Super Robot Quest

Basarin · Apr 23, 2018

It is AD 2070, and world peace is under threat.

The Earth Union has presided over thirty years of peace, prosperity, and growth. Healing the scars left behind by the Unification Wars and the Day of Starfall, the Earth Union has brought the world together for the betterment of mankind. With technological innovations in medicine, space exploration and commerce, mankind is poised for greatness.

But it is also on the precipice of ruin. For even now, in what would be our Golden Era, those jealous of the Earth Union's success would bring down the dreams of peace to ruin.

The simmering resentment of those who longed for their positions of power and prestige in the Old World would consign the Earth Union to squabbling superpowers and nuclear fire. The Westphalian Separatist Movement continues to launch terror attacks against innocent citizens in the hopes of undermining the Earth Union's legitimacy and continue to bring frightening weaponry to bear.

The rise of the criminal mad scientist George Sheol and his kaiju abominations continue to ravage the Pacific districts. Having long since declared his right to rule mankind, he will not stop until either he is dead, or all the world lies in ruins. It is only at great cost that the Earth Union Defense Force (EUDF) can stop the kaiju, and the damage continues to rise with each attack.

And even with the promise of a better future, mankind's First Contact has been a violent one. The alien Kausen abruptly arrived but a year ago, and have conducted nothing but raids on infrastructure, trade convoys, and energy. The Kausen have initiated no contact with the Earth Union or its' leaders, only their violent raids and demands to surrender cargo. EUDF commanders can only do so much when their Soldiers' equipment is so clearly outmatched.

Yet all is not lost. The rise of the Super Robots has gone some way to pushing back against the threats. In the Pacific, Sheol's attacks are vigorously contested by the mighty Mercury V, and the black robotic giant has become a symbol of Earth's defiance. The threat of the Westphalians in Europe is also challenged by the stalwart Valiant, who stands to protect the innocent where evildoers dare to tread.

As mighty as the Super Robots are, they are but two, and the threats myriad. Many fear for the future and wonder how humanity will endure.

One man is about to find out and change history forever.

1248, 4 January, A.D. 2070
Earth Union Defense Force Headquarters, Research and Development Branch
Unity Station, Mid-Atlantic Ocean

"-another kaiju attack just hit Manila-"

"-more damned separatists are running wild all over Barcelona, I don't care if they're-"

"-ew Year, and already getting Kausen raids along Newfoundland-"

The whispers echo fretfully along the cool, metallic blue hallways of Unity Station as you stride confidently towards your appointment. You have, of course, heard of all the recent attacks; it's all the news networks seem to be talking about. You would have even been a part of the response efforts if you hadn't been called here.

You are Johnathan Devin. Newly-promoted Major of the United States Army. Seconded to the Earth Union Defense Force, a fact that the globe and shield patch on your right shoulder reminds you of daily. And you honestly aren't even sure why you were called. It's not every day someone as high as a Brigadier General (rank discrepancies with the Earth Union and national armed forces aside) calls on a Major. Much less get called to the Capital and military nerve center of the Earth Union, Unity Station itself.

Oh, you certainly saw the strange stares from people far more senior than you; whether it's due to your rank or your reputation, you're unsure. You're just glad you're indoors, or you'd have a medical ticket for a fatigued arm from saluting by now.

Still, as you approached your destination, you are reminded more and more of the fact that you are in the center of the world government. Besides the grand optics of a giant man-made floating city in the Atlantic, many small details build up to a bigger message. There's hardly a flickering light that's gone just long enough without maintenance to notice, not a speck of rust on any of the walls…there's even fully-stocked canteen vendors placed every few corridors. From the many, many pictures on the walls celebrating humanity's great achievements – particularly invention and innovation, appropriate to where you were – to commemorative plaques of some event, all brightly announce that the Earth Union is the guiding hand of humanity.

Shame that there's plenty out there who still don't agree. But you digress.

You're shaken out of your reverie when you enter the office to your appointment. "Identification please," an officer requests in an almost monotone voice from behind a rather nice oak desk. The foyer seems almost out of place from the rest of Unity Station; granted, you'd only seen the main thoroughfares, but here there were upholstered seats, some carpeting, and ceiling fans. It almost looked like a normal office. If it weren't for the uniform and the EUDF patch sewn onto his left shoulder, the man working the desk could be a corporate executive elsewhere, complete with document editor screens hanging askew around him.

As you hand over your ID card, the aide – your eyes habitually glide over the shoulder boards, noticing he is a Captain from the Republic of Korea – blinks his eyes slightly into more focus. "Ah, my apologies, Sir," he says as he inserts the card into a slow on his computer. A new holographic window opens itself between the two of you, and angles itself so both of you can view it, verifying that you are who you claim to be. "It has been a long day...ah. Very good, identification verified." The screen displaying your basic information and service records, abruptly snaps shut, leaving only empty space where there was a screen. "Now, one moment please. I will ensure Brigadier General Peters will see you shortly."

He is as good as his word, and before long you are admitted into the office proper of Brigadier General Louis Peters. Though her office is just as seemingly-opulent as the waiting room, that is not what draws your attention. The elderly woman behind the desk in the uniform of a Brigadier General in the British Army radiates an air of authority, demanding your respect before even laying eyes on her. Cold grey eyes seem to stare right through you, as if wondering how exactly you would fit into some puzzle only she could see.

Trying not to let that get to you too much, you take a few steps forward before snapping to attention and saluting. "Major Devin, reporting as ordered."

"At ease." Idly returning your salute, she gestures curtly towards the chair in front of her desk. "No doubt you're wondering why the hell you're here, aren't you?" she asked, directly jumping to business.

"A little, Ma'am," you answer honestly enough.

[] – "I'm honestly not sure what you want with a loggie like me."
"Please, Major. 'Logistician' will do. And don't think I'm unaware of your relief efforts during the Day of Starfall anniversary last year."

[] – "What do you need with a helo pilot?"
"I know about how quickly you and your aviators flew against the Kausen raids. I also know you've seen them. Care to elaborate on it?"

[] – "I know guns, Ma'am. Not sure how I fit in here."
"You also know enough about the current state of them. Specifically, how much it takes us right now to bring down a single Kaiju."

Why this quest?
As cheesy and goofy as they can be, I love the classic Super Robot anime, for about the same reasons I love Silver Age superheroes. Cheese, technobabble, and just downright moxie and derring-do all wrapped in a tale of good vs. evil, determination, and overcoming great obstacles for a great but simple cause. It's admittedly not the most complicated plot style out there, but damn if it isn't fun.

Anyone who is already familiar with this genre (or anyone who's just flat-out played any Super Robot Wars/Taisen in recent memory) probably knows where I'm going with this. Series as old as Mazinger Z and Getter Robo, to the 90s such as the Brave/Yuusha series (ExKaiser, Might Gaine, GaoGaiGar), to something more recent (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann). It's in the spirit of these series that I decided, 'let's try out this whole quest thing.'

If you are looking for Mobile Suit Gundam-style military conflicts and political intrigues…well, while some of that might be in here (no promises), there is already another Quest running that covers the 'Real Robot' genre quite nicely. A shout out to Petals of Titanium; I highly recommend it!

Okay, so what is this quest about?
Good question! As I type this, I'm still figuring it out! But as an upfront disclaimer: you are not the pilot.

You are playing as the Director for the Earth Union's crash program on what are popularly termed "Super Robots."

The Earth Union wants and needs its own response to the threats plaguing it, and it does not want to rely on civilian programs it does not control. For whatever reason (which will be highlighted as you play), you will be responsible for developing that response. Recruit the people you think can make your vision a reality, establish the facilities and defenses to house your project, and create the Union's answer to the alien invaders!

Great! So how will we play? Will there be numbers?
This is going to be a narrative-heavy quest. In a similar vein to Dark Prince of Camelot or Petals of Titanium, this is going to be a joint-story writing effort between the players and myself.

Will there be numbers? A little bit. I'm much more of a writer than a number cruncher, and most rulesets that are already floating around do not really fit what I am trying to go for here (not even Mekton Zeta).

SIMPLE is the name of the game for me here (Well, it's actually Super Robot Quest, but-look, you get the idea). I want to focus on the trials and the obstacles of making some damned sense out of the mad SCIENCE running around. Even what you might consider 'failures' can be repurposed into a strong supporting asset.
(Whether or not I succeeded at "Simple" I leave to you. Fully willing to admit I may fall short in some areas)

Additional posts will introduce and discuss the mechanics, but this will be a mixture of d6 rolling and point-buy. Your Military, Science and Engineer teams will roll to even see if build options are available, and then you will assemble a prototype.

Anything else?
As a disclaimer, this is my first attempt to run a Quest. How will this turn out? No clue! But I'm eager to find out. I welcome all debate and discussions, but here are some rules for the thread.

