2008-12-21 - Special Training Exercise, the Roy Fokker Way

Roy Fokker is standing in front of Skull One, which looks remarkably clean and beautiful at the moment. He stands in his Macross-Issue pants and a wife beater, calmly smoking a filterless space cigarette and ironing his flight jacket atop a munitions crate. He looks at his Neo-Nokia, "I said fifteen minutes and it's been twelve!" he shouts to himself, looking over his shoulder at the Veritech behind him... and a Colorful pastel crate underneath it.

Workers, engineers and pilots are forced to skirt around Roy's makeshift ironing board. Many seem to be biting their respective tongues at Skull Leader's insane fire hazards, both of them, and mainly part for him like he is a Moses Trench in their Red Sea.

T-Plus 14:47...

Maximillian Jenius walks out of the pilot's ready room, fully clad in his pressure suit. His oversized, blue-visored helmet is tucked under one arm, and after a quick sweep of the hangar, he strides up to Roy confidently. He salutes the senior Skull Squadroneer. "Ensign Jenius reporting, sir."

Rei Ayanami is standing amidst Skull Squad for some reason. She came up with some NERV scientists because they were prowling for young flesh to suck into the Evangelion program -- even space freighter cities need orphans -- but ended up telling her to go find something to do to keep herself busy when they departed the ship.

This is why Rei Ayanami has been standing in the hangar, dead still, for six hours now. Her being right where Skull Squad is convening is pure coincidence, but she goes along with it, because it's there and why not.

A lone messenger walks past Roy Fokker and drops a manilla folder right on his ironing. He irons the folder a few times before it catches fire. Somehow, he puts out the fire with his cigarette. He brushes various forms of ash from the folder and opens it. "Hmmm. New orders, Max. We've got a Special Visitor today. Real Make a Wish type-stuff. You see some 14 year old girl with purple hair, you let me know."

An F-28 Messer, painted with a Skull Squadron insignia, is taxi'd onto the runway, right in between Max's VF-1J and Roy's VF-1S. "Anyway, Max. You find me that kid. Today is Special Training Day, which some people say is the Greatest Day of All. Those people are Roy Fokker, and Roy Fokker is your commanding officer. So put on a god damn happy face and find me that kid!"

Maximillian Jenius's large blue eyes, behind blue-tinted lenses, shift over to where Rei stands quite conspicuously in the hangar. He looks back to Roy and clears his throat. "Is that her, Major?" He asks, pointing to Rei, who is standing about three yards away. "I thought she was a targeting dummy, at first." He adjusts his eyeglasses.

Rei is standing four feet away. Her head turns, slowly, to face Max, staring at him with blank non-comprehension. Only after a few long, awkward moments does she turn her full body to face him, continuing to stare. She doesn't blink.

Roy Fokker snaps his fingers, which turns into a 'bang you're dead' at Rei, and then a thumbs-up and a wink. "Hey, Kid. You're in Skull Squadron for tonight. And it's Special Training day. Orders came from this guy... do you recognize him?"

Major Fokker flashes a slightly-charred picture of Gendo, "Looks like a pervert, but his people outrank my people... what can you do?" He looks at Max, "Jenius, get this kid a helmet and a Skull Patch. While I ready the equipment for Special Training Day."

Roy doesn't check on Max or Rei, he just drops the classified folder, Gendo picture and all, and kneels down beside the amazing Pastel crate under the nose of his plane.

It is a crate of Minmay-Chan :v Brand Wine Coolers, at least two years old and covered in dust. "Our assignment: finish this crate of pop star wine coolers and perform a combat mission. I need you to be able to operate in less than ideal conditions... and this will make conditions less than ideal!"

Roy opens a bottle, winks again and pours it down the hatch, pinkish-red liquid trickling down his chin.

Maximillian Jenius's eyes widen as Roy begins to chug delicious saccharine alco-pop. "Right... I'll find her a suit, sir," he says, giving Rei a look over. "Hmm. I'm not sure if we have one that small." He walks over to the equipment locker, opening it up and flipping through the flight suits within. "I don't think Hikaru will miss his for just one sortie," he says, detaching a flight suit tailor-made for a tiny Japanese teenager. "I hope you like red!" He calls out to Rei, his tone cheerful.

"That is Gendo Ikari," Rei's flat, dead-inside voice states, sound like a child with a history of being forced to touch the stove. "He is the head of NERV, the organization that serves as my caretaker and supervisor." She doesn't move from the spot as Roy introduces the WINE COOLER ELEMENT to the Robotech party. "Very well," she says to Roy -- she sounds like she couldn't care less if he'd ordered it to be a russian roulette party.

Then, Hikaru hands her a flightsuit. "It makes no difference," Rei says, pulling the suit on over her clothes. "I will wear whatever you deem fit for Special Training."

Skull Squadron is only Skull Trio today.

SOME TIME AGO

Roy Fokker's Skull Trio Fusion Ensemble is boo'ed off stage at Johnny Steiner's Bar Mitzvah for playing an eighteen minute version of "Jesse's Girl."

NOW

Skull Leader leads the Skull Trio, which flies in wobbly formation. Inside the cockpit, Major Roy Fokker is still drinking a wine cooler colored an unnatural, toxic pink-red. "Not bad for something I found buried in a 'time capsule' in Misa's back yard? Huh? Huh?!"

"Max Jenius, Max Jenius... concentrate. Have you picked out our target like I think I assigned you to do at least four minutes ago? Pay attention, Max!"

EARLIER...

Max Jenius waits for Roy to look the other way (possibly to puke) before pouring his wine cooler down a drainage grate on the Macross. "These are delicious, sir," he adds, crumpling up the classy plastic bottle it comes in and throwing it into a wastebasket (which has a basketball hoop over it).

PRESENTLY:

Max Jenius flies quite unwobbily on the right wingtip of Roy Fokker's Skull One, occasionally working the joystick to keep Roy from crashing into him. "Sir," he says, pressing a button his radar controls, pringing up a satellite image of Warsaw. "Satellite imagery has detected a movement of Divine Crusaders forces out of Warsaw. Only a handful of defenders remain. With a surgical strike, we might have a chance of eliminating their remaining defenses."

SOME TIME AGO

Rei Ayanami is given Hikaru's flight suit, and a Messer to pilot. She is ambivalent toward both.

NOW

Having been ordered to drink wine coolers, who was Rei Ayanami to deny a superior officer? She is now stinking drunk, having had half of one, and her flying is erratic. She continually makes these horrible "Hurp -- hggp" noises into the radio like she's /going/ to throw up, but never quite makes it there.

Special Training: Making ace pilots, one clone at a time.

