>>48782951
Damn it Wedge you are invoking so many warning signs!

The first thing I'm going to need from you guys is a metric shitton of 1d10+13s. Not just one per person, but keep doing it for a while. A tsunami of dicerolls!

>>48783066
Check my prodigious ability to roll nat 1s.

Rolled 10 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783066
..you worry me so much Wong. Here's the first from me.

Rolled 6 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783066
Stand back nerds, I got this.

Rolled 4 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783080
Or not roll at all, apparently. Fucking auto-capitalization.

Rolled 5 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783066

Rolled 3 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783093
Ok, going for the second one now.

Rolled 6 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783066
You need two dozen or something?

Rolled 4, 5 = 9 (2d10)

A little math tells me that the rocketeers can get one more round in on you. +12

Rolled 8 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783066
Wonder what this is going to lead too

Rolled 3, 5, 10, 8 = 26 (4d10)

>>48783157
>>48783093
>>48783094

Rocket salvos taken care of!

>>48783097
>>48783123
>>48783138
>>48783145

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Rolled 2 + 12 (1d10 + 12)

>>48783161

Bang!

Keep rolling, by the way.

>>48783188
THEY'RE IN THE TREES MAN! THEY'RE IN THE TREES!

Rolled 9, 7, 2, 2 = 20 (4d10)

>>48783236
Hows this?

Rolled 8 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783236
How many of them are there? Seems like they are going all out with their sniper cannons, firing willy nilly.

Rolled 1 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

Rolled 6 (1d10)

roll

Rolled 5 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783236
We really ain't some fortunate sons today

Rolled 4 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783316
ignore that my bad

>>48783318
>First time we meet Garma
>He dies

The irony is palpable

>>48783318
We're space green berets fighting in space veitnam. Our last name is Wedge, our friend's last name is Biggs, and we are guarding Garma.

The fact we are somehow surviving long enough TO run away is a miracle.

Rolled 90 + 13 (1d100 + 13)

>>48783236
I wonder if Wedge is gonna end up with a cat girl?

File: 6010349871[1].jpg (47 KB, 303x384)

47 KB JPG

The Knight that dropped the sniper cannon drops the rocket launcher too and picks the cannon back up. It's a huge, ominous black rifle, a mass driver of some sort with a crown of four graceful, spiralling prongs at the tip. Lightning crackles between them.

The headless Knight scurries behind the sniper, and the one that Garret and Simon dis-armed switches its lance into its left hand. Along with the other two rocketeers, it pursues you.

They're in range long enough to fire another ten rockets total at you, but you dodge those with ease. Even encumbered, even with them taking advantage of the river valley's short-cropped vegetation to speed along behind you overland raising plumes of dust in their wake, your space-built mecha are faster than theirs, and slowly you pull out of the effective range of their weapons.

The sniper, however, opens up on you. Magnetically accelerated shells start to whiz around your Pumpkinseed's head, and suddenly you realize something chilling. This one is focusing on you.

So you give them the fig with your free hand.

[Continued]

>>48783393
Pretend I rolled a d10 and count this as a 9 please.

>>48783364
Just wait until we hook up with our transport Matilda

Rolled 6, 1, 9, 4, 5, 8, 2, 8 = 43 (8d10)

>>48783246
>>48783284
>>48783291
>>48783318
>>48783329

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Rolled 7 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783428
so roll more dice?

Rolled 9 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783236

Rolled 3 + 13 (1d10 + 13)

>>48783428
guess i'll roll

That's enough rolling, let's see how bad the damage is.

Rolled 5, 6 = 11 (2d10)

>>48783451
>>48783513

And these last two.

>>48783555
I am so happy we have active shields. Unless he's getting 4 shots a round, it looks like we've been able to parry the worst of the hits.

Rolled 6, 6, 1, 8 = 21 (4d10)

Two parries, three hits, one crit.

Rollin' for location. Because the shooter is directly behind you, normally you wouldn't be able to parry them, but in this case I figured your active shield could at least automatically parry the first attack each round the way it's supposed to.

>>48783601
Missed a cockpit hit thankfully.

>>48783651

Yes, but the Pumpkinseed II is definitely extremely damaged.

>>48783690
Yeah.. this certainly isn't going well. Pure fleeing may be a bad idea. Still, we are going to need some repairs less we face catgirl infested land.

>>48783844
I think this is relevant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUuvHPr4BGk

File: 01+Garma[1].jpg (50 KB, 640x480)

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This turns out to be something of a mistake. You're able to stay out of the sniper's sight some of the time, but each (9K) hit tears through your armor.

You manage to block two of them (reducing shield SP to 7, left arm SP to 3) but they leave deep craters in your shield. Despite your best efforts, two more shots take off your mech's right arm (although you're able to save the beam rapier), another cleanly severs your Pumpkinseed's head, and the final one damages your HMIS input somehow, making the controls more clumsy (-2 MV, SP reduced to 4). You can still fly, but you're now relying on the damaged Simon and Garret as much as they are on you by the time you put enough hills between you and your pursuers to talk again.

"Can we still make it to Innsmouth before dark?" You glance up at the sky through your suit's secondary sensor core in the chest.

"I don't think so. Either we push on through the night in this state, or we find a hamlet and try to hide out until daybreak. I can't believe it, what were they doing so far north? That wasn't just some amateur ambush, they knew what they were doing. Simon?" Garret interrupts your other friend's mumbling.

"I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die..." You can hear Simon's teeth chattering.

"Great." Garret sighs, "So what do you think, Amos?"

