Yet even after the talking, and the briefings, and the endless checks were finished Skye found herself in the cockpit of her mobile suit. Waiting. Just like she always did.
It was something she had grown accustomed to, but this time it was different. Skye did her best to deliberately feel irritated, allowing her frustration to twist her face and reduce her responses to the launch crew and her comrades to mere grunts. She was desperate to distract herself from the fact her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Skye ended up gripping the control sticks inside her cockpit and squeezing them as hard as she could. Breathing in and out, in and out, in as a controlled a manner as possible. Making sure her comms were turned off so no one could hear her.
For all her impatience to skip the chatter and the grandiose rituals that proceeded the launch, Skye was just as eager to avoid the unpleasant parts of the launch...
The scary parts.
Skye had never told anyone, but when she closed her eyes she could see everything that happened in her father's rocket play out in front of her. She could feel the force of gravity beating down on her and the rocket shaking as they escaped the planet's atmosphere. She could still see her father's face and hear her own cheers as they saw the stars through the debris field above them. And she could feel the pain as she was slammed back in her seat as something hit them, once, twice, three times. Nothing she could do, or ever hope to do, could ever erase the memory of staring down at the blue planet through a wall of flames as her father desperately clutched the controls as the rocket plummeted back to Earth.
It was her first time going to space in what might as well have been half a lifetime for her. Skye had always felt the resources were in place to send her up. And no matter the justifications or the insistencies from her superiors, the propaganda girl always had a feeling that didn't fully believe in her. That they knew that she was afraid, that she could very well choke if she were sent back up in the blackness she had once fallen from.
And deep down Skye was afraid they were right.
Yet as Skye sat and ruminated, the launch countdown had begun and the Emperor's speech reached her over her radio. Sitting and listening, something hot began to build up in her gut. Bit by bit her hands stopped shaking, but her grip on her controls only grew tighter with every word.
In a few poetic, regal words Skye was reminded of the anger beneath the fear she held. Anger and hatred that no amount of self-preservation or even reason could hold back. Because no matter how scared she might have been, how eager she was to avoid ever seeing what she did on her father's rocket, nothing would stop her from ensuring the canners in space could never close their eyes without seeing something far more terrible.
No distance would keep her from making them suffer, and Skye reminded herself there was nothing she would not do to reach them.
And in an instant the rockets began to move and Skye was forced back into her seat, the world reduced to rumbling and constant shaking as the world streaked past. Skye closed her eyes, not to avoid seeing what was in front of her, but to remind her of why she fought and why she needed to kill as many enemies as she could.
When the rocket came to a stop Sky opened her eyes, wincing slightly as light poured in from the slowly opening side of the rocket. The walls and floors of the drum-shaped cockpit she sat in showed the surroundings of her Astro Flag as it's sensors kicked on. Engaging the battery Skye swore she could almost feel a low thrum of energy pass through her fingertips as the mechanisms and systems of her Flag flared to life. The control sticks she had clutched like vice grips on the way up suddenly felt natural and easy to move, requiring almost not thought or effort to do so.
Tyr's voice came over the radio and Skye could only smirk as she pulsed the vierners on the side of her Flag and gently 'rolled' it out the side of the rocket as the clamps released. The feeling of weightlessness took Skye off guard and she felt her stomach squirm inside her as the Flag rolled out into open space. Skye looked up, or technically down, at the planet, barely able to see the blue of the planet through the smog like haze and visible chunks of debris.
A twist of her controls and the vierners on the opposite side of her machine pulsed with small, visible blue jets. In an instant the Flag came to a stop, it's folded up space-craft like form pointed towards the large debris field ahead of them. As Skye looked around and took in her surroundings, a sudden surge of energy shot through her. The blue haired girl couldn't stop herself from letting out a laugh and grinning, the realization of how close she was finally hitting her. She looked straight ahead and engaged her thrusters.
"Roger that Tyr, I'll take the lead! Try to keep up!" Skye called out over the radio, and immediately engaged the Flag's thrusters before any objections could be raised.
Immediately Skye was slammed back in her seat as the large thruster array at the rear of the flag flared to life. One moment her Flag was near her rocket and the next it was shooting forward like a shot from a railgun, intense blue flames radiating from her engines as the Flag itself was reduced to a mere blue blur against the drab background of space. The G-forces Skye felt pushing on her were intense, but she smiled through it all and howled over the radio.
@BlackMaiden@Phoenix347@WXer "Yeah, yeah, sure kid. It's nice to meet you too, I guess." Skye muttered in response, staring in disbelief at the girl before pushing up her aviators. Behind their obscuring lenses Skye rolled her eyes, not believing the claims of the so called 'doctor' for a second. Yet as she turned to face the front of the room, she found Roose coming to her side and speaking at her. Brows knit in irritation Skye crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes in irritation as she leaned back in her seat and tilted her heat up to look at Roose from her sitting position.
"Wait, so that kid is a doctor?" Skye asked, her face hardening as one of her hands wandered and ran down one of her prosthetic legs. "In that case Doctor Kid should stay out of our way. Unless she's going to be doing something actually useful, like fighting, scavenging, or fixing our suits, then I don't really see a need to have her around."
The ace pilot shook her head dismissively as she turned her gaze to the front of the room as the presentation began.
The first few seconds had Skye gripped with an eagerness to hear what they would be doing. Within seconds however Skye could feel her eyes begin to glaze over as soon as it became clear that this would be a 'defensive' mission. The potential for new parts and better supplies was normally an interesting prospect. But Skye wasn't going to be rooting around in a dust old ship filled with skeletons and pissed off ghosts, she was going to be stuck waiting around with her thumb up her ass with Captain Headphones. Her first mission back in space needed to be marked by drawing blood from at least one Canner, otherwise what was the point. With a bored expression Skye leaned back in her seat, baring through the brunt of the briefing before questions came up.
Skye was the first to raise her hand, speaking immediately as she did so.
"With all due respect sir, shouldn't we have someone on the offensive?" Skye asked bluntly."You said it yourself, the canners have gotten faster with their response times. Its not a matter of if they'll show it, it's a matter of when. Sitting around outside the ships and waiting for them to come to us is only going to waste manpower. But if one of us was sent out, then we could intercept the canners in the debris field. It's big, but there's only so many routes you can take without getting torn apart. Plus an interception could help delay the dirty Canners and buy the salvage time to get more materials to bring back."
@BlackMaiden@Phoenix347 "General." Skye greeted shortly after entering, straightening her body and snapping a respectful salute. A small smile traced the girl's face as she sat down at the very front of the room, closest to the monitor and the ones speaking. An intense impatience still brimmed in Skye's chest, leaving her arms and legs restless the moment she planted herself in one of many uncomfortable plastic chairs filling the briefing room. Despite this Skye found the patience to sit still, or as still as she could muster. Seeing the General, and knowing the time of launch was soon at hand, Skye felt more at ease and even a little relaxed.