Spoilers: This naturally draws inspiration from a lot of anime and other media. If you want to discuss them in the thread, that's fine. But for anything spoiler-y, please hide in spoiler boxes. Just because you saw a series and all the attached OVAs/supplemental material doesn't mean everyone else has!

Keep the discussions civil. I am making this Quest for fun, so let's all enjoy it in that spirit.

PS: I wanted to use the tag "Super Robot" but that isn't exactly in there. The tags are as close as I can make 'em. *shrug*

Basarin · Apr 23, 2018

In the year A.D. 2040, what would later be called the Unification War ended. With its' end came the founding of the Earth Union.

A supranational government, the Earth Union is a governmental body that holds sovereignty and jurisdiction over its' collective member-states. From the humblest nation to the mightiest superpower, all answer to the Earth Union. In turn, they are allowed autonomy relatively close to pre-Unification, so long as their laws do not contradict that of the Earth Union's.

The Earth Union maintains its power through participation of the member-states. All are allocated proportional representation in a parliamentary system. Representatives are elected domestically by their own populations and representatives, who in turn are entrusted with voting for the Prime Minister of the Earth Union for a four-year appointment.

The Earth Union is separated into Districts, and in turn subdivided by pre-Unification national borders. North America, South America, Europe, the Steppes, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The Earth Union's agencies maintain jurisdiction within these Districts, such as military, law enforcement, and trade.

The Earth Union is not without its own divisions. Many of the member-states, while willing participants, still chafe at a perceived loss of power and prestige in the new world order. Internal politicking and jockeying for position of primus inter pares is not uncommon. Appointments to positions of power are often a mixture of merit and political bargaining, leading to a general sense of governmental sluggishness.

Nowhere is this more felt than in the armed forces of the Earth Union, the Earth Union Defense Force. While the EUDF has integrated the military talents of the world admirably enough, the friction of political jockeying in the civilian sector often rears its' head in the military as well, leading to the military being an unholy amalgamation of a meritocracy and political dealings. While very few of the military appointments are downright nepotistic, this has led to accusations of failing to maximize the potential talent of humanity's military.

The Earth Union is a young and relatively untested organization, and its rule has not been unchallenged. Though it maintains order from the capital of Unity Station, much of the older generation clamors for the pre-Unification days. Perceiving their new place in the world as a loss of sovereignty at the tip of the nuclear sword, a Separatist Movement across many member-states has been growing for many years.

For all its' flaws, however, the Earth Union and its' Defense Force has without a doubt guaranteed a period of peace. Separatist sympathies notwithstanding, the first thirty years of Unification has seen a period of unprecedented economic growth, scientific advancement, and a flowering of arts. If nothing else, as the EUDF comes to grips with the myriad of threats that have abruptly risen to destroy the Union, many point to the promise of peace and prosperity as something worth fighting for.

The year is A.D. 2070. The following decade will see the Earth Union stand strong or break completely.

Called by both its supporters and detractors as the "Grand Experiment," the Earth Union Defense Force (EUDF) is the steady consolidation of all the armed forces on the planet. It is divided into three broad categories: the Ground Defense Force, the Air Defense Force, and the Naval Defense Force (with the integration of member states' respective Marines incorporated into the Navy).

Each member state of the Earth Union is required by the Pusan Accords to contribute a proportionate amount of their armed forces to a wider EUDF command structure. These personnel who are seconded in this way to the EUDF retain their original uniforms, with the EUDF digital badge sewn into their right shoulder, but are then incorporated into the EUDF formations. It is not uncommon to see a staggering amount of variety in uniform dress; a handful of American Soldiers could be dwarfed by Russian Ground Force uniforms, with the occasional sight of the People's Liberation Army uniform. This has been a source of critique from the older, more established national militaries.

In recent years, the EUDF has been experimenting with creating dedicated EUDF formations, not simply those contributed from the member states' armed forces. Though very small in number, training camps and officer academies beholden only to the Earth Union have begun operations in the larger member states, with their own traditions and uniforms. Whether anything comes of this is yet to be seen.

The EUDF otherwise operates similarly enough to the armed forces of pre-Unification. There is talk of a fourth branch, the Earth Union Space Defense Force, but this development has been temporarily delayed by the abrupt arrival of the Kausen.

The Unification Wars is the label historians give to the multiple conflicts that saw the foundation of the Earth Union. What began as a dispute over the militarization of space ultimately combined with territorial disputes between many of the world's major powers. Only the threat of a nuclear exchange and the relative stronger position of the victorious superpowers ensured that the world's leaders chose Unification over nuclear death.

After multiple setbacks in the beginning of the twenty-first century, the United States began to make breakthroughs in space flight. The creation of the first space flight reconnaissance craft, the Norfolk, was the culmination of their efforts. Despite a stated desire for peace, however, its' use by the United States military as a reconnaissance vehicle drew concern from the other superpowers that the United States was willing to militarize space.

An arms race of sorts began, with Russia, China, and even allies such as the United Kingdom, France Japan, South Korea and more investing heavily into space-worthy craft. Tensions began to grow, a situation not helped by already-existing disputes over territory and economic distribution.

To this day, no one can agree on who or what actually started the war.

What is known is that a superpower's spacecraft opened fire on the other in 9 March, 2020. The weapons, even by today's standards, were utterly inconsequential and were designed to break apart incoming debris rather than engage in orbital warfare. However, it was the very act of firing that triggered the beginning of hostilities.

What followed was two decades of limited and undeclared war.

While cooler heads prevailed and prevented active declarations of war from taking place, proxy wars not seen since the end of the Cold War reemerged. Though these wars were much shorter than in the twentieth century, they were no less violent. The Korean Peninsula, the South China Sea, various hotspots in Africa and the Middle East all saw proxy wars for influence and the diminishment of the other.

It took the threat of the superpowers slowly losing control of their proxies, and the additional threat of terrorists operating on the proxies' behalf hijacking space-capable assets, for the major players to realize that drastic action would be necessary. The Day of Starfall, 10 April 2035, saw multiple cities devastated by hijacked military shuttles plowing from orbit into the financial centers of the periphery, plunging the world's economy into chaos. Powers such as the United States and Russia had lost their abilities to carefully juggle their conflicts against the delicate balance of power and economy, and the sites of their conflicts were threatening to descend into outright anarchy. Some countries had already effectively dissolved, and warlordism threatened to become viable as a means of government.

By the end of 2035, the superpowers set aside their differences and began to forcibly reassert order. After bringing the chaotic regions to heel and eliminating terrorist cells to their satisfaction, the superpowers began a long, drawn out process of establishing a World Government. The results would be the Daegu Accords, the agreement that would pave the way to the establishment of the Earth Union by 2040.

However, while this was willingly embraced by the world's populace, many elites and entrenched power brokers in the former nation states, especially those of the superpowers, seethed at the perceived loss of power. It was these disaffected elements that would slowly begin forming the beginning of a Separatist Movement, though they would not reveal themselves for many years.

Known more infamously as the Separatist Movement, Westphalia (or Westphalians) is the commonly held moniker of those violently dissatisfied with the new status quo. Estimated to already having begun to form as early as A.D. 2044, the Westphalians consist mostly of the elites and local centers of power in their nations prior to Unification. Families of old blood and money, criminal organizations and mercenaries, all who profited from the lack of unity of the Old World, the Westphalians seek a return to the decentralization that characterized most of human history.

They are characterized by greed, selfishness, and a sense of self-importance. Operating in cells like the terrorist organizations of old, these cells operate on old nationalist lines, or in some cases even regional or local lines of distinction. Though they interact with each other and engage in minimal trade, this is largely done through criminal transactions and favors promised and issued. Most Westphalians operate with the veneer of loyal Earth Union citizens: most can be found in positions of economic or political power, with the most skilled of them able to play the game of double-life. Their clandestine operations, however, mostly push for profitable exchanges at the expense of the Earth Union.

Of special interest to the Earth Union Intelligence Services are two high ranking Westphalians: the Red King and PJH. The Red King has been identified as the mastermind behind many terror attacks, including the increasing use of modified civilian and military vehicles. His attacks appear to have the aim of discrediting the presence of the Earth Union. Analysts have been unable to ascertain any further motive, or what his ultimate end goal may be, as many of the attacks appear to strike at random and unconnected areas. PJH, on the other hand, appears to have a much more clearcut focus on profiteering. Smuggling, arms dealing, and all manners of petty and corporate theft all appear to link back to him, but the man is crafty enough to disperse existing evidence or eliminate it outright. He does not actively control or command his compatriots, but many answer to him anyway due to his seniority and the sheer amount of wealth and power at his fingertips.

Of concerning note are various pieces of equipment recovered in recent attacks. It is believed by analysts that the Westphalian movement is attempting to test and create a new type of weapon frame that the Earth Union does not have an effective response to yet. This worrying development, combined with the increase of attacks in the chaos of 2070, has led some analysts to be worried about the Earth Union's ability to contain the more militant Westphalians.

