I'm eyeing the Moon Arcana, but nothing certain yet.
Zendrelax Member
I am Spartacus!
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Taunting the pirates. I love it.
I would like to declare my fervent interest.
On boarding the Alamo, Valian went to his ship to make sure everything was in top shape. Checking the controls, engine, weapons systems, shield, and other myriad of finicky bits that go into making a ship operational. Normally the sort of thing you want done before you're put in a situation where you might need to take off at any moment, but Valian saw himself first, not as a contracted employee of Starfire, but as a pilot. It was a matter of pride to him that he would notice if something was wrong with his ship. The only reason he was checking was because he'd learned the hard way that it's best to be careful.
Much to his surprise, Valian had finished checking his systems before anything happened. It stayed that way, until the one of the ships' pilots decided to pass by a large asteroid. How large? After practically leaping into his ship's cockpit, Valian pulled up some pictures from the Alamo's outer camera feed, and saw one large enough to hide a ship bigger than the the Alamo or the Babylon. Alright, what's the deal here? Even if we were trying to avoid standard flight paths, what idiot chose to pass so close to an asteroid that big? There's so much empty space out here... That train of thought died as soon as he saw the ship that was hiding behind it. When he did, he couldn't help but break into hysterical laughter. "That is the silliest fucking thing I've ever seen!" His mic was off, so his team-mates wouldn't have heard his outburst unless they were passing through the hangar at the time—he wasn't that loud.
His laughter ceased as soon as he heard the anchors hit. The fact that the pirates, idiotically silly carrier ship aside, hit him like a freight train. His grin did not leave his face, but it turned from one of mirth into one of malice. "Alright. So, ninety ships? Could be worse. Wonder how many of them will be dead before this is through." Wasting no more time, Valian brought his ship out of the Alamo's hangar. Since the pirates were still a good distance away from him, he whipped his ship around with his many RCS thrusters to take aim at one of the anchors on the Alamo with his energy beams. He didn't get the chance to see if he hit his mark though—the pirates had arrived, specifically a group of three.
Damn, they're faster than I thought. While he may have tried to get in an attack of opportunity on the anchors, John was right—they wouldn't be letting him cut those anchors. He dodged around the enemy fire, and took shots of his own at his assailants, the flash of his ballistic gun visible just under the Starbolt's nose. One pirate took a hit in the cockpit—taking the pilot out and sending the ship spiraling out into the void—and another in the wing, rendering it largely inoperable. Prioritizing speed over shields? Interesting. Might even be a pattern. Sure would make my job easier.
Valian glanced down at the anchor he'd shot at, and it was severed, the pirates already in transit tumbling out into the void. He looked towards the pirate carrier, only to see more ships heading his way. Well, let's see what this fleet of eighty-eight's got any more surprises for me.
Much to his surprise, Valian had finished checking his systems before anything happened. It stayed that way, until the one of the ships' pilots decided to pass by a large asteroid. How large? After practically leaping into his ship's cockpit, Valian pulled up some pictures from the Alamo's outer camera feed, and saw one large enough to hide a ship bigger than the the Alamo or the Babylon. Alright, what's the deal here? Even if we were trying to avoid standard flight paths, what idiot chose to pass so close to an asteroid that big? There's so much empty space out here... That train of thought died as soon as he saw the ship that was hiding behind it. When he did, he couldn't help but break into hysterical laughter. "That is the silliest fucking thing I've ever seen!" His mic was off, so his team-mates wouldn't have heard his outburst unless they were passing through the hangar at the time—he wasn't that loud.
His laughter ceased as soon as he heard the anchors hit. The fact that the pirates, idiotically silly carrier ship aside, hit him like a freight train. His grin did not leave his face, but it turned from one of mirth into one of malice. "Alright. So, ninety ships? Could be worse. Wonder how many of them will be dead before this is through." Wasting no more time, Valian brought his ship out of the Alamo's hangar. Since the pirates were still a good distance away from him, he whipped his ship around with his many RCS thrusters to take aim at one of the anchors on the Alamo with his energy beams. He didn't get the chance to see if he hit his mark though—the pirates had arrived, specifically a group of three.
Damn, they're faster than I thought. While he may have tried to get in an attack of opportunity on the anchors, John was right—they wouldn't be letting him cut those anchors. He dodged around the enemy fire, and took shots of his own at his assailants, the flash of his ballistic gun visible just under the Starbolt's nose. One pirate took a hit in the cockpit—taking the pilot out and sending the ship spiraling out into the void—and another in the wing, rendering it largely inoperable. Prioritizing speed over shields? Interesting. Might even be a pattern. Sure would make my job easier.
