RP: YSS Heartbreaker [Mission 1] Promises Better Left Unsaid

[Moogle]

Miho sighed. Why couldn't these missions be simple?

Away team actual, be advised that something's headed your way and it is big enough to alert the Heartbreaker's sensors. No IFF information available.

 

[BloodyScarlet]

YSS Heartbreaker, Engineering

Kamatari looked at the stream that was pouring onto the stream and got worried as he saw what was happing to the crew and wished he could help. Actually he could he then ran more test to make sure that everything was actually green "Well seeing that data is kind of worrying, I hop they will all be okay.." he was worried that he wouldn't be able to apologise to the girl from before and he wanted to see them all safe.

Kamatari kept checking the readouts and typed out tests for each readout "Okay everything is staying green at the time being."

 

[FrostJaeger]

UX-HB-1 I, 'Owan to Tama' - Surface

Sayoko's eyes widened, the Neko belatedly realizing her predicament as the Crab-Type responded to her shots by sending a veritable horde of tentacles her way - ....That's...not good... - then blinked as said tentacles were abruptly decimated with a furious roar from Leverton-Hei's shotgun. Not wanting to risk the chance of exhausting herself further by communicating via telepathy, the SAINT Agent replied with a nigh-inaudible, softly-spoken "Arigatō gozaimasu" - then winced (and gasped in pain from the jagged bolt of agony that crashed through her senses as a result) upon receiving Nakamaru-Hei's message. Br...Brilliant...


Wordlessly, the Santô Hei drew on her electrogravitic abilities, lifting herself up off the ground; her features rather...strained from the pain (and effort required to avoid uttering any sound indicative of such), Sayoko began to slowly retreat backwards, barely holding her Type 33 Rifle at the ready as she kept the Mishu in her field of vision. Relocating...

 

[Firebrand]

UX-HB-1 I, 'Owan to Tama' - Surface

With most of his ammo gone and more possible danger coming, Darren knew that it was time for him- and Sayoko- to get going before one of them got killed. Especially with that makeshift grenade about to go off. Keeping Sandra ready to fire and held in his left hand, he started back and away from the fighting, teeth grit as he ignored the pain from his various cuts and scrapes and burns. With luck he'd be out of the bl-

Creator dammit, Sayoko was going too slow. Were her wounds really that bad? With more cursing, Darren stopped and did the only reasonable thing he could think of, grabbing onto Sayoko's shoulder with his free hand and helping her along, half pushing and supporting her as they beat feet to safety; his voice loud and clear and almost shouting at her.

"I'm sure as hell not going to let you die here! Hoshimoto-Shoi's orders!"

 

[paladinrpg]

Surface

Rin didn't have much time to savor the satisfying sound of Skade's Aether-Beam Saber Rifle slicing into Mishhuvurthyar flesh, as Miho's communique reached her brain in the heat of battle. Though it lacked details to know who or what was now targeting them... the meaning was clear, as a new life or death situation arose to threaten the team just as it seems the first one may be turning in their favor. The visual state of her Type 31 Working Uniform with gashes in both of the blue legs and across her midsection, as well as the dull aches and trickles of her own blood that accompanied the near-misses with serrated tentacles. however, served as a painful reminder that the hard fought battle wasn't over yet.

Seeing Darren and the wounded Sayoko beginning to withdraw, she sounded the general call to back down from the assault with a firm voice that rang out into the chaotic jungle scene. "Everyone, we have incoming! Disengage the target immediately and take cover!"

After issuing the order, the teal-haired Minkan gritted her teeth, as her icy eyes met those of the Crab Mishhuvurthyar for a split second. The words she spoke before to Yumi echoed in her memory recorder:

"There is no running away... rather constantly running forward to face those fears."

With a shout, the XO of the Heartbreaker now lived those words, pushing her weary synthetic body forward with an anti-gravity dash, and hurling the now-sparking capacitor battery-turned-grenade right at the sensitive spot in its frontal defenses that had just been pierced by the heavy beam attack. She didn't stick around to watch the fireworks show, instead using her now free hand to find purchase on whatever part of the unguarded Matonaka-heisho's body that she could. With every ounce of her remaining strength, Rin attempted to drag her as far away as possible from both the blast and the incoming unknown bombardment.

