Chapter One: Binary Nexus

[Kaerri]

In a day full of "How can they do that??" moments, somehow Hitomi's holding a live grenade just to help them focus fit right in.  Which didn't mean Elinor was going to make any unnecessary moves anytime soon, and she wasn't sure about unnecessary ones!  She stared at the beautiful civilian for a moment, then obediently closed her eyes again. She knew Hitomi; not well, but some, and she didn't think their Jeet Kune Do instructor really wanted to hurt them. Or was suicidal. Either way, if this was the last challenge in today's assembly, she was damn well going to give it all she had.


That thought carried her through the next few moments, just as it had, in one form or another, carried her to this moment.  She still didn't know what it was they'd been called here for, but it almost didn't matter. It was up and it was more and it was special. And she wanted it. She loved being in flight test, but she'd always known it would be temporary, no matter how long it lasted. Her Grandpa Will had told her it usually was. He'd never done it himself, but some of his buddies had, and he'd warned her, even at a young age, the sooner or later either the odds would catch up or Personnel would yank you out before they did. That was life in the military, he said; just as son as you got good at something, they moved you up to something new. Or down to something worse, if you screwed up, but -- his eyes twinkled -- his little Ellie wasn't going to do that, was she?


No, Grandpa Will, she thought.  And then realized the singing she heard wasn't from the old, battered CD/cassette player he had always refused to replace.  It was in her head, sure, but it came from someone else. And she realized she was hearing and feeling other things, alien to her own self. Just like in the car, with Zuko! Does this mean we all have...whatever this is? What is this?  Zuko's thoughts -- she thought those were his, at least, based on that real limited prior contact -- made her smile and a little anxious herself, wondering what they were picking up from her. Then she remembered that breaking the contact had stopped it last time. She pulled her hand carefully out of the purse, remembering that live grenade. She looked around at her fellows, then to the colonel and the civilians, wonder mixing with triumph as she heard the professor's last statement. She grinned. Yes!

 

[Purr]

"So I didn't imagine it? I really heard the thoughts of the lieutenant and I'm not going crazy?" He pauses, and glances over at Shirley and is suddenly embarrassed. Did she hear my thoughts of how beautiful I think she is? Oh crud! Did she hear that, too?"

Shirley glanced back. Her deep blue eyes rested on Mario as a flush of pink rose to her cheeks. Gently, she reached over and touched his arm. Nothing happened. She reached down for his hand, wishing to touch her skin to his.

(Game Master note for Sherwood: If Mario keeps his hand where it is, read the following spoiler. If he moves his hand away, skip this spoiler.)

Spoiler

Mario both saw and heard Shirley in his mind. She said, "Yes, I heard that too." Then her hand returned to her person.

"You really need to guard your thoughts in future, o fílos mou*.", was all he could manage to say.

Professor Stein nodded in agreement. "Your sensitive heart serves you well, for you say more than you might realize, my large Greek friend."

Toph pulls her hand out of the purse slowly, and looks down at it in amazement before shifting her gaze upwards to look at Hitomi and Professor Stein. "This happened to me last night, when Hitomi and I were . . . You need to tell us all just what the devil has happened here. Is this some kind of psi power that we all seem to possess? What does this mean, when you say we were 'glowing'? I hardly know even where to start asking questions, but I do hope that you'll give us the answers we all seem to need."

"Oh no," Professor Stein shook his head at Toph as he moved to leave. "I got what I wanted. See you. Come, Hitomi!"

Hitomi's feet did not move, but her head did. Her golden-brown eyes followed him with an amused expression that seemed to say, "You fink! I can't believe you just did that!"

"What?"

Professor Stein allowed himself a chuckle. He turned about, winked at Toph, then slowly, he turned quite serious. It was time. He glanced toward the Ghost Riders. They were speaking with Sgt. Powers. All of them moved inside of the tent created by the Veritech fighter in Guardian mode. Professor Stein watched them go intently. Then he returned his attention to you.

"You want answers? Watch me. All of you."

(Instrumental mood music)

Spoiler

"Suicide Mission" by Jack Wall for the Mass Effect 2 Soundtrack. =)

Professor Stein walked backwards, slowly, toward the Veritech Hover Tank; the pilotless, empty Veritech Hover Tank in Tank mode. Once beside it, the large fellow reached out his palm and placed it against the hull of the foot of the tank. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes calling upon mental faculties and concentration sharpened again and again over decades and decades of studies and adventures. Moments passed. He seemed to enter a meditative trance, so subtle was his breathing. Then suddenly, the Veritech Hover Tank moved.

It swiveled and rose, elongated and compacted...

...and transformed into battloid mode without a pilot inside...

The Veritech Hover Tank stood at attention, glittering in the sunlight, EU-11 Gun Pod in hand. Without looking up, Professor Stein calmly removed his hand. Then he rejoined your group.

"What you just witnessed is something we call technopathy. You see, all of us present here, with the exception of Hiram and Hitomi, are Traversers. 'Mind-riders.' We have the power to travel with our minds to realms far beyond that of typical people." He let that sink in.

"Now that you know, you can decide to take on the challenge of learning about what it means to be a Traverser, through us, or if you find you lack the resolve, you can act like you do not possess it and never use it again. Neither road will change the fact that you are able to perform tasks that very well might bring about great changes, not only to you but perhaps all humankind. Hitomi?"

"Arigato, sensei," she replied before addressing you. "The Professor and I work for a project and group called Eternity. We work outside General Steel and the rest of ASC. We operate by completely different rules, many of them made by our own design. Here with Colonel Sharp, we seek to uncover a dangerous mystery involving Malcontents nearby Eglin base; a mystery Steel's Slayers were only able to come away with a piece of. We are hoping you might succeed where they did not. Colonel Sharp?"

Col. Sharp nodded. "Thank you, ma'am." He spoke with military seriousness. "Troops? It's like this. We know about a dire threat. We don't know exactly what we're up against and our best can't tell us, so we're hoping you can. Whatever it is, it's big. But you don't get the details unless you're willing to go all the way." He adjusted his glasses.

"Either way, let's be clear - all of this information is classified. If you want to become a civilian, all you have to do is talk about any of this to someone who is not present among us. Understand that includes General Steel and his people. Now that you have these pieces of the puzzle, you have a decision to make - either back out now and return to your normal careers... or step forward and take on a challenge no one else seems to be able to beat. "

"This is an opportunity, your opportunity, to change the scales, turn the tide, and put things back in humanity's favor. Be careful if you say 'yes' to this," Col. Sharp raised his hand. "You just might get the chance at the impossible. But the choice is not ours - it's yours. You can step forward... or you can step back."

Professor Stein and Hitomi joined Col. Sharp and Reggie and together, they faced you and tried to hide their hopefulness.

"So, troops. What's it going to be?"

Shirley did not hesitate. She stepped forward, smiled, and spoke from her very soul. "I'm in, sirs and ma'am! This is what I was born for."

 

[Sherwood]

Mario can feel his heart racing as Shirley reaches her hand out to touch his, then feels the thought come through the link.  Once contact is broken, the husky soldier looks down at his hand where she touched, feeling bemused.  She could have crushed my ego by laughing at me, but she didn't. Damn, but she just made me want to win her heart even more! But it will never happen, Mario. Keep your head in the game and stay on focus.


