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Post by Game Master on Feb 4, 2014 22:28:28 GMT -6
The dim light of Antaeus touched the the paint-like clouds of the gas giant, gently illuminating the variegated colors of Ploba's atmosphere. The planet was unimaginable large, easily more than four times the size of Jupiter. Its mammoth size dwarfed every moon it has, making Barce nearly impossible to find without modern-day technology. Torrez flew the Valiant as only he could, having the frigate dance around small asteroids and moons to mask the approach. He executed pivots and turns with easy grace, making the impossible appear ordinary. All the while, he never laid off the ship's outdated yet powerful thrusters. For anyone paying attention, his goal was to launch the Vengeance at the shuttle's top speed. It would give Maelstrom the best chance at arriving undetected. But in typical Tom fashion, he didn't bother telling anyone that. "Thirty seconds to launch," Tom informed the crew through the ship's comm system. "Get ready to take off, Malie." [GM Note: The approach to the moon will be the critical first step in this, to see if the Collectors will detect anyone or if everyone will remain hidden. Torrez managed to angle his descent perfectly to hide from the Collector's line of sight and sensors. Now, it's the pilot of the Vengenance's turn.] Additional notes: The moon has no atmosphere.
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Post by Maelstrom on Feb 7, 2014 1:35:33 GMT -6
"Emily, activate stealth systems. Prepare to take us along a stealth tragectory to navpoint Olypmus," Maelstrom said, continuing Lysander's Greek metaphors. Olympus, where Zeus rained down his lightning bolts on man, a fitting metaphor for the turrets. He sat in the pilot's seat but did next to nothing in terms of managing the controls. Emily handled that. His position was more symbolic than anything, a reminder of who the shuttle belonged to. "Low to ground, approach from the southeast. I want to be low enough to reach out and touch the ground, Emily."
"Specify deployment site," his VI requested, in her monotone voice with standard projection.
Turning to Lysander, Maelstrom said, "We should show up a bit ahead of the Valiant. How far out do you want Zeus and Artemis dropped to be from the turrets? I can set you down by the base of the hill or right on top of them. Either way, be ready to jump. It's one stop, and we're not setting down."
While he was waiting for Lysander to come up with a response, Maelstrom tapped the ship's intercom, "The ravine is the is navpoint Styx." The river the souls of the dead crossed to enter the underworld. "That's where Persephone and Ares will be deployed. We will not be touching down. After the drop, the Vengeance will bug out. She will be outside the theater of engagement. ETA at top speed, approximately three minutes, so don't count on her for any sort of quick backup or evac. We will then proceed to the digsite, navpoint Tartarus." Where the titans were sealed away by Zeus, far beneath the realm of Hades.
After dropping Lysander off, the Vengeance would circle around, heading northeast several miles, out of visual range, and then back northwest, deploying the team in the cover of the ravine. He hoped their mech driver would do well at navpoint Sparta... one mech against a Collector base deserved that designation. With any luck, the observation post would serve well as the smoldering navpoint Troy.
The shuttle bay doors would open in a matter of seconds, Maelstrom knew. He hoped the Vengeance's stealth systems would fare as well against the Collectors as they did against Ceberus.
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Post by Maelstrom on Feb 7, 2014 8:53:32 GMT -6
*** To summarize nav-points assigned in my post:***
Turrets: Olympus
Northeast ravine: Styx
Dig site: Tartarus
Collector outpost: Sparta
Observational post: Troy
*** End summary ***
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Post by Eric Lysander on Feb 7, 2014 12:49:10 GMT -6
Eric looked over Malestrom's nav map as the mercenary outlined his flight plan. Upon finishing, the decision was made:
"Put us at the base of the hill, Mal. We'll move in quiet and assess the marks at Olympus while you're circling. If all goes well our little Trojan Horse ploy will gain control of the high ground in time for the drops."
Eric turned to exit the cockpit then paused and looked back. "I don't expect your baby to get us out quick or pretty if this attack fails. Just get us out alive." He gave Malestrom a fist-bump to his shoulder then spoke in a slightly louder tone, eyes to the ceiling apparently to address the dispassionate VI before he left.
"All of us..."