>[Push on through the night]
>[Find a hamlet and bunk down]

>>48783977
>>[Push on through the night]
Well Shinji was going to break down sooner or later

>>48783977
>>[Push on through the night]
If we find a hamlet we could get killed in our sleep. If we keep on moving we may find allied patrols.

>>48783977
>[Push on through the night]

They knew we were coming with enough time to camouflage their mechs. Anywhere outside of Jovian territory should be considered hostile, and Jovian territory right now is that ship.

>>48783977
>[Push on through the night]
Speed is the one thing we have on these fuckers and we arent in much state to fight them if they catch up with us.

>>48783977
>[Push on through the night]

>>48783977
>[Find a hamlet and bunk down]
We are in no shape for a night ambush, especially with Simon's state. We need to get some food, rest, and do some repairs to at least make it to base.

>>48784038
And how exactly are we going to repair our multi-ton, fiendishly complicated war machines? And with what, more particularly?

>>48784021

I like how you can immediately spot the 40k folks

>>48784141
Do any of us even have the ability to repair our mechs if we had the required materials?

>>48784150
>Ambush has occurred on nominally secured ground
>The enemy not only was aware of our route, but had enough forewarning to position a squad larger than our own within terrain features
>Wanting to get back to our rendezvous, which we know absolutely is Jovian, is 40kid
>Instead of DRIVE ME CLOSER, I WANT TO HIT THEM WITH MY SWORD

You have some odd, odd notions about 40k.

>>48784225
Highly doubtful. And even if we could patch the physical damage, our HMIS got fucked up. That's not something you can knock on with a wrench.

>>48784284

I was actually agreeing, because clearly the risk of the locals being heretics is a very, very real one.

>>48784355

Ironically, THAT is a DC 15 TA+Mecha Tech roll, meaning Amos could do it with some luck.

>>48784373
Fucking cat people.

>>48784355
>>48784397

havent we lost like an arm and a leg in the fight? i don't think we can fix those up in one night

>>48784397
That's actually pretty hilarious, if only because the looks on everyone else's face when they see us taking one long look at delicate neural circuitry and decided to opt for the time-honored military field repair technique know as "beating the shit out of it."

File: thunderstorm[1].jpg (2.15 MB, 4928x2929)

2.15 MB JPG

"We can't stop." You confirm what you're already hearing in Garret's grim voice. Despite the difference in your social positions, you're friends for a reason, "We're in no state to fight, and they knew we were coming, they had enough advance warning to plant five mecha in ambush for us. Do you really trust the locals right now?"

"Not a bit." He replies.

"Exactly. We just have to push on and be grateful that our rations include wake-me-up pills." You sigh and settle in for a long, bumpy, uncomfortable flight. The monotony of it is made all the worse by your expectation that something else is going to jump out at you any minute now.

The sky overhead turns a dark, sulky grey, tall cumulonimbus clouds like anvils pregnant with lightning rolling in on the wind. Fat droplets of rain patter off the armor of your battered mecha. You've spent too long in space, the sound of water on metal almost makes you think you're being hit by enemy small-arms fire until you realize what it is and try to relax a little. Eventually, the sound is almost hypnotic.

Lightning flashes, and Simon nearly drops Garret as he swerves for the trees, and only a bit of quick piloting on your end saves the three of you from going down, "Enemy fire confirmed at ten-o-clock!" He gasps over the comms.

"It's just lightning, Simon. We were briefed about it, remember?" You reassure him. Personally, you're starting to think this planet is a little less pretty now that the sky is spitting electron beams at you.

You don't see the sun set through the storm, as you pass over little fishing villages along the river's course, slowly making your way towards the ocean and the port city of Innsmouth. It just gets darker, and darker, the trees turning black beneath you and whipping with the wind like a sharp-edged sea. The sky swirls above you, the trees swirl below you, as if you were the only still point in an endless sea of chaos.

[Continued]

>>48784527

Jove bless Jupiter.

>>48784651
Query, Glorious Wong! Is jack shit going on on Pluto or its moons? Would that be a half-decent place to put the now-extinct corp that made my character on?

Also, obligatory "Where the hell is Coop and what the hell is he doing that surviving a fight against him is a mark of skill for Avalonians?"

>>48784737
What ever he wants I guess.

>>48784581
fuckin spacenoids can't deal with a little rain? No wonder the cosplayers are holding out.

>>48784737
throwing infinite missles at the smallest annoyance

>>48784766
You know, Wong never specified WHICH Coop it was.

could be Evil Coop for all we know.

File: 3-1267478542345[1].jpg (39 KB, 640x480)

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Somehow, it's more unsettling than empty space.

As the main body of the storm rolls past you, the rain continues. You feel almost asleep, mentally, but your body is alive with nervous energy, manipulating the thrusters for optimum performance on instinct alone. As the sky turns black, you can see a faint glow up ahead through your backup sensors.

"We're almost there." Garret promises, "We've got city lights."

"Praise Minerva. What are you going to do first?" You stretch in your cockpit chair, popping your back and shifting around to get comfortable after hours of this nonstop flight.

"Put my feet up, have a smoke, get my feet rubbed by a girl who isn't wearing enough to be concealing a weapon, and take a long, hot bath." He groans suddenly, his happy dreams shattered by cruel reality, "I'm going to be up all night filing my report, aren't I?"

"Ayup. I'll be thinking of you while I'm enjoying a thick, Jovian-style cheeseburger and a milkshake and doing some serious recon on the best local fishing spots. You know, commoner things." You joke, your stomach rumbling at the thought of crispy pickles and a warm bun, of real grilled beef and bacon crackling between your teeth.

