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All Along the Watchtower - a Modern Strike Witches Quest

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[X] Straw 3 Short

also only us and a couple of F/A-18's for escorts. may I ask what the flying F the Zoomies and the various other airforce's of the Americas are doing that they can't spare a couple of fighters each?
 
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26.0 - Big Bird Riding
  • Threadmarks
    • [><] Straw 3 (Short)
    You grab a straw, Ruya grabs another, and the two of you pull your straws out of Eli's fist.

    Unless the one in Eli's fist is shorter than it appears, the straw now in your hand is the short one.

    "Looks like you got the jungle leg, Klava," she says. "Let's go, then. Cargo plane is waiting."

    The three of you climb into the back of the C-17 as its engines start up, this time with you sitting next to Eli.

    There is much less room than before, most of it taken up by weapons and ammunition crates, though a few of the ones you can see contain food as well. Apart from yourselves, there's a number of Australian and Liberion personnel onboard. You obviously don't recognize the patches of any of them, but Eli says that most of them are engineers, with a few infantry and supply here and there.

    "Is the situation in Colombia really that bad?"

    "Weeeeellll, that may be part of it. But most of it is - officially at least - Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base just isn't big enough to serve as a major air base for very long. So they plan on using Simon Bolivar International until they can build a bigger one... unless these Neuroi are total pushovers. Either way they'll need engineers... and a fuckload of anti-air."

    "But Colombia is not so badly off that it needs so much outside help to defend its own capital... does it?"

    Eli smirks. "Karlsland had one of the most advanced air forces in the world when the Second Neuroi War broke out, and Moscow was the most heavily defended city on Earth. That didn't help them very much then, did it?"

    "..."

    "And we're not the only ones heading there, either. They're probably sending more cargo planes from Liberion to Aztlan, Colombia, and Amazonas right now. And if I know our president, she'll be drawing up an executive order to shift everything over to wartime production that she can. Hell she may even try suggesting food and gas rationing, though that may have to wait until after the election if she wants a chance."

    You are half-tempted to mention something about Liberion culture's obsession with food, but decide against it.

    [ ] Keep talking
    - [ ] with Eli
    - [ ] Talk to Ruya instead
    -[ ] Change subject to
    -- [ ] Small talk (Write-in)
    -- [ ] 50X Caribbean
    --- [ ] Caracas
    -- [ ] Their careers so far
    -- [ ] The Neuroi
    --- [ ] Coming battles
    --- [ ] Other (write-in)
    -- [ ] Write-in another topic
    - [ ] Make the comment anyway
    [ ] Take a nap
    [ ] Check phone
    - [ ] For news
    - [ ] For texts/calls
    - [ ] Other
    [ ] Write-in
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Check phone
    - [X] For news
    - [X] For texts/calls
    [X] Take a nap
     
    [X] Keep talking
    -[X] Change subject to
    -- [X] 50X Caribbean
    --- [X] Caracas
    -- [X] Their careers so far

    Uh...we're in a plane, there's generally no phone service up here
     
    [X] Keep talking
    - [X] with Eli
    -- [X] Their careers so far
    -- [X] Reluctant thanks for stealing our kills
     
    Vote tally:
    ##### 3.21
    [X] Check phone
    -[X] For news
    -[X] For texts/calls
    No. of votes: 2
    sgtbaker47, lelenoi

    [X] Check phone
    -[X] For news
    -[X] For texts/calls
    [X] Take a nap
    No. of votes: 1
    obssesednuker

    [X] Keep talking
    -[X] with Eli
    No. of votes: 1
    Spectre

    [X] Keep talking
    -[X] Change subject to
    --[X] 50X Caribbean
    ---[X] Caracas
    --[X] Their careers so far
    No. of votes: 1
    veekie

    [X] Keep talking
    -[X] with Eli
    --[X] Their careers so far
    --[X] Reluctant thanks for stealing our kills
    No. of votes: 1
    Ol'Delux

    Another pseudo-tie, but I'll break it now. 1 for phone, 2 for talk.
    Zoosmell threw 1 2-faced dice. Reason: Coin toss Total: 2
    2 2
     
    27.0 - Shift Change
  • Threadmarks
    • [><] Keep talking
    -[><] with Eli
    -[><] Change subject to
    --[><] 50X Caribbean
    ---[><] Caracas
    --[><] Their careers so far
    You instead decide to steer the subject (back) to Colombia and the Caribbean.

    "What squadron number will we get, when they finally decide it?"

    Eli shrugs. "Dunno, and to be honest I don't really care all that much. 502 had a nice badge though, and I wouldn't mind that."

    "What about the 501st?"

    She shakes her head. "Sure, publicity and prestige are nice, and you'd certainly get them if you were in the Strike Witches. But I'm not sure I'd like the press attention... and other attention."

