RP: New Dusk Conclave [Ravenaca's Watch] And the wind began to howl, hey (Pt 1)

NDS Ravenaca's Watch
Space

The ship's departure from the station was largely uneventful. A few of the local small craft were in the ship's flight path and had to be redirected, but the station's flight control took care of all of that. The ship itself was a smooth ride on the way out and handled as well as a ship of its size could be expected to.

EVE6 watched with pleasure as everything seemed to fall into place. It was a good day, all in all.

The journey to the asteroid belt at the shakedown's speed took about half a day. Their destination wasn't a simple straight shot out of the system and sent them across the empty orbital paths of a few of Sanctum's other planets.

As they drew nearer to the asteroid, what seemed like hundreds of enemy signatures began to flash up in the bridge's main volumetric display. The belt seemed to be littered with attackers. Curiously, none of the bridge's alarms went off.

The Captain didn't seem surprised, either.

"Gale, prepare for weapons tests. There are eighteen major targets ranging in size from frigates to cruisers like our own; they will not return fire but do have some capacity to move. They will, however, threaten our small craft. I'll rely on you to handle all of the calculations and fire solutions. Wait for my mark."

She opened her comms to elsewhere in the ship, though she kept the Watch's Navigator on the 'line'.

"Flight Command, this is the Captain. Prepare for combat. All active duty pilots are expected to participate in a mock combat exercise. The nearby asteroid field has been seeded with drones of various sizes that will give us a chance to cut our teeth. Be aware that the drones are armed and instruct your pilots to treat them appropriately.

EVE6, out."

The Captain turned towards the screen ahead of her, feeling a combination of excitement and nervousness.

NDS Raveneca's Watch
Flight Deck

Lieutenant Commander Duncan Fletcher walked the flight deck as the pilots assembled off to one side. He'd called them all down to the flight deck as soon as he'd gotten word from the Captain. He wasn't sure how he felt about this job, working under one of the new operators, but he still had a job to do. "Pilots, I've been informed that we've got several target drones set up in the nearby asteroid field."

He walked along the line of pilots as he continued speaking. "The captain would like us to take care of them. This will be an exercise, however be aware that these drones are armed, and the exercise will be live fire. I know that many of you think the Anima will protect you, but let me disabuse you of that notion. If you take too much damage, withdraw. If you can't withdraw, cut the connection."

He turned back around, bearded face and stern eyes sweeping over the pilots. "That will be all, to your stations and launch when ready." His voice was clear and stern as he finished his instructions, before making his way towards a lift to go up to Deck 4 and his station.

NDS Ravenaca's Watch
Space

She stood amongst the pilots, standing at attention, her eyes watching as she listened to the Lieutenant commander’s words. She’d heard about the anima, the thing that will transfer her to what she will be using. When dismissed, she enthusiastically left and went to her station

Arye sat down in the pod, which closed over her head. Around this point, her Geist connected, and the Anima transferred her mind to where it needed to go. It looked weird to her eyes before her vision changed to that of her new current form. In the pod, she grinned with glee and joy as she rested and waited.

Her vision changed from pure black to the targeting and sensor view of her new form. "Ok, board is green, ready to launch when given the go-ahead." She reported, trying to keep her excitement in check. Before she was given the go-ahead, and she was the first to launch.

NDS Ravenaca's Watch
Space

Gale watched as the sensors pinged all the contacts appeared, mixed in and around the asteroids ahead of them. With a grin, she 'flexed' her fingers as though they were talons, and in a way they were. There were more weapons than she had fingers, but the weapons were still them. "Affirmative Ma'am. Directing fire on enemy heavier ships. Will keep watch over the pilots." She said, having to avoid giggling as she gave her response, feeling the first of the pilot's craft launching from her. It was like almost like someone had decided to rub a feather in one spot on her body the whole time the pilot had launched their craft, and once it was done, she had to prepare herself mentally for the soon to come wave of all the fighter and frame pilots doing the same.

NDS Ravenaca's Watch - Space
Flight Deck

V115 had been laying in her bunk running a deeper diagnostic when the orders to report to the flight deck had been issued to her. She was mildly annoyed that she hadn't been able to finish the diagnostic, but that sense of annoyance was quickly brought into check by her sense of duty and desire to perform. Already dressed in her Mithril body suit just in case something like this happened, V115 hustled from her shared cabin to the flight deck and dropped into the formation as it was coalescing.

The Lieutenant Commander's words served as a good reminder of her previous training with simulated uses of the anima system and the few physical trainings she had done to earn certification on the system. If you sustained enough damage the system could or rather would, end up killing the pilot due to the link shared between mind and machine. Even while thinking upon that grim detail, V115 couldn't help but become slightly excited at the prospect of a live fire exercise in space. It was a good chance to flex her metaphorical wings, and to show those who weren't in her cohort what she could do.

After being dismissed to her station she quickly walked over to the NH-VF-1 "Banshee" that was to be hers for this assignment. It was currently in it's strike variant rather than the fighter variant for what she assumed were reasons of storage capacity. Upon entering and sealing the cockpit the smooth interior began to fill with a suspension liquid and she quickly donned her Mithril's helmet. Now suspended within the cockpit she activated her Geist and connected to the frame through the Anima system. For a brief moment everything was black and then her vision lit up with the available viewpoints from the frame's cameras. It took but a moment to adjust to her new height, and she waited somewhat impatiently for the flight deck crew to clear her to move to the launch position.

