Prologue - "24 Hours Ago" for Lt. Eadric Braidwood

[Purr]

Game Master note: This prologue is different in that it contains a lot of "railroading" to get Kaerri's character into the game sooner rather than later. This is something she and I discussed and agreed to prior to my writing this (she doesn't mind my railroading at all). So I put the story first here and I'll edit it if needed. So expect a lot of backstory here with Eadric making some decisions that will get him into the main game sooner rather than later. Game on!

About 24 hours ago in the life of Eadric Braidwood...

"We only talk to warriors, softbelly!"

So here Eadric was, standing alone atop the South Pole, surrounded by armed and crazed micronized Zentraedi eager to beat his brains in. Braidwood had three realistic options. He could try to flee and hope he was a better runner than they, he could try to talk his way out of things except they did not appear to be listening yet, or he could call upon his Aikido training and using the Way of Harmony, defend himself.

But how had things come to this?

* * *​

Did it all perhaps begin one peaceful snowy morning in Edmonton, Canada?

Prologue Chapter 1 of 4!

Spoiler: Mood Music

"Turn the Page" by Rush

"Truth is after all a moving target
Hairs to split,
And pieces that don't fit
How can anybody be enlightened
Truth is after all so poorly lit"

Eadric remembered every seat in the university auditorium was packed for the occasion. If one of Eadric's associates had not saved him a seat, he would have had to stand for what was slated for a 4-hour debate though it never reached that mark. Eadric found the atmosphere in the auditorium alive with attentiveness and curiosity. The debate panel contained six big shots from all over the continent, each a big and respected name in their respective fields. These were popular people if one followed science and here together for the first time. The potential to change history was present.

It was the subject matter that had drawn everyone here:

"Do Zentraedi have souls?"

The debate started off wonderfully. Each of the experts had strong arguments for or against or unsure. Each of their presentations brought forth mind-expanding, habit-challenging points of view that left many an audience member's brain whirling for more. Back and forth the passionate debaters went! Always well-armed, always civil, each using their own gifts from sharp-witted humor to perspective-widening wisdom to soul-shaking seriousness, and each having to give and take as fact after fact rolled in. It went from less of a debate to more of a great sharing of ideas from all corners of the matter.

It became clear within the first hour that none of them had a faultless solution and each were eager to know if by strengthening their argument, joining their argument to another's, or withdrawing their argument altogether - how best to get to the truth of the matter. Each person on the debate team and most in the auditorium would have been quite satisfied to have simply been in the same room if a concrete answer were found today!

But fate has a funny way of getting in the way. Destiny's game is full of curve balls.

It was when the panel was taking questions from the audience that things took a frightening and sudden nosedive. The stranger with the shorts and nice legs right sitting beside Eadric asked for the microphone and when she received it, he noticed she put her hand into the purse hanging over her shoulder as if searching for something. She spoke clearly and with resolve. She asked the goofy-looking but brilliant anthropologist from Monument City on the stage two very serious questions.

"So your take on the aliens is that they may have souls because... they are so much... like us?"

"Yes, ma'am!" he offered enthusiastically. "They may be clones, but we can create life with them. This is proof they are our genetic family!"

"One more question, sir."

"Shoot!"

"Are you ready to die for your crimes against humanity, you goddamned alien-lover?!" She pulled a .357 Magnum revolver from her purse, flipped off the safety, and took aim. The professor sat, paralyzed in catatonic fear, an easy target, but two others moved too. One was Eadric. Then things became even more strange.

All Eadric wanted was for the violence to stop and the deadly revolver not to loose its killing rounds. He couldn't stop the first just yet so he tried to stop the second by reaching for the heavy revolver in an attempt to disarm her, but all he managed to do was touch the side of the barrel. Upon touching it, he thought to himself, "Please don't fire!"

And in his mind, he heard a heavy female voice reply right straight into his brain!

"I will not fire."

The woman recoiled from Eadric and pulled the trigger... and nothing happened! The revolver did not fire! Frantically, she pulled again and again.

"What in the hell did you do?!"

While people were screaming and panicking all around, Eadric noticed the gun's safety was back on. But how? The woman looked from her weapon to Eadric incredulously and tried still to turn it on Eadric.

While this was taking place, two more people in the audience produced pistols of their own and aimed them at the professor, but as with Eadric, the targeted professor was not without allies. Eadric heard loud gunshots. People began leaping out of their chairs, calling for help, and running for their lives. All was bedlam! One of the debate panel, a tall, plump, white-bearded professor of microengineering and robotics - a witty, knowledgeable fellow who went by the name Albert Stein - put himself between the shooters and their target. Hands behind his back, he just stared at the shooters like some disapproving god or wizard from ancient fables of old.

The bullets flew straight at him, stopped, and dropped to the stage floor as if they had struck some kind of invisible barrier. But how was that possible?

By the time Eadric used his Aikido to put the woman shooter into a wristlock and follow it up with a knife-hand knockout that sent her senseless and unarmed into her chair, the entire auditorium had erupted into complete pandemonium. Eadric's acquaintance had fainted, two more shots came, this time from the debate stage, the shooters in the audience both went down and the sirens of the police vehicles pulling up outside were blaring.

Then things became stranger still as Eadric caught sight of the friendly shooter from the stage who had dropped the two in the audience - a dazzling Polynesian beauty dressed in professional attire holding a very small pistol with gunsmoke wafting from its barrel. She was exquisite. Two shots, two dropped targets. But it was her purse that was the craziest sight of all. It seemed to be upside down and traveling across the stage straight in Eadric's attention by way of four very tiny, rapidly-moving feet! And somewhere in the auditorium, Eadric thought someone had let a cat loose! He could hear frantic meowing, but from where?

Commands were shouted and obeyed, then police came in and promptly began securing the scene. They seemed to know this Professor Stein and his beautiful accomplice. As the authorities took over, the debate stage and auditorium were evacuated as the ambulances came. Eadric saw the armed woman on stage snatch up her purse, zip it up, little wiggling feet and all, and look to the big well-dressed man who had somehow stopped the bullets.

In that moment, this Professor Stein and Eadric shared the briefest of eye contact as law enforcement hastily hauled both men off in different directions.

"Well done, lad! You are a star!" said he as they parted ways. "We shall meet again under better circumstances!" Then he, his lovely subordinate, and her strange purse were gone, pulled away to safety. Oh. And someone must have let the cat out for Eadric didn't hear any more frantic meowing.

That day showed Eadric that there were people ready to kill for pro-alien beliefs, not just in far away lands but now right here in Edmonton. The Anti-Unification League were a boogeyman of sorts all over the world, but they had never before dared strike here! They hadn't even raised their banners in the multicultural city. But here they were and luckily no one was dead, even the shooters in the audience the dark beauty on stage felled had lived to face justice.

Later on, Eadric's coworkers and friends would razz and congratulate him for getting his name in the paper as one of the "hometown heroes who saved the day" against the AUL terrorists. "Look at our Karate Kid go!" There were worse things to be known for! But one thing was true from that day forward - Zentraedi were considered people by some, monsters by others, and not enough humans in the world could tell the difference. It was up to people like Eadric to show them the way.

 

[Purr]

But if Eadric's troubles didn't begin in Edmonton, Canada, perhaps it all started in Hawai'i?

Prologue Chapter 2 of 4!

Spoiler: Aloha Oe

"Aloha 'Oe" (Until we meet again)

The islands had changed a great deal since the Rain of Death. The economy relied very strongly on tourism before the First Robotech War, but that all came to stop when there were no more tourists or convenient means to travel across the great and wide Pacific Ocean. And so they relied more than ever on the United Earth Government and their military, the Army of Southern Cross.

And boy, was it nice to be relied upon on "The Big Island" of Oahu as a much-needed ASC Extraterrestrial Affairs Liaison! Oh, how the civilians and ASC ran to get him whenever even one of the very few micronized Zentraedi had one too many drinks or started some trouble among the natives! Lt. Braidwood was appreciated here indeed! He hardly had to cook his own meals for all of the families he had been helping over the months. The local community with their deep Aloha spirit saw him as a real blessing and made certain he knew it. Lt. Braidwood soon had more "aunties" and "uncles" than he knew what to do with.

The only problem here was Captain Peters, Eadric's direct superior. A spineless man who privately admitted to Eadric that he had only become a liason to get out of the possibility of combat duty, Peters did far more loafing around and socializing than the work required of him and the natives knew it. To Peters, not doing the job all the way provided "job security." He had arrived on station not long after Eadric, the second Extraterrestrial Affairs Liaison in the history of the ASC on "The Big Island." Peters loved the people, the ocean, the food, the hospitality, and all things Polynesian just like Eadric.

So much that he darned near went into cardiac arrest when he received orders to transfer.... to Antarctica!

"The South Pole!" Captain Peters repeated over and over as he paced and trembled. To go from this tropical paradise to that bleak and frozen wasteland? He was literally on the verge of tears.

While Eadric had traveled all over the globe, including having been briefly stationed in parts of Europe (including Greece and Scandanavia), the former United States (including York and New Albuquerque), and Canada (including Monument City and the Quebec Quadrant), Captain Peters had come straight from "Stateside" of the Former United States and he meant to retire here.

