Brazen Challenge (Closed)

Aug 4, 2018
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Somewhere in the UK
#1
L4, 0900 Hours.

Being a war hero was harder than Kath had expected. She'd hoped it would be all fame and fortune and celebration. Instead she'd been given boxes of paperwork and a military commission, because of 'distinguished actions against hostile threats'. Not even a medal! There had to be some way to make this easier... some way to pawn the work off on someone else. Perhaps the aliens on the Tantra could help?



72 hours later.

Directory Space.


A Colonial Peregrine crossed into Directory-controlled space, ignoring the frantic complaints of various traffic control stations and disgorging five mobile weapons before turning to withdraw. It was a blatant violation of Directory law regarding orbital airspace, and the unusual signals emanating from four of the Mobile Weapons didn't help matters either. Little telemetery could be established however, as the satellite providing information on the group was destroyed by blunt force thirty seconds later.

Only one last image made it through:

A blood-red Valsion driving a fist into the camera.
 
Last edited:
Jul 22, 2019
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#2
"They are being so callous with me... how stupid!"

Rosa answered the prompt call that she received from the Directory. From inside the R-Gun Powered, which stood on an aggregation of huge pillars, she took her time to have some coffee. The information was; colonists were attacking control stations, violating airspace laws, and attempts at hijacking radars with some mysterious readings... at least according to their inconclusive information.

"I'm ready for this little job, as long they help me figure this thing out."

What surprised her, however, was battle footage. A red Valsion, a symbol of the colonists, straight out punching the camera. "They think I am dumb? It's the Valsion..."

"What a cursed name."

Then, she finished her coffee and went straight to the L4 area, where the machine was first sighted.
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
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16
Somewhere in the UK
#3
Kathryn's attempts to push her work off on various other military figures and family members proved unsuccessful. Apparently her commission was a deliberate attempt by her father to teach her responsibility - which was a flawed plan from the offset. It certainly did something, though - her widespread attempts and inquiries had drawn attention from various elements, including the alien parts of the newly-formed Starseeker Combine.

One of whom reached out to her with an offer she couldn't refuse. Or didn't want to reufse, at least.

To:Kathryn Marsh
Subject:Combat Data

Lieutenant Marsh, our observations of your performance at the Battle of L4 have revealed a possible solution to deficiencies in our bioroid programming. I would be willing to assist you with your bureaucratic issues in exchange for your combat data and a personal discussion on board the Tantra.

Regards,
Aurora Caeks.


The Valsion and its cluster of support didn't seem to have moved at all after destroying the satellite, beyond some minor repositioning. All four Mobile Weapons were clustered around the machine, remaining in perfect formation as they scanned for hostiles.

"So... do you guys actually do anything? Or are you just gonna follow orders and make shooty noises when the Directory finally shows up?"

"..."

"Oooookay then. Be that way, I guess."

Kath soon gave up on trying to entice the Bioroids into a conversation, turning her gaze outwards. Average directory response time wasn't something she had memorized, but this felt it was taking too long. Far too long. She was inches away from heading out to find a fight before a voice crackled over her radio.

"Enemy detected. Single Mobile Weapon - type unknown."

The Valsion quite literally did a fistpump as Kath internally rejoiced, taking a moment to check her own radar and leveling the High Mega Cannon vaguely in that direction. She starts to laugh softly as it charges, firing a beam of pure energy that splits the horizon in two. While it was unlikely to hit much, it provided a glowing line directly to her location.

Exactly as planned.
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#4
"I see. The enemy is dumb enough to use this weapon on a machine that is far away."

"Or just plain retarded, like him..."

Rose retreated with her R-Gun, as the machine detected a beam going straight on its direction. Enough of reminding herself of dumb mistakes her loved one used to do during his prime, she had to do something. Green energy emanated from her body, and the T-Link System on the cockpit activated in response.

"T-Link Boomerang, T-Link Field..."

Like a shuriken, she howls the T-Link Boomerang right in the direction where the blast approached. From it, a circular T-Link Field formed, with the same size and circumference as the incoming blast. A boring way to finish things up, as she wanted something more exciting to counterattack the enemy, like the Metal Genocider...

Sadly, it was disabled.

The blast came in contact with the T-Link Field, and as a result, it blasted back against the direction where it came from. Not as a full blast, but as a rain of smaller beams.

"I wish this machine had the Metal Genocider function enabled... oh well, that attack will do the job."
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
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16
Somewhere in the UK
#5
L4: Starseeker Flagship Tantra
1800 Hours


"So... the email said you wanted me for my body?"

