[CoT] Deep Space

[Callos_DeTerran]

Two hundred years from now, the solar system is at war. Bountiful mining colonies on Mars, the asteroid belt, and the moons of Jupiter have forcibly severed ties with an overcrowded and authoritarian Earth-based government that demands ever-growing amounts of resources to support itself. Desperate for raw materials and concerned that political unrest will spread to the teeming masses at home, Earth's United Earth Defense Force has vowed to bring the colonies back in line. But just as strident are the colonial leaders, who see their future among the stars, who refuse to concede to what they see as a despotic regime that cannot even take care of it's own people let alone the colonies cast among the solar system. As tensions began to rise, the advent of a new combat system drew the eyes of both sides to the mechanized armor suits that proved themselves capable of amazing feats of combat prowess. Both sides clamored to monopolize the new weapon system and as they deadlocked, mega-companies capitalized on the production void to work concessions out of officials from Earth and the colonies until they were able to market prototypes to private citizens under the guise of using the proceeds to fund charity and military orders. These 'luxury' mobilized armor were pitted against one another as a demonstration of the superiority of one company's goods or another company's own, the brutal matches recorded and viewed by a fearful public with the same eagerness and intensity of gladiatorial matches of old. And while these new age gladiators battled each other, both the UEDF and Colonial Authority Navy quietly began to mobilize as their disagreements came to a head.

War was declared two years ago, but so far only a handful of skirmishes have been fought as both sides refit their factories to crank out mass-produced weapons and mechanized armor to combat the other side's own advances. Neither side could have expected the harsh repercussions of the desperate race to develop an acting armed force to combat each other with. Just as things were coming to a head and hostilities had begun to boil over a tragedy happened that rocked all humankind occurred when one of the moon's many colony domes was seized by radicals and de-pressurized before there was a chance to evacuate. Millions died in that one act of terrorism while the UEDF and CAN both pointed fingers at one another full of righteous fury at the act of mayhem and chaos. Now the System War has begun in earnest, massive battles happening from the swamps of Venus to the barren wastes of the Moon to the partially terraformed Mars and all the way to the out-lying colonies on Jupiter's moons. While armored divisions clash all throughout the solar system, private companies wage a war against one another in a constant contest to better their position and all for the amusement of the masses.

It was only two weeks ago that Jangr, High Consular of the UEDF had died, temporarily leaving the Earth government without official leadership, and in that brief vacuum the Colonial states had stepped up their mobilization efforts to take advantage of the brief hesitancy in an otherwise indomitable foe.

A couple more colonies declared independence from the birth-place of humanity as Terran law-keeping and military forces clamped down on others to ensure compliance with Earth's constant need for resources. In the depths of space, citizens wonder how long until mass mobilization leads to battles the likes of which humanity has yet to experience. But there is finally news from Earth, a broadcast of an inauguration for the next High Consular of the UEDF even as a new vessel is christained by the CAN as the first of it's kind in their numbers...

((Basically everything takes place in this thread until the game branches out some more. Once it has, this thread will still be used as a setting for anything that doesn't take place somewhere else.))

[Zarah]

Deep in the recesses of space, hiding on the arm of a non-descript spiral galaxy, third in a series of rocks making their way around a bright star was an insignificant, blue speck. However, the day in question had turned the speck into something so much more. If you were to ask anyone who lived there on that one day, that simple planet had become the center of the entire universe in the matter of minutes.

Cheers rang out loud enough to convince anyone that the citizens were doing everything in their power to let the galaxy know of their knews by word of mouth. Literally. Backing up the billion-voice chorus was the steady beat of a marching tune, acting as a guide for the massive lines of soldiers making their way through the crowd with perfectly timed footsteps. They pressed on through the pristine street, letting the clacking of each step echo off the walls of the massive, white spires around them. Overhead, fighters zoomed through the pale, mid-day sky, appearing to leave brilliant orange and yellow fireworks in their wake with every pass. Despite all the incredible sights and sounds, however, the attention of every person attending the ceremony was set rigidly to a single tower looming over them all. The road snaked its way around and reconnected with itself on the other side of the tower, which rose up as if it were the rebellious root of an enormous tree forcing its way through the man-made constructions and into the sky in defiance of its own origin.

Which was a trait that seemed to extend to human nature as well, given the presence of their navy in the skies above the planet. Grandest of them all, the warship Gaia's Lance hovered above the parade as a stark reminder of just how far they had come since first believing that flight was not possible. Ever since the first evolutionary step, humans have defied their own nature, pushing themselves to higher and higher peaks of accomplishment. Now, not even the endless void of space was out of their reach. Colonies had been built and developed among the solar system, and were spread over as many solid surfaces as would allow, finally marking the point of humanity moving on from its humble roots. Once united in a common goal of expansion and exploration, the colonies had shattered into their own allegiances, which had eventually boiled down into open war. Although the people of the solar system were divided countless ways, there came a day every so often when the transmitters in every household would tune to the same channel. A day where everyone was watching and listening to the same thing all at once. A day where history was made.

And this was one of those days.

Soldiers had arrived at the tower in question and were already marching into lines before it. They continued to pour in from both sides, and even when the space around the base was packed full of uniformed men, they still stretched back across both roads as far as the eye could see. Eventually, the music stopped playing and the cheers faded into whispers of anxiety while inside the tower, while the focus of all their attention remained hidden in the shadows a few steps from the small balcony and the view of the crowd.

Although she had spent hours making sure she looked presentable, she still found herself fiddling with her uniform throughout the last moments. She continually straightened up, then loosened her posture only to follow up the ritual with a run of her hand over any wrinkles she could see. A second of peace would slip by, then she would reach for the edge of her crimson jacket and pull it tight, then hoist up her belt and mess the entire outfit up once again. Every now and then, she would look down to ensure her boots were polished to a gleaming shine, which was always the case despite her worries, even if she felt the need to brush off a speck of dirt with one of her gloves, which would usually result in her needing to run a scan for dust across each leg of her matching black pants.

