Episode 5 & 6 - Zhuge

Togoshun, Zhuge

085-221
In the morning, Lady Iskendu explained that preparations for the expedition would take up the entire day, but that they would fly up to the family hunting lodge - Marugaya - first thing the following morning. The Baron and most of the family would be extremely busy during this time, and the visitors were welcome to relax in the manor or spend some more time exploring the city. She also explained that they were welcome to go with her to see one of the family's local ranches where she had some business matters to discuss with the manager. Henri and Harim were both interested in learning more about the family businesses and volunteered to join her. Thiel and Jordan tagged along more for lack of anything better to do than any interest in seeing a farm.

Seeing the ranch's massive cattle first hand was intimidating for Thiel, even more so when he learned that the domestic cattle - well over 2 meters at the shoulder - were small and gentle compared to their wild cousins. Lady Naoko explained that the inferior beef typically sold to offworlders came from "lazy and flabby" herds such as the ones found here, while the meat from the wild cattle is superior in every way. She and the ranch manager also discussed their plans for improving the herd, by bringing in wild breeding stock and changing feeding and exercise programs. Harim and Thiel spent some time talking with the ranch hands, discovering with some surprise that they enjoyed their work and respected their employers.

Following the tour of the ranch, Lady Naoko returned to the castle for some important meetings. She left her guests in the care of an employee named Mahajon Jongoro - or "Jon-Jon" as he preferred to be called. Jon-Jon was to act as a guide for the visitors as they spent the afternoon in the city. He informed the group that he had a quick errand to run in the city before showing them around. His errand turned out to be paying off a gambling debt at a local dojo. The fighters at the dojo were practicing the local martial art - Samuskido - which seemed to be an acrobatic sword fighting technique fought with wooden "blades" and padded armor. Harim was fascinated and asked for a quick lesson and a chance to spar. He fought fairly well against the instructor, Goro Kamatan. Jordan also volunteered, although he didn't fare nearly as well. Finally, Thiel stepped into the ring and - through some trickery - managed to beat Goro. Luckily, Harim was able to use his exceptional charm to mollify the offended fighter. In the end, both JonJon and Goro were impressed with both the curiosity and courage of the offworlders.

The group had dinner at a restaurant featuring an ongoing variety show to entertain the diners - primarily wealth businessmen. After eating and enjoying the show JonJon, led them to the arena where Goro Kamatan was fighting a match. This professional match involved high tech electronic blades that registered the location and power of each contact, but also had a set of judges scoring the combatants' grace and style during the fight. Goro barely won the close fought match, his power and technique offset by his opponent's impressive acrobatics. Afterwards, JonJon led them to what he called a "real fight" - an illegal, underground samuskido tournament. Unlike the earlier professional match, there were no scoreboards or style judges, just two men with wooden swords in a brutal fight until one was knocked out or yielded.


Marugaya, Zhuge086-221 and 087-221

Late the next morning, the group boarded a transport for the 3 hour flight to the family hunting lodge at Marugaya. They travelled with the Lady Naoko, he father, and both of her brothers, as well as a small group of bodyguards and scouts. After landing and getting settled in their rooms, they were given a brief tour of the lodge and grounds followed by an informal, rustic dinner with their hosts. Since the next day was going to start at dawn, every one retired to their rooms for an early night.

The next day, Lady Naoko introduced the group to the family's head guide Tomonaga Masuogon.
Tommy taught the men how to drive the ATVs used by the hunters, and had them drive around the grounds. He also showed them the 20mm MagRifles they would be armed with for the the hunt. After this brief training session, Tommy took the group on on extended trail ride to familiarize them with the vehicles, with occasional stops for target practice with the MagRifles. During one of these stops, a low flying grav transport raced overhead off in the direction of the lodge. Lady Naoko explained that there was no legitimate reason for the flyer to be there and headed in that direction could only mean trouble. When they attempted to call a warning into the lodge they discovered their signals were being jammed, which only confirmed Lady Naoko's suspicions.

The party hopped back on their ATVs and headed back to the lodge. Tommy raced ahead at a dangerous speed, but Lady Naoko stayed back with the offworlders who were not skilled enough drivers to keep up. About half an hour later, the stragglers found where Tommy had abandoned his ATV out of sight of the lodge. They followed him up a rough trail to where he was observing the lodge from behind a low wall.

The flyer had landed in a large courtyard between the lodge and two armed men were guarding the area. Their uniforms and the markings on the flyer were from a neighboring - supposedly allied - nation. After some discussion, Thiel and Harim began to sneak off along the wall trying to flank the guards. Before they had gone more than a few steps, gunfire erupted from within the lodge and a number of windows on the upper floor shattered. The startled guards in the courtyard turned to face the building and Tommy and Lady Naoko took the opportunity to fire. The 20mm explosive slugs designed to kill 6-ton Zhugean bulls did horrific damage to the bodies of the two men, but there was no return fire from within the building - probably due to the confusion following whatever firefight had occurred within. Thiel headed for the entrance to the servant's wing. Harim, not being prepared for a firefight boarded the flyer, both to secure it and to see if he could disable the communication jammer. The rest of the party, went into the guest wing of the lodge.

Shortly after entering the building, Thiel discovered that the staff had been executed. Meanwhile, the main party ran into a gunman. They took him out quickly, but not before Tommy was wounded. While they were pinned down in another firefight, Thiel took out another invader with one quiet shot from his laser pistol. Jordan and Naoko killed their combatant and made their way up the stairs, while Thiel sneaked up to the door of the Baron's office.

Peeking around the door frame, Thiel saw the Baron - looking badly wounded - sitting at his desk. A man was holding a pistol to the Baron's head and using him as a shield. He told Thiel to drop his weapon and kneel in the corner; worried about the Baron's safety, he complied. Jordan came to the doorway next laser pistol levelled at the hostage-taker. While they bantered and threatened each other, Jordan was carefully lining up a shot. It was a risky move, but Jordan's aim was true. The man's armor saved his life though, and his return fire left Jordan bleeding on the floor. Thiel took the opportunity to charge, while Henri and Naoko burst into the room. The man dove away from the desk firing wildy in the direction of the Baron and Thiel. Thinking quickly, Thiel shoved the Baron out of the line of fire, but took a gauss needle in his own shoulder. Henri fired his pistol and hit the man, but wasn't able to penetrate the his body armor. Finally, Naoko closed the gap and took him down with her power sword.

Naoko began patching up the wounded, while Henri investigated the scene. He found that the final enemy's harness looked to be missing some sort of equipment, but didn't have time to determine what it was or where it might be. Worried that more invader's might be on the way - they hurriedly loaded their wounded and the unconscious prisoners onto the flyer. Shortly after they took off, an explosion rocked the lodge and half the building collapsed into a flaming pile of debris.