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Red Company History and Overview
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Hyriana
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 6:40 pm      Reply with quote

This forum is lonely, and the game is down, so I thought I would liven it up. All of this has been approved already. Enjoy! Or don't, either way. This is most of the same stuff that got put up in the Red Forums.

A nice map of Red turf
And an open Office Link to the stuff below


History of the Red Company

Though the Red Company now calls the sprawling, walled off hangar on the eastern edge of their turf home now, origins of the Company trace clear across to the other side, in the bar now known as the Fat Lip. Approximately forty-eight years after Liberation and settlement around the Hyperion Platform a group of slum dwellers around in the northwest industrial district finally cracked a biometrically locked fortified vault.

Many of the exact details are lost, but inside was an armory for the 72nd Armored Battalion of Terran Republic. Inside was a stock of firearms, ammunition, and uniforms that had not yet succumbed to neglect, much depleted from the heyday of the Republic, but still a great bounty for the survivors of Rust. Perhaps ultimately even more important than these were the series of holodiscs, all training material and propaganda for the battalion, meant to be run over virtual reality simulators but eventually jury-rigged to display over holographic projectors. While little more than treasure seekers at the time, what they managed to uncover spurred an idea in their minds, the efficacy of these soldiers even if exaggerated enough to encourage emulation.

Bearing their new weapons and equipment marked with a white fist on a blue background, symbol of the 72nd Armored Battalion, The Iron Fist, they began to train. The building that would become the Fat Lip was fortified based on stockade procedures gleaned from their holodiscs. Throughout all this the small resident gangs around the industrial district laughed at the shiny men in their clean blue uniforms, marching up and down the streets, drilling at hand-to-hand combat in an open yard, wasting gold shooting at paper targets. They joked about how they would turn those uniforms red with blood the first time they really tried anything. But it's hard to joke about success.

Turning the words of the doubters on their heads, the newly christened Red Company swarmed out of their den after a year of this training. Pushing up and down the streets, gear crudely dyed to match their new name, they drove out the gangs building by building, alley by alley. With each success their numbers grew, burgeoned by glory-seekers and those truly inspired by their rapid success. The latter were generally culled by the rigorous training process, while veterans took the others under the wings as the crowds to actually view the holodiscs grew too large. In less than six months they cut a swath to the edge of the Market, securing the hangar for their swelling numbers after a mass firefight that claimed more than a few lives on both sides.

As years drew on, the Red Company was forced to consolidate their position, their swift rise to power attracting unfavourable attention from Block Nine and the New Guard. Trading was near non-existent, and minor skirmishes peppered daily life. Weapons and equipment broke down and needed to be replaced with less effective handcrafted versions. The vaunted holodiscs deteriorated rapidly into garbled uselessness from their improvised display methods. Seasoned veterans fell to age and injuries in armed conflict with the Families with only half-remembered training left to bring up new recruits. Worst of all, stagnation set in, the Company unable to push much further out from their territory to claim the riches of the pumping station in the south due to the multiple avenues of approach into the area. Niners and Reds fought bitterly back and forth over the station, neither able to hold it for more than a cycle at most. A new direction was needed.

Where chance and technology favoured them once before, the Red Company looked to the massive Hyperion Dome for their answer to the stalemate. Determined to bring order to the Moon, they have made it their goal to breech the interior and plunder the secrets within to that purpose. So far it has thwarted every effort, but the Red Company remains steadfast, and even half-recalled discipline is better than what can be found elsewhere in Rust.

Red Company Turf

Occupying the northwestern corner of Rust, the Red Company holds the majority of the old industrial district. Filled mainly with buildings of sturdy and utilitarian polycrete, much of the area is surprisingly intact, and the Company has recently organized an ongoing renovation project to keep it that way. Supervised dependent workgangs are paid in food and clothing as well as with things like blankets and hygiene supplies in exchange for clearing streets of trash and graffiti as well as building and maintaining structures and roads. It's important to note that none of these things are given out for free, but only in exchange for work to encourage the population to remain productive.

