I would like to apologize for, at least, my own inactivity on the story. While I have been busy with QW and HSC, I haven't been that busy I can't post there. I'll get something up tommorrow or Friday.

I have posted on the story! So can we see some more Army posts in general on the story?

posting. Sorry for inactivity.

Thanks for posting, folks! 

Serpent and I really want to wrap up this section of the tale, though, so we're going to jump the plot forward within 24 hours; if you want to get another post in about this boarding action aboard Salvation, you have a day to do so!  Don't worry if you can't make the deadline, though (remember, Army stuff comes first), because there will be plenty of action for you in the second section of the story Serpent and I are going to roll out.    Happy writing!

-Trick

EDIT: Okay, we're jumping ahead three weeks in-story.  In the next couple hours I'll have a post getting us into the action, and it'll be clear from that what Dread Squad should do.    Navy's getting ready to start a big fleet story, so we'll be posting as quickly as we can to wrap this story up; join in as soon and as frequently as you can, and we'll call this a successful interdivisional experiment!  Thanks again, guys!

Sorry for the triple post, but thanks, Havock, for jumping back in!

Everyone: this last battle on the asteroid should be a great chance for you all to show off!    You're pretty much given free reign to shoot and blow up anything at all, but remember you're still in a story with a whole lot of Navy folks, and whatever you can do to create opportunities for interaction with we of the pressed uniforms, you should do...

Some things that jump to mind: maybe you come up against a pocket of resistance so strong you need air support (which conflicts with the flyboys' primary objective - tension, drama!), or maybe you find interesting surprising things on the station which merit checking in with someone higher up in the chain of command (who aren't really going to be available for a conference - tension, drama!).

Whatever you do, have fun!  It's been very cool sharing an official storyline with y'all!

-Trick

I'm sure no-one minds if you quadruple post, or even quintuple post, Trick. :P

Anyway, latest post is up! Can't wait for the epic conclusion that I have no doubt is to come!

Sorry I've been swamped I will do my best to get a post up before the weekend is over

(Serpent looks around warily at the unfamiliar landscape.  The Army ComNet...)

A request from the bridge of the Surprise, Dread Squad.  The automated space defenses on the asteroids are in danger of seriously damaging Captain Trykon's nice new ship.  In your awesome rampage through the Republic base, please keep your eyes peeled for the master control for those automated defenses.  If you see said control, kindly flip it to the 'off' position, using whatever slicing skills or grenades you deem necessary.

Thank you!

Thought I'd share something here, just to make sure you all saw it: with The Vast Empire Strikes Back driving toward its thrilling conclusion, I thought I'd revive the Navy tradition of story statistics.  These stats will no doubt be a factor as I make my final recommendations for shinies at the end of the tale, so feel free to boost your personal stats with a last-minute surge of activity! 

Key:
wpp=average # of words per post
ppm=average # of posts per member
wpm=average # of words per member
*=highest value of all members posting on the story

Running Totals:

Trykon:
10 posts*
6,843 words
684.3 wpp

Hades:
9 posts
6,838 words
759.8 wpp

Serpent:
10 posts*
7,325 words*
732.5 wpp

Ryn:
7 posts
3,367 words
481 wpp

Exodus:
2 posts
3,291 words
1,645.5 wpp*

Havock (VEA):
6 posts
2,970 words
495 wpp

Coadster (VEA):
1 post
543 words
543 wpp

Heliwer117 (VEA):
2 posts
690 words
? wpp

Skarr (VEA):
2 posts
1,291 words
645.5 wpp

Garryll Gates (VEA):
1 post
491 words
491 wpp

Dusk (VEA):
1 post
455 words
455 wpp

Crest (VEA):
3 posts
1,618 words
539.3 wpp

Valthir (VEA):
1 post
690 words
690 wpp

Totals:
Contributing Members: 13; Posts: 55 posts total; 4.23 ppm
Words: 36,412 words total; 2,800 wpm; 662 wpp

...accurate as of Tues, February 14, 2012...

This story has already been marvelously successful, by every measure, and we are not even done yet!  Thank you all for contributing, and remember that you still have time to boost your numbers before the shinies get handed out.  And remember, even though this is an "extracurricular" story for you guys, Brigadier General Jegora is watching, waiting to reward high activity!    Right now, Dread Squad writers make up 61.5% of the writers of this tale (8 out of 13), but only account for 30.9% of the posts (17 out of 55)... can you better the ratio, by saving all our skins in-story?!  I, for one, am very excited to find out! 

-Trick

I'll get a post up tonight, or at the latest tomorrow morning, so Army grunts be prepared.

Nice post, Hav!  Any other takers from Dread Squad?    The story's nearly over!

Thank you all for participating!  A complete list of shinies can be found here.  Here's hoping we can do more joint stories in the future!

-Trick