Taking a Liberty

                                                  WELCOME TO META CITY ONE

                                                      CRIME LEVEL: SIGNIFICANT

This is MetaCityVidNews broadcasting from an asynchronous orb....orb....itttt. Good evening; My name is H..H..uw Solo; here is is the news news.....news.

There was panic today at the MegaCanFood PLC canning plant when the main "HappyPinto n Chilli" production line went berserk. After a major cleanup a spokedroid said, "in the scheme of things, this wont amount to a hill of beans,"

Investigations continue into the sale of access codes to the Shrimps; BritHabCit has expressed deep concern over the apparent breach in Earth Security and BritArmy PLC is conducting its own investigation.

Meanwhile, Judge Blake has led a team of CitSec investigators to New Liberty to follow up a hot lead.....but first some gratuitous THRILL!

Here is an advance preview of "Nathan Strange: Droid Hunter". The two helpless hostages HANG over the open maw of the power regulator! The twin micro cannon of the CENTURION spool up and SCATTER micro DEATH at Strange! Heen Junt fires a burst of droid killer at the metal beast! Rounds PING off its armour but Strange puts a singe round of ENIGMA into it - "eat logic death, tread head." With its CPU devasted by Turing Virus, the Centurion implodes!

And now, over to New Liberty where the LAW is being brought DOWN the HARD WAY!

                           <<<<<<<<...............cut to vid feed...........>>>>>>

Judge Blake leads his team of investigators from Docking Bay Bravo, locals greet the Meta City team with offers of hospitality, price negotiable. Then, they scatter, "this doesn't look good" growls Blake, "you ready rookies?"

A pair of DroidCops appear from ahead and open fire, gauss rifles HAMMERING; a couple of greedos pop up and start shooting at the cops. "Return fire. Use lethal force" snarls Blake

"Action RIGHT!" A centurion stalks down an alley, rounds HOWLING as the mini cannon cycle. CitSec Bueller fire back with his ceaseless NeuLuger but he's in trouble and he knows it.

Bueller is dropped by the Centurion, Abernethy NAILS a greedo while Blake cranks droid killer into the DroidCops. In a flash of white light a suited assassin APPEARS and plants a round into Detective Southey. Glaser and Hutchinson react FAST! Glaser pins the suit with his LasSMG while Hutchinson sprints around the corner and BLASTS the suit at point blank with his Noguchi.357 auto. 

The suit staggers as rounds TEAR into him.

Blake COOKS the DroidCops, Abernethy takes out the remaking greedo. Glaser fires a full mag at the Suit but the rounds are ABSORBED! Micro slugs SCREAM at Blake who ROLLS beneath the METAL DEATH TYPHOON and plants a round of droid killer super Ex into its external ammo feed. The tin can is breached and is BLASTED into shards.

The suit FIRES at Blake but misses. He goes for a pressel, "He's gonna WHITELIGHT' yells Glaser.

"Gun: Tag the Perp." Blake's gun puts a PerpTracer pellet into the suit, nanoseconds before he teleports away. 

"Droids, teleports, greedos, this was a set up" mutters Blake. "Fargo was never here, Abernethy, get the ansible up. Track the suit. Glaser get the medikits and bags. We're finding Fargo and finishing this and him with it."

NEXT: HOT PURSUIT THE SUIT, Blake tracks the teleportist and gets taken to TASK. Set thrills to DERANGED!

Credits:

Figs, GZG, 15mm, Khurasan, Peter Pig (a greedo), RAFM/Citadel

Map , armoured cartographer

Rules, kill o zap mkII

Inspiration, Dredd, Dredd, Dredd

Blorg note: BritArmy PLC - do you have an occupation? Choose ARMY, it's a professional career. Muster out with a Gun, credits and SKILLS (mech-1, driver-1, auto rifle-1)

When the Law breaks in....

                                                 WELCOME TO META CITY ONE

                                            CRIME LEVEL: NEW POST WAR HIGH

This is Meta City Vid News broadcasting from an emergency studio. I am Hadley Hope, here is the news.

With the assistance of Vargr mercenaries, the Shrimp invasion has been defeated and SDBs have destroyed their armada. There is no news as to the fate of the Milenium Nova, Huw Solo and his crew.

Meanwhile, crime levels have increased in Meta City One, with thugging, ramping, civ-sharping and less sophisticated crimes such as armed robbery all taking place at unprecedented levels.