For a brief moment she wondered if her frame had an Eve onboard. Where the thought came from she couldn't say, and that worried her to a degree even if it was less strange than the other sensations she'd been having of late. Doing her best to push the thought from her mind she began to run through a systems check as she moved towards the launch position. Everything came back green and hat brought a slight smile to her lips. After getting the okay to launch she simply reported, "Pretender, launching now," to the flight control. Under IFF she'd appear with the call sign 'PRTNDR'

Standing to the rear of the group of pilots, Mikael stood out in his dark blue Type 32 Flight Suit. Given the nature of the Ryoko, the suit felt out of place for the task. But it was the only thing he had for situations where high-Gs would be likely.

Once the short briefing was over, he made his way to his M19 Ryoko. Loaded with the Aether Beam Cannon, he simply nodded to his Crew Chief who then bowed to him. Mikael returned the gesture with a salute before he engaged his inertia abilities to float up to the Ryoko's cockpit cavity. The pilot pod and the outer armor closed shortly afterward. Making sure his seating harness was secured, his consciousness was drawn from his body and into the mecha.

The sound of fusion reactors could be heard as Mikael connected with his KIES AI: Beat-415. "Welcome Harris-Chui, we are stronger when are together." a mature Yamataian male voice rang out to Mikael mentally. "Homma-juni does not like talking about tactics."

"He's a technician, what did you expect? But let's not talk about the crew chief in front" Mikael responded back as the final activation sequence was completed and Mikael's vision transitioned to what the cameras of the mecha. Homma-juni seeing the yellow monocle of the Ryoko flashed with the activation of the mecha, he walked out to the front of the Ryoko so Mikael can see him and guided him in a series of pre-checks.

With everything completed, Homma-juni and Mikael bowed to each other before Mikael turned and made his way to the launch.

Steiner tested the connection of his plasma cannon as the drones swapped out his other battlefist-his targeting systems were working fine, and the dry fire encountered no problems. He used free 'Fist to tighten one of the bolts on his mech's connectors as he stomped down to the launch bay. Toggling his radio transmitted: "Comms check, comms check. Anyone copy, over?" The mechanoid screwed a fresh canister of gas as he awated a reply.

Hangar
Ensign Alphaeus Nasica

falling out of formation once able to be dismissed, Alphaeus wasted no time, attaching his helmet to the Mithril body suit he wore. waisting no time, he sprinted to the elevator in front of his 'Banshee' Frame. the lift took far to long for his liking. seeing his squad mates rush to their machines only amplified his need to show what Alphaeus believed was his only way of saying thanks. as the lift finally made it to the cockpit, eagerly the young man jumped in. as the hatch closed the cockpit began to fill with fluid, before too long he was fully submerged. activating his comms and Geist systems together he began running pre flight diagnostics." Ensign Nasica IFF code(MRRDRD) Mike Romeo Romeo Delta Romeo Delta 1 callsign: Mordred; frame diagnostics show all systems nominal. positioning for queue."

the lift separated allowing the frame to position for launch. before it began to eject into the void. the Anima system taking control, it was something that he never fully got used to. as his vision synced with his machine, the targets, ship and friendlies began to appear on his sensor, moving to protect his additional allies as they launched their frames.

NDS Ravenaca's Watch
Lounge

Orlan Snell was seated in one of the lounge areas. He did not have much to do right now since he was working security detail. His clothing consisted of a Mithril suit, a surprise since he never expected the military to actually issue him anything. Being a mercenary, Orlan believed that he had to arrive to work with his own gear which he did, but he did not wear it at the moment because right now was not the time for it. He waited for the monitor to turn on and showcase the mechs, something he took issue with.

Mechs, in Orlan's mind were impractical. Too costly to maintain and repair and placed the pilots in unnecessary risk. On top of that they had larger profiles thereby making them larger targets for enemies with anti-mech weaponry. Any weapons they placed on one mech could be slapped onto thirty tanks for a cheaper price. He was not the ruler of the New Dusk Conclave however, otherwise every mech in the young faction would have been repurposed for construction roles. The ground fighting should be left to the tanks and the infantry.

His eyes wandered toward the doorway, wondering if he should get something to eat. He decided against it, opting to observe the mechs in practice combat.

Ceilia decided it was best to limit her interaction for now, the second lieutenant simply leaving her body in the locker room. She laid her off duty jacket in a bundle under her head as she laid back herself on the bench.

With the use of her Geist, it would regulate her body as it slumbered, and her mind went elsewhere. Something that wasn't as hard to do with one that was an AI. With a sigh, the girl felt her mind take the dive, warm buzzing circuits carrying her to her new temporary body.

Her data beamed, swirled, and intertwined into the system, then those of the Banshee assigned her. As optics powered on, and her drive hummed to life. The gantry opened and moved aside as the cockpit closed, life breathing into her metal shell. She flexed and and strut her limbs as Ceilia left the bay to enter queue for launch.

"2nd Lieutenant, Ceilia Ryzka, IFF code Mike Uniform Tango Hotel Romeo Romeo (MUTHRR). Launching last when ready." She sent to control, before waiting for everyone else to launch. Once they had, she too was thrown into the void, before holding back from the formation.