Changing Tune

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya stands in his regular uniform on the catwalk looking up at the Shiranui Second with a troubled look on his face. It seems something has him displeased and he's come here to try to puzzle it out.]




It bothers you doesn't it, your low scores on the test missions? [Vincent gives a slight wave as Yuuya is shaken from his reverie.]

I'll be the first to vouch that you're a top-class pilot in an American TSF but if tuned and built the Shiranui Second like that then the Japanese pilots would be having the same problem you are.

American TSFs are built to be straightforward, you tell it to go here and the machine does it, direct action to reaction. A Japanese pilot will use the shape of the frame to his advantage, let the angle of the sensor mast make small course corrections or use the knife sheathe to generate lift and turn a horizontal cut into a diagonal slash.




So that's what she meant by "A horse and it's rider are one". Stupid way to go about saying that.



Oh and might that she be Lt. Takamura? You know if you're so interested in getting to know how to "ride" the Shiranui Second maybe you ought to try your luck with her.

[The venom in Yuuya's comeback leaves most of the hanger staff confused but the ones close enough to have overheard are seen trying to stifle or hide laughter.]

All right, all right, I'm sorry, bad joke. But it's probably time that you opened up your eyes a bit more my friend. Yui and Ken aren't all that different from you, what does that mean for the others?

[With that parting shot Vincent leaves and a particularly pensive Yuuya stands looking up at the unit in front of him.]

Comments

[glorystargo]

Looks like your Lieutenant gave you some good advice.

[The Glory Star leader approches. Apparently Denzel overheard your conversation.]

It's a test pilot's job to know everything about a machine he works with.

[ugyuuya]

Vincent usually does come up with something, sometimes I wonder if he doesn't know me better than I know myself.

As for learning about the machine I think I'm doing damned well for having had it for only a week and a half of actual trials. I think it'd be a lot easier too if the developer would actually say what she means like Vincent did rather than rattle off a proverb and look at me like I'm too stupid to be here when I get confused.

[glorystargo]

Japanese, huh.

Maybe she expected you to figure it out all by yourself.

[ugyuuya]

Oh yes just because I look Japanese I'm going to magically understand how to pilot in an entirely different way quickly enough to meet her accelerated development schedule.

[Something just seems to break and Yuuya's rant comes out more tired than angry.]

Well guess what, I'm not Japanese, I'm American. I've never been to the damned country until earlier today when she dragged me there because I needed to be watched after somebody sucker punched me and started a fight. This is after her first words to me were that I was a disgrace to the Japanese people and I spent most of my day listening to base personnel make snide remarks in a language they thought I didn't understand because I was ordered not to make a scene at the new facility and I didn't want to give the Lt. the satisfaction of being proven right.

[glorystargo]

[Denzel waits until the rant is over.]

Are you done?

I didn't say anything about you. The remark was about Lt Takamura.

[ugyuuya]

[Looking at Denzel Yuuya leans back and sits on the railing to look up at the unit.]

Sorry about that, it just seems that I've been getting an inordinate amount of shit related to my Japanese heritage when all it's ever caused me is trouble. A few of the other Japanese personnel seemed fit to give me crap about not liking that particular portion of my heritage and I've still got the worst headache I've ever had from the beating that Ken with the Solaris team gave me.

Basically this has been a rough set of introductions because everyone seems to think I'm going to think the same way they do because I happen to look like my father and when I don't meet those expectations they think that I'm doing things wrong. Here at Alhambra it's not so bad but at Sakihama it's just uncomfortable for everyone. I didn't particularly appreciate the Lt. for dragging me there and making me stand around while she was in meetings.

You're on the same team as Setsuko right? I met her before the fight in the hanger, she seems nice enough but really skittish though that could be because she caught me in a foul mood and I snapped a bit at her before I was able to calm down enough to keep a civil tone.

Really rather sad how often that's happened the last few days.

[glorystargo]

It's easy to get under your skin, it looks like. All a guy's gotta do is mention your heritage. Some folks will abuse that if they learn of it, so you should work on thickening your skin.

Some folks, but I can't say I expect everyone in Unity Group to be like that. We're all supposed to be on the same side, after all. Me, you, Setsuko, everyone.

[Looks like the old truth holds itself once again. You get a group large enough, there's bound to be tensions.]

[ugyuuya]

It's been a bad week that started before we got here and has had some bad spots since I've been here. I've gotten along well enough with some of the others but there are just a handful which seem to be right in on the same wavelength as Lt. Takamura in jumping down my throat with "helpful" criticisms.

We've been on a bit of a freeze for exercises since the unit's transfer but I doubt the doll would need to go back to Japan if we weren't planning something soon. It'll be a nice chance to put this new theory to the test and prove her wrong.

[glorystargo]

Sounds like a situation where we can help each other.
[Denzel looks sly. Does he have a cunning plan?]

[deathflag_survivor]

Problems with design philosophies?

[ugyuuya]

More like they're expecting someone who's a Stock Car racing champ to enter and win the Formula 1 grand prix without any real time to adjust to the difference.

Thankfully someone finally realized it might help if you give the test pilot a tip about the differences in machines instead of just saying "here fly this" and spouting proverbs and disappointment instead of constructive criticism.

That and if I didn't already know I had a clear CAT scan and X-Ray I'd swear there's a rabid wolverine in my skull trying to tear it's way out.

[deathflag_survivor]

Jeez oh man... there's a limit you can go for just trusting a pilot's intuition to figure out! Glad it got sorted out though.

Name's Albhard Bailaran... part of the ESUN's Team Jelba.

[ugyuuya]

Well we'll see but Vincent's at least given me a more direct and clear answer than anyone else has thus far.