 When the demonstration of what can be done with the mental link is done, he stands there with his mouth open, starting in amazement. "That - That is freaking awesome! You mean to tell us that we all can do that?" The possibilities of what can be done are now bouncing around inside his head.  He walks over to the tank and looks up at it. "Is this a merging of mind and machine? Making the pilot able to have more finite control over the vehicle? If so, I can see a sizable increase in response time by being able to bypass the need to physically work the controls." He then moves over to stand next to Lt Mackenzie. "Count me in! I want to learn more about this, and I don't see it being in any of my text books."

 

[Psychie]

Toph shares Mario's amazement at the sight of the hover tank moving, seemingly on its own.  But, she is hesitant to immediately leap forward and sign up.  She takes a tentative step forward and asks, "If this special group is to operate outside the regular ASC rules, does that mean that there may be times we could be working against the very military and people we are all sworn to protect?  You have also mentioned that there is a dire threat on the horizon.  Is it the Anti Unification League, or something else?  Also, besides the Colonel, who else in the ASC is aware of this Eternity group?"  Toph is nearly set on joining in this group to learn more about how this psychic power works, but it is still uncertain, depending on what answers are given to her about all of this.

 

[Purr]

When the demonstration of what can be done with the mental link is done, he stands there with his mouth open, starting in amazement. "That - That is freaking awesome! You mean to tell us that we all can do that?" The possibilities of what can be done are now bouncing around inside his head. He walks over to the tank and looks up at it. "Is this a merging of mind and machine? Making the pilot able to have more finite control over the vehicle? If so, I can see a sizable increase in response time by being able to bypass the need to physically work the controls." He then moves over to stand next to Lt Mackenzie. "Count me in! I want to learn more about this, and I don't see it being in any of my text books."

The Professor and Col. Sharp didn't answer a single question until Mario showed some kind of commitment. Once he made the step, the two of them just smiled. For the moment, though, they kept their answers to themselves.

She takes a tentative step forward and asks, "If this special group is to operate outside the regular ASC rules, does that mean that there may be times we could be working against the very military and people we are all sworn to protect? You have also mentioned that there is a dire threat on the horizon. Is it the Anti Unification League, or something else? Also, besides the Colonel, who else in the ASC is aware of this Eternity group?"

Colonel Sharp replied. "Lieutenant, we can't answer anything more than you've already heard unless you're in. I don't mean to bait you; I'm just telling you like it is. In or out, make your decision with all that we've already provided."

That was not enough for Professor Stein. He thought a moment then said to Toph, "Hiram may be a gentleman about this, but given the stakes, I cannot be."

Col. Sharp gave The Professor an odd look.

"Hiram," the older man said, "Toph is Hiroshi's daughter."

Col. Sharp gave a serious gasp. "What? Oh my God. I never made the connection."

"That's what you have us for." He looked to Toph. "Look. I'll do whatever I can to bait you into this because I know the alternative. Like Hiram, I can't answer your questions until you make a decision. Just let me add this, Toph - whatever doubts and unknowns are lurking in your mind, put them aside and trust Hitomi and I. Either step firmly forward or run like hell. But if you step forward, that's where Hitomi and I will be. Otherwise, this really might be the last time we meet under these circumstances."

Col. Sharp chuckled. "I thought we weren't supposed to bait them?"

The Professor was serious. "She's my sole exception. My Achilles' Heel, if you will. If nothing else, I owe it to her parents to teach her everything I can about what she is. But I can't do this mission and teach her on the side; I just can't be at two places at once." He nodded solemnly. "So think hard and make up your mind, young lady."

Hitomi, with her hand in her purse, did not add anything to this except to give Toph that confident smile she always had in their Jeet Kune Do classes. Toph would certainly know that this was Hitomi's way of saying, "Whatever you decide is fine, but I am, and have been, in on this. All the way."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Herc listened to the words of the Professor and the Colonel, then nodded.


"Sir, Professor, when I was newborn, I was very sick and my parents were told that it would be all but impossible that I would see my first birthday. Here I am today, defying the impossible so I have to say your proposal only comes in at a 'highly improbable'.", he replied, then stepped forward, "Corporal Hercules Popadopolis, reporting for duty."


He stood firm, like a pillar of resolute stone, ready to take on whatever challenges might be thrust at him. His entire life could be broken down to a series of challenges, of trials. Like the Hercules of ancient lore, he had faced each trial and done all he could to best it. The challenge of causing a Veritech to move and transform with a thought and the lightest of touches seemed to be the stuff of legends, but then he was a Legend. And Legends never fail.

 

[Kaerri]

Elinor stared in awe, wonder, and -- admit to yourself, if no one else! -- jealousy, watching the professor interact with the veritech with his mind alone.  I want that.  What couldn't I do, if I could do that?  And then Stein told them she did have it.  They had it, all of them in this group of recruits.  She very nearly stepped up as unhesitatingly as Shirley, but Toph's questions got her thinking once more, instead of just feeling.  This is too big to decide on impulse.  And why do I want this so much all of a sudden?  The colonel's refusal to answer was rather frustrating.  Elinor wanted the same answers Toph did, and more.  What if this didn't work out?  Would she be able to come back to the ASC?  Even as she thought, though, her brain reminded her that the colonel hadn't said she'd leave ASC.  In fact, he'd said if they talked to anyone they shouldn't, they'd be out.  That meant if they didn't talk, they wouldn't be out, right?  Part of her was listening to what the others were saying, but mostly she was thinking it out for herself.


All her life, she'd wanted to fly and to join the military.  Her Grandpa Will's influence, sure, some of it.  But not all.  She'd dreamed of flying forever, dreamed of being the best she could, up in the sky where God had intended her to be.  Being a test pilot was a natural extension of that, for her.  She had the gifts, she had the skills, she had the will to go up in unproven craft, push them to their limits, and bring them back again.  And so she did.  That wasn't just what she did, it was who she was.  Wasn't it?  And to toss it all aside on a whim?  That wasn't her.  She didn't have whims, she made decisions and stuck to them.  So.  Why'd she want this so much?


She smiled as she found the answer.  Because this, too, was part of who she was.  This technopathy thing, they weren't offering to teach it to her.  They were offering to teach her how to use something she already had.  Something that would make her even better in the air.  And yeah, she'd wanted to be a test pilot because she could, and because it was a job that needed the best, and she knew she could be that.  But now Colonel Sharp was inviting her to something else that needed her.  Not just any exceptional pilot, but her, Elinor Hall, because she and only four others had what he needed.


Elinor nodded firmly.  She had her answer.  She'd made her decision.  Not on a whim, but on consideration, and out of who she was.  She stepped forward and saluted the colonel, turning to nod to the professor and Hitomi.  "I'm in," she said simply, letting her firm tone and determined expression say the rest.

 

[Psychie]

 The Colonel knew my father, too!  She feels a rush of excitement and the thought. I wonder what other secrets I might learn, being a part of this team. Toph is silent for what seems like a long time to her but is only a few short moments. Her mind is racing, trying to wrap her thoughts around the possibilities.


Finally, the decision is made. Toph looks up and nods. "Ok. I'm in. What's next?"

 

[Purr]

"Sir, Professor, when I was newborn, I was very sick and my parents were told that it would be all but impossible that I would see my first birthday. Here I am today, defying the impossible so I have to say your proposal only comes in at a 'highly improbable'.", he replied, then stepped forward, "Corporal Hercules Popadopolis, reporting for duty."

