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Chapter Six: All Hands on Deck

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The Core that belonged to the Ajax did not reply at all, but instead rose into the space above Toph and seemed to glower down upon her. The Core began to get darker, harder to see. Toph immediately got the feeling the machine did not trust her.

Professor Stein grimaced and tried to reassure the half-Meltrandi with facts. "Toph, listen to what I taught you in class! Do not command the Core, but coerce it! It knows very well what its protocol is while you are near-stranger. It is foolish of you to try to force your way through! Now respect the machine, choose your words more carefully, and try again! Think like your Taoist father!" Cera too looked to Toph. Cera and Elinor were beside the 'spirit' of their machines, not dominating over them.
 
Feeling her face flush in embarrassment, Toph tries again. "As your pilot, I wish to Traverse with you, to be able to operate at top efficiency. Our mission is to rescue several trapped crew members held captive by our enemies, and return with them here. What is your combat status?"
 
The Core's hesitant reply was to the point. Instead of answering Toph's question again, it said in a mechanical voice that contained absolutely no sense of humanity or any other living creature. "WHO ARE YOUR ENEMIES?" it asked Toph.

Shirley paused, uncertain of how to answer. Professor Stein and Cera both seemed to have something to say to help, but they watched Toph to see if she wanted the help or wanted to answer on her own.

In that moment, MechaKitten stepped forward. He had been on Elinor's shoulder (as she had requested of him), but now had hopped off of her (without the use of his claws), and after landing gently on the floor, he crossed along the Blue World as if he belonged there until he reached Toph and the machine. Two days prior, MechaKitten had helped Mario Traverse with a Core while Mario was suffering symptoms of brain-burn. MechaKitten wanted to prevent this. So he pushed his face across Toph's ankle, looked up, and meowed at the Core.

"Mrrrrreewr! Purrowr?" ("I like her! Don't you?")

The Ajax-Core immediately brightened back into the form Toph had seen when she had originally approached it. She felt the machine was Friendly again, even if it could not truly understand what a friend was. The Core replied to MechaKitten's query. "I LIKE NO ONE." As unfriendly as these words sounded, the machine seemed to state them without emotion. Toph had a second chance here.

"Toph," Professor Stein called, having changed his mind with MechaKitten's interaction. "Think like an Ajax veritech. What were you built to do? Reply to its question with only facts. You don't need to state a specific enemy, but be as general as you like, as long as it is a factual statement. Give it a go, now!"
 
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Toph thinks rapidly, then sends out, "Our enemies are those that threaten the safety of the Earth. We seek to protect the planet from an impending invasion from space, and the people being held captive are critical to our mission to make that happen. The defense of the planet is our overriding goal for the long term, but in order to achieve that, we need to to rescue our fellow team members. Will you allow me to Traverse with you?"
 
Professor Stein beamed proudly, Shirley stood impressed, and Cera grinned as if she had expected this outcome. Trouble stuck out his chest in feline pride. Toph went from fumbling to trying to understanding to succeeding.

"I WILL ASSIST YOU," said the Ajax-Core. It floated, its cloud roughly the size of the machine in the physical world, and stayed beside her. Toph had its support.

Professor Stein spoke and class continued. "Keep this in mind. The more technologically-sophisticated a machine is in the physical world, the more intelligent it is likely to be here in the Blue World. Take for example a computerized car. How smart do you think it is? How about a computerized helicopter? How about a computerized transformable helicopter?

"Many machines are far from stupid. Even now, they have listened to our every word. That was a lack of feelings, how we treat them is imperative to how they treat us."

"Who would like to go next?"

Shirley looked at Mario for answer.
 
Mario nods. "I guess I'm up." He approaches the Super Logan Core, and sends a though to it. " You have heard what the others have said. I, too, wish to Traverse with you, so I can fight the enemies of Earth with greater efficiency and protect the planet from the hostile invasion. The prisoners need to be rescued so they can aid us in this struggle, but in order for me to be able to operate this mecha, I need to first Traverse. Will you allow me to do so?"
 
