>CTF Sericea
>Tithon Dockyards, Mars
>January 15, UC0090
You are Carrina Marseille O'Hara, a powerful Newtype serving as a Captain and mobile suit pilot in the recently-formed Colony Transit Fleet. This morning your first cup of coffee comes with news that the terrorist group who struck last night on your way back from speaking with Queen Mineva are based out of the Tharsis mountains, a trio of massive and thankfully long-extinct volcanoes near the western end of the Mariner valley system. Worse news is that you now have evidence that these terrorists have somehow managed to field an unknown number of mobile suits.
That type of machine was made infamous during the One Year War, despite the fact that the first instance of mobile suits operating against each other in combat wasn't until mid-September of 0079. Images of Zakus posing by the Statue of Liberty after the fall of New York in February were used as propaganda on both sides even after the war itself was over. It was your performance together in piloting the Zaku II model that got you posted to the Flanagan Institute that July, where an accident left two sisters sharing one mind. After all but destroying your life your superiors simply gave you an upgrade, a black Gelgoog test type, and pointed you at their enemies.
You could say that the “Black Star of Zeon” was born out of that mobile suit arms race.
By November the Federation were fielding their mass-produced "GM", with the beam weapons that went along with them. You were ready for them of course, and individually they were easy pickings. Plenty of times you overflew Federation forward operating bases to share the locations of lost Feddie pilots as a goodwill gesture, but that didn't change the fact that each time there were another two or three more victories marked on your machine.
>1/4
>>47267359
Zeon went on to lose that war of course, swamped under the sheer numbers of the Federation's production units and drained by the loss of most of its trained pilots. You suppose it's only fitting that the Zabi family, who never bothered to learn from history, would be doomed to repeat it. But the progression of mobile suit technology never ceased.
“You've got that look again,” Rossweisse comments, setting aside her mug. “You're pondering something unpleasant.”
“We're just wondering what sort of machines a bunch of terrorists working out of a cave could assemble from industrial scraps,” you admit. With one final stretch you rise to leave your quarters, heading for the Sericea's hangar deck.
Rossweisse follows, nodding thoughtfully to herself. “Could be war surplus. Many mobile suits went unaccounted for after the Axis incident.”
“They do sound a bit like Titans,” you agree with a frown. “We've also considered the possibility that materiel from the old Mars Zeon could have formed the core of this new group.”
The old Mars Zeon, under their former leader Enzo Bernini, possessed a large number of mobile weapons. Some of those ended up in the hands of the new Martian government formed under Mineva, but no doubt a few could have gone missing. But would a couple of modified Zakus and Doms really form the heart of a military force intended to face the Martian Navy?
“Whatever they're using,” Rossweisse admits as she keys in the code to access the hangar, “they'll probably have planned a few surprises.”
“True enough,” you agree. “Nobody ever plays these things straight anymore.”
>2/4
>>47267379
Your own gundam has been covered with a heavy-duty tarp to obscure it from the visiting Martian Naval officers with whom you intend to coordinate an assault on the stronghold in the Tharsis Montes region. These three are the short list of names Mineva provided you whom you can probably trust not to stab you in the back, each the Captain of his own ship with a detachment of mobile suits under his command.
“Good of you all to join us,” you greet them briskly from across the hangar. “With all due respect we'd like to get straight to the point: you're here because we've tracked the sole surviving gunman from last night's train attack to what appears to be an industrial stronghold. We didn't want to launch an assault and not involve the local authorities, so here you are.”
“Ma'am,” the youngest-looking of the three replies, “I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish with one ship and a single mobile suit, but I'm glad you called us here. The three of us have agreed that the Martian Navy will handle the raid. Your assistance isn't necessary.”
“You can't be serious,” you grumble. “One ship with a single gundam is all it EVER takes to turn the tables, and we're giving you exactly that.”
“And we're telling you that we don't need your help,” one of his two peers replies calmly. “This is a task for us to handle, not for you. Our best mobile suit pilots have been assembled overnight with our newest models to do exactly that.”
“Mobile suit pilots?” you ask, crossing your arms. “From where?”
“The Martian Naval Academy,” the Captain replies. “Our finest...”
“Rookies,” you nod. “Have any of them got actual combat hours?”
“They have all completed a rigorous,” the first Captain begins before you cut him off.
“So that's a no.”
>3/4
>>47267411
To be fair, sending unblooded rookies with experimental new mobile suits into combat has won literally every major conflict in the history of mobile suit warfare. Give them a chance, Carrina.
Also, whoo! Shadows of Zeon Quest!
>>47267411
The lack of a response is all the response you need: they mean to go through with this, for whatever reasons they may have. It may be some misplaced sense of pride, or a desire to establish themselves as tested combat leaders for the purposes of advancement: either way, they mean to cut you and your small force out of the battle regardless of the consequences.
Of the three, the oldest Captain is the only one who has said nothing so far. His demeanor suggests he may not be as on board with this plan as his younger colleagues: he's definitely old enough to be a veteran of the One Year War, so your estimation is that he's the only one with significant combat command experience.
>Face it, you need us: at very least to draw fire for your strike force.
>Must be some damn fine mobile suits if you're so confident. Let's see them in action.
>The old guy is probably your best be for coordinating a strike.
>Other?
>>47267450
>The old guy is probably your best be for coordinating a strike.
>>47267450
>The old guy is probably your best be for coordinating a strike.
>Other?
Less draw fire and more spearhead and sow disorder.
Also...
>Knights of Tharsis
King, you aren't going Aldnoah on us, are you?
>>47267433
I would argue that them having gone through any sort of training is antithetical to being a traditional Gundam protag and having the plot armor therein.
But whatever.
>>47267450
>Other?
We know these guys have an informant somewhere, just act typically, and feed them a misleading plan. Might as well sniff out the leak, and hopefully place the enemy out of position.
>>47267473
Nah. It was actually a Muse reference.
>>47267478
Fair point, but then again what about Carrina has ever struck you as being like a "traditional Gundam protagonist"?
>>47267478
You know, that is a good point, I'm not thinking properly. Okay, instead of unblooded rookies, entirely untrained kids that we just picked up off the street. Wait, even better: We'll have a mobile suit "coincidentally" crash nearby them.
>>47267508
Ideas for "misinformation" to leak?
>>47267526
Nah man, the best way to draw out the Gundam protag potential is to have the rookie face a mobile suit in a gladiator style arena.
>>47267450
>>The old guy is probably your best be for coordinating a strike.
phew, barely made it
>>47267520
Oh no, not Carrina.
