http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Skirmish%20Quest

HERE ARE THE ARCHIVES IF YOU ARE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THE HELL SKIRMISH QUEST IS.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/13218826/

AND HERE IS THE SKIRMISH QUEST GENERAL THREAD 8, IF YOU ARE NOT NEW BUT SIMPLY CONFUSED.

Dragon is currently in medical

FUCKED UP

but very happy

SQUAD LEADERS, I WANT LISTS OF ALL THE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF YOUR SQUAD.

EXCEPT ALPHA, BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW WHO IS IN IT, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN STILL WAVE YOUR DICK AROUND AND POST ANYWAY TO PROVE HOW POPULAR ALPHA IS.

GUYS WITHOUT SQUADS, PICK A SERGEANT YOU WANT TO FOLLOW. AND NO, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUCK ANYONE'S DICK.

SQUADLESS MAGGOTS, I WANT YOU TO SOUND OFF SO WE KNOW WHO IS CLAIMED AND WHO ISN'T.

GOT IT? SO FUCKING SOUND OFF BEFORE I START DETONATING RANDOM ORGANS!

AND BY RANDOM, I MEAN YOUR USELESS STUBS YOU CALL LEGS.

"I'm here, sir!"

Warsaw stared blearily at his monitor, it had taken him the better part of the night, but he'd finally figured out why Dragon's DNA had bothered him. It was missing pieces. Nothing important, nothing that mattered, Dragon just didn't have the bits of junk DNA that cluttered everyone else's DNA. This was of course impossible. The only way something like this could happen is if Dragon had been built. Warsaw wasn't certain what the implications of this were. What he did know is that it was something Walker should likely know about if he didn't already.

CURRENT SQUAD LEADERS ARE:

KARI SQUAD, LED BY SERGEANT IRONS, SKY PIRATE OF FUCKING DEATH.

VIDAR SQUAD, LED BY THE GIANT ANGRY GORILLA CALLED SERGEANT BLINKY.

SKOLL SQUAD, LED BY, YOU GUESSED IT, SERGEANT WOLF, A COMPLETE BADASS WHO GOT 11 KILLS ON AN ARMOR MAP WITH A SIMPLE RIFLE.

ALPHA SQUAD, LED BY SERGEANT GHOST, BUT I'M NOT LETTING YOU JOIN BECAUSE HIS SQUAD IS ALREADY TOO POPULAR.

UGLY SQUAD, LED BY THE JUST-AS-UGLY KRIEG WHO RIDES A BITANK. I THINK HE NAMED IT KARNIVORE OR JESSICA OR SOMETHING.

DOUK, IF YOU'RE HERE, I'M PROMOTING YOU TO SERGEANT TO LEAD DUKE SQUAD.

DUKE DOUK, HA! I MADE A FUNNY!

Oh God the room was spinning, oh God, oh God, oh...
*indistinguishable noise*
Baumer retched in the bathroom, clearing out his stomach. Any more drinking like last night and he would need a new clone solely for the liver. No wonder he didn't remember what went on after being hauled into the mess room. Everything got blurry after the third drink. He never could hold his liquor.

Baumer rubbed his cheek and felt the slight scratch of stubble beginning to poke its way through again. It felt good. Maybe he'd grow it out if the commander would let him. Nothing looks better than a well-kept beard.

Crumpled in his fist was his assigned papers, stamped with admission into Skoll Squad. Hrm. Someone spelled Skull wrong.

It was morning, or what passed for morning on the ship.

Ghost awoke. Laying against him in his cot was Spc. Lost, still asleep. Memories of the night before were still fresh in his mind. Not wanting to wake Lost yet, he just laid there.

He didn't want to get up yet. Not just because he was enjoying where he was, but also because he would soon have to talk with the Major. There was no possible way anyone could know, right? Would he subconsciously give off signs that he was hiding something? He and Lost both knew that what they had done was against regulations, particularly since he was her CO. Still, he knew the risks involved. This could cause many problems in his squad, but only if others found out. He would need to be very careful, he could not afford to let this affect his judgment. Even if that may not be entirely possible, appearances must be maintained. There was a chance that maybe they wouldn't have their limbs detonated for this offense.

Lost stirred in her sleep, resting further against him. Ghost had only this thought:

Worth it.

>Abe is here, but likely unable to RP for a few hours, just a heads up

>>13244271

ALL OF MY HATE. ALL OF IT.

Here's my last notes on Kari Squad's lineup. If someone's been promoted and I didn't notice... I don't really care as long as I got the names right.

Note also that the sim mission added several people to the Sons of Hati, but as far as I recall their squads were not defined. One or more of them might belong with me, though.

<Kari Squad>
[P] Sgt. Irons
[R] Cpl. Roosevelte
[R] Pvt. Rook
[S] Pvt. ArkhamArchivist
[S] Pvt. Columbo


>>13243807
>SERGEANT IRONS, SKY PIRATE OF FUCKING DEATH
Pirate, Major? Hilarious. Now some clown is going to draw an eyepatch on my visor, I just know it.

>>13244332

Anyone posted to Kari Squad during the VR sim can be claimed, if you want.

Really, I'm leaving it up to the players to determine who they want to team up with.

>>13243916
> Is OC around? He never got back to me about the questions about the Valkyrie class.

Lost’s dreams were warm and pink. At some point during the night the empathic walls she had kept up, for every people’s privacy as well as her dreams, had melted away. It was perhaps the shift of this last dream, which flooded with a conscious wave of emotions from her empathy, that moved through her like a strong wind rippling the grass. Slowly she felt herself break away from the dream, like a bubble slowly floating up from the bottom of a champaign glass, reaching the surface that was consciousness. Her eyes opened and Lost looked upon the face of the man who had been the source of those warm dreams.

Ghost was troubled, she could see it even without the empathy, which she started to reel in. That emotion, and combined with her own thoughts, sent a streak of distress through her. But as he turned his head, his eyes locking with hers, the tender affection on his face and in her mind made her smile fondly at him. Still…

“This was a really bad idea.”

Oh, right, Irons, you're a candidate for Lieutenant status.

Trauma is also a candidate for Sergeant status.

Also, before you say "SIR! IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO ACCEPT THIS POSITION!" I want you to think about this, long and hard.

>>13243916
Nomad tromped through the halls of the Lucky O'Reilley whistling an old marching tune. Hidden in a small pouch were copies of the footage from last night's drunken brawlI . Word had already spread of the debacle and Nomad was sure he (and Weird) was going to earn a pretty profit.

Walking down the corridor, Nomad met a messily-dressed Ghost coming out of a nearby door.

"Seargent!" Nomad greeted cheerily as he stopped and saluted. "A good morning to you, sah!"

"Oh, um....yes good morning."

"I'm see you took part in last night's debauchery?"

A guilty looked cross Ghost's face for a moment. "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean."

"No need to be shy, sir!" Nomad clapped him across the back as the pair made their way to the mess hall. "We all saw it after all!"

"...saw what exactly?"

"The fight! The major drunk off his ass fighting Abe and the MPs! And for a low price, you too can have a copy of it!"

Behind them, the door slid open again as a half-dressed Lost made a stealthy retreat.

'Sorry, we just can't do it yet.'

Fuck those squints. Fuck them! she growled, tightening the screw angrily. They can look me in the eye and tell my it's not fucking possible?! Damn them! The screw rebelled, sending the wrench wild and slicing open his thumb.

"MotherFUCKERS!" he roared, the high tones echoeing in the lonely darkness to taunt him with his own voice. "Fucking goddamned shiteating cuntlicking sonsabitches!"

As a final vent of frustration, he kicked the side of the vehicle, yowling in more pain, not even caring anymore. Fuck this body, fuck the scientists, fuck it all!

rolled 6, 5, 10, 10 = 31

Cleaned up and in uniform, Baumer looked down his sights at the range target. Breathe slowly. Gently pull the trigger. Gently...

Dragon felt pain, he felt it everywhere. His legs, his head, his arms, his ear lobes. Part of him was upset that he let himself go, that he finaly gave into hating someone

the other part of him was just so relived.

Still he was now laying, broken, in a medical bed, and he would never see the end of this pain. As soon as she recovered, he'd be dead. Luck only goes so far and the Major was going to kill him too. Hell firestorm woud.....

Wait, He hasn't met firestorm

oh well, with a name like that they were probably cool. Shit, major feared her, that takes woman balls.

Dragon laid, injured and bored, traped in his own body at the moment

if only he could get to his spare mandanas then he wouldn't feel so naked.

He scanned the room, just waiting for a chance to talk, to escape the endless bordem. Anyone except trauma of course.

"Heal faster dragon, you don't want her to get up first"

>>13244684
The first two shots landed on target - the other two went wide, pinging off the metal bulkhead. His vision blurred slightly has he reloaded. Damn booze messing with his aim.

>What the hell, Lost? too busy fucking to visit an old man?

>>13244700
Baumer finished reloading his weapon and stowed it away at the range. No use wasting more rounds while he was still influenced by the night's happenings. Might as well stop by medical to see if they had any pills for this sort of thing. Or at least a couple Asprin.

The bay door opened with a slight hiss - sterile and quiet. No doctor in sight, Baumer slipped in to scour the racks for medication. So intent was he in his search that he completely missed the patient beds.

>>13244747
There was a weak voice "Hey...rookie...sup?"

>hamlet fish

>>I'm not in a squad yet. I got posted to Kari during the VR training, but I don't want to double up with Aberham. Who doesn't have a medic yet?

Private Squeamish, after a long night of setting broken bones and stomach pumps, hit the showers. As he idled in the clammy nanomachine fog, he pondered what to do next. Lodged in the cyberware between his ears was Dragon’s suspect genome. As much as he’d love to study it, his brain wasn’t set up with an operating system to interpret the data he’d crammed in it, and any kind of upload on Bravo squad equipment certainly be monitored. So he stood, uncomfortable as microscopic machines peeled flakes of blood from his hands, with a fascinating bit of bio-tech knowledge he couldn’t read.

It would be a lot more bearable if the ship’s showers were warm.

With a sigh, Squeamish wrapped a towel around his hips and went back to wash off. Nano showers always left him feeling inexplicably gritty. He studied his reflection in the mirror. Wan and pale, with arms that seemed to have too much elbow and hand. Yes, he thought ruefully, he was truly a vision of sleek military hardware alright. Faint scars crisscrossed his body, marking where realistic artificial flesh joined the real thing. It was almost impossible to see, but Squeamish could feel where he ended and hardware began. His genes were scarred and twisted, while Dragon’s were unnaturally clean.

Fascinating, indeed

>>Yeah, that's right. Naked man RP. Deal with it.

Shot grumbled quietly, tying the bandage around the thumb. Fuck this shit. You wait for someone and they never fucking show. She probably found some guy to fuck their brains out or some shit. Who cared about a crusty old man?

"Hey, I'll be in the vehicle bay if you need me!" he repeated mockingly, picking up the case of beer he'd kept for such an occasion. "Father figure my ass." he grumbled, tossing it into the incinerator. "Just like the last three units. No one's got time for the ol' man. Just count on him to put us where we're needed. Motherfuckers." he grumbled, walking back to the machine.

>>13244768
Baumer spun around, dropping a couple bottles of pills, shocked at hearing another voice in the quiet room.

"Oh, sorry mate. Didn't know someone else was in here. Dragon, was it? What happened last night? You look awful! Need some meds? Think I got some morphine here or something at least."

>>13244391
>I think he's on a trip at the moment.

Ghost smile. "Yeah, it probably was." Riding from his cot, he made his way over to the chemical shower just off the side of the room. Not exactly warm, it was convenient anyway. "Still, I don't regret it. Nobody knows, it should be alright." Finishing his shower and drying off, he walks over to several hooks in the wall from which safety equipment had once hung. Taking his uniform, he quickly puts it on. Crouching down by the cot, he gives Lost a quick hug. "This will work out, I'm sure of it." Heading for the door, he turns and says "I should get going. I've still got a talk with the Major."

>>13244440
>trying to repair screwed up course of events!
Peaking out the door, Ghost steps out and continues down the hall until running into Nomad. After exchanging words, Ghost waves him off and mutters something about needing to talk with the Major.

>>13244708
>I'm sorry! We chatted during the VR mission, and I didn't get caught up in the next General thread until it was time for the next mission. And then I got dragged to the bar, and you wern't there, and then I was RPing with Ghost... and now I'm still kinda doing that, I think. Nomad's post kinda confused me.

