Durgama Takeover

"Investigate japanese activity at the Gekidan Research Park."

One phrase from the Jade Emperor. This is all it takes to set the Imperial Service machinery into motion. As usual, no precision or hints at what we're supposed to be looking for. What the Celestial One expects is nothing short of perfection: the report must be thorough, period. If He wants to know, everything that can be known will be brought to him, for it is not up to us, His humble servants, to decide what is of interest or what is superfluous.

Ironically, for an Imperial Agent those orders are the epitome of freedom, an unique occasion to show what one can do when the usually necessary schackles of Yu-jing monolithic bureaucracy are let loose. It is also a test of our abilities, so I must plan carefully. Failure would incur the Emperor's wrath, and more than one overly ambitious Imperial Agent has seen its career end this way.

The plan I came up with was the following: A thorough inspection of the facility before the Combined Army overrun the place was nigh impossible, especially considering we'd first have to wrestle control of it from the japanese treacherous hands.
However, given that the current crisis had transformed the formerly peacefull peninsula into a full blown war zone, numbers of scientist and civilian were stuck in the research lab and would most likely sell many secrets and informations to get ouf of here safely.
Ninjas and Kanren were infiltrated into the research lab and, recouping their recon info with previous dossiers, one key target for exfilatrion and interrogation was identified: Pr.Kubo Junko, formerly a big part of the Karakuri Project and one of Japan's best artificial intelligence expert. She seemed overly eager to accept our offer, which makes me think she might be fleeing more than the alien onslaught. We also organized the exfiltration of 2 lesser targets, a low-rank kuge actionnary and an investigation journalist, mostly as decoy to hide our real target.
Our infiltrators had also spotted a few panoceanian scientists working on site, including a certain Pr.Gunn, suspected to be an Hexahedron asset. It was decided we'd take those out as well if given the opportunity, for good measure.

Usually, the absurd quantity of paperwork required to set-up such an operation would've delayed it by weeks, if not months. Thanks to the executive order, only 4 days had passed between the Emperor formulating his request, and our commando making its way under night's cover through the Emerald jungle to the research park.

We reached the lab at dawn and, much for our surprise, were met with a similar commando of the Ikari Company. They had rounded up our would-be escapees, and were also trying to exfiltrate some Panoceanian scientists. It was pretty clear we'd have to deal with them if we were to pursue our objective, so we took position and prepared for the firefight.

As I was making my way back to my forces, I noticed our sophotect ally inspecting the remains of the tripphammer TAG.

I hailed her: "Did you find anything of interest?"

"Not much", she replied with the monotonous, emotionless voice of Aleph's assets when the public wasn't involved. "The dakini's shots hitted a weakspot, pierced the armor and killed the pilot straight. then the kuang-shi's shrapnels touched an exposed canister, which provoked the explosion. All systems are fried... and the pilot as well". The scent of charred flesh became more persistent as she spoke those words. "Anything else, Colonel?"

"No, that'll be all. Load your remotes on the baggage, we're leaving ASAP". She nodded, and went to proceed as ordered.

Of course, it wasn't all. Why would an aleph puppet take interest into a janky mining TAG?

Having witnessed our exchange, Duàn Liling approached me. She looked at the burning war machine.

"And the marksmanship programm wasn't even online yet. I guess even machines get lucky once in a while, right?"

I stood silent for a few seconds, remembering former encounters with combat remotes, foes and allies alike.

"No" I concluded. "They don't".

Nothing to add, we joined with our troops and exfiltrees and moved toward the jungle.

I remembered reports that Aleph forces in the region seemed to have taken a special interest in this lab.

What's Aleph's game here? I'm sure Pr.Kubo Junko knows the answer.