Balcerzak Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 The captain began replying to the first wave of questions, beginning with a somewhat standard non-answer to the one who'd asked about communicating with family, then giving the question about robot cooling more attention than it deserved (which is to say, any attention at all). That said, Thorvald was pleased enough with the answer to his own question, an exercise like the one she suggested should be a good way for everyone to get a handle on their relative strengths and weaknesses. That said, there was something about the demeanor of the captain that was a little, well the word "worrying" kind of fits, but not perhaps in the sort of way one might normally expect it to apply in such a situation. The stutters, and the bits of body language here and there, it sort of combined to give the impression that she was a small animal that had been spotted out in the open, and was unsure whether she should make a dash for it, or just remain as she was in hopes of avoiding drawing further notice. It inspired a sense of protectiveness in him. She was somebody's precious daughter, out on her own for the first time, making her way through an initial rough patch without any support; if she were Holly, how would he want other people to react? Thorvald had to fight back the urge to go over and hug her, reassure her that she was doing fine. The awkward laugh she'd given when his introduction had reminded her she hadn't properly given one of her own made him feel guilty more than anything. Maybe he should have stuck to just the question? No, that wouldn't have been a real solution, and just imagine if someone had broached the subject with considerably less tact... All in all, the fact that having to work under an untested commander could possibly be dangerous didn't even cross his mind. And there was no reason it should have, they were smack in the middle of ANF territory, far from any conceivable threat. The rest of the assembled squad also began to weigh in after the first volley had completed, presumably now feeling a little more comfortable to do so. The bald Asian man contributed a follow-up question inquiring for more info on the particulars of the upcoming exercise, and the purple-haired one wanted some choices in customizing their craft it seemed. Fiery redhead kept pretty much inline with the initial impressions she'd given off, though things had been dialed back a bit from Offensive down to simply Overconfident. The captain returned this batch with a little less uncertainty, it seemed, apparently having warmed up a little, though there was still a ways to go on that front. As far as the others went, unsurprisingly, this appeared as if it would be the youngest one's first actual step outside a simulator. Everyone has to start somewhere, though, and this was as good a chance for him to learn that not everything in the real world is going to be as methodical and practiced as perhaps he was used to. Should he keep a special eye on him this time, or let him fend for himself? Thorvald ran through a couple of possible outcomes in his mind. He didn't get terribly far along before a new arrival, put a halt to that though. The rapid clack of boots falling upon the hangar floor slowed as a rather tall, sharply dressed officer smoothly made her way to the captain's side. The slight pause in the XO's apology did not go unnoticed, but it could just as easily be a byproduct of several different emotions, and when juxtaposed to the rest of her overall "strictly business" demeanor, that meant there was no reason to try to jump to any conclusions as to what intent might lurk beneath the surface. Jess and Roxy, though huh, both women. Thorvald hoped none of the other men would have any difficulty taking orders from them. The other kid continued with their introduction after the first had finished, even making a play at a joke with their names in the process. Thorvald couldn't help but crack a wide grin when that happened. The captain then identified the man who'd hoped to avoid the red tape when sending messages to his family as Brant, presumably by process of elimination, leaving only... Yep, the last girl's introduction removed all doubt, it really was her. Well isn't that just the strangest thing? Thorvald made a mental note that he'd have to get an autograph at some point. Just what she was doing here as a pilot was beyond his ability to guess, but in some ways that would explain her rather abrupt disappearance... There's clearly a story in there just waiting to be told. Okay, scratch that, the XO's comments at the conclusion of the introductions cleanly removed doubt that there was friction between the new Leviathan's leading ladies. Jess didn't handle the slight particularly well, but it could certainly have been worse. Thorvald followed along behind as the group were led toward the changing rooms, getting a good look as some of the mechs in the hangar as they went. While the captain did offer to give a personal explanation on the various models, there wasn't any need for him to take her up on that, and any way, it looked as if Brant had quickly moved in on that opportunity. It might not have been his place, certainly not if rank had anything to say about it, but considerations like that rarely ever slowed Thorvald down. By his eye, it looked like the haphazard, slapdash collection of pilots that had been assembled could use a bit of inspiration, so he naturally moved to help fill the void and get everyone into the proper spirits: "Alright everybody, you've heard the captain, we're going out there for live rounds training, so let's be sure to show her our best and let her know just exactly what we've got. These machines are all fine pieces of equipment, thanks to the hard work of all the engineers and mechanics," he paused here to give a friendly nod in the direction of the one in the labcoat and blue-rimmed glasses who had just excitedly introduced herself, pet robot in tow, "Any one of them will work its best so that you can work your best. Pick one you'll be comfortable in, don't be too preoccupied with what the rest of the group is loading up with, or whether you'll be personally landing more finishing blows than any one else. We're gonna be in this as a unit; everybody's contributions are going to be valuable. On that note, getting to know each other--how we work, how we react, what each other's instincts are--is just as important a part of tests like these as the actual reports that end up getting filed. Believe me, I've helped train a bunch of squads, and I make sure to keep tabs on them after they ship out. Regardless of whatever some bean counter has said about their ratio of shots on target to shots fired, or whatever complaints were lodged about excess fuel or munitions expenditures, the ones that have been the most successful were the ones that really got each other as people. I'll be taking a Legionary, personally, for this outing, and will be there to provide as much support as possible. If you feel at all uneasy or overwhelmed, don't hesitate to stick near me, or to ask for advice or assistance. Always remember, we're all in this together." Giving a final reassuring smile, he then turned and headed to the changing room, but not before stopping to give Jade a friendly pat on the shoulder as he pointed to Reo and said, "Remind me to ask you later if you've ever considered making a robot bunny." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrador Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) Bruno waits patiently, making minor mental notes of each of the pilots assembled with him. Two in particular were less than promising: Elaine and Kim. One, a hotshot too flippant for her own good. [it is no good sign for one's ability to cooperate if one cannot even keep quiet until it is appropriate to speak.] Though the biker-looking girl seemed out of place, the other... Seung-Min? [That has to be impossible, and yet the likeness cannot be mistaken. She is one to watch with a very careful eye.] Almost before he settled himself, it was time to select their mecha; thankfully, Bruno had done his homework on the subject. He unfolds a scrap of paper from his pocket, with his preferred armaments neatly detailed (if smudged slightly by the journey). He shakes the hand of a mechanic standing by a Legionary, slipping the paper in with a smile and a polite request ("If you could be so kind?"). The ascetic pilot clambers to the top of his Legionary as the mechanics work, perching atop the cockpit and observing the entire hangar: all the better to take measure of what his comrades would be bringing to the exercise. [spoiler=How does this boy read so much?] After another morning of flight exercises, Bruno finds his way to the mess hall for a quick bite. He still struggled in the air, but soon enough he would figure it out. It didn't perturb him; he was a better pilot now than he was in his youth, and he'd passed his exams then. Just a bit more experience in the air, and he'd be keeping up with the youths. Speaking of youths, there was that boy again. [it's so rare for a child of his age to be sitting alone. It can't be healthy. And that... yesterday, that was a calculus text.] Bruno takes a seat just across and away from Tarquin, setting his pudding cup forward on the table. "Might I ask for a moment of your time?" --- It had been a taxing morning, the simulations were far harder with other people in them. Before, it was just like solving a puzzle, the AI always moved in predictable fashions, he'd learned all of the patterns, their priorities... but people were something else. They'd make strange moves, ones that Tarquin just couldn't wrap his head around. His superiors had been satisfied with his solo results, but it was far more difficult to please them with other people. At least he still had his books, at least Organic Chemistry would never baffle him, reactions would always follow set rules, there was no having to try and appease them. Bruno's introduction was rather unexpected, the boy would have been startled if it hadn't been for his exhaustion. Looking up, an older man had come up and spoken to him. He wasn't one of the supervisors, what could he possibly want from him? His English seemed good, that was for sure. "I have to be back at training in half an hour... I... suppose I have time." he replied, not used to being asked permission - he mostly received orders. --- Bruno smiles at the boy--he hadn't expected him to be so receptive... nor so tired. A helping hand is definitely what he needed right now. "I admit I am concerned for your well-being, my friend. I have worked with many gifted men and women, but none of them were pursuing multiple advanced studies at your age, let alone alongside military training." Bruno takes a sip of water, allowing his words to sink in. "Ah! I have forgotten my manners. My name is Bruno Tian. May I ask yours?" --- This man appeared surprised by Tarquin's choice in reading, and to be fair, it wasn't exactly expected reading for a boy his age - Tarquin had finished the book nearly two years ago, it was more of a comfort than an education tool by this point. Had he been watching him? It sounded like he'd been paying attention to the books he'd been reading, and he never took them anywhere other than his quarters or the cafeteria. Bruno was observant, that was for sure. Tarquin didn't even remember any of the names of his peers. "I'm Tarquin... Barnabus... Herrington IV. Please call me..." he replied cautiously, his name was far too long use regularly... and Project Four wasn't exactly an innocuous name. "Call me Tarquin. Don't worry about my reading, I'm sure the others like books too." Truth be told, he didn't even know if the others could read, let alone what they liked. Maybe he'd seen one of them with a comic once? He wasn't too sure, it might have actually been a newspaper... or even a bible. --- Bruno beckons slightly with his finger, turning towards the other youths in the cafeteria. "Do you see them, Tarquin?", he inquires. "I have never once seen them read anything more complex than a comic book." Bruno turns to a normal seated position, once again giving the loner a patient eye. "I am a scientist and a pilot, but at your age, I could not even fathom the idea of a limit. I am concerned that your work isolates you and taxes your health." The (relative) old-timer checks his watch--no little time had already elapsed. He focuses on his food, giving Tarquin the opportunity to do the same; if the boy wanted his help, Bruno would be around. Today, tomorrow, or next month. --- Tarquin glanced over at the other teenagers, his expression incredibly sour. He couldn't be with any of them, he didn't understand them and they didn't understand him. It was better that he had things to occupy himself with than worry about trying to deal with the others. Bruno probably meant well, but it was couldn't happen. "I'm a little different to them, I'm not sure I'd get along very well with them." he replied, turning back to his book. That much was true at least, in quite a few regards. It wasn't that he didn't like Bruno, but there was an odd pressure from the words he said, he was giving Tarquin a choice, but at the same time, he didn't feel like he was the one making it. "I think I need to get going, but I'll probably be here for lunch again tomorrow." he added, not entirely sure why he'd shared his schedule. --- THE NEXT DAY The previous encounter with Bruno had made Tarquin think the night away, did he really stand out that to be approached? It wasn't like he'd seen Bruno talk to any of the other children, but that was more from his lack of observation than an absence of the occurrence. He'd scanned his library for a book that was more passable for his age range, but in the end, it didn't matter. There were far bigger differences between him and the others than what they read, it wouldn't even be addressing the issue. Was there really an issue to address though? He'd passed with flying colours before, it was just another puzzle