Chapter Nine: Prairie Fire!

[Purr]

Silanon Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood

Trouble shouts out one big feline meooooow (especially from such a little kitty mouth) to cheer Ylva on and then he immediately shuts his face. Despite the pandemonium across the battlefield and the danger to herself and her friends, Ylva does her level-best to put her targeting reticle right on the moving backpack. There is no doubting it - this is one of the toughest shots she has ever taken (maybe the toughest!).

Plasma-fire erupts from the Super Stealth Logan's 20mm tri-cannon...

Spoiler: Dice!

Rolling the 2d6 (select the highest) for Ylva's 9th level use of an Action Point results in a... 5 and a... 3. Keeping the 5! Great roll!

Rolling the matching two-tone blue and yellow d20, it comes up with a...

17!! Add 5 to that and you get a 22. Add Ylva's modified Strike bonus for the Called Shot and....

Spoiler

BOOOOM!!

Spoiler: You know I have to play this music now, right?!

"Robotech OST Rick Hunters Theme"

The very second Ylva's plasma-fire crosses over the twisted wreckage of blasted mecha atop the chilly wasteland of ice and snow and strikes the backpack, Trouble lets out this huge mental cheer, "YOU DID I--" when he is interrupted not by the tremendous blast of whatever in the world was in Scary Jerry's oversized backpack...

... but by the secondary explosions of those contents erupting inside what, in its final moments, appears to belong to this!

Spoiler: This

A Zeki-Zentraedi Re-entry Pod... except each of you gets a brief but sure glimpse this thing is billowing huge amounts of red... cloudy... stuff from its topside!

(Image credit: Robotech Technical Files)

When this thing goes up, it takes everything else within 50 meters of it straight to wherever dead Zeki go, including three of the enemy mecha you were just about to do battle with! The others stagger and flop down, knocked flat by the blast, but craziest of all...

... Scary Jerry (sans his Mega-suit) gets blown through the air and over your tanks to land behind Mario and Hercules, but before the rest of the Wild Cards! There he lies, flat in the snow, still. Immobile. Perhaps lifeless.

Inside of Hercules's Mjolnir tank, Beema moves like a blur of fur and fangs. Before he sees it, Hercules hears the youngest Broo of the Star Watcher Tribe physically hit with her body the Main Battle Hover Tank's hatch in an attempt to get outside and into the snow. When that fails to open the hatch, she twists, pulls, yanks, presses, bites, kicks, snarls, along with other animalistic approaches to something that Hercules knows takes a simple twist and pull (to activate the hatch's emergency release so the crew can get out as quickly as possible). In seconds, Beema goes from a hyperactive ball of Beastie trying to get out to, upon failing to open the hatch, a frenzied clawing mini-tigress attempting to slash and slam her way out. Herc knows she has no chance of succeeding in this; a reality little Beema is just now coming to realize, much to her fear and frustration.

And then... you hear it.

Scary Jerry's shrieking laughter fills the air. "AAAHAHAHAAAAA! Take that you Zeki sons of bitches!! That's what you get for shooting up my team, you sorry motherfuckers!! Roast in Hell! WAHAAHAAAAA!" Anyone looking in the direction of Jerry's prone form sees a fist raised in the air followed by a gloved middle finger sticking it straight toward the burning Zeki Zentraedi force.

Beema freezes and looks at Hercules, her face stricken as the Mjolnir's external microphones pick up Scary Jerry's voice.

But that's not all...

Everywhere the Wild Cards look, there is the biggest hole in the Red Thunder Cloud they have yet to create or see with their own eyes! While there is plenty more cloud out there, this section has been stopped cold! With the alien ship blasted into fiery bits, all crimson matter nearest the Broadsword ceases to be produced! All action on the Zeki side ceases to be and at least for the moment, every Zeki-Zentraedi mecha you see either fumbles and falls in a desperate attempt to flee, or they stand still as stones in what in human pilots would be astonishment incarnate! Either way, they are sitting ducks as we move out of combat time!

Post as you will with the understanding that combat can start again at a moment's notice!

* * *​

Eadric and BOOP...

(OOC: Since Ylva made the shot, I suppose I can include what happens to Eadric too!)

Somewhere below you, there is a tremendous blast that fills the battlefield! Something big and bad just went up into pure light and it was near the tanks Eadric was assisting with BOOP's Hawking Device! BOOP pulls up from this bone-shaking dive with such force that Eadric feels his skin momentarily pull back against his face! For a few moments, Eadric's muscles are useless to move him... and then without warning he is mostly released from that grasp leaving his body trembling in adrenaline-fueled excitement!

Eadric's senses tell him something is happening on the left side of BOOP's cockpit and he looks. What he sees lasts only a few seconds, but in the excitement of combat and the tremendous body changes that follow, Eadric feels what some soldiers who are filled to their adrenalized apex come to see as time itself slowing down for a few moments. It is just long enough for Eadric to witness a wide-open mecha bay hangar with perhaps two-score of strange-looking armored sharpshooters, all firing long barreled rifles behind BOOP.

One in particular is sitting in a casual-looking sitting position with her legs crossed in a ladylike fashion. This shapely lady is wearing some kind of bodysuit uniform (definitely not in a Megasuit!) and were it not for the rifle pressed against her cheekbone, Eadric would be able to see her face. But what he does see are three single shots followed by three explosions behind him while the rest of the sharpshooters are going off on full-auto! More explosions follow...

... and then BOOP allows another radio transmission in. This one comes from a young-sounding man's voice. "Friendly aircraft. You are free to proceed to land with our forces." By this time, BOOP and Eadric have shot past the huge vessel and into open air. The battlefield - all to your right side - appears momentarily... paused? "Please respond and change course to 30 degrees and come in for landing. Our teams will take care of the rest. We appreciate your support! Please respond, Friendly."

From the back seat, Eadric gets this, "Ughghghghgghghggggggh." One look into one of BOOP's twelve monitors shows your passenger has succumbed to the G-forces and excitement and the relief of not being blown out of the sky. He has been polymorphed into a happy-looking, heavily-breathing mass incapable of doing much else.

Understanding that the battle could come back alive any moment, how does Eadric respond?

 

[Silanon]

"Backpack down."

More words should follow - but there aren't any left. Where some of the Zeki-Zentraedi are frozen in shock, the Swede does not fare much better. Explosives? Expected. But this? That's one heck of a blast.

"Remind me to never carry Jerry's stuff. That man is... I don't even know."

Hovering over the battlefield, Ylva does her best to assess whether her assistance is needed somewhere - the Zeki, it seems, are busy enough with themselves, for the moment.

"Everyone fine? Toph, what's the call?" And - sitching channels: "Braidwood - what's the situation?" Hopefully, the confusion on the bridge was sorted out in time...

