>>36886985
>"Honestly, we won't know until we get down there."

Love it, but also miss Tank Hunters

>>36887017
Tank Hunters will be back. Dunno when, but it will be.

>>36886985
>>"Honestly, we won't know until we get down there."
>>36887017
same, can't wait to tonk around in our Leo 1A3

>>36886985
>>"Honestly, we won't know until we get down there."

>>36886985
>>"Honestly, we won't know until we get down there."

>3/4ths of your voters are namefags

What attracts namefags to you, FF?

>>36886985
>>"Honestly, we won't know until we get down there."

I don't know what's going on, but my mate is questing, and I must vote.

"Honestly?" you say. "We won't know until we get down there, I think."
There's a double beep, and then you hear Captain Becker's voice. "Strike team, please report to the CIC for briefing."
"Guess we'll find out what's happening, either way," you say. You and the rest of the squad file out into the main throughfare of the ship, and the short walk down to the CIC. Captain Becker greets you all as you walk in.
"Welcome, everyone. You're going to like this news. It's not much, but it's hope." She presses something on her personal tablet, and the room's volumetric display lights up, showing an image of Fumirole.

"Our preliminary scans show that this glassing wasn't as thorough as others we have encountered. The atmosphere still indicates a presences of water vapour and breathable air, though it's heavily polluted. But, if we look here, and the satellite should be moving into position." She keys a few more commands, and the image rotates to the edge between the light and dark sides. Erika gasps when she sees it.
One of the larger continents remained unglassed. Though the coastline had been bombarded, the centre remained clean. You remember it as a massive, arid plain. A band of mountains stretch across the centre of it, blocking it off from what used to be lush coastlines.
"We're not sure if anyone survived down there," Becker says. "But if there are survivors, this is where they'll be. We've even picked up what might be a settlement, though we won't be able to get good recon on it until the night cycle is over for that part of the planet."

"Churchill," she says, grabbing your attention. "You're the strike team leader. How do you want to do this? We can send you down in your pods or we can send you down in your pelican. The pods will be faster, but the Pelican will lend you air support."

>"It's been a while since we had a good drop, and the green ones need to go through their first one. That'll be best."
>"I'd rather not risk it, and I'd like the support. We'll take the pelican down, along with a warthog."
>Other

>>36888115
>>"I'd rather not risk it, and I'd like the support. We'll take the pelican down, along with a warthog."

>>36888115
question, how many drop pods do we have on board?

>>36888115
>"It's been a while since we had a good drop, and the green ones need to go through their first one. That'll be best."

>>36888115
Let's take the drop. We're ODST. Our balls are big enough to not need air support.

>>36888115
How long would it take for a Pelican to reach the surface and support us/retrieve us and the pods?

>>36888115
>"It's been a while since we had a good drop, and the green ones need to go through their first one. That'll be best."

>>36888153
Enough to drop a platoon of ODST at once, which is about three squads plus command section. Don't worry, we have plenty of spares.

>>36888175
Pods take around 8-15 minutes depending on altitude, the Pelican will take up to 25 if we're not going straight down.

>>36888259
in that case

>>36888115
>"I'd rather not risk it, and I'd like the support. We'll take the pelican down, along with a warthog."
I'd rather spend the extra 10 minutes to have some flexibility and support and an evac plan ready and waiting

>>36888115
>>"It's been a while since we had a good drop, and the green ones need to go through their first one. That'll be best."
We can have a Pelican follow us down.

Writing

"Well, Bambi here," you gesture a thumb at Erika. "Hasn't had her first drop. Since it doesn't seem like we're going to get into too much shit here, I think it's a good time to make it happen. Penny can follow us down and give us support after the drop. Bring a warthog too, and we'll put a couple of mongoose pods down with us."
"Sounds like a plan," Captain Becker says. "I'll get the engineers to get your pods ready. You guys go suit up, you drop in 20."
"I'll make sure we're there in 15, ma'am," you say.
"Good man. I'll see you in the drop bay."
You turn to your men and women, your squad. "Alright, Lancer, Doc, Matilda and Bambi, to the armoury and suit up."
"Sir!" says four voices. For some reason, that fills you with a little pride.

