2011-01-09 - Attack on Bellforest's Tower

Snow was coating the area, it looked like a beautiful wonderland as it laid over the trees in the distance, over the mountain tops and in the service area of the tower. Crews worked to keep the roads from icing, the area warm enough to melt the snow down and keep everything working in order.

The snow was indeed falling from the sky, but it was a nice slow drift of the flakes. Children out in the town were playing, it was just a general nice, welcoming day.

Off in the distance though a dark, black stealth martian dropship flew through the skies staying low enough to keep from being picked up on the radar. The pilot and co-pilot knew there orders. They done this type of thing in sims and they had worked with the Frightner group for a long time, more correctly with the very woman onboard and her midnight blue, near black Armored Core; Nightingale.

The Armored Core stood at ready to be dropped, the pilot already inside warming up the systems and ready for the bottom to lower to make their move. The machine held on it a missile launcher which was just being fitted on the shoulder, it was also holding two small uzi like machine guns. It looked to be packed to do some serious damage if it was allowed.

The pilot of this dark machine was Remille Fortner. Employed under the Divine Crusaders and a female who took her job very seriously. Her saphire eyes watched the text come out all green, the light gently reflected in her glasses from the five monitors and the gentle glow of yellow from her keyboard.

The Pilot then came over the comm, "We have reached drop zone point."

Soon as the message was sent, the bay started to drop; The Armored Core's thrusters warmed up; Then from the backside of the dropshit came out the Armored Core heading for the target as the Dropship broke and went off at its waiting point and out of sight from EFA.

There was only two things now that could notify trouble. Either the Dropshop got picked up by the airspace radar on leave or they pick up a unknown moving object zeroing in for the Tower.

Within that small town of Bellforest, a young looking blonde slowly is walking through the streets, lead by a small few kids. "Now now kids, calm down." In his arm he's holding a set of carton boxes containing food. Somewhat late for Christmas, but still for a charity, this young one is doing everything in his power to help those who'd found themselves harmed by the Balmarian invasion. This town too, had supplied soldiers to fight the invasion of the dastardly aliens. And so, to some of those children and mothers who are now without father or husband, Quatre Raberba Winner gives help. Arriving in front of one of the houses near the tower, he stops. One of the kids quickly walks out in front of him and knocks on the door.

In the meanwhile, at the top of the tower, a series of freightships are parked against the tall building, being serviced. Inside one of them stands a man named Rashid, reading a report on the current level of supplies. They had pulled out of the Eastern area of europe and had been drifting ever since the operation at Neviim. "Give this to the tower's administer." The man states firmly, ordering about a young arab wearing a Fez. "Yes sir!" The fez wearing youth replies, smiling and turns - running off to do his task. Then suddenly, red lights inside of the ship go off. "Rashid! Sir!" Another young Fez wearing Maganac member runs into the freighter's front cabin. "We got a report from the tower that we have incoming unknown IFF signals."

"What!?" Rashid asks loudly and quickly grabs for a nearby transmitter. "Young master Quatre!" He calls out over it. "There may be trouble abrew!"

Radar does indeed pick up the dropship on the way out. apparently the pilot wasn't quite 'discreet' about his exit as he was about the entrace. It doesn't really take all that long for a Blue Valkyrie to show up. More specifically, a VF-1J. Max, in the pilot's seat muses a bit as he switches to Soldier mode upon arrival. "Now to let radar do it's thing."

The Black Armored core races in, as she gets closer to the tower the machine races past it; By the sheer speed it even kicks up snow in its wake, blowing it around in the air. The machine then comes around, taking notice of the several targets, but the Armored Core doesn't open fire. Instead it seems to be flying around, sometimes even skating on the ground.

Within the cockpit, the pilot is going over command structures and setting up the targetting system by what she is seeing on her main monitor and by what the radar is showing. She was here to hit some things, other things were not on her interest. After all, the Divine Crusaders may be giving her a paycheck; but she didn't want to waste more ammo then want the check would cover.

As the machine at last comes around the corner again, it then opens fire with the two machines in a spread, not really hitting anything but to cause perhaps some panic. She likes panic; Causes people to jump; Causes them to get sloppy.

"Well that leaves little doubt as to the guy's intentions." He can't see into the cockpit, so Max can't determine the pilot's gender. Naturally, any crackpot with an axe to grind is male until proven otherwise. Bleh. As Max dodges the shots at him, he levels his gun pod and opens fire on the Core Mech, the Valkyrie a LOT more agile in the air than anyone gives it credit for....