I was assuming that Anon was referring to how the war winning single pilots tended to be random kids that drop into the cockpit, and that these rookies are juuuusssttt experienced enough that that isn't an accurate descriptor
I think in this universe Armuro is the only one that fell into a Gundam. In all the other wars our husband was the main hero, and the main protags of Zeta and ZZ never rose.
>>47267450
>>The old guy is probably your best be for coordinating a strike.
>>47267556
Pull the old Normandy trick. The main attack is actually a distraction while we do something else somewhere else. Turns out that's a lie and the forces supposedly committed to the second prong were actually held in reserve to assist the first attack
>>47267582
You may have a point there. Christina started out training in a Gundam and Emma got a (sorta) Gundam too. And they both did pretty okay in the Grim Guard during the first quest.
>>47267556
>>47267622
This and also insert a joke on how many lovers our husband had during the war. Most know the propaganda number, but only a handful know the accurate number, which tends to surprise people for both reasons.
>working
Will we see any of the old gang, King? Or will it just be Carrina and Ross kicking ass and taking names on the Red Planet?
>>47267450
“You're really committed to this?” you ask, a hint of surprise creeping into your voice.
The first Captain nods. “This problem will be handled by the Mars Navy's new Jegan models. The Transit Fleet's intervention is neither necessary nor desired.”
You nod thoughtfully, the beginnings of a plan forming in your head. “Understood. However we have called in two vessels like this one as reinforcements, which will arrive in a few hours. If your strike falters we will take those reinforcements in from the opposite flank. Understood?”
Rossweisse picks up on your plan quickly, while the Captain bristles at your tone: good. That's the reaction you were counting on from both of them. “I suppose I don't have the authority to stop you? Very well. I suppose we'll just have to make sure you have no reason to commit your forces.”
The two younger Captains turn to leave, while you gesture subtly for the third Captain to stay behind. He looks down at you, seeming to understand that you have a plan in mind. Rossweisse for her par leaves to prepare to make your little bluff into something that stands a chance of working: the Sericea has been fitted with projectors to assist with communication, of the sort originally planned for Haman's flagship which was never built. Combined with decoy balloons and Minovsky interference it should be possible to make it seem as if you truly have three ships at your disposal: and if these really are veterans you're dealing with they remember what happened the last time three mobile suits from your organization were all in the same place.
>1/2
>>47267917
“Can you do us a favor?” you ask.
“I assume you have a plan you need help with?” the older Captain grumbles. “I heard about you from Clark's report. What do you need?”
“What is your mobile suit compliment?” you ask, maintaining a businesslike tone. “Types and roles, please.”
“Six total,” he replies in an equally direct manner. “Three Jegans as attack, three Lotos as artillery support.”
“We need you to hold those machines in reserve,” you inform him. “Support the advance, but don't fully commit. We also need you to send a message to Captain Clark, have him stand by with whatever forces he has. You'll know what to do.”
“I don't like it one bit,” he frowns. “But I suppose your judgment is better than a rookie's... alright, count me in.”
“Good luck,” you nod.
“Yeah... you too.”
Now, to decide your best use of time before the assault begins. The two rookie Captains are likely to move out with their commands fairly quickly, if their ships haven't already cast off, so you may not have much time.
>Sortie immediately, position yourself a few kilometers north of the suspected defensive position.
>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
>Assist Rossweisse in setting up your dummy fleet?
>Assist in pre-flight checks and tuning on the Viola?
>Other?
>>47267992
>>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
>>47267992
>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
>>47267992
>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
>>47267992
>>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
>>47267992
>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
Leak a scrambled/encoded comm over at Mineva's way too, if she's also keeping an eye out on this operation. It might narrow down on the Palace mole too if ever they try to eavesdrop.
Actually, I've been thinking. What are Titan remnants doing on Mars? Aren't they Earthnoid supremacists?
>>47268098
Not really. Titans are opportunists, the Earthnoid supremacy thing was just a convenient bit of propaganda. They're about power, not ideology. And Mars is a rising major polity, I can see them wanting to get in on the ground floor with that.
Rolled 9, 4, 9 = 22 (3d10)
>>47268098
Gotta eke out a living, I suppose.
It's not out of the question that they're being used as an easy scapegoat though.
>>47268098
Just because a war ends doesn't mean that soldiers disappear. They all end up somewhere, and by the end most Titans had all but abandoned their original pretense for wanting power and authority.
There's not even any solid evidence at this point that they're ALL Titans personnel.
>>47268179
True. They might not even be Titans at all. I mean, we're basing that on them using old Titans materiel, but the Titans had a pretty huge armory. I imagine a lot of people use their old military surplus. I know the EFF does, the Bar-GM is just a Barzam that's been given a casemod to look like a Federation suit.
>>47267992
>>Take a few moments to make your "bait" look appealing: falsify comm records to make it seem like you called for backup.
>>47267992
“ALICE,” you announce, strolling over to a nearby communications terminal, “we need a hand with something.”
“I assume it has something to do with your intended duplicity?” the AI responds through the speakers. “Certainly.”
“We need to falsify records within the Martian government's communications bureau,” you inform her, beginning work on a counterfeit message to the Transit Fleet. “We need you to backdate the communications logs to make it seem like we sent the message last night.”
“I can do that. Give me a few minutes to make the necessary arrangements.”
“By 'arrangements' we assume you mean hacking, right?” you grin.
“You know me too well.”
The body of the text is mostly buzzwords and military jargon to the effect of “send us more ships”, but you employ a fairly standard cipher to “disguise” it. Anyone who knows how these sorts of communications work should be familiar with this little trick, and will realize that the name “Marida” is the key, so it should be fairly convincing. However there is one rule that the top brass in the Transit Fleet have all agreed to, and it's a rule that Mineva will know as well: never use each others' names as a key.
To anyone who knows you personally it's obviously a ruse, but you hope the source of the leak will fall for it.
By the time the hackjob and the false message have been seen to, the Sericea is already underway.
“We've finished our bait,” you inform Rossweisse as you join her on the bridge. “How did your contribution to this little ruse turn out?”
“I could tell they're fake,” she admits, “but perhaps not from a distance, even despite my familiarity with the ship. For an enemy under Minovsky blackout, it should suffice.”
“Good,” you nod.
>1/2
>>47268384
>I'll sortie immediately, scout ahead and report any contact.
>We should hang back and spread as much M-particle interference as possible before the attack.
>I'll launch when we're in range, you can hang back and let me direct missile fire.
>Other combat strategy?
>>47268409
>>We should hang back and spread as much M-particle interference as possible before the attack.
