Shadows of Zeon Quest: Aphelion #6

You are Carrina Marseille O'Hara, a powerful Newtype serving as a Captain and mobile suit pilot in the recently-formed Colony Transit Fleet, and you've begun to wonder if what you're chasing is really the root of all humanity's evils after all.

The recent armed rebellion on Mars and the mysterious 'black ship' your crew found drifting derelict through interstellar space both utilized technology that came out of the same labs in Tithon, though whether this came as the result of a leak or a sale you cannot be certain at the moment. Besides, that seems more the sort of question the Martian investigators would be suited to answering: as much as you hate to kick up trouble and leave it for others to clean up, there's so much going on in the fledgling interstellar community that troubles you. If someone can solve their own problems, your life is too short not to let them do so and move on to avert the next crisis.

And the thing that gives your job security is the simple fact that there WILL be another crisis. Outer space has always placed a close second behind politics in terms of generating its own crises over time.

“So that is what we have to report,” you conclude your explanation of the day's events to Queen Mineva with a calm bow of your head.

The young queen sighs softly, rubbing the bridge of her delicate nose. You can tell even over the small monitor on the Sericea's bridge that she's exhausted by the news of potential illicit trade in military technology within her state's government-backed design and production company. You're positive that she's already hard at work considering how best to proceed.

“I'll hold off until I get the chance to speak with Haman directly and confidentially,” she decides aloud, hands returning to rest carefully on her lap. “What we decide will almost certainly have widespread political ramifications, so it makes sense to make those decisions jointly. I should like to invite Artesia as well.”
>1/3

Other urls found in this thread:

youtube.com/watch?v=Dp3XN8xnJLw
twitter.com/NSFWRedditImage

“We think that's a good idea,” you agree immediately. You're certain that this is the sort of case where there's no right decision: there are hawks and doves on every side of the balance of power, and no decision made will ever satisfy them all. But if it's the three “Zeon Princesses”, left to their own devices in terms of figuring out a solution? It's going to be the best solution available for everyone concerned, even if it's not the most wildly popular.

“We wish you the best,” you finish, allowing yourself a warm smile. “We're mostly just sad that you have to take this on yourself.”

“I wanted it since I was old enough to talk,” Mineva smiles back at you. “I chose this before I can even remember doing so. Just worry about your next mission, 'kay guys? Speaking of which...”

“Where are we going?” you complete the thought. “Luna is the next logical stop.”

Mineva glances down at her keyboard, bringing up something on her end that causes her to frown. “Your flightplan takes you past Cruithne. Isn't that just asking for trouble?”

3753 Cruithne: an Aten-group asteroid locked into a loose co-orbit with Earth, measuring about five kilometers across. Not exactly hospitable, until the pirates that currently use it as a base of operations made it so. Mass was added by connecting the more or less stable hulls of derelict Musai-class warships to the asteroid's surface, providing generators and adequate power distribution networks to run their weapons and life support systems. Not pleasant by any stretch of the imagination, but by using the available resources the inhabitants of Cruithne have made it into an ideal base from which to conduct periodic raids on shipping between the Lunar and Martian spheres, as well as between the near-Earth Sides and the distant Lagrangian Sides.
>2/3

You've even seen some reports that they've engaged in some form of station-keeping, using much of their captured fuel to alter Cruithne's orbit and ease it into a path better suited for raiding activities. They've become a real thorn in the sides of governments throughout the system, but that many cannons, ships, and mobile suits in one place makes it an incredibly tough nut to crack for a single fleet. The sort of cooperation between Sides, Luna, and Mars that would be needed to eradicate the pirate threat once and for all simply hasn't emerged in the postwar political landscape.

“We'll deal with that when we get there,” you reassure Lady Mineva, though even you have to admit that the pirate colony is going to prove a nuisance at best, a calculated risk at worst. “But that is the fastest flight path.”

“Well, best of luck then,” Mineva sighs, accepting that nothing she says will sway you. “I assume I can't talk you into letting me send an escort?”

>No. We absolutely don't need it, so why make ourselves look even more like a military strike force?
>If you're comfortable with the politics involved, then who are we to tell you what to do?
>Please. We can explain to Luna that the extra guns were a favor to give the pirates second thoughts.
>Other?

