Rhona W

Shadows of Steel (Space Fighter Combat RP)

Erien listened with some pride and satisfaction as her pilots reported in promptly. She gave a slight smile as she heard their comments about the situation, lauging softly as Nick's words come through:

"Wylde Fyre 7 to Lead, read you loud and clear, all systems green, just waiting for them to light the way for me, I got lost once."

"Roger that, 7. I'll make sure to give you the map next time, over".
Nyx checked in next, and she laughed again before she replied.

"Wylde Fyre Four to Lead, I hear you. Is there a way that I don't have to say that alliteration every time? Oh, also all systems green."

"Roger that, Four. Let's just shorten it down to four, that ought to help you out, over".

The others checked in, leading to the full squadron present. Control replied and confirmed their status.
"Wylde Fyre squadron, looking good. Ready for launch; catapults charging and hatches open. Brace for launch!"
The tunnels ahead of each fighter lit up with the receding circles of blue lights, and a final yellow one framing the launch doors themselves. There was a vauge tingling sensation Erien recognized as the magnetic charge built up around the fighter. As the repulsing force increased, the weight came off of the launch arm.
"Launch!" came the same voice, and with a sensation like a blow to her chest, the fighter blasted down the tunnel, the light blurring together into a blue haze, before the blackness of space burst into view around her, the ship receding in the rear cameras.
"Okay folks, tighten up into formation. Let's make this look good, since we're the first ones out here".
Ahead, the bright sphere of the planet loomed, partially occluded by the dusty, grey-brown of the worlds' moon. She held her course as a point of reference for the others around her to home in on, while she scanned the surroundings for the Claymore they were meant to escort. Moments later, as her helmet-mounted display tagged the shape of the multi-role heavy craft, the comm channel came to life with an unfamiliar voice.
"Hey there, Wylde Fyre squadron. This is Claymore callsign Eagle Eye. Good to have you with us and watching our back. We're steady on course for our recon flight, care to join us?"
"Roger that, Eagle Eye. We're coming over to join you right now, sit tight".
Erien lightly caressed her controls to change course, puffs of manoevering thrusters pointing the Sabre onto the right heading to meet up with the distant shape of the recon-fitted Claymore.
"All right, boys and girls. Split into two groups; three in close escort to Eagle Eye, four of us in two pairs in a wide spread ahead and on either side to intercept anything coming in. Olarin, Mallory and Wallon, stick with the Claymore. Hel'Kayik and Cavernmaw, you're together. Miles, you come with me. Keep your eyes peeled, everyone. We know there's something weird going on out here".

***

The planet now filled the full panorama out of the Sabre's canopies, and their orientation had change to match, settling in on course to escort the Claymore on its' recon flight over the settlements on the planets' surface below. "Beginning sweep," announced the same voice as before. A few minutes earlier, the carrier had announced it was holding between the moon and orbital distance, with reinforcements waiting.
"First scan complete," the Claymores crew reported, as the minutes crawled agonizingly past. "Moving onto next location. You still with us, Wylde Fyre?"
"Roger," replied Erien. "Still here, and watching out. Anything interesting, over?"
"Not yet, we'll keep you informed, over".
Erien clicked the mike in reply and shifted in her seat. The balance of keeping alert in what was essentially a 'do-nothing' role at the moment was taxing. She grumbled to herself and took a sip of water from the mouthpiece in her helmet, easy her dry muzzle a little. She was about to call and check in with the others, but a warbling beep from her instrument console and a flashing icon on her helmet display caught her attention.
"What the?" she murmured to herself, as she highlighted the icon. Her eyes widened as the image resolved into an inbound unknown contact... then several contacts.
"Eagle Eye, this is Wylde Fyre Lead. We have multiple inbound contacts, unknown origin and intentions. All Wylde Fyre units, stand to - looks like we have company. Miles, with me. Hel'Kayik, Cavernmaw, take spacing and follow us in. If they jump, stand by to jump back. The rest of you, keep that Claymore safe. This might be a decoy!"