>>I'll launch when we're in range, you can hang back and let me direct missile fire.
>>47268409
>>We should hang back and spread as much M-particle interference as possible before the attack.
By the way, can someone remind me what is our mobile suit?
And maybe our ship specifications?
>>47268409
>I'll sortie immediately, scout ahead and report any contact.
If the guy that got away ran straight back to base, odds are there's gonna be a lot of movement on their end. Gotta see if they're either hunkering down, or if they're deciding to evacuate.
Either way, eyes are needed on them in case a change of plan is required depending on the situation.
Rolled 9, 6, 8 = 23 (3d10)
>>47268491
>what is our mobile suit?
King mentioned that it was basically an F91, but with some changes.
>beam emitter on the left wrist that functions as a spot gun/saber
>three funnels stored at the back end/underside of each VSBR
>no radiating fins, no MEPE
>larger leg thrusters, similar to GM Sniper II
>fully-integrated psychoframe instead of Bio-Computer
>tandem cockpit setup for an optional weapons/intercept officer
Only thing I got from the ship is that it only has the capacity for 1 mobile suit.
>>47268409
>>I'll launch when we're in range, you can hang back and let me direct missile fire.
>>47268409
>We should hang back and spread as much M-particle interference as possible before the attack.
>>47268491
I'll need to take a 5-10 minute break after this, but sure. Now seems like an appropriate time to go over the relevant details.
The Viola is a "16-meter"-class mobile suit, built on a smaller frame than the mobile weapons of the One Year War (based heavily on the canon F91). The frame itself is a full psychoframe built from Gundarium-Psy, which is essentially stacks of psycommu receptors set into a light-weight composite. The armor is also similarly designed: in the hands of a Newtype not only is it quicker than one would expect but its armor is actually more durable.
Its built-in weapons are two "Variable Speed Beam Rifles" that draw directly from the reactor, which can be set for wide blasts or penetrating shots. The rear portions of the rifles also house recharge racks for six beam funnels. Its CIWS include a pair of 90mm cannons in the chest and a pair of 60mm cannons in the head. It carries two beam sabers in a charging rack inside the hip armor and a beam shield on the left wrist, with a spare shield generator in the other hip armor. Forward of the beam shield's mount on the arm is a projector that can serve as a spot gun or a short beam saber. Its handheld weapon is typically a "small" grenade-launching rifle. Its cockpit is designed to function with either a single pilot or a pilot and a "weapons officer" who split the duties.
Other than a very carefully selected and balanced weapons loadout, a powerful psychoframe, and its insanely high thrust, it has no "gimmicks".
The Sericea is the smallest warship capable of carrying a mobile suit and a developed enough psychoframe to make interstellar travel possible. It mounts one rail cannon, psycommu-guided missiles, a few laser point defense turrets, two holographic projectors, and dummy launchers. All of its functions can be managed by two Newtypes or even a single exceptionally skilled Newtype, though it carries a small crew for security and maintenance.
>>47268737
I thought for sure it'd retain the Ikebana's fighter/bomber configuration when the dual cockpit was mentioned. Though I'm guessing the reduced size kinda runs counter with that design philosophy.
>>47268409
That's a gigantic popped pimple right there.
Reminds me of the time I convinced a classmate I should try popping one of his big acne bumps and yellow puss came out like a fire hose when I just slightly squeezed it.
SPLORRRPRRFFT!
>>47268810
I think the idea is to make the secondary pilot less essential, given the fact that there's an increased demand for Newtypes in non-combat roles. So no transformation/combination system, no sub-arms, and less advanced electronics for them to monitor. On the plus side, we've got a larger funnel complement (twelve as opposed to the Ikebana's nine), VSBRs to make up for the lack of sub-arms holding extra weapons, and given the high thrust and low gravity of most extra-terrestrial battlefields we should still be flight-capable.
>>47268810
>>47268872
Precisely. There are a few other concerns I may get into "naturally", but at a certain point I decided an infodump was always going to be an infodump.
As for the funnels, there are six *total*. They're difficult to use under full gravity, let alone while managing all the other systems, so the number was reduced. The result is something that can fill all the roles of specialized mobile suits to a lesser degree, with a shitload of GOFAST to compensate.
>writing
>>47268944
Oh, sorry, got confused by the phrasing. Well, six funnels is still nothing to sneeze at. The Nu has six funnels and just look at what it can do (and if I recall correctly we use the same sort of fin funnel that would have been equipped to the Nu in canon, so it's a fair comparison). I'm just fine with the Viola's armament. We're the lovechild of the F-91 and the Nu, that's more than enough for near any engagement we're likely to get into.
>>47268944
“If our ruse is going to work we need to ensure that there is plenty of M-particle interference,” you frown. “We'll need the particle levels at combat density before we can begin our attack run.”
“So that means we hold position outside sensor range,” Rosse nods quietly. “Head downstairs. I'll keep you apprised.”
You quickly suit up and head to the hangar, finding the Viola standing ready. In the reduced gravity you don't even need a gantry to get into the cockpit, as you can easily leap from handhold to handhold until you can drop into the hatch and strap in. The viewscreens come alive all around you, displaying vital information on your weapons and systems status.
“She's all fueled up and ready to go,” mechanical Chief Hanlon tells you. “Happy hunting, Captain.”
You raise the Viola's hand in a salute before hitting the controls for the elevator, which lifts your machine up to the partially-exposed launch ramp on the Sericea's dorsal hull.
“We're in position” you report to Rossweisse. “Status on M-particle interference?”
“90% combat levels,” she reports. “Martian forces have engaged the first defensive line near cave entrance Nikki below the rim of Arsia Mons' caldera.”
The volcanoes of Mars are known for their lava tunnels: in fact some of the first temporary shelters were located in similar structures on the flanks of Pavonis Mons nearby. It's not unusual that industrial facilities would be built into these tunnels, and when the permanent industrial colony was established in the collapse caldera of Arisa Mons they would have been largely abandoned. That would have made it simple for the terrorists to move in, especially if the locals didn't raise too much of a fuss about it.
>1/2
>>47269184
“Get us an overhead, ALICE,” you order, and an inlay frame appears on your viewscreen's lower right-hand corner. The Jegans of the attacking force have moved up under artillery support from their motherships, but fire is still coming down on them from defensive perimeters nearer the cave entrance.
Something is wrong. There are too few defenders dug in here.
>Strike towards the “Nikki” cave entrance, see if you can get the defenders to commit.
>Initiate an attack on the nearby “Jeanne” cave entrance, which should be connected. See if taking their flank gets a rise out of them.
