Episode 17 - Star-crossed

[King Monkey]

Dervish
Hangar

"An upgrade to the Nemo?" Jacob says thoughtfully. "Sounds pretty good to me. After flying this thing," he claps his hand on the Gundarium armor of his Rick Dias, "I can't imagine going back."

He looks more closely at his Mobile Suit. "Just let me know when or if you need me. I'll be happy to help. There isn't much else to do around here until we run into the Titans, anyway."

He goes to the panel to open the hatch on his Rick Dias. "Does it matter if I get inside?" he asks. "Or start it up? I was going to get familiar with the suit again before I get tossed out there again."

[Psyden]

-Dervish-
-Sick Bay-

“Ya, I can hear you, now where am I?”

The good doctor flashes the light in first one eye, then the other, can her irises act accordingly.

She looks around the room and sees a familiar face sitting in a chair not too far off.

“Oh! Hi, Commander.”

Celeste props herself on her elbows, and takes a better look around.

“Sick bay? Why am I here?”

[Montague]

- Salamis Kai-class Buxoro -
- Mobile Suit Bay/Space -

The familiar sound of the Lieutenant's voice echoed throughout the hangar, the noise caused Elijah to look up from the clipboard he was reviewing. The veteran only gave a shrug as he knew all too well that they were still too close to ally territory to worry about attack. No, this was a simple patrol. Somewhat an optimist he looked at the routine patrol as a chance to fully enjoy the freedom of Space.

The ground beneath the Lieutenant's feat shook for a moment as one of the Hizacks launched, a rookie eager to get out there. Elijah wasn't in such a rush as he approached the front of his own mobile suit, having dressed into his normal suit long before. As he floated up the length of the green menace he reached into his pack and pulled out a small red headband. Stretching out the elastic he pulled the band around his head before releasing it. The headband was a simple tool to remove the lengthier locks of hair from obscuring his sight, it would be foolish to sacrifice vision in the name of appearance.

Both headband and helmet secured tightly the visor slid into place just as he entered the darkness of the cockpit. The main console rose just as he turned into the linear seat. Entering in a few simple commands the display gave off a dim light as the walls of the cockpit soon became a mirror image of the suits exterior. Taking hold of the controls at his sides he navigated the Hizack toward the catapult. The lights flashed crimson twice before the green flash indicated that all was set. Over the communications link Elijah spoke softly, "Lieutenant Elijah Robin, heading out."

Thrusters screamed to life as he was pushed deeper into the seat, his vision blurring for only a second as he was launched into the vastness of Space. Typically he spoke a short prayer before sortie however he felt it not necessary for this one in particular. Instead he marveled at the beauty endless black provided as the mobile suit merely floated at a casual pace to the side of the Buxoro.

There he found one of his fellow pilots, the eager one. Having yet to introduce himself the veteran spoke out in the appropriate channel, "I am Lieutenant Elijah Robin, though its never necessary to go by full name." He then asked the young pilot a question as they awaited the others. "I've yet to catch your name."

[Sume Gai]

Chuikov
-MS Hanger-

Rick entered the hanger to start his maintenance shift; according to the logs his first job was a busted camera on Nemo 3.

Rick's feelings of unease had lessened somewhat but hadn't dissipated completely.

Lately the crew had been discussing Axis returning and the possibility of an AUEG/Zeon treaty; Rick had not been able to avoid at least being asked for his opinion on the matter. He had refused to comment (as he usually did when asked about his opinion), but his thoughts on the matter were clear.

'I don't care what the top brass do my only duty is to do what they tell me whether it is maintenance or piloting...'

Rick grabbed the tools he would need and floated off to get the parts.

[Psyden]

--Patrol Area around Antonymous Task Force Echo--

“…what kind of leader is the Lieutenant, anyway?”

Pendragon thought for a moments. Carefully preparing his answer.

“I am not sure, myself. I do know that he’s… connected… though. He was a Ensign and a reserve pilot when we first deployed. I didn’t even hear anything about him until after the battle over Luna, where Captain Berg decided to take him under his wing. We’d lost our CO and XO on the Lunar surface, which just left us with me and Lepak as the Team. When we ambushed that fleet in the Shoal Zone, I was the Temporary CO, but when we got back to Gryps, someone pulled some strings and Mr. Roberts got a promoting and a team- us. I looked into his records and found out that he’s at least not green, so I wouldn’t worry about him freezing up in battle, but I can’t vouch for his skill. He downed 3 Zakus in a GM II, which really isn’t a measure of skill.”