>>Please. We can explain to Luna that the extra guns were a favor to give the pirates second thoughts.
She's clearly comfortable with said politics, or she wouldn't have offered
Also
>mfw I'm re reading the first season and I just got to the part where a roll I did kicked off a nuking.
orz.

Shit, Cruithne? There better not be any Newtype octopi living there.

>If you're comfortable with the politics involved, then who are we to tell you what to do?

This will be using the Psychofield Drive, to be clear. It's just that using it to its full capabilities in-system is not only inefficient but risky due to the imprecise nature of the technique: so you'll be using it at the equivalent of "Impulse" rather than "Warp". It's more an art than a science, and even for two of the most experienced navigators it's entirely possible to miss the moon entirely and hit a colony by mistake if you overdo it.

In fact, there would be some in-universe talk at this point to the effect of prohibiting transit jumps in-system for exactly that reason.

>few more minutes here and I'll work on an update

Alright, thanks for answering that. I'll revise my vote based on this info to break the tie here. I'll delete the previous vote afterwards.

>Please. We can explain to Luna that the extra guns were a favor to give the pirates second thoughts.
Doesn't even have to be bulky and decked out with lots of guns and MS. Fast would be more favorable.

No problem.
>writing

“We appreciate the offer,” you reply calmly, “but we have concerns about appearing too aggressive when we reach Luna.”

“Fair point,” the young queen admits, looking down again to focus on something out of frame. Her eyes narrow in contemplation, and she taps the side of her head lightly with one fingertip before voicing her thoughts.

“We've been designing an escort ship of our own you know,” she informs you, making eye contact once more. “More like large fighters than actual ships, designed to bridge the gap between patrol ships and mobile suits. The Dockyards had wanted to sell them to colony blocks that couldn't afford capital ships or complex mobile weapons, for low-priority shipments and local defense duties.”

“And you want to send a few along with us as a shakedown?” you guess, to which Mineva nods in affirmation. “What size are we talking about here?”

“Twenty-five meters. They each mount a beam spot gun and a few wire-guided missiles.”

You let loose a low whistle. “You weren't kidding. They sound like glorified space fighters.”

Mineva gives you something approaching a defensive shrug. “They're the smallest thing we could build to make use of the Psychofield phenomenon.”

“Where'd you find the Newtype pilots?” you ask, trying to wrap your head around how this concept actually works in practice.

“We... didn't,” Mineva admits sheepishly. “Some of our scientists found a way to use a regular psychommu system to let an ordinary pilot make some use of the Psychofield effect.”

“Some use?”

She nods thoughtfully. “They've never been able to control remote weapons without a tether, and they can't make an actual jump. But I'd be willing to bet they can keep up with the Sericea.”
>1/2

>Some of our scientists found a way to use a regular psychommu system
Hmm. I wonder if this is a NITRO system offshoot, since we didn't tackle that tech in the previous quest?

It could be, though I kind of feel worried about the development of this tech and where it might lead.

So some sort of super-INCOM. Neat.

Given that Carrina is something between an aunt and a cool big sister for her, I imagine Mineva would probably try to lock down anything too close to the EXAM system, which NITRO (and HADES) are. It's probably just an extension of INCOM designs. What's with quasi-psycommu tech and being all-caps, anyway?

“Well, if you want to try out your new toys who are we to tell you not to?” you chuckle, typing in a few notes on this development for your own records. “Where should we meet these escorts of yours?”

Lady Mineva smiles warmly. “Right. I believe... yes, Viper Squadron has just returned from trials out by Ceres. They're flying out of the Gambier Bay, a ship we've recently fitted with an experimental fly-through hangar system.”

“Testing it as a modification for merchant vessels?” you ask.

“Of course. If our Dockyards want to sell fighters it makes sense to sell an upgrade like that.”

You nod to Mineva, exchanging some brief pleasantries before signing off. “You get all that, ALICE? Rosse?”

“Of course, Captain,” ALICE replies calmly. “Currently logging the present location of the Gambier Bay. Suggested course should be coming up on your HUD now.”