Eadric being a man of duty, knew that wherever people like him were stationed, it was extremely important to the Unified Earth Government to keep those Zentraedi who had willfully surrendered and undergone micronization "satisfied" lest they revolt, or worse, turn sides and join the Malcontent Zentraedi taking all of their knowledge of humanity with them. Even a single turncoat could divulge enough security-related information to the wrong ears to cause many human deaths and the UEG wanted this avoided at all costs. And here was Eadric's captain with orders concerning some kind of mutiny involving a platoon-sized element of armed micronized Zentraedi taking over part of a research facility! They had to be talked down without violence!

But nearly all of the Extraterrestrial Affairs Liasons (or "E.T.s" as they were often nicknamed) had gone with the UEEF on their sacred mission to Tirol leaving people like Eadric and his captain in extremely high demand. Orders were orders. When you were sent, you went.

So one can only imagine the look on Eadric's face when suddenly, blubbering Captain Peters having reread his orders for what must have been the 15th time, stopped in place, reread them again, and out came this slowly-growing huge grin on the man's face as he just stared and stared so very happily at Lieutenant Braidwood, as if Eadric were his Lord and Savior.

For there in the orders was a tiny clause that included the phrase, "...yourself or another fully qualified liason to go in your place..."

Aloha Oe indeed.

2 hours later, Eadric was sent off with a quickly-thrown-together farewell party completely put together by the Polynesian natives and even the Zentraedi he had helped. Eadric left with leis and the kisses and hugs as those he had touched wished him a safe voyage and his eventual return to the islands for any reason at all. This was a place, like Edmonton, where he would never have to sleep on the street or go hungry. The good he had done in both realms was remembered by its citizens with warmth and fondness.

 

[Purr]

Perhaps Eadric's problems truly began when he was leaving Oahu? When he boarded the rickety old bird with its large and smiling pilot who had clearly survived some kind of horrible crash?

Prologue Chapter 3 of 4!

Spoiler: More music to fit the mood

"Billy Idol - Bitter Taste (Official Music Video)"

Perhaps indeed. This was Big Mikey and he flew to the South Pole regularly on a dated twin-engine jet-powered bird that could fly almost anywhere all-year-round. Big Mikey wasn't military, but he made sure he was paid like an officer with tenure when the short-handed ASC needed he and "Muh Happy Flappy Jalopy" to fly someone from one part of the world to another. That is what Big Mikey did best and everyone knew it. There was just one hitch.

"Hey BUCKO!" Bald Big Mikey often called people by that name even if he knew the one they went by. His gaping smile was wide showing crooked teeth and a mind that was probably equally as crooked.

"You know how to fly an airplane?"

When Eadric replied to the negative, big broken Mikey just chortled. "Well, I hope you can read instrumentation and keep a stick steady when I konk out! Happens outta the blue, even when I'm flying! Haven't crashed yet, though! It's like I can fly in my sleep. Oh, this?" he indicated his twisted, permanently wracked limbs which left him with a bad limp and inability to run. "Not my fault. Mechanical failure! So you ready to go, BUCKO?!"

And ready or not, off they went to The South Pole.

Sure enough, about 400 miles over the Pacific Ocean after a late lunch, Big Mikey went from chatting away about great old movies and whatever else he and Eadric could find to talk about to suddenly - bam. He just slumped down in his chair with the aircraft some 10,000 feet off the water with no one anywhere near you to radio for help. Maydays were useless in this area - Big Mikey had said so.

But as Eadric touched the console, once again he heard a voice. This one old and male and very American.

"There is no need to worry. We will not crash today."

And sure enough, even out cold, Eadric watched that man's hand keep a steady grip on the stick and keep the plane on course all while completely unconscious. He could fly while asleep.

About 5 extremely long minutes later, Big Mikey just popped out of it and returned to chatting like nothing had happened. He finished what he was saying when he crashed mid-sentence popped up. It was obvious, at least to Eadric, that Big Mikey had no idea he had left the outside universe at all. He just kept on going with that big goofy smile on his broken face and his endless stories.

The rest of the flight was uneventful with Antarctica being one of the most beautiful sights Eadric had probably ever seen. Dry land!

 

[Purr]

Prologue Chapter 4 of 4!

Spoiler: Down Boys

"Down Boys" by The Cars - Just stay outta their way!

Finally, it could be argued that Eadric's problems finally came to a head when he and Big Mikey finally VTOLed to a safe landing at the South Pole coordinates electronically provided to Big Mikey. They had just set down when they found their aircraft surrounded by people armed with Mega-damage guns large enough to punch big holes in his beloved bird. They were wearing large coats, masks, and goggles. Every one of them had on UEG uniforms and was using UEG equipment but upon making face-to-face contact with them, Eadric discovered they were micronized Zentraedi to a man! This was the rogue platoon of Zentraedi Captain Peters had received orders for!

And this is where our prologue officially begins!

* * *​

The grinning Zentraedi team are curt and efficient in getting Eadric and Big Mikey off of the aircraft and into a sealed hangar bay.

"Ha ha ha!" One of their numbers has short red hair, big muscles, grayish skin, and displays his Mega-damage rifle showing Eadric the business end. "Did you come for the haunted ship too? I am Ruul and I say you are fools! The haunted ship belongs to us!"

A strong-looking blue-haired fellow with a greenish tint to his skin wearing a nametag with the word "Zark" nudges his companions as they completely surround Eadric and Big Mikey. "They only sent two of you? I bet you are here to talk! That's all you micronians ever do is talk! No action out of you weaklings! That's why you're so weak!"

Big Mikey bunches up his scarred fists. "You pull us offa my plane at gunpoint, throw us in here, and aim guns at us? What are we s'posed ta do, huh, BUCKO?" Big Mikey growls something fearful and yells, "We're here to help you dummies! Think we flew all the way across the Pacific for nothing?"

A lean, yellow-haired micronized Zentraedi marches forward wearing a grin. He raises his hand and sets his rifle down. His companions do the same. "I am Genn and if you wish to talk, then fight first!"

"Oh, I'll fight you all right--" Before Eadric can intervene, Big Mikey throws a powerful punch a blind person could have detected coming. Genn sidesteps and trips Big Mikey who spills to the hard hangar bay floor with a loud thump. All of the Zentraedi laugh at him. "Yeah, you keep laughing! Just wait until I get up, you--"

"And how about you?" Genn steps forward and points at Eadric's face. "Got something to say? We only talk to warriors, softbelly! Are you too scared to fight?!"

What does Eadric do?

 

[Kaerri]

Flight was not an option. Even if Eadric could escape the Zentraedi, Big Mikey surely could not, and Eadric wouldn't leave him to their unlikely mercies.

Diplomacy was not -- yet -- an option. Genn and his people weren't ready to listen, and had already stated the terms on which they would be willing to talk.

So, fight it would have to be. Not unexpected, given the temperament of the average Zentraedi, and not something he was unprepared for.

Eadric shrugged, feigning unconcern. "For someone who thinks talkers are weak, you're doing quite a bit of it yourself. If it's a fight you want, however, I'm quite ready for you whenever you're done speaking." He settled into his ready stance, left foot behind the right and knees slightly bent, arms loosely held by his sides with the forearms parallel to the ground and flat hands pointing towards Genn. With one deviation: his forward hand flicked up, fingers beckoning in a small but definite "come on, then" gesture.

Spoiler: Stance is something like this

With a bit of luck, none of them would have faced a student of Aikido before, and he could deflect each blow as it came without needing to strike any of his own. That might well confuse them enough to open their ears, and minds, on its own; but if not, he wasn't going to simply deflect forever. Once it became apparent that the Zentraedi would still continue to try to hit him, he would switch tactics: instead of deflecting, he'd catch the next hand or foot and use it to flip the attacker elsewhere. If a few of those failed to make the desired impression, Eadric would joint-lock Genn's next attack, and then attempt Aikido's "Knife Hand Knock-Out" instead of the throw.

 

[Purr]

Zentraedi really aren't like most humans when it comes to fighting - the Zentraedi are hard chargers who lack sympathy. They are not out to impress their girlfriends (what girlfriends?), but instead out to pulverize or even kill their opponents. For theirs is a true warrior caste. This means Genn starts in with this level of aggression coupled with good striking form... and intent to take Eadric's head off!

Spoiler: Hard sparring

"I Don't Like Hard Sparring But Sometimes It Happens"

Eadric can feel the blasts of wind as Genn's fists whip by, forcing Eadric to move or get squarely pasted. And if that happens, it's not hard to know what kind of reception follows from the heavy-swinging Genn who looks like he can keep this up all day. Except the pasting never quite takes place. Eadric slips, dodges, bobs, and judges his opponent's distance like a true expert in the martial arts. Eadric can hear the "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" from the surrounding Zentraedi as it seems Eadric is about to get nailed and somehow doesn't!

"Get 'im, BUCKO!" Big Mikey yells from the floor. He looks like he wants to get up but he is mindful of the presence of the surrounding Zentraedi and so he stays put, agitated but not about to get up just to get knocked down again. Besides, Eadric is putting on quite a show!

In just over two minutes of this, both human and Zentraedi are working up a sweat but Genn hasn't landed a seriously good blow yet and Eadric hasn't thrown one.

"What are you waitin' for?" Big Mikey yells. Several Zentraedi agree with the disabled pilot and start yelling in calls of their own.

