What's new
  • If you were supposed to get an email from the forum but didn't (e.g. to verify your account for registration), email Wes at [email protected] or talk to me on Discord for help. Sometimes the server hits our limit of emails we can send per hour.
  • Get in our Discord chat! Discord.gg/stararmy
  • 📅 May and June 2024 are YE 46.4 in the RP.

RP: OIF Atuan [OIF Atuan] Episode 5: Taps

CadetNewb

CadetNewb

Well-Known Member
Aboard the Atuan

Sometime in the Future:

The Impulse ran and rounded the corner, sticking it's handheld gauss rifle around; depleted uranium slugs smashed against diamond coated steel and finally penetrated as the blind fire randomly tore into the Demon Power Armor. The charging mass tumbled and fell, momentum carrying it forward. A second Demon rounded the corner, which she shot in the head with a burst before the rifle clicked empty. She backed away, but it pitched forward, knocking her onto her fanny. Soon enough, a terribly battered Crooked Demon was clambering over the remains of the first with it's primary arms. A 35mm rifle in the clutches of the sub-arms began to swing at her while firing. Heart racing, she fired her knuckle spikes at the heavy duty rifle and fried it, but not before a few rounds struck her shields. The final round hurtled through the air, barely slipping through the threshold of her field and slamming into Yoshiko's visor.

When the spall entered her right eye, she screamed in agony like the little girl she was. Yoshiko clutched at the helmet, hands over the blackened crater as she writhed in pain. New pain lanced up her body as the Crooked Demon grasped her with it's vibro claws. Yoshiko's fist fired out her second and last group of electrified spikes, one of them penetrating into a joint and jolting it to a standstill. As she painstakingly wriggled out of the trapped and mangled Impulse, another Demon looked over the pileup. Bare and bleeding, Yoshiko tried to drag herself up onto her feet with a hand railing in an attempt to flee.

'How did it come to this?' she cried.

*****

Aboard the Atuan

The Present:

"Good, you're both here. Come on, we're just about to start the briefing Vintropolis, Victoria." The dark man spoke, greeting the two newcomers. "With luck, I won't have to shout at anyone to get up. Though...well, I got to admit, I'd rather have Ged do the shouting. He's technically capable of being louder than any of us here."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming, I'm coming." Yoshiko despondently replied from the rear. Her uniform was uncharacteristically messy, oil and grime marring it's surface. Since getting put on probation, she'd been working harder than ever in an attempt to drown out her descent deeper into depression. He felt sympathy for her, he really did. After all, most people would feel this way after being banned from the cockpit of one's own giant mecha, right?

"It's not all that bad. Just another week, hang in there." he replied, hoping to cheer her up just a tad. She gave him a weak, sleepy eyed smile as she filed in. He shook his head after Yoshiko passed by, watching the floor at her feet as she went. Kelly's short cornrows shook back and forward with him in agreement. It wasn't good. "Well?" he asked all the other pilots, putting more life into his words. "You guys coming or not? Double time it! Move-it, move-it!"
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

"I loathe mornings." Taela observed, crawling out of her bunk. "They always involve me being woken up by Kelly."

The Neko's bare body was obscured by a projection of a skin-suit, which she promptly covered up with a Frame pilot's uniform once she had sure footing on the ground beneath her.

"Another day, another 20 ton giant mecha." She yawned on the way out of the room.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

The one Kelly referred to as 'Vintropolis' kept his distance from Kelly and any other crew members he encountered on the way to the briefing. He carefully eyed the Abwheran next to him. She was identified as 'Viktoria'. Mark Vintropolis had never seen an Abwheran, but had heard their voices many times on the phone, the radio, the news. He carefully considered the moment and his surroundings, and decided to introduce himself to her first. He stuck out his right hand as he walked, offering it to Viktoria as he spoke.

"It seems we're in the same situation here, new employees. It's my first real day of work with this company. I'm Mark Vintropolis, and you're Viktoria, right?"