Colonel Sharp heard this and replied, "I'm glad the people talking to your parents were wrong! Welcome to the team, corporal."

Professor Stein added, "Good to have you, Hercules! If our chances have moved to 'highly improbable,' then I am all for it. From what I've seen between you and Reggie, I believe you have an empathy few men possess."

"All right!" Reggie raised his hands high in celebration.

She stepped forward and saluted the colonel, turning to nod to the professor and Hitomi. "I'm in," she said simply, letting her firm tone and determined expression say the rest.

Colonel Sharp returned the salute. "You've done good, lieutenant. Wild Wolf and GoRo's praise for you during your situation was loud and detailed."

Hitomi and Professor Stein smiled. Hitomi spoke. "I had a feeling about you and Toph from the start. Glad I hung with it, Elinor."

Finally, the decision is made. Toph looks up and nods. "Ok. I'm in. What's next?"

Hitomi and Colonel Sharp grinned, but Professor Stein smiled, tenderly, as if Toph's decision had just saved the old fellow a great deal of frustration and worry. His next words were a whisper, perhaps a prayer of sorts. "Toph, you don't know how glad I am to hear you say that. May your father watch over you in the times before us."

Hitomi, just behind him, nodded in utmost agreement. "Toph, it just dawned on me. If I've been reading everyone here correctly, you are the only one here who has some sort of connection with all three of us." She indicated Sharp and Stein. "You and I through our Jeet Kune Do and these two through their knowledge of your father."

Shirley asked, "Jeet Kune Do? What's that?"

"A whole new world. Tell you later, friend." Hitomi replied.

Colonel Sharp coughed and seemed to come to an inward conclusion. "Well, I'm..." he looked to Albert and Hitomi then changed the direction of his statement, "...we're very pleased to have you all. Heck, after that assembly, we are glad anybody made it through, but especially you. Now let's get a few facts out in the open."

"First off, troops. The assembly is complete. We'll discuss mission details over lunch, but let me put one worry to death right here and now," he looked directly at Toph, "this mission is a joint venture with the Army of the Southern Cross and Eternity. You won't be firing on any friendlies if we have anything to say about it, which we do. General Steele is fully aware of all that we're doing. Our enemy is not the AUL, but the Zentraedi. Keep your other questions until after the briefing and then let loose. For now, you've all earned a bit of distraction from the mountain of stress you've been recently put under. Congratulations again on beating the odds."

"Secondly, and this concerns Corporal Zuko. Doctor Yashida and I did a bit of digging about that tank you were driving. I think you'll be interested in what we found. Come to find out, the VHT you were assigned had a history. It was never supposed to leave Eglin. You heard a rattling sound in your reactor prior to her blowing, right? That's because you were sitting in the infamous VHT we Eglin folks called Rattletrap. Doctor?"

Hitomi turned to Mario and explained. "According to records and interviews, Rattletrap had a very violent history, a curse if you want to call it that, of winding up in some very difficult battles and situations. In the battle before you sat in her, she literally was hit by Meltrandi missile fire so destructive that it blew off both arm shields, both arms, the EU-11 rifle, and both legs. The pilot survived with hardly a scratch." She adjusted her purse.

"In four separate battles before that incident, she took heavy fire every time, but each time the tanker came back hale and healthy while the tank was beaten to near-destruction. Yesterday, when you got her, turned out to be the day Eglin base had run out of tanks. With the tornado coming, every tank had been dispatched. Dispatch figured that by putting you up in her that, if the base were suddenly under attack, at least you'd be able to make use Rattletrap's epic gun; a tremendously accurate cannon even among other VHTs."

"Then in the tornado-related confusion, dispatch sent you out to join Bravo Squadron, not realizing that you were sitting in the one tank on base that had a major reactor shielding issue. In fact, no one knew about this issue. They just knew Rattletrap's rattled from time to time. No tech could pinpoint why." Hitomi grinned.

"That history, plus the fact that you were able to kill an advancing Zentraedi with her destruction, makes her now the most talked about tank on base. She went through hell and every pilot in her lived to tell the tale. When you say that Rattletrap told you of the danger, I believe you. I also think you can count yourself lucky, corporal. Professor?"

As the wind brushed across the runway, Professor Stein pushed his mane of white hair out of his eyes. "Thirdly, you heard me mention that the only non-Traversers here were Hiram and Hitomi. In case any of you didn't get the underlying message, Reggie here too is a Mind-rider." Reggie looked on sheepishly.

"In fact, while you all had your eyes closed and hands inside Hitomi's purse, I had my hand on Shirley's shoulder and my other in Reggie's hand. We saw and heard what you did. In fact, Reggie? What name does Elinor's grandpa go by?"

"Will, sir."

"Very good." The Professor pointed to the young man. "Reggie seems to have come into his gifts early and he is learning quickly. Unlike all of you except Shirley, Reggie has been aware of his powers for some time. As for Shirley..." He opened his hand toward her in an offer for her to explain in her own words.

Shirley fidgeted, but she got the words out. "Crazy as it sounds, I've... been talking to Baby for as long as I've had him." She glanced adoringly at the red Corvette Stingray. "I've also been talking with every Valkyrie I've ever flown. They all 'talk' with me. I even have a favorite Valkyrie because she and I get along really well. And... this is the first time I've openly spoken about it to strangers. Uh, anyone else feel like they're in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting?" She waved her hand in mock greeting and spoke in a drawl. "Hi, I'm Shirley Mackenzie and I'm a Traverser..."

"Hiiiiii, Shirleeeeey!" Reggie and Hitomi waved back and laughed.

Professor Stein concluded. "There is more to all this, of course. A lot more. But again, this is neither the place nor time. Before we go to lunch, does anyone have anything to add?"

The Ghost Riders heard that and began to raise a commotion. "Heyyyyy now!" Hairball roared. "Don'tch ferget about usssh! *UUUURP!*"

"At ease, pilots. You'll get your turn!" Colonel Sharp promised.

Shirley looked at them and then at the rest of you as if to ask, "What are they up to now?"

The colonel, for one, had no reply.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Hercules listened to the people around him speaking, relating the bizarre things that had happened and how their technological empathy had been a factor in their lives. He frowned as he didn't feel he could relate, beyond his experience of the night before. Except...


"Uhhhm.", he spoke up, his voice faltering as people looked at him, "I...I think I can relate to, uhh, the Lieutenant."


He paused, trying to articulate the words he was thinking.


"I had a similar experience, just prior to being invited here. Perhaps it was the reason I was invited here, I don't know. But, there was this incident. We were engaged in peace-keeping operations in Old Turkey when our unit and our charges were ambushed by Malcontents. I'd hunkered my M.A.C. II, 'Atlas', down to provide active fire support while our lead elements set up firing lines and attempted to break through the encirclement. It was then that a Commanchero attack helicopter came down well ahead of our lines, ditched in the no man's land between us and the Zentraedi. No-one could raise the crew on the radio and the company command wrote them off as KIA. But, something kept pulling in the back of my mind, some little nagging thought, they're still alive.


