Breaking Point

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

"Sure! Let's go."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"You ever work with machines before, bro?" Gwen asked as they walked the base's hallways.

 

-Void

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

"Other than operating a Walker, the most sophisticated machinery I've worked with, like cracking it open, repairing and tinkering, was a Ronco Kebab-o-matic 3000. Didn't really use it much back home though. Papa didn't think highly of it, probably thought it would steal our job, but he was right in that it never compared to the hand-operated spit roast we used.

 

"Come to think of it, a lot of the pilots here are pretty experienced around machines. If I had a dollar for every engineer degree on base... "

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"I mean, the Walker is the engineering revolution of the century," Gwen said. "And considering the military's the only place that you'll find them.... Well, 'If you build it, they will come,' you know?"

 

-Void

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

"Yeah, though one would think that the prospect of having to enlist in a military in order to see these bad bots would deter them..."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"To be fair, we weren't at w-- ... well, whatever this is, back then."

 

-Void

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

"Yeah, I don't know if we're actually at war. Like, officially. Did they say anything on the news?"

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Haven't been following it much," Gwen admitted. "I've really been way too busy with the mechs."

 

-Void

[25K Now!]

IC: Christoph Lockheed

 

"An AI-controlled drone, I'm assuming?" asked the Test Team's captain.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"Um, yes." Ayane answered after a moment, brow furrowing slightly. The hesitation was the first real break in her professionalism, but engineering really wasn't her forte. She could understand the concepts, but their applications... Really weren't her strong suit. "I believe so, yes. Something mostly automated. But the Sergeant can direct it as needed."

"Hey, BFG. You might not wanna touch that without something to ground you."

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

"Then maybe it's not such a good idea to go back to the hangars..." Hassan suggested innocently.

[HeavyMetalSunshineSister]

IC: Fairuza continued to stare at the part for a moment, finger hovering only a few centimeters above it, before straightening and turning, slowly, to look at Ben. Her hand was now about as far from the workbench as it could get without her waving it in the air above her head - which, in this working environment, seemed nearly as likely to get her electrocuted.

 

"You and I," she said slowly, "have very different approaches to workbenches, loose parts, and live currents, and I am not really certain whether to be frightened or impressed."

[Void Emissary]

IC: Hassan

 

"Then maybe it's not such a good idea to go back to the hangars..." Hassan suggested innocently.

 

IC:

 

"I've already been away from them for way too long," Gwen said, eyes down. "With everything going on, we need all hands on deck, don't we?"

 

-Void

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

Hassan nodded, silent again.

 

"Yeah, we do."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Psssh, I could totally remote control it whenever I needed to," Lauren said breezily. "I got, like, ten different things going on in the cockpit at all times. Ain't nothin' stopping me if I wanna--"

 

A squinty-eyed glare stopped her cold.

 

"...Yeah, a little UAV might be best."

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"Maybe it is."

"It isn't live. Anymore. It's a piece from the old power conduit, I haven't grounded it yet. Probably not fatal, just probably really, really unpleasant." The German engineer paused, thinking a moment. "I touched one, once. Took me a few minutes to realize what the tingling feeling in my hand was. It was a perfectly good part, though, so I didn't want to waste it. Went through the process of grounding it."

"Touched it a few times to see if it still had ungrounded current in it. Had a few other people touch it, too. Lauren thought I was crazy."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

The two of them spent the next few steps in silence. And if there was one thing that Gwen didn't work well in, it was silence.

 

"Ever fix a mech before?" she asked.

 

-Void

[NorikSigma]

IC: Hassan

 

He shook his head.

 

"Nope. That's why I needed your help in undoing the mechanic's shoddy work. It all looks so... arcane to me," he shrugged.

Edited January 22, 2017 by Agent Norik of E.Y.E.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Lauren sighed in defeat and shrugged with an apologetic smile at Lockheed.

 

"Well, that's the request, Captain. 'Ppreciate it! Any of you guys want any food? We were about to go and grab something to munch on, those sims can really leave a whole in your stomach..."

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

OOC: Mobile post, no text color.

 

IC:

 

"I think, Lauren, the point of them is that your stomach and the rest of you remains intact while you train."

[25K Now!]

IC: Christoph Lockheed

 

"I'll pass the message along to R&D and the engineering staff to try working your proposal into a reality," replied the Test Team's captain. "And I don't believe there's too much else for me to take care of for the moment, so I'm free to join you."

 

He paused for a second, before glancing over to where Ben and Fairuza were - the workbench.