 

[Reynolds]

Surface

Skade's weapon hummed and crackled to life, shining blade appearing in a burst of energy as she rocketed upwards to meet the hovering, awkwardly listing and wildly wobbling monster. Darting in close, she cleaved through the exposed joint with ease, rewarded with a point blank gushing of ichor from the gaping wound. The massive claw spun through the air and hit the ground with a heavy thud near Rin, still clattering and mindlessly snapping, almost as if it was grasping for her, or the nearby Yumi. The positively gooey Neko's followup shot opened the hole further, slicing through and hitting the ground under the creature, causing a small eruption of reddish dirt and a wave of warmth that was barely noticeable in the heat of battle.

The giant enemy Crab-Type fell to the ground, concentration lapsing as it shrieked in pain. Their minds were flooded with visions of fire and blood, burning lances of pain stabbing into their brains as the thing's few remaining legs failed it, the injured one snapping as it collapsed into the pit it had burst from earlier. Rin could feel blood pouring from both nostrils as she stared the beast in the eye, standing her ground so close to it as she raised her weary hand. Skade's retreating flight path began to involve several spins and swirls as she had difficulty telling which way was up.

Sayako stood and attempted to stoically float away as well, before Darren moved in to assist. Her own powers of flight seemed to fail her as the creature crashed down, the injured Neko's full weight collapsing onto the stout crewman as he attempted to drag her away from the danger zone. She was finding it hard to stay conscious, and he could barely think with that fire invading his head, no room left to remember how to fly away from this.

The device Rin tossed smacked into exposed meat with a wet, mucousy sound, a small warning light blinking before being obscured by filth. The First Officer grabbed for the slimey, comatose Yumi, using all her augmented strength to haul her along by the one hand still remaining. She stumbled in the reddish dirt as it rumbled and shook...a muffled explosion just barely heard over the continuing howls of hatred and pain. Chunks of shell exploded out from the main body, fluids and gore erupting in fountains from various spots near the front of the creature. Insides hissing and boiling, struggles slowing, screams fading.

Then, everything went white.

Those who had been unfortunate enough to glance behind them while retreating had briefly seen a shaft of light appear, crossing the area diagonally to hit the ground, before being blinded. There was a roaring that rattled their skulls physically almost as roughly as the alien had psychically, before being replaced by a high pitched whine that muffled everything else. The crew members were sent flying, crashing into trees or simply bounced off the ground before they skidded to a halt, piles of limbs and scattered weapons everywhere.


YSS Heartbreaker

"C-captain...Tsukisaki-Taii..." Funabashi was wide eyed as she looked over her console, glancing up at the main screen, the pink haired Neko unwilling to risk glancing at the Captain right now. "Sensors are showing a...starship caliber aether weapon was just fired on the surface of Owan to Tama, within engagement range of the Away Team. Nakamaru-Hei's transmissions are being affected as well." Looking at the main display again, she could see the same information that was mirrored on Kamatari's console in Engineering. The position of the recently fired weapon still highlighted, with no life signs indicated.


Shuttle

There were several long moments of silence as Miho stared at her display. The Pilot glanced at her...ears drooping as she turned back to her controls to begin prepping the shuttle for liftoff.


Meanwhile...

"Cancel firing, cancel firing, CANCEL FIRING!"
"Cancelling, cancelling! Everything's fried!


Shuttle

Just as Kayoko began to open communications to the Heartbreaker to announce their return, signs of life began to blip back into existence on Miho's screen. One by one, everyone was accounted for. Even Yumi seemed to be just barely holding on. Strangely enough, now that the charged energy had been dispersed, two more life signs were popping up on her scans...

 

[paladinrpg]

Surface

Being a bit closer to the enormous shaft of light than most in her effort to extract Yumi with her one good hand and arm, Rin was summarily blinded and harshly thrown to the ground along with the Heisho, trying to protect her from the worst of the blast as they skidded some distance from the battle site and created a ditch in the coppery earth. Physical and mental fatigue overwhelmed her senses, as she felt herself slip into unconsciousness for a few moments...

Everything was white... just like the whiteness of the walls of a simulation training room. There was a familiar male voice.

Get up... he ordered. Rin... get up!

