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Post by fen on Feb 21, 2018 12:54:13 GMT -6
Space; Earth’s Orbit, Martian Fleet The Martian’s advance fleet had amassed within Earth’s Orbit, gliding precariously above a sophisticated net of surveillance and defense satellites. As a whole, they couldn’t do much to stop their advance, but still: the fleet’s choice of entryway was important. Too far from a safe area, and they risk meeting heavy resistance upon entering atmosphere. Too on-the-nose, and they risk revealing areas they considered strategically important. At the head of the fleet was the Argos, a decorated Bastille-class battleship. Colored a crimson red, with three bright yellow stripes streaking along its bow, it was the advance fleets pride and joy. Within its bridge, at its command, was Vice Admiral Gwyneth Marquisene. A tall, foreboding woman, she stood at the captain’s post looking over the various screens that flickered to and fro. While uniformed like most of the bridge, the main difference between the vice admiral and her subordinates were the two thin red stripes that accented her black uniform. The captain wasn’t fond of showing off, yet she couldn’t resist wearing a beret adorned with a vice admiral’s badge, signifying her rank. Batting the occasional strand of red hair that would dangle in front of her face, the vice admiral let out a sigh, pulling her glasses off to wipe them. “Captain, we’re receiving a transmission from the Fleet Admiral.” “Patch him through.” A wide screen flickered into view right before the vice admiral, hovering a good few feet above the rest of the bridge where the captain’s seat was. The figure present was a man in a black uniform not too unlike hers- but gilded in a deep blue. His wavy black hair fell around his eyes- which were hidden by a metallic silver mask. It was fancy, adorned with crescent waves and a figure of a horse. “Vice Admiral.” She gave him a quick nod, her gaze concentrated on a nearby screen. “Fleet Admiral.” There was a moment of silence, it seemed that the two had known each other- personally. “I heard that two Inselburgs were lost in the initial contact, I presume they were recovered by the ESU.” The vice admiral pursed her lips, that gaze of hers focused on a chain of messages detailing an attachment of Inselburg-class ships prepared for atmospheric re-entry. “We don’t have information on that, but given where they landed, it’s likely.” “Unfortunate, I had hoped to keep them a few weeks longer without access to them.” The gaze that the vice admiral had focused now shifted, this time, onto the screen before her. “With all due respect Fleet Admiral, was it really so wise to push for a landing so soon? If we waited a few days, we would have been able to secure the re-entry area before-” The figure shook their head, a hand reaching up to cup their chin, as if in thought from the vice admiral’s words. The vice admiral in turn, simply sighed, leaning back into her seat. “Making sure we secured our initial foothold outweighed the potential risk of our machines falling into enemy hands. If our movements fail because they got their hands on a few machines, then they never guaranteed success in the first place.” “Right…” “In any case, Vice Admiral, are preparations underway for second contact?” She glanced once more to the previous screen- all six Inselburg ships were ready and waiting for her command. “Sir. We’ll be moving forward with an initial assault on the moon in conjunction with second contact, to ensure that our supplies reach Earth safely.” “Excellent.” --------------- Space; Earth’s Orbit, Underside of Luna At the core of the ESU’s fleet was a handful of Marlin-class and Whaleshark-class ships. The lead ship, the Caladbolg, was a Marlin-class battleship with a pure white color scheme. A golden star was emblazoned along its bridge tower, allowing for instant recognition. Surrounded by Marlin-class and Whaleshark-class compatriots, the ship housed one of the ESU’s Orbital Navy’s top tacticians and greatest captains, a man by the name of… “Captain Forscythe! Reports are in! There’s definitely going to be another attempt at re-entry!” “Admiral Forescythe! Communications are coming in from Earth- ESU ground forces want to confirm the location of potential Martian re-entry.” “Captain, the Van Lang Base wishes to confirm resupplying sorties for the evening, they’d prefer to know before we start shooting.” In the middle of a small crowd of officers was a uniformed man with long, flowing blonde hair that wisped and floated in the low-grav environment they were found in. Porcelain white skin, combined with his gaunt figure gave him the appearance of a fairy tale prince- albeit one that seemed like he was ready to keel over at any given moment. He held onto a wooden walking stick, which gnarled and curled towards the end. His eyes were shut, and his form seemed to curl inward with every poke and prod of his subordinates. A hand fluttered from his walking stick and onto his face, massaging his forehead as the Admiral began to sit up straight. “Ah… Please, uhm… Contact Van Lang, maybe? Ah, I guess we’ll have to talk to ESU ground forces too…” Another voice cut through the conversation, louder than the ones before. “Admiral, missive from Rear Admiral Tokin. He’s confirmed the approach of a token Martian fleet.” All at once, the Admiral sprung upward, shocking and rebuffing a few off the gnat like officers that had been bugging him just seconds prior. The Admiral shook his head- golden hair waving behind him, as a grin slowly formed. “Excellent! Give him the go-ahead. To proceed.” … Not too far from Admiral Forscythe’s fleet was the fleet of Rear Admiral Tokin. While his personal ship, the Tornado, was a Marlin-class battleship, it was surrounded primarily by a slew of short, fat transport ships- Tetra-class. The Tornado was flanked by two other Marlin-class. The fleet was parked on the farther rim of the moon’s orbit, a healthy distance between the moon and Admiral Forscythe’s fleet. Tokin, a man of impressive build and stature, stood at the helm, arms crossed behind his back. “Captain- confirmation from Admiral Forscythe.” “Very well!” His voice boomed throughout the bridge. “Have them ready the first volley! Let’s show these bastards what it means to fight us here!” -------------- Space; Earth’s Orbit, Martian Fleet. Seperating from the main fleet was a collection of Gusuku-class