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Petals of Carbon Steel -- You're a Pilot, Not an Ace. Try your best.

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List of Mecha
  • Informational
    • List of Mecha

    Acronyms:
    AIJ (Alliance for an Independent Jupiter): Used to designate machines developed or retooled specifically for use by the organisation of the same name
    IGSM (Imperial Guard Space Mecha): Used to designate models developed specifically for use by the USE's Imperial Guard
    ISM (Imperial Space Mecha): Used to designate most service mecha, still in active use by both the United Solar Empire and the Holy Solar Empire.
    ISMX (Imperial Space Mecha, Experimental): Used to designate military prototypes, still in active use by both the United Solar Empire and the Holy Solar Empire.

    AIJ-DI: An AIJ mecha outfitted with experimental direct interface technology, not usable by unmodified humans.
    IDIMX (Imperial Direct Interface Mecha, Experimental): [REDACTED]
    QDIMX (Quasi-Direct Interface Mecha, Experimental: [REDACTED]

    CT (Cirntech): A line of civilian space and terrestrial models produced by Cirntech Heavy Industries

    HS (Heineken Spacer): A line of civilian space models produced by Heineken Robotics.

    Both the USE Navy and the HSE's Divine Navy of Correction are still using the ISM designations, each unwilling to cede the designation system to the other. For new units, both sides appear to be quietly avoiding using numbers claimed by the other, although this is not official policy.

    United Solar Empire (pre-Civil War):

    ISM07 Lancer: A mass production, general purpose mecha with a long service history, famous for its role in the Wars of Expansion two generations ago. Old and outmoded, but it was produced in such large numbers for so long that stockpiles of Lancers are still used by both the United Solar Empire and the Holy Solar Empire for rear guard and light duty. The AIJ has acquired a number of these in working condition. Notable pilots: Lý Thị Cam, Ryan Ross, Wen Zhìháo

    ISM07fx Fenris Lancer: An improved prototype utilising the ISM07's basic frame, but with improved speed, armor and firepower. Intended as a replacement for the Lancer, it lost in competition to the more durable ISM32 Banner. Lethal in skilled hands, with a profile and readings deceptively close to the older model. Notable pilots: Dame Nalah North

    ISM16 Huntress: Limited production long range fire support model, old but powerful, with very strong thrusters and a rail cannon that are scaled down ship models. Very difficult to handle, very difficult to maintain, highly effective in the hands of an expert. Notable pilots: Countess Gloriana Perbeck (former)

    ISM32 Banner: A mass production, general purpose mecha, built to replace the ageing 07 Lancer. Heavier armoured than the Lancer, but with substantially advanced thrusters to compensate. Well armed and versatile. Notable pilots: Hiro Ito (custom unit, deceased)

    ISM32b Banner Heavy Type: A variant on the 32 Banner equipped with anti-ship/station rocket armaments. Notable pilots: Tyrone Green

    ISM32s Banner Recon Type: A variant on the 32 Banner that trades armour for advanced, long-range thrusters.

    United Solar Empire (Saturn):

    IGSM02 Halberdier: Based off of the old Lancer family — faster and more agile than the Navy's ubiquitous Banners

    ISM32ex Empress Banner: A limited production variant of the ubiquitous 32 Banner, featuring superior handling and advanced sensor and communication suites. Notable pilots: Milo Owusu

    IDIMX Morrigan: A unique, prototype unit using a cutting edge, direct neural interface immersion rig, requiring the pilot to control three drones simultaneously in addition to mecha itself. Hideously complicated for a normal pilot to use, even in ideal, non-combat scenarios. Notable pilots: J6 (deceased)

    ISMX40 Artemis: A high-performance prototype marrying the Huntress's long range fire support capabilities with more versatile close and medium range options. Notable pilots: Countess Gloriana Perbeck

    Holy Solar Empire:

    ISM47 Vespula: A very fast, lightly armed scouting unit well suited for long range reconnaissance and skirmishing.

