likely the vehicle exit tunnel. He then calls over the radio, “Roger and I are starting our patrol, we’re moving northeast and following the trace of the exit tunnel to clear the exit itself. Estimated distance is about fifty meters. We will then move counter-clockwise and clear the immediate perimeter. Confirming password is eleven.”

“Roger” Amanda mutters.

“Roger” Roger replies.

“Keep your eyes open and keep checking your six.” Replies Zack.

With a last, quick check, Doug and Roger move out…

0510 hours, October 28, 2148
The ground recon takes the better part of an hour to complete. Doug and Roger have moved some 250 meters into the forest and cleared a 360 degree sweep.

All is clear, only small game and birds were detected.

Moving back to the vehicle exit, Doug carefully examines the area, bearing off to the northeast is a faint trail, covered with brush and a few young trees.

“Odd” he thought to himself, “After 150 years you would expect much older trees, I was thinking we might have to cut our way out of the forest with the chain saws.” Playing a hunch, he unclips his E-Tool from the rear of his vest, unfolds it and digs a couple of quick holes into the ground. “Cute!, some kind of chemical infused gravel and clay, retards growth of plants and keeps a trail open for vehicles.” Folding his E-Tool back, he replaces it in its carrier and keys the radio.

“Zach, this is Doug, Over!”

“Go ahead Doug.”

“We’ve cleared the perimeter, nothing but wildlife in sight to 250 meters, we’ve got heavy forest on all sides, but facing out from the vehicle exit, looks like they treated the ground with some kind of long-term chemical to retard plant growth, so we have a usable trail covered with brush and young trees, leading off to the northeast. Do you want us to continue, over?”

“Negative! Hold position for now. We are taking the vehicles into the exit tunnel, secure the outer doors. Break! Amanda, are you still in the sniper position?”

“Roger!” Amanda replies.

“Secure and camouflage the top hatch and rejoin Doug and Roger.”

“Wilco.” She replies.

Roger moves a few meters down the trail and sets up his SAW, covering the gap. Doug moves to one side of the mound and covers the rear.

After a few moments, a vibration can be felt as the inner doors swing open.
Inside the bolthole, Roger secures the inner personal hatch and then mounts Three Five Six. Victor starts ground guiding Three Five Five into the tunnel.
Outside, the vibration stops and then a grinding noise is heard, Slowly, the front of the mound starts to move, as dirt and plants are pushed to either side. Finally, Doug can see the metal doors swing into view, then he sees Victor step into view and then the bulk of the first and finally all three V-150s roll into view. As soon as Three Five Four clears the doors, with a rumble, the metal doors swing close. Roger dismounts the FSV and approaches Doug. Amanda trots up a few seconds later. Victor joins the group.

Zach, looks around the team as they gather round, “Let’s do a hasty camouflage job, cover up as much as the raw earth as we can. Then we mount back up, and follow this trail out of the forest and head towards the river. I want fifty meters between each vehicle. Sean you have trail with the three-five-four, keep your turret covering the rear. Victor, you have lead in the three-five-five I’m in the center. Hatches open for now, I think we need the visibility, make sure you have someone out the rear hatch keeping an eye out. Based on the looks of this ground, I think we’ll be lucky to make fifteen miles an hour! Let’s move out!”

With that, the team spends the next thirty minutes covering up the exit doors, then the vehicles roll out.