Ceres' Lance

Overview

The unique emblem of Ceres' Lance.

Official Title(s): Ceres’ Lance Regiment
Motto: Power above all.
Official Languages: Sol Common

Ceres' Lance is a private military organization first founded in 2426. Although the company claims to operate independently, ninety percent of their funding in the modern day comes from NanoTrasen. Their purpose is highly publicized - to repossess, reclaim or in the worst case exterminate lost synthetics to further the agenda of their highest bidder. They can often be seen acting above and beyond the law, exploiting massive corporate backing to complete their objectives with the most cutting-edge technology available.

In any case, their job is extremely dangerous. From literally wrestling synthetics and dismantling them in the field, to partaking in skirmishes with dozens of combatants. Their affairs have become increasingly publicized due to their recent integration into Tau Ceti in 2460, where they engaged in missions attempting to capture the inhabitants of Purpose scattered across the system.

Among the most unique traits of Ceres' Lance is their adoption of specialized tactics to neutralize mechanical threats. As the majority of what they fight are military-grade combat units with major if not total immunity to electromagnetic disruption or basic energy weaponry, other means of incapacitation must be sought. The organization has gotten clever in this regard, resorting to walking and nigh-immobile bunkers of exosuits to protect themselves and seeking extremes. In goal of extermination, they can be seen liberally using anti material and high-explosive weaponry. In goal of capture they can be seen wielding overwhelmingly powerful close-combat exosuits and RIGs.

When fighting their enemy, typically they are briefed and prepared accordingly to whatever is predicted. This is quite easy as, in the case of repossession, the capabilities of the synthetics they are after is the first thing to hear. Rarely if ever have they failed in acquiring lost bounds as a result. Their fierce reputation has led to the larger synthetic societies in the Frontier becoming wary of their presence, even holding host to fear of Ceres' Lance.

Like any other PMC however, Ceres' Lance merely follows wherever the trail of money leads. They seem keen on avoiding collateral damage in operations, sometimes sacrificing the goal entirely depending on how it would reflect on their employers. Judgement on decisions in the mission zone is left in their own hands to decide; their success rate is reason enough for this power to be granted by their funders. The organization is on-call for NanoTrasen and the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate but offers its services to the highest bidder. Despite the hostile relations between its benefactor and the Sol Alliance, the surge in IPCs within the region means that the company continues to do business in the area at the begrudging and lucrative behest of Sol.

Although formerly based in Ceres, a dwarf planet somewhere between Mars and Jupiter orbiting Sol, the PMC has since begun a transition of its central command to Tau Ceti due to the relative instability in the Sol Alliance, beginning in 2462, with temporary offices on the NTCC Odin and ship berths in Biesel's orbit. Despite this, the majority of the organization's functions are still conducted on Ceres, from its extensive weapons research branch to its renowned training grounds. This has caused disorganization in the company, with the central command in Tau Ceti being unable to effectively coordinate the Ceres branch.

Sections

The Lance itself is separated into six individual sections which work in unison as divined by a central command on Ceres, aptly named “Central.” They are listed in order of importance below.

Section One: Intelligence
The Intelligence segment resides in its entirety in the headquarters of Ceres’ Lance. Any and all mission data is carried through superiors and proper data channels, converging covertly at a single point there. Those within the Intelligence segment are tasked with maintaining incoming data and safekeeping it. As such, an entity has formed for internal security in protecting the data, working alongside the rest of the company.

Section Two: Research
Study of the enemy and adaptation to any scenario is left to the hands of the Research segment of Ceres’ Lance. They can often be seen deconstructing objects of importance recovered in missions, grasping at any understanding they can to further the effectiveness of the Lance.

Section Three: Engineering
Development of whatever the Research segment designs is the responsibility of the Engineering section. This portion of the company is mostly self-sufficient, but relies heavily on resources procured either in the field or granted by the company’s funding organizations. The presence of the Engineering section permits a wide variety of unique pursuits, allowing much more specific equipment to be made for usage by the Special Forces section. One of their public creations is the renowned “Bunker Suit,” an almost impervious suit of armor capable of withstanding most small arms fire, meant to pin down and disarm synthetics for safe dismantling in the field.

Section Four: Navy
A tiny fleet of four vessels comprises the entirety of Ceres’ Lance naval force, but it is all that is needed to maintain regular deployments to mission sites. Two of these vessels are frigates purpose-built to deploy a dozen squads simultaneously with unmatched speed from orbit. Another, the Hind, is purposed to refuel and resupply the frigates during prolonged operations. The final, and largest vessel is the Amphion - a command and intelligence cruiser meant to relay information between objective points and HQ.

Ceres Lance utilizes the prefix "CLV", meaning Ceres Lance Vessel for its ships, with "-/C" being reserved for command vessels.

Of these vessels, they are named -
CLV Vulcan, a deployment frigate.
CLV Avenger, a deployment frigate.
CLV Hind, a refueling/supply freighter.
CLV/C Amphion, a command and intelligence cruiser.

Section Five: Special Forces
By far the smallest minority of the Lance is the Special Forces segment, mostly due to the training required to operate what it employs. Specialists are typically drawn from the Infantry section, where field trained infantrymen are then permitted operation of more expensive and effective equipment. Those within the Special Forces segment are usually reserved to the headquarters on Ceres unless specifically needed.

Section Six: Infantry
The overwhelming majority of the Lance’s contractors are basic infantrymen who are taken in from defunct PMCs and integrated anew. Traditional training is sparse for the Infantry segment, and most contractors learn everything they know in the field as things develop. Eventually, those who stick with the Lance longest are given elevated authority as according to their experience using a ranking system similar to the Alliance Navy’s.