"La la~ Lalalalala~" A soft, female voice croons across the comms, "Lalalala~ lala~"

>[Drop below the treeline and hide]
>[Book it for the city as fast as you can]

>>48784788
Na thats saved for the evil multiverse were going to see in the four season where we have to fight everys evil bearded clones

>>48784804
>Lalalala
>[Book it for the city as fast as you can]
Oh god watch out for lasers to start firing from every direction

>>48784804
>[Book it for the city as fast as you can]
Run bitch run!

>>48784804
>>[Drop below the treeline and hide]
We are not going to outrace another sniper or aerial unit. Get low, get to cover, and rely on Garma's eyes to point a way for us.

File: blown up moon.png (938 KB, 1522x941)

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>>48784737
An absolute disregard for collateral damage.

>>48784804
>[Drop below the treeline and hide]

>>48784845

But it's nighttime.

>>48784804
>>[Book it for the city as fast as you can]

>>48784829
Then why the hell would you want us to be flying in the open air when we are hella crippled? We are not going to make any dodges and our shields are crapped. The only one who is in good shape is Biggs and he's freaking out!

>>48784890
the might should, would have infrared and stuff like that. it's better to not risk it.

>>48784829
>>Lalalala
What's this a reference to?

>>48784890
You're right.
>>48784804
Mr Wong have deleted and changed my vote from running to
>>[Drop below the treeline and hide]

>>48784890
And we shoot great gouts of flame whenever we move anywhere. Unless you want to try dragging garma's mech on foot?
>>48784905
More time we stay still the more time they have to find us and shoot us, at least if we are moving we will be harder to hit.

>>48784905
Because they might be in the forest and I want to get away as quick as possible

>>48784919
In gundam when one person is fighting everyone hears this noise over the comms then beams shoot out from everywhere

>>48784804
Shouldn't we be in radio contact at this point? Call for backup

>>48784950

That's not the newtype chime sound.

>>48784977
No its lalah's when shes using the Elmet

>>48784945
Who said anything about staying still? We can move and hide you know. As is, we need cover and if any of us take a heavy hit we are toast.

>>48784950
We are in no way shape or form capable of risking the fastest option. If they fire at us, we are toast and their sniper cannons have proven quite well what they can do to something in the open sky. Cut off their line of sight, don't let them get a solid bead, use fake outs with missiles, just don't blindly flee!

>>48784804
Oh god, its cat eared Hanoi Hannah

The only thing I can think of that would make me freak out from someone going 'Lalala' is from Drakengard.

And that's only if it's done with a deep manly voice.

>>48785007
They move faster than us on the ground before garma's mech had its leg shot off, you really think we can out run them or that trees will provide much protection from mech weaponry?

>>48785003

FATIMA IS HERE!?

Thank God, we're safe with the Tarrasque around.

>mfw it's always a tie

>>48785087
When in doubt run away. Its what Jojo would have done.

>>48785048
Thats if we don't hover. If there is a huge group there already, us being in the sky will end us anyways. Likewise, we could use that huge emergency missile to blow up far away from us and draw their attention. We do not want them to see us. We do not want to chase us. Because if that is a Ace or Paladin, we will die in the open field.

>>48784804
>>[Drop below the treeline and hide]

>>48785127
>dont want them to see us
>suggests firing a huge missile
Putting aside that they might just see us firing the giant missile, whats to stop them following the trails back to where we shot it from?
How do you plan to sneak in a god damn mecha anyway? The motherfuckers could just follow the sounds of our giant machines moving through a forest.

>>48785127
this gave me an idea.
could we use the missiles to propel ouselves?
like an emergency boost of sorts?

>>48785195
I dont think a rocket made to carry 0.5 tons will help us much.

>>48785185
First off, it's raining and the middle of the night. So long as we're smart and time it, the thing they'd see first is the explosion, not the smoke trail. If we do it just before entering the trees, the angle could make it look like a crash. As for noise, rain, ambience, and not being stupid with our movements would help lessen the volume.

File: 1470263623090.jpg (120 KB, 653x725)

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You momentarily freeze up, "We need to get out of here." You state plainly, "Simon, Garret, you guys ready? Into the trees! GO GO GO FUCKING GO GO AND DON'T STOP GO!"

Simon may be freaking out, but he complies, the three of you dropping down into the wet mass of leaves and branches and trying very hard to stay inconspicuous. The rain is coming to a stop, and the clouds part.

Something glittering white is silhouetted against the moon, between you and the city. Something about the feet reminds you of high-heeled shoes, while two impractically curving wing-like structures hang down on either side of the body.

"Lalalala lalala~ Where are you, warriors?" The mech's head turns from side to side as it descends like some eldritch angel to hover above the treetops.

>[Come out]
>[Stay hidden]

>>48785316
>>[Stay hidden]
It might be a good idea to ditch the suits.

>>48785316
>>[Stay hidden]

>>48785316
>>[Stay hidden]
Jesus christ

>>48785316
>>[Stay hidden]

Oh my god it's so

fucking ugly and gaudy holy shit who the fuck lets anyone color a machine like that I think I'm going to vomit.

>>48785278
I am not a tracker or anything but I thinks mechs generally suck shit at being stealthy unless they are actually made for it. Three 40ish ton mechs which have to move awkwardly and clumsily because they have to support each other are going to make a shit ton of noise moving through undergrowth. Never mind someone could just take a quick jump and spot the trail of broken trees.

>>48785316
Aww fuck its between us. No running now I guess. Lord I hope these people dont have any sort of advanced scanners.

>>48785316
..That is a Motor Head. You do not fight a Motor Head.
>[Stay hidden]
>>48785359
That fugly monster is probably the machine of one of the higher ranking Paladins.

You have chosen to hide in the bushes. Do you have a plan beyond this?