"I don't know how I knew, nor why I could believe it, but I moved Atlas out beyond our lines and over to the downed helo. I could hear Tahel shouting at me, but as I drew closer, I could hear something else. Two faint sounds. Faltering, weak sounds, but they were unmistakable. Heartbeats. I turned to Tahel, but she was too busy trying to target the Malcontents while we were on the move. I hauled Atlas up so that her hull was covering the downed Commanchero, then hauled myself out through the access hatch. I got over to the cockpit and, sure enough, both pilots were alive. Seriously injured, but alive. I was able to get the canopy off and both crew out and then squeezed the three of us back inside Atlas. Once I was in, I instinctively knew Atlas' left leg was seriously damaged. She'd been turned that way on to protect Tahel's side of the cockpit, but I hadn't figured how much Atlas had endured in the time. Before I'd even fully powered up the system, I knew that her left knee couldn't survive running, so when I started to retreat, I did so with the right leg facing the enemy and carefully nursing the left. We were less than five meters from our lines when I knew the damaged left leg was going to fail. I warned everyone, even as the alert system kicked in and then Atlas toppled over."


He sighed, thinking back at the memory.


"A distress call to regional command brought fresh reinforcements to break the ambush and drive off the Malcontents. At the debrief, I found out that Atlas' seismic sensors had registered the minuscule effects of the Commanchero crews' heartbeats reverberating through the hull of their aircraft and through the ground. Quite how I interpreted that, I couldn't explain. The only reply I could give was 'gut instinct told me they weren't dead'. After that, I received the order to come here."

 

[Sherwood]

Mario hadn't heard about the dreadful reputation behind his old tank, since he was a fairly new transfer to the base from the tanker training center at Monument City, but he did feel both a bit of a chill for the bullet he (kinda) dodged, and a bit of relief at being vindicated for the reactor trouble.  At least the old girl had it in her to take out on of those Pods before she blew.  "Before yesterday, I've never had any kind of experience with this . . . talking to the machine . . . thing.  Whatever you want to call it.  Never even heard of it outside of the occasional tall tale around the campfire.  But that doesn't mean that I'm not a hundred percent on board with learning more about this!  I am curious, though.  What is it about a person that makes him or her able to do this?  Is it some kind of psi power?  Is it inherited, or is it something that you can learn to do?"

 

[Psychie]

Toph raises an eyebrow at hearing the stories about Mario's hover tank and how Hercules had his own experience with this power in his Monster.  She thinks back over her time in the cockpit, remembering back over her training.  "There was one time, I don't know if it was this Traversing power or just luck, I was in a trainer jet with my instructor pilot when I had a feeling, kinda like an itch on the back of my neck, that there was a problem with one of my engines.  It felt wrong to me.  I aborted my run and turned back to land, all the while Lt. Alverez was screaming at me over the intercom.  Next thing I knew, the left side overheated and flamed out.  If I hadn't been on my way back to land already, I don't know if I would have made it without ejecting.  Turns out that one of the mechanics left a wrench in the cowling, and it fowled up the intake.  Perhaps that was my first taste of a larger world."

 

[Sherwood]

Mario suddenly gets a quirky look on his face and asks, "Since the whole scene with having to face the General after the walk down the runway was a test, does that mean that the lieutenant and I might still get a medal for saving that convoy yesterday?  And will I be getting a new tank this time?  One without a hidden reactor issue that won't blow up after the first solid hit on it?  Finally, when we hit the field, what is the official chain of command of this new team?  I like to know exactly the people I'm supposed to be taking my cues from as to avoid confusion."

 

[Kaerri]

Colonel Sharp returned the salute.  "You've done good, lieutenant.  Wild Wolf and GoRo's praise for you during your situation was loud and detailed."

Elinor smiled.  "Thank you, sir.  I think they did pretty good too."


She listened without comment to the tale of Zuko's star-crossed (or was it?) hovertank, though her eyebrows raised.  She looked interestedly at Reggie when his talents were brought up, and looked a little sheepish herself at the mention of her grandpa.  Hope I didn't go off about him too much.


As her fellow recruits reminisced about possible previous experiences with this technopathy thing, Elinor cast her own mind back to see if she could find any similar experience.  Finally she shrugged.  "If I did it before, I can't think when.  Which makes me think I haven't.  Or that I convinced myself I imagined it, like I almost did with yesterday's fun."  She glanced at Zuko.  "I know you're excited and all, and I'm not sayin' I don't want to know the answers too, but you did hear the man when he said hold questions 'til after the briefing, right?"  She grinned at him, then turned to the professor.  "Ready for lunch whenever anyone else is, sir."

 

[Purr]

She glanced at Zuko. "I know you're excited and all, and I'm not sayin' I don't want to know the answers too, but you did hear the man when he said hold questions 'til after the briefing, right?"

Professor Stein pointed at Elinor and nodded. His deep voice carried his combination of American and British accents. "Right-o, lieutenant. I'm glad to see someone is paying close attention when I'm talking."

Hitomi chimed in with her charming grin. "Oh, did you say something, professor?"

"Shush, you silly girl."

Colonel Sharp checked his watch and drew his eye toward the Ghost Riders. "Well, given the assembly's success, I think it's high time we see what our ground-pounders here have been hiding under this tarp all this time. What do you say, troops?"

All five of the Ghost Riders burst into immediate applause along with hoots and shouts.

"So what's the story, Ghost Riders?"

As usual, the veteran Destroid team allowed Hairball to take the stage as it were. "Weeell, yer Colonelness, *hic* isht like dis! We've been battlin' da Jolly Green Giant an' his Giant Green Missus fer as long ash we kin *bbbuuuurrp* remember! Here in gay old Florida, we Ghosties have gotten inta our *slurp* share of troubles. Yanno how Jolly Green likes ta overwhelm us wit superior numbers, right? *Hhhhack. Spitooie...* 'Scuse me. Well, we gotta tellya! Miss Mack here has been in tha thick of it, comin' down from above with ordnance enuff ta blast them Malcontents ta Hell an' back! She's even dropped bombs when we've *hiccup* been in melee wit' those bastards! Not fun!"

'Shhhhhoooo..." Hairball opened his flabtastic arms wide and gazed up at the Valkyrie hidden under the tarp in Guardian mode. "Tac Corp an' us got tagether an'... yanno... got a wee little surprise fer our Californian Queen of Close Air Support! Step on up, would'ya, Mack?"

With one hand on Baby, Shirley hesitated. But soon she gave in to curiosity and stepped away from the Corvette Stingray. "O.K., you big galoots! Spill it. What have you guys done?"

The Ghost Riders took positions all around the back and side of the cloaked Valkyrie. All of them grabbed hold of the tarp and prepared to pull. Hairball's smiled his ever-present slightly-psychotic-but-heartfelt smile. "Miss Macky? Dis ish our way of *BURRRP!* shayin' thanks shoooo much fer pullin' all our fat outta the fire an' congrats on beatin' the odds wit' yer new team! We rilly, rilly hope ya like it! Don't we, guys?" The veterans nodded in hopeful anticipation together. With a series of heaves, they pulled as one and the tarp came away.

There, shining in the Florida afternoon sun, stood a pristine-condition Valkyrie unlike any other. It was painted from tip to tail.

(Spoiler contains pictures.)

Spoiler

Game Master Note: Imagine a Valkyrie in Guardian mode decked out in a brand-new custom paint job...

(Image credit: arcadia.ac)

...bathed in a very familiar red...

(Image credit: alfa-img.com)

...with the words, "The Red Baroness" writ as if in a woman's cursive handwriting, boldly displayed across the nose of the aircraft.

