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Forum: Casual Interest Checks
@UltimoScorp Speaking of which, let us know when you fill the post you put in IC with content.
Goodz.
Despite the look of it all, situations were actually not that bad. Those who had charged into the trenches were not terribly wounded. They were just shocked by the horrors of close combat, right after a similar blow inflicted by the initial charge into war and death itself. Now, there was nothing small about that mental impact, but at least you were alive. You were alive and you had to find some way to live with yourself. Isaac tended to focus on his anger, tempered by years of being around wolves who channeled it naturally. This was not where he belonged. This was where he was forced to be, and that was a story similar with others. How many of them were taken, not volunteered? And how many out of the ones that DID volunteer really knew what they were getting into? Out of them all, Isaac and Britta were spared the up-close terror of real combat, thus far, because of their place in battle. One day, that was going to change, or they were going to be surrounded with no cover, or finding a grenade incoming. It was going to happen. They were trained to know that it was going to happen, just as everybody here was trained, as well.
Even still, the answers given on their current stannding were hopeful. Quite a few of them had lived.
Isaac nodded quietly as the crazy girl - Still hadn't caught her name. - and Michael explained briefly. The nod he gave was one of understanding, thanking them for putting up with this on top of stewing in their own remorse. Jean had been overcooked, but a couple of others - Diana and their other Sapper - were getting through to him. It was good, because it showed that the troope believed in him, believed he was worthy of them. A Darcsen in the middle of war probably needed a bit of validation, to be honest, and it was obvious that Middleton wasn't gonna give him any. Despite all things, though, Jean had Isaac's own respect. He'd made it here, he'd broken through the fear barrier, he had a competent plan - Admittedly, it was one that anyone could have come up with, but he shouted it first. - that got them up this hill - all things that deserved some notice. He didn't deserve the crumbling pressure that came with it, though, and again Isaac wished he could have taken the brunt of that instead of him.
They might have to talk about that later, and maybe there'd even be time to address that somewhere, but not here and now. The battle was over and they were all taking a rest to recover their senses, but...there was one more coming.
She arrived with very little warning, the pant of exhausted running having been the only sound before collapsing into the trench. It had been right near where Isaac and Britta had come in. She fell into the trench of Hill 58 with practically no energy left in her body, and so suddenly that everyone was surprised. Jean jumped, Isaac flinched, Britta's eyes widened, and so on. They all recognized her, immediately. It was Private Lucia, the girl that Middleton had ordered to kill anyone who retreated to their own trenches, despite the fact that she was not in any way ready for that kind of order. Several of them helped her to her feet, Britta being one of the ones asking why she was in a panic. Isaac didn't need to ask. He knew.
Good god, she had to do it... She had to kill one of our own people, and just because they were afraid...
Jean came up to her, trying to comfort the girl while Isaac thought of how he was going to deal with Middleton personally over this. Of all the tales of 'They never deserved this' there might be, the tale of Lucia might be the most compelling. It really didn't look that they were going to get through to her so easily, even though the crazy girl was not being particularly crazy at the moment, just offering her candy... However, right now, Jean asked if he and Michael would take the young girl somewhere less horrible. Not his words, just Isaac's own thoughts. This spot was full of blood and corpses. There had to be an emptier, quieter place for Lucia to be, and they would find it.
"I'm on it. Britta, would you patrol, please?"
"Yes, of course, Isaac."
She understood that this was something he had to deal with and that the rest of them needed someone to keep an eye out on things while they all dealt with this trench. In short, Britta would be making sure that there were no surprises in the area, and she would open fire on any that appeared. With that, he and Michael would lead Private Lucia away from this scene as she silently despaired. He quietly took her hand and helped her along the trench, keeping her steady if her exhaustion started kicking in. Now, finding a suitable place was a little difficult because of the bodies, but Michael succeeded anyway, due to the nature of trench design. You see, every now and then, these things bend, usually at harsh angles. There are several reasons for this, but one of the big ones is that if a grenade or a mortor hits an area, the blastwave hits a corner and stops. In a straight trench, an explosion will travel farther than the radius of the blast, but it doesn't do corners well, so this was implemented in order to save lives. As a result, you have short areas like this one that exist between the straight ones. Isaac let Lucia sit down, and he sat with her. Unsure if Middleton even gave her a canteen, he pulled out his own and offered it.
