Seriously though, I'm still hoping for Mystery Waif as our main pilot this time instead of the convienent power battery, because cold-and-collected boy and hot-blooded boy are used all the time as the primary, I like my plot twists!)
Eh, trying to make things different just to be different is how we got Evangelion. Let's not go Shinji Ikari please. Let's stick with what works, or whatever our QM likes. Otherwise things will look odd, or worse, a pushed agenda become visible.
Lastly, those pilots that randomly rant about Gaia and stuff should be shot on sight, lest they do the same shit as Blue Gender did and many others.
Thanks the Emperor that fan-translations work.
IIRC one of Squeenix's latest games will recycle FM's world despite not being about mecha at all, if only to squeeze extra money from the poor fans.
Well, this will be interesting, since we're technically unveiling quite a few different things we've been up too, and not all of them goodies we gave out either.
Idea:
Try "recording" brain wave patterns done by Callaghan during combat, scrub the data until the generic signals remain, and use that for making better MMI command shortcuts so the rest of the Pilot Candidates can catch up easier.
That aside, I can see us picking up a plucky youth from this adventure here! We're in the prequel OAV right now, so this can very much be the backstory of the actual Protagonist we're going through right now!
(Callagan being the cool big brother sort who may or may not be doomed by plot)
(Seriously though, I'm still hoping for Mystery Waif as our main pilot this time instead of the convienent power battery, because cold-and-collected boy and hot-blooded boy are used all the time as the primary, I like my plot twists!)
Where'd we get a Mystery Waif though? We already got a cute AI!
But since we figured out the metaconcert I think expanding the pilot selection to run on teams once we figure out how best to maximize synchronization is best.
@Basarin, can I ask that you add the current enemy groups and super robots to the lore page when yoy have the time? Like having an easy place to find who the inventor of Mercury V without having to remember where it was mentioned in the updates, or a compilation of the known knowledge of the Kausen threat (including what Sasaki uncovered).
"Good," you respond to a somewhat harried report on the loading procedure. "Finish stowing away the cargo, they leave in fifteen minutes." Cutting off the link, you step to the side as the prototype Shepherd rumbles towards the loading ramp of the Gagarin.
Ahead of it are repair parts, pallets of ammunition, fuel, and the squadron of Coyotes you and Sasaki tasked for this mission. The Shepherd, you notice, is bearing the ominous profiles of the heavier weapons for the Jackal and the...you never really came up with a name for the combined configuration, but it's carrying the weapons for it, and the Jackal.
A moment later, Lieutenant Callaghan's Jackal rolls to a stop near you, with the young man himself leaping out of the driver's seat. Idly returning his salute, you bring up the sat-link image of Captain Sasaki aboard the Gagarin. As your executive officer, she is also your tactical officer and the woman who projects your authority (and by extension, Peters') in this matter.
"The pilots assure me we will be finished in five minutes," Sasaki reports, her eyes still concentrated on a report in front of her. "Estimated time of arrival will be one hour or less, local conditions permitting."
"The Jackal's good to go, Sir," Callaghan reports. "I'll stow myself away in a little bit."
"Good," you nod. Making sure you have both their attentions, you begin.
"You all know the situation, so I'll be quick on this. The reports claim the Kausen are there, and we've had enough of Rockefeller's reports to confirm the type of energy that leaves behind the scorch marks we've recorded. We might actually be able to catch them in the act this time, and it's really rare that they're sticking around this long. We don't know why, we don't know which sides are which, or if any of them are even friendly."
"Our mission is twofold. We are to provide any assistance we can. If you find people in need of help, do what you can and move on. But you're also to keep a lookout for any evidence of the Kausen. I don't care if it's just leftover or broken weapons, magazine cartridges, or even whatever's left of their snacks - I need whatever we can find."
"3rd Reconnaissance is to spread out. I want any and all information they find linked back to the Gagarin. If they find any FRC responders in need of assistance, they are to provide them as best they can before moving on. I don't want them bogged down in this. Provide help, then scoot."
"Callaghan. You're our heavy hitter. If you find people needing help, go ahead. But I want you out there hunting. Find these bastards and report back what you can."
"Do I have permission to engage?" he asks. Sensible enough question.
"You do," you confirm, "But I don't want you just jumping in. If it looks too dangerous, don't needlessly put yourself at risk. But it's also why we're preparing all this equipment. I don't expect things to stay quiet." You nod to Sasaki's image. "Captain Sasaki will have command oversight. Follow her lead."
"Get yourself stowed away. Sasaki, report in with me when you can. Good luck, all of you."
0728, 1 November, A.D. 2070
Grand Coulee Outskirts
The pilots were as good as their word. They got your people to the outskirts of Grand Coulee in their timeframe.
It's also clear that Peters was not exaggerating when she said it was a disaster zone.
While the flooding has washed away, the damage was still apparent. Local first responders, already on site, were providing what they could.
There was no sign of any EUDF response. As far as an official response went, you were it.
Sasaki looks to you as she uploads a map overlay of the area. Your people are already offloading the Gagarin, and Callaghan is already raring to go. There are a few hotspots, but you only have so many assets.
What are your orders?
Choose who to send. You have:
The 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron (Coyotes)
The 1st Experimental Support Wing (TMUs)
1LT Callaghan. The Shepherd must travel with Callaghan's Jackal
(Note: If you choose to deploy the 1st Support Wing apart from Callaghan, should Callaghan encounter combat it will take two turns of combat for them to arrive on site. The opposite holds true as well.)