>I'm sorry you're feeling left out! I didn't know you wanted to talk to Lost so bad...

>>13244795
"Nah, I'm alright. High pain tolerance remember heh heh..." He trails off for a moment before breathing in deep to say another sentence "Remember when I warned you about Trauma?.....heh...took on her...took on Hartford...this is what the winner of that fight looks like."

"Cause the old fart can manage on his own!" he roared, storming about. "Right, no one needs to go visit him, let's jus' tend to our fuckin' rapebots and fuckin' beer and fuckin' boyfriends and fuckin' who gives a SHIT!" he yelled, knowing there were noise dampeners in the area. "GO right on ahead, I can't fuckin' drink, who knows when shit's gonna fuckin' happen! Gotta stay FUCKING sober!" he'd found the second case of bottles and had now taken to using them for percussive punctuation to his rage.

>>13244855
>> It's cool, just... ugh.

>> Work it out IC.

>>13244855
>Nomad's post confused me as well. Just tried to work around it, though I don't know why he thought I had left yet.

>>13244332
He follows only one rule, the rule of the sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8rZWw9HE7o

The room was heating, slowly. Not enough to cause distress, but it was notably hotter than the other rooms in the area. The beer had run out, of course, that didn't take long at all. Now he was taking it out on his old clothes that didn't fit anymore, tearing them apart as he growled about no one wanting to talk to a hot chick they couldn't fucking fuck, among other things. About woring late at night in darkness, long after he should have been asleep, without so much as a fucking thank you, motherfuckers.

The man was a talented complainer. HE was good at anger management. He could maintain it likely longer than most people in his unit.

Entering Medical, Ghost a spotted a fair amount of people from Walker's mess shenanigans. Asking around for Warsaw, he was pointed to the same room he was in yesterday. Knocking several times, Ghost began to wonder if he could hear it over the music. He briefly considered kicking the door in.

"Hey Sir, i see you escaped the cluster fuck"

>>13244902
Baumer sat down at the edge of the bed, setting a couple bottles of painkillers down. He reached into one slowly and withdrew a small white pill, which he swallowed quickly.

"Ouch. I'll remember not to go around picking fights then. I'm a bit too fragile for that sort of thing. Just pop 'em from long range - up close is too close for me."

>>13245211
"You do what ya gotta do buddy....Just don't fist fight knights" Dragon laughs weakly "worth it though"

>>13245206
Laying on a cot near Warsaw's room, Dragon, to be frank, looked like shit. "Space Jesus! Did you all get deployed on an op when I wasn't looking?"

>>13245282
"Whatever ya say. Just get better soon. Who knows when we'll be going out next. Heck, I'd like to get some action for once. Bein' the rookie I am and all."

>>13245172

Anything I can help you with sir? You were not in tthe brawl right?

And, he was hearing, there'd been some sort of party.

OF COURSE HE WASN'T FUCKING INVITED. WHo'd arranged it? Walker? I shared a cigar with that shithead, and he can't even spare the time to offer me a fucking beer? Even Dragon was better than that!
Fuck him. Fuck'im! He reached over to the pack of cigars. One five remained, the last vestige of his home, now a desolate Xenos wasteland. The plants were special, lent it a unique flavor, and didn't grow anywhere else. Something about the magnetism and atmosphere.

He held the case as he walked over to the incinerator.

Fine.

He held them high, staring into the glowing redness of the pit. "You can smoke'em in hell, asshole."

but he couldn't quite work up the strength to toss them.

Yet.

>>13245341
"No, I just need to speak with Warsaw for a moment."

>>13245292
"Fought trauma and hartford....Tired of her shit and well hartford...he was open....Then the MPs went and ruined all my fun....and bones"

>>13245307
"You'll do fine bro, wars a rather cool thing.....I'll make sure to be walking soon...need to beat trauma to getting back on my feat...heh...or else"

>>13245172

Transfer complete Warsaw pulled the data-chip from his terminal. Everything he'd managed to pieced together about Dragon was on that chip. Admittedly it wasn't a lot. Just a map of his DNA really. All he had to do now was give it to Walker. Sargent Ghost had said to keep this off Psicomm and knowing what he did now Warsaw agreed. It wasn't necessarily dangerous information, but you could never be to careful. Flipping off his radio, Warsaw opened the door to his office and jumped when he found Ghost on the other side. "Space Jesus Sargent don't you know how to knock!"

>>13245408
Somehow, he wasn't surprised.

>>13245435
Not even wanting to bother explaining, with a deadpan expression he just answers "No. Are those the test results?"

>>13245435
>>13245395

"Very well, I'll get back to reviewing the interrogation reports, Also I looks like it might be safe to wake the Major soon."

With that he departs back to his desk.

For the third time that night, Walker’s mind entered REM sleep. In other words, he dreamt once more.

A room; a very familiar one. Walker was dressing himself in his usual attire; he had just finished buckling the holster for his sidearm. Reaching for his hat, he noticed something out of place; a full length mirror.

Approaching the mirror, as expected, he saw himself. But behind him, in the mirror, was a family. A woman, a young boy, and an infant girl in her mother’s arms. And they were waving at him.

Turning around, the family was indeed standing there, although he was no longer in his room, but the parlor of a very familiar home. He turned back to the mirror. But instead of a family behind his mirror self, there stood a large, malevolent-looking black mass, fast approaching the Mirror-Walker, now standing in a bombed out shelter.

Walker spun around, drawing his pistol. But the same scene of the happy family in the parlor was still there. Confused, Walker returned his gaze to the mirror. The scene in the mirror was the same, but now, Mirror-Walker was wielding the pistol too. And grinning.

Walker pounded on the mirror. “QUICK! GET OUT OF THERE!”

Mirror-Walker, grinning and wielding a pistol, simply shook his head, and pointed to the family behind him.

Walker turned around. This time the family was stretching their hands out to him, calling to him, beckoning for him to walk over to them.

> > >

>>13245464
"I won by the way...heh."

>>13245435
"What'd ya think doc?"

>>13245464

"Yeah they're....interesting. Step in the office I'll show you," Warsaw said stepping to one side and gesturing into the office behind him.

>>13245520

“No… no… don’t do this to me. I won’t do it. I won’t. I WON’T! LET ME IN! I’LL TAKE YOUR PLACE! PLEASE! SHOOT! DEFEND YOURSELF! DON’T LET IT GET YOU!”

Walker began to slam his fist against the mirror, desperate to break through, to save Mirror-Walker.

But Mirror-Walker, with a sad smile, simply shook his head. The monster was coming upon him.

“NO! DON’T DO IT!”

Closer, and Mirror-Walker brought his pistol to view.

“NO! STOP! YOU DON’T HAVE TO DIE!”

Mirror-Walker, tears flowing from his eyes, pointed the gun to his head. The monster was almost on top of him.

“PLEASE! DON’T LEAVE THEM! DON’T LEAVE ME!”

Mirror-Walker fired, and the mirror exploded.

> > >

>>13245530

Walker sat up with a start, sweating. He looked around himself. The mirror was gone. So was the room and the mournful family.

He closed his eyes, and everything began returning to him. The post operation debriefing, Hawkes, marching off to the mess hall and grabbing every single person he could find to get them intoxicated as well.

Walker wasn’t nauseous at all. He did, however, have a hangover and a headache that felt as an angry knight was charging the inside of his skull.

He looked around him. Someone stuck him in a private room. Odd. He wasn’t even aware the ship had private medical rooms. Getting up off the bed, Walker walked into the restroom for a quick nanoshower. Still wasn’t the same as real water, although he silently thanked that the shower, unlike running water, was much, much quieter.

Stepping from the bathroom with a towel around his waist, he found his uniform, neatly pressed and folded, waiting for him on a chair, topped off with his hat. Quickly dressing, he placed the hat on his head, only to notice that it didn’t quite fit. A quick examination showed that there were bandages around his head.

“Must’ve gotten more messed up than I thought.”

And with that, Walker stepped from the room into the med bay, thinking of a place where he could lay low from Fierstrom.

>Your move, people. Have fun dealing with a hangover'd Walker.

>>13245540

"How you feeling Major" Aberham says plainly. Moving out from behind his desk.

>>13245129
>>13245372
> I hope this anger isn't directed at me! I'm sorry, I was called down to dinner by the folks. Lost's on her way, don't destroy your props!

Lost got up, took a shower, and got dressed, trying her best to smooth out the wrinkles of the cloth laying on the room’s floor all night. She felt like a hypocrite now. Not only because of sleeping with her squad leader, but also for having to keep it a secret after just telling Ghost that keeping secrets from their squadmates and commanding officer was a recipe for disaster. That was about keeping their new powers secret, but this could cause quite a bit of commotion itself, and Lost wasn’t quiet sure that it wouldn’t have the same kind of strict punishment. And now she had to worry about Ghost’s feeling as well.

It was different for her. While in her 13 years as a child on Prima she had been trained to be a Diva, sex had been explained in frank terms. And while she was far too young then to partake, even by Pleasure Planet standards, those concepts and outlook still stuck with her. Sex was, for all intensive purposes, a form of entertainment. Much like eating a fine dinner, or looking at a work of art, or watching a holovid, it was a recreation where the purpose was entertainment, satisfaction, pleasure.

A part of her, the part which was the accelerated learning and had gone through boot camp, the Federation “standard” part of her, that part called her a whore for thinking that way. That the free love and the open relationships that her home had trained into her was a bunch of bullshit, allowing them to rationalize their world of excess. This duality, this conflict within herself had been something she had wanted to talk to Corporal Shot about. The “old man” might have some wise insight, and maybe it would help him with his own sudden duality.

With that in mind she finished combing her long blond hair and stuck it into a ponytail. Maybe he was in motorpool…

>>13245540
>>13245524
"MAJOR! I need to speak with you a moment!" Grabbing the Major, he pulls both him and Warsaw into Warsaw's Office. Closing the door behind them, he beings. "Major, yesterday I was having a conversation where he just casually mentioned that he was not human. He described himself as a 'genetically manufactured human', which means he's completely artificial. No original." He pauses to let that sink in."That is why I had Warsaw here look at his DNA. What did the results turn up?"

>>IC anger =/= OOC anger. :3

>>13245575
The motorpool was a sauna.

Seriously speaking, it was a great deal hotter than the rest of the rooms, and the alcohol from the broken bottles had evaporated, leaving behind glass with wrinkled, dry labels, curling in the heat. Through the haze was Shot, who stood, face streaked with angry tears, holding up a cigar case over the incinerator high.

He was, currently, muttering sarcastically about how old men could handle being alone, so there was no need to see'm.

The heat haze was much thicker around him.

>>13245575
>Don't worry, Shot's just a very angry person in general!

>>13245619
>>13245566

Instead of expecting an explosion, or even confusion from the Major, Walker simply raised his hand in the air, and massaged his ears with the other.

"Ghost. Not. So. Loud. Again. Quietly. Very. Very. Quietly."

>>13245663

"Dragon was built Major," Warsaw said simply, "I spent all night looking at his DNA just to figure it out. I could get technical about it if you like?"

>>13245716

The Major simply shook his head.

"And...?" he whispered hoarsely. "Is that all, Doctor?"

>>13245728
"You aren't concerned that Dragon somehow got through recruitment without this coming up? Without anyone noticing at all?"

>>13245622

Lost had started with a walk towards the motorpool… then she had started to jog… now she was on a full on sprint. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. The technicians and off-duty soldiers who flattened against the walls as the 6 foot knight came running through the cramped halls of the ship could feel a sudden chill as she pasted by, that couldn’t be entirely explained by the wind of her passing.

As she moved to the wider empty halls that marked the start of the industrial part of the ship, frost started to race along the walls with her passing. Determination was etched into her face. Something was wrong, very wrong. Bursting into the active motorpool, a blast of heat met the aura of cold that Lost was producing. Steam hissed in a large globe around her as she skidded to her left, to where her empathy felt the boundless rage and endless distress. A figure silhouetted by an open incinerator, the air around her rippling in a heat far too high for the open furnace.

Coming around in an arc to be parallel to the open incinerator, Lost leapt through the air. The aura of heat and cold met, exploding in a shower of sparks as Lost tackled Shot to the ground, the two forms skidding together for several feet away from the incinerator. Lost looked down on the pretty tear-streaked face of Shot, who was pinned underneath her. A look of concern was on the knight’s face.