    "There is press attention with other squadrons...."

    "Not to the same level."

    "..and what do you mean by 'other' attention?"

    "Companies trying to get you into commercials to sell products. Politicians sucking up to you to get you to shake hands with them or put you in commercials for their election."

    How... cynical. You can't help but think that she has had first-hand experience.

    "At least we will be going someplace warm as opposed to hot."

    "Hm-hm. Just be sure to stay out of the poorer regions if you can avoid it."

    "Wh-"

    "That's an order by the way."

    "Why?"

    "Most dangerous city in the world."

    Ah. "Ah."

    "Just.... just stay out of the slums and you should be fine."


    That does not help your concern. You decide changing the subject would be a good idea.

    "So... what was it like, fighting against humans?"

    Eli made a quick 'hmh' sound. "Honestly? At high altitudes, you don't see much besides explosions. And ISIS wasn't sending up any witches for us to use our bayonets on, before you ask. Just helicopters."

    "They sent helicopters after witches?"

    "I know right? I could blast a chopper out of the sky with my eyes closed and both hands tied behind my back. And these morons would send whole fleets of them - dinky little civilian choppers that they slapped machine guns on as if that made them any better. I think I saw a few Hares, and maybe a Hound or two. I even saw a Loach."

    "A Loach?"

    "Little Liberion helicopter, looks like someone put a tail boom and rotor on an egg. I don't even know how it got there, we never sold 'em to the Middle East."

    "And they sent these after witches?"

    "Well with no planes and being against the idea of witches in general, they couldn't send much else out could they?"

    <<Roach to Empress, we are approaching the tanker aircraft. Time for you to get ready.>>

    "Hm hm. Time for me to go, then. Empress to Roach, roger. Let me just get my pants on...>> She walked over to where her Strikers were stored, then rolled them to just ahead of the hinge of the cargo bay door before sliding into them. She turned to you and Ruya and smiled. When Ruya finally looked up from her mp3 to acknowledge her, Eli pointed at her headphones, and Ruya took them out.

    "Hm?"

    "Putcha damn lifeline on before you get sucked out with me."

    The two of you quickly attach the aforementioned lifelines to the side of the cargo plane. Eli gives the thumbs-up to the operator in charge of the door, and it slowly opens. The wind is incredibly loud, as are the jet engines of three aircraft at once. She salutes the passengers, then just leans forward and slides down the door. You see her vanish briefly, then roll over and split-s to a lower altitude than the cargo plane before pulling up behind and to the right of it. Again she gave a thumbs up to the operator, and he shut the door as quickly as he had opened it.

    <<This is Empress, I'm airborne.>>

    [ ] Talk to Ruya
    [ ] Talk to someone else
    - [ ] Who?

    - [ ] Talk about...
    -- [ ] The Neuroi
    -- [ ] Write-in another topic

    [ ] Take a nap
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Zoosmell said:
    "I know right? I could blast a chopper out of the sky with my eyes closed and both hands tied behind my back. And these morons would send whole fleets of them - dinky little civilian choppers that they slapped machine guns on as if that made them any better. I think I saw a few Hares, and maybe a Hound or two. I even saw a Loach."
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    So ISIS went full GLA...

    Actually, I have to wonder, would modern Islamic fundamentalism be so blatantly misgonystic in the Strike Witchesverse given how critical a role Witches were even before the invention of Strikers? In fact, I rather doubt any kind of recognizable misogyny could develop in the Strike Witchesverse. The extra material indicates they go back to the dawn of civilization and we know from the direct material that a number of Witch powers do persist even into a persons elderly years. Doesn't seem like there would be much room for the same gender roles to take off as our history...
     
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    [X] Talk to Ruya
    - [X] Talk about...
    -- [X] The non-hostile Neuroi you encountered before combat broke out.
     
    [X] Talk to Ruya
    - [X] Talk about...
    -- [X] The non-hostile Neuroi you encountered before combat broke out.
     
    obssesednuker said:
    So ISIS went full GLA...

    Actually, I have to wonder, would modern Islamic fundamentalism be so blatantly misgonystic in the Strike Witchesverse given how critical a role Witches were even before the invention of Strikers? In fact, I rather doubt any kind of recognizable misogyny could develop in the Strike Witchesverse. The extra material indicates they go back to the dawn of civilization and we know from the direct material that a number of Witch powers do persist even into a persons elderly years. Doesn't seem like there would be much room for the same gender roles to take off as our history...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...


    Well, misogyny was never as strong at the same times as IRL, but it has been present - though second wave feminism took off at the same time as the Civil Rights movement instead of immediately after it.

    And well there are always extreme groups of every religion/fandom/thing ever. And even with the major role witches played in martial history (especially after the Second Neuroi War), it makes some sense for a hyper-reactionary fundamentalist group such as ISIS to not utilize them.
    Of course it could also be that Eli is lying about having never faced witches.
     
