Remove ads

[DEAD] (IC)The Outer Dimension Offensive

Reader mode
Miriam let the discussion wash over her entirely. She had no head for strategy, let those who knew how to command figure out the particulars and tell her what needed doing.

At least setting up the bounty system kept her hands and head busy, even if she perked up at the whole commission thing. Interesting trick. Useful, too. Although it would probably be squandered on her. She could lead a squad, but only in the simplest way. Namely taking the lead and letting them follow her into the breach. It was common enough in Valhalla, those who were used to the pain hollering at the rookies to get moving. It wasn't like they'd die so easily there.

Ah, well, enough reminiscing. The bounty system was all set, so. "Aight, people, what do we want to print? Can't get much fancier than some mundane grenades with this, I don't think."
 
Nihilo said:
Ah, well, enough reminiscing. The bounty system was all set, so. "Aight, people, what do we want to print? Can't get much fancier than some mundane grenades with this, I don't think."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Hearing this distracted Solus for a moment, but it also gave him an idea. "Can this create mana storage devices and charge them? It may serve us well to have a few reserves in case of emergencies, or to charge enchantments."
 
Naron said:
Hearing this distracted Solus for a moment, but it also gave him an idea. "Can this create mana storage devices and charge them? It may serve us well to have a few reserves in case of emergencies, or to charge enchantments."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
"It's basically a copy machine." Miriam explained with a roll of her shoulders that had more to do with shifting geography than biology. "Hand it an example of what you want and it'll turn dead demons into it. Anything magic is expensive though, so you better have the carcass of a bigshot."
 
Cmd. Frost said:
"Want to grab the other one? Glint's sticking around so I don't need it for protection."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The Commission was, after a few moments consideration, interesting. Gladys was not a leader herself; aside from rallying a makeshift Phalanx mid-battle, her role had always been a soldier of the line. With shield and sword in hand, blocking and striking in turn, united with her allies in a solid front. But now, with the Humans having a Captain of their own that they could follow and her fellow Elves only two in number, a purely Elven Phalanx would not be the unstoppable Phalanx of the Elven Legion.
Naron said:
Watching the events and listening to what others have to say, Solus forces his temper under control. Losing it here is not acceptable. He still wonders what sort of discipline the Counter Force teaches its soldiers. The alpha strike plan suggested by Legionnaire Graum has merit, which he lets her know with an appreciative nod once she has finished.

War Forger's offer is tempting, though he would not take it even if Specialist Strand had not been lightning fast. Solus knows he wants to reach higher on his own merit. The flames in his heart roar brighter in response to that thought.
(Upgraded Volcano's Embrace from level 1 to 3)
But even then, he keeps his calm.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
With Solus not taking the possible Commission, Gladys considers her options. With no smith or dedicated enchanter, she cannot strengthen her sword or shield. The Bounty System, as described by Miriam, would not be capable of matching the capabilities of the aforementioned without a significant kill count. To strengthen her body would take time if things went awry. But steel of the arm and arms was not the only sort the Legion had instilled in her; the steel of the spirit could still be shared.
"War Forger, do you have a limit on Commissions active at a given time? If my ability to form a Phalanx of sorts with non-Elven Legionnaires can be of use, then I will bear one to aid your golems."
 
Last edited:
catDreaming said:
"War Forger, do you have a limit on Commissions active at a given time? If my ability to form a Phalanx of sorts with non-Elven Legionnaires can be of use, then I will bear one to aid your golems."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"Nope, I could commission all of you if you want. But like I said, only two squads right now."

War Forger then leans over the table and holds out a hand.

"So, do you accept a Commision?"
 
catDreaming said:
Raising a hand to her breastplate, then extending it to War Forger, Gladys nods. "I accept a Commission."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

A surge of power flows into Gladys, and then disappears as fast as it arrived. Gladys finds a small silver shield pinned to her uniform.

[New officer commissioned.]

"Welcome to the army Gladys, please do your best to ignore the ominous voice from nowhere. Hopefully somewhere around here there's an off switch."
 
Cmd. Frost said:
A surge of power flows into Gladys, and then disappears as fast as it arrived. Gladys finds a small silver shield pinned to her uniform.