Pendragon paused for a moment before pitching his voice a bit lower and leaning towards the pick up a bit, more to convey that what he was going to say next was a secret then for the actual art of secrecy, since skin talk communications cannot be intercepted by any conventional means.

“And this next part is just between you and me. I don’t think Roberts trusts me. He might even be planning something and the only reason he made me XO was to placate me, so keep your eyes open.”

He was about to say something else when a thruster flare catches his attention.

“We’ll have to continue this discussion another time.”

Constantine opens up a line on the Team Com.

“Thruster flares sighted. Looks one of the other teams is launching. Was there another team scheduled for patrol?”

Pendragon cuts the audio pickup as soon as he’s done, incase Ms. Shiranui has anything else to add, which might not be beneficial to broadcast to the team.

[Kylern]

"Thruster flares?" Kyle thought going through orders on his Hizack's computer. Nothing they had gotten said anything about launches and nobody had informed them that plans had changed. Something sort of itched at the back of his head and he decided to play it safe.

"I've got nothing on that Pendragon. We are going to assume that several ships have issued a increase in battlefield alertness and up our own. I haven't gotten any extra data past that. Just be on the look out for any enemy units and destroy them on sight. Hopefully if there is anyone out there its just scouts. So from this point on I am allowing weapons free protocol and permission to assume hostility from any unidentified units." He had pretty much just given the order to shoot anyone that didn't belong or obviously wasn't Titan. He would deal with any trouble that might cause with the brass because in his opinion it was better safe than sorry. Their survival was his top priority and anyone else was second to that. Even Pendragon was more important and he would make sure that guy survived in order to secure trust between them. Hopefully all those hrs in the simulators gave him enough of a familarization with the Hizack to take on any AEUG they came across.

[The Loser Villain]

--Patrol Area around Antonymous Task Force Echo--
Near Salamis Kai-Class Buxoro

Aaron watched as the second Hi-Zack that had launched from the Buxoro maneuvered to wait for the rest of the team.

'Hmmm, I wonder if the Lieutenant finaly launched,' he thought as the other Hi-Zack approached him. He then received a transmission for a pilot he had never heard of.

"I am Lieutenant Elijah Robin, though its never necessary to go by full name."

It was -A- Lieutenant, just not the one he knew.

"I've yet to catch your name."

"Sir," he stammered as he was still perplexed, "Ensign Aaron Faraday. I didn't see you on the ship before Lieutenant Robin, am I right to assume you're the pilot they replaced Ensign Silverwind with?"

[Gambit01]

-Hangar-

Nick didn't know whether to raise his eyebrows at Jason's gall or slap himself in the face at Patrick's...literal interpretations. So he settled for the next best thing and...well, stared at them for a bit.

When he got bored of that, he looked straight at Jason.

"I can appreciate a straight answer better than most officers. However, there is a specific reason I build up team rivalries; not wanting to be out-done by people you can constantly measure your performance against is the best way to enhance your skills. If you don't want to even be the best team on this ship, then there is no reason to want to meet the AEUG; they'll eat you alive and spit you out whole. Since you apparently can't grasp a concept as simple as that..."

Nick cracked his knuckles, as if getting ready for a punch...

"From this moment, you're on 'tard watch.' Basically, you're in charge of keeping him out of trouble whenever we are not in the big black. This will teach you that sometimes, honesty is not always the best policy."

Nick walked up to Patrick and, in a rather unusual move from him, gave him a firm grip of the arm and a friendly smile. Afterwards, he walked off with a casual wave of his arm.

"Dismissed."[/i]

[wonton bob]

-Alexandria-class Kirov
- Mobile Suit Bay -

Jason's jaw dropped when he saw the way Nick greeted Patrick.

inconceivable!

With mouth agape, Jason watched his C.O. wave and walk away. As soon as Nick was out of earshot, he scratched his head in wonder.

"Well. Will ya look at that. I just..I.."

Shaking his head, Jason looks over at Patrick.

"I'm the competent one and you get all the lovin' warm welcome. And now I'm a babysitter to boot! I tell ya man, no wonder his wingman tried to--"

Jason stops his pointless squabble and turns interlocking his fingers behind his head.

"'Come on. I saw some Mobile suits over there that looked like parrots awhile back. Let's see if they're any better than the Marasai. More importantly, we can size up the other pilots."

Sigh. 'course when they get a look at you...guess they won't feel threatened

[Psyden]

--Patrol Area around Antonymous Task Force Echo--

What incompetence!