Shirley recoiled with a tremendous gasp as her hands flew over her mouth. "Oh... my... gosh!" she said in a muffled voice as she stared at the shining Valkyrie. Soon, tears came from her eyes and down her cheeks as she became awash with emotion.

The Ghost Riders gazed upon Shirley Mackenzie with a variety of hopeful expressions. Suddenly, a thought struck one of them. He frowned deeply in realization. Then he took his sidearm from his hip and without taking his eyes off of Shirley, handed the firearm to the Ghost Rider standing next to him.

"Take this," he shoved the gun away from himself.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because if she's crying because we just ruined her favorite bird, I just might have to use this on myself."

The Ghost Rider accepting the weapon immediately took on the same blank look of utter shock as that horrible thought now descended upon on him like a bomb falling from the sky. A moment later, he took his teammate's weapon, and then adding his own, handed them both to Hairball.

"Take them, Hairy."

Shaken, Hairball took them both, his ever-present smile dashed.

"Uh," Hairball finally took a shaky step forward. "Shho.... whaddya *gulp* think there, Mack?" Each of the Ghost Riders' expressions seemed to shout, "Please say you like it!"

Shirley's eyes gazed upon the bird as if it were a gift from the gods. "You... you... painted her up in Baby's colors!"

"Uhuh!" they said together.

"She's... so beautiful!" Shirley rushed toward the Ghost Riders with her arms wide as if to hug them all. They huddled as she jumped up into them.

They patted her with sighs of relief followed by encouraging words. "Don't worry!" "Yeah, your new team will be great!" "We'll miss you, Mack! You're really the best!" "Our Red Baroness!" "You gotta come *hic* visit ush, O.K.? Don't ferget ush when yer out there shavin' the world!"

"I won't! I won't forget you! My Ghosties!"

Sergeant Powers stood nearby, his hands behind his back. One of the Ghost Riders stated, "Your new team will take good care of you, Mack!" Upon hearing this, Powers turned toward each of you with fists clenched and shark teeth bared, and said, "That's right! Your new team is gonna take GREAT CARE of our little lady, AREN'T THEY?!"

Colonel Sharp sighed and chuckled. "She'll be fine, Jamal!"

"You damned right she's gonna be fine! Uh, sir!"

Colonel Sharp turned to Professor Stein. "Arthur? How do I let you talk me into these messes?"

"By knowing the consequences of ignoring the warnings of a wizard, my dear Hiram."

Colonel Sharp could not debate the accuracy of that statement, nor did he try. "O.K., 'Ghosties,' break it up. We have lunch and a briefing and we're not gaining any more daylight here. Let's wrap this up."

Sniffing, Shirley disengaged herself from the team, but that did not stop them from their encouraging waves and comments. Still cloaked in Herc's huge jacket, she gazed up at the crimson Valkyrie with a combination of wistful thoughts and the deepest pride.

"Recruits?" Colonel Sharp said and then paused. "Wait. We've passed that phase, haven't we? You don't have a team name yet."

Professor Stein said, "So until they do, call them what they are - Traversers."

Colonel Sharp thought about this. Then he nodded. As if on cue, a pair of open-topped hover trucks pulled up, piloted by a pair of Eglin Tac Corp corporals. "All right, Traversers. Traverse yourselves over to Big Bunker where lunch will be waiting."

The Big Bunker was a relic of the previous Robotech War and something of a mystery. It stood far and away from most other buildings. It was said that Steel's Slayers performed weapons training out there and used it as a hang-out; that was enough for the rest of Eglin to get the message to stay away from the place. And people did. In fact, the uninvited on Eglin tended to treat the place as if it were a radioactive site, so deeply was the warning imbedded. To be invited out to that remote spot for any reason was highly unusual.

Then a conflict of another kind took place...

"So, uhh..." Professor Stein stepped up beside Baby. "Just how is this piece of machinery going to make it out to this Big Bunker, hmmm?"

"Oh no, you don't," Col. Sharp ran up. "I'm in command here. If anyone is getting in that black leather passenger seat, it's me." And so the battle between the teenage old men began.

"Not so," Stein countered. "We are on a joint mission, remember? Joint mission means joint command." By this time, Shirley saw the commotion and took to listening.

Sharp raised an eyebrow. "So if neither of us is in command, then it's up to the owner of the vehicle, then." Both men eyed Shirley who strolled by with with such nonchalance it was as if this sort of thing happened all of the time.

"Oh," she glanced at both men, "there's only one man I want beside me on the way out to Big Bunker..." Stein and Sharp thought a moment and both of them took a quick look Mario's way. Then suddenly, Shirley raced away from the car... and towards the youngest man present.

"C'mon, Rothschild!"

"Me?! It's Reggie, ma'am!"

"Right! C'mon, Reggie!" And before Sharp or Stein could raise a dispute, the young lieutenant had Reggie in the passenger seat and his wheelchair presented to both of the elder men. She spoke sweetly. "Would you gentlemen be dears and see that his chair gets safely to the Big Bunker? There's no room in Baby's trunk!"

Reggie, with one arm hanging out of the car, smiled smugly and said, "Yes, would you, please?"

Both men saw Reggie's "I win!" look and stood there with looks of astonishment. Sharp broke into a rare laugh while Stein put his hands on his hips and glared. "Blast me! Outdone by a fifteen-year-old!"

"Blast me, too!" Sharp said.

"A handsome fifteen-year-old, too!" Shirley winked.

"Nicely done!" Hitomi waved as she climbed into a hover truck.

"Mount up, troops!" Colonel Sharp and Stein then clambered into one of the trucks with Reggie's wheelchair.

From beneath the ASC mecha, the Ghost Riders waved at the bright red sports car of old. Then all there was to be seen was Shirley and Reggie's hands in the air waving. Baby's engine lit up with a mechanical roar. Those big, black tires screamed as she launched across the runway, opposite the direction where General Steel was. The unmistakable smell of burned rubber was thick in the air as the 1969 fuel-injected Corvette Stingray rocketed down the giant road like a runaway comet.

The only thing louder and more excited than Baby's engine was Reggie's delighted yell from the passenger seat as Baby smoothly went from 0 to 120 miles an hour but in moments.

"OHHHHHH YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"

(Spoiler contains the right kind of music for the moment. =) )

Spoiler

"Shut Down" by The Beach Boys

(Game Master OOC note: I should be able to continue the story with another post tomorrow. Until then, have fun! =) )

 

[Sherwood]

With a chuckle, Mario throws his hands up in surrender.  "Ok!  I give up!  I'll wait for the answers to my plethora of questions until after lunch.  Probably, at least.  No guarantees."  He grins to show his light hearted mood.  "I sure could use a good steak right about now, but I'll settle for whatever the commissary has in store for us."  It will at least give me a chance to sit down off of my aching ankle and rest it for a few.  Pain lets you know you are still alive, but I have gotten that part already figured out pretty damn well by now.


At the sight of Mackenzie's newly painted Valkyrie and the positive reaction to it, Mario applauds with vigor.  "Hell, yeah!  That's what I'm talking about!  Looking good, Baroness!"  He gives his fellow Traverser a thumbs-up with a wide smile. 


