Desparado
Recruit
MIA
In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king...
Posts: 51
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Post by Desparado on Nov 4, 2004 1:47:23 GMT -5
Stepping from my mech and taking another look and the awesome spectacle that it was, was just the thing I needed after we had lifted. A tech approached me and asked about my Atlas. Were there were any specific repairs to be done other than a few routine diagnostics? Yea, try to see if you can't get those erMediumLasers to vent their heat right. Something about fusing the Clan technology and InnerSphere makes the Lasers want to overheat themselves and short after extended use. Sounds tricky but I can have that problem solved before we hit planetside. I thanked him and walked on out, headed for my quarters.
As I was in the hallway, a large man, who looked to be an Elemental Warrior, came running from the opposite direction. He looked upset but I gave him his space and continued onward until I found my quarters. When I opened the doors I let out alow whistle.
I didn't know they treated officers this nice... The room was a decent 20x20, which stood in contrast to the spartan style stacked bunks of a soldier, crew or tech. The carpeted floor was a rich creame color and the walls had been painted a soft white. A tapestry hung on the wall to my left, a Holovideo screen on the far wall, a painting for a famous general, a bookshelf and a door stood on the remaining wall to my left. I guessed it left to a private bathroom, no community bathrooms for me. The center of the room had a table, suited for seating 5 and that number for plush chairs surrounded it. A metal desk with a computer console faced outwards from where it sat in front of the Holoscreen, a very cushy office chair rested behind the desk. In the corner, hugging the wall with the maroon tapestry, was a queen sized bed, laden with fresh cotton sheets, a thick comforter and 4 clean pillows arranged neatly.
I stepped inside and kicked my combat boots off. I leapt into the comfortable bed and fell asleep fast.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Nov 4, 2004 11:32:27 GMT -5
The JumpShip Arrow slipped gracefully out of hyperspace, the quantum singularity collapsing in on itself once again as the vessel's massive drives powered down. Under the thrust of its fusion reactors, the vessel's dark hull contrasted starkly with the reddish hues of the nebula which surrounded the Saffel system as the ship approached the planet.
"JumpShip. Please transmit identification key and state your intentions."
"Saffel control, this is the JumpShip [/i]Arrow. Identification key X74-211K4-86527Z. Requesting clearence to offload vessels and cargo at transfer platform Bravo."
"Stand by, Arrow."[/color]
There was a lengthy pause as the control station attempted to authenticate the [/i]Arrow's credentials. Kuritans were not known for their trusting nature.[/color]
"JumpShip [/i]Arrow, this is Saffel control. Your authentication code has been accepted. Please close to two-point-oh kilometers of perimeter marker Epsilon and await transfer scan."[/color][/i]
"A transfer scan? The briefing said NOTHING about a transfer scan!", Yeoman Hunter, the officer of the watch aboard the Thorin exclaimed. Dashing across the bridge to the Operations console, the Yeoman punched in a series of codes and brought up the tactical interface.
"Damnit! Those are Scoper 225-X-series penetrating scanners! We'd never get overlooked!"
"Better get the Captain...er...Captains up here, Hunter." Sergeant Machia deadpanned, hunched over the pilot's console plotting approach routes, seemingly unconcerned about the situation.
"Yeah, yeah...you're right...I'll get the Captains up here," Hunter replied. Sounding the alarm klaxon, he flipped the shipwide com channel open, and put out the call.
"All MechWarriors, prepare for hot drop. This is not a drill. Hot drop will commence in two-five minutes...repeat...hot drop operations will be commencing in two-five minutes. All MechWarriors and support personnel, report to their assigned stations immediately. Mech bay, bring all BattleMechs to ready status. All commanding officers, to the bridge, please!"
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Post by Captain Adam "Gunman" Wolf on Nov 4, 2004 15:27:31 GMT -5
Having went to my quarters after my little incident with the Chief and his idea of a practical joke in the 'mech bay, I was significantly closer to the bridge when the alarm klaxons went off.