Constantine reactivates his audio pick up and moves

“Sir. I must disagree with your assessment. Unless the AEUG now paint their ships grey, like ours, and somehow managed to secure Hizacks and seek such a ship into our Taskforce, I highly doubt they are hostile.”

With a deliberate breath, Ensign Pendragon calms himself. It would be best if he held back certain comments he had been planning to make, since it would not do to broadcast his opinions of his Commanding Officer for everyone who might be listening to hear. Instead, he moves his suit’s arm to point in the direction of the sighting, at the Buxoro.

“Over there.”

Since Lt JG Roberts doesn’t seem to understand the question, despite its simplicity, Pendragon punches in a few keys on his keyboard and comes up with the answer for himself.

“It seems like the Buxoro team was scheduled for patrol soon. Looks like they didn’t want to wait. I believe we should reset the safety locks on our weapons. We are still well within Titans control territory and it would be wise to wait for conformation on any and all targets for the time being. If we keep our fingers on the trigger, we might shoot something we shouldn’t.”

Before he finishes, he cannot help but add one final bit to his message, in part to help teach his new CO to show more restraint.

“It would be best if we confirmed the identity of targets before we prepare to destroy them, for the sake of preventing friendly fire.”



--Alexandria Class Heavy Cruiser Kirov--
--Alpha Team Briefing Room--

Grace takes a seat in the front row near her team leader, a Lt. Cmdr. Alexsandr Ivanovich Stukov. While the short bit she’d been able to read up on him before her being summoned and while she was setting up her room stated that he was merely 23 years old, the look, and even his very presence, seem to counter this. To say that the man before her is intimidating would be an understatement. One can almost feel his lust for battle like an aura that surrounds him. The near crazed look in his eyes almost screams his fanaticism. But faced with all this, Grace does not shrink away, and not because she has no fear. On the contrary, Grace Kelborn does not back down because something inside her tells her not to. It tells her that if she shows weakness to this man, he will rend her to shreds.

In her eyes, there is fear and intimidation, but there is also resolve not to let those emotions stop her and respect for the one who put those in her in the first place.

[Montague]

- Patrol Area around Autonomous Task Force Echo -
- Near Salamis Kai-Class Buxoro -

"Ensign Aaron Faraday. I didn't see you on the ship before Lieutenant Robin, am I right to assume you're the pilot they replaced Ensign Silverwind with?"

"You are, a shame what happened to the Ensign." Though he followed this in a much lighter tone, "At least it excuses him from the more mundane tasks, such as this." Elijah let out a sigh at his final remark, murmuring quietly to himself for not remaining aboard longer. Once more those brown hues wandered off into the distance of Space as he looked out the panoramic display, grateful that the scenery would at least be a pleasure.

They kept a steady pace alongside the Buxoro, still awaiting the arrival of the Lieutenant and the other pilot. Using the available time productively Elijah asked Faraday another question, "Any experience out here Ensign?"

[The Loser Villain]

- Patrol Area around Autonomous Task Force Echo -
- Near Salamis Kai-Class Buxoro -

"You are, a shame what happened to the Ensign."

"Yes, it is," he then added, "It is unfortunate accidents like that, that put me out of commission for a while as well. Fortunately not nearly as bad."

"At least it excuses him from the more mundane tasks, such as this."

He had to smirk at the comment, if not only because it were true, but it did help him to push it to the back of his mind a bit. He was finally able to take in the whole view through his cockpit display, and he was slightly in awe as it had been many months since he had seen such a sight. Even more, the ships that composed Task Force Echo were a sight to been seen themselves, especially the Alexandria Class ship Kiev.

The silence was then broken by Elijah:

"Any experience out here Ensign?"

"Aye sir, used to fly patrols out of Luna II all the time. Though all I flew was an Act Zaku and never saw any combat." He didn't mind talking with Elijah, as he didn't seem to have underlying motives like M-Hover did. Everything he did around Lieutenant Picard made him feel tense, but Lieutenant Robin seemed genuine in his questioning. "I would have probably have seen combat a few months ago if it wasn't for me being laid-up in a hospital bed just after my transfer to the Titans."

He couldn't tell for sure, but from Elijah's tone of voice he had to have seen combat at some point. He didn't seem like the type that was handed his rank.

"How about you Lieutenant Robin?"

[Cardi Doorl]

OOC: Haha! I return to RPing somewhat regularly! More RPs coming later tonight!

IC:
- Echo Patrol -
- Buxoro Team -

"YOU TWO!"

Picard was livid as he brought his Hizack near Elijah's and Aaron's respective mobile suits.