This Core, like the Core Cera stood with, seemed naturally-darker than the others. Smaller too. Mario, having chased down the hostile-minded Core of the door on the Zeki Assault Scout, might well imagine how difficult it might be to find a Core like the Super Stealth Logan if it chose to hide from anyone.

It asked, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE BASICS OF FLIGHT?"
 
"Only the basics," Mario admits. "I am normally a hover tank pilot, not an aerospace pilot, so while I know how to operate a Veritech in its Battloid mode, I have not had any experience flying a jet. That is one reason I need to Traverse with you, in order to get a better understanding for the workings of this mecha."
 
(Part 1 of 2)

The Super Stealth Logan-Core replied to Mario, "I WILL ASSIST YOU." Mario saw the nimbus filled with strange racing electric highways move close beside him. There it hung in the air, floating, its thoughts as silent as they were secret.

Professor Stein grinned in approval. "Excellent, Mario! You listen well, my lad. Lieutenant? You're up."

Shirley casually strolled up to the Super Valkyrie Core. It was an odd feeling to meet the very spirit of the aeronautical veritech that had helped her in her previous missions including the rescues on Interstate 10 and General Steele's hideout. Once again, she was needed the machine to help her with yet another rescue. If this kept up, Shirley was just going to slap a Red Cross on her shoulder and be done with it. As the sunny Californian regarded the Core, she tried to think of something besides, "So... come here often?"

What came out of her mouth was, "Hey up there! I've flown you so much you should know my protocol by now. Would you help me again, this time with technopathy? Please?"

The Core replied. "WHAT IS MY PROTOCOL?"

That stopped Shirley in her tracks. There were multiple ways to take that question and she didn't know which it mean. "Uh, professor?"

"Lt. Mackenzie, sometimes Cores throw curve balls our way. They have not only their own protocols but their own motives. Answer as best as you are able."

Shirley turned back and looked up to the huge Core. "I honestly don't know! If you don't, then I can tell you this - you are a VF-1S Valkyrie Veritech Fighter originally created by the Robotech Defense Force to help us humans defend Earth against all threats, foreign, domestic, and otherworldly. That's why we made you, that's the role we think you serve, and you and the other Valkyries have served the RDF and now the Army of Southern Cross in a legendary manner. In that manner, I think your protocol and mine are much alike." Shirley turned back to the Wild Cards and shrugged her shoulders.

It was good enough. "I WILL ASSIST YOU."

"Really? Thanks!" Shirley's blue form bounced on her toes with surprise but she didn't know why. She was just waiting for the McKenzie Luck to come crashing in any moment now, but that didn't seem to be the case this time.

Looking across at one another, each one of you save for Professor Stein, had a Core hovering above and beside you. Shirley grinned widely. The Wild Cards had done it! Cera allowed herself a thin smile. She too was pleased with the team's outcome.

Professor Stein gave a grand nod to you and said, "Fantastic, Wild Cards! We may now return to the physical world instead of this shroudy, mysterious realm. Since we are already at our entry point, we need not return to it. Come now. Imagine your body around you again. Remember what it is to breathe, feel the sensations of your skin, your sensory input from your mundane senses as we return together...

"...to the physical world."

You felt yourself slipping away from all that was blue and peaceful and altogether unworldly and dreamlike and back into the shell you were born in. When you arrived, you felt a wave of disorientation and mild confusion. You were climbing up a ladder, getting into something, and sitting down, except it felt like you were not the one moving yourself. It was an odd sensation. When your mind cleared, you found yourselves seated in your veritech cockpits with either a Samantha or a Sam attaching the ship's harness to you so you wouldn't bounce around during any of your daring aerial maneuvers adventuring pilots are so well-known for. You didn't remember donning the all-black CVR-3 mega-suit, but you were in it.

You heard Murphy's voice from outside your open cockpit. "Fifth one's on and on tight! Let's get this show on the road!"
 