"Captain headphones over there can talk all he wants. As long as the General has my back I know I'll never get grounded, especially not over some noble sleezeball. At least not for long anyway. George hasn't had my back this long just to suddenly turn around now, he knows what I can do."
Skye adjusted her aviators as she leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms and slouching in her seat in a vain attempt to get more comfortable in the glorified iron maiden of a chair she found herself in. Despite her renewed patience however only a couple seconds passed before Skye straightened out in her chair, turning her legs so they went over the side as she looked around the room.
"Alright, who do I have to punch in the arm for holding up the damn briefing?" Skye muttered, making note of who had arrived and who was seeming absent.
Skye stopped and stared as she spotted someone leaning against one of the back walls. Flowing white hair going down to their shoulders and a purple, soccer-ball sized object held against their hip. The ace pilot blinked several times, actually taking off her aviators in order to make sure she wasn't seeing things. After a few seconds of questioning her eyesight Skye called out.
"Hey, kid!" Skye said, rapping one of her prosthetic legs against the metal leg of her chair to call attention to herself. "The soccer field is outside. This is a military meeting, for grownups. Take your purple soccer ball and skedaddle."
@veenknight343@Phoenix347 "It's meat. The only thing I care about, and the only thing that I need to know about it is that it tastes good and that its cooked properly." Skye rolled her eyes, rebuffing Nathan's pedantic explanation of her poor meat based terminology. The last few pieces of her steak disappeared into her mouth, quietly and angrily chewed as she felt a sting in her chest at the Lion's comment.
Skye felt a small, momentary comfort as she heard Nathan admit his limited experience in space. Between her headphone draped commander and The Lion, Skye feared being overshadowed. However it was clear that it was simply a matter of shuffled accomplishments. Her Commander had more experience in space, but less kills then her, and the Lion had more kills but barely anymore experience in the void then she had been allowed.
The poster girl was beginning to feel more at ease when Nathan's question caught her off guard.
For several seconds Skye said nothing before slowly, deliberately turning her head and looking towards Nathan. Reaching a hand up she took off her aviators, eyes narrowed into knife like slits as she picked up her fork and pointed it at the princely pilot with her free hand.
"He had a fall and cracked his own head open on the floor, Nathan. So I'd advise you against going around saying stuff like that again or making assumptions. I'm also sure that you know that if he had made a comment on my legs, he'd have been taken out of the hanger in a bodybag rather then a stretcher."
Lowering her fork and dropping it on her tray, Skye pushed herself up out of her bench seat. Lifting her legs over to the other side of the bench, metal clacking as she did so, Skye continued staring down Nathan before putting her shades back on. She ran a hand back through her blue hair, breathing deep before speaking again.
"Your kill count is bigger then mine for now, Lion. But lets see how long you get to keep your bragging rights after I'm let loose up in the big black void for a few missions. I assure you that they'll be staking corpses like quart wood when I get my shot at them."
The resolution left Skye's lips in a firm tone through nearly gritted teeth. She turned her head towards Tyr and snapped an obligatory salute.
"I'll be waiting in the briefing room if you need me, sir. The sooner we can get up there the better..."
Turning from the table Skye walked out of the mess hall and back out into the base, praying the half and hour till the briefing passed swiftly...
@WXer@Phoenix347@veenknight343 “Oh come on, don’t give me any of that limp-wristed guilt crap.” Skye groaned irritably to Roose, her aviator shapes slipping down to reveal her eyes as she looked to him.
“We’re warriors. Our job is to kill people and break shit for a paycheck or our beliefs. Anything else we accomplish is a secondary consequence of the first two actions. If you’re not comfortable killing a lot of people and keeping score, then get a job sweeping floors somewhere. Because the only way this war is going to end is if we put enough of our enemies in the ground. Or in the Canners case, the cold vacuum of space.”
Pushing her shades back up, Skye directed a glare towards Tyr from behind the concealing lenses. She tried to focus on cutting up the rest of her meat, but it was difficult not to feel a tinge of anger. Was her superior trying to downplay her accomplishments? She’d been on more missions overall. Even if they weren’t in space, or against the canners, didn’t mean they were pointless or easy.
“I’d have twice as many space launches as you Headphones if they’d just let me go up.” Skye thought to herself, feeling her chest begin to tighten. It was difficult not to feel at least a little inadequate next to someone who had been doing what she wanted to do for years. She wasn’t sure why she had been barred from space until recently. It was always excuses of how ‘local problems need attention first’ or ‘we need people to focus on the hordes’, or some believable yet flimsy justification.
“Today will be the first time in space since…”
Skye’s jaw suddenly clenched at the thought and she found her legs, the legs she no longer had, beginning to hurt.
Suddenly, her train of thought was derailed entirely at the mention of the other poster child. Immediately Skye let out an exasperated groan, leaning back in her seat at the realization.
“Aw, crap. He’s here? Yeah I’ve heard of Mr. Psychic. Kind of hard not to given our ‘shared line of work’. I don’t need any guidance from him, or anyone else for that matter.” Skye asserted to Tyr as she went back to digging into her meat, already through half of the sizable steak and reached out to eat the ‘meat’ soaked bread from her old food tray.
“Correction: This is where the cool kid sits, Lion.” Skye noted to Hesse as he sat down, emphasizing the singular nature of the coolness present before pausing briefly. “Though given Boarman got this fresh meat for us, I’d say he’s pretty close to being cool. He’s at least 20% cooler then he was before I got to eat this steak, porkchop, thing. Even if he is a bit whiny about kill counts…”
Muttering the last part to herself as Roose left the mess hall, Skye finished the last of her steak and pushed her plate away from her. Her attention was fully on the new arrival and she grinned, leaning into her hand as she tried to gauge him.
“Nice to meet you for the first time, Lion. We were just talking about how much experience we do, or don’t, have. However given how everyone in this room knows you who are, I don't think you need to say much. Unless of course you want to try and see how we all measure up."
Skye silently fist-pumped upon hearing the mere half an hour ETA to her launch. Immediately her impatient boredom gave way to elation. A proper smile spread across her face as she lifted her head off her hand, her back straightening as she drummed the back of her prosthetic legs against the bench beneath her.
"Yeah, yeah, we can handle on the boring crap once we get back planetside after the operation." Skye said with a dismissive wave. "And don't worry, the only people who are going to end up hurt or dead after between now and our return are the dirty canners we're bound to run into."
