Kensai

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Aurélie's expression turned grave, taking on the air of a venerable matron. "Ça suffit!" she hissed at Scott. "When you praise my work, you praise yourself for picking me. That is no praise at all, but boasting. Je suis déçu."

And almost as if summoned, the new pilot entered the briefing room, looking rather the worse for wear from his long flight in. Aurélie turned from Scott to face him, one hand smoothing back her ponytail - it would have flicked back an errant hair, but Aurélie did not permit errant hairs in her coiffure.

"Bonjour, Lieutenant Smith," she sniffed, using his name rather than his callsign. Her gaze flicked to the can of Monster in his hand. "If you require stimulants, ask the mess boys to make you some coffee, the way Captain Bouchard has it. They do not have the knack of it quite yet, but anything is better than that sewer water you have there."

@Rhona W@Hyperion338

((((Hero Complex))))

Tag

Archetype: Vigilante
Name: Saburo Takamatsu
Alias: Tag
Age: 50ish, apparently.
Powers/Skills: Tag is a shinigami, an envoy of death. As such he can unerringly track down and enter the presence of any living sentient being on earth - and if it is their time to die, draw their soul out of their body and send it on its way. If it isn't, he cannot affect them other than through his own personal abilities. For what it's worth, he's a consummate martial artist with the proverbial "strength of a normal human being who engages in regular intensive exercise". Think Asian John Wick. He is also entirely immune to death himself; it's possible to damage or destroy his mortal shell, but he'll reincorporate in a day or two.
At a more mundane level, Tag is also an incredible detective/intelligence agent and has an impeccable sense of style. He's got that aloof charm, with an almost-hidden vulnerability beneath yet a core of deep strength. In other words, he's a romantasy love interest.
Weaknesses: He can't do that much against somebody who's not fated to die. When he faces such a foe, he's basically a street-level vigilante type.
Equipment: A cellphone and old-school rolodex. The former is just a cellphone (although he can make it do anything he needs it to do) but the latter holds a copy of The List. Yes, that list.
When he's expecting trouble, he will bring along a katana and a pair of SIG P365 pistols.
When he's expecting real trouble, he will bring a naginata and a HK416 assault rifle.
When the fecal matter is about to hit the ventilation device, he will bring any man-portable ordnance necessary.
Personality: Taciturn, brooding, surprisingly kind, implacable
Appearance:

He's played by Takeshi Kaneshiro

BRIEF Bio: Takamatsu Saburo was born sometime in the Edo era and became a shinigami sometime between then and now. Little else is known about him - perhaps even by himself. He doesn't talk about it (although apparently he does brood on it a lot).
Storylines: Narratively, he's season 1 Tuxedo Mask, so we're open for romance plotlines. for most intents and purposes, he's a mysterious stranger who appears from nowhere, knows too much, talks too little, kicks ass in a fight, and disappears after it's all over. He might have a combat peer in Queen of Gold who also has experience of living through centuries, so they might get along... or not.
Notes: Tag's not the only shinigami around - there's an entire hierarchy of them and a whole heavenly bureaucracy behind that, so that can be explored in due time. A lot of the others are way weirder than he is, like Oxhead and Horseface or the Black-and-White Duo. All psychopomps are essentially part of the shinigami corps.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

<Snipped quote by Kensai>

Scott was spared having to relate his story, or reply to Ximena's other comments, as Aurelie arrived and immediate set to business, albeit with a charm and energy that was a pleasure to see in action. He nodded as he listened to her words, looking at the pictures as Ximena slid them over closer to where they both stood. As the frenchwoman finished her summary and Ximena chimed in, he nodded again.

"I agree with your assessment, Chevy. Combined with the results of searching through the belongings of our would-be saboteurs, it seems like they'd planned to knock out our air defences, and then launch an amphibious assault spearheaded by the helicopters and likely with air cover from their more capable aircraft".
Scott slid some other papers aside and moved some photos to where they could all see them, showing aerial views of what were clearly airbases with busy aprons and a lot of activity.
"These are from a recon satellite, taken within the last twelve hours. It seems like the Libyans are moving a lot of their air and naval assets to the northern part of the country, barring some for keeping their borders secure. Seems to me that this is a prelude to a larger offensive as well."
He shifted the photos around and laid out a blow-up of one of them, centered on a number of large, boxy aircraft.
"I'm particularly concerned about these - Tu-22 Blinders. They're old aircraft; sure. But they can carry very long range missiles, and a heavy bombload to boot. With a screen of fighters, they could prove to be an issue, and even attack southern Italy, let alone here. And, it seems like command agrees with me, as we've been tasked to conduct strikes on those airfields and naval bases as a preliminary move to an N/UN assault. But, we can't move against them until we've eliminated the immediate threat to our own safety, which is the forces stationed at Lampedusa and the AD protecting them. However, in our favour; we have a new plane and its' crew arriving-" He checked his watch "- any time now to bring us up to numbers even more. Kitten is also on her way back from the hospital, and both her and my aircraft are ready for action."
He picked up his tablet and tapped the screen, sending the information on the newly arriving pilots and their aircraft so that they others could see it.
"As for the question of how we should approach this, well; the risk may be higher for making the assault while the helos are grounded due to the air defences, but Jefe is right; the risk of damage to the facilities and infrastructure here is much less, and we're better off making the first move and seizing the opportunity while we have it than waiting. We at least know where their air defences are located thanks to the recon flight you and Peacenik pulled off, which gives us an advantage in mission planning to take them out"
A firm smile settled on his lips as he nodded across at Aurelie.
"What's your thoughts, Captain? I think we stand a good chance if we split into two sections with one focused on the SEAD mission and attacking the airfield at Lampedusa, while the other takes care of the helicopters on Linosa and any naval shipping that's escaped the port. I'd like you to command one of those flights".