After performing her cleaning routine one more time and for the first time feeling satisfied with the results, she drew in a long breath, then began to let it out slowly with each step until finally reaching the edge of the balcony. She took up the only posture she thought appropriate for the situation, then clasped her hands tightly at her back and leaned into the tangled mess of microphones sticking out from the railing. With the last bit of her long breath finally trailing off, her lips parted and she let her voice flow as naturally as she could.

"I am honored," she began, instantly silencing the crowd to nothing more than an idle whisper here and there. "I am honored to stand here before you, not as your leader, not as your representative, but as a member. A member of the human race. A member of the United Earth Defense Force. A citizen of Earth. Such was an honor that was shared by all humans once, but time has taken such things and broken them into pieces with every passing year. Where once was honor, now lies hatred. Resentment. Vengeance. The colonies that we had once nurtured have turned on us, and shown that they are willing to go as far as they must to ensure there will be no peace in our time. They have shown that they are not afraid to pull their punches in this war."

She paused, letting the words sink in. "Two weeks ago, my father, the High Consular was assassinated. While no evidence was found, we strongly believe that the Colonials are responsible for creating such a hole in our organization. Jangr Talbeth's passing is a tragic day in our history and he will be remembered, but there is still hope yet, for his death has opened a door to something that is greatly needed for the times we live in; Change.

"In an attempt to destablize the UEDF, they have only succeeded in making us that much stronger. Look around. You can see it here and now," she continued, her voice getting more and more commanding with every word. "Would we be standing here, together if we had been broken by the death of a single man? No. Earth is stronger than that. Which is why we will show these Colonial rebels what they have wrought. We will show them that they have only woken us from our slumber and that our wrath will be unlike anything they could have expected.

"The colonies have broken the honor they once shared with us. They have claimed that there will be no peace in our time, but I disagree. Their honor will be restored. The colonies will be unified again. And we will have peace in this solar system. This much I swear to you, both as your commander and as a citizen of Earth."

Again, she paused, letting a number of roaring cheers rise up and fade away shortly after. Her eyes closed and she straightened herself up, but let her head sink ever so slightly before continuing, "These hostilities were started during the reign of my father, but he is no more. I now stand in his place to finish his business, and finish is what I shall do. I am your High Consular, Zaria Talbeth and I will be the one to end this war."

Not another sound could be heard from the crowd as every single voice erupted into a cheer loud enough that surely even the colonies upon the moon would have heard. Music could barely be heard flaring up once again, serving as a faint background to their almost melodious calls. All while the thinnest of smiles formed upon Zaria's lips as she gazed out over the people below. The people of Earth. Her people.

She remained upon the balcony for some time, letting them all cheer her words as long as they wished. The roaring of the crowd never once even began to fade and only bellowed even stronger as she turned away and disappeared into the tower's shadows only to be met with the faces of the UEDF's highest commanding officers, all waiting patiently for her next move.

Her smile grew a little wider as she simply stated the words, "I think they like me."

[Shades of Gray]

Gerhard Richter

Gerhard Richter was wearing his best uniform and kept his ceremonial saber at his side. For once, no firearms were visible, but this hardly meant that Gerhard wasn't carrying them. Still, hardly anything seemed different about him than on any given day, although this is because he made an effort to appear as presentable as possible every day.

"With good reason."

Gerhard had stood entirely still during the entire speech. His feet were spread apart and his hands were clasped behind his back. He stayed completely silent as well. Only when Zaria finished her speech did he politely and slowly applaud. Despite his very cold stance, Gerhard had a warm smile.

"You are the image of your father, Ms. Talbeth.", Gerhard commented. "I am certain that he is very proud of you."

[Kasanip]

The Bright Red Dawn
Launching of the Aruna

Captain Kristyn Toivonen stood at attention in front of the holographic display on the bridge of the Aruna. Birthed here on Phobos by NOVI industries, this new carrier/cruiser under her command was preparing to set out on it's maiden voyage. A maiden voyage that would take them through the Earth Defense Fleet stationed in Mars orbit before they headed out. It would be a long operation with no guarantee of survival... But for now, Kristyn had a job to do. She cleared her throat as her executive officer gave a nod indicating she could speak to the whole crew through the system intercom. She took a deep breath and forced herself to relax.

"Attention all hands, this is your captain speaking.

Today marks a solemn and special day for all of us. It is a day in history when leadership within the United Earth Defense Force has changed, and yet reconciliation has moved still farther from us.
It is a day in which we as a crew, some experienced and some standing for their first tour of duty, will walk forward down a path that we cannot turn from. A path that will lead us into the crucible of war.

Today is the day we embark on a journey aboard this vessel to fight against the Earth. Against the tyranny that has gripped it's people, and which threatens our very existence.

In years past, our history has ever been tied to the tiny and fragile blue gem... But that is not our history any longer. We, the sons and daughters of colonists who have lived among the stars are at last taking steps out of infancy, looking to the light of tomorrow.

While each and every one of us hopes for nothing more than peace, we have risen to face the challenges of our lifetime. We have stood up for those things we believe in, and though you may hail from Jupiter, Mars, the Moon, or elsewhere, it is with that same fervent hope for a better tomorrow which unites us here.
From today, the soul-searching questions and trappings of before shall be cast off. We do not have those luxuries if we are to protect those we love, and those ideals we hold dear. And yet I ask of you, not as your captain, but as a fellow colonist...no, as a fellow human being, to never forget those doubts and questions you have. To never cease to search for an answer to what seems unobtainable."

Kristyn snapped a salute.

"Gentlemen, I am honored to serve such a fine crew. I look forward to working with you in the time we serve together. All hands, prepare for departure!"

The speech's conclusion was met with cheers upon the bridge, and bursts of static from the open communication lines to other parts of the ship as the transmitters struggled to relay the clapping and applause. Kristyn let a partial smile onto her face at that for a minute before gesturing to the helmsman.