 

[Kaerri]

"Keep them at a distance, they're loaded with explosives. I'll see if we can offer any support."

"Will do, ma'am," Eadric replies shortly. His eyes flick to the live missiles tracking him, and he shakes his head worriedly.

Kaerri
Eadric and BOOP and...

About this time, Eadric hears an excited heavy male voice query from inside BOOP's cockpit. In fact, it's coming from the seat right behind him! It sounds confused but amused. "Heyaaa... Bucko?" This is followed by some nervous-sounding chuckling. "Those warty green missiles chasing us... you know they have legs, right? An' red glowin' eyes? An'... big long teeth?!"

Eadric has just enough time for a short answer when...

"I do see that," Eadric acknowledges with a tight laugh of his own. "Are you --"

Eadric receives radio traffic that BOOP immediately allows him to hear. A fiery female voice comes over BOOP's crisp internal speakers. "-- to friendly aircraft! If even one of those things gets on you, he'll slow you so the rest can catch you! Alter your heading immediately to 210 degrees--

BOOP hears this and does not waste a single second. Suddenly, Eadric's world is pulled to its right side in a swift and body-shaking high-G turn.

"--and dive at full throttle--"

Eadric is suddenly thrust back in his ever-comfortable seat as BOOP kicks in its glowing afterburners... and points its nose almost straight at the giant shining red and silver vessel and the white burning sea of snow below him. The world is flashing by as if Eadric were a bullet in the sky.

"Oof," Eadric grunts as the extra gravity (or its seeming, anyhow) hits.

The fiery voice continues.

"--pass in front of our vessel about 150 meters out! Miss Hitomi and the Broo will clear your tail... and whatever happens - don't slow down or these are your last moments! You copy all that, Friendly?"

With every passing second, the distance between Eadric and the magnificent giant space vessel shrinks and shrinks. It feels as if a Veritech Hover Tank is putting its big toe on all of Eadric's body as he is helplessly pinned to the seat. From the back seat, Eadric hears that familiar friend's voice. With all of the high-G maneuvering and blazing speed, it sounds like he's squeaking more than saying, "Moooommyyy!!"

Then the turn is finished and Eadric is left with the heart-grabbing view of BOOP flying in a 45-degree angle dive that will definitely 100% certainly kill everyone onboard BOOP if the forward-winged Valkyrie somehow fails to pull up!

Eadric can't do much else but speak at the moment, but with effort, he can still accomplish that!

(OOC: Does he feel like praying?)

"Copy," he forces out through squashed lungs and windpipe. "Wilco. Hang in there, Mikey!" He isn't sure if that last is transmitted or not, but at the moment it doesn't seem to matter. All his world is narrowed to the mecha around him, his passenger behind him, and the friendly onboard entity to which he's entrusting both their lives.

Eadric and BOOP...

(OOC: Since Ylva made the shot, I suppose I can include what happens to Eadric too!)

Somewhere below you, there is a tremendous blast that fills the battlefield! Something big and bad just went up into pure light and it was near the tanks Eadric was assisting with BOOP's Hawking Device! BOOP pulls up from this bone-shaking dive with such force that Eadric feels his skin momentarily pull back against his face! For a few moments, Eadric's muscles are useless to move him... and then without warning he is mostly released from that grasp leaving his body trembling in adrenaline-fueled excitement!

Eadric's senses tell him something is happening on the left side of BOOP's cockpit and he looks. What he sees lasts only a few seconds, but in the excitement of combat and the tremendous body changes that follow, Eadric feels what some soldiers who are filled to their adrenalized apex come to see as time itself slowing down for a few moments. It is just long enough for Eadric to witness a wide-open mecha bay hangar with perhaps two-score of strange-looking armored sharpshooters, all firing long barreled rifles behind BOOP.

One in particular is sitting in a casual-looking sitting position with her legs crossed in a ladylike fashion. This shapely lady is wearing some kind of bodysuit uniform (definitely not in a Megasuit!) and were it not for the rifle pressed against her cheekbone, Eadric would be able to see her face. But what he does see are three single shots followed by three explosions behind him while the rest of the sharpshooters are going off on full-auto! More explosions follow...

... and then BOOP allows another radio transmission in. This one comes from a young-sounding man's voice. "Friendly aircraft. You are free to proceed to land with our forces." By this time, BOOP and Eadric have shot past the huge vessel and into open air. The battlefield - all to your right side - appears momentarily... paused? "Please respond and change course to 30 degrees and come in for landing. Our teams will take care of the rest. We appreciate your support! Please respond, Friendly."

From the back seat, Eadric gets this, "Ughghghghgghghggggggh." One look into one of BOOP's twelve monitors shows your passenger has succumbed to the G-forces and excitement and the relief of not being blown out of the sky. He has been polymorphed into a happy-looking, heavily-breathing mass incapable of doing much else.

Understanding that the battle could come back alive any moment, how does Eadric respond?

"Whew," Eadric huffs under his breath. "Will do, sir, and thank you. Please thank your fire team for me!" He grins at the monitor showing Mikey's happy, albeit limp, form. "Nice flying, BOOP. Very nice. Take us in as we've been requested, please?"

"Braidwood - what's the situation?"

The relief from being freed from the strange missiles is clear in his voice as he replies. "All's well here. Your ship's crew have taken care of the problem and have requested me to land with them. Unless you need me out there still?"

 

[Psychie]

Muppet blinks away the flare of the explosion, wondering just what the hell Scary Jerry was packing to make such an explosion. "Holy shit! That was one hell of a bang. Everyone, sound off your status, and keep your eyes open for more Zeki out there in the fringes of that red cloud."

 

[Sherwood]

"Mars here. No damage to my mecha, but I'm low on incendiary rounds for my tank. Other than that, I'm golden."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Momentarily cursing his luck at his miss, Hercules had little time to contemplate the enormous explosion that erupted from Jerry's boobytrapped pack. The Adamantium member in question's ballistic flight on the tails of the explosion shockwave had sent Beema into a frenzy of activity and he was having the devil's own time trying to get her under control as she scrabbled ineffectively at the hatch while trampling his face, shoulders and chest with her oversized boots.
The assault settled down as Jerry's voice sounded over the comms system and he smiled grimly as he licked up a trickle of blood from a newly-split lip.
"Atlas here, with Beema in tow. We're gonna break from contact to scoop up Jerry and get some real armor between him and any stray Wargoths that might still be flying around. Just so long as Beema doesn't kill me."

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

Spoiler: Instrumental Battle music

"Mass Effect Soundtrack - Therum Battle (Missing track)"

"Whew," Eadric huffs under his breath. "Will do, sir, and thank you. Please thank your fire team for me!" He grins at the monitor showing Mikey's happy, albeit limp, form. "Nice flying, BOOP. Very nice. Take us in as we've been requested, please?"