Media news, RoboTV, the channel aimed at robots and droids has had a massively successful first quarter, "it's all in the programming" a studio executive commented.

We are now getting reports of a Judge raid on an office in Wagner Plaza where shots have been fired and arrests made......

                                            <<<<<<<<cut to vid feed>>>>>>>>>

There is a high level of PrivSec at the offices of Blofeld & Haas LLP, a discrete firm of media handlers and consultants.

But a Judge doesn't need a warrant and Judge Scully calls a audit of all staff records and e-comms 

A guard goes for his gun and Scully drops him with a shot, a slug PINGS off her helmet and she is stunned. The guards rush her and a frantic melee breaks out. Scully BRAINS one with her elbow but numbers are telling.

There is A MASSIVE DETONATION and the wall to the inner office CAVES IN. Judge Blake strides in through the dust and shoots a guard dead. "You are under arrest for mass murder and info speculation. Sentence death." The guy in the suit with the hand comp tries to run, "Gun: tangle the suit", growls Blake. A NerveTangle round SCREAMS out of the Lawgun and the suit stumbles. A hi velocity round WHIPS past Blake, he turns and DRILLS a round into the bodyguard.

Scully stun cuffs a perp just as Blake switches to perp tracker and fires through the door twice - SLOTTING both crims.

The suit tries to stand but collapses. Blake stands over him - "the Vargr are going to ask you why you sold them out. Tell me why you sold the access codes and who to and I won't turn you over to them."

"Mr Fargo. He has a base on New Liberty. He sold it to the Shrimps."

"Guilty. Sentence...Death."

BAM

<<<<<<<<<<<....... This is the......this is the Milenium Nova.....main turret not responding.....shields down....SOS.....engines failing.....SOS message repeats.....this is the Milenium  Nova.....>>>>>>>

NEXT: The Law Goes Galactic - thrill level set to GRATUITOUS! 

Credits

Figs the scene and 15mm

Map armoured cartographer

Rules killozapmkII

Blorg note: New Liberty - an offworld colony with a future for colonists with a past!

Cheers

Math

High Tide at Bartlett Creek

                                                        WELCOME TO META CITY ONE

                                                  CRIME LEVEL: UNABLE TO ACCESS DATA

This is Meta City Vid News broadcasting from the Millenium Nova in orbit. My name is Huw Solo; Good Evening, here is the news.

There are as yet no clues as to how the Shrimps breached CitOrbit Security. The blame is being laid firmly at the Vargr Mercenaries and a CityCouncil attempt to enact harsh anti Vargr legislation was only halted due to a non quorum of councillors. 

Action on the ground remains confused with City units barely holding on in the face of overwhelming numbers of shrimps.....

<<<<<OrbitSec reports hyperdrive footprint of large numbers of vessels inbound.....all SDBs scramble>>>>>>>

"Broadcast will cease shortly, cutting to Vid Feed of the ongoing fight at Belinski's Corner.....<<<<SDB Beagle Flight, ETA 15 minutes......SDB Galileo ETA 20 minutes......they are going to get through...>>>>

This is Solo Millenium Nova, on station. Put up antiflare shields, antimatter field live...clear weapons. Turrets live....<<<<weapons clear>>>>>...lock onto targets....<<<locked on.....Huw, we're holding off the entire shrimp fleet?>>>>...Yes. Battle computer to visual.....<<<<this is STUPID>>>>....when did that ever stop us? FIRE!......."

                                               <<<<<<<<<<<cut to vid feed>>>>>>>

As the Milenium Nova fights a lonely battle against insane odds, the ragged band of Apocalypse troopers and CitDef are losing the fight. Ammo is running low; Sgt Jackson issues a rarely heard order, "FIX BAYONETS!" and an eery CLICK is heard as FairbainMonoblades are slotted into place.

The Shrimps are closing in and Blake hears distinctive yips and barks BEHIND THEM.

"Adams. Cover your arc. I have your back."

The Vargr Diamond Dogs charge forwards howling their battle yips.

Adams hammers at the Shrimps, Blake sees the Vargr open fire AT THE SHRIMPS.

"Huh." The Judge turns and SLAMS rounds into the shrimps. The Vargr sprint past him, firing as they go. Other files of Vargr move up around the Shrimps. It's a hunt and the wolves of space scent BLOOD......

