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Post by fen on Feb 21, 2019 19:45:06 GMT -6
With Cain’s return, the Pigeon was now fully manned. Each of the four hangars had their machine, and each pilot had their day to day work. Most of it was simple stuff: everyone had to clean and maintain their hangar with minimal assistance from Tori’s bugs of joy. As pilots, they had to make sure their machines were responsive, so quick test movements of the arms and legs within the hangar (without actually removing the machine) were required too. Beyond that, their duties changed.
Tori was, naturally, ‘in charge’. Hawk left her as the functional captain of the ship, which meant that most of her duties were on the bridge. Sure, with her bugs the ship was more or less fully automated, but only she knew how they worked- so no one would complain if she wanted to hole herself up in the bridge for most of the day.
Eve was left in charge of medical supplies, and their day to day non-machine supplies in general. Her past experience as a medical officer made her well suited for the task, even if her workstation in the medbay had an assortment of Tori’s more ‘specialized medicine bugs’ to assist her. Nonetheless, the conservative medical bay was much nicer when compared to the other rooms, and it had a view at least.
Cain, while new, was granted access to some of the ship’s more specialized subsystems. As a Bernard, he had most of the data on the Pigeon before his betrayal, and while Tori had access to it, not all of the maintenance functions could be so easily performed by her bugs. To that extent, his workstation in the engine block was a modest haven away from those skitterers.
Wren, as Hawk’s favorite, had a special task. The small, circular communications room above the bridge not only gave them an excellent view of the sky above, but also connections to their main base in orbit around Earth, and various other locations around the globe. Hawk suggested she use it not only to keep in touch, but to peer around the world to see how they were reacting to events. Its long range and ability to tap into simpler communications and broadcasting meant they could see news all around the world- also, just about any streaming service they wanted, so that evened out.
Finally, there was Fran, who…
Thunk.
A buzzing bug peered at the fallen package that had slipped from its grips. Of course, since the smaller cardboard box fell on Fran’s head, it seemed safe enough, and so the bug skittered off.
As a few bugs zoomed in and out between the hallway Fran was in and the storage rooms beside him, he was left with the box on his hand, and the boxes in his arms.
Truthfully, they only had so many jobs to do, so Fran got stuck organizing their repair material and other combat related materials, including their humble weapons armory, which was the only thing that really counted as a ‘workstation’ for him.
A short, sharp beep echoed throughout the ship, indicating the crew meet in the briefing room underneath the bridge. Such notifications were sent base-side, so this was a call directly from Hawk- or someone else back home.
---
Hawk’s hologram appeared in the center of the small, circular room. His hands were behind his back, and though his face was (as usual) not seen, it was clear their leader was gazing over them, inspecting everyone.
“Good morning, I hope everyone slept well. I suppose cruising above Africa could only be so comfortable. Before we get to our briefing, Tori, how are the machines holding up?”
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cy
Little Twinkle
Posts: 4
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Post by cy on Feb 24, 2019 2:41:28 GMT -6
Son of a ––
With a characteristic tch Francisco makes his way to the briefing room, rubbing at the spot on his head where a box had previously lay. Of course, it wasn't as if the box that landed on his head was the cause of his discomfort, but rather... well, nobody had to know about the box he dropped on his foot in surprise... or the box that was so graciously dropped on his head that had slid almost comically onto his free hand – but getting those checked out (as if he had any intention to in the first place) would have to wait.
–– There are more important things to attend to it seems.
Taking a seat, he readies himself for whatever instructions they might be receiving – and finds himself relieved that the first addressee was not himself. What, you really expect him to be fully mentally present at such an early hour after receiving a box to the head?
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moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on Mar 1, 2019 22:49:46 GMT -6
Standing out from the sparse decor of the room was a singular chair. A chair recognizable as the spinny chair, or as The Only Chair That Spun, or known as the chair claimed by the group's one and only head engineer. She was, of course, seated in this chair long before the rest of the crew began to trickle into the room. How? Who knows. She was a mystery. And as said spinny chair slowed to a stop, the claimer of the chair was finally in full view: ... a child in old clothes and a coat?
On her shoulder sat a gray parrot with a red tail, oddly out of place in amidst all the metal, machinery, and people. It observed the others as they walked in, still and unblinking; a sight that remained unsettling even to the ship's inhabitants. Tori, on the other hand, looked bored out of her mind, her legs kicking out to spin the chair even more.