 

"Armbruster, put a warning sign up in case one of the engineers isn't familiar with you."

 

---

 

IC: October M. Brightbridge

 

The duet of demoiselles, having ascended the tribulations of their drill, were no further encapsulated within the heart of an indigo titan, but in approach to the simulation room, cresting the distance as if Gilgamesh seeking the eternity of Utnapishtim. Their designs were far from disparate to the hero's peregrination, questing for a chance of further life through further undertaking of training. A rathe pursuit, so sharpish after the raven had soared the skies. Yet the dragon of Noah was not so beneficent that a fledgling could fly unassailed. If the powerful reins of Wodan's knight were not truly one with the child's soul, then no victory could ever be found.

 

"Apologies for the haste in bringing you to the simulators," spoke the elder of the maidens, her angelic intonations insouciant yet great in presence, "but we are, unfortunately, limited in our time."

 

Azure orbs, overwhelming in beauty as if precious sapphires, fell upon Maigo Koizumi. Scarlet locks, lusciously effulgent, danced like fine silk through air.

Edited February 10, 2017 by 25K When?

[Void Emissary]

IC: Hassan

 

He shook his head.

 

"Nope. That's why I needed your help in undoing the mechanic's shoddy work. It all looks so... arcane to me," he shrugged.

 

IC:

 

"I guess that's why they pay me the big bucks, then," Gwen said, pushing her hair out of her face with one hand. "But it's a cinch once you get some practice into it. I can show you a few tricks of the trade if you'd like. De-mystify the mystique, if you will."

 

-Void

[NorikSigma]

 

IC: Hassan

 

He shook his head.

 

"Nope. That's why I needed your help in undoing the mechanic's shoddy work. It all looks so... arcane to me," he shrugged.

 

IC:

 

"I guess that's why they pay me the big bucks, then," Gwen said, pushing her hair out of her face with one hand. "But it's a cinch once you get some practice into it. I can show you a few tricks of the trade if you'd like. De-mystify the mystique, if you will."

 

-Void

 

 

IC: Hassan

 

"Now, now, I can't expect the expert to reveal their techniques. It's like learning magic from a magician, or finding out my secret ingredients.

 

"Although I wouldn't mind," Hassan added in a hushed voice.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Maigo:

 

"I somehow doubt a few sessions in the simulator are gonna prepare me for an actual battle..."

[25K Now!]

IC: October M. Brightbridge

 

"Far from it."

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Maigo:

 

"What's the big rush then?! I got the hang of movement, and we only fell over three times!"

[25K Now!]

IC: October M. Brightbridge

 

"War is a rush, unfortunately."

 

Melancholia, embedded in the wisps of the sonorous sound, parted those lips, as she opened the doors to the simulation room, flooding its innards with her light.

 

"You can have a chance to familiarise yourself here."

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"Engineers that aren't familiar with me shouldn't be over here in the first place." Ben grumbled, nevertheless rummaging around and producing a 'Caution: Live Current' sign and setting it down on his workbench.

 

"It's not like anyone else has ever gotten hurt."

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Maigo:

 

She huffed, clearly not convinced.

 

"Fine."

 

She clambered into the sim pod.

[Void Emissary]

"Now, now, I can't expect the expert to reveal their techniques. It's like learning magic from a magician, or finding out my secret ingredients.

 

"Although I wouldn't mind," Hassan added in a hushed voice.

 

IC:

 

"Well, just so long as we keep this between us," Gwen said, her grin a sideways slant as she pushed open the steel double doors.

 

The hangar ceiling was a sky full of sparks spilling out from mechs, those vast shapes leered over by the dark spots of engineers and mechanics and pilots fussing about when they would be Walker-bound again. Scissor lifts and cranes rose and poked at the battle machines like parents helping a child, until the machines and the machinery seemed to blend into one whole. The din of power drills, saws, welders, lifts, hydraulics, shouts and hollers and orders from up-top to the overseers, from the overseers to the engineers, from the engineers to the pilots. Gwen walked through it all.

 

"--servo Three-Six-Nine-Eight by thirty degrees!" 

 

"--repulsers at five-and-a-half percent!"

 

"--I said absorbers, not distributors you godda--"

 

"Talal! Hey, Talal!"

 

The heavy thump of boots on concrete and Rook was on her left, already pushing a clipboard into her hands.

 

"Three Scouts looking for a re-jig," he said, voice flat and sharp. "Clear out the servos, streamline the hydraulics, make 'em sing. You can do that? Good? Good."

 

And he was gone again, disappearing into the din. Gwen, for her part, just started flipping through the pages.