Mark eyed her from the side briefly, expecting an answer.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Atuan looked pretty amazing. VIktoria just arrived but she was looking forward to the work she will be able to do here. She was also looking forward to learn how to use mecha. So far she know infantry combat and this will be pretty interesting and new for her.

She just arrived so she was sill in full Orisec uniform even with her saber at her side. And saber was there because it is impossible to put it into dufflebag that was on her back.

Viktoria walked a few steps behind Kelly. He was her new CO and she was still not sure how laid-back are things on Atuan. She had no idea if Orisec likes to play military. When Kelly talked about shouting Viki smiled and said. "I have no problem with some shouting at all sir. Although it would create rather awkard situation Ja?"

Then they walked on and met with Yamataian woman who was apparently pilot too. Viktoria greeted her with a nod. Then second newbie whom she arrived with. She turned her head to him and smiled. "I am Viktoria Ritter, pleased to meet you." She replied and shake his hand.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Lucien had woken up without a headache or hangover, since he'd become so used to walking around in a semi-drunk haze for most of his waking hours. All he needed was a shot from his flask, and he was, paraphrased, "Roight as fockin' rain, aye!"

Still, he'd come down and tried to make himself look some semblance of tidy and dressed up in his Frame Uniform, even though most of the clothes he touched eventually got a crumpled, flawed but charming look to them.

He remained quiet as he watched the newcomers, giving them a nod and a small smile as they walked by. He raised his flask in a toast too, before taking a quick swig whilst Kelly wasn't looking, and stashing it quickly.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Async shambled along in her brightly (and we mean brightly, folks) painted Voidwalker suit, the neon pink scrawlings almost squiggling under the Atuan's lighting as each fixture passed by, sending varied wavelengths of light onto the suit's photo-reactive coating, causing Async's childish scrawls to literally dance (some a bit lewdly... for lines, that is). The Freespacer was still recovering from the mild infection she'd caught at the bath house and sniffled inside the bulky contraption that provided her with sufficient radiation to slowly kill off the normally harmless bacterial strain.

"I can't believe I was dumb enough to get sick," she griped, lamenting the lost possibilities with Yoshiko and that bag of goodies that fate, with help from her more modest comrades, so kindly dumped into her room; to anyone who could read minds, those squiggly lines were definitely much more lewd than they first appeared to be.

Unbeknownst to most of the crew, Async had been watching Yoshiko during her work, too self-conscious after her delirious attempt at a come-on to approach the youthful and innocent ex-neko, so she did the next best thing; she stalked the Yamataian for the safe distance of 50 yards in her bulky, and uncomfortably noisy, Voidwalker.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Meena was already present, her standard Origin uniform in proper working order and looking sharp and clean, the colors standing out brilliantly as they were wont to do. The Dark skinned Nepleslian girl simply stared at Kelly, seeming somewhat annoyed by his excessive enthusiasm.

******

Shinji shambled his way into the compartment, smelling a bit of matches and explosive compounds, his characteristic match in the corner of his mouth looking to have been lit recently, as it was burning away- until the man noticed and quickly blew it out with a puff of air, letting it smolder in its place. His dark green A-shirt was smudged with several types of metals and other materials- it seemed he had been making fireworks- the results of these efforts hanging out of his cargo pants pockets, barely hidden by the Origin uniform shirt tied around his waist.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

"Well, it can't be helped when some people have a hard time waking up on time. I'd say an hour and a half past is plenty enough time." Kelly shrugged. Inwardly, he noted that Viktoria was perhaps the first Abwehran to step aboard the Atuan since it's maiden voyage, a sign of the rising friendliness between Origin and the Abwehran Star Empire. And inwardly, he noted something else. 'Why does everyone have the word Star in their government or military's name?' As everyone filed into the briefing room, swig of alcohol noticed, Kelly had a slight smirk on his face as he thought. 'Right. Because it's awesome!' It had been a week since that Onsen fiasco, and though it was full of...unexpected...unpleasant things, it left him feeling a little better overall.