Katherine had been on the ship for less than five minutes and already nearly caused an interplanetary incident. 'Aurora' sighed, not entirely surprised by her opening statement but visibly displeased by it. Her light blue skin was blemished by a few beads of sweat, all of which had been indirectly caused by the woman in front of her.

"No. We want access to your movement data - muscle responses, thought pattens, combat maneuvers. There is a difference. Your.."

Flexibility was clearly the wrong word to use here. The last thing this girl needed was more ammunition for her warped sense of humour.

"Unpredictability could be a valuable resource if we can find a way to safely duplicate it in our own units."

"I mean.. I can try. Just need to fight stuff on camera, right?"

"More than that. Allow me to explain..."



Kath took a second to realise exactly what had just happened to the beam, giving the Bioroids ample time to react. The two orange units took cover behind the Valsion, while the green units scattered - using the destroyed satellite and miscellaneous asteroids for cover.

"Hey guys, what are you-"

Her sentence was violently interrupted when the beams slammed into her outer plating, burning holes in the armour and generally marring the outer shell of the Valsion.

"Oh, come on. Not cool!"

"Damage minimal. However I advise against doing such an action again."

"Shut up, Alex. Okay! Robot guys! Get off your lazy butts and start laying down suppressive fire on... uh... that location!"

The Valsion was roughly pointing in the direction she'd shot at, but the Bioroids adapted - both orange E-bits opening fire on the R-Gun's radar signature with their shoulder cannons. One unit emphasized precision; dropping shots on her (rough) location to force movement. The second tried to anticipate her moves, leading shots and attempting to anticipate dodging maneuvers.
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#6
The boomerangs return to their usual position, as Rose analyses the enemy's new pattern. The main target didn't do anything, just instructing the minor ones to do the job.

"I see. That machine is trying to predict my moves."

A great opportunity to approach the enemy, as it missed some of the shots on purpose. The mecha rushed for its new enemy, using the radar as the guide. What the woman didn't expect was that one of those blasts had pierced the R-Gun right on one of its legs. Insignificant, since legs have no use in space, and because the attack that requires it is disabled. Just in case, she deployed the T-Link Boomerangs to act as a shield.

"Would love to bring the symbol of colony rebellion to my superiors and get my raise..."

"But that will have to wait. Use that weapon of yours for me to see."
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
0
16
Somewhere in the UK
#7
Aurora's explanation was started with a wave of her hand, the table between the two women lighting up to reveal a holographic model of the earth - with the colonies and other celestial objects slowly rotating around it. Directory-controlled locations were highlighted in purple while areas the Combine held domain over were red. Strangely the moon was highlighted in green - a fact Kath seemed to have missed or ignored. Several locations along the border had been marked, with dotted lines tracing between them and L4.

"We've identified several locations that can be safely observed while still clearly being within Directory space. What I am suggesting is that you and a small bioroid entourage go to one of these locations and deliberately provoke a response. Begin by striking one of their orbital locations, then withdraw to one of the points so we-"

Kath cut her off, grinning and pointing to one of the marked locations - a small cluster of space debris on the 'border' between Directory-controlled and colonial space.

"If you just want me to piss 'em off, I can go here! I read.. something or other about a spy satellite here used to monitor traffic. Show up, let it grab a picture of the Valsion's armour so they'll come running, and smash it for good measure."

"And you're certain that this will ensure a response?"

"The Directory brassholes hate the Valsion. Every time one of them spots it its like their brain stops working, and they just order everything to shoot you. Why not use it against them?"

"..."

Aurora simply stared at Katherine after her explanation, shaking her head slowly. While the benefits of this partnership would hopefully be immense... it was going to to be a taxing one.



"Trying to block it, huh? Booooooring. C'mon, fight me up close!"

Kath's voice boomed out from inside the Valsion over every available channel as it moved into action, smoothly tossing the Hi-Mega cannon aside to be caught by one of the green E-bits and retrieving a Divine Blade that had been attached to the back armour. Every thruster roared to life, allowing it to rapidly accelerate towards the R-gun with the blade raised in a defensive position. It was... rather telegraphed - to the point where it was probably too obvious.

"Do you really think they will listen to your orders?"

"'Course not - That's why charging's the best option!"

All four E-bits spread out, their fire momentarily ceasing as they attempted to encircle the lone Mobile Weapon. The unit carrying the Hi-Mega Cannon seemed to be keeping a significantly greater distance, staying behind the Valsion but making no attempt to fire the enormous weapon yet.
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#8
"That strategy of yours... it's too lame, even for me. So, let me show you the innate powers of a Psychodriver."

