Star Reach : The Fringe

[Groogy]

Special Operations and Tactical Insertion Division - Subsidiary of Penderyn Inc.​

“Most of the 'jarheads' will be leaving their ships in lifeboats. They'll ride to the surface in air conditioned comfort, sipping wine, and nibbling on appetizers. Not you, however. Oh no, you're going to leave the Orion in a different method. Tell me boys and girls… how will you leave?” —Major Bryn Pugh
“We go feet first straight to hell, sir!” —Shock Trooper's response.
"Hoozaah! Helljumpers brace!" —Major Bryn Pugh

Recording before the deployment of the 1st Company, 4th Battalion in the SOTI division aboard the command ship Orion. They were sent to secure one of Penderyn Inc. biggest mining assets on the outer rim planet Antiga Minor from the Bugs crawling all over it.

Exoatmospheric insertion vehicles performing re-entry with SOTI Troopers inside them​

The recruitment video of the SOTI as the fight against the bugs start to come at its most worse.

[video=youtube;PRhg1_BWHwM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRhg1_BWHwM[/video]

"Gafflwn Dihenydd Or fuddugol yn wiriol sydd, Ni fydd neb yn ein drechu, Falch ydy ni I drochu, Traed o flaen Ir Annwn, mewn y gwybodaeth fe godwn ni."
"We cheat Death from his rightful victory. No one can defeat us. We are glad to plunge feet first into Annwn (Hell) in the knowledge that we will rise."

BACKGROUND​

The mega-corporation of Penderyn Inc. had vast assets all over known space, focusing on mining operations in the outer-rim colonies. As other corporations started intruding and forcefully evict their employees with Security Personnel under bogus claims, it became very clear for the board at Penderyn Inc. that they needed to establish their own division to keep their interests safe. The difference lied in that corporations had relied on recruiting minor security forces to do their dirty work while Penderyn decided to go a step further and escalate everything.

Enter the Special Operations and Tactical Insertion Division, SOTI for short, this subsidiary company were tasked as an in-house security force that would patrol among the stars of the outer rim and answer any distress calls with the Penderyn Inc. ID signature. Their training and specialization was all centred around quick insertion, neutralize the threat and restore facility control to the corporation again. Having military-grade material and personnel the rival security forces were just mere thugs in comparison and stood no chance.

When the separatists started their insurgency the Penedryn Inc. had everything to lose. So the entire SOTI Division was mobilized and a proper Chain of Command was enacted to organize against the rebels. At this stage a much closer cooperation started to grow with the USG Armed Forces. It was during this period of time as well that the Penedryn Inc. shoved enormous amounts of money into the daughter company making it to one of the largest military forces of its time. Troopers families were paid for, raising living standards for them and making it very lucrative to apply to. As more recruits started streaming in the drilling process were made harsher and more punishing. At its peak the SOTI Division composed of 30 Battalions, each with their own command ship and escort ships. A Battalion usually consisted of approx 5 000 personnel where 1 200 are Shock Troopers.

It is from the war with the Colonial Republic that the SOTI Shock Troopers got their nickname. "Helljumpers", and it was a name they took pride in. The SOTI Division not being an integral part of the USG Armed Forces, their command usually put them in suicide missions as sacrificial pawns. Luckily the Penderyn Inc. had been using the troopers quite actively previously and were well trained and equipped in missions where they would receive no support from the main army. The nickname really caught on after three battalions were ordered by the supreme command to drop down on a huge military complex the rebels had taken as their main base of operation. The Battlefield turned into a literal hell which they prevailed victorious out from.

When the Bugs came Penderyn was one of the wealthiest corporations in existence. The USG had been almost exclusively been using them to produce material for the war effort and had given them any captured facilities to continue producing more. Of course substantial amount of this new wealth had been pushed into the daughter company. The SOTI Division was even capable of deploying armoured infantry battalions inside enemy territory by this point. The Bugs however were threatening the prosperity of the company so the SOTI Command were ordered to "take care of it". Even though they had early victories the Bugs just kept pumping more at them than the Division could handle and eventually it tipped the balance and they were overrun losing vast amounts of territory.

The command of SOTI realized they were to be defeated and the last of humanity extinguished. So they shifted priorities against the will of Penedryn Inc. board and the entire military force were reorganized to dedicate every last trooper to evacuate civilian settlements and help them get to the Fringe.
"If I believe it will save one family, I will throw myself into the pits of hell once more" —Commander Pyr the Elder Penedryn

The entire vast mega-corporation of Penedryn Inc disappeared with the rest of UGC but a small part of their legacy is left in the SOTI Division Mercenary corporation. The 4th Battalion with their command ship the Orion survived thanks to escorting civilian transports trough the trade lane to the Fringe right before it was closed. They are led by Colonel Gareth Vaughan, the last shock trooper of the first generation produced by SOTI.

