Detachment 593 was virtually identical to this one in composition, consisting of twelve members. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander Apollo Buckley of the Royal Navy, and with Ambassador-Designee Yolanda Serrault, the team landed at Macao on 6 June 2045. The team chose Macau as it is an independant, warlord controlled city state. After receiving some supplies from the local External Security agent, and purchasing more, they headed up the Xun Jiang River on a sailing junk. Despite the hinterland being part of the PRC, it was expected that there would be little trouble given the chaos prevailing in that country.
The team dispatched a message to our resident agent at Macau dated July 13 from Pingnan, some 500 km up river, saying that all was well. After that, all has been silence.
The team planned to travel by river to Kunming in Yunnan Province of the Empire of Chengdu. They then planned to travel overland through the Chengdu territory via the capital city of Chengdu. Skirting the eastern edge of the worst of the mountains, they then planned to take the ancient Silk Road route along the southern border of Mongolia thus into the Mongol heartland. The intent was to avoid the bulk of the politically chaotic, fueding coastal states and the center of Japanese power in Manchuria.
Commander Buckley planned to be able to outgun what he felt could be any conceivable opponent. He therefore took two light machineguns, two RPG-1 antitank rocket launchers, and about a half ton of ammunition. Some intelligence planners suggested that such a trove of valuable firearms and ammunition would make the team a potential target for ambitious warlords and powerful bandits. Their advice was ignored.
The equipment was marked with the usual UKA military markings. In addition, the team carried two cases of specially engraved, stainless steel 10mm pistols to give away as gifts.
The team went in civilian clothes.
Horses and guides were to be acquired locally.
