Right stuff, coming in!

[glorystargo]

[1]
[Backdated to only a few days or so before the Unity Group opening, a trio of blue mobile suits arrive at Alhambra Base. And their squad leader is the first to introduce himself.]

Greetings. You might be wondering what the three new arrivals in the hangars are - they're Virgola mobile suits, test units for a future mass-produced series. And we're here to be their test pilots, Glory Stars at your service!

My name's Denzel Hammer, and these two are my subordinates. Lt 1st class Toby Watson.


Hey, nice to meet y'all!

And 2nd Lt Setsuko Ohara, a new member of the team.


It is... a pleasure to meet you.

We're here to do tests, gather combat data and such, but don't worry, we'll fight too! If there's a combat, Glory Stars got your back.

[2]
[After the opening announcement.]



What was that supposed to be?

[Denzel and Toby are sharing drinks in the mess hall and laughing good naturedly about the broadcast's awkwardness. Setsuko is nowhere to be seen.]

Comments

1

[a_linear_mind]

[A young man whistles at the three Virgola units. He seems rather impressed.]

So this is what test mobile suits look like nowadays.

Oh right, I should introduce myself also. Name's Willis Clades.

[glorystargo]

Pretty things, aren't they? And trust me, they pack a punch too!


Hey, Toby! Get in line you miscreant.

Sorry about that. Nice to meet you, Clades.

[a_linear_mind]

[Willis lets out a small chuckle.]

It's fine, it's fine.

I have to say though, they don't look like the standard ESUN Mobile Suits.

[glorystargo]

Heh heh. They're a new generation prototype for a reason, you know! The Virgola is made to be usable by veterans like me or novices like Setsuko alike, just as easily in either case.

[Toby makes funny faces in the background.]

[a_linear_mind]

Oh, do you have any live combat experience yet?

[Directed towards Setsuko.]

1

[smileys]

May Greenfield, Global Armaments affiliate. It's a pleasure.

Actually, I just arrived here myself.

[And then she realizes something.]

Come to think of it, wasn't this place a test site as well? Maybe you'll have an easier time getting used to it.

[glorystargo]

Hey, that's true! Thanks for the hint, May-chan. I'm sure we'll feel right at home.

[smileys]

More so than myself, at least. I haven't been to a military installation like this for quite a while, you see.

In any case, you seem pretty confident in your units. Have they seen actual combat before?

[glorystargo]

Egh! About that...


The Virgolas are newly developed so unlike their pilots no, they don't have any actual combat experience yet.

We're here to change that.

[smileys]

Well, the world has definitely moved on with these kinds of designs. Hopefully, everything sorts itself out for you.

I'm kind of in the same boat, trying out fairly new equipment and such. It's not as daunting as completely new machines, though.

2

[3xmadder]

They're just sending all the test units out here, huh? Stands to reason.

[Katina stands nearby in the mess, arms folded and looking challengingly at the two Glory Stars. Her body language is a lot more aggressive than her tone of voice, which is probably a good clue that she's a fellow pilot, assuming the jacket-half-unbuttoned Lieutenant's uniform wasn't.]

Re: 2

[glorystargo]

That's right. What better way to test a new unit than on the field of real battle?

And that's where Unity Group is supposed to go, to battlefields. Just like the good commander said.

[Denzel sounds amused for some not that hard to explain reason.]

[3xmadder]

Glad whatever branch is in charge of you guys thinks the same way.

[She relaxes slightly.]

Katina Tarask, lieutenant. My squad's some of the Halloween Plan guinea pigs today. I wouldn't say no to a joy ride in one of those Virgolas, though.

[glorystargo]

Look how popular we are, Chief. I told you it was a good idea to come here!


Good to meet you, Lt Tarask. I'm Denzel Hammer, and this here joker is Toby Watson. And I'm sorry to say, but we're on strict orders not to let anyone outside Glory Stars pilot our prototypes.


Aww, come on Denzel. You're no fun.

[srwjunker]

A rather generic looking man with a buzz cut comes up behind Katina and passes her what looks to be some infamously high powered energy drink.

"Katina? I found they had one bottle of it left, it's yours."

He turns to Denzel and Toby.

"Russel Bagman, sorry for that, I'm LT Tarask's wingman. I also handle some of our mechanical work. Ma'me we do have prototypes of our own. the Gespenst MKII Kai's are nothing to sneeze at."

1)

[break_the_nine]

Hi! I'm Leos Klein, from the Raven's Nest.

[The PMC group? Really? He doesn't look like a mercenary at all with how childish he seems. I mean the happy waving doesn't help the image at all.]

My Operator Lana signed some contracts with the Unity Group so I can get more field experience instead of accidentally getting myself killed in the field because I didn't know what I was doing!

She said that'd look really bad for our sponsors after all the trouble she went through to get me lined up with them.

[glorystargo]

Yeah, let's try to avoid dying and making us look bad in front of sponsors.


Okay, ignore Toby's smartass comments for a second. Are you really with Raven's Nest? You look really young.

[break_the_nine]

Really? I think I'd rather like not dying.

[Leos laughs a little before looking aside.]

I am! Signed up a week or two after graduation! I've got my cert of employment and my record and everything with me if you want to take a look.

Lana helped me get signed up after everyone died!

[Well that kind of clears everything up- wait. What was that last part?]

[glorystargo]

After everyone died you say. Sounds like there's a story there.

[break_the_nine]

...Not really. I don't really think you could call Chrome and Murakumo Millenium having their goons fight over a city and kill almost everyone living there that.

[Leos seemed to slouch a little before somehow looking much more chipper.]



But I'm pretty sure you've heard enough about depressing things like that! What's your story sir?

1

[keep_your_dignity]

[And as the group introduces themselves, one of the apparently empty machines around comes to life. It's a sort of large robotic mech-armor, standing several heads taller and much wider than the humans as it approaches. The GRAVEYARD symbols stamped on it defnitely don't help it be any less scary, either]

MORE TEST PILOTS THEN. GOOD. A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU. [The voice is clearly synthesized, mechanical and lacking in inflection, and sort of very vaguely female] I AM MAJOR KAGURA OF THE EXECUTOR GRAVEYARD.

[star_of_sad]

Ah!

[Setsuko is the most startled of the trio, but the other two look surprised as well, to say the least.]


Major.

[Denzel gets over it first though.]
I didn't expect anyone to be welcoming us while piloting.

[keep_your_dignity]

[The robotic form is silent for a second, perhaps perplexed until she works out what he means. After a few seconds, she speaks again]

YOU MISUNDERSTAND. THIS IS NOT POWER ARMOR. THERE IS NOT A HUMAN INSIDE ME. THIS IS WHAT I AM.

I SUPPOSE THIS CONFUSION WILL BE MORE FREQUENT WHILE IN THIS OUTFIT.

[glorystargo]

So that's what it is? And here I thought you are pranking us!


I never served alongside a robot before. That should be an interesting new experience.

[keep_your_dignity]

I DO NOT PRANK. THERE IS ENOUGH CONFUSION GOING AROUND THESE DAYS WITHOUT ADDING TO IT INTENTIONALLY ANYWAY. GETTING AN INTER-FORCE OUTFIT LIKE THIS ROLLING HAS BEEN AS MUCH OF A CLUSTERFUCK AS YOU WOULD EXPECT.