“Hi.”

>>13245728

"And...that's not normal. He's not just some clone Major. Somebody somewhere built him to be what he is. I don't know why and I can only guess how, but considering how we responded to people creating Xenoforms. I thought this was something you might like to know about. Even if it's only so you can watch out for who ever made Dragon because they might want him back at some point."

>>13245769

Walker sighed. Even with everyone speaking quietly, the words still felt like sledgehammers against his ears.

"Son, do you really think someone didn't know? Considering that this is an executioner unit under Inquisitor Fierstrom's supervision, do you really think that would be possible?"

Major Walker placed his TACIM over his ears. Maybe it would lessen the pain?

"Boys, let me tell you something. In our little universe, there are a lot of planetary governments, corporations, and a hundred other groups and entities, included our very own Federation, that conducts various military experiments on people. And a good portion of those fail, or produce rejects. Now tell me, wouldn't it be easier to dispose of those subjects not by killing them, but by sending them to the military to die on the Iron Line?"

>>13245806
Shot's rictus of rage stared at her, a metaphorical open flame, before it gave way to a quiet depression, the heat sliding away as he calmed.

"Finally had some time away from yer boy-toy to talk to an old man, did you?" he asked quietly, as the cigar case clattered to the ground. "Yer the only one in a few days." he said, looking back at her. "Whaddya want?" he asked, grumpily.

Though the effect was lost, mostly, with his face and voice that was almost a match for Lost's.

>>13245817
...

"If you say so, Major. Warsaw, thank you." He opens the door to leave, "Major, I have some other things which need to be discussed. In private." He starts to leave the medbay, insuring that Walker is following behind him.

>>13245817

"As long as you're aware of the situation Major. That's all I was worried about."

>>13245885

Walker ran his hands over his face. God damn it, why did he decide to get himself smashed? Fierstrom was going to have his head for this.

Walker walked out of the med bay, following Ghost, wincing at every single noise that assaulted his ears.

He got the feeling that he would continue to curse yesterday's decision for the rest of the day.

>>13245540

"See you around sir, aspirin for the headache"

He walks away muttering, "unbelievable"

>>13245913
Continuing to walk down the hall, he begins speaking, pausing when others walk by. "Sir, are you aware that you assistant, Lt. McMillan, is issuing orders in your name? I caught him lying about you sending R00 to help some private 'relax', which doesn't seem like it would be quiet worth the risk of getting caught..."

>>13245966

"It's probably just the Inquisitor issuing orders or something. He probably thought it was me, after what I did to him."

Walker paused, hand to his chin. The asprin was helping, but barely.

"That, or he's just trying to get me in trouble. Man probably has a vendetta against me, considering how I treat him. Either way, I doubt it's something to worry about."

>>13245946

Stepping out of the office Warsaw finally get's a good look at the people crowding the medbay. "The hell happened here? hey Aberham what I miss last night?"

>>13246004
"You don't think that an officer lying about you giving orders is something to worry about? R00 confirmed that it was McMillan that gave her the order. The Lt. told me that you were the one that ordered R00. This doesn't concern you at all?"

>>13245849

Lost arched an eyebrow at “boy-toy” but she put that thought away. Shot was a whirlwind of emotions: a burning impotent hate, a deep, dark depression, of confusion and a soul-crushing loneliness, all of it covered by a rage of self-hate for feeling these emotions. Shot was an old soldier who had been taken out of his element, out of his body, and Lost didn’t need her empathy, which again she was reeling in, to know he needed help. And yet in Shot’s face she could see concern for her, a protective father who wanted to make everything alright for his daughter, while his own demons ate him alive.

Lost got up and helped Shot to his feet, though the “old man” tried to wave off her help.

“What do I want?” she asked in a tone that was similar to Shot’s own grumpy demands. “What I want is for my life to be less complicated, you to be happy, and all my friends to get along. But right now I want something to eat, and you’re gonna come with me. We’re gonna talk about our lives and we might even socialize with other people if you think you can handle that.”

Lost’s tone brooked no argument: “Now, do I need to box your ears in and drag you to the mess, or are you going to come along nicely?”

>>13246027

Aberham sighs deeply, a habit he had been meaning to break, and turns to his comrade.

"I don't know, but I got this as a consolation prize" He motions the the gash along his scalp and around to the side of his head."

"Heard there was a party in the mess, got halfway there and some MPs pick me up saying there's a fight. When we get there Walker breaks a bottle over my head, yelling something about another squad...now he just fucking walks off, and we clean up after these idiots."

>>13246075
He grunted, getting up. "F'ne." he said. He sighed. "while we're 'ere... What kept you?" he asked. "I won' judge you. I jus'... A guy like me, sittin' alone in his shop fer weeks, asks yer around, he's not jus' extendin' an invite. E's askin' you ter come by." he inhaled deeply. "An' yannow, it tears at me to watch ther days go by and see naw hide ner hair o' ya." he paused. "My wife, she tole me, every psych needs someone close. A friend, a lova, a child... Someone they cleave close ter, keep 'em stable. I'ma guessn' you foun' yers?" he asked, the question now in the open. Honesty was in her ball court now.

Twenty years of marriage, forty years of abstinence in her absence... it showed. Desire, guilt for that desire, loneliness, anger at that loneliness, all the things that came with old age, and now switching bodies...


It was a wonder the whole garage wasn't slag.

>>13246044

Walker sat there in silence for a moment. Whether it was for respite or simply because he was thinking, Ghost couldn't tell. And it didn't help that he was massaging his temples as he stood there.

"Look Sergeant, I know you're concerned, but I highly doubt McMillan would do something like that of his own accord. The man's practically a yes-man, if you haven't noticed. All that abuse? An attempt to snap him out of it. So maybe he finally is growing out of it; maybe it's Fierstrom giving him orders. I wouldn't put it past her. In any case, I don't want to hear any more of this from you unless you have some concrete evidence that he's doing something very wrong, or he's not being ordered around by Fierstrom."

Walker sighed, then dropped his hand from his head. Massaging his temples really didn't help.

"Now, let's go to the mess, and hope we can find Shot there. Maybe he knows a good remedy for hangovers. And anyway, I'm hungry."

Walker then started walking towards the mess, knowing full well that he was in for an unfortunate meeting. Once again, he cursed himself for attempting to drown himself in alcohol.

>>13246091

"Walker broke a.....What!? Abe, man what did I tell you about walking into bar fights without me? Hell do you remember what happened the last time I was there!? At least tell me you hit him back."

>>13246162
Stopping the Major, Ghost continued. "Sir, I've got ONE more thing. I don't know if anything was picked up in the VR sim, I know that nothing manifested, but I've discovered that I've developed psi as well."

>>13246205

Walker froze in mid step. Slowly turning around, he looked at Ghost wearily. God damn it, he didn't need this many headaches at once. Now he HAD to go find Fierstrom.

"I figured that the members of Bravo who survived the Homestead operation would all develop psi powers. Or most of them, anyway, after talking to Fierstrom for a bit. Well, later, go round up all the other survivors of that incident. We all need to have a nice discussion. And yes, Fierstrom will be there."

Walker turned back around, and began walking towards the mess hall.

"Now, you comin' or not, Sergeant?"

>>13246244
With nothing else, Ghost simply responded "Yes sir." and followed Walker to the mess hall.

>>13246091

Squeamish's face was set in a grimace of concentration as he arrived back at medical.

"This is nothing. You should see the mess hall. They're going to be cleaning puke off the ceiling tiles for the next week." He said, fighting the urge to be sick.

"and none of it is mine, this time," he said with a weak smile.

>>13246157

Lost frowned as they walked back towards the mess. That all sounded rather accusatory; Lost wondered if perhaps she wasn’t the only mind reader on the ship. She trusted the “old man”, even if she had only spoken to him in mixed company, but she didn’t think it would be a good idea to talk about Ghost with him. Had it really been weeks since Shot had extended that casual-sounding offer as she had laid there in medbay? She had been so caught up in training her powers with Trauma, recovering the use of her knees, and then the fallout from the VR mission, let along the constant training and drilling that all soldiers, if knights the hardest, when through that she had lost all track of time.

Did Shot know about her and Ghost? Or was she talking about her and Aberham? It still amazed her how much people could read into two people talking or even sharing a table, and how much gossip would flood through the ship about who was with who and the like. She liked Abe, she loved him, as she loved Shot and Trauma and yes, even Dragon. Maybe she hadn’t made that clear? Lost always assumed those who didn’t socialize didn’t want to, and that Shot liked his solitude. Was this jealousy?

“I’m sorry, Shot. I didn’t know this had been eating you up inside. We had chatted in VR and you seemed fine, I would have never guessed that I hurt you. I thought that offer was a kindness, and I guess it didn’t weight as heavily in my mind as it should have. I do care about you,” Lost wasn’t going to say love, that might just confuse him, “and I will try and come and see you more. But you know how those willful daughters can be…”

> >

Continued from >>13246442

They passed into the mess hall.

“But I think it’s important that we don’t rely on any one person too much. And you obviously need people to talk to. I don’t know if you get along with your squadmates, but you’re always welcome to the table of Alpha. It’s important to have friends, and to make new ones. And having different people sights might make it easier to put all of this into perspective. I know it has with me.”

“Now let’s get something to eat. Then we can chat. Maybe later we can braid each others' hair…”

Lost stuck out her tongue at Shot. “Oh, don’t give me that look.”

>>13246448
"I know all dat." he said as he sat down, ignoring the stares. "It's jus'... Well, look. I dunno how you put up with this bullshit." he said, gesturing at the array of stares that greeted him from the staff. "Oh, PISS ORF!" he yelled, chuckling as they scrambled. "Before Hearth, I woulda agreed with you. But... Now?" he lifted his own breasts. "It's like fuckin' pulling teeth wit' these to be taken serious." he said. "I jus' wanted someone to talk to who wasn't tryin' ter get in meh jumpsuit. I was hopin' yer felt the same way, 's all." he walked over to dispense himself a meal with a grunt. "The hell happened in here? It's a damn shithole."

Pause.

"More 'an usuals, I mean."

>>13246266

Walker and Ghost walked into the mess. It looked like the staff had gotten most of mess confined to a corner of the hall.

Private Vaylen looked up from the kitchen to see Major Walker stride in.

"Hey Major! Awesome fight last night!"

Suddenly, all the other soldiers in the room looked up, and started cheering and applauding. Walker winced, then smiled and waved to the soldiers.

Well, at least he accomplished something good. Still, he couldn't help but hate himself for drinking himself to oblivion as he stepped in line, having soldiers yell into his ears as they cheerfully pat him on the back.

>>13246553
All but one, of course, who sat in the corner with Lost. He looked up with a gimlet glare, boring into the man's soul.

How dare you have a good time with everyone but me, it said. How dare you.

>>13246553
Grabbing some...paste (oh joy), he watched as everyone cheered the Major. He leans in to whisper, "Sir, what was with all that happened yesterday?"

Woke up as he usually does, lounged out in the cockpit of his Bitank. He looks around blinking slightly, before sitting up with a stretch.

"Mmmm... Yesterday was fun. What should I do today..."

Ghoul sat in his tank musing to himself on what to accomplish today.

>>13246553
"-ah."
One person turns around to look at the newly arrived Walker.
"-you have availed yourself, Major. Good. I have matters to be settled with your team."

>>13246604

Walker moved to whisper into Ghost's ear, although whether it was to avoid angering his splitting headache further or for privacy was unclear.

"I, ahh, well, apparently I started a fight. And took on the MP's and Abe at the same time."

Walker motioned to where Lost and Shot were sitting.

"That seems like a nice, quiet place to eat. Let's sit there, shall we?"

>>13246632

"That's fine, Admiral. But honestly, not now. Not while I have this raging headache..."

>>13246632
>>13246648
They had seated themselves next to Shot and Lost when they noticed an Admiral heading their way. "He doesn't look happy, sir."

>>13246514

Lost looks around at the remaining wreckage from last night. “Certainly gives new meaning to the work ‘mess’.”

She waits until the clamor of the major entering dies down before she does on. “Well, as for giving you a crash course on feminate virtues… well, that’s a long chat that probably should be done in private. But let’s just say that in some ways you’ll find it easier to get people to listen to you.”