"Right now, I guess you feel alone and terrified, but you're not alone. We're your friends here, Lucia. We care what happens to you, and we'll help you through it, I promise. If there's anything you want or need to say, I won't judge you. Neither will Michael. None of us will. We're all just trying to get through this war alive, so you can depend on us."
He hoped that somehow any of this was reaching her. He wasn't sure if Jean had calmed her any or that she was even listening, but maybe...just maybe...something would break through.
She wanted to keep moving, never have to stare into those eyes again. Those eyes had been like her own: They were full of fear, and then they slowly drained of life as the rifle went off, until they saw nothing but her soul. She had to get away from that, and so she made it all the up her, to Hill 58...but it wasn't far enough. People - other troops - started asking her what was wrong, trying to steady her. Words wouldn't come, only her tears. The next thing she knew, there was warmth and a kind face... Every motion, every inclination to run, just sort of quit when the Lance-Corporal held her and suggested someone take her somewhere to rest, while another cleaned her face. For a moment, Lucia was just in shock at the sudden shift, at finding someone who cared. Somewhere inside of her, this was registering, but it would take some time to process.
She was soon led away, taken somewhere quiet to rest. She was with...names mentioned fluttered around inside of her, trying to find its way to a face... Their eyes, all of them hurt like she'd been - that was clear - but when faced with her, they just... How could they look at her with such kindness? The Lieutenant, her trainer, the other soldiers - all of them ranging from the stern to the indifferent. The Lance-Corporal - that's who held her - asked the other one and a Sapper to take her to a cleaner part of the trench, let her rest, both of them going out of their way to help her. She sat down, then, not aware until then just how tired she really was. The other Lance sat nearby, offered her his water. That, she needed. Her throat was hoarse already. Even as she did, though, Lucia felt the fatigue getting to her. She shook her head weakly.
"No...no...I can't sleep... Not now..."
"Because you'll see it in your dreams?"
She looked at the Lance, just then, maybe a little shocked. Could he read her mind? Did he simply know? Yes...he must have. It was written on his face... He knew everything she'd had to do, just by looking at her. Lucia just nodded, on the verge of more tears. The Lance-Corporal just looked at her with understanding eyes and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay. You might have nightmares. You might hurt for a long time. We'll be here."
This was what made Lucia want - more than anything else - to be sure that these people survived. And only then, after she knew that there was anybody at all that cared about her plight, did she finally allow sleep.
Even still, the answers given on their current stannding were hopeful. Quite a few of them had lived.
Isaac nodded quietly as the crazy girl - Still hadn't caught her name. - and Michael explained briefly. The nod he gave was one of understanding, thanking them for putting up with this on top of stewing in their own remorse. Jean had been overcooked, but a couple of others - Diana and their other Sapper - were getting through to him. It was good, because it showed that the troope believed in him, believed he was worthy of them. A Darcsen in the middle of war probably needed a bit of validation, to be honest, and it was obvious that Middleton wasn't gonna give him any. Despite all things, though, Jean had Isaac's own respect. He'd made it here, he'd broken through the fear barrier, he had a competent plan - Admittedly, it was one that anyone could have come up with, but he shouted it first. - that got them up this hill - all things that deserved some notice. He didn't deserve the crumbling pressure that came with it, though, and again Isaac wished he could have taken the brunt of that instead of him.
They might have to talk about that later, and maybe there'd even be time to address that somewhere, but not here and now. The battle was over and they were all taking a rest to recover their senses, but...there was one more coming.
