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Post by Thorn on Jul 2, 2009 21:11:59 GMT -5
Walking in the shadow of his Ptera, Frederick admired the crisp lines of his zoid. Swift, deadly and fully capable of the mission ahead. The only thing that really bothered him was the color. Purple may have been a good color to use in this case, but it didn't deviate from the fact that is was often a feminine color. The pilot frowned slightly, hands in his pockets and ponytail swinging behind.
There were numerous engineers running around, keeping to their own tasks. They'd already managed to get on of the bomb racks on Frederick's zoid. Now there was only one left and the loading process afterwards. It should be easy enough. In the meantime he would converse and get to know the pilots who'd be his bodyguard. He'd seen each of their zoids. But it wasn't the machine he was concerned with. It was the pilot that mattered, not the machine.
It seemed that one man was standing off by himself, not doing anything in particular. From his stance and outward appeared Frederick could tell he was one of the other zoid pilots. A man with a clipboard was spoke briefly with him before moving away. Frederick moved to him, yelling over the din of the machinery,
"Ahoy there! Name's Talon. Seems were in the same boat, eh?"
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Post by Rui Zeal on Jul 10, 2009 21:18:58 GMT -5
Rui had been standing off in the shadows, the gloom of the hanger partially concealing her true identity. She had been going over the specs of her team mates and their zoids. Rui personally couldn't care less about the whole ZBC/Backdraft war, but this mission was good money, and she was looking to repair Fury.
Today, seeing as there were likely to be dogfights, Rui had dressed in a pressure suit that would allow her to stay perfectly conscious even close to twice the speed of sound. Right now, the suit was zipped down about half way with the sleeves tied around the wearers waist. Instead of her usual long-sleeved shirt, Rui was wearing a simple white tank-top and black combat boots beyond the suit.
"Ahoy there! Name's Talon. Seems were in the same boat, eh?" said a voice from behind her. Rui turned around to see a man towering a full half foot over her. "Ohayo Talon-san, watashi no namea wa Zeal Rui Desu. Hajimemash ite." Rui said bowing with her hands clasped in front of her. That was a traditional greeting when you first met someone and were introduced, or introduced yourself in her village. It was an odd place, separate from almost every other place and completely self-sufficient. In that village, they spoke an unusual amalgamation of English and Japanese.
"I take it that you're here for the ZBC mission as well?" The younger of the two zoid pilots said as she straightened up. Ru would step into the light as the other pilot, obviously her Sempai in years if nothing else, replied.
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Post by Thorn on Jul 11, 2009 1:00:05 GMT -5
"Ohayo Talon-san, watashi no namea wa Zeal Rui Desu. Hajimemash ite."
What the hell did she just call him? Talon continued his friendly greeting despite his awkward feeling. His eyes looked her over with a quick glance. She was young. Too young to possibly be a zoid pilot. Thorn guessed her age around eighteen or nineteen. Maybe even younger taking into account her voice. Talon wanted to be attracted to her but didn't know if it was exactly...legal. Something in the back of his mind found this the funniest thing he'd ever heard of and the pilot had to stifle a laugh.
Any visual hint of this didn't exist on Thorn's features. Instead of trying to repeat whatever she just said he answered her question,
"I take it that you're here for the Z.B.C mission as well?"
With a wide smile he answered, "Ah-yuh. Frederick Asbosh," he bowed low, right hand on his chest and the other off to the side and up, "Ptera pilot and former military."
It was more of a comedic bow than an official greeting. Rising up, the smile faded slightly but did not vanish. All the time he spoke to Rui his eyes never lever left her's. It was an odd habit of Thorn's to lock eyes with someone. Memorising their faces and how their eyes moved about. It was a subtle thing he rarely shared with others but he could tell how they would perform in the sky just from looking at them. Rui seemed confident enough. But her inexperience and young age would be her undoing. She was green. Green like a blade of grass.
Thorn could smell it wafting from her. Even over the smell of his own old military flight suit, neatly zipped up and a number of medals proudly displayed on the chest. His helmet was kept comfortably in the crook of his arm. Thorn had met people like Rui before. Brilliant at the stick of a zoid but completely lacking connection with the machine and relying on talent to guide the way. She seemed like the type to know her zoid's technical traits. But not the soul of the machine. Continueing to stare into her face he couldn't help but ask,
"I you don't mind me asking, how old are you exactly?"
