Super Robot Wars ∀: Deep Space IC Thread - Part 3: Crisis Point

[Nanami Touko]

The Situation According to Astin

That... Was that all? There had to be more than just that, that... "Did she say anything else? Was there anyone else here?" Jess didn't really get it, why would Vera show up just to dump one of their soldiers off on them and then leave? No threats no attempts to bargain, nothing? What's going on?

At least Roxanna had some information, but she needed to know what was happening. "That's great, but, what is going on? Seriously. Apparently this all happened within a few minutes and I was none the wiser... So please, XO, tell me what's going on." Hopefully Roxanna actually knew. "Walk with me. We can't stay here, either way, even if they're coming to get us." Jess waved for Roxanna to follow her and she aimed herself at the changing rooms. Her transmitter was in her bag... They could've waltzed in here and taken anything they wanted, what the hell?

"Looks like we'll, h-have to find out after, Kim... I, should get dressed uhm... Change rooms?" Christina didn't really care about the details, they were getting picked up by HQ, these things could wait.

Not Touching That

Chris had been just around the corner from Elaine when she shouted, the girl jumping in surprise, her anger fluctuating as she looked to figure out what was going on... The one Louise was messing with? "I'm not getting involved in this shit show..." Clothes on, Chris took herself out of there as quickly as she could. The last thing she needed was someone breaking down on her... All they'd get back would be yelling.

[Phoenix]

Firmia didn't want to make the slight detour to the volleyball court, but she saw Hannah over that way and decided to compromise. She came running, but only just close enough for her voice to reach; she was still focused on getting outside as quickly as possible. It occurred to her that Hannah could probably survive the entire building coming down on her, but it was better to stick together ... sort of. Firmia still preferred to view things from a two crew perspective. The pilots from the Riese were Jessica's responsibility, and the people Firmia had coming aboard the Avalon were hers. "Hannah! Come on!"

---

"We're right behind you, Chris!"

Brant was distracted by the sudden ... surge of emotion coming from inside the changing rooms. There was no way in hell Chris missed that either, but they were all in a hurry at this point. He was able to refocus himself when Tonya called to Chris as she passed them, letting her know they wouldn't be far behind. That was his cue to get more fully dressed. But there was still that sensation ...

"Hey, there's someone in the women's side who's ..."

"I'll check it out, you just get ready," Tonya rushed right on in.

Brant supposed unless he was going in the women's side, he'd have to leave it to Tonya anyway, so he didn't waste anymore time, either.

---

Normally Tonya would have been a bit more cautious with so little information to work with; someone may have simply just gotten killed in here and their killer was quietly awaiting the next victim. More likely word of that battleship had spread a bit too quickly, with no good news to help offset it ... or something. Rather than call out and give herself away before she got a look inside, Tonya quickly tiptoed into the changing rooms and rounded the first corner. That's where she found Elaine by herself. Hopefully she hadn't been arguing with Chris in here ...

"Hey, in case you haven't heard, there's a battleship in firing range of this place. I wouldn't stick around too long." Tonya was already slipping into back into her coveralls and boots, planning to tie the upper half at the waist like usual and simply make due with the bikini top for now.

[Balcerzak]

Well, nobody could say he hadn't tried. And even despite not managing to get a line to Makoto's father for the boy, the overall exchange seemed to have gone well enough. The enemy combatant looked almost as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and strangely that didn't feel bad at all to see. Whatever their reasons, some, at least, among the enemy were driven by the same sort of emotions as all the folk one would call the 'good guys': a deep sense of obligation, the desire to protect, even hope to see the world a better place. While it was a great shame that their faith in their leadership was misguided, and their efforts and tactics left much to be desired, it still impressed upon Thorvald the importance of showing them mercy in defeat, and saving the ones they could when they could. Even if that day never managed to come for Vera herself, at least her sister now had been spared.

About the point the cyborg vanished, Apotheosis's advanced tech putting in work as usual, the captain made her way over to the site of the disturbance. While some of her commands were a bit redundant at this point, at least she was trying to take charge. 

"Well, I don't know about you, but I didn't bring any cuffs to the beach," Thorvald chuckled a bit, trying to keep the mood from falling into too much darkness. "And I don't think it'll be necessary to pull both her arms behind her back and parade her around the whole way back. As long as she isn't putting up a fuss, I think just accompanying her with a good grip on he shoulder or wrist should be fine." Directing his next comment to the girl in question, he continued, while giving a light squeeze to her shoulder. "I mean, you're not going to try anything stupid are you?"

Astin gave a pretty good summary of how things had shook down, but left open the door for corrections or addendums. "I'm not sure there's a whole lot more to say, other than what the sergeant has already laid out. Most of us hadn't even recognized they were Apotheosis until Christina spoke up, as I recall. I'll be happy to outline my reasons later, if you disagree with the decision, but I feel like that's a conversation better suited for a little further down the road at this point. Because you're right, we should make haste to meet up with the security detail Roxanna mentioned and return to the ship."

Then most people broke off, the majority making their way to the changing rooms, but Thorvald elected to skip that destination, having never actually made the stop to switch into a suit in the first place. The desert heat had already done a pretty good job bringing his previously soaked shorts and shirt to just a vague damp anyway, so things shouldn't be too uncomfortable. And further, there was the captive to consider. No reason to invite any potential complications. Making his was back to the bus with the disheartened seeming prisoner, he called out to a straggler still in the water to get a move on. "Hey, pack it up, we're going home."

----------

Abby had finally bobbed back to the surface, still frustrated by the events that had shook down, but in no hurry to rush to apologize, not when she hadn't done anything wrong. Tristan had gone, probably embarrassed by proxy, or maybe just shy in general as he'd started to seem when things had finally been getting underway, for whatever reason. That was fine, being alone suited her just fine right now. Rolling over and floating on her back for awhile, she just stared up at the sky, her mind looping over and over again over the recent fallout.

A call from the shore broke her out of her reverie. Clearly she'd missed something, and their holiday was getting called off early. That was just great. Grumbling to herself, she pulled herself together and paddled her way back to dry land, then headed for the changing room. If at all possibly, she hoped to avoid running into anyone, whether connected to the small incident or otherwise. But who knew what fate had in store for her.