Skye's mouth twisted back into an grimace, teeth bared as she growled out the spacenoid slur. She could feel a warmth in the back of her throat just thinking about them. Already her excitement was dulled at the potential headache the incident in the hanger could cause. There was no fear in Skye's mind of actually being in any danger of suffering any meaningful punishment, but Tyr's tone and insistence was already grating on her nerves.
"Of course that inquiry is only going to happen if he comes back alive from this." Skye thought to herself, her face relaxing at the thought. "If this guy really is some tight-assed pencil pusher then the canners or Ghosts will pull him apart like fresh bread."
Her smirk returning Skye made an explicit point to ignore Tyr's cautionary warning regarding the food. After nearly drowning in her own vomit filled helmet early in her career, Skye had learned how to hold her lunch while flying. She also made it a point to never go into combat without feeling full.
Skye remained silent as Roose returned, listening only partially as she began to lose herself in her thoughts. The mention of the mere three sorties left Skye grimacing, rolling her eyes behind the obscuring safety of her dark aviator sunglasses. Silently praying that she wasn't the only member of the unit with real combat experience inside a suit.
The blue haired girl's dismay transformed to surprise however as Roose continued and she leaned over, staring at the man for a few moments in shock.
"Holy shit, Boarman. You're a headhunter?" Skye asked, momentarily suspicious of his claim. "That almost makes up for the fact that you're practically a toddler when it comes to MS combat. Still, if you can find the enemy like you found that pig, then we'll be doing more then bringing home the bacon!"
Skye gave Roose a wide smile, which grew even wider when the three steaks were set down on the table. Reaching forward she snagged one of the well done steaks and pulled it towards her. Knick and fork in hand she began cutting off bites and pressing them into her mouth. Immediately her eyes began to water as she chewed, feeling the soft crispy crunch of the charred, buttery exterior of the steak.
Was it a steak if the meat wasn't beef? Was it a porkchop if it was made from pork? Skye didn't know and didn't care in equal amounts. All that mattered was that the bits of animal flesh she put into her mouth tasted great. After a few moments of savoring the meat, Skye redirected her attention back towards her superior.
"I've flown sixty seven sorties since the start of my career." Skye said nonchalantly, clearing her throat as she chewed "And those are official, COMBAT, sorties. None of those glorified test flights or movie shoots they have me do for the propaganda reels. As for the unofficial sorties I've flown...I'll just leave that to your imaginations."
It was tempting to admit how much more she had done without the watchful supervision of her previous superiors, but Skye didn't want to risk ruining the taste of her steak with more empty threats from her headphones wearing Centurion. Taking another large bite, Skye continued.
"I have a hundred and seventeen confirmed MS kills to my name. I don't know how many on the ground targets I've killed, but I'm sure the barbarians down south have me to thank for so many less mouths to feed." Another piece of steak found its way into Skye's mouth as she basked in the warm glow of her accomplishments.
"As for launches..." Skye's chewing slowed and her smile shrank as her voice trailed off.
"It's been a while since I've gone up into space. Not for lack of desire of course. But the big-wigs have kept me skybound for quite a while." Skye's grip tightened around her knife as she drove it through the top of her steak, slowly twisting it...
"But unlike some of the people here, I've actually gone up before. So whatever concerns you have, thrown them away. Going up is the easy part, it's what comes afterwards that's really dangerous."
"Clear as crystal, sir." Skye replied with a small salute and a not so small smile. She regarded Tyr with amusement as she continued to wolf down the pieces of cardboard masquerading as meat on her tray. It hadn't been the first time she had been stuck with a stuffy superior, but most of them were old men or women. At a glance Skye couldn't imagine her superior being more then a few years older then she was. The idea of having a superior potentially younger then her was amusing, though the humor became less pleasing when she realized she'd likely be that 'young' superior after another promotion.
Pushing away her try Skye's eyes went to the stranger, the Carius who had blurted out something about a boar and a truck. She tilted her head, regarding him with narrowed eyes as he started talking again. It was plain to tell he was backpedaling hard on his previous claim, though the idea he wasn't lying about a proper boar was more surprising. "And he's not wrong about the rations here. Its entirely possible that these were dug out of the ground like most of the Empire's equipment and mobile suits. After all if something like my Flag can sit preserved underground for centuries then canned food or retort pouches aren't off the table..."
As Roose walked past Skye looked down at her empty tray, the dark rapidly solidifying 'BBQ Sauce' left on it leaving unsettling thoughts about what she might have just eaten. Turning around Skye quickly shouted to to Roose as he headed towards the kithcen.
"If you're not lying out your ass about that boar I want my cut as a steak, and make it well done!" Skye watched Roose until he disappeared before turning her facing her superior. Still seated at the dining hall bench she regarded Tyr for a few moments before resting her head in her hands, adjusting her aviator sunglasses with a single finger.
"Why not take a seat, sir? If Boarman back there actually has what he claims then it seems we're in for a proper pre-flight meal for a change. Speaking of flights, do you have an ETA on when we actually get to launch? My baby has been sitting in the hanger for the past three hours prepped for space combat. I've been waiting on the greenlight so long that I feel like my skin is starting to crawl. I'm itching to get up into space and start doing some real work."
@WXer@Phoenix347 Skye had managed to find herself a seat at an otherwise empty lunch table and set her plastic tray down to begin eating. The mess hall was sparsely populated as most personnel were out working in preparation for the launch. Those who were in the mess hall were either kitchen staff, those designated to deliver food, those who had skipped eating to get through their work, or those skimping out on their duties to get a bite to eat. Though Skye realized that she was likely the only one who fit into the last category as she scraped up a spoonful of the 'meat' in the thick red sauce in the center of the tray.
Just as she lifted the bite to her mouth however she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, lifting her eyes and finding herself faced with an unfamiliar face. As soon the introduction was made and the stranger's rank made clear, Skye rose out of her seat and snapped into a semi-reluctant salute. She smiled as she glanced over the purple haired man in front of her, noting the headphones on his head as she took in his appearance.
"This shrimp is my new superior?" Skye thought to herself, eyes narrowing for a moment. "I wonder if he actually has any real experience or if he's just another member of the esteemed 'Chairforce' the Empire seems to have so many of. If he's all just show then I won't have him as my superior for long after we go up."
Straightening her back Skye opened her mouth to speak, only to stop dead and glance over Tyr's shoulder as another stranger snapped into a salute and exclaimed something about a boar. Blinking and tilting her head, Skye was stunned into silence and left only able to stare at the man. Slowly she drew her gaze back to Tyr, doing her best to compose herself and clearing her throat as she opened her mouth properly to speak to her new superior.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, sir." Skye said, dropping her hand out of her salute and sitting back down, the back of her prosthetic legs knocking against her bench seat as she did so. "That person in the hanger wasn't a soldier and I certainly didn't injure them."