The attack on the station does not go unnoticed. A squadron launches from the various points, maroon KLFs, moving through the tepid trapar that surrounds Bell Forest. Its one of the reasons that the place isn't particularly busy, or populated, being essentially a backwater famous only for the history of Adroc Thurston being born here. "This is Marmoset 1. Align on me. Its only one, we can handle this easy!" "Acknowledged. Maybe if we take her down we can get transferred out of Bell Forest?" "Cut the chatter, Marmoset 7."

When Quatre gets that call, the radio is still attached to his pants. He patiently puts down the boxes as he walks into the house. Of course, getting such an unsettling report doesn't seem to make the women inside very comfortable. "Don't worry ma'am." The young man smiles at the few inside with a gentle look on his face, settling them. "Do not worry. I am sure people will be fine." He doesn't look like he is in a hurry to get over to the tower.

However, the Maganac /is/ in a hurry to get him there, for they've sent out a jeep that is racing down the streets towards where Quatre is known to be. Rashid of course reports what is going on over the radio, whilst the blonde has wandered out of the house and is looking at it from a distance. "As long as they are not attacking anyone, let them be Rashid." He commands.

The pilot within was amused, though no smile crossed there lips, it was written in those sapphire blue eyes however.

The dark machine, spun around on a dime as the counter attack begun. Excellent, just what the pilot hoped for.

The Armored Core held the markings of Divine Crusaders on one shoulder but on the other was a unknown symbol. It was a crest with a raven falling uside down, as if it was dieing; it also had glowing red eyes. That was the symbol of the Frighteners; Hunters who did not fear death or facing impossible odds.

This-- was going to be those odds.

The Valkyrie came flying in; The Armored Core already alerted the pilot of encoming target and that a lock was made. As the bullets come in, the dark machine attempts to drop down to the ground and skid to the side to avoid the bullets, along with return fire with its own machine guns. However several of theire bullets nicked across the dark paint job of the Armored Core and the machine itself missed completely.

Alas, the night was still young.

The Armored Core for the most part ignored the flying target, instead it turns its attention to the main targets. One of the ships being worked on. As it skates around, those machine guns open fire on the structure as the machine races around it, taking out anything on the ground small enough with its feet from the skid. Sparks flying off from its feet as the metal slides along the area.

Making a bit of a face as his shot just barely scrapes against the mech, he shakes his head. "Well, I guess I'm gonna hafta get his attention somehow. Maybe aiming for his head....." He muses to himself as he fires a second barrage from his gunpod....

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It would appear that an unknown force is attacking the Bellforest Tower."

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "I'm so glad the tower is well away from the civilian population."

"Well, they just started attacking!" The Maganac ex-leader calls out through the radio, after which Quatre can hear a distinct rumble through the radio. It seems that the machine fire of the Armored Core is doing a number on the structure itself and the ships around it - though the Maganac freighters have been untouched so far. "Retaliate. But be careful not to hit any unneeded targets." Quatre calls out through the radio, walking towards the edge of town to try and meet the Jeep he knows is coming somewhere half-way. He wraps his hands around himself to keep his brown coat around him and pulls a set of goggles over his eyes to protect himself from the cold and the snow - increasing his pace a little. "I do hope that nobody gets hurt..."

At the tower, in the meanwhile, one of the freighters opens its doors, and a few Maganac units can be seen hiding within - rifles aimed upwards at Remille's unit. "Let them have it boys!" One of the Maganac crew calls out to his buddies. "But remember to aim away from the cockpit! Or master Quatre will have our heads!" Another replies, as they let beams of light lash through the night's sky - trying to hit the Armored Core in the arms to disarm it. Literally.

"Marmoset 1, I'm aligning in as best I can, the lack of trapar is making manuevering somewhat limited..."

"Nonsense, keep on it... Make sure to keep fire lanes clear. Marmoset 2, Marmoset 7, on oversight. Marmoset 10, I'm assigning you to firing position, take point and launch the attack." The voices come in, "Roger!" The monsoonos twist and turn through the air, sailing on glowing streams of trapar and leaving beautiful verdant wakes of energy gleaming behind them... Even as one of the KLFs launches its missiles at Remille, it too leaves behind it an almost lumiscent glow as it utilizes its trapar based propellant system.. "Monsoono 10, Fox 1!"

The dark armored core seems to miss its target as it skates around, that is what it gets for not taking this seriously. The pilot within hits a few switches, this time she sends out a comm to all units in the area, including to the tower as well and its fleets. "This is Remille Fortner, of the Divine Crusaders. By the time this night is over it will be in smoke. That is all." Then the comm is switched off.