"Nice flying, Friendly!" comes the pleased response from the Broadsword. "You are cleared to land. Recommend you--"

The moment Eadric hears this, BOOP seamlessly transforms into Guardian mode and changes course in a way that makes Eadric's approach both smooth and with as little added stress as possible.

"-- yeah. You got it! Come on in."

The relief from being freed from the strange missiles is clear in his voice as he replies. "All's well here. Your ship's crew have taken care of the problem and have requested me to land with them. Unless you need me out there still?"

In reply, the monitor communicating with Ylva continues to show the busy blonde maneuvering to the requirements of the battlefield. In that moment, she appears focused on what she is doing...

...which can in no way explain the appearance of a metallic paw suddenly appearing on her Super Logan's cockpit camera! This is immediately followed by a golden eyeball staring far too closely into the camera and a very inquisitive and happy "Mrooo!" sounding from BOOP's super-high-quality cockpit speakers. That camera soon becomes filled with something that resembles a strange-looking kitten's face and a pink tongue. Sounds of slurping follow the meow. Then there's this sound too, now permeating through BOOP's cockpit:

Spoiler: Gang? Can you guess what that sound is?

"Siamese Kitten LOUDEST Purring"

* * *​

"Atlas here, with Beema in tow. We're gonna break from contact to scoop up Jerry and get some real armor between him and any stray Wargoths that might still be flying around. Just so long as Beema doesn't kill me."

These words are not out of Herc's mouth for ten seconds when out of the sky comes a screaming, burning, spinning, bomb-laden Wargoth leaving a black smoke trail in its wake. It twirls head-over-heels between Toph's Mjolnir and Mario's before exploding into one deafening blast. Still lying in the snow, Scary Jerry pulls his offending finger down just long enough for it not to get blown off, then after the creature's fiery demise, raises it right back up again.

Beema, completely engrossed in retrieving her human friend from danger, shrieks and continues to frantically and wordlessly claw and scratch at the Mjolnir's hatch in an effort to get to Jerry.

* * *​

"Everyone fine? Toph, what's the call?" And - sitching channels: "Braidwood - what's the situation?" Hopefully, the confusion on the bridge was sorted out in time...

It is at this point the confusion between the leaderless Broadsword's bridge and every other UEEF member involved is solved. The Wild Cards hear a very relieved sounding Flight Lieutenant Piper come over their squad channel. "Broadsword to Wild Cards! Comms is too busy getting the news out so you get me! We've got command again!" Piper lets out a whistling cheer.

Psychie
"Lieutenant Kirin? Captain Sharp, Adamantium, and First Flight are aboard. Command orders you to fall back inside the Broadsword immediately. Grab Jerry on the way. Enter Hangar Bay Bravo. We are covering your rear. Come on home, Wild Cards!"

As if on cue, gigantic blasts of terrific blue energy erupt from underneath the starship blasting the recovering Zeki-Zentraedi into atoms; it can only mean the tri-barreled anti-ship gun mounted on the Broadsword's hull has finally entered the action. The point-defense laser system fires out into the Red Thunder Cloud while long-range missiles bombard what few incoming Wargoth rise up from the cloud. But that's not what gives the Zeki Zentraedi pause.

The Broadsword gives out this incredible rumble as red alert lights flash all about the vessel. You seen the lower front of the fore of the vessel split open like the maw of some fantastic space-dragon ready to breathe fire. It is the Broadsword's Synchro Cannon and it is aimed right at the center of the Red Thunder cloud!

Spoiler: Synchro Cannon

(Image credit: StarDestroyer.net)

When the Zeki Zentraedi force sees that, the entire Red Thunder Cloud begins to beat a hasty retreat southward and away from Antarctica's white and smoky northern coastline.

"Double time, Wild Cards!" You hear Piper say. "We're still vulnerable until we can get back into the air!"

 

[Psychie]

Muppet calls out on the comms, "Copy that, Command. Pulling back now." Switching to the team channel, she says, "You heard the lady! Leapfrog back in pairs to the pickup point and lets get the Broadsword out of harms way. We will then come back for the Ice 9 once our ride is in the clear."

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Instrumental Battle music

"Mass Effect Soundtrack - Therum Battle (Missing track)"

"Nice flying, Friendly!" comes the pleased response from the Broadsword. "You are cleared to land. Recommend you--"

The moment Eadric hears this, BOOP seamlessly transforms into Guardian mode and changes course in a way that makes Eadric's approach both smooth and with as little added stress as possible.

"-- yeah. You got it! Come on in."

The relief from being freed from the strange missiles is clear in his voice as he replies. "All's well here. Your ship's crew have taken care of the problem and have requested me to land with them. Unless you need me out there still?"

In reply, the monitor communicating with Ylva continues to show the busy blonde maneuvering to the requirements of the battlefield. In that moment, she appears focused on what she is doing...

...which can in no way explain the appearance of a metallic paw suddenly appearing on her Super Logan's cockpit camera! This is immediately followed by a golden eyeball staring far too closely into the camera and a very inquisitive and happy "Mrooo!" sounding from BOOP's super-high-quality cockpit speakers. That camera soon becomes filled with something that resembles a strange-looking kitten's face and a pink tongue. Sounds of slurping follow the meow. Then there's this sound too, now permeating through BOOP's cockpit:

Spoiler: Gang? Can you guess what that sound is?

"Siamese Kitten LOUDEST Purring"

"Not quite the response I expected," Eadric told BOOP and Mikey. "But in the absence of further instructions from out here, we'll carry on into our allied ship as requested. Thank you, BOOP, you've been merveilleuse! That is, marvelous, wonderful," he added just in case.

More wonders of a martial kind were occurring outside, as the big ship opened fire with myriad weaponry. Eadric could only watch, grinning, as the Zentraedi finally decided they'd bitten off more than they could chew and retreated.

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

Part 1 of 2

Spoiler: Mood music

"Jack Wall (Mass Effect 2 OST) - Infiltration "EXTENDED VERSION"

Muppet calls out on the comms, "Copy that, Command. Pulling back now." Switching to the team channel, she says, "You heard the lady! Leapfrog back in pairs to the pickup point and lets get the Broadsword out of harms way. We will then come back for the Ice 9 once our ride is in the clear."

The Wild Cards begin their retreat, and for a short time, it is their turn to be covered not only by the Broadsword but by the Broo tribe's outgoing rifle fire and salvo after salvo from First Flight's futuristic veritechs that seem to have no end of missiles. The fires and burning debris across the battlefield is staggering and so too is Scary Jerry as he rises like a drunken man to his feet.

"Atlas here, with Beema in tow. We're gonna break from contact to scoop up Jerry and get some real armor between him and any stray Wargoths that might still be flying around. Just so long as Beema doesn't kill me."