As the R-Gun kept approaching the enemy, it was now being encircled by other units. Then, Valsion approached, now armed with the Divine Blade, whereas the other led unit aimed its Hi-Mega Cannon towards the R-Gun. Rose had no choice but to try using her new strategy. She threw the T-Link Boomerang again, using the T-Link System in order to move it as she needed to. With it done, the weapon was now after the encircling enemies, distracting them and allowing the pilot to maneuver the next attack. "T-Link Boomerang."

The huge weapons on its back moved independently, each one pointing towards the main targets; the one armed with the Hi-Mega Cannon, and the Valsion itself. Knowing the drawbacks of using such a weapon, and how it could create an opening, she deployed a T-Link Field, at the cost of deactivating the T-Link Boomerang.

"Hi-Twin Launcher."

As she says it, they fire.
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
0
16
Somewhere in the UK
#9
"We'd rather not have you go alone. Some of our bioroids will accompany you - a new model we've been working on. Their performance will be evaluated alongside yours to allow us to gain new data."

Kath frowned. That sounded an awful lot like hanger-ons to her, and she didn't like it one bit. Even if part of the point had been to get some sort of command, the idea of just ordering around a bunch of robots was boring in and of itself. And if they messed up, it was going to be her fault?

"Evaluated feels a weird word to use right now. Sounds like I get in trouble if your bots get blown up."

"Unless you decide to shoot down our machines for fun, the destruction of the bioroids will not reflect all upon your own performance. They are only machines, built to fulfill a single purpose."




Katherine tossed the divine blade at the boomerang almost lazily, ignoring the bioroids as they backed off from the remotely-guided weapon. Her voice came echoing over the radio again, the girl still trying to bait her foe into talking back.

"That's much more like it! Now..."

As the twin beams from the Hi-Twin launcher streaked towards Katherine, she started preparing a strike of her own. Both beams ripped through the Valsion's plating and begun to expose the machine within - but that didn't slow her down. Red and blue balls of energy formed in the Valsion's palms, and once they were pushed together...

"CROSS SMASHER!"


They detonated. Forcing out a beam of cirss-crossing energy aimed right at the R-Gun's heart with a complete disregard for the machine's barrier.
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#10
"Shit!"

"Taste this Twin Magna Rifle..."

In a panic, her mecha took the Twin Magna Rifle from its backskirt and tossed it up. At the same time, the Hi-Twin Launcher moved, aiming towards the rifle she tossed earlier.

"Hi-Twin Launcher!"

And with a blast, the weapon exploded as soon as the beam came into contact with its solid ammunition. The kinetic force was enough to toss the R-Gun away from the Cross Smasher, but not enough to take it off its blast route. That came at the cost of melting both the Hi-Twin Launcher turrets as the beam passed right next to them. Besides, that attack was enough to deplete the R-Gun to 30% of its total energy...

"R-Gun lost 70% of its remaining energy. I can use the Metal Genocider, but escape will be impossible..."

Rosa, with quick thinking, thought of an ingenious plan; using the Metal Genocider at the same moment the enemy prepared for using its final and most powerful attack; the Mega Graviton Wave. The damage would be too much for the Valsion to handle, and the kinetic forces created by it would be enough to launch her machine away from the battlefield. By the way, that enemy was already annoying her...

"Eager for me to talk... you are stupid just like him. So, what about using that Mega Graviton Wave to add it up?" With the sights on the Valsion, Rosa prepared for her attempt at dealing with huge damage to the enemy. Her left hand, almost touching the transformation lever, prepared to move on the slightest attempt of the enemy at using the devastating attack. She wanted it to happen...

And considering the impulsivity from that pilot, it would happen.
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
0
16
Somewhere in the UK
#11
"Hey, hold fire! She talked!"

Kath shouted out a frantic command to the Bioroids, having the Valsione itself go still as the E-bits fell into a holding pattern around the R-Gun. It started to charge for a moment, the reactor glowing under the armour... then abruptly stopping.

"Uh... I don't think I actually have that. Alex, do we have that?"

"The Mega Graviton Wave was not included in the Valsion Kai project for budget reasons. Only the originally restored Valsion has that weapon."

"Aww. Oh well! Tell you what, lady, why don't we make a deal. I'll drag your ruined mech back to Colony space, and if you still wanna die by then I can go annoy the pilot till he agrees to put on a show."

The Valsione would continue it's slow advance, the pilot waiting for her response. While her guard was clearly down, the Bioroids would fire at the first sign of hostile interaction - and unlike Kath, had no intention of taking prisoners.
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#12
"I'm fine with it, then."