(Part 2 of 2)

The professor's British-American voice rang in your minds. It was confidence-instilling. "I take it everyone can still hear me? Welcome home, Wild Cards. It is normal for new Traversers to experience some cloudy-headedness upon returning your psyches to where they naturally belong."

Cera commented. "With Unit One, we have to reconnect our polyphonic nexus, but not so with you?"

"Perhaps I have been at this a little longer than your Iris has. Besides, keep in mind she is not a Traverser but a born telepath. At least from what I gather. Now listen up and take a good look at the wings of your aircraft."

Looking out on your machines, you noticed the Super Stealth Logans carried no wing payload. The Ajax carried a large folded-up black box and one hardpoint of missiles on one wing and an ECM pod along with another hardpoint of missiles on the other. Both of the Super Valkyries carried two such large black boxes on the insides of their wings along with a hardpoint on the outside of each wing.

This means Mario's payload is unchanged while Toph and Elinor must change (effectively halve) their payloads. Place these requests in Fat Gandalf's, please. But before you do that, read on.

"Hiram, old boy?" Professor Stein said. "They're ready to hear you now."

The Broadsword's mechanized crew members moved to arm your veritechs with your payload requests. Colonel Sharp's face appeared on your cockpit view-screens with the Broadsword's busy bridge behind him. "Troops, we are about 10 minutes out; just enough time to prep you and your veritechs. Here are your mission details, step by step:

1. Travel to the port city of Veracruz to Chessel Corporation's machining base. About two miles from the base, there is a heavily-armed outpost ("Outpost 5") with a single large reinforced door.

2. Blow your way into the outpost. Expect opposition from the base's automated defenses in the form of drone aircraft and anti-aircraft guns. The outpost's reinforced door should take around 40 total short-range missiles to destroy. This will gain you access to the underground highway the outpost protects. Once in, opposition from the outpost should cease.

3. Park your aircraft just beyond the destroyed door to the outpost. Professor Stein will stay with the mecha and act as your intelligence officer while you are in the base via the polyphonic nexus. Albert has tangled with Chessel Corporation before and can help you. Hitomi will be feeding him information from the Broadsword's bridge via Captain Piper.

4. Detach your Rifleman Cyclones from the aeronautical veritechs and Traverse with them. The Sams loaded your Cyclone-based armament with the Cyclones. Hitomi says, your traversing with the Cyclones means losing your link with the veritechs, so expect that.

5. Use the Cyclones to drive your way through the outpost's underground highway until you reach the Broadsword's Recovery Team in the main base. And, troops, it's a big, big base. The team is trapped inside of the main section. Your Cyclones are fitted with the means to track down the team via their distress beacons.

6. Once you reach them, find a way to open the main door from the inside to free the team.

7. Escort the team to your veritechs, then once in your veritechs, provide escort the Recovery Team to the Broadsword waiting in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Wild Cards, you'll be doing the majority of your fighting beyond the outpost in the Cyclones. The Recovery Team is safe for the moment, just trapped. Time is on your side on this one. The base has been there a long time and has fought off many an intruder, but it's never faced you before. Oh, and one more important thing." Colonel Sharp lowered his voice. "Captain Piper is piping hot because one of us took the last full cup of the 'industrial strength' coffee from the machine, leaving her with only half a cup left. That leaves her with only what's left of her whiskey to drink and the sake that Sam says she hates. So..." Colonel Sharp winked, "...should you come across any Mexican coffee down there in Veracruz, consider it a side mission for Pete's sake, and bring some back. With most of the ship's resources being on a critical level, Piper knows darned well the Sams didn't take it so that kind of narrows it down to us."

"Muppet," Shirley said compassionately across the polyphonic nexus, "you had a big mug with you this morning. Don't tell me that was you? If it was, shush, and don't say a word to Piper! All right?"

Colonel Sharp folded his hands. "If you have questions, now's the time."
 
