>>4660907
ROLL FOR INITIATIVE (DC: 4)
>Use PSYCO? (+5)? (1d20)
>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)

Current Status Screen: >>4620125

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4660914
>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)

No way to fail. Eagle Eye should also trigger.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4660914
>>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4660914
>>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)

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You have to give them credit. Hiding in the shadow of a Cordium disruption layer was a stroke of genius … but the fact that they’d installed AA bunkers of a sort instead of something more potentially damaging (never mind the fact that AA fire was a more proven scalper than that of another enemy wing) had you taking off points for decision-making.

Then again … maybe it was just common sense not to have treated Cordium-based materials more volatile than bullets within the vicinity of open deposits.

You roll right out of formation, cutting towards the forest canopy with a hard bank to keep the guns from following right in pursuit, absently glancing outside your canopy to check if Wight had been tagged in the chaos of your split … only to curse out loud as you concede your mercies to gravity, yet another AA volley lighting up the widening gulf between you and your squad-mate. The F-15 rolls violently on your command, the streaks of tracer rounds speeding past your cockpit and prompting you do dig in lower, your hands gripping the controls tightly with the realization that the enemy had mounted themselves up on the hill-side of the slope rolling towards the cliff east-ward. Not quite ready to relinquish your authority on the plane just yet, you break further left, rolling around as rounds make an attempt at catching you at the cross. Your plane groans at the Gs of your angle of approach, the bunkers, barely visible to the naked eye, training around for their first tag of the day.

If they ever got one, it wouldn’t be before you got yours.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, Elaine
<< Is this your idea of fun, Wizard? >>

She says it as the indicator blinks red.

Recovering on a flat was one thing.

Banking this low while evading oncoming ground fire was another thing.

It took a lot more for a plane to roll around at an angle where guns could just swing to meet … and your hypothesis crawls ever closer with the seconds of your approach on the flat, a bare ten, fifteen feet from the trees below. The whistle and blare of the rounds has Elaine casting a worried gaze up at you. The strain of your straight has your shoulders feeling as though they’re being bent at the bone. Your eyes are wide, your breathing alternating between deep and shallow as your nose slowly but surely trains towards the present, visible hostiles.

What were you waiting for?

AWACS Andromeda
<< Hostiles are up! >>

The IFF beeps, its update received.

That.

That was what you were waiting for.

CURRENT TARGET LIST
>6 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>2 Destroyers (Inactive)
>4 Helicopters (Active)
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)
>6 AA (Ground)
>4 L-SAM (Ground)
>6 SAM (Ground)
>20 Tents

>Choose Eagle Eye Target

>>4661014
>>6 Air Cruiser (Inactive)

>>4661020
same

>>4661014
>6 Air Cruiser (Inactive)

>>4661014
>6 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
I don't know what they are but they sound valuable, vulnerable and time-dependent

By the way, don't forget to archive the previous thread on suptg (assuming it's the QM who does that?).

File: Go ahead, let it take off(...).jpg (88 KB, 1200x641)

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Your kill’s an easy pick from the herd.

The slow.

The weak.

The sleeping.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Missile away! >>

The explosion is understated, but still present. Your missile cleaves the sleeping giant in half, the fireball immediately extinguished by the chassis’s breakage, groaning and cracking before ultimately sinking under the waves, steam and smoke marking the night’s first kill of the night. An explosion of radio chatter comes over the comms, with platoon leaders and soldiers scrambling into a defense that they had not expected to mount. You’d cut in at a dead angle, passing by the defense of the AA bunkers and rolling up the coast around the slope and cliff … a suicidal angle of attack for a plane of your make and purpose. Punching it, you roll right out of your current course, banking around to keep yourself from being fried by any opportune rockets, the sea pulling out right beneath you as you arm yourself for your second angle …

This time, with a partner-in-crime

Garm Six, Wight
<< Naval force? They did say that this was a naval settlement, right? >>

Wight is almost hysterical.

Garm Six, Wight
<< I’m pretty sure that cruisers aren’t boats! >>

AWACS “Andromeda”
<< Cruisers?! >>

Garm Six, Wight
<< They’re still on the ground. Wizard, we can’t let any of them take off! >>

>Take care of the auxiliary forces first
>Concentrate on the cruisers
>Write-In

>>4661063
>>Write-In
>Have Wight start hitting the auxiliary force first while you continue to pound away at the cruisers

>>4661070
Supporting.

>>4661070
same

>>4661070
Supporting

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>Have Wight start hitting the auxiliary force first while you continue to pound away at the cruisers

Garm Six, Wight
<< If you’re sure, Wizard. I’ll make sure to tag the ones coming from up top. Make sure to watch out for any activated weapons systems. It’s only a matter of time before those Destroyers come online. >>

She breaks off inland, disappearing behind the shadow of the disruption layer.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Objectives updated, Lieutenant Igarashi. >>

You hit the throttle.

Enemy Soldier
<< God damn it, I wanted those things up in the air three hours ago, Gonzalez! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< I’m sorry, sir, we’ve been having issues re-calibrating the comm shielding for the flight group! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< You don’t get those birds up in the air, this whole operation’s going to go up in smoke! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, without proper shielding, you’ll risk the intelligent systems going hay-wire mid-flight once it breaches the hundred foot layer! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Time’s up, soldier. Get those cruisers up in the air, pronto! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< De puta madre … >>

Enemy Soldier
<< I want that coast-line lit up. Get those lights on. I did not requisition those God-damn generators just for warm showers! >>

You roll back towards the coast, weapons hot.

The search lights light up the coast-line.

Elaine
<< Let’s roast some turkeys, partner! >>

Your thumb presses on the safety.

CURRENT TARGET LIST
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>2 Destroyers (Inactive)
>4 Helicopters (Active)
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)
>6 AA (Ground)
>4 L-SAM (Ground)
>6 SAM (Ground)
>20 Tents

>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 4)
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 4)

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>4662540
>>2 Destroyers (Inactive)
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 4)

>>4662540
>2 Destroyers
>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 4)
Can we Multi-Lock?

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4662540
>2 Destroyers (Inactive)
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 4)

>>4662567
Yes. Just specify the THREE targets if you do (1+2)

>>4662620
Ok then
>Air Cruiser
>2 Destroyers
as targets

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4662540
>>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 4)

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You can feel the ailerons cry out under the stress of your turn. Flying low to keep yourself from being strafed by the SAMs, you find Elaine’s targeting systems severely hampered by the angle of your approach, especially flying this low to the ground. The channel chatter is one of panic … and procedure. You hear the soldiers scampering towards their battle stations, the pillars of light streaking through the air in an attempt to mount up a defense. Eyes narrowed and systems marking out your targets, you find your conservative manner of defensive flying an unexpected restraining bolt in your attempt at a follow-up strike. The lock-on alert of the enemy forces has your HOTAS discipline at an almost instinctual stand-still, the hiss of the F-15’s turbines almost accusing you of unwarranted, uncharacteristic hesitation.

Only you could be crazy enough to let the groan of an aircraft chassis be interpreted as evidence of doubt.

So you do.

The alerts sound. The sudden shift in motion from diagonal yaw control into sudden climb has the controls whining and screaming. Your eyes glance from one side of the canopy to another, the stall warning beginning to sound right as you hit the afterburners, rolling from the climb to a dive within moments. The alert goes from a whine to a hard buzzer as you accelerate, spinning and weaving through anti-air munitions as though you’re participants in a twisted game of chicken.

Elaine
<< Wizard, you’re weaving right into their kill-box! >>

You know.

Elaine
<< I’m reading a potential structural compromise! >>

Probably.

Elaine
<< Wizard! >>

You smirk as you snap the trigger home.

Elaine
<< Missile away! >>

Protocols always beat panic.

Instead of an understated explosion, your dive and volley garners you eruptions of electric flames. You couldn’t have done it from your previous position; while the validity of plugging from a distance was an unquestioned, effective approach … the systems couldn’t have properly marked up the inactive craft’s vital points from your previous attacking vector.

The results, however, speak for themselves.

Elaine
<< That’s another three for the books! >>

The missiles hit each of the targets in vital areas: the Destroyer magazines ignite in a brilliant green and red plume prior to destination, tearing titanic holes through the hull of each ship as though they’d been boiled soda cans left out in the sun. One of them immediately lists, while the other, almost comically, rolls forward, looking like a lawn dart that had missed the distance marker. The cruiser, in contrast, merely cracks in half at being hit in its exposed spine, half its body vanishing under the waves.