for him to solve. He'd never faced a problem he couldn't overcome before, he just needed to try harder. The next day, he took up his usual spot in the cafeteria, tactically placed away from the other teenagers. If he couldn't interact with them, he'd at least try to understand them. He hadn't really been interested in psychology before, but it was something he needed - or at least perceived that he needed. The title of the day was Military Psychology, a tactical decision on his part. Glancing up from the book, he scanned the room for Bruno, almost so he could prove that he could solve his own problems to the man. He probably meant well, but his set-up was probably far more complex than the man realised. --- Bruno takes his seat from the day before, noticing Tarquin's new text... definitely not chemistry. [There really is no end to it, is there?] He once again sets the pudding cup on the table, as a way of announcing his presence. "It is good to see you again, Tarquin," Bruno comments. "Doing some more light reading during lunch, I take it?" --- Tarquin looked up, not particularly surprised by Bruno's appearance - people always had patterns, he just needed a little time to learn them. His reading would help him make up for his distance from the others, or at least give him enough of a boost to show his supervisors that he could succeed. "I normally finish my food pretty quickly, I'd have to wait around for an hour if I didn't have something to do."Tarquin replied, gesturing to the empty tray beside him. "It's not normally something I'm interested in, but I thought it might be useful. If I could understand how they worked, I probably wouldn't find them so difficult to work with. I found the solo simulations far easier, I got a perfect score in some of the scenarios." Of course, he hadn't been given any recognition for those scores, apparently his commander expected no less from someone designed to excel. This man probably didn't know though, so it would be nice to see him even remotely impressed. --- Bruno blinks twice at the idea of getting a perfect score on any simulation. Frankly, he wasn't even aware that it was possible. "That is quite an accomplishment, young man. I have been shot down in two of the three scenarios I attempted today," Bruno noted. "Though if you have trouble working with others, I have a bit of advice for you." Tarquin's elder leans in, opening his hand in the direction of the other youths. They laughed, told jokes, became irate with one another on occasion. "Those boys do not appear to be AI, do they? They are subject to emotion; they are capable of making uncharacteristic mistakes, and at least some of them have the strength to put their lives on the line for their comrades." Bruno plucks two peas from his plate, offering Tarquin a conspiratorial wink. "There is one other notable difference as well: attention. Initiative." Bruno flicks the first pea from his hand, the vegetable bouncing harmlessly off a boy's eye. The second departs at significantly higher speed, but the unsuspecting test subject catches it. "My apologies for the inconvenience, friend," Bruno offers to the boy down the table. "I am afraid this lesson required an unsuspecting target." He turns to Tarquin. "Most pilots are only poorly capable of maintaining a conception of an entire battlefield... or a room, for that matter!" --- Tarquin wasn't quite saw what the demonstration was meant to show, of course the other boy didn't see it coming, he had no reason to expect it. Did he really have to take all these things into account? It was a lot of information to take in during battle, but it was better than failure. Humans weren't like the computers at all, but there were ways to outsmart them too, the tactics were just a little different. If he could make mistakes, so could everyone else, and that's what he could capitalise on. Vigilance seemed to be the key, if one could see something coming, they could deal with it - no matter how difficult. Surely with his mind he could predict more than the ordinary person, it was just knowing what to expect. "I think I see what you mean, Bruno." Tarquin replied, determined to succeed despite his difficulties. "I'll keep that in mind during my next simulation. I think they are really different from computers." That much was true, computers couldn't make friends or get angry. Sometimes they actually seemed better than people, perhaps they would make better pilots one day? That raised a very valid point, he'd been talking to Bruno for quite some time and he knew nothing about him. He was a step ahead of Tarquin's cohort, but a name wasn't much. "Bruno, why are you here?" he asked, figuring he had a little more time to burn - and Bruno would make good practice in understanding people. "There are lots of things you could do, you seem to understand people well, there's not much understanding in the military." --- Bruno smiles, gesturing with his fork towards the youths. "My brother has almost that many children. One of them is at university, struggling with debt; others are on the way. Combat piloting pays better than excavation, and at my skill level there is little chance of ethical issues in the field." He sips his drink before continuing. "I would sooner pursue a research position on the colony, but I am still no few years from a meaningful thesis." --- It didn't make sense, why would Bruno do something he was worse at. With all those brains, why had he decided to be a mediocre pilot? Being shot down twice in one day didn't sound particularly impressive at all - and all to provide money for his family... shouldn't they do things for themselves? "Maybe you'll be able to one day. They'll all be grown up eventually." Tarquin replied, the concept of familial loyalty completely alien to him. They weren't Bruno's children, why was it his responsibility to help? It didn't sound like his brother would have helped him, he'd been selfish enough to have that many children. That wasn't cooperation at all. "What field were you interested in? It might be something I've read about." he asked, genuinely curious. It wasn't often he got to engage people with things he found interesting, it was an opportunity even his social sense couldn't miss. --- Bruno chuckles softly--"someday" was sure a way to put it. "That day is more than a decade away. His youngest, Simona, is eight years old. Once she stands on her own two feet, my career will be unimportant, though." He indulges Tarquin's curiosity, even if shaking his head in a slightly dismissive gesture. "Astrogeology, by the way, although I am qualified in biology as well. I was serving as foreman before I returned to Earth; hazard management and evaluation encompassed the bulk of my duties. I am sure you could do the job in one week's training, and be bored to tears of it in two more." Bruno's experience really wasn't impressive; nearly anybody could achieve what he did with the appropriate drive. He did understate it slightly, but it really was, for the most part, monotonous work lacking in