cruisers, the Martian Fleet’s faster ships. At the lead of them all was the Vengeance. They split from the main fleet and made way towards the moon. It was eight cruisers in total, more than enough to make a significant dent in a fleet if they hit hard and fast. Unfortunately for the Vice Admiral, the ships would experience severe resistance on their way there. As was customary in space, and how the ESU and MR had fought for the weeks leading up to this- battles were engaged almost immediately once ships were in range. Done primarily through a barrage of laser cannons, kinetic charges, and missile assaults- fleets were usually at similar enough range to have engagements be based on timing and sheer firepower. This was not the case. … MUSIC!?!Collected around the Tornado were eight Tetra-class ships. Fat and bulky, they had been primarily been used by the ESU for transport and logistics. Four of them arranged themselves in a row in front of the Tornado and its cohorts, while the remaining four Tetra-class collected themselves behind. All four of them pointed towards the incoming Martian fleet, which was still considerably far off. The blue glint of the Earth as their only witness. “Admiral Tokin, the first wave is ready.” “Have them all link up, engage on command… Ready, FIRE!” Silently, each of the four Tetra fired forward, catapulting twenty-meter long metal spikes into the darkness of space. Barely a few seconds passed before several of the Gusuku ships were practically shattered, bridge and main body severed in place as the remains were quickly consumed in a chain of explosions and fire. … “...H-Half of the Vengeance’s fleet has been sunk!” The Vice Admiral stared at the screen before her, stone-faced. She felt a quiet rage build up inside her, but she allowed it to simmer- only stoking the embers at her own whim. No, she had to remain focused. Her attention turned to the Inselburg’s quickly re-entering atmosphere. For every Gusuku-class that was lost, at least one Inselburg made it past their defenses. “Have them retaliate with a missile barrage.” … “Admiral Tokin, enemy fleet is responding with a missile barrage.” Tokin shook his head, his gaze extending outward at the Tetra-class ships that had just fired. Although already expended, their crews were hard at work preparing for the next shot. In the distance beyond them, he could see the faint sight of wreckage and fire- and a warning shot that came with it. “Have the first wave fall back, prepare a quick response of chaff and flak.” The Marlins had their cannons aim forward, firing off containers of chaff, which quickly exploded, spreading a screen of aluminum bits as the Martian missile barrage launched forward. The missiles exploded prior to reaching any of the ships, either lost in the chaff or met a quick end by the follow-up of flak cover that the Marlins focused on them. “Have the second wave come in and fire.” The other four Tetras quickly moved in, sub-thrusters flaring in multiple directions to steady the ships as they prepared their fire. … The Vice Admiral could only watch as her screen flickered, repeating the confirmation message that she hadn’t expected to see so quickly: The Vengeance had been sunk. The battlefield was a mess of flaming husks and shattered metal. With it, came its fleet of Gusuku cruisers. While all of their transports had safely made it to Earth, was that really worth it? She felt that rage bubble inside her again- not only had they lost more ships in a day than anyone would have wanted, they had no idea how they had lost them. There were no records of the ESU possessing such a long range we- “To think they’ve come this far…” The voice of the Fleet Admiral interrupted her thoughts, and she nearly hissed at him when he appeared above her once more. “Is this okay to you?!” “...It’s fine, a weapon like that… Ah, I see now. Very well, if this is how they want to play…”
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Post by fen on Feb 21, 2018 14:38:26 GMT -6
Sea of Okhotsk, Northern Pacific, Earth The evening sky was the first thing to greet Cain as the hangar shifted open for the Menaulion. Sirens were blaring, informing the crew that machines were being loaded onto the launch ramp. Mechanics were posted all over, some directing the movement of the Phoros as he settled onto the launch ramp. Mechanical clamps locked over his feet, and the Phoros’ frame shuddered. Of the open hangar space available, the Menaulion had only two ramps to launch machines from. Normally, a submersible machine like the Athen would have dropped into the water from a separate launching area, but… Thirty minutes ago. “Ah, M-Miss Zaephord! Sorry but, uhm… We’ll be having to launch the, uh… ‘Lucky’, from the ramp. It should be fine, but just a heads up!” --- That was somehow what decided Cain and Alaina launching at the same time. Sean’s Spartan and Ernest’s Hippokon, the two flying jointly, would follow after. Three of the four machines in this flight were either capable of flying on their own, or were amphibious. It made sense, he thought, the way their flight was structured- that being said… Cain glanced over at the Athen loaded onto the ramp beside him. It was a glaring neon pink, a color scheme somehow approved by HQ. Supposedly it didn’t really matter how something was colored, given that AAs either have a method to hide from detection or not, and the Athens wasn’t inherently a stealth machine… Still, compared to the Phoros’ gunmetal gray, it stuck out like a sore thumb. ...Or maybe he was the one that stuck out like a sore thumb? A voice came in on his com link, reminding him to secure his helmet. “Merlin, Tinder, you are approved for launch.” The pilot let out a sigh, adjusting his collar just a bit. The new piloting helms he was being forced to wear were uncomfortable, but he supposed they were better than some of the helms he had worn while flying before. With his hands at the controls, the Phoros shifted into a semi-crouched position, the grip on its rifle solidifying. The shoulder thrusters the machine were so famous for locked onto the free space between the arm and the head, sinking down against the machine. The square shaped collection of thrusters opened up, revealing several layers, each connected by wiring and bits of intricate machinery. The thruster nozzles within began to wildly twist and turn as Cain tested their directionality. “...Alright. This is