At least max gets his answer to just what the pilot is; Female.

The Nightingale quickly spins around as the Valkyrie comes in once more; Attempting to impact her Armored Core's head. That just wont do. At the last moment the overboost drive kicks on sending the Armored Core from there, to another location in a near blink of a eye, but her own bullets go stray.

Then the Maganac units attempt to disarm her Armored Core. Ha! Silly people..

There there impact does hit, but for there own risky buisness, they also get scatter fire from the machine guns as the armored core starts to race around again. There shots impact the core, part of the head, the leg, and part of the shoulder. The impact does cause the camera within the visor to go on the frits for a moment, before the pilot with reaches up and smacks the monitor which brings it back online.

Thankfully while she was blind her radar was letting her know she had another problem encoming. Missiles.

Remille hates missiles.

This now comes in a bit of trouble, with that moment her monitor went on the fritz, it set up for those missiles to follow the Armored Core in. They blasted into the mech, sending it actually spinning in the air, before it crashed onto the ground and then raised back up to its feet with the roll like some ninja machine. The armor was scorched; The joint in one of the arms sparked slightly as it tried to move. The Armored Core then reached over and smacked its own shoulder which ceased the shoulder joint from acting up. It then glanced around, before taking a step back.

Remille tsked softly to herself, before she typed in a few lines of commands and then took back the controls.

The machine then skated back, before it then started to spread out the love from the machines guns. To those in the skies and to the targets on the land (including what she came here to destroy). She moved left to right, to the skies and even a back flip in there somewhere over the VF if it came in low enough.

Max dives out of the way of Remille's flurry of fire as the comm get clicked off. "Figures." He considers saying something rather snotty and male-chauvanistic, but instead.....fires a longer burst from his gun pod. everything else gets drowned out in gunfire....

The jeep arrives at the edge of town and picks up Quatre. Of course, the driver is non other than another random Maganac guy. One day, the player will give them all names, so that people will be less confused. "Quickly." Quatre comments, patting the dashboard of the jeep as he gets in. "Right!" The fez wearing non-describt arab replies and hits the pedal to the metal, and they speed off towards the tower. After all, in one of those freight ships looms the Sandrock Gundam. Unit 04 of Operation Meteor. It doesn't take long to cross that distance, and soon Quatre is in the elevator that takes him up towards the top of the tower.

In the meanwhile, the freightship that held the Maganac units takes a severe hit that puts a nice little hole into it as fire is returned upon their position. However, further fire misses the unit as Remille is distracted by other units. Then suddenly, over the speakers, Quatre is put through. "Miss Remille Fortner, of the Divine Crusaders. I understand you may have been tasked with an attack upon this tower. But can you please halt your attack for ten minutes, while we remove all personel from this location? That way, no lives will be lost!" Was he serious? Well, he had to try, no?

And then suddenly! Explosions! Right where Remille was standing, a red light had gone on - beeping quicker and quicker, until finally a series of high power detonations had gone off. "Hahaa! We got him!" A few of the Maganac goons celebrate, pointing down at where Remille had been during them setting off the attack. "That'll teach her!"

The Monsoonos twist, following the currents of unseen trapar...

The shots from the core go wide as a result, as they utilize the quick, impossible to see currents, like leafs on the wind...if a leaf had missiles and cannons, and giant metallic surfboards coated in reflection film. "We get any notification for why they're here?!" "Who cares why they're here. Just shoot it!" "Cut the chatter!!" "All units! Operation seven!" The Monsoonos all open up, filling the air around Remille with precision strikes of little gleaming explosions of purple... as the missiles explode.

The pilot couldn't believe this. She missed? She was one of Leos best-- and she missed.. every-- single.. one of them? Her sapphire eyes glared at the terminal, before she flipped the Armored Core into auto. She then jumped out of her seat and opened a hatch behind her pilot chair. Then started to mess with some thing down below. Who messed with her FCS and when she finds out, she is going to place a bullet between their eyes.

The Armored Core can't seem to get out of the machine gun bursts. It gets rattled with holes from the bullets. They lay into the armor, scratching it, riveting it, and just in general starting to get rather nasty looking.

However the machine is still operational and from the shoulder rises up a missile pod which then returns fire to hit the flying VF.

Just as Remille gets what she hopes her FCS taken care of she gets back in the chair;Buckling up and just then, "..oh.. son of a.." The explosion go off and it blasts the Armored Core skyward. The machine then crashes into the ground, rolling into the snow, before slamming into the trees. It holds there for a moment; smoke rising from it.

