Hello, World!

[kinaesthete]

1. [video]
[After the formal announcement, a broadcast goes around the Unity Group's networks, flagged as to-whom-it-may-concern. The video's of a young woman, auburn-haired and early twenties, wearing a uniform which those versed in Spacenoid politics may recognize as belonging to the militia of Erewhon, a neutral scientific colony.]

Now that we're officially a team, I should say hello. Lieutenant Catherine Butler, with the Erewhon Colonial Defense Forces. My sister and I will be operating out of the Star Rose for the time being, at least until it's time for ground trials. It's our hope that the Rose, the mobile suit we're testing here, will be an able to support to you all.

I look forward to working with you, and I expect we'll see you around.

[Short and to the point - though if you want more detail, Cathy's online for responses.]


2. [video]
[Just after that first broadcast comes another, marked as related. The person in this video is a slightly younger-looking woman with long black hair, wearing civilian clothes and a less formal expression.]

Hello! I'm the sister Cathy mentioned. Elizabeth Butler, but you can call me Liz. I'm really looking forward to meeting and working with everyone!

I'm online a lot, so don't hesitate to get in touch. You might see some of my drones around, too, so wave if you do! I'm just a warrant officer, so there's no need to stand on ceremony, don't worry. And if you want to know more about the Rose, I'm always happy to show off!

[As with her sister's broadcast, Liz shows up as ready to respond.]

3. Star Rose hangar
If you find yourself physically visiting the Star Rose, you may see the pair working on their machine in the hangar! Or - well, no, you see Cathy, apparently alone, working on and around a bold red mobile suit. Technical types will note it's an unusual design, with many non-standard features of interest. Cathy's directing a team of technicians setting up the surrounding gear and maintenance infrastructure, and putting the MS through its paces in launch exercises.

4.
And over the next few days, Cathy can be seen around and about not just the Star Rose but Sakihama and Alhambra too, clearly exploring. Checking out the hangars and machines, curiously investigating the living spaces and surroundings, and tucking in to whatever the staff recommend as the most distinctive local specialties in the mess halls.

Comments

3

[star_of_sad]

[Setsuko walks up to the new unit but is quiet for now. She seems to be looking at Cathy at work and her ride, with a rather analytical expression.]

3

[a_linear_mind]

Hmmm...mobile suit designs are pretty weird nowadays.

[The unusual design of Rose has caught his attention.]

[kinaesthete]

[Setsuko will have a while to watch, because Cathy seems pretty absorbed in her work. Even when not addressing the technicians, her expression suggests she's in conversation. In fact, quite often her lips seem to be moving, though soundlessly.

Eventually, though, she notices her observer.]

Oh, hello there! Come to check out the fresh meat?

[kinaesthete]

That's because the Rose is no ordinary mobile suit!

[Uh oh, Willis. You've activated her Salesperson Card.]

See how humanlike the proportions are? That's because it uses an artificial musculature to move! Lightweight and energy efficient, compared to bulky mechanical limbs!

[star_of_sad]

Um, you could say that. I was curious how your machine might have looked like.

I am Setsuko Ohara from the Glory Star team. You must be Lt Catherine Butler, am I right?

[a_linear_mind]

[And Willis completely buys into it, nodding his head at every point.]

Oooooh I see, that makes a lot of sense. But tell me, how do you make up for the lack of armor? It sure seems like it would be a problem if you took a hit.

[Well this is turning into an infomercial.]

[kinaesthete]

That's me! Glory Stars, huh. With the Virgolas? I've read some of the files. Pretty sweet machines.

Not as sweet as the Rose, of course, but there's no shame in that!

[kinaesthete]

[Cathy's grinning, obviously getting in to it as well.]

That's where the Armor Skin system comes in to it! See this?

[She taps the red surface of the machine near where she's working. Indeed, while some exposed parts of the machine show grey-black fibres like bundled steel cable that are probably the artificial muscle she mentioned, most of the Rose is covered in this red material - rumpled and folded in places, smooth and rigid over the most exposed surfaces, like a strange hybrid between ordinary clothes and plate armour. A hexagonal grid pattern can be discerned underneath it.]

Anti-beam coated smart fabric on an adaptive mesh! Lightweight, and cheap and easy to replace. Presents a minimal target profile, adjustable on the fly. And if someone tries to get physical instead of shooting at you, individual segments can be foamed to produce an ablative kinetic defense!