Merlin, Phoros heading out.” A loud metallic alarm sounded as the Phoros was launched forward. Prior experience had lead Cain to lean back against his seat ahead of time, taking the initial G-forces as his machine was tossed into the air. The shoulder thrusters on the Phoros activated, and instead of simply falling, the AA steadied itself in the air. It shifted from an initial crouched position into a streamline one, making its body flat as it began to fly. The sound of metal shifting on metal could be heard as the head of the machine adjusted, the initial camera eyes now being hidden as a mono-eye opened up on top of its head. The screen adjusted within the cockpit, now showing what was directly in front of Cain: even while the machine’s cockpit was facing directly down towards the Earth. When everything was said and done, Cain let out a sigh of relief. This was the first time he would fly the Phoros in its long-distance mode, but now that he was handling it properly- it didn’t feel too dissimilar to flying a real plane. He didn’t have to worry about staying in the air so long as his machine was intact, but he still had to worry about the machine’s fuselage and angling. “Alright, stay pointed north of the horizon…” The pilot’s fingers tapped along his console, slowly, rhythmically. He pondered for a moment as the Phoros stayed level with the horizon, calmly making progress to to the objective. Letting out a quick ‘hmm!’, he opened up a menu quickly, selecting… [More music!]A smile graced the pilot’s face as an all-too familiar album came on, his attention drifting away from the fact that his flight-mates had most likely already been launched at this point. ... ... Sea of Okhotsk, Close to Hare's Breath, Earth The Menaulion once more came up to the surface, its hangar slowly opening up to ready the launch of the next set of units. Up first were Gabe and Lin. Unlike the previous launch, this flight was being launched considerably closer to the target objective. 'Standard' protocol would be launching onto a nearby hill, using the mountains as cover before attempting a quick assault at the base. Launching from sea-to-land was always tricky, but at this point the pilots were somewhat practiced in softening landings through the use of thrusters.
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Post by montywonty on Feb 22, 2018 23:40:46 GMT -6
"Sure! If you won't worry, I won't worry, yeah? Nothing to worry about!" Lana had responded to the hangar hand with a smile. But by the time she had taken refuge within her cockpit, the thought wasn't sitting well. The fact that the plans for the launch changed weren't sitting well. Sounds of novice pilot's breath started to dwindle under the tightening of the space, surveillance screens staring blank at her with a speechless hum. Her emerald gaze followed the path of the rails the Athen was to be launched from, looking up ahead...there would be no choice but for the machine to basically be chucked into the water. While not a far departure from being dropped in the reserved area, the pilot would have to account for the added momentum of the longer drop. "Merlin, Tinder, you are approved for launch." Lana's posture perked up from the call, eager to move onward from her thoughts. "Tinder here, roger that! Athen Lucky, going now!" She took a deep breath, eyeing ahead with a wary grin. "It's not hard...it's just like diving." She whispered to herself. With a nod and firm grasp of her throttles, the Lucky set off. It was within the last nanosecond that Lana realized no, it wasn't literally like diving. She saved herself the potential whiplash by leaning back, tolerating the G-forces with mild difficulty. Now, the Athen launched and was in mid-air. She felt her stomach rise above her throat when reaching upon the precipice between the edge of the launching bay and the water. In the right moment, her finger darted to a new button in her display. "Initiating marine mode..!" The magenta machine whirred as it shifted within, its limbs retracting into itself just in time for its newly hydrodynamic form to hit the surface of its element. Even while she had kept her eyes open, Lana felt like now was when they were truly opening as she found herself reawakened underneath the water. The marine face of the Athen had made its initial descent, and was now trodding onward. Her displays found its new equilibrium as the machine's camera observed the flow of the waves and the life below. Sshe flipped the switch to her radar display, a green marker blipping repeatedly to symbolize the accompanying Phoros. Even as it flew onward, the signal still remained strong. "...cool!" Lana finally announced to herself, elated. She rolled her shoulders and put on [HER TUNES] to get comfortable for the underwater trek. "Hey, Merlin." She flipped her private communications on to Cain, leaving a bit of a pause as she was slowly questioning her life decisions to speak so casually to a son of THE Bernards. "...so ah...how's the weather up there?" She nonetheless asked quite chipper, as the muffled notes of her energetic punk rock danced against the headset.
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Post by Charredgp on Feb 28, 2018 19:14:40 GMT -6
A new mission. The second real live fire mission, and already they had to throw themselves what seemed far out of their depths. Gabe had little doubt in his squadron's ability, but there was only a vague idea of what to expect once they were out on their own. It was scary in a way, but he'd long since learned to swallow that fear and force himself forward. If nothing else, he could remind himself Sean would never let him live it down if he backed out.
"Shockwave headin' out."
The Red Sun hummed steadily as it launched from the Menaulion, Gabe's hands tight on the controls as he moved out. He moved automatically to cushion the impact of hitting the ground, still somewhat shaken from the force of it. As he moved forward, he kept an eye on the displays, waiting for the others to get moving before he put any real distance between himself and the Menaulion.
"Alright...Easy part's done." He muttered to himself. Knowing how close they were, he had already drawn his rifle for any incoming forces that may be on patrol. It was unlikely, but an unfortunate possibility he might have to handle that before they were all ready for their assault. Better to err on the side of caution for something like this.