“I guess that would be my cue,” Rossweisse announces, taking manual control over her ship and easing the nose upwards. There's a slight vibration as she pushes the engines, offsetting the “lift” generated by the Minovsky flight system which allows the Sericea to break atmosphere even without a booster. The air outside grows thinner, and your view grows darker as your vessel presses onward out into the edge of space.

Your body is suddenly pressed into your seat as the magnetic repulsors kick in, nicely simulating an Earth-normal environment.

>Attempt to dock with the Gambier Bay, meet your "escorts" and examine their machines.
>Attempt to dock with the Gambier Bay, inform them of the precise nature of your mission.
>Meet the fighter escort in space. Saves time, and they probably don't want you poking around anyway.
>Other?

>Attempt to dock with the Gambier Bay, meet your "escorts" and examine their machines.
Technology marches on. I've seen a lot of Gundam fanfics where the advances in technology are all big flashy things, but I honestly have to say I'm more impressed by the fiddly bits like this automated hangar. There's an elegance to getting everything done right, instead of leaping off to big dramatic new advances.

>>Attempt to dock with the Gambier Bay, meet your "escorts" and examine their machines.
Talk a little shop, maybe?

Because it's DRAMATIC and looks like it STANDS FOR SOMETHING.

The technology existed in canon by this time. As for countering Newtypes or making budget-friendly substitutes, that's been going on for years.

>Attempt to dock with the Gambier Bay, meet your "escorts" and examine their machines.

>What's with quasi-psycommu tech and being all-caps, anyway?
They double as acronyms sometimes too. I thought modern militaries have a tendency to do this already?

Yeah, but the other dramatic tech doesn't get ALL-CAPS. You don't see a BEAM MAGNUM or PSYCOFRAME. I'm just going to blame it on the various Newtype labs being run by mad scientists, and letting their weirdness influence the naming schemes.

>Attempt to dock with the Gambier Bay, meet your "escorts" and examine their machines.
I can't help it I really am interested in those machines.

Yeah, but it's clear from what they stand for that they came up with the acronym first and worked backwards. No one names their machine a Hyper Animosity Detect Estimate System unless they want an excuse to call it the HADES. And don't even get me started on ALICE. ALICE, I love you, girl, but your name is stupid. Advanced Logistic and Inconsequence Cognizing Equipment?

Sadly, they do straddle the line in going full Fukuda.

ALICE is cute though, so she gets a pass.

The word you're looking for is "backronym", and usually it's used tongue-in-cheek. Like "Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill".

Also,
>writing

I know the word, Hearts, I'm just explaining it out.

“ALICE, please hail the Gambier Bay for us,” you request politely, quickly straightening your hair to make a slightly better first impression. Anything to take the edge off seeing your eye for the first time.

There are a few moments of silence, during which you share an uncertain glance with Rossweisse. The ship still hasn't come into view yet, but this is taking ALICE longer than you'd expected.

“We have a connection,” ALICE finally informs you. “Audio only, putting you through.”

“This is the CTF Sericea, Captain O'Hara speaking,” you greet whoever it is on the other end of the connection, sparing Rossweisse the discomfort. “To whom might I be speaking?”

“This is Ensign Ro,” a male voice responds with almost painful indifference. “May I please know the nature of your business today so that I might better direct your call?”

Rossweisse says nothing. She merely raises a skeptical eyebrow with a look that asks you “really?”

“We're here to take a few of your fighters off your hands for a shakedown mission,” you inform the operator. “We would like docking permission to meet your pilots and examine their fighters for ourselves before committing to the mission. Ensure that they'll meet our needs.”

“I know nothing about any fighters, ma'am,” he lies to you, probably due to the sensitive nature of their mission. “I suggest you contact traffic control for a revised flight plan.”

>This is on orders from Queen Mineva. A favor to the crew that stopped that nasty nuclear business.
>We need to speak with your Captain. Immediately.
>Sure, just be sure to call us back when your Captain's done kicking your ass.
>Other?

>Sure, just be sure to call us back when your Captain's done kicking your ass.
Hehe, oh I can't wait for this guy to get neutered by his commanding officer.

>Sure, just be sure to call us back when your Captain's done kicking your ass.

>We need to speak with your Captain. Immediately.
It's more like "You need to speak with your Captain, for your sake" in this instance.