The alert screams, making itself known once more.

Elaine
<< Wizard, I don’t think they’re particularly happy about that! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Months of preparation … blow that bastard out of the sky! >>

>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)
>EVASION (DC: 5)

>>4664347
>Evasion Reversal
This will have between a 130% and 40% chance of success based on Mech's roll. Average should be a 80% chance.

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4664347
>>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>4664356
>>4664381
GM EVASION REVERSAL ROLL. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS POST.

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>>4664402
>CHOOSE TARGET

CURRENT TARGET LIST
Grounded:*
>3 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)
>6 AA
>4 L-SAM
>6 SAM
>20 Tents

Airborne:
>4 Helicopters

>>4664422
>>8 Helicopters (Inactive)

>>4664422
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)

>>4664422
>3 Air Cruiser (Inactive)

>>4664422
>3 Air Cruiser (inactive)

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Elaine
<< They’re right on us, Wizard! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Protect the remaining air cruisers at all costs! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Almost done, sir! Two minutes until we have the systems up! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< I don’t want to see an inch of clean sky: fire at will!

The alert cries out again.

Elaine’s panicked look would have prompted a chuckle and a tease if it weren’t for the fact that it was very much warranted. The F-15 swerves violently, performing a deadly aerial pirouette as you find yourself in the midst of a bright kill-box of launched projectiles, courtesy of the activated SAMs. Elaine handles masterfully under your hands, rolling and weaving through the strafes of enemy fire and opportunistic missile launches at a horizontal angle before being thrown into a violent climb in an attempt to curb the SAMs of their homing habit. The missile alert blares in your ear as the distance of four projectiles accelerate with you, the smart systems trailing upwards as another three projectiles zoom across in a failed attempt to catch you at your climb’s summit, twisting some three thousand feet up and a hundred feet too far with the quick shift of the afterburner into a full, brief, stop … and watch the fireworks.

Or rather, the lack thereof.

The flurry of launches had unwittingly made for nothing more than a yarn ball of interference, each missile charting a course that its friend had not. With that delay, the attack had caught you on what was effectively the underside of the disruption layer, where your quick shift of the throttle and a flicker of a recovery over the ominous orange glow of the untreated Cordium wound … where the split-second of separation in the moments to impact kill them dead in their tracks. The missiles sputter, now mere smoking cylinders, plummeting towards the earth.

Elaine
<< I suggest you don’t make a habit of using raw Cordium wounds as signal jammers, Wizard. >>

As if you could.

The physics of the situation were highly exceptional.

The rattle and buzz of the AA weaponry, however, has no such reservations.

The F-15 rolls and dives for the coast on your command, the quick rounds of the bunkers’ guns out of sight within seconds, your aggressive methods of evasion chaining seamlessly together into another attacking run. You waste no time picking the remainder of your targets, the hum of your missile tone indistinguishable from a hymn in a church.

Elaine
<< Missile away! >>

One.

Two.

Three.

The exposed shielding only makes it easier.

Three smoking wreckages sink under the waves.

>>4664573
MISSION PROGRESS:
You:
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
Garm 06, Wight:
>2 Helicopters

>CHOOSE TARGET

CURRENT TARGET LIST
Grounded:
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)
>6 AA
>4 L-SAM
>6 SAM
>20 Tents

Airborne:
>2 Helicopters

>>4664576
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)
Down the chain of value

>>4664576
>>4 L-SAM

>>4664576
>Helicopters Active
unless Wight is about to tag both of them, in that case, the inactive helicopters

>>4664576
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)

>>4664576
>>8 Helicopters (Inactive)

>>4664576
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)

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Garm Six, Wight
<< And that makes their heavy lifters taken care of. Nice one, Wizard; now let’s clean the rest up. >>

You nod, marking the next set of targets.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Engaging ground targets … fire! >>

The grounded helicopters explode in a flaming shower of hot shrapnel, blades and engine parts flying all over as panicked personnel make a break for shelter. Your bank around the beach line, confirming your kill with a glance towards the top of your canopy before accelerating into a climb and a roll to re-engage the next line of targets, one eye on the alert and the other on the flaming coastline-cum-forward base, careful to keep your altitude manageable enough to not blind your instruments from lingering in the Cordium disruption layer on approach … right as the warnings go off and have you doing so.

Eighteen hundred feet it is.

You hope Elaine doesn’t curse you out too much.

AWACS “Andromeda”
<< I’m getting some interference on sensor penetration, Wizard. You might not want to stick around too long on top of that wound. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< What’s the count, Wallach? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, the last of the air cruisers are gone … the enemy fighters are using our own tactics against us. Our missile tracking systems destabilize at fifteen hundred feet and we go blind and reset once they go over. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Damn it all … we gambled and lost. Any word on the advance force? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< We’ve been trying to get through to them, but … >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Stand fast, Corporal. We’re not out just yet. Man the guns; let’s show these cowards how real soldiers meet their maker! >>

The alerts blare out again on your approach.

>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)
>EVASION (DC: 5)

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4665778

>>4665782
Please pick one and re-roll.

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4665778
>>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>4665778
>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4665778
>>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4665786
>>4665790
>>4665794
GM EVASION REVERSAL ROLL. DO NOT RESPOND.

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On any other air-frame, your evasive maneuvers would have resulted in bent joints and compromised chords … but Amaterasu hadn’t cut corners making the craft’s resilience live up to its investment. Rolling and juking, Elaine spins at your command, motioning into what is almost a still, parabolic motion as the SAMs streak right past your wing tips before your afterburners and the presence of gravity return; the Eagle’s claws stretch out, mirroring its namesake with your entry into yet another attacking run, eyes forward and narrow on the vulnerable stretch of military-grade equipment, ripe of the taking.

Garm Six, Wight
<< Holy God above, Wizard … >>

The sound of your weapons coincides with the exhalation of your warm breath.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, Elaine
<< Let’s let ‘em loose, partner! >>

>CHOOSE TARGET

CURRENT TARGET LIST
Grounded:
>5 Helicopters (Inactive)
>6 AA
>4 L-SAM
>6 SAM
>20 Tents

Airborne:
>2 Helicopters

>>4665926
>3 AA

>>4665926
>6 SAM
lets take off a bit of the heat shall we?

>>4665926
>6 SAM

Just to check if I'm remembering correctly, evasion reversal is a bo2 roll against the gms roll plus modifiers right?

>>4665967
Our rolls are averaged then have any modifiers added. GM's rolls are straight with modifiers then added.

>>4665786 >>4665790 and >>4665794 averaged to 12.3 with no modifiers added.

>>4665912 was a 8 after the -7 modifier was applied. We succeeded by 4.

>>4665930
Supporting and i agree

All right, lads, I'll be up and running in about an hour unless there are objections.

>>4668746
No! Stop the quest! Don't run!
jk, why would we say that?

We really should take down the helicopters, pretty sure in a dog fight, helicopter are damn lethal vs jets

Weaving through missile trails is harder than it looks.

The screaming alerts are more of a distraction than ever.

Flipping the F-15 over, you belt out a climb and roll, banking in the follow-up and almost giving yourself motion sickness in taunting the missiles to shoot over their mark. Spinning clock-wise and banking down, you track the whistling streaks of white, eye-balling yourself past the cliffs and rolling around as the L-SAM lock-ons grab you too close to take you head-on … and allow you to take care of the more immediate threat. You bank at the cliff face, pitching left and up, right over the edge as Elaine cycles through eligible targets like a secretary on a time-table, the indicators and sensors warning you of the cluster right at the back of your head … which prompts you to turn and roll again, flicking the switch and homing in on the launch pods, your weapons ready to feast again.

Like a rhythm to a dance, the pull of the trigger has you verbally reciting the pace of your approach … and the results are immediate.

Enemy Soldier
<< Don’t let up. That bastard’s bound to make a mistake soon. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, the advance force is on the comm. They’re under attack by Orleasian interceptors! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< What about the fighter escort? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< No word, sir, but I think they’re holding so far. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Then we better spare them the same courtesy. Knock those bastards out of the sky! >>

The green light shines on your instruments.

