Wild Geese Storyline/Intro Missions

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Summary	Preamble	Intro Missions	Death Path	Life Path	Heraan Link	Association Link

Wild Geese intro missions summary

Take Michaleen to New Ireland (Wild Geese 1)

mission #634

Offer

Available from:

Sol
Earth
Bar: 50% Combat rating: 5 (Little Ability*5)
AvailBits: !((b800 | b801) | b9111) & !((b511 | b515) | b6666)
1 tons of Michaleen Hogue, illegal to Pirate

"You have barely entered the bar when you are knocked backwards by the flying body of one of the bar's patrons."

Offer

The burly individual knocks you to the ground, and as you stand to give the offensive ruffian a piece of your mind (if not a piece of your boot) you notice that the man was sent flying your way by a red bearded giant fighting on the far side of the bar. As you watch, a number of men attack him, only to be beaten back by his prodigious strength. A man comes at him from behind, smashing a bar stool over his head. He staggers and begins to stumble. His sneaky attacker begins to draw a knife, and you feel as if you should help the man before he is stabbed in the back in a cowardly attack. You quickly jump into action, smashing your fist into the other man's face. He falls backward as your fist comes away stained with blood. The giant shakes his head, and with a roar launches himself at the remaining ruffians. As you watch the fight ends in a quick and brutal flurry of blows. In a matter of seconds the floor is strewn with unconscious bodies. The man turns to you and offers his huge hand. "Thanks for your help," he says in a thick brogue. "Can I get you a drink?" You nod your assent and he turns to a dazed looking barman and orders two drinks. You make a mental note to not drink in Dockside bars any more, and turn your attention to the man beside you. He stands about six and a half feet tall, and looks as if he could pull apart Leviathans with his bare hands. He has a shock of bright red carrot colored hair, and very pale skin. He turns to you and hands you a huge drink, as black as pitch and as thick as fresh cream. He raises his glass to you in a silent salute, and takes a long pull on his drink. You follow suit, and are surprised by the thick bitter taste that fills your mouth. It is at once revolting and enticing, and you don't quite know what to make of it. You guess that you should be polite and finish it, but you don't know if you'll be able. Many hours later you and your new friend, Michaleen Houge, stagger from the bar. The manager slams the door behind you and locks it quickly, and you get the distinct impression that he was not happy that the two loudest patrons were also the last to leave. You head back towards the docks, when Michaleen curses loudly. You follow his gaze as best you can, and see a heavily modified Thunderhead being locked down by the port authorities. Michaleen shouts abuses at them in a strange tongue, but it makes no difference. Before they leave, they give him a notice to the effect that he had outstanding storage debts, and that his ship was impounded until he pays them back. "Ah, but that would have to be the life of a wild rover," he sighs wistfully, waving an unsteady hand at his locked ship. "I spent all me money on whiskies and beer, and now I've none to get me ship out of hock." He slumps down next to the ship and puts his head in his hand. Your heart goes out to him, and you ask if there is any way that you can help him. He explains that he has to be in New Ireland in the Tuatha system before the end of the month so he can be best man in his cousins nuptials. He says that if you can give him a lift, you can stay for the wedding and the party after. Apparently one is very serious, and the other involves a white dress. You have had far too many 'pints' to figure out which is which. Do you give him a lift?

Refusal

Refusal
The hefty man turns to you with a look of anguish, and for a second you think that he is going to cry, or hit you, or both. He hauls himself to his feet, and he walks away without a look back at you. You feel heartily ashamed.

On refusal	b801 b6666

Briefing

"You awake in the morning with a heavy head, and there is far too much light in the cabin. The instruments are too bright, and you cannot remember ever feeling quite so awful."

Briefing
Michaleen doesn't appear to be much better, but takes a very philosophical view of your predicament. "Just remember that you can only start to feel better when you feel this bad at the beginning," he tells you with grim humor. Somehow, it does make sense in a bizarre way.

On accept	b511

While active

Mission Log Entry
Take Michaleen Houge to New Ireland in the Tuatha system to attend his cousin's wedding.

On abort	b801 !b511

Completion

Travel to:

Tuatha
New Ireland

"The wedding turns out to be a very loud and jolly affair. The rites were solemn and beautifully written, and the sentiments of love and eternities spent together brings a tear to your eye."

Dropping Cargo

Michaleen's cousin, Riley Shaskeen, is so happy that you have delivered his errant cousin that he places you at the place of honor at the reception, between his unmarried and beautiful sister Sinead, and his best friend and brother Sean Shaskeen. The night seems endless, and is full of drink and song, fights and dancing. Men vie for the attention of the ladies, who treat them with a faintly mocking humor. Their tongues move like whips, and you find your sides hurting from laughing at their banter. Michaleen tries to teach you old drinking songs, and {G"Sinead" "Sean"} tries to teach you to dance. In what seems to be only a few short hours, the night is over, and you stagger away to Michaleen's place to pass into a blissful sleep full of dreams of {G"quick witted women and quicker-fisted men" "quick fisted men and quicker-witted women"}.

"Morning finds you in a small bed in the home of Michaleen. You see him enter the room with a huge plate of steaming food, which makes your fragile stomach perform a couple of small flips."