>writing

“Well then,” you muse half to yourself. “Tell you what, Ensign. When your Captain is done chewing you up and spitting you out, let your replacement know what frequency to contact us on.”

With that, you close the connection.

Rossweisse casts a concerned glance back your way. “Are you sure that was wise?”

“When an Ensign pisses off a Captain from a different military force,” you explain for your partner, who has never been part of a regular military in all her career, “generally speaking that Ensign's own Captain has to try and defuse any tension.”

“So you're thinking we'll get the Captain of the Gambier Bay in an apologetic mood?”

You nod thoughtfully. “It can't hurt to have him feel like he has to make up to us.”

Within minutes, you get your follow-up.

“It's video,” Rossweisse observes before patching you through manually.

The face that greets you is an older woman, maybe in her forties or early fifties with iron-grey hair and stern eyes, framed by a square chin and strong cheekbones. The Captain reminds you a little of an old battleship in a certain way.

“Captain Olivier,” she introduces herself simply. “Gambier Bay. The Queen tells me you've got a new mission for Viper. Hope you're ready, they're still pretty green. Lively to the point of mania.”

“Mobile suit pilots, the both of us,” you inform her, gesturing to Rossweisse in the pilot's seat. “They'll fall in line.”

Captain Olivier chuckles to herself. “Should have guessed from the cozy bridge. I suppose you'll be wanting to coordinate your mission?”

>We would like to deliver a brief to yourself and your pilots.
>We'd like to get underway as soon as possible.
>We'd like permission to examine your fighters and pilots prior to launch.
>We wouldn't mind having you aboard for a quick discussion.
>Other?

Mostly this has to do with proper procedure and military courtesy, which may net you points with the Martian Navy

>We'd like permission to examine your fighters and pilots prior to launch.
And once we've properly assessed capabilities of both pilots and machines.

>We would like to deliver a brief to yourself and your pilots.

I'm down with this.

>>We would like to deliver a brief to yourself and your pilots.
>
>We'd like permission to examine your fighters and pilots prior to launch.

>We'd like permission to examine your fighters and pilots prior to launch.
>We would like to deliver a brief to yourself and your pilots.

>We'd like permission to examine your fighters and pilots prior to launch.
>We would like to deliver a brief to yourself and your pilots.

>writing

“Yes, we would like to ask permission to dock so that we can examine your fighters and pilots personally,” you inform your counterpart from the Martian Navy. She raises one silvery eyebrow in quiet surprise.

“Oh?” she asks. “And what gives you cause to board my ship and poke around?”

“You may assign a guard if you wish,” you assure the Captain, “but as the mission we will be undertaking may be dangerous and is certainly sensitive, we need to be sure that Viper is the correct tool for the task at hand.”

“I see,” she replies calmly, though you feel she's secretly quite frustrated by the lack of information so far. “I assume you'll be telling us what they're needed for? The Queen's orders stated that we'd be informed when you felt necessary.”

“Of course, we can brief you and your pilots on the necessary details,” you inform her. “But only after such time as we deem it appropriate. Do we have your blessing, Captain?”

Captain Olivier ponders the issue for a moment before nodding sternly. “Agreed. But no offense intended, you will be monitored closely for the duration of your visit.”

“That's fair,” you agree. “We'll coordinate directly with your helm, if that's acceptable.”

“Fine. We'll see you in a few minutes, Captain.”

The screen cuts, replaced by an exterior view of a very large ship that's growing larger by the second: the Gambier Bay. It has a blocky appearance to it, with lots of straight lines and bulk. Many of its systems appear to run along the external hull, with sensitive areas covered by thick blast plates to protect from shrapnel or micrometeor impacts. Compared to the Sericea it looks almost unfinished to your eyes rather than merely utilitarian, but it's clear that the latter was its main design emphasis. The layout of its many laser point defense turrets and missile batteries makes that abundantly clear.
>1/2

The most distinctive feature however is a large, boxy section about fifty meters long and fifteen high welded crudely to the dorsal hull, with long platforms extending fore and aft. One is clearly a launch ramp, while the other seems to be covered in some sort of devices that must function as arrestors somehow. Perhaps some sort of magnetic field, or an aligned Minovsky particle “cushion” similar to how a Craft System allows ships like the Sericea to float. You'd be interested to know exactly how the hell that's supposed to work.