The Red Company turf can effectively be split into four streets, or sections:

The March
Being the first street captured by the Red Company, the March backs onto the armory-turned-bar known as The Fat Lip. Repurposed once the stocks inside were depleted, the Fat Lip is the premier gambling establishment in Rust; as long as that betting is on fighting at least. Brawling of any kind is allowed* in the ring there and the (mostly) scrupulous bookies will run odds on almost anything.

While the rest of The March mostly contains dependent housing, three fairly new additions have been added with the current push for dependent life improvement. The Orphanage, located at the extreme north of the street is host to it's namesake and other abandoned children of dependents and Company, death being an all too common thing in Rust. At the far south is the Shelter, home of the elderly and decrepit, those too far gone to care for themselves, though such extreme age is a rare thing. Both are staffed by dependents and retired Reds who are paid similar to dependent workgangs, and supplies are provided directly by the Company. Additionally, male and female shower facilities are available to the public next to the Shelter.

The Art of War
In a maze of alleys and dead ends constructed between the more permanent polycrete buildings, the Art of War is caught in near perpetual gloom from the northern perimeter wall. Consisting nearly entirely of housing, the northern side of the street is the closest reflection of the Southside slums on Red turf, but only by comparison to the rest of the streets. A constant battle with graffiti goes on here, delinquents and workgangs at odds endlessly. Midway down the street is the Red Company greenhouse, rumored to contain more plants than anywhere else in Rust, and on the far east end is a barricaded and barb wired building, once used as overflow housing for Reds during more prosperous times. With the overall decline in Rust's population, it now sits empty. Construction of a park has begun in an empty lot east of the greenhouse, which may bring some color and life back to the area.

The Double Barrel
Named for the twin lengths of road that run from west to east on Red turf as well as the eponymous weapon, the Double Barrel is the closest to retaining its original use as anywhere in the northwest district. Filled with small dependent businesses, as well an incinerator for things that even the firebreathers won't process, the street bustles no matter the shift. Where the Double Barrel intersects with the March, a large archway made of old gun barrels is welded in place, rumored to be the original weapons used by the Red Company that were 'retired' as their owners died.

The Parade Grounds
A somewhat more nebulous territory, the Parade Grounds comprises the area directly outside the hangar and across into the building-locked courtyard. Recently renovated, the area contains the newly established Clinic, providing free medical care to dependents with supplies donated by the Company. Additionally, a grill and water pump are accessible just beneath an apartment complex that mostly houses retired Reds and some other rent paying individuals.

Red patrols regularly move through all areas of the turf, maintaining order, breaking up fights and 'handling' malcontents. This could range anywhere from a severe talking to, a beating, or death depending on the extent they're causing trouble. Any Red Private or above is effectively judge, jury, and executioner for transgressions on turf, though at least a Corporal is generally wanted for execution; if only so the Private can pin the blame on someone else. In most cases the idealistic Reds are fair in their treatment and rulings, though every organization has their rotten fruit. Dependents are handled both less and more strictly than outsiders, being expected to better know the rules, but Reds will also usually fall on their side in any arguments. Guns are banned amongst dependents, though in practicality this comes more to the banning of displaying ownership of a gun. Homes aren't raided for them and concealed carrying them won't ruffle feathers, unless you get caught doing something else you shouldn't while having it.

Public education has been flirted with over the years, attempts never really lasting more than a generation as those with the patience and tenacity to deal with Rust's delinquent children pass on. In the past when the system is running, it was combined with a form of 'boot camp' with training in melee weapons, firearms, and exercise; as well as following orders. All of this was done to encourage recruitment into the Company, though some attempts have been know to backfire, forming new gangs that need to be driven off. With the general lack of this system, children are usually taught whatever they can be by their parents.

* The Red Company is not responsible for accidental death or maiming while participating in events at The Fat Lip.