Lost moves through the serving line, having the same old slosh of questionable meat and reconstituted plant matter plopped down onto her plate. The servers all seem to be hung over, as more then usual the slop missed the individual sections of her plate, and even sprayed some on her shirt. Lost found a table where they could get a little privacy. The table creaked as they sat down, one leg with a large head-shaped dent in it.

“I guess things must have gotten a little out of hand after I left wi—when I left.”

Then she watched the Major come over.

>>13246675

"Err, good morning sergeant, major."

Ghost nods at the others. "Hello Shot, Lost." he then turns his attention back to the Admiral.

>>13246678
He caught that.

And he sighed.

'Oh, look, here comes the partier. How'd it go, Walker, sir." he asked, an edge to his words. "Didja have fun?"

Most of his anger was a simple, childish rage of being left out of things. He felt justified in his anger, that you shouldn't have to seek people out, that it was only polite to check in once in a while, especially if you were doing some sort of celebration.

>>13246719

"Lost, Shot. Good to see you two, fine and healthy."

The Major rubbed his head.

"And perhaps not hung over with a raging headache. Corporal, I don't suppose you know of any remedies for hangovers, do you?" the Major asked as he sat down, motioning Ghost to do the same.

Get an IRC channel.

Inwardly, Ghost was a little nervous. Did the major just pick this place to sit by chance? Did he know about them?

>>13246747
"Can't say I have, sir." he replied, perhaps a little louder than altogether neccessary. "Wouldn't know what yer need anyway. Wasn't there, yannow. Dunnow how much yer had. And from the soun' of it, neither der you."

>>13246736

"Apparently. I really should know better than attempting to drink myself to oblivion."

He paused, then added thoughtfully.

"And I really shouldn't do so while dragging a dozen soldiers with me as well. Well, at least I decided to do it on the ship, instead of planet-side..."

Walker took a look at the goop served to him. He really wished there was still some Makarian left for him to fry.

"... Fierstrom's probably going to hang my ass an dock my pay for this..." he quietly muttered.

>>13246764
Get a life. We're only in one thread, it's a quest, it's roleplaying, you can get back to your warhams and edishun warz with two clicks. Run along now.

>>13246769

Lost shared a brief glace with Ghost, before their eyes snapped away.

>>13246804
After brief eye contact, Ghost avoids looking Lost in the eye.

>>13246830

Lost idly pushes food around on her plate with her fork, no longer hungry.

>>13246764
We do for OOC

>>13246773

"Haa, really? Alright, that's fine Corporal," Walker responds, wincing at the volume of Shot's voice. Maybe the Corporal was in a bad mood? The Major brushed the thought aside. He was a bitter old man stuck in a woman's body; if anyone had a right to be mean and cranky, it was him.

"You're lucky I didn't run into you and grab you too. Drinking yourself to death is never a good idea."

>>13246661
"-is that so? Do you want me to take care of the disciplining matters to my own hands then? For the sake of your headache?"

"-i have here a list: One Private Dragon, and one Private Trauma, disable knees and elbows; One Specialist Aberham, his trigger finger; One Private Weird, full arms detonations."

"-they are to be charged of, in order, refusal to follow orders and fighting in the presence of superior officers; negligence in firearm safety, though mitigated in the circumstances, there are other -safer- ways to gain attention; instigation and provocation of violence in a public area."

"-if you are truly in pain, would you want me to take care of Bravo's internal discipline matters too, regarding yesternight's brawl?"

>>13246871
"I work in that place morning to night. I fall asleep in the Gryo, sir. I would not have minded some diversion, to be honest, sir." He sighed. "Lost, Ghoul, couldja mayhaps come with me fer a bit?" he asked, rising.

if these two got any more obvious, they'd be blasting out each other's kneecaps whille screaming LOOK WE FUCKED. It was getting on his nerves in a bad way.

>>13246911
>Ghost, not ghoul. sorry.

>>13246908

"... I guess I you're not going to punish me, huh? Well, those kids - Dragon and Trauma - they're always at each other's throats. Just have them clean up this mess and send them to the brig for a day or two. I think they've done enough damage to each other that disabling joints is unnecessary."

"Aberham, well, he had good intentions. I don't think blowing off his finger is necessary, although if you think breaking it for lack of trigger discipline, then I'm okay with that."

"Your clone... well, I don't know. I'm not quite sure of what he did, but if you think he needs that punishment, well... if that's what you want. You want me to do it now, or would you like the honors?"

>>13246911
While these others had talked, he had just tried to eat as much as he could in silence. With the Admiral holding the Major's attention, this might not be a bad time to slip away.

Standing up, he answered, "Sure." Nodding to the Major, he followed Shot out.

>>13246985
>waiting on lost, now.

Sighed to himself as he hopped out of his tank, slowly walking to the Mess. He was hungry and hoping there were still Mak or Bug sandwiches left.

>>13246948
"-this is not a request, Major. This is just a courtesy, because it involved a public area and thus public safety. And regarding your own... Involvement to the matter, I believe the Inquisitor has been informed." The Admiral does not smile. But his eyes do indicate that things would not be so easy upon the Major as he probably thinks...

>>13246911
>>13246985

Lost looked from the retreating forms of Shot and Ghost to the Major. She really wanted to talk to him about her clone, but she guessed it would have to wait. Taking her tray and dumping it into the receptacle, she hurried up to catch up with the two NCOs.

>>13247005
>Geez! Hold on to your horses!

Squeamish paled as he walked in to the mess hall, wheeling a mostly broken Dragon before him. At a glance, he caught Walker and Weird sitting together, discussing.

He gulped and took a step away from the wounded man. "Uh, what is the explosion radius on those explosive bolts they have us rigged with, again?" he said, nervously.

>>13247032
He lead the two back to the motorpool, leading them into Betsy, shutting the door behind them with a slam.

"You guys want, I can make you a goddamn neon sign." he said, tapping his foot testily. "It might be a mite less obvious than that bullshit back there. You two got anything to say in defense? 'I was drunk as hell', maybe?" he asked. "Because, frankly, I've been pissed as hell all morning, and I really need another friggin' reason to set this place ablaze. Really." he sat in his driver's seat, and locked the hatch.

"Well?"

>>13247039
"Short buddy, I was laying next to howe when he blew up my liver and leg. Howe just got a nice shade of red on his already red armor."

Dragon may or may not have also recived applause due taking on trauma and hartford while coming out on top. Odds are no one cares.

"Hey walker, how was your MP boot party? Mine was ok"

>>13247027

"While I agree that a punishment is necessary, I don't think detonating a trigger finger because a man was afraid to fight his superior officer is a just punishment."

Walker says with a more stern tone. Perhaps it was the gravity of the matter, or the fact that his headache only served to aggravate him, but he was becoming irritated.

"And don't remind me about the Inquisitor. I know what's coming; not only will I face it, but I'm going to find HER first."

He stabbed his fork into the reconstituted vegetables.

"And it's not to grovel."

>>13247073
He was locked in a spike ball with the one person who had more anger problems then he had ever seen. Who had been been acting very protective of Lost, he had noticed. Oh, and s/he could set everything on fire. Well shit.

>>13247073
Perks a brow as he passes the trio on their way to the Motorpool wondering what they could be up too, but shrugs and continues on his way to the Mess

"Think I'm gettin paranoid..."

>>13247073

Lost looked, shocked, from Shot to Ghost. She was really thinking hard about the possibility that Shot could read minds. How else could he have know? They didn’t say anything, they didn’t do anything, they didn’t even sit on the same side of the table! A part of her did feel like a daughter who had been caught in the arms of a man, with her father just barging through the door.

Another part of her, the knight part, took him as a threat and wondered how long it would take to leap forward and chop at his neck, then slam an elbow into his temple. She didn’t think that these active powers would work while they were unconscious, but maybe that would make it go out of control…

Instead she looked guilty down at her feet.

>>13247109
He must have noticed how they acted in the mess.

"Er.. It's not what you think. We were helping each other with our psy powers, and well..." thinking fast, he added, "I let her into my mind!"

>>13247085

The Major's head snaps towards Dragon's voice.

"You. Go get Trauma, Aberham, and Private Weird. And stand outside of the mess. I don't care if you're hungry; just DO IT."

The Major glares at Dragon. His day was just getting shittier and shittier.

>>13247098
> "While I agree that a punishment is necessary, I don't think detonating a trigger finger because a man was afraid to fight his superior officer is a just punishment."

"-you are on the wrong track. It is not for that matter. Do you know, that because they are hard enough to resist sidearm's fire, the bulkheads have the possibility of causing ricochets? Even if he was firing into the floor, he could have caused more damage than he was expecting. It is that negligence that I opt to fault him for. Not his prudence regarding tackling an intoxicated superior officer."

> And then comes Dragon...

"-ah, good. Here comes the Private."

The Admiral pulls out his PAL, and turns on the detonator program. In short order, hardly seconds, the private's elbows and knees burst in a small spurts of blood, unlike what Dragon's prior experience with the leg-blowing.

The Admiral rises from his seat, and nods to the Major. "-i hope your headache grows less. Now I have to look for the others in my list. Personally."

>>13247168

Lost leaped onto the idea with a forced smile. "Yeah, that's exactly it!"

"With my mind powers!" she added lamely.

>>13247174

"Er... sir... if it is all the same to you, I don't think that he should be wheeling himself around with those injuries. Should... should I go and gather the troops?"

>>13247174
"Bad eh? You got it sir" Dragon looks up "Squeamish, l guess i got you to cart me here for nothing. Back to medical, stat!" Dragon also looks at the very decorated man next to the major "I'd salute or stand but i'm kind of broken at the moment sir, you two take care"

>>13247168
"Let her into your mind." he said quietly. "Listen. Let me lay this out, you two. Lost, you caught yourself saying you left the madness last night with someone. Both of you couldn't stop lookin' at one anothah. Frankly, I'm a father. I had a boy. You learn tah look fer things." he said, swiveling the chair around. "All I wanted was some honesty. A little trust. But you can't even gimme that. If this happens again, I will let Walker know." he said bluntly. "It's fine iff'n you two are attracted, and all. But this is a goddamn military unit. We all fight alongside one another. You start showin' a pref'rnce for one person, that all goes to shit. I've seen it happen. I've fuckin' done it myself. So, I want your word: No more of this shit, alright?"

>>13247196

The noise that Squeamish makes upon being hit with Dragon-shrapnel does nothing to improve his manly image.

>>13247196

The Major grabs the man's sleeve, and brings him to sit back down.

"You know, you don't actually need to be nearby to do that. Also, while what's done is done, the pain tolerance levels that those two - Trauma and Dragon - exhibit indicates that most forms of physical punishment is rather useless. But since you've already started it..."

Walker keys his TACIM on with a tap to one of the pods. A few seconds later, three more detonations occur simultaneously elsewhere on the ship.

"It's done. And don't bother telling Fierstrom; like I said, I plan to tell her myself."

>>13247196
"*explative*! *explative*! *explative*! *explative*! OH DAMN IT! YOU COULDN'T *explative*ING WAIT!? OH GOD DAMN IT," Dragon is throwing his head all around, the only real way he can move at the moment "SQUEE IF YOU VOMIT ON ME I WILL TAKE BACK MY HUG AND *explative*ING KILL YOU!"

>>13247239
>Any ideas Ghost? We could stuff him out an airlock. He's so anti-social people might not notice for a while. Just kidding :P

>>13247270
The Admiral stops, held by Walker, and frowns back at the man.
"-that is not discipline, Major. I wish them to see who causes the damage, and later, I would send them the why of their punishments."

"-in regard of those privates, do you mean that they would need the full-limb detonation, and strict orders to be left like that for a duration?"

The clone's words are straight and without any hint of emotions...

>>13247308
"I AM RIGHT HERE YOU *explative*!"

>>13247292
>Haha. Too bad the clone would come back :P
>Let's see, he doesn't actually have any proof. Even if we don't give out word, not too much he can do but spread rumors. On the other hand, give him our word?

>>13247325
The Admiral turns around, and stares at him for a moment.

"-as I can see. Have you understand the reason of your punishment, or would you require the stricter punishment then?"

>>13247308

"Well, I was thinking of something more humiliating, that would hopefully lead to an end of hostility between those two soldiers. But hell, limb detonations work. And besides, they know who did it; although if you feel like it, you can go and yell them down while they are bleeding."