A docking port on the starboard side extends to meet the port on the Sericea's dorsal hull, locking into place with a deeply resounding thud and a series of mechanical clicks as heavy bolts lock into place.

“That's us then,” you tell Rossweisse, making your exit from the bridge.

“Don't forget you're wearing a recording device,” she reminds you.

When you finally pass through the airlock and emerge into the interior of the Martian battlecruiser, you're reminded immediately of the difference between your Fleet's vessels and those of standard navies. The finished interior is spartan at best, with deep, dark-colored finishes on the unadorned steel and low-level lighting. The security who meet you are clearly Marines, whose boots are magnetized. There's no artificial gravity in this section of the ship, since it's presumably a utility area rather than living space.

Very economical.

“Cap didn't say she was going to be wearing armor,” one of the Marines tells his comrades. You can sense a note of confusion, and a carefully-masked sort of unease at your appearance. “I don't like it.”

>This is our uniform, Marine. Now, take us to your CO.
>Quit your whining, Marine. You have a job to do.
>Just find the Captain on your own. Make it clear to the Marines who's in charge here.
>Other?

>This is our uniform, Marine. Now, take us to your CO.

>This is our uniform, Marine. Now, take us to your CO.

>This is our uniform, Marine. Now, take us to your CO.
You'd think recognizing the uniforms and equipment of other military forces would be standard training for Martian marines.

>>This is our uniform, Marine. Now, take us to your CO.

>This is our uniform, Marine. Now, take us to your CO.

That's a bit more diplomatic than what most non-commissioned marines would normally go in for, and the standard pilot suit for pilots like Carrina is more like light assault armor than a flight suit. Particularly in a setting where skintight or nearly so has become the norm.

To a jumpy marine it could look like a bit of a threat.

>writing

“This is our uniform, Marine,” you explain calmly, resting your arm against the helmet clipped to your waist. “Anything to improve survival odds if your entire cockpit ends up exploding. Now take us to your Captain, we have a lot to discuss and we'd kind of like to get under way.”

“I guess, ma'am,” the Marine says, grip softening on his weapon. “Follow me, Cap's office is a good ways off. You have mags in those boots of yours?”

“Don't need them,” you reply calmly. “We grew up in space, microgravity's like air.”

“Whatever you say, ma'am.”

Maneuvering through corridors like these is a simple feat for someone with your background, but that doesn't stop the Marines from watching you float gracefully from one handhold to the next. In one especially smooth maneuver you grasp a handrail and rotate your momentum around the last corner on your way to what's labeled the “Gravity Section” and plant your feet against it like a gymnast, before pushing off and rolling to your feet as the diamagnetic generators press you into the deck.

That earns a small whistle from one of the Marines in charge of escorting you. “How the hell did you learn to do that?”

“It's called ukemi,” you explain. “It's an element of a very old martial art. Pretty basic stuff, really.”

“You make it look too easy, like Spider Girl or something.”

You frown, stopping in your tracks. “Spider Girl?”

“It's an old comic book character,” the Marine explains awkwardly. “From Earth? Late nineteen-hundreds?”

You shake your head. “Don't know her. This the bridge?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Good, I see you made it through the corridors just fine,” Captain Olivier greets you with a handshake. “I've got Viper waiting in my ready room, I'll introduce you.”
>1/2

>“I've got Viper waiting in my ready room, I'll introduce you.”
Wait, what? I thought the machine was called the Viper, not the pilot. Is this a fortunate coincidence of call signs, or is there something else going on?

Inside the waiting room you're greeted by three pilots in regular fabric uniforms: a short middle-aged woman of clear Asian descent, a taller man with pale skin and close-cropped hair, and a dark-skinned man with a clean-shaved head of indeterminate age. All three salute the other Captain as you enter the room.

“Take your seats, Viper,” the Captain orders. “And listen good, cause I'm only telling you this once. Queen Mineva's seconding you off to the CTF for a joint op of some kind. Captain O'Hara here's going to fill you in on the details once she gets to know you.”

“Captain?” she asks, gesturing for you to speak.

>Names. Ranks. Callsigns. Background. Just the basics.
>Any of you ever done a joint op before?
>Have any of you been in live combat? We've dealt with a lot of Sim-Troopers so far.
>Other?