"Ok everyone, go ahead and grab a seat if you haven't already. We're getting started now, since the Captain's feeling a little apathetic today." The Ensign spoke in a deadpan tone before waiting for everyone to do so, and continue on. "Long story short, we got some of our big giant robots stolen a short while back, and just decrypted the data we recovered on our last mission proper." He sighed. "Before the squiddies came along and screwed everything up." The Ensign typed something into the volumetric display, and a hologram of a system with many asteroids and a single terrestrial planet encased in toxic atmosphere and lakes of sulfur. A dreary moon floated about.

"Halna system. Don't pay attention to the planet or the asteroids, we're reaching for the moon." Kelly paused for a moment and furrowed his eyebrows. "Ok, that was terrible. I'm sorry. Anyways, the data we collected lead us to believe that the stolen M1's were taken here before being shipped elsewhere." He looked at the group and sighed. "And sadly no, there probably won't be any action with the mechs we have. We've got some contacts that will get us in. We send out an away team, me included, find out the destination of the ship with our M1's, and leave."

"With luck, we won't even have to raise a finger and kill someone. But, just in case, here's the loadouts." The volumetric display changed to a list of who was getting what frame. He then pulled up a second display, but this time, with a list of equipment available. "This time, we got some new orders from above about what they want to see. Unlike last time, where you were assigned weapons so they could collect information, they're letting you pick whatever you want from our stocks." The Nepleslian explained. "They just want to know what you all prefer. We've got one Gauss Cannon, three Hyper Rifles, two Graser Rifles, one Heavy Laser Weapon and enough Chain Swords and Spears for all our units."

"So, any questions?"
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Viki sat in a chair and listened to the briefing. She was somewhat surprised that her firs actualy mecha piloting will be right away on the mission. So far she had only few simulation and read all the important parts of manual. Well she will have to do her best then.

When briefing endend and Kelly asked question Viki was first to ask one. "So what can we expect down there on the move. Is there some kind of colony or something?"
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

"That's not 'anything we want', sir," The Freespacer noted through her suit's external speaker, silently miffed at being assigned to the Oban, "but I'd like a pair of W3105s, if they're available, a W3106, W3202, and I'd be more comfortable with a W3109 rather than the W3205; the pun you thought you referenced was more along the lines of 'reach for the stars', which sounds much better, but we're going to the moon... not the stars..."

The woman trailed off into a mumbling silence with her thought, a small icon on Kelly's volumetric display indicated Async's requested loadout, each item blinking into existence as she ticked it off in her verbal request.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Taela watched the proceedings carefully, noting who her partner was, her current mecha, and what weapons were available. Turning to her new comrade, she greeted, "Welcome, Mr. Vinctropolis. I am Taela. You are apparently my co-pilot."

Somewhat turning to Kelly, she half-demanded, "And we are getting a Hyper Rifle and a spear for our Kirin. I want to keep any possible enemies more than an arm's length away from us."
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Kelly rubbed the short stubble on his chin as he thought. "I'm guessing most combat will take place within the large mining tunnels, and perhaps on the surface of the moon if we're making a hasty getaway." the dark Nepleslian replied. His hands reached out and moved across the volumetric displays. "I think we can be sure we'll encounter Demon and Crooked Demon power armors, plus a few other random models thrown in." He paused to look at them all, an enigmatic emotion barely visible as it briefly passed his face. "This moon base is primarily inhabited by the Reds; we're on good terms with them, but the general impression is that something else is breathing down their necks in their own home. They don't like that and want us to clean house. Chances are, whatever it is has to have substantial military forces to do this to them in the first place. Since that's the case, just try not to get swamped with all of them, and you should all be fine."