Valian glanced down at the anchor he'd shot at, and it was severed, the pirates already in transit tumbling out into the void. He looked towards the pirate carrier, only to see more ships heading his way. Well, let's see what this fleet of eighty-eight's got any more surprises for me.
Valian had never liked war zones. The was air always afire with the sounds of fighting, fleeing, and dying. He much preferred to fight in his ship, where the only sound was your own breathing, and whatever beeping alerts your ship had. But when you work with Starfire, you sometimes have to fight on-planet, or else in a station, so Valian was able to keep his cool—at least outwardly. Inside he was nervous. He didn't believe that they would be attacked, and if they were he was no slouch in gunplay, even if everyone else on his team was probably his better, but he knew that it wasn't where he belonged.
He could tell the nervous man was the captain from his uniform, but he was otherwise entirely unremarkable. Either he got the job because the old captain died in the battle, or he's been spoon-fed by some rich daddy his whole life. Maybe both. His nervousness was understandable given his situation, but someone in command doesn't just that that show. Hell, buffoons like this are probably the real reason this planet's in such dire straits. Oh well, like uncle Kaas always said, "Where incompetence festers, there is opportunity."
He was not surprised to see Krull choose to guard against boarding parties. He didn't know much about Goralians, but he did know that they weren't exactly a passive people. Guy probably voted for the siege. Oh well, better for me this way. He had not expected "Eight" to board the Babylon, however. He had seen a perfectly good ship in the hangar that he understood belonged to his fellow Cyborg. Maybe there's still a person underneath that computer-speak of his. I certainly hope so, it'll make things much more interesting. He'd seen that other guy's ship in the hangar—Bruce, wasn't it?—and while he could appreciate it for what it was, Valian understood why his teammate didn't want to do this mission in it.
Valian grinned, "Well I'm going to be of much more use flying than guarding against boarding attempts." And the ship he used led to an interesting situation: While much closer in size and speed to a fighter than one would expect from a cargo ship, even one designed for agility, the Starbolt was still very much that. It wasn't out of the question that any attacking forces would assume that he had something in his hold—and he did, but it was nothing on the scale of Oppenheinium. Nevertheless, it was possible that they'd come after him first. His grin only grew larger as the anticipation for the upcoming battle swelled within him. He could barely hear the distant sounds of war. It's been far to long since I've been able to give the Starbolt a proper fly. Let's see what these rebels can bring to bear.
He could tell the nervous man was the captain from his uniform, but he was otherwise entirely unremarkable. Either he got the job because the old captain died in the battle, or he's been spoon-fed by some rich daddy his whole life. Maybe both. His nervousness was understandable given his situation, but someone in command doesn't just that that show. Hell, buffoons like this are probably the real reason this planet's in such dire straits. Oh well, like uncle Kaas always said, "Where incompetence festers, there is opportunity."
He was not surprised to see Krull choose to guard against boarding parties. He didn't know much about Goralians, but he did know that they weren't exactly a passive people. Guy probably voted for the siege. Oh well, better for me this way. He had not expected "Eight" to board the Babylon, however. He had seen a perfectly good ship in the hangar that he understood belonged to his fellow Cyborg. Maybe there's still a person underneath that computer-speak of his. I certainly hope so, it'll make things much more interesting. He'd seen that other guy's ship in the hangar—Bruce, wasn't it?—and while he could appreciate it for what it was, Valian understood why his teammate didn't want to do this mission in it.
Valian grinned, "Well I'm going to be of much more use flying than guarding against boarding attempts." And the ship he used led to an interesting situation: While much closer in size and speed to a fighter than one would expect from a cargo ship, even one designed for agility, the Starbolt was still very much that. It wasn't out of the question that any attacking forces would assume that he had something in his hold—and he did, but it was nothing on the scale of Oppenheinium. Nevertheless, it was possible that they'd come after him first. His grin only grew larger as the anticipation for the upcoming battle swelled within him. He could barely hear the distant sounds of war. It's been far to long since I've been able to give the Starbolt a proper fly. Let's see what these rebels can bring to bear.
Fly "boy?" He's thirty-four. ;P
"Eh, not really. Not the healthy ones, anyways." Valian wasn't sure if comas really applied to Deraen's question, but that was beside the point. "I was asking more about the quality of the waking. That is to say, depending on a number of factors, wakinhg up isn't always pleasant." He gestured with his hands, as one might when trying to think of certain words, before continuing, "For example—and this might be the same for your people, but I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to Andalite physiology—" Valian began crossing over to the food replicator, "but if a human doesn't get enough sleep then," his gaze flickered for an instant towards the man he'd been told went by 'Eight,' "by and large, it makes waking up all sorts of unpleasant. Same deal if the sleep is of poor quality, but I couldn't really tell you why any sleep is better or worse, only when it is."