>Any of you ever done a joint op before?>Have any of you been in live combat? We've dealt with a lot of Sim-Troopers so far.

>Any of you ever done a joint op before?
>Have any of you been in live combat? We've dealt with a lot of Sim-Troopers so far.

The team's name is "Viper". It's a nod to the "Vipers" from Battlestar Galactica, which are pretty fucking cool space fighters. They suffer from being generic though, since they look a LOT like all the Feddie fighters from MSG (among other examples).

>>Any of you ever done a joint op before?
>>Have any of you been in live combat? We've dealt with a lot of Sim-Troopers so far

>Any of you ever done a joint op before?
>Have any of you been in live combat? We've dealt with a lot of Sim-Troopers so far.

Ah, I see. And here I was thinking "Vic Viper", what with the beam gun and the short-range remote weapons.

>Any of you ever done a joint op before?
>Other?
What's the extent of your knowledge on pirate and anti-piracy operations?

I was assuming it was basically a mass production variant of the TS-MA4F Exus.

>writing

“Any of you seen live combat?” you ask immediately, skirting around the formalities of names and ranks. “We've worked with a lot of sim-troopers with no field experience since we got here, and we'd be quite eager to get an actual combat pilot or two involved.”

“I flew with the Federation,” the asian woman informs you. “Back around the time of the Naval Review.”

Oh... so she was there for that, was she? The memory of that day still lingers in your mind of course: a part of you will never forget the sensation of thousands of people dying in terror all at once like that. The shock, the fear, the confusion, and ultimately the silence.

“Ma'am?” the woman asks, cocking her head at you. “You were there too, weren't you?”

“Not an easy thing for a Newtype to remember,” you admit quietly before regaining your composure. “Good to have you on board...”

“Lieutenant Mayes, ma'am. Callsign Anubis. These are Warrent Officers Fallman, callsign Digger, and Garcias, callsign Showtime.”

“Bit of a showoff in your training class?” you ask Garcias with a grin.

“Former male dancer,” the dark-skinned man replies with a salute, his voice booming. “Put me through college.”

Huh. Colorful lot, their Captain was right about that.

“Well now, that's an introduction. Take us up to the hangar, would you?”

The pilots exchange uncertain glances.

“Isn't that kinda... you know,” Garcias begins, gesturing vaguely.

“Against regs?” Fallman completes the thought with a shake of his head. “You're damned right it is.”

You glance at Captain Olivier, who shrugs and puts the question right back on you.

Clever girl.
>1/2

>The Queen wants you to accompany us on a mission. She knows that we need to know your capabilities (appeal to authority).
>It's our understanding that our opinion on the new fighters was desired. We need to see them to offer that opinion (appeal to technical expertise as a fellow pilot).
>Frankly, we're not sure your machines are up to the task (goad them).
>Other?

>It's our understanding that our opinion on the new fighters was desired. We need to see them to offer that opinion (appeal to technical expertise as a fellow pilot).

>It's our understanding that our opinion on the new fighters was desired. We need to see them to offer that opinion (appeal to technical expertise as a fellow pilot).

>>It's our understanding that our opinion on the new fighters was desired. We need to see them to offer that opinion (appeal to technical expertise as a fellow pilot).

>It's our understanding that our opinion on the new fighters was desired. We need to see them to offer that opinion (appeal to technical expertise as a fellow pilot).
>Other?
Additionally, with how the Queen described the purpose of the fighters, I imagine it'd need a different piloting approach.

Can't treat it like a Saberfish, since this can do way more. Can't treat it like a Mobile Suit either. So it'd be showing what you, as pilots, got

>Other?
Sort of a modification of the first one. That being that if they're going to accompany us, we're going to find out about the fighters' capabilities anyway. Better to do it now than in the middle of a fight with pirates.

Basically, what I'm trying to appeal here is that they have the opportunity to pioneer their own doctrine for this weapon system.

Not much of a point selling the thing when it isn't accompanied by a manual on how to best use it after all.

>Can't treat it like a Saberfish, since this can do way more. Can't treat it like a Mobile Suit either. So it'd be showing what you, as pilots, got
Its actually similar to the Riah Mobile armors in concept.

