RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 11.1] The Torchbearers

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Michael lowered his rifle, holding it in his left hand as he made the sign of god over his chest, uttering a soft prayer to god to bless these dead as he knelt. Upon finishing his respects he stood, keeping the transphasic rifle lowered as his grip tightened in anger.

"... If this is what the NMX do to the people they conquer, I have no choice. Witnessing the remains of these people has only strengthened my resolve. I swear, in the name of my father Henri and in the name of the Lord, this body of mine shall not tire until I've avenged every innocent killed by those monsters."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Kiko's face went back to her usual emotionless mask a the sight of the skeletons. "I was simply unsure of what you were asking, Taisa. Did you mean to ask how my day has been?" She asked calmly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was grateful to Hanako for distracting her from all the death. "The encounter in space was stressful, and I greatly appreciate your gifts. I need to find an instructor to teach me how to use the katana, but that in itself should be enjoyable." She started looking around for something alive that might try to kill them, not only at their flanks.

Michael's oath brought her mind back where it was trying not to go. "Papadopoulos-Santô Hei..." she started, before losing the courage to say what she meant to. Who knew how she'd have mangled the complement. "It would be more harmful to the NMX for you to regain strength when there are none present," she said instead, hoping to at least give him some good advice.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Mikael kept the tank rolling along according to the Taisa's orders. He did his best not to roll over and remains, but he didn't make it a large priority. He was more concerned for the tank's safety. He slowed down to a stop when the team got close to the bunker. He did his best to keep the tank in any available cover.

He pivoted the tank from it's stop, pointing the front of the tank slightly away from the bunker. Mikael just rolled his eyes beneath his helmet, hidden from view. He kept his mouth shut since he had nothing to say.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Eucharis Bridge

"I appreciate your candor Chusa, and taking your concerns to heart I am contacting the Rikei-class Science ship. They have a more extensive medical center, so once we make contact and evaluate the people by the derelict. That vessel would be better able to tend to their medical needs." Sune replied.

He then sent a message to Alpha team.

To: Alpha Team
From: Jalen Sune-Shoi

An NMX Scout entered the system a short while ago, and then jumped out of system. We have to assume that they will notify other NMX forces as to the presence of the Task Force. Task force has assumed Condition 2 status in anticipation of enemy forces arriving.

Click to expand...

He then sent a instructions for the Rikei-Class ship to join the Eucharis on the ground. He also made not that the Chitose was deploying its fighter compliment in a defensive configuration.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

When her attempt to use her access codes to open the bunker met a dead-end, Helen decided to try the good ol' fashion method of breaching a bunker door. Carefully she used a precision short-range aether projection from her Kylie's forearm to melt away the locking bolts, and hinges of the door. With the cuts complete, Helen grasped the door, and hefted it aside to reveal what was beyond, though, she moved quickly in case there were unfriendly personnel or other surprises on the other side.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

The thick door fell away with a clatter, still smoking and glowing pink at the edges from the heat of the aether. The use of the aether blades had also melted all the snow in a 10 meter cone from the bunker entrance, save what has silhouetted by the tank.

A thud of the opening tank hatch announced Hanako's emerged from the tank. The captain popped up, keeping her helmet on to protect from the radiation. "Take a look in there," she ordered, crawling out so she could join the team.

Inside the bunker were a number of discarded tools and a plasma torch that was out of energy. A number of bags of...human waste were piled up in the passageway that led deeper into the ground.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Alpha Team

Takeyu moved aside for a moment, then followed in behind Hanako. His drone zipped on ahead to explore the place and look for possible hostiles. "I have to wonder what these people went through after the base was attacked, but then again, do I really want to know," he shook his head at the sight of the waste bags and kept moving forward, his rifle up and ready for usage in the event they found anything.

As the drone moved ahead, it casually hovered around a corner and then into a room. A small light emitted out from the front to illuminate the area, before it fell upon what appeared to be a shelf.

This pipped Takeyu's interest as he stopped following the team for a moment and maneuvered it over to the shelve. On it were uniforms, UOC Uniforms to be exact and weapons which looked very much intact.

"My drone has found something Taisa," Takeyu turned toward the direction that the drone had gone and sent the images the drone was seeing to her.

Starship Crashsite

"About time they finished, bunch of useless rats," said a slaver as the final tent was put up. The women in this case had an eye-patch, with her eye underneath it missing from some other adventure from before.

The girl watched this slaver, though she had been trying to get some sleep, she had already noticed that one slave had gone to sleep - and when someone tired to wake them up, they wouldn't wake up. "She's dead," said an older Jiyuuian male slave. The others had to agree, this only added to the girls fears, she wanted rest but she was now to afraid that she would end up like that girl.