"Stop playing around, Genn!"

"Yes! Smash this softbelly and be done with it!"

Except Genn can't! As Eadric learns Genn's tactics - for most fighters only have so many good techniques in their arsenals and Eadric has been learning which Genn has - Eadric is able to turn things around. Then the fight starts looking a lot more like this:

Spoiler: This

At the 0:16 mark.
"Aikido vs Straight punch（Possibility of Aikido)"

Eadric can hear Big Mikey who is now lying quite relaxed on the floor and enjoying the floor. He's addressing the Zentraedi nearest him. "So, uh, you guys wanna lay down any bets? I'll give you 2-to-1! No, I'm feeling generous! 3!"

Genn comes at Eadric again and down Genn goes! And again! And then again! And then again! Now the Zentraedi are cajoling him and that is when Genn's feelings get the better of him. He realizes he can't win this. At least, not with his current tactics. So he does what most trained fighters does - he turns it up a notch as best he can. The Zentraedi adds kicks and throws only to find out Eadric is ready for those too. For Eadric is an Extraterrestrial Affairs Liason and a long-time practitioner of the martial arts. In addition, Eadric is very, very educated and unlike the vast majority of humanity, he knows of the Zentraedi and their age-old martial arts system taken from their Mecha vs. Mecha training. It is called Su Dai and Genn is using it.

"Damn it!" Genn yells. "Stop embarrassing me! I'll mash your face in!"

After about the fifth time Genn is thrown by Eadric, he comes at Eadric very, very hard and Braidwood realizes it is time to end this. And so Eadric does in a spectacular fashion!

Spoiler: This is the technique he uses when Genn throws another punch.

"Virtua Fighter 5 US Aoi has EXCELLENT counters!!!"

In one moment, Genn is laying down his most powerful combinations and in the next, his balance and initiative are taken from him followed immediately by his ability to remain conscious! Eadric controls Genn in an excellent wrist lock and follows up with Aikido's Knife Hand Knock Out which sends Genn sprawled on the floor to the gasps and oaths of all spectators.

There is a great deal of stunned silence. Finally, Big Mikey can't help himself. He slowly stands and laughs. "Ha haaa! That's showin' 'im, BUCKO!! Out go the lights!"

Zark slowly steps toward Eadric with his hands raised while Genn's fellows approach his knocked out form and begin prodding him to stir. "No one has ever defeated Genn before! You are strong!"

"Yes!" Ruul agrees. "Do you wish to fight some more or collect your prize? You have proven worthy of it, human! If only there were more like you!"

 

[Kaerri]

Embarrassing Genn had never been the goal, of course. It could even have been counterproductive. Eadric wanted these Zentradi on his side in the end, after all, and that meant earning their respect, not their resentment. He ended the fight as soon as the opportunity offered, reminding himself as his opponent hit the floor that it was planning, observation, and a bit of luck that had led to this as well as his own skill. Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal! He gave Big Mikey a thumbs-up and turned to face Zark and Ruul, leaving the rest of the Zentraedi to tend to Genn as they saw fit.

"He was a worthy opponent," Eadric began while he considered his response. It wouldn't do to simply dismiss the offer of more fights. That could be taken as a dismissal of them -- and likely lose him the ground he'd gained. "Perhaps later I could test myself against others of you, if there's time and opportunity. Unfortunately I've neither, right now. It's duty that has brought me down here, you see, and I must see to that first. As to my prize, though - there are things I need to know that I hope you can help me with. To begin with, the research facility down here is supposed to be primarily staffed with humans. Where are they? In what condition are they, and the facility itself? What are your own intentions here, and towards them?"

 

[Purr]

Game Master Note: The Broadsword railroad continues! Choo-choooo! =)

"Thank you, gentlemen! Thank you!"

During the combat, Eadric, so fully involved in his own matters, could not perceive everything that was going on at once. But now he saw Big Mikey with his lopsided grin collecting what looked like credits from three surprised, even gloomy, micronized Zentraedi who parted with their currencies without much of a fuss. Then Big Mikey stood tall, or as tall as a man with a broken body could, and the Zentraedi did not seek to bother him further.

"Perhaps later I could test myself against others of you, if there's time and opportunity. Unfortunately I've neither, right now. It's duty that has brought me down here, you see, and I must see to that first. As to my prize, though - there are things I need to know that I hope you can help me with. To begin with, the research facility down here is supposed to be primarily staffed with humans. Where are they? In what condition are they, and the facility itself? What are your own intentions here, and towards them?"

"Weaklings!" answer the micronized Zentraedi, their voices echoing off of the bare hangar walls as Genn is scooped up off of the cold hard floor.

"Spineless cowards all!"

One motions in a direction Eadric and Big Mikey have not yet traveled since they landed. "They wish to hide from the great starship they discovered! Well, since when was hiding and cowering the way of true warriors?"

"Yeah!!" they all yell together and pick up their rifles, readying them easily.

"We're on our way to the outer armory to pick up our Mega-suits then it's off to take over the starship! We'll claim it for our own and show everyone!"

"Yeah!"

"That's right!!"

"Say," Zark gets a cunning look in his eyes as he steps toward Eadric. "You're not thinking of trying to talk us out of our glorious conquest, are you?"

"Right!" says another. "You're just concerned for the humans, it sounds like!"

"Hey, wait jus' a second!" Big Mikey waves his big arms in protest as he tries to change the subject before things get out of hand. "What about Eadric's prize, huh? Yer not thinkin' of tryin' to get away without handing it over, are ya?! "

"No, no! We've got it right here!"

At once, all of the Zentraedi answer and in a rush, they come as one and press and push Eadric and Big Mikey down the hangar bay toward a huge windowed door that does not look like it has seen much traffic. The door has yellow and red markings on it and Eadric can clearly see the painted words, "RESTRICTED AREA" and "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY." One swipes a keycard and the door hisses wide open displaying a huge wide hall without lights of any kind. They shove Eadric inside and laugh. The door closes and Eadric can see Big Mikey pushing against the Mega-damage glass in an effort to open it.

"Hey!" Big Mikey yells as the door slides shut separating Eadric from everyone else. "What's the big idea?!"

"He may have won against Genn," says Ruul, "but he's still human like the others! He'll try to stop us from our glorious conquest like they did! So we give you another challenge! Enjoy your prize! We can't get it to obey us, but maybe it will keep you busy instead of trying to stop us! Let's see how you like... the haunted ship! Ha ha ha!"

Zark grins. "Forgive our rudeness, but that new starship won't sit around forever! Let's go! Someone wake up Genn!" The Zentraedi rush off carrying Genn with them and leaving Big Mikey on one side of the door with Eadric on the other.

But Big Mikey is not about to give up. "What are they up to? Hey, BUCKO! See any control panels or anything in there? Maybe someone left another keycard laying around in there? I'll look around from this side!" Eadric can hear Big Mikey fussing and fussing as he begins to search about. He slowly vanishes, getting further from the door in his efforts.

From the echoes of Eadric's own footsteps, he can tell it is a very large room and one that at one time saw lots of traffic. It is very likely another hangar for he sees organized shelves filled with tools, some Mega-damage in nature. There is the faint smell of human-made chemicals as if this were perhaps some kind of old workshop. The scuffmarks of many a boot stare back up at Eadric from the cold, gray floor. Someone was here.

But not recently. The gloom covers much and Eadric senses that he is alone. Or is he?

A faint pinging sound of metal against metal sounds like a pair of tools touching somewhere in the darkness.

 

[Kaerri]

"Be careful!" Eadric called as Big Mikey drifted off, and added resignedly to himself, "At least he got his winnings first." In humans, what had just happened might have been taken as a double-cross, the victim thereby entitled to plot revenge for the soonest opportune time. In Zentraedi... it was just how they were, and he spared a moment of self-scolding for not considering the possibility. Not that he thought he could have predicted being locked in an old workshop, or whatever this was, but that they would have treated him like, well, a human, after only a single encounter -- that, he might have expected. But only a moment. Whatever was going on, it was more important than self-recrimination. First things first: find a way out of this room. Next was probably to track down the Zentraedi and this ghost ship of theirs. Though "ghost" and "Zentraedi" in the same sentence was a startling development all by itself. They weren't generally given to superstition. Had they picked up that descriptor from the human researchers? Who were, apparently, "hiding" from said ship -- Eadric hoped that meant literally, that they had bunkered down within the base, rather than being locked up as he himself was. However, his own predicament tended to suggest the latter. Well, that was something else to be investigated later.

He looked around, not seeing anything immediately helpful, unless one of the tools could be used to pry, cut, or otherwise open the door. Though not formally trained in engineering, his fascination with firearms, and "how things worked" in general, had led to his picking up skills to maintain and repair not only his own guns, but the various sorts of machinery he'd found in his assignments thus far, at least on a basic level. Had he not also been fascinated with the Zentraedi and the idea of alien life not yet discovered, he might well have been an engineer instead of an anthropologist. As there hadn't been time for both, he'd picked zenoanthropology, but machinery was still a bit of a hobby for him. One of many, that is, which also precluded specialization, but that was all right with him. He'd never cared for limiting his mind to a single speciality.