Blake calls an O Group and as the battle rages.....ARRESTS the Vargr Top Dog Grrr'frk'ywl, "the Detroit Towers Massacre is going to put you in the KENNEL for LIFE. And selling the access codes to the Shrimps is THE DISINTEGRATOR. You have any defence, perp?"

"We were hired to clear the Tower by the Mayor but then he blanked our access codes and our broker jumped for Rigel - we can't leave earth and we don't have access codes."

"Mitigation, not a defence. Conviction stands."

Blake realises he is staring down the very steady barrel of a GaussSLR, "I'm down a lot of men, the fight isn't over. The Dogs were set up and there's only one way out of the Apocalypse Squad - ask Mayo, ask Belinski." Jackson and Blake stare it out. 

"Sentence commuted" growls Blake "but somebody is going to the TIMESTRETCHER for this one."

NEXT: Huw Solo - RIP? 

Credits

Figs 15mm and GZG

Map armoured cartographer 

Vehicles matchbox, Starwars

Rule Killozap MKII 

Blorg note: Vargr do not drive hov cars with their heads outside the window. They hate sticks. You have been warned

Cheers

Maff

Apocalypse squad - Spearhead!

                                                 WELCOME TO META CITY ONE 

                                    CRIME LEVEL: STATISTICS OFFICE DESTROYED

This is MetaCity Vid News broadcasting from orbit. Good afternoon; my name is Huw Solo, here is the News.

Meta City One remains under attack from the aliens now called The Shrimps. The entire Bartlett Creek NavZone is overrun and heavy ordnance is firing directly into HabTowers. Judges and CitDef units are fighting at every intersection leading out of the NavZone. 

Defence Specialists are asking how the Shrimps entered orbit and land so close without SkyCom or any other City Zones detecting them; "those frakking doggies sold their access code" said a Mayoral spokesperson. 

We can take you live to the scene of the toughest fighting, where a shrimp walker has broken through a CitDef cordon.....

                                  <<<<<<<<<<cut to live vid feed>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

A thin line of CitDef (and a CitSec agent with HiBurn laser rife) try to hold back a shrimp push; only the laser can really damage the walker.......the shrimps press on and break through the speeder shop, the trooper north of the wrecked ATV is killed. The agents ZAPS a leg joint of the walker but chain guns CHEW up his cover and he ducks back.... a message squawks in his earpiece:

"Blake to CitSec - paint the street. Take cover. Inbound shuttle. Hard Delivery Imminent. Danger Close."

The LawCarrier shuttle ROARS overhead, navcomp searching for the DZ indicator but the CitSec agent is pinned down. "Dropping cargo blind. Cargo dropped" reports the Pilot, dropping in low and sonic booming the shrimpies on her way out.

Nine LALO (low altitude low opening) CrashPods CRUNCH into the ground - some embedding into buildings. The Apocalypse Squad is scattered widely. Judge Blake lands far off target but a few troopers land right in the action and are fighting the moment their pods crack. Gilby lands opposite the speeder bay and slots the shrimp who is in the doorway; Twiss hits the street in front of the walker and TEARS into it with his SFGaussHmg, his no2 Gadd is hoofing it up with the extra ammo. Mayo finds himself in front of the advancing shrimps and NAILS two with his gaussSLR but four of the walkers ball guns CHEW into him and he's KIA. The agent takes out a sensor pod but is dropped by a shrimp.

 

A STORM of death from the nose gun forces Twiss and Gad back to cover, "give me a clip of the special rounds" says Twiss, "that's emergency only" complains Gadd. "I'll give you frakking emergency" snarls Twiss. 

Belinski sets his pod to BURN mode and crunches through into the lounge area - as his pod cracks, BLAMMM, he  fires a frag grenade right into a shrimpie leader.

Box burns his way into the building and slots a shrimp putting fire onto Twiss,  he links up with Gilby and they clear the building. To the north, Belinski gets to a doorway and spots a shrimp mortar. He selects a flèchette maxikill grenade.....

Belinski clears the street but....."drok it, more shrimps. Am engaging, slot one. Slot two, incoming, slot...." Belinski's signal fades to grey.....

Blake leads a small team of CitDef, "Gun - MetalPunch. CitDef, rapid fire"....Twiss pulls metal and empties a clip of "Emergency" ammo into the Walker. Jackson pumps an AP grenade followed by  HiEx at the shrimp tank. He stalks towards it SLAMMING AP rounds into it. Greasy smoke drifts from the walker and it lurches to a halt. Shrimps bail out but a picked off by Blake and Adams.