Async's rapid fire tech talk made him loose his proverbial footing for a moment, and along with the embarrassment of the unintended pun, unsettled him well. He rubbed the back of his head and looked away for a moment. "Uh, well, I suppose we could just request for those, since we're still here at Dawn Station." he spoke uneasily. "Didn't mean to make that stupid pun." he muttered under his breath. He considered for a moment just what the Freespacer was asking for though. "Wait. Isn't all that excessive?"

He nodded to Taela's substantially easier request though. "Still, would you also like a sword too? We're going to be in close quarters, and a spear might get stuck on corners."
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

From he life on Neplesila Viki remembered that Demon is somek ind of power armour that those red nepleslians use. Power armors shouldn't be very tough in comparion to Frame. But like they say back home, too many Höhlewulfen can bring down a Tyrani. Better be careful. Especially when it is goin to be her first time in acrion with frame.

She then turned back to her new boss. "Sir I think, that if the spear is the right length it is very good weapone when used with partner with sword. If we moved in couples I can very well imagine me with a sword and the miss here behind me with spear. But it depends on how narrow the tunnels are. Anyway I will take one of the Hyper rifles and chain sword. Or two chainswords." She said. Viki hoped that chainsword can attached to mecha's back or somewhere so she can take two of them. After all she was used to slashing weapon and chain could hold only so much damage.

"Oh and enshuldigen mich. I am private Viktoria Ritter. I am looking forward to working along you." She then said to rest of the team.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Lucien seemed to take a speak-easy attitude to the meeting. All he knew is that something needed a missile in its face, and he was happy to oblige. When a weapon selection came up on screen, he tilted his head and pointed to the biggest thing there.

"I wont that one," He said as he pointed to the OI-M1-W3204, also known as the Heavy Pulse Laser Cannon. Or, to Lucien as the 'Big Laser Shootin' Thingy.'.

"Looks like oi'm takin' point, so I'll 'ave the heavy weap'ns jus' if they don' agree t' hand the goods over," He stated jovially, folding his arms with a grin, "An' methinks the guys 'oo took these ain't the talky sorts."

He then snapped his fingers as he forgot an important detail in his loadout, "Oh, 'n a chain-straight, too."
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

"I'll admit, the carbines and pistol are something of a redundancy, but if unforeseeable circumstances occur, it will be useful to have a small cache of arms with a greater endurance and maneuverability, if not as great a range, than..." Async sniffed, though it wasn't clear if from attitude or her recent recovery from a normally deadly common cold "an anti-ship laser."
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Kelly moved his fingers about and quickly checked off Viktoria's weapons of choice. "Alright. That was easy. You'll be able to carry one sword on each side of the hip easy enough anyways." The ensign looked at Lucien next. "Ok, one BFG for Lucien...check." And then it was Async speaking up next. She was picking several small arms, which was fine, but what was up with that passive aggressive stance? Kelly narrowed one of his eyes ever so slightly before relaxing and letting a slight smirk come onto his face.

Unlike Yoshiko, who loved big guns, Async was perhaps the opposite. 'I'll play along then.' Kelly thought. He pretended to be thinking for a moment furrowing his brow and looking at the assignment sheet. "Hmm. I'm not exactly happy with using the Oban in this operation, even if it is in need of testing. It was supposed to be a civilian model. Are you sure you wouldn't want one of the Ashigaru instead? We still have some in stock."

'Now that I think about it, Yoshiko is on probation. I guess I could take that route too if the other pilot's aren't to pleased with the idea of just merely swapping.'
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

'He- he doesn't pay attention all that well,' Async thought gloomily to herself.

"The Oban is fine for this mission, Commander... in fact," she noted, dropping into her thoughtful monotone "it is preferable for the tight conditions we should be facing, the lack of binders to hold those carbines might be a problem... your mecha can utilize rifle slings, correct?"
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Mark slid into a chair at the table and slipped his hand into a coat pocket to recover his DataJockey. With just few button presses, he had begun taking notes on the briefing. Each line was meticulously typed in a concise, grammatically correct manner. When Taela spoke to him, Mark turned with an assuring grin.