When the argument comes up about who is going to be riding in the passenger seat, he can understand the interest.  After all, Shirley came and picked him up off the highway in that hot roadster, and he got to enjoy the ride back to Eglin instead of having to hobble on his bum ankle.  Then, when the wheelchair-bound lad gets the nod, he nods in satisfaction.  "Enjoy the ride, Reggie!  See you around the table."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Hercules watched the back and forth between Shirley and the Ghost Riders and then between her, the colonel and the professor with a good-natured grin. When Reggie, little Reggie of all people, won the right to ride in that roadster, Hercules' laugh rolled out and he could only give his little friend a big 'thumb's up' as the car peeled out and vanished into the distance. All that remained was to mount up on the truck that remained and head over the the Colonel's mysterious 'Big Bunker'. Hercules took position at the back, offering a hand up to anyone who might need it before stepping up himself, his long legs making easy work of mounting the high rear of the heavy vehicle.


Comfortably seated near the tailgate, he settled down and waited for the truck to move, all the time trying to avoid staring at the pretty lady seated in the driver's seat.

 

[Psychie]

Toph shakes her head and laughs at the antics of those Ghost Riders and Shirley, and applauds Reggie for being the lucky one to be picked to ride the sportscar.  She then goes over to Mario.  "Here, corporal.  Lean on me and I'll help you keep off of that ankle.  You need to have me take a look at it as soon as we can get you to the clinic.  Lets go."  She may be smaller than the man, but she is still strong enough to hold some of his weight.  "So, whats for lunch today?  Are we heading to the chow hall, or is there another surprise waiting for us at this old bunker?"

 

[Purr]

At the sight of Mackenzie's newly painted Valkyrie and the positive reaction to it, Mario applauds with vigor. "Hell, yeah! That's what I'm talking about! Looking good, Baroness!" He gives his fellow Traverser a thumbs-up with a wide smile.

When the argument comes up about who is going to be riding in the passenger seat, he can understand the interest. After all, Shirley came and picked him up off the highway in that hot roadster, and he got to enjoy the ride back to Eglin instead of having to hobble on his bum ankle. Then, when the wheelchair-bound lad gets the nod, he nods in satisfaction. "Enjoy the ride, Reggie! See you around the table."

As they shot down the runway like a runaway rocket, Shirley and Reggie beamed grateful smiles at Mario. He was, after all, one of the reasons they had made it this far.

"So, whats for lunch today? Are we heading to the chow hall, or is there another surprise waiting for us at this old bunker?"

"I sure could use a good steak right about now, but I'll settle for whatever the commissary has in store for us."

The two hover trucks sped off the runway and out into a wide open grassy field that seemed to go on for green miles. Professor Stein was in the first truck which zoomed ahead of you. The Colonel was riding with you. Hearing your comments, he leaned over in his seat and said, "Commissary food? After all you and your team have just accomplished? Oh no, troops." He smiled.

"You can expect Bubbalou's BBQ. My treat. Think of it as my little way of congratulating you on surviving the trials. The delivery should arrive not long after we arrive at the Big Bunker. Which, by the way, houses our Special Forces armory."

As this conversation went on, Toph had the chance here to examine Mario's ankle. Colonel Sharp watched the two of them as he regarded Toph's question. "As far as surprises go, come to think of it, I think there is one."

Without taking her eyes off of the scenery, Hitomi asked. "Who, sir?"

He sighed. "A.T.A.C. Corporal Maximus Oceanus Booty. Reggie's father. I can only imagine how happy he'll be to see Mr. Rothschild in one piece."

"Wait. Booty? That Booty?"

"The one and only. Arthur tells me that's who the AUL was really after when they nabbed Corporal Papadopolis here." He looked at Herc. "The two of you apparently have a lot in common, corporal. Booty is large, strong, tank-like, and fierce. He's an A.T.A.C. tanker with combat experience. He studies the Pankration martial system with great pride. Like yourself, he has also recently come from out-of-country. Jamaica. I've never before seen such a passionate combination of ingenuity and rage."

"So what is he doing out here?"

Colonel Sharp pushed his hat up. "Well, Maximus has one hell of a temper. I've been called his 'handler' and with good reason; I'm one of the very few he'll take orders from. He's stationed out in Big Bunker because he's safe to work here. You see, Big Bunker is our Special Forces armory and Booty's in charge of it. Booty's the best Eglin's got in the mecha modification department; it's what he does when he's not out here tweaking and testing mega-damage small arms for the Special Forces teams. He's never been pleased with the state of affairs here at Eglin, nor has he been quiet about it, hence him being posted way out here where he can't hurt anybody. Uh, else." The Colonel cringed.

To the military community, it was no secret that Special Forces units operated out of Eglin ASC. Way back before the First Robotech War when Eglin ASC Base was Eglin Air Force Base, Special Forces teams trained here in preparation for South American operations. Today, the tradition continued.

The hover truck slowed as you approached a large wide series of huge concrete bunkers, all neatly arranged, grass-covered, and old-looking. One of these had several Eglin hover vehicles parked in front of it. And one 1969 Corvette Stingray. The Professor, Shirley, and Reggie stood outside this bunker, but they were not alone.

As your hover truck hummed to a quiet stop, there was a man you did not recognize dressed in A.T.A.C. battle fatigues. A huge, mighty-looking man with muscles so great his fatigues could not conceal them. To be accurate, he was more than a man - he was a force of nature. Evidently, all this time Eglin had always had its own tornado out here at Big Bunker. And this tornado was raging...

(Spoiler contains pictures.)

Spoiler

The Tornado.
GM note: Heya folks! The Virtua Fighter series remains my favorite fighting-style video game ever. One reason is that its characters captured my hyper-imagination. When the controller was in my hands, Jeffry here was not Jeffry, but a character I created called Booty. Who is he? You're about to find out. =)


(Image credit: 게임샷)


(Image credit: GameSpot )


(Image credit: VFDC )

The big fellow smashed his fists together and shouted with such wrath as to send those birds in the grass within earshot fleeing quickly to safety. "WHAT DA BOMBAKLAT EVIL WICKED MAN WRECKIN' ME BOY'S CHAIR AN' LAYIN' HANDS ON ME REGGIE?! FAT BOOTY GONNA KILL HIM!"

Calmly, Professor Stein studied the raging man from a safe range with Shirley beside him. Only Reggie replied. He explained excitedly. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, Daddy! The AUL Wicked man is dead!"

"WHO SENDIN' HIM TO HADES?! TELL BOOTY!"

"He did, Daddy!" Reggie's words could not have been shouted with more pride as his finger aimed straight at Herc.

As if magnetized, many pairs of eyes drifted toward the huge soldier.

"Daddy, they saved me! Mister Professor, Miss Hitomi, and this good man! His name is Hercules and his heart is as big as the whole world!"

His sledgehammer-like fists clenched, the man called Booty stormed toward Hercules with all of the momentum of an incoming landslide. Upon reaching the slightly taller Greek, Booty stared into Herc's eyes with such a tremendous will as to cower lesser men into immediate submission. The Jamaican's brown eyes flared like twin volcanoes near to erupting. Now, Hercules could see with utmost clarity how the Anti-Unification League had so badly miscalculated in capturing him instead of the man before him. Colonel Sharp had been spot-on; Herc and Booty were in many ways cut from the same cloth.

"Hercules!" Booty roared from the depths of his indomitable soul. "Tell Booty! Why you savin' me Reggie an' killin' da Wicked Man?"