Full Name: Johnathan Devin

Age: 32
Member State of Origin: United States of America
Specialty: Logistics
Notable Actions: Evacuation of Pusan (participant), Kaiju Sample Preservation (initiator)
Current Title: Commandant of the Defense Force Research Institute

An officer of the United States Army, he has been seconded to the Earth Union Defense Forces Sustainment Arm for a good half of his career. He has had a solid, competent, but otherwise unremarkable career.

This changed with the Day of Starfall anniversary in 2069. A favored time of attack for Westphalian terrorists, the at-the-time Captain Devin was the officer in charge of providing movement control for the evacuation of wounded civilians to rear hospital facilities. Later citations would recognize the efforts of Captain Devin and his Soldiers for successfully evacuating 5,000 evacuees from the city of Pusan in one night.

This achievement is often overshadowed by being the first EUDF officer to successfully capture and preserve a sample of kaiju biology. Though this event only became more famous in hindsight, Captain Devin was personally on hand when the kaiju attempting to attack Pusan was repulsed by EUDF assets, though only at great cost. When a large scale crashed near him, Captain Devin acted quickly to preserve the sample through unorthodox means.

It was for this reason that Major Devin was headhunted by Brigadier General Peters to run her new Defense Force Research Institute.

While many of the breakthroughs were originally classified, there is widespread recognition from official sources that they are responsible for the revolutionary design known as 'Variable Configuration.' The Jackal-class patrol truck, an unusual iteration on the venerable Coyote-class, enables the drivers to 'configure' into a humanoid Mecha form. It has already been subjected to great praise by Colonel Franklin Kim of the First Response Corps, citing that it has already been able to enact rescue operations previously thought to be impossible.

The Institute's primary mission - that of the creation of an official Union Super Robot - has recently gone public, and the organization has had nearly two years of development time to back up their claims. Time will only tell if the effort can live up to the current legacy as established by Mercury V and Valiant.

Full Name: Haruko Sasaki
Age: 25
Member State of Origin: Japan
Current Title: Executive Officer, Defense Force Research Institute

Captain Sasaki's career has been based on merit and adversity due to serving in posts at the forefront against the kaiju, and very briefly, the Kausen.

Initial training indicated a natural talent of predictive analysis. She could develop a basic understanding against any opponent, simulated and real, and gain a rudimentary understanding of their objectives and goals. From there, she would devise plans to deny them their objectives, or at least make taking them an expensive proposition.

Having served as a flight control officer and flight dispatch, she is an adept hand at coordinating disparate groups of military personnel to a singular purpose.

Her career as Captain and as a Plans officer has been relatively short. However, she was highly sought out by the Earth Union's Aerial Defense Force (EUADF), to which her superiors acquiesced to the transfer. To be specifically identified by EUDF for service was considered a mark of honor and prestige. Her talents have recently come to the forefront with the arrival of the kaiju, and as a staff officer in the EUDF Pacific Command Sector, she has had a part to play in ensuring civilians were evacuated prior to kaiju alert. Her talents were recently focused on the new threat of the Kausen, but her superior General Armistead had her transferred to the newly founded Defense Force Research Institute.

Officially, she was assigned there because BG Peters 'requested' the brightest talent for the DFRI. Unofficially, General Armistead wanted her to keep an eye on the situation. Though General Armistead has by now more than benefited from the DFRI's contributions, his negative reactions towards the Institute have been puzzling even to her.

She has long since gotten over her initial skepticism of the project, and is a full supporter of Major Devin's efforts.

Full Name: Sam Carlson
Age: 37
Member State of Origin: United States of America
Current Title: Chief Scientist of the Defense Force Research Institute

"Sam Carlson here! Chief Scientist of the DFRI!"

"What, you thought I was gonna let some nobody write my own biography? Hell no I won't! All you need to know is that I make the Science happen!"

'SCIENCE!'

"Damned right. I spent five years in Unity Station trying to push the studies of ESP Theory, but those stuffed shirts weren't having any of it! Wasn't until Major Devin and his crazy DFRI project came along that I was given the resources I need to really make something happen."

"At this point, I can proudly say that the Super Robot is combat ready! It's been combat ready for awhile, I'll be frank - no, not you, Frank - but now we've fully brought it up to our standards! Only the latest in what we've managed to put together, a grand culmination of K-Class kaiju Materials, Psychic Piloting Enhancers, and the best Xenotech brought in from the Legio Galbinus! Just let the next batch of poor bastards come our way. Heh. Their funerals."

"So much to do, not nearly enough time to do it all! But it will be done, or my name isn't Sam Carlson!"

"Sam Carlson, we're done here!"

Full Name: Boris Ignatov
Age: 49
Member State of Origin: Russian Federation
Current Title: Supercomputer Engineer, Defense Force Research Institute

Hailing from Novgorod, Dr. Boris Ignatov's original intention was to pursue an ambition of creating smaller supercomputer interfaces for the Defense Force. Going so far as to establish a small startup company, Novgorod Computing Solutions, he and his engineers had some small successes with Defense Force contracts but never quite managing to come close to their original goal.

This all changed when Brigadier General Peters reached out to Dr. Ignatov with a job offer.

Though he is arguably even further away from his original goal of a miniaturized supercomputer, Dr. Ignatov is simultaneously the closest he's ever come to it. With the discovery of pre-Unification databases underneath the Institute, Dr. Ignatov is responsible for turning what was nearly identified as a pre-Unification virus into a series of sentient Artificial Intelligence programs. It is also through his efforts with Dr. Carlson that the creation of the Man Machine Interface, with assistance from his adopted 'daughters,' was even possible.

A quiet and reserved soul, Dr. Ignatov feels the weight of his years starting to - but not quite - creep up on him. Major Devin can count him as a staunch ally, given that through their cooperation he knows he will leave his mark on the world.

The 'Sisters,' as they are colloquially known throughout the DFRI, are the results of the unique strings of code discovered by Major Devin and Dr. Ignatov. Having no physical bodies to call their own, they are all administrative programs represented by their own unique avatars that assist and help the personnel through day-to-day operations at the DFRI.

The sisters go by the names of Katarina, Ivanna, Diana, and Lana.

Katarina, the 'eldest' sister, has the computing power to be everywhere in the facility at once. Cheerful and bubbly, she is simply happy to help out or to poke fun at you to prevent your ego from growing bigger than your head. Katarina's Support provides +1d6 to ANY action once per turn. This refreshes every turn.

Ivanna is the calm bedrock against which the highly volatile enthusiasm of the Science department heads, Sam Carlson and Maximiliane Brand, is anchored against. Calm and thoughtful, she ensures that what the science department proclaims actually works before allowing the results anywhere near the Commandant's Office. Ivanna's Calm allows one Science Action to be re-rolled per turn. This refreshes every turn.

Diana adopts the personality of a model officer, albeit one that is always on the lookout for more efficient methods of accomplishing the goal. If you assign her a task with any of the Defense Force assets, she will make it her mission to accomplish more than what was asked for with the same amount of assigned resources. Diana's Creativity allows one Defense Force Action to roll at a Threshold of -1. This cannot be lowered below 1.

Lana, the youngest, is by far the grumpiest of the sisters. This is somewhat more understandable when one realizes she works with Wilde and Henry on a regular basis. Still, her sheer stubbornness means that any setbacks only encourages her to try again, and again, until she succeeds. Lana's Stubbornness allows you to re-roll ANY dice that lands on 1.

Full Names: Adam Wilde, and James Henry
Ages: 25 and 32
Member State of Origin: United States of America
Current Title: Engineering Officer in Charge and Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge

To say that this pair is eccentric is a gross understatement. Originally based in the EUGDF Alameda Proving Grounds, LT Wilde and Sergeant Henry were originally known for being incredibly creative, but also a significant headache for their commanding officers. As often as they were responsible for miracles of repairs, they were known for just as many wrecks from their experiments. It was from one such experiment that caught the eye of Major Devin. This attention turned what was a flight of fancy into one of the modern breakthroughs of Engineering.

Responsible for the 'Variable Configuration' concept, Wilde and Henry are the brains behind the mechanical frames that house the other scientific miracles of the DFRI. Effectively creating transforming (or configuring) mecha, they are also responsible for the Combining Configuration concept behind the Timberwolf and the Foxhound, and are still hard at work creating and refining new designs. It is safe to say that the DFRI would not have a Super Robot without their efforts.

Where Wilde is enthusiastic about his work, cheerful, and practically goofy to a fault, Henry is stoic, quiet, and precise. Together, they create the bodies of the DFRI's Super Robots.

By now, they can claim they are professionals. So please don't try this at home.

Full Name: Louis Peters
Age: 60
Member State of Origin: United Kingdom
Current Title: Commanding General of Research and Development, EUDF

Louis Peters is one of the longest-serving military personnel in the EUDF, and is one of the few remaining who have served in His Majesty's Royal Army before and after Unification. Beginning service right out of graduation from university, her performance was mostly mundane. However, she became much more involved in the Unification Wars as the United Kingdom became drawn into the conflict.