Blake switches to Perpstopper rounds and NAILS a shrimp rifle...shrimp, "One round one shrimp" he snarls .....

The shrimps are halted by the CitDef and Jackson with his GausHMG, they find Belinski's body, surrounded by dead shrimps. 

Gilby, Box and Jackson take cover and start putting gauss skugs down range at the advancing hordes of shrimps. 

Gadd joins the CitDef and they halt another shrimp push at "Belinski Corner". Gilby goes down WIA as shrimp fire POURS into his position. Box lines up his targets and DRENCHES the shrimps with shrt accurate bursts before his armour too is RIPPED UP, he slumps down. Only Jackson is left standing, his gaussSLR double tapping shrimps with brutal accuracy. 

Blake links up with Adams who has fought a lonely battle to the north, stalking a shrimpie artillery spotter and WASTING him and his cover party. Now he and the judge take turns to put fire into the mob of shrimps advancing at the CitDef. 

"This is Control Call signs check." "Jackson." "CitDef Yates." "Cit Def Chisholm." "CitDef Ringo." " Adams." " Twiss." "Gadd". "Blake"

"This is Control. You will hold until relieved"

"Blake to control. No other plan. Blake out."

"Gaddsy? If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined"

"Twiss, this is Jackson, SHUTTIT. Cover your arc. Here they come......."

Credits:

Figs 15mm and GZG. Agent, the Scene

Map Armoured cartographer 

Walker - Starwars

Rules Killozap MKII 

Inspiration, Dredd, Wild Bunch

Blorg note: No real shrimps were harmed in this vid prod; thank you to Apocalypse Squad Six, B coy, Spearhead Btn for technical support

Cheers

Maff

Way Down in the Hole

                                                     WELCOME TO META CITY ONE

                                           LAW LEVEL: DAILY LOW OVER LAST HOUR!

This is Meta City Vid News broadcasting from orbit; my name is Huw Solo. Good Mornining, here is the news.

The award winning holo drama "Hab Zone: Crisis" has been syndicated for VidTeev cast; the rights have been bought by Kornkrakes "the breakfast of kings" and will run for 24 episodes. A Kornkrakes spokesman said, "yes it's going to be a serial."

In City news, the fallout from the shoot out on Detroit Driveway continues; CitSec are under review for transporting secure items via private courier, OrbitCommand are taking flak for not detecting an illegal teleport device and the Hall of Justice is investigating just what Mayor Brumby's personal launch codes for the City's Peacekeeper Missile array were doing there in the first place. As this is the fifth concurrent investigation into the Mayor's conduct, answers are not expected soon. 

And finally, an SOS message. Would Mr Basildon of Universal Exports of BritHab Zone, travelling in Meta City please contact his office. Thank you. 

Now to our weekly update on the arts world. The retrospective of the works of Leo McGarry at....and we are receiving breaking news of a massive firefight breaking out at Nostromo Towers....Judges, Cit Def units are all responding, CitSec have issued an alert level of GOLD MAXIMUM, we are bringing you the story as it happens......

                                           <<<<<<<<cut to vid feed>>>>>>>>>>>

It's a quiet misty morning for Judge McNulty, assigned to the Harbour Justice Patrol, making his way back to the Hall of Justice for an AdministrativevInterview with BuPers.

He stops to talk to a couple of CitDef troopers who are worried about strange booming noises heard down in the fog at old Navy base at Bartlett Creek.

 

Drokking heck! What the FRAK are THOSE? They look look gronking great SHRIMPS!

A hail of slugs hammer off at McNulty and his cronies. One drops hard, the Judge and the trooper dive for cover. "McNulty to Control. City wide alert. It's an INVASION!". They PULL METAL and SMG and Lawgiver rounds tear back at the......ALIEN SHRIMP FIENDS!!

Reinforcements! An ATV of CItDef SWAT commandos arrives

But with a blinding glare and a HOWLING EXLPOSION the ATV is SLAGGED!

"Oh frakking drok, what the FRAK have they done now?" asks McNulty. The CitDef trooper keeps shooting until a shrimpie blaster takes his head OFF...

MORE ALIEN SCUM PILE OUT OF THE FOG! 

