BETA Testing

[ugyuuya]

[1]

[The monitors across the UG bases kick to life with live footage from what appears to be one of the smaller briefing rooms in Alhambra base revealing a 4-person team of varying Nationalities all wearing the same grey and black uniform. The first voice heard is a cheerful one from behind the camera.]

All right that's got it, we're live so get to it guys.

[The Asian-American is the first to speak]

2nd-Leiutenant Yuuya Bridges, Argos test flight, reporting to UG group as ordered.

[The same voice from behind the camera speaks again]

Really Yuuya? That's all you're going to say, at least give them a bit better of an introduction.




Just leave him Vincent, if he's going to be grumpy because of his argument with Lieutenant Takamura then that just gives us more time for introductions. 2nd Lieutenant Tarisa Manandal of the same. I hope to get along well with everyone.

[As Yuuya flushes and begins to turn to speak again when he is cut off by the other male member of his flight]




[He drops his hand's on Tarisa's shoulders and gives her a playful shake as he speaks]

Don't make fun of our lead's delicate sensibilities there chobi, you weren't much better when you started with us either. [Turning to the camera he continues] I'm Valerio Giacosa, VG for short and I'm Argos 3. I hope to get along well with everyone but especially the lovely ladies of this new group to whom I think it would be incredibly unfair to deny the joy of my company...



Put a sock in it Macaroni! We haven't even been here for 3 hours yet and you're already trying to pick up every woman on base! Well I guess we can't expect anything more from a greasy playboy like yourself but please don't try to hijack the introductions!


Speaking of introductions.


Ah, and Venus graces us with her most beauteous voice


[Ignoring the jibe the blonde woman continues]

I'm 2nd Lieutenant Stella Bremer. I'm Argos 4 and I do hope you'll forgive the rather rambunctious nature of my comrades. They're animated but honestly quite harmless.

[As Stella smiles serenely Yuuya sighs and shakes his head before speaking.]




And this is exactly why I was against this idea Vincent. I'm sure Princess Yui is going to *LOVE* what this turned into when she sees it.

[With that the camera begins to pan a little unusually as it approaches Yuuya and then sweeps right to Tarisa and VG arguing while Stella stands to the side her hand covering a grin as she watches her team-mates bicker before cutting off.]

(Argos Flight can be reached by comm or will be around Alhambra to be tagged)

[2]



[As you walk through the hangers you hear an angry shout. As you turn to look you see a young Japanese woman walking away with a clipboard and Yuuya in his piloting suit looking particularly upset. As the woman exits the hanger Yuuya rounds on the machine he's standing next to and throws his fist into it with enough force for the impact to resound. From his lack of reaction you can assume it is at least somewhat hardened to impact though he looks up at your approach and speaks in a seething tone.]

Did you need something or are you just here to criticize my performance like Lt. Takamura?

Comments

[ugyuuya]

I'm not placing it on you and what he did was a noble action. What I'm saying is that he shouldn't have been there alone to begin with. There's a lesson that is taught to TSF pilots as a portion of their training to fight the BETA. "The most important thing you have on the battlefield is your life, but you can't protect it alone." Any TSF pilot is going to die if he goes off alone without any backup, we trust our lives to our wingmen and they entrust theirs in return so they go off on their own without the others then everyone is put in danger. He had time while the evacuation was underway, he could have asked for help from you or the other teams but he got into a suit and went alone and that's what got him killed. If everyone was engaged fully and nobody could pull away then that's one thing but several of you were able to break from combat and make for the main shaft to try to save him.

As for my comment on the Japanese you might be missing part of the point I was trying to make because I forget that everyone here isn't with the TSF forces. American's, Europeans, Russians, and Chinese pilots will make a push on an objective and if it's too heavily defended they'll fall back and try a different tactic, usually from ranged. The Japanese will charge in and fight in melee with the BETA until they're so tied up they don't think they can get out. Instead of fighting and dying to escape they'll activate a self-destruct system to kill themselves and as many BETA as they can. Instead of using that window to escape their wingmen will charge deeper into the BETA's lines and repeat until the whole flight is gone. That's the "duty" and "endurance" that I was trying to keep you away from.

The most important thing you have out there is your life and you should never give it up easily. I'll fight with my life on the line and someday I'll probably die out there, fighting BETA in a TSF is a terrifying thing kid. What I'll never do is unilaterally decide that my life is worth less than an objective and throw myself to my death without saying a word to anyone. You're young still and new to combat, you've probably been enamored with tales of heroic sacrifice and all that and dream of being a hero. Stop it, get that thought out of your head and don't let it get back in or it'll get you killed.

As for duty kid, I'll follow orders and if I'm ordered to hold a line so others can live I'll hold it, but you better damned well believe that I will use every bit of skill, every trick, and every ounce of strength I have to get back in one piece. That is always your first duty, do everything you can to live.

[cloningblues]

[Wow, this guy likes talking a lot. But Asagi latches on to some points in particular...]

A hero? Hah, you don't know anything... Do you think I ever asked to be a part of this? I'm just a soldier, trying to survive. And most people are the same! I've never seen anyone who does a suicide run without a good reason. Don't think in stereotypes about Japan, and don't think in stereotypes about me!

And don't call me a kid. You can't be much older than me.

[ugyuuya]

Heh, is it really a stereotype if it's been proven by every other Japanese person I've met? You're the most normal one I've met and even you've gotten wrapped up in the nobility of his sacrifice to acknowledge that he shouldn't have been alone in there to begin with!

But fine, I'll take you at your word that you just want to survive and won't do anything stupid, but don't think that means I'm not gonna watch to make sure you don't do some stupid stunt that will get yourself or someone else killed.

[cloningblues]

I don't need anyone watching over me. Especially you.

[ugyuuya]

Fine, if that's how you want it I wish you the best of luck.