Having spoken, the angered warrior gazed and waited with the patience of a priest for the Greek's answer.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

At the sight of Corporal Booty, Hercules recognised another practitioner of his fighting style. The muscular development, the composure, even the stance. They all reminded him of looking in a mirror. But at the mention of his activity last night, Hercules paled and a chill ran through him. He remembered waking in that torture chamber, strapped to a chair and seeing Reggie being bullied in the adjoining room. He remembered 'Scathe' with his big words and his big knife, carving into Reggie's self-esteem and wheelchair respectively. And most of all he remembered what came next, the weight of the chair in his hands and the shock of the impacts as he ended a man's life. His face turned grim and his jaw hardened, even as his eyes took on a distance, brutal glare.


"Yes, I killed a man last night. I woke in a room set up for torturing people and saw him. He was picking on Reggie, threatening him, threatening him with a knife. A young man who wouldn't willingly harm another man nor beast and he was waving a knife in his face. Then he destroyed Reggie's wheelchair, cut it to pieces and smashed the rest beyond all repair. The look on his face. He enjoyed it. He enjoyed the act of destruction for destruction's sake."


Hercules' arms tightened, the stitching in the sleeves of his shirt pulled tight as his muscles threatened to rip through them.


"So I killed him. I broke out of the chair I was tied to and beat 'Scathe' to death with it. Crushed his skull like an over-ripe melon.", Hercules said with a finality that indicated he'd do it again in a heartbeat, "A man who threatens and terrifies those weaker than himself is no man, he is a coward and a bully, my Mama told me. Reggie was brave, braver than most would be when confronted by a knife. But it was only when his chair was lost was he most saddened. That was why I did what I did. A person who abuses his power over others for his own amusement needs to be reminded that there will always be someone stronger, someone more resistant, someone who will seek retribution for his ills."


Hercules' knuckles popped, one by one, as he spoke and he did not once break eye contact with Booty. He wanted this man to know he was earnest, if nothing else. He did not seek forgiveness for his murder, for murder it was, he only sought to give his justification for his act.

 

[Sherwood]

Mario looks up at Hercules.  "It sounds to me like it was quite justified to me.  That man was guilty of multiple felonies, including kidnapping the two of you, and assaulting you.  You did not go out of your way to start hostilities with him, but you were acting in defense of Reggie and yourself.  I don't see any court martial issuing a conviction of any charge against you.  This AUL opened up a case of whoop-ass, and it just happened to come in the form of a towering Greek hover tank pilot."

 

[Purr]

(Game Master note: This is another big post born of hyperactive imagination and fun, friends. Enjoy!)

Booty kept his thoughts to himself as he listened closely to Herc's every word. While Herc spoke, Booty continued to gaze into Herc's eyes as if he could see the Greek's very soul behind them. Whatever he saw there did not displease him.

The great Jamaican planted his fists on his hips and made one last motion of investigation; he walked around Herc and stopped in mid-stride. He lowered his gaze, down, down, down, until it obvious to all that he was staring and studying Herc's buttocks. Then, something in the mammoth Jamaican changed. With a satisfied grunt, Booty disengaged himself and turned to Reggie.

(Mood music.)

Spoiler

"Losin' Faith" by Backbeat Soundsystem. Terrific beat and melody!

Booty proclaimed, "New friend of Reggie's got fightin' booty! Dat is why Wicked Man is dead. Easy! Him must'a had skinny booty!"

He turned to Herc, his belief heavy in his every word. "You say you killin' Wicked Man because he is wicked! Neva changin' his ways! Forever makin' people lives miserable! Well dats what good men do! Dey end Wicked Men, mon!"

Then Booty presented his fighting philosophy to all. "Gotta understand! Ain't no skinny booty winnin'! Only FAT booty winnin'! Pay attention!" With that, Booty flexed his titanic arms and turned his body to display what must be the most pronounced backside a human man ever possessed. At first, it seemed awkward for a complete stranger to be proudly showing his incredibly-muscled buttocks as if they were his most-prized possession.

However, the longer he stood there flexing his limbs, the more the fighter inside of one came to realize that all real power and health stemmed from the core of each fighter. And this man's core appeared darned near mega-damage in its development.

Reggie watched this, never growing old of his father's shows of pride while Shirley looked on in amazement. "You have the buns of a gorilla!" Then she realized what she had said and put her hand to her mouth.

"Yah, woman! You see dis booty? Dis maximum Booty! Pankration-powered! Island-born! Ain't no booty like FAT BOOTY!"

Booty relaxed his stance and held out his hand to Hercules to shake it. "I gaze inside'a you an' seen your soul, Hercules! You an' me? We Men of de Islands! You from Greece, Booty from Jamaica! Only men like you an' me know da powa! Da peace! Da beauty! Mainlanders got it rough," he waved his thick arm at the rest of you, "Dey ain't knowin' dat de heaven dey forever seekin' is already here - in da islands!"

Then he pointed toward the Big Bunker with its mighty concrete walls and grassy top. "Booty welcome you, Island Man! An' Pro Fessa an' beautiful Hitomi! You savin' me Reggie! Me happy like a man in da dark who sun beamin' an' steamin' back into his life! Come now! Your secrets safe wit' Maximus Booty!"

"Secrets?" asked Professor Stein.

"Of course, Fessa! Why else you comin' way out to Booty Bunker 'cept whisperin' how to kill Wicked Men everywhere? Probably Zentraedi."

Booty moved to go inside when he finally noticed Colonel Sharp who was nonchalantly watching his performance with a sense of admiration. Booty stopped everything when he saw the senior tanker. "Me Colonel!" He immediately snapped to attention.

"At ease, Maximus."

"Permission ta speakin' freely, Me Colonel!"

Col. Sharp grinned. "I wouldn't have it any other way with you, Master Armorer."

Booty paused, letting his considerable emotions build. Then he shouted an exclamation as if giving voice to pain, none of it meant to blame Colonel Sharp, but deep pain nonetheless. "Colonel! Wicked Man took me boy!"

Col. Sharp heard this and his face fell. Booty was right. The AUL had captured Reggie, tortured him, destroyed his chair and nearly him, and had darned near gotten away with it were it not for Arthur, Hitomi, and Hercules. Col. Sharp hadn't learned a thing about it until it was long over. He reached inside for encouragement of any kind - and came up empty. He had failed this man. His man.

"I'm... sorry."

"No, mon'! Not your dishonor, Me Colonel!"

From behind his glasses, Col. Sharp stared at Booty in wonder.

"Colonel Sharp not in charge of Eglin! Ugly man Fat Boy General STEEL in charge! HE should'a kept me boy safe! But no! Him allow AUL to haunt me boy! Booty not forgettin' dis!" Booty stomped the dirt. "Now comin' inside! Everybody! Booty need him reggae an' ganja or else he gonna blow like a VHT cannon."

Professor Stein patted his shoulder. "He's right, Hiram."

Colonel Sharp went from feeling lower than low to completely forgiven.

"Shall we, old boy?"

"We shall. And then we'll have our question and answer session over lunch."

"About time. All this excitement has gotten me hungry."

As if on cue, it was right then that the delivery of barbeque showed up brought faithfully by a pair of Eglin privates in an APC. Not a single side dish was missing, not a steak fry touched nor a spoonful of baked beans or corn missing. No. There was more than enough food for everyone and it smelled soooo good as the scents of terrific cooking wafted through the air like mesmerizing biological weapon of old - Southern food.