"I'll be a good copilot, baby. I got more knowledge about the equipment in that section than anything else I know. I've been working with communication and digital equipment since i was the size of a bump on your forehead, and I'm damn good at it. But, I'd like some more information about the motive of this mission. When was this stuff stolen, by whom, why, how, and what kind of sleazebags are we meeting to get it back. 'Contact' is a very popular word, but it's nonspecific as hell. I ain't sayin' I don't wanna go. But I'd like to learn more about the gig.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

Others could see how Viki's hand moved to both her hips as if she was checking out how easy it would be to take sword both from left and right hip. She then nodded for herself.

She then got back into conversation. Raised her head and looked at Kelly. "Yes that is true, we newcomers could use some more information about the mission and what happened before." She said to Kelly.
 
Re: Episode 5: Taps

'Async taking that Oban worries me.' Kelly thought to himself.

It was a civilian frame, but in the end, orders were orders. The crew was going to outfit themselves with whatever they wanted for this mission in specific. Even if the commanding officer believed something else was better suited, if the crew wanted to attack frames with nothing but their uniforms, jetpacks and small arms, then they would do just that. The Nepleslian waved the thought away. It was an ugly and terrifying thought, and there was no room for that.

"Yes, the M1 series and their weapons are capable of using slings. I'll requisition the ones you'll need for these weapons." Kelly replied. He then turned his gaze onto one of the new personnel transferred aboard the Atuan and gauged his attitude. It was a bit coarse, much like Lucien's, but chances were, was no gauge of pilot quality much like in Lucien's case as well. And being asked to recant the entire experience was pretty much wearing away any happy-feel-good feelings he got from the Onsen. Kelly inwardly shrugged. It probably wasn't meant to last anyways.

"During the unveiling of the M1 Ashigaru at Hinoki Pagoda, two of the Ashigaru frames attempted to...simply leave the vicinity." He spoke, no longer relishing the moment. "A fight between the frames quickly broke out in front of the audience. One frame was subdued with the pilot inside committing suicide, and the other frame absconded with." Dark skinned hands moved across the volumetric display, putting forth the images of a planet and scrap pile. "We managed to obtain the fleeing ship's pile of scrap, obviously taken apart and sold to hide tracks. However, it did not succeed and we still traced it's cargo drop-off to Kennewes."

Kelly's face soured as Yoshiko drew her legs up the chair and into her chest. "We lost one pilot as he obtained information on the next location the stolen frame was sent to, which is where we are heading now." The dark skinned Nepleslian turned to Shinji and Meena.

"And what's with the quiet coming out of you two?" he half snapped at them.

Inwardly, Kelly was bothered by what he considered slightly lackluster performance. True, they were in new and untried models going against tough odds and came out victorious. But it was also true that they lost someone under HIS command, and brought back an infestation. The station was still reeling from that. Kelly was surprised that anyone hadn't been called up to the chopping block yet.

And then there were the Reds. He had friends there at Halna who deserved some rest. They'd been through enough already.

*****

'It wasn't my fault.' Yoshiko reasoned to herself. 'There was nothing I could do to help him anyways they said. He stepped out of his Ashigaru. And, and I was fighting hard, I really was!' Yoshiko's memory flashed back to how she playfully snatched away the Zesuanium claws of the wrecked Render for herself. 'NO!' She screamed inside her head.

'At least, at least this time, there's definitely nothing I can do, since I'm on probation! Yeah! It won't be my fault at all it all goes to hell.' An inkling feeling in Yoshiko's gut tugged at her.

That still wasn't right. She sighed outwardly and relaxed in the chair. 'I'll think about it more later. They said I shouldn't be thinking about it anyways...'
 
RPG-D RPGfix
Back
Top