    ISMX17 Provespa: One of the prototype models from the Next Generation Reconnaissance Mecha project that produced the 47 Vespula. It features experimental thrusters and inertial dampening technology to enable movement at astounding speed, advanced sensor arrays, and a novel melee weapon in the form of a retractable, five metre long "energised spike" capable of punching straight through most conventional armour. Notable pilots: Mosi North (former)

    QDIMX Carbon Steel: An experimental prototype capable of allowing compatible pilots to directly interface with the mecha's systems without special modifications. This technology is both unstable and wholly unique. Notable pilots: Tanaka Mari, Sir Henry Salimus

    Alliance for an Independent Jupiter:

    AIJ Pennant: A stripped-down retooling of the famous ISM32 Banner, from parts that "fell out of a transport". It's not as well defended as a standard Banner, but it's a little faster, and easily configurable for different combat roles. Notable pilots: Himegami Kana, Azara Black, Sunny Monserrato, Jennifer Sails, Kitty Wehrschmidt

    AIJ-DI Hecate: A strange amalgam of stolen, cutting-edge technology and whatever compatible parts the AIJ could scavenge or find. Extremely high combat performance for a cybernetically-modified pilot, but its maintenance and upkeep are a constant strain. Notable pilots: Jay Tham (J21)

    Civilian:

    HS Workman: An unarmed, unarmoured space mecha designed for lifting and moving, repair and salvage work. Ubiquitous in the Saturn System, common elsewhere.

    HS Workman "Colonial Special": An illegal modification of the HS Workman, converting its close range laser cutter tool into a weapon capable of breaching armour. Very light, not particularly fast, and has poor range, but better than nothing.

    CT Builder MKIII: A bulky construction unit developed by Cirntech. Noted for its modular design. Notable pilots: Mosi North (former)

    CT Builder MKIV: A bulky construction unit. Sacrifices modability for improved performance time.
     
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    Update 017: Aftermath III
  • Threadmarks
    • People over Materia:l 11

    Oddball: 10

    War Sucks: 5


    [...] these delays are utterly unacceptable. This machine represents an absurd expenditure of labour and resources at a time where we have neither to spare. And it just vanishes out of nowhere? When you swore to me that this transportation plan would be successful, Admiral, I took you at your word. I trusted in your expertise. I am beginning to wonder if you have any.​

    Let it be known: if this prototype fails to turn up, someone will answer for it most severely. I refuse for that to be me. Conduct yourself accordingly.​

    — Taken from a secure missive sent by Her Grace, Duchess Lorelai Grangier, Governor of Jupiter​


    Tanaka Mari is on the edge of a full-blown panic. She's fighting not just for her friends and allies, but for her life, desperately and by the skin of her teeth. Whoever is piloting this sinister black mecha is far more skilled than the pilots she'd fought before. Even if the anti-laser coating of her mecha eliminates some of his more exotic advantages, this fighting is really pushing her. The enemy, this man with the strange, flat voice and the condescending air over the comm, is pushing her every chance he gets. He matches her move for move, the pair of them spinning through space, barely controlled.

    "Don't talk to me like I'm a dumb kid!" Mari tells him, trying to hide the frantic edge in her voice.

    "All evidence suggests that that's what you are," comes that reply, and her next attempt at stabbing his machine is as much to shut him up as anything.

    "I—" she dodges back from him, nearly spears his cockpit with her electrified cutter, spins out of the path of his automatic fire, and very nearly into that of his two more distant allies. The enemy Lancers can't keep up with her or the black mecha, but they also refuse to close with her, simply harassing from a distance whenever possible. She forces some brittle metal into her voice. "I am Probationary Cadet Tanaka Mari, pilot of the QDIMX Carbon Steel, and I will not be taken lightly!"

    "Tanaka, we have incoming." The HDMS Sunspot's control officer jars Mari back out of her tunnel vision. She sees on her scan display that, sure enough, her ship is in trouble. It's completely undocked now, attempting to engage with the enemy ship. Meanwhile, a group of enemy mecha fly toward it with plainly lethal intent.

    Mari narrowly avoids more covering fire from her opponents' squadmates, clearly attempting to herd her back toward him. It gives Mari an idea: She feints in one direction, moving as if to attack the black mecha again... before accelerating past him at a different angle even as he moves to block the presumed attack. Her real target, the one she's now bearing down on, is one of the two Lancers.

    "Stay away from her!" the black mecha's pilot orders. Mari ignores him, is already swooping in, dodging fire in three directions, cutter extended to plunge deep into the Lancer's comparatively fragile frame. Armour crumples, mechanisms smash, severed insulated cables fly loose into the void... but she misses the cockpit, barely. The black mecha is hard on her heels, and Mari expected this. She seizes the feebly struggling Lancer, and through a deft handling of her thrusters, hurls it back into him. The two of them are left in a dangerous tangle of limbs and live weapons, and Mari wastes no more time now that she has her window — she takes off for the Sunspot as fast as she possibly can.