Garm 03, Ransom
<< Hey, Wizard. How’re you holding up out there? You know that prolonged exposure to Cordium has adverse effects on male fertility, right? >>

There are snickers all-round.

>Write-In

>>4668973
>jokingly tell Ransom you are touched about his concern about your fertility but you dont swing that way and you're pretty sure guys cant get pregnant.
time to rib the kouhai kek

>>4668976
>Supporting

>>4668976
supporting

>jokingly tell Ransom you are touched about his concern about your fertility but you dont swing that way and you're pretty sure guys cant get pregnant.

Garm 03, “Ransom”
<< Glad to hear that your biology’s up to speed with your piloting skills. >>

Garm 03 Flight Intelligence, “Tessa”
<< We’ve just finished making a clean sweep of our AO and are en route back to base. How’s your progress with your objectives? >>

The alerts scream again.

Garm 06, “Wight”
<< Wizard, they’re onto us! >>

You’re forced into another climb.

>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)
>EVASION (DC: 5)

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4669229
>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4669229
>EVASION (DC: 5)

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You’re careful not to breach the disruption layer.

Not that you had to be particularly careful, but the last thing you wanted right now was to risk a mid-air collision with your wing-man just because you’d decided input delay and a frazzled sensor algorithm was the serving of the day. Talia and Wight manage well enough, breaking off from their attack run and making a safe breach for the coast-line while you take your chances in-land, having to manage with an approach vector to the west and the inevitable reveal of your recovery. Elaine is an extension of your will, compensating in areas that no other F-15 off the line would be able to do otherwise, adjusting the ailerons and control surfaces to match your reflex into textbook SAM evasion maneuvers, creaking left and bowing down for the over-shoot and distance establishment, burning out the fuel of the onslaught amid the din of multiple lock-on alerts. The sensors track the remaining projectiles closing in on the bank, prompting you to take the risk and make an AOA at the impact trajectory.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< It’s gonna be close! >>

You kill the engines.

The crack of the explosion shakes the craft, stuffing your ears with invisible cotton. The F-15 goes form a flat-spin into a dive, the stall warning coming to life as the controls, over-exerted from the extremes you’d pushed them to, enter an unwanted stasis.

Which would have been terrible, of course … if you didn’t have someone backing you up.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Override! >>

Her voice is music to your ears.

The roar of the afterburners and the systems turning blue is the accompaniment.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Could you at least warn me next time you’re planning on transitioning through a four-stage recovery? >>

>Comment that it’s in her programming—and your job description—for her to get used to each other to the point that such commands are made from being a synchronous flight team
>Apologize; tell her that you may have over-estimated her anticipation of your habits
>Say that the fact that she was able to do it at all speaks volumes of how well the both of you work together
>Shrug nonchalantly
>Write-In

>>4669302
>>Say that the fact that she was able to do it at all speaks volumes of how well the both of you work together

>>4669302
>>Say that the fact that she was able to do it at all speaks volumes of how well the both of you work together

>>4669302
>Say that the fact that she was able to do it at all speaks volumes of how well the both of you work together

File: Flatterer.jpg (30 KB, 600x335)

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Elaine turns away, huffing.

The grin that she wears in unmistakable, however.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Flatterer. >>

You move to re-engage.

>CHOOSE TARGET

CURRENT TARGET LIST
Grounded:
>8 Helicopters (Inactive)
>6 AA
>2 L-SAM
>3 SAM
>20 Tents

Airborne:
>2 Helicopters

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>3 SAM
Garm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>2 Helicopters

>>4670052
>>3 SAM
keep on plucking away

>>4670052
>3 SAM

>>4670052
>3 SAM

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One pass.

Three launches.

Three fireballs and another round of panicked cries.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Three more for the day, aw-right! >>

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< W-Wait, is this a competition? No one told me this was a competition! >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< This isn’t a competition, Talia … and even if it was, ground targets aren’t valid tallies. >>

The two remaining airborne enemy units immediately vanish from your RADAR, with the sight of two brief, orange-green mid-air explosions taking their place in the upper left of your canopy, now mere markers to her point of emphasis.

>Remark that ground-to-air fire has taken down more planes in human history than the missiles and bullets of an enemy pilot and therefore technically valid as notches
>Concur; the tallies are for your equals, not ground objectives
>Inform the bunch of them that you never cared much for keeping score: coming home alive and with a green stamp and another to spend your pay-check mattered more to you than the superficiality of a kill tally
>Jokingly remark that land battleships are exceptions to the rule
>Write-In

>>4670104
>>Jokingly remark that land battleships are exceptions to the rule

>>4670104
>Jokingly remark that land battleships are exceptions to the rule

>>4670104
>Remark that ground-to-air fire has taken down more planes in human history than the missiles and bullets of an enemy pilot and therefore technically valid as notches
thats probably how the Red Baron went down

>>4670104
>Remark that ground-to-air fire has taken down more planes in human history than the missiles and bullets of an enemy pilot and therefore technically valid as notches

>>4670104
>Okay, maybe they count as half a tally.
>>4670113
Manfred von Richthofen is believed to have been fatally wounded by a bullet during a dogfight.

>>4670118
Actually, immediately scrap that. He was hit in the dogfight, but the bullet likely came from the ground though nobody is quite sure where from.

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>Jokingly remark that land battleships are exceptions to the rule

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Like that one? >>

Wha—?

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Huh? >>

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Eh? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, is this really wise? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< What choice do we have? >>

No.

No.

They couldn’t be that—

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< I have visual! >>

—stupid.

Rumbling and moaning, what you had dismissed as a mere bunker in the shadow of the cliff and slope, rolls a monstrosity of a machine, its systems lighting up a flurry of IFF updates on your screen. Rolling around for a better look, you let out a groan of irritation as you see lines upon lines of cannons and RADARs whirring into life, its titanic treads hauling the miniature fortress that rested upon its chassis. Thick metal armor, a nose so hideously pronounced it could have put race cars to shame … there is no mistaking just what the monstrosity was.

!!CAUTION!! =][= LAND BATTLESHIP SUPER TAURUS=][= !!CAUTION!!


Enemy Soldier
<< Divert all power to the railguns! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, that’s not how it works. >>

The railgun fires, regardless. It’s off target by about fifty degrees, but it fires.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< You have got to be kidding me. Are you seeing this? >>

Garm One, “Solo”
<< Garm Six, I read you: what’s your status? >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< They have a Super Taurus >>

There’s a ring of guffaws through the comms.

Garm Three WSO, “Sensei”
<< Really? So that’s what they needed all those logistical lines for … >>

You roll left, dodging an incoming beam, diving for the ground before leveling out and turning around, your eye on the behemoth that—with its array of dancing railgun turrets and active anti-air weaponry—resembls a half-finished idol singer’s stage more than a massive mobile weapons platform. The thing looks so dated that you doubt you could exchange it for a teenager’s first car; not to mention the environmental implications that came with how loud its power plant was. Regardless of your opinion, however, the land battleship rolls forth, crushing coastal flora and making large mud tracks in its wake, its beams slicing through the air in an attempt to catch something to justify its existence.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< That counts! You said it counts! >>

Talia and Wight slot in to your left, forming a wing.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< You did say it, Wizard. >>

>Write-In

>>4670253
>Lets get this boss fight started and argue about how to score it later.

>>4670253
>That I did you two, now lets take it down.

>>4670253
buzz the land battleship

File: BOOM BOOM.png (1.81 MB, 1920x1080)

1.81 MB PNG

>That I did you two, now lets take it down.

==============================================================
!!CAUTION!! =][= LAND BATTLESHIP SUPER TAURUS =][= !!CAUTION!!
==============================================================

You begin your attacking run.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< I won’t lose! Even if it’s you, Wizard! >>

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Such enthusiasm! All right, let’s show ‘em our teamwork, partner! >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Let’s be all that we can be, Talia. >>

It’s nice to see Talia and Wight were getting along so well.

SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>6 AA
>6 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>2 RADAR
Vital Points
>2 Motor Compartment [x]
>1 Forward Compartment [x]
>1 Auxiliary Deck [x]
>1 Command Deck [x]

ROLL FOR INITIATIVE (DC: 8)
>Use PSYCO? (+5)? (1d20)
>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4670391
>>Use PSYCO? (+5)? (1d20)
>2 radar
make them blind

>>4670391
>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)
>2 RADAR
>1 Railgun
I think our first targets should be the Radars to blind them and then start working on mostly defanging this wannabe land shark.