“Pretty good, actually. Even the Bahamut, despite its owner’s… clumsiness.” Her bright green eyes flicked towards one of the male pilots; a pouty, dazed-looking Fran seated nearby. She flashed him a knowing grin before turning her attention back to Hawk, her demeanor shifting into one slightly more serious, but still dismissive. “Everything’s good to go whenever, as usual.”
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dazy
Little Twinkle
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Post by dazy on Mar 3, 2019 13:18:56 GMT -6
Needless to say, for a passionate learner such as Wren, there was no better gift Hawk could have given her in his current assignments than the ability to tap into the news and culture of the world.
Bright blue eyes had only just managed to begin scouring through all the options the communications room had to offer. If there was one thing that stuck out to her, however, it was the obnoxious amount of cooking shows on basically every platform she skimmed. She didn't understand the appeal. What was the point of watching someone cook a piece of food you could not eat in turn? Especially without step by step, specific instructions for you to cook along?
She didn't understand... but she wanted to!
If there was one thing more important than cooking shows, however, it was Hawk. So when the bell for the meeting chimed, she was quick to be down in the briefing room, notebook in hand and greeting everyone with a grin and a quick hello before going to her chair.
Despite not being addressed, she still gave Hawk a wave and smile as his hologram appeared.
And then she patiently waited, pen to paper, ready to take her usual notes.
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Post by fen on Mar 14, 2019 16:37:08 GMT -6
There was still a slight... Delay to him. Even though he had gone through everything so sharply- and performed all the jobs that was required of him without so much as a second thought, there was still something that gnawed at him. It wasn't as if he was second guessing himself, but to so suddenly throw himself into a new group was... It was asking for a lot.
Still, he showed up to the meeting, arms crossed. The combination of a dirty, sleeves rolled up with what appeared to be a set of dusty goggles on his head. "Present." He stated as he stepped in just before Hawk begun to his lecture.
"Glad to see everyone could make it. I'll keep things brief, but we are moving out soon."
Hawk's clawed hands reached up to stroke his metallic chin, their leader appearing almost as if he had been deep in thought. "The continent has nearly been fully wrested from the hands of the ESU, there remains just a single problem..."
Projected up above in the room was a 3D map of the globe, which was focused along the northern stretch of Africa. A blockade of ESU ships drifted latitudely across the continent, disrupting any attempts for a Martian invasion. "They're led by the ESU's current Fleet Admiral, which makes breaking their line trying. Our goal will be simpler."
The projection shifted to focus on another country somewhat nearby: India.
"The Eastern bloc have already disrupted the ESU's command of the globe, and while they continue to fight, we have full freedom of movement. India is a prime target. Many citizens have begun arguing for a split from the ESU. Their prime minister has no interest, and has accepted a new wave of machines from the ESU. We will arrive and make our position on this planet clear, rallying the denizens of this world to our cause... The only way we can."
There was a moment of silence as he crossed his arms behind his back, glancing over each of the pilots- before settling on Tori.
"Are we all in agreement?"
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moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on May 10, 2019 12:22:53 GMT -6
The parrot on Tori's shoulder fixed Cain with a long stare. It wasn't an unusual thing for it to do, especially considering its creator's fondness for freaking people out, but given his recent arrival... maybe it meant there was a little more to it than that. Maybe. But if there was anything to be said about the OwOolbi’s special features (read: nightmare fuel speech compatibility and precise, remote control over ear, beak, feet, and body movement among other things) that she’d she’d fixed up specifically for Cain to take with him on the Menaulion, it was a pretty tough call.
And besides – she’d have plenty of time to survey and monitor him, too, as she’d done with the rest of the crew. Even when she wasn't present, her unique connections did yield the useful perk of having eyes all over the ship. The upcoming mission, too, would be a prime opportunity for study. It’d be the first mission they would do as a proper team… save for an expected – but not really tragic – casualty. Nona’s experience would be missed and the Brutus would be remembered, but that was about all Tori could muster to care about. No use missing someone who was set to die anyway.
Instead, she turned her eyes toward Hawk and smiled a small, knowing smile.
“Sounds good to me. Any specifics, or are we waiting until we get closer to the destination?”
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Post by fen on May 13, 2019 19:19:09 GMT -6
Hawk's presence certainly hadn't diminished as Tori asked her question, and a map of the area around the prime minister's residence was brought up on a nearby screen. "We have a simple approach and extraction plan laid out, but the fine details are up to the pilots." The residence was in a less populated section of New Delhi, with a grand driveway and lawn. It seemed that at the time, the prime minister was slated to give a speech on India leaving the eastern bloc in favor of sticking with the ESU, a move that would put them effectively at war with their neighbors. As Hawk had stated prior, they were expected to field a variety of the new ESU machines as a show of force. A map of where the prime minister would be located, along with other important personnel, and the various machines was overlaid on top of the previous map of the area.