Remille coughs inside, before spitting out blood to the side. The pilot stares at the cracked monitors. The radar going on the fritz. The damage read out on the Armored Core flicking in some critical areas. The Radiator having trouble keeping the Armored Core cool. She then types in a few commands.

It comes back saying 'error' with every command she tries to enter. "..Come on.." her fingers continue to run over the touch-pad keyboard, a few times having to slam her finger down on a few keys in order for it to pick up the hit. '..we are already getting over our budget..' she thinks to herself before she then all the frustration; Tossing her glasses to the side; she slams her fists into the keyboard and everything computer wise suddenly checks green.

The dark armored core at last starts to force itself up. However in the time it took Remille to get her Armored Core up, the missile swarm came in. She didn't even have time to get a decent lock-on with her own missile launcher before the missiles slammed into her machine.

Lord.. if Leos knew about this.. who was she kidding.. he find out when she ask for the parts and equipment.

The Armored Core flew into the sky once more before landing even further out. It slowly, painfully, stood back up. It was looking more like scrap then it did earlier and one had to start to wonder how much longer it could take.

Then that missile pod activated once more and just spread out the love for all the targets, empting it load on /everything/.

"Augh! I'm hit!" Marmoset 6 takes the strike, its side armor exploding as it begins to fall to the earth, trailing a stream of glowing trapar behind it... and blood... Blood? The other KLFs dodge around the missiles, although Marmoset 2 and 8 get lost in the explosions, and thrown off course, their glowing trapar trails erratic as they attempt to regain their composure. "This one's more dangerous then she lets on! Enact operation 69, full spread! GO!" Two of the KLFs launch downward, as others twist and spin and go heavenward, marmoset 1 pulls in closer towards the armored core, peppering at her with shots from its shoulder mounted cannon... Its almost amateur... At least it appears that way unless Remille decides to 'dodge' it the way someone normally would, in whichcase, she finds herself stuck in a literal storm of KLFs, coming from all directions... with missiles, and cannons blazing.

"Yeah! Got him!" The Maganac corp members cheer, then quickly grab a pair of binoculars to make sure they didn't do any permanent damage to the tower. Nope, the explosion had been well controlled. "What were the odds of Quatre being right?" Fez number one asks. "Only a hundred percent." Fez number two responds. "Stop joking around." Rashid suddenly appears behind the two. Quatre is arriving, and he wants you guys to prepare the capture-nets. He wants us to try and take that Armored Core pilot alive."

The two fez wearing Maganac youths turn towards Rashid and in stereo go, "Eeeeeeeeeeeh!?" Which of course gets a stern look from the man, who has his both hands folded. "Get to it!" The bearded Arab grumbles. "Yes sir!" The two quickly run off to set up the electronet-guns. The things this freighter is equiped with...

PING! The elevator has arrived. "Fourth floor. Freighters, Maganac and the..." Sandrock Gundam. The magnificent machine is standing inside a seperate freighter's hangar and is ready to go. "Thank you, Achmed." Quatre pats the driver on his shoulder. "You got me here just in time." And he quickly runs over to the machine, gets on a small service elevator at its side, and soon is inside of the Sandrock.

Buttons get pressed. Switches get flipped, and the 280 degree display comes on within the Gundam. Quatre makes sure his goggles are well set in his eyes as he throws out a quick command. "Open the hatch!" And in response, the freighter's hangar bay does indeed open up. "This is a capture mission! Do not kill the pilot!" He quickly calls out at the Maganac crew, though he knew he really didn't need to tell them. They knew him. They knew how he did things. The unit's boosters fire, and with a series of steps, the Sandrock comes plummeting down from the air!

Then, just as it seems like the machine is about to just /crash/ into the ground, it deploys a tan parachute. It parasails straight for the trees at which Remille had 'parked' her Armored Core whilst under attack and when enough velocity is lost, he presses a twosome of red buttons to release the clamps - dropping the Sandrock straight down from the air, and uses the arms to grab the both Heat Shotels which are attached to its back - dragging them out and holding them both side by side... then moving one so that they cross on the /horizontal/ plain. He plans to cut off one of the unit's arms, AND its backpack - so that it can no longer escape.

"To all present military forces. I, Quatre Raberba Winner, am going to try and take this Divine Crusader in! Please do not attempt to stop me!" He warns. "I don't want anybody to get hurt any further!" The blonde arab adds onto this, to make himself come across a little less 'like the bad guy'. He'd long ago let it be that people thought of him as a terrorist for some reason. But there was no reason to make this image any worse.