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4670391
>>2 RADAR
>>Use Hunting+Engagement (+6)? (1d20)

File: Ratatata.jpg (241 KB, 1443x1005)

241 KB JPG

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< I got tone! >>

>CHOOSE TARGET

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>6 AA
>6 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>RADAR A
>RADAR B
Vital Points (Locked)
>2 Motor Compartmentx
>1 Forward Compartmentx
>1 Auxiliary Deckx
>1 Command Deckx

>>4671419
>RADAR A

>>4671419
>RADAR A

File: Cannons Up.jpg (95 KB, 1280x720)

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>EAGLE EYE ACTIVATION

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Missile away! >>

The exposed drive motor makes the starboard dish an easy choice of appetizer. You fire and forget, allowing your AI her cut of the action in following through with your pass recovery on the stall and cut, hitting the thrusters to whirl you around out of the trail of AA fire. Control returns to you on the second pass and the climb. The guns are unable to track you as well as they had prior, shooting into the open sky some hundreds of feet off instead of trailing and cutting you at the pass. Their coordination had been shot (partially, at least).

+1 TO EVASION ROLL (ENCOUNTER)

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< That should keep ‘em guessing! >>

The sound of a choked cry of frustration crackles over the comms.

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, we just lost one of our RADARs! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< I have eyes, soldier. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< They’re coming around again! >>

>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 6)
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>6 AA
>6 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>RADAR A
Vital Points (Locked)
>2 Motor Compartment x
>1 Forward Compartment x
>1 Auxiliary Deck x
>1 Command Deck x

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>6 SAM
>RADAR A (Boss)
Garm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>4 Helicopters (Active)

>>4671487
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4671487
>>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)

>>4671491
You forgot your roll, buddy.

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4671503
Woops

File: Lockon.jpg (314 KB, 1920x1080)

314 KB JPG

>CHOOSE TARGET

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>6 AA
>6 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>RADAR A
Vital Points (Locked)
>2 Motor Compartment x
>1 Forward Compartment x
>1 Auxiliary Deck x
>1 Command Deck x

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>6 SAM
>RADAR A (Boss)
Garm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>4 Helicopters (Active)

>>4671519
>RADAR A
Now poke out the other eye.

Also, what a ridiculous contraption this thing is. It's a Mekboy's wet dream.

>>4671519
>RADAR A

>>4671524
(actually, wait a minute, we blew up RADAR A last round didn't we? So it would be RADAR B?)

>>4671526
It would be, yes.

>>4671519
>Radar B

>>4671519
>>RADAR A

>>4671519
>RADAR A

Sorry lads, had a bit of a delay. I'll be posting in approximately 20 minutes.

>>4676838
personal or technical problems

File: Guns Alive.jpg (14 KB, 220x243)

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Your missile finds its mark right under the dish, not quite prompting it into a fiery topple, but nonetheless compromising its structure and function to the points of uselessness. The motion of the Super Taurus has the remainder of the RADAR—its dish somehow still connected to the strut and rotational mechanism—swinging awkwardly as if a toy on a single string, its panels peeling with every roar and reverse of the behemoth as it tries to take

+1 TO EVASION ROLL (ENCOUNTER)

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Washed that sucker clean! >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Are they programmed that way or do they just pick things up as they go along? >>

Wight’s voice is lined up with very audible amusement.

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, both our RADARs are out. The only thing giving us proper track is the SAM array. Guns are useless! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Smart bastards. We’re going old school: shields down on the gun mains! Manual system override initiated. I’ll burn in Hell before I go down with a full magazine. Troops? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< OO-RAH! >>

-1 TO EVASION ROLL (ENCOUNTER)

Their guns live again.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< You got to hand it to them … they’re persistent. >>

>Communicate your own respect for the enemy force
>Dismiss their efforts as an exercise in futility
>Don’t reply; it’s just a mission to you and the quicker you had it over and done with, the better
>Write-In

>>4676897
>Communicate your own respect for the enemy force

>>4676897
>>Write-In
Make a fake radio radio call on a open channel that you are a bomber pilot 2 minutes out to our location

>>4676897
>Communicate your own respect for the enemy force

File: Pew Pew Bam Pew Bam Bam Beeer.jpg (862 KB, 3200x1800)

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>Communicate your own respect for the enemy force

Maybe they had even been more honorable than you, in a way. The enemy, such as they were, had found causes to lie beside and against soldiering forward, even in the face of defeat. While their tactical acuity had presented itself with a lack of subtlety and finesse so crucial to the promise of victory, you couldn’t help but compare their positions with that of yours … or rather, more accurately, that of your past allegiances. While your love for a fat paycheck and air-conditioned quarters had by no means been your solitary motivator you can’t help but wonder what sort of imprint one could have left to the point that their ideals lived through the masses of fanatic wonder long after they were gone … and just what sort of rationale and logical shortcut one could make in order to find and reconcile that circuitry with that of one’s existence. Perhaps your life as a mercenary, living hand to foot in the shadow of sins that you had unwittingly inherited from the former Federation had left you a little too jaded to subscribe yourself to causes, but …

The grudging respect for those that found causes beyond living for the day after remains.

Even if those morons had deemed it appropriate to roll around in a Super Taurus in the shadow of an exposed Cordium wound on the slope nearing a coast.

Yes, even if that was so.

Enemy Soldier
<< Tag ‘em! >>

>EVASION (DC: 6)
>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-4, 1d20)

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4677059
>Evasion reversal

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4677059

File: Evasion Reversal.jpg (46 KB, 512x334)

46 KB JPG

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4677242
>>4677242
GM EVASION REVERSAL ROLL. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS POST.

File: Locked On.jpg (48 KB, 640x725)

48 KB JPG

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< They’re on us, Wizard! Tracking! >>

The SAM modules on the Super Taurus were out-dated, harking back to the days of fully combustible vector input rather than the hybrids of today; by modern standards, the missiles had more in common with guided rockets than they did any tracking system that was still seeing production over the last decade … but the lack of smart-tracking gave the missiles less margin for error in an electronically-unsound environment, namely, the shadow of a Cordium wound in an exclusion zone. You consider this as you bring your actions back to their roots, weaving in and out of straight-line tagging solutions by banking and rolling the F-15 through detonation points. The Super Taurus’ salvo is violent and plentiful: you find your canopy half-laden with bright red plumes of fully combustible material and smoke, letting out a curse or two as your attempts at doubling at cut—almost literally—by the sight and sound of incoming anti-air munitions, rolling more sporadically—and thus randomly—then any of the targeting systems could have managed. The sky at your feet and the coast at the tip of your forehead, you pull a vertical transfer and dive, rolling from the split into a rise as you roll the dice against a criss-cross of concentrated fire, the control surfaces whining with the forced override of the independent response systems through brute force. The F-15 seems as though it’s at its limits with the vector change and the force of Gs peeling at its joints.

Your AI, however, doesn’t seem to think so.

Elaine’s arrogant smirk and determined gaze is almost contagious.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Missile away! >>

The SU-37’s projectile rattles the land battleship: a direct hit right at two of its active missile launchers resulting in a pair of fifty-foot fireballs at opposite ends of the metal beast. You swear it lists port-side at your pass. Talia and Wight had used your distraction to maximum effect, pegging the Super Taurus from the side while you’d weaved in and out of the missile salvo and below the angle of anti-air fire. You glance back almost reflexively, watching the night practically light up with the sight of two burning craters in the hull of the beast, letting out an appreciative whistle.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< N-Nice shooting, Lieutenant Igarashi! Yes! >>

The SU-37 temporarily joins up on your wing, prompting you to lean forward and give the pair a look. Wight raises a thumbs-up before pulling away, ready to align her next offensive.

You decide not to let her have too much.

After all, dinner was the least important meal of the day.