He moved closer to inspect the tools, then froze. A sound came from somewhere further into the darkened room. He searched his pockets for a flashlight he remembered belatedly he didn't normally carry. It hadn't sounded like rats, or whatever animal filled that niche this far south. Was there an analogue, this far south? Unless the hypothetical animal had bumped something that then bumped something else, metal on metal probably indicated something closer to human on the evolutionary scale. And possibly made deliberately. Time to open communications.

"Who's there?" he asked the darkness. "I don't mean you harm, as long as you don't mean me any."

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: instrumental mood music

"Signs of Life" (by Pink Floyd)

He looked around, not seeing anything immediately helpful, unless one of the tools could be used to pry, cut, or otherwise open the door.

Passing shelf after organized shelf of extremely cold and well-kept items, Eadric realizes he is indeed in some kind of high-tech workshop filled with all manner of tools some of which could most definitely be used to cut the door open. In no time, he comes across a heavy-duty flashlight - one that could be used as a truncheon in a pinch - and beside it, batteries. In moments, Eadric has a fully-functioning flashlight with an adjustable beam that cuts through the darkness with ease.

Still, the faint pinging sound continues as it has since Eadric entered the room. Eadric notices the sound changes tempo from time to time and is not constant. It does not change in tempo or volume as Eadric makes his way further into the prohibited workshop until he is utterly surrounded by tools, schematics, batteries, and all sorts of mechanical and electrical gear mostly worthless to a typical Zentraedi, but not so for any resourceful officer in Earth's Army of the Southern Cross.

Unless the hypothetical animal had bumped something that then bumped something else, metal on metal probably indicated something closer to human on the evolutionary scale. And possibly made deliberately. Time to open communications.

"Who's there?" he asked the darkness. "I don't mean you harm, as long as you don't mean me any."

As Eadric nears one corner of the very large workshop, he notices signs of what looks like some violent scuffle long resolved. Tools and parts are scattered across the floor in haphazard fashion. A bit of oil, frozen from the South Pole's temperatures, cuts across the floor creating a tiny rainbow stream before harmlessly pooling. There are lengths of heavy duty cable and its container left on the floor beside an equally heavy duty bolt cutter apparently used to cut the cable. Beside the bolt cutter is a curious object - a small weapon! Unmistakably a rifle similar to a Valkyrie's gigantic GU-11 55mm gun pod, but this one is perhaps a foot in length and in pristine condition. It is clearly made for hands smaller than Eadric's. Like perhaps a child's.

Then Eadric hears the pinging metal-on-metal sound again. Much closer. It is here that Eadric discovers the source of the noise. For above the little rifle on the floor, shoved upside-down into the ceiling and held there by cables welded together is a curious little figure about the size of a large camping backpack. It has a nose and wings and hands which wiggle helplessly. And little feet too. One of the feet is kicking a wiry piece of debris that pings against the ceiling - indeed the only thing the aerodynamic figure can reach.

Eadric's flashlight sees this:

Spoiler: instrumental mood music

"Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - OST - Caravan Crossroad"

Spoiler: This.

(Image credit: Macross.fandom.com)


Image credit: Macross.fandom.com)

Beneath and all about it are written words in Zentraedi, put there with large black markers. Words like, "Beware!" and "Haunted!" and "Do Not Release!" leaving little doubt as to how the figure got up here. Its nose wiggles slightly. Eadric realizes the figure can now perceive him beyond his flashlight.

As if in greeting, it waggles its wings a little like a dog wagging its tail. Then it gives off a single harmless sound.

What does Eadric do?

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric happily laid claim to the flashlight and its batteries. If it turned out to belong to someone, he could always return it; and in the meantime, his need was greater. By its light, he noted several tools that could serve as his escape from this room, but escape was no longer the only goal. What was making that odd noise? Not receiving a response of any kind, he ventured further into the room, shining his new light hither and yon to investigate. That there had been a struggle of some kind was evident, if further adding to the puzzle, as does the odd debris apparently resulting from the struggle. He paused and crouched beside the intriguingly unusual weapon for a closer look. What small individual could this belong to? He started to pick it up, then paused as the metallic sound returned, much closer and above him. Rising from his crouch, he turned the beam of the flashlight upwards, and can't help but smile at the sight. "Well, hello there," he said, as he might upon meeting an animal, or coming across an unexpected piece of information (the tones he used in either case tended to be similar). It looked somewhat like a Valkyrie in Guardian mode, but distinctly different (even accounting for the extreme difference in size). He peered curiously at it, continuing in the same mildly friendly, mildly curious tone as before, "What are you? And how did you get here?" He noted Zentraedi writing all around the mechanical figure, and widened the beam of the flashlight to see it better. "Haunted"? How odd. More superstition from a people generally far from prone to it. "Ghost in the machine?" he thought aloud. Then the figure waggled its wings and made a new sound, one that caused Eadric to laugh delightedly. "All right, that was adorable. I hope you aren't offended by my thinking so! Now, then. How can we establish you won't be a threat if I set you free?" If the figure was within reach, Eadric would reach a hand up to where the figure could move its wing to make contact, much as he would offer a cat or dog his hand to sniff in greeting. That he wanted to free it was a given. So unusual a creature! If it was a creature; it seemed mechanical enough, but also alive in its own way. He wanted very much to know more about it, but hadn't quite forgotten that he was still locked in a workroom while the Zentraedi he'd been sent to deal with were jaunting off to a "haunted ship" of some kind, and that Zentraedi, ship, and the humans of Antarctica base all needed investigating. Eadric hoped this miniaturized not-Valkyrie would turn out to be an ally who could come with him, thereby allowing him to satisfy curiosity at a later time while seeing to his duty sooner rather than later.

 

[Purr]

The machine is not quite within arm's reach, being stuck into the ceiling and held there by welded-together parts and cords. However, Eadric sees a number of items including chairs or crates he can move to provide him the position he needs if he wishes to interact with the cables.

If the figure was within reach, Eadric would reach a hand up to where the figure could move its wing to make contact, much as he would offer a cat or dog his hand to sniff in greeting.

In response to this, the mini-Guardian machine slowly and meaningfully uses its right hand and arm to perform the following motions in this order:

1. It points at Eadric.
2. It makes a peace sign (index and middle finger raised together)
3. It makes a "crossing" motion over where its heart would be were it human.

Then it continues to helplessly but not frantically kick its feet and wiggle its wings. It's rather adorable in its attempts to free itself, but whomever put it up here did an extremely good job of making certain it couldn't do so or reach its rifle on the floor below it.

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Lt. Eadric Braidwood

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

"Well, that settles it," Eadric replied with amused decisiveness, and propped the flashlight against the nearest shelf to keep the area more or less lit. He shoved the sturdiest of the crates underneath the trapped mini-mecha, testing it carefully make certain it would hold his weight. Then he picked up the flashlight again, fetched the bolt-cutter, and climbed up onto the crate. "Hold this for me?" he asked, holding out the flashlight. Assuming it did so, he then went about cutting through its restraints. "Mind you don't put your fingers or feet where I'm cutting," he warned. Although, if it was merely a small version of the full-sized mecha, made of the same materials, would this bolt cutter even be able to hurt it? Not with only his strength behind it, surely. Still, it wouldn't be very polite to catch someone's finger like that, even if it couldn't hurt them. Eadric cut through each cable carefully, assessing the progress of freedom between each one. He did not want the mecha-creature to suddenly drop free onto his head! A drop there surely would be, in the moment between its full freedom and its initiating control of its moments, but best to anticipate it so as not to get caught off-guard. As he worked, he talked to the (relatively) small thing. "Why did they do this, anyway? Zentraedi aren't known for being superstitious, and yet they've labeled you 'haunted.' They said the ship was haunted, too. Is it truly, I wonder? Or are you? You certainly seem alive, particularly for a machine, but that doesn't mean you've got a ghost in you."

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood music

"final fantasy crystal chronicles | relax mix"

One-handed, the mini-mecha reaches out and grasps onto the flashlight. A moment later, small lights erupt into bright-but-not-blinding illumination all over its hull as it provides running lights, cockpit lights, and every conceivable form of light that a real aircraft of its type can provide. One moment, Eadric is kind of fumbling in the near-darkness. The next, he has more light than he knows what to do with and none of it shining anywhere near his eyes.

"Mind you don't put your fingers or feet where I'm cutting," he warned.

At this warning, the little one pulls its arms, legs, and wings as far away from Eadric's bolt-cutter as possible and there they remain. As it is not a thing of flesh and bone, it shows no signs of fatigue as it holds its limbs out and away as not to impede Eadric's progress.

As he worked, he talked to the (relatively) small thing. "Why did they do this, anyway?

Eadric could swear the little one shrugs and shakes its nose as if in reply.

"Zentraedi aren't known for being superstitious, and yet they've labeled you 'haunted.' They said the ship was haunted, too. Is it truly, I wonder? Or are you? You certainly seem alive, particularly for a machine, but that doesn't mean you've got a ghost in you."

(quotation mark mine)

As if attempting to display affection, it tries to touch its nose to the nearest part of Eadric all the while trying not to get in the way of his work. "Boop!"

The work is hard! The amount of "elbow grease" required for a slightly-above averagely-strong guy like Eadric begins to make itself known by way of his straining muscles. This is not helped by the awkward positions he has to put himself in to reach the best cutting angles. There may be some comfort in the discovery that the sturdy crate he pulled over is nice and stable, but soon, sweat begins to form on his skin under his coat - or rather, it tries but the chilling temperature of the South Pole, even here in the underground unaided by heaters of any kind, stops his body's attempt at cooling his own muscles.