Flying up out of bed in a flash, still fully dressed in combat uniform since I arrived on the Thorin, I grab my MAG-18 and Katana as I head out of the door, rushing down the right side of the corrider as various MechWarriors and ship personnel bustle down the left side and across the connecting hallways. As soon as I hit an open space in the hallway I break into a run, slipping the strap of my family heirloom katana over my shoulder and carrying the MAG-18 with both hands as I head for the bridge, the heavy combat boots thudding along the metal grating as I twist to the side to avoid a crewman that just exited a doorway.
Finally reaching the bridge, I burst through the doors coming to a stop a short distance inside. Dropping my arms to the side and holstering my MAG-18 Assault Rifle into the hip holster for ease of mobility. Turning to Yeoman Hunter I inquire about the situation.
"Yeoman, whats our situation? Why the sudden hotdrop?"
God damn it I hope the Chief has got Pheonix up and running by now...... I think to myself as the Yeoman waits for Captain Maxwell, who joins us on the bridge shortly, before explaining the situation
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Post by Lieutenant Victor Eisenfaust on Nov 4, 2004 15:54:30 GMT -5
Victor shot up at the sound of the alarm, and begin dashing toward the mechbay. Others were ahead and behind him, scrambling to get into position.
They certainly don't screw around here...oh well, its a soldier's life that I live.
As Victor approached the pilot's locker room, he quickly disrobed. Putting on the cold thermal undersuit first, he then slipped his MechWarrior Combat Suit over the garmet.
Thank god the LAAF started manufacturing these again...its such a useful piece of equipment...
As he finished putting on the suit, he reached for the MechWarrior Medipack. He slid the faceplate off, and checked the dosage resevoirs. After verifying it was full, he put the face plate back on, and placed the pack on his left thigh. Once there, he actived the pack, connecting it to his suit's sensor network. Finally, he grabbed his lightweight neurohelemt, and ran to his mech, the König-Wulf. Upon entering, he quickly began the quick-start sequence. When his mech was ready, Victor attached the feeds from his mech to his helmet, and toggled the radio.
Thorin-Command, this is Castle-4. I am in position and ready for hotdrop. I repeat, Castle-4, ready for hotdrop.
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Post by MechWarrior 'MechWarrior' on Nov 4, 2004 17:11:43 GMT -5
I ran to my Battlemech, the Chidori, put on my thermal insulation space suit, and strapped in to my 'Mech.Thorin-Command, this is Castle-3, ready for hotdrop. Am I truly ready? I asked myself.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Nov 4, 2004 17:34:54 GMT -5
Chaos reigned supreme on the bridge. Crewmen yelled bits of information to one another, terminals blared warnings, and the ping of the position tracker, superimposed on the heads-up display, punctuated the myhem with its rapidly increasing tempo. As I burst onto the bridge, I saw Captain Gunman already sizing up the situation with Crewman Hunter, whose forehead was drenched with sweat and whose hands shook nervously as he held up a data pad for both of us to see.
"It's bad, sirs. We hadn't anticipated this."
"What? What is it?" I demanded.
"The Kuritans are using penetrating scans to sweep the JumpShips before they're allowed to approach the planet. Our intel didn't reveal this in the initial reports, sir."
"Any chance we can block the scans?"
"Negative, sir. The stations are using Scoper 225-class sweepers. There's no way we won't be detected. And...it gets worse, sir."
I tried to imagine how much further out of control this situation could get.
"The sweepers are patched through the HPG relay. In theory, with the relay disabled, the sweepers should be disabled as well."
"How is that a bad thing, Yeoman?"
"The HPG system is still fully active, sir."
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Post by Captain Adam "Gunman" Wolf on Nov 4, 2004 17:54:28 GMT -5
"The HPG system is still fully active, sir."
The words echoing in my mind as various scenarios flashed through my head. The HPG system is still active?? What's going on.... Did Maxwell's contact ...... no we can't worry about that right now .....Shutting out my over-active imagination from creating all these scenarios and distracting me, I look back and forth from Captain Maxwell to crewman Hunter. Maxwell's brow was furrowed as he looked concerned mixed with a breif lapse into a look of disbelief and a different kind of worry... before quickly snapping back to a deadset serious look of concentration on the current situation. Looking back over at crewman Hunter, I can see the sweat running down his forehead and neck as he shakily holds the datapad, obviously extremely unprepared for such a situation and unsure of what to do. Turning back to Captain Maxwell I ask,
"What are our options here? We can't avoid those scanners can we?"
