RP: Setareh Wing [Four] Take On Me

Matai Airspace

Zoren pulled a high G maneuver towards the opera house, grunting as he was forced back into his seat. "Enigma copies all." He replied to Naak. As he completed the turn he dropped low and was near ground level, flying directly at the NVR frames that had just been hit with the canister missiles.

"Targets acuired... execute." As Enigma flew low, it launched another salve from its shock lances towards the targets, and followed up with several missiles.

Before he reached them, his Raevr transformed and slid dual VT swords from its forearms. "Commencing CQC." Zoren reported as he began slicing his swords through the NVR dogs.

Opera House (NorthWestern Side)

Naak took Ishtar's data and immediately fed it to all other Setareh Wing frames and slid across the rooftop until she was close enough to begin assessing the layout further. She swept the body of Vistory through the air, spinning out in an arc as she dipped below the corner of the NorthWestern portion of the opera house and into an expansive ARTC window. She burst in to see the empty front hall of the entrance below the large window panels her Erla VANDR had made a mess of. Every hallway and part of the building was big enough for their VANDR, thankfully and unreasonably, but not every area was visible. In fact, there was a large wall immediately blocking them in the foyer. There were long and overly large hallways to the left and to the right.

Naak looked to Zoren, saying, "Take the right, Vaytulri. Ishtar you're with me. Setareh, split between Zoren and myself evenly! They're holing the Makuzhar in a what looks to be a cellar below the opera house. We need to get to either side of them and call for their ceasefire or vanquish them immediately."

After firing a salvo of missiles off, more to make the enemy back off a bit, Ishtar's VANDR lurched into motion. Call for a ceasefire? She wondered if the New Veyrin forces would even contemplate such a thing. But anything was possible. Especially with such an attack warranting a fast response by Commonwealth forces. The Sahti VANDR skimmed the sky, coming into close proximity to Naak's own unit, waiting now on just what to do.

Opera House (Northwestern Side)

It was at that moment that Archer materialized out of thin air next to Zoren. Shaanti was rather proud of himself, having slinked through the battlefield like a wraith and bringing his kill-count up to eleven.

"Ready, sir." he announced to Zoren, falling into formation. He was confident in the man's leadership after the last mission, and so would fight with him again. Time to get to work.

Opera House - South Side

With the dampening cloud in effect, Karuah was able to guide Saeid in close to the Opera House with no problem. She had to shoot out a window but she was able to get inside and transform out of ARMS mode so that she could maneuver more easily in the space.

"I am inside, does anyone have blueprints? I don't know my way around and I probably couldn't find the basement except on foot." Karura spoke as she looked around the area quickly and made sure there were no hostiles present.

Opera Airspace
Matai Rooftops

"My... lanes... are... always... clean~." Irfan accented without much reason to, a lance of energy tearing through reality and searing through an enemy machine's shields as Lucidity bounded to a temporary halt, firing a clunk of a mortar that blew the entire upper-body away in a fiery hellflash. "The issue is that I can't go wild with the city below! Urgh! And Lucy getting hurt doesn't help either!"

Opera House (Northwestern Side)

She moved the claws close, briefly lowering the power of the set to aggressively rush them near her machine's forearms one by one like some alpha male mutant from some crappy Nepleslian fan-fiction. The Haidan was tough, but the machine's specialty was getting to blow everything away at a distance. Even with terror weapons like the claws, that fact was undeniable to a seasoned pilot. The operation underway to break through and secure VIPs led her to finally leap from the roof and down to the ground at the entrance. The Haidan clunked its way backwards as she landed with a backwards boost through the same hole made by their boss lady, eyes scanning the air she had just utterly dominated (with the help of others) for any further targets. Ishtar and the boss lady had gone one way, with Shaanti going with Bossman. Karuah seemed to have entered the fray on the opposite side of the building... which meant that things were going to get further interesting.

But now that she could rely on the boosters for dodging moves rather than flight while within the massive opera house, Irfan was far more confident as she turned her machine to face the backs of the splitting group.

"Mox and me got your extravagant posterior, boss lady." The clunk-clack of her cycling the mortars of the machine to properly replace the one just fired carried over communications briefly as she paced forward cautiously and raising both clawed arms in readiness. "I'll try not to blow everything away~."

