RP: 4th Fleet (NSN) [Mission 3.3] Winds of Change

"Fuck-shit-hell!" Lisa shouted as she dropped to ground when she heard 'enemy fire' against the doors. She leveled her rifle against the doors and just let it go, while Kurt was getting into position.

Of course listening to what the tech had to say she'd give a curt nod and make her way down to her designated pod. "Thanks." was all she said in reply as she tossed her duffel against the wall and began to slip into the simulator. It just felt a bit odd. Not the training pod mind you, but the fact that she was being sent out to effectively kill her team mates. If anything it'd be interesting, and she'd at least know who to stick with, or not stick with, in the coming days.

As she secured herself the screen came to life and the radio blared. Her eyes darted left, and then right. At least she wasn't in the middle of it, yet. "This is X1, I hear you. Moving to join up with F squad to participate in delay tactics. What is the latest reading on enemy strength?" she asked over the comm's before doing a double check on the Hostile's readout and double timing it to position. A look at her squad already told her one thing; She would most likely not need to be doing the heavy lifting. With rifle at eye level she began to move methodically through the halls with her squad. "I'll take point, get ready to unload when I give the signal."

(Cedric)

"So we're clear, the Admiral doesn't just want designs. He want ready prototypes and test results by the time he gets back. If you can still make that end of the day deadline, I'll be here until 2000 hours. Dismissed, Staff Sergeant." Murdoch put the two glasses back into his cabinet and waited for Cedric to leave.

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(Fun House)

Tyrellius kicked down the door and slid back against the wall. No shots came out. As the Marines peeked in, they saw that they had hit the two human sized cardboard targets inside. One, the shooter, looked like an NMX neko. The other was a cardboard cutout of Robert Davis, smiling weirdly with most of his mouth blown off by bullet fire.

The young Marine cursed before saying, "Lisa, blow out the door handle, I'll push the door in and sweep it! Kurt, you cover the hall."

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(PA Sims)

"Unit X1, you are not in a position to give orders!" growled a deep throated NMX Mishhu over Rana's radio. The identity tagged it as the fictitious commander in charge of F squad. He was not actually located with F Squad, since those Rippers were piloted by brain slaves, but acting a tactical coordinator from afar for the less intelligent brain slaves.

Unknowingly, the two Marines were inching closer to the NMX trap.

"Attack them!" the squid commanded and the F Squad Rippers opened fire with their forearm aether weapons and 50mm gauss cannons. Having had plenty of time to set up, the concealed Rippers' aim was spot on. Gauss rounds smashed into the Hostiles' shields and aether beams burnt the area around them before they got to cover.

Both Alrik and Sebastien were now at half shields and they had no idea how many enemies they faced. Their shields needed a good eight minutes to fully recharge.

"Yes, sir." Cedric snapped to attention, giving Murdoch a crisp salute.

With that, he performed a proper about-face, and headed out of the office. Amongst the hustle and bustle of the people trying to get everything sorted out, Cedric tried his best to make his way to the armory in order to get started on those prototypes. He doubted he would be able to get the breaching charge done by 20:00 hours, but the other type of charge wouldn't be too hard to accomplish. Just make what was essentially a really smoky, frightening flashbang bomb that wouldn't destroy the surrounding area. However, first Cedric would just have to be able to find the fraggin' armory amongst all the confusion and hustle of the sailors around him. Soon, he finally managed to get on a straight and narrow path towards where he was told the armory would be. Wasting no time, he had started there as quickly as he could possibly manage to get started on the prototypes.

Walking through the armory door, Cedric looked to the nearest person who seemed to be in charge.

"I'm under orders: I need full access to a weapon range, explosives, a cache of tools and equipment, some thick scrap metal . . ." Cedric paused in his rapid-fire requests for a moment of thought, ". . . and an assistant you really don't like, and maybe a junker drone, because things are gonna get fun, and I might need a helping hand."

Lisa was a little busy. While she had nothing agaisnt listening to her comrades in arms she was trying to catch any handy radio chatter nearby. Why hacing aural augmentation when you do not use them. Maybe those paint-ball bots were even controlled by radio.

Even busy with that she gave a nod and aimed at door handel, standing a little aside, waiting for other to give her a go.

Tyrellius nodded and said, "Go." He was ready.

Lisa nodded back and fired a burst into the handle and lock area. She then raised rifle to aim inseide the room as Tyrellius was entering. She was nto stand across the halls from the doorst but she could see in the part of the room and could side-step to see inside should it be needed.

