"Zzzz...Zzzgnnnkkk Ahem!" Kaler awoke with a start. Darnit, must have
nodded off again, he thought, quickly sitting up straight in front of his
surveillance panel. I really wish we could get that coffee maker fixed.
Quickly scanning the screens in front of him reassured him that all was well. The bosses were planning something big here at the compound tonight, and it was his job to make sure none of those Star Law thugs sneaked up on them. Not that they could get here easily. High in the mountains of a remote part of Kdikit, the compound was not even known to exist except for about thirty high-ranking Free Frontiersmen.
Kaler again surveyed the board. Three screens showed infrared images from the three spy eyes patrolling the perimeter. Nothing showed up at this time of night, this time of year. Nothing ever did. Ha. We'd see anyone coming from kilometers away.
Well, time for a radio check, he thought. Sentries constantly patrolled the grounds with infrared omnoculars. He contacted his four sentries via secure chronocom. "Sentries report."
"Gralo here. A-OK."
"Smith. Quiet and cold."
"Harel. Nothing happening."
Silence.
"Dammit, Jones, report!" Kaler radioed. "Harel, go wake up Jones."
"Okay, boss."
Jones was going to get in big trouble for this one. Ten of the most important Free Frontiersmen were here, tonight, planning something really big. And he fell asleep at his post. Humph. One less guy after my job, Kaler thought. "Harel, when you find him, send him in. He's done for the night."
Silence.
"Harel, come in." Nothing. "Harel? Gralo, Smith. Heads up. Something might be going on here."
"That's a negative, boss," Gralo responded from somewhere outside. "How could anything get past the spy eyes?"
"I don't know. Just be careful." Kaler was suddenly concerned. He contemplated puching the panic button to warn all twenty people at the compound, but captains of the guard who cry wolf didn't keep their jobs very long. He wanted to be sure there was a problem first. Suddenly his chronocom crackled to life.
"Kaler, this is Gralo! Harel's dead, sir, his thro-erk"
Oh my God. Kaler stood up from his chair. He scanned the surveillance screens. No sign of any intruders. Nothing at all. How could anything get inside the perimeter?!!! "Smith! What's going on? Smith, report!!!" Silence. Kaler decided to go for the panic button. Just as he was about to push it, he was aware of a shadow crossing the surveillance panel. He looked up. A human, clad completely in black, stood five feet away from him, aiming a laser rifle directly at his head.
How the hell did you get in here?!!! Kaler thought as he desperately started to reach for his blaster. It was the last thought he ever had.
The Malrithi have struck.
"Malrithi" is the nickname for the UPF's Rapid Strike Teams.
Formed in FY 53 to help maintain security throughout the Frontier,
this super-secret force is who the UPF calls in to eliminate localized
threats to Frontier security. Few Frontiersmen even know of their
existence.
Malrithi work on land, in the air, at sea, and in space. Typical Malrithi missions include boarding actions of certain terrorist or pirate ships, raids on ground-based installations, assassinations, etc. The Malrithi have struck at targets belonging to cults, terrorist organizations, and Sathar and their agents. They have even struck against mega-corps and planetary governments, when these organizations have wittingly or unwittingly performed actions that compromised the security of the Frontier (such as developing terrible new weapons). During SWII, Malrithi teams operated on the surface of Outpost #1, wreaking havoc among the Sathar occupiers for years before the main Landfleet arrived. "Malrithi" is a Yazirian word loosely translated as "silent, evil spirits".
Around the Frontier, there are ten to fifteen Malrithi teams on alert at any given time. This number is a closely guarded secret. The teams usually consist of six to ten soldiers, led by an officer of no lower rank than a Fleet Lieutenant. At least one member is a demolitions expert, and at least one is a medic. All are in top physical condition, able to outperform most professional athletes. All are in top mental condition; a mental breakdown or slow thinking can bring death on the field. All are given extensive leave every year so that they can take enough time for emotional rest. None are married or have children. Few have other close relatives.
Malrithi tactics call for stealthy approach of the target, rapid accomplishment of mission, elimination of witnesses, and immediate withdrawal. They make extensive use of flit boards, glidjets, and floater disks when approaching targets. When planetside, they operate almost exclusively at night. They are not encouraged to leave behind anyone who might report they were ever there. For this reason, the Malrithi generally do not operate in urban areas, except on rare occasions.
It is rumored that some Malrithi troopers have Mentalist powers, but this is not known for sure.
Typical Malrithi equipment is as follows:
The following equipment is usually carried by one or more members of the team:
Malrithi often equip themselves with weapons and equipment they buy themselves (they are all given generous expense accounts) from various legal and illegal sources. Here are some of their favorites.
Malrithi are very highly skilled killers. Here is a list of MINIMUM skill levels all Malrithi must have.
A medic and a demolitions expert, with appropriate skills, are usually on the team. Some Malrithi are also expert lock-pickers or computer hackers.
Malrithi must have a score of at least 80 in STR, STA, RS, LOG, and LDR. All others must be at least 60.
Malrithi team members are very close to their comrades. They routinely trust each other with their lives, and they never, under any circumstances, leave one of their own behind.
* Helmet - Malrithi helmets contain: Power Helmetpack, Gas Mask,
Infrared visor, Magni-visor, Starlight visor, Radiophone, Helmet
rafflurs, and a computer link.
* Lock compick, computer access computer: Much like the device
Hudson used in Aliens to open the outside door of the compound.
* Malrithi bodycomps usually have the following (there is some
variation based on personal taste): Kingpack, Processor D,
Audio-Act, CAS-interface, Dis-Viz, Helm-Link, Help-Beam, Brain-Scan,
Comm-Link, Stop-Hear, Master-Comp. The other two slots are determined
depending on the nature of the mission.
* Grid/Deadsuit - Specially made for the Malrithi, this incredibly
expensive suit combines the concealing benefits of a deadsuit with
the defensive benefits of a gridsuit, however not as efficiently.
It can only absorb 20 points of energy damage every turn.
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