[Ether]

"Yeah... yeah. Let's get changed, Chrissy." Kim replied, shaking her head a bit. This day had gone from zero to a hundred and everywhere in between in a matter of moments, and Kim was still visibly and emotionally shaken... you might have almost thought she had been there in the middle of the tensions with Vera, instead of after. Takinf her co-pilot by the hand, the Lieutenant started towards the change rooms with her in tow, making it there in little time.

Collapsing feebly against the locker storing her belongings as they arrived, Kim let out a sigh.

"If I wanted... a stressful day, I would have locked myself in the sim room."

[scorri]

Thorvald seemed to have everything under control and they had no reason to go back to the changing rooms, so Astin just made their way towards the exit. Nothing about this whole situation sat right with them. Vera's actions didn't line up right with everything they knew, but the fact of the matter was they couldn't afford to waste time thinking about it. There was too much of an immediate threat to do anything but get back to the ship and figure everything out from there.

~~~~~~

Val had been almost passed out in the sun, enjoying the warmth and free day but there had been a shift in the atmosphere. Sleepily sitting up, she noticed the few crew members she recognized making a hasty exit from the beach. "Uhm... Olivia? I think... I think people are leaving. We should probably head out as well?" Why were they leaving though? She had thought they had the whole day off...

[Shin]

Elaine groaned, clutching her head. Her heart was pounding and her head ached. Why had Louise chosen her to torment? They'd never even met, yet she was the one who'd been contacted. Was it because she was the easiest to try and corrupt, did Apotheosis really see her as the weak link on the Heion Riese? Louise had played her perfectly, gotten right under skin... shaken her up really good. What if the others found out? Brant was understanding of her plight but that was only one person. People like Tarquin or, heaven forbid, the captain would eat her alive. Going back to jail would be the least of her worries. She clenched her fist, leaning against the changing room wall.

"Don't panic... you haven't done anything wrong. It's not like you've betrayed anyone." she muttered, her eyes darting side to side to ensure nobody was watching her. "Just need to ignore it all... pretend like it's not happening."

"I would like to offer you a place in an organization that isn't about to stifle your feelings towards helping the world.

Elaine shook her head, letting out an almost bestial hiss as she tried to dispel the echoing voice from her head. Louise was trying to trick her, it was part of some elaborate scheme. She was fighting for the ANF, for justice... right? She was going to take on Apotheosis and finally prove herself as a hero, it was something she needed to do. She could prove everyone else wrong and make them see how great she really was.

Letting out a determined grunt, Elaine began to change back into her clothes. The lingering thoughts were already creeping back into her head, she'd have to try and fight them back... or find someone who could help her do it. As much as it hurt to admit it, she was starting to go crazy - and there was one person on the ship she'd have to force herself to visit.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Shin

[Xinnidy]

Explanations

"Ah," Yeah, people were on the dark, here, apparently. It had been only minutes since they showed up and left, both cases casual and unceremonious as if nothing big had happened. "We've been breached by a few Apotheosis members. Apparently, they've been enjoying the facility, and wanted to... negotiate, with Firmia and us." That last part was still baffling Roxanna herself, she was certain Jessica wouldn't take it any easier. "I don't know why, but they seemed pretty sure of their control of the situation. They claimed a battleship is nearby, and... at least the one Firmia and I talked with was protected by some kind of field, we couldn't break it. Hannah tried."

"The one we met called themselves Ms. Park. It was clear she wanted to get information out of us, at least from Firmia's machines, and told me she wanted vengeance on Admiral Alphonse... if I had to guess, they are Louise Park, the same woman we caught footage of, in that monstrous mech." It was bad news, for sure. If she was here, that mens they'd have to face her soon... more likely than not.

"I... I don't know if they just wanted to mess with us or what, but so far, they didn't raise a finger while they were here, it's weird... They also didn't stay for very long --we just got done talking with Louise, and I warned Alphonse first for the sake of the facility." Jessica... wouldn't get mad at her for that, would she?

A Worried Friend

Makoto was almost surprised by the voice he heard next, "Talia?" He loked back, spotting the girl who was indeed there... He just assumed the beach wasn't her thing, but somehow Talia decided to hang around. "Yeah.... Yeah, I'm good, I think. Er..." Now that Vera was gone, he took the moment to center himself. His father was now with Apotheosis, working for them, not putting up much of a fight... whatever his reasons, Makoto had to go there and shake him off of them. He needed to be stronger, and he certainly couldn't do it alone. Impossible with people like Vera on the side of evil, but then...

"They got my father, and are trying to tell me he did it willingly... honestly, right now I don't even know..." Makoto had to cut himself short there. It was pointless, feeding nothing but doubt and anxiety, he brought a balled fist close to his chest. "I have to fight to get my dad out of there, that's the only thing I'm certain of. I know I'm not a proper pilot, but now I have even more reason to fight." It was a tall order, it had always been, but no other option would satisfy him. "W-what about you? Are you okay? It was dangerous... and you don't look so well." In truth, her legs looked like they were going to give at any moment.

Caroline seemed to take the cue that the captain was about as clueless as she was, looking at every person that spoke up with hope for guidance. "So... we're probably going to shut down the beach for a while after this..." It seemed to be the most clear conclusion. The ANF would want to investigate this thoroughly, and her part-time job would be put on-hold for now.

Left Out

With everybody she cared for there peacing out, Esther kept to herself in that remote, dark corner of the mind. There was nothing she could do, here, but wait for the inevitable. She didn't want to stay, to keep looking at the faces of those soldiers. Enemies. Jail would at least keep her mind sane, solitude was favorable. If she were lucky, they would give her access to video games for good behavior. No internet, though. "Hmph." There was nothing else to do, Esther would just follow along. One seemed to acknowledge her. "Whatever you feel is right. Maybe I will." She barked, in almost exhausted monotone. Not even the ANF took her as anything but a little girl.

Edited June 28, 2018 by Xinnidy

[Nanami Touko]

Good Work, XO

"That's... Really pragmatic of you, Roxanna. Good work. We should get back to Central as quickly as possible, then. Everyone in the crew is already packing up... When Alphonse gets here, they can help the rest of the people here. Do kinda wish people had told me right away, but... I guess in volatile situations, you can't really drop everything. Either way, we'll outline everything in the meeting coming up. I'd be shocked if Vance doesn't call one..." Jess sighed. This was going to be a long afternoon.