"Helm bring us online. All sections report status prior to launch."

"Engineering, all systems check out normal."
"Gunnery, everything online and operational."
"Navigation, course coming up now. Guidance online."
"Hanger, all units and personnel accounted for."

"Helm, I have engines prepped and ready. Locking mechanisms release on your order."

"Communications, C.A.N. Control has issued code NOVI-Pisces. We are clear to proceed. They relay 'best wishes' and 'happy hunting.'"

"Acknowledged."
Kristyn nodded and settled back gently into the command chair. This was it. The moment that had been months and even a full year in the making. She could feel the exhilaration start to settle in. They were moving out...and yet all eyes were on her. Waiting for her order. She nodded to her helmsman with a confident, but focused look.
"Helm, control is yours, take us out."
"Aye ma'am, as ordered."

With a growing hum and a faint pulse of vibrations through the ship, they started forwards, and the Aruna pulled away from the dock.

There were more cheers from the crew again, and Kristyn had to admit she felt like it too.
"Communications, please relay this order to all appropriate staff. All senior officers are to report to briefing in thirty minutes."

"Aye ma'am."

[Artemis Dreamer]

Tessa Kerrigan-Blakesly muttered a curse as she rammed the end of a crowbar under the charred and melted armor plate covering the torso of the Huwasi she was repairing. Bracing herself, she threw her weight against the bar, once, twice, and then a third time, when, with a harsh, grating sound, the armor tore free. It fell to the metal floor of the repair bunker with a deafening crash that nearly drowned out the wild cheering of the crowds outside. Even twenty meters underground, in a supposedly soundproof bunker, the sounds of the inauguration ceremony were audible, and the noise had begun to grate on Tessa's nerves.

She couldn't have cared less about politics, especially not when there were repairs to be made, hence why she was alone in a dank, windowless chamber that smelled overpoweringly of engine fumes and machine oil, standing atop a small, rickety platform anchored several meters in the air.

Turning her attention to the mass of half-melted wires and fused circuitry that had been hidden by the mangled armor, Tessa winced. This would take hours to repair fully, and there were still two more Huwasi units and a Bandhu that required urgent attention. Still, there was no sense in putting it off, as it was a technically simple repair. Grabbing a delicate wire cutter that seemed too small for her large, muscular hand, she carefully began to pry apart the wires, removing segments that were too badly damaged with precise cuts, before grabbing a spool of wire with which she could replace the missing sections. It was all very routine work for a mechanic such as herself, and she quickly fell into the familiar rhythm of the repair, cutting, splicing and sealing with such accuracy and skill that it was evident that she had done this hundreds of times before.

It would have gone more quickly had the other mechanics been there to hunt down necessary tools and work on the other damaged areas of the Huwasi, but they had all gone to watch the ceremony, not sharing her devotion to the mechas.

"Figures," she snapped contemptuously, a flicker of annoyance in her dark blue eyes, speaking aloud though there was no-one there to hear her words. "Whenever there's the most work, some idiotic event comes up, and they're all too interested in having fun to bother doing their f***ing jobs."

As this wave of annoyance passed through her, her concentration wavered for a moment, and her arm scraped against the rough edge of what remained of the armor chestplate, drawing a thin line of blood on her forearm. She gave a sigh of exasperation and rolled her eyes, mentally reprimanding herself for her carelessness. It was hardly a serious wound, but it was yet another nuisance to deal with, an incident to gripe about once her work had been finished.

Now, though, she had a repair to complete. She picked up a rather oversized cutting torch and turned her attention to the worst of the damage, where a portion of the armor that she could not pry loose had melted completely and adhered to the internal components. It really begged the question as to what had happened to the unfortunate mecha, but it wasn't any of her business, not really. Without bothering to put on a face shield, Tessa sparked the torch and began to cut away the destroyed section, a shower of brilliant orange and gold sparks spewing from where the cutter torch touched metal. It didn't really matter what had happened, only that she could fix the damage and have the mecha running at full capacity again by the next day. It was her duty as a mechanic, and her duty to the machines to which she was so devoted.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Not quite everyone on the bridge of the Aruna was cheering as the large vessel hummed to life at the captain's command and began to lift off, a lean figure at the back of the bridge who hanged back from the exuberant crew. A young woman, though many would call her a girl still despite the sense of age in her eyes, leaned against the bulkhead as Kris addressed the entire crew.

She was born for this, not a doubt in my mind.

A smile touches Tanja's lip, pulling the white scar through the right side up as well as the crew cheered, so full of joy that it was almost contagious. Deep down a spark of flame that used to be a burning passion for the betterment of the colonies flickered wanly, stirred by her old friend's word but it couldn't distract her from what was. Nothing ever did, she bore the reminder on her face, but even someone as closed off as Tanja couldn't deny she was feeling good about the future now.

As the announcement is made for the senior officers to report for a briefing, the young pilot slinked across the bridge towards the commander's chair as if Tanja were honestly worried someone would point her out.

A gloved hand comes to rest on Kris' shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze, and a look upwards would show Tanja standing behind the chair and giving a nod to her old friend, though no words. Not out in the open like this.

"..."

And just like that, she was gone, walking off of the bridge to leave Kris to bask in the warm glow she had earned even as she sought out her only haunt. Even as she strapped herself into the makeshift pilot's pod, the multi-screened canopy closing down over-top of her with a hiss as it seals, Tanja booted up her run of scenarios to practice in. Screens flickered to life as the young woman tugged her cap down securely, checked to ensure her harness fit comfortably, and when her eyes opened they zeroed in on the pre-programmed enemies as they began to filter into view.

Kris may have been born to command, but this is what I was born for...