great mental engagement. Bruno scoops a couple of spoonfuls of food into his mouth, considering for a moment before elaborating. "My attempts at doctoral research have explored the possibility of inducing violent volcanic eruption to optimize the Tharsis region for a habitable hub, but I have yet to make any meaningful progress on the matter." --- Tarquin nodded as Bruno elaborated on his work, far less interested in his work as a foreman. "That makes sense, it'd provide a suitable land surface... but you would be lacking fixed nitrogen in the soil, it would need to be introduced either by suitable bacterial or with sufficient industrial involvement." he began, wondering how successful Bruno's idea could be. It made sense on paper, although the implementation could prove challenging. His education had barely focused on the subject, Bruno was deep in the field. Still, it was a chance to have a conversation he could contribute to. "Both would be time consuming and expensive. Unless of course you were intending for contained biomes, but that would limit expansion in the long run, and require redevelopment. I'm guessing your trigger would be synchronised explosive devices?" Finally, someone intelligent to talk to, people interested in things more than who kissed who, or whether one fictional superhero could beat another. Maybe the other teenagers were just too stupid for him? They were just talented ordinary people, could they keep up with someone designed to excel? --- Bruno nods, not even surprised at this point that Tarquin is engaging effectively with the concept. "That is correct, my friend," he begins. "The idea is that Tharsis has potential to be the largest pre-biome industrial hub on the planet, and eventually an accelerant for atmospheric warming, due to the enormous energy resources inherent in the area. Although the final triggers would likely be near-synchronous explosive charges, the greatest concerns are setting up contingent plans for an emergency or major complication, containing debris (wouldn't want this project to cripple Martian flight for a decade, would we?), and priming the volcanoes for sufficiently violent activity." He shakes his head slightly, recalling the years of work he already poured into the project. "I have attempted to piece together the modeling for the induction and containment of such an event, but it is trying work. Volcanic activity is dreadfully under-researched, especially given its apocalyptic potential... though humanity has far less to lose than it did before the first colony went into orbit, eh?" Bruno chuckles, diverting attention from his subject matter to some degree. "Trying" didn't begin to describe his efforts; despite Bruno's continued studies, he simply did not have the resources at hand to collect the data required to truly breach such a radical project. His peers generally (if not categorically) dismissed the idea as frivolous, and in the grandest scheme of things, it probably was. However, Bruno had happened upon a chance bestow a rippling boon on the world in accelerating Martian colonization. He, uniquely, was inclined and at least mostly equipped to explore it. Someday. --- It made sense, Tarquin could definitely follow the jist of Bruno's plans. The man was far more of a scientist than he was a fighter, it seemed a shame for him to be wasting his talents. The same could have been said for Tarquin, surely there could have been more to his existence, but there was no use dwelling on it - combat was what he had been created to perform. It did give him hope though, maybe one day he would be able to do interesting things too. "I hope you can figure it out one day, Bruno. It would be interesting to live on Mars." Tarquin replied, placing his fork on his empty plate. "Maybe you can write a book for me to read, I'm sure it would be worth reading. I need to get going, my supervisors like to keep me busy." Edited June 10, 2016 by Terrador Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) Astin blinked as the captain called them out, hardly seeming aware that they'd been wandering away from the group. "Err, right." They followed quietly after the group into the mech hanger. Giving a cursory glance over the options, it became clear that the planes were out and that one set of mechs were probably too slow for the style they'd developed in training. Which left the other option. Starting to head over that way, Astin bumped into a girl who was holding what appeared to be a robot cat of all things. "Ah, sorry. I... did you introduce yourself? I must have missed it if you did. That's a cute cat though. Did you make it?" Edited June 10, 2016 by scorri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Oh, no... Jess had expected her to stay on the ship; why would she stay on the ship, all she'd done on her way to Earth was bounce around and talk about how exciting it was to see the planet for the first time. She felt her hand hit her face, a bit of a desperate face palm. As if things with Roxanna didn't make this hard enough, now she had to deal with Juria, live, in the hanger... At the least, people seemed fine with her so far-- or not one had said anything. Someone had, though. Brant, asking for some assistance with the Accesnsus systems. "I... Can, yes. I-Is there anyone else that needs my help? Just to make sure I'm not leaving anyone waiting too long." She could address them one by one, but it'd be a bit of a mess, running after people if she didn't know who needed help. Thorvald seemed right at home, all things considered, giving people a hefty address. It almost (read: definitely did) put her to shame over her own command. But, every squad needed a squad leader, and if he wanted to play the part, she didn't have any qualms with it. Anyone that helped take the pressure solely off of her was fine in her books. Bruno as well, seemed to have gotten along fine, already heading over to a robot, the few mechanics on hand started to get the cranes and lifts working on fitting out the hefty slap of metal that was the Legionary. Maybe things would work out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandragon Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Elaine followed the group all the way to the mech hanger. This was what she was waiting for. She recalled the simulations she was given, but simulations were nothing to the real thing. This was gonna be fun. Her mind began to wander off, daydreaming about tearing up mechs with a variety of weapons. If there was one thing she looked over, it's what kinds of gear that they could carry on each robot. Of course, someone had to ruin her daydreams. Some scientist lady carrying a...a... Oh great. A crazy cat lady of the future. Just what we fucking need. No wonder our commander is so damn nervous. Of course, there was more to it than that, but Elaine wasn't really focused on that. She was looking for a specific robot. The guy named Thorvald said he was piloting a 'Legionary', and she identified a second one soon after he left for the changing rooms. The