Time to Leave

"Yeah... Looks like it, Val. Stick close. I don't want anything to happen to you." Olivia looked rather disturbed by the sudden evacuation, taking Valerie's hand and heading towards the doors. If people were leaving, they didn't really have time to change.

Stressed Out

"Kim? Did something happen?" There wasn't much time to address it if it had, but... Christina gave the girl a hug, trying to prop her up some. "Hey, it's okay. I... I was really scared, but I have you. You'll keep me safe, and I'll help you as best as I can. Isn't that how we get through things?" It was reassuring to know that Kim was as nice as she presented herself... And now that Christina wasn't worried over things going south, she could actually be there to support her back.

---

Scenario 8: Slow Burning Poison

Central Main Meeting Room, 1400 Hours, August 4th, Nevada

"... You mean to tell me, Captain Gefalscht, that several members of Apotheosis managed to not only get past every layer of security we had setup for civilian defense... But they did it without tripping a single alarm?" Vance was beside himself, shaking his head. The Riese and Avalon crews had been gathered in the larger meeting room of Central's HQ, alongside Admiral Alphonse and Commander Vance. Conner was missing, likely dealing with other issues that had sprung up from this, or looking into how the two had managed to get into the civvies area.

"Y-Yes, Commander," Jessica spoke up first, feeling a bit out of place in her swimsuit. At least she'd been given a towel to wear, but, still... A few other hadn't had time to change, so it wasn't like she was alone. A small comfort. "From what I understand, they were warped in. I don't know how, but... They were there. I spoke to their Lieutenant Vera personally. It seemed like they wanted to exchange information, or, relay a warning. Vera did leave someone with us," she mentioned, motioning towards Esther, now cuffed and being watched by Ensign Calvin in the corner of the meeting room.

"I'm not sure of her reasons for doing so, since I didn't find out about them until they were just about to leave, but..."

"Does anyone know, then? This can't be something that happens so freely. I want answers as to what's going on, and what they were here for!" Vance slammed an aggravated fist onto the table, this was clearly as upsetting to him as it had been to the crew hours earlier. Jess could only wince at his reactions. Clearly the ANF thought their security was tight enough, not ever having expected literal warping of people. It was like something out of an alien movie, or Star Voyage. Despite the leaps in real world technology, warping was something far, far off, only possible on the grand scale. Not for something as small as a human, to try so could tear a person apart, if a single atom was sent in the wrong direction.

Hannah had been there for Louise's entire conversation, and when Vance angrily asked for answers, she stepped forward. "Commander, I was present during the conversation with Louise Park. Likely unbeknownst to her, I recorded the entire conversation. If no one minds, I would like to play it back for the group."

"Hell, why didn't you say so right away? Play it, play it." Vance seemed anxious, but calmed by the news, as Hannah went about replaying the things Louise and Firmia had discussed.

...

...

It was a rather quick conversation, only lasting around five minutes, but it held plenty of disturbing information, especially to Vance.

"Full scale attack, here, tomorrow. That has to be a bluff, that... There's no way they have the firepower to take HQ, that's ridiculous. What's giving them this confidence?"

Jess didn't know... And was surprised that Roxanna hadn't mentioned that bit to her before they'd left, but it was a hectic situation, no sense holding it against her.

"Alright, I'm gonna start with one thing. Miss Alkaev, do you have any idea why they want information on your machines specifically? You'd think they'd want information on everyone." Vance was a bit confused on that bit, arms folded, wondering what to do. If this Louise was... Louise... Louise Park. Louise Park? "Christ Alphonse, she was that soldier under your command, about three years ago. Same name, same voice. What the hell?" The revelations were dawning on Vance too quickly to keep up with things, as he sighed and waited for Firmia to try and answer. This was getting complicated, and worrying.

There was one other thing bothering Jess... Why did she mention me like that? And the way she mentioned things... Wh-What was she insinuating? Jess didn't get it, it almost sounded like Louise was calling her one of the spies... But that was preposterous! Absolutely asinine, that... That would be actually impossible, too many cameras were on her at all times, she was always around someone. Even if she wasn't aware of things... Ugh...

Edited June 28, 2018 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Phoenix]

Brant had taken a post at the back of the meeting room, out of the way and with a good view of the proceedings ... and he was grateful that he had. He didn't think Hannah's recording would be played back in full. Louise had brought up some very sensitive topics while pestering and threatening them: Chris' origins, as well as her sisters, Brant's troubles with the Captain, a taste of Firmia's feelings for the same. All of that was more or less out in the open, now. Thankfully Louise and the attack she mentioned was the main concern. Still, hearing himself back over the recording felt a little strange. He hadn't changed his mind about Louise; she was the worst person he'd ever had to deal with up to this point in time. He was more wary of himself, though. The only difference between writing her off like he had and doing the same to someone else was perspective. He had to be careful going forward.

Firmia got through the playback more easily than Brant, since she hadn't said or had anything embarrassing said about her. The only thing that particularly bothered her about her part in the exchange was her own threats. It felt like a bit much hearing it played back. She ... admittedly sounded like a dangerous gangster. They would probably chalk it up to the overwhelming danger of the situation, but just the same Firmia had played most of the cards in her hand and people probably knew how to maneuver around her, now. At least on the Avalon she would have some authority to work with.

Firmia didn't know how to address Vance's question, though. She certainly had some ideas, but all of that had been covered during the conversation. Firmia's tight security was an obvious starting point; if one of the moles was a mechanic, then Apotheosis likely had access to all the MS data with the exception of the AMS units. It may not have been the case, but Louise could have simply been trying to get the last pieces of data they were missing to put together a complete profile ahead of the attack. That would more or less exonerate Buck, since he'd been given access to help upgrade the pseudo V-drives ... among other things. The theory made sense, but that was more of a reason not to settle on it, in light of how little Apotheosis' actions seemed to make sense. On top of that, Firmia still wasn't convinced that her precautions had been enough to protect that data. Louise could have just been screwing around for her own amusement.