Meanwhile, in Hercules's Mjolnir.

On your way back, Hercules picks up Scary Jerry. Much to Beema's delight, the war-torn warrior comes tumbling head-first into the Mjolnir's large (up to three-person) cockpit. He is covered in snow and Hercules immediately smells the scents of burned fabric and flesh. Hercules, astute and caring person that he is, notices Jerry is not moving his left shoulder all too well though he seems to have function in his wrist and fingers. That is when Hercules notices Jerry's entire left side, from the hip up to his head, is blackened - a good sign that he narrowly escaped a quick death to Mega-damage fire while out in the battlefield somewhere. He is breathing heavily and those soulless eyes of his hardly blink, but the huge, huge grin on his face is unmistakable!

'Wild Cards! AAAAH! Which one of you JOKERS hit the bomb in my backpack?!" He says he swiftly reaches for Beema. The youngest Broo squeals happily and dives headfirst into Hercules's spare CVR-3 armor where she had been in since before the beginning of the battle.

"Aww, who cares?! You're ALL getting a taste of the good life after we get outta medical! And you!" He sticks his head into Hercules's armor. His voice echoes strangely. "What are YOU doing out here, Missy?!" he shouts between clenched teeth as he spots Beema. "Explain yourself, young lady!"

"Beema miss Hurk-yoo-leez," replies Hercules's Mega-damage boot. "Beema can no reach Hurk-yoo-leez, so she finds his smell instead! He wear dis armor! Beema can tell! So Beema cuddle up in here, enjoy his smell, until she see him again."

"AAAAND?!"

"Yah," Beema confesses. "Den Beema fall asleep. Wake up to boom-pow-bangs!" She sniffs. "So she come here an' Hurk-yoo-leez let her in. mechy-mech. Beema love Hurk-yoo-leez!"

"If that's sooo," Scary Jerry demands with a snarl so mean it is hard to tell if he is faking it, "then why is there a Broo claw mark on his face?"

"WHA?" Beema's furry head pops out of Hercules's armor (a comical sight at any other time).

The assault settled down as Jerry's voice sounded over the comms system and he smiled grimly as he licked up a trickle of blood from a newly-split lip.

Spoiler: It's that time again, Gang!

Time for the funniest sound in RP Nation gaming! All courtesy of our Cap'n!
Beema sounds... well... like a young female version of this! Mind your volume level on your speakers before you click Play, Gang! =)

"Screaming Goat"

"HURK-YOO-LEEZ! BEEMA SO SORRY!"

Hercules can see it on her fallen face as Beema's little heart just hits the floor! In seconds flat, Beema is tearing through the nearest medkit and doing an absolutely lousy job of trying to patch up Hercules's face.

She even licks the blood off of his lip prior to disinfecting it with a patch of rubbing alcohol and a Band-aid about three times too large is slapped on the big Greek's face.

Thankfully, it doesn't impede his speaking. If Hercules is lucky, next time he'll remember combat protocol and keep his head in his Mega-suit's helmet! =)

As you pull into one of the Broadsword's three hangar bays, you see Jerry in the only free chair, just lying there. Deflated, looking like hell, and still smiling very widely. If you didn't know any better, you might say he appears to be damn glad just to be alive.

 

[Purr]

Part 2 of 2

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"The Normandy" by Jack Wall for Mass Effect 1 OST"

All three hangar bays are full of moving people, parts, and machinery as Sam units, Broadsword crew, and Broo move all over the place getting things done. The cacophony rings the ears and the movement of all these beings getting a dozen things done at once is hard for the eye to follow.

You see the four strange aircraft that belong to First Flight come roaring in to the hangar bay beside you while the one opposite of you has another kind of commotion going on as you see bits of a blue-winged Veritech that you've never seen before (except this one seems closer to having been made in your time period unlike First Flight's aircraft).

Toph is the last to come aboard. You feel the entire ship rumble and lift upward as the Broadsword and everything on her defy Earth's gravity and lift off sending snow, dirt, and ice in all directions. The hangar bay doors close as the ship's tri-cannon and point defense laser cannons continue to spread destruction and chaos toward any enemy they can find.

Inside the bays, you follow the crew chief's instructions (as now the Mjolnir are her responsibility, not yours) and one by one, the Mjolnirs and Prototype Stealth Logan get settled in and powered down. Trouble hops out with Ylva just as purry as can be.

"We did its!" you hear his boyish voice joyously exclaim from inside your minds.

But the days work is not over.

That's about the time the Wild Cards receive a call from over the ship's extremely-busy intercom system. You hear a female Samantha unit deliver to you the following orders.

"Callin' all Wild Caaards!" yodels a cheery-voiced Samantha. "Git'cher cute little buns down to Sick Bay immediately! Our new Acting Captain and Dr. Yashida are requesting Dr. Kirin's assistance along with the rest'a y'all! So git a move on an' help patch up our wounded now, y'hear?"

Several of the young men and women wearing Broadsword uniforms, most of whom you do not recognize, pause when they hear this and look up at the intercom with looks of utter bewilderment before they return to their duties.

"Is that someone new on the bridge?" you hear from several of these individuals. "Did someone change Samantha's social routines?" "I kinda like it!"

With the adrenaline worn off, Scary Jerry is now stumbling and being helped along by Beema (and Hercules if he wishes it). The longer you look at him, the more he looks like something from the end of a zombie-action film. Like, the very, very end of such a film. Roll credits.

"'Acting Captain?'" Scary Jerry grimaces. "What the hell happened to Captain Sharp? I was just getting to like that old pistol!"

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

Part 3 of 2! Hah!

Lt. Eadric Braidwood, ASC.

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"Targets! - Super Smash Bros. Melee Music Extended"

Spoiler: BOOP in Guardian mode

(Image credit: Macross.fandom.com)

The crew chief is the first one there once BOOP has been guided in. Hands on her hips, the freckly-faced young woman hardly looks to be a day above drinking age, yet there she is studying the forward-swept wing Veritech with a critical eye. She is about to make her way up to BOOP's cockpit to meet with Eadric when there is a flash of light. BOOP's outside cameras show Eadric that the light is coming from BOOP's undercarriage (definitely BOOP's head-become-turret). The light is multicolored and multifaceted, projecting an image about 6 feet high by 6 feet wide - it is a diagram of BOOP in Guardian mode complete with what look like words, numbers, and instructions.

"Well, there you have it! The driver's manual!" says the crew chief as she lifts up her cap and scratches her head. "That's what I need to know." She continues to study and with her attention diverted, she fails to notice the four-legged little creature scampering behind her and up to BOOP's right forearm. BOOP seems to notice and very slowly moves its arm closer to the cockpit where Eadric can get a better view. The moment the arm and cockpit get close enough, there is a flash of movement followed by...

