This is Not a Test Skirmish: Quarantine Breach [Cold Vengeance]

Caravan's were the lifeblood of the Keystone territory, spreading wealth and much needed supplies amongst the scattered settlements and hold-outs. It wasn't the safest career, with dangers in the environment and natives threatening from all sides... but rarely did entire caravan's go missing. Usually there was some sort of trace... but not this time. 

The P&G Cartel's premier Wagon Master and his entire staff had gone missing in the area, and there were no traces. Raiders and beasts would have picked the bodies clean, but there would have been SOME indication of a struggle. The freak snowstorm didn't make things any clearer, heavy irradiated flakes forming in great piles to impede quick foot traffic. What Major Armstrong wouldn't give for a working Vertibird! Of course, the snow was the least of their worries.

The trail led to the quarantine zone surrounding the territory of one of the most powerful factions in the Keystone region. The Order of the Red Cross was ruthless when it came to enforcing their borders from possible contamination and infection. If the Cartel tried to by-pass proper Order checkpoints to make some extra caps...

"//This is Sector Commander Pyre//" the rough, deep voice cut through the chill air like a hot knife "//You are entering a restricted area. Turn back, or we will forced to initiate Purification Procedures!//"

Welp. That didn't take long. 

The Battlefield. 

The Order of the Red Cross rush to the barricades as the Keystone
Rangers refuse to back down and vacate the area.

Still searching for evidence of a missing caravan, the Rangers
make sure to keep cover in case it all goes terribly wrong.

The Rangers set up their missile launcher just as the Red Cross
Sacrificial land crossed no man's land to bring the Order's 'terms'...

Spotting the explosive collar, Major Armstrong made the call and
ordered his ranger's to open fire- the standoff was over, and the bomb
was dead. 

The Major takes up a covering position behind the
house, trying to get his Ranger's into a better position.

The Order begins to push out past the barricades, trying to
get the flamethrower to bear- but he'll go down in a hail of gunfire.

The Order return fire takes the Ranger sniper out, and drop the
LMG man Hohenheim. Riza the Outrider's wounds would be
survivable, but would give her a fearful look. Hohenheim wouldn't survive.

The ladies of the Order (Officer Baldwin and Quartermistress Heart) take a strong position
overlooking the battlefield. The battle will soon end in an Order victory- 4 to 2.

The chatter of gunfire slowed, all clear signs radiating from the entire unit as the Ranger's were pushed away from the sector. Commander Pyre heaved himself up and over a barricade with a grunt, his reflexive stealth suit ruptured and stain with blood. He could tell from long experiance that the wound was very much cosmetic, skimming flesh rather than anything important, but it still meant that he was looking forwards to a long decontamination shower when he and his squad returned to base.

"Alright, look for survivors still in the area." he commanded curtly, assuming that nine would be found. The Ranger's had a reputation for doing their best never to leave one of their own behind. It was commendable, but predictable. Just like it was predictable for Caraveneers to circumvent protocol and try to buy their way out of a predicament.

But protocol was protocol. No one passed through Order territory without passing the proper examinations and security checks. And there was only one punishment for lingering in the Quarantine Zone.

Purification, before any contagion can spread.