You flip the craft, the AOA angling the Super Taurus right on your nose.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Locked on! >>

File: rumble rumble.jpg (14 KB, 340x216)

14 KB JPG

>CHOOSE TARGET

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>6 AA
>4 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>[NONE]
Vital Points
>2 Motor Compartment x
>1 Forward Compartment
>1 Auxiliary Deck x
>1 Command Deck x

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>6 SAM
>RADAR A (Boss)
>RADAR B (Boss)
Garm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>4 Helicopters (Active)
>2 SAM (Boss)

>>4677293
>>1 Forward Compartment
Boom boom time

>>4677293
>1 Forward Compartment

>>4677293
>1 Forward Compartment
crack it open like an egg

>>4677293
>>1 Forward Compartment

File: Combat Against A Behemoth.png (116 KB, 500x281)

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Weaving in and out of streams of oncoming fire, you deploy on the half-roll before pulling right up, mimicking the dive bombers of old with a point-blank detonation across the entire front of the Super Taurus with a guided twist. The pair of AGMs crack off and find their mark, practically shattering the front of the land battleship with an air-quaking kaboom, compromising the entirety of its forecastle and shattering any and all reserve munitions in an inferno of chain reactions.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< That should keep ‘em down! >>

Elaine’s declaration comes under immediate scrutiny in the form of cannon fire.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine
<< They’re still fighting? >>

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Human tenacity is a trait to behold. >>

You’re joined up on the wing by Wight and Talia, rolling around to see that the fiery wreckage was, shockingly, still in the fight. Crippled, battered and on its last throes … but still swinging.

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, the hull’s totally compromised. The sub-levels are cooking and we have men trapped between the magazine and the auxiliary deck. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< How are the weapons and motor systems? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Fully functional, sir. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Then stop being a whiny puss and get back to your post. And get any and all able personnel to blow the hatches and evacuate anyone below to the upper decks. Battery squadron: up! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir! >>

You roll in for another run.

>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 6)
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)

>CHOOSE TARGET

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>6 AA
>4 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>[NONE]
Vital Points
>2 Motor Compartment
>1 Auxiliary Deck x
>1 Command Deck x

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>6 SAM
>RADAR A (Boss)
>RADAR B (Boss)
>Forward Compartment (Boss)
Garm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>4 Helicopters (Active)
>2 SAM (Boss)

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4678134
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)
>2 Motor Compartment

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4678134
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)
>3 Railguns
lets take off some of the heat

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4678134
>>6 AA
>>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 6)

File: Fox One, Fox One.jpg (122 KB, 850x1426)

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>3 AA

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Target lock acquired! >>

You let loose a flurry of missiles, relieving the Super Taurus of its armaments, engorging the already considerable inferno consuming the titan.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Targets down! >>

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Trying to pad your tally, Garm Four? >>

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Only shot that counts is the one that brings it down! >>

Activation signatures rise across the battleship’s bow.

Enemy Soldier
<< Fire! Fire! >>

>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)
>EVASION (DC: 5)

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4678279
>>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4678279
>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>4678279
>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4678279
>>EVASION REVERSAL (Roll against GM, GM Roll-7, 1d20)

File: Spoiler Image (34 KB, 640x360)

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Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4678288
>>4678299
>>4678306
>>4678315
GM EVASION REVERSAL ROLL. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS POST.

File: Time To Tag Some Suckers.jpg (142 KB, 850x972)

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You may have been the first person in history to buzz a land battleship’s tower.

Enemy Soldier
<< Jesus, that’s loud! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Whose coffee is this? >>

Guns, guns, guns.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Let’s let ‘em have it, partner! >>

Click.

>CHOOSE TARGET

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>3 AA
>4 SAM
>4 Railguns
Critical Systems
>[NONE]
Vital Points
>2 Motor Compartment
>1 Auxiliary Deck x
>1 Command Deck x

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruiser (Inactive)
>6 SAM
>RADAR A (Boss, Super Taurus)
>RADAR B (Boss, Super Taurus)
>3 AA (Boss, Super Taurus)
>Forward Compartment (Boss, Super Taurus)
[redGarm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>4 Helicopters (Active)
>2 SAM (Boss)

>>4678392
>2 Motor Compartment

>>4678392
>4 Railguns
BOOM TIME

>>4678392
>>4 SAM

>>4678392
>4 Railguns
Ah, the triality of man

I will be running at approximately 2 PM GMT+8. If you're wondering why I wasn't around the last two days: I realized that Ramadhan was just over a month away and I have to paint my house. I am extremely sore and not even close to finished.

>>4681534
Is painting your house for Ramadan a tradition? I don't remember that one last I asked.

>>4681551
No, but do you want distant family members coming over to:
>Un-turpentined windows
>Moss on the walls
>Dirty floors
On their visits and then taking pictures and posting them on Facebook for all to see?

File: Kaboom.png (354 KB, 720x405)

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Without the dishes out of commission, the tracking on the battleship’s guns were down to line of sight and predictive models, leaving priority on the remaining SAM platforms. That being said, however, you were getting mighty sick of having to weave in and out of attacking runs and shifting your offensive vector at every single energy spike and unwittingly careening into a criss-cross of AA fire (Nausea wasn’t normally a problem for you, but going dead stop to a climb before transferring into a yaw adjustment and roll eight times in nine seconds was pushing it) just to make a successful attacking run.

Therefore, it is only sense that you do something about it.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Missile away! >>

One missile; two.

Three.

You ram them right down the throat, the second missile catching the gun at its start-up and blooming into an especially-electric eruption, the twin juts spinning violently and forcefully to the point they find their mark like a lawn dart competition champion. The Super Taurus rattles visibly as a second rupture of its systems becomes known to the eye, the forward compartment’s disablement meaning that both the starboard and port motor compartments were now very much open for consideration—

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< I have lock! >>

—a mark that Talia and Wight don’t hesitate to take for themselves.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Looks like that’s it for them. >>

The explosions are not awe-inspiring or spectacular … but its effects are almost catastrophic.

Garm Six’s marksmanship rips the behemoth of what is left of its locomotion … and structure. The left tread, seemingly independent in thought of the rest of the titan, goes into overdrive, dragging the beast up the slope and crashing it through a plethora of trees and rocks; without the struts and the frame holding the titan together, it resembles the forceful drag of a trailing body by an external, pulling force. The starboard side, in this event, is practically ripped by the drag, debris and shrapnel rattling as they are literally vibrated from their installation points by the ferocious, forced movement. Its guns fire wildly, the lurching and shaking doing their accuracy no favors as they fire yards—miles—off the mark.

After what seems to be an agonizing thirty seconds for the crew, it finally comes to a halt, one tread over the exposed vein of the Cordium wound … and the other an unrecognizable limb of metal and mechanisms.

+2 TO HUNTING ROLL (ENCOUNTER)

Yes, that would do it.

Enemy Soldier
<< Keep firing! Keep firing! >>

Stubborn fools.

Garm Six Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< The inability of man to see when it has come to a dead end is truly fascinating attribute. >>

>Write-In

>>4681610
>The ability to deny reality can be both a blessing and a curse.

I knew going after the guns was pretty much useless.

>>4681610
>>Write-In
well its both good and bad but that depens on your views

File: Burning.jpg (172 KB, 1178x606)

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>The ability to deny reality can be both a blessing and a curse.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Doesn’t look like they’re going to be going anywhere fast … and it looks like they’re really cooking by the looks of things. >>

Their volleys are wild and vastly imprecise.

Their motor systems are non-existent.

The threat, for better or for worse … is dealt with.

Garm Four Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< They’ve stopped over an exposed Cordium stream … under that much heat and reactivity, they’re … >>

The vibrations of the Super Taurus’ remaining functions seem to do the rest of the work, every whir, click, groan and whine a loud cry of defiance to the cards they had been dealt. Without most of its armaments and its shielding being shed into non-existence, you and Elaine find yourself watching the death throes of an ancient promise of glory, pathetically sputtering its words in smoke and ruin. Your previous mockery of the impractical impossibility of the craft forms a cruel, derogatory frame of the fallen behemoth, now reduced to a tilted, contorted platform of soft, black metal and twisted contortions that resembled spidery fingers, each circling a hole spitting out debris and sparks.

The guns, however, do not stop firing.

Enemy Soldier
<< We have no movement. Weapons are online, but engineering is reporting ruptures in the coolant distribution system and we’re fast approaching critical at current activation cycles. Sir, we have to get out of here before the fire spreads! >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Any read on the enemy fighters? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Yes. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< How many shots do we have left before the rupture detonates? >>

Enemy Soldier
<< It’s not a question of shots! The power cycles will stay alive for as long as we’re online, but without the coolant distribution system, we’re rolling the dice every second this thing runs. We picked the worst possible place to come to a full stop, sir. The Cordium’s practically melting all the protective shielding on the under-side. If we’re lucky, the fire will get to us first. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Indeed. Maintain current power distribution and unlock all weapon platforms. We will show them how the brave greet death. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, we have to abandon … >>

Enemy Soldier
<< No. >>

Enemy Soldier
<< Sir, we are … ah. >>

You hear a thud.