Snatching her fork off the table, Skye took a bit of the 'meat' on her plate and immediately winced at the sharp artificial barbeque flavor. An unsettling chemical aftertaste lingered on the meat, making her wonder if she should continue eating before immediately taking another bite. The taste was off, but it filled her stomach and even the bad taste helped satiate her boredom with its peculiar depth. As she took continued to eat, she continued to talk.
"I didn't get their name, only that they were part of the Beloth Intelligence Agency. Or claimed to be anyway." Skye said between bites. "They approached me when I was working on my unit and started asking me a number of rather personal questions. I slid out from under my machine to speak with them face to face, but before I knew it the man had fallen over me and smashed his head clean into the floor. I could have just as easily busted my head open because of their clumsiness."
Skye glanced up from her plate, locking eyes briefly with Tyr as she put a particularly stringy piece of 'meat' into her mouth and spoke as she chewed.
"From the looks of it, the fool smashed his head pretty hard, might have even broken his neck. Thankfully the other engineers were quick to run over after they heard the noise, though I'm certain none of them saw him actually fall. What an unfortunate, unavoidable tragedy." The blue haired girl shook her head, the 'regretful' tone in her voice failing to match the barely visible smirk on her lips as she continued to eat her plate of 'meat'.
The Pork Empire was first founded, in a sense, in the year 20xx after the defeat of the alien invader Gigas. Escaping following his destruction using the stolen Phase Distorter time machine, Porky Minch began to travel as far as possible into the future. As he traveled he collected technology, brainwashing individuals, gathering resources, and eventually built his own army. Farther and farther he traveled into the future until ending up in the present and losing the ability to travel any further.
Porky Minch had ended up suffering from accelerated aging as a result of his abuse of the incomplete Phase Distorter. However he found himself with an army in the Nowhere Islands, home to naive and easily manipulated residence with limited technology and no concept of money. Leveraging his new army and vast resources, he slowly spread his influence through the isles using agents and ploys. Physically and cybernetically altered animals known as 'Chimera' were created and spread to sow fear and chaos among the populace. This set the stage for his agents to introduce a modern economy and garner enough influence in the lives of the residents that he effectively controlled them.
Modern housing, roads, highways, powerplants, and entire cities were built and it wasn't long before Porky had established himself as the true ruler of the Nowhere Islands. Having a 'grand' city built for himself he declared himself 'King P.' and quickly set about having his way with the Nowhere Islands. Statues were built in his name, a research facility was erected, the army was expanded, more roads and highways put down through the once untouched wilderness, and all manner of twisted creatures and constructs were created.
However it wasn't long before opposition slowly began to rise within the population. Though a majority of the gormless residents bent to his will, a select band of unusual individuals plotted to destroy him. Made up of a vengeful man named Cliff, his two psionically gifted sons, a 'Princess' from a ruined castle, a pair of thieves both father and son, and a meddling monkey.
After a few years however their efforts to destroy him ended in tragedy and the fledging resistence was squashed. With seemingly no more opposition left to stop him, King P. was allowed to do as he pleased. Yet it wasn't long before he had done almost everything he had wanted with the Nowhere Islands and set his eyes out on the rest of the world.
With seemingly no opposition to stop him and the gormless residents bent to his will, Porky was allowed to do as he pleased. However he had suffered tremendously advanced aging due to his abuse of the prototype Phase Distorter, leaving him an elderly man with the mind of a child. It wasn't long before he began to grow bored of the Nowhere Islands and set his eyes out on the rest of the world...
Territory
The Pork Empire's territory is currently composed of the entirety of the Nowhere Islands an isolated, but verdant island archipelago entirely untouched by pollution or human exploitation until quite recently. While the landmass itself is small, it has incredibly diverse biomes ranging from mountains, a desert, temperate forests, tropical jungles, grasslands, and even expansive cave networks.
A number of ruins ranging from old castles, to crypts, to strange crumbling stones dot the Nowhere Islands, remnants of a civilization that potentially existed on the island before even the original residents. Outside of the desert the entirety of the Nowhere Islands is arable land and the abundance of natural wildlife allows for easy and plentiful living even with sub-par agricultural techniques.
Only a small portion of the Nowhere Islands has proper infrastructure however with most of the roads, highways, powerplants, and cities being incredibly new to the island. A large expanse of the islands still remains untouched with dirt roads and simpler means of transportation being required to reach certain areas. This leaves plenty of room for expansion, but makes it somewhat difficult for invaders and defenders alike to travel quickly through most of the island interior.
Populace
The original population of the Nowhere Islands were made up of normal, otherwise baseline humans with higher then normal latent Psi potential. The Nowherelander population of the island was originally around just 160,000 people, but the arrival of Porky also brought an additional 400,000 people to the island.
Government
The Pork Empire is an absolute monarchy in the most blunt and simplistic way possible. Porky Minch's word and whims are law. The people have no representation at all and no say in anything that goes on. Those who are apart of the Pigmask Army, the Empire's primary military force, have more influence and privilege's then the average citizen, but are still ultimately subject to their King's childish whims.
In this respect the Pork Empire is incredibly efficient in that there is virtually nothing resembling bureaucracy. Porky Minch makes a demand or decree, tells someone in an appropriate part of the Empire (be it a scientist or soldier) and the demand is carried out to the best of the Empire's abilities. Should the demand be met then all is well, and should the demand fall short then punishments will be doled out for the unspeakable crime of making the king bored.
While overly simplistic, the government of the Pork Empire is firmly capitalist albeit with an iron grip over the economy. The implementation of money was a deliberate act to erode the 'backwards' communal lifestyles of the residents of Nowhere Island. A strong emphasis is put on accruing wealth, resources, and producing things within the Pork Empire.
Leader & Figures of Importance
History
King P. needs no introductions.
Personality
This would naturally be a big part of things if this was a proper sheet that was going to be applied.
Abilities
Psionics!
Culture and Society
Prior to King P.'s arrival and subsequent takeover, the culture of the Nowhere Islands was one rooted in communal living. Concepts such as money did not exist and goods were freely taken and exchanged as they were required by others. There was no body of government outside of meetings between the members of the community themselves and law was treated in a simple, forgiving manner. Most lived in pre-modern villages bereft of electricity or any particularly modern technologies. Emphasis was placed on a self-sustaining, almost naturalist lifestyle with great care being taken to care for and respect the environment spurred on by the mass ecolological devastation of the past.
That all changed when Porky came.