SOME TIME AGO:

"Auditor, you have a mission," comes a toneless voice over the computer radio of his ill-gotten prototype ReZEL. The balding man nods, adjusting his combover with a spit-slicked thumb. "Details," he asks, equally toneless. An old-fashioned dot-matrix printer in the cockpit begins spooling out data, and The Auditor reads it over once. A corner of his mouth turns down.

NOW:

The Auditor was hired by one Claudia LaSalle to act as Designated Wingman for the impromptu and (as far as she knows) 100% drunk Skull Squadron.

The Auditor's eye twitches.

There are three unknowns in the airspace of Warsaw. Even IF Ibis was shot down before, this doesn't mean she used the Calion! And that's a good thing.. or bad thing, since she's scrambled to go back out. "W-What? .. I .. I just .. I just want to finish eating this slice of ca-Five seconds?"

Traveling from the Excellion, burning as she makes re-entry, the space plane has it's thrusters full on, heading towards the scene! Ibis, meanwhile, has a mouth that's covered in crumbs, frosting and a bit of cream.

Mmm Whip cream.

"Y-Yeah I see them! There they are!" She's already had a rather embarrassing run in .. but this one looks serious!

She doesn't know they are drunk. Just that they are flying over DC territory. "AH .. t-Turn back now! Or else I'll have to open fire. I .. I think this is a restricted area!" She's never seen .. well any of them! But that one looks like that other pilot from before.. Nah! Can't be.

Given that earlier in the day Sanger Zonvolt and Master Asia had vanished into a hole in the earth, possibly never to return, and that was... disturbing, to say the least. And probably worthy of a report - which has brought Rau out this way, riding on top of a high speed booster launched from the sub he was traveling on. His CGUE is slung on the underside of the rocket, which is now breaking apart as the last stage runs out of fuel, leaving him with nothing but time to coast down into Warsaw. He does spot something unusual on the radar, and with a frown, Rau leans down to flip on the communication line. "This is Commander Le Creuset to any available DC forces - we appear to have incoming into Warsaw - scramble as soon as possible. This might be a recon pass, or they may be moving in to strike at a specific target."

Hours ago.. Solis watched as the Hostis Xeno Generis, was lifted to a new location, along with his co-pilots. He was left behind to heal. But there's little to heal failure. Now, Solis is at the controls of a Rick Dom, an unfamiliar machine, out to attempt to regain some semblance of usefulness once again, by attacking whatever enemy target has breached their controlled airspace. Nevermind that he's been flying around getting used to the machine and well, looking for trouble to assuage himself with.

Strictly speaking, the boy shouldn't be here. His chest is bare, except for bloodstained bandages, his hands wrapped similarly, and his face bearing bruising. Some minor lacerations are visible where his bandages have been pulled away.

"Its so cold, and quiet," he mumbles to himself, again and again, his body crudely wired into the Rick Dom's systems, seemingly to aid him as he awkwardly uses the hand controls.

"These controls are so primitive. No manifold. No amniotic. Its so cold." His fingertips run over the control HUD, "Why do you lack a voice, MS-09RII Rick Dom II?" he mutters, "Why do they not honor you with a name and title?"

He nods, "Give me your strength, nameless one, to prove that you and I are useful."

Unfamiliarity grips him, the sensation of flight dully processed through his linkages, the lack of strength in the hands, the overwhelming quiet of having only a few motive systems instead of thousands.

He's left alone with almost only himself.

He feels nude.

His own vocal comm. comes in after Ibis, but separately as he flies in from an altogether different direction, "Surrender and stand too, or we will destroy you! Behold the fury of the Hosti..the erm, MS-09RII Rick Dom II!!!" The mecha doesn't even answer him with a resounding cry of defiance.

He mumbles again, "Why are you so quiet.."

"Good job, Max Jenius. Acting Staff Sergeant Rei Ayanami, I need you to give me some more space. I keep almost running into Ensign Jenius when you wobble into me," Roy transmits over local frequencies. His VF-1S banks and flies lower, corkscrewing gracefully as he tosses the wine cooler bottle into the Veritech's onboard trash-incinerator. He adjusts his helmet. He presses a yellow switch, which activates a tightbeam transmission to Max.

"Isn't this great, Max? We're showin' this kid the best time she's ever had. It's like a dream come true for her! It's like we're killing the enemy and making an orphan into a real child all at once. Am I slurring?"

Like an obscene Martian flower, the Veritech blooms into a GERWALK, arms and legs popping out with whining servos and hissing hydraulics. Gunpod in its right hand, it stops to hover.

"Skull Squadron. Today is Special Training Day. Let's party!"

Any DC warnings-- ignored!

"Slightly, Skull Leader," Max replies professionally, following Roy's spiraling dive to the ground with graceful mimicry. "But you're coming through clear. I'm sure Rei appreciates your attention!" Max, being a sixteen year old child soldier himself, doesn't seem to think twice about going into battle with a fourteen year old child soldier. Reaching out to the transformation clutch, Max's glove effortlessly twists, transforming the blue-striped VF-1J into GERWALK mode, its legs kicking out and providing reverse thrust to slow its descent. "Skull Seven, missiles armed. Waiting on your mark to fire, Skull Leader."

Rei continues to loop the Messer about in the sky. To the untrained eye, it would seem like the young Evangelion symbiosis-fodder has no fucking clue what she's doing. Untrue: she not only has no fucking clue what she's doing, she's also fucking drunk.

Ayanami continues to make kinda-pukey sounds as she narrowly avoids crashing into a cliff face; most of her concentration is going toward staying 1. in the general vicinity of Roy, 2. in the air.

Rau narrows his eyes, although no one would be able to tell given the mask. But he does smile slightly - so, it seemed that this was either a squadron that was highly trained and disciplined... or it was a group of fools who thought they were going to hit such a major target without any real problems. Either way, it would probably be an interesting engagement. "I'm on the leader," the ZAFT officer proclaims, before swinging around. The CGUE reaches behind its back, pulling out its machine gun and raising it, aligning the sites with the Veritech in the lead of the squadron. And then he pushes the throttle all the way down, diving in and unleashing five rounds towards Roy's unit.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has attacked Roy Fokker. 76mm Machine Gun added to their queue.

It's always something when.. your warnings are /totally ignored/. Oh no! "How .. they're just ignoring .. that means that they're here from the EFA or the Orb Union!" She realizes this suddenly, Ibis' sometimes empty head filling with THOUGHTS. Thoughts of duty instead of sugarplums and other delicious things.

Licking her lips and taking off some of that frosting, Ibis nods.

"I .. I'll do it this time .. just like practiced!" The Calion zips even closer towards Rei's machine, but as it gets closer, the wings suddenly spread open, thrusters kicking forwards as sharp spiked lines attempt to smash into the smaller machine, and then electrify .. attempting to pull Rei from the pact, as it utterly wrecks her systems!

.. That's pretty erratic.. or is .. is it skill!? "A-Amazing!"