She shifted her course and flared her engines, the extra thrust driving her onto an intercept course with the incoming vessels. As they grew closer, the Sabre's targeting systems resolve the fighter against its' onboard database; Arrow medium fighters. There were six in the group ahead, and as Erien closed in, they split into two groups, four diverting to head for four closing in on them with the remaining pair driving hard for the Claymore.
Definitely A diversion, she thought to herself. They wouldn't attack in such odds if it wasn't.
"Olarin, Mallory, Wallon; eyes to the rear. I think they're trying to bushwhack us, over"
Little sooner had the words left her muzzle than the fighters approaching began scraping space around them with their targeting systems, the electromagnetic emissions highlighted by the Sabres' systems. A harsh buzz indicated Erien had been locked onto and she hit her countermeasures and spiralled through evasive manoeuvers.
"All craft, craft are bandits, inbound and hot! Light 'em up!"

Shadows of Steel (Space Fighter Combat RP)

His loss if he can't make the schedule; if he turns up later and explains with a sound reason he can rejoin.

I'll get the next post up presently

FRAMEs: Chapter II [Reboot] (Mech combat, politics & corporate intrigue)

The Ez8 is one of my favourite Gundams. It just looks 'right'.

FRAMEs: Chapter II [Reboot] (Mech combat, politics & corporate intrigue)

(and they might not be a bad idea if your FRAME is held together with ductape)

@Aristo

I'd change mine, but I don't really like the design of either of them much, so... ^^;;

FRAMEs: Chapter II [Reboot] (Mech combat, politics & corporate intrigue)

Alyssa had stood quietly away from the main group as they'd gathered around on the bridge. She'd missed out on the last mission due to a last-minute issue with the FRAME preventing her from launching; yet another symptom of the difficulties the panthers were facing, in her opinion. The left knee actuator on her machine had finally shaken itself apart, after being rebuilt so many times and barely hanging on by a thread each time.
As the purple-haired pilot listened, she tilted her head attentively as the offer was explained. The lure of full mechanical support and the other perks were good, but she'd heard of other units working with the military incurring massive expenses and ending up indentured to military forces or nations, and becoming all but military units in name as a result. The possibility made her uncomfortable, but before she could voice her concerns, the altercation broke out between Kat and Cecilia.
"Oh goodness," she said softly, covering her mouth with one hand before Bentz thankfully broke the uncomfortable tension, and the conversation continued. Seeing her own moment, the recon pilot spoke up from her position near the back of the room.
"Well, to add my own words to the discussion, I'd have to say that I have some reservations of my own, but I think that the benefits are too great to ignore in our current situation. We need the supplies and support, I think".

FRAMEs: Chapter II [Reboot] (Mech combat, politics & corporate intrigue)

I'll try and get a post up this evening with Alyssa's thoughts on what's going on. My thinking was that she missed out on the sortie due to her FRAME having a maintenance problem of some kind meaning it was non-operational.

Shadows of Steel (Space Fighter Combat RP)

Is this a bad time to tell you all I do not have any experience with writing comms chatter? Hell, I can't even think of what Gurjan's callsign would be , at least at this moment.

@Natsucooldude

Regarding callsigns (I already spoke to Natsu about this in a PM, but this is for everyone's benefit), for ease and convenience, everyone will be 'Wylde Fyre [number]' with the number coming from your position on the active characters' list on page one of the OOC.

Nicknames - like Maverick, or Goose, to use a certain movie as an easy example - come about through being given by other members of your squadron, rather than chosen by yourself. Generally speaking, pilots who try and choose their own end up being subjected to scorn, and end up with a less flattering one than they probably would've received before.
As we haven't done much yet IC, I doubt anyone would've done much to earn a nickname yet, so we'll likely pick them up as we go. And it means we get to choose them for each other as well, which is more fun xD

As far as radio chatter goes, it doesn't need to be 100% accurate, from what I understand there's not a lot of standardisation anyway, and the most important thing to remember is that it's supposed to be brief, clear, and accurate. And that you end your transmissions with 'over' and begin them with who you want to talk to; such as 'Wylde Fyre one, this is Control' or so on.
There are various lists of terminology and brevity codes around the internet, feel free to find one and share it if you like any of you; at least then we'll all be using the same one.