Enemy Soldier
<< Flatfoots. >>

The crackle of static returns.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Whoa … Wizard? >>

You lower your head, meeting Elaine’s reserved gaze.

>Write-In
>CONTINUE COMBAT

>>4681925
>Offer the remaining rebels a chance to surrender if they evacuate from the landship and remark that clearly their Captain has no regard for their lives if he kills his own men.

>>4681960
>supporting

>>4681925
>>4681960
Also supporting. We aren’t heartless.

>>4681960
Supporting this

>Offer the remaining rebels a chance to surrender if they evacuate from the landship and remark that clearly their leader has no regard for their lives if he kills his own men

Enemy Soldier
<< Do you think that my men are so easily swayed by such false platitudes? >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Wizard, what are you doing? >>

>Repeat your orders for them to stand down: the battle is lost and more bodies for the grave would be beyond necessity
>Re-engage the wreckage of the Super Taurus
>Write-In

>>4684893
>Jokingly say, "Worked last time."
>Re-engage the wreckage of the Super Taurus

>>4684893
>>Repeat your orders for them to stand down: the battle is lost and more bodies for the grave would be beyond necessity
gotta give it a shot after all.
plus i made the write in lel

>>4684893
>Repeat your orders for them to stand down: the battle is lost and more bodies for the grave would be beyond necessity
I'm sure you are aware of your current predicament, and if you're not then take a look around you for a few seconds and check with your buddies. You are in a melting, crippled and immobile steel coffin with failing systems and ineffective weaponry parked on a Cordium stream that is a few missiles away from being a cloud of shrapnel, and the choice here is whether you want to be a part of that shrapnel or not. Hell, I could fly away now and leave you to cook in there, so it's over whatever I or you do. You can stay or you can go and the only difference in outcomes will be whether you live to see tomorrow or die pointlessly and tragically in a burning wreck you could easily have left. Remember, the difference between heroism and stupidity is that heroism achieves something, and this course of action is not one that will.

>>4684964
this

>>4684893
>>Re-engage the wreckage of the Super Taurus
welp we tried

File: Did I Do Okay.jpg (161 KB, 850x1589)

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>Repeat your orders for them to stand down: the battle is lost and more bodies for the grave would be beyond necessity

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Wizard, you … >>

The flickering form of your fighter’s avatar shifts slightly as she turns her head up to meet yours, her eyes taking an odd, uncertain, hesitant quality. Your hand on the throttle, your breathing ragged and your shoulders and neck positively aching from the bevy of maneuvers prior, you wonder if you aren’t perhaps a little light-headed in imagining that Elaine’s expression of child-like curiosity, fear and thoughtfulness make her more human-like than even her creators could imagine … but at the same time, sense returns to you enough to inform that you were still in the middle of an AO, and easing into any premature reprieve would be a death sentence. With your offer tabled and the lack of reply marking their answer, you move heavily to the right, banking in into another attack—

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Broadcasting. >>

Broadcasting?

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Look, you morons, I’m not sure if you realize what the deal is, but … >>

Enemy Soldier
<< We will not be swayed by … >>

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Again, idiots. Now … if it were up to me I would just drop the rest of the load right down here and go back home to a check-list and some rest, but it isn’t, so here’s the deal: you see that big orange river of shiny molten compounds? That’s Cordium and your rotten excuse of a budget deficit is currently parked right on top of it. Going off from that point you might be thinking what the huge problem is, so here’s the thing: your budget deficit runs on some pretty combustible materials and electricity, so unless you want to blow up into a bunch of unrecognizable radioactive corpses, I suggest that you give your general a verbal resignation and put at least a mile between you and the blast radius … and yes, there is a blast radius. Good luck! >>

As if on cue, you hear the panicked yells of fear, drowning out the one steady voice among them. Falling into an even plane and cruising some three hundred feet above, you make out the myriad of hatches on the unburnt side of the Super Taurus cracking open, emergency slides popping for tiny dots of people to clamber out of: the blessed few that had chosen to heed Elaine’s own crack at diplomacy.

Her avatar stares up at you, smiling bashfully.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Did I do okay? >>

>Write-In

>>4685056
>give Elaine a high five while smiling at her
she learning and yes i know we wearing oxy mask

>>4685059
>supporting

>>4685056
Give her a solid thumbs up and a nod. She did great.

>>4685056
>>Write-In
Remove the oxygen mask and smile at her

File: Talia.png (1.55 MB, 1366x768)

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>give Elaine a high five while smiling at her

Your initial response to Elaine’s little speech … is one of genuine surprise. While her tendency to belt out the occasional surprise … came as no surprise (what with the PSYCO system and countless flight hours and then some together), you find yourself taken aback with Elaine’s decision to take the initiative in regards to what was effectively—although not technically—an action outside the common protocols one would expect from a program that had been effectively designed to execute and assist in the context of their pilot’s discretion … and weakness. As you open your mouth respond, however, you find the words almost immediately dying at your larynx, your amusement and astonishment, as reserved as they are, showing once again that their lack of presence didn’t mean the totality of their absence or influence.

Uncertain of what else to do, you raise your palm, fingers up at ninety degrees and in line with your hand … and gesture for her to join in a high-five.

She does.

Your little moment, however … doesn’t last.

Enemy Soldier
<< Bastards … bastards … bastards … bastards! >>

Gripping the controls, you find yourself thrust right back in the middle of it, climbing at a quarter of a perpendicular shift up before shifting into a full vertical, irritation draping over your previous feelings of idle content as you complete the vector change with a brake and a push, rolling into a dive, cannon fire and rolling dangerously close to you as you complete a controlled spiral and bring the plane to level at just over five hundred feet, grunting in discomfort with the hit of the F-15’s compensation protocols and Elaine’s assistance. You glance outside as you feel your tailbone practically digging into the seat of the plane, your nanosecond of concern turning into relief with the sight of Talia and Wight’s disengagement, cutting through the black smoke of the wreckage to the sound of their own lyrical take on the known range of profanity.

Much to your surprise, Talia’s count is double that of Wight’s.

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Why those slimy … >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Looks like we still have some fighters down there. >>

You let out a sigh. It had been worth a shot.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< No, wait … I see them! We have confirmation on evacuation! They’re abandoning ship! >>

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< Is that the correct terminology, Elaine? >>

Garm Six moves in to rejoin you.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Well … it is still a battleship. One with treads. >>

Their attempt is thwarted by cutting fire.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Son of a bitch! >>

Elaine’s avatar stares up to you, her resolve and reluctance incarnate.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine
<< Wizard, I know what you said, but … >>

The rail gun slashes across the sky.

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Some people just can’t be bargained with. >>

Garm 06 Flight Intelligence, “Talia”
<< So let’s give ‘em a sale! >>

>Write-In

>>4687022
>We tried, Elaine, and some will survive. Now lets saw this bull's horns off short.

>>4687022
>those that listened to what you said are doing what they can to run, its a shame some of them are too stubborn to give up. Now lets pluck off some more of those thorns trying to prick us.

>>4687022
>"It was worth a try, not everyone will listen, but we can maybe hope some will."

>>4687022
.>Write-In
pop them all

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>We tried, Elaine, and some will survive. Now lets saw this bull's horns off short.

Smirking, your plane’s avatar smacks a closed fist into her open palm.

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Then let’s finish up! >>

>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 6)
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)

BOSS: BCL-096 SUPER TAURUS
Offensive Sub-Systems
>3 AA
>4 SAM
>1 Railgun
Critical Systems
>[NONE]
Vital Points
>Auxiliary Deck
>Command Deck

MISSION PROGRESS
Garm Four, “Wizard”
>2 Destroyers
>5 Air Cruisers (Inactive)
>6 SAM
>RADAR A (Boss, Super Taurus)
>RADAR B (Boss, Super Taurus)
>3 AA (Boss, Super Taurus)
>Forward Compartment (Boss, Super Taurus)
>3 Railguns (Boss, Super Taurus)
Garm Six, “Wight”
>2 L-SAM
>4 Helicopters (Active)
>2 SAM (Boss)
>2 Motor Compartment (Boss)

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4687167
>Roll for Hunting (+3) (DC: 6)
>Command Deck

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4687167
>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)
>Command Deck
Choppity chop

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4687167
>>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)
>command deck

>>4687167
>>Roll for Engagement (+3) (DC: 6)
>>Command Deck
OFF WITH ITS HEAD

Missile away.

