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SIGNUPS ARE NOW CLOSED

Signups will close at midnight PST on May 30th (I will accept anything that's in my inbox when I wake up on the 31st) so that I have a day to write up the results and the log.

The Barrayarans' victory against the Cetagandans was short lived -- before they could enact their plan to retake Vorkosigan Vashnoi, Zahal pulled out all of his troops and dropped a nuclear bomb on the city instead. Now the Barrayarans are enraged and aggrieved, and while Zahal finally receives his reinforcements and construction on the Star Gate begins, Piotr begins to shift his tactics.

barrayar
Morale is at an all-time low. The Barrayarans are devastated by the bombing, especially those native to the district -- many of them lost friends and family in the city. Meanwhile, Piotr's intelligence sources tell him that Zahal's reinforcements are finally arriving, making the base much less vulnerable to a second attack. He's getting intelligence about much more, however: thanks to the informants on the Cetagandan side, he knows that they're about to begin construction on the Star Gate; if they want to ensure the Cetagandans don't abuse it, they'll have to act fast. Piotr has also received information on the Handmaiden's disturbing black market negotiation from multiple sources, and the prospect of the outsiders' DNA being released out into the black market, especially with the reports about the gene therapy trials, is plenty terrifying to consider.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Barrayarans are at a loss, their whole strategy derailed. But Piotr decides then that the best way to get back at Zahal and the rest of the Cetagandans is by targeting the projects they're investing the most in: their work with the outsiders' DNA, and especially the Star Gate Project. Most of the outsiders have put their lives on the line for the Barrayaran cause at least once, and if there is a way to send them home and still keep the Cetagandans from abusing this tech, then it's worth pursuing. Contact has been initiated with Micah, and they have proposed a plan to hijack the Star Gate and use it to send everyone home before the Cetagandans can so much as flip the switch. Piotr agrees to try and get as many exotics out as possible as well, since some of them have been risking their own necks as informants, but it's up to Micah to coordinate that end of things. Of course, if the possibilityof sending them home goes completely off the table, Piotr will settle for just destroying the Star Gate, but that's plan B. And this decision is not popular with everyone.

Both Yuri and Vorvolk are both vocal in their opinion that they shouldn't bother with the philanthropy -- they should aim for nothing less than its total destruction, and fast. Dorca, curiously, is letting Piotr call most of the shots here, given that it's his district they're fighting in. The growing tensions between Piotr and Vorvolk come to a head when Piotr stands by his plan, resulting in an ugly confrontation -- Vorvolk openly questions Piotr's judgment, suggesting it's been compromised by the outsiders. Piotr does not receive this sort of challenge to his authoriy especially well.

But Dorca isn't overriding Piotr's decision, and Yuri, despite his open disagreement, doesn't intervene. So now it's time to start to formulate a plan, collaborate with their allies on the other side, and begin to gather intelligence. However, they have to be even more careful about their movements than ever: the Cetagandans are making a more concentrated effort at finding them now that they've destroyed the city, and aerial surveillance is at an all-time high.

cetaganda
The base is still in somewhat of a state of chaos until the reinforcements arrive, and it isn't until a day or so after the bombing that Gail ghem-Estif was declared MIA and then, after a few reluctant witnesses stepped forward, about as confirmed dead as they were going to get. According to a couple of ensigns, he'd taken an aircar without authorization and headed, as far as they could tell, straight for the city. Given the timing, he wouldn't have made it back in time.

Reinforcements soon arrive along with a badly-needed supply drop. The base is now 8,000 soldiers strong, plus the resources needed to repair the power generators, restore power to the entire base, and begin large-scale repairs on infrastructure damage.

Zahal is pleased with his win and regaining the upper hand at last. Now he focuses his efforts on building up their armaments -- they cannot allow such a vicious attack on their base again -- and smoking out the Barrayarans' latest camp location. He knows by now that the Emperor and Crown Prince themselves are here, and if he can expose the guerrilla camp and capture them -- or better yet, simply drop an airstrike on them -- well, it'd certainly do a lot for the war effort. He knows he has an unprecedented opportunity to knock some major players out of the war and, now that he no longer has a city to occupy, he has more troops to dedicate to aerial surveillance and ground patrols -- although the guerrillas have gotten good at confusing the Cetagandans treading in still-unfamiliar territory.

Construction on the Star Gate begins now that they have the resources. The Cetagandans have (reluctantly) signed off on the use of one ship to host the Star Gate, as well as downgrade another jump ship to local-only flight by removing and repurposing its Necklin rods to generate a Niadem field instead. Since the Star Gate is meant to be stationary, only built into a jump ship for convenience, part of the Star Gate construction involves disabling the flight mechanics of the ship. They unfortunately cannot remove or destroy them, as they have a vital connection with the jump drive, which is a critical component of the Star Gate. Micah and Symmetra are also secretly installing a failsafe intended to be triggered after everyone is sent home that will quite literally fry every bit of circuitry in the Star Gate.

