[X] An older-looking man slowly and ponderously enters the office. Dressed in a Russian Ground Forces uniform, a weathered and scarred face openly displays a history of hard-won experience in the face of battle.
He'll also be good in gauging how the more conservative military factions react.
A few do, GaoGaiGar is one that comes to mind as a military Super Robot group. Others are more privatized, such as Mazinger/Getter Robo being the property of their respective research labs. Others still are more "I've got a giant robot stashed in a cave/in my garage, don't tell".
Point is, Super Robots come from a variety of backgrounds, given they are depicted as larger than life superheroes. Real robots, given their nature as tools, are more likely to be owned by corperations/government/military groups.
The GUTSY GALAXY GUARD are the BRAVE DEFENDERS OF THE PEOPLE OF EARTH, bearing on their shoulders the UNITED WILL OF THE PLANET TO DEFEAT THE TERRIBLE THREATS OF THE UNIVERSE. Their UNFLINCHING BRAVERY and MATCHLESS GENIUS equip them to TIRELESSLY DEFEND the Earth!
I will 110% support plans that lead to us being a GGG expy.
By the time Taiga reveals he was part of what looks like a sentai team, we just take it at face value. It is perfectly in character for him and not at all inconsistent.
Shine on, GGG.
Adhoc vote count started by Basarin on Apr 25, 2018 at 3:55 PM, finished with 27 posts and 15 votes.
[X] An older-looking man slowly and ponderously enters the office. Dressed in a Russian Ground Forces uniform, a weathered and scarred face openly displays a history of hard-won experience in the face of battle.
[X] A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
[X] A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
Adhoc vote count started by Basarin on Apr 25, 2018 at 3:56 PM, finished with 27 posts and 15 votes.
[X] An older-looking man slowly and ponderously enters the office. Dressed in a Russian Ground Forces uniform, a weathered and scarred face openly displays a history of hard-won experience in the face of battle.
[X] A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
[X] A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
Unless any further votes come in between now and when I get home (appr. 2 hours or so), looks like a clear winner for the JSDAF officer. Fairly even vote though.
Unless any further votes come in between now and when I get home (appr. 2 hours or so), looks like a clear winner for the JSDAF officer. Fairly even vote though.
[X] An older-looking man slowly and ponderously enters the office. Dressed in a Russian Ground Forces uniform, a weathered and scarred face openly displays a history of hard-won experience in the face of battle.
It's always Japanese super robots and pilots and occasionally American ones ("TOO MUCH HIGH POWER MAN!"), I'd like to see an actual Russian character.
[X] An older-looking man slowly and ponderously enters the office. Dressed in a Russian Ground Forces uniform, a weathered and scarred face openly displays a history of hard-won experience in the face of battle.
It's always Japanese super robots and pilots and occasionally American ones ("TOO MUCH HIGH POWER MAN!"), I'd like to see an actual Russian character.
I'm actually not much a fan of Russian ones, maybe in this new era of anime they are rare, but right before you would see ALL the scientist be either A. Super; B. German or C. Russian, so this seems like such a tired trope to me...
Seriously, name one time using a mentally/emotionally broken child soldier actually worked out in the long run in a Mecha show. They either bail as soon as they can, self-destruct(in one way or another) or lead to the entire organization imploding.
Quest Summary So Far:
I sincerely hope that the power source of our future robots don't use "forsaken and depressed children".
That would just be irresponsible.
Seriously, name one time using a mentally/emotionally broken child soldier actually worked out in the long run in a Mecha show. They either bail as soon as they can, self-destruct(in one way or another) or lead to the entire organization imploding.
We at Super Robot Quest do not condone hurtful practices. Especially if they lead to:
- Destruction of the modern world
- Selective apotheosis of the few at the ignorant expense of the many
- Divided families
- Severe cases of mental trauma requiring significant psychiatric help
Seriously, the cast of Evangelion is one that needed therapists.
Now! To tally again...
Looks like the most recent vote threw the votes back into a tie. Someone throw me a d6. 1-3 for JSDF officer, 4-6 for the Russian Ground Forces officer. I will count the first throw.
Adhoc vote count started by Basarin on Apr 25, 2018 at 6:28 PM, finished with 36 posts and 16 votes.
[X] An older-looking man slowly and ponderously enters the office. Dressed in a Russian Ground Forces uniform, a weathered and scarred face openly displays a history of hard-won experience in the face of battle.
[X] A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
[X] A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
I will write the next section and post after I've had some food in me and settled back in from work shenanigans.
For now, know that your Defense Force Adviser is Captain (OF-2 Taichou) Haruko Sasaki. And that your next task when I post will involve embracing the very heart and soul of your Super Robot...SCIENCE.
Or at least a lead on where to develop. Hey, everyone starts somewhere.
I will write the next section and post after I've had some food in me and settled back in from work shenanigans.