Shock Trooper of SOTI 4th Battalion.

EXTRANET​

Faction Name: Penedryn Inc. Special Operations and Tactical Insertion Division, SOTI for short.
Leader Name: Colonel Gareth Vaughan
Ship: The lone command ship Orion manned by the remnants of the SOTI Shock-troopers numbering 1 000.
Company Mandate: Combat
Alignment: Neutral

 

[Groogy]

A New Beginning, Filled with Disaster​

- "Sir, the radio chatter is exploding with civilians being worried" The Communication officer broke the silence of another quiet day on their way trough the Fringe.

Colonel Gareth Vaughan was sipping his coffee in the commanders chair, his gray tired eyes starring at the screen in-front of him with data streaming directly from Communication. He downed the last of the coffee as he pulled up the ETA calculation of when to reach. "One year, One fucking year of nothingness and now this piece of crap." he thought to himself but kept a calm face.

- ""We are going to need to increase our speed if we want to reach the Fringe, Officers" he said even though they were 10-15 minutes from the end of the trade lane.

The officers looked puzzled for a moment but went back to their business, only the Communication Officer had a pale white face knowing what was waiting. The civilian ships in-front of them had been chattering about rumors that the government in the Fringe had decided to put itself in Quarantine and shut down the trade lane trapping everyone in nowhere and starve to death. Gareth pulled up the Engineering Officer on his holographic screen.

- "Is it possible to create our own warp-bubble behind us with the FTL drive to get some extra push?" The officer shrugged and answered "I suppose, but it might kill us in the process, don't think the structure can handle the stress Sir."
- "Just make it happen, we only need it for a minute, standby for my order to execute it." He turned down the comm to Engineering and turned to the Helmsman "Do you think you will be able to keep the ship stable lass?"

She responded with a common "Aye, Sir!" to the Colonel. He smiled and then put the ship in high alert and brace status. He setup a synchronization clock all across the ship's displays and ordered engineering to execute their orders when it finished. As it counted down more and more officers started reporting in strange data readouts at the end of the tunnel. He already knew what they meant but said nothing, no need to worry the crew with what they can not control. As it reached zero it felt as if the entire ship exploded and was going to break apart. Several officers hit their heads into the panels and parts of the interior broke apart and fell onto the floor as debris. The helmsman was struggling to keep guiding the ship going in a straight line, she had to actively fight all the forces trying to drag the ship apart. Those brief seconds felt like an eternity before they emerged on the other side, right before the trade lane was closed down by the government residing in Atheneum.

Medical personnel was dispatched to everywhere on the ship. About a dozen entered the bridge starting carrying officers to the medical center. Gareth finally drew a breath, relieved of that he managed to save his crew from a most horrible faith. "You did well." Petty officer Dilwen Pryce heard from right behind her, the Colonel was commending her effort. She was too shaken to even respond and couldn't fathom how he could still be calm. "Ah seems like we will be greeted" He stood up for the formalities and opened up the communication link on the main display. But it was not the welcoming he expected.

Immediately after Captain Nicholas Salaris had demanded their removal from the quarantine area a civilian ship were blown up right in-front of Gareth. It made him think of what wretched place they have ended up on. He appointed a night-watch and ordered them to find somewhere to orbit and repair the ship. He stood slowly up with help of his cane and headed towards his quarters. His leg had been blown to smithereens in the Colonial War and it was still troubling him and never fully healed, it ached more now when he was reaching his late years, 63 years old and 44 of those has been in service. But his commitment was still strong troughout, now however without direction he did not know what that commitment would be...

EXTRANET​

It has been reported that among the last survivors trough the trade lane, are remnants of the Penedryn Inc. SOTI Division. So far their intentions are unclear but they have set a heading for Greenstar

SOTI Division goes into Orbit around Greenstar Echo Minor and starts preparing their ship to become their mobile base.

 

[Groogy]

As the ship Orion was preparing for departure from the system, Gareth turned on his computer in his quarters and hooked it up to the Extranet network the Athenians had setup here in the Fringe. Looked at the news feed from FNN and saw that the Bugs were causing havoc on their capital planets surface. He pondered for a while, browsing his ships conditions, the supplies and overall status of his men. Then opened up a comm and made sure it was broadcast to news agencies and anyone who wanted to listen but addressed it directly to the government of the Atheneum Directorate, trying to put a bit of pressure on them to act.