>Hold back, try and have ALICE help you discern more about the situation.
>Other?
>>47269204
>Initiate an attack on the nearby “Jeanne” cave entrance, which should be connected. See if taking their flank gets a rise out of them.
>>47269204
>Other?
This feels like a trap or a deception. If I were them, I would mine the tunnels and collapse them. Try to sense the area for feelings of deception.
>>47269204
>>Initiate an attack on the nearby “Jeanne” cave entrance, which should be connected. See if taking their flank gets a rise out of them.
bully the frenchie.
>>47269204
>Initiate an attack on the nearby “Jeanne” cave entrance, which should be connected. See if taking their flank gets a rise out of them.
>>47269204
>Hold back, try and have ALICE help you discern more about the situation.
Nuh uh. No way am I stepping into a Martian Jaburo.
>>47269204
>>Initiate an attack on the nearby “Jeanne” cave entrance, which should be connected. See if taking their flank gets a rise out of them.
>writing
>dice+3d10, DC is a meager 6
Rolled 6, 6, 4 = 16 (3d10)
>>47269400
Rolled 3, 10, 1 = 14 (3d10)
>>47269400
Sure thing, boss.
Rolled 2, 9, 6 = 17 (3d10)
>>47269400
That's a pass, right?
>>47269496
It is. Be back soon.
>>47269535
“Rosse, you never went to school... but have you ever read anything about the Caves of Mars project?”
There's a short moment of silence while Rossweisse tries to recall the information. “I believe so. What about it?”
“Didn't phase three determine most of the larger lava tunnels on this flank of Arsia Mons were connected?” you ask. “If we wanted to attack their flanks, for example...”
“They'd be expecting us to strike at Jeanne,” she finishes, “and would have massed much of their mobile suit force there. Shall I deploy the dummies and lay in a course?”
“Affirmative,” you reply, a grim smile spreading across your lips. “Let's give them a good show, shall we?”
The Sericea's engines burn hard to push her in closer towards the flanks of Arsia Mons, with your two decoys following close behind. As you guessed artillery fire throws up great plumes of dirt and rubble ahead of you as the defense near Jeanne take the opportunity to adjust the fire on their heavier guns. You'd guess these are in the neighborhood of the old 180mm recoilless rounds judging by the size of the blasts: just enough to be dangerous.
“Viola, commencing launch!” you announce, firing your machine off the powerful catapult and into the thin Martian atmosphere ahead. A second burst of acceleration slams you into your seatback as your own thrusters kick in, and you careen towards the source of the incoming fire.
>1/2
>>47269702
“They're taking the bait!” Rossweisse reports. “Missile barrage from your 10 o'clock, I'm pulling the Sericea back. If these dummies aren't actually firing CIWS it'll give us away!”
Your mothership holds position a short distance outside what Rossweisse has judged to be their maximum firing range as you roll to bring your own machine cannons to bear on the incoming missiles. What few you don't blast from the sky impact harmlessly around you, gouging deep impact craters into the rusty terrain. You're still a ways out from the cave entrance itself, around which the artillery is likely clustered: a series of large contacts on your sensors are closing in, no doubt more offensively-oriented mobile suits. From this distance they look vaguely Zeonic, and smaller than any One Year War type, but to your eye they're mostly just utilitarian monstrosities in partly 'pixel'-pattern desert camo.
In the distance, three machines have peeled off from the battle at Nikki cave entrance and are approaching at high speed.
>Engage the smaller force, reduce their numbers before their reinforcements can arrive.
>Call Rossweisse for a missile barrage: just a little closer and you'll be able to adjust their trajectories to take out the enemy's artillery support.
>Let the Sericea pummel anyone that tries to leave Jeanne, while you engage the three newcomers: those have to be elites.
>Other?
Also, choose one of the following:
>Call in the Martian Naval reserves
>You can still sow further disarray for them
>>47269702
Well, I suppose it's only right that they should have the Den'an Zon, if we're in the F-91.
>>47269731
>Engage the smaller force, reduce their numbers before their reinforcements can arrive.
>You can still sow further disarray for them
>>47269731
>>Engage the smaller force, reduce their numbers before their reinforcements can arrive.
>You can still sow further disarray for them
>>47269754In my mind it's the archetypal "ugly-ass late UC Zaku-alike", so while it's not LITERALLY the Den'an Zon it'd look similar
>>47269731
>>Engage the smaller force, reduce their numbers before their reinforcements can arrive.
>You can still sow further disarray for them
>>47269731
>Call Rossweisse for a missile barrage: just a little closer and you'll be able to adjust their trajectories to take out the enemy's artillery support.
>You can still sow further disarray for them
Just need a couple of psycommu guided missile to mentally hijack while they're in transit.
>>47269822
No, I got that. But the Viola isn't literally the F-91, either. Just drawing points of comparison.
>>47269731
>Engage the smaller force, reduce their numbers before their reinforcements can arrive.
>You can still sow further disarray for them
>>47269731
>Call Rossweisse for a missile barrage: just a little closer and you'll be able to adjust their trajectories to take out the enemy's artillery support.
>Call in the Martian Naval reserves
>>47269731
Also, have Alice engage in electronic warfare, focusing on gathering intelligence.
>>47269862
Fair enough. I'm just taking the opportunity to keep things clear, that these aren't one-for-one representations but rather the closest canon equivalents.
>writing
>>47269939
Also,
>3d10, DC 7
>you've successfully drawn out their newer models
Rolled 5, 1, 6 = 12 (3d10)
>>47269965
Rolled 4, 4, 5 = 13 (3d10)
>>47269965
Rolled 3, 9, 7 = 19 (3d10)
>>47269965
>>47269991
Thanks for the save, buddy.
>>47269991
>I like to imagine this is the Ball equivalent of a "thumbs-up"
>writing
>>47269965
“ALICE, get us a rundown on the incoming trio,” you order. “We'll disrupt the oncoming attack force, then we'll be free to mop up with the Sericea's missiles.”
“Affirmative,” Rossweisse reports as you charge towards the newcomers. There are six of them in total, and it appears your instincts were correct: these are newer, post-war models after all. Smaller, and fairly well covered with thrusters. Each carries a single close-range weapon of varied descriptions, with a twin-barreled mount of some kind on the left wrist. Their small size and apparently simplified construction seem appropriate to an organization with finite resources, but still... something instinctive tells you the design is a little too well-conceived for a terrorist network.
These six machines are much more like what a regular armed service would field, like the Republic of Zeon's navy special weapons branch or the Luna Sphere's defense forces.