2nd Lt. Yuuya Bridges of the Argos test flight. Isn't Jelba one of those blacked out teams like Delta is in historical fiction? People may know the team but nobody's supposed to know who's on it and all that jazz?

[deathflag_survivor]

We're less wetworks and more recon. And we're masters of disguise on top of that... so you knowing what my actual face is doesn't really endanger anything.

So what's with these differences between American and Japanese TSFs? Their design philosophy can't be that different, can they?

[Of course, Albhard's never used one so he's just running off of experience with larger machines with standardized designs.]

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya lets out a sigh and looks over Albhard with a look of resigned amusement]

Well I wish that really were the case because if it was I wouldn't have been getting the flack I have from developer of this machine. I can't say too much of the control system because I'm still mastering this one and the basics of the controls are the same but a Japanese TSF is really finicky compared to an American TSF.

Equipment will probably be the biggest point of difference that I can go into. American TSFs sortie and engage from range relying on speed to keep us out of range of counterattack while we fight. All TSFs have a pair of knives in sheathes on the unit's forearms which make for an emergency melee weapon for most countries but are the only melee weapon in the US arsenal.

Japanese TSFs carry a primary melee weapon in many configurations and typically engage from much closer range if not within direct melee with the BETA. The Type-74 blade [he motions to the handle sticking out over the shoulder of the unit] is their primary and is a lighter blade than most other countries use. Otherwise most TSF weapons are relatively standardized and equipment is exchanged through van-, middle, and rear guards.

American's typically engage in a wing formation which leaves the most open lines of fire and allows the Blast guards to best engage concentrations of BETA whereas what I've read of Japanese tactics tend to favor Wedge or Arrowhead formations where their vanguard units tend to break concentrations while mid and rear guards clean up and watch for other concentrations or units coming in. Impact guards are typically used to break concentrations that aren't in line with the vanguards or for the value of the AL warheads to screen an advance.

AL stands for Anti-Laser and the warheads and coating are vital for TSF deployment against BETA. AL warheads are explosives that have high concentrations of heavy metals around the primary charge so when detonated they atomize and spread the particles. Because Laser class will intercept the artillery or missiles these typically occur as air bursts which leave the particulates slowly falling to the earth which creates a cloud that will hamper or block laser fire while it maintains a proper density. This does have a negative impact on communications but allows TSF forces to close and engage without suffering extreme casualties. The warheads are also dropped from orbit as a prelude to any Orbital Diver operations to assault near BETA hives. If the warheads are fired directly and explode with out Laser vaporization their effectiveness is drastically reduced so our team has been provided with standard warheads to use in most situations.

The Anti-Laser coating is a treatment on TSF armor that allows it to withstand brief exposure to laser weapons without immediately being compromised. On a TSF we get about 3 seconds but with our systems to detect Laser-class in their charging sequence it's typically enough though if it does fail and is further exposed it reacts poorly.

[Seeing Albhard's concentration begin to waver Yuuya chuckles.]

Yeah it's a lot to take in and that's a breakdown of the basic systems.

[deathflag_survivor]

[Actually, it's not wavering all that much. Yeah there's a lot of terms Albhard's unfamiliar with, but the gist of it seems to be...]

... So one style prefers hanging back and essentially being a firing squad, while the other prefers to break enemy formations through close combat.

[Or at least that's what he's taking from this.]

I can see the difficulties you'd have trying to re-learn how to use them.

[ugyuuya]

Yeah you pretty much got it but it's been a long day and that is the general basics and context of TSF deployment and use. TSF school is pretty much Basic, Lectures, simulators, lectures lectures, unit training.

Oh and I forgot the simulator training with lectures in it. Those were always fun. Add in JIVES for the training, fancy VR, and even most rookies are surprisingly adept in their first engagements, not that casualty numbers aren't discouraging for most applicants.

late tag better than never, right?

[abugslife]

Do you have issues handling your machine?

Re: late tag better than never, right?

[ugyuuya]

It's a Test unit and is built on an entirely different style of use and maneuverability than what I'm used to piloting. It's been a challenge and it almost feels like I've been fighting it as much as the enemies we simulate for testing.

I don't know what you overheard but that may just be the last little tip of what I was missing to really start making progress. At least I hope that's the case.

[abugslife]

Well, you are a test pilot. Overcoming such difficulties is what your job is about. If you are good enough to have received this position, I am sure you will be able to do it.

[ugyuuya]

Well it's nice to have someone give a vote of confidence in this case for once besides my wingmen. Lt. Takamura sure seems to think that I'm a grand disappointment for not being able to immediately pilot this thing to the level she thinks it should be at. That woman hasn't stopped riding me about my poor performance since I started flying Japanese TSFs for this project.

[abugslife]

Speaking of which... I talked to the one who attacked you.

[ugyuuya]

Oh, and what did he have to say? I'm sure if you've come back to me there's something you want to clarify.

[abugslife]

You were saying racist things against the Japanese. A nationality that happens to be his own.

That does not mean he was right to launch the first strike. But you were not right in saying such things, either.

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya cocks an eyebrow at Hetepheres' comments before a flash of realization crosses his face.]

I almost forget that you wouldn't recognize a lot of the differences in race given that to you we're all "Earthlings". Maybe that's why I was able to talk so openly with you before.

[Yuuya turns away from his unit and leans against the railing as he looks over the rest of the hangar.]

I think I have a certain right to hold opinions about a race that I've grown up being judged as a member of. My father was Japanese but left before I was even born and given how I apparently take after him it's caused me rather a large degree of trouble. It's also something that I've been rejected by the very same people about because of how I was raised and the difference in behavior that I exhibit.

Frankly put to Americans and most of the rest of the world I'm Japanese with all that that entails, as for the Japanese I'm just another outsider to be ignored or scolded as appropriate.

Is there anything else about what he said that you would like to address?