Finally, it becomes too much. Eadric simply lacks the physical strength to complete the task. His muscles go from complaining to begging, forcing a pause. He has only gotten this far - one arm is free and part of its nose - because of his above-average stamina; a direct result of his time improving his physical fitness as part of his life in the military.

The little one seems to see this. It makes an electronic sound - not unlike R2D2 of Star Wars fame - and with its free arm, it directs the flashlight Eadric gave to it to the small, almost toy-like, gun pod lying on the floor. "Moop, moop!" It wriggles and gestures towards the gun pod.

Meanwhile, the cold and silence is broken by the sound of Mikey's voice as he yells from outside through a small crack in the wall. "Hey, BUCKO! I'm gonna go to the ship an' get my pistol an' yer mega-suit! I'll be back! So don't go nowhere, okay?" The last of this shouting fades as Mikey doesn't wait for an answer but is gone sparing Eadric the need to shout back.

What does Eadric do?

 

[Purr]

KABOOM!!

Spoiler

Sounds like any of these! =)
"BOOM! See explosions created using household chemicals"

A thunderous explosion that shakes one entire side of the storage room! Eadric hears the sound of falling concrete debris along with what sounds like metal striking the floor! The blast is heavy enough to shake the little fellow Eadric is helping free and causes the two of them to fall to the floor together with the caring young gentleman cradling the heavy winged mass of flailing limbs in his arms. As human and little metal fellow make contact, a strange thing takes place...

...as Eadric Braidwood feels his very mind enter realms uncharted!

Spoiler: This scene brought to you by...

"As Lights Fall" by the Alan Parsons Project

Eadric sees, hears, and feels as if somewhere else - some-when else! Somehow, some way, you are not in Antarctica but experiencing the world through the life-lens of different senses entirely!

At the start, all is sound. Crisp, clear, incredible sound. The first thing you hear is a calm woman's voice reassuring... someone. But something is wrong with her voice. She sounds... off. Highly-irritated? Yes. Rapidly-thinking? Sure! But off nonetheless.

"Don'tcha worry, hon'. They ain't gonna get you."

Then follow the sounds of rustling clothing, heavy breathing, and a single pair of two booted feet running, running, running, running as swiftly as they can. There are more sounds of booted feet flying across something hard, gear rustling, and labored breathing of men. But those are not yet close by. Her labored breathing comes to a pause and a series of beeping sounds followed by an electronic voice makes itself known.

"Good evening, Doctor Rackelfratz."

"Oh stuff it, why don'tcha?" replies the female's voice. Her ragged, labored breathing and hurried footsteps return as the sound of a door sheathing shut behind her can be heard. She snarls with the snarl of an adult and a really cranky one at that. Her voice carries an American accent tinged with a hint of Northernly beginnings. Boston perhaps? There is the slamming sound of something heavy striking metal and a muffled angry voice trying to shout with some barrier in the way.

"You can't do this! We paid you good money!" shouts a American adult male voice under great stress. "You'll pay dearly for even trying!"

"Does it look like I give a damn?" she yells back, coughing as she goes. "You should'a thought'a that before you screwed us, Marson! Now..." the sounds of fingers rapidly dancing across plastic keys fill Eadric's ears. "...you ain't gonna get 'im. And... I ain't gonna get 'im! That's what you get!"

"All that precious data! It's irreplaceable! At least give us the damned--"

"Why don'tcha go sit on a broom handle, ya sorry bastard?! He ain't servin' your damned military projects! He'll decide who he serves! Scientifically like he always has! His own way! Not yours! An'... not mine neither." The keys continue to dance and something large and mechanical seems to come to life.

"Damn you! You'll pay dearly for this!!"

"I'm already payin'. Besides. You started it, rectum-breath!" Then the keys stop their tapping. Her voice lowers in volume but increases in womanly intensity. "You killed my team for not cooperatin' with you. An' you got the balls ta think... you think I'm gonna foul their memory an' surrender? To their murderer?" The sounds of something being plugged into something else takes place. A series of buttons are pressed. Something upward groans as if in one metallic yawn. The sound of rain falling in light droplets everywhere join in the sonic atmosphere.

"No! No!! You! Blow the door down! Get her! If you value your sorry hides, stop her!!"

"Get back, sir!"

There is a pause of stumbling footsteps and then come the unmistakable sounds of shotguns roaring and blasting, one explosion after the other, all with some barrier between Eadric and the sounds. There is the strange feeling of finality in their odd rhythm. In poetic terms, they sound like the drums of doom as played by some maniacal drummer. But... from the doctor's tone, Eadric can tell she couldn't care less. In soft tones, she speaks again. The sound of a naked hand patting something joins it.

"It's all yours, BOOP. Your destiny. Your future."

There is a heavy clicking sound and her breathing becomes even more labored. Her coughing returns. And this time, there is a wetness that can be heard with her savage hacking. "You've been ta lands... untouched by human hands, hon'. Unseen by bare human eyes!" There is the soft sound of mechanical movement and the unmistakable sound - at least to ASC-trained Lt. Braidwood's ears - of something hissing and vibrating, as if... depressurizing.

"Aw, you ain't gotta take me with ya, hon'. I can't do ya no good no more. Jus'..."

The shotgun sounds silence. A moment later, there are a series of deafening explosions and then Eadric knows by sound alone that the barrier between is no more. Marson's voice is not gentle. "Get her! I want her on a-- Oh my God!!"

"...Hon'... jus'... get us the hell outta here."

Inside a symphony of mechanical and electronic devices all cooperating in small ways as if to make one very big thing happen, an electronic voice from multiple speakers declare loudly, "Liftoff in 10... 9... 8..."

The voice belonging to Marson is anything but calm. "Jesus! She's finally lost what's left of her mind! Run! Run for your lives!"

"3... 2... 1..."

Spoiler: LIFTOFF!

"Ultimate Saturn V Launch with Enhanced Sound"


Or if you prefer...

"Space Shuttle Launch Audio - play LOUD (no music) HD 1080p"

All other sounds, including the frantic receding screaming of Marson and those along with him, are completely dwarfed by the sounds of sparks hissing, clamps releasing, and rocket engines - HUGE rocket engines - firing! These sounds are like nothing else Eadric has ever before heard. It is like someone gave the planet Earth a voice and it is shouting one long seemingly-endless shout. There is a great shaking to the sounds, an incredibly-loud volcanic roar that nothing else perhaps in the universe can quite copy. It is a sound that is all-consuming and its magnificence is as undeniable as its power.

This is the only thing you hear for many, many long moments until... underneath the massive silence that follows the violent burning cacophony, Eadric can distinctly hear a single small shrinking voice. The doctor's voice. She sounds like she is starting to cry. Eadric can hear her whispering as loud as she is able. It also sounds like her lungs are giving out.

"Son of a... Hon'? This... this view... look, BOOP! Just look! It's Earth! Our Earth! Where you gonna go there, BOOP?" She sniffs. She laughs. Ever so lightly. There is the sure sound of grim satisfaction along in her fading voice.

"Damned if that... ain't... the most beautiful thing... I ever..."

Then you don't hear her voice again.

Instead, you hear...

Spoiler

"Boop!"
"Mass Effect 3, Space Hamster *Squeak*"

You immediately come back to your own human senses. You feel cold. Especially against your face.

You hear the sounds of boots crunching on tile. You feel this big finger kind-of gently jabbing you right in the middle of your chest. Nothing else is on your chest or in your arms. You know your eyes are closed. Yet, it's a little hard to open them. Then you feel a warmth against your face as if someone placed a big heated fan near it and boy... does it kill the cold and feel so darned good against your naked skin!

"Hey, uh, Bucko?" You hear Mikey's heavy voice growing more curious by the moment from nearby with no barriers between you and he.

"Uhh... you... in there, Bucko?"

 

[Kaerri]

One-handed, the mini-mecha reaches out and grasps onto the flashlight. A moment later, small lights erupt into bright-but-not-blinding illumination all over its hull as it provides running lights, cockpit lights, and every conceivable form of light that a real aircraft of its type can provide. One moment, Eadric is kind of fumbling in the near-darkness. The next, he has more light than he knows what to do with and none of it shining anywhere near his eyes.

Blinking to help his eyes adjust, Eadric smiles at his new little friend. "Well, now! That's even better. Thanks!"

Finally, it becomes too much. Eadric simply lacks the physical strength to complete the task. His muscles go from complaining to begging, forcing a pause. He has only gotten this far - one arm is free and part of its nose - because of his above-average stamina; a direct result of his time improving his physical fitness as part of his life in the military.

The little one seems to see this. It makes an electronic sound - not unlike R2D2 of Star Wars fame - and with its free arm, it directs the flashlight Eadric gave to it to the small, almost toy-like, gun pod lying on the floor. "Moop, moop!" It wriggles and gestures towards the gun pod.

Eadric props the bolt-cutter against his leg and lets his arms rest at his sides. "I'm afraid that's all I've got in me right now, friend. I need a breather." He wants to sit and rest the rest of him too, but it feels more important to stay near the small mechanical being. Or at least more polite. He follows the flashlight beam to the proportionally-small gun pod. "That might be overkill," he advises the little guy. "But if we can't get anything else to work, we'll give that a try, eh?"