---

Samuil

Away from the Earth or even the newly launched cruiser leaving Mars, within the depths of the asteroid belt was the colony that had been nicknamed Bel from it's inhabitants. Supposedly after a demon of greed, but whoever had started that little trend had managed to get such a thing wrong but the name had stuck. A massive thing of carefully structured and welded metal, the colony was more then prepared for any collisions with the smaller rocks of the belt and had the armaments to destroy any that would pose a threat to the residents on board. Armaments provided by the resident mega-corporation at what had seemed to be outstanding prices.

The Zodiac tower was undoubtedly the highest point within the residential ring of the colony, a stark edifice that loomed over the surrounding buildings and homes like a stern grandfather with it's logo, a circle with various characters meticulously placed along it's rim, emblazoned across the side of the building where no one could miss it. Bel had almost been...inconsequential until Zodiac had arrived, everyone knew it, but no one moreso then the man in the highest room in the tallest building. Samuil's office was pitch black, not because it was night but because there were no windows that lead into his private sanctum. Every inch of the walls, except for where the door opened up into his home away from home, was devoted to a massive aquarium where no light shined from. Icy cold, it was filled with specimen of deep-sea life that must have cost a small fortune to bring so far out from the planet but it was a breath-taking display whenever anything could be seen. The dim light of an angler fish briefly can be seen before it is hidden behind unseen outcroppings once more, the ghostly shapes of some peculiar fish move in swarms around the entire tank. Close examination gives the disconcerting impression that they are actually snow-pale faces swimming in the black depths of the tank, specter, or ghost, fish seemed to be what Samuil prized the most. Every meeting with him in this room always felt like it had an audience because of them.

A large black desk flickered to life with a touch, the various digital reports, inquiries, and forms all pulled to the side by an impatient finger as the man behind the desk opened what he'd been looking for. The video of the new inauguration, another tap and it occupied the entirety of the desk's surface, a feed from one of the floating cameras that seemed so popular today of the High Consular. A smile crosses over the man's face as he watches the address to the public, flicking his eyes across to various items on the desk top. Pens, empty picture frames, and his most prized possession...a black pad emitting a pulsing purple light in a small sphere that...held nothing.

"Private note, arrange to have a congratulatory message sent to the new High Consular, along with our latest issue of personal firearms. If her father was any indication, then Consular Zaria's reign might be short indeed without adequate protection."

[Zarah]

Gerhard Richter

Spoiler

Show

Gerhard Richter was wearing his best uniform and kept his ceremonial saber at his side. For once, no firearms were visible, but this hardly meant that Gerhard wasn't carrying them. Still, hardly anything seemed different about him than on any given day, although this is because he made an effort to appear as presentable as possible every day.

"With good reason."

Gerhard had stood entirely still during the entire speech. His feet were spread apart and his hands were clasped behind his back. He stayed completely silent as well. Only when Zaria finished her speech did he politely and slowly applaud. Despite his very cold stance, Gerhard had a warm smile.

"You are the image of your father, Ms. Talbeth.", Gerhard commented. "I am certain that he is very proud of you."

"Thank you, Captain," Zaria replied in haste, but before anyone could add anything else, she jumped in to bite back just as quickly, "but you can dispense with the pleasantries. I didn't take this position so I can be admired, though I will admit that is an unavoidable pleasure with the job. My place is in ending this war. A stance I hope we can see eye-to-eye on."

She let her gaze sink into him for a few long seconds before slowly turning her head forward again and making her way further into the room. The other officers lining the walls watched in silence as she seemed to be leaving, but stopped herself just short of the door when a messenger poked his head inside and whispered a few words to her. After remaining frozen in thought for a moment, she turned back to the officers and with a commanding tone, said, "Prepare the Lance for departure."

[Innis Cabal]

Captain Shanovar Ein had remained silent during the proceedings and subsequent meet and greet with the newly appointed leader of Earth. His uniform clung annoyingly at parts of his body, yet hung loose on others, an unfamilar feeling to a pilot turned officer. He'd attempted to decline the invitation for this particular event, but it seemed that his attempts to flee were all for nought. He'd frozen when she walked through the door into the room, attempting to collect himself from the intitial shock of being confronted with the most powerful woman in the entirity of the UEDF. He swallowed softly, preforming a crisp salute


"As a former member of the Infranty Madam Consuler, I know I speak for them all when I say it is an honor to serve under your command."

[KnightDisciple]

A Short While After Launch...

Flight Lieutenant Ibram "Ghost" Corbec was seated in one of the chair surrounding the briefing table.

Well. "Seated" may be too strong a word; "relaxing" might fit better. His casual uniform jacket was over the back of his chair, his feet propped up on the table.

"Oh, good show there, Ibram. You're slouching, and the meeting hasn't even started. People won't hardly be able to see you way down there like this!"

The not quite 6 inch tall hologram of a beautiful woman, projected on the table, morphs into her full 5'11" avatar, a smirk on her face.

"Oh, come on, Gwen. You know Kris doesn't mind me being casual. Besides, what would sitting up straight do, other than makem y back hurt. This is much more comfortable. And haven't you already used up your allotment of short jokes?"

"I've got 3 more left today. I'll make them count."

"I bet you will, banshee woman."

"Ill-tempered dwarf."

The wide smiles, and the fact that Ibram remains in his resting position, arms resting crossed on his chest, eyes closed, indicate there is no venom in these taunts.

[Kasanip]

Captain Toivonen - Briefing Room of the Aruna


"Attention!"
The order from the Aruna's Executive Officer came as the door opened with a hiss as Captain Toivonen floated in gracefully, setting her feet down gently as she returned the salute and surveyed the assembled. Here there were the top officers under her command- bright youth and grizzled veteran alike, from backgrounds ranging from engineering to former sports athletes. Now they were overseers of the rest of the systems under her command - leaders preparing for trials ahead. All eyes on her, some questioning, others determined, and some holding back breathlessly. The tension was tangible in the air, with excitement and reigned enthusiasm.