Rose giggles at the prospect of meeting her enemy face to face. Her machine stops all of its activity, indicated by the glow on its eyes slowly going dim, and the cockpit opens slowly. Before doing so, she made sure to put on the helmet, which she doesn't wear when piloting, and walks out of the cockpit hatch, where she stands.

"That machine of yours interests me, after all."
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
0
16
Somewhere in the UK
#13
Rose's cockpit opening would cause the Valsion to stop dead, the Biroid piloted E-bits moving into firing positions but otherwise continuing to hold for now. Katherine herself was.. somehat conflicted. She wanted to meet the pilot, but it was blatantly a risk.

"Okay.. uh.. you two grab that machine, third unit get into firing position and cover me while I go out."

"Risk calculation - High. Bioroid reflexes will likely be enough to handle hostilities, but you may be caught in the blast. Suggest remaining at reasonable distance."

Eh, she could deal with it. Her suit was armored, and if she tried anything the Bioroids would turn her into swiss cheese. Probably. Once the girl had gotten her own helmet fitted she set the Valsione and its outer armor to open. Hydraulics hissed as the Valsion's plating was opened to reveal... another mech within, this one gleaming white and also opening up. She was clearly sigificantly younger than Rose, keeping one hand on the super robot for safety as she blatantly stared at the woman.

While they were sizing each other up the two melee E-Bits would reach out to grab hold of the R-Gun, moving in perfect sync to render the machine defenseless. Kath took this as her cue to wave at her new 'prisoner', rather chipper about the whole situation as she spoke into the radio.

"Hi! Do you have a name or anything, then? Not actually talked to any Directory grunts before, and I heard a rumour that they beat the identity out of you and replace it with a number once. That got any substance to it?"
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#14
"They... gave me a number? I never asked them anyway, but..."

Giving her name to the enemy would be imprudent, and Rose had no choice but to lie and tell her a false one. She thought of many names, even male ones, but the one that stuck with her was Elizabeth.

"Call me Elizabeth."

Her husband used to call her after a character in the play Die Walkure, but that sounded too much like her own name. So, she had no choice. "By the way, it looks like your Valsion has a cast-off option as well."

Seeing the Valsion purging its armor and revealing another mecha inside was quite nostalgic. It reminded her of the world she was once part of, and how she had a custom-made Huckebein with similar functions to that Valsion; including the attacks and the function it displayed just recently.

"Regardless... are you sure? Helping your enemy is a bad idea." The idea of helping your own enemy, just like that stupid husband of hers, is enough for Rose to smile softly.

"Luckily for you, the enemy you chose to help isn't loyal to the Directory at all."
 
Aug 4, 2018
334
0
16
Somewhere in the UK
#15
"So you're.. what. A traitor? A double agent? Alien infiltrator? From a parallel universe?"

Kath rattles off a set of increasingly bizzarre theories, then starts giggling to herself. This entire situation was so... bizzarre. She'd just come out to pick a fight and then things had gotten weird. Reaaaaal weird. Why would this woman who she'd just beaten assume she was going to help her? It was all going over her head, so she focused on the part that made sense. The Valsion's armor purge.

"And yeah, of course it's breakaway. Your upper class jerks made the Valsion illegal to even make pictures of, so we had to ship in all the bits from this place down at-"

"Kathryn, please do not reveal military secrets over open channels."

Her explanation was suddenly replaced by static, and Rose would see Kath frown for a moment then give her helmet a whack. After a bit more static her voice returned, but she sounded a lot more annoyed.

"Right. AI's getting tetchy about what I'm allowed to say. And apparently I'm not allowed other people inside the Valsione, so we're gonna be dragging you back in your mech. So just... get back in when you're ready to go, I guess?"
 
Jul 22, 2019
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#16
"Sure, have your way. Just make sure to not use mind control. I might have very useful info, after all."

What followed was a message sent to the Valsione. A message that contained no words, but the image of a huge structure floating on space. That was the mobile spaceship that bought Rose from her homeworld to Earth, and she figured that someone from there has seen it before.


It was a spaceship called Swordian.

Also, that place was full of enemies in the form of a sword. Enemies that didn't attack her, but that could attack anyone that dares to enter. Not that she pushed her luck around those things by bringing enemies there so they could deal with them. They could attack her as well if she made this stupid decision.

Joining the Directory, which had access to dimensional technology, was her bet on unveiling the mysteries behind the structure. Maybe this girl could help in that as well?