Eric entered the hold with the rest of the crew and buckled in, glancing around to make sure everyone else was secure and ready as he reached into a small slot in his chest plate, pulled out a stick of gum and unwrapped it.
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Post by Esteban Bridges on Feb 7, 2014 14:13:51 GMT -6
Esteban stepped onto the shuttle looking like calm and collected, walking as if he was headed to a business meeting rather than a battlefield. His helmet was tucked safely under his arm as he under his arm, nodding to the various team members as he passed them. He gave a friendly nod to some and a firm pat on the shoulder passed to others. He kept his unhurried pace, the only noise he made was the sound of armored boots impacting the Vengeance's solid flood.
Esteban picked an open place and sat down, strapping himself in. Being an Engineer, he knew how easily inertial dampeners could go offline. Nobody wanted to be caught off-guard when that happened.
"I'm ready," Esteban announced, finishing with the last buckle and setting his helmet on his lap.
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Post by Shala'Bekk vas Neema on Feb 7, 2014 14:33:17 GMT -6
Ancestors, guide and protect us, was the prayer Shala offered up after she had strapped herself in. Feeling her heart race, she took long slow deep breaths in an effort to slow it down.
She looked around the shuttle, looking at her team—no, my crewmates. She was pleased she had gotten to know some of them better, and hoped they would all be around to celebrate their success.
She looked at the asari and the doctor, and she felt a pang of regret. She had wanted to get to know them better—especially the drell, considering how badly their conversation had gone—but between the talks with Maelstrom and Eric Lysander, not to mention the daily inspections of the ship and the modifications she had to make to her equipment, time just slipped away.
It surprised—and encouraged—her to see the captain come with them. She took it as a good sign; he wouldn’t be coming with them if he didn’t believe they would succeed. She hoped she could live up to the trust he had placed in her.
Long slow deep breaths, she told herself. Long slow deep breaths…
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Post by Maelstrom on Feb 7, 2014 15:06:32 GMT -6
"Emily, you heard the man. Put us down at the southeastern edge, somewhere without a direct line of sight on the turrets, if possible," Maelstrom ordered.
"Understood."
The bay doors opened. Without a moment's hesitation, the Vengeance lurched to maximum safe acceleration, quickly clearing the Valiant and outpacing her by a significant margin. Maelstrom still had difficulty wrapping his head around how the heat sinks were able to trap the vast majority of the vessel's emissions. True, it still gave off some heat, not having room for the more comprehensive systems of the famed Normandy, but the levels were low enough that someone essentially had to be looking for them to detect their presence, one of the reasons he was not typically a fan of multiple drops. The capture and diffraction of ladar and radar emissions by the unique alloys in the hull also made the vessel difficult to detect. To someone not aware of the incoming vessel's stealth capabilities, it would seem to be a minor issue with their own monitoring systems rather than an incoming craft. The solid, matte black hull also aided in masking their approach; at distance, they looked against a starscape like the twinkling of the heavens. The vessel was a marvel.
Still, the system was most effective at long range. When close to monitoring stations, what at first seemed a minor glitch in a system would transform into a large amorphous blob moving fast but in a clearly deliberate fashion. That was why the shuttle angled so far away from the base, dozens upon dozens of kilometers. Optimized stealth trajectories relied on staying outside of or at the very fringes of sensor range until the craft could try to get under the floor of whatever detection system an enemy was using. Not knowing the Collectors' capabilities, Maelstrom had instructed Emily to add half again their usual distance from the emitters and to assume the floor was considerably lower than was typical. He did not want to take any chances. To further reduce their emissions and their chances of detection, Maelstrom kept the weapons powered down- they could be activated quickly enough if needed.
Maelstrom had to remind himself that the moon had no atmosphere, when he realized the absence of the usual turbulence. Normally, the vessel's aerodynamic design gave it an edge over contemporary craft, having been designed to cut resistance and minimize atmospheric disturbance. It also made them quieter at high speeds. In this case, though, he did not need to worry about a slower approach as they reached the target. No atmosphere meant no sonic booms. No sound at all.