shoulder cannons, the gatling guns on the wrists, Elaine was already getting excited. She ran off for the changing rooms immediately. This really was gonna be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 A few final bits and pieces later, and introductions had concluded, their motley crew having been brought to the hangar, where the mechs were being stored. A few of her fellow pilots had shown interest one way or another, one in particular, the older fellow named Thorvald, immediately standing out as at the least, a level headed and initiative-focused man. That was good, and something that most squads needed to function, He seemed well enough prepared for the task of keeping tensions low in the squad, which would be helpful, at any rate. But until they grew to know eachother a bit better, there wouldn't be much in the way of synergy to be expected, Kim instead walking over to the Captain with an inquiry of her own, giving Brant an uneasy glance, the man also speaking with her at present... she couldn't help but be excited to see what he was capable of, above all of the others. 'Even the worst student in specialized training was still a comparable pilot to some of the highest-scorers in the regular classes... just how skilled is he?' Kim wondered to herself, hoping her curiousity would soon be sated. "Captain, I have question. Customized Velite, installed... T-link. Should have weapons loadout... pre-outfitted. Did you receive?" Seung-Min asked, a slight blush reaching her face as she spoke, clearly embarrassed of her English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SB. Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Alright! Mateus followed the captain to the hangar with a spring in his step. This was what he was here for - although the robot cat was kind of cute. It would've been better a dog though! Regardless, he smiled and nodded at Jade before looking past her at the selection of robots. Which was right for him, he wondered. He stood stationary for a few moments, surveying his options before edging towards one of the Velites. Maybe this one? It felt right to him, but he hadn't even stepped inside yet. Hm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shin Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 The stare that Tarquin got from the Captain wasn't exactly pleasant, it was more a child at a zoo than a Captain inspecting her team. Tarquin didn't reply, as much as he didn't like it, he was in no position to question her authority. The tension betweeen the Captain and the Commanding Officer reminded him of his own dynamics with his supervisors, they were almost impossible to please. The short man's joke wasn't terribly amusing, his numbering was less a sign of his lineage and more of a version number - one of the scientists must have had a strange taste in naming. They didn't seem to be a very disciplined group, even at the training base nobody dared speak out of line to the instructors. It surprised him that they were speaking so freely to the captain, it was almost like how the teenagers talked to each other. The training exercise would probably feel less alien to him, at least then all communication would around the task at hand. After listening to the mechanic's introduction, he looked up at the mechanised units - they seemed a lot bigger in real life compared to the diagrams. It would probably be best to use the same load out as he'd used in his test runs, the Velite wasn't too different from the simulation craft either. The short man from before, Mateus wasn't too far from him, staring down another one of the Velites. He probably wasn't a child, just rather short. He was a good a target as any to get to know - if anything he'd at least know what he was capable of. "You, Sergeant Lemos." he began, walking up to the midget. "That's the same as the model I've been assigned. I prefer it for the greater mobility and flexibility with regards to loadout." It wasn't exactly a witty or charming introduction, but at least it was some form of conversation - he had no idea what this Lemos man was like at all... other than short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) "Er-- Kim, right?" Her broken English was sort of cute. She was apprehensive about it compared to Juria, who just spouted out whatever came to mind, even if some of it made no sense. Jess was feeling the pressure start to wear off, shoulders relaxing, tension leaving her body. This was good. "Yes, that. You're both Telekinetic, aren't you? Or at least the report said so. It's fascinating, really! That there are some people out there like that... And, uh... Yeah, t-tangent." Whoops. The tension came back just a bit, Jess' relaxation lending to her amazing ability to trail off. "R-Right, your robot's parked in the middle. It should be the... Pink and blue one. Heh." It was a bit amusing that a pilot would want something pink, considering the gravity of the military and the training associated. But, a paint job took less than an hour, and this one had already come pink when it was shipped over. Not actually a problem; if the girl was telekinetic then her skills would outweigh any odd personal robot wants. "It should have the... 'Rippers' already on it. The rest of the weapons, you can pick and choose from, talk to the engineers. If that's all then... I suppose I'm yours, Brant, for your plane questions. First one on the right, come with me." Jess gave Kim a small salute, walking her way over to the first Accensus with Brant in tow. "So, it was only put in yesterday; we didn't have time to rest it, but, this one has a T-Link installed. There's no weaponry we could fit onto it to use with it, but it should still help your piloting a bit. What did you want to ask, again? Robot details?" He'd said something about Russian systems being drilled into him, so maybe he just needed a run through of the American controls. Edited June 10, 2016 by Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Luckily for Kim, it took a bit more for her to lose her composure than it did for their budding young Captain, and as such, she managed to avoid reacting to Jessica's teasing in any meaningful way. Returning the Captain's salute as she left with Brant to one of the Accensus... interesting, so that was his chosen machine. A flight-specialist... Seung-Min paused for a moment, she hadn't been given much opportunity to work on airborne combat, most mechs were incapable of flight, outside of a few prototypes. Regardless of any of that, walking over to her machine, Seung-Min scrawled down her usual loadout onto a clipboard, handing it to the closest mechanic to her machine, figuring it best to go for comfort for the time being. "These weapons... please. Unit is... T-Link equipped, make sure it... calibrated." Kim noted to the mechanic, gesturing to the Velite Mk II in front of her. She was unsure how used these folks would be to dealing with T-Link systems, after all. After making sure that was done, Seung-Min crossed the hangar, into the attached change rooms. It didn't