    /////PoCS\\\\\

    You're on the approach to the enemy vessel. The False Verdant and the station from which it's undocking go from tiny, distant objects to filling more and more of your visual display shockingly fast. In another moment or two, your squad will be in range of the ship's point defence weaponry once again. It's an odd feeling, finally finishing this run that failed so disastrously the last time.

    You never even attempt it. Ryan's voice alerts you to the newest danger: "Squad B, target headed for you! It shook us off, Cam's down!"

    Shit. You can see the fast-moving dot on your scan map, sure enough, crossing the distance to hit your squad.

    "Kana, look out!" Even before Kitty speaks, you realise — the monster prototype isn't just headed for your squad. It's headed for you. This is going to hurt... for a little while, at least.

    You force your Pennant to turn and face its attacker as quickly as you can, just in time for it to bear down on you like all the wrath of the Holy Empire. You get an arm up and into the way of the descending cutter strike, but only barely. Your reinforced armour stops the blade for a fraction of an instant, just enough to save your life... before the limb is sheared off at the elbow.

    "Pirate!" Azara breaks off her own course, turning to fire off a hail of anti-ship rounds at the monster. Overkill, frankly, but it drives it off of you in time for Kitty — that brave, beautiful idiot — to meet it at close range, her Pennant being the only one left actually outfitted for it.

    It blocks Kitty's strike, nearly gutting her cockpit with point blank fire. Kitty's last-second dodge to the side means that only her armour ends up mangled, as opposed to her body.

    "I'm still in this," you report to the two of them. "Hang in there, Squad," you add, for Kitty's benefit. You follow this up with a spray of anti-mecha fire, saving her from the inevitable followup.

    "Fucking— yeah, thanks, Kana, I didn't think of hanging in there!" There's a real thank you in there, you're pretty sure, beneath all the fear.

    You're feeling it too. This isn't like the first time — you all know what this thing is capable of, how agile it is, how ruthless its pilot. You've prepared for this as best you all could. Still, though, your heart pounds in your chest, your breathing comes thick and ragged, cold sweat beads on your forehead, floating up inside your helmet annoyingly. The three of you are dancing with death, covering each other through close shave after close shave, the prototype nearly killing each of you at least three times. In the span of a minute that stretches into eternity, every near-miss costing you more — a limb, a sensor cluster, vital armour — the monster has been carving your squad apart piece by piece.

    This isn't a fight you can win, even working together as you are, even straining your Pennants to their breaking points. All you can do is stall until you're all dead... or help arrives. Thank every fucking star, it turns out to be the latter.

    Jay catches up to your foe, intercepts a stab that nearly spears through Azara's cockpit, and the prototype falls back in the wake of concentrated fire from you and Kitty. You laugh from sheer, hysterical relief. It's taken hits, you see, its armour marred in numerous places. The mere fact that you've made it bleed even this much is almost heartening.

    Of course, it's succeeded in stopping you from attacking the enemy ship. All this time, it's been exchanging railgun fire with the Esther Strova, moving gradually away from the station in such a way as to limit the Esther's firing ard, assuming correctly that your side was not going to deliberately target a civilian station filled with Jovians. Or, perhaps, hoping as much.

    Then, all at once, the target bolts. Not toward their own ship like you'd expected. Rather, it's headed toward yours.

    "Moving to intercept target!" All on his own, SRI Commander Milo Owusu has the particular task of safeguarding the Esther Strova for the likely event of the monster getting away from Jay one way or another. This seems like good planning, now. He couldn't stop it last time, but he hadn't crumpled immediately, even with the shock of that first encounter. Part of you, though, still wonders if this is how he dies. His Banner slams into the prototype, battering it back with sheer, greater bulk, landing a telling blow. The prototype's pilot doesn't let that stop them, though, for all that they're now down an arm — the target manages to slip past, already accelerating again, flying close along the Esther's long, narrow hull.

    Owusu tries to catch it, followed by Jay, having crossed the distance back to your ship much faster than the rest of you. They're not fast enough, though. The target finds its mark, ignoring the ship's point defence weaponry as it fails against the anti-laser coating of its armour, and letting off a single volly of expertly aimed hull-cracker bombs straight into the ship's main thruster array.