The only other thing that seemed plausible was the technology itself, though that seemed unlikely. The pseudo V-drives were inferior to both the ANF and Apotheosis variants. The transformation mechanism that made up the inner frame of the units was revolutionary, but it wouldn't give Apotheosis an advantage in the war when they could warp all over the place. Extra mobility was redundant. Firmia sighed. "I'm not sure, myself ... but I stand by my decision not to deal with her." At least not without a weapon in her hand.

[scorri]

Astin sat, staring at Esther, a small frown on their face, barely paying attention to the meeting going on around them. What is Vera's game? She wanted us to have figured out her sword, wanted a better challenge. Sure. That makes enough sense. But why leave her with us? Their scowl deepened, as they crossed their arms. It just didn't fit. The story about not wanting Esther to hero worship her, sure, fine. But surely there were ways to handle that within their organization. So why give Esther up to the ANF?

It would explain why Vera had shown up at all though. Clearly Louise hadn't needed an escort, given how easily she had rustled everyone's feathers and escaped unharmed. If even Hannah couldn't do anything to the barrier they had discussed in the recording, having a bodyguard along wasn't a necessary thing. Though that could have just been a flair for dramatic as much as anything else. A way to further throw the group off edge.

"Maybe she knows more..." Astin quietly murmured under their breath. It was true Esther had seemed to be completely caught off guard by the request and was still clearly unhappy with it all. Perhaps she'd be willing to talk to someone, even if she was technically a prisoner. Especially given how gently prisoners were treated around here. Yes, that could work. They just needed a bit more light shed on the subject. And sooner rather than later. Things needed to start making sense again. That much Astin was sure about.

[Ether]

Luckily enough for Kim, the time between the end of their beach adventures and the meeting had at the very least allowed her to compose herself. Granted, there wasn't much to say on the matter... the Lieutenant had been absent for the talks with their... friends, from Apotheosis, and thus didn't have much insight aside from what anyone who was simply passively aware that it had occurred could infer. At least she had managed to change out of her swimsuit? Some of the crew hadn't, so that was a small blessing... trying to think on what might have emboldened Apotheosis so, Seung-Min could at least submit a theory.

"Well... there are a few options, at least that I can think of. They could be attempting to... goad us into focusing our defenses here to... strike elsewhere. It is a tactic that they've already employed using their superior mobility... but even if we think that's the case, we can't afford to... call a bluff like that. We wouldn't even know where to divert resources. Otherwise..." Kim paused, not sure what to say in regard to her other theory. If what Chris said about moles was true, there was bound to be at least one in this room, if not several. But then again, it was so damn obvious that it wouldn't really be giving them ideas...

"We have witnessed... Apotheosis deploy several machines with incredible destructive potential... but never more than two at a time. If they were planning to... use all of their resources here, try to knock the ANF out of commission while the Heion Riese is... here at Central... they may believe that we can't defend against a single focused assault with what we have ready to deploy. It's safe to say that... if this base and the personnel contained were to fall... that the coast would buckle and break soon after. They might be trying to force down... the front door."

[Nanami Touko]

Unclear Motive

"You don't know... Ain't that peachy." Vance was annoyed, not particularly with Firmia, just that these people were so vague in their interests. Whatever they wanted on the Riese must've just been things they hadn't seen already. Vance had read the report on the apparent moles, and Louise had mentioned they didn't have eyes inside the Alkaev works. Must've just been that, then... Or so he hoped it was just that.

Jess was trying to think of what to add, but after the shock of the situation had started to wear off, she was stuck thinking on what Louise had mentioned of Brant. So they even know that much... That's not right. She gave him a glance, wondering how he was feeling about it. Louise was likely trying to rile him up with her comments, but they were pretty deep ones. Jess couldn't imagine he felt great, especially having everyone hear them.

"Does anyone have anything else they want to add, then?" Vance was rubbing his wonderfully bald head, wondering if there was anything anyone could even add to the situation, right now. Better to suggest it than not... "I'll give y'all a minute, then we're going over the battle plans. Miss Kim's got the idea, if it's a bluff, we can't call it, so we've gotta prepare defenses as best as we can here. If that snake monster decides to fly on it, we'll show it what for. I'm not gonna let them push us around just because they think they've got the better end of things." Vance at least seemed confident, though that was likely because the Riese was here.

[Shin]

It made sense that the day wouldn't end without a meeting, too much had happened for it to be delayed. The commander's exasperation at Apotheosis' infiltration made it very clear that the ANF was at a major disadvantage in multiple aspects. Not only could Vera and her allies outpower them in battle, but could they could come and go as they pleased. As he had thought before, the motives of their enemies were somewhat unusual. Tarquin noted that if Vera and Louise intended to remove the crew as a threat, they would have done so on the spot. Even Hannah was unable to touch Louise, nobody else would have stood a chance. There had to be something else that they wanted, Apotheosis was accumulating scientists to further their technology... but what value did warning the ANF bring?

"Terrorism is a combination of both physical force and psychological warfare. Apotheosis have been gathering technology to advance their goals. Both Doctor Watanabe and my own creator, Professor Liebenwalde, have joined their ranks. It would not be unsurprising if Miss Alkaev was considered to be either a possible source of technology or insider information." Tarquin added, figuring that Louise was less likely to have personal ties to any of the crew. "If Apotheosis are to attack Central, it would be serve as a demonstration of their power to the rest of the world. If they are able to cause any significant damage, it is likely to spread doubts about the ANF's ability to protect the public."

Elaine sat there anxiously, clenching the fabric of her trousers. Brant was the only one who knew about her communications with Louise, nobody else had any clue at all. Would it be useful information for them to know about her interests? It might help the ANF, but if people knew she was directly dealing with the enemy... going back to jail was the best outcome she could expect. "They seem to know all of us really well, so they know exactly what'll get our blood boiling." Elaine blurted out, making sure she actually contributed something. "They're gonna try and get into our heads either way, we'll have to fight them off somewhere in the end."

[Balcerzak]