take her long to adorn the custom-fitted T-Link plugsuit that had been provided for her at the academy. Custom-fitted was certainly a fitting term, the suit quite tightly hugging every curve of her body... the designer had claimed it was necessary for optimal synchronization with the T-Link, and had demanded precise... awkwardly precise to be honest, measurements, but Kim was not the only student there who had developed a theory that the old man simply wanted to see young people about it skin-tight outfits. Still, she'd been wearing variations of the thing for two years now, and any embarrassment about it had long dissipated... the regular pilot's uniform looked nothing like this, of course, so it wasn't improbable that she'd be asked of it, Seung-Min accepted with a begrudging sigh, as she slipped on her headpiece, the equipment lighting up as it caught on to her brainwaves. Opening the door to the change rooms, Seung-Min began walking back over to her Velite, hoping there wouldn't be too much work left on outfitting by this point, so that the calibration could be completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SB. Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 To Mateus' surprise, the youngest member of their group approached him - the kid with the super fancy name. "Oh, you're Tarquin right?" He asked, hesitantly. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to talk to him (or even what his status was) or even why he wanted to talk now, but he was fine with it. "Have you done this before then?" he asked, curiously. "I'm guessing that you have?" It made sense based on what Tarquin had said, but the boy was just that - a boy. He did seem pretty insightful about the types of mechs though, and it made picking one of the Velites as his own seem like the right choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandragon Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) Elaine had been used to quickly getting into her suits during her training days, if only to get to piloting robots faster. She was out and back in the hanger in a matter of seconds, already going to find the Legionary that was to be outfitted to her. It didn't take long for her to identify it. "There you are..." She had been specific with the types of weapons outfitted on it. And there she spotted her favorite choice out of the bunch. A 175 Millimeter Sniper Rifle; capable of shooting up to 25 miles with perfect accuracy (under lab circumstances but still). It was what she had modeled one of her own robots weapons after. Not without some modifications of course. And her other choices, a standard type-28 Beam Rifle and HMS-01 Spread Missiles, were already equipped. No railcannon like her own, but it would do. She was getting herself too excited already. She could no longer wait. Climbing her way up the ladder, she quickly got into the cockpit and sat down, turning everything on. It was just like the simulations, but far more comfortable and far more real. Targetting systems all around her, intercom at the ready, even the cooling system was fully functional, which she flipped on immediately. She was in a far better mood, now. "Elaine Hedrick, ready for duty and ass kicking!" She said inside the robot before having it salute. Edited June 10, 2016 by Dandragon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shin Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 He certainly didn't sound like a child,Lemos at least knew how to respond properly. Nodding, it also appeared that he'd remembered his name too. "No, I've never actually piloted an actual mobile unit. However, I'm reasonably familiar with the specifications and how they compare to the other available models commonly deployed." he replied, somewhat unsure of the man's curiosity. He couldn't say too much, people would start to question a cadet with a record like his... as well as a knowledge base, no wonder Bruno had been surprised when they'd first met. "How about you? Have you piloted one of these before?" he asked, looking at the equipment being loaded on the suit. He couldn't see anything particularly long ranged, could it be Lemos wasn't a marksman? "That looks like some fairly selective gear." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Thorvald's little speech there had certainly instilled more confidence in Brant. Knowing at least one other person gave a flip about the squad's ability to work as a team and not just score high marks themselves meant there wasn't nearly as much on his shoulders as he worried there might be. Now everyone knew what Thorvald was about and what to expect from him. Given his experience, he might as well be the squad leader. He could leave aggressive action to pilots like Elaine, or perhaps even himself. Brant wasn't afraid to go head to head with the enemy as long as his craft was responsive enough to pull back out again before things got too hot. The other telekinetic, Kim, approached the captain and asked about what sounded like a custom unit--her english was on par with Jade's, though it didn't bother Brant, either. It was Captain Gefalscht that ended the exchange, though, bringing him over to the Accensus on the right after giving confirmation on Kim's unit. To Brant's surprise, they had gone ahead and outfitted one of the fighters for him. Specifically, this one was now capable of housing T-linked weaponry. The only problem was they didn't have any compatible with such a light craft. The Aklaevs were quite familiar with that little problem, but before they settled on a solution it was already time for him to head off to join the ANF. The T-link would at least make controlling the unit easier. The native systems of the Accensus were what had Brant slightly concerned. "I did most of my flight training on russian skeleton fighters; very light on the software side of things to keep trainees sharp. Beyond the necessities like the main computer, a sensor pack, and the FCS, I was left going manual for almost everything. That's where those drills I mentioned came in. American systems seriously cut down on the pilot's workload and I want to know what I can expect the Accensus to handle on its own so we aren't tripping all over each other in the air." The main computers on these things would pick out all relevant objects within range, figure out what they were, and then send that information to the fire control system and any other relevant subsystems. On the side, it would monitor the aircraft itself and feed information into the gauges for the pilot's reference. The fire control system was nearly always a physically separate device from the main computer that could be swapped out for another or quickly upgraded, and directly controlled all the aircraft's weaponry. These were the only things Brant could typically rely on taking care of themselves, and everything else, including system flight checks, course correction, data interpretation, and even external environmental conditions, were left for him to ponder. Having to learn to fly this way gave him a deeper