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has attacked Rei Ayanami. Spider Net added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has struck Rei Ayanami with a glancing hit from their Spider Net attack!

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has struck a solid hit on Roy Fokker's VF-1S GERWALK using 76mm Machine Gun.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has counter attacked for a minor hit on Rau Le Creuset's CGUE using Anti-Aircraft Laser.

"They never listen to reason," Solis mutters, "All the better."

He engages the Rick Dom's side-arm, peering at it with the glowing red optical, and through the glowing red optical, "Why in the name of the cog would they not just make that part of the arm? Honestly.."

He engages his booster jets, again feeling like he's wearing a metal suit instead of operating his own body and moves towards the transforming mecha.

His voice echoes over the general broadband, "Unknown pilot. Perish and be forgotten." The HUD attempts to provide him with tactical data, he ignores it, he's seeing the actual data flooding in through his manifold interfaces, an analog way of looking at digital coding.

"MS-09RII Rick Dom II!!! We shall destroy all who oppose us!"

The machine gun blasts out a short series of controlled bursts, directed at Max's GERWALK moded craft, although he finds spectacular annoyance in that since the gun is a peripheral, he can't track the ammunition feed.

"Whoever designed you MS-09RII Rick Dom II did you disservice."

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has attacked Maximillian Jenius. 90mm Machine Gun added to their queue.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has missed Maximillian Jenius with his 90mm Machine Gun attack.

The Auditor watches calmly as the DC forces come in on an intercept course. He does not change his course, flying slightly above and behind the 'formation' of 'Skull' Squadron. He just watches, eyes dead. Attacks begin to fly, and still the escort does nothing.

"My mission as stated is to ensure that they do not, quote, 'die in a drunken mid-air jet orgy clusterfuck'," The Auditor rationalises, as the flashes of gunfire reflect on his dull eyes. "My contract does not cover combat situations. Danger pay and ammunition surcharges were not included in the fee." He pushes a button, opening a comm to the robot voice from earlier. "This is The Auditor. Please inform the client that her friends are under attack. The contract will need to be renegotiated if I am to intervene."

As Roy Fokker lights a cigarette and uncaps his Official Skull Squadron Space Flask to wash the awful taste of celebrity-endorsed wine cooler from his mouth with Four-Macross-Dollar-A-Gallon whiskey, he is surprised that several large bullets strike his VF-1S.

Skull One wobbles in the air, but rights itself like a hornet that's been swatted but not seriosuly harmed by the rolled-up classifieds section of the Texas Colony Times. The quad lasers on its underbelly come to life, scanning and sparking out red lances at Rau's Unit.

"Damn. Look sharp, Acting Staff Sergeant Rei Ayanami. Look sharp, Ensign Jenius-- it looks like it might /not/ be amateur hour."

Wing-mounted missiles shudder as clamps are released. They give way to gravity for just a few seconds before rocket-thrusters are activated. Eight of these missiles gracefully weave around one another, leaving picturesque snakes of white-grey smoke in their wake, which draw abstract lines straight toward Rau's CGUE.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has attacked Rau Le Creuset. Anti-Aircraft Missile added to their queue.

Ibis' net is foiled by Rei's inexperience -- in trying to avoid it, she ends up getting the Messer's wing snared, but in such a way that a sudden lurch of the flight stick pulls her free, albeit with some damage. "We're in combat?" she asks in between dry heaves, although her tone is so flat that the question mark must be inferred between the lines.

Rei Ayanami pilots her jet upward, shooting its main guns, because they are helpfully marked by a big red trigger. "I don't understand," she continues to Roy and Max, trying to fly and shoot at the same time with mixed results for both.

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has attacked Ibis Douglas. Gatling Gun added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has struck Ibis Douglas with a major hit using Gatling Gun.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has counter attacked for a minor hit using Gatling Gun!

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has missed Rau Le Creuset with his Anti-Aircraft Missile attack.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has counter attacked for a minor hit on Roy Fokker's VF-1S GERWALK using M68 Mini-Missiles.

Maximillian Jenius banks his VF-1J to one side, the GERWALK mode's awkward aerodynamic profile aiding it in being an unpredictable target. Skating on its foot thrusters, the blue-flashed Valkyrie hovers behind an office building while Max takes a moment to prepare a counterattack. Reaching forward to press a gloved thumb against the targeting computer's toggle, a wireframe picture of a Rick Dom II appears on the Valkyrie's main display screen. "Ha! An antique," he says. "This shouldn't take long, Major Fokker!" Sliding the throttle forward, the VF-1J hovers up over the office building, quickly drawing a lock on Solis' machine once its forward radar spots it. "Fox two!" A missile launches from a hiss from under the VF-1J's wing, before Max cuts the throttle, trying to bob back behind the building.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has attacked Solis Vivent. Multi-Purpose Missile added to their queue.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has struck a solid hit on Solis Vivent's MS-09RII Rick Dom II using Multi-Purpose Missile.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent's evasion attempt has failed.

A missile duel? Interesting. Rau shifts the control stick around, the lasers scoring a few lines across the CGUE's armor, but not doing all that much damage. Minor, to say the least. The missiles, on the other hand - that will be more challenging. Pulling back hard on the controls and shifting the throttle to full lateral movement, Rau unleashes a cluster of four missiles from the small canister launchers on the legs of his unit, before rocketing hard to the side. The machine gun comes up, and Rau sweeps the barrel across the incoming missiles - and one by one, he knocks them out of the air, using the explosion from two in order to eliminate several others. "I'm not sure who this pilot is, but he flies like a drunk," the masked commander observes, before turning about and coming in hard at Roy. He heaves around, before suddenly tossing the machine gun up into the air - and dives right at Roy, suddenly going for the sword at the CGUE's waist. Several rapid slashes later, all aimed at the wings of Roy's mecha, Rau spins about to catch his machine gun out of the air, waiting for the Veritech's next attack.

The Space PLANE is .. basically torn apart by the Gatling gun, as she continues to fire as she flies. But this comes with a price. Because the gatling gun from the lowly Messer rips the large space plane apart. It's rather gruesome, as the machine nearly bursts into flames as soon as it's shot. Smoke begins to pour out from the strike, and Ibis is pulling upwards as things go sour.

"N.. No you don't!" Ibis cries, as she flips the machine around, tailing the Messer. It looks like she'll have to do this a different way!

But she goes to spin and tail the messer.. and that doesn't work. Rei's odd, spastic movement brings the speedy Calion into A CRASH COURSE COLLISION STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE MESSER. "N-NO! Pull up .... Come on!"

You can tell you're a great pilot when you're pleading with the soulless machine plane.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has attacked Roy Fokker. M4A Sword Combo added to their queue.

 Roy Fokker transmits, "Acting Sergeant Major Ayanami, get it together. This is an important combat mission."