She arrived with very little warning, the pant of exhausted running having been the only sound before collapsing into the trench. It had been right near where Isaac and Britta had come in. She fell into the trench of Hill 58 with practically no energy left in her body, and so suddenly that everyone was surprised. Jean jumped, Isaac flinched, Britta's eyes widened, and so on. They all recognized her, immediately. It was Private Lucia, the girl that Middleton had ordered to kill anyone who retreated to their own trenches, despite the fact that she was not in any way ready for that kind of order. Several of them helped her to her feet, Britta being one of the ones asking why she was in a panic. Isaac didn't need to ask. He knew.
Good god, she had to do it... She had to kill one of our own people, and just because they were afraid...
Jean came up to her, trying to comfort the girl while Isaac thought of how he was going to deal with Middleton personally over this. Of all the tales of 'They never deserved this' there might be, the tale of Lucia might be the most compelling. It really didn't look that they were going to get through to her so easily, even though the crazy girl was not being particularly crazy at the moment, just offering her candy... However, right now, Jean asked if he and Michael would take the young girl somewhere less horrible. Not his words, just Isaac's own thoughts. This spot was full of blood and corpses. There had to be an emptier, quieter place for Lucia to be, and they would find it.
"I'm on it. Britta, would you patrol, please?"
"Yes, of course, Isaac."
She understood that this was something he had to deal with and that the rest of them needed someone to keep an eye out on things while they all dealt with this trench. In short, Britta would be making sure that there were no surprises in the area, and she would open fire on any that appeared. With that, he and Michael would lead Private Lucia away from this scene as she silently despaired. He quietly took her hand and helped her along the trench, keeping her steady if her exhaustion started kicking in. Now, finding a suitable place was a little difficult because of the bodies, but Michael succeeded anyway, due to the nature of trench design. You see, every now and then, these things bend, usually at harsh angles. There are several reasons for this, but one of the big ones is that if a grenade or a mortor hits an area, the blastwave hits a corner and stops. In a straight trench, an explosion will travel farther than the radius of the blast, but it doesn't do corners well, so this was implemented in order to save lives. As a result, you have short areas like this one that exist between the straight ones. Isaac let Lucia sit down, and he sat with her. Unsure if Middleton even gave her a canteen, he pulled out his own and offered it.
"Right now, I guess you feel alone and terrified, but you're not alone. We're your friends here, Lucia. We care what happens to you, and we'll help you through it, I promise. If there's anything you want or need to say, I won't judge you. Neither will Michael. None of us will. We're all just trying to get through this war alive, so you can depend on us."
He hoped that somehow any of this was reaching her. He wasn't sure if Jean had calmed her any or that she was even listening, but maybe...just maybe...something would break through.
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She wanted to keep moving, never have to stare into those eyes again. Those eyes had been like her own: They were full of fear, and then they slowly drained of life as the rifle went off, until they saw nothing but her soul. She had to get away from that, and so she made it all the up her, to Hill 58...but it wasn't far enough. People - other troops - started asking her what was wrong, trying to steady her. Words wouldn't come, only her tears. The next thing she knew, there was warmth and a kind face... Every motion, every inclination to run, just sort of quit when the Lance-Corporal held her and suggested someone take her somewhere to rest, while another cleaned her face. For a moment, Lucia was just in shock at the sudden shift, at finding someone who cared. Somewhere inside of her, this was registering, but it would take some time to process.
She was soon led away, taken somewhere quiet to rest. She was with...names mentioned fluttered around inside of her, trying to find its way to a face... Their eyes, all of them hurt like she'd been - that was clear - but when faced with her, they just... How could they look at her with such kindness? The Lieutenant, her trainer, the other soldiers - all of them ranging from the stern to the indifferent. The Lance-Corporal - that's who held her - asked the other one and a Sapper to take her to a cleaner part of the trench, let her rest, both of them going out of their way to help her. She sat down, then, not aware until then just how tired she really was. The other Lance sat nearby, offered her his water. That, she needed. Her throat was hoarse already. Even as she did, though, Lucia felt the fatigue getting to her. She shook her head weakly.
"No...no...I can't sleep... Not now..."