The supreme commander wasn't handling the news well. But, then again, Apotheosis had just finished making the ANF looks like some poor high school's JV squad, so some ire was probably warranted. Still, shaking down the Riese crew for answers they couldn't possibly possess wasn't exactly a good look. Hannah's recording shed a little light on possible motives, but left the means of transportation as much in the dark as ever. The side conversation that cropped up between Vance and Alphonse just raised more questions, but none that Thorvald felt himself in position to ask. Not only that, but he didn't really have much in the way of answers to give either, unless the top brass changed their minds and decided to focus in on the situation with Vera's little sister. Such an unrelated family matter, a private request with little bearing on the more pressing matters at hand, wasn't something he was going to exactly volunteer himself.

Though that line of reasoning got him to thinking. "Apotheosis don't really seem to be all that unified. Despite ostensibly working together, even infiltrating the beach together, Vera and this Louise really didn't have any synergy. Maybe that's why, as Lieutenant Kim observed, we never really see a large group of their motherships at any one time. The organization as a whole may be pulled in so many directions by each of their operatives' different motives... If only there were some way we could figure out to use that to our advantage," stroking his chin Thorvald frowned a little.

[Shin]

"Individual agents appear to be aware of each other, but it is entirely possible they are all receiving individual orders from a higher command level, which they then impliment according to their own desires." Tarquin suggested, deciding that Thorvald had raised a valid point. In battle, they'd only seen one non-standard suit on the field, perhaps two at the very most. Did Apotheosis not want to send all their best or were they simply sending anyone who could get the job done. ""Whilst they've been modestly successful with their own assignments, we are yet to see an assault where multiple individuals are assigned to the same task. The top of Apotheosis are likely to delegate their missions, and then the next rung down are free to field whatever troops they wish."

An attack on central would be different though. It wasn't going to be a bunch of faceless enemies with their quirky field commander if Apotheosis were serious. Either it was going to be the most brutal assault in recent history, or it was a distraction for something more nefarious - choosing the wrong option would spell disaster in both cases. That would be for the ANF at least, Tarquin's desires to stop Apotheosis were far more personal than noble. If he could get another chance at the sniper, his personal vendetta would be resolved.

"A large scale assault on the ANF command would require a greater amount of coordination than we've seen before. Our knowledge about the individual agents such as Maxwell or Park is limited beyond the reports we currently have." he continued, at a loss of how they'd further investigate their foes. Their Apotheosis converts had all been grunts, Nikolai had known very little outside his squadron.

-

Elaine continued to sweat, it was almost like Tarquin was trying to single her out. The little turd was practically goading her to spill the beans about Louise, but he surely couldn't know... right? Elaine scratched her neck nervously, the conflict within her was getting too much for her - punching him into silence wasn't going to be an option. Was she going to be stuck in the middle, like a snake's toy? "They've gotta be pretty separate, Vera is really different than Louise. Like at the beach, Vera complained that Louise blew their cover... and she wanted us to take that Esther girl." Elaine suggested, building on the ideas of the others was a great way to blend in. "Like, why would Vera tell us to have her? They can't be that organised if they're doing that kind of stuff to each other."

It didn't quite make sense to her either, why would someone like Vera act like that? Were they really all that bad in Apotheosis, they weren't all the moustache twirling villains she first thought they were. Things were far easier when she was the hero, shooting the faceless villains - war was harder when the bad guys had faces... and weren't necessarily the bad guys.

[Xinnidy]

Meeting Time

The meeting had a hazardous atmosphere to it. Vance was livid at the news, and Alphonse, first to show up, kept a grim expression throughout the whole recording Hannah had brought to them. Alphonse kept from speaking until the moment Vance addressed the nature of the terrorist that had spoken with Firmia. "Yes... She was one of the soldiers under me in Canada. I remember that." The TKs could sense a spike of distress, although you didn't need to be one to see the revelation seemed to disturb him, at least slightly. "If former soldiers are with them, that could explain why they are better at infiltrating our security than hoped. Worse yet is this warping technology. I hope the android's analysis is correct." It was dire straits for the ANF, and Alphonse seemed to be taking moments to ponder on these matters. "Her personal desire must be revenge. I'm sure others in Apotheosis have a personal agenda, like that Lieutenant you've spoken of..." He turned a brief glance to Esther, expression clearly judging.

Esther herself was uncomfortable, cuffed, still in that swimsuit+hoodie cumbersome setup, and gameless. They had apprehended her games console, and that was the worst damper on her mood possible. She'd found a chair to sit down, but one feet tapped restlessly as she waited, trying to ignore the gazes at her. As an Apotheosis captive, she stuck out like a sore thumb, and it certainly felt uncomfortable to be in the middle of all of this. Nope, not gonna open my mouth. Not once. Let them be lost. As much as she had conflicting feelings over being dropped by her own Lieutenant out of nowhere, Esther still held loyalty to the terrorist group stronger than anything she did for the ANF.

Roxanna was among the few that felt discomfort in re-watching that moment with Louise. It was unfortunate to have it all play in front of her uncle, but perhaps it was for the best? He was still her uncle, after all, as much as their relationship was awkward and negative in recent times. "Y-yes... in the heat of the moment, she said her threat." It had completely slipped Roxanna's mind after going into warning mode... oh dear. Hopefully that wasn't grounds to fire her. "I believe they're going to do it. They feel they have the advantage, enough to bother us in a beach. To warn us of their next target is just... it just screams 'Apotheosis'. To me." Hopefully it was worthwhile insight...

Makoto himself, having got the chance to dress himself, was on the sidelines, watching. His mind, ruminating on what Vera had said on his father, was still too busy to pay any real attention to the discussion at hand. Words just passed by him... he didn't want to believe his father had a hand in this willingly. It was too much.

[Nanami Touko]

The Plan

"Hrrmmm... I'm thinking the same as Thorvald and Tarquin, which is why this attack sounds like it could be so dangerous. If they've only been working as single units before, if a group of them come together... No, we have a plan for this. And you're all going to learn it. As for the prisoner..."

"Uhm... Commander?" Christina spoke up suddenly, stepping forward a bit. "Vera said something, about... Not wanting the girl to idolize her. Look up to her, and become like her. At least... That was what she said. Either it's a trap, or... Or she's got her own human side, to her."