There is very little a public dossier can say legally. Her superiors clearly saw some raw talent in the otherwise unremarkable Peters, as the majority of her campaign credits are still classified to this day. However, she was instrumental in stabilization operations in the aftermath of the Day of Starfall, and she has continued to lead a distinguished career since.

Peters has been the Commanding General of Research and Development since 2065. She promptly made herself a 'bloody nuisance' to policymakers in Unity Station, as she was utterly appalled at the state of the Union's armaments. However, her constant demands to begin a modernization program largely fell on deaf ears, especially considering the many decades of peace.

By 2070, General Peters now appears to be a very forward thinking individual, and has been given the resources she needs to begin upgrades suitable to the threats the Union faces.

Her most controversial decision has been regarding the creation of the 'Defense Force Research Institute.' The goal of creating the Union's own Super Robot has been met with incredulity at best, and open derision at worst. However, Peters remains stubborn on the issue. While openly praising the existing Super Robots for all they do, they are the biggest indication of just how far the Defense Force has to catch up.

She has recently confirmed her actions with the public unveiling of the DFRI's primary mission: the creation of the Defense Force's own home-grown Super Robot. Far from becoming a source of ridicule beyond die-hard critics, at the time of announcement the project has had nearly two years of development time and is reportedly battle-ready.

Nothing to see here. Especially since I don't think you have the clearance now, do you?

Hailing from the mechanical planet of Mekaen, not all of the Kausen are hostile. It is only thanks to the efforts and quick thinking of 1LT Callaghan that it was discovered (and is currently highly restricted information) that there is a strong point of internal division. It is also thanks to 1LT Callaghan's efforts that the Union is, if not quite allied, actively cooperative with the friendlier portion.

Dubbed the Legio Galbinus, so-named according to their own cultural norms and in honor of their leader, the Legion is led by Galbinus-R, whose position in Mekaen is analogous to a Captain in a law enforcement/military capacity. Leading a group of ten Kaus including himself, he and the hostile faction of Kausen were brought here through unknown means. The so-called "Free Brothers" were already known criminals on their homeworld, and while he and his mechs find themselves on a mostly hostile alien world, Galbinus' mission has not changed:

Bring the Free Brother Tyrannous to justice.

The DFRI has recently constructed an Enclave not far from the campus grounds as a friendly gesture and form of cooperation with the Legion to garner their assistance and technology. Both groups have closely cooperated for the better part of a year now, and relations are reasonably warm.

More bits of lore will be unlocked as we progress through the story.

Basarin · Apr 23, 2018

Name: Johnathan Devin
Rank: Major (Army); Seconded to Earth Union Defense Force
Member State of Origin: United States of America

Notable Achievements
- Officer-in-Charge of Pusan Evacuation in 2069; Responsible for rescuing 5,000 evacuees in area of responsibility
- Officer-in-Charge of Kaiju Sample Preservation, Pusan Evacuation; established Basic Procedures for preserving kaiju samples
- Commandant of the Defense Force Research Institute, Morrison University grounds (ongoing)
- Oversaw creation of viable, battle tested Super Robot concept
- Successfully established relations with Legio Galbinus (CLASSIFIED)
- Oversaw creation of Super Artificial Intelligence (CLASSIFIED)
- Acquired additional Kaiju Sample (CLASSIFIED)

OBJECTIVES: Refine Super Robot Development, Prepare for Deployment Against Threats to the Earth Union
STATUS: Formation of Additional Super Robot Team

Basarin · Apr 23, 2018

Dice Rolls

This game system operates largely based on the Tiny Frontiers system. That is to say, 2d6.

All rolls are categorized as "Tests." To overcome a test, you must roll 2d6. A 5 or 6 on any dice will automatically count as a success, and the Test will be overcome. Anything below will count as a failure.

There are of course modifiers to this.

If I deem you roll at a Disadvantage, you only get to roll 1d6. The opposite holds true for rolling at an Advantage. The success threshold remains the same in either scenario.

Combat is much the same. When two combatants engage, they both roll for Initiative based on 2d6, with (Dis)Advantage modifiers. Whoever wins, gets to go first. In order to land an attack, one will roll 2d6. If they succeed (remember, a 5 or 6), they strike successfully for 1 HP.

Designing, Testing and Building your Super Robot

Every turn, the Player will be allocated Resource Points. This is something I abstract as encompassing funding, materials, unwritten favors and so forth. The Player is operating on an entirely different scale than most actors, as they have the Earth Union's backing.

These Resource Points (now referred to as RP) are used to hire people, conduct wargames/studies of enemies, assembling prototype frames, proofs of concept, etc. But above all, RP are also used to even attempt Research options, the resolution of which is resolved by 2d6 Tests.

Additionally: though this is not reflected in Turn One, your monthly income of RP will be reflected at the beginning of your voting choices. You cannot bank RP for longer than one turn.

In a normal point-buy system, all of the options would already be available for players to preview. In Super Robot Quest, this is not so. The players need to first figure out what they can even do, then they build the prototype, then they have to test it, then they can actually begin considering it as an option for point-buy. Most components will cost 1 RP to buy, 2 - 3 for the more exotic components.

Constructing the Super Robot is considered a special action, and will require at least 5 RP investment to attempt. Players can create a Super Robot with components that cost 0 RP; those components will be considered to be standard equipment (insofar that the rest of the world considers it cutting edge). However, components that cost RP are what make the Super Robot actually Super.

Example

For example, the Engineers first need to figure out how to even construct a robotic frame before they can do anything to even help the Science team. Then they get the Defense Force teams to provide test pilots and a simulated environment to see if it is a feasible design. All of this would be resolved with 2d6 challenges. If the build is considered to be feasible, then that robotic frame will always be available as an option for future Super Robot builds. It will also be available as a means to placate the conservative military heads. The frame by itself isn't terribly useful, but you can adapt a small scale version of it for whatever the EUDF wants to do with it. Peters will take it off your hands, and with it will ensure you keep receiving resources.

Each Adviser will provide you options each turn, much like in other Quests you can see in the board. They are broken up into Defense Force, Engineering, and Science.

NOTE: Under most circumstances, you can take as many options in the Adviser categories as you have the RP available for. However, there will be certain choices which will see "CHOOSE ONE." In that case, even if you have the available RP, you are locked to one choice in that category.

This will likely make more sense when Turn One is unveiled, but in a nutshell:

Defense Force - Captain Sasaki will provide options utilizing the Defense Force. These can range from providing test pilots, screening the wider EUDF for pilot candidates for the full scale Super Robot, sending observers to attack sites, and so forth.

Engineering - Dr. Ignatov and Katarina, along with 1LT Wilde and SFC Henry, will get to work on actually designing and constructing things. Once the Science figures out how to build a Super Robot, the Engineers are given the task to interpret in what way to build it and with what bells and whistles. Super Robots are going to go through a LOT of prototype iterations, so don't be discouraged; it's better to get it right.

Science - Dr. Carlson and his lab boys and girls will make sure the secrets to psychic powers and kaiju samples will be unlocked! FOR SCIENCE!

SCIENCE!

They will unlock the principles behind the mad science available to you and then make sure they are in a format that the Engineering team can understand. They will also analyze any enemy remains or artifacts that you capture, for wider dissemination in the EUDF and to see if you can incorporate them into your own designs.

A Note about Combat

As you might have seen through the tone of this Quest so far, the players do not actually engage into combat directly. That's the pilots' jobs.

However! You are responsible for giving them the weapons they need to do the job at all. Fighting a Kaiju requires a giant robot. It's your job to build one. (See Above)

Now, when you decide that your Super Robot is ready for battle, you will create a support detachment in charge of taking it out into battle. You will appoint a pilot to command the unit, and that pilot will go into battle on the behalf of you and the EUDF.

Before entering combat, you will hold a pre-battle briefing between yourselves and the pilot, analyze the situation, and then brief the pilot on how you want them to engage the enemy. I will interpret those orders, and then I will roll out combat. Players, however, will roll for Initiative.

The chances of success are going to be somewhat low in the beginning. I want to make clear that this is not something to get discouraged over. Failure is not the end-all cut-off. If you fail, even THAT will unlock new options that success might not have. In all the adviser categories, you will also unlock different means through which you can gain new bonuses to your rolls.

In the beginning, to quote Cave Johnson, you are "throwing Science at the wall and seeing what sticks." The Earth Union is just figuring this out, and not everything is going to be a raucous success at first. When you get towards the mid-game? You will be as well established as GGG was.

Above all: Have FUN! I'm just happy to be able to write this!

Basarin · Apr 24, 2018

It appears our vote tally has called for Logistician. Enjoy the following post!

So as a note: you've now established from what field Major Devin comes from. But he's not a nobody; Brigadier Peters would not have called him in if he were. He stands out for some kind of achievement that no one else in the Defense Force has. What did he do that was so notable?