FRAMEs: Chapter II [Reboot] (Mech combat, politics & corporate intrigue)

Okay! I'll hold on for now and see what happens with the post, and what inspiration I get from there.
Glad to be aboard at last too. I hope everyone enjoys playing alongside my character and her FRAME

@aristo - you'll not be surprised that I have to keep correcting myself from writing 'GEAR' all the time >.>

Shadows of Steel (Space Fighter Combat RP)

Post is up, go ahead and make your reactions! After this one, we'll be right into it, and finally flying our fighters :P
Sorry it took so long to get around to it, I had hoped it might go a bit quicker >.<

Shadows of Steel (Space Fighter Combat RP)

A short while before the briefing:
Erien looked down at the human and gave a growling sigh. "Well, you're released from your temporary confinement," she said, folding both arms across her chest. "Ready to do something useful other sitting about and watching the ceiling rust? Come on; you've already missed out on your fighter calibrations, so you'll have to make do with a default human setting. At least you don't miss out completely on our first mission". She gave him a stern look. "You'd better not make that look bad at least, lieutenant Mallory".

--------------------------------------------------------------
At the present time:

Erien nodded or murmured 'good mornings' and 'hellos' to each of the pilots as they emerged and helped themselves to the coffee or food that had been laid out for them. Checking the time index on the screen, she began the briefing promptly... noting who was late or not for her own records with a brief, dark expression flashing across her face like a cloud over the sun.
"Thank you for being prompt, pilots. Now you're all fed and watered, I'll begin. And, by the way," she added, gesturing to where Adam had joined the group. "This is Lieutenant Mallory. He is also part of our squadron, however, he was... indisposed until now, due to some spectacular levels of bad decision making. Nonetheless, he's now with us, and ready to fly".
The screen behind her shifted to show a representation of the system they were heading into, and the predicted point for their jump arrival.
"Once we drop out of hyperspace, we'll be launched as part of the preliminary reconnaissance and interception force. Our role will be to close in and provide cover to the Claymores as they perform a full LIDAR and sensor scan of the surface and orbital space of the planet Alendri in the Telleri system.
"Alendri is supposed to be home to almost one thousand colonists in a number of small settlements spread across the northern-most continents' equatorial region. Approximately two weeks ago, all transmissions from Alendri ceased, and then three days after that, a freighter from Alendri arrived in the Holon system. Heavily damaged by what looked like weapons fire, most of the crew were injured. All of them were shell-shocked and exhausted from staying awake for more than three days straight after fleeing the system. They reported attacks by unknown hostile forces. That's what lead to the task force our ship and squadron are part of being assembled to find out what the hell is going on in that region of space, and put a stop to it".
The screen changed to show the planet with the populated areas highlighted. A box-in showed the celestial positions of the planets and other bodies in-system as well, with their arrival point, just beyond the primary satellite of Aleri.
The main image changed again, showing their course plotted from the ship towards the planet, weaving around the moon to check behind its' mass before heading into orbit.
"We'll be flying in split flights at set distances from the Claymore. Our secondary job will be to act as the first line of defence and deterrence for any unexpected hostiles we encounter once we get in-system. If anything heads for the ship, we take off on an intercept course to... dissuade them from attacking."
A tap on the toggles' holographic controls, and the screen resolved to a series of schematics and still images.
"All of our craft will be loaded with a standard aerospace superiority loadout; long-range missiles on the dorsal launchers, mid-range ones in the side launchers. We'll all be carrying an additional reaction mass tank on the centreline too, to extend our patrol range. Once we've established the area is secure, the ship will maove into a stable orbit and we'll be relieved on station by Juno Squadron. Then we can all head back home for a mutual back-patting session and crack open the beers... or whatever your drink of preference is. Unless," she said with a grimace, "things go all to hell out there, and we end up in a pitched battle. If that's the case, then fall back on your training and experience. Remember to stick in pairs and cover each other. No going off solo; that's how they pick you off. Watch each others' backs - the enemy will be doing the same thing, and looking for you to slip up or make mistakes.".
The female Isorlai tapped the screen with the back of one handpaw, her expression stern. "Their fighters are older models. Not as powerful in thrust and acceleration, pound for pound, as our Sabres, but they're well armoured, and have a modular load out. They might be packing powerful weapons, but you can out maneuver them. In close where it counts, our extra power and energy will help, and their heavier weight will let them down. Not to mention, we have the benefit of superior sensors, along with the Claymores working with us as well for battlespace control and management. We've got the advantage, and we train to use it well. I'll be out there too, right alongside all of you." She looked from face to face, and then nodded.
"That's all. We launch in a shade under ninety minutes. I'll meet you all in the hangar bay to mount up for pre-flight checks. Any questions, ask away or get me on my toggle. Dismissed".