For now, know that your Defense Force Adviser is Captain (OF-2 Taichou) Haruko Sasaki. And that your next task when I post will involve embracing the very heart and soul of your Super Robot...SCIENCE.
Or at least a lead on where to develop. Hey, everyone starts somewhere.
A young woman dressed in a Japanese Self Defense Air Force uniform stride into the office exuding sheer confidence. Despite a pleasant-looking demeanor, a studious, analytical set of blue eyes studies you.
As you turn around in your seat, you see a young woman dressed in the uniform of the Japanese Self Defense Air Force stride into the office. "Captain Sasaki reporting as ordered," she says crisply, proudly and confidently announcing herself to the world – at least, the one in this room.
"At ease," Peters dismisses, returning the salute. "Have a seat, Captain." You feel more than see her eyes immediately glance over at you, from the rank boards on your shoulders to the fruit salad of award ribbons pinned to your right chest. The discerning gaze lasts but a moment, and she returns her full attention to Peters as she sits down, hands clasped together on one knee.
You make a note to watch this one. She seems pleasant enough, but it's like she's studying everything for some weakness or some contextual trait.
"Captain, I'll be frank with you," Peters says to Sasaki. "The Defense Force Research Institute is going to be…unconventional. It must be. I understand you are going to periodically report to your superiors in the Air Defense Force –" Sasaki's eyes narrow slightly at how blunt Peters is – "– and quite frankly, I don't bloody well care if you do." She gestures towards you. "You will function as Major Devin's executive officer. Whatever you do, so long as you contribute to the project's success, I will acquiesce to your superior's requests for…priority." The word seems to hang in the air between them, as if it were a distasteful thing keeping its distance from the wrath of the general. "But that means nothing if the project fails. Do we understand each other?"
"Perfectly, Ma'am," Sasaki replies. Just with a touch of frost to the tone, you note.
"Splendid!" With that out of the way, Peters seems to discard the moment as if it were something to throw into her outbox. Sasaki, for her part, is slightly thrown off. So are you, frankly, but you're not a participant of THAT discussion, so you can hide it. "Now, resources. We're only a pretty name if we don't give you something to work with." Reaching into her desk, Peters rummages through a few files before pulling out what appear to be authorization orders. "Now, the gentlemen over at human resources have decided to give us our pick of the lot in Engineering teams. Conventionally they are not the best in the services." She grins, ever so slightly. "I suspect they're palming us what they see as the odds and sods. People with ideas, those who buck the trend. Quite frankly, they're doing us a service in this."
"How should we proceed, Ma'am?" Sasaki is already poring over the authorization orders with laser-like focus, attempting to see if there were any hidden details waiting to ambush her.
"By 8 January, you are to have your teams chosen and assigned to you," Peters replies. "I was also able to have an older facility assigned to you. It's fairly barebones, but that will give your Engineers time to rebuild it to what you need for your research."
It's a heady feeling. Your own dedicated facility? Your own handpicked team?
Then reality boots your optimism in the head and reminds it that the facility is going to most likely be ramshackle with little to no services, and your team is going to be either cast-offs from convention or downright insane.
You ignore the fistfight occurring in your head as you say, "Then by your leave, Ma'am. We might as well get started."
"A suggestion if I may, Sir," Captain Sasaki says abruptly.
"Hmm?" You turn you head quizzically. The both of you are still in the metal blue hallways of the R&D Branch of Unity Station, having paused to simply rest for a few moments and introduce yourselves to each other. This amounted to basically sharing each other's respective service records and prior postings. You learned that her first name is Haruko, she's served as a flight control coordinator and was in the Pacific Command Sector's plans section at staff before coming here. "What's on your mind, Sasaki?"
She didn't seem too comfortable with a first-name basis yet. Fair enough.
"As skeptical as I am about the idea of constructing our own version of Mercury V," she says, "It is prudent that we identify the Science team." She frowns as she glances over the authorization orders. "Unlike the Engineer section, there is only one name listed…"
She passes you the orders for you to look at as she sips gently from a bottle of green tea. "'Dr. Sam Carlson,'" you read out loud. "Multiple citations for recklessness in his experiments…one citation explicitly by the platform administrator for 'please make the nightmares go away…'…he actually wrote this in the citation…"
You simply glance up at Sasaki with a raised eyebrow. "Just…what did Peters see in this guy?"
"I imagine we will find out soon," she replies. "Better to know what we are about to face for the next while, yes?"
That was hard to argue against.
Chaos.
That was the only word you could use to describe the…lab you were facing.
Haphazard notes and paperwork were scattered everywhere, the sink was constantly running, scientists were arguing over anything and everything, interns were running at breakneck speeds with coffee in their hands, beakers were lying about precariously, Bunsen burners were unsecured…you really had no idea what field – if any – Dr. Carlson was focusing on.
…if you weren't from the field you came from. You can see an order to all the craziness around here.
Scientists were scurrying back and forth, arguing over chalkboards while completing each other's equations. They were pointing out the small mistakes that weren't caught before and were then scribbled down onto notes.