(Fun House)

Tyrellius kicked down the door and shifted back against the wall. No shots rang out, no paintballs splattered against the wall. He peeked in and yelled, "Clear!"

The trio repeated the process until there was only one room left on the far end of the hall. Tyrellius and Lisa had been hit once but Kurt had remained untouched. Between them, they only had one flashbang left.

As they stacked against the door, Tyrellius looked at Kurt and Lisa. "Lisa takes out the lock, Kurt kicks it down and then the two of you clear while I watch our backs, yeah?"

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(Cedric)

The armorer provided the equipment requested by Cedric with a bemused look. "We only have the gun range. You can probably use it if no one's on the line. Otherwise, there's a warehouse a couple blocks down that we're using to store surplus. I don't have an assistant I don't like but here's Cadet Logan," the armorer, a Petty Officer, dragged out a small, nervous female Cadet. Logan looked so young that she might actually not have been eighteen.

"Fresh out of the Academy and so full of spunk!" he chuckled, slapping the poor girl's back. A junker drone followed her out, curious as to its new assignment.

"Remember, no blowing up the drones! Or it comes out of your paycheck!"

Alrik's Hostile recoiled from the blast of the Gauss Cannons, pulling up it's arms to the face as if it was trying to protect Alrik from the blast. A natural reaction from Alrik though, his eyes darted to the HUD reading of his shields at half. His teeth gritted with frustration as to the ambush laid before them, was there any way of them seeing this trap? Perhaps, Alrik was too focused on the matter of being infantry rather than these powered suits and didn't think to the power of his own suit. Using his encrypted comms, he shouted over to his teammate. " Private, I need you to find cover and use the monoeye to find their positions. Keep your sensor's off until the missiles have impacted!"

With that, Alrik's Hostile jumped into the air and pulled up his knees, engaging the NAM Rapid DART Launcher RDL-03a, using about twenty five of the missiles in both of his calf hardpoints, scattering them across his field of vision in hope that they would disrupt the sensors of the enemy enough for Sebastian to find where they where hiding.

Cedric was appreciative of how helpful the armorer was being so helpful. In fact, the Staff Sergeant didn't even need to try anything to persuade the man on any of his requests. However, when it came to the assistant, Cedric barely spared her a glance at first, but his shocked double-take was quite obvious as he looked to the young sailor. She was an armorer's assistant? She couldn't have even been nineteen.

"Right." Cedric quickly dismissed the issue with a wave of his hand, then moved over to the boxes of equipment he had request, picking up one of the heavier one, "You, drone, grab some of these and come with me." He then motioned to the female, "You too, sailor."

---- Fifteen minutes later ----

The gun range had been mercifully clear when Cedric had entered. Not a single sailor or soldier in sight looking to use the lanes. That meant that meant the Marine demolitionist, a young sailor, and the drone (didn't that sound like the cast for some B-rate action movie) were free to do as they pleased. So once Cedric was absolutely sure that they were clear, he had began to unpack the various things with the aid of the young sailor and the drone, and began to get them relatively organized. He had decided to first work on the second of the two projects he had been ordered to accomplish. He had set out a large variety of components across a table and now looked over them all carefully as he decided what to do. He had ordered both Cadet Logan and the drone to come by the table so he could bounce ideas off of them better.

With one hand on his chin and the other on his hip, Cedric eyed each component carefully, "So tell me, Cadet." Cedric bit his lower lip for a moment as he tried to think, "How do you start the makings of a bomb . . . that doesn't kill anybody and scares a Squid in to running away from a fight?"

As he said that, he reached over to an open box of scalar pulse grenades he had managed to requisition. Casually, he bounced the weapon in that hand as he looked at it. He quirked a brow with an expression of pondering on his face as he did so.

He was surprised at the efficient manner in which his assignment had arrived. Victor had begun to get used to the never-ending hurry up and wait portion that came with this lifestyle choice. But surprisingly enough his orders had arrived the previous week to report to Neplesia Prime. Since he wasn't one to spend on luxuries, Victor was able to prepare for his trip just one day before leaving.

Despite his somewhat gruff exterior, Victor was for all intents and purpose feeling quite calm as he continued to make his way to the steps of the 4th Fleet Headquarters. He felt a slight crick in his neck as he finished the stroll and entered the building. It almost felt like a perp walk with how long the stretch felt like.