Yet there was one person who made Kristyn groan mentally.
"Lieutenant Corbec! "Attention" means you STAND and SALUTE the ranking officer. This isn't training camp and it's not a good omen for your future performance." She said sternly.

The quick reprimand out of the way, Kristyn waited for the officer to remove his boots from the table.

[KnightDisciple]

"WAH!"

Ibram was startled enough he started to tumble out of his chair.

Thankfully, his reflexes meant he turned it into a graceful move that somehow resulted in him standing at attention, salute and all.

"Flight Lieutenant Ibram Corbec at attention, Captain! Forgive my earlier breach of protocol."

Gwen stood up and saluted as soon as the Captain entered the room. She's fighting to keep the grin off of her face.

Many of the officers present likely have to hide smiles at how much taller her holographic avatar is than the flesh and blood pilot.

[Kasanip]

Captain Toivonen - Briefing

Kristyn returned the salute crisply, and held it just long enough to drive home the point. Her eyes swept across Gwen, and then around the room to make sure she had everyone's attention, before she pressed a few buttons on the table keypad, and slid a small information-stick into the slot available.
While doing this, she spoke.
"Now that I have everyone's attention... let's begin the briefing."
She keyed the communications system.
"Bridge, connect Navigation and Tactical Overlay to Briefing Room one."
"Aye, Captain."

A momentary delay, and then the table hummed to life as a large space navigation map of Mars and the moons came online. A small dot with subtext indicating it was the Aruna blinked near the lump of rock that was most assuredly Phobos.

"Gentlemen. As you know, thirty minutes ago we departed from Phobos, the closer moon you see here, orbiting Mars. As a detachment for the Martian 1st Fleet, we will be engaging in combat from this point forth. You already know this."
She said, sweeping her eyes around and pressing a button that confirmed the transfer of information from her drive. With a hum, the screen zoomed out and overlay a navigational chart and a number more dots, some green indicating friendlies, and some red indicating enemies, appeared in various positions around the planet.

"Our mission however, is not to play support here in the Martian Front. The Aruna is the most advanced ship in the fleet at the moment...so our tasks will be a little more important."

A line indicating an arrow of direction appeared in front of the Aruna that traveled around the planet. It met with a group of green 'friendly' dots, and then altered vector until it was above a position marked on the Martian surface.

"First I will explain our current trajectory and objectives as ordered by Martian Command. We will proceed along our current flight path until we rendezvous with a detachment of the First Martian fleet, and then alter course to take us above the Capitol on the surface. Fleet Command is planning a space drop to assist groups of rebels on the ground to wrestle control of the city away from the Earth Defense Forces stationed there. It is believed that this will help unify the efforts on the ground, and effectively end major Earth Resistance on the surface, save for the military bases located on the poles.

The Earth 3rd Martian Defense Fleet will not sit back and let this go unopposed of course...which is where our mission comes in."

The red dots, which had mostly been located closer in orbit to the polar positions as well as a detachment around Deimos, Mars' other moon, were circled and arrows indicated a series of probably vectors with a set of numbers next to them as percentages of possibility. Kristyn cleared her throat before continuing.

"As you can see, there will be various elements of the Earth 3rd fleet in position to engage from two fronts, though the forces from Deimos will be a little late due to the moon's position at the time the operation starts.

The Aruna will assist in the vanguard of the delaying action. We will create a screen poleward, leaving a detachment of the first fleet to engage the enemy coming from Deimos. Provided our delaying action is successful, the Earth Defense Forces will be unable to intervene from orbit to prevent the facilitated capture of the primary objective. At this point we suspect the Earth Third Fleet to regroup and withdraw while waiting for reinforcements form Deimos.
We however will not participate in further reprisal strikes, but instead take advantage of our enemy's momentary disorganization. We will use the Martian surface to shield us from Deimos and possible counter attack while the Martian 1st fleet engages the Earth forces. Using the catapult effect of Mars' gravity, we will set a course for our real mission and port of call, Lunar Colony "Novis 2."

Kristyn paused as an audible ripple passed through the assembled. The moon... Was the Aruna really going to go that deep into Earth Sphere Defense Space? While several of the Lagrange colonies around earth had previously rebelled, they had long since submitted to the Earth... the earlier conflicts in the war had pretty much sealed the moon's fate as well. What was the purpose of the Aruna's visit?

She looked around the room, waiting for quiet for a minute.
"That is all for now. All officers run your last checks and bring us up to Combat Level 3. We have three hours until rendezvous with the fleet...and only a few more hours until combat. Strategic and Tactical operation briefing will occur after our initial rendezvous. I want everyone to be prepared and organized for our first show. Now... Any questions?"

[KnightDisciple]

"Do we have any specific estimates on force composition of the enemy force? And how much time have we factored in for our little fight before we head into the maw of the beast?"

Ibram's face, all smiles and jokes before, is deadly serious now. He and Gwen are leaning in towards the holographic displays. His eyes are flitting over all the displayed bits of information.

"As well, will the chain of command for our flight groups be standard, or will we be tied more thoroughly into the fleet's structure of fighter command?"

[Kasanip]

Captain Toivonen

Kirstyn nodded as she cast her gaze in Ibram's direction, though she spoke to the group as she answered.

"Good questions. Unfortunately specific estimates on enemy composition are unknown at this time. Our system databases are still relatively clean on most Fleet Resources. Once we link up with the First Martian Fleet we'll be able to transfer their intelligence and that information...which will go into our strategy planning at the time."

"As for your second question... Gunstar Flight will likely play an initial interception role for our screen. While you will likely be coordinating with Fleet One's Fighter Command, the Aruna has several special tactical considerations to consider.... specifically this one. "

Kristyn gestured to Gwen, and the room full of eyes turned to the holographic woman.