It does trade off some armour for improved maneuverability, but that just means you're better at avoiding being hit in the first place, which is always the better outcome anyway!

[star_of_sad]

It is a rather unique design, isn't it. The Rose.

[Comment about mobile suit superiority either ignored or brushed aside by Setsuko.]

Excuse me if I'm too nosy, but your sister is not here. She is busy elsewhere, I assume?

[4]

[fire_dancer]

Raquel had settled into life in Alhambra fairly well and seems to be busy dealing with someone for a moment and taking a wad of bills from them.

"Hey least you pay up when you lose a bet. Better luck next time. Raul."

She looks over spotting Cathy wondering just whom she is, and moves out to greet them.

"Hey, new here or just passing through from one of the other bases?"

2

[empress_without_a_throne]

"Drones"?

I'm guessing the mechanical sort, and not like the insect lady's.

[a_linear_mind]

I see, so there's enough defenses on the machine to protect it from stray attacks, all while keeping a focus on evasion.

I have to say, it sure seems like whoever designed this machine has a firm grasp on mech design.

[kinaesthete]

One of a kind! Even when we're ready for a production run, the Rose'll be special. Once it's proven itself, though, you should be seeing some of its innovations all over the place.

[Cathy pats the machine affectionately.]

Oh, she's in the Rose. She usually is.

[The mobile suit's hand - just its left hand and nothing else, carefully avoiding making a mess of any of the gear surrounding it - moves, waving to Setsuko.]

[kinaesthete]

I should say so - it's the pride of my parents' workshop! Grace Butler - you might have heard of her work.

Once we've proven the design in combat, the production version will be a low-cost, efficient option for smaller nations that need a way to defend themselves without relying on rare materials or fuels from outside.

[kinaesthete]

Oh, passing through! Cathy Butler. I'm based on the Star Rose, but I wanted to get the lay of the land here too.

What did you win?

[anewmachine]

Right! It's kind of awkward for me to move around in person, so I have some remotes I can use when I need to do more than chat like this.

Although I could make some insectoid ones! Designs like that can weird people out, but if everyone's going to get used to those aliens anyway...

[star_of_sad]

Ah. Hello.

[Setsuko waves back.]

So she's the pilot?

[kinaesthete]

Co-pilot. Liz is an AI. The Rose is pretty much her body.

Here, catch. [Cathy takes off her small pair of glasses and tosses them lightly at Setsuko, gesturing at her to put them on.]

[star_of_sad]

Really? I didn't... ah!

[Setsuko didn't expect objects thrown at her so she's startled, but somehow manages to catch the glasses mid-air and put them on.]

[anewmachine]

Hi!

[A head pops out of the Rose's cockpit! And somehow, the glasses beam sound at Setsuko's ears, though the quality is pretty low. If she experiments, she'll find that the newcomer is visible only through the glasses.]

Nice to meet you! If you've earphones or anything, they'll let you hear me better.

It's pretty awkward to move the Rose around, so this is the easiest way for me to talk to people.

[fire_dancer]

"Oh just a bet, he didn't think I could pull off something in the Gym, I did so and then some. The look on his face was priceless, call my art to be something that just exists in movies. Heh, he's lucky he didn't say that to my master. She'd have taken it poorly."

[kinaesthete]

Your art, huh? Practice something unusual?

[star_of_sad]

Oh. Hello.

[This is a bit of an awkward situation.]

You must be Liz?

[anewmachine]

Yup!

Hang on, I'll come down. We're not doing anything I need to be centred for.

[The head withdraws and a whole body emerges instead, climbing out of the cockpit and hopping down just as a normal human would. Of course, a normal human probably wouldn't be dressed in completely ordinary - if rather stylish - civilian clothes while working here. The figure has long, straight black hair quite different to Cathy's, and paler skin, but as she moves Setsuko can see a definite family resemblance. When she 'arrives' in front of the Glory Star lieutenant, Liz dusts her hands off - though there was no dirt rendered on them - and gives a small bow. She doesn't waste time offering her hand.]

I can usually hear what Cathy hears, so don't worry about repeating yourself.

...First time meeting an AI?

[star_of_sad]

First time like this.

[Not sure what to do, Setsuko eventually settles on returning the bow.]

I mean, there is also Major Kagura, but she has a body.
[And is a jerk.]