Her father Yoshi's scowl faded into a shadowy view of her blue eyes standing over her prone form, old Geshrin body aching from the last round of close combat training. Yet he kept pushing her, despite her numerous bruises and fatigue that mirrored how her Minkan body felt now.

Do you want the Emperor to see you like this? A daughter of his former right hand, burying her face in the dirt in shame? Get up, you failure!

She could feel resentment and anger flowing into her joints as renewed strength, her hand tightening on the grip of the practice weapon in her hand in the past -- and simultaneously in the here and now felt the reassuring weight of Zesuaium metal and molecure tape of the aether saber-rifle bayonet. The teal-haired officer gasped out, "Father... I'm not... going to fail!" to the jungles around where she had fallen, as her consciousness fully returned and the blinding sensations in her eyes were clearing.

She arose laboredly, leaning heavily on the improvised blade to do so and wiping the nosebleed she had endured away as Rin took stock of where she had ended up. Her science scanner on the belt clip was still functioning, and registering life signs that told her that at least the team had all made it out alive and now there was even more blips that had not existed before. The smell of burnt Mishhu flesh was heavy in the air, as the battered XO reached out to her teammates both vocally and wirelessly:

Hoshitomo-shoi, to shuttle... I am conscious and mobile, Crab-type defeated... and Matonaka-heisho is hanging on, barely.

All away team members... report in with status. Regroup on my position.

As Rin waited for a communication back and her body's healing factor to kick in more steadily, she kneeled and began to tear a piece of her working uniform's tattered fabric off from her right thigh. It was little good to her now, but at least could be used to wipe some of the slime and ichor off of Yumi and roughly bandage up the stump of her missing hand to prevent further hemosynth loss. The veteran knew that Nekovalkyrja had to be returned to the Heartbreaker's medbay soon if she was to survive this encounter, and be quarantined for surgical removal of what was leeching the life force out of her from the inside.

 

[Moogle]

In contrast to Rin's dramatic tension, Miho casually finished her game of solitaire before responding to Kayoko's look with a blank expression.

"Well, they're alive and whatever hit them didn't kill them. We're swooping in and taking them away before-"

Hoshitomo-shoi, to shuttle... I am conscious and mobile, Crab-type defeated... and Matonaka-heisho is hanging on, barely.

All away team members... report in with status. Regroup on my position.

"-something else happens, centering on Hoshitomo-shoi."

 

[Firebrand]

Surface

Darren did his best, at some point practically lifting Sayoko off the ground as he willed his injured body to get away, to get clear! He had expected to die, but the fact that he and Sayoko were thrown clear from the blast was a miracle; or a testament to his training that saw him trying to get the two of them on the ground as fast as possible.

"I'm alive, Shoi." The man grunted from his position, face down on the jungle floor with -something- underneath him, his arms to the side as if he'd been protecting whatev- oh, it was Sayoko, he remembered. He must've pushed her underneath him to protect her from shrapnel and the blast wave when they hit the ground. Coughing to clear smoke and dust from his lungs, the Tatianan gingerly moved off of the Neko and sent a message to Rin.

I'm Alive, Hoshimoto-Shoi. I think Sayoko is too.

 

[Reynolds]

Surface

Slowly the ringing began to soften, the light that burned away their vision fading. Spotty at first, clearing as the survivors began to recover from the battle. Yumi's wound was bandaged as well as Rin could manage, although the Neko was still unconscious...barely breathing, body still except for the writhing under the flesh of her torso. Skade had bounced her head off a tree, white hair stained pink with blood. She was taking a bit longer to recover, groaning. Sayoko had remained in one piece as well (except for the large chunk missing) even after being temporarily squashed under Darren's comparatively massive frame.

After contacting her troops and receiving Darren's reply, it still took her a moment to locate him. He and Sayoko had been on the other side of the beast when it fell...and now, in its place, was a massive crater. The hole was even wider than the Crab-type, and with the distance they'd all been tossed by the shockwave, the group was rather split up at the moment. The newly created pit was dozens of feet deep, although nobody really had the time to take measurements right now, and was rather cleanly sheared off, the sides smoothed out to a solid wall by the energy blast. The only trace of the creature still remaining were chunks of shell and tentacle that had been blasted off earlier in the fight, as well as the slime and ichor several crew members had been splattered with.