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas's AAAAAAAAAAH PULL UP PULL UP has been added to your queue.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has attacked Rei Ayanami. AAAAAAAAAAH PULL UP PULL UP added to their queue.

 Maximillian Jenius transmits, "I'm sure she's just getting up to speed, Major."

 Rei Ayanami audibly throws up in her cockpit.

 Roy Fokker transmits, "Max, you're a good judge of character. I trust you."

 Roy Fokker transmits, "Oh. Better already."

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has struck Rei Ayanami with a major hit using AAAAAAAAAAH PULL UP PULL UP!

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami's evasion attempt has failed.

 Naoto Tsukioka transmits, "...I'm not going to ask."

Solis Vivent watches dispassionately as the GERWALK dodges, "Castilla begin..!"

The mecha is empty however, so terribly empty.

He shakes his head, trying to get back in the fight, when his threat alarm system begins beeping, it takes him a moment to realize what it actually is, not used to not having threats shouted out by Castilla before he engages the engines, and promptly takes a missile directly in the chest.

He grunts as he's buffeted in the cockpit area, wounds opening up and tainting his bandages crimson again.

"Stupid..stupid..stupid..," he grumbles to himself.

"June bring.."

He frowns sharply, "...another peripheral weapon.."

The energy blade springs into life and he again engages the Rick Dom's boost systems, attempting to do the unthinkable and close on the Valkyrie to attempt to negate its mobility advantage.

"MS-09RII Rick Dom II, I have a name for you..Demenslaboris. Demenslabors! Let us destroy our foe!"

The blade comes down at the Gerwalk, it has all the elegance of a crazed man with a meat cleaver.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has attacked Maximillian Jenius. Heat Saber added to their queue.

 Leo Stenbuck transmits, "-- Rei?"

 Rei Ayanami slurs. "Hello, Leo."

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has struck a major hit on Maximillian Jenius's VF-1J GERWALK using Heat Saber.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has struck a major hit on Roy Fokker's VF-1S GERWALK using M4A Sword Combo.

 Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Uh. Are you okay?"

Maximillian Jenius activates his VF-1J Battroid unit.

 Rei Ayanami transmits, "I think I'm drunk. Is this what drunk is?"

 Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Y-you're probably not drunk."

 Naoto Tsukioka transmits, "...Definitely not going to ask."

 Roy Fokker transmits, "Special Training Day for Skull Squadron. She's on loan."

 Rei Ayanami transmits, "If you say I am not drunk, Leo, I trust you."

 Roy Fokker transmits, "So it's a Grade A none of Your Business if you don't have a skull patch on your chest."

 Rei Ayanami then throws up in her cockpit again.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck does not sound amused. "What if I have an eagle there?"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Banjo Haran transmits, "Gettin' drunk, eh? Try Haran's Gin, I hear it is delicious and smooth."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Banjo Haran glug.

As Ibis heads right toward her, Rei Ayanami suddenly forgets how to fly. Well, not true. Mostly it's that she's busy vomiting her brains out, all over Hikaru's flight suit. When she's crashed into, the jet spins out of control, splattering the vomit everywhere until Rei manages to get it together enough to not die, at which point she throws up again. Skull Squad definitely ain't for the weak, as Rei tries to shoot a missile up at Ibis.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "What if. Max, who is this joker?"

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has attacked Ibis Douglas. Homing Missile added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits, "If you wish me to try Haran's Gin, I will."

Maximillian Jenius settles down behind the office building, leisurely preparing to finish off the Rick Dom -- when it comes charging around the other side! "Close combat!" The blade cuts into the Valkyrie's intake, leaving a sparking fissure that knocks the machine back into the building, shattering rows of glass windows. Rebounding from the crash, Max shifts the machine into Battroid mode, leaping to the side and tucking the humanoid fighter into a barrel roll before coming up in a crouch, gunpod grasped in both hands. The four-barreled weapon spins up with a hum before unleashing a torrent of yellow tracers across the Dom's knees, trying to immobilize it. "Can't get lazy!"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Banjo Haran transmits, "--... don't actually, you're not old enough."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Banjo Haran glug.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has activated a spirit command.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Well, or maybe it's a falcon. I don't know. It's some kind of bird thing. -- look, the point is, what's this 'Special Training?'"

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has struck Ibis Douglas with a solid hit using Homing Missile.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has counter attacked for a solid hit using Homing Missile!

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has attacked Solis Vivent. GU-11 Combo Assault added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Naoto Tsukioka transmits, "It could be Masaki's mech in its flying bird thing form."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami just sounds like a kind of sloshy robot at this point: "If I am not old enough, then I will not try it."

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has missed Solis Vivent with his GU-11 Combo Assault attack.

"Auditor, client Claudia LaSalle is not responding to her communicator," comes the robot voice. The Auditor nods, leaning back in his seat and drumming a hand on the control panel. "Unfortunate," he notes.

The targetting reticles on his HUD flash hopefully, identifying potential targets. The Auditor ignores them, simply watching the battle unfold. "They are still not in danger of a mid-air collision," he explains, just as a space plane slams into another space plane. "With each other," he amends.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Maximillian Jenius transmits, "Sorry, Skull Leader! I was a little distracted."

Sword slashes aren't usually what Roy expects to impact his VF-1S in GERWALK mode. The Veritech's left arm comes up, blocking just a few of the slashes (which tear the limb open, of course) but most land on its wings and cockpit area. The GERWALK wobbles even more unsteadily.

With released Co2, the GERWALK unfolds into a Battroid, which barely stays afloat thanks to its shoe-boosters. "Hmph. Get a load of this guy. A sword? Who even uses a sword during a military operation? Swords are for Robin Hoods and Shakespeares."

The Battroid hefts its gunpod in both hands, spraying the entire area around Rau's robot with hot lead, empty shell-casings falling to the city below-- breaking car windows, knocking over garbage cans, starting back lawn fires.

As he doesn't pay attention to his fire pattern, Roy takes a pull of whiskey and tight-beams to Rei. "Acting Colonel Ayanami: Get it together. Use the dizzyness to your advantage. It's a new situation. Think outside the box... Ensign Jenius and I have your back. You'll be fine but God Damn You, think on your feet, kid!"

Rei's drunken flight of vomit ends with the two jets crashing into each other. Truly, one of them seems to survive a bit better than the other. But the Calion begins to fly off as a missile ends up being locked onto the Calion. "W.. Well two can play that game!" Ibis exclaims, as the Calion shoots higher and higher into the air, spiralling upwards.. and dropping a single missile.

She, obviously, cannot out run it. As evidenced by the sudden spiralling DOWN of the Calion. "AIIIIIE! Why .. why didn't I practice! .. T.. That thing is just too little! .. H.. How am I supposed to escape it!" She's having a sudden problem.

It's solved simply. "O-OH! Right.. I just have to do THIS!"

