RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 11.1] The Torchbearers

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Kumiko moved right along, quickly suiting up into a PA after she finished tying up her end of things in Engineering. She got her armor ready to go, hesitating only slightly before she picked out her weaponry.


She certainly hoped that they wouldn't be needing the stuff in the buttpack she'd taken out, though she doubted she'd be around to worry about it if things got that bad. With the combination of the Aether Saber Rifle and the Gauss cannon, she figured she could probably stand even in a one on one fight with anything they found (though she was still holding on to the hope that they'd get through without fighting).

She looked over to Takeyu and the newer soldier, shrugging it off. Rookie or not, an extra hand never hurt in a fight, so she wasn't questioning her experience. "I'm ready over here."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Kiko sent a telepathic acknowledgment of the orders and had her Daisy climb on top of the tank. Once she was seated securely enough not to fall, her soft voice came over the radio to say, "Inoue-Santô Hei, ready. "

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Glad that the whole mess with the Shosa was finally over, Michael finished suting up into his Hikael. Sure that his communication and sensor systems were operating at full capacity, he gave the all clear, ready to start the mission.

"This is Papadopolous. Systems ready."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

"Shosa Helen Klein to Bridge, away team appears ready. Awaiting command to deploy." Helen transmitted as she sat prepared to disembark the moment the order would be given. She felt uneasy about the situation, but that was just part of being alive, the fear of the possibility of things coming along that aim to make that little issue of being alive disappear.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Mikael sat in his rather uncomfortable seat when he heard something heavy move around on top. He rose up from his seat, opened the hatch, and looked back to see a Daisy positioned strangely on top of the tank. He just grined and shook his head as he sat back down, closing the hatch as he did.

"Shosa Klein, Nito Hei Harris here. I am curious as to who will be the gunner for this vehicle?" Mikael radioed over the net as he looked over at the empty seat.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Eucharis Bridge

Hanako put the ship intercom on all-compartment mode so everyone could talk to each other at once.

"I see a crashed starship near our planned landing site. It looks recent, but it is not a known military or UOC government design," Hanako said. "Sensors show there are still some power systems online, and combat damage. I am also picking up a lot of radiation from the cratered UOCPF base. We should search for survivors. Suggestions, Sune and Helen?"

The ship bounced around a bit as it moved through the atmosphere.

In a few minutes, the gunship was gliding over the snow-covered plains near the crash site at a relatively slow 80 kmph (50 mph).

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Eucharis Bridge

"Taisa, I would say we proceed with the deployment of the Chusa's away team down to the Peacekeeper base. Their power armor will protect them from the radiation, and there could be critical information in their base computers. Not to mention, there is the chance that there could be survivors in underground bunkers. The Chusa's skill set is more ideal for infiltrating the base, and any operational security systems.

After we deploy Alpha team, we move the Eucharis in a position to deploy Bravo team to the wreckage site. Its a secondary target, can put together a second smaller team comprised of some of the night shift and have them investigate the wreckage. "

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Eucharis Bridge

"Alright," Hanako said, taking her science officer's advice. She made a gentle turn and had the Eucharis cruise over into the crater-marked remains of the UOCPF compound. The outer walls and fences were all knocked down and the center buildings had been replaced by a massive crater. The burnt and melted remains of the surface buildings poked up through the snow like grave markers. Hopefully there would be something worth finding.

She set the ship down a little ways outside the compound ruins in a flat area in between two scorched soccer goals.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Helen frowned a bit as she monitored the sensors, and took note of the radiation levels present in the UOCPF installation wreckage. "Taisa..." Helen started as she evaluated the matter "Request that we minimize exposure to the radiation levels present, and select personnel which are able to endure exposure. Unfortunately, due to the number of Yamataians aboard in contrast to Nekovalkryja, that would limit my team to Santo Hei Inoue. Recommend consulting our engineering specialists to determine if the radiation levels are beyond those which are safe for the inserts inside of our PA, ma'am."