Maelstrom imagined most of the others felt a moment of nauseousness as the Emily adjusted the shuttle's course, using the additional articulations in its drive pods to impart nearly-gunship maneuverability to the vessel and causing it to momentarily come to a complete stop only a few short meters above ground. He was used to it. While it was not literally close enough for him to reach out and touch the rocks, most human pilots would have avoided flying so low over unknown terrain and with good reason. At the speeds they would be traveling and so to the ground, there were precious few moments in which a pilot could recognize obstacles and take action to avoid them. A single rock formation jutting from the ground could be fatal. The systems took only a moment to adjust to the different style of piloting before launching the craft forward again.
Without having to slow to keep their running more or less silent, the landscape rushed by in a blur, not giving Maelstrom a true sense of what his battlefield would look like. His VI dodged obstacles with impressive speed, staying well below the floor of all conventional detection systems he was aware of. Occasionally, a proximity alarm would sound for a fraction of a second as even the VI's impressive response times were able to save the ship by little more than a meter.
The readouts changed in an instant, as the shuttle's engines kicked into reverse well in advance of the drop off point. Without atmospheric friction, the Vengeance had to slow her speed with her own thrusters, and to maintain a stealth profile, it was best to keep the engines which were pointed toward the enemy at the lowest possible power levels to accomplish the task. Even when under the sensor's field of detection, engines operating at higher power levels tended to shine brighter, increasing the chances that a random grunt on patrol would spot the craft's approach and raise the alarm. It was a balancing act. The ship would still be coming in at great speed, to reduce the amount of time the enemy would have to spot her visually, but the shuttle also needed to be going slow enough to allow for a sudden burst of her thrusters to bring the vessel to a halt for the drop.
At least, I don't think Lysander wants to practice "Stop, drop, and roll."
If her heat signature was detected, that would be when it was most likely to happen. It was also why he always told people they would not be landing for a drop. If the Vengeance gave away her position, she needed to gain range again before her stealth systems would serve her to their fullest potential. Even then, it would be somewhat limited, as the enemy would know there was a stealth aircraft in the area and start paying far more attention to little anomalies. Still, it was unlikely for the brief burst of heat and light to register long enough to be of notice, especially given that the craft was staying so low to the ground. Otherwise, he would be more concerned for the initial teams going down.
A countdown clock popped up, indicating the time to ideal deployment. Two minutes on the clock. Over the intercom, Emily began a countdown for teams Zeus and Artemis. It was a standard protocol he had developed with her long ago. Ten second updates until within twenty seconds of the target. Then every second would be noted. When the countdown hit zero, the shuttle would be paused, perfectly still, two meters or less from the ground. Maelstrom started craning his neck as he gazed through the cockpit windows, trying to get a first glimpse of the turrets on which so much of their plan hinged. He knew they were out of visual range, but he also knew that would not be the case for long, and once they were in visual range, it would not be long before they found themselves in weapons range. It was time to see just how good the Collectors' sensors were and how prepared they were.
Let's pray Olympus is everything we mortals hoped.
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Post by Murchadh on Feb 7, 2014 16:35:20 GMT -6
Moved to make better sense. Please delete.
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Post by dargene on Feb 7, 2014 19:21:44 GMT -6
Meldom was sitting next down next to the Quarian looking directly at his helmet, it was the normal kestrel Helmet but with a mouthpiece so his suit was atmospherically sealed, he knew that while this was a necessity he wished that the helmet was not needed. He spoke quietly to the quarian next to him
"Never liked full helmets.. obscure vision, don't trust the cameras on helmets only trust my eyes.. no idea how your people cope being in a suit all the time, feels cramped, confining"
He remained quiet for awhile "Good luck" he said as he placed the activated the internal camera and placed the helmet on his head, a audio click can be heard as his suit and helmet lock.
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Post by Iregos on Feb 7, 2014 22:29:01 GMT -6
The Asari wore her off-white heavy armor, black Hahn-Kedar legplates and a menacing shotgun attached to a strap on her shoulder. The shotgun in particular seemed to grimace with anticipation; gleaming, brutal metal alloys, polished to a dull sheen. The Asari herself, in contrast, was peaceful and solemn.
Ressi had been on countless drops.
This was an interesting one. She'd encountered some sophisticated VI's in her time, but rarely had a pilot given control to a VI while dropping in for combat. Supposing the owner of the shuttle wasn't stupid, she decided it must be more sophisticated than a normal VI. She'd been warned by Maelstrom not to tinker with any of the systems, and part of that warning was something deeply personal, she could sense. For the sake of mission integrity, she did not go against his wishes. Seeing how much he depended on it, she was getting more curious now.
