The day after the announcement, Sakihama Base

[no99]

[1]

Amidst all of the people bringing their mechs to base, here's someone who isn't! An enormous woman approaches on foot, by way of the seedy cover hotel on top of the base proper. Slung over one shoulder is a backpack containing most of her worldly possessions, and on the other shoulder is what appears to be an authentic medieval claymore.

Once she's on the campus, Suma gives the scenery a critical look. "Not exactly what you'd expect a haven for heroes of battle to look like, is it?"


[2]


Later the same day, her things now stashed in her spartan bedroom, Suma has found the real point of interest of Sakihama Base: The hangar. Let's have a look at what we have to look forward to, yes?

Not having even it up the mess hall yet, Suma goes from mech to mech at a leisurely stroll spending a couple minutes taking each one in. Without any engineering knowhow, she doesn't have much to go on besides intuition to get an idea for how each one fights, but even so, she can't help but imagine each one in action, as an ally or an enemy. For the first time in years, she's feeling the thrill of diving into a new kind of battle, surrounded by cutting-edge weapons the likes of which the world has scarcely seen.

Between mechs, she scans the hangar for people, but the engineers and technicians going to and fro don't hold any interest for her - the pilots of these mechs, however, may prove a different story.

[[After she finishes with Sakihama Base, she'll be checking out the hangars at Alhambra and Star Rose, just in case anyone wants a thread but isn't stationed at this base!]]

Comments

1

[streamedastar]

To be fair, I don't think most people would assume an amazon carrying a giant sword to be a robot pilot either.

[Ryuichi comments, having already set his stuff up somewhere and was now just looking around the area, fiddling with his tablet and headphones]

[no99]

You're far from the first to call me that. You would be one of my new allies?

[streamedastar]

That's right.
I'm Ryuichi, nice to meet you.

[no99]

I'm Suma, and if you're thinking otherwise, this sword isn't going to be used to fight mechs.

[Handshake offer! She's got an intense grip.]

[streamedastar]

[He'll take the hand, but he is a bit of a nancy. Don't crush him.]

I don't think something that would be a toothpick to most robots would scare them.
Is it just an heirloom?

2

[abugslife]

[Well, if you go to Alhambra, you might see the very Egyptian Scaraber in the hangar (see Heph's post a few prompts ago for more detail). A Gebian guard sits by its foot on a crate, watching a small portable TV. The beetle alien looks kinda bored, at least as far as one can tell with insects.]

[no99]

[Suma stops at the Scaraber. Boy, this brings back memories.]

Now this is a design I can get behind.

[abugslife]

[The sentry notices her, but she doesn't seem to want to do anything with the mecha, so back to TV. It's some kind of cooking program.]

Appreciating the Scaraber, are we? I would lie if I said I am not even a bit proud of it.

[A voice from behind! It's a smaller version of the mech.]

[no99]

Indeed I am! It reminds me of home."

[abugslife]

Home. Since I doubt you're a Gebian, that means you're from Egypt, or a nearby country. Am I right? Though I suspect it looks very different now than it did back in the day.

2

[kinaesthete]

[In the Star Rose's hangar, she'll find someone who looks to be doing much the same thing.]

Checking out the competition, hmmm?

[no99]

And a fine procession of weapons it is. This is a wondrous age we live in.

[kinaesthete]

I know, right? Some of these machines are one-of-a-kind! I can't wait to see them in action.

Sounds like it's more the action than the machines you're interested in, though.

[no99]

What is a sword without the hand that holds it?

[kinaesthete]

Thulsa Doom, right?

[2]

[srwjunker]

Fort Alhambra was a busy place and Russel was a staple of the hangers. While he was a pilot his technical skills were also put to use with the Halloween Plan. Still there was noting notable about how Russel looked, he was pretty average on all fronts, bordering on generic but he clearly was busy looking over a new rifle of some sort which was clearly or the near by Gespenst. "Humm so this is the M90 Assault Rifle?" He seems pretty intent on paying attention to his work but he does seem to not be ignoring his surroundings. "Hummm? Haven't seen you here before."

[no99]

"Just arrived." Suma had barely noticed there was anyone next to the Gespenst, which is here her attention is focused at the moment. "Compared to most of the treasures here, it doesn't particularly stand out, does it?"

[srwjunker]

"That's how it is, few pay attention to it but if it had a mind? I don't think it would mind. It's what it can do is the most important thing, I find. They are good machines and you don't always need flash to get the job done I find. Also it might make someone ignore the unit till it's too late, and the pilot is dropping on them like an asteroid."

[no99]

"There is something to that. The humble soldier is just as capable of great acts as the famous hero."

[srwjunker]

"That's a good way to put its, so I have to ask. How did you end up with the Unity Group?"

[1]

[fire_dancer]

As Suma makes her comment a greened haired woman comes up behind her and comments.

"I know it's pretty posh a bit too much if you want to keep warriors on their toes but then again who am I to say perhaps my experience is too limited in some things. Also don't see many people who'd take the time to put to use such a weapon, a you have there."

[no99]

"And such a pity it is! Would that I could meet a few more swordsmen, and give this blade a real workout."

[fire_dancer]

"Oh I dunno it might be interesting to train against someone like your self. Still when it comes to martial arts there's only been a few people. I don't have to hold back on when I train with them, so I feel your pain."

[no99]

"I am pleased to hear it! Machine-to-machine is far from the only form of combat with merit."

[fire_dancer]

"Still these days it's wise to adapt with what works or your not going to last too long. Always keep getting stronger or you'll end up crushed one way or another. Not that one needs to behave like some cackling loony out of a movie. Just got to keep going forward and trying to improve."