With contact finally established with Micah, they work through the informants with Piotr to formulate a plan. Micah suggests that their best shot is to hijack the Star Gate ship and make off with it, and they believe they have a greater chance of success closer to the collapsed wormhole, given that the Niadem field is strongest there. And so informants' identities are revealed to one another, covert connections are asked to spread and find those trustworthy to help with this plan. After all, this may be anyone's best shot at getting home.

missions
MISSIONS: BARRAYAR
1) Death Offerings +1 LP
SKILLS: N/A
One way to boost morale is to help assemble a memorial for the dead in Vorkosigan Vashnoi. Many of the soldiers lost friends and family when the city was obliterated, and so a group effort to conduct a mass burning of death offerings is being made, collecting names of known victims and offerings -- usually a lock of hair -- to burn. Outsiders can always put in an offering of their own, if they so choose. Signups are unlimited.

1. Miles Vorkosigan
2. Lavernius Tucker
3. Agent York
4. Nash Latkje
5. Agent Carolina

2) Scouting: Perimeter +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH
BONUS: Scout's Honor
With the recent reinforcements in, the Cetagandans have been able to restore some of their infrastructure along with their security. You have two objectives: one, try to determine what upgrades they've made to their perimeter security; two, assess how big of a manpower boost they got with their reinforcements and study the new perimeter patrols. There is room for up to four outsiders on this mission.

1. Lakshmi Bai
2. Nash Latkje
3. Miles Vorkosigan
4. Benjamin Sisko

3) Scouting: Shipyard +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH, TECH
BONUS: Scout's Honor, Training: Advanced Technology
Based on the perimeter scouting, a second round of scouts will be sent out to check out the shipyard where the spacecraft are held. You have two objectives: try to identify which ship hosts the Star Gate without being detected, and assess the security in the shipyard. There is room for up to four outsiders on this mission.

1. Agent Washington
2. Lavernius Tucker
3. Agent Carolina
4. Agent York

4) PVP: Informants +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH
BONUS: Villagers' Trust
The time for keeping his intelligence assets separate is over, and Piotr wants as many points of contact with any trustworthy outsiders on the Cetagandan side as possible to spread word of the plan to hijack the Star Gate -- but they can't risk tipping off the Cetagandans, so be careful who you choose to talk to. There is room for up to four outsiders on this mission.

1. Miles Vorkosigan
2. Agent York
3. Byerly Vorrutyer
4. Lakshmi Bai

MISSIONS: CETAGANDA
1) Star Gate Construction +1 LP
SKILLS: TECH, ENGINEERING, PHYSICAL
BONUS: Training: Advanced Technology, Lab Assistant
It's time to finally start construction on the Star Gate, which will be built into one of the Cetagandans' jump ships. Time is running short, so all hands on deck are appreciated if it speeds along construction. Signups are unlimited.

1. Pearl
2. Tarn
3. Kaidan Alenko
4. Whirl

2) Eavesdropping +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH
You know the drill. There is room for up to two exotics on this mission.

1. Vex'ahlia
2. Lapis Lazuli

3) Recon: Sabotage +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH, TECH
BONUS: Training: Advanced Technology, Training: Vehicles
If you're interested in helping to pull off the Star Gate heist, any information you can give Micah about the spacecraft in the Cetagandans' shipyard is valuable. They'll want to prevent or at least delay the Cetagandans from following as much as possible, so it's time to take inventory to see how many of their spacecraft are operable, how many are jump ships, and most importantly: the best way to sabotage them when the time comes. There is room for up to two exotics on this mission.

1. Deanna Troi
2. Julian Bashir

4) Recon: Countermeasures +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH, TECH
BONUS: Training: Advanced Technology
If you're interested in helping to pull off the Star Gate heist, any information you can give Micah about the Cetagandans' anti-aircraft weapons is valuable. They need to ensure they won't be shot down out of the sky as soon as they've taken off, so you'll need to locate where the Cetagandans have installed anti-aircraft weaponry and find a way to disable them when the time comes. There is room for up to two exotics on this mission.

1. Pearl
2. Kaidan Alenko

4) PVP: Informants +2 LP
SKILLS: STEALTH
BONUS: Villagers' Trust
Between Micah and the informants, word about the plan is beginning to spread, and every trusted ally counts. The village is a good place to meet with outsiders on the other side, and maintaining the flow of information is vital. Just be sure you don't get caught or raise any eyebrows among the Cetagandans -- that could bring the whole thing down. There is room for up to four exotics on this mission.

1. Symmetra
2. Tarn
3. Deanna Troi
4. Kaidan Alenko