Completion

He thrusts it under your nose, and insists that you eat. As you weakly push the food down your gullet, Michaleen tells you that all the young men of the town must go to the bride's family home and collect her dowry, so they can deliver it to the newly-weds, {G"and you have been invited to help" "whilst all the women, and the married folk enjoy a gentle day of art and song"}. "In fact," he says through a mouthful of his own breakfast, "I've been told not to {G"show up unless I have you in tow" "show my face around here any more unless I escort you to the festivities safely"}." You readily agree and spend another very enjoyable day in the company of these strange and hospitable folk.

On success	b800 b515 b518
Legal changes	+2 with Wild Geese

Take Michaleen to Sol (Wild Geese 2)

Availalbe from:

Tuatha
New Ireland
Bar: 100% Combat rating: 5 (Little Ability*5)
AvailBits: b800 & !(b802 | b803)
1 tons of Michaleen Hogue, illegal to Pirate

"You and Michaleen are sitting in the bar, and you are considering how easy it would be to stay here and drink for the rest of your life."

Offer

You notice that Michaleen has not been to work a single day you have been here. So far all he has done is swan about and drink in pubs. You ask him why he doesn't seem to have to pay for anything, and he looks at you in surprise. "Why, don't you know who we are here in New Ireland," he answers, slightly surprised. "We're the Wild Geese, the best mercenary organization in the Universe. We fight for the best pay and the best causes, and we never lose. I'm one of the Geese, so I am more responsible for the income of New Ireland than many others here. So tradition has it that I don't pay for grog or food, nor lodgings either. You see, there is a good chance that I will die in the service of the New Ireland economy, so I don't pay taxes or for services. I'll cover any debt when I die." You ask him further about the Geese, and you realize that most of the famous battles of the past have had the Geese somewhere in the field. They have a long tradition of being the savior of their employers troops, and when the day is all but lost, and most men are ready to break, the Wild Geese find a special reserve and push on, often winning the day single-handedly. Or at least that is the way that Michaleen tells it. By the time he has finished his explanations, many of the other patrons have begun telling their stories. They all involve fighting, women, and lots of drinking. By the time you leave the bar, you have a deep wish that you'd had the fortune to be born on New Ireland, or the Sol homeland, Ireland itself. At least then you could lay claim to this rich tradition of warriors and heroes. You tell Michaleen, who laughs until his face hurts. "Musha," he waggles a finger at you "It's talk like that that'll cause folks to not let you leave. If you stay long enough, you'll look and think and sound so much like us, that a stranger won't know the difference. But unfortunately, I have to get back to Sol and collect my ship. Can you take me back?"

Refusal

"You explain to Michaleen that while you have had the best time possible, but you really have to get back to work trying to make your fortune."

Refusal
He nods slowly, obviously more than a little disappointed, but he soon lifts his head when he realizes that you have to have a send off. Next day you leave with a heavy head, and an even heavier heart.

On refusal	b803 !b511 !b515 !b518

Briefing

Briefing
You tell Michaleen that you would be happy to take him back. Next day you head back to Sol.

While active

Mission Log Entry
Return to Earth with Michaleen.

On abort	b803 !b511 !b515 !b518

Completion

Travel to:

Sol
Earth

"You and Michaleen land on the Kane Band with a minimum of fuss. It is odd that you get clearance so quickly."

Dropping Cargo

You have seen waits at least ten times longer than the one you had. Michaleen is in high spirits, and together you set off to the Impound Office to arrange for Michaleen's ship to be released. You are nearly there when you see a group of burly figures walk out of an alley ahead of you. They turn and wait for you to approach, and you glance over your shoulder. More men are there, and a sudden sweat breaks out on you, as cold as the pit of your stomach. They are all armed in some way. Michaleen stops, and gives you an almost imperceptible nod. The hour is late, and traffic on the walkway is thin, made up mostly of the dregs of the port's population, the night-walkers who only appear after most regular folk have gone to bed. There is little likelihood of outside intervention, and you are forced to let the other men make the first move. "Footsoldiers," Michaleen whispers from the side of his mouth, "They work for a black-hearted bastard called McGowan. He runs a pirate organization in the Galactic North. He has a lot of backing too, mostly from the Bureau of Internal Investigation. Hard to prove, but still fact. The big bastard in the middle is 'Bull' John Pennant. He is McGowan's man in this sector, and a real piece of work too. The only problem is I owe them money, and lots of it. That and the fact that I bedded with Pennant's wife. I don't like the looks of this little party."

""Michaleen Houge, you worthless muck-shoveller," Pennant steps forward, casting back his overcoat to reveal a sawn-off shot-blaster, "You have a lot of nerve showing your ugly face about here."

Completion

We was tipped off you'd be droppin' by, so I thought I'd get myself a little payback while I'm here. Boss wants his money as well." He starts to walk forward. The men behind you begin to close in. "If I don't get out of this in one piece," Michaleen whispers urgently, "get back to New Ireland and find Eamon Flannigan. Tell him what happened, and that I'm sorry about this." The men behind you charge, and Pennant opens fire with the shot-blaster. Michaleen pulls a hidden blaster from his cloak and returns fire, and you turn to face the charging men behind you. You fire at one of them, but you feel a sudden pain in your back. You fall into unconsciousness, and the ensuing blackness is the heaviest you have ever known.

On success	b802 R(b804 b805)
Legal changes	+2 with Wild Geese

Wild Geese Path Split

ROLL THE DICE!
50% chance	50% chance
Michaleen dies	Michaleen lives
Return Michaleen's body to New Ireland	Return to New Ireland with Michaleen