"Is that so?" Vance gave a small huff and glanced at the disheveled girl, shaking his head. "Can't take pity on them now. They've made their bed, time for us to make them lay in it. The captain can decide what to do with your new carry on. You've all got a surprising rate of turnover, I won't lie."

"Now! The plan, or the best we can do with what we know." A screen came up behind Vance, the ANF sure did like their visual presentations. But what showed on screen at first wasn't a plan of action, it was two machines... One that Aliza would recognize, and one no one possibly could. "We've got out own toys, and we plan to play nice. I've already spoken with your new friend Aliza, and she'll be piloting the ANFSRX0-2, code named Sagittae. It's a long range machine, heavily armored, decently mobile, and high powered... It's part of a new line we'd like to call 'Super Robots'. Call me old fashioned, but I've seen my fair share of cartoons growing up, and I'm sure some of you have as well. Y'may find it childish, but I took some inspiration... They've already been loaded onto the Riese. And I did say they."

The images changed into something resembling a tank... No, this was a video. The tank morphed and transformed into a standing machine, sword in one hand, cannon in the other. "And this... Is the ANFSRX0-1, code named Odin. Massive heavy support machine, heavily armed, not about to be dodging shots any time soon. It packs enough of a return punch to be worth it, though... And if any of you happen to be the spies we've been dealing with, by all means. Show your boss. This'll be the first time they lay eyes on them, good luck figuring them out past their pictures. I'm sure that damn snake machine doesn't know what's gonna hit it."

Speaking of hitting things, the images disappeared, Vance turning back towards the board and pulling out a marker... Ah, digital, he began to draw a map of the compound. It was rather detailed, who knew Vance had a hand for art? "The plan is to hit them with all we've got. We'll be setting up several waves of on site machines, with the Riese at the back, readjusting for the trajectory of their oncoming assault. If they warp in on a flank, it shouldn't be too hard to switch tactics and make it work. And if they warp behind us, well, they get to deal with the Riese, and the ANF's finest right away. Not exactly the smartest move for them. They haven't been able to deal with you yet, they aren't gonna pull out something that can manage so swiftly. The objective is going to be to protect HQ, as well as the Riese, and minimize casualties as best as we possibly can... But this is going to be a rather decisive battle. Come what may... Some of us may die. You're all soldiers, you should know that by now, but I want to make it clear. Pull no punches. Do not hesitate. They are here to kill you, unless you can do it first." Vance left the board up, turning back to face everyone, arms folded.

"Now. Last matter. Specialist Eriksson? You're in the Odin. Good? Good. Any questions, anyone?"

[Ether]

With her earlier sentiments echoed by a few others, with added potential explanations from what they might have heard from the Apotheosis agents when they arrived, it seemed the course of action was rather set. They couldn't afford to call a bluff, so they'd simply need to be prepared to strike back no batter what Apotheosis pulled. It was fairly simple as far as battle plans went, shaken up a bit as the screen came to life, Vance showing off... super robots? Weren't they from those japanese shows, the ones powered by how loudly the pilot could manage to scream? Kim supposed the name wasn't meant to be taken literally... still, it seemed the Heion Riese was to gain two more ANF prototypes. The ship had quickly risen to become what many might call the ANF's leading anti-Apotheosis mobile task force, in a sense... it would have been hard to imagine only a week ago... still, when Vance opened the floor to questions, Kim did have one.

"I have one, Commander. Perhaps a bit of a tangent, but I... worry about our anti-personnel measures. If Apotheosis can... warp its Lieutenants around at will, and they carry heavy enough defenses to stop blows from someone like Hannah... I took shots at Vera Maxwell on the Colony with my sidearm, and whatever her arms and legs are made of, it didn't even make a dent... and I would say I am likely the most heavily armed member of our crew... most of the time. I worry that we aren't properly equipped... for any engagement that's forced outside of mech suits."

Edited July 10, 2018 by Ether

[TheRoon]

Yeah she certainly did. A mech she never expected to pilot herself, she honestly expected another more experienced pilot to. But she wasn't going to raise objections at this point when she was chosen already. She'll just have to do her best not to let anyone down. With that in mind Aliza took a slightly modest nod when her name was brought up, with a bit of an incredibly silent giggle to sort of calm her own nerves. 'Super robots huh?' Truth be told Aliza was no stranger to cartoons herself, in fact she watched them a lot. Growing up as a kid, studying in her classes. Hell even some of her dates ended up with her and a show on screen depending on the mate for the night.

Off topic matters aside she quietly listened to the plan whilst taking her own notes, this time actually on topic and not on any girls in the room (ignore the small doodle in the corner of the page). Commander Vance's plan can be best described as "balls to the walls" involving many of their machines to hit the enemy with as much blunt force as possible while at the same time the Riese watched their backs for any spooky warps. Sounded very straight forward truth be told, but with her in the new archery based bot she had a feeling her contribution might be much bigger than she's expecting considering the whole "super robot" deal. Needless to say she was nervous, but she did her best to hide it behind her notebook.

[Phoenix]

Brant just barely caught Jessica's glance; he wished he hadn't. He wound up breaking eye contact immediately and focusing in on Firmia. She'd been quiet since answering Vance's question, and that meant she was probably figuring some things out. She definitely looked preoccupied.

Once Vance unveiled the two new suits, Firmia's eyes finally came up. It was strange to see another transforming mobile suit. The design philosophy behind it was completely different from an AMS unit, though. Those suits were flying cavalry, centered around mobility and aerial combat. This tankbot monster was a heavily armed, heavily armored behemoth that might finally match up to the Hyperions in terms of durability. Just maybe. The Sagittae was a strange creature, though its wings reminded her of some early AMS concepts, before the V-drive limitations forced them to simplify their designs, lighten them, and then simplify them some more. All in all, excellent additions to the Riese. It was just a shame about the captain and the other two moles they also had to deal with. Heaven forbid Thorvald was one of the moles.

Seung-Min was the first to speak up when Vance gave them another opportunity for a round of questions, and she pointed out the almost insurmountable disadvantage they had while on foot. Firmia had two thirds of a solution, already, but too much of it hinged on them not having to confront Apotheosis on foot for the next few days. Unless she was seriously underestimating the Avalon's production capabilities, Firmia doubted they had time to construct any new equipment from scratch along with handling the Mantle's Excel refit. She supposed she'd look into that first thing when she got back. If nothing else, they needed a way to defend the ship in case they were ever boarded.

