RP: OIF Atuan [OIF Atuan] Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"Maybe she's just bored." Kelly offered as he followed the rest of the squad onto the bridge, an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Holding up a shiny metallic lighter to the tip of the stick, he paused, and looked around the room.

"No-one minds if I smoke, right? We're out of Yamataian jurisdiction anyway, I just don't want to offend any of your sensibilities." Almost ignoring the complaints of any of his peers as he went ahead and lit it anyway. After taking a long draw on it, he went right down to business.

"Okay, Captain. We should start the briefing now."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Arah looked over Kelly like a cow looks at an oncoming train, and huffed a light sigh, straightening herself to a more presentable position, finally looking at the rest of the assembled crew after a few minutes of absentmindedly adjusting herself. She cracked her neck quietly, popping tired joints and allowing herself a moment to relax. Then she spoke. It was a wondrous, thing, after all the seemingly pointless waiting, this single word she said.

"Hi."

After a few blinks, she rubbed her eyes, and spoke again.

"As most of you know, starting from the Fiasco at Hinoki Pagoda, one of our Ashigaru frames was taken, and we lost two employees, one to a gunshot, the other to some currently unknown foe. We've been working on tracking the ship that the stolen frame was taken on, and have succeeded in finding it. It had been stripped of all useful parts, had its structure destroyed, and sold as scrap metal. Somehow, they seem to have left information on the scrap hull, which Origin has acquired. The information, which we believe is a trap, but we're going in anyway. After that horrid display at the Pagoda, we believe they may underestimate us, but we'll be going with extra support."
Arah yawned a bit, adjusting herself in her seat once more.
"So, We'll be heading off to Kennewes, where there is apparently some sort of hidden base, possibly the location where the ship's stripping took place. In any case, we are going in expecting combat, so I want you all to be prepared. That is, if you want to go. As you know, company policy is that any operation which will knowingly involve combat are strictly voluntary, and declining to participate holds no repercussions, except giving me the right to make fun of you for being a pussy."
The captain chuckled at her joke and leaned back in her chair

"Any questions? If not, I want to shove off as soon as possible so we can get out there and get our stuff back, or at least pay those guys back for crossing us."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Taela raised her hand and waited until the captain called upon her. Once she did, the Neko asked, "Just with what might the combat take place in? I'd assume the Frames, but it's better to know this ahead of time for sure."

I just hope that I'll remember the combat controls for those things. . . She thought, her ears twitching as she waited for an answer.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"Yes, it will take part mostly in the frames. There may be a small need for some work outside of the frames, but it isn't likely." Arah answered, very quickly and simply.

"Why? Are you volunteering for it, or would you prefer to avoid it?" she asked, looking at this new crewmember. "Those who feel that they must participate in combat outside of the frames, be prepared to be issued an Impulse Powered Armor. These suits can be worn inside of the Ashigaru so long as they run on battery power only, as the backpacks are too large and unable to be stored within the cockpit."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"I was made for the purpose of fighting. To not perform my creator's will at least a little bit would be a foolish waste of ability. Yes, I am volunteering for the fight. . ." Taela stated, before another question popped into her head. "There is a storage area under the Pilot's seat, correct? I'd like to store the generator pack for the Impulse there, if I am allowed one."

Her thinking was quite obvious for this - simple, basic, survival instinct. Even if the Ashigaru were destroyed, the Neko would be able to escape.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"I second that notion Captain. Well, so long as we have the suits to spare for everyone I mean." Yoshiko had watched enough super robot space operas to know what would happen if the cockpit of her Ashigaru, or any frame for that matter, were to be breached. Her mind wandered off, visibly, as she thought of all the possibilities and horrors. One in particular had the pilots in Frames with a name starting with the letter G, but, she couldn't remember the name. It seemed as though the cockpits were lined with hard, brittle materials, waiting to be splintered into the pilots in many cases! Yoshiko shivered at the thought. "Yeah, I don't want any giant splinters of cold metal impaling me...Captain."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

The chocolaty skinned Nepleslian took a long drag from his cigarette, and slid it to the corner of his mouth with his tongue so that he could speak. Checking the collar of his shirt, he made sure he was presentable, and then cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Oh yeah. We're going to be testing some of the weapons on the next generation frames while on this mission. I would've preferred for the new frames to be ready for this, but the Ashigaru will have to do." Kelly trailed off again, and rubbed his chin.

