EA Civil War campaign Mission 29 : Home Sweet Home ---------------------------------- Briefing: ---------- Command Briefing: - none - Mission Briefing: Ivanova : At the moments it is quite peaceful. Though we monitor escapees convoys from EA colonies trying to escape local sieges, there is not much activity near the epsilon system. The first convoys from League worlds have reached the station and the traffic increases. A number of League battleships is protecting the station, so we should be relatively safe at the moment. We have standard patrols on rotating shift, you are next. (b29.1) Balrok : So this is supposed to be a piece of cake. (b29.2) Corwin : The Whitestar fleet is not here, but the league ships should give us enough protection though. (b29.3) Ivanova : Alpha wing is Hale, Shadow, Elven. Spawn and Balrok will fly a hyperspace patrol and are designated Beta wing. As usual they will stay in contact with us, and the jumpgate will serve als relais transmitter. (b29.4) Shadow : Do we have any special assignments ? (b29.5) Ivanova : Make routine scans of the vessels nearby. Look for contraband, or weapons maybe. There are for sure still nightwatch agents on the station looking for an opportunity for sabotage. (b29.6) Elven : Nightwatch members ? What should they do now ? The station is definitely out of Clark's grasp. I don't think they will risk anything that would just draw attention on them. (b29.7) Ivanova : All I say is keep your eyes open. (b29.8) HALE : That's always a reasonable advice, commander. (b29.9) Ivanova : Your shift starts in 20 minutes. Dismissed. (b29.10) The Mission: ---------------- Setting: ( Eridani ) - O'Neill class space station Babylon 5 - alpha wing ( 3 starfuries : you , Shadow(INV), Elven(INV) ) - delta wing ( 4 thunderbolts , ? wings (STB) ) - Spawn ( is in hyperspace but will not show up ) - crew shuttle "TOBIN" - Drazi sunhawk "Gro'Dra" - Narn G'Quan "T'Prien" - Brakiri Avioki "Lendenum" - Vree Xill "Pakai" - EA transport "Oak Forest" - Narn transport "P'Terga" - Narn transport "G'Lerg" - Centauri transport "Balvian" ( an atm shuttle or a transport ) - EAS Gattica ( Midwinter cruiser ) - Eta wing ( 4 starfuries , Eta 1 is Piranha(INV) ) - Iota wing ( 4 badgers , ? wings (STB) ) - crew shuttle "STUMBLER" - EAS Plymouth ( Olympus Corvette ) -- The mission starts. Clarks forces are not here yet, but all other ships are gathering -- around the station. Delta wing is not launched yet. Shadow : Ah ! Finally a nice patrol. Was about time, too much action for me recently. (29.1) Corwin : Babylon control to alpha squadron. Sir, we have 3 unidentified transports that still need to be scanned. The P'Terga, the G'Lerg and the Balvian. (29.2) Shadow : You take those, Dan. In the meantime we will take a look at the other capital ships. (29.3) -- you have to scan those transports while the others fly around the other capital ships. -- When all transports are scanned : HALE : That was the last one. Nothing fancy. (29.4) -- After a few secs... Shadow : David, please get me Spawn on the channel. (29.5) -- After a few seconds : with signifantly decreased quality Spawn : Lt. Boone here. (29.6) Shadow : Spawn, it's me. How is it going out there ? When you are finished with your patrol check the eridani beacon again. I bet any problems will come from that direction. (29.7) Spawn : Well, we don't have anything on our sensors. And roger that, Derek. We will check the eridani beacon again. Is ELven with you? Give her a big hug from me. (29.8) -- EA Freighter "Oak Forest" heads for the jumpgate. Well, if we consider the distance -- between the station and the jumpgate this can take a while. a few minutes (STB) ? Corwin : Lt.Cmdr ? The freighter OAK FOREST is leaving this sector. Commander Ivanova wants you to escort it to the jumpgate. (29.9) -- The only meaning of this is that the player gets near the jumpgate. Shadow : Copy that, Babylon control. We are taking position near the freighter. (29.10) -- From now on you accompagny the OAK FOREST and the following chatter is spread over the -- way : Shadow : You have been a little tired at the briefing, Elven. Didn't sleep much last night, did you ? (29.11) Elven : I am fine. (29.12) Shadow : I just ask coz Spawn also looked a little tired. And I saw you two in the "Fresh Air" restaurant yesterday evening. (29.13) Elven : Yeah, Frank is a real gentleman, I'm looking forward to seeing him again. (29.14) Shadow : Thats great, perhaps we can do something alltogether, and you bring along some of your friends. Nikki for example, from delta squad, she's really cute. (29.15) Elven : Good idea, but I think you should have the guts to ask her out on your own. (29.16) -- a little later, when you are closer to jumpgate than to station... Corwin : Alpha wing, Spawn just called in, I'll get him on the line for you. (29.17) Spawn : Derek! Spawn here. We have an unidentified radar echo coming in from the direction of Eridani. It's moving fast along the beacon. We won't reach it before it can jump into normal space. Whatever it is, it will arrive in 30 seconds! (29.18) Shadow : Roger. Babylon control, I suggest you prepare the launch of delta wing. Freighter OAK FOREST, turn and fly back to the station. (29.19) -- The freighter turns around and flies back. After those 