Aside from brief professional interactions, she hadn't really spoken with the others here. She hoped to change that.
The moon didn't have much elevation to hide behind. There would be a fair amount of waiting, to maximize stealth. That was her understanding, but she'd never done a stealth drop like this before. For something like this, it was probably good to have a VI piloting.
She found herself wondering why the Asari had never created a stealth ship. They could certainly afford the Element Zero required.
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Post by Shala'Bekk vas Neema on Feb 7, 2014 22:42:02 GMT -6
Shala looked over at the salarian. She wasn't surprised someone brought it up, the only question was when and who. It seemed as long as her people remained in these suits, almost all conversations would inevitably lead to that subject.
"It's actually quite easy...considering the alternative," she said. "And good luck to you too."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2014 8:24:55 GMT -6
Iskra pulled the dark hood of her jacket over the tubing coming from the back of her helmet, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to look at Shala after she had gotten on the shuttle. The Drell’s armor was no more than a customized environment suit that she had designed to closely match a Quarian’s. Iskra didn’t know how the other woman would take it, most Quarian’s she had met had been curious….others had lashed out at some insult they thought the suit represented.
The black material danced in the light, the scales multicolored when kissed by the refraction. It was the perfect stealth suit, mirroring the area around it. The hanar that had helped her design it had tried hiring her as an assassin after their work was done, he had been unable to understand that it was not for becoming the perfect predator but instead the most elusive prey.
The doctor clicked the dark glassed helmet into place, murmuring incantations of meditation as she tried to keep her head clear. She found herself freaking out more with the amount of people in the room rather than the fact they were hurdling towards a planet to kill an army of unknown beings.
Memories of endless combat simulations flooded her eyes and she felt herself calm, they didn’t need the doctor, the researcher. They wanted the hunter, the weapon. And that is what she was going to give them.
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Post by Maelstrom on Feb 8, 2014 8:53:47 GMT -6
A minute and thirty out.
A warning klaxon went off, as Emily started depressurizing everything but his rear compartment, which was atmospherically sealed from the rest of the ship. The atmosphere was being stored in tanks, to be used again when life support was brought back online. Without the gradual process, there would have been explosive decompression when the hatch opened for the first drop.
It made him think again how much he hated fighting in vacuum. It was bad enough that his specialized form of biotic hand-to-hand lost the compression of atmosphere that gave it an extra punch, and that was the least of it. No atmo meant that any wound inflicted upon you was ten times as bad. Even with suits like his, which had seals which would activate in the event of a breach, there was that moment of decompression, where the blood started to boil and vessels began rupturing. It was adding trauma to trauma.
And then there was the silence. While a benefit in terms of stealth, it worked both ways. He was certain most, if not all, of his colleagues had systems like his, programs within their armor's HUDs that emulated sounds of weapons fire based on the limited suit's sensors. Perhaps, like his armor, impact sensors that, when still, allowed their wearers to pick up vibrations in solid objects- like the ground- indicating their intensity and direction and translated into sound in their helmets. Neither system was particularly good at certain things. The gradual winding up of a proximity mine preparing to go off or an overloading power conduit. Indicating whether the small object falling behind you represented the impact of a small rock knocked out of place by weapons fire or the metallic tink-tink of an enemy grenade. The sound of a drone sneaking up behind you...
At least the dense moon had near-earth gravity on the surface.
At least one good thing, he thought. Speaking into the open channel to the rest of the team, Maelstrom said, "We do have one thing going for us here. The Collectors are used to having aerial superiority. With no atmosphere, they lose that edge. Let them beat their little wings all day long."
A minute ten.
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Post by Iregos on Feb 8, 2014 10:12:07 GMT -6
Already preparing her helmet, the Asari donned hers with everyone else. As she did so, the dull white of her armor dimmed to dark gray.
The Mnemonic Visor was in stealth mode, the light was being refracted so only she could see the holographic display. Externally it adopted a glassy appearance, like a darkened mirror. As she put on her helmet there was a split second of electronic confusion on the display while the wires connected, and her HUD now displayed suit integrity: 100% for a moment before fading away.