Vote for it!

These early posts are going to be a bit short, but this will pick up speed soon. These early posts establish who you are, what you've achieved, and more aside.

That said, apologies for anyone who might have missed out on the first vote. I generally post in the mornings and evenings of US Eastern time.

You slowly blink at the general officer sitting in front of you. She, in turn, stares back at you impassively - where did she get a teacup? You sure as hell didn't see that there earlier. "I'm...honestly not sure what you want with a loggie," you say slowly.

"Please, Major," Peters says with a dismissive wave of her free hand. "'Logistician' will do." Sipping at the tea again, she sets it down before staring directly at you. "And don't think I'm unaware of the relief efforts in the Day of Starfall attacks last year. Or how you were the one organizing them."

"You heard about that?" you ask incredulously.

"It's the reason you're even sitting here," she primly responds.

That's...new. Your Battalion Commander certainly had appreciated the scope of what you'd accomplished, but a lot had taken place last year when the Westphalians tried to make a point. And honestly, most of the limelight had been overtaken later on by the debut of the Super Robots.

But you hadn't thought too much about that part. You accomplished the mission, it went into your evaluation records, you returned to home station and life went on.

At least, so your thinking went.

"Don't play coy with me, Major," Peters sighed. "And do not just brush this off. The Defense Force doesn't care what you think of it."

[] "After all, you were also on hand for the kaiju clean-up in Pusan. I know other officers who were there, but none of them wrote the book on Kaiju sample preservation by themselves."

[] "Your name came up a lot in the reports on the Kausen raids coming into Norfolk. Do you really think anyone else has discovered discarded Kausen technology? That's a one in a million find."

[] "I read your report on what you found in Bordeaux. Something the separatist bastards left behind that they couldn't destroy. Something about a mechanical frame?"

Basarin · Apr 24, 2018

So it appears that votes were relatively split (vote tallied above), but the majority eked out a vote for the Kaiju sample. A little unexpected, but I can dig it.

"After all," Peters says with an eyebrow raised, "you were also on hand for the kaiju clean-up in Pusan. I know other more senior officers who were there; plenty seem to think their presence alone is enough for commendation." She shakes her head in disgust. "I am not doubting their courage or their performance, but none of it has a wider impact. None of them wrote the book on kaiju sample preservation by themselves."

You nod, knowing now exactly why she called you specifically, and what she was after. Of course she'd be interested in how you figured out how to preserve the sample. What bothered you was why no one else figured it out.

"I was probably lucky there was even a sample to begin with," you say up front. "I read up on the other kaiju attacks, and none of them even had leftover limbs. Everything just...melted, it reads like."

"So it seems," Peters agrees. "But we've never known until now. And, might I add, it's downright criminal that I am only receiving the report as of two months ago." She huffs in disgust again. "But nevermind that. I read your superior's reports when I finally got my hands on them; you and your Soldiers did everything you should have, and then some. But I need to hear it from you." She leans forward, the tea long forgotten. Her grey eyes flash almost like lightning as they narrow onto you. Like she's judging you on some basis. "Consider this a debrief if it helps. What took place?"

Slightly unnerved by the laser-like focus, you inhale, then exhale sharply. "Alright, Ma'am," you acquiesce. "Please keep in mind, it's been awhile..."

"조심하십시오! 조심하십시오!" a sergeant bellowed. The streets were playing host to a constant stream of vehicles, flowing through them like blood through an artery. Your sergeant, Staff Sergeant Kwon, was constantly bellowing orders and warnings to the rapidly fleeing civilians.

"Clear the roads!" the lieutenant yells in your recollection. "Sergeant! The 1400 convoy is coming up, I need these people redirected."
"Yes, Sir," comes the crisp reply. "이쪽으로! 이쪽으로 가세요!"

All of this was just so much background noise to you. Rather than the impression of chaos, it is the comforting din of activity. You knew your officers and non-coms were performing their jobs. They don't need your input just yet. As you hovered over the hood of your issued truck, you dismissed the usual noise as nothing worth worrying about.

What you heard from higher was.

"HQ, HQ, say again, over," your comms operator said in a controlled, but tense voice over the radio.

The response came, somewhat faint and tinged with static. "Require confirmation that Waypoint 5 is clear. Kaiju inbound, armor redirected to engage."

You mutter a curse under your breath – no need for the poor comms operator to hear it – and look up at the cramped streets. Waypoint 5, as it so happened, was where your humble movement detachment had set up headquarters. But like most streets in the city, much of it was cramped. Armor was going to absolutely tear the place apart just traveling through it, leaving travel time for all future traffic horribly mangled.

"Advise secondary route through Waypoint 8," you instructed the comms operator. "And we need an ETA on the kaiju sighting."

"Yessir," the harried operator responded. "Roger, HQ. Advise alternate route, requesting-"

He never got to finish that sentence. A massive fireball slammed into the apartment building a block away, sending the unfortunate construction tumbling down in a plume of dust and debris. Instinctively, you and your men immediately duck for cover; the lieutenant and staff sergeant outside opting to throw themselves to the pavement.

"…nevermind, dammit, it's already here," you grumble as your eyes clear.

Pusan's harbors were now playing host to Sheol's latest crime against all that was holy. A massive, lizard-like creature roared to the heavens as it emerged from the depths, as if announcing its presence and the doom of all before it. The damn kaiju that the EUDF was evacuating the whole city for had arrived.

Early.

If I die, you thought, I'm going to haunt the intelligence idiots that came up with the timetable.

Before you could even attempt to come to terms with your mortality, however, the kaiju stopped. It then cocked its head. It was only then that you realized that it was already…bleeding. As if it was escaping from a fight somewhere.

Before you could even react, rapidly approaching grey blurs were converging in on the kaiju's position. Fiery lances were released from the fighter-bombers and slammed into the kaiju's side. It roared in pain – or annoyance, you honestly couldn't tell – as parts of its scales and flesh were blown off. But for all the damage inflicted, it might as well have been needles poking a dinosaur – maybe painful, but not lethal.

The kaiju retaliated as another of the fireballs screamed forth from its nostrils, angling its neck in positions no natural lizard would consider. Several of the fighter-bombers immediately disintegrated in a fiery ball of metal and ash. Yet the pilots must have considered it worth it, as they swung for another pass, as if to attempt to lure the kaiju away from land.

It seemed to work, as even more aircraft joined the diminished few that remained to lure the creature away. Seemingly enraged, the lizard-like monster followed them, constantly bellowing fire and doom skywards the whole time.

You could only blink as you stared at what you were sure was your death slinking away, prevented only by the heroism of the pilots that sold their lives gladly. "…lieutenant," you said, managing to find your voice at least. "Lieutenant! I need a status on our personnel."

Miraculously, no one had been hurt. Not even anyone at Waypoint 4, which had been stationed near the apartment that blew up. "Good," you mutter. Thanking small miracles, you moved on, "Get these roads clear, we might have more – "

Your sentence dies the moment you gaze onto the street.

Somehow, while witnessing the battle, you all had missed the giant piece of kaiju scale that had landed a block away. A few rows of crushed cars along the street pay testament to the fact that it had landed hard before settling onto that road.

You and your men can only blink and stare at the damned thing for a few moments before. Before the image of the pilots simply melting to the kaiju's onslaught re-emerged in your head.

No one had ever captured a sample before. Just maybe, you reasoned in a haze, someone up higher could use it to do some good.

"Lieutenant," you order. Your voice was firm, your orders were clear and audible. "Tell Waypoint 1 we need their forklifts, time now. Staff Sergeant, there's plenty of seafood restaurants here. Take some Soldiers and open all the freezer lockers. Comms, tell HQ we are requesting a hazardous materials team here now."

Peters does not interrupt you at all as you reminisce through your memories. Your quick thinking had resulted in an intact kaiju sample, preserved at subzero temperatures (after judicious jury-rigging from the Staff Sergeant). This came at the cost of several earth-moving vehicles with melted manipulators and ultimately had to be manhandled by hazardous material teams in protective gear.

The restaurant itself was also going to need a massive renovation. You idly wonder if it went back into business

"All the same," you finish your report, "We stayed and secured the sample. At least until your teams came by to pick it up."

"And believe me, it's the only reason we even have any kind of knowledge on the damned things," Peters says. Scowling, she mutters, "It's not like the Yukimura Institute is sharing information." Looking back up at you, she says, "We still have it in storage." Seeing your questioning look, she said, "I'll explain that in a moment. But right now? All the scientists being made available to me through normal channels are too conventional. Half of them don't want to come close to it. The other half is insisting I give it to the 'experts.'" Her tone warned you against bringing up the creators of Mercury V, so you let it lie.

"I also made sure that as of two months ago – once I finally got my hands on the report – your way of preserving the material was spread to all commands." She shakes her head – seemed to be a thing this conversation. "Bloody bureaucracy. To think I could have had this earlier."

You wait in silence as she clears her thoughts.