"Right, Kennewes. Its not called a Swamp Planet for shit and giggles. There is a good chance that your Ashigarus may, in fact, start to sink into the ground. I suggest we hover, most of the time, unless we need to be cautious. And if we do have to do things by ground, we move slow, and steady, and as a group. Does everyone understand me?"

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"What part of 'It doesn't fit' didn't you understand?" Arah asked, in a surprisingly polite tone, before Nodding at everyone's decision to fight. "We do indeed have enough Impulse suits for the pilots to use, although the APS is more than enough in most situations. However, this isn't most situations, so your decision is a good one." Arah lazily nodded at Kelly after he spoke, agreeing with him.

"Yes, we will have new weapons aboard the Atuan, which will give us a bit of a fighting edge should the need arise. This will be the first practical field testing of these weapons, so, don't be surprised if they have a few bugs." After she finished speaking, the captain stretched and stood up, looking at the frame pilots. after a few moments, she realized she had forgotten something. "Oh, yeah. you're all dismissed. Get your frames ready, we've only got a few hours before we make landfall on Kennewes."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Taela listened to Kelly's advice, making a mental note to use the hover function when her Frame would be exiting the ship. The news of weapons testing while in the field of battle was a little unnerving, but she knew of Origin's strive for quality products. So, when Arah was finished, she clapped her hands together and bowed, uttering, "Hai, sempai." before heading to the hangars to check out the Frames.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"Wow. That's a big backpack thingy." Yoshiko commented. As soon as she was dismissed, she gave off a crisp and cheery salute to Arah. "Yes Ma'am!" The ex-neko quickly caught up with the Neko after hearing her gloomy voice. "Hey! Cheer up! We get new stuff you know!" She put a finger up to her lip in thought. "I think we got a new railgun, and a sword, and an energy pistol sword combination thingy, and an energy carbine, and...oh! Maybe some new missiles!" Yoshiko almost jumped up and down at that last one, before opening her mouth again, "Look on the bright side, we get to blow things up!"

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Taela smiled at the ex-neko's antics. But, she was still a little unnerved by the fact that they were testing weapons in battle. "Hah. . . I wish I could be as easily pleased as you. . . But, nothing SHOULD go wrong with the weapons."

The two reached the hangars finally, and the Neko looked at the machines from bottom to top in awe. "And I thought seeing a battleship was impressive. . . But these. . . I mean. . . just how do they even walk? It's, it's, inconceivable! But they still do!"
There was a certain excitement in her voice appearing.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"Servos N' Pistons N' junk." a voice answered, revealing the Demo expert Shinji on one of the upper walkways, looking over his frame from a closer vantage point. it was only those three on this side, as the other frames were separated by a wall that allowed a hallway to be between the frames.

"What we really need to do is figure out how we like fightin' and arm our Mechs proper-like." the Yamatain man said, sticking a match in the corner of his mouth and rustling with something in his pocket. He pulled out a little package, pulled a tab on it, and threw it into the air, where it exploded in a little shower of multicolored sparks and bright streamers, quickly fizzling into a light smoky haze before the Ship's life support sucked the results up to be cleaned from the air. "Congratulations on makin' it to the Atuan's second mission." he muttered, Climbing onto his unit and inspecting the scratches on the paint before trying to figure out how he could get to the hatch that separated the Mecha bay from the machine shop above it.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Kelly took a long drag of his ciggarette before flicking it to the ground and stomping on it to extinguish the flame.

"Right then. Everyone, go get suited up. I've already selected your loadouts. Yoshiko, hand this around to the rest of the squadron." The nepleslian pulled a datapad out from his pocket, and handed it to Yoshiko.