The Drell's incantation was somewhat soothing, in spite of being totally alien. She sensed some anxiety was disguised by the ritual, and Ressi couldn't blame her, but there was also a reassuring focus.
She remembered her first moon landing. It might have been an asteroid, depending on who you asked. At the time it was exhilarating for her, even though it was a training exercise. There was only the quiet hum of her suit's workings, and the artificial reconstruction of sounds that would normally be there in combat, enhanced by readouts on her HUD.
That had been a useful training tool. Helped her focus on what was important - footsteps and gunfire. Her own mind had long since learned to do that without this assistance, but it was still welcome right now, instead of feeling like a crutch.
For years now the suits she had worn dampened the noise of suit movement and respiration. She turned off those dampeners, and after that she could think more clearly. It was nice to be reminded she was alive, even though her HUD told her that - very kindly.
"Good luck," she said gently to the others who were about to land.
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Post by Game Master on Feb 8, 2014 16:10:51 GMT -6
[GM Post]
Ancient colorless rock beckoned the Valiant, hovering in the dismal void around Ploba. The shuttle drew neared, exposing the once hidden details of the stony satellite of Barce. The targets were clear. The turrets came into view first, appearing to be something they are not. Anyone familiar with the tech the Blue Suns use would immediately recognize the cannons as from their shuttle. Strange red and blue organic veins pulsate around it, laced through it like a corrected vascular system. The observation post was next, standing the blackened thin tower solemnly keeping vigil over the area. The dig site and Collector outpost were last to be seen, each having a roof made from the remains of the Blue Sun's shuttle, obscuring whatever it was that lied beneath.
Movement could be seen around the dig site. A dozen humanoid figures shambling listlessly, each of them surrounded by an icy blue glow from what could be their armor. The distance was too great to say for certain.
[GM Note: Each landing will go without a problem at least for the first action. So your character can safely leave the Valiant. The only danger that could be faced is if the turret was fired upon. No Collectors were visible. Seeker swarms appeared non-existent, or well hidden]
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Post by Eric Lysander on Feb 8, 2014 16:54:28 GMT -6
Eric Lysander's helmet was odd-looking for his armor type with its somewhat conical shape. Unless one were familiar with the gear used by bomb disposal personnel. Modifications were made to allow for better head and neck movement. Recessed tabs - if needed- would extend from the helmet's sides and rear, snapping into the shoulders and mid-back to brace the wearer's head against whiplash from explosions. The "bulldog" helmet, as it was known, allowed for quick transitions between ordnance handling and combat at the expense of the additional reinforcement of a static design. It had served Eric well.
Maelstrom made an announcement over the shuttle's loudspeakers. "We do have one thing going for us here. The Collectors are used to having aerial superiority. With no atmosphere, they lose that edge. Let them beat their little wings all day long."
Eric lodged his wad of gum temporarily into a molar with his tongue before he spoke, keying in intervals to his chronometer for the remaining drops. One minute ten to go.
"Should ground the Seeker swarms, too, but they can still carpet the ground. All right, it's one minute to mayhem, guys." He unbuckled himself from his seat, stood up and unclipped his retracted Viper rifle. "Get hot. Artemis, Zeus - we're up. When we hit ground, we lie flat for eight seconds to give Vengeance some distance before we proceed further. Check the temperature in the area. They may be monitoring for com chatter so its hand signals for now. We have five minutes, two seconds to secure Olympus before Valiant and Vengeance make their deliveries."
He focused on Zeus. "Artemis'll hang back while you engage the three marks in the turrets; we'll make sure no strays get wind of our presence. Bag your one prisoner if you can."
Eric then looked to River. "River: the instant we see the muzzle flash we each take one outcropping along the ridge, spread it out a bit. Get a lay of the land and pass on our findings to Ares and Persephone when they take the field, in case the intel was faulty. Once they engage, we cover."
He looked back in Cruendi'has's direction. "If operating the turret's a one-man job, we could sure use some extra peepers to watch our tails."
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Post by Maelstrom on Feb 8, 2014 19:25:35 GMT -6
"Twenty," Emily announced.