"For those of you not familiar with Gwen, 'she' is the AI functioning aboard Gunstar Flight to adjust the flight group's communications, as well as syncronize operational Electronic Warfare and Tactical Information Processing with the Aruna's Strategic Tactical Support Network (STSN). Due to the specialized role Gwen performs in interfacing directly with the Flight Group and the Aruna, Gunstar Flight will report directly within normal hierarchy to this ship."

"The other units and assembled MECHA team will coordinate with 'Petra,' who will integrate the STSN with the onboard computers in their cockpits."

Kirstyn looked around for any other questions.

[KnightDisciple]

"So plan for the worst, understood. I'll have them load us with standard air to air missiles, in that case."

His eyes still flitted over the data, working to find the best set of maneuvers for once he and his men were in the field.

[MageSparrowhawk]

[Lagrange point 4, Ezra Mining Headquarters (Ladislas colony), Engineering bay 3]

Brightwind stood in the center of the large room, surrounded by pieces of tech, bits of armor, and assorted components. Music was pounding, turned up loud enough it slightly echoed off the metal walls. An arm suddenly pokes out of a joint in the side of the mobile suit, and presses a button on a remote. The music cuts off, and clanking noises can be heard as Abel Zephyros Ezra climbs out of his personal MECHA.

He finally makes his way up to the cockpit and clambers out, flipping closed the access door he had just left. His spiky silver hair catches the light first, indicator of the genetic engineering that his parents had done. His almost-white skin from living under artificial light most of his life (and not bothering to sunbathe) comes into sight next, followed by his partly unzipped flight suit. Abel stands on the folded down cockpit door, stretching. "Hoo boy. I think it's finally ready to go..." He glances up at the ceiling. "Begin Brightwind-to-Hikyuu conversion." He quickly steps inside his 'gundam' as the door closes and a number of arms extend down. Plucking sections of blood-red armor from the ground around the MECHA, the variant is pieced together.

After a minute or so, the screens come on in the cockpit, proudly announcing Brightwind-Hikyuu in bold letters. Placing his hands on the controls, the MECHA takes a step...then drops to a knee. The overly large hand makes several large indentations in the floor as he brings it back up to standing. "Right. Heavy arms." He presses a button, and the adjacent airlock door slides open. He slowly makes his way over to it, avoiding falling over or stepping on anything.

A few button presses later, and Abel was in space, making a leisurely lap around the Ladislas colony. Spotting a small asteroid on his sensors, Abel guns his engines and activates the hypervibrational claws. Coming to a stop just in front of the large chunk of space-rock, he reaches forward and casually drags one finger through the stone. It disintegrates under his touch, tiny fragments spraying out. "All right!" Abel grins, and tears into the asteroid with both hands.

Several minutes later, the huge boulder has been transformed into floating gravel. "Whew. That was fun, but...it looks like it used up quite a bit of power...the capacitors are going to either need some time to recharge...or an upgrade!" The MECHA turns around and starts back toward the colony where both it and its pilot call home.

[Kasanip]

Captain Toivonen

"If there are no more questions, then this meeting is ajourned." The captain said, pressing the button to turn off the console as various staff stood up and started to leave. She soon made her way back to the bridge and sat down.

The next three hours before meeting with the rest of the Martian First Fleet went by quickly, as all sorts of final tests and checks were established. The crew had not had that much time to train before departure, but the Aruna's servicemen and women were efficient and quick to pick up the skills they needed. Many were veterans from previous crews, though there were plenty of new ones.

The Martian 1st fleet was still a relatively small one - only one captured battleship, three cruisers and five destroyers. It was obvious then why the Aruna's assistance would be invaluable here, with their fighters and mecha contribution.

The database transfer went smoothly while Captain Toivonen talked protocal and formalities with the other captains, as they prepared their battle strategy.

When that meeting ended, Captain Toivonen turned to her bridge communications officer.
"Shipwide message, combat briefing will begin in ten minutes. All mecha pilots and appropriate combat personnel must attend. Take us up to Combat Level 2." She said calmly.
"Aye ma'am."

With that, Kristyn turned and exited the bridge with a short hop before heading to the briefing room. One quick run-through of their strategy, and then she would have the pilots prepare to launch. She felt her heart start to beat just a little bit faster. This was it.

[KnightDisciple]

At 9 minutes and 30 seconds after the notice, Gunstar Flight walked into the briefing room. All 6 men were wearing their armored flight suits, minus helmets, as the marched in. Their helmets were tucked under their left arms.

Gwen manifested next to them, in a slimmer, more feminine version of their suits. The pilots, including Flight Lieutenant Corbec, stood at attention once they reached their designated seats, awaiting word from the Captain on whether they should sit yet.

[Zarah]

Captain Shanovar Ein had remained silent during the proceedings and subsequent meet and greet with the newly appointed leader of Earth. His uniform clung annoyingly at parts of his body, yet hung loose on others, an unfamilar feeling to a pilot turned officer. He'd attempted to decline the invitation for this particular event, but it seemed that his attempts to flee were all for nought. He'd frozen when she walked through the door into the room, attempting to collect himself from the intitial shock of being confronted with the most powerful woman in the entirity of the UEDF. He swallowed softly, preforming a crisp salute


"As a former member of the Infranty Madam Consuler, I know I speak for them all when I say it is an honor to serve under your command."

Zaria froze as soon as she heard him speak, not really prepared for the sudden salute. Once he was finished, she ran over the words once in her mind, then gave a chuckle to herself and took a few steps closer.

"Let's just hope you'll continue to see things that way in the time to come. I've only been High Consular for about three minutes now. I don't exactly have the kinds of achievements to even encourage a salute from anyone," she explained, a thin smile slowly spreading out upon her lips as she spoke.

She then gave anyone a moment to jump in with something else to say, letting her eyes shift back and forth within the short, awkward moment. However, not a word was uttered. Her smile grew ever so slightly, then she quickly added, "But I will soon enough."

[Innis Cabal]

“Madam Consular, it is beyond the honor or privilege for a man such as myself to be in your presence, let alone given the grand honor as to salute you personally.”

