Crimson Canines (Complete!)

[thespacekid]

At first Vikram was quite surprised to see that The Boss would be heading this mission, not Artemis or Grizzly, but then he started realizing how important this mission was going to be - a matter of life and death - at least. He was even more quiet as he got ready and completed his customary prayer before every mission.


He headed into the hangar, and saw The Boss and Artemis already waiting. Vikram started jogging a bit, worried he might be late, caught a bit of unexpected speed, skidded up in front of The Boss and right past him on the now-icy floor of the hangar. He turned around, red-faced, and walked back somberly, and saluted to the pair.

 

[LocoBlock]

Jace runs into the hangar and sees the boss. He stands in salute quickly. "Sorry I am late sir." He then looks at Artemis. "Reporting for duty mam." He the realizes how dumb he must looks and his face turns bright pink.


@Zer0

 

[Soviet Panda]

Connor was the next to arrive, with his equipment in tow. He expected to leave as soon as the briefing was over, and that the Rook could fit it all in it's small storage space. He might have to get creative when it came to his LMG, but he was sure he'd manage. "Sir." he said, stopping and saluting once he saw the Boss and was close enough to not have to yell. He also saw his squad leader, Artemis. "Ma'am." he added onto his sir.

 

[Zer0]

The Boss inclined his head at the three casually just as he did Artemis. "At ease." he said in his deep voice.


The Boss was a tall solid man whose face bore old scars from a lifetime of military conflict, including a black shrapnel protruding from his forehead like a demon's horn, and a left bionic arm which was blue today.


Artemis returned Vikram, Jace, and Connor's greetings with a salute, smiling. She was amused that everyone was so formal today and wondered how the rest were going to show up.


There was a scuffling of claws on metal as The Boss' dog, Crimson came out of a compartment at the side of his Goliath mech. The white-grey dog seemed to be a husky or a wolf, and wore a helmet and a suit with something that looked like a stunner with a handle fitted for a canine mouth strapped to the side. The wolf-dog also had an eye-patch just like the Boss over his right eye.


Crimson padded down the wheeled metal stairs beside the mecha and over to The Boss who ruffled his head with his bionic arm, before sniffing each squad member enthusiastically all over.

Spoiler

​

@thespacekid , @LocoBlock , @Beowulf

 

[Orpheus]

Simon Quickened his pace seeing as he probably overslept this time and wasted no effort in fastening his gear onnhis way to the briefing. The suit he's in felt a little out of place from everyone's metal and or nanomesh, but it felt comfortable he almost felt like skipping, being a lab rat has it's perks.


Bow check


Sidearm check


OCELOT systems good


He entered the briefing but was nearly caught aback by the boss' presence. Like when a new hire meets the CEO for the first time.he stood in file and straightened up.


"Reporting for duty master seargent" he gave a firm salute to Artemis then back at the Boss


"Director"


Another salute in kind


@Zer0

 

[Cryo]

Esty got the announcement. The squad were to leave mother base, assigned to a mission nonetheless The hallways were confusing but she had gotten used to it for the past week she had been here, so she headed for briefing to see what the mission is about. She saw Artemis and the Boss, several others too.


"Reporting for duty" Esty said, giving them both a salute.


@Zer0

 

[Zer0]

The Boss acknowledged Simon, Esty, and the rest of the squad, including Hikaru who came in twenty minutes before departure.


Two other soldiers they didn't recognize also reported in, introducing themselves as Striker Python, and Panzer Dragon, leaving their ranks out of their introductions.


Striker Python was a tall man with brown-grey hair, a beard stubble, and wore a red scarf tattered in some places. He looked almost as old as The Boss, and wore a casual expression as though this was just another day in the office. Panzer Dragon on the other hand was a young man with messy black hair cut military style, fierce green eyes, and an eager face.


Then The Boss rose. "Get ready for departure." he told everyone. He had the gift of being able to carry his voice in their entire area, despite the usual loud hustle and bustle in Mecha Hangar 18, without any need to shout. "We leave in twenty minutes."


Artemis stepped into the cockpit of her Dynasty Scarab and Hikaru mounted her Okami. Their systems lit up and went online and the two medics checked if everyone's vital signs were good in their helmet's HUD, before stepping out of their respective mecha bays.


"Romanov here, M-80 Dynasty Scarab, code name Vanguard Shield ready for departure." said Artemis, coolly.


"Hitachiin here, Okami, code name Hunter Killer ready for take off!" said Hikaru, energetically.


@thespacekid , @LocoBlock , @Beowulf, @Orpheus, @Cryo

 

[LocoBlock]

Jace quickly climbs in his mecha and powers up the systems he then activates the neural link. A needle sticks into his neck and jacks into his neural system. "Chmeil here, T-356 Stealth Model, code name Invisible Eagle ready for departure." He quickly runs through a systems check then confirms that everything was running. He pulled out his rifle to check that there was nothing wrong with it as his Draganov had already exploded putting a hole through the barrel a while back so he was conscious about checking his guns.