>>48785316

Oh shit, it's this.

http://www.gearsonline.net/series/fivestarstories/mh/auge/mm-auge.html

>>48785457
Is pissing ourselves an option?

Ditch the mechs and prime them for self destruction, then sneak our way into the city on foot

guys, we could leave a damaged mech as a bait and then blow the core up.

that should buy us enough time and alert our allies that something is wrong.

>>48785457
>try not to cry
>cry

>>48785457
Take what we need and ditch the mechs. Maybe lure the gaudy bitch into a trap.

>>48785457
Gather supplies and leg it. Is there any way to program our mechs to autopilot away, let her blow them up while we sneak out?

>>48785506

So in the dark, in the rain, in the forest, you want three guys without mechs to build a trap for a Paladin.

I like your style, but I'm not sure what we do.

>>48785561
Set them to overload on some sort of timer and start blaring the tunes from them.

>>48785561
Lure the mech in close then blow the reactor cores for ours.

>>48785463
thats a machine Messiah.. the big daddy for Motor Heads with a generator output of about 2 TRILLION horsepower. It's also melee based.

>>48785457
Biggs still fully functional, right? Get the pods, and get ready to move. Other wise find a way to get to the city. We have no means to fight him directly, and a march there may kill us depending on how far away it is.

>>48785602
That will likely kill us, if not anger the Paladin. We are in no shape capable of trapping her and those things on her shoulders are likely close to huge active shields if it's like the source. REMEMBER; a DA 0 shield can block blast damage.

>>48785662
Not if we're far enough a way. And who cares if it doesn't kill her. Its a distraction.

>>48785662
I like our chances of hiding on foot in the woods a whole hell of a lot better than in our mechs, I aint gonna lie. Plus they will only block the first explosion right? Good thing there will be three.

File: pics_12[1].jpg (11 KB, 200x150)

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"G-g-guys?" Simon whispers, "There's no response, I'm trying to contact the base, but it's like we're being jammed somehow or...or maybe she blew it up and we're the only ones left. Not just here, but the only ones left on the whole planet, and they're going to take us and stick us in tubes that feed us through a grinder and make us into nutrient slurry for their next batch of warrior clones like they did in Space Avengers."

"Warriors? Pray, do not be frightened. From afar I saw the glow of your machines. I seek only to take your commander into mine custody, I do not wish harm upon the gentle peasantry." The eyes of the white mech cast a sepulchral spotlight glow across the trees, slowly growing closer to the huge crater of splintered wood your triple-landing left, "Valiantly you have fought, and my heart cries that I must meet you upon such uneven terms. I beg of you, have kindness for a gentlewoman's honor and do not force me to stain my weapons with the oil of damaged Striders."

"I'm going out there." Garret says suddenly. He can't really apply much pressure on land when his missing leg forces him to lean on your and Simon's mecha, "It's the only way to be sure you two make it back to base unhurt. Don't argue, that's an order!"

>[Follow orders]
>[Ignore orders and escape on foot, abandoning your mecha and dragging Garret]

>>48785818
>>[Ignore orders and escape on foot, abandoning your mecha and dragging Garret]
No man left behind, knock him out since he'll try and run away

>>48785818
>>[Ignore orders and escape on foot, abandoning your mecha and dragging Garret]

Fuck you, don't be stupid.

>>48785818
>[Ignore orders and escape on foot, abandoning your mecha and dragging Garret]
Fuck that noise, your a shit commander anyway.

>>48785818
>[Ignore orders and escape on foot, abandoning your mecha and dragging Garret]
bros dont leave bros at the mercy of rich hoes

>>48785871
>>48785818

>>[Ignore orders and escape on foot, abandoning your mecha and dragging Garret]


>now we're the commander.

don't forget to leave the cores on a timer.

>>48785920
Send out a flare for surrender if we have any of them

>>48785956
Bitch move.

>>48786022
Like I give a fuck about rules of war when were fighting Green men

>>48785956
Don't try to agrrevate the person with the mech if we are going by foot. It's already a risky move, we don't need to risk any more with something bound to piss someone off.

>>48786037
We arent pirates right now, we cant just go around violating the rules of war when we can probably achieve the same thing by turning on our radios really loud.

File: Jiron-Amos[1].jpg (22 KB, 250x250)

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You snort as he pops open his Warmouth's cockpit, "Fuck you, sir. I'm not following that one. Simon, grab him!"

"Wait! I ORDER you to go back without me!" He tries to beat the two of you to the ground, but you jump off your liftwire and onto his back before he can take two steps, and once Simon is there to help you each grab one of his arms.

"Don't be an altruistically selfish asshole. If we let you go, your dad would have the both of us working Shetland bay duty for the rest of our natural lives. Be a live hero, not a dead one." You curse, dragging him over the wet stones of a shallow creek that splashes into your boots and up a shallow hillside, "Simon, can you rig our mecha to blow in, say...a minute and a half?" You put Garret into a full nelson hold, while Simon nods and scurries back to set the self-destruct sequences on your machines. You pause to bid silent farewell to your first Pumpkinseed II. It made it so far, but it's a weapon, and weapons are meant to be replaced.

It's only a few more kilometers to the city, but they are the most terrifying kilometers of your life. The Avalonian mech stomps around, calling out for you over its loudspeaker and, presumably, still over its comms. Finally it notices the crater, zipping over just as the three mecha explode simultaneously. Its shieldlike wings (or winglike shields) slam shut over the front of its body, seeming to block the blast, but you can't imagine the pilot isn't shaken or disoriented from the huge triple shockwave.

Wet leaves slip beneath your feet. Strange animals slither away into the darkness. The air is almost supernaturally silent, with no hint of the usual insect song in the wake of the great white mech.