It wasn't long before the existing community lifestyle of the Nowhere Islands was smashed to pieces with the implementation of money, the introduction of convenient life-improving technologies, the squashing of troublesome individuals, and mass brainwashing efforts. Slowly the culture of the Nowhere Islands began to change from a naturalist utopia into a dystopian society based around blind production, consumption, and convenience.
The simple, restrictive, often dull lives of the Nowherelanders where changed forever with the introduction of television, electricity, and processed foods. Suddenly things became easier, faster, and that much more pleasing. Their long history of communal living was thrown away and intentionally destroyed by King P. Replaced with a crude facsimile of modern society that he remembered from his own timeline. In a sense the culture of the Pork Empire is insincere and fake, a cardboard cutout of what a modern society should be with nothing beyond the colorful exterior but darkness and emptiness.
Technology
Prior to the establishment of the Pork Empire, the Nowhere Islands were a pre-industrialized society. All with dirt roads, traditional wooden houses, handmade clothes, wood stoves, hand tools, and more. Though the Thieves in Tazmily Society, who acted as secret protectors in case of some unforeseen danger, possessed advanced explosive making techniques these still used natural materials collected from the environment and the native creatures within it.
After the mass modernization efforts by the Pork Empire the average technological level of the Pork Empire was elevated to the technological level of the 1990s. With factories, paved roads, electricity in every, mass produced appliances, televisions, a railroad system, and processed foods. However the research and military elements of the Pork Empire possessed even more advanced technology including handheld particle weaponry, advanced robotics, and hovercraft technology.
Unique Technologies
Chimera Technology A 'Chimera' is a biological organism modified with cybernetics or elements from another living creature, accomplished through extensive surgery, genetic modification, or fusion techniques. This line of research allows the Pigmask Army to create a myriad of fantastical and highly dangerous creatures through the simple combination or alteration of existing wildlife. All Chimeras are given some rudimentary element of intelligence or control, allowing them to be commanded and directed in combat with ease. Many Chimera are developed for utility purposes, such as fish capable of generating an incredibly high amount of bio-electricity, used to power many of the Pork Empire's power plants.
While filled with potential and allowing the Pork Empire to make all manner of dangerous weapons, the processes and techniques behind Chimeras are inherently immoral. Effectively tearing apart creatures against their will while they're still alive and assembling them into either cold, unfeeling weapons or monstrous beings left in a constant state of barely restrained berserker rage. Only the twisted mind of a child could happily and joyfully greenlight such projects without so much as a hint of regret or hesitation.
PSI identification and amplification
Units
Regular Infantry
Enslaved Monkey: A small monkey fitted with a high-voltage collar, trained to obey orders without hesitation or question lest they experience extreme pain. Used for menial labor, delivering orders, and doing jobs most won’t risk their life for, these monkeys are surprisingly intelligent (moreso then Pigmask Grunts). While not strong, they are capable of mimicking the techniques of others. They are naturally disloyal and will turn off their ‘allies’ if given the opportunity.
Pigmask Scientist: Are they a doctor? Are they a scientist? Are they both or neither? Pigmask Scientists are King P.’s researchers thrown in grey sterilized Pigmask uniforms. Unarmed save for their tools and chemicals, Pigmask Scientists are deployed in battle to help collect data and perform maintenance on the advanced vehicles, equipment, and Chimera. They are fitted with an enviormental suit, protecting them from biological weapons, poisons, and such.
Navy SQUEAL:Amphibious troops that operate as the Pigmask Grunt’s equivalent of sailors and Marines. They are capable of fighting in deep depths thanks to their high-tech diving suits and meager pay bump for the extra danger they put themselves in. Lightly armed compared to the Grunts with only an energy carbine, they are capable of moving through and attacking from water without penalty.
Pigmask Captain: Garbed in striking blue uniforms, Pigmask Captains are better paid and (at least on paper) more capable than grunts, Pigmask Captains carry energy pistols, pepper spray, and are better trained in melee combat capable of dealing lethal hits with their fat fists and heavy kicks. Their presence improves the morale of grunts through idle threats and lots of shouting.
Pigmask Major: Pigmask Majors are aggressive troops garbed in bright green uniforms duel wielding energy pistols and specializing in bum-rush attacks. Their extensive melee combat training allows them to use a series of joint strikes to induce numbness in enemies. They carry a significant quantity of sticky time bombs and a large satchel charge often thrown as a last resort, or during a cowardly retreat.
Pigmask Colonel: The top of the food chain of the Pigmask Army just below the Pork Troopers and King P. himself. Dressed in white with a flowing cape, Pigmask Colonels are equipped with an energy pistol and an energy sword. Their fear of demotion makes them incredibly fierce in close quarters combat and their authority has a much more significant effect on Grunts and those beneath them. Their sheer verbal abuse can even affect enemy troops, lowering their offensive abilities.
Chimera Infantry
Boa Transistor: A Boa Constrictor whose body has been entirely replaced by robotic parts save for its brain. With titanium skin it moves quickly, capable of scouting out areas and patrolling for enemies. It is equipped with an alarm that it can sound to alert allies to an enemy presence. It can bite enemies using its metallic jaws and fire off a “DUM-E” beam capable of temporarily impairing the thought processes of targets.
Einswine: A regular pig with a brain case fitted to the top of its head, filled with a nutrient fluid suspending a modified human brain inside. These disturbing Chimeras aren’t physically capable but possess powerful Psi powers that they can reliably unleash on foes. It is capable of using pyrokinetic, electrokinetic, and brainshock abilities. Being mostly normal pigs however they are somewhat fragile and less than acrobatic.
Firefly Swarm: House flies fused with cheap lighters and turned into living golf ball sized incendiary devices. Flying towards designated targets in swarms they explode, doomed to a single-use existence in order to set enemies or areas ablaze. While their small size makes them hard to hit they are incredibly vulnerable and quick to die, they are by design cheap and capable of setting forests or regular buildings ablaze in an instant.
Really Flying Mouse: Mice fitted with propeller blades around their necks and small jet engines in their rears. They can hit speeds up to 40 miles an hour and are highly maneuverable. Small and easy to make, these RFMs are capable of flying into targets and cutting into them like a buzz saw. While not exactly sturdy and just as easily killed as a regular mouse, they are fast and maneuverable. They can be used to seriously injure ground targets and wear down aerial targets, typically by suiciding into them or getting sucked into their engines.
Hippo Launcher: Amphibious anti-armor Chimeras produced from a Hippopotamus and a rocket launcher system. At a glance they appear to be regular hippopotamus’s, save for the unsightly brown discoloration on their rear marking the maintenance and ammo hatch. That is until they open up their mouth and fire off a flurry of unguided rockets. Slow moving, but heavily armored and capable of traveling through water with ease, Hippo Launchers are formidable chimeras capable of blowing apart heavily armored targets and vehicles. Being a Hippopotamus they are also very dangerous up close and can maul infantry in close quarters. They are however prohibitively expensive and were initially made for King P.’s birthday.