Inside the Wreacked Starship

A slaver pryed open the doors to the shuttle bay, he had issues due to the slant the ship had been at. "Ughs, really wish I could figure out why the boss wanted such a rust bucket," he complained as he pushed himself inside. There were three shuttles, but one had been severed in half when a piece of the ship had come into the bay while the other shuttle was partly smashed beneath some of the ceilign that had collasped.

The final shuttle was actually intact, and rested easily up against the wall. The slaver sighed and unslunged his AM27 and walked briskly toward shuttle.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

" - hailing NG-X1-408, YSS Eucharis on frequency - "

Manabu hadn't dared hope that his first assignment would be quite so exciting, yet here he was. He could hardly even detect that "freshly trained and conditioned" scent anymore, having been tempered with his modest work aboard the science vessel for the task force. To help turn a burning brand against some terrible, dark aggressor! It was all very interesting. And now, assigned to the YSS Eucharis, a ship of no little distinction? Very auspicious.

" - permission to dock. Repeat: transport shuttle ferrying Santo Hei Kakita requesting immediate docking privileges per transfer orders from science vessel - "

The Rikei-class ship had recently been instructed to join the Eucharis on-ground, but per his orders Manabu felt it prudent to speed away towards his new assignment as soon as reasonably able. Thankfully proving to be a short trip, before long he had disembarked and took his first steps onto the Eucharis. Smoothing any wrinkles out of his SAINT blacks, Manabu looked about to find his bearings and someone to present himself to.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

YSS Eucharis

A blue-haired woman in an engineering jumpsuit met Manabu on the other side of the airlock. "Good morning. I am Chui Blueberry. The captain is out on mission right now but she should be back in a little while. You have been assigned to cabin six with Nitô Heisho Nayacesen Takeyu, a technician, as your room mate. Follow me and we will get your stuff stowed away. After that, you should report to the bridge and start familiarizing yourself with the situation and our operations. You will be reporting to Shosa Helen Klein, a SAINT officer currently serving with us. She is out on mission, too, but you can contact her by radio."

After they passed through the shaggy-carpeted crew lounge and into cabin six, Blueberry picked up an embroidered black ribbon from Manabu's neatly made up bed and handed it to him. "Welcome to the YSS Eucharis," she said, handing him the hat ribbon with the ship's name on it.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Manabu bowed respectfully as the aptly named, blue-headed Chui greeted him and introduced herself. He followed as she led him through the ship, listening intently while she apprised him of their current situation.

"I understand," he interjected when appropriate, "and i thank you for the welcome and apologize for the imposition. This is must be the most inopportune time to be introducing new blood to the ship. And such a beautiful ship..." He offered a polite smile as they rounded their way through the crew lounge - Manabu making a cursory appraisal of the ship as they went - and into his designated cabin. A technician should make for an interesting roommate. I look forward to meeting him.

The room was actually quite cozy, which was rather pleasing. Turning to the officer, Manabu offered another bow as he gratefully accepted the hat ribbon. "My profuse thanks, Blueberry-Chui; i'll settle in immediately. I'll report to the bridge and make contact with Shosa Klein as soon as possible."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Alpha Team

Kiko followed Hanako into the bunker, still wearing her Daisy. It was a bit cramped, but she managed. "Taisa, perhaps I should take point?" she suggested quietly. Besides the fact that she was wearing powered armor and Hanako was not, she'd much rather be hurt herself than see her captain hurt.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

UOCPF Bunker (Alpha Team)

"Alright," Hanako nodded. The tunnel was darker inside as they moved away from the bright doorway past piles of shit-filled plastic bags. "The waste here indicates someone is or was alive in here," Hanako hypothesized. "Perhaps there was no way to remove the garbage. Ugh."

About 50 meters down they came across a storage room with a large collection of gas masks, chemical suits, ammunition, and the UOCPF uniforms and weapons that Takeyu's drone had spotted. There was another door here. Hanako motioned for Kiko to open it.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Kiko nodded and went ahead. "Given their choice of disposal location, it appears that they were not expecting to be rescued," she remarked.

Kiko opened the door without hesitation when she was commanded to do so. She did it by the means it appeared to have been designed to be opened with if it worked, and tried to rip it out of the wall if it did not. Even without much time to dwell on them, scenarios of fear-maddened survivors, NMX parasites that had gone through all potential hosts, and ambushes ran through her mind as the door opened. Her heart started pumping the adrenaline she hoped she wouldn't need through her.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

UOCPF Bunker (Alpha Team)

A loud ringing alarm suddenly filled the air and red lights flashed along the corridor that lay beyond the door. On each side of the corridor there were various rooms, each covered by a light brown curtain. The sound of a man yelling "Oh, shit!" and a metal pan hitting the ground could be heard from somewhere inside.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

UOCPF bunker, Alpha team
"Survivors, ma'am," Kiko reported calmly. She took a deep breath and projected her voice more loudly to announce, "Attention UOCPF survivors, we are from the Star Army of Yamatai. Please do not attack, our intentions are peaceful."