Meanwhile, the cold and silence is broken by the sound of Mikey's voice as he yells from outside through a small crack in the wall. "Hey, BUCKO! I'm gonna go to the ship an' get my pistol an' yer mega-suit! I'll be back! So don't go nowhere, okay?" The last of this shouting fades as Mikey doesn't wait for an answer but is gone sparing Eadric the need to shout back.

"That's Mikey, the pilot who flew me down here," Eadric explains. "I wonder where he thinks I'll go? Shall we take that as a vote of confidence in my ability to get myself out of here?" He glances around at the darkened room. "Which, granted, I likely could, had I not met you and wanted to get you free before finding a way to open that door." He narrows his hazel eyes, considering the assorted equipment in the room. With the mecha's lights on, he could see quite a bit more than he had with just a flashlight (though the largeness of the room still precluded clear sight everywhere). "Do you see anything less labor-intensive than the bolt-cutter? Other than your gun pod," he adds with a slight smile. "A cutting torch, maybe, or --"

The blast is heavy enough to shake the little fellow Eadric is helping free and causes the two of them to fall to the floor together with the caring young gentleman cradling the heavy winged mass of flailing limbs in his arms. As human and little metal fellow make contact, a strange thing takes place...

Instinctively, Eadric grabs for the small mecha as the blast knocks them both over, him from his crate and the small one from his prisoning cables. There is hardly time to think, but that's what practice is for, and he feels his body turning as his aikido instructor had taught long ago, preparing for impact against the ground -- but it never comes, or rather (since presumably gravity continues) he's not aware of it.

You immediately come back to your own human senses. You feel cold. Especially against your face.

You hear the sounds of boots crunching on tile. You feel this big finger kind-of gently jabbing you right in the middle of your chest. Nothing else is on your chest or in your arms. You know your eyes are closed. Yet, it's a little hard to open them. Then you feel a warmth against your face as if someone placed a big heated fan near it and boy... does it kill the cold and feel so darned good against your naked skin!

"Hey, uh, Bucko?" You hear Mikey's heavy voice growing more curious by the moment from nearby with no barriers between you and he.

"Uhh... you... in there, Bucko?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Eadric admits shakily. His hands close, then open again, confirming they no longer grasp his small mecha friend (Boop?), nor anything else for that matter. "Where's... no, wait." He opens his eyes, hoping to see both Mikey and the being he now thought of as Boop, and turned to see what was so warm.

 

[Purr]

This post brought to you by...

Spoiler: Getting Through

"Getting Through" by The Cars from their jammin' album, Panorama. Fitting as Big Mikey is "getting through" to Eadric. =)


Partial lyrics:
"I don't know what I'm gonna do with you
Hey
Am I getting through
Getting through to you" =)

"I'm not entirely sure," Eadric admits shakily. His hands close, then open again, confirming they no longer grasp his small mecha friend (Boop?), nor anything else for that matter. "Where's... no, wait." He opens his eyes, hoping to see both Mikey and the being he now thought of as Boop, and turned to see what was so warm.

Looking up, the first thing Eadric sees is Big Mikey's scarred and happy-looking face looking into his own from above. The second thing he sees is the "little fellow." The winged mechanical "guy" is perched up in a sitting position on a nearby shelf, its feet aimed directly at Eadric's chest. Like a true Valkyrie, there is real heat coming from its feet and onto Eadric and here inside this ice-cold, lonely Antarctic base - it feels... delightful! As Eadric opens his eyes, the little fellow redirects the heat from its engine-feet onto Eadric's limbs and those too are soon filled with blessed, wonderful, necessary - warmth!

As Big Mikey's boots crunch and crumble, Eadric notices a Mikey-sized hole in the wall of the storage room. He chuckles and grins while proudly looking at his LP-10H Heavy Laser Pistol and drops a large duffel bag beside Eadric. It clangs loudly but otherwise remains quiet as it settles. "So yeah. I thought mebbe you wanted not to spend the rest of your life in here, yeah? So I kinda used my mega-gun here to... yanno... do something... MEGA!" He points at the hole and gives the doofiest grin Eadric has probably seen on a guy in a long time.

"Hey Eddie? So uh. Who's the little guy?"

In response, the little fellow reaches over, cockpit/nose-first and touches Mikey's large nose with a "boop" sound.

"Ha ha! Hey, that tickles!"

Then the little one uses its foot-thrusters to hop off the storage shelf, and, with its mini-gun pod, it heads over to a small series of large gray drape-covered squared shapes. In moments, the hovering aircraft-shaped being is grasping one of the drapes and thrusting in reverse. The drape slips off revealing a steely crate marked M-32 "use with caution. Read Instruction Manual." Except that Eadric has driven these babies around so much, he can literally operate it blindfolded (not that he'd want to).

Spoiler: MR-32 Hovercycle

The Guide refers to this vehicle as the HR-32 but the Palladium Masters Saga Sourcebook calls it the MR-32. Wonder why?

(Image credit: Robotech Reference Guide)

There are small metal bolts and latches that are supposed to keep unwanted hands from accessing the inside of the crate, but as the little fellow zips around, there are small flashes of strong red light as its gun pod cuts through the locks in no time (this tells Eadric the gun pod can be used as a cutting torch and is most likely Mega-damage in nature). In moments, the crate comes apart and Big Mikey is holstering his pistol and trying to peer inside. By the time he reaches the first crate, the little fellow has released a second crate revealing another such brand new machine.

Being military machines of this nature, they lack keys and are therefore pilotable by anyone who has training. Like nearly all Army of Southern Cross personnel and many others.

"Maaan," Big Mikey pats the first bike with a gloved hand. The intrepid aircraft pilot gapes as he hops behind the controls and makes himself comfortable in one of the nimble rides. "I haven't flown one of these babies in like... ages! But where are we supposed ta--"

Eadric and Big Mikey see a bright but not blinding orange light from outside the hole in the wall (which is just large enough to fit the cycle if you're careful about it). The little fellow's gun pod flashes twice more. Then it turns to its right (in the direction the Zentraedi gang went) and with a blast of its larger "back-mounted" engines, the little Veritech-shaped guy indicates that it wants to move.

"C'mon, BUCKO!" Big Mikey waves. "Lil' Bucko here wants ta take us somewhere!" With a few clicks, the trusty wheel-less bike comes to life and raises Big Mikey and itself up into the air. Mikey positions his hovercycle toward the hole he made and ducks his head down. Still, he manages to bash himself a good one on the arm and knee. He hardly winces. "WAIT, LITTLE GUY! EDDIE'S GOTTA PUT HIS ARMOR ON!" Mikey turns back to Eadric and sheepishly points at a large duffel bag. "I kinda stuffed it all in there for ya. I think it's all in there?"

Good news for Eadric, all of Eadric's Mega-suit is inside and not even scratched. Both broken human and fit machine wait patiently while Eadric, still a touch groggy from returning from Dreamland.

Big Mikey can't help but ask, "Sooo... what happened ta you, huh? Were you dreamin' or somethin'? You were kinda movin' aroun' in yer sleep doin' Kung Fu or somethin'."

What does Eadric do?

 

[Kaerri]

So I kinda used my mega-gun here to... yanno... do something... MEGA!" He points at the hole and gives the doofiest grin Eadric has probably seen on a guy in a long time.

"Heh." Eadric grins back as he stands, making sure all body parts are working as intended. "That's what you did, all right. Good work!"

"Hey Eddie? So uh. Who's the little guy?"

"I think his name's Boop. Boop, this is Mikey. The Zentraedi had him tied to the ceiling, apparently thinking he's 'haunted.' Why that is, I can't say -- I've never known Zentraedi to be superstitious." But there isn't time to speculate right now; the "little guy" was up to something again.

The drape slips off revealing a steely crate marked M-32 "use with caution. Read Instruction Manual." Except that Eadric has driven these babies around so much, he can literally operate it blindfolded (not that he'd want to).

Eadric's eyes light up. "C'est fantastique! Nice find, Boop!" Ignoring the manual, he slides an affectionate hand down the bike. "Hold up just a moment, little friend! Since Mikey was kind enough to bring my Mega-suit, it'd be wise to suit up before I head out!"

"I kinda stuffed it all in there for ya. I think it's all in there?"

Good news for Eadric, all of Eadric's Mega-suit is inside and not even scratched. Both broken human and fit machine wait patiently while Eadric, still a touch groggy from returning from Dreamland.

Eadric takes a quick look, then nods while suiting up. "Looks great, thanks, Mikey!" In deference to the situation and their patience, he does so as quickly as his own state allows while trying not to miss anything important. That done, he hops on the second bike and joins Mikey in heading down the hallway to follow Boop.

Big Mikey can't help but ask, "Sooo... what happened ta you, huh? Were you dreamin' or somethin'? You were kinda movin' aroun' in yer sleep doin' Kung Fu or somethin'."