“Scatter!” you roar as the VSBRs on your Viola's back swing forward in a low arc to lock into their firing positions. You grasp them, setting them to an intermediate density and spread, and fire at the center of the formation.
One of the strange machines takes the full force of the blast head-on, vaporizing in a chain of sympathetic detonations as its own fuel and conventional weapons cook off. A second ignites a beam shield on its left wrist to avoid taking the brunt of the shot, and manages to escape at the cost of burning out the defensive device. It seems you were right: these machines are far superior to what you'd expect of a terrorist group.
The remaining five mobile suits scatter at high speed, mostly seeming to try and use the rocky Martian terrain to their advantage. As you expected, the artillery can't fire on you now that the formation has broken up all around the area.
>1/2
>>47270180
“Confirm, you seeing our footage?” you ask Rossweisse as a pair of beam shots narrowly miss the Viola. You felt them coming a mile away, and didn't even need to raise your own shield to avoid them.
“Confirmed,” she replies. “That was a beam shield? Too fancy.”
“Agreed. We're starting to think they may have outside backers.”
>Call in a missile strike, danger close. Have Rossweisse direct them into their targets.
>Have Rossweisse delay the incoming trio while you work on the remaining five suits.
>Break away, draw these group back towards their own defensive lines. Keep the fight away from Sericea.
>Other?
Also,
>Call in the Mars Navy
>Still more we can do: the longer we wait the greater the confusion
>>47270191
>Have Rossweisse delay the incoming trio while you work on the remaining five suits.
>Call in the Mars Navy
>>47270191
>>Have Rossweisse delay the incoming trio while you work on the remaining five suits.
>Still more we can do: the longer we wait the greater the confusion
>>47270191
>Other?
Call a missile strike, suppress them and fall back at the last moment.
Also use this window to insert the reserves.
>I'll give an extra five minutes or so for voting, just in case there are any stragglers
>>47270191
whoops, drifting off at my computer, had a long day.
>>Have Rossweisse delay the incoming trio while you work on the remaining five suits.
>Still more we can do: the longer we wait the greater the confusion
>writing
>>47270488
>3d10, DC 6
Rolled 5, 5, 6 = 16 (3d10)
>>47270502
Rolled 7, 4, 10 = 21 (3d10)
>>47270502
Okay!
Rolled 10, 9, 4 = 23 (3d10)
>>47270502
>>47270502
“Rosse, delay the incoming three,” you order. “We'll clear out these five. A clean sweep may force them to re-deploy their older machines as well.”
“Roger that. Missiles outgoing.”
ALICE finally gets back to you with an inset window showing the three attackers as they approach. “These three are bulkier than the five you're fighting, and much more heavily armed. Despite that they appear to be faster as well.”
One of the remaining attackers bursts from cover and opens fire, forcing you to jink backwards where two of his comrades are waiting. They think they're being clever, but you block the incoming shots from your left with your shield and send a blast at the one to your right. You've already determined the weakness of this design: it's very efficient, but they have to raise their arm to fire their ranged weapon. That movement makes it impossible to defend and return fire at the same time, so if you shoot at the same time they do they're helpless.
You can feel the four pilots starting to panic. They realize you've figured out a strategy to beat them, and they're growing bolder in their approach. The one who lost his beam shield rushes you with a beam saber ignited only to have his arm removed by your wrist-mounted beam blade: their arms don't have as many thrusters mounted on them, so once they commit to a strike they're vulnerable to a faster counter.
“Three down,” you announce as you cripple the already disarmed machine in front of you with a beam blast to the crotch and a burst of cannon fire to the optics.
>1/2
>>47270621
"Problem," Rossweisse announces. "My missiles only slowed them down briefly. Then their signals briefly multiplied... as if they released dummies of some kind. They're still coming."
Dummies? How strange. You guess you'll have to figure out the situation yourself sooner or later.
Meanwhile, it seems that the third Captain has committed the forces he's been holding in reserve, initiating the main attack at Nikki cave. You'd have preferred to wait, but you suppose now is as good a time as any. You take a moment as you avoid a beam blast to confirm with Captain Clark that it's fine to initiate the full attack.
>Rossweisse, shell the shit out of these three. We'll intercept the elites and figure out their capabilities.
>Keep up the barrage, see if you can't focus on one and reduce their numbers.
>We don't like the sound of that. We're going to set up a trap in case they're too difficult to face at a numeric disadvantage.
>Other?
>>47270738
>>Keep up the barrage, see if you can't focus on one and reduce their numbers
>>47270738
>>Keep up the barrage, see if you can't focus on one and reduce their numbers.
>>47270738
>Keep up the barrage, see if you can't focus on one and reduce their numbers.
I suppose it's probably best if we don't split the Sericea's attention right now.
>>47270738
>Rossweisse, shell the shit out of these three. We'll intercept the elites and figure out their capabilities.
>Dice+3d10, DC 6
>not quite enough for them to be getting desperate yet
Rolled 1, 6, 8 = 15 (3d10)
>>47271050
Rolled 8, 5, 1 = 14 (3d10)
>>47271050
Rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9 (3d10)
>>47271050
>>47271050
“Hit one of them,” you suggest, “tight spread. Just whittle down their numbers a bit.”
You eject one of your beam sabers from its charging rack and fire a pair of grenades, forcing one of the nameless machines to evade towards the spinning blade. It raises its own beam shield only to be showered with beam blasts as a low-intensity shot from your left VSBR reflects off its i-field and pummeling the mobile suit from behind. The beam shield shuts off and the arm droops to the suit's side, disabled, and the sudden loss of balance sends the pilot reeling into a boulder. That kind of impact isn't something he's going to just get up and walk away from, even though he's clearly survived.
A roar strong enough to rattle your teeth shakes the Viola as a column of fire streaks behind you, and Rossweisse keys the comm systems to report on her success. “Solid hit. No matter how fast they may be, or what tricks they're using, they're not quick enough to dodge a rail cannon.”
A direct hit from a rail cannon... that couldn't have been pretty on the receiving end.
“Using that thing in-atmosphere? You're crazy,” you chide her, shaking your head. “But it's the kind of crazy we can get behind. We'll take it from here, you entertain our leftovers.”
“Roger that. Cleanup duty it is.”
You take off towards the oncoming machines, finally meeting them head to head. ALICE's images seem to have been accurate: both machines are bulky, standing around 16 meters and armed with heavy weaponry. Their style of construction is even more simplified than the earlier machines... perhaps reflecting an in-house development on the basic design.