"There is another issue which comes to mind, Taisa." Helen stated as she evaluated the matter at hand. "Considering our preliminary findings, I have a concern regarding the possible presence of hostiles, would recommend elevated caution while proceeding. Furthermore, due the seemingly recent nature of some of our findings, I also have concerns about first response teams and scavenger ships that would intend to pick this carcass of a colony clean, ma'am."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Engineering

After reviewing the Mass Detector Array report, Yaichiro saw nothing wrong with the system. He kept a careful eye on the incoming sensor data, and wished he could listen in on the communications of the bridge and Power Armor team. Of course, he wasn't sure how much of that was actually wanting to command again, or how much was the regular waiting game when on the job.

If an Engineer did their job right, they were watching and waiting at least half of the time, or at least thinking of ways to improve things. If this wasn't the case, either their ship was in need of more servicing than the crew alone was capable of or they were doing something wrong. Yaichiro surmised that this was the reason technicians usually doubled as pilots.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Cargobay

Takeyu stood there and listened tentively, he knew what the Shosa was talking about, and right away he started looking through the database and analysing the material makeup for the radiation inserts.

Crashsite

There was a lot of barking, but none of it was animal-like, rather it was coming from a group of heavily armed men who were giving out orders to lightly clothed indivisuals who were hastily setting up tents and small buildings though some were also trying to make fire.

"Better tell them slaves to get into gear, else they'll freeze tonight like they did last night," one of the armed men said as he turned toward the horizon. "Ya hear that?"

"Yea, it's just the wind don't worry," said another man as he turned toward the slaves and ordered them to keep working if they wanted to survive.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Kiko sat in her Daisy, which sat on the tank, which sat on the floor. She reflected on how wrong she was to think that "hurry up and wait" orders were less common than her instructors had claimed.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

With idle time on her hands... well... idle in relation to how fast Helen's mind worked upon various subjects, she took her time waiting to deploy from the YSS Eucharis to compose a series of outgoing letters to be sent out. It was a simple and sensible thing to do, after all, there was the possibility that her current body could be obliterated and she would have to be brought back as someone she was sometime prior, while her current self had some thoughts and notions which she felt needed to be expressed. As she sat, fully armored in a Kylie, seated upon a Lo-Moto, she wrote a series of documents in her mind, before routing them to the Eucharis' MEGAMI unit, to be sent out when it would be secure to do so.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Moments later, Hanako entered the cargo bay in a field uniform and climbed into the tank's commander position in the tank's turret. "Unless we are waiting on something, get that door open so we can get moving."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

"Yes ma'am." Helen spoke as she put her bike into neutral and moved with it to the cargo bay door control. With a push of the button, the ramp-like door opened to reveal the terrain outside, which Helen peered out to see.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Eucharis Bridge

Sune sent a message down to Cherry, requesting that she configure the VCMAD with the Sky-Eye module, and the Big-Ear module. Deciding to forgo the atmospheric module.

Cherry entered the cargo bay about the time that Helen had opened the door. She quietly and efficiently set about making the necessary configuration to the drone. Once completed, she had it initiate launch and it silently glided out the cargo bay like a ghost. It then climbed and banked on its predetermined course towards the wreckage. She then contacted Sune.

"Jalen-Shoi, the drone is configured as requested and deployed. With your permission I will report to Engineering to replace the technicians on the Away Team." she sent.

Sune then picked up the intercom and called down to the Engineering section. "Kage-Chusa, please come to the bridge. Cherry is enroute to engineering, as well as Blueberry. I require your insight on a puzzle that we have found." he sent.

He also sent a request to Blackberry via Charisma, "Blackberry-Shoi, report to the bridge."

After sending his messages, he pulled up the telemetry from the drone, and monitored the progress of the Away Team. He started plotting a course to fly the Eucharis closer to the wrecked ship once the away team was clear.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Michael took the point position as the away team rolled out of the Eucharis' cargo bay, his armor scanning any and all ambush locations and nearby sniper-perches. The infantrymen continued forward, dropping to his knees next to the pole of a ruined sniper perch, waiting for the rest of the away team to get situated.