"Regardless." Additional screens appear on Peters' interface. There was no mistaking the subject matter of the screens: the tall, imposing figure of Mercury V clashing with a kaiju in Kyoto, and the smaller but nimble Valiant wreathed in electrical currents as it pursued.

The Super Robots.

"You are amply aware that they are accomplishing what we in the Defense Force cannot," Peters says in a dry tone. Another screen materializes, and shows footage of Mercury V land a weighty punch across the kaiju's jaw, toppling it to the ground in a cavalcade of dust and flying debris. "That civilian agencies have developed weapons in response to threats we cannot fight."

Yet another screen shows the Valiant fighting a heavy tank with what appears to be a robotic torso grafted to where the turret would be. An arm is blown off when the tank lands a glancing blow, only for the Valiant to destroy the tank's armaments with its sword. A moment later, a new arm slams into the Valiant, heralded by a blinding display of electrical currents. "And, for the moment, they are succeeding."

The footage on both screens freeze. "I've been arguing with Unity Station for years that we need modernization," Peters says in an even voice. You get the idea that there's plenty she's not saying out of irritation. "And only now, two years after the third kaiju appears, are we springing into action." She lets out a huff. "The first two times, I am willing to forgive willful ignorance on the assumption that maniac Sheol couldn't make a third. The fact it took Mercury V to put down the fourth one is disgraceful."

You remain silent as she slowly winds up to her point.

"What I am about to appoint you to aims to fix this problem." She slides over a sheaf of papers to you across her desk. Curiously, you pick it up and glance it over to see a set of...appointment orders?

"As of today, we are forming the Defense Force Research Institute. You've seen what we are facing against up close. You've shown you are not blocked by conventional thinking on the subject. The position of Commandant of the Institute is yours. If you are willing." Looking at your shocked expression, she offers a wry smirk. "I've already had your transfer approved. If you agree, it is effective immediately."

You blink in shock for a moment. "And the mission statement, if I agree?" you ask.

"Officially, you are designing new equipment and weapons for the Earth Union Defense Force in light of the new threats we are fighting," Peters replies. "Unofficially, I think it safe to say we have established that anything so conventional is too slow." She points at the still-images of the Super Robots. "There are two Super Robots out in the wild, and official policy is going to be to tolerate them so long as they keep fighting for the Union. I don't doubt more are coming. We need our own Super Robots, and we needed them last year."

This...was not what you were expecting when you walked into the door this morning. Or maybe it was.

But really, there was only one way you could respond. "When do I start?"

"Immediately." As you sign the orders where your signature block is, she adds, "I will have to warn you, however." You look up, halfway towards sliding the orders to her already. "I'm getting a lot of pushback from the more hidebound idiots in command positions. I'm not exactly making it a secret we need our own Super Robot, and most don't care for the idea." She winces. "I had to burn some...political capital. We are getting our way, but I had to make a concession."

The intercom at her desk opened up, displaying her aide's profile picture with "SOUND ONLY" appearing over it. "Pardon me, Ma'am," he said apologetically, "But your other appointment is here. Shall I - ?"

"No, no," she brushes off. "Allow entry." Turning back to you as the connection cuts, she says, "They wanted someone of their choosing to be appointed to the project - for 'accountability' - as your executive officer. At that point I couldn't say no. This appointment was out of my control." As the door behind you opens, you turn around to see:

[] 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.

[] A young man dressed in - surprisingly - no national uniform almost saunter into the office. He is dressed in the EUDF First Response Corps uniform. He seems to be treating everything as an amusing joke, a wry smile etched onto his face, but the commendations on his uniform speak to significant achievements.

[] 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.

Now we slowly start to assemble your team. Your first pick of team is the Defense Force officer, who will act as your right hand. Effectively, though, conservative elements in the Defense Force aren't too keen on the project, and want to keep an eye on it. How you will address this is up to you.

Vote, and I will post an update tomorrow evening!

Basarin · Apr 25, 2018

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.

Vote away!

Basarin · Apr 26, 2018

"As you all know from your contracts that you never read, if anyone asks, Jack is perfectly fine!" the PA blares out cheerfully. You and Sasaki share a bemused glance. "He did not start to float two feet in the air while glowing magenta."

Wait. What?

"Any allegations that he began chanting the Old Testament backwards perfectly is nonsense."

".doG ruoy droL eht ma I :sdog netlom sevlesrouy ot ekam ron ,slodi otnu ton ey nruT"

Oh. That was not hyperbole. At all.

"And even if he did, he still did fantastic work yesterday. Heh. Bet he's still writing his observations like a champ."

…that isn't hyperbole either. He really is floating in the air – tethered to a floor vent with a piece of string, you notice. And he really is jotting down his notes, independently of the fact that he was quoting scripture backwards.

"…that appears to be mauve, not magenta," Sasaki manages to say.

You just give her a pointed look, to which she simply stares back. As if to say, 'Well, what else do you say in a situation like this?'

"Anyway, get to it! It's not like we're going to let the laws of physics get in the way of scientific discovery."

…you really need to talk to this man.

Your observations earlier weren't completely off the mark; you flag one of the interns asking for directions, and it's only a few moments of weaving through more patterns of chaos before you're brought to the man himself.

He's…not what you were expecting.

A tall, broad-shouldered man, he practically leaps over his desk when he sees your uniforms. "A-ha! The man and woman of the hour!" he proclaims. Shaking both your hands like they were water pumps, the man seems like someone bottled a hurricane that really wanted out. "Dr. Sam Carlson! I run this lab."

"So we heard," you manage to say wryly. "John Devin, EUDF." You gesture – with your free hand that's not being gripped in a vice – to Sasaki. "My executive officer, Haruko Sasaki."

"Great, great! So…what can I help you with?"

You decide to cut to the chase before he can launch into a sales pitch. "We're assembling a team to research new weapons and equipment for the EUDF," you say. At the mention of 'weapons,' you can see Carlson's eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning. Before he can say anything, you add, "But the real focus is making our own Super Robot." That causes Carlson to shut up immediately, and just stare at you.

An uncomfortable five seconds pass before you add, "We want our own-"

"-Mercury V and Valiant, right!" Before you can do anything again, Carlson runs over to a holographic projector and practically slams the poor power button. Before long, a series of equations and scans of the human brain are floating in between you. None of it is anything you can make sense of. "And I have just the things that can make this work!"

Sasaki takes her turn to try and control the conversation. "Dr. Carlson – "

"Sam! Call me Sam. Too much Science here to stand on formality."

"…Sam. You have not even heard our requirements."

"Doesn't matter!" Immediately thumbing additional controls, the equations all fall to the wayside, as if they'd been brushed off the table and fallen to the floor like a cat had its way with them. "Now! This is the human brain as we know it today. Along with all the usual treatments in utero." Another brain then pops into being like some strange stage balloon. Did his personality rub off on the equipment? "And this, is the human brain – with a mutation." Certain parts of the brain are immediately highlighted, showing a side-by-side comparison to the Earth Union accepted norm.

"In normal day-to-day operations? Totally irrelevant. Benign mutations, at best a slight increase in higher brain processes. Like SCIENCE!"

"SCIENCE!" the outside door rumbles as the entire lab takes up the word as a battle cry.

"But on its own? Not anything to get worked up about. Only about one percent of the human population even has it." Carls-Sam, you correct yourself – just jumps back into the explanation like the outburst never happened. "And none of them can even use it for anything major. I was told to ignore it and move on with life."

He then has a broad smile on his face. Perhaps a little too broad. You think you understand why the platform administrator was so quick to volunteer him if it got him to move away.

"But did I? No sir, I sure as hell didn't! I decided to see if someone with the brain mutation could do anything with it. Small scale tests show, they sure as hell can!"

"Like…Jack out there?" Sasaki asks hesitantly.

"Oh, is he still doing that?" He sticks his head out the window. "Keep working, Jack! You're almost through Leviticus!" Turning his attention back to you, he said, "So we tried every machine under God's green earth and then some to see if there was a reaction, since the math just wasn't there. Hell, we don't even have good enough formulas to figure this stuff out. But as it turns out, you can amplify the mutations to do a few things!" Pointing to Jack, he said, "He's not a really good example, by the way. Outlier and all. But some machines have reactions to them. They jump and dance a little if they get too close, especially if you fiddle around with the inner settings. Never really noticed before because most people never even get near a microscope, let alone a laser."

"So how does this factor into a Super Robot?" you ask. "I'm not entirely sold on how you can turn this into – "

" – a giant death dealing god of destruction and violence and merchandise? I'm getting to that!" Another hologram appears, practically shoving the brain samples out of the way into parts unknown. It's an image you know very well.

The kaiju sample.