>1/2
>>47271263
One carries a large dual rotary cannon, similar to the 75mm weapon mounted on a Gouf custom but with shorter barrels in exchange for more of them, while the other mounts a multi-shot bazooka, around 380mm or so. You're fairly certain it's loaded with cluster munitions, to try and catch enemy mobile suits in a shotgun spread of explosives.
The bazooka-armed machine confirms your suspicions, and thankfully you pre-empt his attack by dodging left, only to find that you've strayed into the fire of the cannon-toting machine. That's not where he should be thought... a visual check reveals a rapidly dissipating “clone” where you thought that second machine was.
The incoming fire isn't especially powerful, but you're forced back as the insane rate of fire allows the new combatant to score a direct hit on your beam shield generator. You eject it before it explodes, using the blast to cover your movements.
>You didn't see any melee weapons on them, try and close in.
>Do your best to lure them into position for a surprise counterattack.
>Use your VSBRs on full blast, try and restrict their movements.
>Other?
Also,
>Use your signature "future sight" ability
>Hold that in reserve... it tends to cause undue strain
>>47271322
>You didn't see any melee weapons on them, try and close in.
>Use your signature "future sight" ability
We Skuld now.
>>47271263
Oh shit, son, Serpents. Or their local equivalents, anyway. That's worrying. Not for us, personally, even if these things are as bad as their inspiration they're not too much of a threat to a Gundam. But that's still a hell of a lot more advanced than a terrorist group should have access to. We definitely need to get to the bottom of whoever is backing this group.
>>47271322
>You didn't see any melee weapons on them, try and close in.
>Use your signature "future sight" ability
>>47271322
>You didn't see any melee weapons on them, try and close in.
>Use your signature "future sight" ability
Let's take away their advantage.
>>47271322
>>You didn't see any melee weapons on them, try and close in.
>Use your signature "future sight" ability
>dice+3d10
>DC is only 5 this time, first four considered.
Rolled 7, 1, 6 = 14 (3d10)
>>47271586
Ah, the joys of precognition.
Rolled 5, 4, 4 = 13 (3d10)
>>47271586
roll'in
Rolled 8, 6, 4 = 18 (3d10)
>>47271586
Rolled 7, 8, 8 = 23 (3d10)
>>47271586
Rolled 2, 6, 9 = 17 (3d10)
>>47271604
>>47271699
And there we have it: one dead enemy pilot.
>writing
gotta bail for a bit, don't fuck it up, anons!
>>47271586
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WokVgQLzMdg
Your best option seems to be to close in on one of these machines, cut their numbers by defeating one in close combat. It should be easy enough, since neither of them seem to be carrying much in the way of dedicated close-range weapons... assuming you can get through their fire, that is.
Thankfully, you have a plan for that.
“We're going to CQB,” you inform Rossweisse. “ALICE, keep an eye on their positions for us. Warn us if they try and go for the Sericea.”
“Yes, ma'am,” the AI replies as you push your throttle to the limits and charge down the bazooka-armed machine in hopes that the one with the cannon will continue to focus on you rather than the Sericea. Your CIWS intercepts a burst of explosives, a desperate attempt to keep you off of your enemy that you swat aside completely. Once in close quarters you tuck your VSBRs back and swing with your wrist-mounted beam saber... only to hit what seems to be an afterimage. Your machine registers that you made contact with something... but it disappears as if you'd struck a cloud, and you're hit from behind by a spread of cluster bombs that you're no quite quick enough to avoid.
Or at least that's one way it could have gone.
“So that's your trick,” you grin. “Good, so we CAN kill you!”
Instead of being struck from behind you roar a verbal command that mirrors your mental one. “Funnels!”
The six beam-armed funnels stored on the recharge racks in the “stocks” of your VSBRs fire simultaneously. You can feel the pilot's momentary shock as the weapons tear into his machine, which came to a stop precisely where you anticipated. Even for you such planning might have been impossible without the foresight granted by your ability, but thankfully you do have that gift.
>1/2
>>47271876
You wheel around in place and slam the Viola's foot into the cockpit hatch of your would-be attacker as your right-hand VSBR slams into your palm. A full-focused blast from the weapon is sufficient to penetrate the beam shield your enemy raised on instinct, and it blasts clean through the cockpit.
“Christ, lady,” a familiar voice interrupts you over the comms: it's the gunman you allowed to escape last night. “Do you literally have eyes in the back of your damn head or somethin'?”
“Something like that,” you reply coolly as you dodge a burst of concentrated machine cannon fire, using the moment to replace your destroyed beam shield. “More importantly, we just hate men who don't know when to quit!”
"Quit talking like the fucking heroine!" the gunman snarls over the comms, tracers chasing your machine as you try and sort out which of your targets is the afterimage and which is "real".
"What even gives you the right to be here!? You're not even Martian, what business do you have dictating our affairs? What gives you the right to judge us as evil!?"
>Same excuse that gives you the right to engage in terrorism, dumbass.
>Maybe we don't have the right. But we're here, and your side attacked us first.
>Because when we lent our hand to creating peace, we committed ourselves to maintaining it.
>Other?
>>47271970
>Because when we lent our hand to creating peace, we committed ourselves to maintaining it.
>Other?
"Also, you tried to kill us. Did you think we were just going to let that go?"
>>47271970
>Because when we lent our hand to creating peace, we committed ourselves to maintaining it.
>>47271970
>>Maybe we don't have the right. But we're here, and your side attacked us first.
>We're the fucking heroine
Come back from sleep, SoZ still running. Rejoin quest
>>47271970
>Other?
"I'm sorry, which side tried to kill us, then ran back to here? All of this is unnecessary and we could have just talked about this. You could stand down and we'll treat you as a nicely like everyone else that did, but I'm getting the feeling that's not going to happen."
Also in character considering how many of Dominic's are former enemies.
>>47272091
Actually, they did offer to talk to us, but it was on their terms, coming with them to their base for interrogation and all that, and we didn't feel comfortable with that.
>>47272131
Talking over gunpoint is much different than a polite request. And remember they pulled first, or would have if we didn't noticed due to newtype magic.
>>47272152
Oh, no, I totally agree that they're in the wrong. I just think that's something this guy is going to try to counter with. Even though he was the one going "no, we can totally take them, they're just two psychic super-soldiers" while his commanding officer was kind of resigned to the fact that he was going to get shot. I liked that guy, actually, he understood his role in the plot.