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Mario asks, "I don't suppose we have a map of this place laying around anywhere, do we? Knowing a floorplan will go a long way to being able to get our people out fast and in one piece. Also, Capt. Piper, are there any recognition codes that your people will know that will identify us to them as allies? I would hate to run into them, and have them think that we are just more of the troops that have them captive already and open fire on us. Of course, the Cyclones might be a good start, but I want to make sure all bases are covered."
 
Colonel Sharp answered. "Captain Piper is busy commanding the ship, so you have my pleasing company to answer you. And the answer? No maps whatsoever. The Chessel Corporation is very fond of its secrets and it's not sharing that one. On top of that, there are no codes that we know of that will identify us as allies. We tried hashing out all peaceful solutions prior to making this plan. Then Sam notified us of a number of old crashed aircraft around this equally-old Chessel Corporation complex, probably filled with the corpses of people this facility deemed as foes before blowing them out of the sky. Among them are two VC-33 Mom's Kitchen cargo planes. Robotech Defense Force cargo planes flying in a pattern that did not threaten the base." Colonel Sharp did not sound pleased. "If these automated defenses will take out weaponless RDF cargo planes, I can only imagine the presents they'll send your way once your aircraft get within their firing range. Expect hostilities."

Professor Stein added, "Understand this - the Chessel Corporation was long into the cybersecurity and machine-making business before the initial landing of the SDF-1 and the Rain of Death. Even afterward, they were one of the few companies worldwide that did not support the advent of protoculture-based technology. I think they hate the idea. When asked, Chessel Corporation alluded to the notion that they were completely against 'non-human' technology or 'advancements via untrustworthy and impure alien origins.'" Professor Stein let out something that sounded like a snarl. "Does that sound like the words of any faction you have heard of before?"
 
Toph gives a nasty smile. "Then they will just love me and Cera. Probably the same bastards that tried to snatch me up when I first learned I was a Traverser, when Hitomi was there helping me. Let me get a good bead on them, and I have a nice twin shot of Ion Pulse blasters for them, right in the face."

"So, we don't know the layout of the place, but once we find a computer, we should be able to either hack into their database for a map or risk a Traversing into it to learn its secrets. I'm sure that it will be hostile to us, and will have to be treated accordingly. In the meantime, we should get on the move."
 
Professor Stein smiled proudly for Toph had the right spirit, just as her mother had. "Precisely, my dear Muppet."

The old fellow went on to explain technopathy, its rolls, and the first tier of Knacks within each of those roles. He also explained a few more Traversing basics like Knacks all Traversers seemed to share.

"Of course, there is more to it than that," he stroked his long, white beard. "Brain-burn, for example. But I think those basics will provide you a strong foundation to start with and build upon. Can't go wrong mastering the basics of any skill, can you?"
 
Mario asks, "Sir, how many people are we here to rescue? Do we have enough seats for everyone to ride back with, or will we need to arrange some other transport out of there for the crew members we are freeing up?"
 
Professor Stein stopped stroking his beard. "You know, lad, I don't think I have the answer to that. Hiram?"

"48. All Sams and Samanthas. No living crew."

"48?" Shirley questioned her ears.

Colonel Sharp continued with confidence. "I am told they all have their own transportation except that even Captain Piper is unsure as to what that transportation is. She has just told me that sometimes the Broadsword keeps secrets from even its captain, with Captain Drake being the sole exception." There was a pause. "Wild Cards, there is a mild debate going on up here in the bridge - we're all wondering if the same is true of the Chessel Corporation's machinery down there has any living crew either. The Recovery Team of Sams didn't see any lifeforms while they were gathering resources. Only automatons."
 
Toph nods. "So we don't need to worry about inflicting casualties if we are only dealing with robotic sentries and not actual people. No need to hold back. That can also work in our favor. If we find a computer that links to the mainframe, we may be able to shut down the defenses in one fell swoop." She then thinks for a moment, and adds, "But in order to find a computer, we'll have to fight our way through the defenses to get to said computer, so there you go." She sighs. "Well, lets get in the cockpit. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get our Sams out, and find some of the secrets that this company is trying to keep from the rest of the world."
 