"I should stress that our purpose isn't to assassinate the prime minister in broad daylight," though there was a chuckle that trailed with that sentence, as if Hawk wouldn't be opposed to seeing it happen anyways. "our job is to inject as much instability as possible, while making a show. Though most of our machines aren't well known to the public, I'm certain the appearance of a certain one 'ought to be enough to cause a stir." His gaze fell upon Cain this time, who shrugged. "What, do you want me to make a speech or something?"
"If it gets the job done."
Cain leaned forward as if to argue, but ultimately gave in, giving his leader another shrug. "...whatever."
"I'll leave your deployment areas up to you, but I recommend operating near each other. I want at least one machine by the prime minister, and another by the Fleet Admiral's flagship. Any last questions before I get going?"
Hawk gave the group one last look over. Though he was hidden behind his armor, there was a sense of eagerness behind his voice. As if he was interested in seeing how the group would perform, now that they finally were cleared for their first launch.
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Post by fen on Jul 4, 2019 1:11:37 GMT -6
The buzz surrounding New Delhi was unheard of. The war was picking up on the homefront, and with northern Africa looking less stable by the day, along with the betrayal of the Eastern bloc titans, China and Russia, the citizens of the ESU were becoming more and more concerned. Though protests had failed to reach the western hemisphere, the remnants of the Eastern bloc had created an intense pressure on the rest of the Eurasian continent. Between the defensive measures taken by other southern and eastern countries, and the continued encroachment of Martian forces towards the west, it was not uncommon for there to be disruption and discontent.
The Prime Minister, Lakshman Kaur, was being briefed within his residence by his advisors. Representatives of the ESU were also present, in part to show support to what was considered ‘the last bastion of the East’. Though there were still plenty more stopping the red tide, India was one of the largest areas of ESU military power remaining in the area. Their ability to pivot that strength was why the Martians were trying so hard to push out of Africa.
Though crowds were amassed outside of this residence, the real excitement came from the new ESU machines lining the streets. Tall, white, armed with rifles, and emblazoned with the symbols of the ESU, they were a message to be sent to their would-be Martian invaders: try us. Though they largely symbolic, they were still armed and a potential threat to anyone attempting to interrupt the proceedings. The machines were largely all ED301-Gnomes, a tad shorter than some of the Martian machines, but far more suited for under-atmosphere combat, especially in urban environments.
Although these machines were still new, due to the timing and the nature of the speech, none of the older ESU AAs were present. There was a sense of watering down their message if they fielded older machines along with their newer machines, especially if the older ones were outdated and Martian built.
As the clock ticked towards the start of the speech, high above New Delhi was another group of new machines…
---
The Pigeon soared quietly and with grace. It wouldn’t appear on any radar, and its sleek visage combined with its high altitude meant that it was invisible to the naked eye. Some of its hangar doors opened up, slowly retracting back into darkness. Lights flashed as their cameras came online.
The first to drop was a stark blue machine; with shield attached to its arm and a visage not unlike that of a knight, it fell into the sky with its arms spread, a singular bright yellow mono-eye streaking as it began its descent.
The second was orange, with pink highlights outlining its limbs as if to give it the appearance of a sunset. Its twin eyes blazed red as it lurched out of its hangar, thick arms gripping the sides of the ship. Rather than fall, it leaped- its thick binders opening into an array of thrusters, exploding with speed as it descended.
The third approached the edge with the confidence of the first two. It was thicker all around, pure white with gold trim, with four sub-arms hoisting four teardrop shaped shields. Though large, its pointed design and barreled chest seemed to indicate some element of speed, and as it dropped into the air, its sub-arms spread wide. A howl soon followed as the machine nearly disappeared, tearing through the sky at a pace that bested the two which came before.
The fourth hangar door remained shut as the three descended in a twisting spiral, blue, orange, and white.
---
The skyscrapers of New Delhi were not unlike others, but impressive all the same. On a day like this, many broke through the low cloud cover. To compliment the heightened presence of the ESU, at least three Marlin-class ships circled the city, with one cutting an open path through the center. It was risky business to fly such a ship so close to a metropolis such as New Delhi, but for the ESU it was nothing more than an effective show of power.