[Continued]

>>48785956
>>48786064
lets not alert the nice lady in the super robot to our general location. as it is, we need time to clear the blast radius of the nuclear reaction we are going to set off. she will find it eventually, anyway

>>48786118
wow. would have figured the blast radius would be bigger.

>>48786118
Yup.. active shields. Least we know that. This walk is gonna suck, but we may have survived the worse of it.

>>48786211
Blast 1 doesn't really go that far and I don't think cores our size warrent blast 2 or 3s. Still, a thing you should notice is that these are active shields that are likely +10 in armor and big enough to block armor. If she has two, they would activate one after another.

File: Bluegill.jpg (31 KB, 400x400)

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In retrospect, it's a good thing that Simon set the timers according to his own judgment and not yours, a minute and a half would have had you caught in the blastwave and likely incinerated. Trees burn like torches and logs fly like toothpicks thrown by an angry child.

The emerald columns of light from the reactor breaches fade out. There's a ladylike shriek of frustration, and you HEAR the sound of an impact even though you don't see what causes it. An entire hillside's worth of trees slide down a slope, cleanly cut in half. Fortunately, you went a different route. Gradually, you leave it behind.

Your uniform is a mess and despite your natural athleticism you're out of breath by the time you reach the gate.

The guards have their weapons trained on you, and a pair of Bluegills toting rocket launchers are almost immediately on either side. You hold a hand up to block the glare of their spotlights, not feeling quite as comforted by being surrounded by Jovian guns as usual, "Corporal Amos Wedge, SOUL! Escorting Sergeant Garret Luxol to Innsmouth. We were attacked en route and lost our mecha."

The sergeant on duty gestures and his men lower their weapons, "We saw the explosion, son. We thought the storm knocked out our comms, but when the repair team got there they found they'd been deliberately destroyed. That's one hell of an effort you made getting here." He shakes your hand and claps you on the back, barking to his people, "Get these men warm blankets and cocoa, they're drenched! Once you've checked their identities, send them to the Cicero via groundcar."

Garret, his head hanging low, grabs ahold of your arm, "Amos...thanks. I lost my head back there."

"It's a better sign that you tried to sacrifice yourself for us than have us sacrifice ourselves for you." Simon comments, stuttering a little. At least he's well enough to talk coherently.

[Continued]

>>48786326
Block blast* rather. 29 CP for a SP 12, DA 0 active shield. If' its a Beta class shield, thats another 14.5. If it's two, thats 87 CP worth of shield right there.

>>48786388
And it has the rediculous melee weapon too.

File: latest[1].png (239 KB, 500x943)

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>>48786501

That's a lowball estimate, isn't it? After all, a 29 CP active shield would take up 15 spaces, which is a bit excessive for most mecha, so it would likely have Space Efficiency applied.

File: ritsuko[1].jpg (66 KB, 640x1047)

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"Don't mention it. Either of you. To anyone." You grumble. Your head is spinning and you feel that longed-for burger gradually slipping away from you.

The cocoa is nice, the warmth is better, and your thoughts slip into a fugue in which you're driven to the ship and have to answer a lot of questions from people who are probably a lot better-rested than you are.

"Did you absolutely have to blow the powerplants?" Asks a strict, blonde woman who seems to be in the worst mood of the entire lot.

"Yep." You reply.

"'Yep'? Corporal Wedge, I strongly urge you to take this more seriously. You're talking about three top-of-the-line UJCIDF machines, destroyed on YOUR orders according to your testimony."

"Yep." You say again, rubbing your eyes with the heels of your hands and yawning, "Had to distract her." Then you think of something, and glare at her suspiciously, "Where were the patrols? There should have been squads of Pumpkinseeds controlling the skies, it shouldn't have been necessary to go that far to escape this close to one of our cities."

Her mouth forms a small, hard line and she taps the butt of the PC she's using to record all of this on her desk, "We stopped sending patrols out after the second one in a row didn't report back. We only just got our comms network back up."

>[What say?]

>>48786599
>The options were either that or I could have given over the Garret to the enemy, whats more important three manchines that can be rebuild or the planetary chancellors son?

>>48786599
Better than the enemy having them.

>>48786599
"Well we now know exactly why you're patrols went missing. Good thing we ditched the mecha instead of being captured or shot down by, what I suspect due to the ornate and custom appearance of the mech. Was an Avalon paladin. Sure we may not have and to blow them up. But she might have destroyed them herself, or captured them and used them against us."

>>48786698
> and to blow
*had to blow

>>48786564
Yeah, adds another 7 cp each to get it to one space

>>48786599
Well, you are not going to like the next bit of news. Our flight here was delayed because we were ambushed by 5 knights. 2 of which were hiding in the earth and cliffside. Not only that, but that white machine's shields blocked all 3 blasts.. followed by her cutting down a hill in frustration.

She knew about flight path. She knew we had a commanding officer of value, and she likely knew who he was. Call me paranoid, but we might have a major intel leak.

>>48786599
>>48786599
I'm not saying I picked the nicest option, especially from your perspective, but before you tear me a new one I'm curious as to what you would have done? Realistically. It was a bad situation and nothing else looked tenable at that point. I'm sorry about those beautiful, wonderful machines, but I wouldn't have chosen different.

>>48786599
Yes we had to blow the cores! Or are you suggesting we take three crippled line mechs into a brawl with a Jove-damned Paladin?

>>48786599
Welp, worrying thought occured to me; Considering who she is, Simon may get the Eva, but if they are going give that sort of thing to him, what are the chances they give us the Xabungle with an EXAM system?

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"Better than the enemy having them, and Garret." You respond shortly, rubbing your temples.