"Because you'll see it in your dreams?"
She looked at the Lance, just then, maybe a little shocked. Could he read her mind? Did he simply know? Yes...he must have. It was written on his face... He knew everything she'd had to do, just by looking at her. Lucia just nodded, on the verge of more tears. The Lance-Corporal just looked at her with understanding eyes and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay. You might have nightmares. You might hurt for a long time. We'll be here."
This was what made Lucia want - more than anything else - to be sure that these people survived. And only then, after she knew that there was anybody at all that cared about her plight, did she finally allow sleep.
They were inside Hill 58.
Specifically, the frontliners of the 15th Atlantic Rifles had made it inside - sappers, shockers, and of course the rifles themselves. Thanks to the gunner support, their training, and a little luck...they were inside the enemy line and fighting for their lives. And judging by the look and the sound of things, they'd won. The hill was infiltrated and their foothold made in the enemy ranks. Hill 58 was theirs, or would be shortly. Isaac checked the immediate outside for enemy stragglers - people they might've missed who were trying to get away or sneak around to hit their impromptu gun nest - and looked over at Britta with a nod. Nobody was there. She checked his blindspot and returned the nod. The battlefield was empty enough to move forward. They were heeading up the hill, themselves.
At no point did either one of them say anything as they emerged. Even with scarcely anybody left in this area, they needed to be careful and quiet. There could be anyone out here, or any thing. Soldiers they missed, soldiers playing dead, soldiers who are almost dead and determined to get off one last shot, unexploded mines... That last thought was why Isaac was sticking to heavily-trampled areas of the combat zone. He hadn't heard any particular sound he'd pair up with a landmine going up, but that was no reason not to think there might be. Logically, any mines on the approach would've detonated already, but then logically he shouldn't even be here. He should be raising livestock with his family so that Edinburgh can eat. He should be periodically checking on Rikes and them, making sure they're being good, and raising the new pups...
God dammit, why now? This is neither the time, nor the place!
"Are you alright?"
Britta must have seen something, a moment of agitation, and broken the silence. Silence... Good god, it had gotten quiet out here, hadn't it? Distant sounds of fighting were heard now, as it had been when they were just arriving in this area. It was eerie, getting that feeling again, stepping forth in this battlefield. The bodies were all bodies, not a live one among them. Those who hung out long enough from the Imperial side had been shot dead, some by the pair that now walked among them. Isaac could only imagine what Britta thought of this. He shook his head in reply. He wasn't alright.
"Thoughts of home."
He didn't belong here, even if he did alright here. Yes, even if it was specifically his skills that kept people alive, this was not for him. This was not for many of them. The two Gunners began to ascend Hill 58, Isaac starting to double-time it. Nobody remained in the foxholes. They hit them and moved on. Soon, they came to the enemy trench and found...well...the Atlantic Rifles. Isaac managed to come in right as their short Sapper was speaking. He answered for them.
"You're in shock. You won't be, later."
It was about as much as he could do for him, at the moment. The Sapper had charged a hill and killed people, just now. He couldn't tell him he'd be alright. Nobody could. He could only tell him he'd definitely feel it later, maybe hate himself because of it. Isaac had made Gunner and Lance-Corporal because of his skill and because he could keep a lid on it. He was gonna find that recruitment officer, all safe behind the front lines, and shoot him. That damn bastard... He and others like him probably put Darcsens like Jean into combat just because they didn't like them. Jean was...disintegrating. Something had snapped him like a twig, mentally-speaking.
Dammit, I'm a Lance too. I could've led. We could've switched places a while, him watching my back with me attacking the trenches. I'm still trained for rifles, at least! He didn't need this.
Isaac sighed, the shock wearing off on him, as well. The adrenaline was gone. He no longer feared for his life. He only regretted what this had done to others. Even still, his job wasn't done yet. In fact, it'd just stepped up a little. Jean was...well...he needed a minute. The Lance-Corporal looked around to the others present now.
"Somebody tell me what's going on. What's our status?"