Opera House

The doctor smiled wickedly as he got into the thick of it, using his blades like they were scalpels. He would boost right into an enemy VANDR and slice them apart in a flurry of movement. As the others joined him, Enigma would slot them into his squad channel. "All units in my squad, designating attack lanes now." Zoren reported. Those that were with him would see blue grids forming there attack lane. "All units that stray into your line are your's. We move together towards the opera house, understood?" He ordered.

As another VANDR approached him, he fired his thrusters and vaulted over the target. His blades sliced downwards at the target as he passed over it. "Commence assault!"

Opera Airspace
"I have... SUBSTANTIAL and ongoing evidence to the contrary, Song!"

Lucidity came to a sudden stop, which was followed immediately by Sonatine whirling about, shield raised to interdict the sudden barrage of fire coming their way. Maybe Irfan would've been fine. Irfan seemed to be a very skilled and utterly reckless pilot who had probably survived worse by what was definitely pure fucking luck, but Mox could take no chances. They weren't going to die here. And neither was Song. No matter how she tried.

Again, Sonatine cheerfully intoned about the ongoing prajna leaks, the damage to critical systems, the operational status of the fucking sword. Mox continued ignoring it. Survive now. Worry about how much they damaged their bleeding-edge war machine another day.

Opera House (Northwestern Side)
At least on the ground there was some natural cover. It meant their firing lines were more focused, meant they had less maneuvering space, but it also meant attacks had to come from predictable vectors. That played well for Mox. Played well for Mox' noted and consistent reliance on shield and fangs to fight. (A reliance that was, of course, only exacerbated by the sword-rifle-thing [scientific terminology] being nearly useless right now.)

...and it played well for Mox' specific mission of always keeping to Irfan's blind side and covering. At least until this turned real chaotic. Best not think about that right now no no no.

"Wait is it proper to discuss the Laranr's posterior?" Ahem. "Errm not that it's not extravagant? Unless that's bad? I'm gonna stop talking now..."

Opera House
Inside

Zoren's attacker was pushed towards Shaanti by Zoren's slicing motions, scathed by the blades but still able to bring their claymore down, towards Shaanti instead of Zoren, with their Veyrinite doped Agridinn blade.

Elsewhere within the operahouse, Mox, Naak, and Irfan would come across a gaggle of five unknown powered frames that they had to cut through before they themselves were cut down. Naak brought her Phantom Edge down on the first to attack, slicing down on the frame's shoulder.

Karuah would hear Naak call out to her, "Work with what we have until Ishtar can come up with something better!"

Interior, Opera House

Gaggle identified. Lucidity didn't even hesitate among the line to ensure the protection of her allies, the suit leaping upward within the hall as its pilot flared the boosters and launched through the hallways with full power the damaged machine could muster. Her target was the nearest suit, the Haidan colliding mid-air as the barriers flared between the pair. Irfan's smirk grew nice and large, both of her clawed hands swishing down as they collided... but this time she scored no kill, one of the enemy pilot's pesky arms raised in an arm-bar to block the gal's strike by the wrists. She could painstakingly stare down the enemy, both claws agonizingly close to removing both arms at the shoulder... but he fell right into her trap. A wicked flicker of light, the SCPA firing a brutal beam that tore through her opponent's arm and torso before exiting the body and searing a hole in the floor. All that power at close-range had made it pin-point destruction, the Haidan flaring its boosters in an attempt to tip her target and keep a position of power.

But his reactions were good, Irfan yelling back in defiance as the enemy pilot pushed her back and flew the pair of them into a wall so the Haidan was pinned to the left in a corner of a massive pillar and the wall. The cracks from the massive impact threatened to do some serious damage to the building, but Irfan's struggle was far from futile, wrestling against the pinning-move with a push away of her forearms to send him stumbling back. And this time, she fired that beam through the shoulder of one of the opposing frame's shoulders, then sweeping her claws across to cut plain through the body to do something unthinkable. She exposed the cockpit, fire erupting from the enemy machine as the Setareh pilot triggered her LEMB in a flurry of two slicing lasers that did nothing to the surrounding hull beyond leave a seared mark... but the instant it reached its mark, the cockpit exploding and vaporizing the enemy pilot as her machine tumbled into cover as enemy fire battered her barrier briefly. Thankfully all it did was fall harmlessly against the nearby wall, rather than explode outright... but the damage she'd dealt in her tricky firing maneuver meant that it wasn't going to have any controls to just get right back up, even if there were ground soldiers still out there!

