The Penal Squad

Deadlands/Savage Worlds: Lost Colony (set in 2097)

Link to a video intro: Lost Colony Reloaded

Thirteen years after the apocalypse on Earth (Deadlands: Hell on Earth (set in 2081) ravaged by nuclear war and supernatural forces), the story shifts to the planet Banshee, discovered via a trans-dimensional galactic wormhole called “The Tunnel”. Banshee became important because it was rich in a mineral called “Ghost Rock” (infamous supernatural fuel originally found on Earth- a strange, coal-like mineral that burns hotter than anything else but releases eerie, tortured screams when ignited). Thus, small outposts were established on the planet to mine the ghost-rock and ship it back to Earth.

On Banshee, the human colonists had a number of run-ins (leading to war) with the local species, called Anouks (8ft tall and physically stronger and more magically attuned than humans, Anouks have abilities that allow them to manipulate a common substance called Tannis). Tannis is a mystical, living substance that functions more like a magical or spiritual resource than a fuel.

As The Last War heated up on Earth, the Tunnel was closed, stranding the colonists on Banshee. Uneasy tensions and a long, grueling war have left both the human colonists and the Anouks with massive death tolls yet fighting occasionally broke out between the two.

The Penal Squad: convicts requisitioned for service as part of the EXFOR United Nation’s Expeditionary Force, 444^th battalion, kept in line by the bomb-collar each wear to complement their cheap uniforms.

Capt Zan Grey (NPC): the squad’s ruthless Syker leader (with a skull tattoo on his shaved head) who controls the bomb-collars with mere thoughts.

Len (Nathan): a one-eyed sharpshooter who is a bundle of nerves. He was a former War Correspondent, until the day he heard the captain order the annihilation of an entire village. A bullet to the captain’s head terminated the order and began Len’s life behind bars.

Church (Patrick): a small/thin, older corpsman/doctor, who doesn’t want to be here. He was a priest in his former life, complete with a wife and kids. Until they all died and he became a drunk. Drunk when he botched the appendectomy on the senator’s wife. Now a criminal behind bars. At least as a doctor he has access to ethanol to maintain his drunken stupor.

Master (Jan): calm, tall, heavy-set, and simple-minded helped make him a career criminal working for the mafia. Swept up in a raid on Earth, Master became the muscle in the prison yards. It was Len who actually gave him his name.

Smoke (Bill): 5’8” and 238lb former hitman for what used to be the CIA. But when he was ordered to kill an unarmed target and his family, Smoke refused and thus began his life behind bars.

Hat-Trick (NPC): armed with a flamethrower.

Mage (NPC): a rifleman.

Burrito (NPC): armed with anM21 assault rifled equipped with a grenade-launcher.

Orders: The war/conflict on Banshee had been going on for years. Human attrition was addressed when the penal squads were formed. No promise of sentences being commuted if they did well- their carrot to perform was the collar they wore. 

Capt Grey did not mince words as he gave the orders, “OK you maggots. Today we’re on the hunt for damn Anouks in operation Rivers Run Red. Kill every mother-fucking one of them. Blast them to pulp and let their blood paint the river. Now mount up in the jeeps and let’s get rolling!” Smoke & Master teamed up with Mage & Burrito in one jeep. Len drove the other with the Capt in the passenger seat while Church and Hat-Trick sat in the back.

They’d barely left the compound when the radios crackled to life (it was General Paul ‘OK’ Warfield), “Today will be a glorious day…the Anouk’s Castle Rock falls TODAY! We’re not holding our god-damn position…we advance! Overrun the bastards to grease your treads with their guts.” Church had heard the scuttlebutt- OK stood for “Over Kill. He’s a blood-thirsty SOB that puts our captain to shame.” Len added rumors about mutiny within the ranks, “Must be the regular troops without collar incentives. Disillusioned about killing the natives; stranded here on the planet, they talk about co-existence.”

Combat/1^st Round: And that’s when the jeeps burst through the jungle foliage into a clearing. Len’s jeep ground to a halt after smashing a wooden totem pole surrounded by almost 2-dozen Anouk (in prayer?), who picked up their spears to attack. But before anyone could react, a moving shadow proceeded a giant boulder arcing thru the air that smashed into Len’s jeep, propelling the occupants out, and within the circle of Anouks. Church grabbed Len in their airborne exit to protect him from the fall [both Shaken but not injured]. Crawling for cover, Len spotted and reported (via their comm links) the distant catapult.

As Master swerved the 2^nd jeep around the first wreck, he spotted Hat-Trick strapped into the upside-down jeep (the only one to wear his seatbelt). Master jumped out of his moving jeep to lend aid but had to draw his machine-gun against 4 threatening Anouk. He laughed manically as he pulled the trigger in full-auto mode. Meanwhile, Church tended to Capt Zan’s broken nose, “Grit your teeth while I set it.” Except: Church wasn’t trying to set it- he was trying to break the cartilage worst to drive the bone into Zan’s skull to kill the Syker! As Zan’s eyes flared with pain and rage, Church realized the ‘fix” wasn’t going to work: he drew his pistol to shoot! What part of Syker powers did Church not understand?! It was as if Zan turned Church’s pistol on himself as the shot barely missed both. And Church felt his collar growing hotter!