While one Lance was down, the other had to take charge.
Specifically, the frontliners of the 15th Atlantic Rifles had made it inside - sappers, shockers, and of course the rifles themselves. Thanks to the gunner support, their training, and a little luck...they were inside the enemy line and fighting for their lives. And judging by the look and the sound of things, they'd won. The hill was infiltrated and their foothold made in the enemy ranks. Hill 58 was theirs, or would be shortly. Isaac checked the immediate outside for enemy stragglers - people they might've missed who were trying to get away or sneak around to hit their impromptu gun nest - and looked over at Britta with a nod. Nobody was there. She checked his blindspot and returned the nod. The battlefield was empty enough to move forward. They were heeading up the hill, themselves.
At no point did either one of them say anything as they emerged. Even with scarcely anybody left in this area, they needed to be careful and quiet. There could be anyone out here, or any thing. Soldiers they missed, soldiers playing dead, soldiers who are almost dead and determined to get off one last shot, unexploded mines... That last thought was why Isaac was sticking to heavily-trampled areas of the combat zone. He hadn't heard any particular sound he'd pair up with a landmine going up, but that was no reason not to think there might be. Logically, any mines on the approach would've detonated already, but then logically he shouldn't even be here. He should be raising livestock with his family so that Edinburgh can eat. He should be periodically checking on Rikes and them, making sure they're being good, and raising the new pups...
God dammit, why now? This is neither the time, nor the place!
"Are you alright?"
Britta must have seen something, a moment of agitation, and broken the silence. Silence... Good god, it had gotten quiet out here, hadn't it? Distant sounds of fighting were heard now, as it had been when they were just arriving in this area. It was eerie, getting that feeling again, stepping forth in this battlefield. The bodies were all bodies, not a live one among them. Those who hung out long enough from the Imperial side had been shot dead, some by the pair that now walked among them. Isaac could only imagine what Britta thought of this. He shook his head in reply. He wasn't alright.
"Thoughts of home."
He didn't belong here, even if he did alright here. Yes, even if it was specifically his skills that kept people alive, this was not for him. This was not for many of them. The two Gunners began to ascend Hill 58, Isaac starting to double-time it. Nobody remained in the foxholes. They hit them and moved on. Soon, they came to the enemy trench and found...well...the Atlantic Rifles. Isaac managed to come in right as their short Sapper was speaking. He answered for them.
"You're in shock. You won't be, later."
It was about as much as he could do for him, at the moment. The Sapper had charged a hill and killed people, just now. He couldn't tell him he'd be alright. Nobody could. He could only tell him he'd definitely feel it later, maybe hate himself because of it. Isaac had made Gunner and Lance-Corporal because of his skill and because he could keep a lid on it. He was gonna find that recruitment officer, all safe behind the front lines, and shoot him. That damn bastard... He and others like him probably put Darcsens like Jean into combat just because they didn't like them. Jean was...disintegrating. Something had snapped him like a twig, mentally-speaking.
Dammit, I'm a Lance too. I could've led. We could've switched places a while, him watching my back with me attacking the trenches. I'm still trained for rifles, at least! He didn't need this.
Isaac sighed, the shock wearing off on him, as well. The adrenaline was gone. He no longer feared for his life. He only regretted what this had done to others. Even still, his job wasn't done yet. In fact, it'd just stepped up a little. Jean was...well...he needed a minute. The Lance-Corporal looked around to the others present now.
"Somebody tell me what's going on. What's our status?"
While one Lance was down, the other had to take charge.
[OOC: Continuing because I'm tired of waiting.]
So, now, things were getting underway. Cassius was explaining and outlining things to the others, Which Zen felt was unnecessary. They did not have the facilities for containing and studying the X at this time. Maybe discovering the use of a non-lethal containment weapon and a decent scanner would do on the short term, but their priorities were not to hunker down and study in the field while about a million creatures decided to swarm around you. Eventually, they would find some way to kill them in the time that it takes to discover something more than what is known, something useful. Their orders were to carry out this mission to destroy them, to complete and enact the Final Protocol to exterminate the X, once and for all.