>dice+3d10, DC 7
>you're still a little tired from the future sight trick, and he's a cagey fighter in a quick machine
Rolled 2, 4, 9 = 15 (3d10)
>>47272198
Rolled 5, 5, 1 = 11 (3d10)
>>47272198
roll'in... for the future!
Rolled 10, 2, 4 = 16 (3d10)
>>47272198
Come on, we can do this.
>>47272204
>>47272222
>>47272232
Tough DC roll, this guy is fast.
“Because maintaining peace is always harder than attaining it in the first place,” you counter as another sustained burst of machine cannon fire takes out your backup beam shield generator. Heavy rounds pummel your machine, and one of them hits out your grenade launcher which explodes as you discard it. Dammit, doesn't that thing ever run out of bullets?
“We knew when we lent our hand to creating this peace... that the fight to maintain it would consume our life. We're okay with the implications.”
“That so?” the nameless elite pilot muses, tossing aside his oversized weapon. Must have finally run out of ammunition. He fires a spread of missiles at you, decoys for two larger missiles fired from racks on his machine's hips. You dodge them well, but even those were a ruse meant to give him time to recover the bazooka his comrade dropped as you killed him.
“Maybe you are the heroine after all. I can think of worse places to die.”
“Just give up already!” you demand, as the markers ALICE placed on the enemies you left to Rossweisse disappear. “You've already lost. The main striking force is cleaning up too, we can feel what's left of your forces retreating.”
A VSBR shot forces your opponent to dodge, and manages to counter most of a spread of bomblets from his own weapon.
“No chance, lady,” he returns. “Either way my life as a soldier ends today, and if I puss out at the end the life I've lived will be meaningless. So no can do.”
“Understood,” you reply calmly, sizing your foe up.
>Initiate a “climactic beam saber clash”?
>Try and get him to afterimage into a VSBR beam?
>Set some sort of devious trap?
>Call in missiles?
>Other?
>>47272473
>>Initiate a “climactic beam saber clash”?
>>47272473
>>Try and get him to afterimage into a VSBR beam?
>>47272473
>Try and get him to afterimage into a VSBR beam?
>>47272473
>Other?
"Oh fuck off, do you know how many Zeon remnants I had to clean up because of that excuse. Live goes on even once you lose. Trust me, I know."
>>47272542
>>47272548
>writing
Rolled 5, 9, 6 = 20 (3d10)
>>47272707
Also,
>rolling myself
>>47272770
King, do we need to roll?
>>47272810
Nope, I got this.
>still writing.
>>47272473
>Try and get him to afterimage into a VSBR beam?
Corral him with funnels.
Nodded off for a bit here. Good thing I still made it close to the end.
>>47272825
Your opponent has one critical failing: he prefers to utilize this afterimage effect of his rather than any sort of shield, and braces his bazooka in both hands to stabilize his aim. Factor in his maximum speed and aggressive style of combat, it makes his responses predictable. You wonder if he realizes that he's going to die.
The first shot from your left VSBR is a focused, penetrating shot that forces him to jink left to narrowly avoid it... and right into the wider blast of your right VSBR. The unfocused beam from the weapon eats away at your opponent's mobile suit before the machine begins exploding from the inside, leaving nothing behind but a few scraps of twisted, smoldering metal.
“He sure talked a big game,” you comment sternly.
“You almost sound disappointed,” Rossweisse observes.
“Maybe we are a little.”
She chuckles as you move to rejoin the Sericea. “You could go after him. The escape pod can't have gotten very far.”
True. He timed his escape perfectly: damn near anyone else would assume he had been killed in the blast.
>Nah, It's time for us to make our exit.
>Sure, let's see what he does.
>Nah, let's help with the mop-up.
>Other?
>>47272885
>Sure, let's see what he does.
Might as well get some headway on that derelict ship's missing crew. See if this guy has any idea.
>>47272885
>>Nah, let's help with the mop-up.
>>47272885
>Sure, let's see what he does.
>>47272885
>Other?
Is it possible to deploy marines or martian forces to capture him?
If not:
>Sure, let's see what he does.
VIP prisoner, more likely than others to talk. Then again Donomic is not around and he is not female.
>>47272885
>Nah, let's help with the mop-up.
>Other?
Any chance we can grab some of the wreckage before the Martian forces do? I want to know how they do the after-images. I don't have any expectation we'd be able to reverse-engineer it, this isn't really that sort of quest, I just want to satisfy my curiosity before it all gets classified. The MMPE was a lucky accident, if someone's developed it on purpose that has interesting implications.
>>47273063
This is good
Also congrats on not cocking up!
>>47272885
"Sure. Should be good for a laugh."
Your Viola is easily capable of catching the escape pod and dragging it back down to the Martian surface, and you can hear the still-unnamed pilot curse through the contact link.
"Shit, shoulda know that wouldn't work on a Newtype."
"It was a good attempt," you allow. "But now we've got some questions for you.
"Or we could strike a deal," he replies calmly. "I just wanna go my own way, live the rest of my years without someone breathin' down my neck. You agree to let me, and I'll tell you my boss's contingency plan before it's too late to stop it. You game, lady?"
You can tell he's not bluffing. As twisted as his words are, there really is something else about to happen... and you get the sneaking suspicion you won't like it.
>Deal
>No deal
>>47273201
>Deal
Also joke that he'll be missing out on all the newtype orgies.
That's a joke, it's been soft retconned.
>>47273201
>Deal
>>47273201
>>Deal
I'm trying to remember, did we collect 3 or 4 Zeonic Princesses?
>>47273201
>No deal
Sorry bud. Depending on what he's done, or what's being planned, he'll still need to face the proper authorities. Gonna have to spill everything he know and not just select information.
>>47273333
I think it capped at three. Unless you count Char being so prissy, he might as well be a princess.
>>47273388
Let's see, Char's sister, Axis Zeon Princess, and actual heir to the throne princess. That might be it.
>writing
>>47273201
“Talk,” you order.
There's a brief pause. “The low-orbit survey satellite MO-3 has a nuclear warhead built into it. In a little less than five minutes it should automatically go into a decaying orbit. Its eventual target is the spaceport at Tithon, and in the chaos our guy on the inside is going to take over.”
“Who?” you demand.
“Who? Who else!? The biggest asshole in the room of course, the finance minister.”
You don't even speak, merely kicking the escape pod into a high arc as you link up with the Sericea.
“You get that? ALICE, get Rosse the vector!”
“Tracking...” ALICE informs you. “Got it. Feeding the coordinates now.”
“Five minutes... cutting it tight,” Rossweisse mutters. “I'll get you as close as possible, you can launch from there and hit it with the VSBRs.”