@Rhona W

Aurélie favoured Scott with a crooked smile that had broken hearts on three continents. "Mais oui!" she said. "We shall seize the initiative. I would be honoured to lead the SEAD flight. My Papillon is ideal for that mission, and I would like on my wing the lower observable members of the squadron. If possible - " she thought for a moment, then snapped the names off from memory " - Valkyrie with her Gripen, Sparrow with her Typhoon, and one more."

She switched her gaze to Ximena. The smile was still on her lips but it no longer reached her eyes. Blue like the skies when you burst through the clouds. Holding the contact a moment longer than comfortable or polite.

"That one more, I would like to be you, Lieutenant Huang. I most eagerly await to see what you can do in your Raptor."

(((( Hero Complex ))))

And my CS has been updated.

(((( Hero Complex ))))

@Kensai I dig the character but it's not what I'm looking for in terms of the cosmic hero. Idk where it started but at some point characters like Dr. Strange and Thor were considered cosmic because they travel to other dimensions, but I still just see that as being a mystic hero. Cosmic for me (at least in terms of Marvel and archetypes derived from them) would be more like Nova, Starlord, the Shi'ar Empire, Capt. Mar-vell, etc. If you wanted to relabel him for the Vigilante role he could work, I think the other person who submitted a CS for that archetype is doing their own RP now....

I'm gonna get started on the OOC tonight and have it posted either in a few short hours or sometime tomorrow.

@Omega Man

Vigilante works for me. In that case I might rework him to be more directly suited to that role.

(((( Hero Complex ))))

Archetype: Vigilante
Name: Saburo Takamatsu
Alias: Tag
Age: 50ish, apparently.
Powers/Skills: Tag is a shinigami, an envoy of death. As such he can unerringly track down and enter the presence of any living sentient being on earth - and if it is their time to die, draw their soul out of their body and send it on its way. If it isn't, he cannot affect them other than through his own personal abilities. For what it's worth, he's a consummate martial artist with the proverbial "strength of a normal human being who engages in regular intensive exercise". Think Asian John Wick. He is also entirely immune to death himself; it's possible to damage or destroy his mortal shell, but he'll reincorporate in a day or two.
At a more mundane level, Tag is also an incredible detective/intelligence agent and has an impeccable sense of style. He's got that aloof charm, with an almost-hidden vulnerability beneath yet a core of deep strength. In other words, he's a romantasy love interest.
Weaknesses: He can't do that much against somebody who's not fated to die. When he faces such a foe, he's basically a street-level vigilante type.
Equipment: A cellphone and old-school rolodex. The former is just a cellphone (although he can make it do anything he needs it to do) but the latter holds a copy of The List. Yes, that list.
When he's expecting trouble, he will bring along a katana and a pair of SIG P365 pistols.
When he's expecting real trouble, he will bring a naginata and a HK416 assault rifle.
When the fecal matter is about to hit the ventilation device, he will bring any man-portable ordnance necessary.
Personality: Taciturn, brooding, surprisingly kind, implacable
Appearance:

He's played by Takeshi Kaneshiro

BRIEF Bio: Takamatsu Saburo was born sometime in the Edo era and became a shinigami sometime between then and now. Little else is known about him - perhaps even by himself. He doesn't talk about it (although apparently he does brood on it a lot).
Storylines: Narratively, he's season 1 Tuxedo Mask, so we're open for romance plotlines. for most intents and purposes, he's a mysterious stranger who appears from nowhere, knows too much, talks too little, kicks ass in a fight, and disappears after it's all over. He might have a combat peer in Queen of Gold who also has experience of living through centuries, so they might get along... or not.
Notes: Tag's not the only shinigami around - there's an entire hierarchy of them and a whole heavenly bureaucracy behind that, so that can be explored in due time. A lot of the others are way weirder than he is, like Oxhead and Horseface or the Black-and-White Duo. All psychopomps are essentially part of the shinigami corps.

(((( Hero Complex ))))

Interested, and I might take the Brute role.

Fate/Edelweiss: A Holy Grail War in Switzerland

Interested.

Shoujo⁴: Hatsukoi Reunion

Let's move on.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Before Scott could continue, the door to the briefing room swung open, and Aurélie strode briskly in. Unlike last time, she was dressed more casually - which, for her, meant flats; another impeccably tailored uniform, just that it was service uniform instead of dress; her hair done up in a tight high ponytail instead of braided.

"Quand on parle du loup, on voit sa queue," she said with a dazzling smile. "When you speak of the wolf, you see its tail."

She set a tablet and folder on the table, taking the seat next to Scott. "But we have business now, n'est-ce pas? Cobalt Haze is down yet another pilot, and it is a miracle that we did not lose more. I see we have some replacements - " a curt nod to Yuna and Ximena " - but this means that we must reconfigure the squadron organisation."

Like a Monte Carlo croupier showing a hand, she fanned out a set of aerial photographs, fresh from the printer. The results of Cobalt Recon's work.

"We have partly neutralised the landing party at Lampedusa for the time being. Fuka did some good work there, they will take some time to get sorted out, and she eliminated a good part of their sealift assets. So we do not need to worry about them for some time. But Linosa still has an abundance of heavy lift helicopters covered by copious and skilled AD, as we have seen. They might try for an air assault so we could try to destroy them on the ground, but it will be tricky."

She shrugged, a whole-body movement.

"Or we could keep an eye on them, wait for them to make the attempt, and then interdict it in the air. That requires more surveillance and the timing is tricky, but then we would not have to worry about SEAD."

Aurélie's eyes met Scott's - blue as the waters of the Aegean, and grave.

"Your call, mon capitaine."