[New officer commissioned.]

"Welcome to the army Gladys, please do your best to ignore the ominous voice from nowhere. Hopefully somewhere around here there's an off switch."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Ominous voice from nowhere indeed, the feeling of power leaving as swiftly as it had come. "If the commissioning of officers is what has first prompted it's appearance, then perhaps activity of Commissioned officers could prompt other information from it? I will do my best to lead your golems, should they not be under another's command."
Most about the table who have input appear to have given it at this point, but Captain Masson has been oddly quiet. "By your leave Forger, should the Commissioned acquaint ourselves with the group of your golems that could potentially accompany us? Regardless of the plan, familiarity with them should only improve our ability to lead them."
 
catDreaming said:
Ominous voice from nowhere indeed, the feeling of power leaving as swiftly as it had come. "If the commissioning of officers is what has first prompted it's appearance, then perhaps activity of Commissioned officers could prompt other information from it? I will do my best to lead your golems, should they not be under another's command."
Most about the table who have input appear to have given it at this point, but Captain Masson has been oddly quiet. "By your leave Forger, should the Commissioned acquaint ourselves with the group of your golems that could potentially accompany us? Regardless of the plan, familiarity with them should only improve our ability to lead them."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"You'll need to talk to them to take charge of them. They're not much for conversation, but they won't do anything unless you order them to follow you. Once that's done, you guys should head out."

"Unless you want to walk back in the dark anyway." Rift Diver adds.
 
With that said, Gladys heads outside to one of the two groups of golems. She takes a closer look at their equipment, and speaks up. "Attention! Commissioned Officer Gladys Graum speaking. Your aid is requested in an upcoming operation."
 
catDreaming said:
With that said, Gladys heads outside to one of the two groups of golems. She takes a closer look at their equipment, and speaks up. "Attention! Commissioned Officer Gladys Graum speaking. Your aid is requested in an upcoming operation."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The squad of constructs turns toward Gladys, and as one they ball their free hands into a fist and hit the center of their chests is what's probably some kind of salute. They then form up around Gladys creating a small 3x2 phalanx.

-------------------------------------------------
Militia construct stat sheet unlocked!
-------------------------------------------------

Back inside the command center, War Forger looks at her book and flips the page.

"Huh, that's new."
 
Last edited:
catDreaming said:
With that said, Gladys heads outside to one of the two groups of golems. She takes a closer look at their equipment, and speaks up. "Attention! Commissioned Officer Gladys Graum speaking. Your aid is requested in an upcoming operation."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Strand felt a bit of internal strife that she was more nervous about speaking to golem constructs than entering a fight. There was something reassuring about seeing Gladys take action.

"I am Officer Diane Strand! We're going on a quick warmup run! Single file behind me, and give an alert if you see something hostile to War Forger." she directs the other group.

A bit of a run should let her know if the golems are particularly slow, and the more complex request to check how dumb they might be.
 
kelllogo said:
Strand felt a bit of internal strife that she was more nervous about speaking to golem constructs than entering a fight. There was something reassuring about seeing Gladys take action.

"I am Officer Diane Strand! We're going on a quick warmup run! Single file behind me, and give an alert if you see something hostile to War Forger." she directs the other group.

A bit of a run should let her know if the golems are particularly slow, and the more complex request to check how dumb they might be.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The constructs make the same fist to chest salute that Gladys squad made, then form a line behind Strand and start running. They seem perfectly capable of keeping pace with her, though with the lack of enemies in the area it's hard to tell what their threat detection abilities are.
 
Solus watches the proceedings with polite interest, though he holds back on requesting such a commission. It may be required later, but for now he prefers to simply observe the process.
Cmd. Frost said:
Back inside the command center, War Forger looks at her book and flips the page.

"Huh, that's new."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Their acting commander's comment draws his attention back, though. "Did something happen?" he inquires, then realises he ought to ask another question as well: "And how should we refer to you?"

How did one speak to someone years younger who is not technically part of any chain of command, but whose name one did not know for reasons of secrecy? Preferably while conveying the respect their prowess deserved, that was.
 