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Post by fen on Mar 1, 2018 3:04:19 GMT -6
Cain's grip on his controls tightened, the familiar jostle of the machine calming him as he sped up. It was strange- it really did feel like he was flying a fighter jet... His thoughts were cut short and his comms flickered on, and on came a voice backed by what sounded like... Rock? The pilot frowned, turning down his own music for a moment. Their destination was coming up, and from what he could tell- his 'partner' wasn't too far behind, though where the others were...
"Smooth. I'll be arriving at our destination soon enough, I'll relay what I see to you. I presume you'll decide where you want to strike."
Without skipping a beat, Cain opened up a four-way channel to include the other two members of their little squad. Although he couldn't see them, he figured they wouldn't be too far behind.
"Dropkick, Basset, not too far behind I hope?"
In the distance, the island base began to emerge. With the night sky setting in, their approach would be mostly silent. He zoomed in the Phoros's auxiliary camera, and the outline of several buildings came in. Most of them were fairly small, there seemed to be a hangar present, but what was more apparent was...
"Seems like they have a Russian battleship parked by one of their islands. Refueling, maybe? Regardless, if we're smart about it we can take it out in one shot."
He momentarily considered the options available, the pilot hooking his finger against his chin as if deep in thought. Between the four of them... They weren't too heavily equipped, though an argument could be made for Cain's sniper...
"Basset, the decision is left to you, but if I would make a suggestion..."
The screens of the other three updated, adding navigational and target info on the battleship.
"...But have you ever seen that pre-colony movie, Jaws?"
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moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on Mar 1, 2018 16:06:00 GMT -6
“Fawn, launching now.”
It was weird, but not as nerve-wracking as launching into the fray back in Grodekovo base. Sure, they were still close – uncomfortably so – to their objective, but it was quiet. Safe, for now. And it was without worry of a sudden assault that Fawn’s Hoplite made its landing on solid ground, albeit a little roughly – she was still getting a hang of the machine’s thrusters. That was fine, though. It woke her up a little bit more. ... not that she needed it. Even with less-than-optimal sleep, it was hard to actually feel tired at a time like this. The power of anxiety and coffee, for sure.
Despite their situation and the current objective, she couldn’t help but give a curious glance to the sky. The other group had launched already; most of them had gone via air. One of them went through the water. She couldn’t imagine what it was like with either form of travel. Probably more convenient than walking.
She turned her attention towards her teammate. It was Crwydryn (how the hell do you pronounce that?) who had launched before her, and it was the first time she got a good look at the Phalanx out and in action and… oh boy. It was hard to miss the red, especially amidst the scenery. The others, she knew, would come out after them, so she went to join him.
It didn’t occur to her to try and say anything to her teammate as they waited for more of their group. Partially because she was anxious to get going, and partially because she just sucked at conversation.
So she just sat there in silence, looking over various information displayed on her screens to keep herself occupied.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on Mar 2, 2018 0:34:37 GMT -6
As Ernest strapped himself into the cockpit he felt the slight shudder through the Hippokon's framework that signaled the attachment of another machine. He flipped on his radio, "I still can't get over how well this refrigerator flies. You strapped in up there, er... Dropkick?" “Not sure if I’m a fan of the idea myself, ” Sean admitted. The Highlander crouched into position. Its eyes dimmed as the machine entered a low-power state, giving Sean access to a single camera facing the open sea. He set an old Sony Walkman on the dashboard and plugged it into a port on his console. “Say Basset, mind if I put on some tunes?” "Depends if it's worth listenin' to," came Ernest's curt reply. Flipping a number of switches on his main console he fires up the Arlington's engines, the vibrations coursing throughout the two machines. "Fawn said the same thing, y'know. She was perty anxious about hitchin' a ride into our last encounter. Then again, she's kind of a ball of nerves anyway." He finishes up the starting routine, hands on primary controls. "Poor kid. That's a tough horse to break in a life like this. Hope she doesn't crack." He gives the console one last going-over, satisfied that everything's set. "Alright, we're all green. Spartan's properly latched on, weight differential is negligible. Go ahead and press play, kid." “Don’t have to tell me twice,” Sean replied. He scrolled through the long list of albums loaded onto his Walkman, finger hovering over an old favorite. A grin spilled across his face as he queued up the album, [music filling the air once more…] The gentle melody kept his heart steady and the passionate rhythm kept his senses acute. Sounds of flamenco echoed into Ernest’s radio, but Sean kept strangely silent. Listening to music was the only thing that seemed to quiet him; even sleep seemed unable to stifle his grumbling frame. ... “How do ye and Fawn know each other, anyhow?” "We don't, but I've seen her a hundred times in other recruits. I was a training instructor before I became a pilot. Figured it was a good use of my experience." "A hundred times... and how many of those eggs cracked?" Ernest is silent as Sean's music is backseated by their comms. "Basset, Dropkick, you are approved for launch. Keep visuals on Merlin." "Roger, wilco. Time to fly. These tunes ain't too bad, by the way. Takes me back to my days in Mexico." Ernest says with a smile. "Buckle up!" Kicking the thrusters into gear, the Hippokon shot along the launching ramp, sailing smoothly with the Spartan in tow. Transmissions lit up his dash as Merlin came through clear. "Dropkick, Basset, not too far behind I hope?""No chance, Merlin. We've got eyes on ya." Ernest studied the logistics on his HUD as Cain spoke, and at his question he couldn't help but crack a grin. "All I can say is 'They're gonna need a bigger boat.'" "Dunnn dun... dunnn dun..." Sean's voice echoed through the radio, music playing softly in the background. "Dunn dun dunn dun..."