The Major tilts his head, in a sign of interest.

"Tell me admiral, you ever had to deal with kids before?"

>>13247291

Squeamish's eyebrows went up. "You know, I wouldn't get very far as a medic if a little blood made me sick. It was just, er, a surprise. Yes. Now how about we get you back to med bay and get you some delicious sedatives, eh?"

Perks a brow at the Admiral and the Major looking like they're about to kill each other before sitting quietly not too far away so that he could listen in. Speaking quietly to himself as he does.

"Now what the hell is going on here..."

>>13247335
>Sure, you can write me saying it too.

>>13247340
"I HAVE BEEN "PUNISHED" TWICE! *explative* TWICE NOW FOR *explative* I DID NOT START! YOU'RE DOING YOUR *explative* JOBS BUT MOTHER *explative*! DONT ACT LIKE IM NOT HERE." Dragon breaths heavy, leaning foward in his chair, his arms and legs still attached by threads "There's such thing as a TIME and a PLACE dickweed!"

>>13247344
"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU ASKING!?"

>>13247342
"-no, Major. And for the matter, I do not care if they finish their fight, if it takes somewhere else and if they drop it the instant an officer tells them to."

"-now, I have other matters to attend to, since you have chosen to take the matter of discipling the rest into your own hands. Good day, Major."

>>13247394

"Right."

The Major watches as the Admiral leaves the hall. He wasn't called Weird for nothing.

He looked around the table, noticing for the first time, it was empty.

"... the fuck?"

Colton had woken up several hours before official “morning” on the ship. There was only one way to end this. He dragged himself out of bed, fell really, and dragged himself to his room. He had a neck brace on, which pushed painfully against the helmet and his right arm was in a sling from a fractured collarbone that the nanites were still working on. He pulled on his dress fatigues, wincing as he donned the pants, and awkwardly got his dress shirt buttoned up. Then he picked up his Leave Chit, the readout only reading a measly 8 hours. It would have to do.

Scanning the chit on the morning’s first shuttle, he joined the few crew that had decided to go down. Many were too drunk or too injured to make it yet, but this shuttle was really for those who had spent the night on the surface. Colton wished he could have been one of those people to enjoy the sordid pleasures of a full-fledged city, filled with thankful young girls. Well, at least he’d get one sort of pleasure here. Colton grinned evilly at that… not that anyone could see.

A few hours later he caught the return shuttle. In his hands he carried a box. In that box was something that had spent 40 minutes and quite a few bribes in customs to make it back onto the ship. With grim determination he strode back to the medical ward, to the bed of a burly sergeant who he had a bone to pick with. Who was in pain and weak as a... as a…

>DRAMATICALLY CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POST!

"S-sorry, sir. Sirs." Squeamish said, snapping a nervous salute. He began wheeling the fuming soldier back the way he came.

"So," he murmured as they passed through the doors, "How do you feel about augments? I don't think that the Admiral is going to let me clone new bones for you, so what do you think about adding some more killy hardware instead?"

>>13247407
Dragon is breathing heavy and is vocalizing his considerable pain "Major...major...Ah, If you do..hah, if you do anything on top of this I will roll OUT of this chair...heh...out of this chair and bite your toes off"

Dragon then passes out from the pain

“HARTFORD!” Colton’s speakers were on full volume. “I’M NOT S*censored*ING SURE IF EVEN SOBER YOU’RE Q*censored*ING SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NO Z*censored*ING X*censored*ED KITTEN IN MY HELMET. I CANNOT BE LOOKING OVER MY K*censored*-DAMMED SHOULDER EVERY MOMENT TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE NOT TRYING TO J*censored*ING CRACK MY HEAD OPEN LIKE A S*censored*ING CLAM. SO I HAVE DECIDED TO U*censored*ING END IT. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.”

Colton slammed the box down on top of the sergeant’s massive chest, and opened the lid. A mewing squeak issued forth, and the amazed if still somewhat sedated sergeant took the wriggling calico kitten from Colton’s hands.

“HIS NAME IS Q*censored*ER.” And with that he left the med bay.

>>13247428
Dragon pauses from blacking out long enough for this conversation "No killy bits. cybernetic, biological, or what the fuck ever...you can't...you can't hug with killy bits"

AND THEN PASS OUT

>>13247239
Maybe it's because on some level, Ghost still though of Shot as an old man. that sense of respect for one's elders he (or rather, real original Edwin Zeleck) had been raised with had kept him quiet.

Then, Shot went and reminded him that he was, in fact, military. And of higher rank then him. Standing to full height, or at least as high as he could manage in Betsy, he made his mind. With as much authority as he could muster in this circumstance, he almost shouts, "Corporal! You seem to have misinterpreted some things, seen something that is not there! Lost did sneak out of the mess with me yesterday when the brawl broke out, but the ONLY thing we did was work on our psionics. She was obviously RIGHTFULLY concerned with what that might look like. Now, I don't want to hear of any rumors spreading around about this. Do you understand, Corporal?"

>>13247351
>Decided to go a way that didn't admit anything!

Squeamish sighs and wheels his way through the Medical bay doors.

He stares at the cat.

He stares at Hartford.

He stares at the cat.

"WHAT?"

>>13247484
Shot's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I understand. I understand perfectly. Sir." he said, the word like poison. "Go on. Get. You won't hear from me again." he turned back to look at the controls. "Go on, Lost. Enjoy working with your new partner." he said quietly. "Ain' no one needs this old man." the door unlocked and opened. "See you next mission, Lost, Ghost, sir." he said flatly.

>>13246168

Aberham smiles, and is about to respond when when a sharp bolt of pain and flash of blood washes over him.

He looks for its source and stands stunned, unbelieving at his hand. The medic's mind races and all the critical junctions that lead to this point click into place.

"V*censored*D, CHRIST!"

His knees give out and he collapse forward hinting his knees hard on the metal flooring, he gasped for breath.

>>13247514
Stepping out of Betsy, Ghost looks around to see if anyone had seen him before walking towards the hallway.

>>13247582
Shot sighed, looking at Lost.

"I hope it's worth it. Get out of my hanger." he said, pain and betrayal written on his face.

>>13247434
>>13247509

Sergeant Hartford had already begun to play with the kitten. Despite his size, he was incredibly gentle with it. He was also making inane statements and using baby talk at the moment.

"Mr. Colton is a really nice person! I don't know why the Major would want me to punish him like that, isn't that right, Little C?"

*Mew*

"Awww, aren't you precious? I know Colton named you Q*explative*er, but I think I'll call you Little C. How do you like that?"

*Mew*

The three female orderlies watching him were confused as to where or why Colton would give him a kitten, but all agreed that the scene could only get more adorable if Hartford had actually been a gorilla.

Then Aberham's finger exploded.

>>13247516

"Fucking shit!" Warsaw exclaimed as Aberham's finger suddenly exploded. As Aberham collapsed, Warsaw Rushed forward to catch him. "Alright take it easy now. Somebody get me a shot of morphine! Alright let me see that hand. It doesn't look too bad. Some joint damage, nothing we can't fix. Hey count backwards from a hundred for me."

>>13247514
>>13247600
Lost had kept her mouth shut as Ghost dressed-down Shot. This was a matter of superiors talking to their subordinates.

And then she saw the disappointment, the bitter emotions that were poisoning him, rush back into place around Shot. She felt sick to her stomach for letting this happen.

“We, we can’t leave him like this.” Lost looked to Ghost with pleading eyes. “I know he’s hard to deal with and he think he knows best even when he doesn’t, but he’s my friend, my family, and he thinks he’s all alone. It’s killing him.”

Lost looks over to Shot. “I know you don’t think it, but you can’t keep up this way. This hate and anger you cloak yourself in are just are going to make everything ‘go to shit’ as much as the relationship between me and Ghost.”

She looked over to Ghost, who had stepped out of the open hatch. Her voice gets defensive as she addresses the Saint. “I know it’s none of Shot’s business, but he means well. He’s looking for someone to care about him, and he picked me. I can’t leave him alone just because we did something against the rules last night. I can’t let him fold in on himself just because he thinks he’s my father and thinks he knows best.”

Tears rolled down Lost’s face. “I won’t let him shrivel away to nothing just because it’s the easy thing to do!”

Squeamish skidded around the corner with a fistfull of painkillers. He winced as he saw Aberham curled up on the floor. Not fast enough.

"Erm, here you are. I... I was kind of in the area when the admiral decided to get everyone's punishment out of the way, so, uh, I hurried over as fast as I could. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get Dragon and Trauma done up in traction before they wake up..."

Aberham Slams the deck with his other hand as hard as he can. he screams at the pain, and then screams again.

A roil is building, nothing mattered to him, a feted spiral of self-loathing an indignation plowed though this reason, and he bolts over Warsaw ignoring anything the man says

Moving though the door and slamming into the wall on the far side.

>>13247699

"Erm... Aberham?" Squeamish said, following after the screaming man. "Sir?"

He cast a paniced look at Warsaw. "Should we... sedate him or something?"

>>13247699

Warsaw stumbled to into a bed as Aberham shoved him to the side. Warsaw didn't even have time to catch the other man as he barged out of the med-bay. "Shit! Hartford grab him!" Warsaw shouted as he ran after Aberham. The fact that the Sec-Chief was in no condition to grab anyone was lost on him at the moment. "Aberham! Aberham get back here!"

>>13247674
He had barely made it out of the hatch before Lost had spilled the beans on them breaking the rules. Turning around, he steps back into Betsy and closes the hatch.
Sitting back down, he looks from Lost to Shot. "Shot, I'm not sure I've ever really spoken with you. Kind of hard to trust someone with something like this under those circumstances. What do you intend to do?"

He turns left and run in the direction of his quarters but slows his pace, standing bruised and panting in the hallway.

He tries to collect his thoughts, but it's like building a house of cards in a windstorm, and fails even to take the bottle of medicine from his pocket.

Kneeling again, he pulls his knife from his belt, and shoves the tip into this thigh, choking the yelp it would have normally induced through clenched teet

>>13247816
"I intend to keep you two safe." he said. "Easiest way to do that is abstinence. But, since you're clearly unwilling to do that... Then I'm only going to tell you that this Gyro operates without surviellance from one set of hours to another. If lost is capable of delving, I'll tell her that way. It's safest." he sighed. And so long as you promise not to let this get in the way of any of our missions. Frankly, sir, if you pull rank like that again... Well, there's not much I can do, but I will be most displeased. Plain immature, that's what it is..." he grumbled. "So how's this work, Lost?" he asked. "Why don't you delve into me like you did him? Or is that too awkward?"

He looked between the two, his stance open, nonconfrontational. He wanted to help, not rat them out.

>>13247826

Not satisfied, with the first gash he moves the knife a few inches and places his weight against it, a small but visible trickle of blood accentuates the second wound.

He stands again with some difficulty and leans against the wall. He proceeds Walking slowly down the hall, not wanting to be seen, but forcing himself to move anyways.

>>13247874

Lost looked from Ghost to Shot. Ghost was obviously not happy about her telling him. And while Shot’s fatherly lecture grated on her right now, who was she to turn him away after helping her sergeant?

“Err, I could… but I have to know what I’m going in to do… do you want help with your powers? And you need to know that if you open up to me, I will see everything. Would you be okay with that?”

>>13247874
He just...offered them use of his Ag? "Yeah... thanks."

>>13247940
"I got nothin' to be ashamed of." he replied simply. "I'm all yours, Lost." he chuckled. "Mentally, sort of thing." he sighed. "That's it? I just sorta, like, lower my defenses?" he asked, blinking. The effort wasn't easy, like finding a muscle you didn't know you had and flexing it.

He was ready.

>>13247826
>>13247937


This was bad, very bad. It had been a while since Aberham's last episode. He hadn't had one since he'd joined up. Warsaw had actually hoped the stress of battle help some. Seems he'd gotten it backwards. Worse, he'd lost track of the other man. "Aberham!!" Warsaw shouted, hoping for a response.

>>13247940
"Help with the anger would be nice, yah." he added, belatedly.

>>13247943
>>13247982
>Okay, I wonder if it's gonna be a common thing for Lost to tool around in people's heads.
>If we're gonna do it like last time, I'm gonna step in, and then you're gonna give me some images/memories to work with, things that hint at the source or trigger of your power. Or maybe for you an alternate way to activate your power then with anger.
>Ghost, I don't know if IRL you've got things to do, but if not, I'd like you to stay around.