>writing

You meet “Anubis” with a confident gaze. “We were intended to observe these new designs, offer our expertise as a seasoned test pilot.”

“You logged any hours on a Saberfish?” Anubis asks pointedly.

“Over a hundred,” you inform her, “mostly in high-g maneuvers and torture tests. No combat though, since we're foremost a mobile suit expert. Helped test the Gelgoog and the Kämpfer... now THAT was what you'd call teething problems. Damn thing flew apart twice on us.”

“Okay, we get it,” Digger sighs. “You know your stuff and the Queen wants you to check out what we can do.”

“That's about the size of it,” you nod. “So, shall we?”

Anubis glances at her CO, who offers a sweeping gesture towards the door. “Lead the way, Lieutenant.”

The Marines follow close behind your group as you make your way up towards the makeshift hangar addition, passing by small groups of crewmembers who make room for you. Due to the rather close quarters here you rely on your mag-boots to maneuver, despite how unnatural it feels to do so. You eventually find a compromise in kicking off lightly to glide inches off the deck until you need to stop, where you engage the magnets in your soles. It earns you more than one incredulous look.

“So what's with the boots?” Garcias wonders quietly, gesturing not towards you but the Marines.

“SOP, Garcias,” Anubis responds calmly. “They're here to keep an eye on our guest.”

“One wrong move and 'pop',” Digger adds, gesturing with a finger-pistol. “No offense meant, Captain.”

“None taken,” you reply with a smile. “We'll just be sure to pop you first if it ever comes to that.”

“Heh, yeah...” Digger chuckles. “Wait, what?”

“How's that athlete's tongue treating you, Diggs?” Showtime ribs his wingmate with an elbow.
>1/2

>dice+3d10 observation, DC 6

Rolled 4, 9, 6 = 19 (3d10)

Rolled 10, 6, 6 = 22 (3d10)

Rolled 10, 7, 8 = 25 (3d10)

If you want to slam, bring a bigger hammer, boys.

Well then, that's fairly definitive. I think I've learned where Riku's luck has been going: straight to Carrina's good eye.

Seems to happen a lot for CC when it's for observation rolls. Which pretty much aligns with the quest premise here.

Just hope she doesn't catch the combat roll slump of SSQ. And now I probably jinxed it.

The first thing you notice in the hangar is its size: barely large enough to contain the three fighters and their associated equipment and munitions. The space planes themselves are long and almost spear-like in shape, with short noses for improved forward visibility and squared-off canopies recessed partway into the fuselage. Combined with the rather stubby wings and it reminds you of the old Century series of fighters back on Earth, aside from the twin “butterfly” tail surfaces and the four engines clustered in a rough X-pattern at the back end. Each nacelle ends in a gimballed nozzle, and the cowlings are lined with a series of small chemical thrusters recessed into the metal skin. They should be very maneuverable in air and in space.

Each has something like a hunched back, where you imagine the miniaturized reactor is located. A single gun is mounted forward-facing on the underside of the fuselage in a fixed emplacement, and a pair of three-tube missile mounts are tucked in under either wing.

“How fast?” you ask.

Anubis shrugs, giving you an evasive answer. “Fast as they need to be in space. Mach two or better in atmosphere.”

“That's not telling me much,” you chide her walking a slow circle around the fighter, “but we're not going in atmosphere anyway so it doesn't matter. Point and shoot... wire guidance. These things mount Minovsky flight systems?”

Showtime's jaw nearly drops. “How did you...”

“No, just to augment the lift,” you correct yourself quietly, still circling like a shark around a sinking ship. “The landing strip at the back end of the hangar uses the same principle to arrest your forward momentum, doesn't it? That's really clever, how have you managed to regulate the I-field interactions?”
>1/2

"We... haven't. Yet," Anubis admits.

"So it's a gamble every time?" you ask. "That's a little nerve-wracking."

"You're telling me," she grumbles. "Seat of our pants, every time we try and recover."

"Sometimes one of us doesn't make it the first time," Digger adds sombrely. "Training accidents."

"Poor Slammer," Showtime sighs.

"How did it happen?"

He shakes his head. "He's not dead, it's just we keep giving him grief about his callsign now. I mean come on, 'Slammer'? For a test pilot?"