The Armored Core stood there for a moment. Remille within was staring at her radar which was on the fritz and at times would give correct information. She switched a a few things to visual control. She would start to use her own eyes and less on what the radar had to say or even her computer which was also acting a bit, hrm, odd.

As the bomb started to drop down, The Nightingale quickly moved, by skating backwards, it attempted to return fire, even as the explosion rocked the area before it and snow along with dust kicked into the air, but the machine guns were jammed.

However skating backwards was never a smart idea, because when she spun her Armored Core around she could see the missiles coming, the jets coming. Instead the machine does something crazy, it goes right into it. It blasts the armor apart and all the damage it took was in vain as it tries to smash its fist through one of the fighters and misses.

It then crashes onto the ground and lands almost falling over on its face.

That is when the Armored Core looks up and comes to face with the Gundam. Oops.

It quickly sprints back and strafes to the side just intime to not be cut down.

The Armored Core pilot then sends out the signal to her dropship, she needed to get out of here /NOW/. She did enough damage and things were starting to take a different look. Even more so with a Gundam that seem like it was out to clip her 'wings' as to speak. No one clips a Frighteners wings.

No One.

Now the question was, could she get out of her with her banged up Armored Core before she was captured?

The tower control officer blinks at the pronouncement, "The hell did he say he was?! Is the captain awake?!" He rummages through a large book on politics, "...the hell does he want her for anyway, a harem?" "Maybe its not a she." "We don't judge, Lieutenant." "Marmoset squadron, the enemy is in withdrawal...uh, attack that other thing." Marmoset 1 frowns, "Noted. Marmoset squadron, realign, base defense protocol." "Unknown." "Uh, he used his name, Sir." "Shut up!! Unknown mobile suit, deactivate your engine or your will be destroyed." "Tower, this is Marmoset 1, are we to fire or not." "Uh, I...should we wait?" "Waiting generally just gives them time to shoot us down, Tower."

Max only smirks a little as the Armored mech starts to back away. "Hmph. How about that. She's running. Well, you don't attack a military building without doing time. We'll need to take you in." The entire time he's talking to himself, he's flipping safeties off, and waiting for a second lock on the mech. Namely, aiming for the mech's engines and legs. Disabling is something a Valk can do rather easily, even at a distance.

Right! He'd forgotten one of the most important things about combat. How could he have been so foolish? Strike first, announce /later/. And then suddenly. Was... were the people at the tower just threatening him? "Rashid?" Quatre calls out over the radio. "Please... subdue the tower administration." - "Roger that." Rashid replies and immediately sends a series of Maganac troops straight up the tower to the lookout in order to stop people from making a stupid mistake. Knockout gas!

In the meanwhile, having missed, the Gundam quickly starts tramping right after the Armored Core, using its boosters to give him that extra little boost to make sure the opponent doesn't get too far ahead of him and then... is just about to throw his both weapons when suddenly... explosions! Missiles go flying, guns go ablaze, and the young arab is forced to stop his Gundam away from the suddenly assault. Quatre is praying. "Please let them survive... oh god please let them live."

When finally the blaze is gone, he does quickly wander over to the machine whilst one of the freighters undocks from the tower and begins to quickly approach the Sandrock Gundam and Armored Core whilst Quatre attaches the both Heat Shotels back to the Sandrock's backpack. He tries to plant a hand onto the unit to make it stay down and quickly asks. "Are you okay in there!?" He honestly sounds worried. But then, that's Quatre for you. Mister Heart of Space. Mister Empathy. Mister... well, you get it by now.

"Marmoset 1, this is the to.." He turns. Gas!! He briefly considers the horrible possibilities, "Jenkins! This is all your fault for authorizing chili dogs in the cafeteria!" Jenkins looks back to him, and then takes a REALLY deep breath. Marmoset 1 frowns, "...tower's gone dead, I'm using my operational authority. Align on me. Full power to forward laser cannons, that mobile suit looks fancy.." "What does fancy have to do with anything?" "Only two types of people customize their combat capable mobile suits like that Marmoset 5. People who are total morons, and people who are dangerous. If he was a moron, I doubt he would have neutralized our tower. FIRE!" THe squadron unleashes a barrage of energy at poor Quatre.

The Armored Core could see the drop ship in the distance. However her lock on was pinging. She closed her eyes for a moment, before she opened them and then hit her radio to the drop ship, "..I am not going to make it. Inform Frightener base."

"What? No. We will not.."

"That is an order. Inform Frightener base and get out of here." Just as she said those last words sure enough the missiles impact dead on. The blast coveres over the Armored Core in a wave of fire. The explosion itself takes out the back weapons, the thrusters, and knocks the head unit off.