Horsantula: Horses are fast, so why not give them more legs? In fact why not give them spider legs? Straight out of someone’s nightmare the Horsantula is a fast moving anti-infantry Chimera capable of brutalizing enemies with kicks, venomous fangs, and sprays of potent poison. It’s somewhat fragile, but it makes up for it with the sheer distance it's able to clear and it's frankly terrifying appearance.
Mecha-Lion: A properly completed Lion Chimera with 90% of all living tissue stripped away and replaced with cybernetics, with only the brain and select muscle tissue kept and maintained for improved performance. Equipped with a buzz saw main, razor sharp steel teeth, a poisoned spiked tail, and a flamethrower built into the back of its mouth, the Mecha-Lion is an aggress cybernetic killer ideal for cutting down men.
Mecha-Turtle: A large turtle Chimera cut down the middle and heavily modified with cybernetic implants. The rear of its shell has been heavily reinforced with titanium plating, following out and filled with a weapons platform containing a rotary gatling gun, two machine guns, and a pair of multi-tube missile launchers. To better facilitate movement the rear legs of the turtle have been replaced with treads, turning it into a kind demented half-track. A helmet-like apparatus has been fixed to the turtle’s head, given it increased protection and optical sensors. While heavily armored and heavily armored, the Mecha-Turtle isn’t any faster than it was as a regular hurtle. It is best suited for defense, using its anti-infantry and anti-aircraft capabilities to defend or lock down areas.
Reconstructed Caribou: A gentle caribou modified extensively with mechanical cybernetics and turned into an aggressive berserker for the Pigmask Army. Lacking any armaments the Reconstructed Caribou relies on its speed and its antlers, releasing thick obscuring clouds of steam from its internal systems before charging into enemies with the force and speed of a truck, skewering them on its horns.
Reconstructed Lion: Lion Heads left over from failed Mecha-Lion Chimeras, repurposed and mounted on a body of mechanical tentacles in order to not waste resources. Fast moving the Reconstructed Lion is capable of biting enemies, grappling them with its tentacles, and breathing fire from an apparatus in its neck. They are however somewhat fragile due to their ad-hoc nature.
Reconstructed Mole: A giant mole with its legs replaced with cybernetic implants and its front arms replaced with massive drills. Its eyes have been surgically removed and replaced with a bar sensor, allowing the Mole to see in the dark and operate above ground without any light sensitivity issues. While effective in melee, the Reconstructed Mole is intended more as a support unit. Capable of rapidly digging tunnels, burrowing trenches, and breaking down fortifications.
Rhinocerocket/Rhinocerocket Mark II: A chimera created using a rocket with the living head of a rhinoceros mounted on the end. Complete madness, the Rincocerocket is essentially missing with a living guidance systems. Incredibly fast and evasive, the Rincoerorocket flies towards a target and attempts to stab it with its horns, ramming through enemy lines. When it hits a target it can't bowl over, it explodes with tremendous force.
Squawking Boomstick: A chimera made up of a Sparrow head mounted on a stick. With poor balance, poor mobility, and limited offensive capabilities the 'Squawking Stick' was modified into a living bomb, waddling towards targets before detonating.
Mechanized Infantry
Atomic Power Robot: Round bulbous robots on four wheels, essentially mobile atomic reactors. Their primary function is to repair and recharge other robots using a nozzle like arm used for maintenance and plugging into other robots. While invaluable they are fragile and always explode upon being destroyed. While not going nuclear, their explosions are quite large and leave contaminants in the area they go up in.
Battery Man: A small, inexpensive robot whose body is composed of a high-capacity battery. While not capable of attacking targets, they can sacrifice themselves to re-charge or supercharge existing robots.
Clayman:The main source of dumb labor and brute force in the Pigmask Army. Claymen are large, humanoid lumps of clay standing about seven feet tall and weighing around 300 pounds or so. Through an electric device stored in its body connected to an antenna sticking out of its head, Clayman are animated and serve as simplistic automatons. Capable of hauling loads far in excess to what a regular human can, they make for brutal melee combatants being remarkably durable due to lacking any complex moving parts or vital organs. They do however require regular recharging via electric shocks or outlets and will slow down and become inert if they go without power for long enough. This setup however makes them effectively immune to electrical damage however, as overloads of electrical energy will supercharge them.
K9000: A vaguely canine robot with treads, a tail-like antenna at the back, and a large head that opens up at the bottom to release capsules containing small mini-mecha dogs. It is a unit that has no offensive capabilities on its own and is more akin to a miniature factory, spitting out swarms of destructive, miniature robots.
Minor Robot: A clumsy, rectangular robot with short arms and legs. Running of an armful of conventional batteries, the Minor Robot possesses little in the way of melee capabilities but sports a bomb launcher, an electrical arc emitter, and a DRoW-Z Beam that induces exhaustion and sleep. However its combat capabilities are hampered by its limited power supply, making it reliant on support units and mobile/stationary power sources to keep it going. Making it better suited for defense or as a cheap, throw away attack unit.
Recon Mech: A floating, pig-themed robot roughly the size of a soccer ball. Fast and featuring an array of sensors and communication devices, the Recon Mech’s purpose is mostly self-explanatory. Lacking any weapons its main purpose is to locate enemies and intruders, alerting all nearby using an irritating high-pitched alarm built into the unit.
Upgraded Robot: The upgraded version of the ‘Wobbly Robot’ a humanoid robot with terrible balance that was seemingly designed and produced with those flaws in mind. This upgraded model eliminates those issues, making some wonder why it wasn’t built this way to begin with. It uses its metal claw arms to bum-rush enemies, releasing a ‘forgetful’ gas to disrupt the special abilities of nearby enemy units, and firing off a powerful laser from it’s head.
Land Vehicles
Pork Bean: A hovercraft shaped like a bean and painted pink with the trademark Pigmask Army symbol. It is fast, durable, and capable of carrying up to 12 people. Instead of gas it runs off a battery, requiring only a recharge now and then to continue operation. It is the main form of ground transport for the Pigmask Army and is occasionally used as something akin to an APC. However for all its speed it's not particularly maneuverable and it has trouble avoiding collisions.
Pork Tank: A modern, sturdy, white-armor plated tank bearing the Pigmask symbol. Belching black smoke and propelled by a powerful engine, the Pork Tank is a slow, low mobility tank with strong armor and high durability. Though it lacks a machine gun, its main gun is quite powerful albeit still using a manual loader.