Upon entering, Victor immediately began scanning around the immediate area looking for a sign of his next move. Seeing a cadet calmly sitting behind what appeared to be a receptionist desk he began doing the old one two and neared the desk. Reaching into his cargos Victor pulled out what appeared to be his Datajockey.

Not one to waste time he moved to hand it over to the cadet displaying the necessary information. Grunting slightly he began to move through the motions as his right hand hit the brim of his beret forming a rigid salute. Slowly he parted his lips to speak in a slightly rough tone, "Private Third Class Victor Balthior, reporting for duty."

It all happened so fast, but she was able to keep up. As the members of her unit began to unload a salvo of deadly rounds towards their targets she could only grimace with the task set before her. Of course, the stern rebuke she had received had not helped improve her mood. Her own rifle rang in unison with the rest of F squad, and while their initial attack was devestating it wasn't nearly as effective as she had would've liked. No enemy is better than a dead one after all. Even now she could pick up movement on her mono-eyes as she pulled back behind a piece of cover.

Then it happened. A cluster of rockets came at her and she certainly did her best to find something solid to take the blow rather than her. Though when the dust settled and as soon as she could get a visual on the hostile who had started the chain of explosions she locked on and opened a feed to the rippers. If they had a lock already then it would be redundant information, but nothing was wrong with being more accurate. Even now she was beginning to pick her way through the rubble to cover another angle apart from the main squad. "Moving to spotting position for Rippers, sir. Do I have permission to procceed?" she asked over their own channels. She had forgotten how much control the NMX did so enjoy over their troops.

Kurt nodded and moved outside of the stack sideways until he stood at angle toward the door Lisa was to blow the locks out of. He kept his rifle raised and prepared to clear the room.

"Hey," He half-whispered to Lisa, looking over at her away from the stack. "I'm going to clear the right half. Make sure you stick to clearing the left."

(Cedric)

Cadet Logan shied away from the grenade. "Um... er.. you decide what size explosive is best?" she asked nervously, eyes fixed on the grenade.

"IS THIS A GAME YOU HUMANS PLAY? WHAT ARE THE RULES?" the drone asked inquisitively, also eyeing the grenade though without Logan's fear.

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(Victor)

Cadet Larsen took the datajockey, snatching a glance at Victor. "Balthior... Balthior... Oh, you were listed as Balthar. Stupid drones think spelling mistakes are acceptable." Larsen spoke more to himself than to Victor.

Soon afterwards, he handed the datajockey back and directed Victor to find Captain Murdoch. "Big, cybernetic arms. Looks like he wants to crush your brains and use your body as a snowboard."

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(Sims - Alrik)

The spread of missiles exploded around Alrik but pitifully few seemed to have any effect. And as if to highlight how excellent a target he was, multiple 50mm gauss rounds and aether beams flashed past Alrik. He'd certainly gotten the NMX's attention and they were using him for target practice.

Judging from the rate of fire, there three maybe four Rippers. But there was another unidentified suit whose rounds seemed be solid rather than energy based.

(Sims - Rana)

"Do it! Kill!" the NMX controller growled lustfully.

Her shields had dropped some but still functioned. The Rippers were unfazed by the DARTs. They had no shields for the DARTs to effect and the mini-missiles were useless against armor. Their aim, however, seemed to be off. Rana looked at what her own Hostile was armed with. ARROWs.

Lisa nodded to Kurt aiming at the lock. "No biggie, but don't you wanna throw tha tlast F-bang in there? Semm pity not to use it." She whispered Kurt so she could not be heard inside and got ready. "On your go though," she said then.

Victor responded with a slight nod as he received his datajockey. While he didn't care much for the cadet getting lost in his own tracing of thought, Victor paid it no mind. He immediately began setting out to find Captain Murdoch, while it wasn't exactly much to go on he figured there could only be so many officers with cybernetics arms and what sounded like such a charming disposition. Of course Victor was aware that he could be jumping to conclusions and the Captain wasn't really a hardass, but the words 'crush your brains and use your body as a snowboard' didn't exactly lead to many alternate conclusions.

Cedric couldn't help but smile at the Cadet's reaction.

It reminded him of a younger Private Sommerville, years ago.

"Relax, kiddo." He smiled, "This thing is harmless right now. It won't go off . . ." He pulled the pin and let it drop to the ground, ". . . unless you say so."