Naron said:
Their acting commander's comment draws his attention back, though. "Did something happen?" he inquires, then realizes he ought to ask another question as well: "And how should we refer to you?"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

War Forger looks up from her book.
"I got a new upgrade when Gladys and Diane recruited their squads, and a bunch of unlock conditions showed up too. Also... just call me Forger."
 
Cmd. Frost said:
"I got a new upgrade when Gladys and Diane recruited their squads, and a bunch of unlock conditions showed up too. Also... just call me Forger."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
"Very well, Ms. Forger," Solus responds, though he can not hide the faint trace of confusion. He is not quite sure he understands the terms in use. "Would you care to elaborate?"
 
Naron said:
"Very well, Ms. Forger," Solus responds, though he can not hide the faint trace of confusion. He is not quite sure he understands the terms in use. "Would you care to elaborate?"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

War Forger looks embarrassed.
"Right, sorry. So uh, the new ability is... okay so you know how magical girls get stronger the more shit we kill right? Well, I can't kill anything that doesn't walk up to the base, and my units are dogshit at the moment. So what this new upgrade does is that it lets you guys give me... I don't know, experience, veterancy, whatever you want to call it. Basically, you guys can donate your Kill Shit Points to me, I spend them on upgrades to Commissions and my units so that you can kill shit better, and the cycle hopefully repeats until we kill every demon in the dimension or get forced to retreat. And the unlock conditions are just what it sounds like, conditions we have to meet in order to unlock new upgrades for me to buy."
 
Solus listens attentively, somewhat tempted to reprimand the younger woman for her language. But she is in charge and he does not know enough about humans to tell if this is as vulgar for them as it is for him. The inherent oddity of Magical Girls aside, he understands the idea well enough.

"Very well, thank you," Solus answers once she finishes, then salutes. "In that case, I believe we should begin getting you situated with these... points. By your leave, Ms. Forger."

With that, he turns to the door. He should have been loud enough for everyone to hear and dearly hopes he does not have to come back to collect someone.
 
Naron said:
Solus listens attentively, somewhat tempted to reprimand the younger woman for her language. But she is in charge and he does not know enough about humans to tell if this is as vulgar for them as it is for him. The inherent oddity of Magical Girls aside, he understands the idea well enough.

"Very well, thank you," Solus answers once she finishes, then salutes. "In that case, I believe we should begin getting you situated with these... points. By your leave, Ms. Forger."

With that, he turns to the door. He should have been loud enough for everyone to hear and dearly hopes he does not have to come back to collect someone.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

War Forger looks at everyone still in the room.
"Yeah, get going. I'll have the base set up when you get back." She then goes back to looking at the map table and starts placing markers on it.

Rift Diver finishes her bowl and looks out the window.
"I put up a portal near the camp a few weeks ago, I can't use it to get you in without giving up surprise, but I can evac you guys after the job's done so you don't have to walk back in the dark." Diver then opens a portal and disappears.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside the Command Center, Gladys and Strand can see the builder constructs start to unload the shipping container, as well as a green beam of light spring up to the south.
 
Rinnia watches as Solus leaves, commenting "Uh, we still haven't finalized a plan, y'know... well whatever."

She glances at everyone else, then shrugs and wheels the MAD PAWS outside.
 
Seeing Solus, and then Rinnia with her MAD PAWS emerge from the Command Center, Gladys heads over with her makeshift Phalanx to join them. "Specialist Strand has confirmed that the golems can move as swiftly as humans on foot, and upon contact, they fall into a box formation by default." She gestures to the Militia formation around her. "I suspect that they can accommodate others joining the formation as well, when the time comes for such."
 
[4]

Another Day

- [Ω] -​

The Captain walked. With dozens of pounds of equipment weighing her down, she felt as if God himself wanted her to fall through the earth and fly straight out the other side. Back in the day, before magic came and ruined everything, she remembered feeling uncomfortable every time she put her armor on. But now, after all the years of war, the weight was familiar; it meant that she was alive, and it meant that she'll get to see another day and go back home when everything's been said and done. In Special Operations, anything is a welcome comfort as long as you're not dead.