"Now, we just got our hands on this thing, so the lab boys haven't had a chance to do the Science yet," Sam says. "But you give us enough money, time and resources, we will figure a way to make this work. ESP is a thing, John – can I call you John? – we just never had the chance or permission by the stuffed shirts upstairs to pursue it. You want to pilot a car or plane without controls? ESP has the potential for it. Want to scale that up to a Super Robot?" He points to the kaiju sample. "We'll sure as hell give it the old college try. And that thing is probably going to be a literal backbone of the idea."

The kaiju sample then magnifies. "When I say we just got this thing, I mean it. But I can confirm it's artificial biology. It's a living thing that some crazy maniac made and let loose." Heedless of the irony of his statement, he drives on, "Just watching the news? I see a brain with one or two directives and told to 'go smash something.' I don't know what I can do with this, but I can tell you this. Unless you have some other mad science project lying around, you're not getting far without a building block like this."

Between all the craziness you witnessed outside, and meeting the man himself, you have a better sense of what drives him. It isn't exactly safe science that he is conducting, but he is looking towards the new, the unexplored. He just needs a proper outlet, and someone watching over him before he destroyed the planet.

Not destroying the planet is good. You live on it, after all.

With a small flourish, you pull out the authorization paper regarding Sam, and hand it to him. "Pack your bags by the eighth. You and yours are helping us make a Super Robot."

Sasaki gives you a questioning glance as you both abruptly depart the office and lab. You, for your part, resolutely ignore the fact that exactly ten seconds later, you hear a rumbling cheer erupt from the office you departed. "Is this…wise, Sir?" she asks.

"Do you know about anyone else crazy enough to try?" you counter. She remains silent.

"Sam here," the intercom blares. "Wrap up what you're doing, we're out of this popsicle stand!" You can easily hear the excitement in his voice and see as it rapidly spreads among the research staff. "New boss in town, and we're moving on to bigger and better things! Sam Carlson, we're done here!"

(I am going to wrap up the post here with a purely voting choice. You get your choice of two Engineering teams that John and Haruko pick out to finally round out the team. Please vote in a way that won't hopelessly confuse the tallying system!

(I'll leave voting up until tomorrow at around lunch time. Any questions, just let me know!)

[] Mechanical Engineers – a pair of EUDF mechanical engineers have been highlighted as candidates from the 15th EUDF Motorized Division based in California. A First Lieutenant and a Sergeant First Class come with conflicting reports. On the one hand, superiors have cited them for their miraculous ability to repair broken down vehicles so long as they are given free reign in the scrap yard and left-over parts. On the other hand, they have a reputation for manic 'experimentation,' with those same superiors frustrated over how 'they bust almost more vehicles that they repair.' They are apparently attempting to experiment with creating what they call 'variable configurations' to allow vehicles to change form for different purposes. Left alone, the idea is likely to fizzle out. Given official support, however…

[] Mechatronics Engineers – a small industrial automation firm based in Bremen, Germany has been noted as a potential candidate for recruitment. The head of the company, an old, wily inventor, has been responsible for manufacturing many of the automated servos used by assembly lines in automobile firms. Lately, however, the company head seems to have been inspired by the hulking robotic frames cobbled together recently by the Westphalian separatists and is attempting to pursue the idea independently. Results are mixed, but this is very likely because this is a side project and not a source of serious investment. Given time and resources, however…

[] Computer Engineers – a defense contractor company based in Novgorod, Russia was identified as a potential recruiting option for Engineering. They are manufacturers of military computer systems that supplement EUDF vehicles. Anything from fighter jets to main battle tanks, some of their hardware has likely found their way into the cockpits, all the while complying with the main manufacturer's software requirements. Lately, they have been attempting to push into developing super computers for use in combat vehicles. Thus far, few in the EUDF command or civilian agencies have been interested, as the company is relatively unproven in such an endeavor. Perhaps they simply haven't met the right customer…

[] Materials Engineers – a civilian company based in Nova Scotia, Canada has been tapped as a recruitment possibility. Responsible for fabricating supplemental armor plating for infantry and combat vehicles, they have lately been experimenting with new alloy mixtures. Nothing has borne fruit yet, as the EUDF has greater demand for their usual products, but they seem unsatisfied with the effectiveness of armor against the EUDF's latest foes.

[] Weapons Engineers – a group of weapons engineers establishing their own business has been identified as potential recruits. Veterans of arms development, they are intimately familiar with weapons ranging from small arms to naval cannons. However, they are attempting to become pioneers in laser technology, by turning them into weapons instead of just industrial tools. The EUDF has barely taken note of them, and it is uncertain whether they will succeed or not.

Basarin · Apr 27, 2018

1536, 6 January, A.D. 2070
Landing Pad 5B-2
Unity Station

You try not to sigh as you watch the assorted Soldiers assigned to you load onto the Stork-class aerial transport, the Yuri Gagarin. The assorted officers and Soldiers were slowly – but surely, you try to console yourself – loading the laboratory equipment onto the hulking aerial transport. The vehicle looked so much like a nesting bird with its wings folded inwards, if one didn't mind the steady stream of Soldiers going in and out of the vehicle via the loading ramp in the rear.

Really, you try not to hold it against them. It's not their fault, and certainly isn't Sasaki's. She has her hands full simply organizing and requisitioning everything you will need to get on your feet. It certainly helps that the Brigadier gave you essentially carte blanche to grab what you wanted…within reason. She has things as well in hand as she can, given what you must work with.

But couldn't they have assigned you actual Logistical Soldiers? You looked over the personnel rosters, and many of them were drawn from combat units. It's logical; most of them are likely to serve as facility security, along with a cadre of maintenance, engineers and test pilots. And any Soldier will tell you, no matter the time or place, that Soldiers are always used to having to load things.

But your old Soldiers in your last post…they at least knew how to do things right without you having to hold their hands. The officers all knew how to do what you wanted; you just had to give them direction, and they and their sergeants could deal with the rest.
You sigh. You miss those simpler days already.

"…telling you, he's over here!" you hear a voice echo from the warehouse behind you.

"That's what you said the last few warehouses, LT," another voice said. Compared to the first voice, which sounded energetic and excitable, the second voice was deep, monotone, and…not much else.

"Oh, come on," the first voice insisted. He sounded much closer now. "Who the heck transports a giant refrigeration unit like that?"

"The Quartermasters."

"Details!"

Turning around, you see a very mismatched pair approaching in…is that a power-loader truck? The profile is all off.

A First Lieutenant and a Sergeant First Class are approaching you while animatedly talking to each other in the open-topped driver's compartment. The lieutenant has a shock of yellow hair and the five 'o clock shadow of someone who hadn't had a chance to shave in some time, likely from a long plane flight. The NCO, on the other hand, sat stoically beside the officer, his EUDF Regulars black beret still hanging on his head over a squat pair of glasses.

You'd served in plenty of EUDF formations, but most still retained the uniforms of their national origins. Apparently, they were being serious about starting a pure EUDF integrated force from the ground-up; the light green digital camouflage patterns bore only an American flag patch on their right shoulders, situated over the globe and shield of the EUDF.

You glance back at the transport, then back at the pair. You were not expecting 1LT Wilde and SFC Henry to arrive so quickly. Even when over the phone, their Battalion Commander had all but signed the transfer orders verbally, and flat out begged you to take them off her hands. Her loss. You think.

"Sir!" With a wide, happy grin, Wilde sketches a salute towards you. Henry does the same, but much more solemnly. "Lieutenant Adam Wilde, checking in as ordered!"

"Sergeant First Class James Henry, Sir," came the monotone of the NCO.

You return a salute just as brief as theirs. "Major John Devin. Heard some interesting things about you two," you greet them.

"We deny everything, Sir," Henry responded.

Wilde jabs him in the ribs, then shakes his arm in an exaggerated fashion when it utterly fails to faze Henry. "We're not that bad, Sir," he says. The grin has yet to fade from his face. "But…uh, what did you hear about us?"

"Something about 'variable configurations,' I think were your BC's words," you say dryly.

"Oh, yeah! Those!" Excitedly, Wilde engages a few levers that you can't see. You automatically take a few steps back as the back of the truck seems to fall apart. But the pair stubbornly refuse to be fazed, and still sit calmly in the driver's seats. Instead of falling apart, the back of the truck has two giant claw manipulator arms hovering menacingly over the flatbed. "We figured, why wait for a power loader truck when we can make a power loader truck out of any truck?"

You absentmindedly wave a hand at the Soldiers behind you taking cover to stand down. They were clearly as shocked as you were. "…did you get one of these trucks from here?" you hazard to ask.

"It was scheduled for turn-in for scrap, Sir," Henry says with a shrug. "They didn't care what we did with it."

"Fair enough." Turning around, you see the Soldiers slowly begin to get back to work. An evil thought crosses your mind as you turn back to them. "Well, welcome board, gents," you say. "As of now, as per your transfer orders uploaded to Unity Station, you're part of the Defense Force Research Institute." Immediately, the rank badges on all three of your uniforms chirp with a soft chime. Voice recognition of the lawful transfer had been recognized. "I'd normally let you get settled in, but…" You gesture towards the troops, who suddenly seem to have a sense of dread. "Take charge of getting our gear and Soldiers stowed away. I want all of this stowed away and ready to go by 1200 tomorrow."