>Sound like a plan?

>>13248021
>>Gotcha. Hope you like bugs~

rolled 6 = 6

>>13247937

Squeamish was a naturally nervous person. He had a long history of throwing up with little or no provocation. He was short, skinny, and looked like he was perpetually short on sleep.

He was, however, still a soldier.

And coming around the corner to see Aberham staggering about with a bloody knife clutched in his hand, he decided that the best course of action was to take the man down. With an auto injector of sedatives in one hand, he broke into a dash, trying to come in from a blind spot...

>>13248021
>>13248038
>Sure

Shot has asked Lost to delve into his mind. Not knowing what else to do, he just sat and watched.

>>13248046

Aberham turns on the other medic before he gets close enough the use the auto injector.

He makes no move with the knife, just stares at him with a menacing posture.

Aberham is clearly afraid, shaking slightly, but also profoundly confused.

"I told you I was sorry!"

>The ship's power flickers. Throughout the decks, the sounds of machines switching off and rebooting can be heard.

>At the end of one empty corridor, the all-too-familiar sound of a cryopod disengaging echoes off the walls.
>"uh. uh. strippers everywhere.... come'here"

>The power stabilizes, and the unit reseals itself. Its status panel reads: Unit designation updated.

>In one of the cargo bays, the sensors of a decommissioned droid unit activate just long enough to scan the area and return to hibernation.

>>13248038
>>13248048

Lost gestured for Shot to sit back down, and she picked on of the troop seats at the front next to him. She gestured for Ghost to sit down next to her, and when he did she gave his hand a little squeeze. It was kind of thrilling to be able to not keep “them” secret. A part of Lost was chiding herself for letting this all get out of control, that this one night stand was quickly blooming into a full-fledged “standard” relationship. She pushed that to the side and looked over at Ghost.

“I’ve only kind of tried this with Trauma, since we didn’t have another participant, but I think I can link you to me and we can both ‘delve’ together. Kinda like two TAs surveying a field together. I know it sounds kind of strange, but I think that two heads looking at the problem is better then one, and Ghost is a whole lot smarter then I am.”

“Would that be okay, Shot? I can vouch for him, he’s a good man and he only wants to help.” Lost turns to Ghost. “Don’t you?”

Walker had finished his meal, and left the mess hall. Throughout his talk with Admiral Weird, he noticed Lieutenant Ghoul staring holes into the back of his head.

Or at least, that's what it felt like.

He had expected him to waltz over and talk to him; for reasons that Walker never really thought about, nearly all of Bravo found him readily accessible. Shouldn't a high ranking officer be the opposite?

He stalked the halls. He had just been to Fierstrom's room, but she wasn't there. He couldn't find her in Psi Comm, and McMillan wasn't able to find her either. Thus the Major was reduced to wandering the ship at random in the hopes he would bump into the Inquisitor.

"God damn it, I decide to go find her to face my punishment head on, yet I can't find her for the life of me. Just how the hell is Bravo able to find me all the time, anyway?"

The Major mumbled to himself with frustration as he continued to wander the corridors.

There are times where you realize, upon crossing the point of no return, that you have made a poor choice. Squeamish had one of those moments as he skidded to a halt in front of Aberham. It hadn't really occurred to Squeamish that having a knife in play while tumbling about on the bulkhead was a hazard to both of them. Dropping the sedative, he raised both his hands, palms up.

"You did. And I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to rush you like that. I was... I was just worried you were going to hurt someone. But that's wrong, isn't it? You don't want to hurt anyone, do you? Aberham?"

"Help!">>13248096

>>13248138

>Blackbox? Sergeant Douk? FUCKING DUKE SQUAD? BLACKBOX HITTING ON R00 FOR MORE SHENANIGANS? IT'S LIKE FUCKING CHRISTMAS!

>>13248155

"I didn't mean to push you I"M SORRY! I didn't want to hurt you, don't go, please."

>>13248146
"Wait, both of us go in?" He didn't know if that was possible even. Still, many of them had developed powers. Was this really that much stranger? "Of course." Glancing at Lost, "Ready when you are. Oh and Shot? Sorry for pulling rank..."

>>13248096
>>13248204

"I told you I was sorry!" Aberham's voice echoed down the hallway. Hearing it, Warsaw turned and ran. When he finally found it's source Warsaw was shocked to see Squemish attempting to sedate Aberham. If only he hadn't hesitated when Aberham turned around. "Squee, back up, slowly," Warsaw said as he walked up beside the other medic, "Yo, Aberham, buddy, how you doing? You're looking a little rough there. Tell you what. Why don't you come with me? We'll get that finger looked at, then we'll go get some drinks. What do you think? Sound like fun?" As Warsaw spoke he continued to slowly walk toward Aberham, his attention entirely focused on the other mans eyes.

>>13248204

"Don't worry, sir. I'm here. I'm going to stay as long as you want me here. Why don't we just sit down and talk about it for a minute?" Squeamish said, with a smile. Slowly, he sank down to his haunches, careful not to break eye contact.

>>13248148
Watched as the Major left, Ghoul wasn't pissed at him, hell Ghoul didn't even have the right to. The Admiral and the Major both had every right to det those soldiers limbs like they did. He took another bite of his sandwich, hell the Major actually did his soldiers a service for detting them before the Admiral could basically torture them before doing such.

"What is exactly going on between the higher ups..."

He continues to muse to himself as he sits there in the mess, eating sandwiches. Something was tugging at the back of his mind as well. Why were Shot, Ghost, and Lost heading to the hanger, again he shook his head.

"I need a gorram smoke..."

>>13248210

The sight and sound of a familiar presence calms him, he puts the knife away, staring at it with almost childlike curiosity.

"I was...yes, YES, fuck"

He fumbles with the button of his jacket pocket and produces a small bottle; two pill fall onto his hand and he swallows them with some difficulty, his mouth is dry.

"Were are we going to g-go?"

>>13248146
"...Alright. Just... don't be judgemental at what you find." he said, going through the motions she directed.

As soon as they stepped in, they'd find themselves admist a wall of bugs. Hundreds, if not billions, crowded in from every side, chittering, hissing, undulating, pulsating xenoforms. They soon gave way to reveal a desert landscape, with...

Lost standing outside a house, in local garb? No, that didn't make any sense. Besides, her hair was different, longer, than hers. Shot, a younger, male version, walked out and kissed her goodbye. His son walked out as well, large backpack over one shoulder. The sun blasted the whole scene, and this was likely why everyone wore wide caps, large robes, and had fairly deep tans. The woman who looked almost exactly like Lost was very pregnant, and waved to her husband as he began to drive away...

Then she gripped her head and fell to her knees.

>>>

>>13248351

Several others in the community responded, as if a massive stone had fallen in the center of the town, knocking them off balance. Psychic resonance. There was only a few moments of peace as Shot began to attend to his wife, then the sky blackened. Faces turned up in horror, and Shot desperately grabbed his son, pulling him away from staring at the encroaching horde. The boy ran for the car, as his father pulled his wife behind, her massive headache rooting her in place. He begged and pleaded with her, with the swarm... But had to turn away at the last moment, one of the bugs slicing open his hand as he ran. He didn't dare look back. But he could hear it. THe screaming. The tearing of flesh.

He started up the car, gasoline can he'd left on it toppling over, spilling over the front of the car as he drove. Then it hit the hot engine, and the front of the car simply burst into flames. The bugs were beat and burned away by the flames, the car ramming through them...

And everything went white. He was older now, by a few years, inside the Ag, laughing manically as it bumped up and down rythmically.

>>>

>>13248358


Briefly, a lustful tryst between him and an exotic, darker-skinned woman. She died in the next mission, torn in half. It was her last clone.

More missions. More killing. But it was never enough. he hopped from unit to unit, each one closer and closer to the edge of the battle with the Xenos, throwing himself into the heart of the lion's den.

And then he met Lost. The event was strange, as in his memory, she was surrounded by the bugs, which attacked her mercilessly... but found no purchase. Her body, rimmed in white light, ever so briefly.

And then, more and more recent memories, sped up wildly, with pockets of forgetfulness. Talking to an empty backseat. Racing a bug horde to save two people...

And finally, connection the dots about Lost's tryst with Ghost.

And that was it.

>>13248331

"We'll head back to the Med-bay first. Need to get that finger looked at right? After that we can go where ever you want," Warsaw said as he sidled up next to Aberham. Slowly he threw an arm over Aberham's shoulders and started guiding him back toward the med-bay. With the other hand Warsaw motioned for Squee to move out of the way.

>>13248351
>>13248358
>>13248367
>Err, I was gonna step in first... Well, just assumed this happened first.

The hand-that-was-not-hand reached out towards Ghost’s mind. As it touched, instead of it trying to reach in, it pulled at the consciousness. There was a jolting, and another hand-that-was-not-a-hand was pulled out, its fingers locking with hers. And Ghost’s body slumped in his seat. Ooops! Lost started to panic and tried stuffing the mind back, but then she could feel the mind of Ghost telling her not to panic, with a strong sense of confidence and determination. With that assurance she reached—they reached—into the mind of Shot.

[Stay calm,] said the mind of Lost to Ghost’s [it’s going to seem really confusing in there, but just try and keep your eyes open for anything important. Once we get a feel of the land, we’ll delve deeper.]

As they stepped in, the maelstrom that was the human mind flew around them. Lost could feel amazement from the connection to Ghost. Well, it was amazing, and always breath-taking. Memories, emotions, and feelings flew around them in a pandemonium, like great big panes of glass and mirrors. Memories of his wife flooded in. All the countless times he had helped her, watched after her in her episodes, trying to understand it all. Feeling of Shot’s body, the constant realization and re-realization that this was not HIS body, and that he was HIMself. A man trying to hold onto his sense of self when his body told him he was something different. The rage, the fear, all the negative emotions were being held back, like some great dark red wave rolling in from out of sight.

> >

>Continued from >>13248398

She pushed at the wall Shot had erected. Not a wall to hold her out, but a wall to try and keep back all these painful feelings from her. Shot was trying to protect her, even in his own mind. She pushed lightly on it, and she could sense/see Ghost next to her, deep in thought. One of them, it was hard to tell exactly which thoughts were which, started pushing on the wall with acceptance, with friendship, and the wall shook before exploding into a torrent of pent-up feelings.

And like that they had entered the understreams of Shot’s mind.
'
>Okay, time to read what you posted.

>>13248388

At first Aberham recoils from the arm, moving as if to doge it, but then just as quickly welcomes the friendly embrace.

He says nothing, just walks to keep pace with Warsaw.

>>13248388

Squeamish nodded and made room for the two of them to pass.

So, psychotic episode. Wheels turned in Squeamish's head as he watched the other medics return to the med bay. The panic faded from his face, replaced by a glassy-eyed smile.

Fascinating.

>Before I start posting, any idea's from Ghost? Obviously Shot hates the Xenos... and I'm guessing that's connected to his power, as from Shot's earlier posts in the motor pool. Also Lost wants to help ween him away from all this negative self-hate and maybe connect his power to something else? Where should we push?

>>13248473

When they finally returned to the Med-Bay Warsaw guided Aberham into the private room Walker had occupied not so long ago. The medical staff and patients were quite as the pair walked through. None of them quite sure what to make of what little of the spectacle they had just seen. After getting Aberham to lay down in the bed, he stepped out of the room just long enough to grab an injector and some bandages. The stab wounds were simply enough some polyprotein injections and in a few moment they were barely scars. The finger was the real problem. The joint was completely destroyed, the end of his finger hanging from exposed muscle tissue. After carefully aligning the finger bones, Warsaw drenched the entire wound in polyprotein and wrapped in the bandages. The wound would take a while to heal, longer than really necessary this way. Until he was sure Aberham was back to normal though, Warsaw wasn't going to do anything that might set him off again. "Why don't you take a nap for a little while, pal," Warsaw said when he finished, "I'll be right here if you need me." Pulling up a chair Warsaw sat down and waited.

>>13248496
>Yeah, Shot is big on HATE. If it were to be tied to some other emotion that may have been present in the memories, that doesn't leave many options :/

>>13248775
>Shot does point out that bitterness would be one that would feature prominently here.