@Zer0

 

[Orpheus]

Simon ran towards the docking station of his mecha shifting trough the other soldiers now that there were twice the amount of people lately.


He run up the shoulder of his mecha and quickly opened up the cockpit, which glowed a warm blue as he fit himself in the tight compartment. Like a cassette tape fitting into the player.


"Initiate Systems Overlay, Activate Xeno-neurolink..." With each small command the chest slid back inside to fit once more as the blue glow started to flow outwar from the chest to the mechas extremities. Simon could feel his subconsciousness wavering to and fro until it linked up with the Prototype. He opened hi eyes once more and the ENGL's eyes "lit up" stretching it's shoulders and looking down as it was clenching it's palms as if it just woke up. walking to the launch pad.


"Strangecraft in, ENGL-0287 prototype, Code VARKIEL. Awaiting departure"


Simon decided to rev up its newly installed thrusters and flight navigation Display, it worked perfectly during it ground runs and test flights, now to see to its first mission flight.


"Happy you got new wings Kyrie?" He remarked and a slight bellow came in response.


Weapons check. Armaments check. Whatever the hell mission is happening. He is ready baby


@Zer0

 

[Soviet Panda]

Connor climbed into his mech after being dismissed, and began storing his things. Surprisingly, they all fit rather nicely, his LMG included. Closing the cockpit, he get's the comms up and running and reports in. "Connor McKinley, Mk IV Bastion, call sign Rook, reporting for duty." This would be the first 'official' run for him and the Rook. Hopefully it wouldn't get scrapped and he didn't have to get a new one. Over the past few months he had formed a connection with it. He knew how it's massive engine acted, and how it had good days and bad days. Today was one of the good days. It didn't like the cold, but it got going. "That a girl." he said off comms, fondly petting and patting display, making sure not to actually press anything.

 

[Cryo]

Esty climbed into the seat of her mech and activated the neurolink, a needle that pierces into her nape, like usual it didn't hurt but it stung.


"Alright, neurolink is stable and all systems are green."she informed the comms."This is Esty Aldegard, in the Stream Mk.2. Codename Speed Demon. Ready for flight!"

 

[Zer0]

"Let's go." said The Boss.


The squad launched out of Mecha Hangar 18 and into the cool, crisp, deep, velvety blue sky. The rain that had persisted in Lysaur Valley all throughout last month had turned the wide grassy plains into a muddy wetland, dotted with patches of shallow pools, but now with the coming of their first winter, the wet grounds were covered in a glittering layer of frost.


The Boss, flanked by Striker Python, and Panzer Dragon circled north and led the squad in a V-formation to the direction of the Barrigith Moutains, still unseen in the horizon. An orange blip on everyone's mini-maps marked the location of their mission area; and Artemis and Hikaru settled themselves comfortably in the cockpit for the six-hour flight.


The sky changed rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold as the ember dawn rose from the east. They passed out of Lysaur Valley, went by the newly constructed Amber Fox base in the lonely snow-capped mountain of Sol, and flew on until the sea of forests and hills gave way to a bleak flat tundra covered in permafrost, shrubs, and sparse trees.


It began to snow.


Suddenly, Panzer Dragon's voice spoke through everyone's comms.


"Squad, we've got eighteen bogies coming fast from the north." he said as they flew over a frozen lake with towering wicked spires of ice, and some ancient old earth cargo ships stranded in the ice floe.


For the characters with reconnaissance systems in their mechs or sniper scopes, you all see huge azure-scaled wyverns, about the same size as the mechs, with a long saw-like horn protruding from their snouts winging their way swiftly from above the clouds.


Database revealed that it was a flight of Anorus, reptilian predators in the tundra with armored backs, club-like tails, have no problem flying inside clouds, and are known for diving down at break-neck speeds from the sky and maiming their prey with one blow from their sword-like snouts.


A single successful dive is strong enough to rip-off a mecha part without an armor property in the mech's chassis.

(OOC: GM will control the enemies. For those who are new, it is the GM who decides whether your attacks hit or miss. We also have a cause-and-effect combat style. For example, I mentioned that an Anoru has an armored back, you can expect that attacks that land there won't be very effective.


It is also helpful if you write what you hope to accomplish with the blow, such as specifically targeting a wing to shred it, or ramming into an enemy's head with your fist in the hopes of stunning it.


Our combat zone looks like the first picture, it is snowing, there are clouds, and we're above a frozen lake with colossal towering spires of ice. Just go with the flow, and write whatever cool moves you like as if this were an episode of an anime.)