[] The Dam itself. All contact was lost with the automated systems, and every and all human being is already accounted for from the graveyard shift. You don't know if the Kausen are still there or not, but considering they prize energy, it's a good bet.
[] Nearby residential areas. There are still people out there who need help, and local responders are struggling to assist. You can provide someone to help.
[] The local EUGDF garrison. They had left communications logs that they were moving to investigate, but had abruptly gone silent three hours ago. You hold some suspicions over why.
@Basarin, can I ask that you add the current enemy groups and super robots to the lore page when yoy have the time? Like having an easy place to find who the inventor of Mercury V without having to remember where it was mentioned in the updates, or a compilation of the known knowledge of the Kausen threat (including what Sasaki uncovered).
[x] The Dam itself. All contact was lost with the automated systems, and every and all human being is already accounted for from the graveyard shift. You don't know if the Kausen are still there or not, but considering they prize energy, it's a good bet.
-[x] 1LT Callaghan
[x] Nearby residential areas. There are still people out there who need help, and local responders are struggling to assist. You can provide someone to help.
-[x] Coyotes
[x] The local EUGDF garrison. They had left communications logs that they were moving to investigate, but had abruptly gone silent three hours ago. You hold some suspicions over why.
-[x] TMUs
+Something like this?
Coyotes to search and rescue...do we want a confrontation and potentially getting better samples?
[X] Plan Risktaker
-[X][Callagan]The Dam itself. All contact was lost with the automated systems, and every and all human being is already accounted for from the graveyard shift. You don't know if the Kausen are still there or not, but considering they prize energy, it's a good bet.
-[X][TMUs]The Dam itself. All contact was lost with the automated systems, and every and all human being is already accounted for from the graveyard shift. You don't know if the Kausen are still there or not, but considering they prize energy, it's a good bet.
-[X][Coyotes] Nearby residential areas. There are still people out there who need help, and local responders are struggling to assist. You can provide someone to help.
Going straight for the Dam and try to get a sighting. If we're lucky, some samples.
Best time to fight is probably when they're draining energy and distracted...but if we're visiting the Dam we're bringing the TMUs or Callagan is going to solo an enemy without support
More importantly, the flooding has already happened.
But I can't really articulate specifically why I feel that way. But... Well, ultimately, there's not really any lives left to save in the dam, they all got out okay, and the worst of the damage is already done.
The EUGDF base though, it looks like they got locked down and either wiped out or otherwise sealed away. Either a third party cut their legs out, or the Kausen went to special lengths to neutralize them--which doesn't fit their MO where they just don't give a shit about proactively subduing threats. Unless they were the target to begin with.
And anything capable of neutralizing an entire base in three hours or less is something we probably want to be ready to deal with. It's a divergence from their normal priorities of just seizing energy and attacking only if it's not surrendered, and I want to know why they garnered special attention.
Residential area... Well, it has no strategic value that we know of--it's possible that they noticed some super person there who's a massive power singularity--but we have literally no data on such things, and thus, we cannot realistically act on that information.
[X] Plan: I smell a rat
-[X] [Callaghan] The local EUGDF garrison. They had left communications logs that they were moving to investigate, but had abruptly gone silent three hours ago. You hold some suspicions over why.
-[X] [TMUs] The Dam itself. All contact was lost with the automated systems, and every and all human being is already accounted for from the graveyard shift. You don't know if the Kausen are still there or not, but considering they prize energy, it's a good bet.
-[X] [Coyotes] Nearby residential areas. There are still people out there who need help, and local responders are struggling to assist. You can provide someone to help.
More importantly, the flooding has already happened.
But I can't really articulate specifically why I feel that way. But... Well, ultimately, there's not really any lives left to save in the dam, they all got out okay, and the worst of the damage is already done.
The EUGDF base though, it looks like they got locked down and either wiped out or otherwise sealed away. Either a third party cut their legs out, or the Kausen went to special lengths to neutralize them--which doesn't fit their MO where they just don't give a shit about proactively subduing threats. Unless they were the target to begin with.
And anything capable of neutralizing an entire base in three hours or less is something we probably want to be ready to deal with. It's a divergence from their normal priorities of just seizing energy and attacking only if it's not surrendered, and I want to know why they garnered special attention.
Residential area... Well, it has no strategic value that we know of--it's possible that they noticed some super person there who's a massive power singularity--but we have literally no data on such things, and thus, we cannot realistically act on that information.
[X] Plan: I smell a rat
-[X] [Callaghan] The local EUGDF garrison. They had left communications logs that they were moving to investigate, but had abruptly gone silent three hours ago. You hold some suspicions over why.
-[X] [TMUs] The Dam itself. All contact was lost with the automated systems, and every and all human being is already accounted for from the graveyard shift. You don't know if the Kausen are still there or not, but considering they prize energy, it's a good bet.
-[X] [Coyotes] Nearby residential areas. There are still people out there who need help, and local responders are struggling to assist. You can provide someone to help.
@Alectai
I'd suggest taking the TMUs along if you suspect the enemy is actually at the garrison. We need every edge because we're taking a prototype barely a Real Robot to the field.
If as you theorize they already left the Dam, then the TMUs are wasted there.