"So, like what you see?" Captain Olivier asks.

>Scramble for launch, we want a demo.
>Good enough, let's get you briefed on the basics.
>We're going to give you the full briefing, it's confidential. Word gets out, one of you dies.
>Other?

Wow. We are in full Audrey mode right now.

>>We're going to give you the full briefing, it's confidential. Word gets out, one of you dies.

>Good enough, let's get you briefed on the basics.

>Good enough, let's get you briefed on the basics.

Not *quite*. Carrina can tell you exactly what something does after looking at it for thirty seconds or so. Audrey can tell you how it does it, and show you the math.

>>We're going to give you the full briefing, it's confidential. Word gets out, one of you dies.
youtube.com/watch?v=Dp3XN8xnJLw

Well, they probably won't be doing a ship hangar landing where we're going.

>Good enough, let's get you briefed on the basics.
>Other?
If they have any questions regarding the mission, we should be free to answer as best we can.

>Writing
I would have preferred to go a full 8 hours but my eyelids are getting heavy already. There's a natural cliffhanger coming up though, so I'll call it a night when we finally reach that point.

That's fine, Hearts. We'd rather have you well rested than straining yourself.

“Here's what you need to know,” you begin, gesturing for the pilots and Captain to join you in a nearby office space that seems like the pilots' briefing room. “We need to get to Luna as fast as possible, and that means flying straight through the beating heart of piracy in the inner solar system.”

“You're flying past Cruithne, you crazy bastards,” Captain Olivier realizes aloud, her normally hard eyes widening a little in surprise.

“We're a woman.”

“You're still a crazy bastard,” the Captain insists. “That's why you need fighter escort.”

“One ship on its own looks like a target no matter whose IFF tag it's using,” you continue to explain. “One ship and a trio of advanced escort fighters, that's four IFFs. It's a much less temping target if we do get spotted despite our best efforts and intentions.”

“So we'll be flying with our tags off, I take it?” Digger asks. You nod in confirmation. “That's...”

“Against regs, we know,” you interrupt. “For the Mars Navy at least. For us it's a common counterpiracy technique.

“And fighter escort is hard to pick out than a cruiser,” Anubis concludes. “I follow you, Captain. It's actually not a bad plan, but why's it so damn important you get to Luna?”

“Were not at liberty to discuss it in any detail,” you insist firmly, “but it has to do with an ongoing investigation, which itself is connected to the recent terrorist attack in the Mariner District.”

“In Mariner?” the Captain asks incredulously. “I don't believe it.”

“Thwarted a nuclear strike and downed a bunch of advanced mobile suits,” you inform them. “Captain, you can get confirmation when you make port. I take it you were running under strict radio protocols?”

“That's right,” Olivier responds. “A goddamn nuke?”
>1/2

“We had the same reaction,” you assure the Captain. “But anyway, we need your fighters rigged for a four-day round trip to Luna and back. There's no guarantee we can get you docking permission to replace your perishables. It'd be a messy situation if you came prepared for anything less.”

“Long haul flying is the worst,” Showtime grumbles, “but yeah, fair point ma'am.”

>Any other questions?
>We have one last question...
>We depart in one hour. Be ready.
>Other?

>>Any other questions?

Who hurt Mr. Bearguy? Those fiends!

>Any other questions?

>Any other questions?
If none are forthcoming...

>We have one last question...
Ever experienced an Axis shock journey?

>Any other questions?

This, don't want anything bad happening.

Feels kinda slow tonight. We got any lurkers in here I wonder?

It'll probably be fine. Carrina hauled colony sized object at greater distances than this. Though yeah, I wouldn't mind laying out some reassurances.

Probably a lot of other people dealing with father's day stuff. I'm eating a hamburger and posting from my tablet.

It was quite a bit of a hiatus.

This reminds me, using our powers like this reminds me of an Anne McCaffery series (The Talents)...long time since I've read those books.

Forgot about that. My family celebrated a bunch of holidays at once when we were actually together, so the actual dates slipped my mind.

Also a fair point. 7 players is fine, but it IS a little on the low side and it made me wonder if I wasn't making it interesting enough to keep readers engaged.

Anyways,
>writing