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Nov 4, 2004 17:59:42 GMT -5
Damnit! I had arranged for the HPG network to be disabled at the moment we dropped from hyperspace. My contact had assured me that this would not be a problem, and I had placed my faith in that promise. Now, it seemed, everything was coming apart.
"Bring up the Omega interface! Put it on the main screen!" I barked. We had one more chance to make this work, and though it was a long shot, it was all we had left.
"Captain Gunman, I'll need your help."
Gunman nodded, and we both took our respective places at terminals set to either side of the bridge. Slipping on a headset, I patched my communication interface to Gunman's station, so we could work in tandem with one another.
"We need to take that satellite down remotely."
"Way ahead of you," came his reply. "I'm patching us into the HPG network now."
A flurry of digital communication traffic flew across my terminal's display as Gunman forcibly connected the Thorin's supercomputer to the Kuritan servers. Almost immediately, the ping of an active trace added another layer of mayhem to the frenzy of activity taking place around us.
"We're in. Bypass the proxy."
I launched the program which would attack the satellite's proxy server, smashing through the security which think-tanks had spent countless man-hours designing to keep people of our sort out. The progress bar moved intolerably slow, and I frantically watched the trace as it grew nearer and nearer to our location.
"One minute to active scans, sirs! With all due respect...we need a resolution now!"
"We're working on it, Hunter!" I snapped, then turned my attentions back to the interface. The bar crawled to 70%, and I wiped beads of perspiration from my brow.
"Thirty seconds!"
89%. We were going to make it.
"Ten seconds!"
100%.
"We're in! Access the communications interface!"
"Five..."
"I can't find it! The directory structure...it doesn't make sense!"
"Four..."
"Run a boolean query through the root directory! It should..."
"Three..."
"The search won't initialize! The interface is caving in on me!"
"Two..."
"Hang on, I'm going to try..."
"One!"
A blossom of flame erupted across the main screen, and the external video feed nearly overloaded as it transmitted the firey final moments of the HPG satellite. The communications grid went dead, and all alarms ceased as the Scoper 220 array went completely offline.
"ADAM! You did it!" I exclaimed, pivoting in my chair to face him across the bridge. "But how..."
"I didn't do anything." he replied.
"You mean...?"
Captain Gunman simply nodded.
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Post by MechWarrior Murphy on Nov 4, 2004 20:28:38 GMT -5
I pull my head out of the air sick bag."Hot Drop!?! You have got to be kidding me." I grab my cooling vest, side arm and a small deployment bag with a few other esentials and headed for the 'Mech bays. I hand my gear to a Tech and he helps me to my 'Mech.
"Are you ok sir? You don't look so well."
"TDS, I'll be fine. Plus with all these quick jumps I haven't eaten much. I got field rations in the bag and have made hot drops a lot sicker then this." My CO always made me run simulators on every jump. Most of the time on a full stomache.
After I complete the start-up I sit and wait for more orders. God I love my job. I reach for another airsick bag.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Nov 4, 2004 21:13:42 GMT -5
As Kuritan security forces swarmed to the smoldering wreckage of the HPG satellite, a small vessel quietly disgorged from the belly of the stationary JumpShip, and slipped unobtrusively into low planetary orbit. Rapidly dropping altitude as it approached the southern continent, the dropship dwindled from sight, growing smaller and smaller until it vanished into the clouds.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Nov 4, 2004 21:40:25 GMT -5
I stepped off the ladder which led down into the dark, expansive confines of my Stalker, dropping my gear bag, and pulling the hatch closed, which sealed with a dull "thunk."