    In the seconds after this, Jay sweeps in, taking out the target's propulsion array in turn, followed by Owusu, damaging the hated cutter arm to the point of near uselessness.

    "Target secured," comes Jay's ragged voice over the comm.

    Azara lets out a cheer that lapses into a high-pitched, cackling laugh. You merely feel as though all the energy has been sapped from your body. You finally have what you intuitively set out for, what a number of your comrades have already died for. At the same time, the False Verdant, damaged but accelerating much faster than the Esther, pours on the power, accelerating away from the station. Again.

    It's still most of a win, though, and you're outside of a mostly-intact shipyard. As long as Cam pulls through, you'll let yourself feel good about this one.

    /////PoCS\\\\\

    Dzomo Station space port,
    Secured hangar bay

    The locals are not happy that you're here. And why would they be? They might not have been thrilled about having a Divine Navy warship here, getting repaired for free on the extremely tenuous promise of future recompense, but this is a loyalist station, out of opportunism if nothing else. The locals are considerably less thrilled about having been abandoned to the mercies of the group of armed, displeased insurgents that had just driven their supposed Imperial protectors off.

    Fortunately for them, your group hardly has anything to gain by menacing civilians for the sport of it. Less fortunately, you have a great deal to gain from strong-arming them into offering you harbour and repairs at implied gunpoint. It's really quite a reasonable deal, you think, under the circumstances, so they should stop glaring like that when they think none of you are looking.

    The captured prototype looms before you, one arm barely connected, the other held fast to the floor nearby, the human-like visage of its twin camera array reassuringly dark. Even in this state, the sleek modernity of its design feels utterly out of place amidst the industriously shabby interior of this isolated station. This hangar has likely seen use since well before the Civil War, and it shows, from the sadly faded paint to the tired whine of an air exchange fan somewhere nearby. You've seen worse in your career, frankly.

    Gathered around the captured prototype are a dozen armed crewmembers, each in a securely anchored firing position, each training their weapons on the sealed cockpit of the mecha from a slightly different angle.

    "You have to come out sometime," Captain Leski's growl is weary more than anything. You doubt that this mystery pilot can discern that particular nuance in the large man's bearing, just yet. "Make this easy and stop dragging your feet."There's no response from the silent machine.

    Technically, you're not supposed to be here, officially confined to the ship as you still are. But... it's just the hangar, isn't it? And you're not missing this for the world. Accordingly, you lurk on the sidelines, hair still damp from the cursory wash you performed after changing out of your pilot suit. You have one arm looped through a handhold, hands playing with a retractable knife that's been your constant companion since before leaving Titan, as little good as it will do in a gunfight, if it comes to that.

    Finally, the prototype's cockpit unseals, revealing the pilot of this terrible monster that's literally haunted your nightmares. The figure revealed within is almost as small as Cam, rendered otherwise anonymous in the white and and gold of a Divine Navy pilot, her features hidden behind the tinted glass of a strangely-designed helmet.

    "Put the weapon down, and keep your hands where we can see them!" orders Leski. And of course, the pilot is holding a gun, a vacuum-operable sidearm visible in one gloved hand.

    "N-no one come any closer!" Sunny's killer says. Sol, why does she sound so young?

    "You're not in a position to bargain, girl," Leski says, his eyes hardening. "Put the weapon down."

    Instantly, you know that this isn't going to go well. If she won't put the gun down, won't render herself less of a lethal threat, then your side is going to have to take her down as if she were a lethal threat. But something deep in your gut, looking at the small form of the pilot in question, tells you that the extreme brutality you all faced at her hands while she was piloting a giant death machine is nowhere to be found now, with her staring around at a group of angry people pointing guns in her face. On a hunch, you squint at the firearm she's carrying: The safety's not even off.

    "Hey, kid," you call. Her head turns to track you, even as your allies stare at you like you're insane, drifting as you are across the hangar to where this armed enemy combatant is stationed.

    "Himegami, get behind the line!" Leski hisses.

    It's a little late for that — you're already pulling yourself to a stop beside her, grabbing hold of the edge of her mecha's cockpit. She looks as though she might twist around, point the gun at you, but you don't give her that chance, catching her right wrist with your hand and pointing the weapon deliberately up and away from anyone. This close, you can see her wide, frightened eyes staring back into yours through the helmet. She's just as young as she looks. You can feel her whole body trembling.