Eadric shrugs. "I'm not certain. It may have just hit my head when I fell, or something." Actually, he was fairly sure he hadn't hit his head, but hallucinations from some as-yet undetermined cause couldn't be ruled out. Wherever that vision had come from, he found he didn't want to talk about it yet. Besides, as he thought about it, it seemed somehow connected to the incident in the university auditorium, months ago, when the anti-alien fanatic's gun had spoken to him. He still didn't understand what had happened then, nor why the gun had -- true to its word -- not fired. But the vision about Boop and the unknown Dr. Rackelfratz seemed to spark from a similar part of his mind in a way he couldn't explain.

 

[Purr]

Eadric's eyes light up. "C'est fantastique! Nice find, Boop!"

Victorian style, Boop bows neatly in thanks.

"I think his name's Boop. Boop, this is Mikey.

As they wait for Eadric to suit up, man and machine each take a moment and turn towards each other, giving each other a slow once-over, Mikey reclining in hovercycle's fabric-composite seat, and the little fellow from its nearby hovering position, its little legs pouring out a pair of blue flames that keeps it about 5 feet off of the frozen turf beneath your feet. After a moment, they exchange a pair of friendly waves. Big Mikey has got a crooked, wonky smile but what he lacks for in good looks, he seems to make up for in earnest honesty!

Eadric shrugs. "I'm not certain. It may have just hit my head when I fell, or something."

"Yeah, yeah! I often do that meself!" Mikey nods and raps his forehead with his knuckles.

Once Eadric is suited up, hovering on his hovercycle, squeezed through the hole in the wall, and back in the underground tunnel, the little fellow zooms off! Those twin blue fires on its feet make it a simple thing to follow him. Eadric notices one wing or the other lights up before it takes a turn down an intersection and then another. Ahead, Eadric sees a pair of old-looking large armored doors big enough to fit a van through with caution signs like "Authorized Personnel Only" and "Public Traffic Prohibited Beyond This Point" before it. The doors appear slightly ajar. Out front, a pair of ASC hovertrucks, used-looking but clearly functional, are parked out front.

The little fellow picks up speed and shoots down the tunnel, takes a sharp mid-air turn to the right, and neatly zips toward the human-sized slit between the doors. Before either you or Mikey can yell, "Hey, wait up!" it is gone, disappeared between the doors.

You and Big Mikey pull up beside the ASC hovertrucks and have just parked when all of a sudden, music begins to blare forth from the other side of the armored doors! 80s style rock music. You hear this:

Spoiler

"The Cars - Shake It Up (Official Music Video)"

It is accompanied by the frantic sounds of Zentraedi screaming in abject terror! "Ahhh!" "Aiieee!" "It cannot beee!"

Big Mikey shoots you a completely confused look as he cautiously steps off his hovercycle, his hand on his Mega-damage pistol. Eadric hardly has time to do the same when suddenly, out of the door they burst - the same Zentraedi squad Eadric and Mikey had run into earlier!

"Retreat!" yells Zark, his blue hair flying as he leaps into the drivers' seat of one truck.

"Ruuun for iiit!" yells another as he grips the steering wheel of the other with eyes gone mad. His red hair marks him as Ruul. Behind him, the whole group of Micronized Zentraedi are hastily boarding the trucks and preparing to get the heck out of here with all haste!

"Micronian!" yells Genn to Eadric. "The haunted ship!! It... is... ALIIIVE! We have no choice!"

"Yes!" Zark yells. "There is no glory to be had here - we will find our destiny in the Ship of Death! Better there than here!"

"Hey! Hey!" Big Mikey yells, trying to get their attention. But suddenly, the music stops and there are only the sounds of Zentraedi scrambling for their lives.

They will not be here long! What does Eadric do?

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric shrugs. "I'm not certain. It may have just hit my head when I fell, or something."

"Yeah, yeah! I often do that meself!" Mikey nods and raps his forehead with his knuckles.

Eadric smiles wryly, somehow not doubting this. He's still puzzled by the vision, or whatever that had been, but there'll be time enough to think about that later. For now, he had a chic bike to ride!

all of a sudden, music begins to blare forth from the other side of the armored doors! 80s style rock music.

"Someone has good taste," Eadric comments, mostly to himself.

Big Mikey shoots you a completely confused look as he cautiously steps off his hovercycle, his hand on his Mega-damage pistol. Eadric hardly has time to do the same when suddenly, out of the door they burst - the same Zentraedi squad Eadric and Mikey had run into earlier!

Eadric exchanges equally confused looks with Big Mikey, then stares at the (frightened??) Zentraedi. "Wait!" he shouts, though knowing full well they won't. There isn't time for much besides direct questions, he guesses, though it's with doubt of receiving any meaningful answer that he asks, "What haunted ship? Where's the Ship of Death?"

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Whoops! I forgot the mood music!

"All Mixed Up" by The Cars. Note: my phone or rpnation will not let me put this into a media link. I'll try to fix this when I get home.

"Wait!" he shouts, though knowing full well they won't.

And Eadric is proven right as the warriors don't even pause in their frantic attempts to get out of here.

There isn't time for much besides direct questions, he guesses, though it's with doubt of receiving any meaningful answer that he asks, "What haunted ship?

"The one IN THERE!"

"Didn't you see it attacking us?!"

The micronized Zentraedi stab fingers in the direction of the partly-opened doorway "Lil' Bucko" just zipped through.

Zark indicates your running hovercycles with a nod.

"Honorable micronians! Leave this horrible place and join us in glory!"

Where's the Ship of Death?"

"This way!" They point down a tunnel that leads in a direction you have not yet gone. Wasting no more time, their trucks fly down the corridors. You can still hear them yelling.

"TO GLORY!!"

Mikey loses his patience. Rolling up one sleeve, he dismounts his bike.

"Aw, I've had enuffa this! I'm gonna go in there and get to the bottom of this right now!" He draws his trusty pistol and storms into the room the warriors just fled out of.

"Don' worry, Lil' Boopy Bucko! Big Mikey's comin' in there!" He says this perhaps not remembering that it was Boop who flew in here first and the frightened Zentraedi who fled second.

 

[Kaerri]

The Zentraedi had waited about as long as Eadric had expected -- which was to say, not at all -- but they did at least answer his questions, and even an invitation signifying camaraderie of sorts. Eadric grinned. His own theory was that Boop was the Haunted Ship, though why something that size would be designated a "ship" had yet to be explained. Possibly the "ship" was through the doorway and Boop was the one doing the haunting? He'd ask, in just a moment. Dismounting his bike, he readied his own pistol and followed Mikey into the room just evacuated by the fleeing Zentraedi. "I've got your back," he advised both Mikey and Boop, his grin widening at Mikey's affectionate nickname for the little mecha. No telling yet what the "Ship of Death" was; that mystery would have to wait on this one!

 

[Purr]

"I've got your back," he advised both Mikey and Boop, his grin widening at Mikey's affectionate nickname for the little mecha. No telling yet what the "Ship of Death" was; that mystery would have to wait on this one!

Big Mikey pauses in his storming just long enough to share a sure-eyed wink and grin with Eadric. Then he slows as if not wanting to outpace his smaller friend. His slow drawl echoes from the wide underground walls. "Never doubted it for a minute, Eddie! Let's go rescue a Bucko!" He nods with confident, almost cocky, expression as he goes on. Eadric passes between the two hypercarbon doors, their written alerts bombarding readers with their huge visually blaring displays. "Authorized entry only!"

Darkness cloaks in all about Eadric. Then there is a click and a conical beam of rich but not blinding light emanates from the flashlight in Big Mikey's free hand. You feel as if you are in a rather large room. There are desks and chairs all haphazardly collected on this side of the room, bunched up as if many someones were trying to blockade the door but were interrupted. It was as if whomever was doing all this did not entirely trust the twin hypercarbon doors (100 M.D. each) to protect them from the hallway you just vacated.

Then, as the light and shadows merge and play, you notice something odd and deadly! There in the clutter of the desks sits a big-barreled heavy machine aimed right at the door you just ventured through! Eadric has enough expertise in a wide array of weaponry to recognize this as a Mega-damage weapon that shoots big bullets - an anti-vehicle machinegun for certain! It is huge, it is heavy, and on the safe side of the weapon, you see three large ammo boxes all marked "use 12.7mm HEAP only." Eadric can feel for certain that these Mega-damage would, in moments, tear apart the big aircraft that got he and Mikey to Antarctica in the first place.

Big Mikey sees this, points, and gulps. "That thing was pointed at us the whole time? Holy mackerel!"

Proceeding farther into the heavily-trafficked huge room, it appears to once have been part-classroom, part storage facility until it became the Antarctica version of Fort-Knox-meets-Ikea. You spot a water cooler. Yes, the water is probably quite cold. =)

"Where are ya, Lil' Bucko?" Big Mikey speaks in a way that implies he knows his voice carries farther than his flashlight's radiance. While Eadric can either be with the piled-together furniture, bookcases, books, pamphlets, clipboards, and stray heavy machinegun or near Mikey who is 20 feet deeper into the room. "Heeeyyy... there ya are!"

Sure enough, "Boop" comes meandering out of the darkness and up to Mikey. "He" has gotten dusty somehow and covered with bits of ice. "His" miniature GU-11 is strapped to his forearm leaving his hands free. He looks up (points his nose) at Big Mikey and pauses there as if in wonder. "Don't'cha worry, bitty guy!" Big Mikey assumes a protective posture, his flashlight and firearm moving as one as he continues to scan the darkness. "I got ears like a bunny rabbit! Nuthin's sneakin' up on us so you just relax. Eddie and I ain't gonna let no haunted ship get you, will we, Eddie?"

