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RP: NSS Sledge Mama Ep. 5.5 - I Hear You Like Cats?

Jaime turned to give a lecture to Stripe, drew breath, and stopped for a second. He sighed before he spoke, "Your what, like 19, 20? I'm not going to harp on you, but I've learned from a few conflicts," he gestured with his cybernetic arm, and the 'Blondie' inscription gleamed from the lights, "to let Brass screw its own ass. I don't like the cats either, been nothin' but trouble for us. Until we get a kill order on the frisky bitches, I suggest you let them 'attempt' to deal with them." He gave a slight smile before turning towards the drinks to get something.

"I'm going to get coffee, because hand-to-hand combat is only a damn appetizer."
 
Listening to the very subject of their ire bicker and argue, the fight quickly faded out of both sides of the argument.

"Pfft, you're just being a pussy," Pinkie muttered at Alec. The back and forward between Stripe and Jaime however, was what got most of them hook, line and sinker. The more the two marines hashed it out, the worse the idea looked; that the ire wasn't even directed at either group hoping to burn the squad at the stake only had them step back and look this all the more. With the crowd starting to disperse, the pink haired marine simply departed with them. angrily stomping away. The colossus they fought a moment ago however?

"Hm. That wasn't so bad. Hey, you guys ever need help with something, let me know. The name's Ed by the way. Ed two oh nine." With that, he left as well. This meant that both Richard and Jaime got their coffee unmolested. Perfectly good, unwasted coffee. It turned out that the cyborg ID-SOL who was manning the counter defended it like an old man looking after his lawn - completely with shotgun cyber-arm - the entire area was spotless. The seemingly mute man even offered them some whiskey. However, things didn't seem to end there. It was right about now that the main entrance to the cafeteria opened, a certain killing machine dressed up in their uniform standing in the doorway.

"The fuck? What the hell happened here? :\ " Kelly asked, the lights on her faceplate going from a friendly green to a wary yellow. "And did any of you see Top?"
 
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Sawyer would shrug as the conversation and minor ass chewing ended. He'd head to the counter to get himself a hot black tea, coffee was one of the things he detested the taste of due to a previous deployment where at one point he ate raw coffee grounds to keep himself coherent. As Kelly came in he'd give her a light wave before speaking. "She was just here a few minutes ago, came in, got herself some coffee and a donut and left. Not sure where she went after that though."
 
Jaime got his coffee and sipped at it to test the warmth. Satisfied he walked back towards one of the more clean tables and sat down. He looked at Kelly as she walked in, and didn't speak. He hoped the others knew why, it was coffee time, not verbal-screaming-anti-cat time. Jaime gave a soft sigh and sipped his coffee.
 
Richard returned with his spiked coffee, taking a few happy sips as he looked around. He spotted Kelly when she arrived and sighed, walking over. "We were trying out dining ware with AIs inside, and there was an uprising. We had to fight them off and then release a micro-EMP to stop them all, now they're just regular dining ware again. As for the boss...she's around here somewhere, getting breakfast." He wasn't much in the mood for a serious discussion obviously, but a good joke was always nice.
 
Alec stood there confused for a moment. So far he got assaulted a store in a training simulation and now he was assaulted in the cafeteria of the ship and involved in a conspiracy to kill a biologically enhanced cat-woman. What odd times to be a marine, he thought to himself with a shrug. He sat down next to Jaime. "So we're not seriously planning on killing a Nekovalkyrja, right?"
 
Jaime smiled at Alec after he sat down next to him. He sipped his coffee, "Not yet," As far as he knew, pinkie was just real REALLY sour about having a Neko on board. Jaime, on the other hand, was neutral on the matter. "I'm just here to sip coffee and shoot shit, and I need more coffee." He stood up and walked back to the line to get another cup of coffee and a bagel.
 
Stripe sighed in relief. "Good god, I am glad that my brand of stupidity didn't get me killed." He said as he grabbed some food and sat at a table in the corner where he could keep an eye on the room. "Is this sort of thing normal?" he pondered aloud, mildly amused now that things were calmed down.
 
"Wait, seriously? She was here just a few moments ago?" The downsized war machine asked. Before she could say anything more though, the Freespacer paused, and hearing what Richard said, briefly sputtered incoherent static before managing to speak. "N-n07 FuNny!" The way Kelly said it, they all could have sworn the man managed to get her to actually believed him, if only for a moment. She let out a sigh from her inbuilt speakers though, the movement of her mechanical 'shoulders' making it seem all too human. "Sorry Alec, Jaime's right about this one. And I don't think we can kill her, even if we tried. You'll see what I mean soon enough though." Off in the distance, they heard a certain pink cyber-eyed marine accusingly yell across the mess hall.

"I knew it! They're going to get the cat!"