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Post by Rui Zeal on Jul 12, 2009 18:28:07 GMT -5
As Talon introduced himself again, this time with his apparent real name, Rui noticed that he never took his eyes off hers, something that sent the shivers up her spine. He seemed to be analyzing her, and that just positively felt creepy to her. After he gave a bow that lacked any sort of serious tone, he asked Rui's age. That too gave Rui the willies. "Not at all, I'm seventeen." Rui said.
Talon was wearing a suit much like Rui's own, though much older, and adorned with a few medals that apparently spoke of his abilities. Funny, Rui thought I didn't know that there even was a military in this lifetime. Maybe they're from his Oji-san Oji-san being a word used in her village for Grandfather. "How old are you?" She asked, taking an unconscious step back, and causing the gun strapped to her side to brush against her theigh. She still wasn't used to carrying the weight.
(OoC:Rank up !!
Rui advanced to B-rank
Rui gained +1 Defense
Rui gained +2 HP
Rui gained +1 MP
Rui gained +1 Strength
Rui gained +3 Intelligence
Rui gained +2 Agility
Rui learned Pilot B-rank Zoid)
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Post by Thorn on Jul 12, 2009 21:37:45 GMT -5
"Not at all, I'm seventeen."
Again the voice in the back of his head started laughing. Well that ruled out that question. Thorn hadn't been too far off from his guess at Rui's age. Not far off in the least. Which was good, he supposed. But he felt a little bummed. It wasn't often you met a female flyer who looked like her. But there was over a ten year gap between them and she was probably too immature for his taste. No matter. He could get through the mission without too much trouble from her.
Thorn noticed that the girl had glanced at his medals and noticed a number of his other difineing features. Then came the expected question,
"How old are you?"
The friendly smile remained on Thorns face as he answered calmly, "twenty-eight. Uh, I think. Sort of stopped keeping track of my age. You know? Sort of holds you back. But you obviously don't have that problem."
Rui took a step back. Something that offended Thorn. He didn't let it show on his face though. Hoping to keep the conversation going whilst his zoid was outfitted Thorn asked, "How long have you been flying?"
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Post by Rui Zeal on Jul 13, 2009 22:04:17 GMT -5
"Flying?" Rui started, "I've only been piloting flying zoids for a few months, but I've been a zoid pilot since I was six or seven, and a mechanic since I could hold a wrench." Rui turned towards where her zoid sat in the shadows, all of it's defining features hidden from view. They really need to get better lighting in here... The young pilot took a few steps forward then looked over her shoulder at her sempai, "So, Talon-ji-senpai, How long have you been flying?"
Rui put excess emphasis on the 'ji-senpai' bit, making it obvious to even someone who didn't have a clue what it meant that she was poking fun at them. All that was left was to see how he'd react.
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Post by Thorn on Jul 14, 2009 0:46:09 GMT -5
The corner of Thorn's lip twitched when he considered how long this girl had been behind the stick. Almost ten whole years. No matter. Thorn was a seasoned veteran who had well over fifteen years plus his former education in the field of aviaton. But he didn't want to go bragging about his past years. It wasn't the right thing to do. Particularly around a lady. Moving up beside her, he heard her voice ask,
"So, Talon-ji-senpai, How long have you been flying?"
There was that crazy language again. Thorn had already grown tired of it. It was discourteous to talk to someone in a language they didn't understand. Maybe this girl didn't learn proper manners growing up. Thorn's face remained very much the same in expression but he was growing irritated. She had obviously insulted him and he knew it. If she did it again there would be a grudge between them. Something that Thorn would have gladly obliged. Keeping his cool he replied with some reluctance,
"I've been flying for a little over fifteen years. That Ptera over there is my own. The one being outfitted with the payload. Little worried it will jinx my speed though. Does you bird get good speed in the air?"
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Post by Rui Zeal on Jul 14, 2009 13:37:08 GMT -5
Rui ran over what she could remember about the Pteras in her head. It was based off the Pteramander, as a scaled down version. It topped out at mach 2.2, and was armed with a fairly weak machine gun, as well as four missiles. It also generated lift using Magnesser technology. Overall, it was capable for it's day, and was even faster than some of the more modern zoids, but it couldn't compete in terms of weapons load and agility. "The Pteras is a decent zoid, especially when you consider the age of the design. But it wasn't designed for a heavy weapons load."
She looked over at where it stood, "It won't be able to handle the extra weight well, I'd say it's top speed will drop to mach 2.0 at best, maybe even lower. My suggestion is to leave the missiles behind and about half the ammo for the machine gun. That should keep the top speed and agility up." It looked like everything was about set. They'd likely get the command to prepare for launch soon.