"MEEEEEEWW!"

Spoiler: Here comes Trouble!

(Image credit: The marvelous Ailish Abbey from Artstation.com!)

Large enough to be a nuisance yet small enough to cuddle in your lap, this metallic feline suddenly appears paws-first on BOOP's canopy. He is excitedly mewing at Eadric. As he is doing so, the voice of what could pass as a very young boy echoes inside of the Canadian's mind. This is no hallucination; this is telepathy!

"Hiii, I'm Trouble! We founded yooou! It's been sooo looong!" His paws seem to magnetically adhere to the canopy's metal rim as he walks along trying to get a better view of Eadric. "You hafta come wif us! I'm a Wild Card! You should meet more Wild Cards! We're like you! I bet you thought you were the only one who could talk to machines, didn'tya?" And on and on he prattles, pawing to get inside the canopy.

One glance into his onboard camera and Eadric can see into BOOP's rear seat. There lies Big Mikey, dead to the world, a big goofy smile across his face. From a person with Eadric's experience and military training, it is easy to presume that non-combat-pilot Mikey has succumbed to the strain of G-forces and he now just plain knocked out - one more that could use a trip to the Sickbay you're hearing about over the intercom. As if on cue, BOOP's canopy raises up and there's the crew chief who takes one look in the rear seat and calls out, "Medic!"

Then she looks up, sees Trouble, and begins batting at him with a free hand while studying Eadric and then shouting out loud to no one in particular. "What's your condition? And who brought this cat into my hangar bay? We got rules for this, ya know!"

In moments, Big Mikey is transported away (before the arrival of the Wild Cards except for Ylva if she chooses to follow Trouble); the Sam units get the big guy into a hover-gurney and off they go (Eadric has no reason to believe there are not people inside the Sam units as they look just like CVR-3 body armors).

Trouble continues to prattle on - he is now complaining because as the canopy rose, he was still magnetically attached to its outside rim and now he's asking for, "HAAALP! I IZ STUCKS!" as he dangles freely by two forepaws. Even Eadric can tell at first glance that this "Mecha-kitten" is made from Mega-damage materials and will suffer no physical injury if he falls.

Still, he is within close reach if Eadric wants to grab him up. The same is true for Ylva if she has followed Trouble here (see below).

* * *​

The Wild Cards sans Shirley and Cera.

A few moments before, Ylva noticed Trouble hopping out of her arms to run willy-nilly toward the new veritech in the hangar all the while screaming and mewing like the wild kitten that he is. She is free to accompany him to the huge veritech if she so wishes.

It is about this time the rest of the Wild Cards sense the activity at the new veritech. You are all inside your Mjolnirs (save for Ylva unless she stayed put). You are welcome to exit your vehicles, follow the racing Trouble and approach the veritech, or you can proceed to Sickbay instead if you so choose (or whatever else you think your character would be doing).

Note for Captain Hesperus Consider worried little Miss Beema surgically-attached to Hercules's shoulder until she is somehow removed. Another set of Sam units are en route to pick up Scary Jerry; you have some time with him if you wish to chat.

What do the Wild Cards (plus Eadric) do now? =)

 

[Sherwood]

When Mario dismounts from his tank, he gives the armored hull an affectionate pat with his hand as he looks up at the large tank with a smile. Sending his thoughts along to the Core of the tank, he says, "Ya done good for me again. Took the fight to the enemy and came back without a scratch. I'm proud to be your pilot." Turning his attention to the deck crews, he quickly goes over his ammo status to help save their time in trying to determine what has to be reloaded. Now it's time to find out the status of the Captain and get to Medical. Hopefully he's doing ok, and we're just going there as a precaution.

Turning on his heel, Mario makes his way across the landing bay to the lift that heads to Medical.

 

[Psychie]

When Toph de-tanks, her eyes find themselves drawn to this new Veritech. There are many features that show it is a derivative from the Valkyrie, but many changes, too. Is this design from our future, or is it contemporary to this time? We can get the answer to that soon enough. Now its time to get to Sickbay.

She leaves the Mjolnir in the capable hands of the deck crew, and calls out, "Alright Wild Cards! You heard the Samantha. Let shag it down to Sickbay and see what the good word is."

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Lt. Eadric Braidwood

Character Sheet
Action Points: 9/9
Bonus Action Points: 0

Large enough to be a nuisance yet small enough to cuddle in your lap, this metallic feline suddenly appears paws-first on BOOP's canopy. He is excitedly mewing at Eadric. As he is doing so, the voice of what could pass as a very young boy echoes inside of the Canadian's mind. This is no hallucination; this is telepathy!

"Hiii, I'm Trouble! We founded yooou! It's been sooo looong!" His paws seem to magnetically adhere to the canopy's metal rim as he walks along trying to get a better view of Eadric. "You hafta come wif us! I'm a Wild Card! You should meet more Wild Cards! We're like you! I bet you thought you were the only one who could talk to machines, didn'tya?" And on and on he prattles, pawing to get inside the canopy.

For several long moments, Eadric can only gape. The sight of the mechanical beastie would itself, on any normal day, be surprising enough. (Today, however, it almost feels normal.) But the undeniable voice inside his mind is something altogether unexpected and astonishing. His hazel-brown eyes widen with astonishment. "Mon Dieu," he mutters. "Am I..." But the question trails off unasked, as he recalls the scenes from BOOP's presumed past that had put themselves into his mind earlier that day. Not to mention a number of smaller coincidences that no longer seemed like coincidences, but possible indicators of something more. His train of thought locks onto one sentence in particular from the metallic feline: We're like you. "Others can do this?" He isn't even sure what "this" was, yet, but surely explanations can be found, if there were others nearby to ask. Slowly, his mouth closes, and begins to smile.

One glance into his onboard camera and Eadric can see into BOOP's rear seat. There lies Big Mikey, dead to the world, a big goofy smile across his face. From a person with Eadric's experience and military training, it is easy to presume that non-combat-pilot Mikey has succumbed to the strain of G-forces and he now just plain knocked out - one more that could use a trip to the Sickbay you're hearing about over the intercom. As if on cue, BOOP's canopy raises up and there's the crew chief who takes one look in the rear seat and calls out, "Medic!"

Then she looks up, sees Trouble, and begins batting at him with a free hand while studying Eadric and then shouting out loud to no one in particular. "What's your condition? And who brought this cat into my hangar bay? We got rules for this, ya know!"

The opening of BOOP's canopy draws Eadric's attention back outside his brain. "Ah -- Mikey's been hit with more G-forces than is good for him," he tells the suited crewmen who appear as if by magic to carry his passenger off to sickbay. "He ought not be injured otherwise, but he hasn't the training to deal with what we had to do out there."