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Yaichiro nodded, glad that Sune was willing to utilize the resources and ships they'd brought along, rather than stick to lone-wolfing it like the Eucharis was accustomed to doing. There were times and places where one tactic was more appropriate than the other.

"Then you may wish to name someone specific in command of the Task Force while this second team deploys if you plan to be on it, such as Blueberry or someone on one of the other ships, unless you plan to try and manage the whole thing from a Power Armor on the ground. I can't overstate the importance of having a cohesive command structure for the Task Force when the enemy returns. I've seen what confusion lacking one can cause."

Yaichiro recalled when the Mishhu attacked the 5th XF after a New Year's Celebration starting off YE 30...that had taught him the importance of knowing who was in charge at any given time, as well as never to drink in a time of war.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

UOCPF Bunker (Alpha Team)

As what seemed like forward, a scrawny bearded man in socks and underwear deactivated the alarm and turned on the lights, squinting at the Star Army visitors. He had a gun in one hand.

"Oh man," the guy said, still shocked to see them.

A female survivor poked out from behind the man, clutching a blanket over herself.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Alpha Team

Takeyu followed Hanako, and saw the weapons and uniforms and other items. "Wow, nice assortment," he stared at the items and nodded to himself before turning his attention to the 'oh shit' comment that was stated after Kiko opened the door.

When he saw the men he let out a sigh of relief, though he then regained his composure. "Is it just you two?" Takeyu asked cautiously.

Starship crashsite

"Wake up!" a slaver shouted as the girl was suddenly shocked awake. A slaver carrying his peacekeeper walked around the grouping of slaves, and glared at them.

She gulped, wondering what was going on.

"Hey boss? They found a working STV," one slaver, a female, said as she took her ear off an old-style radio.

The person she shook to, who was almost eight feet tall with a wide beard and carrying a GP-5 Pulse Rifle, nodded his head approvingly and turned back toward the slaves. "In that case, tell them to bring the vehicle here,"

"It'll take awhile, since the cargobay doors won't work at the moment," said the female slaver before she turned her attention back to the radio to send the message.

The boss walked around the group, noticing the Yamataian boy who was still unconcious near the fire. He knelt down and looked him over, then shook his head and pulled his 10mm pistol. He aimed at the boy and was about to pull the trigger, when the girl shouted at him. "Wait!" then ran over and got in his line of fire, her hands held outward to block him.

"Out of the way slave," he scowled at her. But the girl shook her head and defiantly stood there. It was now a stand off, to see who would move first, and the girl was nervous that the slaver boss may fire.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Eucharis Bridge

Sune had already been thinking about maintaining a proper command posture when Yaichiro had suggested. He was about to say something when the image of the drone showed the scene of one of the people near the crash pointing a firearm at a prone figure. "Bloody Hell, that person is preparing to shoot at an unconscious person. We're deploying immediately Kage-Chusa, please head down to the Power Armor bay, I will send the rest of the team to meet you there. Issue them Ke-M4-W2901 Light Armor Service Rifles, and break out two Ke-M2-W2901 Aether Beam Saber-Rifle for you and I.

I will come down as soon as I temporarily transfer Fleet Command." Sune said.

He picked up the intercom and dialed the shipwide channel. "Attention, Lime, Mango and Kaikta Manabu-Hei report immediately to the Power Armor bay and suit up."

He switched over to the fleet channel, "YSS Aegir this is Eucharis, we are deploying a second Away Team. In order to ensure we maintain a cohesive command structure, I am about to transfer Fleet Command temporarily to Shosa Muir. Also we need the Rikei-Class ship down here on the surface." Sune entered his command code into the console and waited for the Aegir's to signal it was ready to take control of the fleet.

Re: [Mission 11] The Torchbearers

Yaichiro nodded, calling back as he left the bridge. "I suggest we make sure the Rikei's approach vector doesn't carry them over the target site and alert the hostiles."

He didn't wait for a response, rushing to the Power Armor bay as quickly as prudence and safety permitted, and laying out the weapons as Sune ordered. Once that was done, he started to don his Mindy 3A. He felt pretty confident with what firearms Sune chose for the group, as he planned his own loadout.


The fact that at least two of the people being targeted by the hostiles were young was not lost on him. Should he get close enough, the Teleportation Unit would safely be able to carry a few of the children in one jump if needed. This as the only addition he made to the loadout aside from built in weapons and Sune's firearm choice. The Aether Beam Saber Rifle allowed a nice bit of firepower and ability to carve into the ship's hull, but had an alternate firing mode with power matching that of the Type 30 NSP. The Mindy 3A had built-in Nodal Support Bits as well, giving him 6 more at once with which to cover the enemy...something the more common Mindy 2 lacked.

For this mission, they had to be light and fast. Hopefully the hostiles' sensors weren't very well equipped to handle Active Camouflage.