>>13248367
>Also, pointed out Bravery. Some of these examples could point to that. So maybe when he feels exceptionally courageous?

>>13248885

>I would say it would be more of a "FUCK YOU IMMA GONNA SQUISH YOU LIKE THE BUG YOU ARE" feeling. As Shot has stated before, that's the single reason why he pilots a Gryo.

>>13248898
>I know, was kind of really trying to qualify it as an emotion of some sort. Maybe Fearlessness?

>>13248921

>Reckless abandon, if you ask me.

>>13248367

The images buffered her. It was strange, shocking, to see a woman the looked like her. Was it simply chance, a one-in-a-billion-billion genetic lottery? Was this a symptom? Was Shot imprinting her image on his wife? That thought was more then a little frightening. If he truly believed that? It could spell disaster.

As the memories ceased, she was once again sitting in a void, like in Ghost’s mind. A place that was between the torrents of the underthoughts, where she sat and reflected on the mind-shards in front of her. She could feel Ghost standing behind her, peering over her head at the thought-planes before them. Of course, none of this was actually happening, but it made it easier to focus, especially for Ghost she believed.

Lost looked up at the thought-image of Ghost. And her mind spoke to Ghost’s [I think it’s deep, bone deep: this hate. He hates the monsters that killed his wife, wiped out his life and planet. Fire, like the burning car, fire was a tool to the survival of him and his son against the xenos.]

Lost curled her not-arms around her legs. [I don’t like this hate. It’s a burning river of fire that sweeps over the banks and does as much damage as good. It’s choking out the other emotions, like an overbearing tree killing off the plants below it. It has hollowed him out, and he’s trying to shovel emotions in, but I don’t think he knows how. Hate is rote in his mind, and it makes him hard to… to… love, I guess. Everything has a bitterness in it, tainted by loss.]

> >

>Continued from >>13248965

Lost examines the planes of thought again. A starting life, ruined by the xenos. A long path of war and hate and loss upon loss. To say that Shot’s mind was simple would be wrong, but with the path of hate running through his mind, it was an arrow: sharp and narrow. This shift, this change into the new body had exacerbated things. It had shaken the hollowness in him like a bell, like a man realizing his stomach was empty after days of not eating and trying to fill his belly with anything he could find.

Suddenly they were flying, Ghost clasping onto the shoulder of Lost as they whisked through the air that was no there. She weaved around the raging streams of thought, seeking on in particular. As she found it she picked up speed and the smashed into the surface.

> Let’s focus on something positive? Maybe meeting his wife, or positive emotional times when he joined the army? The bravery or whatever?

>>13248954
>>13248921
>DRAMA!

>>Do I post here? :3c

>>13248398
>>13248403
One moment, he was sitting Betsy. The next, things went black.

Everything was fuzzy, as if he was stumbling through a dream. He drifted through the haze until he suddenly reached lucidity.

>>13248351
Xenoforms, all around him, Then, desert.
A home, a woman outside that look like...Lost? No, Lost was standing next to him. The woman looked similar enough, anyway. There was a man there, he assumed he was the husband. that would be Shot then.

Much, he couldn't understand. He was no empath. He could not truly delve into this mind. Here, he was merely an observer.

The woman falls to the ground, the xenoforms close in. All he see now is Shot, speeding away. His car catches fire while plowing throw a wall of xenos, an overturned container of fuel the cause. It could explain why his power manifested as it did, but he saw no explanation for the trigger.

>>13248367
More memories fly by. He sees Shot throw himself into the xeno swarms again and again. Soon, he begins recognizing memories as from missions that he himself had been in, though from Shot's eyes. He drives with near recklessness through the enemy formations, to save civilians, protect his fellow soldiers. Ghost remembers how Shot was. Bravery? Fearlessness. He did not care about himself, there was only the enemy to be destroyed.

That must be it.

>>13249012
>Yeah. Unless Ghost want to [] talk to Lost.

>For Ghoul and everyone else who wants to know what our naval units look like. And M stands for Mothership.

Bravery. Recklessness.

There was the Xeno, and there was Betsy.

That was what he was. Who he was. Everything else, like who rode in the gyro, was inconsequential. He had even hallucinated a young woman in the backseat of the car, due to a brain tumor, and named it after his unborn child.

Betsy, the Gyro, was his little girl. It was creepy, and touching, in a way. The hours and hours he spent making sure that Betsy was in tip top shape before going on a mission...

Was a father's love, making sure her dress was just right and her shoes were tied.

Together, they were an unstoppable monster of revenge, a massive middle finger to the Xenos, as, even though they could bring down tanks, knights, infantry... There was always Betsy, and there was always Shot. Even a nuklear explosion hadn't stopped her.

A shifting of values. A new attachment. Bravery... Spirit... Belief. THere would always be Betsy, there would always be Shot. A bright sun in a galaxy sunk in darkness...

>>13249017
Lost's thoughts speak to him. Facing her, he thinks. [Hate is definitely what causes his power to emerge. His feelings of fearlessness might work. Can you select memories to see? Maybe, the memory of when he first displayed this power in the VR sim could provide answers?]

Fly was in his quarters (if you can call it that hayo!) when he thought about what he was doing with his life. I mean, infantry? Didn't work out. And he wasn't exactly doing the best of jobs here. Fly stood up and walked into Walkers office, leaning in the doorway.
"Commander walker?" he asked, tentatively.

>>13249108
"What do you mean she isn't mine, asshole! I came in with this Gyro, I leave with it."

"Private Shot!"

"My apologies, sir, but I mean what I say."

"...Fine. In light of your excellent service to these people, you are now the official owner of that vehicle. Now get the hell out of my sight!"

"With pleasure." The young Shot laughed, rolling the Gyro into the shuttle for the next voyage to the next planet that needed him. After all, the people needed him and Betsy. Right?

>>13249161

"..."

Silence. There was nobody there. Taggart saw a note scribbled on Walker's oak desk. He walked over to it, and picked it up. He absentmindedly read it aloud.

"Out. Looking for Fierstrom."

>>13249108
[Maybe we've found it. Bravery, fearlessness. Emotions similar to them? I suppose we should speak with Shot now, see if this will work for him.]

>>13249191
"Fierstorm? What the fuck is 'fier'?" Fly jokingly ponedered aloud.
Maybe bravo...
Maybe this is where he was needed.

>>13249212
Fly grabbed a pen and started scribbling. He crossed out Fierstrom and wrote above "Firestorm" then added
"Dear walker,
I made it better. Maybe when you find 'Fierstrom' you should rename it 'Firestorm'. Its badass.
-Fly"

>soon to be Pfc NoKneecaps Taggart

>>13249200

They were back in the void between thoughts when Lost shook her head. [Asking isn’t working at the level we need. We need to see if his entire self will accept it. It can only decide if it’s going to work or not.]

Suddenly a plane of thought appeared in her hands. A blank one, shining with the potential for any conceivable idea. Lost looked at it and pondered.

[How do we convey it? We know that Besty as a person to him, maybe due to a fluke of the mind a hallucination of a unborn daughter, but it’s as true to him as an arm or a leg is to us. It’s a connection he feels, so strongly that his powers can only truly manifest inside of her. He feels pride with her, bravery bordering of fearlessness. How do we remove that feeling of rage from the source, and connect it to this new one? We need an image, a thought, that can explode into this new idea.]

>>13249293
>i gotta admit, i laughed really hard

>>13249307

>You weren't the only one.

>>13249325
>...


>fuck

>>13249297
She asked, and, as if hearing her, Shot's mind responded.
A knight, seated in empty space, weilding a lance of one of the long spikes that the Gyro had fitted to it. He was without sheild, or armor... this young version of Shot was quite bare. As if waiting for something...

>>13249279
Fly set the note down and walked out of walkers office and down the hall back to his quarters (heh heh), smiling all the way. He lay down and shut his eyes. Maybe tonight...
Maybe he wouldn't dream.
>it's fucking late as fuck, goodnight

>>13249375

Lost blinked at the image that had suddenly appeared on the plane.

[I guess... we're supposed to dress him?]

>>13249437
>He believes the Gyro is his weapon, his daughter, his armor. They're almost the same 'thing'. :V

>Psychology is hard.

>>13249445
>Okay. I still want to get some RP input from Ghost. After all, I dragged him in here.

>>13249297
Ghost was out of his element here. Betsy, a substitute for his unborn daughter? If even the Ag had been named after her, he could see no way that Shot would not be constantly reminded of his loss. This feeling, this is the source of his anger, his rage. Inescapable.

[I don't think we can really eliminate the source of anger here. Maybe we could make it more manageable instead?]

>>13249437
>>13249445
>>13249493
>Well, serves me right for not continuously refreshing the thread :/

>>13249516

[Maybe the idea of it as a second chance to be with his daughter? I know it's no replacement... but when I look at him, I see a man who was withered, who has shrunken in on himself. There are parts of him that are atrophied. We need to cut the anger down and let other things grow. Address the balance. If we can plant a kernel of an idea and it grow, that might be enough.]

>>13249375
>>13249437
Only now does he notice the image. [Perhaps? this is new to me. Do we just imagine it on him or something?]
Using the power of imagination. Yeah, that just sounded to corny to work.

>>13249574

[I think it's Shot's mind.] Lost looked up at him and shrugged. [Don't ask me how, I'm still pretty new to this.]

>>13248723

The medication made him feel not himself, but they did have the tremendous upside of smoothing out the flow of his thoughts.

Before long he was back in the right time, the right place. Not 100% Aberham, but close enough.

He opened his eyes and was relieved to see Warsaw siting next to him. Abe's mind swung into regret and self pity, revulsion at dragging another person into this but the meds let him halt the decline.

Warsaw had been the one to get Abe to finally seek treatment, had approached him with a new perspective, with humor that let him survive the contact without yielding. He was very grateful, and he made a mental note to tell him once he felt up to speaking again.

He still felt dejected however, the victim of poor circumstance. Countless hours of patching up the others for their poor behavior, and he ended up in the same situation.

-There's that pity again-

He looked up at the light on the ceiling and imagined the photons being produced as they jumped the diode.

>>13249593
Something strange was happening. The whole mindscape shook, as if experiancing an earthquake. They didn't have much longer...

>>13249641
>Do you need to go to bed? We can pick this up later.

>>13249656
>A bit, also saying "not everything an be fixed in one go"

>>13249670
>Okay. Ghost, any profound insights? Let's knock this thought out of the park!

>>13249568
>>13249641
[Planting ideas.] Ghost has no idea how this is supposed to work. The shaking sensations begin, desperation sets in.
He just begins thinking at Shot.

Of how Shot should think of accept his loss. Not forget, but move on.

Of how his family would not want him to feel such anger all the time. How he should not isolate himself.

Of how, he should fight not because of his rage at then xenos, but from a desire to save others from having to experience what he had.

It wasn't much, but Ghost felt he didn't have long. He began looking for a way out, feeling ever more disoriented.

>>13249690
>Nothing profound I'm afraid. Some last ditch attempts of affecting some change before looking for a way to bail out :/

>>13249715

[Hmmm…]

Perhaps there was no real way to end the anger. Lost was seeing that now. Maybe instead it was about making the anger a positive thing, a tool to be used, instead of the only way to express his feelings or actions. Of family, like the family of him and Besty, of being a boon rather then a vulnerability, that he had to reach out and make those connections. That he had to let go of the death of his family, and remember them for who they were and what they wanted. That they loved him and they were proud of what he did, but that he needed to move on and love again.

She added these thoughts thoughts to the similar ones of Ghost, and flung the pane of thought into the void.

[We just have to stay here a little longer, see if it took…]

>>13249715
>Shot said I pretty much got it, even if it won't work completely. Pretty much time to get out of his mind now!

>>13249805
>Okay! Dramatic escape scene go! Am I writing that?

>>13249815
>If you don't mind. My writing is kind of bland anyway.

>>13249794
It's be impossible to tell. The mind was starting to push out the foriegn entities, slowly growing more and more forceful and even dangerous. Staying too long would be the Fantastic Voyage equivelent of getting eaten by a white blood cell.

>>13249830
>Pah! Pah I say. You’re a good RPer! Anywho.

The shaking increased. The surging torrents of thoughts started to twist, colliding with each other and shattering into rivets of globs that spun off into the void.

[Just a bit longer we--] Lost was gazing deeply into the void.