Soon the mech was tumbling down out of control; Spinning; Twirling. It crashes onto the ground, the arms of the Nightingale; at least one; breaking off on impact. The Core seemed lifeless.

Remille Fortner inside wasn't going to escape, she was out cold from the force, though some how her martian body handled the Gs, and under closer examination later, instead of broken bones, she would only be bruised. What kind of training did this woman have anyhow?

Max hovers down and takes a good look at his handywork before turning his attention towards the head unit, where he assumes the woman is. Landing and switching to Soldier mode, and aims his gunpod at the head unit and prepares to take her back to base and prepare a cell for her crimes. (only to be broken out a few days later, of course.)

"Dangit! Why are they firing on me? I just helped them defend their town..." He sighs. "Stop attacking me! I am simply taking this person in for questioning! I will not harm you!" The freighter that had detached from the tower quickly descends near the Sandrock, and the Sandrock quickly grabs onto a giant wire that comes down and attaches it to the back of his unit. He then quickly grabs the Armored Core, still holding its cockpit closed, just in case. But with no response, he wanted to open it soon in a safe environment, in case the woman needed to have treatment.

Another set of freighters undock from the tower and start traveling in different directions - alongside the first which now had loaded the Sandrock into its hangar. "Again! Do not attack! We will not harm you! And your fire may accidentally hit the town downwind. I do not want such lives on my, or your, concious!" And the freighter begins to take off!

 Alexis Day transmits, "Who knows? But what about you? Are you alright?"

"Unacceptable. You were issued orders from the Tower to stand to, you denied them and we have lost contact with our tower. Your statement is noted, but I will be forced to put you on the ground. The subject will be taken into our custody." Marmoset 1 nods, "I am giving you one minute to comp..." Marmoset 2 frowns, "To hell with this, they never listen to that sort of shit! CHARGE!!" Marmoset 2 leads a charge, with about half of the squadron launching forward to attempt to disable those attempting to 'steal' the prize so loyally beat up. Marmoset 1 frowns, "Damnit all!!"

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Ah. Yeah. I think so. But I've got people chasing me."

 Alexis Day transmits, "Are they going to be able to overtake you?"

 Quatre Raberba Winner's ship rumbles in the background as rockets hit the hull. "No... I think we can outrun them..."

 Alexis Day transmits, "Great! Though if you're still under fire... maybe I should stop talking. Good luck!"

 Quatre Raberba Winner can be heard shouting out some commands in Arabic, then calls for a 'Medic!'.

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Okay. We're good."

 Alexis Day transmits, "You don't sound good. I didn't understand most of what you just said, but I got that last word. Are you sure you're alright?"

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "I'm fine. But I am worried about our new guest."

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "A Valkyrie really did a number on her unit."

 Alexis Day transmits, "What? You... oh!"

 Quatre Raberba Winner kindly chuckles, "It'll take more than that to put a dent on my Sandrock." -- quickly followed after that is one of his technicians shouting, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST TO REPAIR!?"

 Alexis Day transmits, "I'm honestly amazed. I haven't even actually been able to /meet/ any of you yet... and unless this is the most elaborate conspiracy ever just to trick me... it's amazing how fast you keep shooting holes in the 'terrorist' label they keep giving you."

 Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Terrorists? Hardly, really. I rather commit kindness into their hearts. I was only lucky to have been there - otherwise they may have killed this poor soul. I do hope that none of the missiles strayed and hit Tower City..."

Missiles and gunfire glance and ram into the hull of the freighter when suddenly a series of freighters get in the way of the fighters. And after what looks like a game of 'where is the coin now', a series of freighters all take off in different directions at full blast - somehow managing to outrun the fighters. They even all had some hull damage. Damn! The Maganac really work /fast/. Aside from some faint differences in energy readings, there was little way to set them apart.

In the meantime, inside of the hangar of one of the freighters, the Sandrock Gundam puts down the Armored Core and locks it in against one of the Mobile Suit carriers after which he quickly calls out for Rashid. Of course Rashid is on /this/ freighter. The young man opens the hatch to his Gundam and steps out, using a line to take himself down. He's talking over the radio about how it would take more to put a dent on his Sandrock when suddenly a technician shouts from the back; "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST TO REPAIR!?". He ignores it with a smile and instead calls out for a medic and some people to open Remille's cockpit. Gotta make sure she is safe. Of course... the men are armed as the try to force it open.