Erien shut down the toggle-screen and clipped the device back to her belt. She had time enough to head for life-support and get her personal flight gear and survival equipment fitted and signed out, and still have enough room to fret, dither, and remember she hadn't filed various bits of necessary paperwork.
Just as normal then, she thought to herself with a wry smile and a shake of her head, before she downed the last of her now lukewarm tea with a grimace. Giving a quiet 'blech', she set the cup down on the kitchen counter and lowered herself to all fours, padding toward the door. No time like the present to get ready...

----------------------------------------------

The time passed much quicker than the white-furred Isorlai had imagined. She'd fitted and strapped on her additional survival gear; the vest, belts, equipment harnesses and bulky acceleration-cushioning and other gear leaving her with less mobility, but a great deal more suvivability in the cold of space, and in the cockpit of her fighter. From there, she had ponderously made her way down to the hangar bay. A walk-around of her ship with the repair crew, and she had signed off on the machine for the mission, accepting it as ready for flight. Helping hands were required to get her onboard and strapped into place with oxygen hoses and data cables attached. Electrical power came online and she ran through the pre-flight checklist, verifying everything was running smoothly.
As she reached the last items on the list, the alarms on the hangar deck blared - they were about due to drop out of hyperspace. A shudder ran through the ship once more, and this time the sensation was like the lurch of dropping suddenly; like turbulence in the air, or an elevator slipping on its' cable, the leap in the pit of your stomach. Vision returned to full normal, and the hangar became a mass of people moving urgently to clear space and ready ships for launch.
Her lists complete, the canopy cycled closed, and she gave a thumbs-up to her repar crew, her saluted her and returned the gesture. A thump, a rumble, and the overhead deployment arm attached to her fighter and lifted it off the deck. External hoses disconnected with a clunk, and she retracted the landing skids as the fighter was moved through the hangar, suspended above the deck. Turning, it was lined up with a launch tube, the armoured doors yawning open before the fighter slotted into place on the magnetic launch rail.
"Wylde Fyre Lead, this is control. You are loaded and in the breech. Stand by for launch, over"
"Roger control, this is lead. Reading you loud and clear. Standing by as ordered for launch, over".
She tensed her gloved paws on the throttle and stick, the hum of power from the ship still reverberating through the fighter and through the muffled barrier of her visor and its' glowing icons. Ahead, the darkened launch tube stretched to a door. When the order came, the lights would snap on, and the magnetic launcher would blast her, and the others in the squadron, like bullets from a railgun out into space, and they'd be in the thick of it.
"Wylde Fyre lead to all craft. Stand by for launch, we are on the mission timeline, over!"