The scientist held out the note, for an intern to replace with coffee, and the intern immediately rushed to another scientist near the Bunsen burner. Having handed off the note, the intern rushed for more coffee presumably; the scientist who received the note immediately began arguing over adjustments of some chemical mixture behind the burner, and a flurry of activity took place again.
It was…bizarre. You'd never seen anything like military ordered chaos in a laboratory.
It was then that the PA speaker for the lab blared loudly.
"Sam Carlson here! Just want to let everyone know that we have a couple of EUDF cats coming by the lab. Don't know if it's for official business, scientific curiosity, or if they're just looking for more 'workplace violations.' So, you know, be ready for that. But just one thing:
(CHOOSE ONE)
[] "As you all know from your contracts that you never read, if anyone asks, Jack is perfectly fine, and did not start to float two feet in the air while glowing magenta. Any allegations that he began chanting the Old Testament backwards perfectly is nonsense. Even if he did, he still did fantastic work yesterday. It's not like we're going to let the laws of physics get in the way of scientific discovery! Now get to it!" [Possible research into ESP/Psyker technology, unlocks options, ???]
[] "I know we've been studying the kaiju scale sample the general sent us, but seriously, this is getting old. The general gave it to us to study. Now, I don't care how good seafood tastes – do not open the containment freezer. That means you, Paul. Don't come crying to me if you start growing fifty feet tall and have an indescribable urge for takeout at Tokyo Tower. You got better options, like fugu. We don't try aping Godzilla until after we know how it works. Now get back to work!" [Background Unlock: Bonus to Kaiju Sample Research, unlocks options, ???]
[] "Does anyone else remember the last time Mike tried to plug in the alien doohickey into the wall socket? So do I. And so does the entire platform. I applaud the scientific curiosity in trying to figure out what it does, but we can't do more science if the entire facility blows up. Besides, we've only got one of the damn things, so don't go breaking it." [Possible research into Alien Artifact, unlocks options, ???]
[] "Good news is, the quantum channeling works. Sort of. Sticking something through the gate brought it out through the other end. The bad news is, looks like no biological matter's getting through it the way it went in. On an entirely unrelated note, if I find the jackass who calibrated it to land in the canteen the next platform over, I will personally quantum channel your thesis into the sun! Otherwise, good work. Spill my coffee over me again, will you?" [Possible research into Quantum Gate Channels, unlocks options, ???]
I'm still not sorry.
Your Science adviser-to-be may be slightly off...but isn't that what you need to research a Super Robot?
Now, Dr. Carlson is going to be your science adviser. He and his team are going to unlock the mysteries of the mad science that will power your Super Robot. But which one is it?
Now, since you secured the Kaiju Sample as part of your backstory, that will come with you. It will stay in cold storage, and will be there when you decide you want to get to it. But if you choose the option now, you will get a head start in possibly reverse-engineering kaiju 'technology.'
If you choose one of the others, you gain a new mad science theory to pursue. But the kaiju sample will still be available to you.
So the question for you guys is this: do you want to double down, or diversify? Keep in mind, your Engineering options later will also possibly synergize with what you're trying to do. But I'll let you all make that choice when you get there.
[X] "As you all know from your contracts that you never read, if anyone asks, Jack is perfectly fine, and did not start to float two feet in the air while glowing magenta. Any allegations that he began chanting the Old Testament backwards perfectly is nonsense. Even if he did, he still did fantastic work yesterday. It's not like we're going to let the laws of physics get in the way of scientific discovery! Now get to it!" [Possible research into ESP/Psyker technology, unlocks options, ???]
[X] "I know we've been studying the kaiju scale sample the general sent us, but seriously, this is getting old. The general gave it to us to study. Now, I don't care how good seafood tastes – do not open the containment freezer. That means you, Paul. Don't come crying to me if you start growing fifty feet tall and have an indescribable urge for takeout at Tokyo Tower. You got better options, like fugu. We don't try aping Godzilla until after we know how it works. Now get back to work!" [Background Unlock: Bonus to Kaiju Sample Research, unlocks options, ???]
[X] "Does anyone else remember the last time Mike tried to plug in the alien doohickey into the wall socket? So do I. And so does the entire platform. I applaud the scientific curiosity in trying to figure out what it does, but we can't do more science if the entire facility blows up. Besides, we've only got one of the damn things, so don't go breaking it." [Possible research into Alien Artifact, unlocks options, ???]
Because fuck physics and everything it stands for.
Also, dammnit we got the girl. Can we at least only have a professional friendly relationship and not try to make it romantic in anyway, shape, or form?
[X] "Does anyone else remember the last time Mike tried to plug in the alien doohickey into the wall socket? So do I. And so does the entire platform. I applaud the scientific curiosity in trying to figure out what it does, but we can't do more science if the entire facility blows up. Besides, we've only got one of the damn things, so don't go breaking it." [Possible research into Alien Artifact, unlocks options, ???]