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "That's exactly what I mean. I haven't even managed to make planet-fall yet and I've heard so much that shows most of what they say about all of you seems to be a lie."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Well, I am sure some of it is correct from their point of view. We do blow up military bases, which strikes terror into their hearts. And then we have some of the more... unfortunate members. Like that Katz guy."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It saddens me to know that sometimes, the loss of innocent life is unavoidable in some conflicts... but I try to go out of my way to stop such things from happening. Everyone has a chance to better themselves."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner can always be /heard/ smiling over the Radio. He sounds so... good hearted.

The team works to get it open. Though it all depends if they understand Core mechanics or not.

Once they do get it open, they will find the female pilot slouched slightly in her chair. She has a few minor cuts, but nothing some little aid can't take care of. The interior of the core was sparking from some broken wires, the computer monitors were mostly broken and the ones display computer data was going over and over again with error messages.

There was also imprint on the metal work with a strange emblem with a Z/M in the middle of it. Perhaps the maker of the Armored Core?

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It's nothing special really. I just don't want to see a promising life wasted."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "That's why I'm looking forward to working with you all."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "I am glad."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Also, the woman seems fine. She needs a bit of first aid, but she'll come around. I wouldn't say that about her Armored Core though..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "I'm not sure you should be too worried about a prisoner's machine?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It looks rather custom made. I'd be saddened if my Sandrock got damaged to such extents. It'd be only fair to give it back to her when the time comes."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "That might be getting a bit ahead of yourself... probably better to worry about whether you're going to be able to change her life or not, like you were talking about earlier?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Of course, that will take priority."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "It may take a long time. I know I can't see myself ever changing loyalties..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It'll take a lot of patience and understanding."

"Rashid. I want you to repair the Armored Core." Quatre claims. "When we arrive at the New York base of operations, that is." Rashid raises an eyebrow, but knows better than to object. "It will take some contact with the Trailer to get information on how to fix this thing up.". Quatre just smiles and nods. "Well, maybe she can help you repair it after she recovers." He nudges his head a bit towards the medics, who lift the female carefully from the cockpit and onto a stretcher - then proceed to hoist her into a medical bay... which looks rather comfy and homey.

It's not highly technological looking, but it certainly has a sense of 'home' to it. Quatre follows the medics, fully intent on sitting at the woman's side until she will awaken. Of course - it should not remain unsaid - she /is/ checked for weapons, so that she can't harm the young 'prince'.

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "Hey there, new person... Heard you talking to Duo in the radio logs the other night. So you're from the Inner Sphere? What brought you here?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Ah, yes. Me and Duo are... friends."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "Oh? You know Duo too?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "We share a similar fate."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "You're nowhere near as morbid as him... Actually, with what little of you I've heard, I'm surprised you go out onto the battlefield with any weapons at all."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "'New person'... right, right, guess I should reintroduce myself. Staff Sergeant Alexis Day, 1st Marik Militia, 3rd Battallion. We've been sent here to make sure weapons of mass destruction don't get out of hand. ... That's phrasing it really badly, even one is 'out of hand', but... you get what I mean, right?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "How do you define weapons of mass destruction? We've got Gundam X, the White Doll... Apparently the Toybox has some _serious_ firepower but has never had to use it..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Sadly, weapons are a necessity at times. But I refuse to use them to take a life."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "Hmm. You realize there's a risk, every time you attack another piloted machine, right?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "I pray I never make that mistake, mister Wiremu."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "Then why do you even use them?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "And I am glad you have such an honorable task ahead of you, miss Alexis. I wish you much luck with that. And if you ever need my assistance, or that of my Maganac friends, do not hesitate to call."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "...So you've _never_ used Sandrock to attack another piloted machine? Ever?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Macua Huitl transmits, "Hey."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Mister Wiremu - I simply aim away from their cockpit, and disable their units. It's not that hard."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "He just said he beat down some Armored Core, didn't he? Yeah but Walker Machines and Mobile Suits and Armored Cores all move pretty fast."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "Is your aim really that good?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "There's still a risk. Accidents happen. People don't dodge the way you think they're going to. Someone leaps in front of your attack, and you didn't anticipate it..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "There is always a risk."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It is war after all. I've accepted this."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "Will you be able to continue, Quatre? If you ever become a killer?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "I... I'm not sure. But if it is for a bright future... perhaps."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "I hope it never happens to you."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "So do I. So do I..."

The female pilot seemed out cold. There was signs of bruises, but no real broken bones of any kind. Her black hair was deep as coal and seem to be well kept for the most part. If searched they would find a knife, a martian like hand-gun, and something ken to a wallet that had her name 'Remille Fortner' along with it being IDed to the Frighteners. It had some clearance numbers, but unless someone knew what they meant, it was rather pointless to try and understand.