The Ymir descended with its arms spread, its mono-eye focusing in on the various objectives spread before them. The most obvious and pressing one was the PM’s presser- that should have just begun. There were a few other objectives, however. One was the dismantling of the various other ESU machines that surrounded the PM’s residence and the city itself, but there was also the question of the ships that surrounded the city.
Cain leaned back in his seat, hands on his controls. The Ymir wasn’t designed for flight, but it was a powerhouse of a machine not unlike the others- despite coming down towards the Earth hard and fast, his cockpit didn’t shake from the speed. He felt… In control.
“I’ll take the PM.” Was the first thing he said.
Fran and Wren were behind him, the two of them in machines faster and more mobile than the Ymir. Though he loathed working with her, some things were more important. “We should do something about the cruiser in the city… Fran?” He couldn’t help but smirk as he said that, his grip tightening on the controls. It had been too long since the two of them flown together, and under these circumstances? He couldn’t ask for someone better to watch his back.
---
Was there a reason for nervousness to be had at the present? Not really, but it's here nonetheless. An accident, unexpected occurrence: there was always a possibility for something to go amiss, although, in this scenario they were on the offensive.
-- So Fran can take it easy.
"On it." Be careful, is what he almost says, but what's there to worry about? Were their circumstances supposed to be different with their latest addition? A shake of his head. No, he doesn't think so.
The cockpit of the Bahamut is comfortable and familiar. With the wind provided by its particle generator he's within range to deal a blow to the designated target faster than they can retaliate, plunging a blade into the side of the cruiser before addressing his teammates.
"Don't leave all the work for me, yeah?" The Bahamut is fast, but with a modus operandi like Francisco's which essentially boils down to recklessness, it's a good thing he's not alone.
--
Perhaps worrying about things beyond the operation at hand was foolish-- no, it was definitely foolish-- but that didn’t stop Wren’s gut from twisting a bit as the boys’ banter crackled through the speakers.
She found her eyes narrowing a bit, and her hands gripped tighter onto the controls of the Jabberwock. Things had admittedly been… rocky since Cain came to join the rest of the Liberators. Not for the others, it seemed, but for Wren specifically. She wasn’t exactly sure what to call this strange awkwardness she felt as she tagged along with the years of camaraderie between Fran and Cain, and that made it all the more hard to ignore--
“Firebird. Are you already unfocused?”
Wren blinked, blue eyes getting their shine back. Her eyes looked towards the command center, giving a slight smile. Right! Hawk was trusting her with a prominent position in this operation… she could not let him down.
“Jabberwock and I will keep the ESU machines occupied.” The sunset machine was, after all, built for this--brutality and destruction-- despite the lackadaisical nature of the AI active in it. Every inch of it was a weapon, and Wren was comfortable in utilizing whatever was needed to keep the pressure off of Cain as he made his way to the PM.
She turned her attention back to the Jabberwock. “Are you prepared to initiate combat?”
“Oh, I suppose.”
Wren hummed and moved to dislodge the large discs held by the Jabberwock’s wide shoulders, ready to dismantle any who interfered.
--
The Ymir’s approach was punctuated by the shattered corpse of an ESU cruise sinking into the river behind the Prime Minister’s residence. Shouts and screams from the crowd soon followed, as smoke billowed out from the wreck. Though it wasn’t a complete destruction, with the sheer size of the vessel preventing it from being submerged entirely, it was enough to send the crowd into a frenzy.
Wind from the machine’s landing blew into the crowd, interrupting the PM’s speech as armed guards practically jumped him to shield him from any immediate blows. The ESU AAs present all turned, guns pointed at the Ymir. Shield at its side, it stood like a proud knight, its one yellow mono-eye scanning its surroundings with a loud hum.
Before any could fire, a Gnome in the distance was taken off its legs by the impact of the Jabberwock, its swords piercing its chest and eviscerating it without so much as a pause. The machines near the residence visibly hesitated, unsure whether to part from the Ymir or focus on the Jabberwock’s rampage. The ones closer towards the latter began to separate, while the ones on the opposite end of the residence moved in closer. The crowds began to disperse.
Though their audience was not paying as much attention, the cameras continued to roll.
“Citizens of the ESU, is this how your leaders fight?”
His voice, projected by his machine’s speakers, cut through the violence.
“Is this how they protect you? With false promises, and a show of force?”
His comms were rattling with overlapping callouts from the various ESU machines present.