"Well I'd say the doctor's the most heavily armed, myself," Tonya chimed in after Kim, "Do you know how many guns she's got locked up in that infirmary? Did one of you admirals sign off on that?" Brant wasted about one second wondering how Tonya had found out anything whatsoever about Doctor Amparo, but quickly realized that the two had been in contact thanks to his deal with Rosa. They'd talked about more than just Tonya's treatment. Brant didn't put much thought into the implied armory, since his own mental image was something like four or five custom pistols, nothing too hard hitting.

[scorri]

It seemed like everyone in their crew at this point had some sort of fancy mech. if anything, Astin was theworst in that regard, but they couldn't really complain. None of the suits they'd encountered beyond the Ceres were especially suited to their combat style, and they'd been doing plenty fine in it. Still, seeing new suit after new suit of cutting edge technology was enough to instill just a bit of jealousy. Something they had to keep reminding themselves was dumb for many reasons.

Esther wasn't speaking up it seemed, and glaring at her wasn't likely to change that, so with a quiet grumble, Astin shifted towards the rest of the group, catching the discussion of unarmed combat, something that was especially worrying to them. "Even if one of us is well armed, it doesn't really matter. Especially since she's not combat ready personnel. From what we've seen and what the Lieutenant has shared about her combat with Vera, if they chose to warp into our ship, it's going to be a problem.  Even if every single one of us was a walking armory, if they have anyone else like Vera in there, it will be a problem. For whatever reason, they haven't done that yet, but Kim is right to bring it up as a potential problem as we become more of a threat to them."

[Shin]

The reveal of the Odin and Sagittae rounded out the crew's arsenal of unique models, it would at least somewhat improve the technology deficit they were facing. That and it made the team sound like something from one of Makoto's robot cartoons, but it meant that each pilot could function within their own role. Tarquin's only qualm was the sheer potency of the Apotheosis machines, so far they'd required the most careful coordination to take out one as a group - they would probably lack such a luxury against multiple foes. Complex defensive formations would work against ordinary foes, but Vera's machine would likely cut through them as if they were tissue paper. Vance talked of it being a battle where lives would be on the line, it was all well and good when one was sitting comfortably as far away from the action as possible. Faceless soldiers in generic units were unlikely to fare well against the incoming threat, but it was the nature of war - not everyone could come home at the end of the day and proclaim their self-identified heroism.

"From the information we have, Apotheosis agents only utilise their warp technology on foot when they are certain the scenario plays out according to plan. As potent as Maxwell is in combat, even she would be unable to defeat an entire military base." Tarquin replied, applying his earlier logic once again. If they truly wanted to kill the Heion Riese's crew, warping Vera in before they arrived at central would have been the optimum strategy. Either they were unwilling or unable to do so. "The perceived risk of losing her is likely not worth the damage she would be able to cause. Still, it would be best to remain cautious in case of deviation from their established behavioural patterns."

Life or death? Elaine could feel her heart racing, it was kill or be killed... would she have to face Louise directly? The thought of it made her shiver, but the new robots they were getting made her feel slightly better. She gave Aliza a satisfied grin, seeing her friend in something that looked good was something she could look forward to. Her own robot was starting to look lame in comparison, especially after that little shit Tarquin tried to shoot it up. She'd have to talk to Avery or Buck to get it ready before the next battle, otherwise she might as well wear a red shirt during it. There were a few things that she wanted to ask, Commander Vance seemed to know Louise - this might be her only chance to learn about her.

"Uh... Commander Vance? Do you know anythin' about Louise Park? If she's as crazy as she sounds... well, I was hoping we could figure her out a bit." Elaine blurted out, trying to conceal her own interests as those which could help the group. Tarquin cast her a curious look, which only made Elaine sweat even more. "We've seen a fair bit of Vera, so we kinda know what we're dealing with... but she's another fighter worth keepin' an eye on."
 

[Balcerzak]

There was a bit more discussion on the apparent fractured nature of Apotheosis's upper ranks, but without anything solid to go on it seems like they were simply spinning their wheels. Mostly agreement that it seemed probable, but that they lacked any way to truly exploit it as a weakness. It seemed just another thing to keep in the back of their mind, in case a situation did arise.  Alphonse's confirmation that what Louise had said in Hannah's recording was accurate was likewise inactionable, although it did lend some credence to the notion that she likely was not bluffing, like Lieutenant Kim had suggested was possible, even while acknowledging they couldn't afford to treat it as one either way. All of this left the commander to move discussion to their actual plan, allowing for adjustments to be suggested, and its details to be implemented.

Or, at least that's where Thorvald had assumed he was going when Vance started in on his presentation. Before the actual operation outline, however, came the surprise revelation of a couple of new additions to the ANF arsenal. The commander somewhat affectionately referred to the new models as 'super robots', which felt a touch quaint, but in a warm, loving way. The first unveiled was a model built for ranged artillery, and one he couldn't help but feel was more akin to a trebuchet, catapult, or ballista, rather than a bow--despite taking its name from an mythical archer. The second appeared to be a modular, self-reconfiguring robot--somewhat akin to the Alkeav models though clearly its construction was approached from a very different set of guiding principles. Built with bulk providing its principle component of momentum, rather than velocity, it promised itself as a juggernaut that would steamroll through enemy fire, providing a wedge of safety in its wake. It was a niche he could certainly get behind, and Thorvald indicated his approval with a low whistle of appreciation. 

Unlike with the Sagittae, the chosen pilot was not assigned before moving directly into outlining a warmap, with locations and positions to best handle the presumed paths of approach Apotheosis may take. There weren't any obvious flaws in the formation, not that he could see anyway, so Thorvald remained mostly quiet until Commander Vance called out his name. "Sir?" came the quick, questioning acknowledgement before the man quickly assigned him to their newest machine. The Odin. Its namesake was the ruler of war and wisdom. He would have big shoes to fill, but as squad leader, that was pretty much always his duty. Fitting, all around. "Sir!" he confirmed with a salute, eagerly accepting the continued responsibilities, hopefully whose weight would be a little lighter with the new robots expanded capabilities.