Just as Valian reached the Food Replicator, a particularly large cluster of mostly-intact corpses floated by the window. He chuckled softly, and said—more to himself then his squad-mates, but they could doubtless hear him if the cared to—"Well, they're sleeping deep, now aren't they." He snagged pair of chicken eggs over fried rice and a cup of coffee—as if he was going to let that hunk of junk give him poison sludge again, And let me tell you what, he thought to himself, it's even worse when you don't have fleshy legs.
Valian turned to walk to a table, and said to everyone, "Just trying to make small talk. We're going to be shooting and getting shot at together for..." placing his dish on the table, he flipped open a panel on his arm, and slid a few documents across his vision, "...however long we're working together, it's probably a good idea to get comfortable with each other. Should be common sense, but well..." he chuckled again, "I've been with Starfire for fifteen years, and some of you'd be surprised how uncommon common sense is in this great big universe of ours."
Just as Valian reached the Food Replicator, a particularly large cluster of mostly-intact corpses floated by the window. He chuckled softly, and said—more to himself then his squad-mates, but they could doubtless hear him if the cared to—"Well, they're sleeping deep, now aren't they." He snagged pair of chicken eggs over fried rice and a cup of coffee—as if he was going to let that hunk of junk give him poison sludge again, And let me tell you what, he thought to himself, it's even worse when you don't have fleshy legs.
Valian turned to walk to a table, and said to everyone, "Just trying to make small talk. We're going to be shooting and getting shot at together for..." placing his dish on the table, he flipped open a panel on his arm, and slid a few documents across his vision, "...however long we're working together, it's probably a good idea to get comfortable with each other. Should be common sense, but well..." he chuckled again, "I've been with Starfire for fifteen years, and some of you'd be surprised how uncommon common sense is in this great big universe of ours."
I love how everyone just ignored Valian-- and I don't mean that sarcastically. Like it's just too early for his shit. Not specifically what I had imagined, but the same sort of reaction I had been hoping for.
Unless it's just that folks haven't gotten around to posting yet, in which case I hope it's just as amusing as being ignored.
Unless it's just that folks haven't gotten around to posting yet, in which case I hope it's just as amusing as being ignored.
Valian grunted awake as he heard the sound alerting him to the arrival of today's contracts. He had, flight suit adorned, gotten up early to perform some regular maintenence on the Starbolt. While he hadn't invested much effort into his ship's name, he cared deeply about the actual physical ship. Once he's finished said maintenence, he'd decided to lounge in his ship's cabin before getting some breakfast, but promptly fell asleep instead.
Once he was properly awake, be pressed a button on his cyberneric arm. and pulled the contacts up in his vision. After a moment's thought, be selected the second one. There would be certain danger, but he was, by his estimation, one of Stardire's best pilots. While there was definitely bias in his oppinion, fourteen years on the job had made him an undeniably skilled pilot. What's more, he wasn't much for gunplay, so the first option didn't look like a good idea. And he would prefer to get more pay than the third option offered, which would also require gunplay if things turned violent.
Valian stomach chose this email instant to growl. So he made his way towards the galley. On his arrival, he found some of his squadmates already there.
"Hello, everyone! How was everyone's awakening?" It was clear from his speech that he was sickeningly awake, accounting for his imprmptu nap in his ship's cabin.
Once he was properly awake, be pressed a button on his cyberneric arm. and pulled the contacts up in his vision. After a moment's thought, be selected the second one. There would be certain danger, but he was, by his estimation, one of Stardire's best pilots. While there was definitely bias in his oppinion, fourteen years on the job had made him an undeniably skilled pilot. What's more, he wasn't much for gunplay, so the first option didn't look like a good idea. And he would prefer to get more pay than the third option offered, which would also require gunplay if things turned violent.
Valian stomach chose this email instant to growl. So he made his way towards the galley. On his arrival, he found some of his squadmates already there.
"Hello, everyone! How was everyone's awakening?" It was clear from his speech that he was sickeningly awake, accounting for his imprmptu nap in his ship's cabin.
<Snipped quote by Zendrelax>
Are you sure? I'm looking at right now and it's still not in a hider on my screen. The ship is, but the whole thing isn't.
Ach, my bad. Misread what you said.
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