[We have to go, now! I don’t know what’s going on, but I know this isn’t normal!] Ghost’s thoughts were almost drowned out by the crushing, grating thoughts that had started to fly dangerous close in the void.

[Just a little bit longer, I have to know I did something, that I’m helping him!] His hand clamped down on her shoulder.

[WE HAVE TO GO NOW!] Ghost had to yell his thoughts to be heard.

A flash of anger filled Lost’s eyes, then it was replaced with resignation. [OKAY, HOLD ON!]

Ghost locked his arms around her waist, and Lost took of like a thunder-crack. Red lightning played on the edges of the void as she swooped under streams that were curving together, barely missing the shards of thought that whizzed around them like bullets. Now it was clear that the waves of thought were turning towards them. Such a torrent could be waded into, but it coming at you head on… Lost didn’t know what it would do.

Lost and Ghost swung up and down over the thoughts as she moved at the speed of though to the surface, a roiling sea of mercury and panes of glass. As they burst out, trailing quicksilver and mirrored squares, red lightning tried to assail them. Forks of pure active thought tried to spear them, barely missing them as they pierced the surface of the mind…

…and where back in there own bodies.

>>13249940
>Oops! Sorry for the typos! Also, I hope you don't mind that I put a few words in your mouth. Ghost seem like the more level-headed of us two.

>>13249940
He was back in his body. Rushing the hatch and fumbling with the lock, he barely managed to get out before puking up the meal he just had earlier.

Legs still wobbly, re-enters Betsy and takes a seat. "So Shot, notice any difference?"

>>13249989

Lost just looks expectantly at Shot, too intensely to notice Ghost's distress.

...

Shot wasn't moving. He was dreaming.

His eyes moved rapidly beneath his lids, and he rested where they had lain him.

((goodnight. :3 ))

>>13250046

"Errr, I think he's asleep. Should we wake him?"

>>13250046
>>13250004

The only answer to his question were snores. "He's asleep." Guess that's why his mind had gone all weird.

>>13250060
"No, we should let him rest." He moved for the hatch. "How long were we in there?"

>>13250076
Ghoul walks past Ghost, as he was on his way back to Karnivore from the mess. Answering the Sergeant nonchalantly as he passes with a sandwich in his hand.

"I'd say an hour or two..."

>>13250076

"Not too long. Once we, err, "delve" we move at the speed of thought. Still, we were in there a while. Looks like about an hour?"

Still waiting for you guys to get an IRC channel. This shit is boring and unnecessary.

>>13250087
>I thought we were in the Ag? Or did you come up to it?

U mad?

>>13250087

"Hello Ghoul. If we ever have to go into your mind for something, don't fall asleep on us okay?"

>>13250105
>Ghoul basically lives in his Bitank. Which is in the Motorpool. I passed on my way. Course I do believe I missread Ghost's post. Still not deleting mine though.

>>13250119

Lost giggled at the statement.

>>13250122
>That's okay. Just a little confused.

>>13250119
Ghoul smirked at Ghost not entirely understanding until he heard Lost's giggle.

"Not sure I want the two of ya diggin through my head tell ya the truth."

He'd stopped at this point, facing the Ag and Ghost, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

Stepping away from the Ag, taking care to avoid the puddle of vomit, Ghost takes a few steps towards the hall before realizing he has no clear destination in mind.

>>13250153

Lost walks down the ramp and snaps to attention. "Permission to make idle conversation with you, L-T?

>>13250153
"I wouldn't worry about it. No mind invasions unless you ask for it!"

>>13250176
>>13250173
Perks a brow at Ghost's comment with a mild chuckle before turning to Lost.

"Shoot, Specialist."

>>13250190

"Err, could you tell me what exactly happened last night at the mess? I left early and when I came back for breakfast the place looked like a hurricane had hit it."

>>13250225
Taps his chin with the sandwich as if its hard to remember.

"Well I showed up around the time you and Ghost were leaving. Not long after that, with all the drinking, the Major got pretty messed up. He started a fight with Aberham and the Mp's that show up with the Doc."

Ghoul pauses for a moment to take a bite of his sandwich, continuing as soon as he swallows.

"The next few moments were a blur of fighting but it ended up with Trauma fighting Hartford, and the Major fighting the Mp's. So naturally I joined in helpin' out Walker. Regardless, the hole place got tore up and damn near everyone involved got drug to the medbay. Seems some got punished as well."

After finishing Ghoul starts happily eating his sandwich again.

>>13250249

"The Major?!" Lost squeaked, continuing in a more normal, if anxious tone. "He looked bad this morning, but he actually picked a fight with MPs? And Aberham?! Is he okay? I mean, is Aberham okay? Who got punishments?"

>>13250265
Thinks for a moment as he chews the remains of his sandwich.

"Well lets see. Dragon and Trauma got their knees and elbows detted if I recall.. Aberham got his trigger finger detted for discharging his sidearm. And... I think Private Weird got the entirety of his arms blown."

Scratches his chin for a moment trying to remember if he missed anyone.

Other then that, they're all fine. Most are still in medical but, fine none the less."

>>13250249
Ghost ignores the mention of him and Lost leaving at the same time.
"Guess you picked the right side, if you managed to avoid punishment. The Admiral seemed pissed."

He remembers Dragon in the med bay. "So, Dragon, Trauma, and Aberham. How does Alpha squad keep coming out of these things worse off then everyone?"

Pvt Weird losing his arms? After what he witnessed, that sounds about right.

>>13250280
>>13250284

"Oh no! Abe!" Lost goes pale. "I'm sorry L-T, I've got to go check on him, on all of them!"

Lost starts to run off, then skids to a halt. "Err, thank you Ghost for your help today... it was really... helpful."

With that Lost breaks into a run.

>>13250305
With the exception of Weird, they were all in his squad. He should probably check up on them as well.

Ghost took took off toward the medbay.

>>13250305
>>13250292
Nods at Lost and Ghost as they start to rush off, before turning around and walking towards his Bitank, he needed a nap, so he could think about things. Mutter to himself as he does.

"Not sure myself Ghost. But it'll help Alpha build character if nothing else. Course maybe I should put a tighter leash on them... No that'll just stir more trouble."

Ghoul stops suddenly, looking back down the hall Lost and Ghost had just ran down, before turning back and climbing up into Karnivore's cockpit. Something seemed off about the two of them, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

>>13250318

Aberham sits idly in his room,

"heh...photons."

For the second time today Lost was running through the halls up of the ship. Keep this up, she thought, and you won’t have to hit the gym anymore.

Skidding to a stop in front of medical, she entered the patient ward. There were a lot of men and women sitting in the beds, most of them well on the road to recovery from their wounds last night. But sitting on two beds next to each other, the bodies of Dragon and Trauma lay. Lost put her hand to her mouth in shock. They had gotten their limbs detonated and more injuries that must have been caused last night. She went up to both of them, but they were well and truly sedated and didn’t respond to any of her question. Glancing nervously around the room, her eyes rested on Aberham.

He didn’t look as bad, with only a finger in a medical cast and a slight gash on his forehead, now only a pink line that would fade as the nanites left his system. He did seem to have a fresh gash on his leg. She wondered how he got it. She leaned over the bed to look at his features, which had the dull look of sedation.

“Abe? Aberham? Can you hear me? It’s Lost.”

>>13250384

>forgot my trip

>>13250401

"I'm here...Lost, sorry It's hard for me to talk. The medication..."

He sounds lucid, slow, but precise.

>>13250433

Relief blanketed Lost's feature. "I heard you got attacked by the Major last night. And that you discharged your sidearm. You've been busy while I've been away."

Lost gave a weak smile.

"Did, did the major order that?" She says, looking down at his bandaged hand.

The medbay was growing to be an all too familiar sight these days.

Ghost checked Dragon, then Trauma. Both looked in bad shape, but seemed to be alright sleeping it off for the moment.

Stepping the room with Aberham and Lost, Ghost looked him over before stating, "Well, you're in much better shape then Dragon or Trauma at least. How are you holding up?"

>>13250453

He leans up, but there is no hint of lethargy in his movement.

"I don't know..."

"He attacked me, Aberham hit back, then I"

he masticates on the next word for several seconds

"shot my sidearm, to stop the fight."

A look of sadness,

"My enemies do not touch me, my friends give me these" He touches the bandaged hand to the side of his head.

>>13250490

Lost exchanges worried glances with Ghost.

“Abe, why don’t you lay back down?” Lost says she gently presses him back into bed, arranging his limbs by his sides. “I’ll stay here with you.”

Lost places her hand on top of Aberhams’s good one and pulls up a seat.

“We can talk, if you don’t try to get up, or we can just sit here and enjoy each other’s company. Okay?”

>>13250490
Did he just refer to himself in the third person? He manner of speech was all weird. That blow to the head must have been much more severe then he thought. For the moment, Ghost just stands back and waits to see if he says anything else.

>>13250533
>>13250536

He does not resist, but looks mildly annoyed.

"I'm glad you came."

"It's only a side effect, I have something I did not tell you about before."

"The medication helps stop my panic attacks"

>>13250490
>"He attacked me, Aberham hit back, then I"

Thinking a little more on what he just heard, concern becomes evident on his face. Was Aberham developing a multiple personality disorder?

Crouching down by the bed, he asks, "Hey, can you understand me? Do you know your name?"

>>13250597

"Yes, Aberham...or Andrew sorry when I'm..."

"Like this I'm very detached."

>>13250607

Aberham sighs internally,

"When I was angry at Dragon, That's what they are like for me."

"Not just stress"

He squeezes Lost's hands a little tighter.

>>13250639
>I think my last post was eaten... Also I'm fading fast. I think I'm gonna be good for a few more responses, but that's it.

"Oh, Abe." Lost sighs. "I'm sorry. I know what it's like to have things happen to you that you don't want. But we're here for you. And it sounds like you have it under control, with the medication. I'm sorry it's not working right now."

She gives Ghost a hesitant look. "Maybe, maybe when you're doing better, I can help. In some way."

Lost was a bit nervous about bringing up her empathy powers.

>>13250616
>>13250718
"I think we should let him rest."

Now that he had an idea of what exploring others minds was like, and considering his experience in one that had fallen asleep, he thought it would be a great idea to wait until Aberham was FULLY healed up before trying anything like that.

>>13250759

"I think I'm going to stay with him," Lost replied "if you don't mind?"

"Or you," she said looking at Aberham.

>>13250718

He smiles

"Lost, you are not a psychologist. This is not something you can snuff out."

"Thank you"

He relaxes.

"You can stay with Warsaw and me." he nods to the other medic sleeping in the chair across the way.

"Or go, I will be ok"

>>13250774
>>13250775
He nods to Lost.

Glancing to Warsaw, he turns back to Aberham, a bit more concern on his face. Destroyed limbs were easily replaced, but mental problems were harder to fix. "Take care, Abe."

With that, walked out and back to his quarters.

"Okay, then I'm going to stay." Lost says as she settles back in her chair.

She looks over to the unconscious medic. "Warsaw is a good doc. He'll have you shipshape in no time."

Lost gives a long yawn.

"And everything will be fine," she added sleepily.

>And I'm going to sleep! It's been really fun! Maybe again tomorrow?

>>13250855

>goodnight

>>13250855
>good night

2 Platoon - "Sons Of Hati"

2-3 Squad - "Sköll"
[RnR] Sgt. Wolf
[M] Pvt. Colton
[S] Pvt. Baumer
[K] Pvt. Nomad

Requested:
[E] Pvt. Squeamish

Pending:
[A] Pfc. Taggart
[R] Pfc. Ender
[R] Pvt. Bit
[R] 00

And a lot of other guys, because Sköll gets them all.
No, really. Feels like changing socks so many soldiers entered and left Sköll already.

>>Hey, we have an IRC channel. We use it for OOC coordination and to educate new recruits. We aren't here to entertain you, so go ahead and read some other thread.

Dreams. Dreams are a weird, and wild thing.

An angel with a flaming sword slashing through the bugs, while another lead him away.

His memories, twisting and shaking and cracking. Strange new perspectives forced themselves upon him, new feelings and emotions rising to the fore.

Ella holding out a hand to him...

And he awoke on the floor of the Gyro, hand outstretched, with a gasp.

"Hrmph. The lovebirds're gone..." he mumbled, picking up his wrench. There was work to be done.