[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjgwLmVkYTYzNS5TR0ZpYVhSaGRDQXpOQ0EsLjA,/red-hat.display.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjQ4LmU5OTUyNS5UbTl5ZEdobGNtNGdTR0Z1WjJWeS4wAAAA/red-hat.display-medium.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/638eba92-fe6f-4473-92b7-b055a01223f1/ddkzvyo-7ff966af-0aa3-4b3a-baef-a3c695f7a87c.png/v1/fill/w_850,h_940,q_70,strp/11_24_19_hanger_attempt_by_crosswire40_ddkzvyo-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTQxNiIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYzOGViYTkyLWZlNmYtNDQ3My05MmI3LWIwNTVhMDEyMjNmMVwvZGRrenZ5by03ZmY5NjZhZi0wYWEzLTRiM2EtYmFlZi1hM2M2OTVmN2E4N2MucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.WK1ksXhVlNUValAKvCh7Y92k1RrSi9JEKqyjySr5kuA[/img][/center][hr] [i]"Why the hell are we stuck here?" "Opposed to what? Being stuck out in space?”[/i] The northern hanger of Habitat 34 was abustle with its usual monotonous activity. Workers moved mechanically back and forth, loading and unloading cargo ships either by hand or via mobile worker. Large supply crates and barrels polluted the hanger, creating small towers and piles dotted about the edges of the large open room. Mining drop vessels and other ships meanwhile sat in drydock, eyed by those in the control tower in the ceiling who had nothing better to do but drink cheap synthetic coffee and write up citations for improper ship docking angles. All the while two ZIMS-01 Redcoats stood, their backs to one of the three doors that allowed entrance to to the hanger itself. [i]“I mean this bullshit guard duty."[/i] One of the pilots, and impatient Munifex, elaborated. [i]"How many of the others got sent up to Annona to provide extra security? They're up there right now guarding the royal family, the people who control mars, who control the whole [b]Empire[/b]. Meanwhile we're stuck guarding this crowded shitbox."[/i] [i]"You were the one who suggested we sign up for the Garrison. What did you think we were going to be doing?"[/i] His partner, another far calmer Munifex, responded. His own boredom prevented him from simply staying silent or chiding his teammate into speaking more properly. [i]“I thought we were going to be fighting! Putting down deviants, stopping plots against Mars, preserving the peace and making a name for ourselves. Not babysitting a bunch of fog breathing, cancer laden retards.” [/i] [i]“It's necessary work.”[/i] The patient Munifex replied and the other rolled his eyes inside his cockpit. [i]“Yeah so is jacking off farm animals up on Luna. But that doesn't mean I want to waste my life doing it. I wish I had been old enough to join up during the Rebirth. I'd give anything for another one of those to happen."[/i] [i]"Don't let any of the officers hear you say that."[/i] The patient one said sternly, but his friend continued. [i]"Yeah, like they're ones to talk. Most of them only have their ranks because of what they got to do when pirates were everywhere. How the hell are we supposed to make our way up in the military if we aren't given anything of meaning to do? Its like--"[/i] [center][b]THUNK[/b][/center] Both men stopped. The noise, a dull metallic impact, sounded out. It turned several heads in the hanger and immediately left the two garrison soldiers on edge. [i]“What the hell was that?”[/i] The impatient one asked, raising his Redcoat's 120mm rifle and eyeing the hanger. [center][b]THUNK[/b][/center] The patient Munifex narrowed his eyes, sharpening his senses before turning his Redcoat around to face the large closed door behind them. [i]"It came from the entrance door."[/i] He replied and his comrade's Redcoat walked over. [i]"Is it stuck?"[/i] [center][b]THUNK[/b][/center] [i]"No. Its coming from the other side."[/i] [center][b]THUNK THUNK[/b][/center] [i]"Why the hell is someone knocking on the door if its not broken? Are these god damn Venusians too stupid to open doors now? Is that what my job has become, opening doors for them?" The impatient Munifex groaned.[/i] [i]"Is anyone supposed to be coming here at this time?"[/i] The patient one asked. [i]"Its a hanger. It could be anyone, workers, miners or--"[/i] [center][b]THUNK THUNK THUNK![/b][/center] [i]"Oh for fuck sake--Just open the door! We have enough of an excuse to beat whoever's on the other side of it until they piss blood, so let's cut the bullshit." [/i] The patient Munifex walked his Redcoat over to the side of the door. Reaching out an arm his mobile suit grabbed and turned a large emergency opening mechanism, able to be used by mobile suits or workers. A sharp pneumatic hiss filled the air as the large liten door shuddered and split. Standing in front of the door the impatient Munifex lowered his rifle as he watched the door slowly separated and produced a growing slit through which to see through to the other side. [i]"You better have a good reason for-"[/i] A deafening crack rang out. Electrically propelled buckshot ripped through the Redcoat's torso, exploding out the back with a fanfare of shrapnel and the sound of retching metal. The patient Munifex spun just in time to see his partner's mobile suit thrown backwards and crash onto its back, smoke and sparks erupting from the dozens of holes punched into the front of the suit. His blood turned to ice as he caught a glimpse of the cause, a double-barreled gun sticking through the ever widening opening in the door. As the gun pulled backwards the Munifex moved. Throwing his Redcoat to the side he skidded his mobile suit across the floor, a screeching noise filling the air as metal soles ground against nanocarbon flooring. LEWIN raised the Munifex fired from the hip, unloading 120mm rounds in full auto through the door as it began to open all the way. He didn't hesitate, he simply buried his finger in the trigger as his weapon roared to life and began vomiting spent casings across the hanger floor. Only after a few seconds of firing did he realize there was nothing on the other side of the door. Prying his finger from the trigger, heat rising from his machinegun, the Munifex stepped back and watched the doorway carefully as iut continued to open. He kept his eyes fixed on the screen looking for any movement, listening for any sound- Suddenly a bright orange color filled his left monitor. The Munifex's Redcoat spun, but it was already too late. The speeding orange hulk of construction equipment slammed shoulder first into it. Picked up off its feet the Redcoat was carried several meter's before it was slammed back first into a wall. Inside his cockpit the Munifex was thrown forward from the impact, cockpit monitors cracking as the cockpit walls buckled inwards from the torso of the Redcoat collapsing in on itself. Blood poured from a gash in the pilot's head, adrenaline screaming through his veins as he fought to control himself. The munifed looked up and stared through half-shattered, static plagued monitors as a Scutson pulled its spike laden shoulder out of the Redcoat's chest. For a brief moment the mono-eye of the Scutson seemed to be staring at him. It was only then did he see the [i]teeth.