Life and Death on Planet Nauru, Omicron Delta - [PM for Invitation]

[Karst]

It's a quiet, mild evening at ALG's Stuttgart Headquarters. Regular business hours are over here, but there is still life in the building, workaholics putting on yet another pot of coffee, cleaning personnel mopping the already-gleaming corridors, and Division V Director Helmut Weinstein awaiting a visitor in an otherwise empty, dark office. The small office is a rather humble setting for an important guest such as Guildmaster Jack Henderson, but some conversations are best held in dimly lit rooms.

2107 local time
823-05-11
ALG Southwest Headquarters, Stuttgart City, Planet Stuttgart

Weinstein stood up to greet the Guildmaster as he entered.

"Mr Henderson, I'm pleased you could make it. I'm sure you've been no less busy than I have, and I'd greatly prefer if we got straight to the point."

"Herr Weinstein, it's good to be here. I don't have to repeat the context, I am sure you remember our last conversation on the Nauru situation and the plans we were discussing. New Delta intel suggests that the few groups that managed to resist the Core's renewed offensive on the planet surface have been pushed deep into the desert - and frankly - humanitarian aid will not save them. If we want them to keep fighting, we need to act fast, or this door closes. So my first questions is: is the ALG still determined to get involved in Nauru affairs?"

"I think it's safe to say we have both gotten ourselves in far too deeply to consider dropping the matter now. Intentionally, of course; there are a number of reasons why we invested ourselves in the way we did.
It is certainly desirable to keep the remnants of the pre-Core population resisting as long as possible.
You're aware, of course, of the posting of the Nebelbank in the Omicrons. I intend to move other assets out as well."

"I did not know you were sending in more combat assets directly, but it comes as a positive surprise. The Guild will - on the surface - only operate humantarian aid for the Freeport, and perhaps also for the Nauru population, however I have the green light for Operation Nauru Dawn. It's a small scale operation aiming at arming and supporting those indigenuous groups that are still out there. I managed to aquire a non-House provider for war machinery in the Coalition, and I am currently having secure comms and money transfer systems being set up by the Lane Hackers. The Guild plans to send a ground team of twenty-five to Nauru to supply, arm, advise and coordinate efforts. Covert operation, no bread crumbs to us."

"Our plan is the following. Our assets are officially in the area to protect friendly traders, to keep an eye on things, to keep us up-to-date. Which is not even untrue, that is the main part of the operation.
However, we are also planning to send small teams to the surface with military materials. Scour the areas not completely controlled by the Core forces, and offer military assistance. In return, they should make sure the supply of iridium at the Freeport doesn't dry up too quickly, and offer some in direct exchange on scene."

Henderson smirks at his comment.

"I guess we will not be the only ones who have come up with this plan at this moment - I assume Sirius lacks true Samaritans. But... seeing that ALG is also planning to get involved and put boots on the ground, I suggest we closely coordinate our operations for maximum operational efficiency. The resistance groups El Fennek and the Cucaracha Roja are the only ones that we can contact with the intel we managed to gather. The Fenneks need assistance fast or they will be starved out or overrun, so that would be my suggestion. First operation, a 4RE mission: resupply, rearm, relocate, reinforce - as my military attache called it. You already have combat assets for insertion and mission execution there? We lack insertion and evacuation equipment."

"Your intel is certainly impressive. I propose the following: I will have the heavy freighter Meidling filled with combat materials and personnel. A small, fast ship like that shouldn't have too much issue arriving in the area undetected, with a light escort.
I'll have Operative "Melanie", my ranking agent in the area, currently on board the Nebelbank, take control of the landing party, and hopefully your people can organize a rendezvous. The Meidling will remain planetside for evac.
"Melanie" has....an unusual approach to things. But she can be relied upon."

"Herr Weinstein, you seem to have this under control. The IMG is not able to provide planetary insertion craft, nor escort ships in Delta, therefore we would like to place our operatives onto the Meidling for transportation and insertion. We are trying to keep the visible IMG footprint in this mission as small as possible, aiming at keeping our humanitarian mission in the foreground and keep Core forces from focussing on us. I'll inform Chief Barnes to get into touch with the ALG to organise the details about this flight into the combat zone. She also has the intel on possible landing zones near one of the staging areas of the insurgency group our team will be supporting. One question: how much cargo space do you have on the Meidling? I assume only personal equipment is permissible for the first flight in?"

"We should be able to take a small team. It's a lightly armored Ragnar-class, so there's a good amount of space. I will have her filled with the space your team will require to spare.
The Freeport itself may be the center of all the attention, but with all the traffic there it may actually be the most discreet place for Chief Barnes to rendezvous with "Melanie" and board the Meidling.
The Nebelbank could provide escort, although she might draw too much attention. A Division V snubcraft or two, which I intend to send to escort the Meidling to the Omicrons, may be preferable for the final approach."

"Hiding inside the crowd. I see what you are doing there. As long as scanners do not expose the weaponry on board and the people as what they are, I doubt it would be much more dangerous than meeting in a secretive location. I somehow like it and trust the ALG to organise this part of the mission. I will have Chief Barnes send the planned IMG mission to your agent Melanie, so she can decide whether it fits into the ALG plans. But I guess we'd better let the military guys do these things. The Chief always gets very angry if I interfere in her operations."

He chuckles, and Weinstein smiles politely.

"Indeed, the strategy on the ground is best left up to them. They will know what they are doing. I'll try to arrange escorted transfer of the Meidling as soon as possible, and I will let "Melanie" know of the plan.
I'm certain she will be...enthusiastic about it."

Weinstein glances over the notebook he has periodically been consulting.

"I think that covers our current course of action. Anything more to add?"

Henderson pauses for a while before shaking his head.

"No, that's all we needed to get out of the way. We'll let the military guys play now. I'll be contacting you once we are finished putting the right pieces onto the playing field. Should not take more than 48 hours for the small teams to assemble and be moved discreetly. Good luck. We'll stay in touch."

"Of course. I'm done here myself then. Shall we see ourselves out?"

A few hours later, the Division V Ragnar-class freighter "Meidling" departs from her previous posting, with some very specific cargo to be loaded.

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