    "It's a lot easier to pull the trigger when you won't have to look at someone's blood and brains venting out into the compartment, huh?" you offer, flashing her an utterly inappropriate grin.

    The girl opens her mouth, outrage flaring through her fear... but whatever it is she's going to say will have to wait. She's abruptly seized by several crew members at once, the gun entirely removed from her grasp, and hauled away to be properly secured.

    "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Leski demands, grabbing hold of your arm as you try to slip away back to the ship.

    You shoot him your most sheepish smile. "Hey, it worked out, didn't it? Now we have her alive."

    He stares at you for a long, hard moment. Then sighs. "We'll talk about this later," he tells you.

    "Whatever you say, Captain," you agree.

    All in all, today could have gone a lot worse.

    /////PoCS\\\\\

    You've successfully captured the QDIMX Carbon Steel, the prototype mecha you originally set out to obtain to begin with. Kana is alive and well, and you have lost no further pilots since the initial massacre, although the SRI's loss of personnel due to the AIJ's actions has put a strain on your fairweather alliance.

    You have grudging access to a space port capable of repairing your ship and equipment, although there's no guarantee that such a remote outpost will have all you need to work on every kind of mecha the Esther Strova fields.

    You have saved your friend Azara's life, and set her up with Kitty, your new Squad Leader. You have formed a strong connection with Jay Tham, and remain friendly with most of the other pilots, although this has earned you a reputation as a bit of a busy-body.

    You have two second chances left. Things will get harder from here.

    For now, though, you have a relatively brief window of time to catch your breath before returning to the fight. Your access to Dzomo station is seriously limited due to your past misconduct, but you've been working to get yourself back into your superiors' good graces.

    Article:
    What happens, in the coming weeks you spend here? Who do you memorably talk to, what do you do?

    Pick three from the following list, using plan voting.

    [ ] Azara & Kitty - be a hideously awkward third wheel
    [ ] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    [ ] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated
    [ ] Milo Owusu - somehow end up talking about his love life
    [ ] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns

    Pick one from the following list, separately from the plan above.

    [ ] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data
    [ ] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
    [ ] Help Chief Mechanic Yorke discover something about the QDIMX Carbon Steel
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Gazetteer said:
    Pick one from the following list, separately from the plan above.

    [ ] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data
    [ ] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
    [ ] Help Chief Mechanic Yorke discover something about the QDIMX Carbon Steel
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Question, do these events still happen if we don't pick them, or is our help essential?
     
    I am setting up a plan as soon as I'm done reading

    EDIT:
    done reading

    *doesn't know who to pick between Jay and Milo*
     
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    [X] Plan Different Kinds Of Complicated
    -[X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    -[X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated
    -[X] Milo Owusu - somehow end up talking about his love life

    [X] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
     
    Now let's see

    [ ] Azara & Kitty - be a hideously awkward third wheel

    We...kinda know what to expect over here that I'm slightly ehh about it at the moment. Maybe next social vote

    [ ] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once

    My number one social priority. We haven't talked to them in a while. I care about Cam and Ryan...we haven't picked him since the first social vote so it's about time we did. Also time to booli the nerds 😈

    [ ] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    I'm on the fence about this one since I do want to hang out with Jay, but I also don't know how much I want Kana to hang out with him.

    [ ] Milo Owusu - somehow end up talking about his love life

    Another one who I'm on the fence with since 1) we ruined SRI and AIJ relation again, and 2) I don't know if I want Kana to be a love gossiper

    [ ] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns

    This one is my second priority since it speaks of backstories. This isn't just a Nazaret vote; it's a vote about Kana as well, who I want to know more about.

    Now for the separate vote on the important stuff that Kana's going to be doing

    [ ] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data
    [ ] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
    [ ] Help Chief Mechanic Yorke discover something about the QDIMX Carbon Steel

    All of these look interesting. First being Amani (thankfully still alive). Second being more intrigue stuff which I do want Kana to participate in. Third being a Yorke vote who we've yet to properly interact, also accessing stuff on Mari's mecha (who is most definitely gonna escape).

    mmmm, as much as I like intrigue stuff, I also like Amani and Kana's interaction which we've skipped out last vote. So yeah voting for her (Sorry Yorke).
     
    [X] Plan Team Downtime
    -[X] Azara & Kitty - be a hideously awkward third wheel
    -[X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    -[X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help Chief Mechanic Yorke discover something about the QDIMX Carbon Steel

    I kind of want to hang around with the cool guy team we have, and figuring out what makes this mecha so great seems like an important thing to do.
     