The pair glance at each other. Wilde is now smiling even more, while you see a suggestion of a grin on Henry's face. "We're on it, Sir!" With that, the truck trundles on towards the unstowed gear.

You chuckle a bit as you see the manipulator claws simply grab all the gear and throw them onto the flatbed. Wilde hops out of the driver's seat to immediately gather all the NCOs to put some sense of order into the loading process while Henry continues to load things onto the truck at a more sedate pace than his superior.

"Lively pair, aren't they?" a deep, bass voice says curiously from behind you. Turning around, you see an older man staring at the truck with some measure of fascination. "Interesting. Defense Force training normally calls for slow methodical movements with guidance from Soldiers on the ground. Movements on a control scheme such as that would require a significant amount of thoughts and calculations per second. Even with an onboard computing suite."

"You're…not wrong," you say. "But I believe they created a custom framework for this one. That isn't standard issue."

"All the same, it is impressive," the man says. "I would very much like to speak with them later." Turning fully towards you, you see the man up close for the first time. A head shorter than you, the man has a well-trimmed beard that juts out past his chin. His hair, while brown, has already begun to bleach into gray. He wears a simple business suit, with a Unity Station pass clipped to his lapel.

He holds out a hand to you. "Dr. Boris Ignatov, Novgorod Computing Solutions. I understand from the communique from General Peters that I am to work with you?"

"Major John Devin. Good to have you, doctor," you greet as you firmly return his handshake. Despite his age, he still has a strong handshake. "I understand you want to branch out into supercomputers."

"Not just branch out, young man," he huffs in amusement. "I want to make supercomputers our business." He nods to the staff trailing behind him as they add their cargo to the now rapidly shrinking pile left to load onto the Gagarin. "And this project of yours…I do believe we can assemble something of worth for you."

"Don't sell yourself short, doctor," you chuckle. "I'll be blunt with you. BG Peters wants our very own Super Robot. I haven't fully taken stock of our options yet, but I will take any advantages you have to offer us."

You can see a small twinkle in the man's eyes. "Music to my ears, tovarisch," he says with a smile. It puts you in mind the image of a grandfather doting on a grandson. "We will do this for you. You give us the means, we will give you the ends."

8 January comes very quickly.

As you sit in the guest room of the lodging that had become your office over the past few days, you glance at the figures sitting around you. Very quickly, even without it becoming formal yet, you have a 'staff' that you see will be helping you in the future.

Captain Sasaki, your Defense Force coordinator, your executive officer, and unofficially your 'minder.'

Dr. Sam Carlson, your chief of mad Science.

SCIENCE!

…weren't the windows closed?

Dr. Boris Ignatov, your chief Engineer. To his side is the excitable Lieutenant Wilde and the somber Sergeant Henry.

Together, you all had one charge. Create the Earth Union's own Super Robot. Then, when that happened, do it again.
All that was left was to take final stock of where you all will be setting down roots. Though Brigadier Peters had promised you an 'adequate' facility, both of you knew that it was likely going to be run down, in poor condition, and not entirely suited for what you need. But it does come with the advantage that there will be something that can help you, and as you will be signing for the land, you have full control over any renovations you initiate.

All you must do is provide results.

No pressure.

What facility did Peters manage to acquire for you?

[] An abandoned missile silo complex. Long abandoned after the Unification Wars, the facilities are surprisingly intact for their age. Obviously, the missiles have been removed, but the silos can be repurposed to whatever you want. In fact, most Old-World bases were quite modular; with a little work, what started as a missile silo can turn into something quite different. Lieutenant Wilde and Sergeant Henry are quite excited, as they can see opportunities to expand the base to be a paradise for building and testing prototypes. (+ Bonus to Engineer Actions, + requires relatively little renovation, - what you see is what you get, ???)

[] An abandoned series of oil derrick platforms. Formerly owned by a Westphalian-aligned warlord fighting for the return of national borders, it has long been abandoned after he was decisively defeated by Special Operations teams. The platforms once held a small nation of Soldiers and could easily be repurposed for a Defense Force presence. However, the location is well-known and infamous. (+ Bonus to Defense Force Actions, + defensible location, + military facilities for testing purposes ready to go with some repairs, - not particularly suited for Super Robot development and will require extensive renovations for the purpose, - well-known location, enemies could easily locate you if they were inclined, ???)

[] A destroyed university campus. The campus management was unable to afford reconstruction fees after it was caught as part of a kaiju raid last year, and ultimately opted to move to a new location. However, it still has plenty of excellent research facilities (if in need of repairs), and plenty of facilities for offices and housing for personnel. (+ Bonus to Science Research Actions, + ready-made facilities, - requires comprehensive renovation, ???)

We have now reached the end of the prologue. Soon, you will begin Turn 1! Exciting!

I'll likely count the votes sometime tomorrow early afternoon or early morning depending. But before I post turn one, you will all get an interlude of things happening. In future, you will get your choice of what interludes you want to see, but this one is already pre-planned.

Enjoy!

Basarin · Apr 28, 2018

0559, 4 January, A.D. 2070
High Orbit, North American Airspace

"Initiating descent!" a voice called out from the pilot's seat. "Patch, keep the shields up!"

"Make it fast, Hotwire," a tense voice called back. Giant metallic hands practically flew along the control console as the shuttle was buffeted by not just atmospheric entry. The purple haze that normally surrounded the ship began to flicker violently. "Oh, just fragging wonderful." His complaint was punctuated by another impact. "Looks like Tyrannous welded cannons onto the other shuttles."

"Well, you can't just redirect the shields backwards!" Hotwire snapped back. "It's too early! We'll burn up the ship in atmosphere if we do!"

"So, do you want us to burn from plasma behind us?" Patch snarked back. "Or burn from reentry?"

"Enough!" a third voice boomed. Both turned towards the cockpit entry, where a large Kaus stood. "Hotwire, get us planetside as quickly as you can. We'll have to detach the decoy sooner than we expected, is all." The larger Kaus turned to Patch, his expression unreadable beneath the visor. "Patch, I need you to flash load the generators immediately."

"But Galbinus-!"

"-it's dangerous to do in atmospheric descent, I know. Keep energy support and crew compartments prioritized, but we have to sell that we are taking critical damage going in." Galbinus grimaced. "I don't like it any more than you do, but better we get planetside with some damage than not at all."

"Complying." As much as he didn't like the idea, Patch skillfully manipulated the shield settings, and before long the shields were flickering even more violently. "Alright…if they don't think we're losing shields now, they never will," Patch grumbled. "I can't keep this up forever though."

"You won't have to," Galbinus assured him, before turning his attention back up to the rapidly approaching surface. He could see the horizon of the planet now. "Hotwire…now."

"Compliance. Detaching." The shuttle shook violently as literally half of the shuttle blew off. Hotwire winced; he immediately could tell it hadn't exactly gone as hoped. "Frag," he muttered. "Wasn't a clean break, we've got holes in the hull."

"Got you, Hotwire," Patch called out. "You're getting what shields I've got left to seal them off." The mechanic's hands had not once stopped manipulating the shields. "We're losing bits of the hull anyway though! Not sure how long I can keep this up!"

"...it worked," Hotwire said through the tension. "Pursuing shuttles breaking pursuit. Probably thinking 'close enough.'"

"It'll have to do." Galbinus manipulated the nav-data, overlaying a series of grid coordinates over the large northern continent they were making freefall towards. "Hotwire, can you get us down there?"

"It's not going to be clean, Sir, but we'll get there," the not-pilot promised.

"Good. Patch – "

" – bracing shields for impact, Boss, I know," Patch said in a resigned voice. "…ask you something, Boss?"

"What is it?"

"So, we're splitting off from Tyrannous' crazies," the mechanic asked. "But all we've been doing until we ran off is attack the natives. Who the scrap is going to trust us down there? Or even want to hear us talk?"

"…I wish I had a better answer, Patch," Galbinus growled in a tired tone. "But better that we made the effort than continue Tyrannous' mindless butchery." His visor glanced at the planet that was still shrouded in night, illuminated by brilliant city lights. "This species was on the cusp of spaceflight before our damned war threw us here. We interfered with their development. It's only right that we help fix our mistakes."

"This is your pilot speaking," Hotwire said over the intercom. "Planetfall to follow shortly. If you're not strapped down to something already, manufacturer be with yo-"

"…and at approximately 6:15 this morning, people up early enough might have been lucky to see a meteor shower. Though our meteorologists had already predicted it was coming, some experts were confused, as it was not expected for another hour.

Earth Union Air Defense Force officials would like to remind you that should a meteor fragment come down in your property or damage it in any way to contact the authorities…"

Turn One post to come up sometime today. For now, have an update. I will tally the votes in a little bit.

Super Robot Quest

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