Answering the crew chief's question, he adds, "I'm quite well, thank you. But ought I to go to sickbay as well, if they need extra hands?" If so, he'd better leave now so he can follow the gurney before it's out of sight. "And, well, I've no idea where the cat came from. Is he not with you?"

Trouble continues to prattle on - he is now complaining because as the canopy rose, he was still magnetically attached to its outside rim and now he's asking for, "HAAALP! I IZ STUCKS!" as he dangles freely by two forepaws. Even Eadric can tell at first glance that this "Mecha-kitten" is made from Mega-damage materials and will suffer no physical injury if he falls.

The little creature's plight -- dangling above his head -- is reminiscent of Eadric's first meeting with the mini-BOOP, and his reaction much the same. "Come, come, Trouble," he soothes, reaching up a hand to take hold of the mecha-cat. "You'll be all right. I've got you."

 

[Silanon]

As soon as Munninn is landed safely back in the Broadsword's hangar, a sigh of relief escapes Ylva's lips. Maybe one gets used to the mess and confusion of war over time - if so, she still has a way ahead in that regard. "Good job keeping us both safe." There are questions, of course, partially about that - but her own curiosity might have to wait as Trouble's very much eager to be elsewhere. Seemed like the cat waited for this meeting for years, after all.

So she follows on the mechakitten's trail, not without giving the new aircraft a longer glance; seems like there'll be yet another tool available for the upcoming efforts. But people first, then machines; even though the line between both seems to become blurry at times, now that every machine seems to have a mind of its own.

"And, well, I've no idea where the cat came from. Is he not with you?"

"Well, the cat's been with me, until just now. Careful what you do, that's how he gets you - first you think you're just helping out, and then you can't find your fish rations anywhere." Leaning against the mecha, Ylva views the scene unfold before her. "Glad you made it through this mess, Lieutenant. Got a bit chaotic there, for a while." She points towards the doors. "We're headed to the medbay, and I'd guess that's where you're suppose to be, too. At least, everyone who makes decisions will be there, it seems. Just come with me if you like. Everything here's in the best possible hands." She offers the crew chief a nod, and a smile. "Quite the unusual mecha you brought in - not that we're the ones to talk."

If Lt.Braidwood takes her up on the offer, Ylva will start bringing him to the medbay - taking the route that reveals as little of the Broadsword's superior tech as possible, just in case.

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Lt. Eadric Braidwood

Character Sheet
Action Points: 9/9
Bonus Action Points: 0

Eadric grinns at Ylva. "Ah, Lt. Sveadotter! Good to meet you in person." After securing the mechanical cat, he adds, "I'll go with you, and thank you. I suspect I have some ' 'splaining' to do and I've more than a few questions of my own -- if I'm allowed, that is." He smiles wryly. "Just what I've seen so far tells me there's no small number of secrets, and curiosity is my besetting sin, I'm afraid. So please tell me if I'm asking more than I should. I promise I'll not be offended if there's answers I'm not allowed to have." He can't help looking around as they head to the medbay, but being unfamiliar with starships in general, much less this one, he doesn't notice Ylva's cautious choice of route.

 

[Silanon]

"Ask away, Lt. That's why I did when I arrived, anyway. Didn't do me any harm. Still, you'll get most answers at the medbay, I'd assume. You know, this whole thing" - she points at the surrounding walls - "is kinda hard to grasp, especially if you only know about a part of it." A moment of thought. "Guess the question what you're doing out here will be asked soon enough. So... any chance you remember the cat? Seemed to remember you, got all excited. Just didn't know what to make of it."

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric shook his head. "I'm certain I've never seen him before." And yet, there was something not-quite-remembered niggling at the back of his brain. "It's been a day, hasn't it?" he sighed. "I don't know the half of what yours has been, but mine was quite the doozy even before I flew into a battle. It started off ordinary enough, if one considers flying to the South Pole ordinary." He chuckled. "I tend to be sent all over, but Hawaii to Antarctica is hard shift even for me. And I haven't even reported in yet." His expression turned thoughtful. "I do hope they're doing all right down there. I was sent to fix a problem, but I suspect the problem has moved itself elsewhere. Still, I ought at least to call them and make sure." He patted the mechanical kitten in his arms.* "Where do you know me from, little guy? I don't recall anyone talking in my head before today, though there seems to be no shortage of it now."

*Or wherever Trouble has ended up. Eadric's shoulder, maybe?

 

[Silanon]

"There's more than just talking where that comes from. No worries, though, one gets used to it quickly enough, I suppose. If one takes that path, that is." An apologetic shrug follows. "Guess that's as much as I should say."

A grin. "It's all natural, though, no worries. Just... different. But if your trip today was as bad as mine back then, you've probably figured that out by now. Pretty sure our folks will make sure that everything's getting sorted out down there,too. Got a few experts who excel at that sort of thing. Well, it'll be them, or us, I suppose. Who knows. Today didn't quite go according to plan, thus far."

 

[Purr]

Captain Hesperus Kaerri Psychie Sherwood Silanon

(Part 1 of 5)

OOC: These are going to be little scenes that take place before the Wild Cards + Eadric meet up outside Sickbay. Feel free to RP them or just enjoy them as you wish. I have had these scenes in my head too long and need them out (but I like them too!). =)

Spoiler: Music

"Mass Effect - Uncharted Worlds (State Azure Cover) // Eurorack, Digitone, Digitakt"

Location: All Wild Cards + Eadric as you are on your way out of Hangar Bay Bravo and moving to the main elevator that takes you to Sickbay.

As the Broadsword makes away, you are once again surrounded by the tremendous hums and beeps that are common living inside of a UEEF starship. Each of you feels a slightly jarring sensation - momentary, then gone - as something in each of your stomachs and equilibriums tells you that you have lifted off of the South Pole's icy battlefield leaving behind untold wreckage and chaos. The great red cloud that hides the unusual Zeki-Zentraedi is making its way southward toward the center of the pole while to your north, a vast and inspiring blue view of the ocean that you crossed to get here. Overlooking it all, silent and motionless, well over two kilometers long, the Zeki-Zentraedi Command Ship stands snow-covered like some god sleeping in the ice.

The Broadsword lifts off carrying every one of you and everyone you presently know aboard away from the carnage and the all-too-many unknowns now below you. All manner of radio and intercom traffic can be heard as the youthful yet hard-eyed crew of the Broadsword carry on all about you. Some rushing, some still, all busy. Eadric quickly notices pairs and trios of marching people in Mega-suits, all helmeted, all moving along in the efficient manner of ants, each with their arms full of something or someone as wounded members of the Broadsword are placed on hovering stretchers that slide along the air like the magic carpets of Arabian mythology. They speak in the slow casual manner of sun-worshipping surfers and American Southerners with the cultural animations to match, but their helmets always stay on.