Once the entire team had exited the Eucharis, Michael walked up alongside the tank, giving it a few quick knocks to get the attention of the gunner. Somewhat worried over Hanako's choice of attire and her position as the tank's gunner, he opened the faceplate of his armor, and looked up at her, saluting. "Ma'am, I honestly don't think that you should be serving as the tank's gunner. Atleast, not unarmored. Back when Yamatai occupied Elysia, I was part of one of those small insurgent movements, using guerrilla and insurgent tactics on your ground forces, as I'm sure you know from my file. Getting to the point, whenever we were going to hit a ground convoy with vehicles, we'd always hit both ends of the convoy at the same time to keep it immobile, and then have snipers take out the gunners. I think you can see what i'm getting at, Ma'am."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Kiko began looking to the sides of the tank for threats. Other notable things too, but mostly threats. She was still tense from the encounter in space, and didn't want to get caught off-guard. She wasn't completely myopic, though, and found herself nodding approvingly at Michael's suggestions to Hanako. She didn't think she'd have had the courage to make them in his position.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Outside Eucharis

Takeyu leapt out of the cargo bay and landed on the ground as small particules of dust was kicked up before calmly settling down. He brought up his plasma rifle and scanned the area, then changed his Heads Up Display, or HUD, to a grid pattern.

Spreading out before him was a grid that overlaid the terrain ahead, the grid squares were twelve by twelve and would allow him to better determine how steep the terrain was. Though he hardly needed it, he still would use it anyway just to be safe.

Overhearing the Santo-Hei, he shook his head. He could understand the man’s concern, and he knew it was a valid concern, but he also knew that the Taisa wasn’t stupid.

Moving up ahead a bit, he went down onto his knee and continued tom onitor the area around him, keeping his eyes peeled for anything that seemed hostile or perhaps friendly, if there were any.

He was about to open the squad channel, when he realized that he really didn’t know ‘who’ to address. There was the Shosa, who had been put in charge of the mission and then there was the Taisa, who was the captain and overall person in charge. Giving it some though, he decided to play it safe and just address both.

“Taisa? Shosa? My tactical drones are primed and ready for launch. Do you want me to send them out scouting for us to determine if there are any hostiles in the area?” he asked and opened the properties menu for the drones and awaited the response.

Starship Crashsite

With several tents now set up, the girl was still outside though finishing up one such tent. The other slaves were still working on making additional fires, while two others were clearing more debris.

Two of the slavers had gone back inside the ship; the girl could only partially hear one of them mention the word 'shuttle' but couldn't hear anything else.

Despite the coldness in the air, the 'heat' coming off the ship’s hull added at least some comfort but it was a quickly fading comfort due to the environment.

The slaves were of a mixed breed, including the girl, seven of them were Jiyuuian while two others appeared to be Yamataian, and one of them was a young boy who was probably a few years older than the girl.

Even the slavers themselves were mixed, though none where Yamatains, as she knew a Yamatai would never indulge in this kind of behavior. Most seemed to be of her race, though she swore a few were Nepleslians.

Sighing heavily to herself, she finished up her work before walking over to a piece of slanted debris and sitting down beside it. She then buried her head in her arms. Somewhere nearby, she was hearing chatter from some of the slavers and overheard something that made her face turn red with anger, but it was something she couldn’t fix.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers


The Chusa's curiosity was piqued as he wondered what Sune had found. Making sure to leave as soon as one of the girls arrived to relieve his station, he headed up to the bridge and went into it. He realized that he'd never actually been on the Eucharis' bridge, but this wasn't the time to marvel at the custom details making the ship's decor deviate from the rest of her class. The officer stayed standing rather than seating himself at any particular station, deciding instead to walk over to Sune.

"What is it that you found?" Yaichiro asked, quite curious by this point.