"Garret? Oh. You're the first person to call him that and not Sergeant Luxol or 'Chairman Luxol's son' in my hearing." She replies with curiosity.

"He's my friend. I liked my Pumpkinseed II, but I like my friends more. We were delayed because we were ambushed by five Knights, two of them hiding using the terrain and three waiting in the woods. They hit him specifically, and in my opinion all of them were elite professionals. We dodged cannon fire for kilos, before we got here and found that...thing...the ugly one with the high heels. Y'know, I bet that she's why your patrols didn't come back." You drain the rest of your cocoa from your mug, you've refilled it three times already trying to warm up inside, "She knew our flight path, she knew we had a VIP, and she probably knew who he was. Call me paranoid, but we might have a major intel leak in Innsmouth."

She looks around as if expecting a spy to pop out of the walls, then nods shortly, "You know not to tell anyone about this, right?"

"I didn't join the Academy yesterday, sister." You grunt, "Look, I'm not saying I made the best possible choice, I'm no Floyd Beck or Roarke Starwind, but I don't see what else I could have done. What would you have done."

Surprisingly, she smiles, looking down at her notes, "...You really liked the Pumpkinseed II?"

"It was a beautiful, wonderful machine." You let yourself get excited, "You should have seen it, I took a Knight's head off like I was cutting cake, you just don't GET that kind of penetration with the swords the old Pumpkinseeds have!"

"I know, right!?" She interjects.

"...I was dodging rockets and blocking mass driver shells like it was nothing...although I did have some parts come off in the barrage." You cough into your fist, embarrassed.

[Continued]

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"That's understandable." She sighs heavily, "Really, I can't blame you, and it isn't my job to. It's just...one piece of bad luck after another."

"I know." You commiserate, "The one I was originally supposed to get was jacked by pirates, it took weeks for Europa to send me another."

Her shoulders slump, "That damned man...you don't know the half of it. Imagine being the lead designer for a project, your flagship effort, the improvement on an already highly anticipated combat platform. Imagine that your work gets such positive reviews that Gretchen Colburn and the Maximum Thrusters squad want to do a full segment on it...and then when you're just on the verge of calling your mother to tell her that she was wrong about you all of these years, you turn on JNN and see the Black Ogre effortlessly pull your magnum opus apart like so many dolls." Her fist hits the desk, "My reputation was shot, my career was ruined, and the next day I got a call telling me that I've been assigned to this backwater. Oh, of COURSE they were nice about it, they made it sound like a vacation and that I'd be the Chairman's son's personal mechanic designing a proper SOUL mech, but...I know how these things work." She points to herself, "Old doll." She gestures around at the ship, "Shelf." She sighs again, dropping her head into her hands, "This isn't how things were supposed to be. I was supposed to be on the cover of Popular Mecha and being interviewed by JNN. You want to know what the worst part was, the absolute worst?"

[Continued]

>>48787220
Did the man you were sleeping with dump you?

>>48787220
You want to sleep with Roarke? Hey that could be a gameshow.

>>48787220
Across the vastness of space, Roarke sneezes.

>>48787255
I can see it be like Takashi's castle. A huge gauntlet designed by Roarke's wives.

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She looks up at you. Her fingernails bite into her palms, "All night, on this...mecha imageboard on the holonet I, um, frequent...someone kept posting smug threads asking w-why the UJCIDF technicians even try. I could handle the usual shitposters, but this one had lists of stats on the Ogre's horsepower and frame setup that I don't know where he or she even GOT and just went into depth making me feel as bad as possible comparing my work to whoever designed that freak Starwind's mech." She drops her face onto the desk, "Being made fun of by kids on the holonet, I should just curl up and die."

"It's got to be awful." You speak as neutrally as possible, you've shitposted once or twice yourself. After all, you need bad posts to make memes which spur quality discussion, this is a truth that has been known for centuries. "I mean, you were probably hoping to impress him and all..."

"Him? Oh. Him. Absolutely not! I can't stand men like that. Ones that are too charming are just trouble, they're too much to deal with. All of that showboating...ugh. I'd have to compete with captured princesses and stuff too, no, it's just no good for a woman like me. Some people are incompatible." She sits up, slowly recovering her composure but nonetheless looking miserable.

>[What say to this emotionally destroyed blonde?]

>>48787344
>Don't worry I'm sure you'll find someone your compatible with, and why not look at this as a challange rather then a failure? You were told about its horsepower and its specs why not try and figure out who to beat it?

>>48787344
Well, the fact she gave the stats out are something you could use. Figure out the base, see where it can be improved, and produce something thats just as capable or more. After all, the greatest minds see the faults and work to improve them. Simon is pretty good with hand to hand, so he could be a good test pilot for something like that. Hell, a better Pumpkinseed II would be up our alley too.

Just don't give up. Keep going at it and you'll get results.

>>48787344
Well the Knuckle Kaiser is a custom mech. While the Pumpkinseed II is turned out by the dozens. I'm sure you could make a custom mech just as good if not better than the KK. My mate Caeser pilots THE (whatever its called) so I know what its like to be outshined. And Roarke did say that the Pumkinseed II's did more damage to him than some Custom SOUL machines.

But in other news. GODAMMIT KAREN DON'T MAKE SPECS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE!!

>>48787452
and thats how karen fucked us up because everyone knows our specs.

>>48787344
> pat her on the shoulder
>"well its been a shitty day all around. Wanna go drown our sorrows in burgers and milkshakes?
captcha asked for sandwiches, so it must be done

>>48787476
Ahhh, but thats the Kaiser version 1 specs. Soon we will have version 2.0 with BIT FISTS. Then the lady will cry again.