Mario says, "I can deal with that. Lets get flying. We can then make a grab for any information once we get there, assuming the chance presents itself, as we are freeing the Sams and Samanthas. Along with hunting for any supplies of coffee." He adds that last bit with a straight face, but can't help but give Toph a side glance to see her reaction at the slight teasing he is giving her.
 
Psychie said:
She sighs. "Well, lets get in the cockpit. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get our Sams out, and find some of the secrets that this company is trying to keep from the rest of the world."
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Dannigan said:
When your mind cleared, you found yourselves seated in your veritech cockpits with either a Samantha or a Sam attaching the ship's harness to you so you wouldn't bounce around during any of your daring aerial maneuvers adventuring pilots are so well-known for. You didn't remember donning the all-black CVR-3 mega-suit, but you were in it.
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"Radar Rider" by Riggs. Because this song rocks and is stuck in my head. =)


An alert from inside your cockpits drew your eyes to your cockpit monitors. There, Samantha's words were emblazoned. "DROP IN 5 MINUTES. WEATHER SPEED IS 15 MPH COMING IN FROM THE EAST. BROADSWORD ALTITUDE IS 1,200 FEET OFF THE SEA-DECK. BROADSWORD SPEED: 248 NAUTICAL MILES PER HOUR. DROP IN 4:54." The clock decreased second-by-second. All around you, the hangar was loud with bustling activity as Murphy, Iris, and all of the Sam units raced to clear out of the hangar bay by retreating into the Alpha and Charlie bays (marked Bays 1 and 3. You were in the Bravo bay or Bay 2). In less than a minute, the only things in the Bravo Bay were you in your veritechs in Guardian-mode except for the Ajax which was in Battloid mode. There seemed to be one strange thing however - the front bay door that you launched out of remained closed.

Your mental entwinement with your veritechs brought on a sureness none of you had ever felt before. For some reason you perhaps could not explain, a feeling of readiness coursed through your team. Professor Stein sent to you. "If things get too crazy for this old body of mine, do not worry for me - I will slip into the Blue World and suffer no ill effects from any of your aerobatics."

Shirley replied. "What about the polyphonic nexus?"

"It will remain regardless of which world I am in. Call it a fringe benefit from working with a silly old wizard."

"And the front door isn't opening for us... why?"

Your cockpit screens lit up again almost as if on cue. "WILD CARDS. ENGAGE VERTICAL THRUSTERS. DROP IN 0:30." The clock continued to whittle down as the Broadsword raced toward the Mexican port city of Veracruz.

"Saaaaam?" Cera said over the radio. "Why is the Bravo Bay door not open?"

The answer appeared on the cockpit screen. "THIS IS AN ATMOSPHERIC DROP. THE BAY DOOR IS NOT USED TO DEPLOY ON COMBAT MISSIONS. T-MINUS 15..."

"Leader Mack... The open door would act as a drag in an atmosphere, slowing the vessel and creating instability. Still, we cannot exit without it opening."

"Sooooo?"

"They must have some other means of which to deploy us from the vessel."

"Yeah? Like what?"

At this point, your mecha were the only things in the Bravo Bay. Your vertical thrusters were lit, but you were not hovering. There were yellow swirling warning lights everywhere. Giant clocks on the wall counted down from 10.

"Well," Professor Stein said, "if we are not going out... and we cannot go back and to the sides... then the only way to go is..."

Sam finished. "3... 2... 1... DROP!"

The floor beneath your mecha suddenly opened up revealing the blue of the Gulf of Mexico! Professor Stein's surprised wail carried comically through the radio speakers. "...DOOOOOWWWWNNN!!" Gravity took over and suddenly you were below the Broadsword and falling! Trouble keened out a wild meowing; he was enjoying every moment of this. Cera gave a brief shriek of excitement. Only Shirley did not call out.

Your training took over. Before you knew it, all of your mecha were transformed into jet mode and cruising along as the humongous Broadsword, covering you in its immense shadow, slowly began its turn back toward the solace of the sea. But there was one exception. Mario.