As darkness enshrouded the BattleMech's cockpit, the auxiliary lighting flickered on, bathing my surroundings in a dull red. I shrugged my jacket and shirt off, and slipped into the ribbed cooling vest that would afford me a thin layer of protection from the extreme cockpit temperatures that overheating 'Mechs were notorious for achieving during prolonged combat. Stowing my gear in the Stalker's locker, I unhooked the neurohelmet from its stand and slipped it onto my head, pulling the visor down over my eyes as I eased into the pilot's chair and connected the cables which would facilitate the direct interface between my brain and the steel giant.
As the chair adjusted itself to my body, I felt a cool rush as ashqua coolant flowed across the feeder tubes and into my vest. Leaning back in the chair, I began the ignition sequence that would bring the Stalker to life. Toggling the ignition switches, I felt a surge of power as the BattleMech's gyro spun up and the fusion reactor roared to life. Blue-green lights sprung to life across the Stalker's instrument panel, and the heads up display flickered into existence on the inside of my neurohelmet. The computer ran through its pre-launch checklist, vocalizing each step of the process.
A soft chirp from the computer prompted voiceprint identification.
"Security check, Captain Benjamin Maxwell," I murmured. There was a brief pause as the computer matched my voiceprint to the one stored deep within its memory core.
"Confirmed." came the reply, from a feminine voice which belayed the awesome power of the machine which enveloped me. "Proceed with security sequence."
"And never forget that help may come From the most unlikely of quarters And success rest upon the shoulders Of those kept shadowed until the time of need."
The passage came from The Remembrance, and functioned as the key to unlocking the full capabilities of the war machine.
"Identity verified. All systems now at your command," the computer responded.
As a myriad of blue-green lights across the Stalker's sweeping consoles flickered to life, I tightened my harness, and murmered a few final platitudes to myself.
"May fortune favor the foolish."
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Post by MechWarrior Jak S Wildmen on Nov 4, 2004 23:30:56 GMT -5
I could feel the adrenaline fill up my veins as i climbed up the ladder leading to the cockpit of my thor. I slowly began my pre-game routine, the years fighting in arena matchs have already hard wired it into my system. After shutting the hatch above me, i eased myself into the pilots seat, bending forward to retrieve the neurohelmet inbetween my feet. Straping it on in one swift motion, taking a deep breath i raised my hands up for a good long stretch.
Flipping a couple of switches, i felt Hardkick straightened up smoothly.
Reactor Online Gryos stablised Heat sinks Online Rader Online Weapon systems Online
"Better switch to passive sensors." I look at the picture of my sister stuck beside the mass of little coloured lights. "I wont die sis, i can promise you that"
Thorin-Command, this is Spectre-4. Ready for Hot-drop. Time to party.
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Post by Lieutenant Victor Eisenfaust on Nov 5, 2004 0:18:30 GMT -5
Victor switched his comm system to a private channel, and directed a signal to Lt. Net's Raven.
Castle-2, this is Castle-4. When we hit planetside, you stay close to the Captain, and make sure he's covered by your ECM at all times. I'll take point...my Hauptmann is slower then your Raven, but it has a better active probe, and enough armor to withstand more then a salvo from the enemy. Moreover, these men we are facing are ex-LAAF, and I'm quite familiar with LAAF tactics. I might be able to spot them before you.
Victor paused for a minute to look over his control pannel, and continued.
I know that in this unit, you are my superior, but trust my experience, okay Castle-2? There will be plenty of glory for all...let's just make sure everyone makes it back home safely. Castle-4, over and out.
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Post by Captain Adam "Gunman" Wolf on Nov 5, 2004 0:46:11 GMT -5
Runnign through the doors of the mech bay the Chief falls into step beside me as I head towards Phoenix.
"Is she up and running yet Chief?"
"Of course, techs just finished her up, even installed your custom comm system into her and everything, its ready to go."
"You've outdone yourself again Chief, thanks."
"Thank you sir, and ... Good Luck..."muttering under his breath he continues"I have a feeling your gonna need it...."