The Calion suddenly twirls around, belching smoke, as the silver space plane launches an orb up towards Rei.

Which explodes into a mess of sparks... that computers just don't like!

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has attacked Rei Ayanami. Chaff Grenade added to their queue.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has activated a spirit command.

Solis Vivent is already blasting past when Max makes his conversion and attempts to launch his own attack. Solis forces his way deeper into Demenslaboris' machinery, attempting to add his own augmented human reactions to the machine.

"A body is a body," he mutters, "Even if it feels like a corpse."

His mind runs through the data in the system, attempting to determine what other attack vectors he has available. "Peripherals. Always peripherals! Doesn't this damned thing have any systems of its own!"

The Rick Dom, skids further away, adjusting its altitude as it draws a large bazooka like cannon from its back and takes aim at the gerwalk in the distance.

He snarls through the open comm., at the far distant Maximillian, "PILOT! I am Solis Vivent! This is the Demenslaboris! Submit to death and your suffering will be short lived! Your delusions of hope, end here! Your delusions of destiny, end here. There is no hope for you, no hope for anyone, there is only war! And you have been found wanting! PERISH!"

He shakes his head at his own arrogance as he depresses the trigger, "I talk too much.."

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has attacked Rau Le Creuset. GU-11 Gun Pod added to their queue.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has attacked Maximillian Jenius. Giant Bazooka added to their queue.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has missed Rau Le Creuset with his GU-11 Gun Pod attack.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has struck Rei Ayanami with a minor critical hit using Chaff Grenade!

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has missed Maximillian Jenius with his Giant Bazooka attack.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck sniff. "Anybody?"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits, "Please don't be troubled, Leo. This is just Special -- hurp -- Special Training."

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has activated a spirit command.

The Chaff Grenade bursts at Ayanami right as Roy is yelling to her via tightbeam. Becoming confused, the young Evangelion pilot succumbs to minor sensory overload, especially as the jet's targeting computer shits the bed, and struggles to maintain control of the jet -- piloting right toward Ibis!

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has attacked Ibis Douglas. Ramming Speed added to their queue.

Maximillian Jenius activates his VF-1J Fighter unit.

Roy Fokker activates his VF-1S Battroid unit.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "Need to know basis. You know, military stuff."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "And I'm saying I need to know!"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "A compelling argument."

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has activated a spirit command.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "What's your name?"

The Blue VF-1J charges forward towards the Rick Dom even as it draws its bazooka, kicking a Volkswagen in its path up into the air. The Volkswagen arcs before perfectly blocking the incoming shell from the mobile suit, exploding in a brilliant mid-air fireball that sends it tumbling to the ground in a twisted lump of German-engineered metal. Sliding up the Valkyrie's throttle, Max launches to the air, wings sprouting and nosecone rising as he reverts to fighter form, flying high over the Rick Dom's head and then circle around for a strafing pass. "Skull Seven, arming Reflex Missile!" He declares, a bit excited. He's never fired one of the tactical nukes before, but this Rick Dom is just taking longer to deal with than the young prodigy would like. Flicking a switch, he activates the ground-sweeping radar, quickly drawing a pinpoint lock on the Rick Dom. The battle computer quickly draws out the blast radius of the missile, damaging about a block of surrounding buildings. "One cannot win without sacrifice," he muses, flicking open the plastic cover to the firing stud. "Clear! Reflex missile away!" A large missile detaches from the VF-1J's underwing hardpoint cluster before its rocket motor ignites. Rather than flying directly towards the Rick Dom's location, it appears to be guided towards a spot above its head -- before exploding in a blindingly bright mushroom cloud! The shockwave rips across the office block, shattering windows and pummeling even more Volkswagens.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has attacked Solis Vivent. Reflex Missile added to their queue.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has struck a solid hit on Solis Vivent's MS-09RII Rick Dom II using Reflex Missile.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent's evasion attempt has failed.

The streets were untouched before today. Warsaw had not seen any major combat action before the planned assault by Roy Fokker and his squad. The Divine Crusaders had dispatched whatever they could have as quick as possible, their fastest units to make it there in time. This meant that very few were able to make it on time.

With time no longer an issue, the Divine Crusaders could send some of their strongest, yet slowest units to reinforce the area post haste. Through sheer determination Captain Jakhob was able to throw together a crack team of specialists at a moments notice, whip them together and attempt to reach their destination in time.

THREE TURNS LATER:

The ground, unknown to the planes and battleroids that rip through the sky at sonic speeds, unknown to the zone of earth but well loved by the air about them, begins to shake. The roads that were untouched are now being ripped up, chewed by the treads of some monsterous force that has been called here to defend its eggs from intruders.

"All crew members, prepare to engage! Weapons ready?!"

"Yes sir!"

"Sensors on?!"

"Then godspeed!"

Captain Jakhob takes his seet as the Rhinoceros barrels into the area, the land battleship of the Divine Crusaders, spanning great distances as well as being armed to the teeth, and almost impossible to remove.

The multiple cannons and gun pods aim up at the air crafts above. This craft specializes on taking down aircrafts. Roy Fauker must be one unlucky soul.

Shu Shirakawa activates his Rhinoceros unit.

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has missed Ibis Douglas with her Ramming Speed attack.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has missed Rei Ayanami with her Sonic Cutter counter attack.

Reckless as well - but not a bad thing. Rau could use someone like that. But as the shots come arcing in towards him, the blonde haired pilot evades them deftly, swinging around in a wide arc away from the Veritech. Looking over at Roy for a moment, Rau smiles... and flips open the mic to his comm system. "So, this is the skill that allowed the Macross to survive against the Zentradi for so long?" the ZAFT ace calls over the open radio - and he smirks. "A pity. Or perhaps it was pity on the part of the aliens that kept you alive for so long. Pity that they could not fight more worthy opponents." That response might be enough to get under Roy's skin - and Rau follows it up. Bringing his machine gun around, he rockets in at an offset angle - and brings the weapon up, holding the trigger down until the ammo count in this clip reads empty, unleashing a steady stream of bullets right into Roy's unit. As the weapon clicks empty, he ejects the spent clip, loading another in the same motion. "So why did you come here? Just hoping to lead your squadron to their deaths?"

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has attacked Roy Fokker. 76mm Machine Gun Rapid Fire added to their queue.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has struck a major hit on Roy Fokker's VF-1S Battroid using 76mm Machine Gun Rapid Fire.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker's evasion attempt has failed.

Solis Vivent is not used to having cars flung at him, especially not effectively. Solis really lacks an environmental awareness, the environment to him is usually 'things I happen to step on.'

"So small.." He mutters, moments before he sees the valkyrie charging at him again, and hears the familiar klaxon. "DEMENSLABORIS! You are my bulwark! SERVE ME WELL!"