Except... (just had you roll that d20 for Eadric) even in the gloom with Eadric's own flashlight at the ready, the intrepid Extra-terrestrial Affairs Liason/Marine sees that this is not really "Boop" at all. It can't be. The ice on his wings is too thick, the dust too great. Eadric got too good a look at "Boop" when he was pulling him out of the trap in the storage room's ceiling for him to confuse details like these. Big Mikey hasn't noticed, but Eadric can't help but not notice! The little stranger stands under Big Mikey's "wing" and looks completely O.K. with being protected.

What does Eadric do?

 

[Kaerri]

Eadric glances back at the anti-vehicle machinegun and is very glad they're on the safe side of it. Facing that, in conjunction with the unknown (which Zentraedi appear to find as discomfiting as humans did, and into which classification they seem to have assigned Boop and his kind), he finds it less surprising that the Zentraedi retreated so quickly. Had he found an enemy behind that gun when he entered the door, he'd have run too! But there is something at least as interesting in this room as the gun, and Eadric turns his attention towards it.

"Boop?" he calls with Mikey, and watches in relief as the mecha wanders up to them. Then Eadric observes the little guy more closely, and grows puzzled. Either Boop has spent the last few seconds rolling in dust and coating himself in ice, or he has a double -- and Eadric doesn't think the former much likely. "Indeed not," he replies thoughtfully to Big Mikey, and squats down next to them both to touch the not-Boop's head. He isn't sure why he's doing it, only that it seems a good idea. Perhaps his subconscious is trying to provoke a reaction that would lead to more data?

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music - Vangelis!

This is one of my favorites of his and it has been too long since I have heard it! Plus it fits, so it ships! =)
"L'enfant (Remastered)" by Vangelis

Eadric reaches out to touch the little dusty machine. He feels his glove-laden hand, protected and comfortable inside of his Mega-suit, and the glove itself touching the smooth, iced-over nose of the bitty Veritech in Guardian mode before him. Beside them both, Mikey smirks confidently in the darkness, peering with his flashlight. He does not notice, but Eadric certainly does, when the little machine reaches over and pulls at the glove of the Mega-suit Eadric is wearing. It makes a simple motion as if removing the incredibly-tough hypercarbon gauntlet that could be run over by a tractor trailer and hardly damaged. On a whim, Eadric removes the glove and with his bare skin, touches the strange machine.

"Don't worry," Big Mikey mumbles, to whom Eadric cannot be certain. "Nuthin's gonna sneak up on us! Nuthin' gets past Big Mikey!" He pats the strange machine he thinks to be the very unit that led you here, completely unaware of how very wrong he is. But it appears to be a harmless mistake. At least for the moment.

The moment Eadric touches the little fellow, Eadric's mind seems to leave the room without leaving the room. He has yet another vision. This one... far beyond the reaches of the room he is in. Farther still beyond the incredible vastness of Antarctica with all of its marvelous mysteries. Father still beyond our beloved planet Earth and the little moon that keeps it company... all the way to another moon entirely. A moon with many other moons drifting across the cosmic frontier to a giant world million and millions of miles away from Earth - roughly 500,000,000 miles depending on its orbit.

Eadric realizes he is seeing and hearing through something else's eyes and something else's ears. The voice of a calm man coming over what sounds like a very crisp and clear yet distant technological connection of some kind - like a radio on top of a mountain somewhere except here, Eadric can see no mountains. Nor can he see any radios.

"Okay, BOOP. Let's get Discovery out there. I think he's our lucky charm of the day." This voice is calm and clear in a way that speaks of great experience and professionalism. It is also tender somehow. Harmless. But very, very curious. "The ice will be easier to get. Still, how is all this going to look from its sensors?"

For Eadric, there is simply a sensation of the ground dropping out from beneath him as he is slowly pushing himself out of some kind of metal containment. He is not falling much really but descending by means of a propulsion that does not come naturally for human beings like Eadric. Eadric realizes he is seeing and hearing the world from the very little fellow he has made mental contact with. And mental contact it is! This is a strange and fantastic discovery all in itself but for now, there is the feeling of watching what has already taken place. Eadric realizes he is seeing the past from the viewpoint of the little fellow he has touched. He is seeing the moment the machine, Discovery as it has been called by someone unknown, exit out of some hatch.

And then a majestic, enormous sight, large enough to stagger the senses, envelops Eadric completely as he sees this:

Spoiler

(Image credit: Futurism)

How long Eadric stares while his mind tries to wrap itself around this vision is a question he will never have the answer to.

Eadric realizes that he is on the surface of some planetoid, a moon perhaps. That's when he sees a small robotic arm belonging to Discovery reach down to the surface of an alien realm entirely untouched by humankind.

Until that day.

"Ladies and gentlemen, robotic and otherwise," says the calm and pleased voice, "this is a day which will go down in history. After years and years of hard work, problem-solving, and sacrifices, humankind has finally touched down on... Europa.

Spoiler

(Image credit: Wikipedia)

It is from this realm that Eadric is seeing all that he is seeing.

"BOOP?" the voice requests.

The "camera" turns and looks up into another sight. Discovery did not arrive on Europa by itself. It was transported here. Eadric realizes, as Discovery looks up to the vehicle that brought it here, that not only is Eadric completely unfamiliar with this space project, he has just come to realize something very important - the "Lil' Bucko" is one of several others, for he can see them. Five to be exact. But there is one big one that is turning to look at Discovery when that pleasant voice makes its request.

Spoiler: It looks like this.

Except it is a full-size, clearly custom-made Veritech unlike which Eadric has never imagined much less seen! There is a marking along its nose which reads out four letters. "B O O P."

THIS is BOOP!

(Image credit: Macross.fandom.com)

"Everyone here at Mission Control is going to raise a toast to this moment. Would you like to join us? You will need hands."

Before Eadric's eyes, this secret spacecraft smoothly and soundlessly transforms.

Spoiler

(Image credit: Macross.fandom.com)

Just like the "magic arms" of the VF series Valkyries used in the First Robotech War, this veritech produces three small mini-arms out of its right forearm. Its "gun" (if that is what it truly is) is mounted on the outside of its forearm in the same fashion as the old Valkyrie series veritechs that defended Earth against the Zentraedi decades ago. BOOP reaches down and with these mini-arms, collects a few pieces of ice from the crust of lonely Europa's surface while dominating Jupiter rolls and roils in the background of Eadric's remarkable panorama. Ice in hand, Discovery (and Eadric) watch BOOP raise its hand high.

"Let us toast to perseverance... to teamwork... to the space program of yesteryear and today, secret and public... and most of all... to the people of tomorrow. May these moments, though kept secret from most of humanity now, aid humanity when they are finally revealed. And may these discoveries help to bring us together!"

Other voices, some male, some female, are heard.

"Cheers!"

"Prost!"

"Kanpaaaai!"

With mighty Jupiter in the background and icy Europa in the foreground, BOOP makes a drinking motion, and as it does, Eadric's viewpoint begins to change. In moments, his perspective leaves the vast wonders of interstellar space as he returns, still seeing through Discovery's eyes, to Earth, to Antarctica, to the frozen base and room his mind and body continue to inhabit.

Through Discovery's eyes, he can see himself in perfect 16K clarity and hear every sound with a crispness and exactness unknown to human ears, but not unimagined by the human mind. Eadric is looking at his armor-encased self, and behind him, there stands Big Mikey, laser pistol in one hand, flashlight in the other, looking like some cosmic castaway from a Buck Rogers comic book of the 20th century as Eadric hears many pairs of robotic feet casually come from the darkness. They belong to the mini-BOOPs here.

"Uhh, wha's goin' on?" Mikey looks around in confusion. There is movement in the darkness outside the reach of his flashlight beam. You are less alone than you might have realized upon first entering this classroom/storage bay.

Spoiler

(Image credit: Macross.fandom.com)

Each of the mini-BOOPs have their lights on. Discovery reaches up with one arm and wipes away thick dust off its nose, revealing a very stylishly-drawn word. "Discovery." On the approaching "jet-noses" of the others there (evidently permanently made in Guardian mode), Eadric can read the others. "Enterprise." "Columbia." "Challenger." "Endeavor." "Atlantis." Six in all.

Big Mikey's face falls at first as he realizes that you and he have been outnumbered all along. He doesn't seem to look threatened, just frustrated that he didn't sense this before. "Hay! Buckos!" And half a dozen little jet-noses, now all within touching distance of him, look up at him and pause from examining him to seeing what he has to say.

"So uh... like... which one'a you is..." Mikey glances at Eadric, "...'BOOP?'"

It is only then that Eadric feels himself returning to his body as Discovery walks away, slowly and smoothly breaking physical contact in a way that Eadric does not find jarring in the least (though it probably feels unusual to be looking down at everything instead of up now that he is "back" to his original height!). Big Mikey turns into the darkness and from it emerges the full-sized veritech fighter that once landed upon Europa. BOOP!

Big Mikey gasps in great shock, his eyes flutter.

"Uuuhh!" The intrepid pilot and adventurer falls back into the waiting arms of the mini-BOOPs, fainted!

What does Eadric do?