    [X] Talk to Ruya
    - [X] Talk about...
    -- [X] The non-hostile Neuroi you encountered before combat broke out.
    [X] Then nap until it's your turn.

    Zoosmell said:
    And well there are always extreme groups of every religion/fandom/thing ever. And even with the major role witches played in martial history (especially after the Second Neuroi War),
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Going by some of the stuff in the extra material, Witches had a strong martial influence before the Second Neuroi War as well. We know from canon that Witch magic (as in their unique inherent abilities like Eila's future sight, Barkhorn's superstrength, and Miyafuji's healing) are something that are independent of Strikers. So are the shields for that matter.

    Not to mention those snippets of Witches in history at the start of the Movie (including a Witch Joan D'Arc, because of course she was!).

    it makes some sense for a hyper-reactionary fundamentalist group such as ISIS to not utilize them.
    Of course it could also be that Eli is lying about having never faced witches.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    ~Hora.
     
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    obssesednuker said:
    So ISIS went full GLA...

    Actually, I have to wonder, would modern Islamic fundamentalism be so blatantly misgonystic in the Strike Witchesverse given how critical a role Witches were even before the invention of Strikers? In fact, I rather doubt any kind of recognizable misogyny could develop in the Strike Witchesverse. The extra material indicates they go back to the dawn of civilization and we know from the direct material that a number of Witch powers do persist even into a persons elderly years. Doesn't seem like there would be much room for the same gender roles to take off as our history...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Zoosmell said:
    Well, misogyny was never as strong at the same times as IRL, but it has been present - though second wave feminism took off at the same time as the Civil Rights movement instead of immediately after it.

    And well there are always extreme groups of every religion/fandom/thing ever. And even with the major role witches played in martial history (especially after the Second Neuroi War), it makes some sense for a hyper-reactionary fundamentalist group such as ISIS to not utilize them.
    Of course it could also be that Eli is lying about having never faced witches.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    obssesednuker said:
    Going by some of the stuff in the extra material, Witches had a strong martial influence before the Second Neuroi War as well. We know from canon that Witch magic (as in their unique inherent abilities like Eila's future sight, Barkhorn's superstrength, and Miyafuji's healing) are something that are independent of Strikers. So are the shields for that matter.

    Not to mention those snippets of Witches in history at the start of the Movie (including a Witch Joan D'Arc, because of course she was!).
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Misogyny might not be the only reaction against witches (ISIS notwithstanding). For example, canon said magic wasn't as present in Liberion than it was in Fuso because...some ridiculously handwaved reason. (I think it was that Fuso was just more 'connected' to magic than Liberion?)

    Partially out of a fondness for something making sense, I've formed the headcanon that Liberion has plenty of magic-users, but produces fewer witches due to a cultural antagonism against them. Say, for example, witches were prized amongst the Britannian Army during the colonial era, so any girl with magic had to be reported to the Britannians right away, whereupon they were inducted into the king's army.

    For Colonial Liberions, therefore, magic was something to be suppressed, a secret that if discovered separated the girl in question from her family and her country forever. Being important parts of the Britannian Army, witches would most certainly have been sent to put down the colonial rebellions, further antagonizing Liberions against magic. Even after Independence, magic clashes against Liberion's anti-aristocratic, by-your-bootstraps culture, where you must earn your way through hard work rather than with special powers gained at birth.

    TL;DR: Misogyny might be one reason for there to be pushback against witches, but it by no means has to be the only reason. Hell, the Middle East could have the same stigma against witches that my headcanon Liberions do: any girl found with magic was immediately taken from her family and sent into the army, permanently separating a girl from family and faith.
     
    [X] Talk to Ruya
    - [X] Talk about...
    -- [X] The non-hostile Neuroi you encountered before combat broke out.

    For some reason, I think Eli would hold the same 'Shoot it ded' perspective as I proposed concerning the non-hostile Neuroi. Ruya seems like she might be less brash.
    Of course, if we're wrong this will probably earn us lots of tinfoil-hat points in Ruya's mind and she'll probably awkwardly scoot further away from us to keep from catching whatever we came down with.

    Also on the matter of Eli, it's worth noting we're told in her character info she has 11 aerial kills. How many of those are or could be witches is open to interpretation. She was mighty quick to assure us that ISIS didn't have any witches (and that she definitely didn't have to use any bayonets on them). Could be a point of weirdness to look out for...Or we could always probe Ruya about if the opportunity arises. Subordinates always like talking about their superiors behind their backs, right?

    The fact they're both Liberion veterans who are friends with each other while we're still a pretty fresh-faced Orussian will probably complicate that scheme, of course.
     
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