Enemy Soldier
<< Ave Maria, gratia ple … >>

It’s clean.

The missile blows the command clean off, like the top of a hat sent flying by a sudden gust of wind. One titanic panel the size of several tennis courts, dancing like a kite on a blustery day before landing pieces upon the slope of the Cordium wound. You make an idle pass around the smoking corpse, eerily intact despite the utter brutality that had been inflicted upon it. If nothing else, the engineers behind the Super Taurus’ design could be proud of its resilience. Even smoking and torn apart, you could see a semblance of a frame keeping what remained of the damned thing together. Rolling to the left in the midst of completing your pass, you take another gander at the evacuees, some dozens or so making a run through the trail of destruction left by the land battleship’s path and making a beeline from the coastal forest, very much reluctant to come to terms with the prospect of a date with the international courts for their attempt at an incursion.

Emphasis, of course, on attempt.

Garm One, “Solo”
<< Garms Four and Six, report your status. >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Had a bit of a speed bump with a land battleship, but otherwise, we’re just about done. Doesn’t look like they have any fight left in them. >>

>Agree with Wight; their weapons are powering down and a lot of them are abandoning their posts anyway
>Proceed with the dismantling and elimination of surviving enemy soldiers
>Write-In

>>4687235
>Agree with Wight; their weapons are powering down and a lot of them are abandoning their posts anyway

>>4687235
>>Agree with Wight; their weapons are powering down and a lot of them are abandoning their posts anyway

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Garm Eight, “Kitten”
<< You sure you’re in the right profession, Garm Four? >>

Garm 04 Flight Intelligence, “Elaine”
<< Hey! >>

Elaine seems to take more offense to the statement that you do.

If you do at all.

>Write-In
>Leave it at that

>>4687266
>ask Solo if they are done on their end

>>4687266
>Say that and you are more a test pilot than mercenary and even then slaughtering them won't increase our paycheck by very much.

Job is done. Killing people who can't fight back gets us nothing. Lets go.

>>4687266
>>Write-In
agree with elaine

>>4687456
Except EXP lol. Posting in about half an hour.

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>ask Solo if they are done on their end

You ignore Kitten’s jibe. As far as you’re concerned, you have more immediate things to tend to than the response algorithm to a snipe: namely, the operating status of the rest of your Squadron. Wight forming up on your wing, you take the opportunity—now that the surface-to-air fire had effectively ceased with the decapitation of the snake’s head—to open a line with your Captain, reporting in the (assumed) success of your operation and dropping an inquiry as to their own progress in regards to the operation.

You get a positive response.

Garm One, “Solo”
<< Yeah, we’re all done here. Got them before they reached green waters. We’ll be leaving clean-up to the Kerneuropan Joint Forces. >>

Garm Six, “Wight”
<< Wait, what? >>

Garm One, “Solo”
<< The Kerneuropan Elite Response Division signed off on a counter-initiative while we were up in the air. The Iberian Exclusion Zone, per the new ratification is entirely under their jurisdiction in regards to conflicts below the D-grade … including the arrest and detainment of active combatants that fit a designated profile. >>

D-grade? Your know-how of jingoism is a little out-dated, but …

Garm Eight, “Kitten”
<< So we clean up and they get all the credit? >>

Garm One, “Solo”
<< Nothing gets past you, Garm Eight. Garm Squadron, RTB. If you’re low on fuel, you can check on in at EK. And before you ask, no eighteens. >>

You hear a distinctive rumbling, but are uncertain as to the identity of the owner.

Garm One, “Solo”
<< I’ll see you back at base. >>

>END MISSION
>Write-In

>>4688472
>END MISSION

>>4688472
>>END MISSION

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===================
EXPERIENCE SCREEN
===================


CURRENT EXP HELD: 85
Evasion Lv. 4 (30 to next level; 45 to Lv. 6)
-Feint (You can choose to roll against the GM [1d20] instead of the DC for the EVASION phase [Not Evasion Reversal])

Hunting Lv. 3 (20 to next level; 30 to Lv. 5)
-Eagle Eye (If successful during your first Initiative of the mission, roll 1d20 against the GM. Deal one phase of damage/take one kill, then proceed through the mission as normal)

Engagement Lv. 3 (20 to next level; 30 to Lv. 5)
-Textbook (+1 to Engagement roll after if the initial Initiative roll of the encounter was a failure)

F-15 “Elaine”

PSYCO LEVEL: 6 (2 to Next Level)
Modifiers: +5 on activation
Limit DC: 10
>Acrobat Lv. 1 (+1 to Evasion)
>Multi-Lock Lv. 1 (May lock up to 2 extra targets)
>Relentless Lv. 2 (May roll again if Hunting/Initiative fails at DC-1)
>Vengeance Lv. 1 (After a failed evasion or evasion reversal, may roll a 1d20, DC:16 at Lv. 1; kill attacking enemy(s))

>ALLOCATE YOUR EXPERIENCE POINTS

>>4688521
>Evasion to lvl 5
>Engagement to lvl 5

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============================
EXPERIENCE SCREEN (UPDATED)
============================

CURRENT EXP HELD: 5
Evasion Lv. 5 (30 to next level; 45 to Lv. 6)
-Feint (You can choose to roll against the GM [1d20] instead of the DC for the EVASION phase [Not Evasion Reversal])

Hunting Lv. 3 (20 to next level; 30 to Lv. 5)
-Eagle Eye (If successful during your first Initiative of the mission, roll 1d20 against the GM. Deal one phase of damage/take one kill, then proceed through the mission as normal)

Engagement Lv. 5 (45 to next level)
-Textbook (+1 to Engagement roll after if the initial Initiative roll of the encounter was a failure)

F-15 “Elaine”

PSYCO LEVEL: 6 (2 to Next Level)
Modifiers: +5 on activation
Limit DC: 10
>Acrobat Lv. 1 (+1 to Evasion)
>Multi-Lock Lv. 1 (May lock up to 2 extra targets)
>Relentless Lv. 2 (May roll again if Hunting/Initiative fails at DC-1)
>Vengeance Lv. 1 (After a failed evasion or evasion reversal, may roll a 1d20, DC:16 at Lv. 1; kill attacking enemy(s))

CONFIRM?

>>4688570
yup

>>4688570
Sounds good.

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Stowing away Elaine for her post-flight powdering gig, you find yourself immediately called into a debriefing session alongside your fellow Squadron members within your first five steps on solid ground. Commander Semensov’s demeanor is frustrated and resigned throughout, if slightly balanced with his patient approach to the communication of the update. You learn that, on a technicality, your presence—the operation as a whole—had been done on a bureaucratic gray zone matching national interests with favorable grounds for beyond-border operations within the United Keneuropa Alliance’s geographic jurisdictions … that were addressed around the time you’d made contact with the enemy forces, prompting the—what you just learn to be extremely premature—washing of Orleasian hands in regards with the … alleged offenders to Orleasian peace, which was where the conflict grade escalation and deterioration declassification, which, with your interference, plunged it beyond your immediate response notes and rendering extra-border operational feasibility null and, thus, illegal to the alliance as a whole.

Semensov is kind enough to explain the tumultuous nature of the Kerneuropan region’s southern lines, likening the borders into a state of flux that no one was happy with but were seen as balanced precisely because of the all-round dissatisfaction. The Orleasian Kingdom’s recent re-establishment as a proper nation had thrown that flux into an even more intangible mess … and with the legality to claim its own waters, had Iberian Exclusion Zones and many others around the Mediterranean chain suddenly not without their own appeal, Cordium-born risk factors or no.

Sometimes you wonder if it would have truly been such a bad thing to have the Federation around again; at least they knew how to get the politicians to shut up.

That line of thought, however, is something that you keep to yourself.

By the time the briefing is over, you’re staring at at least a hundred pages of jurisdictional violations requiring your signature to be rendered water under the bureaucratic bridge … and a surprising nod of thanks from the BC. Your Squadron members don’t fare any better, with Scarface eyeing his homework with distaste and Sensei already scratching her sheets out in her seat even before Semensov’s dismissal of your operating unit.