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Post by Thorn on Jul 14, 2009 19:48:34 GMT -5
Thorn's smile widened as Rui went over the specifics of his own craft. A woman who knew her zoids was one of the most attractive things to Thorn. Them talking about it excited the pilot even more. But there was one problem. The accursed triffle of age. This was not a traditionalist society. It was one where people only two or three years apart could get together and court. Damn it Thorn get your head straight and back to the mission. Shaking his head slightly, pony tail tossing side to side he got his thoughts back on track. Nodding now he said to Rui,
"Yes it may slow me down. But once the load is dropped it shouldn't be too much trouble." He shrugged, "I don't much plan for going in fast right off the bat anyway. See my bird is built more for high atmoshperic flight. I'll come in high, drop the payload and use the ensuing dive to get in the confusion."
Looking over his shoulder he heard the call of one of the technicians. They were ready for the show to begin. . Bomb racks were prepared and missles moved off to the side. Thorn glanced at them, wondering if we would get them back. Looking back at Rui he asked,
"Shall we?"
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Post by Rui Zeal on Jul 14, 2009 23:29:35 GMT -5
Everything was ready, all that was left was to launch. "Shall we?" Talon asked. After half a moment's pause, Rui performed a western masucline bow, her left arm across the belly, the right swept back in a dramatic gesture. "But of course."
Rui dashed over and climbed, much like the Saru, or monkey, who she used as her call sign, up the leg of her zoid and scrambled into the cockpit. She powered the zoid to prepare for lift off, and walked to the launch ramp. The roof pulled back as her zoid was secured to the catapult. Now one could see it, an Evoflyer in all it's glory.
Ciel complained to Rui about this and that, mostly the mechanics being far too rough. She gave off a quick hiss-roar-whatever, and, along with her pilot, awaited their ally to get on the catapult to their right. As she waited, she pulled her flight suit the rest of the way on, zipping it up to the neck.
As soon as he was, baring any catastrophic event, or as one of the village boys called it, a "Fatal frick Up", Rui would declare "Rui and Ciel, prepared for launch." and be catapulted into the sky, transforming into flight more so as to avoid crashing into the very solid earth close to the speed of sound, if not faster.
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Post by Thorn on Jul 15, 2009 16:24:22 GMT -5
Thorn gave Rui a quick nod before moving towards his own Ptera. He noticed that she gave him the same bow he'd used previously. A curious curl was added to Thorn's smile as he back away and moved off towards his zoid. He shot a glance over at Rui as she walked away. The smile never leaving his face he clamoured up into the Ptera's cockpit and cracked the cartalage in his fingers with a quick hand gesture.
His eyes flickered over the dash with a professional, practiced glance. With a slight pat from his hand the machine responded. Squawking to life as if it were a living organism. Thorn grinned as the craft gibbered at him for having gone for so long. The zoid and Thorn had worked together for years. Their bond being damn near telepathic in nature. With some reluctance they moved from the loading zone.
The weight was bothersom to get used to. The Ptera waddled slowly up to the twin catapult. Thorn hated this part. As exhilerating as it was he didn't much care for being 'launched' like some ballistic crash test dummy. As the Ptera locked its feet in he couldn't help but feel his heart rate rise. To take his mind off things he streched and zipped his flight suit up to his neck. That done he reached under the seat and slipped a flight cap on his head. It was an old, leather design with round flying goggles and a chin strap. In reality he looked like a complete chowder head but he liked the old cap. Believing it was lucky.
Taking in a breathe he spoke over the comlink, "Thorn and Hawk, ready for launch."
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Post by Rui Zeal on Jul 15, 2009 23:11:57 GMT -5
Ba-dump ba-dump, Rui's heart was hammering a mile a minute, what's taking so long, the suspense is killing me. She pulled on her flight helmet and tried to calm her self down; it wasn't working. She clicked on her mp3 player, and set one of the more relaxing songs on it.
(drops of Jupiter -Train)
Less than a second after the song started, the force of a sudden acceleration flattened Rui against her seat. Ciel transformed into her flight form devoid of any input from Rui herself. Climbing to either the Pteras's ceiling or her own, which ever is greater, (because I honestly don't know which is higher), the two of them would take up a position to the right and a little behind Talon and his Pteras.
Rui sat in amazement at all the stars she could see in the night sky, and the sun was just barely down. Though she didn't have her face mask on, there wasn't a need since she was only flying at the slower of the two zoid's cruising speeds. "don't worry," she said jokingly, "I'll be flying wing for ya, so you can just focus on reducing the backdraft base to a heap of burning slag. K'?"
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