This talk of study and traps did not really take long, as the next move was to attempt to make contact with the people on the other side of the gate. Cassius started by giving them an official order, which would certainly move any Federation agent to action. Kaze decided...
Oh god, why?
The black dragon had pretty much decided to pull the gate right open, out of its housing entirely. Rather than fight with its hydraulics, he'd gripped it in his talons and pulled hard. At about the halfway point, when everybody else might've been raising their objections - He worked fast - there was a large energy blast. It was a wave blast, and it flung the door and Kaze back from the force of it! So, the gate was now open, technically, and they could see inside.
First thing of note? The eye. There was suppose to be a door where that eye was. There were records of the X covering doors with organic matter, and that some of them tried to kill you with energy blasts. Kaze's barrier was reduced by ten percent, and he hadn't been hit by all of it. It looked like the thing blinked alot, and every now and then, a wave shot came out of it. Well, it did NOW, but this answered the 64-Credit question of whether or not there were humans here, because there were NOT.
I mean, REALLY not.
The two human figures here were these ashen-gray-skinned 'people' with empty eyes, no body language, practically no expression, and guns in hand. Literally. You ever seen Videodrome, where the main character's actually been bonded to his gun? No? Well, the flesh of their hands was wrapped around energy pistols and rifles, and they were coming out to open fire on everyone!
Oh, and...one more thing. Amy had an alert for Amber, just now. The drone had wandered further in a vent. the actual armory had a large heat source in it, a lifeform, but definitely not a human one...
So, now, things were getting underway. Cassius was explaining and outlining things to the others, Which Zen felt was unnecessary. They did not have the facilities for containing and studying the X at this time. Maybe discovering the use of a non-lethal containment weapon and a decent scanner would do on the short term, but their priorities were not to hunker down and study in the field while about a million creatures decided to swarm around you. Eventually, they would find some way to kill them in the time that it takes to discover something more than what is known, something useful. Their orders were to carry out this mission to destroy them, to complete and enact the Final Protocol to exterminate the X, once and for all.
This talk of study and traps did not really take long, as the next move was to attempt to make contact with the people on the other side of the gate. Cassius started by giving them an official order, which would certainly move any Federation agent to action. Kaze decided...
Oh god, why?
The black dragon had pretty much decided to pull the gate right open, out of its housing entirely. Rather than fight with its hydraulics, he'd gripped it in his talons and pulled hard. At about the halfway point, when everybody else might've been raising their objections - He worked fast - there was a large energy blast. It was a wave blast, and it flung the door and Kaze back from the force of it! So, the gate was now open, technically, and they could see inside.
First thing of note? The eye. There was suppose to be a door where that eye was. There were records of the X covering doors with organic matter, and that some of them tried to kill you with energy blasts. Kaze's barrier was reduced by ten percent, and he hadn't been hit by all of it. It looked like the thing blinked alot, and every now and then, a wave shot came out of it. Well, it did NOW, but this answered the 64-Credit question of whether or not there were humans here, because there were NOT.
I mean, REALLY not.
The two human figures here were these ashen-gray-skinned 'people' with empty eyes, no body language, practically no expression, and guns in hand. Literally. You ever seen Videodrome, where the main character's actually been bonded to his gun? No? Well, the flesh of their hands was wrapped around energy pistols and rifles, and they were coming out to open fire on everyone!
Oh, and...one more thing. Amy had an alert for Amber, just now. The drone had wandered further in a vent. the actual armory had a large heat source in it, a lifeform, but definitely not a human one...
I'm probably going to move us on, then.
The funny thing is that while normal soldiers would ponder as to why the ductwork is expanding, the X wouldn't give a damn. Well, mostly.
Except fit in a small space.
@SimpleWriter I should point out that Amber's scouting ability and versatility, not to mention scientific knowledge, is quite handy, and I've underlined such in my posts. Zen can't do everything. He is still a learning machine.
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