Along with the humans and people in Mega-suits come a third group of... people. Human-like but never human, they are built like athletes yet they move like savages. A people perhaps of two worlds, they slip out of their Mega-suits revealing muscular bodies covered in hair and very fine fur of colors never born to human people. They have hair. Some short, some long, some in-between, but all in rich colorings of soft browns and reds, forest greens and blacks, sunny yellows to oranges, all in attractive hues. And yet they do not appear dyed.

Unlike humans, the males and the females are of closer approximate size. They wear leathery skins that shape their figures well and in no way impede their confident movements. Along each leather outfit are pouches that do not clatter, knives and sheaths that hug close against them, and many show age and the signs of great travel. But it is their faces that stand out most. Slit-eyed like cats, each full of expression and emotion, every one of them a charged spirit among the stars. They follow the direction of the human Broadsword crew, expressing their questions in what comes close to a child-like manner yet all are built with the power of youthful vitality, grace, and clear strength of limb, body, and heart.

All this happens around you as you move toward the cargo elevator. All this and a little more.

* * *​

Hercules.

The assault settled down as Jerry's voice sounded over the comms system and he smiled grimly as he licked up a trickle of blood from a newly-split lip.
"Atlas here, with Beema in tow. We're gonna break from contact to scoop up Jerry and get some real armor between him and any stray Wargoths that might still be flying around. Just so long as Beema doesn't kill me."

Consider worried little Miss Beema surgically-attached to Hercules's shoulder until she is somehow removed. Another set of Sam units are en route to pick up Scary Jerry; you have some time with him if you wish to chat.

As Hercules makes his way to the elevator, the Broo immediately notice the Greek giant. Their faces light up at his arrival. They are clearly glad to see he is alive. So too their youngest, Beema, who sits atop his shoulder, her chin high with pride, but eyes sorry with worry when she glances at the band-aid on the tanker's thick lip.

"Beema!"

That voice seems to grasp every Broo by the scruff of the neck, causing them to freeze. Only Beema does as the others relax and continue. The voice belongs to Chief Faydra, her powerful arms crossed about her swarthy chest. Her attractive face holds a frown as she glances up to Hercules's shoulder. Her voice is harsh. No nonsense will be tolerated sayeth her tone alone. Beema turns immediately to her chieftain and nods in query.

"Why you in Hurk-yoo-leez mechy-mech?"

In reply, Beema sighs in apology and glances to the two Cyclones attached to the rear of Hercules's Mjolnir - one is missing its CVR-3 Mega-suit. "Beema miss Hurk-yoo-leez. Beema fall asleep."

Chief Faydra absently pushes a scarred fist across the red fur of her face smoothing the skin and very fine fur there. Her eyes do not blink as she ponders. Then she shrugs, unworried. "That all? Beema about as safe if she stay aboard Broadsword. Hurk-yoo-leez will protect Beema. But Beema do as Hurk-yoo-leez say! Undastand?"

Beema sits up with a straight back and a smile and salutes. "Aye aye, Chief Faydra!"

Chief Faydra looks up to Hercules, especially his busted lip. "Beema think you family, Hurk-yoo-leez. We trust Beema with you." She examines Hercules a second time. "Hurk-yoo-leez keel de monsta good. Hurk-yoo-leez okay?"

"Hey!" moans the bruised and weary Scary Jerry in Hercules's arms. "What about me?"

"What about you? Hurk-yoo-leez carry you Sickbay. Dokta Hitomi there. She put up with you, not me." Chief Faydra smirks Hercules and the Adamantium's veteran Special Forces leader. "Adamantium always look like dis afta good mission. An' dis mission? It was gooood!"

 

[Purr]

(Part 2 of 5)

Mario.

When Mario dismounts from his tank, he gives the armored hull an affectionate pat with his hand as he looks up at the large tank with a smile. Sending his thoughts along to the Core of the tank, he says, "Ya done good for me again. Took the fight to the enemy and came back without a scratch. I'm proud to be your pilot." Turning his attention to the deck crews, he quickly goes over his ammo status to help save their time in trying to determine what has to be reloaded. Now it's time to find out the status of the Captain and get to Medical. Hopefully he's doing ok, and we're just going there as a precaution.

Turning on his heel, Mario makes his way across the landing bay to the lift that heads to Medical.

Mario now quickly notes the presence of Cera. With an expert eye, the slim red-haired auxiliary specialist is looking all over the Mjolnir Mario just exited. One closer look and Mario sees - his Mjolnir was damaged. Light snarls and scorch marks of what appear to be shrapnel and area-of-effect fire have marred one side of the Mjolnir marring the armor very lightly. Safe inside the brand-new veritech main battle tank, Mario could not know the beefy armored unit had protected him at all. Another quick look shows similar damage to the other Mjolnirs but not the Super Logan Prototype named Munin that Ylva piloted - there is only snow and dirt upon its raven-black skin.

As Mario makes away, he hears a male-sounding voice in his mind. He knows instantly it is the Mjolnir's Core. "We return. Our protocols are the same. May you rise, pilot Mario Zuko."

Then the background ruckus of crews and Sams moving about reenter Mario's senses as if they had never left.

 

[Purr]

(Part 3 of 5)

Toph.

When Toph de-tanks, her eyes find themselves drawn to this new Veritech. There are many features that show it is a derivative from the Valkyrie, but many changes, too. Is this design from our future, or is it contemporary to this time? We can get the answer to that soon enough. Now its time to get to Sickbay.

She leaves the Mjolnir in the capable hands of the deck crew, and calls out, "Alright Wild Cards! You heard the Samantha. Let shag it down to Sickbay and see what the good word is."

Cera silently nods as she rejoins your group. As her gaze leaves the Mjolnirs, the Ura-Meltrandi appears with a satisfied expression as she walks beside Toph. A thought crosses her mind and she turns to speak to Toph. "Toph Kirin, I lack medical training. My capacity to assist in Sickbay will be quite limited."

As time would have it, Toph has a few moments to respond and chat with Cera until they are interrupted by another voice - this one also familiar - it is Hitomi's. All of the Wild Cards hear Hitomi's voice. It is coming across the polyphonic nexus Mack established from before the battle. Like a voice on the world's perfect telephone, you can hear only Hitomi (no background noise, no distractions). You also hear what sounds like controlled stress in the Japanese-Polynesian's voice as she speaks to all of the Wild Cards with the use of the technopathic transceiver invented, designed, and crafted by Professor Albert Stein.

That Hitomi uses formal tones and does not call Toph by her first time could be telling.

"Doctor Kirin?" she begins. "Sam tells me you and the Wild Cards are on your way down? I hope you're ready to play ball. There are only three doctors currently aboard the Broadsword. You, me, and the last one needs surgery. That's Adamantium's Padre. In other words, you and I are it. I've got two situations. You get to pick the one I can't be at. Ready?" There is a tone in Hitomi's voice that seems to express that she has every confidence in Toph.