The floor was now opened for questions, and for the moment, Thorvald had nothing that he didn't feel was a waste of everyone's time. The details of his new, beyond what were illustrated in the little introduction movie, were a topic better suited to him going and pulling aside Avery later, and if she didn't know, then presumably the two of them could work it out and learn together. Without additional intel, the strategy laid out seemed about as sound as they could get it, with no real points of contention. Lieutenant Kim did bring up an interesting dilemma, how they might need to defend themselves in a one-on-one on foot scenario at some point, and with the crew being relatively unaugmented, their capabilities did seem to suffer in comparison to those of the known cyborgs, and genetically enhanced clones. The small scale warp technology made this into a much bigger wrinkle than it might otherwise have been.

"Even if they're not willing to risk Vera, like you say," Thorvald bounced off of Tarquin's valid point, "We should still do a little more preparation in case they decide to throw some of their grunts at us. As much as it pains to have to consider, constantly keeping a sidearm on your person, and maybe making sure not to wander alone might have to become the new norm. I don't know just how far we should consider taking precautions before prudence turns into paranoia, but it will definitely need to be a conversation we'll have to have, given these new realities."

[Xinnidy]

Complications

Alphonse's gaze only seemed sterner as he stared down the captive girl. After what Christina had told the Commander, it seemed things took up new meaning. "I see. Another personal agenda at play, most likely..." One would think holding a captive like that could be dangerous, especially since they didn't know if the warping limitations could be bypassed by such a bold move... but speculating was rather pointless. "If all they needed was an infiltrator to warp themselves to an ANF facility, I doubt this girl would be the most of our problems. Her treatment will be your decision as captain, Gefalscht." It was rather complicated, tension with the Alkaev girl and Roxanna were certain to make the atmosphere of yet another captive choice weigh heavier on Jessica, but at least the latter had been verbally beaten-down some.

"The Super Robot line... it doesn't take the best pilot to make a dent with them, so we're hoping even more from the Riese crew." Alphonse held back a chuckle, perhaps a bit more embarrassed than Vance about the naming convention. "It won't take long for you both to acclimate to the machines, but I recommend getting used to them as soon as you head back." As for the matter on personnel fighting... "In general, I fear Apotheosis' soldiers are augmented and highly qualified for foot combat, but you do have a Colony Android with you. For whatever reasons she has to follow you." The Riese was too full of surprises to bat an eye, but Alphonse did wonder at some point how that had developed. "Play it safe. The Riese does have its ammunition room, although I'm pretty sure it does not lie right next to the infirmary." Now, that was another logistic nightmare to keep track of.

 

"If i may... I think even in the back, we're going to be their primary targets. With the talk of moles, the opportunity is perfect for them." Roxanna chimed in, still not knowing of an answer. "We'd better not keep ourselves too isolated, in any case." At least she was helping, kind of. "They can still warp machines."

[Nanami Touko]

Open it up

Now the crew was starting to speak, making Vance a lot more calm about their current situation. If they were willing to talk, they were willing to work. First, came a question from Kim about their chances in a melee situation. A few others spoke up on it, that Tonya mentioning something about the doctor's supplies, Tarquin suggesting that the enemy's best soldiers wouldn't be worth an on foot assault. Perhaps, perhaps... Thorvald decided to play on the edge of caution, after beautifully accepting his new station, and Alphonse seemed convinced they were almost safe enough, with that android on board. Most definitely, but a little bit more wouldn't hurt.

"Right... There's nothing beyond another Hannah that we could supply for actual defense against Vera. From the security footage at Corona Ten, she's quite literally a one woman army. While I appreciate Tarquin's faith in our base's equipment, while we could likely stop her, the body count would be immense. Depending on who she made her way to, that could be crippling. It's not something we'd like to risk here, let alone on the Riese. So, I said to myself, why not more Hannahs?" Vance gestured back to the screen, the battle plans switching to a screen of several androids... Hannah shot up immediately.

"Those are my sisters! They were okay?"

"Not exactly okay, but we managed to put 'em back together real nice. They aren't anywhere near as talkative as you are, though... Between the Riese and miss Alkaev's new ship, we'll be giving them three and two respectively. As they are far less intelligent than your Hannah, I wouldn't expect riveting conversation, but as demonstrated on Colony One, they'll provide more than enough defense against any encroaching boarding threats. Even Vera." There was an important points Vance had to make, though he did hesitate a moment before making it.

"They are still machines, as you are, Hannah, so you will need to watch out for EMPs. I've no idea how effective an Apotheosis assault would be with all their electronics malfunctioning, but I doubt that will stop Vera. If they employ those tactics, you'll have to rely on your own arms, and I would expect Captains Gefalscht and Alkaev to properly outfit their crew."

"Sir yes sir!" Hannah said with a salute, more than happy to have her other series around.

"Of course, sir." Jessica was getting a bit blindsided by all of this information. Super robots, new androids, these plans of attack... Vance was ready, at least. That was good. Jess just had to do a good enough job of following through on these directives. She could manage that, right? I hope so.

"As for Miss Amparo's armory... Yes, that was okayed by higher ups, and despite the worry of infiltration upon the Riese, I can promise that she has no dealings with the terrorist group. Not this one, at least... In any case, the medical bay would likely be the safest and most well armed place to be in the event of a raid on the ship. I would suggest everyone equip themselves and make their way there, as quickly as possible, if such a thing occurs." Hopefully, that would work well enough.

As for... Louise Park. Vance turned a grim gaze towards Alphonse, not speaking again for a moment, as if a weight had been cast upon him. "I'm leaving her details to Alphonse. If he wishes to share them with you, then he may. Otherwise, only Captain Gefalscht has access to that information... It's not a pretty spot on our vice admiral's record. Now I still believe he made the correct choice, in the end, but... Correct, and right, tend to blur in these organizations." Vance could only wonder why it had to be Louise. Anyone else... But it had to be her, with a vendetta stronger than titanium.

Edited July 14, 2018 by SnakeMomMelissa