Air Vehicles
Pork Mothership: A massive flying vehicle fitted with powerful nuclear rocket engines and hover technology, making it akin to a stereotypical 'flying saucer'. While large and not particularly manueverable, it is quite durable and armed to the teeth. More then capable of transporting large quantities of goods, equipment, and units across almost any terrain and landing in otherwise dangerous or contested areas.
Special Units
Pork Troopers: Hulking, large armed men in custom fitted uniforms topped with horns. Equipped with protective padding, respirators, and steel gauntlets, Pork Troopers are some of the only truly physically and mentally capable soldiers in the Pigmask Army. Competent leaders and dangerous combatants devastated enemies in close quarters, rallying other Pigmasks with their raw strength. Troopers however are a rarity in the Pigmask Army and available in far fewer numbers.
Mecha-Drago: A truly horrific, yet incredible Chimera experiment. Augmenting the already ferocious Drago, a peaceful yet powerful creature of the Nowhere Islands, with extensive cybernetic enhancements. With tough blade proof hide, teeth capable of rendings steel as easily as flesh, and bone shaking war cries, the Drago is capable of stomping vehicles flat and biting men clean in half. It is also equipped with a flame cannon, installed into its body and firing out of its throat. While tremendously powerful they are also hideously expensive due to the difficulties and immense dangers with trying to capture so much as a single Drago. [Build Cap 1/1]
Mecha Porky: Robotic versions of Porky as a child, built for use as poor body doubles and remote units to allow Porky to interact with the world from relative safety. They are capable of attacking using their mechanical limbs and are equipped with PSI counters that reflect back psionic attacks. Each unit is equipped with a powerful explosive, allowing them to make suicide attacks and ensuring they damage enemies should they be destroyed exploding on death. [Build Cap: 11]
Steel Mechorilla
Ultimate Chimera: ???
Masked Man: A pair of extensively modified cyborgs built from the bodies of two young, powerfully PSI adept boys. Essentially a human Chimera the Masked Men are emotionless killing machines armed with advanced weapons and psionic powers. Their right arms are replaced with energy cannons, they wield energy swords, and utilize powerful electrokinetic attacks. With wings and jet thrusters the Masked Men possesses tremendous mobility. For all their power however they are entirely irreplaceable and only two can ever be built. [2/2]
Nation Traits
Land of Processed Food
The Pork Empire has a ravenous appetite that it knows how to satiate using whatever land is available to them. Any land under the control of the Pork Empire has its arability doubled and the amount of food produced using the land is doubled as well.
Immoral Science
The Pork Empire starts with more advanced technology then would be permitted otherwise and has bonuses for research and development due to the sheer unrestrained methods used. However because of these methods the Pork Empire ends up seen in an unfavorable light by any who know of their experimentations or research. Hindering them tremendously in the area of diplomacy.
The hangers of Port Algec were better then most of the hangers that Skye was accustomed to. When it came to storing 18 to 20 meter tall mobile suits the Empire often fumbled when it came to temporary storage and maintenance areas. Major cities and military bases had large, proper facilities with steel and concrete walls that felt appropriately safe to leave a mobile suit. Yet on the outskirts of the Empire however it was a blessing when Skye had an aircraft hanger just barely big enough to worm her unit into.
Hanger #3 was a 30 meters tall, 90 meters long steel skeleton plastered with corrugated sheet metal. It was badly lit, it was drafty, and the concrete floor was either too damp or too cold. And it was wonderful.
Lying on her back atop a glorified skateboard, Skye performed her third maintenance check that hour. The tedious task of opening the bottom leg panels of her Flag and carefully examining the joints helped to pass the time. Having solid concrete beneath her instead of just dirt, or god forbid sand, allowed Skye to focus more on the act of maintenance and less on the possibility of her mobile suit suddenly dropping down on her and popping her insides across the hanger like the world's most crippled zit.
The initial excitement Skye had felt upon hearing of her transfer, and the clear signs she would be heading to state, had quickly faded as time slowed to a crawl. Seconds stretched into minutes, minutes became hours, and hours felt like they never arrived to begin with. Boredom followed by irritation quickly consumed Skye's mind as she struggled to find ways to pass the time until she could climb into her mobile suit and do what she had dreamed of doing for close to a decade.
Eating clean through two standard issue rations (and a third 'bartered' from shifty mechanic), Skye inevitably found herself drawn to her flag. As soon as she approached the mechanics near it all but fled, and the ones who didn't quickly realized their mistake. While Skye did not consider herself an expert on mobile suits, and certainly not a researcher, she knew enough to know when someone was doing it wrong. And no one was allowed to fuck up working on her pride and joy.
A glare and a few idle threats allowed Skye to have her flag to herself without the need to start waving around a wrench like a club. Over the next hour and a half Skye had poured over her mobile suit three times, going through its systems again, and again, and again with a fine tooth comb. She didn't find anything wrong with it of course, but that was sort of the point. Better to find nothing the third time, then miss a major mechanical failure the first time.
It was much easier for Skye to lose herself in her work when left alone beneath the shade of her machine, allowing time to pass slightly faster. Her impatience however was persistent and even Skye could feel herself rapidly losing interest as she neared the completion of her third check. Still on her back, massive wrench in hand and impact driver on the floor, Skye finished sealing the last leg panel when she heard a voice from the front of the machine.
"Excuse me, have you seen Carius Everin Skye?"
As soon as she heard the words Skye placed her palms to the ground, lifted her legs up, and launched herself forward. The wheels of the board beneath her sent her shooting out from under the shade of the mobile suit and back into the light of the open hanger. Slamming her feet into the ground, a dull metallic 'clunk' sounding out through the soles of her shoes, Skye jerked her eyes towards the first person she saw.
"Oh gods, please tell me you're here to give me orders to launch!" Skye said, a pleading tone in her voice as her eyes readjusted to the light. As soon as she realized who she was staring up at however Skye's eyes rolled back in her head, a look of visible disappointment and bitter frustration flashing across her face as she laid back down on her board.
"Oh god damn it, what do you want?"
Standing beside her to the left of her board was a young man standing around 5 foot 8 with sandy blond hair and a neatly pressed and decorated uniform that made him stand out like an empty plate at a dining table. His blue eyes narrowed and his lips formed a thin line as he looked down at Skye, who partially reasserted herself back underneath her mobile suit pretending to work.
"I haven't said a word and this is how you treat me?" The young man asked and Skye simply scoffed, picking a wrench off the floor beside her.
"Well you're not here to give me orders to prepare for launch, so I don't really give a shit what you have to say." Skye said as bluntly as possible.