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Linkyu
Cosmic Kiddie
aaa
Posts: 47
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Post by Linkyu on Mar 3, 2018 16:25:24 GMT -6
Kara sat inside her cockpit and fastened the belts, and her custom helmet. She was glad that they let her keep her helm. As the AA powered on, so did the visor, as if right on cue; the status HUD lit up her face from the sides. With a monotonous voice, she quietly enumerated the checks as her hands and eyes went over the control panels.
“AutoArmor system check. Network OK, ventilation OK, temperature...OK enough, energy OK, reserves OK, feedback OK, failsafe OK, cameras...”
The screens lit up and showed the launch ramp around her, workers about like busy bees. The yellow Peltast on her right stood proud inside the dark environment. With a quick glance at the HUD on each camera, she switched on her comm and continued.
“...OK. All systems green. Echo, ready to launch.”
Myra flipped on the switches in her cockpit and gave a quick glance at the softly glowing panels on the console. Unlike Kara, she was silent as she parsed through the display. So long as the visual display of the Peltast’s systems remained a vibrant green, Myra felt confident that the Nemea would hold up. Her job was to keep it that way.
“Jingo here, prepped for launch. Just give us the signal, Tadpole.”
“Echo, Jingo, you are approved for launch.” The operator paused. “Good luck out there.”
The Neu Alma and Nemea accelerated from their magnetic ramps simultaneously, launching themselves into the air side-by-side.
A launched DAGGER is not the most graceful thing. The (temporarily) airborne machine held upright just fine, but there wasn’t much more that could be done to control the trajectory with such velocity. Quickly enough, it reached its peak and descended back to earth.
The Peltast, however, floated through the air as thrusters bumped it upwards just as its descent hastened. Myra was well aware of the fact that Nemea couldn’t fly under its own power, but combined with the magnetic ramp’s horizontal momentum and controlled bursts of power from her tailfin, she managed to keep its descent lofty and pleasant.
While the Neu Alma and Nemea launched at the same time, Kara’s machine hit the ground seconds before Myra’s. Kara watched as Nemea vaulted over her machine, then hit the ground in front of her running. Myra slowed her pace as she caught up to Gabe and Linnea, relaxing as she realized that the coast was clear… at least, for now.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Sobolevo Airport. Local time is 8:30 PM and the weather is very, very cold,” Myra voiced through the group’s radio, imitating the tone of a flight attendant. “On behalf of Menaulion Airlines and the entire crew, I’d like to thank you for joining us on this trip. We look forward to having you back on board alive and in one piece.”
Kara chuckled and shook her heads slightly, restrained by the helmet. “Thank you for the warm welcome, Jingo.”
“So what’s the plan, Corporal?”
Kara cleared her throat. “As you are aware, Command holds the final decision in all matter. However, for minute decisions, you are to refer to me.” She waited a second for a comment or objection, and continued. “With those formalities out of the way, here’s the plan. Fawn, Jingo. You two will be going slightly ahead due to your closer range. Shockwave and I will provide fire support, so be sure to communicate extensively. Shockwave, I’m also counting on you for crowd control. Show me you know how to aim that launcher. If we meet little resistance, your firepower will also be very appreciated in destroying our targets.”
As she went, Kara reviewed her mental plan, making sure to not forget anything. “Once we get to the base, I might give a more detailed plan if it corresponds well to the intel we have, but until I do so, I trust your own judgement; in doubt, just ask.” She paused again. “Any questions?”
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Post by montywonty on Mar 5, 2018 17:52:19 GMT -6
The comms were flickering with banter now from her team, with Lana becoming just as pleased with herself as Ernest and Sean claimed their own symbols on her radar the moment the two had launched. There was an odd sense of relaxation that fell over her when it was Cain that alluded to a film - a movie to be referenced for their eminent tactics, of all things. After stifling her laughter from Sean's incredulous "dun-dun"-ing, Lana eagerly decided to chime in.
"So what are we gonna do? Smash from afar with the firepower first and then chomp from underneath, or the other way around?" She kept her smile tight, a hint of her pondering if it was so wise to be playing her own ideas with the more experienced pilots.
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Post by fen on Mar 5, 2018 23:39:28 GMT -6
“Alright, Tinder- I’ll provide backup. You can probably sneak in and assault the ship from under it. I’ll be close enough to fire once they begin their response. Two birds, one stone.”
It seemed the pilot hardly waited to confirm, as the Phoros almost immediately began to speed up, the island territory growing in size as his approach quickened. “I’ll split off to the mountains- give me the OK when you begin your assault, alright?”
And just like that, the fire had ignited in a blaze of validation. As to not get too far off within her excitement, Lana managed to keep her eyes on her screen displaying the ship in question. "You bet! Awesome plan, Merlin! I'll keep you updated when I'm about to strike!"
While the Phoros sped ahead, the Athen allowed itself to stagger behind within the waters below. Staggering, until the far-above shadow of the battleship was beckoning to cover the aquatic machine in shadows. "I have a proximity..." Lana whispered to all her team, having the urge to remain undetected as if the target had ears.
Gently, the diver wrapped her fingers around the throttles and inched them just barely, keeping sight of the edge of the ship that was by the shore. Her radar refreshed, with much less bodies than she expected. Only a few of them on the docks, and either her screens were frozen, or the people above really were not moving much at all.
