Darwin: Mission 1

The facility sends a message to the Crimson Shadows, "Several dropships inbound, be ready."

((Everyone else, you are aware of 2 dropships but you can only confirm non large targets on the ground through visual sighting. You can confirm the existence of one mech after you enter the operational area. Unless you are the Crimson Shadows it is assumed you are still in your dropship. The facility is centered about 10km south of the northern border))

The operational area is about 100kmx100km, a large grassy plain with odd scattered trees, hills and the occasional high brush. The grass is at least knee high at virtually all points. There is no indication of habitation or any other human touching of the landscape other than what you have all been briefed on.

((As a final hint, you are highly encouraged to communicate with each other and keep in mind the exact terms of your contract. There is no bonus for doing more than is specified.))

On board the Serpent observation crews were working hard reporting the data they accumulated directly to the war room.
"We are reading another approaching orbit."
A short pause followed.
"We have indentified the markings of the other as one of the ships we detected on Valhalla."
"No further data is available on the owners however."

The command crew pondered on what to do. If they chose to hail the ship it would begin a game of cat and mouse whilst the two attempted to discern if they were friend or foe. But if they chose to ignore the other ship they might be loosing out on a valuable ally or leaving behind a dreaded enemy. They had precious little time to think thou as the ship continued along its course toward the target world.

The Starfall dropship sends out a standard identification query to all forces, and their purpose here.

"How do I broadcast a comm in this thing? That button? All right."

Chris sends out a broadcast to the dropships in his sight.

"Hail, friends. I imagine you're all just as much a bunch of mercs as my men and I. Judging from your lone dropships, I can only imagine you're also under-funded, like us. Broadcast your objectives and maybe we can work something out. I'd be willing to open a private comm as well."

Chris's left hand hovered over the arming controls, prepared to release the safety on his weapons in a moment's notice. He positioned the mech's cockpit to keep the dropships in sight.

Mullin opens a private comm to the forces on the ground, and begins to speak.
[i assume other parties do not know about the private channel IC.]

((Everyone this is private so just pretend you don't hear it unless you are MX.))

"We are being hailed from the ground. It seems that they have observation facilities that can detect us."
The decision from the commanders was not simple. Stealth was now obviously out of the question. And so was maneuver and strategy. The way that they would have to play things now was definitively not what they were used to. Thankfully someone on the ship was. And that someone was dictating words to the communication system and its voice synthesizers.
"This is the private contractor Cobra dropship Serpent. We were not aware that there would be other forces deployed to this facility."
"Please state your identification and purpose."

An open broadcast issues from the dropship, identifying itself as belonging to the Starfall Private Military Company.

((Private comm reply to Purple))

Chris terminated his previous private comm just in time to receive another one. After listening to the message, he thought for a moment, and replied.

"I do believe I signed a non-disclosure agreement, so before I break that contract, I'm going to need you to break yours. State your purpose, and I'll see about stating my own."

"Than we have a problem. Cobra has signed a very similar agreement."
"Can you at least provide your full unit identification as we have?"

The commander looked over the 17 armored men in front of him, each of them looking around or checking their weapons.
One of the men shut off the bionoculars that he was using to look over the scene, putting them down and facing the commander. "I can't identify any of the ships, And I can't see anything else." The commander nodded. "Any vantage points we could use?" The man turned and pointed. "There is a hill about 60 meters that way, But that's all I noticed." The commander nodded again. "Alright, Let's head out!" He rounded up the men and put his helmet on, And began walking towards the hill closer to the facility.