You get your gear on in record time, grabbing your BR, along with three grenades, a full rig of ammo, and a pistol as back up. You run a diagnostic on your systems as you walk into the drop bay, and everything seems to be working fine. The engineers did a good job fixing your suit up after Reach, and even added on some more ceramic plates on the chest and shoulders. The best thing they did was to size an entire suit for Erika. She wasn't the biggest of marines, but the engineers had put together a suit sized perfectly for her. She walks on your right, just behind you, with Doc and Lancer following.

You step into the drop bay, and your pods have been set out for you, labelled with your callsigns. Becker is standing by the volumetric display. You give her a salute, followed by your squad mates.
"We're ready to go, ma'am."
She returns your salute. "I expect good things from you, Marines. We'll be giving you live intel from up here as the situation develops. Good luck on your drop."
"Thank you, ma'am."
She walks past you, out the door, knocking on Erika's helmet as she goes past. "Knock 'em dead, Bambi."
"Th-thanks," Erika replies.

Seems like your ready to go. But the troops might need a little motivation, Erika especially.

>They can handle it. We're ready to drop.
>Give a speech. Doesn't need to be much, just say something.
>Open a private comm with Erika and talk to her directly, she's the one that needs it.
>Other

>>36889486
>>Open a private comm with Erika and talk to her directly, she's the one that needs it.

>>36889486
>>Open a private comm with Erika and talk to her directly, she's the one that needs it.

>>36889486
>>Open a private comm with Erika and talk to her directly, she's the one that needs it.

"Alright, mount up," you tell everyone. They nod and start prepping their pods for the drop. You walk to the one labelled CHURCHILL, and put your rifle into its weapon slot. You step in and start working on your straps.
You open a private comm to Erika. "Erika, how you doing? You nervous?"
"Well, obviously," she replies. "How was your first drop?"
"Nerve-racking, but it was still a practice and not an actual combat drop. Now, my first combat drop, THAT was an experience. I think two of my squad mates cooked on re-entry. Not to mention the AA." You remember that the drop you're talking about happened over this very planet. Huh.
"Is this supposed to help?"
"Yes. Compared to that, this is a cakewalk. You've been through the sims, right?"
"Yeah," she replies. The lids shut, and you hear Lancer whoop over the comms.
"This is it, baby!" he yells. "This is what I live for!"
"You've done the training," you continue. "Just remember it, and let the pod do its work. And relax, and enjoy the ride." You switch to the open comms. "You ready Helljumpers!?" Just like your sergeant used to do.
"Hoorah!" came the reply.
"Feet first into Hell!" The countdown timer lights up.

Three...

Two...

One...

File: tumblr_lwuupfqEiH1r5sjffo1_250.gif (500 KB, 245x132)

500 KB GIF

http://youtu.be/iEJwjU-wH8E?t=2m7s

It always takes you by surprise. The sudden jolt, the feeling of getting thrown out of a perfectly good space ship, and then the free fall. You bask in it. This truly is what ODSTs live for.
"Hahaha, yeah! It's been too long!" Lancer says.
"Holy shit!" Erika says.
"How's your first drop, Bambi?" you ask.
"Holy shit!" she repeats.
The orange glow of re-entry forms around your pod, and the ambient temperature starts to increase.
"Status report," you call. "How's your temp readings?"
"Green here," says Doc, Lancer and Bambi.
"Reading a little yellow here, but she'll hold," your Spartan says.
"Hold tight, Matilda," you say.
"Hey, remember I'm the one with the million dollar suit here. I'll be fine."

Another timer pings, this one for the airbrake deployment.
"Airbrakes in three! Brace!"
You grab the struts, and then grunt as the Gs force you into your seat, as the airbrakes deploy and your speed is very suddenly arrested.
"Shit!" Matilda says.
"Status!"
"One of the brakes went out! I'm spinning! I can get her under control but I won't be able to stay on course!"