"Can it, or I'm going to get myself a new pair of pink optics," Kelly suddenly snapped back, the colors on her obsidian black face display turning into a single red glow. The crimson orb shifting across her featureless surface, the Mini-Militant raised a hand to make a 'so-so' gesture, her color fading back to a friendly green. "Sorta? I mean I know I hate Yamatai for good reasons Stripe. I don't see why Pinkie over there doesn't feel the same way," she answered the young man. "Let's go. I wanted to grab Ylfa first, but since she's not here, I'll settle for you jarheads." Turning to leave, the doors quickly opened to make way for her. "I'm guessing you guys got questions though?" she asked.

Chances were, that was all too likely.
 
Jaime refilled his coffee in something disposable and got his bagel. He motioned to the door while biting into his buttery toasted delight. After giving his motion and swallowing he spoke almost to himself, "Well, if the Navy has anything right, it's the damn bagels." He walked towards the door about 6 steps behind Kelly, sipping and biting every few steps.
 
Alec looked over at Pinkie with a bit of surprise before a moment before back to the other two. "I have several questions actually," He started as he stood up and began following after Jamie and the demeaning killbot out of the cafeteria. "Though I haven't quite figured out how to word them yet so I'll hold off till then."
 
Stripe looked calculatingly at Kelly as he followed her. "On a scale of one to ten, how bad is this next assignment?" He asked, as he mentally attempted to figure out how she was put together.
 
Sawyer would shrug, finishing off his tea before he headed off, striding to walk alongside Kelly, his cybernetic leg slightly clicking with each step as it hit the decking of the ship.
 
"Hmph. If I had to do something as grossly inefficient as eat, it had better be damn good," the Freespacer commented. As they marched along down the ships long, cluttered corridors, into lifts and passing by armored bulkhead after armored bulkhead, she spoke.

"And that's why you need a central processor upgrade. Meatheads are just too slow," Kelly sniped at Alec, her sensors turning to Stripe. "This mission? It doesn't look good at all, so eight maybe? It depends on how much you hated those 'Cyberneko' bitches," the bipedal war machine replied. "We hear they got company now, and not just those squishy civvies with an axe to grind either." The Freespacer didn't elaborate any more than that though, and fell silent. As they walked, Stripe's eyes wandered up and down her 'body', or more accurately, 'chassis'. It was covered by the standard green shirt and khaki pants that everyone else wore, but it was clear she had no real feminine features whatsoever. From what he could tell, underneath the clothing she wore was a very sturdy, armored, boxlike construction that was only roughly in the shape of a human. A downsized, streamlined Militant for all intents and purposes, minus the integrated weapons.

Soon enough however, they stood on the threshold of one of the ship's conference rooms.

"I hate conferences. And briefings. And stuff." With that, the doorway opened. First and foremost, stood the towering form of another ID-SOL, this one with graying hair and a thick, ropy scar that ran from his left temple to right chin. Hands by his sides, Henry Gaston, their Lieutenant, confidently stood over them all. Next, was Ylfa herself, the blond haired marine sitting in a chair, arms crossed over her ever-present chest. She looked messy and disheveled as she did before, but they caught her mid-smile as they came in. And finally? Two short yet slim and shapely young women. One had lightly tanned skin and the looks of a halfbreed Yamataian with emerald green eyes and stark white hair. The other looked to be a purebred with lustrously black hair that sharpy contrasted with icy blue eyes.

It was Emi and Mayumi.

"They look like they've seen a ghost," Emi offhandedly commented. Brief images of blood and gore splattered across a table flashed across the minds of those that were there with her when she died. They were bitter, desperate memories.

"You guys got a lot of questions, yeah?" Ylfa wearily grinned at them. "Should I just tell them, or let them ask and find out how deep the shit goes?" Ylfa asked them all.
 
"Ladies who can kick my ass first." Stripe snarkily replied, as he crossed his arms. "We'll have a better idea what to ask after. Something about cybernekos having friends?"
 
Jaime grinned, "Did the famed Star Empire run out of friends after starting another war?" He tossed his cup towards a trash can having finished hid breakfast during the walk. He looked to the Top and Lieutenant, "In all seriousness, Top, what happened." He leaned himself onto the wall behind him, letting his metal hand tap on the wall just loud enough to be heard when you stood near him. It's etching caught the light as well, almost like he was wanting it to be noticed.
 
Richard had smirked at Kelly's response to his teasing, he didn't think she'd fall for it but now knowing she was the type, he made some plans for the future, he might get through this mission just yet. As everyone walked off with Kelly, he followed, drinking his coffee along the way, listening quietly to the conversation. Once they entered the conference room however Richard glanced around and spotted both Emi and Mayumi, he was surprised to see them both for various reasons but realizing Yamatai was really big on that whole mind back up thing took away some of his questions.

"Mmm, I'd like to know what the mission is going to be. Rumor has it that it's something pretty difficult."
 