"When did I give the order to launch!? Hm!? Can either of you answer me that!? Forget it; I'll answer for you. I never gave that order. I don't care if we're officers; expect to be cleaning the Head with toothbrushes when we get back. DeRossi's gonna get the same if he doesn't show up soon."

"Now let's see how badly you two can screw up a routine patrol in friendly territory. Our flight path's gonna take us to cover the Buxoro and the Kalinin. DeRossi just ran out of time to show up, so we're starting without him and letting him fry when we get back. Follow me and try not to mess up anything more complicated than stepping on your foot pedals."

[Fritz Ashlyn]

- Open Space -

- The Dervish -
- Sick Bay -

“Yeah, I can hear you, now where am I?” Celeste said, sounding surprisingly lucid. Lekarz clicked his light off and leaned back in his seat, releasing a relieved puff of air as the newly awakened pilot rose up on her elbows. “Oh! Hi, Commander,” she greeted Fritz with a tone that seemed too lively considering the state she had been in only a few minutes ago. Fritz rose from his seat as she looked around and asked, “Sick bay? Why am I here?”.

Fritz was nonplussed. “You, uh…” he began, fumbling for words, “You lost consciousness on approach at the end of the last battle and clipped the Dervish. I went into the debris after you and dragged your suit back to the ship,”. Dr. Lekarz cleared his throat to interject, “Ltjg. Angelina… you’ve been unconscious for over a month and a half…”.

- Hangar -

Dr. Merkwürdigliebe had, as usual, developed his special brand of tunnel vision once he started working on Jacob’s mobile suit. He finally stopped for a moment to take in his progress and smeared a bit of grime across his forehead as he wiped away sweat. Without understanding it himself or knowing why, his brow furrowed and he turned to Rem to say, “A. The A Type,”. Shaking his head at his (to him) inexplicable answer to a question he hadn’t heard, he then turned to Jacob.

"Does it matter if I get inside?" Jacob asked, "Or start it up? I was going to get familiar with the suit again before I get tossed out there again,”. The doctor smiled and shook his head, “No, JG, that will be fine. The chief and his men are wearing gloves and I’ve never been afraid of a little accidental electrocution,”. The way he said it made it obvious he was entirely serious.

- Hallway -

"I know I’m new to this ship and the AEUG organization,” Pan said, clenching his fist as the trio turned a corner, "But you kids can trust me. I'm not gonna let those Titans get near you, and I won't let some Piss ant like that punk get to you either,”. Heyden laughed, a sound Michiko was still getting used to. "Now let's find out if this rumour about Axis is really true. If it is I have to say, I might have underestimated them. If I got my ass kicked as badly as them I would never show my face again,”.

Michi glanced at Jim and then responded to Pan, “I think Fritz might be in sick bay talking to Dr. Lekarz. He probably knows more than any of us,”. She self-consciously brushed her hair behind her ear and added, “Or we could go up to the bridge, I guess,”.

- The Hamburg -
- Bridge -

"Lieutenant JG Adam Trask, reporting. I'd like to know what other duties you'd like me to perform as an emergency pilot, as I wasn't assigned any with my transfer."

Loweno frowned slightly and returned Trask’s gesture with a quick salute. “You’re kidding,” he grumbled, turning in his seat to scan the bridge. When he didn’t immediately find his target, he bellowed, “Stalvern!”. The man who had been standing on Loweno’s left, the opposite of the direction the captain had looked in, winced at the loud outburst and cleared his throat.

“Here, sir,” he said, straightening up as the captain spun around and jumped back in surprise at the lieutenant’s proximity. Loweno’s focus returned to Trask and he explained, “This is Lt. Stalvern, my XO. Tell him what sort of experience you have outside of piloting and he’ll figure out something for you to do around here,”.

- The Dervish -
- Bridge -

“We’re about 4 hours away from the rendezvous, captain. We’ll move through L4 about thirty minutes before that,” Wade announced, updating the fleet’s travel time. Abbey grunted an affirmative. “First we find out if we’re still welcome at L4, and then we get to find out if Axis wants to play nice,” the captain thought, the lines in his face deepening slightly. He added quietly to himself, “Maybe we are being punished,”. He let himself consider that for a moment before shaking his head and picking up the handset mounted on his chair. It was time to start thinking about having the pilots on standby.

