Eternity RPC Board
10-24-2020, 04:04 AM
The huge metal creature knelt in the wreckage as if a squire bowing before its lord to be knighted, and a hatch in its torso opened to expose the dark hollow of a cockpit inside.
Not missing a step in her all-out sprint, Melinoë was practically flying over the space separating her from the Asphodel. She swerved once around a security officer grasping for her, once more around a scrap of what once was a train car. Leap, leap, leap – and then she was under it, in the shadow it cast, grasping for the hand-hold on the extended hatch. She made contact and hoisted herself up, thinking she heard a rubber bullet plink off the alloy frame of her cockpit but not stopping to confirm.
Soft blue light from the Asphodel’s rousing console display provided the only illumination in the moment that the hydraulic hatch latched itself behind the incoming pilot. In a moment more, the panoramic displays blinked on to provide an augmented reality view of the world just beyond the metal and circuitry.
Melonoë strapped herself into the pilot’s seat and brought her suit to stand at its full imposing height.
“Elysium,” she announced to her communicator, unsure if anyone was able to actually receive her message. “Thirty container units confirmed at Venius. Initiating search-and-destroy.”
The “destroy” would be simple enough, but for the time being, the “search” aspect provided some challenge. The sheer amount of metal, electronics, and electromagnetic components inside the station dampened the effectiveness at Asphodel’s ability to suss out the cargo from innocuous trade goods being prepared for shipment.
She would destroy it all, then. If it was the only way, it was the only way.
Her left-most display panel blipped pleadingly for its pilot’s attention, flashing up a window with an enlarged view of some goings-on down below: armed security forces had emerged from deeper within the complex and were aiming what appeared to be semi-automatic rifles at her mobile suit. They were no threat. Melinoë dismissed the alert and scanned the rest of her display. Amidst the movement of bystanders fleeing and security forces approaching, she spotted a small fleet of cargo trucks peeling away from the holding area.
Those were her targets.
“Engaging the--”
Just as she was preparing to take out the trucks, the whirring of a train preparing to depart caught her attention. A judgment call was required immediately. These things were certain: The trains were faster. Much faster. Within seconds, the trains, inside the elevators, would also be much harder to access. The trucks were slow, but were going to be on the main roads surrounded by innocents.
Minimize bystander casualties.
“I’m taking out the trucks,” she declared with the subtlest hint of uncertainty in her voice, eyes still tracking the trains as they began to creep upwards. “Beginning GS particle dispersal.”
Within seconds, the entirety of the Asphodel had begun emitting a bright cyan glow. Like a second skin, the GS field encased her suit until the entire form was sheathed. A dimmer plume of particles seemed to radiate away from the Asphodel and fill the station; it would be troublesome if other mobile suits were to show up, but flooding the area with particles should buy her some time.
Not missing a step in her all-out sprint, Melinoë was practically flying over the space separating her from the Asphodel. She swerved once around a security officer grasping for her, once more around a scrap of what once was a train car. Leap, leap, leap – and then she was under it, in the shadow it cast, grasping for the hand-hold on the extended hatch. She made contact and hoisted herself up, thinking she heard a rubber bullet plink off the alloy frame of her cockpit but not stopping to confirm.
Soft blue light from the Asphodel’s rousing console display provided the only illumination in the moment that the hydraulic hatch latched itself behind the incoming pilot. In a moment more, the panoramic displays blinked on to provide an augmented reality view of the world just beyond the metal and circuitry.
Melonoë strapped herself into the pilot’s seat and brought her suit to stand at its full imposing height.
“Elysium,” she announced to her communicator, unsure if anyone was able to actually receive her message. “Thirty container units confirmed at Venius. Initiating search-and-destroy.”
The “destroy” would be simple enough, but for the time being, the “search” aspect provided some challenge. The sheer amount of metal, electronics, and electromagnetic components inside the station dampened the effectiveness at Asphodel’s ability to suss out the cargo from innocuous trade goods being prepared for shipment.
She would destroy it all, then. If it was the only way, it was the only way.
Her left-most display panel blipped pleadingly for its pilot’s attention, flashing up a window with an enlarged view of some goings-on down below: armed security forces had emerged from deeper within the complex and were aiming what appeared to be semi-automatic rifles at her mobile suit. They were no threat. Melinoë dismissed the alert and scanned the rest of her display. Amidst the movement of bystanders fleeing and security forces approaching, she spotted a small fleet of cargo trucks peeling away from the holding area.
Those were her targets.
“Engaging the--”
Just as she was preparing to take out the trucks, the whirring of a train preparing to depart caught her attention. A judgment call was required immediately. These things were certain: The trains were faster. Much faster. Within seconds, the trains, inside the elevators, would also be much harder to access. The trucks were slow, but were going to be on the main roads surrounded by innocents.
Minimize bystander casualties.
“I’m taking out the trucks,” she declared with the subtlest hint of uncertainty in her voice, eyes still tracking the trains as they began to creep upwards. “Beginning GS particle dispersal.”
Within seconds, the entirety of the Asphodel had begun emitting a bright cyan glow. Like a second skin, the GS field encased her suit until the entire form was sheathed. A dimmer plume of particles seemed to radiate away from the Asphodel and fill the station; it would be troublesome if other mobile suits were to show up, but flooding the area with particles should buy her some time.