He attempts to dodge out of the way of the explosion, but he again finds himself buffeted by it. There is no pain, not like he would usually feel. And Dom stands, strangely still together despite the explosion..

"I do not know how harmed he is making you, my engine, but..we will not be failures again.."

The optical of the Rick Dom turns to regard the valkyrie, its fingers clenching around the beam saber.

"...physical combat seems to be what you are born for, very well," he growls.

The Rick Dom charges towards Maximillian again, lone red optic blazing with hate.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has attacked Maximillian Jenius. Perfect Strike added to their queue.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has struck a glancing hit on Maximillian Jenius's VF-1J Fighter using Perfect Strike.

The Auditor looks down at his screen as the Rhinoceros appears, and his eyebrows climb exactly one picometer. "Reinforcements," he intones. A moment later, the comm beeps again. "Auditor, Claudia LaSalle has provided us with a new verbal contract." He nods. "Details."

The robot voice is supplanted by Claudia's sassy voice for a few seconds, most of which is taken up by her screaming profanity. Somehow, The Auditor picks out the relevant details and nods. "Contract fee doubled. New parameters: Defend Skull Squadron against Divine Crusaders." Buttons are pressed, and the ReZEL banks and drops down towards the Rhinoceros. "Mission: Accepted. Commencing audit."

The beam cannon, mounted on the right wing of the ReZEL's brick-like flight mode, fires exactly three shots towards the Rhinoceros. This is because, in the cockpit, The Auditor has just pressed the thumb button on his right control stick three times. Cause and effect.

The Evangelion pilot succumbs to overload.. and Ibis is just naturally like this! As the jet pilots it straight towards Ibis!

".. A.. Are they trying to ram me?...." But the pilot of the Calion is .. at least eager to follow! "I .. I think I can .. Sonic cutter!" The space plane erupts forwards, towards Rei's machine, attempting to duel it in crash!

And neither ends up the victory.. or the loser as it turns out, as Ibis spins off course at the very last attempt. "AIEEE! No .. That was close.. phew! .. M .. Maybe I almost got it! .. Oh no it's still flying ah.."

Ibis isn't one of those really good pilots, but her attempts hold, as she kicks the engine forwards, climbing as .. she sprays bullets where she passes, the Calion rapidly spinning ..

She's not doing too hot in keeping it under control.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has attacked Shu Shirakawa. Beam Cannon added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has attacked Rei Ayanami. Gatling Gun Strafe added to their queue.

The Battroid is now just a vaguely humanoid thing that serves as a canvas for at least fifty bullet-holes. None have come directly into the cockpit, which seems fairly natural to Roy Fokker. "Us? Pal, we're all too pretty to die in Poland."

The Battroid begins falling toward the ground, eventually landing with one foot atop a parking garage, and one on a now-crumbling (and thankfully closed) Neo-Sinclair Station. Cheetos and Mountain Dew melt and explode under the VF-1S' white-hot thruster-foot.

The quad lasers mounted on the VF-1S' head point up at the CGUE, and begin some sort of strange rapid fire. the GU-11 begins firing again as well, emptying the rest of its magazine toward the enemy ace. Skull One's pilot seems unconcerned with actual combat.

"Max? Acting Rear Admiral Ayanami? Pull out if you get too hot, kids. We don't really need to win this one. It's Special Training Day, the best Day of all."

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has attacked Rau Le Creuset. GU-11 Combo Assault added to their queue.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has struck Rei Ayanami with a major hit using Gatling Gun Strafe!

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has missed Rau Le Creuset with his GU-11 Combo Assault attack.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has counter attacked for a minor hit on Roy Fokker's VF-1S Battroid using M68 Mini-Missiles.

Maximillian Jenius's VF-1J gets clipped in the wing, despite his hard pull on the joystick in an attempt to barrel roll out of the way. He frowns with worry, craning his neck to look out the cockpit to examine the damage. "Just a scratch," he says, sending the VF-1J screeching down an urban canyon to get some distance on the Dom before circling back around. "Okay, let's make this one count," he says, wiping his forehead with the back of one glove. He lines the Dom up in his HUD's sights, throttling back to give himself plenty of room for another Reflex Missile airburst. "It's tough, but it's old... It'll break eventually," he assures himself, firing off another mini-not-nuclear missile at Solis' Dom with a FWOOSH.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has attacked Solis Vivent. Reflex Missile added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck transmits, through grit teeth, "I hope you're unresponsive because you're fighting for your life."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits, "Correct."

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has struck a major hit on Solis Vivent's MS-09RII Rick Dom II using Reflex Missile.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent's evasion attempt has failed.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck grunt. "Rei, what's this Skull Squadron Special Training? Because you don't sound like you're okay."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "I forgot we were talking, to be honest. Sorry. Military operations, you know. Top Secret Skull Squad stuff."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits, "I am afraid -- brp -- that I cannot discuss it without permission from Major Fokker."

Rey Ayanami, meanwhile, gets shot the fizzuck up as she loops around the skies like a maniac. Her 'stuntwoman on crystal meth' capering would be amusing if it didn't carry such a high risk of, well, fatality. Ayanami is having trouble focusing -- the epitome of a one-beer queer, she zags when she should be zigging and cuts a ragged, smoking path across the sky, before just up and charging toward Ibis at full speed again. She doesn't know what else to do, and really, her primary concern with dodging was not destroying the /priceless/ Messer she's flying. Now that Ibis has all but wrecked it, she no longer sees the point in trying.

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has attacked Ibis Douglas. Ramming Speed added to their queue.

Rau boots up and over, bringing his shield around to absorb most of the shots that are sent his way. A few craters are dug out of the heavy laminated surface, but beyond that, no harm is inflicted on the CGUE. "Well, if you are able to make such quips, then perhaps I can remedy that situation." And with that, Rau draws the heavy sword from its clip on the mobile suit's waist, leveling at the Veritech. "I'm sure spoiling those good looks would help ensure your death here." And the CGUE's engines flare up, going to maximum thrust - and Rau rockets straight in at Roy, bringing his sword around in a horizontal slash right towards the center of his opponent's machine.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has attacked Roy Fokker. M4A Sword Slash added to their queue.

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has missed Shu Shirakawa with his Beam Cannon attack.

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has counter attacked for a minor hit on Blutch T. Jackson's RG-95 ReZEL FM using Antiair Cannon.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami has struck Ibis Douglas with a major hit using Ramming Speed.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has counter attacked for a minor hit using Gatling Gun!

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck transmits, "Okay... let me make this as clear as I can. I don't care how top secret it is. Tell me over direct band if it makes you feel any better. But I am a Titan. If I tell you to tell me something, you do it, or I take fifteen minutes out of my day, dig up your personal information, and get your name legally changed to 'Peaches.'"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Vega Obscura transmits, "...Whoa."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Vega Obscura transmits, "Dude, Leo. That's awesome."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits, "Leo, please do not be upset. Things are--"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits the sound of crashing into something.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Maximillian Jenius transmits, "Major Fokker is fighting for his life out here! Show some respect!"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "Kid, you talk a big game and that's really great. Record yourself and play it back to me later."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Rei Ayanami transmits, "--under control."