After taking all of this in, Rin finally had time to consult the scans her device had automatically been taking. It had been uploading the crew's life signs, as well as scanning for hemosynthetic life forms. Which it had found. The pair of blips were easy to match up to the figures perched on a large chunk of stone, or perhaps brick, that was jutting up above the treetops some distance off. They seemed to be conversing, arguing, while moving around a massive metal object. Steam and smoke was rising from it, making quite the marker for both the shuttle and the Heartbreaker. Multiple metal legs supported a central body, which was formed of cobbled together parts. That were now melted together as well, connecting hoses burst, split and otherwise ruined. On top was a long barrel whose tip was drooping downwards and spotting several misshapen holes, obviously the now-ruined business end of the makeshift weapon.

One of the figures seemed agitated, kicking at the machine, causing a pipe to fall off the thing and begin rolling off the side of the structure it was mounted on, clanging loudly off of the stone. Frustrated, the figure turned and lept into the air...diving a few feet before leveling off and zipping towards the side of the crater with Rin, Yumi and Skade. The other figure seemed surprised, but followed a few moments later...the two becoming recognizable as a pair of Neko as they closed in on the group, bare feet landing on the red dirt.

"Oh my god, they're really from Star Army! She's a Shoi!" The Neko that had approached them first, sporting black hair in a ponytail, suddenly gasped. "She's a Shoi!" The Neko immediately began bowing at the officer, as her partner stood at her side. "...so they're not SMX, but...why do your uniforms look so different?" This one had long, blonde hair, scowling down at Rin as if she didn't trust her. "V, it hasn't been that long! You know you have to bow to a superior officer, especially if she's...you know!" The ponytailed Neko tried to nudge the other into bowing, as they seemed oblivious to the seriousness of the situation. "Oh, I almost forgot!"

As Kayoko wheeled the shuttle into view overhead, the perky Neko began broadcasting their credentials to Rin and everyone else in range: serial numbers, Star Army ranks...and the familiar registration of ownership to Ketsurui Uesu that they had already seen on countless dead Neko in and around the Vagabond base.

 

[paladinrpg]

Surface

Rin squinted for a moment, trying to pick out the figures in the distance next to what appeared to her to vaguely resemble a cobbled together TASHA hovertank. The life signs matched up positively as Neko, and they only proved this when they leaped down with a grace and mastery of inertia forces that only such creations could have. The suddenness of their appearance after being in a life or death encounter before made her instinctually reach for her holstered NSP thinking they might attack... but then she blinked once or twice in realization that they were trying to remember exactly how to bow to a superior Star Army officer, her presence becoming something of a novelty they hadn't encountered in many years since being stranded.

The teal haired XO tried to straighten herself up and return the respects, though as she did so it was obvious her leg had been injured in the explosion, as she staggered into a limp but quickly caught herself as to not appear worse than the fire in her nerves told her it was. "Yes, I can assure you I am. Shoi Hoshitomo Rin, First Officer of the YSS Heartbreaker," she replied to the pair with only a hint of a wince well-controlled.

The Minkan glanced up as the shuttle then came overhead of their position as she requested, and she signalled to Kayoko and Miho to set it down near the crater created from their battle so that Darren and Sayoko could reach it from where they were. All of them were banged up pretty badly, and there would be plenty of time to chat once the wounds had healed and the Captain had given her orders how to proceed in light of this new turn of events. There was also the paperwork to put in for their commendations, as there was few in the Star Army that could brag of besting a Crab-type Mishhuvurthyar in unarmored combat to rescue a comrade in danger... not to mention two very valuable Nekovalkyrja belonging to Uesu's fleet. SAINT was going to have a field day with this one, no doubt.

Another quick glance to her scanner, then back at the newcomers as the credentials were finally received via wireless to confirm her thoughts. Hoshitomo-shoi gave a thin smile, as the pain she endured earlier now seemed worth it. "You sprites have been marooned here for a very long time. Though... it seems that's about to change."

 

[Moogle]

The shuttle descended gently over the crater, settling in conveniently level with the ground nearby as the vehicle opened up and let Miho out in all her tiny glory.

"Sprites? Looks like this trip was not a wasted effort after all." She remarked, hovering up to the two strangers and examining them thoroughly. She then turned and shouted, "Kayoko! Set the shuttle to hover and help them move the injured!"