Knight Six> With the tragic loss of Franc Beulix the bishops are still trying to find additional leads on the Black Knight. In the meantime we've got our first official request for assistance from a member state - Foreign Minister Nakamori of Touyou has a son in the NMPD currently working a hostage situation in Kintama. Last night a group rented a specific VIP room in the basement of a hostess club, a room that just happened to be adjacent to a neighboring bank's vault. The perps hacked the club's cameras and took the girls hostage while they drilled through the vault wall, but the sound dampening equipment they brought failed. The club staff noticed the noise and called the metro police, who have cordoned both the club and bank. Police Captain Nakamori noticed just before they cut off network access that one of the robbers was in the middle of posting to one of the many USC social media sites, and the traffic included a partial membership ID. USC membership isn't a crime in neutral Touyou, so Nakamori may be using the tenuous link to off-load responsibility if the assault is botched. Still, playing ball here may buy us some good will.

• INOC quick-reaction transport will carry fireteams to Kintama dome-top airpad.
• Neo-Meikyou Police will provide ground transport.

1. Secure the Kintsuki Club and First Imperial Bank.
2. Ensure safety of all civilians.
3. Secondary: Obtain evidence of USC involvement.

• Neo-Meikyou Police will provide transport to airpad.

• NMPD Briefing File
  • Hostiles are aware of police presence. There's a police line with SWAT surrounding the buildings and they've called inside to begin negotiations, but those have been inconsistent.
  • The group finished their drilling while the police were en-route, so they control both the vault and the club basement. SWAT landed on the roofs of both buildings and cleared down to the second floors, but avoided the first floors and basements of both buildings to avoid endangering hostages.
  • Bank management is on-site and can provide access code and keys to the vault and bank at large.
  • Size of hostile group is estimated at 10, based on NMPD analysis of club camera footage earlier in the evening. No weapons were visible during the footage but in initial negotiator communications the group made unspecific claims that they were armed.
  • Number of hostages is uncertain as there are club staff missing that aren't seen on camera entering the room, but the range is between 4-20.
  • The drill used is unknown, but cameras in the vault before they were damaged show a violent shower of white sparks and club staff report a high pitched whine.