Maelstrom kept his eyes on the passive sensors, watching for any sudden power up in the turrets. No increases in any emissions, as far as he could tell. A holographic display popped up on the one-way transparent material covering the fore of the craft, outlining their landing zone. With the criteria he had input, Emily selected it perfectly. A narrow rocky outcropping jutted from the side of the hill, standing several meters in height. The hill rose gradually to either side of it, making it a ideal, as the rocks would block the shuttle from view during the few seconds it would have to remain stationary.
"Fifteen."
Slight shudders trembled through the vessel, as the rear drive pods changed their articulation in preparation to support the ship when the time came for it to stop.
"Ten."
There was a slight lurch as the intensity of the forward thrusters fired continuously at a greater intensity, quickly bleeding off their remaining heat.
"Seven."
His balance and spatial awareness had recovered from the sudden jolt.
"Five."
He smiled. It didn't seem possible for the ship to stop in time to avoid a collision.
"Four."
Almost certainly not.
"Three."
The articulation of the forward pods started to change.
"Two."
The tail of the ship started swinging around towards the front, putting them to a ninety degree angle to the rock formation.
"One."
The shuttle's speed had miraculously bled off to nearly nothing.
"Deploy." The shuttle was completely still. Had there been a window he could have opened, Maelstrom realized that he could have touched the rock face by hanging out of it. Maelstrom felt the slight tremble as the hatches to the opposite side of the craft opened.
He had done what they could for them. Now they were on their own. A handful of seconds passed before Emily confirmed on his board that teams Zeus and Artemis were deployed. Without ceremony, the shuttle rose. At first it was slow, not wanting to risk downing one of their own squad by blasting them with thrusters at full intensity, but once there were a few meters between them, the craft was quickly accelerating to maximum speed and well on its way to its second stealth drop.
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Post by grandest on Feb 8, 2014 22:14:28 GMT -6
Cruendi'has had locked himself in his seat on the Vengeance. He collected his thoughts an personal inventory. Guns unfolded properly, all indicators lit up green, and refolded before he put them away. Grenades were at as full a count as he felt comfortable. He ran slight muscle tests to check his biotic amp. Everything came up clear. The batarian slipped his helmet overhead and locked it in place, slapping the side of it as the HUD lit up. Sound fed into the helmet and he could hear the others making small talk and wishing luck. Lysander came to the hold and related the game plan. He looked back in Cruendi'has's direction. "If operating the turret's a one-man job, we could sure use some extra peepers to watch our tails." Cruendi'has nodded acknowledgement. "Don't have much in the way of long range weaponry, but I'd be happy to let you know of impending doom headed your way." The shuttle hissed as it depressurized. It was almost time. Cruendi'has closed his eyes and concetrated on his breathing. "Deploy." Maelstrom's voice came over the intercom. Cruendi'has stood up and waited by the door. He glanced over to the suited Salarian. "You ready?"
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Post by dargene on Feb 9, 2014 4:47:51 GMT -6
Meldom stood up as the ship hovered walking towards the door and waiting for it to open, as it opened he heard the batarian.
"You ready?"
If you could see Meldoms face he would have smiled "Like our odds, lets do this, collectors won't know what hit them" with that he jumped out of the ship and landed softly on the moons surface.
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Post by Murchadh on Feb 9, 2014 7:33:58 GMT -6
All what it took was a single button and the heavy magnets switched off. As the ship pulled up the six legged mech, and it pilot slid out of the shuttle bay and into the void of space. According to his sensors, Murchadh knew he was upside down as his mech speed towards the surface. With the flick of a switch, a small air canister on it back blasted the mech into the correct position. The Scots brown eyes where fixed on the sensor screen as the surface roared towards him. If he timed it too long or shorts he'd be smashed to bits on impact.
With the press of a button, his mechs six legs fired a small gas canister shooting out streams of gas to slow his acceleration. If there had been any sound on the asteroid there would have been a slight bump as his mech touched the ground. His mech armoured cockpit slid away allowing him to see the barren grey rock. A small dust cloud had been kicked up from his mechs landing which increased as his mechs feet began to move. He had to get in position quickly in case any collectors came pocking around.
There was a slight bang as his weapons outer casing broke away allowing the particle cannon and lasers to arm. If any collectors came across him they where going to regret it. Just before he blew them into micro chunks.
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