Less eyes to worry about, although considering their briefing, she wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. Nonetheless, the widened shoulders of the Athen seethed out a stream of bubbles as the hatches opened, giving the twin torpedos within just a peek of what they were about to meet. “Gonna target…” Lana murmured to her teammates as the Athen sought eye upon the center of the underside, just a hair closer to the dock. A fire point to hopefully get the most attention from the enemy.
“Merlin, firing in three...two...one…” Click.
---
“Ya~a~a~wn~!”
Buried within a hangar further up the base, nestled near the more mountainous region of the small islands, was bright green and pink Phalanx, the machine clearly well-kept, a sharp warrior from Mars. Although it stood tall amongst the pieces of vague machinery and equipment, at the present moment it was being adjusted. Sparks flew from its feet and along its arms, as mechanics hoisted up on moving platforms went to work.
Sitting on one of the covers of its opened cockpit, was its pilot. Splayed out along the hatch, feet kicking up in the air with her arms hanging along its sides- her thick, fluffy strawberry blonde hair billowing faintly in the breeze as it hung from the cockpit opening. She was dressed in her pilotting suit- mostly. It was opened up along her chest along with her sleeves pushed up, just for that extra breathing room. The pilot’s focus was married to her phone, at the present- an equally bright pink and bedazzled flip phone.
“Huuuuh…. I wonder how my lil’ bro’s doing. It’s getting so boring… I bet he’s getting his rocks off in the woods or something, like a loser.”
A voice echoed from below her.
“Miss Fleischer! We’ve got the hover-skirt prepped, do you want to give it a few test runs?”
“Yessir!” Came her response as she dismissively waved off the mechanic, pushing herself up into a sit- and then a stretch.
It was hard for her to take this so seriously, yeah, sure, modifications were cool and all, but she hadn’t seen action since getting put on that ship to Earth. What was even the point?
The Ms. Fleischer slipped into the cockpit, leaving the hatch open. Her hands breezed over the controls, checking once to make sure the mechanics were away from the machine, and checking twice to make sure systems were green.
“Alright… Hover-skirt test is a…!”
---
The twin torpedos spiraled out of the water, crashing against the hull of the ship and exploding. A pillar of steam and water shot up from under it, as bits of torn metal flew from the blast site. Although far below the ship and buried underneath feet of metallic plating- Lana could no doubt hear, no, feel the vibrations in the water as the ship creaked and split. A wave of water crashed onto the dock, and the shouts of workers scurrying could be heard.
---
Before she could activate it, the hangar shook, lifting dust and causing the ground to tremble as a loud ‘boom’ echoed in the distance. All at once, a flurry of alarms began to sound. The mechanics exchanged quick, worried glances, while the pilot simply stared out her hatch.
“Ah, Miss Fleischer, we should probably-”
The hatch to the Phalanx shut, and the machine completed the rest of its boot sequence. The hover-skirt flared to life, a plethora of barely-covered machinery huddled around its legs. The Phalanx shot forward, ripping off a slew of cables as it launched, the machine barely able to grab a rifle that had been resting on a nearby rack as it skated away from the hangar and towards the dock.
The Phalanx came to a stop as it neared the edge of the water: before it, the sinking, wrecked hull of the battleship they had acquired only a few days prior.
“Tch. Command, can I get a status on where Spitter’s squad is?”
“Affirmative, they were doing recon work towards China, they’ve received the call to return-”
Her eyes darted over the water- she could tell that the ship wouldn’t sink too far, the inlet they were part of didn’t go that deep, but…
“...Gotcha!”
The Phalanx’s kinetic rifle tore a few rounds into the water towards its target. Despite her intensity, they were all of their mark considerably, the fire and fumes from the corpse of their warship increasing Lana’s hidden status just a bit more.
---
Cain’s Phoros shot off towards the mountainside. The wreckage of the battleship came at a right time, as amid the flurry of movement on the base, they had missed his approach entirely. The Phoros shifted from its flight mode into a regular posture, laser rifle gripped in its hands. Its shoulder thrusters flipped open and downwards, providing some resistance as the Phoros crudely landed on a nearby ridge.
Without wasting much time, it raised its rifle and quickly locked onto the only enemy AA that had managed to field itself in the short span of time after Lana’s attack: the Phalanx.
The laser fired forward, but as it made contact with the Phalanx’s shoulder, it quickly dipped to the side, avoiding the majority of it as it seared a fresh hole in the desecrated hull of the warship.
---
“...Wh-!”
The Phalanx dipped forward, narrowly avoiding a laser shot which promptly singed a hole into a nearby sheet of metal. It spun around, immediately firing a few shots off in the direction of the laser, until it realized its target was far, far off.
“I’m leaving our underwater guest to Spitter, command, I’ve got new prey!”
As she sped off towards the ridge that the Phoros had claimed, a variety of other martian machines could be heard starting up in the nearby hangars, some slowly emerging to respond to the rapidly increasing crisis.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on Mar 7, 2018 17:17:41 GMT -6
‘Hare’s Breath’ appeared out of the horizon. Myra was the first to catch it, camera zooming in to get a read on its status. And just like Captain Cannon had said, ATs were stationed all around the base. It was hard to tell exactly where they were patrolling, but two stood just outside the walls from their approach.
“Echo, I’ve got an eye on Sobolevo.”
“Can you share your visual?” Kara replied.
“Forwarding now.”