Quickly clambering up that endo-steel laced ladder, I hit the retract on the automatic winch for it at the top, closing the hatch as I move to the command chair in my rather spacious cockpit. Quickly flipping a keying a few commands and activating the start up sequence, I flip the control switches when power levels hit their optimum. Nailing the ignition as I put on the nuero-helmet, locking it into place as the 7 point restraint system tightened up comfortably.
Reactor Online Computer Online Life Support Online Radar Online Targeting Controls Online Gyros activated Gyros stabilised Actuators Online Weapons system Online Heat Management Online The computer rambled off just about every system in the mech and I made a mental note to modify it for audio confirmation of only primary systems. The greenish glow of the instrumention panel light up the dim cockpit, as I grasped the controls, gliding the controls forward, Phoenix gracefully stepped out of her berth and turned towards the launch doors, the new actuator in the left leg was working perfectly as the mech balanced back and forth with the rocking and tremblings of the dropship during descent.
Quickly positioning myself in formation for Hot Drop, I switch the sensors over to passive radar and listen to the audio confirmation. Bringing up a complete weapons diagnostics on a lower left console, I scan through the listings to ensure everything is in order.
"2 Rotary Autocannon 5's, ammunition 100% 2 Heavy MLasers 2 Heavy CMGs, ammuntion 100% 2 CSTRK6s, ammunition 100%
Good everything is ready." I say aloud to myself as I read through the weapon information.
Flipping the comm channel to the mission designated channel I contact Thorin and the other Lances.
Thorin-command, this is Spectre-1, ready for hotdrop. I repeat Spectre-1 ready for hotdrop.
Castle-1, Rogue-1, make sure your lance is ready to hotdrop and fall into formation.
After a moments pause I hit the comm again to ensure all mission related personnel knows the current situation.
This is Captain Gunman. The Jumpship has just evaded a scan by to Kurita vessels due to our HPG sabatoge. We will hot drop on Saffel momentarily. Keep your skirts on girls, heres where it gets good...
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Desparado
Recruit
MIA
In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king...
Posts: 51
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Post by Desparado on Nov 5, 2004 0:47:28 GMT -5
Adernaline surged through my veins even before I became concious. The red light that flared on and off in my room set the cozy room into an eerie shadow as my feet instinctivly set down on the floor. My habnds stretched out and grabbed my stuff and My head finally awoke as I ran down the hallway towards the Mech Bay. Realizing where I was, I dashed all that more madly ointo the mech bay. As I entered the door, I lept strait up into the air and over a large hover loader that had a few LRM cases on it. The tech operating the small loader gaped at this feet but I didn't notice. I was back on my feet after the tuck and roll and rounded the corner into my stall.
Rather than wait on the lift to come down, pick me up and rise again, I scrambled up the emergency ladder while screaming at the Techs still crawling over my mech. ALL OF YOU GET OFF! THIS BEAST IS MOVING OUT! MOVE OR BE CRUSHED, I'M NOT GOING TO STOP FOR A SINGLE ONE OF YOU! Techs flooded the gantries and hovering scaffolding in an exodus of a dozen people simply trying to get out of a warrior's way in time.
Diving into the cockpit of my Atlas and slamming the canopy all in one fluid motion was impressive but before I harnessed up, I flung the canopy open again and jumped onto the gantry walk way and dashed over to the ladder on the side of my stall. I grabbed either side loosly and placed but feet out side of the rungs and slid all the way down and landed in a crouch to avaoid the shock. After raiding a nearby equipment locker for an extra cooling vest, I again opted for the ladder but decided on taking the lift, which was just rising again. Back in the cockpit and harnessed up was the moments rest my body got, adrenaline still pumping so hard hat my muscled ached from the sheer amount.
My NeuroHelmet was snugged ontp my skull and I gripped the controlls as dadta fed into my HUD, "projected" on my retena. When does the dammned door open?! Lets get this started! I snorted, still beleiving that we were in emminant danger. A voice took control of the comm it rang loudly and brought my mind to a momentary focused calm. This is Captain Gunman. The Jumpship has just evaded a scan by to Kurita vessels due to our HPG sabatoge. We will hot drop on Saffel momentarily. Keep your skirts on girls, heres where it gets good...
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