If the wallet was further investigated one would find a small picture of her standing with a male who was just slightly taller then her, but had the same hair and eye color. It looked like she had a twin brother.

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "How do I define...? That should be pretty obvious, right? Weapons that can take out hundreds or thousands of people at once and there is no controlling their consequences. I've heard you've even come across weapons that can destroy an entire planet."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner shivers at the thought of that. "As if those colony drops were not horrid enough..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "Myself... I tell myself that if I quit now, then I will have killed for nothing..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day, to Quatre, "Thank you. That goes both ways, you know! We're here to do our share, and if you need a hand..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "Then they will have died for nothing."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "In the end. I just want to make sure that - who-ever they were - they are not forgotten."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos groans.

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "...I don't even know who they were."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "You don't need to know them to remember them."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "I can never forget."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos dimly transmits the bashing of a head against a steering wheel.

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "That sounded painful. Are you alright?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Macua Huitl transmits, "Hey Jiron are you still got rooms on the Iron Gear?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "I'd be better if you didn't both sound like such /girls/!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "Come on!!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "...uh, yeah, why?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day, offended at Jiron's remark, "Hey!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "What? They do!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Macua Huitl transmits, "Can I get a room there?"

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "I don't know what happened, the first time. He was just a gespenst pilot... We were breaking out one of Celestial Being's pilots... He was trying to keep war criminals from being released and doing more harm. And he... The personal trooper exploded. I still don't know why."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "You'll probably have to bunk with someone, but I don't see why not."

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "Well for one, so what? For two, are you telling me that... what, they don't sound macho enough? I think it's great that they sound so disinterested in killing."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "It happens, mister Wiremu. I'm sure Heero could tell you many stories of his that involve innocents. Or Trowa, or Duo. Heck, most people here - probably - have had innocents die on them."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "Sure, whatever, you can be 'disinterested in killing,' but if you fight, you're gonna kill someone!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Macua Huitl transmits, "That's fine."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "The second time... We were just investigating ship disappearances, and we ran into a Crusader team that was probably sent to investigate the same thing! And a fight started, needlessly. It was my first time using the Prometheus system in the field. I was trying to disable one crusader's machine... And another flew into the way and took the hit, right through the cockpit. I didn't see it coming..."

<Radio: A - Chat> Banjo Haran transmits, "I wouldn't call an enemy personal trooper pilot an 'innocent', exactly."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "He was just trying to protect his comrade and _we didn't even need to be fighting_!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "or she, I don't even know." " <Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "It's not about being... macho, or whatever, it's about you guys fighting against all these other people and then complaining that you might kill somebody by accident."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "Complain? Hardly."

<Radio: A - Chat> Quatre Raberba Winner transmits, "I simply rather not take away someone's life."

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "Whatever you want to call it, it's just dumb. If you're that worried about it, go park your robot on the Iron Gear and we'll let Blume drive it or something."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu transmits, "...The Artificial Empathy system worked, though I only used it for a few seconds that day. None of those crusaders were worried about having been caught attacking ships or whatever, I know that much. We didn't need to be fighting!"

<Radio: A - Chat> Alexis Day transmits, "You're right. People die in war. It's entirely possible I'm going to kill someone out there... maybe even five, ten, fifteen... even twenty people over the course of my career. It's just not something to look forward to, is all."

Quatre is handed the wallet and looks it over, smiling as he sees the picture. "I wonder if he is still alive." He pauses and looks up at Rashid. "I want you to look up some information on this person. Find out who she is, what her life has been like. Don't pry too much. But I want at least some of the basics." The man nods and wanders off. Quatre then proceeds to just sit there. The weapons are hidden and kept well away, but the wallet is put back on her. He can keep awake for a looong time. And until they'd arrive at that base, he'd probably sit there, half-awake. Like a cat keeping one eye open. Alert, but resting. At one time, he even moved her black hair out of her eyes, smiling whilst he did this, and feeling if she had a fever. He himself took care of the first-aid she needed, after the two medics had told him what she needed to have done.

<Radio: A - Chat> Jiron Amos transmits, "That's okay."

<Radio: A - Chat> Staren Wiremu sighs. "Jiron... I have to accept that it will happen. I don't have to like it, or even be indifferent to it. And I can fight while trying to avoid it."

<Radio: A - Chat> Banjo Haran transmits, "As long as you accept the possibility, that's what matters; digging your head into the sand won't help you or anyone else."