Mario's Stealth Logan plummeted. Buffeted by the sudden winds, Mario found his mech in Guardian mode slowly turning about in odd ways. While in the driver's seat of a tank, one never found oneself looking straight up into the cloudy skies or straight down into the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. His tank training and experience informed him that he and his "tank" were about to plummet a mile into the ocean to a watery grave. But something else was attempting to intervene. As Mario tried to right his mech, he found himself in jet mode, his altimeter (he now knew just where that instrument was) put him and the Logan about 200 feet below his squadron.

I rolled your dice. At first, they were unkind (hence the surprise), but they were nice in the end (hence Mario being able to right himself without outside assistance from his squadron-mates. =) )

Bare-handed, he was flying the Stealth Logan!

"Nice recovery, Mario," Lt. Mack complemented calmly. "Come up and join us. Bruce Leanne, take my wingman spot. Muppet, you're on my left flank. Cera, you're alongside Muppet. Mario, you're alongside Bruce Leanne, er, Elinor." When all was said and done, your 'Flying V' formation was rocketing at speeds that would shame a Lamborghini and doing it at just 800 feet off of the water.

Cera burst at Shirley. "You knew! You knew the floor would drop out from under us!"

"Yep!"

"Why withhold this information? Mario and I are not aircraft pilots! There could have been a crash!"

"Because," Lt. Mackenzie said smoothly and unapologetically, "bad things can happen at any time and we need to keep our edge. As long as I'm your squadron commander, we need to remember that surprises like that can happen anytime, anywhere. It's simple. Complacency kills... except on my watch!" Lt. Mack looked into her cockpit viewer to check on the professor. "Sorry I couldn't let you in on it, sir."

"No, no," Professor Stein waved her apology off. "If this is what keeps you all in such fit and fighting form, then keep at it!"

At about 6 miles off the coast, the huge, old port city of Veracruz slowly came into view. But there was something between you and it. One by one, each of you saw some small things in the air just off the coastline, just above the water (where your radar was useless). You were cruising at 250 miles per hour at 800 feet off the water.

What do the Wild Cards do?
 
Mario swallows a few times to make sure that his breakfast doesn't come back up, moderately pleased with himself that he managed to recover control of the Stealth Logan so soon. Not bad for a rusty ground-pounder, huh? Now, lets see how well I can tuck this Logan into position along side Lt. Hall without bumping wings!

Working the controls carefully, he slowly slides up and into the slot indicated, his eyes tracking across the HUD to make sure that his flight line is not going to get him into trouble. He calls out on the squad's encrypted channel, "Zuko here. Everything looking good on my board. Ready to rock and roll. Just give the word, LT."
 
Toph calls out on the Nexus, "Mario, use the Nexus whenever possible. You of all of us should know that even an encrypted signal can be detected and tracked, giving away our position even if the content of the message is not clear. But, that being said, good flying there. You are handling yourself well. Just don't get cocky."
 
Mario can feel his face growing hot as he is briefly chastised by Toph, knowing that she was right about the radio. He should have known better, especially with his training. "Understood, ma'am. And thank you."
 
Dannigan said:
At about 6 miles off the coast, the huge, old port city of Veracruz slowly came into view. But there was something between you and it. One by one, each of you saw some small things in the air just off the coastline, just above the water (where your radar was useless). You were cruising at 250 miles per hour at 800 feet off the water.

What do the Wild Cards do?
Click to expand...

With your formation looking good and your choice of communication squared away, do any of you act upon the activity on the coastline or do you simply maintain course?
 
Mario sends out the thought, "Looks like airborne targets up ahead at the shoreline. Do we maintain course, or should we divert around?" He works his controls to check the radar to try and get a better read on the number and disposition of the flying targets up ahead.
 
How small are the things we are seeing in the air? Are they aircraft, or simply a flock of birds? Any idea on numbers of things we are looking at? And finally, how close are we to our target location? Is this point on the coast the spot we are going to, or can we bypass it like Mario asked?
 
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