>>48787452
its fiiiiine, we're about to jack them through the roof anyway. besides, UJCIDF probably knows most of it from Fuckface and Jesus's flight recordings anyway.

>>48787506
watch, Akagi will be the linchpin to beating that Mortar-Head, and just as they start celebrating Avi will release our fight with the Countess to the Net.

>>48787548
>It took all the strength of our base, three new Soul mechs, and a kamikaze attack from an air carrier but we finally beat that mech
>Hey look Roarke uploaded a new video lets watch it

>>48787573
>tfw Roarke using Space-Kung-Fu in his mech to do impossible shit
>people keep trying to rationalize it
>they fail

>>48787506
She'll probably post the specs for those as well.
>>48787512
Yeah but they didn't know the exact specs.

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>>48787573
>It all comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down

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"Yes, but the Pumpkinseed II is still really awesome." You give her a big, encouraging smile despite the fact that you wish you were full of food and asleep right now, "This isn't a failure, it's a challenge. Now that you have the specs on the Black Ogre, it should be easy to build..." You're cut off as she glares up at you.

"They weren't even current! That...that bitch tricked me! I only found out after HOURS of simulations and DAYS of calculation compared to footage of multiple Black Ogre fights hosted on the holonet." She growls hoarsely.

"Oh. Okay then." You hold your hands out placatingly, "Well, all knowledge is useful, right? Figure out where our current mecha can be improved, and produce something that's just as capable or more. After all, I mean, I think the smartest people are the ones that can see faults and work to improve them. You proved you can do it, you're good at it. Simon and I can be your test dummies if we might get a better Pumpkinseed II out of it." You give her a side of thumbs-up to go with that big serving of Amos grin.

She sniffles, "You ridiculous melonhead."

"You're just not thinking straight. You've got cost restrictions, a budget, lots of constraints that the pirates don't. If it's too expensive, it can't be produced en masse, right? I'm sure if you were just building one Custom, it would be even better than the Black Ogre." You lower your voice a little, "And before you start thinking I don't get it...I'm friends with Rudolph Merrow's son too. He brought the King Swordfish frame with him...yeah, the one from the War...and had it turned into a supermech. It's just plain unfair."

"So we've both been left here." She smiles just a little bit, then lifts up her mug of what you'd presumed was cocoa but could as easily be something alcoholic, "To the passionate fires of jealousy, then. Let's rise from hell together."

>[Okay then!]
>[Form an alliance with her on the basis of mutual salt]
>[...What have you been drinking?]

>>48787599
heres a thought, are we sure those specs are legit? I mean they could be an old build or they could be bullshit.

>>48787646
>>[Form an alliance with her on the basis of mutual salt]

>>48787646
>>[Okay then!]
we'll be the irrepressible cheer to counteract her dour mood.

>>48787646
>[Okay then!]
Positivity!!
>[...Wait, whats in the mug?]
Mild Concern!!!

>>48787646
>>[Okay then!]
>>[Form an alliance with her on the basis of mutual salt]
And so Biggs, Wedge, Garma, and the Scientist form a unholy alliance, to defy the fates bestowed upon them and show the world that they are not red shirts who die by lack of plot armor.

>>48787667

It's more of a noncommittal "please move on lady" sort of "Okay then", but still cheerful. I would have used more words, but there's a character limit.

>>48787697
Oh, in that case, >>48787689
Make that only the alliance.

>>48787697
in that case, change >>48787688 to a vote for
>[Form an alliance with her on the basis of mutual salt]
the Mild Concern!!! remains

>>48787697
oh... uh mostly I just want to cheer the lady up... wonder what she could do with the corpse of that Motorhead thing.

>>48787646
>[Form an alliance with her on the basis of mutual salt]
>[...What have you been drinking?]

Oh good to see Karen has some sense.

>>48787789
That was kind of shocking

>>48787800
about as shocking as Clemmy showing restraint

>>48787888
Pretty much

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"If it's a partner you want..." You raise your own mug, "Victory for the losers."

She smiles, "This is hardly a peach garden, Liu Bei, but alright. I can work with you. We'll swear our wicked oath in secrecy and rise to the top however we can." She takes a sip.

You decide to broach the topic of her drink delicately, "So, uh, how's your cocoa? It's nice that we're able to get marshmallows out here."

She takes another sip, "It's vodka. Vodka is pure and simple, it's clean. I love vodka, and vodka loves me." She tilts her head to the side, "Be careful, vodka might get jealous of our friendship."

"Vodka can be my friend too." You remain chipper. Some part of you wants to just...cheer her up. Her depressing mood isn't good for how you currently feel right now either, despite your good-natured enthusiasm.

"Vodka might like that." She smiles wanly, "Vodka is miserable alone."

Your stomach rumbles again, "Am I free to go? Because I haven't eaten all day and I could really go for a burger. Do you want a burger? Even if I'm not free to go, let's just go have a burger and continue the debriefing there."

She shakes her head, but her small smile is a definite one now, "I had a large dinner. You're free to go, Corporal, and you're in luck...you've been bumped up to the head of the line for the new Pumpkinseed IIs, so you'll have your replacement mecha in the morning. Don't ask how I do it, because the answer would be inconvenient for us both. Oh, but there's still time for a few last minute touches before my beloved beverage lulls me to slumber, what do you want me to do with it?"