Colonel Sharp did not let the young privates leave without handing each a big pork sandwich and a drink for which the young man and woman were delightfully grateful for before they sped away.

Not long afterward, you found yourselves walking down inside the Big Bunker. Booty expertly bypassed one security system after another as you descended down into the concrete and steel structure. After the third steel door complete with cameras and mounted guns on ball turrets, Master Armorer Booty escorted you and your team down wide ramps into a large stores of sorts where locked shelves were thick with ASC small arms of just about every kind behind the armored counter. The scents of cleaning solutions filled the air for Booty's was a clean, professional shop.

Each of the many workbenches was tidy, well-organized, and ready for use. It was as if one could really pull an entire Special Forces team down here and have each of the modifying and tinkering with each of their weapons and armor prior to mission start. There was an efficiency to this place that almost dared one to make their best items here.

Booty opened up one of the many steel doors to reveal a stony-looking rectangular room dominated by a great oaken table and a dozen well-used chairs surrounding it. Mega-damage crates with military markings and serial numbers were stacked inside the room making for wide, stable chairs if one desired. If ever there was a place for secret meetings on Eglin, this was it.

Nevertheless, Professor Stein and Hitomi strolled around the room together, each with some mysterious hand-held device in their hands. As the trays of food were set upon the table. Soon, dishes, plasticware, drinks, and napkins decorated the table in a little celebration of southern food provided on the house.

Far in the back of the meeting room was a gated area in which a very large room was filled with mecha-sized machinery. One item in particular was set in the center as if it were the sole purpose of the room. Those in T.A.S.C. or ASC's other divisions might have had to take a few moments to figure out that it was a cannon of sorts, but to those in A.T.A.C., it was immediately obvious that this was a 105mm Veritech Hover Tank main gun stripped down to its skeleton and in the process of intense amounts of modification.

Yet, the cannon took a backseat for most as the rumbling bellies and in moments the sounds of munching and drinking could be heard across the table as folks set into the food.

"Delicious!" Hitomi beamed and patted her purse.

"Damned good," said Professor Stein.

"The best!" Reggie lifted a cup of tea to his lips.

Colonel Sharp grinned. "Just one more reason I decided to get stationed in Florida."

Booty saw that everyone was provided for and as if by habit made to leave until Colonel Sharp raised his hand. "Corporal? Your involvement is required."

"What you meanin', Me Colonel?"

"Well, your son is directly involved. You have my blessing if you want to stay."

"Yah mon!" Booty carefully rummaged through two of the many crates; he seemed to be looking for something specific. While he did, he clicked on a laptop filling the room with the relaxing sounds of reggae music. Booty sat back casually and went through an old canvas bag.

Colonel Sharp spoke between bites of baby back ribs. "O.K., troops. We have a lot ground to cover. The mission, technopathy, leadership, and more. Who wants to be the first to start? Oh, and um, would someone pass the cornbread, please?"

 

[Kaerri]

"Oh no, you don't," Col. Sharp ran up.  "I'm in command here.  If anyone is getting in that black leather passenger seat, it's me."  And so the battle between the teenage old men began.  


"Not so," Stein countered.  "We are on a joint mission, remember?  Joint mission means joint command."  By this time, Shirley saw the commotion and took to listening.

Elinor couldn't help but grin at the "teenage old men."  Shaking her head in amusement, she applauded MacKenzie's final choice, raising her clapping hands over her head as the Stingray drove off so that the two inside could see her if she chose.  Still grinning, she hopped into the hover truck, accepting Hercules Papa-whatsit's hand to steady herself as she did so.  "Thanks, big guy!"  She listened with quiet intensity as the colonel explained both lunch and the person they were likely to meet over it, but said nothing, preferring to just enjoy the ride for the moment.

"Hercules!" Booty roared from the depths of his indomitable soul.  "Tell Booty!  Why you savin' me Reggie an' killin' da Wicked Man?"  

Elinor's were among the eyes that gravitated toward the Greek tanker at this question, and she was still watching intently when he reacted to it.  Doesn't like killing, I bet.  But didn't let it stop him when that son of a bitch needed it.  Good man.  She nodded in agreement with Zuko and repeated her last thought aloud.  "Good man."

With that, Booty flexed his titanic arms and turned his body to display what must be the most pronounced backside a human man ever possessed.  At first, it seemed awkward for a complete stranger to be proudly showing his incredibly-muscled buttocks as if they were his most-prized possession.  However, the longer he stood there flexing his limbs, the more the fighter inside of one came to realize that all real power and health stemmed from the core of each fighter.  And this man's core appeared darned near mega-damage in its development.  

Elinor glanced at the colonel, but apparently this was normal behavior for Booty.  Half-smiling, she turned back and inspected as instructed.  It was a sight well worth looking at.  Elinor didn't think there was anything wrong with her, uh, booty, but this was a work of art.

"Dey ain't knowin' dat de heaven dey forever seekin' is already here - in da islands!"

Elinor shook her head at this.  Her heaven -- as far as heaven on earth, that is -- was up there in the clouds, preferably with a Valkyrie encasing her.

There was more than enough food for everyone and it smelled soooo good as the scents of terrific cooking wafted through the air like mesmerizing biological weapon of old - Southern food.

"Oh, yaaaasss!"  Elinor grinned as the scents of something very like home hit her nostrils.  She followed the food like Pepe Le Pew following his beloved's trail.

Spoiler

The assorted equipment around the room was interesting, sure, but she was starving, and the smells were just too much for the gear to compete with, particularly when she had a plate of it for her own.  Mouth full, she passed the cornbread and tried to chew quickly while still savoring the yummy taste of everything.

 

[Psychie]

Toph looks up with an excited gleam to her eye.  "Sir, I don't suppose that there is some cheesecake for dessert?  If not, I'll survive somehow.  This food smells divine!"  She takes a big bite of some pulled pork barbecue and lets out a sigh of contentment.  To Hitomi and Elinor she says through a mouthfull of food, "From all the times we've gone out to lunch together, why didn't we ever go to this place?  This food is . . . <mumble mumble gulp!> wonderful!  Ah!"  


The pink haired lieutenant doesn't waste any more time talking as she instead focuses on the food in front of her.  If there does happen to be the cheesecake she has been longing for, Toph makes sure to save enough room from the rest of her meal to be able to enjoy a slice . . . or two.  I'll have to put a few extra miles on the treadmill tomorrow to pay for all of this or I'll soon be as fat as General Steele.  Then I wouldn't be able to fit in my Ajax!  

 

[Sherwood]

Mario snags a slab of ribs with a hearty helping of cole slaw and corn bread and attacks his food with vigor.  Much better than the cafeteria food served at the chow hall.  Once he has eaten his fill, he carefully cleans up his messy hands and face as to avoid getting sauce on his uniform.  "Sirs, I have so many questions, I hardly know where to start.  Can you tell us more about this Traverseing power?  Is it a recent development, or has this ability been around for a long time?  Also, is this a power that the Zentraedi are aware of?"  He glances over at Toph for emphasis.  "Obviously, Lt. Kirin has the ability, but can we expect to see a Female Powered Armor ace or someone in an Officer Pod with this talent taking to the battlefield against us?"