Solis Vivent attempts to regain his position as Maximillian zolts off. He's not about to fire at the target, he's under orders not to endanger civilian holdings. Orders are orders..

He instead kicks in the skidjets attempting to following the valkyrie as fast as he's able, unfortunately, at the last moment, the valkyrie turns and unleashes its armament. The blast strikes him forcefully, throwing him back against one of the aforementioned building and surrounding him with smoke.

The heat is terrible, and his wounds have re-opened almost fully, but he was taught to live with pain.

"II'm f-failing again," he sputters, "..too damned..h-human."

He tries to rouse the Demenslaboris to give him weapons, but its silent..as it has been since the battle started.

The Rick Dom stands, even as Ibis offers her assistance, and then blazes on its skidjets, heading directly towards the valkyrie, attempting to outright grapple the thing, "DIE!!"

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has attacked Maximillian Jenius. Bearhug added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Leo Stenbuck sighs.

Roy Fokker activates his VF-1S Fighter unit.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has struck a solid hit on Roy Fokker's VF-1S Battroid using M4A Sword Slash.

COMBAT: Roy Fokker has counter attacked for a minor hit on Rau Le Creuset's CGUE using Anti-Aircraft Missile.

COMBAT: Solis Vivent has struck a major hit on Maximillian Jenius's VF-1J Fighter using Bearhug.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has activated a spirit command.

Maximillian Jenius activates his VF-1J Battroid unit.

Ibis has been all blood thristy, it seems, as she continues to try and outdo this Rei's Messer! It's a terrifying Messer, as well, out of everything!

It's as the ragged smoking path of the Messer travels towards Ibis that she tries to shoot it down.. but instead, it's the Calion that gets slammed into.. hard too! And it's a hard strike.

With the rending of metal, the Calion goes into a spinfall. And then she hears such stupid, stupid words. Though Solis doesn't mean it, he's calling for the death of every 'failure' including him when he says that.

"Y.. You .. s-shut up! .. Just because you fail .. D.. DOESN'T MEAN IT'S OVER! You just .. you just have to keep trying you just .. c-can't .. you CAN'T GIVE UP!" Ibis cries out towards Solis, her machine smoking, as she finally opens up the 'big' guns on the Messer. "Y..you .. I'm sorry! So now .. G-Driver! FIRE!"

The front of the Calion opens up, as it rights itself towards the Messer, and fires two heavy blasts of plasma, shooting through the atmosphere at Rei!.. And Ibis is thrusting after it! "AaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!"

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has attacked Rei Ayanami. G-Driver added to their queue.

Roy Fokker jams Skull One's transformation button. It refuses at first, but eventually gives way to spinning into Jet Mode. It's slashed up bad, missing a wing, a tailfin and landing gear-- but it doesn't look as bad as an exploding Battroid. A volley of missiles fired as an afterthought. "Max, listen to me. We're getting Rei Ayanami out of here /right/ now. Fall back to base and /cover/ her for God's sake."

The VF-1S cannot level out. Smoke fills up the entire sky, and its underbelly clips the top of buildings as it wobbles. "We're leaving."

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has struck Rei Ayanami with a devastating critical hit using G-Driver!

COMBAT: Rei Ayanami's evasion attempt has failed.

Knock Out! Rei Ayanami's F-28 Messer unit has become disabled!

The Auditor hangs heavily in the air even as the Rhinoceros tears through the streets of Warsaw, ripping over the earth as it barrels deep into the fight. Captain Jakhob and his crew are used to imminent danger, the monsterous machine eagerly moving in for the kill.

"Captain!" A woman cries, "We've got lock, stern side!" A beam cannon charged on a screen, spreading over multiple screens as much of the ship moved to focus on the singular strike on hand. "Increase shields to maximum." Jakhob reponds, "Put all our energy into it."

Three shots of the beam cannon rip out, each finding themselves with a perfect lock upon the Rhinoceros. Seconds before impact, a shield pulsates out, swallowing them in its gaping maw before shining for moments, cannons that protrude through the shield firing off towards Blutch's Auditor, cannons pointed towards the sky, bellowing out towards the craft.

"Return fire. Continue to move and keep your eye on all of them. That is an order." Jakhob announces, clutching his seat as a unanimous 'Yes, sir' rings about the crafts massive hull. Ports open up in the center of the Rhinoceros, round windows allowed to breath as their contents within are launched out in a salvo, aimed to crash into the craft of Blutch Jackson and his ReZEL. It's a salvo of many missiles that one would really not prefer to be peppered with.

"No further assaults recorded yet, sir." "Keep looking. They must have something up their sleave."

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has attacked Blutch T. Jackson. Antiair Missile added to their queue.

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has struck a major hit on Blutch T. Jackson's RG-95 ReZEL FM using Antiair Missile.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has counter attacked for a minor hit on Shu Shirakawa's Rhinoceros using Beam Gun.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has activated a spirit command.

Blutch T. Jackson activates his RG-95 ReZEL unit.

Maximillian Jenius is Domsnatched! The VF-1J's engines flicker and flare in the grip of the Zeon-type war machine to no avail, and its armored plates begin to groan with stress. Sparks run up and down its frame, and it looks like the intrepid space fighter is in some real trouble! "Focus..." Max transforms in its grip, the Battroid head rising up face-to-face with the Dom's mono-eye. Wriggling, it still can't break free -- until it lifts up both legs, trying to plant its foot thrusters in the Dom's torso while boosting away, hopefully clear of its constricting grip! Thrusting away, the VF-1J launches a hail of micromissiles from within its backpack, the can-shaped warheads drunkenly corkscrewing and whizzing before converging on Solis' mobile suit!

"... Copy that, Skull Leader!"

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has attacked Solis Vivent. Fokker's Feint added to their queue.

The blasts of plasma basically melt Rei's wings.

'Basically' as in 'completely severing them.' Rei Ayanami sits, blankfaced, in the fuselage as it nosedives toward the ground. It is only as impact grows alarmingly imminent that she considers that NERV would perhaps be annoyed by the inconvenience of her death, at which point she blasts upward on her ejector seat, parachute blossoming open to lull her toward the ground.

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "Max, transform to GERWALK and catch Rei Ayanami's ejector seat before she's captured. We've got cold ones waiting back at the SDF-1."

<Radio: B - Tactical> Maximillian Jenius transmits, "I will once I shake this Rick Dom!"

<Radio: B - Tactical> Roy Fokker transmits, "Nevermind, Max. I'll get her. Just get out alive."