 

[thespacekid]

Buzzcut flew a little higher above, but to the back. Vikram paled a bit when he saw the sheer amount of bogeys heading their way. "Guys, if you wanna take this one, go right ahead. I'm going to try and deflect attacks, so I've got your backs. Any plans on the floor?"


The old abandoned cargo ships below caught his eye, and he asked, "If any of you can bring the fight to the ground I might have an idea or two."

 

[Zer0]

"Divide and conquer!" said Artemis, her maroon scarab hovering in mid-air, the blue flame thrusters like lightning wings.


The gears of her machine's side plates cranked open and the black heads of four missiles labeled, 'M-300 Pepper', popped out, "I'll draw as many as I can to the ground, Vikram-firing Pepper missiles!"


BA-BOOM


Two missiles rocketed out, trailing a stream of smoke as they whizzed through the air and homed in on their marks.


They exploded in a cloud of fire and red smoke, killing one, injuring another and sending a total of six Anorus into a fit of cough-roaring and shaking as the pepper-spray effect kicked in.


The flight divided, moving away from the red pepper clouds. Five of the wyverns flew up and disappeared into the thick cloudy sky, while another five circled to the east, still winging their way towards the group, they will collide in a moment. While the blind and dazed seven were flying confused inside the red pepper cloud in front of them.


Hikaru's black wolf mech rushed up to the sky, and vanished as her Okami's cloaking screen kicked in.


Artemis flew close past the confused seven, causing two Anorus to snap at the sound of her thrusters. She dived down towards the frozen lake, and the two enraged wyverns followed.


The Boss, Striker Python and Panzer Dragon drew out their Bulwark Tactical Shields and pulled out long heavy neo-steel chains with wicked tips embedded in the spine of their machines. The flexible chains sparked blue with electricity and then stiffened into spears. As one, the three mechs faced the five winging from the east, shields ready and spears pointing forward, forming a spiky shield wall.


@thespacekid

 

[LocoBlock]

Invisible Eagle quickly pulls out a knife and gets ready to defend its self from any attacks from the wyverns. The only thought he had was of that horn penetrating his thin armor and a physical wound to himself. He looks around and sees the two groups and see that the others have the ones from the east so he quickly gets ready to react to when the ones in the clouds attack. "Vikram if they dive at me I'm ready to deflect them your way so you can do your thing." The only signs he knows of them are the heart beats he can see with his bio scanner.


@thespacekid

 

[Soviet Panda]

While the Boss' formation was good and all, it left their back wide open. "Got your back, Boss." Connor said, taking up a position behind the phalanx formation. He didn't have his gun out, no use. The things were going to dive him and get real close, real quick. That's where his chainsword would shine. Especially since he could take a hit or two from a dive. "Alright you flying sword fish. Come get some."

 

[Orpheus]

"Oh snap"


Simon whipped out his bow as a commotion came. Seeing an opportunity with a few dazed sky beasties struggling in the pepper cloud Simon fired an explosive burst in on one of the dazed individuals and send the rest of the five flying or incapable of such attempting kill one or two while making sure the rest canteven fly


He fired his thrusters and set himself in another stand point to fire aiming a regular bolt and the rearing group heading east. He fired one right near where the wing goes to the body of one skybastard hoping it goes awry in the group. But primarily to keep it from the ground forces


@Zer0

 

[Zer0]

@LocoBlock, your heartbeat sensors and mech's mini-map picked up two Anorus approaching from the sky before the two azure wyverns burst out of the clouds in a very steep dive, sword snouts first, one following the other. They were coming in so fast, they were blurs.

***

​

The Boss grunted in affirmative before the five Anorus from the east collided with the shield wall in a loud ear-splitting crash and one from the sky dived straight for The Rook, sword-snout first to pierce through the cockpit.


The Boss, Striker Python, and Panzer Dragon were knocked back by the force of the crash, but their formation held, and their jet thrusters stopped the push. Three Anorus frantically scratched and pulled away from the shields, impaled by the neo-steel spears. Immediately the three mechs drew back their spears, blood staining their shields, and thrust rapidly at the wyverns.


Flapping wings and roaring surrounded them as the two uninjured wyverns slashed and bit at the shields. Two stabbed wyverns fell dead, while and injured one attempted to escape.


Panzer Dragon slipped down from the battle and, holding his spear up, leaned back, waited a moment, then threw it at the escaping Anoru - pinning a wing to a nearby ice spire. He drew out his neo-steel dagger to finish the job.


@Beowulf

***

​

The explosive lances burst in plumes of blue and red, killing three, and injuring and knocking two away in the wind of the explosion. The pepper cloud dissipated, and the two that got knocked back began to retreat.