 

"A'right then, Hassan," she said. "Ready to see the magic happen?"

 

-Void

[AuRon the champion]

IC: Kristen:

 

Back to the the daily routine, though it was one that Kristen didn't mind too much- Working out and practice suited her just fine. Though she did take the opportunity of hitting up the mess hall and nabbing some chow, after depositing her meager possessions at her new bunk.

[25K Now!]

IC:

 

"Engineers that aren't familiar with me shouldn't be over here in the first place." Ben grumbled, nevertheless rummaging around and producing a 'Caution: Live Current' sign and setting it down on his workbench.

 

"It's not like anyone else has ever gotten hurt."

IC: Christoph Lockheed

 

"And I would like to keep it that way."

 

IC: October M. Brightbridge

 

The elder of the maidens, any despondence hidden as if precious treasures, followed in suit, placing herself within her own steely pod.

 

The screen blinked alive, rumbling as if a beast awakening from a winter slumber, glowing before the oceans within her eyes.

 

Field set: Melbourne CBD, Australia.

Edited February 25, 2017 by 25K When?

[NorikSigma]

 

"Now, now, I can't expect the expert to reveal their techniques. It's like learning magic from a magician, or finding out my secret ingredients.

 

"Although I wouldn't mind," Hassan added in a hushed voice.

 

IC:

 

"Well, just so long as we keep this between us," Gwen said, her grin a sideways slant as she pushed open the steel double doors.

 

The hangar ceiling was a sky full of sparks spilling out from mechs, those vast shapes leered over by the dark spots of engineers and mechanics and pilots fussing about when they would be Walker-bound again. Scissor lifts and cranes rose and poked at the battle machines like parents helping a child, until the machines and the machinery seemed to blend into one whole. The din of power drills, saws, welders, lifts, hydraulics, shouts and hollers and orders from up-top to the overseers, from the overseers to the engineers, from the engineers to the pilots. Gwen walked through it all.

 

"--servo Three-Six-Nine-Eight by thirty degrees!" 

 

"--repulsers at five-and-a-half percent!"

 

"--I said absorbers, not distributors you godda--"

 

"Talal! Hey, Talal!"

 

The heavy thump of boots on concrete and Rook was on her left, already pushing a clipboard into her hands.

 

"Three Scouts looking for a re-jig," he said, voice flat and sharp. "Clear out the servos, streamline the hydraulics, make 'em sing. You can do that? Good? Good."

 

And he was gone again, disappearing into the din. Gwen, for her part, just started flipping through the pages.

 

"A'right then, Hassan," she said. "Ready to see the magic happen?"

 

-Void

 

 

IC: Hassan

 

Hassan nodded eagerly.

 

"Anytime."

[25K Now!]

IC: Kristen:

 

Back to the the daily routine, though it was one that Kristen didn't mind too much- Working out and practice suited her just fine. Though she did take the opportunity of hitting up the mess hall and nabbing some chow, after depositing her meager possessions at her new bunk.

IC: Kenny MacDomnall

 

Also hitting up the mess hall for some chow was a raven-haired youth wearing a golden headband, his boyish face scrunched up in a ponderous expression as he struggled to choose between the two choices available at the cafeteria. Would it be better to go for the fish and chips, or the meat pies (which according to somebody he had run into just earlier, may or may not have contained actual cow meat)? It shouldn't have been a difficult question, but for the food-loving Kenny, it was very important! Of course, there was also the choice of eating them both, but that was expensive and he didn't want to spend too much either. So that meant he had to choose.

 

But if he couldn't choose, then maybe someone else could help!

 

He glanced up from the two choices, hazel eyes catching sight of the passing-by Kristen.

 

"Hey," he called, hoping to catch her attention. "Which one of these two should I get?"

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"Meat, always meat," Kristen said, after pausing for a brief moment to inspect what was offered As well as getting some for herself.

[25K Now!]

IC: Kenny MacDomnall

 

"But fish is fish meat innit?"

 

And was it actually meat in the meat pie in the first place?

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"When I said that, I meant actual meat. Not some wimpy fish," Kristen pointed out.

[25K Now!]

IC: Kenny MacDomnall

 

"How's fish wimpy anyway?"

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"All they can do is run and prey on smaller fish," Kristen pointed out, grabbing a tray for herself, "Whoever is the biggest fish wins, no ifs ands or buts. Even Sharks would run from a bigger fish, if there was one."

[25K Now!]

IC: Kenny MacDomnall

 

"And this food chain thing they got going on makes them wimpy?"