"Aren't you going to even ask who I am?" The blonde boy said, impatience growing in his voice as Skye refused to slide out to look him in the eye.
"A morale officer? The world's most persistent insurance salesmen? The one guy with the pegleg from Astra who I accidentally set on fire? If you are the last one by the way I'm still not apologizing, next time don't have a leg made of something that can absorb flammable fish-oils." Skye smiled beneath the machine, chuckling to herself as she feigned work.
Skye heard a deep, beleaguered sign from the blonde before she was suddenly pulled forward. Wheels spinning against the concrete Skye was jerked back into the light and left staring into the sapphire blue eyes of the blonde, leaned over and all but bellowing into her face.
"I'm the son of Havin Harkin, Havrok Harkin."
A moment of silence followed as Skye looked up, head cocked.
"And I should care...why?" She eventually asked, the stern force of the blonde men melting away as he leaned back up. He stared down at Skye, beside himself as he pressed a hand to his torso.
"Havrin Harkin, of House Harkin, one of the 13 noble households?"
"..." Skye blankly stared at the boy.
"One of the most fervent supporters of the imperial military since it's inception?"
"..."
"Producer of Harkins Hungies?"
"OH YEAH!" Skye's eyes widened in realization, slapping her hands together and pointing up at the blonde. "That stuff tastes like concentrated diabetes, but gods damned if it doesn't hit the spot after weeks of nothing but canned food. This isn't about that commercial thing, is it? Because I'm not having my face put on a gods damned cereal box, I have standards."
"Well it's nice that you know my prestigious family name from...peasant breakfast cereal. But no, it's not related to any sort of commercial deal, at least not directly."
Skye breathed a momentary sign of relief, leaning up on her workboard and wiping her grease laden hands on a work rag.
"That's great! Well what are you here for? Because I'm a very busy girl with a whole lot of fuck-all to do, and you're keeping me from it." Skye smiled as she spoke, making her to get the black out of her fingernails as Havrok simply glared down at her.
"I'm here about our arranged marriage."
Skye froze. Her smile remaining on her face as her mind went blank, taking several moments to process the information. Slowly she looked up, her smiling face rigid.
"Our arranged what-now?"
"Marriage. Holy Matrimony. The thing most peasants see as a suggestion rather then a binding union." Havrok said, frustration in his voice as he spoke down to Skye. The blue haired pilot continued to stare, blinking in confusion as the facts sank in. "Your boss, that famous propaganda film director, contacted my father and offered your hand in marriage. The paperwork was all filled out and signed three months ago"
"So THAT'S why he tried to order that fucking dress!" Skye blurted out, her face tensing up as she pushed herself off the floor and onto her feet. "Also, that camera monkey isn't my boss. My boss is a general and I'm a pilot first, and a glorified cereal mascot second. So whatever that unshaved prick told your father, it was a load of bullshit."
"Listen, I'm not exactly overjoyed at the idea of marrying the Empire's 'Wonder Cripple'. However my father has made up his mind and what my father says, goes. Besides its purely for career seasons. I need to cement my loyalty to the empire to climb higher in the Beloth Intelligence Agency, and marrying a 'famous' ace pilot is the effective way to do that."
Skye's eyes dropped to Havrok's uniform, her eyes narrowing in realization and recognition of the BIA's dress uniform. "Oh god, you're a spook! Yeah, this wasn't happening to begin with but it's definitely not happening now. Listen, Hoovin-"
"Havrok"
"Yeah, whatever. Let me make something clear to you and your father. There's only one love in my life and its 18 meters tall and casually breaks the sound barrier." Skye reached out a hand and slapped it firmly against the side of her mobile suit.
"Whatever you were told, or promised, or think you're owed is not happening. So turn around, walk out those hanger doors, and we can both forget any of this happened." Pointing over the blonde's shoulder Skye looked the boy dead in the eyes, receiving blue glare as the young man's face grew ever redder then it had before.
"Do you have any idea how long it took to find you? Much less arrive here? Do you have any idea who my father really is and the sway he holds?" Havrok said, practically spitting.
"Your father could be the king of fucking Pluto and I would still not give a shit about him, or you." Skye spoke coldly, her initial amusement rapidly souring into genuine anger. "I have no room for distractions in my life. If you get in the way of what I'm after I'll remove you like I have every other obstacle up until now."
"Is that a threat?" Havrok took a step back, aghast as Skye continued to stare him down.
"It's a fact. Now get the fuck out of my sight or you'll suffer the consequences of your stupid-fucking decisions." Skye's voice grew grave, arms at her side as she continued to stare the blonde noble boy down.
All but shaking Havrok moved forward, shoving his face into Skye's as her growled through rows of perfectly white gritted teeth. "Listen to me, you degenerate tomboy, I'm in a very bad spot at the moment and I have aspirations that you are in the way of. So you're going to marry me or I'm going to set your fictionalized joke of a pilot career aflame and force you to crawl on the ground like the broken little animal you are."
Skye said nothing for several moments. Her expression became blank and she looked down at the floor. Havrok took a step back, smiling in self satisfaction. Suddenly Skye looked up, reached out and placed her hands on Havrok's shoulders and nodded her head.
"I think you need a hug." Skye said.
"I'm sorry, a what-"
Skye's hands swept down, coiling around Havrok's waist and locking behind his back as she tipped backwards and pulled upwards.
In a single fluid motion Havrok was hoisted into the air as Skye fell backwards, her back bending as she pulled Havrok off his feet and slammed him skullcap first into the concrete. His head hit the ground with an audible force that echoed through the cavernous hanger. Immediately she let go, allowing her back to hit the ground as Havrok slowly tipped out of his nonconsensual headstand and crashed belly first onto the floor with a weak flop.
Within seconds several engineers in bright orange jumpsuits ran over, faces lit with confusion and concern.
"Oh gods, are you alright? What happened?" One of the engineers asked, offering a hand that Skye quickly accepted. Pulled to her feet Skye brushed herself off, feigning mild pain as she looked back at Havrok who remained motionless on the floor.
"He tripped over me and hit his head on the floor." Skye said. "Looks like he hurt himself pretty badly, you might want to get him to the infirmary. Try not to move his neck though, might have ended up broken or something."
"Y-yeah, r-right!" One of the engineers said and immediately ran off to find a medic. The other engineers remained at the young man's side, who remained motionless on the cold concrete floor, blood starting to stain the top of his blonde hair. Skye looked down once and immediately started to walk off, reaching into her uniform and pulling out a pair of aviator glass. Slipping them on she waved to the engineers behind her.
"Don't touch my suit, I'm going to get something to eat. I'll be back in a bit."
And without so much as a glance back, Skye walked away.
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