(OOC: @Orpheus, your mech doesn't have regular bolts. You can take back the second shot and use it on something else)


@Orpheus, your mech's mini-map showed two Anorus approaching from the sky. They came pelting down as two speedy blurs from the clouds, sword-snout first, one behind the other, aiming for your mech.

***

​

Artemis realized too late that diving down was a bad idea.


The two peppered Anorus were faster than her Scarab, and as she pulled up from her dive just a few meters from the frozen lake, one missed and flew up, but one rammed onto the back of her mech and would have pierced through one scarab leg and her cockpit, had she not activated her bastion deflection shield.


But the blow sent the two crashing through the frozen surface of the lake. Where the Anorus roared, flailing in the cold water near one of the old cargo ships. The one that missed circled around the lake, still fighting the effects of the pepper cloud.


Artemis closed the ports of her mech and her maroon scarab swam through the depths for the shore.


"They're on the ground, Vikram." she told him.


@thespacekid

 

[LocoBlock]

Invisible Eagle quickly gets ready to deflect the wyverns and angles his knife slightly so that they would reflect into the ground. He then realizes how crazy his plan is. "If I die trying this tell my brother I died getting him a new home. He shows up every Friday at the civilian outpost. I have pictures of him in my room. I'm sure there's pictures on my file just tell him that if I die."


@Zer0

 

[Zer0]

One Anoru's snout was parried to the side by the knife, but the next instant the rest of its body slammed into Jace's cockpit with the force of a boulder, wracking the frame and denting the metal; there was a loud screeching sound as the second one sundered a mechanical leg off in its dive.


The first one grabbed onto the machine's torso, huge talons grinding on metal, and then drew back its head to land a heavy blow with its sword-snout on the head of the mech.


The second Anoru was retreating with the leg of Jace's mecha, satisfied with its catch.


(OOC: @LocoBlock, if the second one isn't stopped, Artemis cannot repair the leg)

 

[LocoBlock]

Jace quickly tries to stab the Anoru on him and decides that he should just pull it off. He loosens its grip some than pulls it off giving him enough room to maneuver where he stabs the Anoru in the chest than throws the knife at it. Not concerned if he misses with knife he pulls out his gun and shoots at the other one carrying his leg off. He prays his shot hits it in the head. "Artemis if I lose this leg I think I might have to go back to base. All I know is that my real leg hurts from the shot. So yeah lets just hope I don't lose anymore limbs. I don't know about shutting down the neural link. I think the cockpit might damaged to much at this point."


@Zer0

 

[Orpheus]

Simon heard an alarming blip as two more anorus started spiraling down towards him. They were divers so it was unwise to give chase. he started firing his thrusters and burst forward and upward throw off the trajectory of their dive and to dodge the attack from above. It would take effort for Avians to quickly switch flight trajectory and that's what he was hoping for, he calculated that they would arc their flight and try and follow him climb and at the moment they would miss their target he'd strike. He shot up and climbed in altitude as the Swords dived down and aimed at him. and Simon readied His Scythes.


As they drew closer and closer simon quickly shifted his body and aimed his bow downwards the Diving duo, firing a a shimmering blue lance, attempting to lead the shot towards their flight path Just enough to hit the lead Anorus Backside.


@Zer0

 

[Zer0]

The Anoru holding Jace's machine dealt its heavy blow on the head of the mecha severing it at the same time it was stabbed. It let go as it died, bringing the thrown neo-steel dagger down with it as it fell. In the tumult of the battle, the shot to the second Anoru missed, and the wyvern sped up its flight heading further north.


@LocoBlock

***

​

The two diving for Simon's Varakiel missed, they pulled up and spiraled to the side and one lance aimed true. It exploded on the back of the lead Anoru, blasting chunks off its armored back and wings. It fell, dead. The other gave a terrified whimper and retreated.


@Orpheus

***

​

There are five active Anorus left. One flailing in a hole in the frozen lake near a cargo ship and one circling around the lake affected by pepper-spray (@thespacekid might want these two), the one fighting Connor (let's wait until he replies), the one running away with one of Jace's mech's leg, and the two fighting The Boss and Striker Python (Feel free to take them out).

 

[Soviet Panda]

If he had been a bit slower, he would have died right then and there. But he wasn't that slow, and managed to get out of the way. He didn't avoid it completely, however, and a large gash went down the side of his mech, looking worse then what it probably was. Reaching out, he attempts to at least grab the things tail to keep it in one place long enough for him to deal with. His chainsword was revved up and ready to go, all he had to do was hit his target.

 

[Zer0]

The Rook was yanked down with the diving Anoru's momentum. The Anoru looked back at the mech clinging to its tail as it flew down, snarling, and attempted to whip Connor off as it pulled up from its steep dive just a few meters above the frozen lake.


@Beowulf