Kara looked over her screen, Myra’s visuals streamed directly to her. It wasn’t too far off from the intel, it seemed. “Alright. Here’s the plan: Jingo, Shockwave, let’s have an initial explosive strike on the sitting ATs in front of the walls. Fawn and Jingo, you will vault over them and breach inside the base while Shockwave and I dispatch the remaining ones. Shockwave, I count on you for the sweep; I’ll be covering you as needed. You will then regroup inside while I continue providing cover for all three of you. ETA is in three minutes from now-- Any question?”
“That’s a negative, Echo,” Myra replied.
“Sounds straightforward to me. I’m good.” Gabe added.
Linnea hesitated, speaking up a few moments later. "... just one question. What if we meet with resistance? I remember the mission's considered a failure if it happens, so... what would be our escape route?"
“Well...” Kara mulled it over. She had thought of a few options, but only few were really conceivable. “If it really goes too south, we will have to rely on Command’s decision, but even so, our number one priority is to come back alive. Depending on the situation, we would either trace back the way we came, or use the city as a cover.” She paused, and continued in a tone more grave. “But between you and me, I’d rather avoid bringing a fight into a civilian area if we can help it.”
So, it was up to the higher-ups. And while Linnea resolved to not think on it further, there was always the possibility they'd be left behind. Of course, that'd also mean leaving behind prized AAs, so… probably good enough. Maybe. And even though the nature of the question, Kara's answer, and the previously aforementioned possibility was… less than optimistic, Linnea relaxed slightly. Her voice, when she responded, came out as a sigh – as if she’d been holding her breath. “… yeah. Agreed.”
There was another few seconds of thoughtful silence. “I have no more questions.”
Eventually, the group approached the base; it was barely a couple hundred meters north of them now.
“Here we are. By the way, if you approach the shore, be mindful of what could be hidden underwater. We still have no idea what is in this base.” Kara paused. “Jingo, Shockwave. Fire.”
“Roger.” The Red Sun’s systems had had plenty of time to lock onto its targets, and he had ammo aplenty for all of them. The Phalanx’s bazooka would quickly release a volley of missiles, the AA going through the process of reloading as fast as he safely could before unleashing more explosive hellfire onto the ATs. Myra followed his assault with a couple missiles of her own, a flash in the pan compared to his destruction.
The ATs didn’t know what had hit them, mainly because both them (and the walls they had been covering) were torn in a rain of fire and metal. The successive shots not only completely obliterated them, but also torn asunder the walls behind them, shards of concrete and metal spitting out into the warehouses that lined along the previously existing wall. It only took a few seconds for the shouting to occur, and soon enough the group could hear a siren echo loudly throughout the base.
Kara missed no beat in signaling for Lin and Myra to go in, although she hardly needed to. Kirin and Nemea were already well on their way towards Sobolevo’s shattered walls, emerging inside the warehouse still clouded by smoke and ash.
Kara stopped her machine’s advance for the moment and started aiming at any remaining threats. “Shockwave, you’re up again.”
Inside his AA, Gabe was thrilled at the results of his work. A satisfied smirk played at his lips as he moved into a better position for the second volley, watching as more targets lit up on the display.
Wordlessly, he took aim again, firing another round of missiles at the targets that the Red Sun’s systems could confirm. He tried to avoid firing too close to Lin and Myra as they approached, but there was only so much control he had over the resultant explosions and debris.
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Post by fen on Mar 8, 2018 1:12:38 GMT -6
-Five Minutes Prior to Attack-
On the north-side of Sobolevo, lit by in one of the wider hangars, amidst a collection of gen two GRECO AA, was a particularly black, particularly beefy Hoplite. Although not being worked on, there was someone watching it from the sideline, a dressed up, suited young man, with slicked back red hair. He was pale, ghastly pale- sticking out like a sore thumb when compared to the Hoplite beside him, and his face was adorned in freckles. He bore a grin, as if proud of something.
The Hoplite cockpit opened up, and the pilot leaned out, glancing down at this smiling young man. Tall, with unkempt wavy blonde hair, and baggy eyes that underlined this pilot’s work ethic. He gave the younger man a curt nod, causing him to rush over, arms primed along his waist as if he was striking a pose.
“You like it?!”
“It’s good, the gun has good range. It’s heftier than I’m used to, but that’s not a problem.”
The young man let out an ‘ufufufu!’ stroking the stubble on his chin, clearly waaay too pleased with himself.
“...You Tartarus Industry people are serious about this stuff…”
With a snap of his fingers and a shake of his head, he seemed to dismiss the statement outright. “It’s all in the Crwydryn family name, you know!”
The pilot rolled his eyes. Crwydryn family name? I thought they lost their heir years ago. You’re not fooling anyone.
As he sat back into the Hoplite’s seat, he kept the cockpit door open, simply staring out into the night sky from his position within the hangar. The Garmr was more than enough for him to handle. Besides, outside of that reported single team that was seen with generation two machines, most of the ESU army was composed of ATs, ALAs, and a handful of gen ones…
His thought was cut short at the sight of a fireball, streaking through the sky, crashing on…
BOOM!
The hangar rumbled, and Hansel instinctively shut the Hoplite’s cockpit door, the machine hard-booting up, visor flaring to life as its joints de-locked. The Crwydryn heir who had been gloating just moments before let out a screech and scurried over a collection of crates, diving behind them.
His comm’s flicked to life.
“This is Deadeye, do we have confirmation of enemy forces?”
It was silent for a moment.
“Deadeye, this is-........-omman-.....”