"Still trying to process everything, still going to hold off on my questions." Alec said as he took a seat, staring blankly ahead and not giving much mind to the two other women in the room. "Though I guess it wouldn't hurt to hear what you have to say."
 
"A chatty bunch," the Lieutenant observed. Practically ignoring the squad though, he turned to look at Ylfa, all business. "Do you think you can do it?

"Yes sir, we'll get the job done," she replied, cool and nearly robotic in her professionalism. The ID-SOL stood with a nod of satisfaction before looking at the two Nekovalkyrja standing there. Like a pair of lost kittens, they seemed utterly out of place here, especially since they wore civilian clothing. Though Mayumi dressed somewhat nicely, wearing a white, form fitting turtleneck shirt and blue jeans, Emi looked like she didn't give a damn thanks to the sweats and hoodie she wore. Gaston pointed to them both in turn as he spoke, ordering them about.

"Himura Emi, you work with my troops. Ichiki Mayumi, you're going to stay in my eyesight at all times, understood?" The raven haired Neko nodded, briefly glancing at the marines with a face devoid of expression. Somehow, it didn't feel quite right. "Good. Now, I'll leave it to you Master Sergeant. I need to coordinate with our guest after all." With that, the giant of a man left, Mayumi glancing back one last time before the doors sealed shut behind her. Ylfa sighed, rubbing her temples before awkwardly smiling at them all. It was the kind of smile one would get at a family reunion that didn't work out the way anybody planned at all.

The kind that tried to cover up something unpleasant. With how fast it all went down, there was no question that things were not looking good at all.

*****
Ylfa said:
"Sorry guys, but...you remember how some of you met what had to be those three Cybernekos back at port?" she wearily asked them.
In the dark, dim lighting, over a dozen marines were tightly packed together in disciplined rows within the boarding craft. It shook and jostled them every few moments; with it being so crude, there was little room to stand in the field stabilized troop bay. However, everything changed the moment the lights came to life, their Hostile armors dully glinting.

"We're on our final approach! This is it marines; prepare for breach and clear!" Ylfa yelled over their comms, the ship's shaking and clatter intensifying as they neared.
Ylfa said:
"Well, we're thinking they're copies or something. Duplicates or backups maybe. Anyways, command's leaving them alone since the people who chat them up are more interesting - we got a lead," the woman grinned, eagerly leaning forward in her seat.
With a solid thud, their boarding craft smashed into the surface, the plasma bore in front of them spinning into motion as it thrust forward. With a fiery screech, the machine screamed to a halt just as quickly, the round portal opening to a scene of darkness, smoke and fire, klaxons blaring on board the base ahead.

"Go, go, go!" a man could be heard, the other squad with them pushing ahead of them, just as planned.
Ylfa said:
"But, the most important thing?" the blond asked them "We're going to catch ourselves a robo-kitty."
Following along, they were getting ready to peel off from the rest, but before they could, the squad ahead of them started running back around the corner ahead. Just as a small handful cleared it, a horrific storm of bullets literally shredded the other Hostiles that were too slow to retreat, tearing them to unrecognizable pieces.

"It's a whole depot of them!" Pinkeye's voice yelled, running past them for her life.

"Shit, get back! Back to the drop, now!" Ylfa yelled, the hallway now behind them utterly ruined from the sheer volume of fire it took. From around the corner, they could see a legion of shadows marching forward. Frantically entering the boarding craft, the door sealed as they caught sight of a heavy, looming silhouette in the dark. Before any of them could say another word, explosions rocked the other side, the marines bouncing in the troop bay. The doors ripping clean off its hinges as the ship was blown into space, they were thrown out like a handful of grain.

Down below, one of many war machines flew out and landed on the moon dusted building below. More heavily armored than the standard Militants they had seen before, its arm guns no longer crude belt fed weapons, it turned its single red eye on them all. And transformed. Head retracting into the hull, legs splaying into a quadrupedal stand as bolts drove into the surface, its offhand unfolded into a second arm gun before it sprayed fire into the starry night, chasing down one marine's zig-zagging thruster wash before tearing through him like a buzz-saw, shields, armor and all.

His spongy, hole ridden form floated through space as the death machine swiveled, searching for its next victim.

"Take it down, take it down!" Ylfa yelled, letting loose with several of her calf missiles. But already, several more red lights could be seen in as they tried to emerge, clambering to climb out of the black and face them in the light.
 
Jaime used his Hostile's jets to turn himself 'upright' by the time he caught sight of the war machines. He let loose a spread of missiles towards the emerging group and opened up with his HPAR at the first one. He calmly spoke as the missiles began to speed away, "We've got company, more...what the hell are those?" He looked at the general direction of the newcomers, hen began quickly checking his HUD for signs of the others in his squad while firing bursts and dodging.
 
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