The Anouk flung their spears (made of Tannis) that hummed an eerie warble in flight. Whether they were distracted seeing two humans fighting amongst themselves, or their targets were partially covered, all spears missed their mark.

Meanwhile, Smoke slid behind the wheel of his jeep and drove toward the reported catapult, mowing down two Anouk manning the weapon…their limbs tangled the front wheels which stopped the jeep. Other Anouks drug Smoke out of the jeep and pummeled him with their massive fists. Pissed they had knocked his cigarette from his lips (“Look at what you’ve done- burned a hole in the seat cover!”), Smoke Two-Fisted swung his machetes at his foe as he stood his ground amongst the 8ft tall giants.

2^nd Round: Back at the first jeep: Len saw Church’s struggle and mused “Too soon you fool.” He aimed his sniper-rifle at Zan and fired: Zan’s infantry armor deflected most of the shot; the Syker absorbed [Bennies] the rest. Church used the distraction to extract himself from the tussle and fired point-blank for a headshot: [more expenditures of Zan’s Bennies] the bullets ricocheted. And that’s when those near the first jeep saw Church’s head explode as Zan threatened, “Anyone else wanta fuck with me?!” He pointed a finger at nearby Anouks: two of them collapsed dead. Yes, Syker can cast spells!

[Jan had internet problems and had to drop out. Thus, Patrick (with Church dead) took over playing Master.]

Meanwhile, Master aimed his machine-gun at 3 more Anouks and blasted them to death. He turned his aim at the distant Anouk surrounding Smoke [a threat to hit his own ally]: two of the purple-colored giants burst into a red mist, their bodies slumping onto Smoke. Not made for close-quarter combat, Len extracted himself from melee and took cover behind Master. With his foe eliminated, Smoke kicked the tangles bones free from the axle to then jump into his jeep, lit a new cigarette, and drove toward the remain Anouks threatening his squad. With a war cry, the Anouk retreated from the clearing as they melted into the jungle. A cloud of smoke rose from the jeep as it too was disabled.

Zan called over the comms as he pointed to Church’s headless body, “Sound off; whose left of you traitors?” Len made the excuse he was aiming at Church when he fired but it was obvious Zan knew better. Len paused over Church’s body to gather his better rifle, but really to check the pockets for items to send home to his family. He mumbled under his breath, “I told you now was not the time.” Thankfully he was able to pocket the wallet when Zan questioned what he was doing, “Quit screwing around with that traitor! Pick up your gear and start marching. It’s a long way back to camp.” Len picked up an Anouk spear to use as a walking stick: he felt its low humm vibration.

March: Len whistled to break the sour mood of the march; Zan ordered him to shut up. And that’s when Len heard a voice in his head, “Hey.” Looking around, he spotted an unarmed Anouk in the foliage and heard “I mean you no harm. I’m Katal. Why you come to Banshee?” Len whispered their predicament with the collars to which Katal offered, “What you call Tannis, in the Red River Canyon. It will disrupt Syker abilities.” When Smoke took notice of Len falling behind, he too saw the defenseless Anouk and Len’s finger to his own lips. They both quickly caught up with the others.

They walked for hours before an APC appeared behind them. Sgt Brasher poked his head out of the turret and first scowled at Zan (recognition of a Syker with his tattooed head) before offering a lift. At first chance, away from Zan’s hearing, the sergeant asked about their predicament. “Death collars? Good people get punished. I heard General OK plans to bomb the canyon tomorrow even with his own troops there. You guys be careful. War is shit and I’ve got a belly full.”

Camp: They reached the forward camp where food and quarters awaited. With another assault planned for tomorrow, Len filled his belly with chow and shoved MREs into his backpack. Sensing pending doom, he stopped by the quartermaster for a better weapon (standard EXFOR M21 assault rifle) and a helmet (he got one with a hole in it, from friendly fire since Anouks didn’t have rifles). Master also visited the quartermaster for hearing protection, “I understand we’re going to be in the middle of a bombardment.” As Smoke went looking for a still (every unit cooked their own moonshine from mash-hall potatoes), he overheard officers gathered around a tent talking about tomorrow’s orbital bombardment. “Poor SOBs with the collars. General OK plans to send them in DURING the bombing.” Smoke personally delivered the message to his squad mates.

Now Len was certain Zan had to die but he worried about Master & Smoke and their gung-ho attitudes during the last fight. Imagine his surprise and relief when Master approached him, “I was thinking…what you said…work together…what’s the plan?” Even Smoke made it a point to repeat Len’s story about the Anouk Katal and his comment about Tannis disrupting a Syker’s abilities. “Sounds like we need to get into the canyon and listen for the humm of tannis before we strike.” They all winked at each other as if in agreement. Master seemed confused by all the winking.