Luckily for you, the satellite is on a matching flightpath, reducing the combined velocities to something manageable. With some help from ALICE you're able to track it even at a distance, but it's still a tricky shot even with all that on your side.
>Saturation fire: use all of the Sericea's remaining weapons and hope for a hit.
>Allow ALICE to computer-guide the shot: by her estimates, this has a flat 80% chance of success.
>Use your Newtype abilities to “cheat” one more time, take the risk of overexertion for certain success.
>Other?
>>47273567
>Use your Newtype abilities to “cheat” one more time, take the risk of overexertion for certain success.
Our health matters less than the lives of all the people who could be killed by that. Honestly, using a nuclear weapon as a distraction for an assassination, what is wrong with these people?
>>47273600
>what is wrong with these people
They're Gundam villains, so... I'm gonna say "a lot". They get into literal "who is Hitler and why should I not be like him" territory.
>>47273625
Okay, fine, I suppose that was a stupid question. But my point stands. You don't use a nuke as a distraction, that neuters it as a big dramatic weapon. They're going about this backwards.
>>47273567
>>Allow ALICE to computer-guide the shot: by her estimates, this has a flat 80% chance of success.
I want to make a Macross reference, but I'm too tired...
also
>MO-3
I see what you did there.
>>47273567
>Allow ALICE to computer-guide the shot: by her estimates, this has a flat 80% chance of success.
>Other?
Can we fire up the Sericea's railgun for this too?
And here I was expecting something more convoluted as a takeover plan. Like, allow a terrorist plot to go through, one of the ministers start a campaign to question Mineva's competence, "catch" the perps and take credit for it, and move into the throne.
That kind of thing.
>>47273567
First:
>Saturation fire: use all of the Sericea's remaining weapons and hope for a hit.
Also have Alice help.
If that doesn't work:
>Use your Newtype abilities to “cheat” one more time, take the risk of overexertion for certain success.
>I'll give you anons control
>1d100
>first two considered, normally I'd only be taking one but ALICE knows the consequences of failure so she's giving it 110%
![f07434fc5183573d9cf71074cad24778[1].png](https://i.imgur.com/cN20ACs.jpg "f07434fc5183573d9cf71074cad24778[1].png")
Rolled 78 (1d100)
>>47273828
Rolled 62 (1d100)
>>47273828
>>47273864
Okay. Pass go, stop nuclear strike, collect $200.
That's not a milkshake, captcha, that is a latte with a foam kitty face. Don't lie to me.
Rolled 20 (1d100)
>>47273828
>>47273887
And it was all thanks to our very own virtual idol!
“ALICE,” you bellow over Rossweisse's radio burst spamming anyone in range across every conceivable frequency warning them of the impending disaster, “take the wheel!”
“Acknowledged!” she responds, and you can feel the disconcerting sensation of the Viola moving its right arm without your command. You catapult off the topside of the Sericea a second time, red-lining your thrusters and keeping as close to a smooth curve as possible while switching your VSBRs to the widest possible output. You realize you may not get a second shot at this.
“Firing main cannon!” ALICE announces, hurling a wide blast of mega particles towards the distant satellite. In seconds, you hear a relieved sigh.
“Target neutralized,” she informs you.
“Great shootin...” you being to praise the AI as your mobile suit is buffeted by a blast from one missile, followed by a second and a third.
“Stop shooting dammit!” you shout into your comm, following Rossweisse's example of shouting at everyone at the same time. “We got it, you're gonna kill one of us!”
“Oh, come ON!” you roar again as one final blast rocks your machine. “What satellite looks like a giant robot, dickhead!?”
“Sorry!” comes a single apologetic voice over the comms. “Got.. carried away, that's all.”
"Rosse, you okay back there?"
"Lost a stabilizer," she reports, "but otherwise... yeah. No casualties to report. It's a three-day fix."
>1/2
>>47273974
>“Sorry!” comes a single apologetic voice over the comms. “Got.. carried away, that's all.”
One of the rookie captains' crew?
>>47273974
>“What satellite looks like a giant robot, dickhead!?”
Well, this is Gundam. So about half of the really important ones.
>>47273974
>Residence of the Queen of Mars
>Fifteen minutes after intercept of MO-3
Finance Minister Hunter grew tired of waiting to rise through the ranks long ago, and has been relishing this opportunity to use his abilities to their full effect. While others dote on the young Queen he schemes and maneuvers, feeding information to interested parties, building a network of contacts who all owe him something. And today is his big day. Today he went silent, committing himself fully to the plan these pro-Independence rebels hatched to replace the Queen.
But if they think he'll be lenient towards them, they'd better reconsider. Once he's at the top... oh, the things he could accomplish.
Those thoughts accompany him as he slams open the doors to the Queen's posh office... no, to HIS office, which the Queen just happens to be using.
The chair is turned towards the windows behind her desk, which stand open to allow the artificially-maintained Martian air to blow in. The red curtains billow dramatically as his two most trusted flunkies from the local security services flank him, making for a perfect scene for his rise to power.
"Lady Mineva Lao Zabi," he announces, "I've come to relieve you of your duties after the recent attack. Please, cooperate."
The chair remains still.
"Tisk, tisk," a different, deeper voice chides. "You should watch the news more often, Minister Hunter. You might learn something."
"Who..."
The chair slowly turns to reveal a grim-faced woman in an armored pilot suit, her one good eye trained down the sights of her pistol like a violet laser. "Don't even think of moving."
Several armed guards stream through the doors behind Hunter's posse, all with raised assault rifles. Behind them, Queen Mineva enters the room as well. Her hands rest gently on her hips, and disappointment is clear in her features.
"You have the right to remain silent, you smug son of a bitch," Carrina Marseille O'Hara declares. "And I hope to god you exercise it."
>>47274211
Oh, I see. The nuke wasn't a distraction for an assassination, it was an attempt to force a vote of no confidence on Mineva. Well, that does make more sense. Clever. And they would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those blasted Newtypes and their AI.
>>47274211
And that's where we leave off for the weekend. Next time, you'll finally get what you came to Mars for, and the mystery of the Ghost Ship will deepen. Something sinister is at work.
Archive is up, and hope you guys enjoyed the ride. I'll see if I can stick around for Q&A, but dammit it's 2am and I have work to get done tomorrow morning. So don't expect much.
>>47274269
That's fine. Go get some sleep, Hearts, you earned it. Thanks for running.
>>47274269
yeah, go to sleep, bossman.
>>47274269
As far as plots being averted, that went rather well. Thanks for running!
>>47274269
Thanks for running!