The Knight in Blue was a machine well known to those that were alive for the 6MW. Though it had never been given proper recognition by the ESU, claimed as one of its many ‘filler machines’ incorporated as the war progressed, it had been one of the few to have its presence etched in the memory of the public. While the voice was unrecognizable, no one could forget that figure.
“The ESU is nothing but a parasite, consuming the lifeforce of this planet, of its people-” A Gnome stepped forward, putting away its shotgun in favor of a beam saber, Cain could vaguely hear a statement of ‘I’ll shut this thing up!’ through his comms. As it stepped forward to lunge, the Ymir’s shield flipped forward, and in the next second the Gnome’s head and upper torso were separated cleanly from the rest of its body, the Ymir side stepping as the corpse crashed into the residence behind the PM.
“-it’s no surprise that we are at war, look at how they react! The fault of the Martian attacks are not on you, they are because of them!”
The Ymir’s blade came to a rest at the Prime Minister, its sharp tip pointing straight at him. There was a look of deep, deep fear on his face as his guards began to drag him away, still in a defensive position.
“We are the Liberators, and we stand in defiance of the true enemy. We shall rip the heart of corruption from its hidden roots, and return the control of this planet to its rightful rulers.”
Its single yellow mono-eye swiveled towards the crowd, illuminating briefly.
“To you. To the people.”
A mix of excitement, confusion, and fear rippled throughout the crowd. Between the close up battle and Cain’s words, they had certainly caused a disturbance. Not even to mention the damage the others had been causing to the ESU in the city.
His comms came to life once more, this time, directed towards his teammates.
“Status on the cruisers? Enemy machines? I still have a few left here.”
--
Francisco was (clearly) never one for theatrics, and in fact the display before him might typically elicit a shake of his head, had it not been for their current circumstances.
-- And, well, Cain being the deliverer of the message certainly helped.
"Hah," the grin on his face is insufferable as he guides the fist of the Bahamut through an opposing Gnome, the pilot effectively 'fired up' as it were. If not for the fact that he had allies with him, his reckless behavior would undoubtedly lead to consequences. Perhaps it was uncouth of him to smile from ear to ear in this particular scenario, however…
"Just about done here," he relays, taking out another enemy machine, his tone the same as the one typically reserved for those who had just completed a mundane task. It wasn’t surprising, really: with piloting skills which wouldn’t reflect his intellect, and a machine like the Bahamut, the average adversary would scarcely stand a chance. “I’m sure the two of you can handle yourselves.”
Despite what he says, there’s an edge of … something present that almost sounds as if he’s imploring his allies to allow him to assist (that is, wreak more havoc).
--
Wren was hardly paying attention to Cain speech as it buzzed through her headset. She already knew they all shared the same beliefs and the same purpose. She didn’t have time to stop and gawk at the show.
Her movements were swift, but rehearsed. Watching Wren fight was like watching a master swordswoman give a demonstration… it was both beautiful and terrifying, but also entirely predictable after a certain amount of observation. If one was gifted the opportunity to gaze into the Jabberwock’s cockpit, they’d see Wren’s lips moving without saying words, like she was mouthing commands to herself.
Or, more likely, repeating words that were once said to her.
“Please hold--”
And she skillfully spun the Jabberwock around, thrusting its blade up into body of the Gnome situated behind her. She held her breath as it shut down and went limp before exhaling, slowly removing the blade and straightening the Jabberwock.
“The city over here is clear. Do you need our assistance at the PM’s residence?”
------
Between the white glint of the Bahamut tearing through the sky and city, to the blaze the Jabberwock incited as it dismantled its foes one by one, weaving through its mob of opponents of no hesitation, it could be said the ESU forces were facing a catastrophic defeat. As the Ymir raised its shield, dashing between the crowd and the opposing Gnomes, blocking blow after blow of opposing fire as it cut down the few guards that remained, the sound of sirens began to blare in the distance.
The blue machine landed on its feet after a stroke of its blade, turning but for a moment to capture an image of a panicked crowd near the PM’s residence. The job was done.
“Time to go. We’re exiting as planned, towards the east. Considering they’re down a ship, I think they’ll let us go with little trouble.”
The Ymir spun its blade, its wrist rotating as it aligned the tip with its shield, sliding the blade in ease. As it reached the end, the shield locked in place around it once more with a satisfying click. Thrusters on its back came to life as the Ymir shot away from the scene of the crime and towards the east, catapulting over expensive mansions as it neared the horizon.
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