>Adjust your course to stay with her
>Stick to the flight plan, give her good luck and hope for the best

>>36890175
>Stick to the flight plan, give her good luck and hope for the best
She's a spartan, she'll be able to get to us a lot faster on her own than with just one of us with her.

>>36890175
>>Stick to the flight plan, give her good luck and hope for the best

>>36890175
>>Adjust your course to stay with her
have all of us adjust to stick with her

don't split the party

>>36890175
>>Adjust your course to stay with her

>>36890223
This

"Fuck, everyone, go manual. Stick with her!"
"Shit, shit," you hear Erika over the comms.
"Just remember your training!" You grab your control stick and move it, adjusting your course to follow Matilda's. You see Erika's pod wobble, but she keeps on course. Finally, Matilda manages to stop her spin.
"Jesus christ," you hear her say. "You could've let me go, no need to put the greenie through that."
"Trial by fire, and she's still here!" you reply.

"Strike Team, this is Becker. Your course correction is going to take you into the mountains, way off course. Estimated landing area is going to bring you dangerously close to a canyon."
"Fuck me," you say.
"Sarge, what do we do?" Lancer asks.
You check your drop timer and altitude. "There's no time to make a safe course correction, we just gotta stick with it! Get ready to burn your retrorockets!" You wait the few seconds, then call it, pressing your own retros manually. Yet again, your pressed into your seat, as rocket boosters on the bottom of your pod fire to get you to a sane landing speed. You see the canyon below you, and you watch as Matilda and Lancer's pods land on the ground beside the canyon. And as Erika's and your pods go sailing into the darkness.

The canyon walls are lit up by your retro rockets, as you bounce off the wall. You let go of the retros as your pod starts to tumble, bouncing off the canyon walls. Everything goes dark as the emergency lighting comes on, and your pod is rolling. With a jarring, stunning thump, you hit something, hard, and everything has stopped moving.

Everything aches, but you landed with your back down, and your door pointed upwards. You hit the emergency explosive pins, and the door goes flying into the air... and makes you jump as it falls down and hits your pod again. Whatever, you're alive. You clamber out, grabbing your battle rifle. A flick, and your helmet mounted torch is on, showing grey metal walls and strange symbols.

This canyon is not a natural formation.

And that's all for today! Sorry about the short thread. Trying to get back into the swing of things, and there was a lot of shit going on in the background. I'll try for longer next time, whenever the hell that is. Make sure to watch my twitter.

>>36890604
Thanks for the thread FF, any ideas when THQ will run?

>>36890604
Thanks for running. I really missed this quest.

>>36890612
I'll try, but I still have no idea

>>36890642
Why is that if you don't mind me asking? Whats so different between that and this quest that means you can run this one on a moments notice but don't know when you can run that one?

>>36890604
Seeya later man,

>>36890667
I gotta do the economic stuff and every time I try to do that, something always gets in the way. This one doesn't need as much prep, so I can just run it (but still have stuff distracting me and taking up my time).

And I wanted to run something because it's been more than a month since I last ran, so I thought, instead of trying to hash through the economic stuff today and maybe running THQ, say, three weeks from now, I'd rather actually run something and write.

>>36890579
>This canyon is not a natural formation.
WELP

>>36890707
The price list and stuff? If its giving you grief you can always push it back for later until we've done a couple missions to get some dosh scrounged up, would give you plenty of time to figure out something satisfactory.

>>36890737
I'll probably try and find help at this point. Keep trying and finding out I fucked up somewhere, and I'm horrible at making it all consistent.

>>36890806
Making it too complicated or something?

>>36890814
I'm just bad at money.

And I lost the entire thing when I nearly had it finished, once, and that's not great for motivation.

>>36890842
Ah, well that sucks, hopefully you find an easy solution to it, and if not you can always just copy another quests or a games way of doing things