"Yoshiko, your Ashigaru will be using the Plasma Carbine, the Targa Shield, and the plasma pistol/saber. Taela, you will be using the same loadout as Yoshiko. Shinji and Meena will go in with the Hyper-Rifles, and will have a missile pod attached to their backs, for long ranged support. That, is all. Now, lets go get on our suits and go find out who the hell is screwing with Origin."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

She smiled at Shinji's remark. "If ours is made out of servos and pistons and junk, imagine what the other guys' are made out of. I wonder if they blow up real nicely..." Kelly eventually gave Yoshiko a list of weapons systems for her Ashigaru. The ex-neko gave out an appreciative "Ohhhhhh!" as she ran over the list. 'Wow! These new toys are, I mean, weapons are really something!' she thought to herself. "Hey! Look at this! The carbine's like a nice battle rife AND an SMG! Yay! More Dakka!" She then pressed a finger to her lip in thought. "Well, then again, it's not exactly Dakka if it's energy..." Yoshiko then frowned a little, seemingly put down by this revelation. The ex-neko squirmed where she stood for a bit, working up her cheer; "What the hell? It's good enough for me by plenty! We'll get them for sure, won't we guys?" Her mouth seemed to go on and on forever.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Taela kept on trying to get a word in to Kelly, but everytime she raised a hand to speak, Yoshiko kept chattering. By the time the ex-neko had finished, the current Neko forgot what she was about to ask. She sighed lightly before telling the other girl, "Yoshiko-san. . . Do you have to talk so much? I forgot what I was going to say. . ."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"I'm sure ya meant somethin like 'Why do we need all that shit?" Shinji suggested, looking over towards his unit, and wondering how Meena was doing on the other side, as well as wondering what Kelly was going to do with his frame, also on the other side of the ship.

"Lemme guess, I get to be support. I got no problem wit dat." The Yamataian stated, scratching his head a bit. He looked around for the little box near the feet of his mech that held the pilot suit, and noted another crate next to it, probably holding the Impulse PA. The other two mechs in the room had them, so he figured it must be.

"Ey Kelly. How do we work those Powered suits?" he asked, pointing.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"Oh! Oh! I know how!" Yoshiko squealed out in delight. She furiously waved her arm, like a little kindergartner vying for attention. The ditz was excited to share something she knew, and showed it. "You just kinda push the little button around the neck, and from there, it's really easy. It opens up and you slip right in." After opening her mouth and working it furiously alongside her vocal cords, Yoshiko started to think. If she still had her old ears, they would have wiggled in thought too.

The young ex-neko started to mutter to herself, "If shit and stuff blows up, and the Ashigaru has lots of shit and stuff...OH MY GOD! IS IT A...." She started to cry out at her little 'realization' regarding a very real 'possibility' concerning herself and friends, but quickly stifled herself and calmed down a little. "Oh, umm. These don't tend to, uh, blow up a lot like some other things. Do they? Wait. Guys? Am I talking too much? She asked. "My mom sometimes put ear plugs on...just sometimes."

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Kelly shook his head and smiled in amusement at Yoshiko's antics, heading out of the hangar where Yoshiko's, Taela's, and Shinji's Ashigarus were being held, and into the other hangar on the Atuan, where a cloth covered powered frame stood, taller and wider than the Ashigarus flanking it on both sides. Looking up at it, Kelly smiled, thinking to himself about just what exactly was under the cloth, speaking out loud to no-one in particular.

"Well, Javier, time for us to see what this Asura can do."


Soon, he was suited up, and seated in the cockpit of the enormous frame, waiting for the order from Captain Arah to launch.

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

Shinji just stared in awe first as Yoshiko motormouthed, then as Kelly just freaking walked away without answering his question. "I hope 'e doesn't ge'in trouble 'cuz I aint helpin'im." the Yamataian stated, looking up to his Ashigaru as a couple of the techs checked the Frame out and helped to load it. Shinji shook his head and made his way to go and help as well, wanting to be sure everything was satisfactorily mounted.

"Ey Yoshi, Teala, You fellas ready fer the mission? I mean, we only signed up ta test these suckers, not fight people. Still, I'm kinda lookin forward ta really seein what this things can do. A bit Jittery though, yannow?"

Re: Episode 2: Repo Squad.

"My kind was created for fighting." Taela coolly responded on her communicator from inside the Ashigaru. "Jitters are hardly a thing that I need to worry about. However, what there is to worry about is this being my first Frame fight. Although, the controls appear to be simple enough."

With this, she ran a systems check on the machine, just booting up the main computer (but not the actual mecha). "I trust that you guys will be able to 'cover my ass', as some say?"