With that he turned and hurled the black, boxy weapon down the range. It hit the floor, bounced, spun once, and exploded as it hit the ground a second time. One of the lights above where it went off flickered and went out, while the others dimmed for a brief moment. Cedric was still smiling as he bent down and retrieved the pin. Tossing it idely back on to the table, he looked to Logan once more.

"That's a good answer, kid, but that's not right. You need to decide what kind of expolsive you'll use before you decide how much. Otherwise you could end up messing things up." He looked to the scalar grenades, "So kid: are you up to taking a couple of those things apart?"

"Fuck it," Kurt whispered to Lisa, keeping his rifle trained on the door in front of him. "I'm not in position to use the flashbang. I'm gonna be exposed while the door opens and we pause to let the 'banger go off."

Really, the person blowing the lock should also be on the opposite side of the door, and should also be the one throwing the flashbang in. Tyrellius and I should be stacked to get ready to breach. Kurt thought to himself, a little annoyed that the setting up for breaching this room was not happening correctly.

Fuck it, that's what training is for. Kurt looked over to Lisa and nodded, giving her the ready.

Well now that she had gotten permission she wasn't about to let the whole thing go to waste. As the Rippers continued to condemn the enemy power armour with sheer destructive might she held her fire. Rather than continuing to join in the chorus she slipped back from the combat and began to circle around. Her rifle still at the ready, but she was only half paying attention to the fire fight to her left as she moved towards her right among the rubble. A keen mono-eye scanning her approach less there be some unwanted surprise.

When she had moved roughly 20m she paused and sought cover as she checked the situation quickly over the comms. "I am currently in flanking position...sir. Deploying observation pod and attempting to link tactical information to your squad," she spoke over the secure line as she did just that. Temporarily gripping her rifle in one arm she activated that miracle of technology before tossing it a bit farther of her position, to the right. The field of vision they now had should have included the down Hostile easily. Now she just had to wait for an opportunity. After all they had done what they set out to do, split up the opposing squad.

(Fun House)

Lisa shot off the door handle and kicked it in. Kurt swiftly tossed in the flashbang and retreated. The grenade went off a second later.

As the two entered, there was a barricade a meter in front of them but no cardboard cut outs behind it. The barricade itself rose only to their waist but seemed solid enough to provide some cover.

The cardboard people were located on the sides of the room behind desks. There were three on each side and the nearest two were cut board cut outs of Aethersperm band members which were moving back and forth mechanically.

The remaining four were pictures of angry Reds Faction soldiers and the nearby paintball guns started blasting away. Both Marines noticed that their aim was off in comparison to other rooms. The instructors seemed to be simulating blind firing.

"You guys, take cover!" Tyrellius yelled as he rushed in and pushed the other two down behind the door barricade. His act got himself splattered with paint but both Kurt and Lisa were in cover.

"Oops, I died," he grinned, still standing. "You're dead, private! Act like it! Get on the floor!" an instructor yelled and Tyrellius promptly obeyed.

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(Cedric)

"Not.... really?" Cadet Logan replied inching farther away. "And shouldn't we only use plastic explosives for this?"

"A GAME WITH EXPLOSIVES? FASCINATING!" the junker drone piped up.

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(Victor)

"Yes, Private? Orders?" Murdoch took the datajockey from Victor and skimmed it. Occasionally, he looked up from it, glancing at Victor as if to make sure the person he was reading about was the same as the one standing in front of him.

"I see you have an attitude problem. Picking fights with Marines. Should I warn the Admiral and squad leaders to expect trouble from you? Or maybe I should just pound you right now to establish who's boss?" Murdoch flexed his cybernetic fists. "Or are you going to keep your temper under control now, Private Balthior?"

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(Sims - Rana)

With her aid, the Rippers' aim improved tremendously. Aether beams flared around Nepleslian Hostiles. And even though the 50mm rounds were still missing their marks, the sonic booms from the rounds were blowing off the cover in which the second Hostile had been using.

On Rana's sensors, one of the Rippers started blinking to indicate damage.

If they continued to stay there, the Nepleslian pilots were easy meat.

(Sims - Alrik and Seb)

Alrik landed farther away from Sebastien than he had intended. It was extremely obvious to both Marines that the NMX forces here had the advantage.

Sebastien had shot at the spot where he thought he had seen aether beams come from. He was rewarded by the sight of some minor explosions from the position followed by aether beams streaking towards him. He ducked back behind what little cover he had.

Outside the simulators, the techs watched eagerly to see what happened next. Some started making bets.