The video recording started and behind him could be seen the symbol of the SOTI Division, the burning skull.

- "I am Colonel Gareth Vaughan, commanding officer of the 4th Battalion of the Special Operations and Tactical Insertion Division of Penedryn Inc."
- "From the news feed it seems like your Quarantine measures are failing and the Bugs spreading, threatening your existence."
- "I may be a newcomer to the Fringe but neither I or my troopers are inexperienced when it comes to these insects, I've been fighting them to protect civilians for so long now and I see no reason why to stop."
- "If the Directorate's leadership will have us, we will plunge into the depths of hell where no other man dares to go."

As he ends the videolink he attaches all the track records of the SOTI, ranging from before the Colonial Wars to where we are today. The recruitment video of SOTI used during the Bug War is also attached.

EXTRANET​

The commanding officer of SOTI braodcast a message declaring that their services are available if wanted.

 

[Groogy]

Adjusting Bearings​

Colonel Gareth could feel the ships FTL Drive struggling to stay alive as it kicked on and they zoomed away into the stars. He asked his helmsman, Dilwen Pryce, what sector the officers had chosen.

- "Greenstar, Sir" she replied and pulled up the collected data on his screen.

He leaned back in his chair and observed the charts and what they could gather on the bodies there. He pulled up the moon of the planet designated Echo and sent it back to the Helmsman.

- "What would be our ETA to that planet's moon?"
- "Eeerh... 18 hours to reach the Greenstar's gravity well and then a further 5 hours to reach the orbit of Echo Minor, Sir"
- "Good, make it so and let Major Bryn Pugh know that is Company will be needed to prepare for a drop down to the moon's surface."
- "Aye aye Sir!"

EXTRANET​

It seems as the SOTI Division will be setting up shop in the Greenstar sector around the planet Echo's moon. They have shown activities indicating that they will salvage material to repair their ship and set-up a mobile base of operations.
They also seem to have shown interest in exploring the moon for purposes unknown.

SOTI Division goes into Orbit around Greenstar Echo Minor and starts preparing their ship to become their mobile base.
They also send exploration teams to the moons surface.

 

[Groogy]

First Contact​

1st Company led by Major Bryn Pugh was advancing slowly upon the ship, its enormous shadow lying on them almost blacking out the sun. It had left a trail of destruction on the moon as it crash landed. Firing could be heard from smaller fire arms from inside and the stench of death were in the air, the Major wondered how long that distress beacon had been on. The command on the ship was observing as the 80 SOTI troops breached the outer hull of the ship and entered the outer sections. Except for hearing the fire arms echoing trough the metal from far away it was eerie quiet as they progressed seeing no signs of the bugs. The group started to detach into several smaller fire teams to try and find the source of the infestation quicker.

As they started to reach the core sections of the ship reports started to flow back to Major Bryn Pugh about hostile encounters. Bugs swarming their position and starting to encircle them, Pugh gave the order that all groups separately advance to the same position and force trough to a safer area. Two from Bryn's fireteam put charges on a reinforced steel door that wouldn't open, remaining calm as their mates were keeping the swarm behind them at bay.

BAAM

The door blew off landing a meter away in the room. Inside was a dead end but it was filled with civilians, mothers holding their arms around their crying children to protect them. Major Bryn froze as he was looking over his options, his tactical field almost blinding him with data on the situation. Command on the ship was also working as hard as possible to co-relate all information from the split fire teams of the company. Other sergeants reported in their findings making the civilian number grow more and more.

- "Shit this is a colonial ship." one of the Corporals screamed over the com.

A pin was pulled out, and you could her the metalic clanks as it bounced on the ground. "Grenade out!" the major screamed as they started to take cover inside the room. A bright light shone as the photon grenade detonated, leaving only trails of ashes in the corridor and red hot walls outside and opening up a path for them.

- "You four get the civilians out, now" Major Bryn Pugh turned to the remaining eight personnel as the four others were evacuating the civilians and shouted into the com. "Men, what do we do?"
- "Jump straight into hell, Sir!"
- "Huuzaah!"

----

Moments later as tons of refugees are escorted to the evac point suddenly the communication goes quiet. The command on the ship was holding their breath. After a few minutes of nervous silence it is broken by Major Pugh screaming "Move move move move for fuck sake! cracked trough. The soldiers taking care of the civilians at the evac point stopped for a moment and looked towards the ship. A loud boom could be heard and a shockwave pushed everyone back and debris came flying and the people started gasping for air. Then the ship started to implode on itself, a horde of bugs could be seen attempting fleeing the ship but were constantly being dragged back in by the implosion and eventually crushed by the pressure.