Which is why, as her eyes swept through the metallic zombies representative of Forger's creations, she smiled. They all looked the same, lifeless mannequins, cold like statues, riveted heads held up high in unison in a mockery of flesh and blood soldiers. Soulless as they may be, they all looked like they were ready for war. But, deep down, she knew they wouldn't amount to much: She'd been to the briefing. Ten against thirty of them. Only one fire support platform. No air support. No reserves or Q R F. And, most importantly, a blank slate on I S R smack-dab in the middle of enemy territory. It was like accepting a bet to walk into a bar and pick a fight with the local toughs without knowing who you're going to fight; sure, at first glance they don't look so bad, but there might be a lot more than you think waiting around the corner, and you don't know any of their backgrounds.

It also didn't help that the person who you accepted the bet from picked the dodgiest spot in town, and sent you in there with no backup. That was the state of the coalition's Chain of Command in whatever operational nightmare headquarters had picked for this mission, and it showed no signs of changing. But, In Special Operations, you get used to having no support. You're meant to make it by yourself out here, and by God will she get it done.

"Let's settle down and get in some food for thought," the Captain said, starting the conversation. "Usually we would have Intel boys back home do this for us, but for this mission, they don't exist. Which means that we're going to have to do good old-fashioned foot-work for our Recon."

A huff. "This is a nightmare from a warfighting perspective, since there's no integration of systems. But we know what we signed up for. So let's start early."
 
Last edited:
A Wise Hermit said:
"Let's settle down and get in some food for thought," the Captain said, starting the conversation. "Usually we would have Intel boys back home do this for us, but for this mission, they don't exist. Which means that we're going to have to do some good old-fashioned footwork."

A huff. "This is a nightmare from a warfighting perspective, since there's no integration of systems. But we know what we signed up for. So let's start early."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Wherever that one had been before, she was now with them. Solus muses on the subject she brings up, but soon finds his mind back on the conventional strategies. "We have scouts on hand and a number of troops that are actually disposable," he begins with a nod to the constructs. "I am still not comfortable ceding the initiative by trying to lure our enemies, but this makes the attempt to split our forces for an ambush at least viable." Another nod went to Rinnia, whose arguments were not forgotten. "My personal preference remains to group up and waltz over the enemy before they can mount a coordinated defense, though. Your rifles will make clearing stragglers a much easier affair as well."
 
A Wise Hermit said:
"Let's settle down and get in some food for thought," the Captain said, starting the conversation. "Usually we would have Intel boys back home do this for us, but for this mission, they don't exist. Which means that we're going to have to do some good old-fashioned footwork."

A huff. "This is a nightmare from a warfighting perspective, since there's no integration of systems. But we know what we signed up for. So let's start early."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Naron said:
Wherever that one had been before, she was now with them. Solus muses on the subject she brings up, but soon finds his mind back on the conventional strategies. "We have scouts on hand and a number of troops that are actually disposable," he begins with a nod to the constructs. "I am still not comfortable ceding the initiative by trying to lure our enemies, but this makes the attempt to split our forces for an ambush at least viable." Another nod went to Rinnia, whose arguments were not forgotten. "My personal preference remains to group up and waltz over the enemy before they can mount a coordinated defense, though. Your rifles will make clearing stragglers a much easier affair as well."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Gladys hefts the backpack that the quadcopter she requisitioned is still held in. "One of my requisitions from the armory pre-deployment was a quadcopter. It can operate up to three miles away from the controller, and requires line of sight to the controller. That does give us some ability to scout, even while on the march."
Cmd. Frost said:
Outside the Command Center, Gladys and Strand can see the builder constructs start to unload the shipping container, as well as a green beam of light spring up to the south.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
"I'm going to guess that the green beam of light to the south is a portion of Forger's powers, and is only visible to those of us Commissioned; If so, then it also gives us a waypoint of sorts."

Militia have formed up around Gladys:
Mob: Gladys gains base stats of Militia units, Militia units formed up around her sacrifice themselves to body block attacks on Gladys.
Base Damage: 300 -> 350
Base Resilience: 100 -> 150
Esprit De Corps: Gladys and Militia units can form a Phalanx.
Phalanx Base Damage: 350 -> 375
Phalanx Base Resilience: 150 -> 160
 
Last edited:
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top