Red Company Traditions

While being the youngest of the Families, the Red Company still possesses a healthy military tradition, some cribbed from the lost training holodiscs and others unique to them, or even misinterpreted from other sources. The two primary tenants are a desire to unite Rust under one government and a willingness to follow orders given by superiors. Inherent in this lifestyle is a luring simplicity and clarity of purpose, though that tends to dwindle as Reds climb the ranks and become more responsible for lives and the overall direction of the Company.

The Salute
Echoing the symbology of their original inspiration, the 72nd Armored Battalion, The Iron Fist, the Red Company salute is a fist placed over the heart. Said to represent both will and the force necessary to accomplish it, the salute should always be given to higher ranking officers as a greeting. Others take it as a more general acknowledgment to any member of the Company and a sign of respect.

Colors
A stark red fist on a black background, while inspired by the jeers of gangers, have been fully embraced by the Company. Red symbolizes passion and all the blood shed over the years for the Cause while the black is meant to represent power and authority. Recently a notion has surfaced that black could also be for the 'dark night' that the Reds are trying to overcome. In some cases white is used instead of black to symbolize purity of purpose. More than likely these two latter interpretations have come about by trying to romanticize the Company's goals.

The Cause
Simply put, this is the overarching goal of the Company to in some way, shape, or form unite all of Rust under a single government, usually idealized as colonizing Hyperion or using Hyperion to restore the rest of the moon. Sometimes the Company is at the head of this new government, which is the popular opinion of outsiders and many Reds themselves, though each specific Reds might have their own interpretation and method of accomplishing this in mind.

The Struggle
The Struggle means the fight to Survive, the fight for the Cause (whatever direction the individual Red might take for that cause), the fight for your fellow Reds, and the fight against the Outsiders, which could be "gangers" or "Rust" or "the Wardens". The Struggle only ends when a Red dies, though the more optimistic see the opening of the Hyperion Dome as an alternative end to the Struggle.

Death
At the end of the Struggle, a Red is not buried but converted to protein paste via the firebreather. This paste is not eaten however, and instead put to use in new armor and tools so that they can continue to serve their fellow Reds even after death. Rumor has it that the current Lieutenant wishes to bring back the memorial, not with the Arch but with a new monument to honour the names of the fallen.

Promotion
There is no official ceremony for promotion currently, as all Reds are already expected to wear the insignia of a red fist at all times while on duty. Informally, ranking officers often take out their about-to-be-promoted subordinates for a drink and some casual hazing while they still can. The just-promoted often turn this back around on their new subordinates the very next phase, though without the benefit of the drink.

Wargames
Fallen out of favour as of late due to the death of several privates and recruits in an accidental live-fire exercise, wargames were once a regular part of life in the Company. Meant to foster tactics, martial skill, and cooperation, the most common form these took was a match of a more violent rendition of capture the flag, using the square of the Double Barrel and the Art of War as an arena. Attempts to revive the tradition have faired poorly, even with the removal of guns from eligible weapons.

Vices
Smoking and drinking are tolerated amongst Company members as long as they are not done to excess while duty. Harder drug use falls into unclear territory, with differing ranking officers often having disparate opinions on the matter. All generally agree that it is not to be done on duty, and preferably where no one else is going to see you.

Historic Attempts to Access the Hyperion Platform

The following are excerpts from the notes of Lieutenant Miranda Trate, which in turn have in part been related from the notes of Retired Sergeant Lars Trate, compiled 121 Years Since Liberation (YSL).

59 YSL - Northwest Sector, Drill
Drilling equipment savaged from a partially collapsed and uncompleted Metro tunnel beneath Rust was set up at the northwestern base of the Hyperion Platform. In addition to the rotary force, rather than using cutting blades the drill head was ribbed bands of ionized plasma, similar to the present phase plasma torches. Over a quarter cycle the drill was employed as fast as charges could be made for it, the overlarge fuel cell often requiring several phases to fully reload. The drill pierced to a depth of approximately five inches while still encountering solid metal before a matte black hover drone roughly the size of two men was launched from the Dome above. An explosive device was deployed by the drone against the drilling equipment and operators, utterly destroying it and causing five casualties. The project was abandoned and no similar equipment has yet been discovered.