A sigh escaped the pilots lips, and the Hoplite hefted the large rifle-cannon combination, aiming it towards what he presumed was the location of the shots. He focused in on the area before him, his Hoplite’s visor array picking apart what little information it could gleam from the long distance…
“...Confirmation of four bogeys, long-distance fire from a GR6, with confirmed approach by a GR4 and GR5, last target is-”
The Hoplite’s rifle-cannon immediately raised itself, its angle of fire significantly higher than before. Beside it, another Hoplite had started up- and so on, further down in the hangar.
“Switching to HE rounds.”
A compartment underneath the cannon spun, cycling ammunition until it locked into place, a satisfying ‘thunk’ signifying that it was ready for fire.
“...Fire!”
The shell shot forward in a blast, causing the Hoplite to momentarily stagger as it soared into the sky, bearing down on…
-------
Gabe’s successive shots had sort of found their mark. His overwhelming firepower meant that a good chunk of the southern wall facing them had been demolished, and so had a few buildings that had came right after them. The towers that were facing them had been suitably razed, making their entrance easy- presuming that they didn’t meet heavy resistance. All looked good.
What caught him, or them, off-guard was the growing sound of something…
By the time they noticed what was on them, it was too late for them to avoid it. The shell fired from the base had crashed into the ground near Gabe’s Phalanx, immediately bursting open and launching-
Fire.
The Red Sun was actually on fire.
Well, part of it was. Its right leg, up to its waist was coated in a liquid flame. The area around the shell blast quickly became rampant with fire, and it rapidly crept towards Kara’s dagger, engulfing anything in its path- tree, shrub, grass, dirt.
While it wasn’t crippling, Gabe could no doubt feel the Phalanx warm up from under him- significantly.
Lin and Myra were initially greeted with rubble and dust, but it didn’t take them long to notice the various Hoplites being booted up across from them, in a large hangar that dominated quite a bit of the base. While some were unequipped, at least two exited the hangar with shields and kinetic rifles raised, aiming down at the two intruding machines and letting loose a volley of fire.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on Mar 8, 2018 22:13:02 GMT -6
"Well it's been a pleasure riding with ye Basset, but this looks like my stop."
From his perch atop the Arlington, Sean loosened his grip on the transport's handles. The two were just close enough for the Highlander to safely dive into the waters below. With Lana and Cain causing such a ruckus, Sean knew he wouldn't have much time before they were spotted. The Spartan stood up cautiously. Then, it jumped into the air with a flick of its thrusters, allowing the Hippokon to slip underneath him as the Highlander fell into the open air.
A few careful adjustments of its thrusters kept the Spartan steady as it plunged into the frigid ocean below. The machine decelerated, coming to a complete stop several dozen meters below the water. Sean checked his pressure sensor, which indicated that the Highlander was currently under approximately five times normal atmospheric pressure. Hope that greasy-looking mechanic was right about this, Sean thought. He cast any last-minute doubts from his mind, knowing that he couldn't afford to spend long wading in the waters. The Spartan was ill-equipped to deal with an underwater encounter and Sean didn't feel like spending the rest of his days in an underwater tomb.
The battleship's wreckage obscured the Highlander's presence as it approached the hangar. Enemy machines sprung to life before him, their attention split between Cain's Phoros and Lana's Athen. Sean decided to take advantage of their momentary disarray, lobbing a grenade from underwater into the center of their camp.
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Post by S☆E on Mar 9, 2018 16:22:23 GMT -6
As the Highlander dismounted, Ernest kicked up the throttle, humming towards the wrecked battleship as enemy mechs scrambled in the chaos. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. "Just like old times..." With a flick of a switch bank the Hippokon shifted into its combat form. A glint of metal caught his eye as a grenade from the Highlander arced towards the enemy encampment. "Good call, kid," he said, following up with a salvo of his own explosives. "You hit 'em low and I'll hit 'em high!"
As he rained fire down his console flared up, tracking a Phalanx that seemed to be... flying? "Shit, I didn't think they had systems for overland flight." "Merlin, you've got a bogey on approach," he hailed Cain. "A tricked out Phalanx. Let's see what they're capable of!" He locked-on and released a full barrage from his shoulder-mounted missile pod, the smaller projectiles careening towards the enemy pilot. "At the very least they'll buy you some time." Ernest flips over to Lana's channel, "Tinder, what's your status? You alright down there? Dropkick and I just kicked the hornet's nest a second time and it looks like the queen is blazing towards Merlin. Do you copy?"
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Post by montywonty on Mar 9, 2018 18:08:48 GMT -6
The action overhead was in full-gear as the rest of Lana's team followed up with their own attacks. From under the water's surface and behind the remains of the slaughtered ship, the muffled sound of shots being conjured between the array of AAs rumbled below the depths and danced upon the surface of the Athen. The pilot within perked up on command to the fritz on her comms: "Tinder, what's your status? You alright down there? Dropkick and I just kicked the hornet's nest a second time and it looks like the queen is blazing towards Merlin. Do you copy?"
Following Ernest's words, Lana's eyes jerked to her radar: a handful more of signals summoned their way onto the visual. She took a quick glance to the enemy symbol that was already straying far and threatening to take Cain's place. "I'm okay here, Corporal--I mean, Basset! Already I 'm one step ahead!" Before Ernest or Cain could answer, she redirected her channel to the latter. "Merlin, I'm coming in to give you support, alright? Alright!"
As quickly as she spoke up, the Athen's limbs briefly shifted as it placed itself against a piece of the fallen hull, kicking off it as the machine directed itself towards the Phalanx-Phoros showdown.
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