"These guys are tough~... but we gotta make the boss lady proud!" The machine peeked around the corner as she spoke rather bluntly to wrap up. "Let's finish 'em and make the saints smile."

For her part, Ishtar plowed through the Opera House's OGNIER.net system; downloading information from the various surveillance systems and floor plans for something more concrete and better detailed. It wasn't like running a fleet of warships like she was used to, some of her kin among the ICOMNI did it with way more finesse. Between the surveillance and floor plans she came up with a more detailed plan and placement for everyone inside of the Opera House including more information on the various safety systems built into the building. After everything had been compiled, Ishtar promptly sent a more updated info-packet to those inside.

Opera house -South side

Alone in the southern halls of the opera house, Karuah carefully navigated her way around. Though the area was occupied by enemies she did not want to harm civilians and she wanted to minimize property damage, the place was rather beautiful after all.

As Saied moved through under his pilot's command, it made a simple map using a tile system every few meters, it wasn't entirely accurate, but it served well for navigation and reference.

"They really have no respect for art if they're attacking here." the mechanist muttered to herself as she looked around.

Opera House
Team Zoren

Shaanti kept pace with his team leader, sticking to his smaller weapons for CQC such as his forearm lasers and claws. Occasionally he would have a shot with his SCPA, but those were few and far between.


Shit! He'd been focused on another group of frames! He'd assumed that Zoren would mop that one up. No time to line up a shot. Time to employ Pro Fieldball Skills™!

With the blade coming downwards, Shaanti charged forward and rammed the enemy frame. Because he got in close, the blade scrapped uselessly along his back instead of bisecting him. The hostile was now off balance, which Shaanti took advantage off by charging forward into the wall. The impact created a rather large hole, and plenty of dust, but otherwise stopped the two brawlers.

Then, the Curdatl wrapped his arms around the frame and, in a very ungraceful fashion, suplexed them. With his opponent low lying on their back, and disoriented, Shaanti stabbed the Haiden's claws right into the cockpit.

For a brief moment as he collected himself, Shaanti wondered how the other new member, Mox, was doing. He wasn't worried. She was a capable soldier-

Wait, Mox was with Irfan.

Okay, so maybe he was a little worried.

He shook his head and ran off after Zoren again, firing a cluster of missiles.

Opera House
Team Extravagant Posterior

Gaggle identified, sighted, and engaged, in less than the time it took Mox to finish feeling awkward. That was, perhaps, the purest and most wonderful thing about combat engagements, that they didn't stop and wait for you to be comfortable. No time to think and winnow and demur. Only time to react, and react again, and react another again to those reactions.

Naak was into the fray immediately, blade-first and all veteran confidence calling out orders; Irfan was also swift to engage, all confident recklessness and the sort of certainty that came from the invincibility of youth. (Mox was younger, but felt a good deal less invincible than Irfan clearly did. Call it Ivuori instincts towards survival and against confrontation?)

...none of which changed that five came at them, and they numbered three, and Mox had an obligation to make the odds more even. Or the evens more odd. Or whatever that looked like.

So they burned, hard, still ignoring Sonatine and her cheerful ongoing damage reports, her cheerful assessment that she would soon be inoperable if the leaking prajna wasn't addressed, her cheerful assessment that she was no longer in a state where she could in good conscience recommend combat engagement. They burned, hard, crashed headlong (and shield-first) into their nearest foe. Their sword was already right useless, and Sonatine made sure to point out their shield would be, too, in a matter of less time than they would've liked, if some serious tactical and strategic changes weren't made.

Mox tore into their pinned foe with fangs and fury, but lacked the reflex, or perhaps simply the experience, to counter what came next, as the cutting edge of a Veyrinite blade found their VANDR's hips, and systems began to go dark in cascading failures. First mission - last mission? No, no, they weren't going to die here. They'd promised that already. Over the protestations and furious warnings, Mox pushed Sonatine one last time, twisting about, forcing their original target between them and their second attacker, using them in place of the now-depowered shield, using them to absorb the harm of the inevitable second blow of the enemy sword.

Right. This was fine. Everything was fine.

Opera House Exterior
(Guess who's back)


Having made his way back to the rest of Setareh Wing after escorting the trainees back to safety, Altair was flying full speed in ARMS mode , mach 7.7 as he arrived at the site of combat. Altair assesed the threats present, and opened fire as soon as he was in range with his shocklance cannons, targeting two unidentified frames.

