Liberty Forces Message dump

[Manticore]

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To: Primary Fleet Command HQ
Subject:Mission Report OAE-1351: Humboldt
Encryption: High
Priority: High


Admirals,

This is a slightly belated report on an operation I led a few days ago.

Background:

Some may not be aware of what's happened, so I'll sum it up briefly. During my captivity by the Rogues, I was, for a time, under the auspices of a girl named "Pita". She's twelve years old. She forced me to spend time with her, attending "tea parties" and wearing a dress. At the time I considered it a form of psychological torture, but now I have come to realize what it truly was: an abused and neglected girl's plea for attention.

I escaped Rogue custody on my own, without help. However, Pita managed to reclaim me just before I was able to leave their base. However, instead of turning me in to the other Rogues, who would have likely killed me, she instead took me off the base. I'm not sure what her intent was, but the result was my rescue. After I returned to duty, I encountered her a few more times, and we actually reconciled many of our differences. She told me some of the things the Rogues had done to her, and I wanted to help her.

It took time, but eventually I convinced her that she should abandon the Rogues and do something else. Start a new life. But then, some of the Rogues led by one named "Buster" came and took her back. He wired up the girl's ship to remote control, making it so I couldn't stop her without risk of hurting or killing her. I vowed to stop at nothing to save her.

Units Present:

Friendlies:

• [LN]-James.Lambert [VHF]
  
• [LN]-LNS-Lake.Shasta [LSC] (Capt. Polstari commanding)
  
• [LN]-LNS-Bunker.Hill [LGB] (VAdm. Baker commanding)
  
• [LN]-LNF-Fun.Fields [Grizzly] (Cmdr. Clark commanding)
  
• DSE)Catelyn.Smith [Camara]
  
• [LN]-Reginald.Lewis [VHF]

Neutrals:

• [TAZ]The.Maverick.IV [Zoner Transport]
  
• Stewie.Griffin [Freelancer VHF]

Hostiles:

• S.O.S [Rhino] (Ruby/Pita)
  
• LR-Mad.Architect [Pilgrim Liner] (Buster's ship)
  
• LR-Crossbred.Mongrel-B [VHF] (Unknown Rogue)
  
• [HF]-HFB-Manticore [HF BB]
  
• [HF]-HFD-Iblis [HF Scylla]
  

Action Summary:

I used the help of Catelyn Smith, a DSE employee who knew Pita, to track her lost ship. We traced it to Puerto Rico, and then were able to determine that she was moved to a Rhino that headed into Humboldt. We hurried there, and I finally found the ship. However, Buster was already there, and Ruby was aboard the freighter. After some talking, I discovered that Buster had lost the girl himself to Ruby, and was under orders from Moka to get her back.

A Hellfire capital ship turned up, but the presence of our own capital ships kept it from causing trouble. Ruby wasn't going to back down, insisting we leave her with the girl or she'd kill Pita. It was a classic hostage situation.

I came up with a plan. We'd fake an issue back in New York that would call the Lake Shasta back, and then move it out of sensor range, then it would move in under cloak and decloak and launch marines from close range. We'd offload the marines from the Bunker Hill, as well as myself, to accompany them. The plan succeeded, getting myself and several fireteams of Marines aboard before Ruby could react.

I searched several areas before the girl was found. Ruby had a gun to her head. I managed to slip around to get behind her, familiar with the layout of a Rhino-class vessel. Ruby saw me too late, and I dropped her with a three round burst to the head. Captain Polstari reported another Hellfire capital ship inbound, so we quickly departed the ship with Pita. Buster had been aboard as well, but left once he realized his cause was a lost one. The Captain blasted an unknown Rogue that tried to interfere, and damaged Buster's vessel.

We were extracted, and the task group returned to Liberty without further incident. We lost a pair of marines - it was reported that Buster had killed them - but other than that there were no casualties. A full communications log of the operation is attached below.

Aftermath:

The girl was returned to the fleet hospital aboard the Missouri, and recovered well from her physical trauma. She has been in my custody since she was released, and I intend for it to remain that way. Taking care of a child while also maintaining active duty Naval service will be difficult, but I believe I can manage it. I bought the girl a ship, so perhaps she'll be seen in space with me on occasion.

I am glad to have gotten her back, and hope she will adjust to her new life. Her treatment under the Rogues was inhumane, and I will try and help her move forward from it. I also wish to apologize for my singleminded focus on finding her over the last week or so. I've let my attention to duty slip, and I will try to rectify that immediately.

<File Attachment: Communications Log>

Lambert out.

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