[/i] Crudely drawn, the Scutson had a horrid design of a dog's own snarling mouth painted across the front of it. Staring at it from the front, through the nearly destroyed screen, almost made it seem like the Scutson had its own blood hungry maw. The Munifex remained so transfixed on the image he didn't heard the metallic 'clunk' as the Scutson pressed its SMG against the cockpit door. A spray of 75mm shells and the Redcoat spasmed, collapsing to the floor as fluids and oils poured from its crushed torso. Standing over the destroyed Redcoat the Scutson looked down, Laika looking through her own monitor at what she had done. And she smiled. Whatever feelings came from the pilot couldn't measure up to the feelings that flooded her body. The sense of safety. The sense of power. The addictive rush as she watched them fall. Laika had almost forgot what it felt like. Almost. Across the hanger workers and Garrison foot soldiers alike could only stand and stare at the scene before them. Slowly they began to stir as a jet black and blood red painted mobile suit marched through the fully-opened hanger entrance. Snapping its double-barreled MAG shotgun closed with a flick of its wrist, Cathrida raised her Turncoat's weapon to the ceiling and fired. With minimal charge the shot did nothing to the ceiling, but still produced a high pitched audible 'bang' as the electrically propelled shot flew from the barrel. [b]"If any of you wish to die a painful death, by all means stay in this hanger."[/b] Cathrida warned, her voice booming over the internal speakers of her mobile suit. Only a few seconds of silence followed before the hanger exploded into a panic. Workers and soldiers alike bolting in a wild panic towards the nearest exit. None of the Zern troops had any illusions of fighting the two mobile weapons on foot and many chose to fleet outright, knocking down workers as they retreated out of line of sight of the mobile suits. A handful of soldiers however stayed together and ran towards a nearby comms panel. One soldier practically barreled into it, throwing it open, ripping the transmitter off the hook, and typing in landline code so fast he swore he broke one of his fingers. Digging the transmitter into his face he heard a soft 'beep' as he was connected. He didn't give the person on the other end of the line a chance to speak as he shouted. "Command! Command do you read me? We need immediate reinforcements in the north hanger! We have armed intruders in mobile weapons, they are heavily armed and-" The foot soldier stopped as a shadow was cast over him. He began to look over his shoulder just as the sound of a gun spinning up reached his ears. [b] VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRN![/b] A three second burst of 30mm rounds decorated the wall in gore and holes where the land-line comm panel had been moments before. Laika took her finger of the trigger, her heart beating steadily as she turned to Cathrida's Turncoat. [color=FFA500]"He called for backup."[/color] Laika announced, not even trying to sound concerned. [color=DC143C]"[b]Good[/b]. I want them to [i]feel[/i] what's coming. How many mobile suits does the garrison on this habitat have?"[/color] [color=FFA500]"Twelve I think. Including these too."[/color] Laika pointed to the destroyed Redcoats laying on the ground and Cathrida felt a brief rush from hearing the number. [color=DC143C]"That makes ten. Half of them are probably Redcoats. We need to get the hanger doors open and secure the ship. They'll arrive here before we can, but that just makes this that much more fun."[/color] Moving her Turncoat forward Cathrida was unable to hide hints of her own delightment in her tone. Laika stuck close to the hanger entrance, weapons at the ready, practically bouncing up and down in her pilot seat...[hr] [b]"THIS IS NOT A DRILL. REPEAT. NOT A DRILL. ALL PILOTS BOARD YOUR MOBILE SUITS AND LAUNCH IMMEDIATELY. AN ARMED GROUP HAS APPEARED IN THE NORTHERN HANGER. REPEAT..."[/b] The sleepy garrison aboard Habitat 34 erupted into activity as soon as the message was received and reports began to flood in from those who left the hanger. Half-dressed soldiers dropped out of bunks, scrambling to dress themselves as foot soldiers armed up and began to pile into transports. Hangers filled with mechanics as Redcoats and Tommy's were quickly armed with whatever was on hand. All the while the Garrison commander argued with the other officers, practically entering a shouting match with them over weather or not to send a message to Annona. As politics entered the play, the mobile suits began to leave the hanger. One, then two, then ten. Claxxons were set off and alarms blared to worn the citizenry to leave the streets as the Zern Mobile suit forces thundered forth. Redcoats and Tommy's ran shoulder to shoulder, boosting down the two lane streets as they blitzed towards their destination. Little attention was paid to the streets below their feet, anyone with any sense of survival had long since cleared the way. It wasn't long before the hanger came into visual range and the Zern MS slowed. They began to split up, intent on breaching the hanger from all three entryways at once. Weapons at the ready a group of four mobile suits made their approach towards the open central door of the hanger as two teams of three MS each came in from the east and western doors...