30 secs are over : -- Gattica, fighters and crew shuttle STUMBLER jump in. Corwin : *alarms sound in background* Jumpgate activated ! All hands to battle stations ! EarthGov forces have entered the system ! Delta wing, launch ! (29.20) -- Delta wing launches. The shuttle STUMBLER docks with one of the jumpgate pylons. The -- Gattica holds position a kilometer (STB) in front of the gate. -- (STB) After some seconds : Shadow : Moving to intercept. It's the Gattica ! Watch out people, we have a fully armed Midwinter class cruiser holding position near the jumpgate and Piranha is also here ! (29.21) Piranha : Hello Shadow. I was looking forward to seeing you again. We still have some bills open, dont't we ? (29.22) Ivanova : Lt.Cmdr Hale , there is a crew shuttle docking with one of the jumpgate pylons ! Scan it ASAP ! (29.23) Shadow : You are a disgrace to the Earthforce, Tricia ! (29.24) Piranha : Hah ! You are the right one to say it, you subversive scum ! This time I'm gonna blast you out of the stars ! (29.25) Spawn : Spawn here. What the hell is going on ? Shall we come back ? There is another radar echo incoming ! And I don't believe it's friendly. (29.26) Corwin : No, Lieutenant ! We have a hostile Midwinter blocking the jumpgate ! If you come back now you are dead. Stay in hyperspace and hide till this is over ! Lt.Cmdr.Hale, we need to know what Earthgov is up to ! Please hurry, sir ! (29.27) -- The shuttle does not remain docked for long (STB) It will fly back to the Gattica when -- its mission is complete. If it manages to land unscanned the mission is a failure. ( see -- below ) -- After you scanned the shuttle : Ivanova : Ivanova here. We have the scanning data from the shuttle. And we lost the computer uplink to the gate. The shuttle has downloaded the gate's computer protocols and cut us off. Now they'll be able to see what traffic came through in the last months. (29.28) Ivanova : The scan of the shuttle shows traces of Composit-12, they wanna blow up the jumpgate ! Don't fire upon the shuttle or you'll blow the gate away as well ! Our only chance is to destroy the Gattica's engines ! If they can't move they will reconsider their plan to trigger the explosion, unless they are life-tired. Don't let the Midwinter escape ! (29.29) Shadow : Roger Babylon control. Hale, Elven, you heard it ! Target the engines ! I'll deal with Piranha ! (29.30) -- Gattica now turns around in order to leave the system. You have to destroy its engines -- before it can jump out !! The speed of the Gattica and so, the time until she jumps -- out is (STB). -- When the engines are destroyed : Elven : Bullseye ! Now they are stranded here ! (29.31) Ivanova : Babylon control to EAS Gattica. You have no means of escape. You are ordered to stand down and to surrender your vessel. As you can see we have several capital ships around the station which will have no difficulties to finish you off if you do not comply. (29.32) -- After a short while (STB) Gattica : We hear you. The Gattica surrenders. I repeat : the Gattica surrenders. We are standing down. (29.33) -- Gattica turns friendly, including some fighters. Ivanova : A wise move. We will incite a shuttle transfer in some minutes to take your crew to Babylon 5. In the meantime you hold position. (29.34) Piranha : Captain Cesar, you dare ! They'll court-martial you if you ever come back to Earth again ! Babylon control, if you think I am standing down as well you are wrong. You won this round, but it is not over yet ! See you next time. (29.35) Shadow : Damn it, Piranha is heading for the gate and we won't be able to intercept her before she jumps out ! Once again running away, Tricia ? (29.36) -- Piranha and all remaining enemy fighters jump out via the gate , probably heading for an -- EA base or another ship nearby. Crew shuttle TOBIN launches from the station and heads -- for the same jumpgate pylon the shuttle from the GATTICA docked to. Corwin : Piranha and some fighters from the Gattica have jumped out. Babylon control to fighter wings. We have launched the crew shuttle TOBIN which will defuse the explosive charges on the jumpgate pylon. Ensure a safe passage. Well done alpha wing ! I think we won this round indeed! (29.37) Elven : Roger, Babylon control. Taking escort position. That was a tough fight ! That Piranha-bitch is really a pain in the arse. (29.38) -- The shuttle Tobin heads for the gate , at a certain timestamp (STB) the Olympus Corvette -- PLYMOUTH jumps in. She arrives quite at a distance to the jumpgate ! -- The ship is trying to remotely detonate the explosive charges, well knowing this will -- also kill the crew of the Gattica. Well, the PLYMOUTH's captain is new, loyal to Clark -- and trying to help to shut down Babylon 5 at all costs. Shadow : An Olympus Corvette has jumped in at a distance ! What are they up to ? (29.39) Spawn : Spawn to Babylon control, do you copy ? There was an Olympus Corvette that jammed our comm systems, that's why we couldn't report in. She has jumped to normal space. What's the situation ? (29.40) Ivanova : We are clear, everything seems to be in order. Stay out there and resume your patrol till we call you in. The Corvette is here, perhaps they also want to surrender. Babylon control out. (29.41) -- after 10 seconds : GATTICA : Mayday ! Mayday ! This is Captain Cesar from the MIdwinter cruiser Gattica ! Babylon control, the Olympus Corvette PLYMOUTH is equipped with a state of the art comm-subsystem ! They have been jamming frequencies and our transponder signatures to cover our arrival! (29.42) Ivanova : And ? (29.43) GATTICA : They are trying to remotely detonate the explosive charges ! They don't have the detonation code, but they know the frequency ! They are randomly sending detonation codes ! If they get the right one this will blow us to hell, together with your jumpgate ! (29.44) HALE : Hell ! All fighters ! Attack the Olympus corvette ! We have to prevent this ! Weapons hot ! (29.45) Elven : I can't believe that ! I have never encountered such a cruelty ! They are willing to sacrifice the crew of the Gattica if they can only take out the gate ! (29.46) -- As soon as you get within 1 km to the olympus corvette a secret countdown starts. You -- won't succeed in destroying the olympus in that time, your only chance is to destroy -- the Olympus COMMUNICATION system. However , the player should be clever enough to -- notice that on his own. At first it is likely the player will fail the mission, so in -- the debriefing we should give him the HINT to take out the Comm Subsystem, so he doesnt -- have to replay the mission 10 times. :) This Civil War campaign is more than plain -- shooting. -- If you manage to destroy the Olympus' communication system in time ( length of secret -- countdown is (STB), note that player mustn't learn of this countdown ) : Shadow : Excellent work, Danny ! The comm systems are down ! Hang on ! (29.47) Elven : Don't we allow them to jump out ? (29.48) Ivanova : They just tried to murder the crew of the Gattica ! We won't let them escape, Lieutenant ! Fire at will ! The Corvette will need some time to recharge its jump engines, either she stands down on her own and surrenders, or we will destroy her. (29.49) -- The Corvette heads away from B5 and the fighters to buy some time for powering up -- jumpdrives. The mission is already a success. Destroying the Corvette or letting it -- escape is not relevant for plot. If you destroy it you simply get recommended. -- The Corvette will jump out in a few minutes (STB) unless she doesn't get destroyed -- before. -- If the Corvette gets destroyed ( this should only happen if the player goes along ) : Ivanova : PLYMOUTH destroyed. Excellent work ! Mission accomplished ! (29.50) -- If the Corvetter escaped : Ivanova : The Corvette has escaped. However, mission accomplished. (29.51) -- chatter continues : Ivanova : Delta wing, you will watch over the final defusal of the explosive charges and the evacuation of the Gattica. Lt.Cmdr Hale , we don't want another surprise today. Join Spawn and Balrok in hyperspace, you'll fly another long range patrol. Shadow, Elven, back to base. (29.52) Shadow : Roger that commander. Now I need a drink. See you in 40 minutes, Dan. (29.53) HALE : See ya later. (29.54) -- The ends when you jump out via the gate. -- And now : all other possible endings in case you are not the hotshot pilot I thought -- you are : -- (1) You fail to scan the shuttle STUMBLER -- After the shuttle returned to the Gattica the ship instantly jumps out. Then, after -- some seconds the jumpgate explodes. -- Shadow : Noooo ! That was our jumpgate ! Now we are cut off ! (29.54) -- Ivanova : Hell ! Babylon control to all units, return to base at once ! (29.55) -- Elven : Oh my god ! (29.56) -- mission ends. -- (2) If you fail to disable the Gattica before she jumps out, same as (1) -- (3) If you fire upon the shuttle STUMBLER it explodes, together with the gate, the -- Gattica and YOU ( you are in explosion range ! ) -- (4) If you don't destroy the Corvettes Comm systems in time the ship jumps out at once -- and before we hear the follwing chatter accompagnying the gate's and the Gattica's -- destruction : -- Shadow : My god ! They found the right code ! Gattica and jumpgate destroyed ! (29.57) -- Ivanova : Hell ! Babylon control to all units, return to base at once ! (29.55) -- Elven : Oh my god ! (29.56) Debriefing : ( hold by Ivanova ) --------------------------------------- (1) If your mission failed : *furious voice* The whole station resembled a stock exchange in the last hour ! You have failed to protect the jumpgate and now Babylon 5 is nothing but a useless heap of metal orbiting a distant planet ! There has been riot scenes on the Zocalo and the captain is furious ! You are relieved of flight status. Get to your quarters and don't even dare to stick your heads out before we call you ! Dismissed ! (db29.1) (2) if the mission is a success : Excellent work, Lt.Cmdr ! You protected the jumpgate and you saved the crew of the Gattica. At first we thought we would only make prisoners, but this little incident with the Olympus corvette apparently made them to reconsider their attitudes. The captain and the command staff of the Gattica gave us valuable information on EA strategies in this region. With the help of Lyta Alexander, our telepath on Babylon 5, we are now convinced that the defection of the Gattica's crew is honest and that it is not an attempt to infiltrate the resistance. You have been granted a 3 day vacation. Enjoy your free time. Dismissed. (db29.2)