>[I'd like the beam saber to be stronger, it's already proven itself useful]
>[A stronger beam rifle, please, something to compete with the Avalonian guns]
>[More missiles!]
>[It should be faster]
>[I want heavier armor]

[Vote and discuss, but I'll ask for your FINAL votes in half an hour, because this is important]

>>48787930
>>[It should be faster]
Mobility is everything when it comes to mech fights

>>48787930
>[A stronger beam rifle, please, something to compete with the Avalonian guns]
Right now, the beam saber is pretty good and that shield saved our ass, but what we need is some stronger range game. Stronger rifles shoot further, and better crowd control can help since we work as a team. Faster speed didn't help when had to help our bros.

>>48787930
>>[A stronger beam rifle, please, something to compete with the Avalonian guns]

>>48784689

Pluto is a desolate planetoid and uncomfortable to live on, which could make it a good place for surreptitious dealings.

>>48787930
Im torn between better armor and a better gun.
fair warning to everyone voting to the job-saber: every person who as ever used one in combat has lost the fight. the dice gods of Teegee loath the light saber in all forms, and a vote for a stronger sword is a vote to job.

>>48788060

Has this happened in other quests?

>>48788081
I think he might be talking about how all the people who use beam sabers tend to lose. Of the top of my head.
Mohammad when he fought Caesar
And Clemmy when She fought Red Siren.
Not to mention all the fools Roarke's put down coming at him with them. Like that Rashad guy.

>>48788081
I'll be honest with you, I pulled that out of my ass. But the point stands: say no to Earths glowing swords.

>>48788116

To be fair, people fighting Caesar, Red Siren, and Roarke tend to lose no matter what they use.

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>>48788137

Terrans! What are they plotting!?

>>48788154
Who knows?
Bruce Kelly

>>48788182
you see a plasma pig sticker on that mans ride? No? exactly. Jove's getting played. in other news
>[A stronger beam rifle, please, something to compete with the Avalonian guns]
if that asshole with the cannon wants to reach out and touch us, lets touch him back

Alright. General consensus seems to be firmly enough on an improved beam rifle that I can safely say we're going with that.

Which do you prefer?

>[Medium-range, medium-damage repeater]
>[Long-range, high-damage, non-repeating gun]

Eventually, both will become available, along with other weapons.

>>48788234
>>[Medium-range, medium-damage repeater]
Considering where we are sniping might not be the best idea

>>48788234
Tricky question. The sniper rifle would be more reliable, but considering how knights and jovian mechs tend to be slower on the whole, a accurate repeater can do some massive damage with a bit of luck.

>>48788234
>>[Long-range, high-damage, non-repeating gun]
We are still flying with our boys, and Garret should keep those rotary cannons for mid range suppression. But we suffer at range, and that cannon will tear us up if we can't match it. So lets go for some high speed counter sniping.

>>48788234
>[Medium-range, medium-damage repeater]
I'm going with this.

>>48788275
I'll say mid range. The idea was to serve as a sort of middle man and 'rediculous dakka' fits the Xabuncle creed. Well, that and giant ship bots jumping on their enemy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyuhhsJZSsc

>>48788154
Get out Titans, Zeon was a good boy

>[Medium-range, medium-damage repeater]

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"I don't like losing limbs at a distance. I had a perfectly good gun, but if I could, I'd like a better one." You confess honestly.

She bites her lower lip, considering for a minute, "Do you want something that can shoot fast, or far?"

"Both." You smile glibly, and she snorts.

"Slow down. I've had some thoughts, mostly on how to miniaturize the assault-type rifles I've seen on larger mecha. I'll set you up with something nice." She smiles, "After all, we might need all the firepower we can get soon enough. Nainai Corporal, see you in the morning." And with a little wave, she's gone, and you only just realize that you forgot to ask her name or what, exactly, she did on this ship.

At the same time, the idea of all the firepower your squad will soon have cheers you up.

You leave the office and get off the ship. Nobody stops you, it seems pretty entrenched here, a couple of local merchants have even set up tents around its perimeter. The ship itself is set in the fields outside of Innsmouth proper, but inside the recently-added high fortcrete walls the UJCIDF built when they turned Innsmouth into a base.

You're tired. Your legs hurt from all the running and all of the sitting. Still, one thing propels you, one glorious dream. You walk into town through the lingering drizzle in a dirty UJCIDF uniform, until you find a cafe. You don't see any other troops there, so you regretfully move on. This happens twice more before you find one where you see other soldiers, and can therefore soothe some of your paranoia about being poisoned.

You order, from a small and remarkably cute young woman (whose ears are perfectly normal, you notice), the gastronomic perfection that once made an entire continent envious of American genius, that sandwich so supreme that it is its own category of sandwich. The cheeseburger with bacon.

That sweet, precious girl asks how you would like it cooked and if you would like fries with that, and you nearly propose to her on the spot.

>>48788774
>That sweet, precious girl asks how you would like it cooked and if you would like fries with that, and you nearly propose to her on the spot.

Do it anyways

>>48788807

Yes, but what if the actual cook is prettier?

>>48788965
Is she really? Or is it just going to be a fat balding old man

>>48788965
Propose to her too.

>>48788993
Not everyone can have harems anon it stops being special that way

Should we propose to science chick instead, or Garma?

>>48789036
Garma. pure smiles must be protected, and she likes'em old and emotionally distant

>>48789082
We'd also have to fuck her mom first, that would be awkward all around

>>48788774
Are we done tonight? whens the next thread?

>>48789219
Its only been 25 minutes since his last post, give it about another 15 or so before its dead

>>48789245
>another 15 or so before its dead
then what?

>>48789281
Probably just wait longer

>>48789281
Then some one saves it to Suptg and we go do something else.

>>48789293
Only problem is we'll have no idea when he's running next

>>48789219

Sorry, nodded off. Wednesday!

I wonder what tall tales people are starting to tell about us

Obviously our side story hero needs to find a catgirl he likes