appreciation of his own abilities, but he knew his instincts might get in the way this time around. And no, the solution wasn't to turn off some of the Accensus' automated functions to make himself more comfortable, even though he was confident he knew a few ways to make that happen. No, the solution was to adapt to the machine first. Brant glanced at the Accensus and smiled. "I'll worry about tailoring it to my personal taste later on. Call it pilot's etiquette, but I have to adjust to it before making any changes to suit me. That's the only way to keep us both up to ANF's standards." It was also, to Brant's knowledge, the only way to really understand the machine and excel with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xinnidy Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Meanwhile...Even tipped her hat off, hmph. Roxanna let Jessica lead the others back to the mech hangar, since she was oh so eager. Whatever, I've got stuff to do now. She casually watched the group leave to the mech hangar, until she decided she'd taken her sweet time. So, so much to do. Her smile returned, more of a grin than last time, and she left opposite in direction to the group. The main building was more of a destination to her. Everything about this setup is so odd, I'm surprised the pipsqueak doesn't find it strange... well, she must be loving it, huh?It really must have seen like a wonderful setup for a rookie fresh out of the academy, assigned captain, gained a whole base and even a small selection of mech pilots to order around, but it just didn't make sense --and it wasn't just because Roxanna was annoyed! That spaceship shouldn't exist. We're not facing anything but the most barebones rebel loonies in space. The ANF's space force is basically uncontested. It wasn't a simple upgrade over the last model, that thing basically dwarfed the kraken-class spaceships, in size and guns. And what's with the recruit's report cards? They hand us two telekinetics, that kid, and another report card filled with observations... She honestly couldn't tell whether the top brass expected the group to succeed or fail horribly.With the desert heat getting to her, though, Roxanna started thinking less about the situation and more about getting to her building. Ugh, this is so awful. Why didn't uncle just let me be in space? I wasn't doing anything wrong... At least her dress wasn't black, but thick fabric and unbearable heat were just the worst mix. I'd have taken a ride if I weren't late, stupid pipsqueak... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliette Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Juria waved politely at both men who made kind gestures to her, moving Reo onto her shoulder (who was now making purring sounds, a bit less natural-sounding than the mewl). The older leader-sounding man had approached and pat her shoulder before an inquiry. "Bunny robot? Know less about bunnies for Ai, but could try some time. Sadly don't have my bunny toy for trying with. Jade only allowed bring Reo on leviathan ship!" Suddenly a plain-looking purple haired person bumped into her, causing her to drop her mech-kitten. Luckily, it managed to land on both feet, Juria's attention immediately diverting to pet it. "Ah, was in way! Big sorry. Mizushima Juria is me, but people say Jade sometimes instead. Helped with Leviathan ship engineering. Reo is small cat friend I made. First Colony has no Earth animals, so used cute stuffed toy for making friend. Only got to see few Earth animals here for first time visit." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) Loadout The mechanic on hand took the list and waved towards one of the other men to start getting on with the arming. "Sure thing. Give us twenty and everything will be attached and working... Oh, wait, you're that TK girl. Right, when you get back, we'll run the T-Link and make sure everything's plugged in properly. But-- standard weaponry will be ready, no problem." He saluted quickly, getting over to the cranes to start fitting guns to the holsters on the legs and back of the bot. Specs "Right, uh... Everything you can expect from it on its own..." Jess put a hand on her chin, thinking about it. She figured it'd be fine to just...rattle off what came to her mind, no? "Well, this is the newest model; the Mark III was created only a few months ago, so everything is about as state of the art as you can get. It has the weaponry you can see on it, a nose mounted gatling gun, missiles stocked, a beam rifle under the wing..." She took a moment to compose herself, writing a list down in her head before speaking. "As for what it'll do for you as a pilot, the control system is attached to the main computer and upgraded with the weapon system, instead of being separate, so you can all work it from that hub. Uhm... Auto-targeting and scanning are all maintained by the system, though you could turn it off if you felt the need-- I know that TK sensitive pilots get intuition and all that, so something might show up to you that the system doesn't notice; not that that's likely, as yours does have a T-Link installed-- I'm rambling again, aha, s-sorry..." She tensed up a bit and shook her head, getting back to things. "The main computer uses course correction for you, and informs you of environmental conditions. There's a side screen with all of that data on it. You can turn off the course correction, but that's a bit more of a hassle than the auto-targeting. The environment conditions always display, either way. The only real downside to this thing is that, if we were to put any new or different weapons onto it, the mechanics would have to do a full systems diagnostic and update everything to get it to register... But that's the price of brand new tech being mixed with slightly outdated pieces. Say we were to fit some lightweight funnels onto it, we'd have to set it down for a few hours to make sure everything ran properly..." She nodded, taking her hand away from her face. Her eyes glazed over for just a second, but she was normal looking and smiling a bit at Brant right after. "I-Is that everything? Too much? I hope I wasn't overloading you, or anything." As much as she was trying to pay attention to just Brant, a... A blue and pink figure caught her eye, and then Elaine's mech saluted, her voice coming out over the comms. It was... Interesting, and at least if she was rude, she was also enthusiastic. But, the other thing. "K-Kim? Lieutenant Seung-min?" That outfit... Was that standard issue? It seemed a bit... She knows this is serious training, right? That's... V-Very revealing... Maybe it had something to do with the T-Link, but no one had informed Jess of that. Best to get the answer from the source: "What are you wearing?" Edited June 11, 2016 by Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 "Ah, no, no need to apologize. I'm not always the most... observant I guess? Been called out for having my head in the clouds more often than not. Reo, huh? That's a cute name. As is Jade. Oh, right, I'm Astin Doyle. Sorry about running into you." Astin leaned down and gave the cat a few pats before standing back up. "Right, what was... Oh, yeah. I should go see what equipment selections they have for robots... And get into my flight suit too. It was nice meeting you though." They smiled at Juria before heading over to one of the nearby robots. "Hmm, this should work..." They quickly scribbled down a few weapons, pausing for a second and considering the robot again before writing down a final one. "Hopefully they don't question it too much..." Astin handed it to one of the nearby engineers with a slight smile. "I know it's not exactly standard, but this setup seemed to work for me before." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Close Combat The mechanic took the list with a nod and was about to get working, before he actually read it over, pausing a moment. "No, uh... No guns?" He didn't want to question it too much, but it was definitely a strange list to be handed for a training mission. You'd figure you would want all your bases covered! But if it worked, it worked, he guessed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 "No, no guns. It's just... better this way. I fight better with melee weapons. Swords specifically." Astin gave a shrug before heading over to get a flight suit and change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Brant nodded several times during the captain's explanation. It was about what he expected as far as suppressing his instincts were concerned. The idea of attaching some remote weapons to hardpoints on a fighter had occurred to him before, and he wondered if the Alkaev's weren't going to try something like that before this ANF business came up. At least now he knew it'd be feasible if they just set everything up the right way. He made a mental note to broach the topic at a later date. He smiled. "That should do me, Captain. I appreciate the help." There was that presence, again, though it was faint and Brant decided to keep focused on the conversation, instead. He had something important to add, but when he noticed Kim's flightsuit, he was suddenly thinking almost along the same lines as the captain. That important thought of his was left floating somewhere in the back of his mind as his eyes scanned the flightsuit. That thing definitely wasn't standard issue. Brant had to give Kim credit for being able to walk around in that. He personally would be distracted with his body's shape being almost completely exposed, particularly around his hip region. Speaking of hips and the like, that was what held his gaze the longest. He'd only taken the flightsuit in for about one and a half seconds but almost half of that had been devoted to Kim's thighs. He gave an almost hidden thumbs up as the captain inquired about the flightsuit and then turned to face the slightly modified Accensus he would be piloting. So this is it. I'm going to be blowing up something with this machine today. I wonder what ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliette Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 "Oh! That is okay. Little sorry," Juria corrected herself, smiling when Reo reacted positively to the pats. "Thank you for kind words and being nice to Reo cat. Very good meeting too, friend Astin!" She looked around at the pilots who hadn't yet gotten fully ready. "Am not mechanic, but also can help questions slightly!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) Seung-Min had been about to see how much work was remaining on weapons outfitting, when the not-unexpected first, and most likely-not last, question about her suit came. Surprisingly enough, from the Captain herself, one of the few people about who already knew about her use of the T-Link system... well, she supposed she couldn't fault the rookie Officer for not knowing the intricacies of such a thing. Turning towards Jessica, and giving the Captain a quick salute, Kim began to answer her question. "Synthetic-Kinetic Integration Network suit, Captain... or, S.K.I.N.suit for short... <With a name like that, is there any doubt of Prof. Ando's true intentions...?> " Seung-Min replied, pausing for a moment after her explanation to rattle off her annoyances in Korean, shaking her head after a moment. "Developed to... enhance interaction with T-Link for Telekinetic pilots. Professor... that sort, not purest intentions... but suit do job... got used to dealing with it." Seung-Min replied, shaking her head a bit as she answered, though speaking of intentions, Kim gave the back of Brant's head a burning glare for a few moments, her face puffed up into a noticeable pout as she felt the gist of his assessment, knowing that he would be well aware of it despite his back being turned. Edited June 11, 2016 by Ether Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Implications "Alright." Short, concise; if Brant was finished there was a skinsuit to be dealing with-- "Wait, it's actually called S.K.I.N.? Ahah..." Jess tried not to laugh, but that was a terrible naming scheme. Managing to hold it back, she nodded, eyes glazed for half a second-- "Right, I'll make sure to keep that in mind, especially if it helps with your piloting. I can't... Really see anything, so I doubt it'll be an issue." It conformed to her body, but not insanely, and nothing was hanging out; there wasn't any problems with that. Kim's glare at Brant brought her attention to him, wondering if something had gone on between the two telekinetics, but it also brought another realization to her mind-- Brant's going to be in one of these suits if his robot gets equipped with any-- Suddenly Jess' face was a much deeper shade, her freckles disappearing just a bit. "R-Right, sh-ship-- Captaining-- I! Should get to the ship, then. The mechanics will handle everything else for you! See you on, the field, yes..." Head hid under her hat, Jess started off towards the other hanger, taking a deep breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 The Captain's countenance was... odd. She seemed to take an extra moment to process things at times, her face growing blank for a moment before springing back to her usual cheery self. Seung-Min was tempted to wave her hands in front of the Captain's face to snap her out of it, but it seemed to only last a second. She likely would not have even noticed it, had it not been for her heightened sensory awareness, but it was... rather odd. Before she could really question it, the entire ordeal was wiped from her own head by Jessica's own, quite vivid thoughts, the feelings elicited from them alone enough to make Kim herself need take pause for a moment. Looking over to her Velite to check whether she was desperately needed, and it seemed she wasn't quite at that moment, she followed after the Captain at a brisk jog, easily catching her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "My apologies, Captain. It seems I... not help, your stress." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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