Morning: Len flopped around on his cot as he suffered night-terrors: as he walked along a long road, he came upon Church who complained “You didn’t have my back.” And that’s when Church’s head split open to form a canyon that blossomed with explosions. Len fell out of bed to the boisterous call from Zan, “Wake up you maggots! Time to go!”

They all donned earplugs as they climbed into jeeps for their ride to the Red River Canyon. And that’s when the shelling commenced. Fawna ran up the ramp to escape the bombardment; birds lifted into the air as if a plume of smoke from the blasts. They stopped near a sniper team hunkered down along the canyon rim, firing at unarmed Anouk who ran from the blasts. Smoke cursed at their war-crime acts. Within the canyon, Anouk settlements were turned into dust. The shelling suddenly stopped; Zan looked at his watch, “This is it worms! Time to enter the tunnels.”

They jumped from their jeeps and ran down the canyon ramp towards a tunnel entrance: Mage & Burrito at the rear, Zan in the middle, and the trio in the lead. Shelling resumed. Helmet lights guided their way as they entered the darkness of the dirt tunnel braced with wooden shoring. Master was the first to smell something almost animal but synthetic. 

He rounded a corner and came face-to-face with a metallic skull. He instinctively fired a burst that lit up the tunnel revealing 3 more metal monstrosities [Ga’Aknoul] with an almost acidic foam drooling from their open maws! [Spirit rolls to avoid fear: all passed]

Combat/1st Round: The two closest monsters snarled and snapped at Master [Bennie to ‘Soak the Damage’] who suffered 2 wounds and was Shaken. Smoke maneuvered around the fight to hack at the support beams: the rear tunnel collapsed, cutting off the remaining 2 monsters. Smoke swung his other machete at one of Master’s assailants hitting it in the neck. [Spirit roll to overcome his Shaken condition] Knocked prone, Master squeezed off two bursts from his machine-gun: his first blast shredded the wounded monster. His second burst clipped the other monster but also hit Smoke [Shaken]!

With Master still prone and Smoke staggered to the side, Len went full-auto on the last monster standing over Master: all 3 blasts hit, splattering metallic gore everywhere.

Zan moved up, ordering the squad to shoot. And that’s when another monster appeared at the rear, stabbing Mage in the back!

2^nd Round: Len looked to the rear and had to pause as his sights swung thru Zan…not now. Smoke charged toward the rear with his machetes and slashed the lone monster. The first blade wounded the thing while the second blade cleaved its skull. As silence descended on them, they heard skittering from the other side of the cave-in Smoke had caused. Master rushed to Mage’s side to give first aid: what can you do for a cleaved chest wound? Trying chest compressions, Master’s firm hands broke ribs and crushed Mage’s heart. As if he wasn’t already dead. Burrito burst into hysterics, “We’re going to die!” Len came to Burrito’s rescue, preventing him from running, which surely would have triggered Zan to explode his collar.

Next Room: A side tunnel led into a stone room with a metal hatch above. Master climbed the stairs and tried to put his shoulder to it to open it but failed [rocks were piled on it from above.] At first Len suggested Burrito use his grenade launcher to blow it open, but when he realized the man was quivering, Len took the launcher and fired it himself. He handed the weapon back before they all climbed into the upper room.

60+ unarmed Anouks stood reverently before a giant bluish statue of some god they honored. Muted humming sounded from the room- not from the Anouks! Len and Smoke understood the significance; did Master? Zan commanded his squad to fire, “Mow them down!” Len tried to suppress his thoughts as he raised his M21 assault rifle and fired a 3-burst shot…at Zan…point-blank! [All raises for extra damage!] The Syker turned some of the hits [spent Bennies] but still ended up wounded and shaken and a little surprised, “Well, well, well; so, you grew a pair of balls. What have we…” His taunt cut short as Smoke rushed forward to cleave with his machetes dealing more wounds. Unable to concentrate, Zan was unable to trigger the collars nor able to cast spells in his defense. Master called for Burrito to unleash his weapon full-auto on their leader: more hits as Zan was weakening in his defensive ability to deflect the shots. Master opened up with his own weapon to end the worthless life of their tormentor. All laid down their weapons before the Anouks.

Free at Last: The Anouks stood in shock at the scene as Len came forward to spit on Zan’s body, “That’s for Church, you mother!” And that’s when a familiar voice (to Len) spoke up, “You are free now.” Katal stepped forward and easily removed their collars as he pointed to the discarded weapons. “Will you help us now?” The Anouk led them via another passage to the tunnel entrance where they spotted other soldiers wearing white armbands firing at other human troopers. The penal squad donned their own armbands and joined the fight to lay down suppression fire to allow the Anouk to escape into the jungle. Most made it.

And that’s when the APC arrived, bristling with weapons. [Bennie to “influence a source”] Master recognized the shark-face on the APC, “It’s that guy, Sgt Brasher!” Sure enough, Brasher revealed himself wearing his own armband, “Don’t just stand there. Climb aboard and let’s get the hell outa here!”