Ein gives another crisp salute, his eyes pointed forward, no movement, not even a stray breath out of place

“I personally will serve you until my body no longer can, Madam Consular. On my honor as a pilot I swear this.”

[Zarah]

A hand found its way to her chin as she leaned back and looked the man over. Her smile slowly faded away as he continued to speak, though she was only half-listening to the words. The only part that really caught her attention was the complete oath of loyalty he had just sworn to her own face.

"What's your name, pilot?" she asked quietly. Her eyes narrowed as she awaited a reply.

[Innis Cabal]

"Captain Shanovar Ein, Madam Consular!"

The reply was given cleanly, quickly and without hesitation. If Ein stood any more still, there could be serious questions if he was not in fact a well automated statue

[Kasanip]

Aruna - Briefing Room

By the time the Gunstar Flight pilots arrived, the briefing room was almost filled. A few more personnel, of note the Chief Deck officer and Gunnery Seargent filed in behind the Gunstar pilots, and Captain Toivonen gestured for them all to be seated. The lights dimmed as the Captain gestured to one of the Bridge officers present to start the projector.

"Let's begin." Kristyn said simply, adjusting her hat subconciously before activating the holographic overlay. The screen showed a large image of Mars with the surrounding area of space empty in murky blackness, yet there were a group of green dots that were the allied fleet, glowing with a trajectory path that showed their flight skirting Mars' atmosphere.

"The Aruna has met up with the Martian First Aerospace Fleet; our mission - to provide cover for a Space Drop to the planet's surface. Elements of the Martian Resistance are staging an attack on the Capitol, and the Martian First fleet will be dropping in mecha support from our staging point here." The screen highlighted a blue circle surrounding the area above the martian surface - an area that was relatively close to the fleet's current position.
"Long-scan patrols from the 1st fleet's Blue Squadron has detected UEDF activity coming both from Deimos and from the Northern Pole Base. Naturally our opponents will not let us do what we please so easily." Captain Toivonen swept her eyes around the room, looking at the pilots, many of whom were leaning forward as they studied the map. She pressed a few keys bringing up a readout of the Martian First Fleet's composition.

"The First's Fleet's command ship is the captured battleship Aegis, which is directly supported by three cruisers, the Belarius, Charlemagne, and Bison, as well as Five destroyers - Red Feather, Emmed, Calowey, Arkhad, and the Trident. Of these ships, the Calowey, Emmed, and Bison will be dropping the personnel and mecha to the surface, and so will be unavaliable for the initial combat maneuvers.

Our plan is twofold: while the Space drop is occuring, we will create a perimeter to intercept incoming enemy vessels that may wish to interfere with the operation. After the Space Drop is complete, we will attempt to punch a hole through the Polar Defense Fleet in order to disengage from the combat area."

Captain Toivonen switched the chart again, which displayed a readout on the enemy deployment.
"This won't be easy - the polar fleet inbound contains two cruisers and three destroyers, though there are no battleships. The enemy from Deimos on the other hand, have a battleship, two cruisers and three destroyers. While our fleet's combat capability is able to engage either one of these fleets, we are at a disadvantage should the two elements link up. As such we will be engaging them from maximum distance from the drop zone, and are expected to keep them from concentrating their attack force as much as possible.

The Aruna will provide mecha and fighter support for the Arkhad and Trident, with the Charlemagne to engage the Polar fleet while the rest of our force engages the Deimos Fleet."

She paused.
"This will not be easy. We are outgunned, though we have a few capabilities that should assist rather handily." She gestured Lieutenant Corbec.
"Our operation will utilize Gunstar Flight's interception capabilities to hit the enemy hard. Electronic warfare will be a vital role in keeping the enemy uncoordinated and reacting to our movements. The Gunstar flight will punch a hole in the enemy fighter force and aim to neutralize one of the enemy cruisers. Gwen will coordinate communications and should be able to provide the Aruna's gunners with pinpoint targeting information. If we can hamstring one of their heavy vessels, our strength will be relatively on par, and we have the advantage of the Aruna being a wildcard with unknown combat capabilities. In addition to Gunstar Flight, the Martian First Fleet will provide a Gray Squadron, flying the MF-18 Fighter/Bombers for support and interception."

Captain Toivonen turned to look at the other mecha pilots and caught Tanja's eyes.
"The rest of the non-fighter mecha force will be responsible for our screen. Understand that while we certainly would like to value our ship and crew as top priority, for the first phase of this mission the defence of the Surface-Drop team is your critical objective. It can be assumed that the UEDF pilots will have been instructed to target the Drop forces as their primary target because of their vulnerability." Pausing, Captain Toivonen turned and nodded to one young woman with messy brown hair sitting in a nondescript black flight jumpsuit with blue lines. Even as Captain Toivonen was giving her signal to the girl, she stood up, though as impassive and 'military' she tried to seem, it was obvious she was a bit out of place.

"This is Petra, she will be the coordinator for the Strategic Tactical Support Network, and will interface directly with your mecha suits. Should you need tactical updates or data analysis, it is her job to provide it to you on the spot, as well as relay information from the Aruna, especially in the event of communications distruption."

The girl offered a crisp salute. "'Looking forward to working with you." She said, and though her voice wasn't as loud or confident as her salute had seemed, her voice was still steady. She sat down again as Captain Toivonen looked at the crew.

"Combat operations will start in T-minus fifty minutes. Any questions?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Spin to the right, the pilot pod shaking as enemy ballistic fire streaked over the 'canopy' of the pit as a few rounds pitted the rear armor around her port-right thruster. A glance at the tactical damage read-out confirmed what she knew, no major damage and flight capabilities un-changed. Thrust was cut and reversed, side boosters activating to send the MECHA into a dizzying spin back towards the enemy...