COMBAT: Maximillian Jenius has struck a glancing hit on Solis Vivent's MS-09RII Rick Dom II using Fokker's Feint.

"Clients are taking heavy damage," The Auditor notes, banking and swooping low over the Rhinoceros. "Hmm. Defensive shielding. No doubt the counter-attack will... ah," The ReZEL's flight mode is struck in the rear engine, blowing off a pair of verniers. Without batting an eye, the mercenary flips the transformation switch. Legs fold down, and the ReZEL's robot mode lands on top of a building.

"Clients are withdrawing. Probability of contract failure: 84%." The green robot holds up its shield, and its beam rifle, and its beam cannon. Each is aimed at a separate target. The targetting reticles flash and beep, locking on, and The Auditor presses three buttons simultaneously. "Providing cover for retreating clients."

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has attacked Rau Le Creuset, Ibis Douglas, and Shu Shirakawa. Covering Fire added to their queue.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has struck a solid hit on Rau Le Creuset's CGUE using Covering Fire.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset's evasion attempt has failed.

Solis Vivent hrms at the radio comm. chatter. His lips aren't moving as he makes his own responses.. At the sudden burst of fire however, he attempts to skidjet the Rick Dom away from the retreating valkyrie, peering after it.

The Dom's hand goes to its rifle again, but then it lowers, almost looking disappointed.

He whispers softly, unable to hide his grin, "..thank you Demenslaboris. Thank you very much."

He slowly turns to regroup.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has missed Ibis Douglas with his Covering Fire attack.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has counter attacked for a minor hit on Blutch T. Jackson's RG-95 ReZEL using Air-to-Ground Missile.

Rau raises the CGUE's weapon, the sights coming up to line up with Roy's fleeing unit... and the missiles slam down around him, throwing shrapnel about, but the damage is still pitifully light - Roy has taken significantly worse than this. And the masked pilot watches the 'LOCK ON' signal appear, Fokker's Veritech right in the middle of his screen... And Rau raises his right hand, thumb and forefinger extended, pointing it at the lock on reticle. "Bang," Rau mouths. And then energy shots come raining down, one of them slamming heavily into the CGUE's chest. The mobile suit staggers, and a frown traces over the pilot's face. "...quite uncalled for," Rau says, before reaching back and grabbing the heavy ion cannon slung over his shoulder. The weapon comes up, the targeting sites locking onto Blutch's unit. And Rau smirks. "Ah, my fair weather fool. There were much smarter options you might have taken here." And the sky over Warsaw is split as a massive beam of green energy splits the heavens, barreling straight up towards Blutch's mobile suit.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has attacked Blutch T. Jackson. M69 Heavy Ion Cannon added to their queue.

Maximillian Jenius transforms back to fighter mode and quickly boosts away from the Rick Dom. A stalemate! Max shakes his head. "Skull Leader, this is Skull Seven. Withdrawing from the mission zone."

Somehow, Roy Fokker is enough of a genius to get the VF-1S to transform yet again. It sprouts arms and legs once more-- its least damaged hand shakes horribly, but effortlessly catches Rei's ejector seat nonetheless. It stops and hovers, cockpit opening. "Get in the back seat, Kid. We need to get out of here."

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has struck a minor hit on Shu Shirakawa's Rhinoceros using Covering Fire.

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has counter attacked for a solid hit on Blutch T. Jackson's RG-95 ReZEL using Antiair Missile.

Rei Ayanami acknowledges the words of the Fokk, and with a reckless disregard for her own safety, climbs up the Battroid Gerwalk's arm to get to the cockpit, where she takes the rear seat. Her flight suit -- that is, Hikaru's flight suit -- reeks of vomit. "I apologize for destroying that plane."

"Eh, it was a crappy plane, kid. But at least it didn't have a radar dish on it. Let's go home," Roy says, again forcing the Veritech to transform and rocket toward... somewhere else, with only one swept-back wing and a locker full of Neo-Keystone Ice keeping it in the air.

Solis Vivent begins withdrawing rather quickly from the field of battle.

Solis' feelings are somewhat elated, although he does wonder if the reason for the chemical reactions associated with joy, are also related to the pain of his now fully re-opened wounds..

Still, he's happy, even as he makes the cockpit compartment very gruesome work for the maintenance crews back at the base.

Blutch's sudden fire towards the Calion after Rei is taken down draw alot of attention from Ibis. "W-wow I did that.." She speeds down, letting the machine still power across the fields, flying upwards, spiralling this way and that.. but it's as the rather terrible beam cannons open fire that Ibis has her glowy feeling suddenly ripped from her.

"W-What..?! I'm being fired on..!" She takes offensive measures, thrusters pushing the Calion through the air as it travels above the ReZEL, sending a single missile below, diving and spiraling through the fire, beams almost glancing. She's in the zone though .. the time where a single mistake means defeat.. crashing.

Which makes her at least.. slightly a threat, if Ibis never was one before.

"I .. I have to follow his orders.. And .. and do my best!" The Calion is but a blur, and soon, a streak in the atmosphere as the machine uses it's full speed.. and suddenly turns back around, a wide curve, before it shoots straight towards Blutch's ReZEL, front blades glowing a dark blue, from the cutters that are deployed.

"AYAAAAH! Calion.. let's strike with everything we have!"

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has attacked Blutch T. Jackson. Sonic Cutter added to their queue.

Even as Blutch moves to take on the Rhinoceros, Roy Fokker and his squad seemed to have feared less than had hoped. The Rhinoceros does not slow down in any way, continuing its assault, even as it barrels towards the retreating crafts.

"Continue to bombard it, and right before it strikes. Raise shields again." Jakhob cries, even as it happens infront of them. The beam cannon and rifle's shots rip into the Rhinoceros, before breaking on the shields. Many get through, but the damage isn't substantial enough. The shields, however, begin to fade.

"Return fire. Hit them with everything we have." Captain Jakhob announces. "Let them learn why the Divine Crusaders are not to be fooled around with." The main cannon swivels, aiming up towards Blutch's ReZEL.

"MAIN CANNON, FIRE!" Jakhob cries, the maglev launcher sending the massive bullet spinning towards the ReZEL, in which if it hits, will leave more than a smudge of the paint job, and rather a terrible hole of sceismic proportions.

They better be paying you per hour Blutch, or else you got ripped off.

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Shu Shirakawa has attacked Blutch T. Jackson. Main Gun - Bullet added to their queue.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ibis Douglas has missed Blutch T. Jackson with her Sonic Cutter attack.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Rau Le Creuset has struck a major critical hit on Blutch T. Jackson's RG-95 ReZEL using M69 Heavy Ion Cannon.

COMBAT: Blutch T. Jackson has activated a spirit command.

(and this is where my log ends, sorry arp, maybe someone else has your epic battle)