[Lans]

- The Hamburg -
- Mess Hall -

Emington watched as Trask gone to the ship's corridor, to where he didn't really know but it's probably something personal since they're going out there with high chance of confrontation. He returned his meal tray and head out from the mess hall. Passing a bunch of people already saluting him, that's nothing out of ordinary since only pilots or officers wearing other clothes that different from standard crew clothing. But somehow that does making him wonder if the ships' crew are entirely from Federation forces. He was expecting more civilian style but this ship is good old fashioned military style, probably the ones like The British Grand Fleet you read on a history book. Of course you won't find a polished brass gleaming in the sun or bath inspection but the air is filled with routine on a formal military norm. Randy wasn't sure whether he liked it or not but probably it's for the best.

Emington reached the pilot suit changing room, he take the unused locker - clearly reserved for him. He just check his pilot suit, mostly it's battery and life support system, not to mention size and comfort. He also check the helmet. Once he satisfy he put back into the locker, it's not time to change into pilot suit yet. For now, his "work" is waiting at the hangar, with that in mind he walk towards the MS hangar. He watched his wristwatch, it's only two and a half hours before leaving.

[King Monkey]

The Dervish
Hangar

"Oookay," Jacob says slowly in response to Dr. Merkwürdigliebe's rather unusual and un-comfort inspiring explanation. He doesn't hold the fact that the man seems to be talking to himself against him. Jacob himself is prone to getting lost in his own world and he knows the value of voicing some things to help remember them.

He has to wonder, though, how many accidental shocks can a man take before it shorts out something important in his brain. And exactly how many shocks does it take for a man to not be afraid of them? And how much do those two numbers overlap? Sure, the good doctor might have been fine before the last one, but now the wires in his head that control "Mobile Suit Repair" may be crossed with the one's that control "Good Dental Health."

He just might be working around inside Jacob's Rick Dias trying to remove plaque and fight the dreaded gum disease gingivitis.

Then again, there isn't much he can do about it. The man's obviously got some clout or he wouldn't get to monkey with the suits at all. He'll just have to get Sager to take a look at the suit again before launching.

The Ltjg takes a seat in the linear chair in his cockpit, feeling a moment of familiarity as he reaches out and grasps the control sticks and presses his feet on the pedals. He doesn't start the machine, but boots up the control computer.

A few menu choices and he keys up the flight data and camera recordings from the last battle. Jacob takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and begins reviewing the record.

He studies the footage, looking not only for where he made mistakes and how to prevent them in the future, but also for clues about how the Titans fly and arrange their formations.

[Ascension]

-Dervish - Hallway

“I think Fritz might be in sick bay talking to Dr. Lekarz. He probably knows more than any of us... Or we could go up to the bridge, I guess,”

"Might as well pay our fearless leader a visit," Jim said, a bit of his good mood returning, "Wonder what he's doing in sickbay?"

[Wedge14]

-Dervish - Hallway

Pan nodded at Jim's suggestion.

"It would be best if we followed the chain of command. " He said as he made a turn towards the medical center.

They walked in quiet as they made their way there. Pan burst right into the room Fritz was supposed to be in.

"Fritz!" He shouted almost taking down the door somehow. "Whats this news i heard about Ax-" Pan's breath was suddenly taken away as his gaze fell upon this somber beauty that lay before him in a bed. It was like an angel had landed aboard the Dervish and someone had neglected to tell him.

Still in silence he took a step closer. Then suddenly he jumped back like he'd seen a ghost.

"What the hell happened to her face!?"

[hellbore]

- The Hamburg -
- Bridge -

“This is Lt. Stalvern, my XO. Tell him what sort of experience you have outside of piloting and he’ll figure out something for you to do around here,”.

Adam saluted the captain and the Lieutenant and said, "Sir, I have basic knowledge in navigation and mobile suit battle tactics, especially in a space theater. Sorry, sir but I have limited experience outside normal pilot training."

Trask stood at his best parade stance, hoping tis was enough to get him out of kitchen duties.

[Kylern]

"What are you talking about? I didn't say anything about attacking them. All I said was that we should be prepared in case something does happen out there. If they decided to launch before time then something might have happened out of normality. So keep your pants on and quit jumping to conclusions without listening to what i'm saying. But if want to to act like this is a walk through your friendly neiborhood park and not a possible battleground then please go ahead. Just don't whine to me when you get ambushed by an enemy scout squad." Kyle heard the pratter of his disgruntled second. It wasn't like the guy didn't have a point but the fact he talked like Kyle was and idiot pissed him off. Didn't the guy have common sense enough to know that this was a military operation and trouble was possible? Or was he just trying to supplant his authority? Either way the guy was starting to piss him off. Another jump in conclusion without thinking through logic and Kyle was opt to shoot him for just being a pain in the ass.