Tanja stood out like a sore thumb from the other MECHA pilots, not because she looked any different from them but because...she didn't belong. She knew it and they knew it, they had the camaraderie of bravery, idealism, and other things that she simply didn't have. She was subdued, didn't joke around with the others until the meeting started, and once it had began to quickly sketch down a crude copy of the holographic map for personal reference in case of electronics failure.

Drop down as the enemy tried to compensate for the abrupt reversal, exposing their underside to a barrage of blasts from the simulator's pre-programmed machine-cannon. Her assault scored the front-side of her black-colored opponent with breaks in the armor to expose the delicate circuitry within it, a smile on her face now. The computer never caught on to that maneuver, and most human pilots never got the chance to, but she never resorted to such risky maneuvers since leaving the League. Being showy didn't get you additional rewards in the military, at best she'd get her kill and then get nagged by some officer.

Eyes sweep over Petra, silently judging if the girl would break under the pressure or not, but there were other matters more important then that. Tanja's hand rose up into the air crisply, waiting silently for Kristyn to notice her.

"Captain, do we have any information on possible UEDF forces stationed at the south pole of the planet? If there are any there I mean, I think we should be prepared for a possible ambush from any units stationed there. Also, is this Petra's first tenure as a coordinator or does she have prior experience?" Her voice is a bit hoarse and she has to clear her throat before she's loud enough to be heard across the briefing room. As curious as her second question was, Tanja still felt she needed it answered despite the possible insult to Petra (whom she had nothing against personally). If the new coordinator was fresh out of training then...well..she may crack under the strain, become flustered, or give unreliable information. She'd have to account for that sort of chance in her own maneuvers if Petra was un-used to live combat.

[Kasanip]

Captain Toivonen nodded.

"An excellent question." She pressed a button that expanded the view of Mars, and rotated the model.
"The possibility of a strike team from the Southern Pole Base attempting to intercept our operation is well considered. Due to the location of our operation being located in the northern hemisphere, this puts them at some distance to scramble. In order to convince them they do not want to launch, the Martian 2nd C.A.N. fleet will be staging some maneuvers on the far side of Phobos. It will present to them the dilemma of scrambling and leaving their base open to a retaliatory strike, or to trust in their comrades."

Kirstyn paused. "That said, it is possible they will come. If we detect them on long-range scan, then we will push the operation forward and do our best to be gone before they arrive."

She looked over at Petra again, and then back at Tanja. Petra's blue eyes were looking at Tanja, but there was nothing to suggest she was upset by the pilot's questions.
"Your second question is fair, though perhaps a bit more explanation is needed. Petra's role here is a unique one... This is the first time in the Colonial Fleet's history that we will try using this method of coordination. In the past it has generally been the Bridge communications officer who handles this responsibility, but with the appearance of advanced new control methods and computer networks-" She looked at Gwen with a nod, "- we are faced with an information war, of how best to feed information to a pilot. While Petra's own background is...classified...it should not be surprising that there are some special cases. A lot of effort by NOVI's staff went into this system, and it has undergone some strenuous testings - with Petra as the subject." Kristyn explained, looking back at Petra. The young woman looked up at the Captain with a nod, as if she understood. She stood up.

"To answer your question...Yes, this is my first tenure in an actual combat role, or so I think. It is unfortunate that we must experience a combat situation before live-tests can be practiced, I hope to assure you that I will do my best to support you in whatever way you need during flight." She said with a trace of a smile.

Captain Toivonen looked back out as Petra sat down again. "Any other questions?"

[KnightDisciple]

Gwen raised her hand. When acknowledged, she will speak loud enough to be heard by all.

"First, will we be rotating comm frequencies, or simply going with standard encryption routines? Second, could we have Gunstars 4, 5, and 6 loaded with HARMs for our initial foray? Third, is it just going to be Gunstar Flight and Gray Squadron actively engaging the enemy, with everyone else providing long-range support and defense for the capital ships? Just good to know how much backup we'll have."

[Zarah]

"Captain Shanovar Ein, Madam Consular!"

The reply was given cleanly, quickly and without hesitation. If Ein stood any more still, there could be serious questions if he was not in fact a well automated statue

"Captain Ein? Why do I recognize that name?" she asked to no one other than herself, apparently. She tilted her head downward as she drifted into her thoughts, putting a hand to her chin as she did so. After a few seconds of even further awkward silence, she lifted up her eyes once more and shot her gaze directly into the boy.

"Where are you stationed?" she added. Her tone was not intimidating, nor was it casual. It was just a simple question.

For now.

[Innis Cabal]

“I have been re-stationed from the Jade Heaven to the Gaia’s Lance Madam Consular!”

A short answer, he honestly had no idea what else she’d want to know, and the fear of mis-stepping here of all places made his blood run cold with fear. He simply refused to show it. A model soldier if there ever was one.

[Zarah]

Her smile quickly reappeared upon her lips and her eyes narrowed. As she leaned back a little to give him a little breathing space, she casually added, "Then I suggest you move out. The Lance has been given the order for immediate deployment."

The announcement made a few other officers lining the room to jump to attention. They whipped their heads back and forth, sharing glances and trying to figure out just what they should do. However, it was Zaria that broke the silence.

"As you were," she noted before turning away and making her way toward the door. However, before she could take a single step, a mad dash of men leaped out in front of her and barreled their way out of the room.

[Innis Cabal]

Ein gave one single salute, turning neatly on his heel and dashed from the room. He'd sooner be dead then miss the launch. In record time, Ein was in the cockpit of his MECHA, the formal attire he only minutes ago wore lay crumbled on the hanger floor, a tight black jump suit in its place. He'd been wearing it under neath all along, always prepared, even if uncomfortable.

He quickly went through the checks, every system green. There was no delay in the wires or computers, no malfunctions. Everything was primed. He quickly turned on his communcations device


"Captain Shanovar Ein! Ready to launch! Prepped for immediate hostile encounters. Awaiting clearance for departure!!"