    [X] Plan Meddling Pirate
    -[X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    -[X] Milo Owusu - somehow end up talking about his love life
    -[X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data

    I flipped a coin. RNG dictates Kana must be a Love Gossiper (the Milo option) so Love Gossiper she shall be.
     
    [X] Plan Team Downtime
    -[X] Azara & Kitty - be a hideously awkward third wheel
    -[X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    -[X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data

    Azara must not fall victim to Gaz.

    I'm more interested in the disaster of Kana and Amani interacting than the other boring stuff.
     
    I'm fine with plan whatever, but

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data

    is a priority. I think that the viewers will appreciate increased screen time of the POV character from the previous season.
     
    [X] Plan Mending Bridges (OMJMTW*)
    -[X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns
    -[X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated
    -[X] Milo Owusu - somehow end up talking about his love life

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data

    YOLO! LEEEEROY JENKINNNNS!
    *Or Maybe Just Making Things Worse
     
    [X] Plan Team Downtime
    -[X] Azara & Kitty - be a hideously awkward third wheel
    -[X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    -[X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data
     
    [] Plan Team Downtime
    -[] Azara & Kitty - be a hideously awkward third wheel
    -[] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    -[] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    Switching vote to
    [X] Love Gossip is Overrated
    - [X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns
    - [X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    - [X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
     
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    [X] Love Gossip is Overrated
    - [X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns
    - [X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    - [X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data

    Instead of being the hilariously awkward third wheel, let's just... let them do their thing.
     
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    Arcus said:
    [X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns
    [X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    [X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help SRI Lieutenant Amani North access your mecha's scan data

    Instead of being the hilariously awkward third wheel, let's just... let them do their thing.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Plan vote, Arcus. Name the plan.
     
    Fine, plan name is "Love Gossip is Overrated"

    Also, it's absolutely fucking criminal how Naz keeps getting passed up for screentime. This is what, the third or fourth time they've been passed over for other options. Absolutely disgusting.
     
    [X] Plan Meddling Pirate

    [X] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
     
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    Gazetteer said:
    "Hey, kid," you call. Her head turns to track you, even as your allies stare at you like you're insane, drifting as you are across the hangar to where this armed enemy combatant is stationed.

    "Himegami, get behind the line!" Leski hisses.

    It's a little late for that — you're already pulling yourself to a stop beside her, grabbing hold of the edge of her mecha's cockpit. She looks as though she might twist around, point the gun at you, but you don't give her that chance, catching her right wrist with your hand and pointing the weapon deliberately up and away from anyone. This close, you can see her wide, frightened eyes staring back into yours through the helmet. She's just as young as she looks. You can feel her whole body trembling.

    "It's a lot easier to pull the trigger when you won't have to look at someone's blood and brains venting out into the compartment, huh?" you offer, flashing her an utterly inappropriate grin.

    The girl opens her mouth, outrage flaring through her fear... but whatever it is she's going to say will have to wait. She's abruptly seized by several crew members at once, the gun entirely removed from her grasp, and hauled away to be properly secured.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Did...

    Did we just Ocelot that shit? More importantly, did we just get upgraded to side character by starting to imply the inevitable season 2 / Season 1 half-point plot twist that the Holy Solar Empire are the bad guys?

    EDIT: this being from the perspective that the HSE Ace and her friends are the anime protagonists and not Jay'n'co.
     
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    [X] Love Gossip is Overrated
    - [X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns
    - [X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    - [X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you

    Our newfound side character status must come with at least one helping of making everything more complicated for everyone. I really don't want to skip Nazaret interactions and Kana introspection opportunities, we've already made Kitty and Azara's life meet this week's complexity quota, and while bothering Owusu is likely to be entertaining this isn't Titanium.

    I'm voting for First Officer Booker because we've done enough damage to our equipment that if we don't at least take nominal efforts to keep what we have now intact by the time we get to part 3 then I'm pretty sure we will be sailing in a holey tin can powered by prayers. At best.
     
    [X] Love Gossip is Overrated
    - [X] Nazaret Ohanian - talk about hometowns
    - [X] Cam & Ryan - make fun of two different kinds of nerds at once
    - [X] Jay Tham - make your lives more complicated

    [X] Help First Officer Booker realise that the locals are holding out on you
     
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