EXTRANET REPORT​

1st Company, 4th Battalion of the SOTI Division today answered the distress call of The Azure, a colony ship heading for the unknown regions of the charted sectors.
Trough valiant efforts and sacrifice the leading officer of the operation, Major Bryn Pugh, managed to save approx. 2 000 civilians from a bug infestation.

 

[Groogy]

A single message was sent by the SOTI Division's ship Orion in response to the proposed contract.

- "Which hell do you want us in?"

[X] Colonel Gareth Vaughan - Atheneum Directorate Security Contract

 

[Groogy]

SOTI Saves Lifeboat

 

[Groogy]

((Softy))

(( It is called being Professional Military ))

 

[Groogy]

The SOTI Division Fleet will move to the Agatha Minor Asteroid field to rendezvous with the fleet and follow orders given by the Directorate
The SOTI Division Mobile Base will start analysing the situation on Sparta to make sure their troops have proper intel before going in.

 

[Groogy]

YOU SMALL PIECES OF SHIT​

- "You small pieces of shit, you think you can come from your piss backwater colony and serve in my fucking company?" Major Bryn Pugh was screaming into the face of one of the new recruits. "Do yah?"
- "I ASKED YOU A FUCKING QUESTION TARKOV!" His voice raised if that was even possible. Tarkov responded "AYE SIR!"
- "My men is down on the ground defending your scraps of home and these cont tew is what I get in return?" He walked back to his Assistant officer.
- "You guys might be used to the conscription system of the Athen Directorate, which is cute and all, but the incompetent twads in that so to call military can dos i grafu for all I care."

Tarkov's eyes widened and dread started to fill his mind as he saw the Major pull up a gun and aim it towards him and he froze in fear. The shot fired and the recruits all screamed fled away from the middle where Tarkov was lying in blood from the open wound on his leg. Bryn started walking back and forth again along the line that wasn't standing there any-more.

- "You cunts have no backbone in you, you aren't fit to even call yourselves recruits." He burst out laughing "What are you going to do when the bugs nearly kill your comrade next to you huh? Call for mommy? Can your mate even trust you to drag him to safety? Every trooper we send in must get back, or else the mission was a failure and you are a shame upon the name of this company."

Major Pugh however stopped and turned towards Tarkov surprised but smiling. Tears were flowing across the cheeks, Tarkov was in unbelievable pain from his leg as he had forced himself to stand up in attention with a gushing wound on his leg. Tarkov had barely survived the onslaught by the Bugs in the colonial ship that Major Bryn Pugh had saved thousands of people from. Recruit Alex Tarkov's entire family had been on that ship and the memory is still fresh how they for several days were scared for days at end with no food or water and worst of all no hope of survival, just waiting to die. He never wants to see his mom's and sisters faces like that ever again and will do whatever he can to protect them from such an experience again. Trough his tears he started listing up the virtues of a SOTI Trooper.

- "Determination, Relentless, Unity and Duty" then continues on to sing "We cheat Death from his rightful victory. No one can defeat us. We are glad to plunge feet first into Annwn in the knowledge that we will rise."
- "At least one of you guys have the balls of a walesman" He looked over with disgust on the others and spit in their direction "You all other sicken me."

TRANSLATION​

Cont tew - Fat cunt
Dos i grafu - Get fucked

EXTRANET​

The SOTI Division continues to allocate their fleet and troops at the command of the Military of the Athens Government for clean-up of Sparta
On the ship SOTI Orion the new recruits are being trained so they will be capable of becoming troopers one day.

 

[Groogy]

The Special Operations and Tactical Insertion Division of Penedryn Inc wants to offer their services to the Hydra Coalition to get rid of the Bug infection.

 

[Groogy]

The Special Operations and Tactical Insertion Division of Penedryn Inc. will accept the contract proposed by the USGIR Adminstration.

Orders:

Deploy 1 500 Troopers to New Syrious, the tactic employed shall be Shock n' Awe to maximize arrest without bloodshed before they can counter react. The troopers shall be deployed on tactical points using orbital deployment and will be mainly tasked with arresting leading figures of the rebel forces and disrupting the communication of the enemy.

The crew on Orion starts working on an ad campaign to make the company more known in The Fringe to smaller mining operations and colonies.