70 YSL - Northern Sector, Scaffold
With minimal cooperation from the Market Watch, mostly in that they did not interfere, a rare joint effort was attempted between the Red Company and several Independent business owners in the Market. Pooling chips to purchase vast quantities of metal and polyprop, a scaffolding was constructed based around one of the girding beams of the Hyperion Platform in the southern Market. Over a cycle it was built further and further up the side of the Platform until at approximately one hundred yards from the top the autoguns began to open fire. Thirty casualties were reported in the initial assault, with nine further deaths from wound complications. Sixty caliber bullets decimated the scaffold, and much of the material was claimed by scavengers as it fell. In the aftermath, the Red Company purchased the businesses of two of the entrepreneurs who had invested in the project but could no longer afford their rent in the Market with it's failure. The Market has since banned any further efforts to penetrate the Hyperion Dome following the incident.

94 YSL - Northeast Sector, Missile
While not an official attempt sponsored by the Red Company, this effort has been recorded for posterity and future consideration. A gang in northeastern Rust, known rather appropriately (if uncreative) as the Northside Blast engaged in numerous acts of destruction with explosives. Their head was believed to be a defector chemist from one of the Families, but no identification was ever confirmed. An attempt was made by the gang to assail the Dome itself rather than the walls, building a missile from scrap metal that they launched from the roof of their base. The launch was a catastrophic failure, the backlash from the charge meant to propel the missile destroying the building and nearly the entire gang, a blow from which they never recovered. The projectile was observed to strike the Dome before pinwheeling off outside of the city with no apparent effect.

120 YSL - Overhead, Hovercopter
A distress call was received from the area known as Dead City over the general radio channel one-zero-one. Several derelict robots of the Terran Authority Correctional Service were requesting repairs for the transport ship CX1187, which I believe to be the large vessel located in the center of the city. After they were destroyed by a group composed of all three Families, a working hovercopter was discovered in a formally inaccessible hangar within the City. While it did seem to be a transport designed to carry multiple persons, it was also in near pristine condition and was able to be operated on autopilot through the efforts of Sergeant Alexis Holt and Lang Ryan of Rust Central News.

The destination was set for an unknown location called the Hyperion Refinery Platform, and we were successful in flying over the Dome itself. From all appearances the Dome continues to thrive, a great expanse of green cut with a ribbon of blue water visible through the glass. Unfortunately the transport was shot down as it passed over Rust, either by the citizens below or possibly from autogun fire. Believing the hovercopter to be a lost cause, several people on board jumped out of the door for the Dome, including Sergeant Rook and Corporal Rachel. No bodies were recovered below and all those who leapt are currently presumed dead. The hovercopter crashed outside of Rust, causing severe injuries to those still remaining, though miraculously there were no further deaths even with the long, defeated walk back to the city.

121 YSL - Southern Sector, Tunnel
After quelling a fire in Southside directly up the street from The Neutral Ground, a cave-in beneath the ruins of the consumed building was revealed. Inside was discovered a lab where research with a rather nasty variety of parasitic fungus was being performed, of which more details are available in other reports on this device. Summing up, the fungus and all carriers were destroyed and the area rendered safe for human visitation. Of great note was a tunnel in the back of the lab with a sign above marked "Hyperion Biodome" and an arrow pointing further in. Unfortunately this tunnel has collapsed, with my personal belief that this was done by the Wardens themselves to contain the deadly research conducted there. Currently it represents the best chance for the Company to access the Dome, safe underground from the retaliations of the Wardens.[/url]


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Featured artwork used on Parallel RPI given permission for use by original artists macrebisz and merl1ncz.