"Sorry I'm late!" He called out over the radio as he came around for another pass

When he closed in he shifted back into VANDR mode, his frame's feet the ground and opened fire with his shocksting RCPA cannons, the arms of his VANDR unit a whirl as he unloaded death into the unidentified frames and attempted to clear his landing zone.

Opera House
Interior, Exterior, Sub...terior?

"Good to have you back, Khorvash!"

And in the midst of the intense, mechanized violence on both ends of the spectacular Matai opera house (somewhat less attractive now that it was all shot up with VANDR-scale weaponry), Ishtar came up with something better. The data packet came through, with detailed floor plans and positional details on those within. The Makuzhar was held in the basement, indeed, and naturally was guarded - with Ishtar's data, it was clear that three of the piloted frames lurked in the recesses of the building.

...but both assault teams still had concerns of their own. Zoren's squad came under another burst of fire, Shaanti's missiles traded for a salvo of nine of the unknown frame's own phased warheads. A second frame opened fire from another angle, pulse gun firing off shots at speed. Though outmatched, they seemed determined to fight to the bitter end, and slow Setareh's frame runners as much as they possibly could.

Naak's squadron, too, found renewed and bitter resistance from the two surviving enemy frames. They fell back, using walls and corners and cover wherever they could, avoiding close combat with their highly skilled opponents. Rather, they laid down firing lines with every weapon at their disposal, working well to cover each other's blind sides. There wasn't a centimeter of this space they meant to yield easily.

"Dhawa, I need you to get to the Makuzhar. Khorvash will support you. Setareh, we cut through and follow!"

For her part, Ishtar had been covering Naak and her team near the rear. With VT Fangs deployed, the Sahti VANDR made quick work of a Soono unit, quite literally bisecting it before also slicing off its arms up to the shoulder. Thankfully they had left the things' reactor intact and not caused a meltdown. But while in such confines her options were limited. She could not utilize her missiles or really engage in CQB without wrecking the place. That left her VT Fangs, array of lasers and particle cannons to stave them off.

Opera house -South side


Karuahrecieved the data with the rest of the squad and looked it over. SHe already knew that the rest of the squad had engaged hostiles, so she who was currently 'free' would have to be the one to head to the basement. There was no hesitation in her departure for the basement, but there would be three guards when she arrived, she had to prepare herself.

Fortunately, she would get back up, so she did not have to take it all by herself, she just had to wait for them near the basement. "Altair, I entered from the south side and I'm heading for the basement."

Opera House
Team Zoren

Things seemed to be going just a little too easy on their end. It made Shaanti - dare he say it - nervous.

"They seem to be retrea- GET DOWN!" Shaanti roared as a salvo of missiles and a wall of laser fire shot towards them. Several shots splashed flush across the front of Archer, and the VAANDR fed him several warnings as the curdatl dove instinctively to the right. He managed to dodge most of the missiles, but one slammed into the mech's lower abdomen, just below the cockpit. The blast blew him backwards and through several thin walls, leaving him lying on his back, head swimming from a rough impact with the cockpit wall.

He lay for several moments, vision blurred and black around the edges. He tasted copper in his mouth. Blood tasted like copper. He had blood in his mouth.

Where was he?

Who was he?

What was happening...?

"...I'm hit..." mumbled a weak voice that was probably his own. It sounded so far away and detached from himself that he wasn't quite sure.

Shaanti blinked several times as he came back to his senses. He was in the opera house. He was Shaanti Ekata, frame runner for the Astral Vanguard. He was being attacked, and would die if he didn't get up and get back to fighting!

The first attempt at sitting up didn't go so well. He ended up right back on the floor, feeling just a bit nauseous.

Baby steps. Roll over on stomach. Push upper body up with hands.

Good, keep going.

Get on knees. Plant right foot, now left, and stand. Staggered a little. Feel sort of dizzy, but otherwise good.

Shaanti moved as quickly as he could back to the hall, and began lining up a shot with his sniper cannon on the missile frame, who had forgotten all about him. Sloppy.

Breathe in...

Breathe out...

Opera house -South side

Altair flew quickly over the top of the opera house, coming down on the south side of the building. He located the entrance that Karuah had made, and followed inside. The restrictive environment made him nervous. There was no way for him to evade attacks in here. As he came up behind Karuah, he transmitted over voice channels. "Alright, what's the plan?"