With his departure, you finally do what you’d been holding in since you’d put Elaine away: yawn.

‘Wizard?’

You raise your head to see Wight, her flight-suit half open and with bags under her eyes, weakly grinning as she stared down at you.

‘You wanna fill these up together?’

You’re not quite certain whether she meant that as a tease or a direct request for the both of you to finish up the worksheets you’d just been handed.

Either way …

>Respond positively
>Deny her request; it was late
>Agree with her course of action and bring Elaine and Talia along, too
>Write-In

>>4691326
>>Agree with her course of action and bring Elaine and Talia along, too

>>4691326
>Agree with her course of action and bring Elaine and Talia along, too

>>4691326
>>Agree with her course of action and bring Elaine and Talia along, too
Adding on bring some coffee too

>>4691336
>>4691343
>>4691346
Oh boy, a university study group. All you're missing is a suffering barista at a 24 hour barcade.

File: Excited AI.gif (3.36 MB, 498x249)

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>Agree with her course of action and bring Elaine and Talia along, too

‘That’s incredible,’ Wight responds, wide-eyed and almost breathless, prompting you to set your pen down for what feels like the thirtieth time in the last ninety minutes.

On the flat of the table, you’re treated to the sight of two proudly nodding flight AI holograms, humming their satisfaction.

You aren't even a third of the way through your workload.

>Write-In

>>4691415
>What's incredible?

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>What’s incredible?

‘Show him,’ Wight speaks out, sounding much too proud for her own good.

Talia bashfully raises an eye towards you … before twirling and enveloping herself in a cavalcade of digital bits … transforming from her usual duds of a checkered skirt and a schoolgirl’s top into a long casual dress and loose blouse, the image data very much highlighting her happiness by adding a light tinge to her cheeks. She lifts the length of her skirt slightly, the physics engine glitching for a brief moment as she does so, doing a little twirl for effect.

‘Isn’t it adorable? She’s like a doll!’

>Point out that billions of investment capital was not just so she could showcase such peripheral attributes
>Agree; Talia is very much adorable
>Be dismissive of it; it’s not something that you weren’t aware of in the first place
>Be a know-it-all about it: the growth algorithm certainly allowed for such things and you aren’t sure why she’s so excited about something so simple
>Go back to your work in silence
>Wonder why Elaine doesn’t do the same
>Write-In

>>4691471
>Yep, I take it you suggested that ensemble, Wight? If so what would you suggest for Elaine?

>>4691471
>>Write-In
Ask elaine to wear a wedding dress

>>4691577
Supporting

>>4691471
>>Agree; Talia is very much adorable
but elaine should wear the virgin killer sweater

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>Yep, I take it you suggested that ensemble, Wight? If so what would you suggest for Elaine?

Whether you truly are interested or not, you do not say … but impressions, first, last or in-between, matter, and you did not wish to be known to be an irritably dismissive squad-mate incapable of even light chatter in the wee hours of the Orleasian time-zone. Therefore, you make the decision to press down on your macho pride … and bring out the sleepover gossip gal side of you that you never thought you had, complimenting Talia’s choice of ensemble, smiling coyly and suggesting if she had any tips for Elaine’s own options in dress choice.

‘I didn’t suggest anything,’ Wight clarifies, gripping the edge of the table as she leans back. ‘I just asked if she was locked-in to her default appearance or if there were settings to press to change how they looked or sounded. I didn’t know that they could twirl around change their dresses!’

For a full-grown woman, she certainly sounded like a tea party madame. All she lacks are the empty plastic tea cups and the play-teapot filled with water to simulate tea.

‘It’s unfortunate, but we can’t really change our voices,’ Talia responds apologetically, whirling around. ‘Pronunciation and enunciation as well as the incorporation of slang are already hard enough to code and translate into legible, communicable formats as is. Even changing the inflection tendency would require us to essentially reset to our protoforms.’

‘Protoforms?’

‘You know,’ Elaine starts, raising her palms before performing a series of horizontal slices like a baseball manager’s play call. ‘Danger. Will Robinson. Danger.’

‘Oh!’

‘Yes,’ Talia continues, tilting her head. ‘Shells are a lot easier to manage due to their absolute value in pixel distribution, color pallet and the like … but, um … all of us are quite comfortable in these forms, as lacking as they likely are to—’

‘No, no,’ Wight insists, her eyes sparkling brightly as she wears a lop-sided grin. ‘You’re very cute! I never thought that I’d ever get the chance to play dress-up … especially not in the military!’

‘Th-thank you,’ Talia returns, smiling nervously.

‘But … you’re really comfortable looking like a teenage girl? Wouldn’t it be more professional or something to look like a typ—’

An unearthly howl seemingly echoes through the chamber, beyond time, beyond space … beyond comprehension.

‘Well, we’re not exactly wholly independent beings in the sense that we can just … warp around,’ Elaine lets out, sighing. ‘At the end of the day, we’re data and millions of layers of prompt response logic points attached to self-learning modules with ever-growing requirements … but that doesn’t excuse a girl from the occasional vanity, does it?’

Elaine grins.

Wight smirks.

The two women—artificial and biological—exchange a pair of raised thumbs.

>Write-In

>>4694387
>comment that its good that Wight is getting more comfortable with the girls as you start working on paperwork

>>4694387
>>Write-In
Sooo... elaine do you mind dressing up in a wedding dress

>>4694393
gotta take things slow anon lel

>>4694393
or a virgin killer sweater

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>comment that its good that Wight is getting more comfortable with the girls as you start working on paperwork

‘I’m a little surprised at it myself,’ Wight confesses, folding her hands on top of one another (and very definitely not tending to her paperwork). ‘Doesn’t feel like I’m crawling through an uncanny valley at all! It’s like I’m talking with an actual person!’

Her exclamation is immediately followed up by an embarrassed nod and a slight droop of the shoulders.

‘No offense meant, of course.’

‘None taken.’

‘None whatsoever, Lieutenant Igarashi.’

Wight lets out a small laugh, her cheeks pink as she scratched the back of her head. You yourself take this as a signal for the conversation’s end, straightening out the latest batch of triplicate forms and feedback sign-offs into their plastic sleeves before pulling out the engineers’ brief, starting your read-through and checking out the first inconsistencies of the half-page. It’s actually quite a refreshing change when compared to your days at Amaterasu, where your post-testing forms involved several heads over the shoulder and the suits occasionally coming in to swipe whatever form that you needed for their own use … only to return it with changes and requests that you had to compromise on for the sake of your pay-check and less simulator time. You’d usually go about it alone in your quarters or one of the sub-offices on Amaterasu’s numerous sites (rented land rather than fully-leased, as you later learned), too, what with the test pilots jockeying for very limited spots and the camaraderie of formal Squadron formations—at least very early in your career as a test pilot-cum-mercenary—being restricted to one’s contract and the occasional wishing of luck.

Company and laughter was always welcome, whatever its form.

‘You can just call me Wight, Talia,’ Wight lets out, smiling fondly at the tiny blue hologram, leaning back slightly as she twirls her pen in her fingers. ‘You don’t have to be so formal when we’re on the ground.’

‘I apologize,’ Talia lets out, dropping into a very quick bow (so quick that she briefly glitches doing it, producing half a visible torso in the animation transition bending down). ‘Wight, then?’

Wight responds with a slightly giggle, before nodding. ‘Now you’re learning.’

You let out an amused snort, but don’t otherwise comment. There is still the missile log to get to and you didn’t want to have any requisition officers on your back for a miscount on any logistical issues. You’d been at the brunt of that before and very much did not wish to endure another half-hour tirade from disgruntled quartermasters.

You doubted that a professional army’s would be any less forgiving.

‘So how’d you react when you found out the AIs could do more than just fly?’

Turning your head up, you meet Wight’s gaze.

>>4694526
>Mention that you were quite indifferent to it after the first time; you were just there to collect the paycheck
>Recount that you almost fell out of the simulator after the first trial with Tessa and she pointed out your zipper was open
>You weren’t that shocked; all of them were professional and the briefings filled you in with enough details for you to not get distracted
>Press her to finish her paperwork; it’s late and you’re too tired for anymore idle chatter (END INTERLUDE)
>Write-In