"Situation One. I've got 2 Criticals, 3 Serious, 1 Undetermined, and 12 Fair. All are stable.

Spoiler: Medical Terminology

"We use standard language acceptable under HIPAA laws and American Hospital Association guidelines to describe patient conditions. They are:

• Undetermined - Patient is awaiting physician and/or assessment.
• Good - Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are excellent.
• Fair - Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable.
• Serious - Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable.
• Critical - Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious. Indicators are unfavorable.
• Treated and Released – This could mean the patient was sent home or to another facility.
• Confirming patient deaths – We will report or confirm a patient’s death only after signed consent from next of kin."

Source: Johns Hopkins (my personal favorite!)

Hitomi continues. "Of those, 3 are Broo and the rest are human. With extra hands, I'm confident I can direct and tackle them all except...

"Situation Two. Captain Sharp is in a situation all his own. He is floating between Serious and Fair but I can't get to him because I had to french-fry his Mega-suit in order to keep the Zeki-bug-mist that was eating it from getting to him. In other words, he's sitting in the Mindbender room, the only completely private room I can get him in. His Mega-suit was eaten up and burned so badly, the joints fused. He's stuck inside. Sharp is breathing through a hole I cut into his helmet. In there, I'm feeding him oxygen. Sharp is conscious, breathing, and most of the time, alert and talking. He says he's weak, probably from the shock of the events.

"What I need is someone to find some way to cut him out of the armor without killing him. It's a Mega-damage suit. That means he needs a Mega-damage source to open up the armor. However, one wrong move and he gets cut and if that happens, well, it's over for him. You can ask for the assistance of just about anybody who's not already filling a med-bed.

Hitomi's voice sounds serious but with a touch of cheerfulness. "So... fellow doctor? As much as I would love to be in two places at once, I have to ask you - which of the two situations would you rather take? Let me know if you want to hear my opinion."

Toph looks up to see Cera giving Toph the oddest look. The auxiliary specialist seems to be completely at a loss and perhaps relieved not to be in Toph's place.

 

[Purr]

(Part 4 of 5)

Ylva and Eadric.

The little creature's plight -- dangling above his head -- is reminiscent of Eadric's first meeting with the mini-BOOP, and his reaction much the same. "Come, come, Trouble," he soothes, reaching up a hand to take hold of the mecha-cat. "You'll be all right. I've got you."

As the drama unfolds, Trouble gasps in shock and wildly flails about, his little kitty paws zipping in almost every direction. "Arrraaaawr!" says his mouth but, "Yooou saveded meeee!" is what Eadric and Ylva hear in their minds. Then he kind of calms as he begins sniffing anything that isn't him.

As soon as Munninn is landed safely back in the Broadsword's hangar, a sigh of relief escapes Ylva's lips. Maybe one gets used to the mess and confusion of war over time - if so, she still has a way ahead in that regard. "Good job keeping us both safe."

Ylva gets a reply. Not from Trouble, not from Mack, not from anyone in her new squadron. But from Muninn's Core. This she knows without a doubt from the instant she hears it. "I am but the vessel; it was your thoughts and actions that provided our survival. May you rise, pilot Ylva Sveadotter."

"Well, the cat's been with me, until just now. Careful what you do, that's how he gets you - first you think you're just helping out, and then you can't find your fish rations anywhere."

This gets another dramatic gasp out of Trouble. He stares at Ylva as if accused of a crime most heinous. "Haaay! I didn't nommded dem ALL!" He begins muttering mostly to himself about how he is a sharing kitten and why sharing is good for morale, especially when you share feeesh, and so forth. =)

Eadric shook his head. "I'm certain I've never seen him before." And yet, there was something not-quite-remembered niggling at the back of his brain.

"Nope!" Trouble looks pleased. "I was Good Kitty! I stayded hiddens jus' like Purr'fess'r tolds me too! I was right dere in Miss Hitomi's purse da whooole time! I iz Sneaky Kitty!" In the manner of cats everywhere, Trouble seems to become part liquid as he proudly curls up to show how small he can be and thus hide himself well. "Seeee?"

 

[Purr]

(Part 5 of 5)

Wild Cards + Eadric.

As fate would have it, as each of these short scenes come to a close, you find yourselves gathered together once again. Ylva, Mario, Toph, Hercules, Eadric, and Cera along with Trouble and Scary Jerry too. The freight elevator arrives and half a dozen Sams and another dozen Broadsword crew with all kinds of gear make their way off allowing all of you to board. For once, there are no strangers aboard as you take on the slow ascent up to the proper deck where Sickbay and its challenges await.

Eadric feels eyes on him. A uniformed female whose body language seems to suggest she knows the people you are with stares at Eadric with a mildly curious expression. She is staring at Eadric with eyes the color of fire trucks. Without looking to the MechaKitten, she addresses him in a firm, clear voice. "Why is the male with us?" she asks.

Trouble mews quite proudly. "Becoz he's a Trav'r'sr! Jus' like yooou! Jus' wait until Purr'fess'r hears this! He's gonna love its!"

"Indeed?" asks the Meltrandi (as Eadric has learned enough to know who and what Meltrandi are and how to tell them apart from humankind). "You hunted this human the same way you led Professor Stein and Hitomi to Hercules?"

"Yep yep yep! Dat's my job! Dis here iz Eadric Braidwood! He's da One Dat Got Away! Dat is until Ylva kept her promise! She sure was quick about its too!" Trouble begins purring as he looks up to Ylva.

The Meltrandi takes a deep breath of composure and greets the man in a manner the Wild Cards have not seen her perform before. She bows briefly. "Salutations, fellow Traverser. I am Cera, Ura-Meltrandi Auxiliary Specialist under War Queen Taniya and one of Leader Mack's Wild Cards."

Before you know it, you are standing just outside Sickbay. The intercom continues its calling, the ever-present hum of the Broadsword can be felt even more than it can be heard. Somehow, all of you know the great Garfish starship is making a long and leisurely starboard turn.

Right then, a blackened and bruised figure wearing a crumpled UEEF uniform that, if you know where to look, still declares him belonging to UEEF Marine Force Recon. Looking like hell though he be in Hercules's sure grasp, Scary Jerry slowly turns his eyes to Eadric. Despite the physical pain he seems to be in, the soldier's voice sounds a little too certain, a little too comfortable, as he speaks to Eadric in an excited fashion.

"Today wasn't too bad, new guy! At least that big Zeki command ship on the ground didn't open up on us. Hey! If we're lucky, maybe our new captain will call in an Arc Light!"

Unfortunately, this is a term none of you probably know. Or do you?

Your character would like to roll Military History? Do so in the next chapter, Chapter Ten - Arc Light!