Fox Hounds: Incoming Message

After the success of their previous mission, the Fox Hounds are inundated with Job Offers. One, a riot control mission, they turn down immediately in fear of tarnishing their hard won image as principled mercenaries. The second is a little more troubling. By which the Fox Hounds mean, "morally ambigous":

Contract Registry: OA-OC-01-01 
Unit Assigned: Fox Hounds
Working for the: Iqbal Exports
In the: Outworlds Alliance
To complete the following: Extraction
System: Quantraine
Forces Recommended: 1 Lance
Contract Duration: 2 Months (30 Days in REAL TIME)
Employer Contact: Rashiq Iqbal
Jump/Drop Fees: 0 WP
Pay Rate: 125 WP
Support: None
Salvage Rights: None
Command: Independent

Your objective is to extract Iqbal Exports CEO Rashiq Iqbal and his famliy and escort them to New Avalon in the Federated Suns. Iqbal and his family will be barricaded inside the main Iqbal Exports administrative building in the city of Calah on the southern continent of Alrashen.

An Iqbal Exports contracted jumpship Mukhtar Bey will enter the system via a pirate jump point and dropship Rafiq will deliver you to the dropsite. Be advised that once deployed you will have a 12 hour window to extract the primary and return to the dropship before the Mukhtar Bey is intercepted by AMC forces. A signal flare on the roof will indicate the correct building.

Quantraine is patrolled by elements of the 2nd Armoured Division of the Alliance Armoured Corps and the Quantraine Planetary Militia. 

25WP - FSAF intelligence dossier on 2nd Armoured Division and Quantraine

System Data:
X:Y Coordinates 455.27:206.68
Note: X and Y are coordinates (light years on XY plane) relative to Terra at (0, 0)
Spectral class: G4
Recharge station: Zenith

Geophysical Planetary Data:
System position 4th
Jump point distance 7.98
Highest native life Avian

Local Infrastructure:
Ruler: Neil Avellar
Population: 4,500
HPG Class: D 



Comstar <error>niqué 99874nr35-<error>-01-10-3026

In <error> are we forged.
-From Collected Short Sayings of <error>, Edition XXII, ComStar <error>, 3015

CLARIFICATION: 
Concerned by the possibility that they are being tricked into a kidnapping run, the Fox Hounds send a message directly to the extraction target. They receive the following responce:

Of course I'm willing, you <idiots> <what> am I <hiring> you for? Myself, my wife and two <others>. My family will be in <a> hover <vehicle> located in the basement of the <building>. I will <wait> on the roof and require <error> <error> a 'mech. Please <come> as soon as possible. My <situation> is very <bad> <error> and getting <worse> by <the> <day>

Comstar <error>niqué 99874nr35-<error>-01-10-3026

In <error> are we forged.
-From Collected Short Sayings of <error>, Edition XXII, ComStar <error>, 3015

<error> encrypted message

"Of course I'm willing, you <error> <error> am I <error> you for? Myself, my wife and two <error>. My family will be in <error> hover <error> located in the basement of the <error>. I will <error> on the roof and require <error> <error> a 'mech. Please <error> as soon as possible. My <error> is very <error> <error> and getting <error> by <error> <error>

Which they interpret as meaning:

"Of course I'm willing, you <error> <error> am I <error> you for? Myself, my wife and two <error>. My family will be in <error> hover <error> located in the basement of the <error>. I will <error> on the roof and require <error> <error> a 'mech. Please <error> as soon as possible. My <error> is very <error> <error> and getting <error> by <error> <error>"

MESSAGE TERMINATED

Of course, they are very, very wrong. 

News Update

Not long after departure, the following News Message is broadcast:

+++++++++OUTWORLDS ALLIANCE CLOSES BORDERS+++++++++

ISN reporters have learned that the Outworlds Alliance periphery state has placed several of its border worlds under an interdcition and is restricting all traffic into and out of the systems. According to reports, elements of the Alliance Air Wings are enforcing the blockade at system jump points while the 1st and 2nd Armoured divisions have been dispatched to enforce martial law on the ground. 

Alas, for the FoxHounds, they are already underway and do not receive the message.....

Plot Thickens:

To make matters worse, while the Fox Hounds are still in transit to the Jump Point, Comstar forwards the following message to Foa:

Comstar Communiqué 99874nr35-SLCOM-01-15-3026

Illuminate the darkness.
-From Collected Short Sayings of Blessed Blake, Edition XXII, ComStar Press, 3015

Start encrypted message

MESSAGE FOR FOA GURDEL. KINKAID II UNDER ASSAULT BY OBERON CONFEDERATE FORCES. PDF OVERWHELMED. PIRATE RAIDERS TAKING STOCKPILES AND SLAVES. HAVE POWERED DOWN THE GARAGE SO THEY DON'T FIND IT. PLEASE ASSIST.

MASTER TECH DOUG CHAFFEE

<Attached is grainy battle rom footage showing mechs and dropships bearing the image of a horned red skull>