CitDef units start to respond but are they TOO LATE?

 

Judge McNulty digs in and trades shot for shot with the shrimps, the street is full of pink carapaces, "need a barbecue" says the Judge, "gun, select incendiary."

View from SkyCam....The shrimps are working into the buildings but the CitDef are getting into place to block them. McNulty holds on and blocks the advance of the aliens.

By now heavily wounded, McNulty pushes back another shrimpie attempt to rush him. The CitDef troops can hear his Lawmaker barking out rounds. Then....silence.

"Here they come! FIRE!"

The aliens sweep forward and are met with a WALL of auto rifle slugs and a gauss SAW which RIPS into them.

Shrimp bodies litter the road as they fall back in the face of CitDef resistance. 

The shrimps are held up by CitDef troopers in the speeder bay and a ROOM BY ROOM battle kicks off.

Meanwhile Control is rallying the Meta City military, "all cit def units to Harbour Zone."

Judge Blake is not convinced "this could be a trap, we need to escalate....FRAK!"

SkyCam reveals a new threat, more shrimps and this BEAST....

"WHAT THE DROK IS THAT?" "Cam is fading, comms LOST!"

"Blake - deploy the APOCALYPSE SQUAD!"

NEXT: HazMat Commandos vs Man Eating Aliens From Planet Hell! THRILL LEVEL: TOTAL

credits

figs:shrimps GZG, McNulty 15mm.co.uk, CitDef, 15mm laserburn Mercs

vehicles: matchbox and Star Wars 

Map: armoured cartographer 

Rules: kill o zap mkII

Inspiration: Dredd, Panic Attack Montevideo 

Blorg note: Meta City One Citizens can find advice on prawn and shrimp recipes on all good HabZone InfScreens. 

Cheers

Maff

Held up without a gun

                                                    WELCOME TO META CITY ONE
                                                   CRIME LEVEL: TEMPORARY BLIP


This is Meta City Vid News, broadcasting from orbit. Good afternoon, my name is Huw Solo, here is the news.

There was high drama today at the Megafun toy factory when the owner, Monty Garibaldi, got stuck inside a freshly moulded maxi rubber ball. Emergency staff were unable cut him loose even using hi-burn las cutters but Mr Garibaldi said he'd easily bounce back. 

The fashion for exotic meditation is still sweeping Hab Zone Wheddon, a spokedroid for One Lucky Incense Co said "yes, they are going through a lot of joss over there."

Meanwhile the battle to bring law and order to the troubled Detroit Towers Complex continues. Yesterday the Hall of Justice cleared two more levels but we can now bring you live coverage of an arrest on the drive in access level...

                                          <<<<<<<<<cut to vid feed>>>>>>>>>>

A stick of the City Crime Task Force patrol the access driveway of Detroit Towers; a Central Services hov van is spotted, just where Mr Beige said it would be "moving in" reports CCTF1

"Get it moving Jacko.....ah drok it's the Task Force.....FRAK THE PACKAGE"

The poorly armed civs are surrounded by the Task Force and a mysterious civ in a suit with a DBG, "hand over the package, rent a corpse".

"Control to Aston, CRIME IN PROGRESS, response level GOLD"

"On my way, Aston out"

Law hog engines SCREAM as Judge Aston thunders to intervene.....his bike guns TEAR DOWN CCTF4

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! CCTF open fire on Aston and the Civs, Aston gets a DBG round to the chest and barely survives - out of it! The civs fire back with their body pistols.

Aston gets a law maker round off but the guy in the suit dives aside; in a hail of body pistol slugs the civs drop CCTF2 but 1 gets a bead on Aston then....BLAT. BLAT. CCTF2 is down, pink MISTED! Another double tap and The Suit lurches and in a ZAP of teleport feedback DISAPPEARS!

"Ops Room - Aston is down. Get a medevac team to my location. PACKAGE SECURE. Tango has white lighted. Out"

"Meta City Justice Control to unknown armed male. Identify yourself."

"You Know My Name. Out."

Credits

Figs: Khurasan, 15mm, RAFM ex Citadel

Map: Armoured cartographer

Rules: Kill O Zap mkII

Blorg note: DBG - Damn Big Gun eg  SuperEnfield .77 recoiless or Noguchi 12mm; teleportation is dangerous, do not attempt without proper supervision. 

Cheers!

Maff